Readers: I firmly believe there are two types of people, okay maybe more, who enjoyed the Fifty Shades trilogy. For me it was about the psychology behind the characters, for others it was for the inherent naughtiness (not a bad thing by any means). So if you are looking for kink, sorry, I don't write that type of story. For the sake of anyone reading my story it's from a few points of view which you should be able to determine who's point of view it is based on the first paragraph in the section where the point of view changes. The goal is to bring the multiple points of view together as the story progresses. Also, I will do my best to stick to the Fifty Shades character characteristics (sounds odd, right?).
With that said, it's been almost a decade since I've written a fan fiction – last ones were on the Harry Potter Fan Fiction site under the pen name Gomer. So just have patience with me.
Fifty Shades of Subterfuge
Chapter 1
Fall 2014
There are two type of benefactors – those who write the big checks and those whose mother's force them to actually show up at significant events thrown by the recipient of said checks. My name is Christian Grey and I'm the happily married, ridiculously rich bastard who can't say no to his saint of a mother. "Fuck!" I can't help but mutter under my breath when my beautiful baby daughter, Phoebe starts sucking on my bow tie. "Ana!"
As I wait for my Ana to come relieve me of Phoebe so I can finish getting ready to meet the new Director of Pediatric Oncology at a reception and Pediatric Oncology unit fundraiser held at the family home in Bellevue. He had listened to his mother talk almost non-stop at what a coup it was to hire Dr. Aguero from John's Hopkin's in Baltimore. He stared at his baby daughter as she continued drooling over his tie and shirt and shut his eyes tightly, cradling her against his chest hoping they would never need Dr. Aguero's services. He couldn't help but sigh.
He felt her soft hand caress his cheek before he heard her. "Christian, what's wrong?" Ana asked softly.
Four years and two kids later, his Ana was still beautiful even as she stood before him with her hair done and make-up half-finished wearing his bathrobe. He couldn't help but get lost in those big blue eyes. His thoughts were interrupted by her giggle.
"What's so funny?"
"You'd think after two kids, you would know better than to get fully dressed until the last minute. So Mr. Control-freak, when will you realize you can't control the actions of an infant?" she asked mockingly.
Running his fingers though his hair in frustration, he couldn't help but respond truthfully with a slight flush to his cheeks. "I can't explain it, but all Phoebe has to do is put her little hand up, coo and smile at me and control is hers. She's beyond even my control."
Ana giggled yet again, "I dread the teenage years. You'll either go bald from pulling on your hair or we'll have to lock her away at Escala until she's thirty."
"Try fifty," he sighs. "Any chance you can take our little one and give me a few minutes to change my shirt and tie?"
"Gail's has her bottle ready," Ana responds taking Phoebe in her arms. "She's been waiting for about twenty minutes for you to give her up."
Every time Ana left a room, he couldn't resist watching her sashay just for him as she left. Entering the walk in closet, he pulled out a clean shirt and tie to make a quick switch before heading to the living room to read a book to Teddy thereby allowing Ana to finish getting ready without interruption.
Twenty minutes later they were out the door and into the back of the Audi. As usual, Taylor drove them and led the security team for the evening.
"How did the security arrangements go Taylor?" Christian couldn't help but ask. He needed to control something this evening and this was it.
"Ryan, Reynolds and McNabb completed the sweep of Bellevue and all is clear. We've run background checks on the attendees and nothing flagged, though some were interesting," he replied cautiously.
Christian watched at Taylor gave him a quick glance using the rearview mirror. He gave Taylor an almost imperceptible nod allowing him to continue.
"Dr. Aguero's background check was impressive but vague," he replied. "Her escort for the evening should sound familiar though – it's Luke."
"Sawyer?" Christian questioned. They hadn't heard from Sawyer since he resigned almost a year ago and no amount of money he offered the man would get him to stay on board. He knew Ana took Luke's leaving hard – she trusted Luke Sawyer almost as much as she trusted Ray. After the incident with Hyde, she promised Sawyer no more secrets and she kept that promise.
"What has Sawyer been up to since he left? He never told us where he was going," Ana asked. Both men could hear the hurt in her voice, knowing that Sawyer's resignation still upset her, even a year later. He was the big brother she never had.
"He and your friend Jose quietly opened an engineering firm in the suburbs," Taylor replied with a smirk, knowing how his choice of wording could have implied more than a business arrangement. "Apparently with Luke's contacts and background, he received a lucrative government development contract and approached Jose about it. They staffed it with some of the best and brightest engineering students they could find in the graduating classes around the country last year."
