IT WAS A peculiar feeling, returning to her apartment with not only Kurt, but a newborn baby in tow. Lindy had tediously spent her time imagining what the future would hold once Charles had arrived, but for some odd reason, she had not considered how it would feel to cross the threshold into her apartment carrying her son.
She looked around the apartment with roving eyes, her stare touching every detail of the space in front of her. The entire place felt like it belonged in a different time period, a time in which she was young and unsure of the world. She felt so much steadier now. Gravity had finally found her, or it had at least found her mind.
What a strange feeling. It was the same apartment that Lindy had called home for years, but now, being inside of it felt like stepping into distant memories of the past. It was almost hard to believe that she'd even existed before Charles had come into her life. That lifetime suddenly felt far away.
Her thoughts shattered when she heard the sound of Kurt clunking into the apartment after her, carrying her bag and Charles's carrier. Even Kurt entertained a new persona, one that still held traces of who he once was even though there was evident change. The man that she had seen stand on a million different stages worldwide looked different now, assuming the role of a doting father with the carrier in hand. He pushed his blonde hair out of his face, conscious of Lindy studying him.
"You okay?" he asked, setting the things down.
"Yes. Just a little disoriented," she admitted. It had been only a few days since she'd been home, but it felt like much more time had passed. The only sure sign that made her feel like she was in the right place was the feeling of Freddie twining himself between her legs, mewling contentedly. He would always be a reminder of home.
"I can relate."
Lindy had almost forgotten that this was brand new to Kurt as well. When Frances had been born, she'd been swept away from his and Courtney's arms before they had a chance to enjoy her arrival. Kurt had truly yet to experience the feeling of a bringing a baby home for the first time.
Charles was asleep in Lindy's arms. She looked down at him, feeling strangely independent. There were no nurses to care for him now. Only Lindy and Kurt, released into the world as newly crowned parents (or rather, Lindy being the new parent) and ordered to fend for their baby themselves.
"I'd ask you what we should do now, but that feels wrong," Lindy laughed nervously. Weren't they supposed to know the answer to that?
"Well, first thing's first is we need a new place to live," Kurt grimaced. He gestured to Lindy's bedroom, where they had set up Charles's crib next to her bed. It was a cramped space, and although Lindy wanted him close to her for the first few months of his life, she felt sad that he had no real nursery. And next to that, most of Charles's other baby things cluttered the living room, piled high and positioned in every possible random space.
"We took care of that already," Lindy reminded him. "Now we've just got to move."
"Ready when you are."
Kurt moved to her side, his eyes locking on the still fast asleep Charles. Knowing what he wanted, Lindy carefully transferred the baby into Kurt's cradling arms. Between them both, Charles had never been put down for any extended period of time.
"How will we keep it secret?" Lindy asked hollowly.
Kurt pressed his lips in a tight line. "I don't know if that's possible anymore."
A part of Lindy had always known that she and Kurt could not hide their life forever from the public. Kurt was the icon of the decade and there was a high demand from the rest of the world to understand what went on in his personal life, even if it was none of their business.
