DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy!
Chapter Sixteen: The Grudge
Sighing deeply, Finn took a deep breath and held his head up high before walking into the tire shop that next afternoon. He hadn't spoken to Burt since the fight and when his step-father had returned home later that evening he refused to speak to anyone. He wasn't even on speaking terms with Kurt, who had confessed to his father about his knowledge of their relationship later that night when he'd returned to a broken house. Feeling betrayed by everyone in his family, Burt closed himself off to everyone in the house and wouldn't even look Finn in the eye.
He had to find some way that he could fix this catastrophe. Finn was worried about his mother, who was taking Burt's silent treatment to heart and had never looked more upset. Rachel was also more distant than usual, feeling monumentally guilty for causing such a rift in her host family's marriage. He couldn't even enjoy being a real couple with her now that he was constantly plagued with guilt for trying to keep it a secret for so long.
No, he had to find a way to bring his family back together before his relationship with Rachel wound up ripping it apart.
He entered the shop and waved to the other guys who were lingering around the front office. Checking the list of jobs that they had to do, he couldn't believe the work that needed to be done that day. Normally Burt called him as a warning when the load was this heavy, which discouraged him greatly as he grabbed his jumpsuit from the back and got changed.
Entering the work floor, Burt spotted him right away as he headed for an SUV with a broken headlight. For the first time since the night before Burt approached him, but his lips were pinched into a firm grimace and his eyes were hard and cold. Finn tried to wave at his step-father but it went ignored.
"What are you doing here, Finn?" He said, acid in his tone.
"It's Thursday," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I always come in on Thursdays."
"We don't need you today. Go home," his tone held no room for argument and Finn felt like he was being kicked square in the chest.
"I saw the sheet Burt, there are like, ten cars lined up," he tried to reason. "You need my help today."
"I think we can take care of it ourselves. Go home to your girlfriend. She means more to you than this place does anyway, right?" He sneered, mincing up his words from the night before and throwing them back in his face. Finn's hopes plummeted and he realized that Burt was more angry than he had previously thought.
"Burt, I didn't mean it like that. . . " He was cut off by a shake of the head.
"It doesn't matter, Finn. If you don't want to work here anymore, you don't have to come back." Finn's eyes narrowed as he interpreted Burt's words.
"Are you firing me?" Finn asked, incredulous as Burt shrugged his shoulders.
"It's up to you whether or not you want to take this job seriously. I'll see you at home," he said before turning around and walking away. The other men in the shop were all staring at Finn, and he felt their eyes on the back of his head as he immediately walked off of the floor, too embarrassed to stay as he drove home still in his dirty coveralls.
Driving home, he felt so ashamed of himself that he almost had to pull the car over as his thoughts ran wild. He loved Rachel, more than he'd ever loved anything in his life, but since the day she had arrived their relationship had been the cause of so many problems that he couldn't even keep track of them anymore. The lies, the secrets, the sneaking around. Now his relationship with his stepfather might be permanently damaged and he had no idea how to fix it.
When he entered the house a heavenly smell permeated the air, and he followed it to the kitchen where Rachel was running around between bowls filled with various mixes and fruits. She was stirring a giant bowl of what looked like chocolate mousse when she finally looked up and noticed Finn watching her. She titled her head, shooting him a quizzical look.
"What are you doing here? I thought you worked today?"
"I did," he said, shrugging his shoulders sadly as he approached her. "Until Burt fired me."
"He did what?" Was Kurt's shrill reply as he came downstairs in a rush. Finn didn't even realize that he had been home as Rachel gasped. "He didn't!"
"Well, I kind of can't be sure if he actually did. I think he's testing me, to see what I'll pick." He wrapped an arm around Rachel, who was still diligently stirring her bowl of mousse. "But it doesn't matter. As long as Rachel is here, I'll always choose her." She beamed at him, her smile wide and bright as Kurt shook his head in disappointment.
"I can't remember the last time I saw my dad this upset. He wasn't even this angry when Mercedes threw that rock through my windshield during Sophomore year."
"What are we gonna do, Kurt?" Finn asked, exasperated. "My mom is miserable, Burt is miserable, and I tried to do some work for him today as a kind of peace offering but it didn't work."