"Jose never told me," Ana sighed.
"From what I've heard from an old buddy in the NSA, its classified so on this type of a thing there generally are no leaks," Taylor replied. "Knowing Luke, there won't be any leaks. I was out there once and it's a fortress in terms of security."
"I'll have to pick his brain tonight," Christian mused as they arrived at Bellevue.
Taylor smirked at Ana through the rearview mirror and watched her fail to stifle a giggle. 'They both know me too well,' Christian thought, 'I don't like not knowing something or being told I'm not allowed to know something.'
They were greeted at the front door by an elegantly dressed butler and escorted through the house to the back yard. His mom and Mia had pulled out all the stops on this gathering. While they've held galas in the backyard before, this time was different – gone was the feeling of stuffy-formal, replaced by an organic, subtle Woodstock-like feel. The normal stage felt like a concert stage at a private venue with five white view screens. The stage itself was pure white, surrounded by colorful flower arrangements and hundreds of glass enclosed candles.
The dance floor was also white, while the dining area was in a similar theme of white, with flower arrangements providing the bursts of color, along with climbing roses overhead wrapped around the massive pergola.
Christian couldn't help but glance down at Ana's white dress with a subtle print of colorful climbing roses on both sides of the opening revealing hints of her right leg. "It appears you are dressed appropriately for the occasion."
She smiled shyly at him before informing him that Grace actually picked her dress and didn't allow her to even try it on until today. "And I thought you were the only control freak in the family," she laughed at him.
He couldn't help but chuckle in response. "Time to put on the social mask and pretend we are thrilled to be here and do the meet and greet."
They spent the next half hour, sipping white wine and greeting guests. Many they knew either from the hospital or through business. He had to hand it to his mother, some of Seattle's richest residents were here. He now wished he'd actually read the biography his mother had sent him on Dr. Aguero.
"Christian! Ana!" they heard Mia call out from the bar area.
They braced themselves for the inevitable energy explosion that was Mia Grey. Even in her mid-twenties, she still outwardly exuded a child-like exuberance.
Christian felt the air leave his lungs as Mia jumped to hug him, even in her six inch heels, almost knocking them both off their feet. "Nice to see you too Mia," he replied as she hugged Ana tightly.
He was surprised to see Mia's gown was pale pink with appropriately placed peek-a-boo cut outs and her hair adorned with colorful flowers. They watched as Mia pulled her friend Lily and a petite, younger-looking Hispanic female to her side.
"You remember Lily," Mia informed them with a smile.
'Clearly lemon-faced Lily didn't receive the dress code notification,' Christian thought as he glanced briefly at his wife. The dark green gown didn't suit her pale complexion and newly lightened blonde hair.
"Lily," he greeted her.
"And this is my friend Abby," Mia continued. "It's her first time at one of mom's gatherings."
Abby was downright tiny next to Mia, but then again, most women were. Mia was naturally tall and compounded it by wearing ridiculous heels all the time, but Abby made even five-foot-four Ana appear tall. It didn't help that the girl, who appeared to be in her mid-to-late teens, was wearing elegant sandals with her outfit. Clearly Abby did get the dress code memo as she wore a white leather and lace dress with varied color blocks under the lace, though the fact that it was a tummy bearing two piece outfit and the skirt went to the floor left Christian thinking of Phoebe and the future teenage years and he vowed his daughter would never go out exposing her abdomen like that.
"Breathe," Ana whispered in his ear.
Finally, he reached out his hand and shook Abby's after Ana had. "Nice to meet you Abby."
"Mr. and Mrs. Grey, it's a pleasure to meet you. Mia talks about you all the time."
"Where did you get your hair done?" Ana asked, admiring her long thick brown French braid with strategically placed small white climbing roses woven into it.
Abby blushed profusely. "Mia did it for me after this morning's humidity left me looking like a nineteen eighties troll doll."
Mia snickered when Christian asked what a troll doll was. In seconds her cell phone was in hand as she showed her big brother what exactly a troll doll looked like. He couldn't help but smirk.
"So I went from troll to looking like I belong on the cover of a Massengill box, because I'm spring fresh. Now all I need is a meadow to frolic in," Abby replied blushing.
Mia and Ana burst out laughing, while Christian looked at them in utter confusion. "What?" he asked causing the three women's faces to flush. "Never mind, I don't think I want to know."
"We're going to the dance floor by the water," Mia announced, grabbing both Lily's and Abby's hands. "That's where all the cute guys and the good music are."
