someone else | j st. james [on hold]

14 | hold my hand

obligatory trigger warning that also super spoils what actually occurs in this chapter: someone gets an abortion.

Dan trailed behind her brother through the tire shop, headed for their father. They made the stop on the way to school for the day.

"Hey, Daddy," Dan greeted, sliding on top of his workbench.

"Hey, there's my babies," Burt said, making Dan and Kurt chuckle. They certainly weren't babies anymore.

"You forgot your breakfast," Kurt said, handing him the bag he packed for him. "Suzanne Somers says that skipping breakfast is suicide."

Burt peeked inside, not really recognizing any of the food. "What is this?"

"It's an egg-white wrap on a sprouted wheat tortilla, half a grapefruit, and a green drink," Kurt told him.

"Where's my usual breakfast?"

Dan snorted. "A Coke and two Slim Jims?" she asked.

"Yeah. Breakfast of champions," he said, smiling.

"Dad, you are not a kid anymore. You have to start taking care of yourself," Kurt said firmly.

"I guess with enough hot sauce, this will be all right," Burt said, frowning. "Thanks. And hey, don't forget, Friday night dinner is six instead of seven this week. Carole and Finn are coming over, and she has to work the night shift."

Dan nodded in understanding, but Kurt quickly spoke up. "I can't do this Friday. Uh, sing-along Sound of Music at the El Royale Theater. It's a once-a-year event."

Burt sighed, not believing that Kurt was canceling again. "Last week you had to camp out early so you could be first in line for those Grey's Anatomy DVDs."

"Season six, Dad," Kurt said, making Dan smile.

"Those Friday night dinners are a ritual in our family — one your mom started."

"I know, but I'm a teenager. Friday nights are kind of important to me," Kurt told him. Then he looked at Dan, hoping she'd back him up. She simply shrugged. "Why are you making me feel guilty about this? I, of all people, know how important the relationship is between you and Carole."

"Those dinners are more than important. They're sacred. The whole point of having something sacred is that it takes precedence over anything else you got going on," Burt argued.

"Sing-along Sound of Music is sacred to me," he shot back.

"What, you think I don't know that? Wasn't I the one who bought you that Maria bonnet when you were six?" Kurt sighed heavily, wishing the conversation would end. "The point is if you start giving up stuff like Friday night dinners then you got nothing to hold onto. Okay, let's face it, Kurt — If we don't schedule it, then the three of us don't hang out. If we don't hang out, then our lives just go right by each other. And we don't share very much."