Artwork by Riverance

The Beach House – Chapter Fourteen – Epilogue

New York City, December 24th, 2024

“Were going to be right there in just a second, honey,” Blaine said to his son as they rode up on the elevator from the basement parking garage to the fourth floor where the hospital nursery was located. Danny was excited to see his new baby sister. Being a five years old, this was the best present he could imagine.

The elevator stopped on the ground floor and an older man got on. He told everyone who would listen that he was here to see his new grandchild and he was overjoyed about it. He turned as he stood there, speaking before he saw who was in the elevator car with him.

“Im going to see my first granddaughter – a little girl...” he stopped, looking at Blaine. Blaine tried to cover his grin.

“Were going to see her, too, Grandpa Burt!” Danny squealed.

Burt held out his hand to shake Blaines.

“Congratulations, Blaine – and Daniel, too. Is Kurt with her now?” Burt asked. Hed come all the way from Lima to see this baby.

“Yeah, I couldnt get him to come home to eat, so Daniel and I made him some lunch to bring back,” Blaine explained, lifting the paper bag he was holding.

Burt laughed.

They stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall to the nursery, Danny dancing on ahead. He knew the way, having been here several times with one or the other of his fathers.

“Papa!” Danny shouted when he saw Kurt, only to be shushed by everyone around him. He stopped and hung his head as he remembered he was supposed to be quiet here. Large, warm hands picked him up, holding him close. Blaine cuddled his son to him, holding him securely as they walked to the nursery.

“Kurt, how is she?” Blaine asked, even though hed just seen and held her less than an hour ago. Kurt indulged him, finding Blaines excitement adorable.

“She just finished a bottle and now she needs her diaper changed before she takes a nap,” he answered, coming over to hug the three men in his life: Burt first, then Danny, and finally his husband, Blaine.

That morning

“Hurry!” Kurt urged his husband along the corridor of the hospital near their townhouse in New York City.

“Im going as fast as I can, angel....we still have a few minutes they said,” Blaine answered, but managed to speed up a bit. He didnt want to be late.

They rounded a corner to the maternity wing and stepped up to the desk to check in.

“Get your scrubs on in there and then come back out here and Ill take you in,” the nurse told the two men, pointing to the changing room. She knew them from last night when they had finally left after their surrogate had been in labor for several hours.

Back again, the nurse took the new daddies into a room down the hall and asked them to sit. She left and was back in a moment, a smile on her face.

“Theyre just getting her cleaned up. Congratulations, you are brand new daddies!” she said, giving them a smile before leaving the room.

After a while another nurse entered the room pushing a clear plastic bassinet on a metal cart. Inside was a little bundle wrapped in a pale pink blanket.

“Whos first?” he asked, smiling at the men.

“Papa, you should hold her first,” Blaine offered. Hed held Daniel in his first few moments of life and knew what a thrill it was to hold a new baby. Kurt held out his arms, nervous to touch this new baby girl. The nurse lifted the tiny bundle out of the bassinet and set her in her Papas arms. He pulled back the blanket so Kurt could see her.

“Oh, my.....look, Blaine...so beautiful,” he said.

“Just hit the call button if you need me,” the nurse told them and left so the new daddies could visit with their daughter.

“Youre sure about the name?” Blaine asked, looking at the little curls of red hair that dusted the top of her head.

“If you like it?” Kurt said.

“Yes, she looks like a Charlotte, doesnt she?” Blaine observed. Kurt nodded. The name was Daniels suggestion – he had loved the name of the new British princess since he had heard it two years ago.

Kurt set her gently on his lap, unfolding the blanket and then removing all of her clothes. He put a dry diaper on her, Blaine kibitzing and getting a look from Kurt as if to say he was perfectly capable of changing a diaper. Quinn had made him practice on one of her daughters dolls just last week. Then he got the tiny baby nightgown out that he had embroidered with forget-me-knots and put that on her.

“Oh, she looks so sweet in that,” Blaine cooed. He was very excited to have a daughter. “You know, her hair is a bit wavy - not curly like Dannys was. I think it will turn chestnut like yours, angel. She already has your nose.”

Kurt rolled his eyes.

