Chapter 42: Boston
Kurt's room looked like the end of season sale at Lord & Taylor; clothes everywhere. He stood amidst the chaos trying to pack. Yes, he was going to spend most of the summer in shorts, and T-shirts bearing the camp's logo, but when he was off the clock he wanted to look good. Two linen shirts, one white and one black, passed the litmus test. Now, where were those black jeans, the ones that fit just exactly right? Kurt sifted through the pants lying on the back of the couch, and turned at the sound of steps coming down the staircase.
"Hey, Dad."
Burt stepped carefully around the clothes that had not made the cut. "I don't like this."
Kurt found the jeans, still in the dry cleaners plastic. "Don't like what?"
"Not seeing you for the whole summer, your last summer, Kurt."
Kurt folded the jeans into his suitcase. "It's not my last summer, Dad. I'll be coming home from college next year."
Kurt shoved his hands in his pockets. "I don't think so. I think you'll be in Boston with Nigel next summer too."
Kurt sank down onto his bed, a silky grey T-shirt in his hands. "I hadn't thought that far ahead, but yeah, if Nigel's still in Boston, then yes, I'll want to be with him." Kurt looked up at his father. "You can understand that, right?"
Burt nodded. "I understand it. That doesn't mean I like it. I was just getting my head around you going off to college, and now this. It's too soon for me, Kurt."
"Dad, you're in Washington most of the week anyway, I can just as easily Skype you from Boston as I can from Lima."
"I know, I know. What can I tell you? I don't want you going anywhere, ever."
Kurt stood up, and hugged his father, eyes misty. "I'm going to miss you too, Dad."
Burt held his son tight, and then stepped back, letting him go. He blinked to hide the threatening tears, and glanced around the room. "You're going to need a bigger suitcase."
"I wish! The airline has a weight limit." Kurt looked around. "I'm never going to get all this in one suitcase."
Burt laughed. "I'm pretty sure they have stores in Boston, Kurt."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have started our descent into Logan International Airport. Please return your seats to their upright position and turn off all electronic devices. Thank you for flying American Airlines."
Passengers grabbed carry-ons from the overhead luggage compartments. They packed away Kindles, and laptops, and iPads. They stood by their seats, and squeezed into the aisle, talking and texting on their cells, waiting to de-plane. It took forever! Kurt waited, with absolutely no patience, entertaining visions of breaking open the emergency door, and making a run for it. One by one, the passengers in front of him, shouldering backpacks, and dragging rolling carry-ons behind them, trundled off the plane.
He walked through the airport, completely oblivious to everything, eyes on the overhead signs directing him to baggage claim. Kurt found the carousel for American Airlines flight 552, and stood, his eyes locked on the black plastic flags that spit the luggage out. Bag after bag moved along the conveyer belt, and not one of them was his. A lime green bag emerged, followed by one with purple flowers, no and no. Navy, with brown leather handles, yes! Finally!
Kurt bounced his bag off the carousel and onto the floor. He towed it behind him as he practically ran towards the EXIT and Nigel!
The arrivals hall was a human zoo, people everywhere. Kurt slowed down, scanning the waiting bodies, searching for just one among the mass of grinning, waving people. His eyes skipped from one face to the next, looking for dark wavy hair, and green eyes.
Blue jeans, white shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbow, eyes brilliant behind black glasses, Nigel smiled as he walked towards his boyfriend. Kurt let go of his suitcase, and wrapped his arms around the other man, pulling him close.
Nigel's arms crossed over Kurt's back, holding him too tight. "About fucking time!"
Kurt laughed, and slid one arm around Nigel's waist as he grabbed his suitcase. "Yeah, the luggage took forever."
Nigel steered them towards the doors leading to the parking lot. "Your plane landed almost 45 minutes ago. I was starting to freak out."
"You were starting to freak out? I thought they'd lost my luggage!"
Nigel grinned. "A naked Kurt Hummel, I could get used to that."
Kurt pulled Nigel to a stop, and grabbing the back of his head, sealed their mouths together. Nigel sank into the kiss, into Kurt. The kiss could have gone on forever, until they both stood there grey and wrinkled, but a run-away suitcase nipped the back of Kurt's leg. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"
Kurt smiled at the woman trying to manage two suitcases and a toddler. "No problem."
Kurt kept an arm around Nigel as they walked through the parking lot. "Two months, you could get sick of me."
"Never!" Nigel opened the trunk, and lifted Kurt's suitcase in. Kurt threw his messenger bag in, and closed the trunk. Nigel leaned back against the car, his hands on Kurt's hips. "Never, and never, and not ever!"
Nigel unlocked the door to his apartment and waved Kurt in. "I told you, it's not much. But since I don't know how long I'm going to be here, I thought it was…"
"Nigel" Kurt turned and watched as Nigel closed and locked the door. "I'm here, you're here." He stepped in front of his boyfriend, and took a fist full of the white shirt, tugging him close. "We don't need anything else." He licked across Nigel's bottom lip. "Well, maybe lube."