JUNE, 1993, SEATTLE, WA
"YOU WERE ARRESTED? Why?" Lindy asked incredulously, astonished to hear the news that Kurt had been thrown into the King County Jail only a week prior. She had always known that Kurt was a bit of a troublemaker but she struggled to imagine him behind bars wearing the smirk of a criminal.
"Courtney called the cops on me," Kurt explained leisurely, as if he were recalling a picnic he'd had on a sunny day in the park. "It was on domestic violence charges. She wanted to go in place of me, but I took the heat."
They were lying in Lindy's bed, shrouded by covers and listening to the gentle patter of rain against her window. With Kurt having nothing else better to do those days, he'd found time to once again escape to Lindy where they could take refuge in her bedroom, free from having to interact with the outside world.
"Yeah well, I made bail and the charges were dropped. Yippee," Kurt said dully, sounding so much unlike the boy that Lindy met at eighteen. He was hardened now and not by anything other than life itself.
"Well, thank God I'm not in bed with a convict," Lindy quipped sarcastically. Kurt's hands found her sides in an effort to tickle her but she pushed him away, laughing. Although it was easy to enjoy her time with him, Lindy still felt the dark reminder of what Kurt was struggling with. It hung over them, silent but heavy in its monumental weight.
"How does it feel to be aunt?" Kurt asked with a smile. Lindy had relayed the story of Hannah's birth to him earlier in the day.
"Amazing," Lindy said. "Hannah is so cute. I hate that I'm not in Aberdeen to see her all the time."
"I have to disagree. If you were in Aberdeen, I wouldn't see you hardly as much as I do now."
Kurt rested his head on Lindy's pillow, staring lovingly at her as if she were the only other person in the world. She felt his fingertips, ever so rough from constant guitar playing, caress her face.
"Will you marry me, Lindy?"
Lindy knew better than to take his question seriously. She put her arms in her lap, flashing Kurt a skeptical look with raised eyebrows.
"So you're a polygamist, now?"
"I don't mean it like that. I mean once all this bullshit finally passes and I get my life to be just how I want it. That's when I want you to marry me."
"You've got to sign a few divorce papers first," Lindy reminded him gently.
Kurt scoffed, wrinkling his nose. "I despise that word."
"Hate to break it to you champ, but without that word, there won't ever be a wedding between you and I."
"I know," Kurt said in a small voice. Lindy, feeling bad for her bluntness, kissed his cheek.
"At least we can be together right now."
"Yeah. You're right."
Kurt sunk lower into the bed, pulling the sheets up over his chest and wriggling his body into the mattress. Lindy let out a laugh.
"What are you doing?" she questioned, wondering if he was going back to sleep. It was only the afternoon and despite the rain, she wasn't tired herself.
"I want to stay here tonight," Kurt announced. "I haven't slept over in ages."
Kurt spending the night at Lindy's held a series of both good and bad outcomes. The good was that it prevented him from being anywhere where he could purchase heroin; as long as Lindy sheltered him in her home, he was restrained enough to not go seeking out the drug. The bad was that Courtney would be suspicious if he never showed up back at their home.