That said, Mia and company disappeared as Grace and Carrick approached the couple. After brief hugs and greetings, followed by Ana and Grace comparing outfits, Christian asked, "Where is this prestigious Dr. Aguero everyone is here to bury in money? I have to admit, I'm intrigued as the Seattle billionaires club is here other than Gates."
"Gates is in Africa with his family," Carrick informed him, "but he sent quite the donation. Apparently Dr. Aguero has accompanied his foundation on numerous trips in the past few years."
"Ana!" Kate exclaimed as she approached her friend. "It's about time you got here. We've been on the dance floor for an hour by the water." She quickly turned to Christian, kissed his cheek and added, "Hi Christian. I'm here to steal you wife while she's still young. You're over thirty so you're not allowed down there."
He rolled his eyes at his sister-in-law. "And Elliott is there because?"
"Maturity level of an adolescent," Kate replied with a giggle. "Besides being married to me and my temper can't be easy, so he needs to cut loose."
"And people say I'm mercurial," he replied. It took a few years but Kate had grown on him. It helped that she was loyal to Ana and she'd proven that over and over again.
"It's the one thing you can't corner the market on," she replied before dragging Ana to the water-side.
After chatting with his parents for a few minutes, Christian pulled his cell phone from his pocket and walked to the white bench near the boathouse. He was now close enough to watch his wife dance up a storm with her friends, but far enough away that she wouldn't attempt to drag him to the dance floor. He may be just over thirty, but in many ways, he knew he was an old soul; plus dancing with Mia and her adolescent-like friends wasn't his idea of fun. Rather than listen to Pitbull and other popular club music, he preferred more traditional music. "Shit!" he muttered to himself, "I'm an old fart at 32."
"That you are," Elliott replied with a smirk as he joined him on the bench. "Checking emails already?"
"I'm waiting to hear on that building near the hospital," he replied with a glance toward Elliott. "We should have hear about it yesterday. You know me, waiting isn't my favorite pastime."
Elliott shifted uncomfortably next to his brother before downing his tumbler of scotch in one foul swoop. He couldn't help but feel is carefree Elliott wasn't looking for an escape route.
"Something wrong?" Christian asked staring at his older brother intently.
"I need a refill," he replied before getting up and heading toward the bar.
Christian dialed his second at GEH, Ros Bailey. "Sorry to interrupt your Saturday evening Ros, but any word? Did Parkway go to GEH or KMA?"
He heard her sigh nervously before she replied. "If the rumors are true, it went to an interested third party, not a corporation, for a cash offer at twenty percent less than the highest bid. I'm trying to find out officially, but from all of my sources, it's apparently true. The owner sold it to someone else while the negotiations were ongoing with both GEH and KMA."
"Fuck!" he muttered. "How can that happen? I know we outbid KMA by at least 5%. That property was strategic for the GEH for some of our smaller and more remote businesses so they can expand into Seattle. Find out who got it and buy them out. It can't be that hard because how many people have fifteen million dollars in cash laying around."
"Will do my best boss. I will let you know more on Monday. Sorry it couldn't be better news," she replied before they ended their call.
After a quick email to Welch informing him that Ros would be forwarding him an individual's name on Monday with regard to who won the Parkway bid. He wanted a full background check on them as soon as possible. He knew he didn't like to lose but to have the highest bid on the table and have them take what appears to be the lowest one both frustrated and confused him. He needed to understand why. He understood when he was trying to take over a company personal feelings came into play, but this was a simple purchase of a building that needed to be torn down. It was a simple land purchase.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by a member of the serving staff announcing dinner was being served in ten minutes. He collected Ana from the dance floor and headed up toward their table, followed by Kate, Mia, and Abby. He was surprised to see Abby and a young Hispanic man in his early twenties were seated at their table, along with his parents, Elliott and Kate, Mia, Ethan, and one empty chair.
Even though Mia and Ethan had been dating for over two years, he found it difficult to handle their displays of affection, especially since while Mia was committed to Ethan, she still like to admire as she called it a fine piece of beefcake every so often. He couldn't help but glare at Ethan Kavanagh when he arrived and kissed Mia firmly and passionately on the lips. Yes, they had been living together for over a year, but she would always be his little sister.
He felt Ana's hand on his arm as she gave him a hint of a grin. She could always read him like her favorite Jane Austen novels. His glare softened toward Kavanagh, but didn't fully go away. He approved of Ethan; after all, he was nothing like his sister Kate. Ethan was calm in any situation, never flew off the handle, and was the voice of reason – all traits his sister needed in a partner. Yet this was his baby sister Mia – she would always be the giggling infant his parent brought home all those years ago who broke his silent world.