"I have a plan!" Rachel said brightly. "I am making all of his favorite pâtisseries! " She opened the oven and pulled out an enormous tray of already baked treats. Another full tray was waiting on the counter-top to be cooked as well, along with the bowls she was still preparing. "He will eat them and feel much better!"
"Mon Dieu, Rachel, you could open up your own bakery out of the kitchen with all of these pastries!" Kurt exclaimed while Finn stole one and popped it into his mouth. It was flaky and warm and basically melted on his tongue. When he went to take another one, Rachel smacked him on the hand with her stirring spoon, and his only consolation was licking the sweet chocolatey mousse off of his hand.
"Pas encore!" She scolded. "'Zey are for Burt, so he will like me again."
"Rachel," Kurt explained. "My dad isn't going to magically feel better because you baked him some treats. We really hurt his feelings. We have to find a way to fix this."
"What can we even do? He won't talk to his wife, he won't talk to his son, and he definitely won't talk to me." Finn explained.
"We have to make him," Kurt said. "He can't ignore us all forever. Rachel barely has three weeks left here and they're going to suck if we don't find a way to bring the family back together again." Finn tried to ignore the sting of truth as he racked his brain for an answer.
"Maybe I should just go to Toledo. Maybe it would be better for everyone if I stayed away until Rachel left."
"Mais non!" She cried, almost dropping the bowl in her shock. "Feen, tu ne peux pas partir!" She was so upset she had switched to French. "You cannot leave!"
"I don't have any other options, Rachel."
"You're not going anywhere, Finn," he turned around when he heard his mother's voice, who he hadn't spoken to since after dinner the night before. She looked tired, drawn; what she used to look like before she got remarried. "I stand by what I said last night and I meant it. I don't want you to leave."
"But Mom," he reasoned, desperate to make things right. "This is all my fault. I have to do something to fix this."
"No you don't, Finn. Life isn't always something that can be easily fixed. Burt is feeling upset right now, and very hurt. It might take him a while before he can get over this, and we have to just be there for him and try to be as supportive as possible. That's what being a family is all about." She reached up and cupped his face gently. "Don't worry, Finn. Things will get better soon."
For the first time in his entire life, his mother had been wrong.
Burt sure knew how to hold a grudge.
For a whole week after the initial argument that had ripped the family apart, Burt refused to talk to anyone in the house. Rachel's "I'm Sorry" pastries went ignored and untouched; she and Kurt had to donate them all to a soup kitchen across town so they didn't go to waste. Finn didn't return to work at the shop and Burt didn't even seem to care. Every day was one day closer to Rachel's departure and Finn could hardly enjoy the time that they were spending together now. She was so upset about Burt's behavior that she refused to be alone with him at all, fully intent on following Carole's rules after Burt's had been broken so many times. The guilt was too much for her to take, and her demeanor had become increasingly sullen and sad.
"He hates me," she cried into his embrace as they sat on the couch together one afternoon. There was only a week left until Rachel had to leave and it felt like time was speeding by them as they tried desperately to hold onto whatever time they had left.
Kissing the top of her head, he pulled her as far into his embrace as possible and tried to calm her down. "If it makes you feel any better he hates me too. At least you get to be free of this crazy house soon, I'm stuck here for good."
"I don't want to be free of this crazy house," she repeated. "I love it here."
"I know you do, Rachel. I wish you could stay, too."
"I have to buy a camera for my computer," she said softly, nuzzling into his shoulder. "So we can talk and see each other."
"Yeah, totally," he said, peering down at her as she blinked up at him through her eyelashes. "And when I find a new job I'll be able to save up money and come and visit you. Maybe over the summer?" She nodded her head while he sighed. It seemed so far away, but it was all they had left to look forward to. They still didn't know their plans for next year and they had little options available for communication. He was trying not to panic too much, but it was starting to become a little too overwhelming for him to handle as the countdown continued. He was only keeping it together for Rachel's sake; if he were being honest with himself he was seriously considering kidnapping her and heading for Canada. They spoke French and English in Montreal, they could totally make it work there! He leaned down to place a desperate kiss on her lips as he got lost in his fantasies.
He was brought out of his daydreams when the front door slammed, and his head snapped up when he noticed Burt glaring at them from across the living room.
"Watch that PDA," Burt warned angrily, making Finn's patience with his step-father grow dangerously thin.
