June 2, 2012, 9:19 p.m.
You Could Be My Unintended: Chapter 7
T - Words: 2,091 - Last Updated: Jun 02, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 29/29 - Created: Apr 22, 2012 - Updated: Jun 02, 2012 3,399 0 0 0 0
I showed up to school the morning after Jude was born running on zero sleep after having spent my entire night in a blur of shopping for any and all items that would be needed to care for an infant.
After dragging my father away from his new pride and joy, we drove straight to the nearest Wal-Mart and proceeded to fill two carts with everything from baby bottles to a crib with complete bedding set and a car seat. I blew my clothing budget for at least two months in less than two hours.
The rest of the night (and early morning hours) was spent assembling furniture, sterilizing bottles, prewashing onesies and generally baby-proofing our entire home.
So maybe I was going a little overboard, but I was on an adrenaline high and there was nothing that could stop me.
At least that’s what I thought, until the sun made its way above the horizon and I realized that I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep now and manage to get up in time for school which meant that I wouldn’t get a chance to rest until at least four o’clock, but I also had an appointment with the specialist at five so there wasn’t really time for a nap in there either.
I was still reeling from the fact that I was now officially a father. Even with all the baby paraphernalia now littering my house, and more specifically my room, it still felt unreal to me.
I sighed loudly and went upstairs to find my father sprawled across the couch snoring. I figured I would wake him in another hour or so. He needed his rest even more than I needed mine.
After showering and doing a half-hearted job of my morning routine, I grabbed an apple and shook Dad awake. He mumbled an inarticulate response which I took as “good morning” and “yes, I’ll be up in just a moment” and I headed out the door.
It was early enough that I had time to stop for coffee and all praise to the man that decided our little town needed its own version of Starbucks. I’m pretty sure that without it I would have fallen asleep at the wheel before pulling into the parking lot of McKinley.
The halls were still pretty well desrted when I made my way to the empty choir room to enjoy my coffee in peace before the start of another hellish day. We were preparing for finals that were coming up and if I wanted my brain to retain anything that it was presented with today I needed to wake up bit more.
“Kurt?”
I raised my bloodshot eyes to see Mr. Schuester standing before me. I hadn’t even heard him come in. Either he was secretly a ninja or I was way more out of it than I realized.
“Hey, Mr. Schue.” God, even my voice sounded like crap. No solos for me today, that was for sure.
If my appearance had him concerned then my voice seemed to shock him. “Are you alright?”
I gazed at him blearily, my eyelids drooping against my will. “Tired.” I grunted. Oh god, I was grunting now?
“What’s going on, Kurt?” Mr. Schue’s tone was worried, with an underlying sense of authority. I would have smirked had I had the energy because really, Mr. Schue was a good teacher, but an intimidating authority figure he was not. At least not in my eyes.
I sighed and figured I might as well tell him, everyone would know soon enough. “I am happy to tell you that I am now the proud, if exhausted, father of a six pound baby boy.” I gave him a slightly larger, if just as sleepy, genuine smile. I really was happy, it was just that my enthusiasm for all things that weren’t my warm bed was missing at the moment.
“Oh my—Kurt! Congratulations!” His face was lit up like Christmas and I could see tears shining in his eyes. “That’s amazing!” I couldn’t help my eyes sliding shut for a moment. Mr. Schue noticed and placed a hand on my shoulder, shaking me awake. “Kurt? Did you get any sleep at all last night?”
I shook my head and he nodded sympathetically. “I probably shouldn’t do this, but I know that one day of missing classes isn’t going to affect your grades, and today will mainly be reviews, so why don’t you go make yourself a pallet on the floor of my office and rest for a while. There’s a small throw blanket in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. I know that the floor isn’t the most comfortable of places but you look like you’re about to fall asleep sitting in that chair.”
I looked at him with what I hoped he could tell was gratitude on my face. “Thank you. Please don’t tell anyone just yet, no one knows, not even Mercedes.”
“Of course, Kurt. Just let me grab some things from my desk and you can lock the door when I leave.”
I gratefully collapsed onto the carpet, not even caring that it was probably unsanitary. I let my eyes slide shut and didn’t think for a while.
I awoke just after the start of last period. I rose slowly, painfully aware that sleeping on a hard floor was not the smartest decision I had ever made. I figured that since I had already missed the rest of my classes for the day, I might as well skip the last and headed to the choir room, half an hour early for glee practice.
I took a seat in the far corner of the room and turned on my phone. Four missed calls and twelve new text messages. All from Mercedes. I scanned through the messages which started out normal then grew annoyed then finally worried. I texted her back a quick reply, assuring her I was alright and would be at practice this afternoon. Not two minutes later I got a ping! that signaled a new message.
From Cedes:
OK Wht Boi. I xpect answrs n glee
I smiled as I replied, refusing to butcher the English language with text-speak.