"Abby, is your brother hiding somewhere?" Grace asked with a smile.
The young girl glanced around. "I just assumed he was here catching up with friends." She turned to the handsome, young, Hispanic male next to her and asked, "Javi, have you seen or heard from Luke."
"He was caught up in an impromptu governmental big brother visit this afternoon," Javi replied with a smirk, "if you know what I mean. Nothing like a government-issued business colonic before a fundraiser."
"Luke, as in Luke Sawyer?" Ana asked Abby curiously.
Abby smiled brightly, the adoration of her older brother clearly etched on her face. "The one and only. Since he started his company he's always late for family gatherings. Do you know my brother?"
Ana and Christian quickly looked at each other before Ana replied, "Luke was my personal security for over two years. I wasn't aware he had a sister."
"Technically, half-sister – same mother, different father," she replied with a smile. "I wasn't aware he worked for your family. Luke Sawyer – man of mystery. Sawyer, Luke Sawyer" She couldn't help but giggle and the James Bond-like mocking of her only sibling.
"Okay Miss Aguero, keep that up and I'll ground you yet again," a voice came from behind her. They all watched as she jumped from her chair, turned around and hugged her big brother. "Luke!"
This wasn't the Luke Sawyer the Grey's knew. Gone was the buzz cut and somber expression of a CPO. His typical blonde buzz cut was gone, replaced by a slightly longer, blonde wavy hair. He was no longer clean shaven but with a blonde goatee and mischievous smile for his kid sister.
"That's Dr. Aguero to you Mr. Sawyer," she replied with a half-pout.
"You're Dr. Aguero," Christian asked in shock, "but you're a teenager."
"Christian!" his mother scolded him softly.
Abby laughed. "I get that all the time but it never grows old. Probably not unlike the look you get from women and gay men when you walk down the street; though I imagine that gets old quick. I'm not a teenager, I just look younger than I am."
"Abby!" Luke scolds. "That's…
She interrupts him with a smirk. "Let's be real Luke, Mr. Grey is hot whether you measure it in Kelvin, Fahrenheit or Celsius. He knows it, the room knows it, and it was just a comparison. I'm not hitting on him – blondes and gingers aren't my type. Neither are old dudes, as mom used to say."
"Filter Abby, turn it on," Luke implored her trying not to laugh. She merely shrugged at him.
"Old?" Ana laughed as she looked at Luke. Christian knew better than to laugh at her when she took a sip of wine while trying to stifle a laugh. He didn't want to leave Sawyer and the others across from her covered in wine.
"So, how old are you then?" Kate asked as her reporter instincts kicked in. "I mean you look around sixteen and let's be real – high school, four years of college, medical school, pediatric residency, then a two year fellowship in pediatric oncology, followed by the two years of practice and management of a residency program under your belt, you should be at least in your early thirties. Your bio didn't state your age."
Abby laughed. "I like the element of surprise. There is nothing better than seeing smug CEO's shocked faces when they see me present before a gathering." She turned to Christian and said, "No offense. I didn't mean you, but once I get to know you better we'll see if you fit into that category."
"He does," Kate replied without thinking.
Abby laughed and glanced at Ana, who was beet red trying to contain a snicker. She loved her husband but it was clear everyone knew Christian was smug when it came to his business. It would be difficult to achieve what he achieved without being smug, cunning and brilliant.
The conversation flowed over dinner. Grace took the stage while desert was being served and introduced Dr. Abby Aguero. "As you know, tonight's gathering is two-fold – to welcome Dr. Abby Aguero to our hospital family as the Director of Pediatric Oncology, but to roll-out our plans for the pediatric oncology unit and residency program beginning in July of next year." Grace began.
"Dr. Aguero was the youngest graduate ever of Georgetown University, with a double Bachelor's degree in pre-med and biochemistry at the age of thirteen, followed by John's Hopkins School of Medicine, which she graduated at seventeen. She then completed her Pediatric residency and Pediatric Oncology fellowship also at John's Hopkins in Baltimore. She remained on staff as an attending physician and as the Assistant Director of the Pediatric Oncology Department and the Education Director. Dr. Aguero is also active in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and travels to Africa multiple times per year, along with traveling four times per year with Doctors Without Borders. It is with great pleasure to introduce everyone to Dr. Abby, as she's known to her young patients."
