Chapter 6: Kurt

I took the big orange envelope with my birth paper thing out of my backpack the next day in school during recess. The whole class was playing inside today since it was really, really cold outside.

I was talking to Julie again and coloring a picture from the Disney book (I was coloring in a picture of Aladdin this time) while she read a big book. I was scared of asking her to read who my daddy was for me but I really, really needed to know.

"Can I show you something?" I asked.

"Sure," Julie replied, setting down her book, "What is it?"

I looked around to make sure that no one was listening and waved my head to tell Julie to come in closer.

"I have my birth cer-certif-,"

"Your birth certificate?" Julie asked loudly.

I quickly shushed her and I looked around, but everyone else was still playing their own games. I then nodded to answer her question.

"Why would you have your birth certificate?" she hissed, "Do you have any idea how important that thing is?"

I shook my head sadly, feeling guilty. "I just brought it here so you could maybe read me who my daddy is."

Julie didn't look quite as mad anymore. "I'm sorry for yelling, but that one little piece of paper is very important. Where did you find it anyway? It should never just be lying around."

"It wasn't lying around," I said, "It was in a locked box and I found the key and found my birth cer-cerit-, I give up, papers. I couldn't read who my dad was so I thought I could bring it here and you could read who my dad is off of the papers."

Julie looked a bit uncomfortable. "Kurt, I don't think that I should do that. Maybe you should talk to your mom about it."

I shook my head quickly. "She hates talking about my dad. I think it hurts her feelings because she thinks I don't think she's a good mom or something even though I love her and would never want to leave her."

Julie sighed in defeat and I got excited. I knew from my mom whenever someone sighed like that, you were getting what you wanted.

"Just go get me your birth certificate," Julie said.

I squealed with excitement and Julie sighed and put her head in her hands. I ran back to my cubby to go get the envelope. I was too excited to feel bad for making Julie feel bad.

"Here you go," I said, handing her the envelope.

Julie opened the envelope and looked for the line that said 'Father'. She looked shocked for a moment and I was nervous. Then, she cleared her throat and read: "Unknown."

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I couldn't breathe. "Wha-What do you mean?" I asked.

Julie sighed and put the birth certificate back in the envelope. "It means that either your mom doesn't know who your dad is, or she'd rather not say."

I felt like I was going to cry. "Thanks for your help Julie."

I walked away. She called after me but I ignored her. I hid in the coat closet for the rest of recess and cried. When class started again, I wiped my eyes and hoped they didn't look too red and puffy. I was quiet on the car ride home but that was okay because Mommy was quiet too for some reason. I would've asked, but, to be honest, I didn't care that much.

I tried not to be mad at Mom for not doing something like saying who my dad was on my birth certificate, but why wouldn't she? Did she really not know? That's kind of sad.

When we got home, my mom told me that the babysitter would be there in a few hours and I would be having mac and cheese for dinner. I didn't know why Mom was going out tonight but I think it might be another guy. I knew that it was only a matter of time until she found someone new.

The babysitter got to our house on time at 5:30 p.m. She was a nice looking teenager with long blonde hair that was in a French braid. I was right though, the reason my mom was going out was a guy. She heard him pull up and even though he got out of the car, my mom ran out before he even reached our door, but not before giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll see you later tonight baby," Mom called back to me.

"Bye!" I said, waving to her.

The night was quiet. The babysitter, Carrie, made me mac and cheese for dinner and asked me how my day in school was. Then she let me watch a movie and I picked "Beauty and the Beast". After I watched it, it was time for bed so I got ready and slipped into bed.

I didn't sleep though. I couldn't stop thinking about everything. Things like how a big kid told me in school today that numbers could be less than zero. How was that even possible? I knew that the temperature could go below zero because of the cold weather in Minneapolis but just regular numbers? That's weird. I thought about how I was the only kid in my whole class who knew what the capital of Wisconsin was Madison. I only knew that because I used to have a friend from Madison named Madison! It was really cool. But mostly, I was just trying to avoid thinking about what else had happened today. I was trying not to think about how my mom was on a date with yet another guy when she couldn't even tell me who my father is. That's right: Father. Not Dad, because I realized that's too personal. I used to want a Dad so bad and not even care if he was really my dad or not, so long as he loved my mom and he loved me like a son. Now, I realize that I might never have that. The only difference is, I no longer care.

I curled up in a ball and started crying. I stayed like that until I saw a car pull into my driveway. That must be my mom. I slipped quietly out of bed and tip-toed downstairs to say goodnight to my mom. I was not ready for what I saw.

A/N: IT'S NOTHING BAD, I PROMISE!

Peace, Love, Glee

Julez