To Cedes:
Of course. I have an announcement. Now pay attention in class so I can copy your notes later ;)
Now I knew she was sure to attack me as soon as she came in the door but I would wait until everyone was present to share my news.
I spent the rest of the period assembling a photo album on my Facebook page and preparing a post to announce Jude’s birth, which I didn’t put up until two minutes before the final bell. I knew it would take at least fifteen for the crappy Wi-Fi to process the change to my status and by then I would have told the people who mattered to me face to face.
Apparently, Mercedes had passed the word around that something was up and everyone made it to the room in record time. They all stared at me expectantly as I watched them from my perch next to the piano. I smiled as I pulled a photo I had snapped in the hospital last night onto my phones main screen. It was a close up shot of Jude’s face, his blue eyes wide open and his little mouth open in a yawn.
I held the phone out to Mercedes. Her eyes went wide and her grin nearly split her face in half before she passed the phone to Tina.
“I would like you all to meet Jude Burton Hummel. My son.” I beamed with pride as my phone made its way around the room. The girls were squealing and the guys were staring in awe. I noticed Puck’s face was stony; he passed the phone to Mike almost immediately. I made a mental note to speak with him later.
After my phone made its way back to me, Rachel spoke up. “So when do we get to meet the newest member of the New Directions? I’m sure being your child he’s been singing since the womb.”
My smile dropped. I didn’t know how to tell them about Jude’s condition without evoking pity. I didn’t want anyone to pity him. I didn’t want them to treat him any differently than any other child.
They noticed my change of expression and the room went silent. I stared at the floor, chewing my lip as I chose my words carefully.
“He won’t be singing,” I said quietly. I couldn’t seem to bring my eyes up to face my friends.
“What do you mean, Kurty?” Brit chimed out. I looked at her then. Her face was a mixture of happiness and confusion. Sweet, sweet Brittany. I knew that I could count on her at least to never judge anyone for being different. Her beautiful, if simple, view on the world gave me hope that maybe Jude wouldn’t be seen as a freak, at least not by everyone. In short, she gave me the strength to say the words that were caught in my throat.
“There was a problem with his development and his vocal cords never formed. He’s mute.” There it was, the bald truth. Now for the reaction.
“But, he’s healthy, right?” Finn asked. “I mean, my mom, said he was perfectly healthy other than that.”
“What?” I looked at him incredulously. When the hell did he even find out about this? And if he knew, how was it that no one else did? Finn wasn’t exactly known for keeping secrets well.
He smiled proudly then, his chest puffing a little. “Burt called Mom and she called me and told me all about it, but she said I couldn’t say anything ‘cause it was your big news to tell.” He grinned at me sheepishly. “It’s been killing me all day. I was really glad when Mercedes said you’d be here this afternoon. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep it a secret.”
I was dazed but before I could reply Puck interjected.
“Dude, is that why you’ve been so fidgety all day? I thought you had a rash or something the way you were squirming in your seat during history.” He chuckled at his own comment and Quinn rolled her eyes.
“That’s disgusting, Noah.” I shook my head in distaste. “But, yes, Finn, he is perfectly healthy otherwise. There are no other deformities in his throat that would impair his breathing or anything like that. He just won’t be able to speak.”
“Cool, then. So he’ll be like Mini-Kurt.”
“Excuse, me?” I tried to understand what Finn was saying, but even after repeating the words in my mind twice I had no clue what I was supposed to get out of that statement.
“Like in Austin Powers. Dr. Evil’s little clone dude, Mini-Me. He couldn’t talk, either.”
“Finn,” I drawled, trying to remain calm. I told myself that he wasn’t trying to be an ass, that he was just naturally dumb and didn’t mean anything by it. “Did you just compare my newborn child to a midget in a Mike Myers film?”
At least I wasn’t the only one glaring at Finn right then. Everyone, save Brit, who had heard the words “mini-Kurt” and was now whispering to herself about baby dolphins, was giving Finn their best death-glares. He was shrinking under the heat of their collective gazes as he stuttered out half-formed apologies.
“Anyways,” I said loudly to bring everyone’s attention back to me. “I have to leave here in a few minutes and get back to the hospital to meet with a specialist about Jude’s condition. I just wanted to tell you all first before word gets out.” I smiled softly at the group. At the beginning of the year, I had been a loner. Now I had a group of people who I knew would be there for me no matter what. “This club is like a family to me so I really wanted to tell you guys in person.”
I didn’t expect it, but I was suddenly at the center of a very large group hug. It was odd, and I’m pretty sure that Puck’s mussing of my hair was anything but an accident, but it was nice. I thanked everyone for their support and left head to the hospital.
I would have just enough time to grab a coffee on the way. I was pretty sure I was going to need it.