"Okay kiddo, grown up face now," Luke taunts her as she gets to her feet and heads to the stage to warm applause to the crowd.
"Thank you Grace," Abby begins. "Good evening everyone – especially you millionaires and billionaires in the crowd. Get ready to open your wallets because once you hear our plans for the Pediatric Oncology Program and what we hope to accomplish, I'm sure you will want to join our efforts." She takes a remote control from Grace and activates all of the video screens. On the largest center screen appears the mock-up of the hospital addition.
"I've known since I was eleven that I wanted to be a doctor, but more importantly a Pediatric Oncologist. I know some of you are thinking how could a prepubescent brat like me know that? Simple," she stated clicking the remote control for the first screen. "I've been in my patients shoes. I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia just before my tenth birthday. As you can see, I was a happy child up until that point," she informs them as she points to a picture of herself with long wavy dark-brown hair with her parents – blonde attractive mother, Hispanic father. She clicks to the second screen, showing a photograph of a mangled car. "This picture was taken on the way back from my first cancer treatment. I was fortunate, lucky even – I survived, but the drunk driver that hit us, along with my parents didn't."
She paused and allowed that to sink into the crowd. "Normally the diagnosis of cancer affects not just the patient but the patient's immediate family and friends. Again, I was lucky because while my family was small – no close aunts, uncles, or cousins, I had a half-brother who was fifteen years my senior and working in the Middle East. How do you tell a twenty-five year old that is living his dream that he needs to return to the States and raise not just a child, but a child that potentially will die. Cancer, like death, takes good people from the top of their world and brings life crashing down around them. Again, I consider myself lucky. I can see by the faces out there that some of you think I'm insane saying that but I really was."
They watch as she turns to her brother and invites him on stage. "I know I'm putting you on the spot but you can speak for the family side, while I can speak for the patient side from experience." She hands a nervous Luke Sawyer a microphone.
"First – I hate public speaking, so if I freeze, it's her fault," he began. "I had just arrived in Germany on leave with a few buddies of mine when I received word about the accident. I had heard about the cancer diagnosis just weeks before and was finishing up my current assignment before heading home to check on the little pixie of the family. The diagnosis alone was crushing, but burying family and trying to cope with the shear learning curve about her diagnosis was overwhelming. Between appointments – doctors, labs, radiation, counseling, physical therapy from the accident, grieving, learning to be a parent when you still felt somewhat like a kid yourself, and helping a child process everything was all-consuming. You don't sleep, don't eat, you obsess over every little detail to make sure you aren't missing anything, when the one thing you miss throughout is your own life, but in reality, you don't miss it until later because you don't have time to think about it given the situation."
He pauses for a minute and takes a deep breath. "Imagine two or three years of this as a constant. It's like spending all that time in the middle of an anxiety attack. Hell, just revisiting it now raises my blood pressure thirty points. The shear details permeate every cell of your being, but when you crash each night in bed because your body is exhausted, your mind won't turn off – it's when it's quiet that you allow your fears for the patient to consume you – will they survive, how physically or emotionally damaged will they be after this is over if they do, and will the cancer come back." He closes his eyes, tilts his head back and takes another deep breath before continuing. "Will it come back – four little words that to this day haunt me. Imagine every time Abby looks pale or sneezes or just looks tired the feeling of dread returns full force.
"The biggest question that makes you reexamine everything is why? I mean, let's be real, she was nine – why?" No one missed the anger in his voice. "It's a never-ending cycle of putting your life and her life under a microscope trying to figure out why, and although you know you didn't do anything wrong, you still search."
Abby moves beside him and puts her arm around his waist before he continues. "When a family member gets sick, nothing else should matter – not a career no matter how cherished it is. We were lucky," he states putting his hand over her shoulder. "We were in a financial situation where it didn't matter if I worked or not during her treatments. Others aren't so lucky. They rely on medical benefits and a salary from working in order to live day-to-day. Imagine all that stress and throw in a job on top of it. That is why this cancer center is so important. We can make a difference in the Greater Seattle area and beyond. This challenge became my sister's passion and mine; as such, I would like to be the first to donate to the center."
Everyone watches as he reaches into the inner pocket of his jacket and hands Abby an envelope before kissing her on the cheek. Before she can open it, he returns to his seat.
"Time for the tally board to go up," Grace states pulling a string and revealing an electronic dollar counting board over the view screens. "What should we be put up there to begin Abby?"
