November 2020

Dave woke up in the middle of the night to Kurt's crying. He scooted closer and held Kurt tight to his chest. "I'm here. I'm here." He kissed the back of Kurt's neck. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop Kurt's tears from flowing.

"I know. I love you. I'm sorry."

"You know there's no reason for you to be sorry."

"I'm just so sad. I don't know if I'll ever be okay again."

"I'm not sure that any of us will. All we can do is put one foot in front of the other some days."

"I just want to stay in bed."

"We can do that."

Kurt started talking too quickly for Dave to get a work in edgewise. "Melie and Alie aren't even going to remember him," Kurt cried harder. "I was a year older than they are when my mom died and I can barely remember her. And Carole's already lost a husband and raised a child by herself. It's just wrong. We could try to move them to our house in Connecticut. The girls could share a room. The house is paid for. Maybe Carole could do some kind of nursing over Zoom or whatever. She'll get Dad's life insurance. She and the girls could live on that for a long time without a house payment. It might be really hard to sell their place though. And the shop," Kurt began to cry so hard, he was close to hyperventilating. "I should have stayed in Lima and run the shop."

"Kurt, take a breath." Breathe with me. Dave began to lead him through breathing in a controlled way to help him calm down. "You're not making sense."

"Dad…"

"You've woken up from a nightmare." Dave rolled onto his back and turned the bedside light on. He turned back towards Kurt. "I'm sorry to hurt your eyes, but I need you to wake up all the way."

Kurt turned over and scooted closer.

"Your dad's fine. Look me in the eyes. He got a clean bill of health two weeks ago. He's been down at the shop. He FaceTimed you from the shop just this afternoon. Cassius was hassling him for 'pretending' he'd been sick just to get a vacation because he's doing so well. Carole's fine. Your sisters are fine. They think going to school online is fun."

Kurt's breath was ragged, but he was calming down. He wrapped himself around Dave and held on tight. "It was so real. God, I'm a wreck. I'm sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night."

"Will you please not apologize? I love you and you waking me up is not a big deal." He kissed Kurt. "Now I get more falling asleep kisses."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You sound like Alie. I can't sleep yet. Read another book, Kurt."

"Mmm hmm. Kiss me more, Kurt," Dave teased.

"I've been kissing you for a little over nine years. Aren't you tired of me kissing you by now?"

"I see sassy Kurt has returned."

"Now, you're just saying things to rile me up. You know I'll give you whatever you want."

"After I beg for a bit."

"You like me to make you beg."

Dave laughed. "Maybe."

"Mmm hmm. Sure. We've been together nine years. There's no maybe about it." Kurt's tears had stopped. He wiped his eyes. His breathing was even again.

"Nine years of everything I ever wanted."

"You're such a sweetie. I love you so much. All my kisses are yours forever." He kissed Dave. "You can turn the light back off now. I'm fine."

X-X-X-X-X

Back nine months prior, when the quarantine began, they had been their own family for nearly eight years. They knew how each person dealt with stress and they worked to keep communication open when the stress of all of them being home all of the time began to get to them. It was a very different dynamic than it had been with Dave and Kurt being used to being home alone together during the daytime and Sam and Sebastian functionally being home alone together from late afternoon until late at night because Dave stayed in his room working on schoolwork while Kurt was at the theater every evening.

The four of them sat down and discussed the possibilities of ways to make enough money to stay in the apartment they still shared. They had enough savings between Kurt and Sebastian to stay for quite a while, but they brainstormed ideas in hopes of not having to spend it.

Kurt's run on Broadway that had won him a Tony the year before was just over, with no future return predicted. Sam's art sales would be likely to go flat with people reprioritizing their purchases and he immediately gave up his small studio where he spent his time during the day.

After a lot of discussions and planning, they decided to turn their office into a broadcasting studio. Sam painted one of the walls green, leaving the other three white to make the room as bright as possible. They arranged Kurt's sewing equipment and Sam's easel and art supplies in the corner of the room that got the most natural light so they could record more easily. They also bought a ring light and audio equipment.

Kurt and Sam began posting art and sewing lessons online. They also started giving private lessons online during the daytime.

Kurt began making masks and selling them on Etsy. Sam helped customize them.

Kurt and Sam used the green wall to set up storytelling with backgrounds. They sometimes managed to get Sebastian and Dave to join them. They quickly gained followers on YouTube. They managed to post a new half-hour video every week.

Dave had to finish his PhD work remotely and received his diploma in the mail. He was job hunting when jobs were disappearing. He was able to get a job with a group of therapists that were switching to online services the month after he graduated with his PhD. He built up a good number of clients in the six months he'd been doing it. He used their bedroom to begin his career as a psychologist, which he loved.