"What, I can't even kiss my girlfriend now?" He asked with a slight attitude while Rachel sat up and inched herself away from him, looking terrified.
"You're lucky that you can even see your girlfriend right now, Finn," Burt said with a tight frown. "I would watch that tone if I were you."
"Sorry," he said sarcastically, not feeling sorry at all. "It's been so long since you said anything I forgot how I should talk to you." His mother chose that moment to come into the living room and heard Finn's retort.
"Finn! I know things have been rough around here lately but that's no way to speak to your step-father."
"I'm sorry, Mom, but I'm tired of feeling guilty and ashamed all the time for feeling the way I do." He turned to Burt and the older man looked shocked. "I didn't choose to fall in love with Rachel, Burt. It just happened. Yeah, I should have told you the truth, and we shouldn't have been sneaking around, but Rachel has a week left here and I'm going to spend that time being as close to her as possible because I love her." He peeked at his mother, who was starting to look thin and worn out from all the stress. "And when you love someone, you have to do everything in your power to be with them, and make them feel happy and special and supported." He looked at Burt once more. "So based on the way you've been treating us all, I guess you and I have very different definitions of love," with that he turned around, walking past Rachel on the couch and heading upstairs.
"Where are you going?" Burt called up after him.
"To my room," he said stiffly. "You know, the place where I haven't been sleeping for the past week." Rachel shot him a shaky smile as he retreated upstairs, wanting to be away from his parents and their ridiculous supervised meetings in his own house.
He realized just how much he'd missed his own bed when he collapsed onto it, burying his head in the pillows and trying to forget about the fact that the girl he loved had days left to spare and he couldn't even enjoy them. It made his eyes burn and his throat go raspy, but he promised himself that he wouldn't cry before she left.
"Finn?" There was a knock at the door, and Finn lifted up his head high enough to see Burt standing in his door-frame, looking a bit awkward as he shuffled from foot to foot. "Can I come in?"
"It's your house," Finn bit back angrily, letting his head fall forward into his pillows once more.
"You know, it is my house," Burt said evenly as he sat on the corner of Finn's bed. "But it's also your house, too." Confused, Finn sat up and stared at his step-father.
"What?"
"You were wrong, Finn. We both have the same definition of love, but I haven't been showing it as well as I should have been." He clapped a hand on Finn's shoulder and shook it lightly. "It was only now, when I heard your confession and saw Rachel looking so scared of me that I realized just how bad things had gotten. I was just so upset when I learned how much you had been lying to me that I let my anger get the best of me. Instead of supporting you and Rachel and your relationship I just got angry, and my anger almost ripped the family apart." Finn couldn't believe his ears as Burt continued to apologize.
"What about the tire shop? You fired me." Burt frowned deeply as he shook his head.
"I was being an idiot. We've been buried with work since the day I told you not to come back. The other men kept telling me how stupid I was being but I wouldn't listen to them." He sighed deeply. "You guys are almost 18 now. I can't control you forever, and I definitely can't control who you fall in love with."
"What about Mom?"
"I have some serious groveling to do. She didn't deserve to be treated this way for standing up for her son. I would have done the same thing if it were Kurt." Finn nodded in understanding.
"I'm sorry for lying to you, Burt. I never wanted to hurt anyone."
"Listen, Finn. You might not be my son by blood, but I still love you like you're my own. I'm sorry that you felt like you couldn't come to me about this situation, but from now on I want us all to be open and honest with one another, about everything." Finn nodded his head as the leftover guilt started to fade away. "We're a family, Finn, and now Rachel is just as much a part of it as she was before. Just please be smart and be careful. I can't tell you how to live your life, but all I ask is that you consider all of your options before you make your decisions."
"Thanks, Burt." Finn said genuinely. "You're a great father."
"You think so?"
"Yup," Finn said brightly. "The best I ever had." They shared a small smile and Burt patted Finn on the knee. "Get your coat on, Kiddo, you're coming with me."
Finn was shocked but still followed orders. "Where are we going?" Burt shot him an amused look.
"You're going to help me with my groveling."
After an hour out in town and five failed attempts at buying his mother a gift, Finn and Burt went to the local florist and tried to pick out a bouquet for his mother, as an apology gift from Burt. They looked at the different color roses and Burt was deciding whether or not to go for a mixed bouquet or something more classic.
