Blaine Anderson was your average advertising executive at Starling, Schweitzer, and Schwartz during the early 1960s. He had success, a loving wife, a house to call his own, and everything his parents could have ever wanted for him…except happiness. Although hed never willingly admit his private thoughts to anyone, much less himself, the dashing young man had a secret: He was attracted to men. 

Sitting at his desk each morning, cup of Irish coffee in hand, Blaine would begin preparing himself for the long day ahead by marking the present day off of his calendar. Each passing day put him one day closer to the anniversary of his marriage to Katharine and one day further from the last time they had intimately shared a bed. He tapped his pen and then set it aside; his fingers lightly drumming the tune in his head on the large legal pad in front of him before glancing up at the starburst clock centered on the wall. 9:45. Picking up his mug, he took a long swig of the piping hot beverage and, once swallowed down, lifted it to his lips a second time to taste flavors of cream, whiskey, and coffee dancing along his tongue. With the flask in his top desk drawer nearly drained of its contents, it was times like this that Blaine wished he had picked up the habit of smoking like his other co-workers, but the smell in the conference room was almost too much for his nose and lungs to bear. 

As he felt his mind begin to drift to the man who had brushed against him in the elevator, Mr. Starlings secretary, Jane, came into his office. 

"Mr. Anderson," said Jane, adjusting her skirt. "The board is ready to see you now."

"Thank you, Jane. Ill be with them in a moment," he replied, hand moving up to lightly scratch through the wavy curls at the back of his head. He rose from his desk and moved to the small briefcase he had placed on the couch. Here goes nothing...

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When Blaine returned home later that evening, he had hoped for a hot shower, silence, and a hot meal. What he received was much to what he expected. There, expertly blowing on wet nails at the kitchen table, sat Katharine who, by the looks of the stationary beside her was bored as ever. 

"Blaine!" exclaimed Katharine as she saw him enter the kitchen. "Blaine, Im so happy youre home!" Wasting no time, she moved from her seat to greet him, cautiously wrapping her arms around his neck as she left trails of red lipstick kisses all along his cheeks. 

Blaine chuckled somewhat nervously. "Golly, Kitty-Kat. You act like you havent seen me in weeks." Katharine moved back to look over his face. "Well, it might as well have been a week," she said with a pout. "They make you work all those long hours." Blaine dropped his briefcase by his feet and pulled her into an embrace like any good husband would. "Its a regular 9 to 5, sweetheart. They arent working me any harder than anyone else at t agency." Kitty smiled and pecked Blaine on the nose before going to pick up her glass on the table. 

She took a small sip, playing with the straw. "Blaine…I found something out today. Mavis from next door told me that the Millers down the street just had another baby." Oh god. It was coming. Blaine could already hear the whine in her voice taking shape and when it did, it didnt mean anything good. "If Freddy and Judy have a third little bundle before we even have one, Ill just die." 

Blaine rolled his eyes as he moved past her to the icebox to take out a piece of cheese. "Kitty-Kat, you know how I feel about that sort of thing. Its just not the right time for us to be thinking about having a baby. Im sorry, muffin." Kitty sighed and sat her glass back down on the table. "Well…thats alright." She touched each of her nails, checking to see if the polish had dried or become tacky and began to smirk, walking with purpose towards him.

 "You know, we never got a chance to celebrate you getting that promotion." Kittys arms found their way to Blaines neck again and she pecked his lips. "Maybe we should stay in tonight and I can show Mr. Big Executive just how proud I am of him and all of his…hard work."

Blaine gulped, honest to god gulped and tried his best to be quick on his toes. "I---darling, as wonderful as that sounds, weve already made dinner plans with Don and Peggy." He laughed nervously, the tie around his neck somehow seeming tighter than it did only moments ago. "You know that."

Kitty poked out her bottom lip and furrowed her brow. "I guess youre right. No need to break prior engagements and be bad dinner guests."

Blaine quickly nodded, allowing air to slowly fill his lungs once again.

"Tomorrow night, I promise."

Pleased with his answer, Kitty gently nuzzled her nose against Blaines. 

"Okay, dear."

Blaine brought her to his chest once more and kissed the top of her head. "Im going to go shower and freshen up for dinner."

Kitty smiled and stepped out of his touch. "I think Ill do the same."

With that, Blaine started making a beeline for the bedroom.

"Oh, and darling?" called Kitty.

Blaine turned on his heels. "Yes, Kitty-Kat?"

"Remind me to tell you about the woman I met at my bridge club this afternoon. She and her husband are new to the neighborhood." Kitty searched for the womans name in her head before it finally came to her. "Rachel--something or other. Hummel! Rachel Hummel. Anyway, I hope its alright, but I invited them to dinner this Friday so keep your night open."

Blaine gave Kitty a nod and a smile and continued toward the bedroom to wash away the smell of cigar smoke and his wifes perfume. Another day, another couple. Another lie about who he felt he was inside. As hot water began to cascade over his body, he made a wish that the soap working up a lather could wash away more than what was just skin deep.