Sebastian struggled more to make a transition when the quarantine began. His job had him in the community all day. He was let go since no one could come up with any suitable way for the company to continue its work. By closing quickly and cutting their expenses, they hoped to be able to reopen quickly once it was safe, but in the meantime Sebastian was left without much to do.

It became clear that a lot of students just weren't able to get any help from adults to get through the sudden transition to online schooling. Sebastian started a Discord server to help kids and he managed to pull in a large group of adults he knew from his public sector work to help him.

All of the adults set their hours and covered the server questions 24/7. Over the summer, they ran book clubs and other special interest club meetings to try to help keep kids engaged in learning. Kurt and Sam helped, using the green screen scenes that Sam designed. Kurt added reading non-fiction books to his weekly schedule.

Over the summer, Dave began to use all of the technology to record math lessons from the books that were used in the NYC public schools.

When the semester started up again, they moved the club meetings to once a week or once every other week and steered the focus back to homework help. Sebastian didn't make any money, but he felt like he was still making a difference. Sam and Kurt continued to help him. They made a new YouTube channel and uploaded all of Dave's math tutorials. And he began to offer private math tutoring interspersed with his counseling sessions.

Sebastian was the last to offer private lessons, but he eventually began offering private French lessons.

They managed to make it all work. Dave's steady income kept everything from feeling so tense. They used the money that Sam, Sebastian, and Kurt made to keep from dipping into their savings to cover their expenses.

X-X-X-X-X

Sam's phone rang a 7:00pm on the dot. He had turned the volume up, hoping for a call, but the sound made him jump. "Hello?"

"Hi, Sam. I got your, well, Kurt's message in my birthday card."

"I'm glad you called. I was hoping you would."

"It's like a spy mission or something. You had Kurt write it all out in French. I told mom and dad it was just a French birthday song and I hid the card between my mattress and my box spring. I'll throw it out now that I set up the Discord app on my phone. Don't worry. I hid it in a file folder down three layers. They'll never find it and if they do, I'll tell them that it's something I have to use for school sometimes. What's with all the secrecy anyway? We hardly ever talk."

"There's a reason for that and I've been waiting to tell you ever since I moved out over winter break my senior year."

"That was a long time ago. So long ago that I don't honestly remember."

"You were 7."

"That would be why I don't really remember. If you were still in high school, why did you move out?"

"I was dating a guy and Mom and Dad found out over winter break that year. I was told that they still loved me no matter what, but that I needed to change my ways or I wouldn't be welcome around you and Stevie because of my bad moral example."

"You're kidding right? Wait, you're gay?"

"I'm bi."

"So, Sebastian? Is he your boyfriend?"

"Actually, he's my husband. We've been married for five years."

"I missed your wedding?" she asked, quite disappointed. "I've gotten a little old for the flower girl role I had hoped for when I was younger, but five years ago I could have still done it. I didn't even get to go. All because you married a guy?"

"Yeah. We've had controlled contact all of these years. That's why you've never had my cell number or my email address. Mom and Dad wouldn't let me give them to you. I only got to talk to you on Skype when they were in the room."

"That is so stupid. I can't catch being bi from a phone call. I mean, I can't catch being bi, period. But this is all so stupid. Does Stevie know?"

"Not yet. I waited until you turned 16. But please give him the same information."

"He's here, of course. We're all here. I'm going to disconnect the call and go get him to install Discord. I looked the app up. We can do a group voice chat. Mom and Dad aren't home right this minute. That's why I risked the voice chat. You know what? Never mind all that. I'll just go get him and he can be with me while we talk. We can stand by the front window and watch for them. Hold on." She knocked on Stevie's door. "Open up. Talk to Sammy with me."

"What?" Stevie said as he opened the door.

"Come on. We have to go to my room where we can see out the front."

He followed her. "What's going on? Sam never calls. He just moved out and abandoned us basically. We went to his graduation a few years ago and that was a cool trip to New York, but he still only ever talks to us when Mom and Dad call him and make him."

Sam started to cry. "No, Stevie, no. It's not like that at all. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. I'm so sorry that your senior year is not at all what you wanted. And Stacey's sophomore year. Everything's such a mess."

"Mom and Dad wouldn't let him be around us after they found out he had a boyfriend his senior year. He moved out because our parents are bigots. They kept him away from us so we couldn't be influenced by him being bisexual."

"That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a while. I didn't think they were prejudiced."

"Outwardly, they aren't."

"Outwardly, inwardly. Whatever, but they kept me from knowing you. You were my hero, Sam. When things were bad and we had to live in the hotel, you kept everything okay. You made me feel like it was an adventure. I didn't realize until I was older what had gone on, but you and Kurt made it fun. Kurt's gay. Why did Mom and Dad let him be around us?"

