Blaine Anderson-Hummel was a man of routine. He always got up at 6:00 sharp to start his morning routine. He'd get up, make the coffee and start breakfast for Kurt and the kids. Then when Kurt was getting the kids up for school, Blaine would get himself ready. It was always the same, day in and day out. Because of Blaine's habits, the whole family was surprised one Friday morning when they heard him in the hallway at 8:00 in the morning. "Everyone up! Calling all Anderson-Hummels!"
"What is going on?" Charlie asked as she lumbered out of her and Penny's room.
"We're having a family meeting." Blaine replied. "Go and sit in the living room."
"It's 8:00. We're already late. We have to get to school." Caleb said, inspiring a bit of panic in his family.
"No school today." Blaine told him. "No school for any of you. Also, Kurt no work for you."
"Honey, I can't take off. I have a lot of work to do." Kurt tried to tell him.
"We are taking a day off." Blaine said firmly. "We need a family fun day and that is exactly what we are going to have."
"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" Kurt asked with a smirk.
"Can't I just do something nice for my family without getting so much resistance?" He asked angrily. That was enough to stop all of his family from talking. "Anyway, I thought that we could all use a day off and I was thinking that a trip to Coney Island would be perfect."
"We haven't been to Coney island in ages." Penny replied.
"Which is exactly why we're going there today." Blaine said. "Now, all of you. Go and get ready. We leave in an hour." All five kids got up from their spots on the sofa and began walking back to their rooms to get ready to leave.
"Do you think he's having a midlife crisis?" Charlie asked.
"Who knows. Why couldn't he just get a sports car like every other middle aged man?" Caleb muttered.
"I don't know what's going on, but, this is not Dad. Dad gets stressed when we eat dinner fifteen minutes late. He doesn't pull us all out of school for nothing. Something is going on. I just know it." Penny replied.
"I don't know why we're questioning this." Andrew said butting in. "We're going to Coney Island and I've never been there before. Don't ruin this for me." he warned his older siblings. The other kids let it go and they got ready for the day. Within the hour, like Blaine had asked, everyone was ready to go. They filed into the car and drove over to Coney Island.
"Alright guys, we're here!" Blaine exclaimed as he pulled into the parking lot. The family of seven walked up to the ticketbooth and everyone in the family got a wristband so they could go on whatever they wanted. "What should we go on first?"
"What about the Cyclone?" Caleb asked.
"I'm in!" Penny and Charlie both replied.
"Me too!" Blaine said chiming in. Kurt looked at his husband with a suspicious glare.
"You? You, Blaine Anderson-Hummel, are going to go on a rollercoaster?" Kurt asked. "Blaine, you're afraid of heights."
"No I'm not." Blaine retorted. "I'm going on this rollercoaster. Anyone who wants to can join me?" he said before taking off. Caleb, Penny and Charlie followed close behind him. Unfortunately, Lucy and Andrew were too short to go on that ride so Kurt sat out with them. The four older Anderson-Hummels waited in line and soon enough they were in the front. "Here we go guys. Front row." Blaine said. Caleb climbed in with Blaine and Penny and Charlie sat behind them. As soon as Blaine sat down, he felt the panic begin to rise in his chest. He could do this. He would prove everyone wrong.
"Dad, are you sure you're okay?" Caleb asked.
"I-I'm fine." Blaine replied as he gripped onto handlebars and closed his eyes. The roller coaster started moving and they started up the hill. Blaine could feel his breathing begin to pick up. As they got to the top of the hill, Blaine opened his eyes and promptly started screaming. The rollercoaster took off from there going through various dips, twists and turns. When the rollercoaster stopped, Blaine felt like he could barely breathe. His three teenagers got up immediately and all three of them were talking and smiling. Blaine felt like he couldn't move, but somehow he found the strength to stand and follow his kids. When they got to the bottom, Kurt, Lucy and Andrew were waiting for them.
"How was it?" Kurt asked.
"It was awesome!" Penny and Charlie exclaimed.
"And Blaine, honey, what did you think about it?" Kurt asked. He looked at his husband who was ghost white. He was a little nervous that Blaine was going to pass out.
"I-It was great." Blaine replied.
"Are you sure? You look a little pale." Kurt added.
"Really, I'm fine." Blaine said. "Let's keep going on rides." Blaine walked away before Kurt could say another word. They decided to go on the bumper cars next which was good because the whole family could go on those. Everyone had their own car, except for Lucy who was still too little to drive so she rode with Kurt. It was a really fun time as they all bumped into one another. It was so fun that they decided to go on them another two times. After the bumper cars, they tackled some spinning rides. Kurt stayed off of those. Since he'd gotten older, his stomach couldn't take those rides anymore but he was happy to stand on the side and watch the rest of his family have a great time. They rode practically every ride in the park by the end of the night and Lucy went home with three new stuffed animals that Blaine had won for her.