"I hope she likes these," Burt grumbled as he picked out a light pink rose for the bouquet. "I've been such an ass."
"Don't worry, Burt, Mom loves you. Plus she's a girl and girls love flowers." He was thoughtful for a minute. "Maybe I should get Rachel some too."
"Go for it, Buddy." He was thrilled to be on better terms with Burt but there was still a problem.
"I kind of can't afford them," he said, his voice lightly teasing. "Because someone fired me from my job." Burt narrowed his eyes at Finn but still smiled and ordered the girl to make Finn a bouquet of his own for Rachel.
"Don't worry, I got this one. Think of it as my apology to the little French pixy." Finn laughed before Burt's tone became serious. "So what are you two going to do after she leaves?" He shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to think about it but appreciating having someone who cared.
"I don't know. We're going to try to do the long-distance thing but I'm scared that I'm going to lose her. I don't know what we're doing next year and it's driving us nuts."
"Just be smart about this, Finn. She has a life that's filled with goals and dreams and while I know you're hesitant to admit it, there are things that you want to do, too."
"I know, but I don't know what they are yet. I haven't heard from UAkron and Rachel is just as clueless about next year as I am." He was hesitant to open up to him, but Finn wanted to be as honest with his step-father as possible. "We were thinking about moving to New York with Kurt."
An eyebrow raised in surprise, disappearing under the rim of his baseball cap. "Oh really?"
"Yeah, she wants to be an actress and there's plenty of stuff that I can do in the city, even if I don't get accepted to school."
His tone was even as he responded, which was more than Finn could ever have asked for, given the situation. "Well, I think you should wait until know you know all of your options before you make this decision, but if it's what's going to make you happy, then I think you should do it."
"Really?" Finn asked, completely surprised.
"Well, I'm sure your mother is going to be just thrilled," he said sarcastically. "But it's your life Finn and you should live it the way you want to."
"Thanks Burt," he said genuinely as the florist passed them their matching bouquets.
"No problem, Kid. Now come on. I have to go beg my wife for forgiveness."
They drove home in amicable silence while Finn held onto the two bouquets. When they pulled up to the house Burt took a deep breath before procuring his bouquet from his stepson and entering the house. Finn followed him dutifully, holding onto his own gift as they spotted his mother and Rachel in the kitchen, making dinner. When the two ladies noticed them they both froze, and Finn could see the hesitance in his mother's eyes.
"Carole," Burt said, removing his hat and holding the bouquet out for her. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve such a loving, passionate, patient wife like you, but I hope I didn't ruin it by being such an ass to you all week long." He took a deep breath and continued. "I was wrong to threaten Finn, and I was wrong to be so hard on the boys that they didn't even feel like they could trust me anymore. I love you, Carole, and I'm sorry."
There were tears in both Carole's eyes and Rachel's by the time he was finished with his apology. His mother didn't say anything, just stared at her husband while she covered her mouth with her hand and ran forward into his outstretched arms. Burt dropped the flowers on the counter-top and held onto Carole fiercely, kissing her hair as she nuzzled her cheek into the crook of his neck.
"And you, Rachel, deserve an apology too." He said with Carole still in his arms, rubbing her back while he looked over at the younger couple. "I'm sorry that I made you feel uncomfortable here. You might only be staying with us for another week, but the Hudson-Hummel house will always be your home here in the States, whenever you need one."
"Merci, Papa," she said softly, approaching Finn who still had her bouquet in his hands. He leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek as he passed them to her. Burt and Carole were too preoccupied with their own reunion to notice the younger couple as they stood to the side and appreciated the moment. "'Zey are for me?" She asked, tilting her head slightly with a pout of her lips.
"Of course. They're not for Kurt," he joked lightly and she smiled.
"'Zey are beautiful. Merci." She brought them to her nose and inhaled deeply. "I was afraid when you left with Burt," she admitted quietly.
"Really?" He wondered. "Why?"
"Oui, I thought he might shoot you or force you to go on a bus somewhere." He couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't worry, Rachel. Everything is back to normal. Burt and I are fine, and now we can finally enjoy the time we have left."
"Even if it's only a week?" She asked innocently, the pain evident in her tone.
"Yeah," he replied, ignoring his parents and placing a desperate kiss on her lips as the countdown commenced once more. "Especially since it's only a week."
Merci mille fois, mes amis!
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