"We never talked about it and you didn't know he was gay then."

"Why didn't you marry Kurt?" Stacey asked.

"Kurt was already in love with Dave by the time I came out. He's my best friend and we live together, so I see him every day. And basically like all the time now that no one can go to work. And I love Sebastian."

Stevie said, "So you've been seeing the same guy since before you moved out?"

"Yep. Nine years."

Stacey interrupted. "They got married five years ago and we didn't get to go."

"That's just wrong. Why are you talking to us now?"

"Stacey turned 16. They never gave me an age when I could tell you, but at 16 she's old enough to know about sexuality and legally she's old enough to have sex, but she shouldn't yet."

"I'm not. Plus, I can't even go out. I don't even have a boyfriend."

Sam chuckled, "That's good."

"Whatever," she sassed back.

"Wait until you're a senior or until you move out. Sophomore and junior boys aren't mature enough to be a good partners and it just sets you up for heartbreak. If there's someone you really like, be friends with him and stay just friends until you're 18 or close to it. Seriously, your mental health will thank you for it later."

"You're such a dork," Stevie said.

"That's true, but I own my dorkiness. And I'm right about the boyfriend. I don't think anyone I went to high school is still with the person they dated as a sophomore."

"It's not like I can any time soon anyway, but I'll think about what you said. Does Sebastian have brothers and sisters? I can't believe I have a brother-in-law."

"Sebastian is an only child. His mom died when he was young."

"Like Kurt."

"Yes. His grandparents raised him until they died right before he turned 17. He grew up in France. He had to go Ohio when they died because that's where his dad lived. His dad is incredibly homophobic and the day Sebastian turned 18, he left. He came here with us to New York to finish high school."

"Some people suck so bad," Stacey practically yelled. "So, he's like an orphan because he's gay? Bi?"

"Sebastian is gay. He's in contact with his grandparents in Ohio now. He wasn't for a while, but he is now."

Stevie said, "That's why he didn't have anyone there for graduation. I thought maybe they just couldn't make the trip."

"His grandparents came for the wedding, but not for graduation."

They spent the remaining 20 minutes of their call catching up more before Dwight and Mary returned.

"I'm so glad you got Kurt to write the note in my card," Stacey said. "I'll give Stevie your Discord info. We'll talk again in a few minutes after he downloads it."

X-X-X-X-X

"What are you two doing chatting on your phones so much?" Mary asked. "You have homework to do."

"We are doing homework," Stacey insisted. "This is an online tutoring thing. There are different rooms for different subjects and there are people in each room that help answer questions. There are YouTube channels the people made too. They do online lessons for free and you can sign up for personal tutoring for a fee. It's actually really cool."

"Oh. All that technology stuff is just over my head. But if it's for school, then that's fine. You know I can't help you with whatever it is. If someone is helping you for free, that's great."

Stacey nodded and smiled, knowing that it was Sebastian who was helping her with her French. They had gotten to know each other over the two weeks that she and Stevie had been in contact with Sam. Dave had been helping them with their math and she had been watching Sam's and Kurt's YouTube channels and learning to sew and paint when her parents weren't home.

Stevie just looked the other way so Mary couldn't see him roll his eyes. He went back to watching one of Dave's math videos. He paused it a few seconds later. "Yeah, my math grade has gone up in just two weeks since Stacey showed this to me."

"That's good news. Keep working at it. Maybe you can get it up to a B by the end of the semester."

X-X-X-X-X

"Kurt, look at my drawing," Alie said putting it in front of the computer.

"Alie! I was talking to Kurt. Move your picture. It's not your turn yet. I have three minutes left," Melie insisted as she put her hand over the camera so that Kurt couldn't see Alie's picture. "For interrupting, I get an extra minute."

Burt came in the room. "What are you two fussing about?"

"It's my turn to talk to Kurt and Alie's interrupting."

"Alie, come on. It will be your turn soon." He took her in the kitchen and got her a snack.

"It's just so boring, Daddy. I want to go somewhere. All I look forward to is my turn to talk to Kurt and Dave and Uncle Sebastian and Uncle Sam."

"I know, honey. Doctors and scientists are working really hard to come up with a way to get rid of the virus."

"They should try harder." She put her head down on the island countertop. "It's so boring to do everything online. School is okay. But I want to play with someone."

"You play with Melie all the time. And you use Zoom to talk to your friends."

"I know, but I want to touch them, not just look at them on the screen. And now Kurt and Dave aren't even going to come for Thanksgiving." She started to cry.

