Chapter Seven: Glee, Actually

Eighteen Weeks Pregnant

With Christmas less than two weeks away, the family had finally gotten together to decorate the house. Christmas was bittersweet for Kurt, as it had been his mother's favorite holiday. As if he could read his son's mind, Burt began to reminisce about the holidays spent with his late wife.

“Elizabeth always used to buy the tree. I'd always tell her to wait until I got off work but she was always too excited. The first Christmas after she passed, I forgot about a tree. Then I saw Kurt had turned his mom's perfume bottle into an ornament and was hanging it from his window shade on Christmas Eve. I got him bundled up in the middle of the night to drive through a snowstorm and buy a tree. That was the first time you smiled after she died, Kurt.”

Kurt heard a sniffle from beside him and turned to see Blaine's eyes filled with tears. He immediately dropped the ornament he was about to hang and pulled Blaine into his arms.

“Hey, no crying! This is supposed to be a happy occasion,” Kurt scolded lightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“I can't help it,” Blaine said as he wiped his eyes. “Stupid hormones.”

“Why don't we get some food in you? You'll feel better,” Carole suggested.

She guided Blaine into the kitchen and left the other men to follow them. Blaine and Burt discussed football at the kitchen table while Kurt helped Carole prepare supper. Once the table was set and the food was on the table, they sat down as a family to enjoy the meal.

Burt was quiet throughout dinner, which did not escape Kurt's notice. He could tell his father was tired. In fact, it seemed Burt was constantly fatigued lately. Kurt waited to bring it up until after everyone had been served hot chocolate, another Hummel family tradition.

“Dad, are you okay? You haven't seemed yourself lately,” Kurt observed as he stirred his cocoa.

Burt sighed, dropping his spoon back into his mug of chocolate. “There's something I need to tell you boys. And I'm just going to come out and say it because there is no good way to say it. I have prostate cancer.”

Kurt felt his heart sink into his stomach. Blaine's hand found his under the table and he squeezed it supportively. Tears filled Kurt's eyes but he fought them back. He didn't want to breakdown in front of his father.

“I think I'm going to be sick,” Kurt said.

“Hey, do I look like a guy who is dying? We are going to get through this. The doctors caught it early and the cure rate is nearly one hundred percent,” Burt assured him, clasping a hand on his shoulder.

“For healthy people, Dad,” Kurt protested. “You've already had a heart attack.”

“Which is what convinced me to get check-ups twice a year,” Burt reminded him, sipping his hot chocolate.

“It's just really scary to think that Blaine and I are having a baby and you might not be there to see her grow up,” Kurt said, looking at Blaine for support.

“I'm not going anywhere, Kurt. I'm going to be there to watch my granddaughter grow up. I promise you that. But let me tell you boys something I've learned from all this. This is the third time I've faced death and I've learned you have to hold the people you love close to you, no matter what.”

Blaine looked down at his pregnant belly, knowing Burt was referring to his rocky relationship with his parents. Kurt squeezed his hand supportively and snuck his other hand out to caress his belly. The baby kicked and Blaine covered Kurt's hand with his own.

“She's kicking,” Blaine told Kurt, knowing he wouldn't be able to feel her from the outside yet. He couldn't wait until Kurt could feel their daughter move under his hand. It was amazing to feel from the inside.

“She knows her daddy is here,” Kurt said with a sad smile, spreading his hand wide across Blaine's belly.

Blaine wished he could tell Kurt everything would be fine and their daughter wouldn't grow up without her grandfather but he didn't want to make empty promises. No matter what, their daughter would grow up knowing she was loved which was the most they could ask for.

K/B

Nineteen Weeks Pregnant

Six days later, Blaine was free from Christmas break. He was enjoying his newfound freedom by reading one of the pregnancy books he had acquired. His phone rang and he contemplated ignoring it but answered at the last second.

“Hello?”

“Blaine, sweetheart, it's mom,” Giordana Anderson's voice drifted down the line. She sounded hesitant, almost afraid that Blaine would hang up on her.

“Hi,” Blaine said awkwardly. He heard the shower turn off from the adjoining bathroom.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Fine,” Blaine answered shortly, listening as Kurt moved around their bathroom.

“Blaine, I know things are difficult between us right now; but Cooper is coming home for Christmas and your father and I would like you and Kurt to join us for Christmas dinner.”

Kurt entered the room, drying his hair with a towel, as Blaine answered his mother.

“Oh, well, we were going to celebrate with Kurt's family.”

“Blaine,” Kurt hissed as he tossed the damp towel into the clothes hamper.

“Hold on a second, Mom,” Blaine said into the phone, turning his attention to his boyfriend.

