On Friday afternoon around 4pm, Blaine could feel the knot in the pit of his stomach beginning to grow. If making love to his wife earlier that week hadnt been stressful enough, he was now greeted by the reality of meeting new people and blatantly lying about his happy wife and happy life to each new face. As he opened the front door, the smell of Kittys cooking enveloped him. Having taken no more than a few steps inside the door, Kitty was already breathing down his neck. 

"Oh good! Youre home!" she exclaimed as she wiped her hands on her apron. "The Hummels will be here at 6:30 so go shower and get changed. Ill have just enough time to freshen up and make the hors doeuvres before they arrive." 

Blaine sighed as he walked over to the bar and poured a small amount of bourbon into a highball glass. He stared at the liquid for a moment before turning it up, all the while listening to Kitty going on about this and that in the kitchen. As he pondered over a second pour, Kitty walked back in. 

"Did you hear what I said, sweetheart?"

Blaine looked up from the empty glass in his hand. 

"Hmm?"

"Did you pick up the cake like I asked?"

His eyes glanced over to the woman standing near him. 

"Cake?"

"The cake I ordered? I left a message with Jane telling you to pick it up on your way home."

"Oh, the cake." Blaine set his glass down. "Yes. Its in the car. I was going to get it just now."

Kitty took off her apron and blotted her brow. "Well, dont leave it out there too long. We cant very well serve the neighbors dessert with melted icing all over of your backseat."

Blaine smiled weakly and removed his keys from his pocket, moving past her to venture back outside. 

"And dont forget to stick it in the ice box! I want it to be cold when we serve it with coffee!"

Upon reaching his car, Blaine rested his head against the door. If I hurry, I could drive off and avoid this mess right now. He shook away the thoughts as quick as they had come and inspected the cake. Much to his relief, everything was still perfectly intact. Across the street, an unfamiliar car pulled into the driveway and out of it came a man more beautiful than he had ever dreamed of. He was staring, but didnt notice or have the sense to care. The man closed the car door with a light bump from his hip and turned towards Blaine, catching him in his trance and locking Blaines eyes in a gaze with his own. 

As he stood holding the cake box in his now shaking hands, the man across the way gave a small wave. Rather than triggering a neighborly response, this snapped Blaine out of his dreamlike state, causing him to promptly turn and make a mad dash for the house. Once he reached the front door, he gave the house opposite their own one last glance, but the man was nowhere to be found. Wasting no more time, he hurried inside to put the cake away and clean up in time for dinner.

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When he came out of the bedroom, he found Kitty in the dining room setting the table. 

"Oh gosh, Blaine, Im not ready," fretted Kitty. Theyre going to be here any second and Im not ready. I checked on the pot roast and it still needs at least 20 more minutes." 

Blaine folded the napkins and handed them to his wife. "I dont suppose theres anything I can do to help?"

She sighed, stood up straight, and adjusted her pearls. "Could you stall them with a drink? Conversation? Anything?"

He swallowed, his tongue feeling like it was taking up all the space in his mouth. "Of course."

"Youre such a dear," she uttered, smiling fondly although a tad exasperated, and leaned in to give him a soft kiss. "If everything goes well tonight, I was thinking we could have a second helping of dessert….what do you say?"

"More cake?"

"If youd like…but, I was hoping youd consider nibbling on me."

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Before Kitty could say another word or Blaine could protest, the doorbell rang. 

"Thats them," whispered Kitty, smoothing her dress. "How do I look?"

Blaine took a deep breath and gave her his best warm smile.  "Lovely as always, dear.

Quickly, Kitty dusted off his shoulders and trotted to the door, leaving Blaine with four empty place settings soon to be filled by him, his wife, and what he could only imagine to be two more nosy neighbors. He straightened a fork and knife atop a dinner napkin, listening to her welcoming and chatting up Rachel and someone named something that sounded like "Flirt". 

Blaine knew he couldnt stay in hiding forever. Meeting them was inevitable, so he did what any respectable man would do. He smoothed his hand over his tie and walked out to meet them. 

The laughter as he approached was soft, the three of them tittering on about something hed missed.  

"Oh! This is my husband, Blaine," said Kitty introducing him and sliding an arm around his waist. "Blaine, this is Kurt and Rachel Hummel."

As they exchanged hellos and pleasantries, it hit him instantly that the man standing in front of him was no stranger at all. 

"Its nice to meet you," said Kurt warmly, extending his hand to Blaine. Without missing a beat, Blaine grasped his firmly and returned the gentlemanly shake. 

"And you as well. Welcome to the neighborhood."

"It was very kind of you to invite us over. You have a lovely home," offered Rachel with a smile. 

Kitty beamed, leaning into her husband and affectionally placing a hand on his chest. "Why thank you very much! Blaine here painted every inch of the place himself and was sweet enough to let me have my way with the decorating."

Rachels eyes lit up at the thought of doing the same. "Once we get everything moved in, Im hoping Kurt will let me do the same."

Kurt playfully rolled his eyes. "Im mulling it over. It seems like a pretty tall order if you ask me."

Trying his best to maintain the role he had set out to play, Blaine grinned. 

"At first I wanted to put up a fight, but then I just remembered the words of my father. He said, "Son, take this words to heart and youll never have to worry about a thing in the world. Happy Wife, Happy Life." 

Kurt seemed amused. "Aint that the truth." 

The two men guffawed, but as they did, Blaine couldnt help but think Kurts laugh sounded almost as fake as his. 

Just as Rachel opened her mouth to speak, the timer on the oven chimed. 

"Oh!" Kitty cheerfully exclaimed. "Thats the pot roast. Blaine, would you mind showing our guests to the table while I take it out of the oven?"

"Of course, dear."