Carole came when she heard crying. She picked her up, even though she was a little big for it. "Come on, honey. I'll sit with you while you have your snack. I know this is hard. We're doing the best we can and it's okay to cry because you're sad." She sat her back down and pulled a stool closer and sat next to her.

Melie came in. "It's your turn." She saw Alie crying. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry. I just still wanted to talk to him."

She's not crying because of whatever happened. She's just tired of staying home and not getting to play with your friends from school.

"Oh, me too. Kurt's waiting for you though."

"Okay." She slipped down off the stool and ran off to the living room and sat on the floor in front of the coffee table to talk to him.

"Alie, honey. Are you okay? You're crying."

"I'm just sad. I miss going places." She picked her picture back up and showed him. "I watched Uncle Sam's painting lesson like ten times to get it right."

"It's beautiful, Alie. He'll be really excited to see it when you talk to him tomorrow. I'll keep it a secret so you can surprise him."

She smiled and began to tell Kurt about her day with a smile on her face.

X-X-X-X-X

Kurt went down to change before sitting down to eat. He knew it was silly, but it made him feel better anyway. He always loved dressing up for holidays and why should a pandemic stop him from enjoying something he could do. Once he was dressed, he went out in the hall and down to the entryway and looked at himself in the oversized, full-length mirror. He looked at himself and turned a bit to see the back. He was satisfied with his choice.

Before he walked away, he walked up to the mirror itself and ran his hand along the shells that adorned the custom frame that he and Sam had worked on together. They had used tools from the set Sam had been working on and whittled and carved places for each shell into the wood before they painted it sand colored and then used textured spray paint on it to make it look like it was covered in sand.

He thought back to the hours they had worked on it. It was worth it because every time he stopped to look in the mirror for the last three years, he remembered how much fun they had had in Key West together. He walked down the hall and past the large collage he had made during all of the days he was home alone before he had finally gotten a role.

When the pandemic closed the theaters, he made another one that spanned their entire friendship. He had finished it to make it practically indestructible and hung it in the kitchen where they could all enjoy remembering the good times while they cooked.

The other three had gotten all of the food on the table while he had been gone. It wasn't a traditional Thanksgiving feast, but they had each made their favorite side dish to go with the turkey breast, rolls, and pumpkin pie. He joined the other three at the table. While they were passing the bowls around, each of them shared what they were thankful for.

"I'll go first," Kurt said. "I'm glad that my dad recovered from the virus. I was really scared he wouldn't make it, but he did."

Sam said, "I'm grateful for technology, which sounds kind of weird, but I've been talking to Stevie and Stacey for the last few weeks and I'm really glad. I also Skyped with the four of them earlier this morning."

"I agree about the technology," Sebastian said. "Without it, I'd be really bored without a job. But we're making a difference in kids' lives with the Discord channel and the YouTube videos in a way that would't have been possible even five years ago."

"I agree about the technology," Dave added. "And as strange as it sounds, the virus has actually caused a lot of businesses to rethink their work models. My office is going to let us continue to provide therapy from home even once the virus has been gotten under control somehow. I think it will help a lot of people to be able to get help from their own home rather than have to venture out to an unknown place and sit in an office to talk to someone. It also gives the provider the option of offering sessions any time of day, which wasn't possible in the office setting."

Sebastian spoke up again. "You know I'm always the most thankful for the three of you. Kurt and Dave are true brothers and I have a family that loves me. I know I get sappy once a year, but it's really amazing. And I love all of you."

Kurt's laptop began to ring with an incoming Discord video call. Kurt reached over and accepted the call from his family. Just a few seconds later, Paul, Ramona, Lorraine, and Alexander called in on Dave's laptop. They spent the next hour enjoying their high-tech Thanksgiving meal together as one big family.

X-X-X-X-X

Kurt cuddled into Dave's side. "It's been ten years since we started our journey to friendship and beyond." He did his best to imitate Buzz Lightyear.

"You spend too much time with Sam," Dave teased.

"That may be true, but we're all here together and I've really gotten used to it now. Once we can go out, I'll miss how much time spend together now."

"I know. I will too, even though I don't spend as much time with the two of them as you do."

"That's because you're down here making the big bucks, keeping a roof over our heads. You know how much that means to me right?" Kurt scooted up and kissed him.

"I'm doing what I wanted to do. I have you here and I have my two best friends here. A lot of things are really bad. I listen to people all day whose lives are really messed up. But we've got each other and our families are helping each other in Lima. Things are amazingly awesome, as Sam is still fond of saying. We can just hope that the new vaccine that's being touted in the news actually works to help get this under control."

"Hope and love. We have lots of love."

Dave kissed Kurt. "That we do. I love you so much."

Kurt pulled the comforter up tighter and nuzzled into Dave's neck. "I love you too."