“She's making an effort, Blaine,” Kurt said as he joined him on the bed. Blaine sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation.

“I know, but you always eat with your family, Kurt,” Blaine said, searching for an excuse to decline his mother's invitation.

“Honey, our family is changing,” Kurt reminded him as he laid a hand on his pregnant belly. “I will talk with my dad and we'll come up with something. Tell your mom we will be there.”

Blaine sighed, clearly unhappy at the prospect of spending the holidays with his family. Despite his reluctance, Blaine told his mother he and Kurt would attend Christmas dinner. Kurt listened to the one-sided conversation as he let the towel tied around his waist fall to the ground and slipped into a pair of boxer briefs.

After hanging up the phone, Blaine stripped down to his underwear and threw his clothes into the hamper. He turned around to see Kurt staring at him.

“What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” Blaine asked in alarm.

“Your belly button is sticking out,” Kurt observed with a smile.

Blaine looked down at his pregnant belly and frowned. He said, “I'm fat.”

“Baby, you're not fat,” Kurt protested. He reached a hand out toward Blaine, who took it and joined him on the bed. “You're pregnant. I'd be worried if you weren't gaining weight. You're carrying our child.”

“I love you,” Blaine said with a tender smile.

Kurt grinned back, pulling him in for a deep kiss. Their hands wandered over bare skin until Kurt was pushing Blaine back onto the bed and straddling his legs. They made love slowly, holding on to each other tightly. Because they never knew what would happen tomorrow but for today they had each other.

K/B

Twenty Weeks Pregnant

“I don't want to do this,” Blaine whispered to Kurt as they followed his mother into the living room at the Anderson home.

“Relax,” Kurt whispered back.

“Sit down, sweetheart,” Giordana said. She motioned towards the unoccupied loveseat before joining her husband on the couch seated beside the loveseat. “You look tired.”

“I'm fine,” Blaine protested but followed Kurt's example when he sat. Kurt pulled Blaine's feet onto his lap, untied his shoes and removed his socks before massaging his feet and ankles.

“Are your feet swelling?” Giordana asked sympathetically.

“A little,” Blaine answered. A shudder wracked his body as Kurt worked his fingers over Blaine's swollen ankle joints.

“My ankles doubled in size when I was pregnant with you,” Giordana told him. “Have you experienced any heartburn?”

“Only every day the last week,” Blaine said, opening up a bit more.

“He's been eating Tums like candy,” Kurt added, pressing his thumb into the arch of Blaine's left foot.

“There's not much else you can do,” Donal said. “I remember your mother was up all hours of the night trying to walk off leg cramps when she was pregnant with you boys.”

“Where is Cooper?” Blaine asked, looking around.

“Right here, little brother,” Cooper answered, coming down the stairs. Blaine started to get to his feet but Cooper stopped him. “Don't stand up. I'll come to you.”

Cooper hugged Blaine and Kurt in turn before joining his parents on the couch.

“How is my niece?” Cooper asked, his eyes sweeping over Blaine's stomach.

“You're having a girl?” Donal asked, his eyes widening.

“Yes,” Blaine answered slowly, not sure why his father was reacting this way. He placed a hand over his belly, caressing it lovingly.

“Your father always wanted a little girl,” Giordana told them with a smile at her husband.

“What are you naming her?” his father asked, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

“We're not sure yet,” Kurt said as he continued to massage Blaine's feet.

At the same time, Blaine answered, “Elizabeth.”

“Really?” Kurt asked. “I thought we would use that as a middle name.”

“I know how important your mother is to you. I want to honor her,” Blaine replied. Kurt forced back his tears, knowing if he started to cry Blaine was sure to start.

“Elizabeth is a lovely name,” Donal said, clearing his throat.

“I'm going to check on the turkey,” Giordana said. The others fell into an awkward silence until Cooper couldn't stand it anymore.

“Have you decided what you're going to do for a nursery yet?”

“We'll probably just set up the spare bedroom,” Kurt answered uncertainly. “We still have time before the baby is born to decide though.”

“If you would like, your mother and I would like to offer your old crib for you to use,” Donal said.

Blaine looked up in surprise. He exchanged a glance with Kurt before turning back to his father.

“That would be great. Thank you, Dad,” Blaine answered.

“We want to help in any way that we can, Blaine. I know we didn't initially react in the best way to this situation but we want to make up for that,” Giordana said as she reentered the room. “Maybe Cooper could help get your crib out of storage while he is in town.”

“I'd be happy to help,” Cooper interjected.

“Thanks, Mom. And thank you, Coop. Having your support means a lot. Kurt and I never meant for this to happen, and we couldn't do this on our own,” Blaine said. “I guess what I'm trying to say is I forgive you.”

And Blaine meant every word.