The Other Hummel

Grandma Hummel

It was nightfall when the four of them arrived in New Hampshire after the long car-drive from New York. They were still stretching out and getting out of the car when two figures went out of the big country house. With screams of "Mom" and "Dad"; Finn and Kurt went running towards the couple. Louisa and Blaine exchanged a glance and continued unpacking the car.
"Booisa!"
"Uncle Burt!"
After having hugged his son, Burt approached his niece to hug her too. Carole was joining them; Burt grabbed her hand to introduce the two of them:
"I guess you haven't met my wonderful wife and Finn's mother; Carole?"
Louisa smiled at her still catch on Burt's other arm:
"I'm so glad to finally meet you. Kurt has been telling me how nice you are; but he forgot to mention how pretty you are. Good choice, Uncle Burt!"
Carole ignored the girl stretched hand to take her in a hug:
"Aren't you the sweetest and most beautiful young lady? I was also curious about the famous Louisa..."
Blaine could suppress a chuckle:
"Wait until you get to know her, Mrs. H."
Burt looked confused at Kurt waiting for an explanation to Blaine's weird behavior. Kurt shook his head dismissively:
"Never to worry: those two are like that since they've met. There isn't much we can do about it."
Blaine smirked at Louisa and tackled her into a bear-hug. At this moment, the group was joined by another figure coming out of the house:
"Aren't you going to hug your Grandmother a happy Thanksgiving?"
Louisa got hid of Blaine to join Kurt running towards the elegant old lady. The three of them were locked together in a tight hug when Carole dragged Finn by the hand near them:
"Mrs. Hummel, I don't know if you remember my son Finn. You've met him at the wedding."
Mrs. Hummel stretched her hand to the boy:
"Of course I remember him. How do you do?"
She was shaking Finn's hand when she noticed the other boy walking closer in Burt's embrace. She then turned to her granddaughter:
"Is that you boyfriend, Louisa?"
"No Grandma, Blaine is Kurt's boyfriend. Blaine, that's our Grandmother Muriel Hummel."
Louisa could see a frown passing her grandmother's face that she hid in a polite smile, while stretching her hand to the boy:
"Nice to meet you, young man.
"The pleasure is all mine, madam."
At that moment, a voice coming from the house's door caught everyone's attention:
"Don't I deserve a hug too?"
An awkward silence fell between all of them as they stared into the man's embarrassed smile and Louisa's disgusted scowl. Kurt broke it by taking Blaine's hand:
"Honey, that's my Uncle Andrew, or Andy; Louisa's father."
Before Blaine could answer, Muriel was clearing her throat to get everyone's attention:
"There are freshly baked snickerdoodles on the kitchen counter. If we eat just a few of them, no one's appetite will be ruined for dinner."
Everyone but Andrew started to enter the house towards the kitchen. Louisa was the last one; but, before crossing the door, Andrew grabbed her arm stopping her to go on:
"Don't I deserve at least that you talk to me after all this time?"
She sighed:
"I don't know; do you?"
"Come on; it's Thanksgiving..."
"On my behalf, I didn't know you'd be here or I'd have stayed in New York."
She managed to get her arm free and walked towards the door. He tried one last hope in a tiny voice:
"Louisa... please..."
She turned with a blank face:
"Now you are begging? Have you something to say to me? How about where were you the last sixteen years? Are you speechless? I figured it would be the case. Where's the new wife?"
"Taking her son to visit her parents..."
"You should have gone with her; it would have been better for everybody."
With those words, she entered the house without a glimpse back.

xXxXx

"Why, why; what do we have here? Rachel Berry is in New York during Thanksgiving?"
Rachel looked up from the play she was studding to see who was calling her:
"Oh Brody; I didn't know you were in New York too."
He smirked and sat on a chair next to hers:
"I thought you'd be with lover-boy on the Hummels' family reunion..."
"No; my dads wanted to see some Broadway shows and decided to spend the holiday with me. How about you? I thought you and Louisa were an item now; hasn't she invited you to visit Grandma Hummel?"
He moved uncomfortably on the chair:
"Actually, she did. It's just that I have a problem with meeting family too soon..."
Rachel shot him a cynical glance:
"Brody, if I didn't know you I'd say your problem is either being afraid of commitment or not trusting this relationship to be one. And if you asked me to bet; I'd go with the second one..."
"Are you trying to say I'm not serious about Louisa?"
Rachel tried looking away to avoid the subject; but when she saw he'd not give up, she sighed and answered:
"Being absolute honest with you: I really doubt your feelings towards her."
He smirked again:
"Ok Rachel; you won and I'll admit what you want to hear: yes, I still have feelings for you. And you know it; Finn knows it, and specially, Louisa knows it. She had a crush on another guy too and she told me. But we found each other and it has been great! And, contrarily to what you are thinking; I'm not playing with her feelings, I swear."
Rachel wasn't convinced by his little speech:
"I once trusted your oath too; it didn't end well. But that's in the past now... Let's talk about important things: does this guy you mentioned Louisa having a crush on happens to be my boyfriend?"
Brody laughed loudly. He got up from his chair and poked her nose playfully:
"That, my dear Rachel, you won't take out from me. I guess I see you around..."
With that last phrase, he turned around and went his way.