“She has her own nose! I can never see another person in a baby like everyone else seems to be able to. No, Charlotte has her own hair and nose. She is so pretty she doesnt need to look like anyone else,” he said with finality.

Kurt held her close, touching her fingers and toes and smiling.

“Okay, Daddy, sit down and Ill hand her to you,” Kurt said, smiling up at Blaine when he came over to sit in the rocker. Charlotte opened her eyes and blinked. She made a soft cooing noise and then opened her mouth, reaching towards Blaines chest.

“Sorry, baby girl – Im not a mommy, but I do have a bottle for you,” Blaine said. He wished the surrogate would have let Charlotte breast feed for a while, but he understood why she had declined the request. He put the bottle next to the babys lips and she latched on, her eyes opening wide as she drank.

The two daddies stayed with Charlotte for a few hours, mostly just watching her sleep. Finally Blaine stood up.

“Im going to go get Daniel from Quinns. I bet he wants to meet his little sister.”

“Sure. My dad should be here pretty soon. He sent a text a while ago saying he was at the airport but he was taking a taxi,” Kurt said.

Blaine leaned down to kiss Kurt once more before he left.

Anderson-Hummel Townhouse on 170th, New York - April 2025

It was the first picnic of the year. Blaine and Kurt had packed a lunch and included a few napkins and things to have for lunch in the park. Kurt was busy getting long tights on the baby and giving her a tiny kiss to her cheek.

“Are you ready, Papa?” Daniel asked, anxious to leave the house.

“Yes. I was just putting together a few things to put in the diaper bag for Charlotte. Daddy is getting the picnic basket ready. Change your shoes before we leave, honey, those sandals arent quite warm enough for a New York spring,” Kurt smiled at his son.

“Okay, Papa. Can I hold Charlotte when we get to the park? Can I push her in the stroller?” Daniel asked, excited to be going on this picnic.

“Were not taking the stroller, but I was hoping you would hold her in the wagon and I could pull it? Charlotte is so lucky to have a big brother like you.”

“Yes! Ill go get my other shoes so I can be ready, Papa,” Danny said before disappearing down the hall to his room.

Kurt took advantage of Danny being gone from the room and gave his husband a passionate kiss which was returned with relish. Blaine kissed along Kurts jaw and down his neck, sucking lightly on the tender skin. It was hard for the two men to pull away from each other when they heard Danny coming back down the hall.

“I love you, angel,” Blaine whispered into Kurts ear, the warm breath sending shivers down Kurts spine.

“I love you, too,” Kurt returned, shifting to say it into Blaines ear before caressing his waist and sliding his hand down Blaines jeans to squeeze a cheek before Daniel could turn the corner. Blaine laughed at the panic on Kurts face when they heard Daniels footsteps.

“Hes going to kindergarten next fall,” Blaine reminded Kurt when he heard the man whine under his breath at being interrupted. “We can finish this tonight, angel,” Blaine promised, bringing Kurt back closer by hugging him. Kurt kissed Blaines neck and stood straight again, ready to pull the wagon to the park.

Near J Hood Wright Park, Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York – 2025

Once they got to the park, they spread the tablecloth on the picnic table at the back of the pavilion. Kurt and Blaine were setting the food and dishes out when they heard their son whispering sincerely to his sister.

“And back there, behind the trashcan and the table? That is where I met my guardian angel who turned out to be Mr. Kurt-Angel. He saved me in a storm and Daddy loved him. So did I. We took him to Maine and he fell in love with us, too.

“Now, you havent been to Maine yet, but were going soon. Our house is on the ocean – thats a big lot of water that goes all the way to the other side of the world. We can pick berries and go beach combing and Ill help you find real treasures like pieces of jasper rock, and pretty shells, and the best colors of sea glass......I wish you had been at Daddy and Papas and my wedding with me, I gave them rings under a big tunnel of pretty flowers and wore a suit just like theirs.

“Everyone laughed when Papa said he loved us and would we marry him and I said I do too loudly before Daddy did and then we had a huge party and I danced with everyone! Everyone wanted to take me home with them especially Grandpa Burt but Daddy and Papa said no because I was forever theirs. Finding my Kurt-Angel was the best thing ever. And now we can make more great memories with you!”

~ THE END ~