At the end of the night, the very exhausted family of seven walked back to their car and drove back home. When they got there, Lucy was fast asleep. Kurt scooped her out of her car seat and carried her into the house. "Who's up for a movie? Or a game night?" Blaine asked. The rest of the family looked at him like he was crazy, but Blaine didn't seem to notice. "I'll go get the games and we can choose then." he added before scurrying off down the hallway.
"Pen, can you take Lucy and put her in her bed?" Kurt asked. Penny nodded and took her sleeping little sister from Kurt's arms. Then, Kurt went down the hallway to find his husband. He found Blaine in their bedroom going through some games.
"Oh Kurt, great you're here!" Blaine exclaimed. "What do you think? Is it a monopoly kind of night? Or maybe scrabble? Yahtzee?"
"Blaine, honey, just stop."
"What? I just want to play a game with my family." Blaine retorted.
"Blaine, I have known you long enough to know when something is wrong with you." Kurt told him. "And something is not right with you today."
"I'm just trying to be spontaneous and fun!" Blaine exclaimed, throwing his arms up in air. Kurt walked closer to his husband and took his hands.
"Just tell me what's wrong honey." he said softly. Blaine's expression softened and Kurt watched as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.
"My mom called this morning…" Blaine began. "M-my Dad...he-he had a massive heart attack yesterday and he died."
"Oh honey," Kurt cooed. "I'm so sorry." He brought Blaine into his embrace and held him tightly as he cried.
"He died right in his office." Blaine cried. "Just keeled over on his desk and they found him. I-I am so much like him, even when I try not to be. M-my dad, he liked his routines. He did the same thing, day in and day out. There was never any variation. He just worked and stressed himself out until he died. I guess, our spontaneous trip today was me proving that I'm not stuck in my routine and that I can be fun. I-I just am so scared that I am going to end up just like him."
"Blaine, there is no universe in which you end up like your dad." Kurt told him.
"Hear me out." Blaine said. "Ever since I was born, I've been like my dad. I wanted to be just like him and then, he didn't accept me when I came out. And that so hard. It damn near killed me. But I tried to convince myself that it was okay. Then, he left my mom and I was so angry with him." Blaine took a deep breath as he tried to compose himself. "I have hated that man ever since he left. I hated him with every fiber of my being. So-so tell me why...tell me why this hurts so badly?" he asked as he began to cry harder. Kurt took him back in his arms and rubbed small circles on his back until Blaine was able to calm himself down. He took his husband's face in his hands.
"I want you to listen me...okay?" Kurt began. "Everything you are feeling is completely normal. And it hurts because feeling that loss...the loss of a parent, is normal. You will get through this. It'll hurt for a while, but eventually, it will get better. Also, you will never end up like your father. You have five beautiful children who love and look up to you. You also have me and I will never leave you and I know you'll never leave me. You may be like your father in some ways but you are a completely different man. You are kind, compassionate, and would do anything for your family."
"I-I love you." Blaine said.
"I love you too." Kurt replied. "Now, lie down and I'll back in a minute. The kids were waiting for us." He added before heading out to the hallway. He was met by five worried looks.
"Is Dad okay?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah, we heard him crying." Caleb added.
"He'll be okay." Kurt replied. "He found out from Nana that his Dad died. You guys don't know your other grandfather because he and Dad weren't very close. But it was still his father and he's taking it pretty hard."
"Can I go give Daddy a hug?" Lucy asked.
"I think we should just leave Daddy alone tonight, okay Luce" Kurt told her. "In fact, you should be in bed by now." He took her from Penny's arms and took her into her bedroom. Kurt got Lucy changed into her pajamas and then tucked her into bed. From the look on her face, Kurt could tell that she was still worried about Blaine. "He's going to be fine. I promise."
"I love you Papa." Lucy said.
"I love you too baby." Kurt told her. He left her room and then went to see the rest of his children. He found Penny and Charlie in their room, both of them crying. "Oh girls, come here." Kurt hugged both of his daughters.
"I know that we don't know him but hearing that Dad's father died just made me think." Charlie began. "I don't know know what I would do if something happened to you or Dad."
"Me too." Penny said.
"Your father and I are both fine." Kurt told them. "We love you both and we're going to be around for a while. I promise everything will be okay. Just try and go to sleep, alright." They both nodded and got into bed. Three kids down, two to go. Kurt peeked into Caleb and Andrew's room. The boys looked okay. They both were nestled in their beds on their way to falling asleep.
"Love you boys." Kurt said.
"Love you Papa." they both replied. After shutting the door, Kurt went back into his and Blaine's bedroom. Blaine was lying on the bed, still silently crying. Kurt quickly changed into his pajamas and got into bed. He cuddled up close to Blaine and held him tightly.
"It's going to be okay. I love you." Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear. They spent the rest of the night like that until they both fell asleep. Kurt knew that the next few weeks would be rough for his husband, but he would get through it. Blaine had Kurt and all of their kids by his side and they would love and support him for the rest of their lives.