They watch as Abby opens the envelope and pulls out a cashier's check and gazes at it slack-jawed. She glances at her brother, who merely smiles at her. "Five million dollars," Abby shouts before jumping off the stage and running to hug her brother. "You finally broke into that trust fund after fifteen years. Thank you so much!"
Abby returns to the stage and continues. "I know the medical professionals attending tonight understand the big picture but for those who are not medical professionals and also lucky enough to never have experienced childhood cancer first hand, I'd like to share the rest of my story. Again, I was lucky because my brother was a control freak."
Christian glances toward Sawyer, who merely smiles at him and whispers, "What? Did you think you were the only one?"
Ana giggles at them.
"I still remember one of the first questions Luke asked after the standard ones of 'how are you feeling?' and 'what can I do?'" I want you to imagine this – he's twenty-six, nervous as hell, and blushing when he asked me: 'have you ridden the cotton pony yet?' and I just shrugged and did my best to appear clueless just to make him more uncomfortable. It was mean, I know. My mom believed in talking about everything really early, so I knew what he was talking about, but just imagine, buzz cut Luke" Abby paused long enough to show a picture of Luke, fresh back from Germany sitting with her in her hospital room. "asking a now ten-year old if she was menstruating. What girl wouldn't milk that for all it's worth regardless of what was going on around her. I mean really."
The crowd laughed and Luke couldn't help but blush. "I didn't ask why he'd ask such a question, but I knew he had to have a reason. For as long as I could remember, Luke had a reason for everything he did. Turns out he learned that harsh chemo drugs harm eggs and could lead to infertility or other issues, so since I was already galloping along by ten, he consulted with my doctors regarding egg retrieval. I mean who thinks of that for a ten-year old. Luke Sawyer – control freak extraordinaire. And he was right, because I had so much chemo it probably would have been safer to store my eggs in Chernobyl as opposed to my own body. I was also lucky enough to receive a stem cell transplant from my brother just over a year later. Here's a list of what my brother went through, with pictures…"
The slideshow began –
Slide 1 – Post op egg retrieval and storage
"This is me waking up in the recovery room with Luke by my side post-procedure. When I was conscious enough and uncomfortable, he told me this was important to do. My reply? I punched him in the nose. What can I say, anesthesia plus hormones made little Abby cranky."
Slide 2 – The Scalping or Haircut time
"Anyone familiar with those of us of the female persuasion know our hair is sacred. My mean, old brother," she smiled at him, "made me cut my long wavy hair for a significantly shorter do. That's the before and after – and yes, I'm sneering at him. I was not happy."
Slide 3 – Chemo, radiation and hair loss
"Needless to say, the fact that the fifteen inches of hair that he insisted on cutting off my thick, petulant head became my wig when my hair began falling out in clumps. Bald didn't look good on me. It took me a few months, but I apologized and actually thanked him. Have I mentioned that I wasn't the most cooperative patient?" She laughed and everyone joined her in a chuckle.
Slide 4 – The ICU – My second home
"Eight months into my treatment, or as I called it, prison camp with my controlling big brother, I caught a simple cold, which due to my compromised immune system put me in the ICU for two months, one of which was on a respirator. The memories are vague but the one thing I remember clearly about that dark time is my brother always at my side, searching the web and reading medical journals to find ways to help me. Once I improved, the treatments continued." She smiles at her brother and asks him, "How many times did I puke on you Luke?"
"I lost count after a hundred, but you still owe me about ten pairs of Nikes," he replied with a smirk.
Slide 5: Education, Entertainment, and A New Type of Doctor
"Throughout the multiple year treatment period, he filled my days with school work, video games – I'm a classic type of girl – give me Sonic, Pong, and Duck Hunt and I'm happy. He also gave me novels and we watched movies. He left my side long enough to go home, shower, and change. We did eight hours of school work per day and by the time it was stem cell transplant time I was a high school graduate. He gave me the distraction I needed, along with a psychiatrist to get us both through the rough times." She clicked through picture after picture of them playing games, studying, watching movies and of Luke holding her as she cried herself to sleep.
Slide 6: Stem Cell Transplant Day
"Back then marrow donation wasn't as easy as it is now on the donors in most cases. The funny thing was Luke didn't mind, but he hated wearing the hospital gown." She shows them a picture of Luke in a hospital gown asleep in the recovery room followed by her back in her isolation room post-transplant. "This was the first day, after almost two years of hell, where I felt like I just might survive this."
"Most patients have parents and siblings, along with other relatives to shoulder the responsibility of caring for someone with childhood cancer. I had Luke and it tore through the fabric of his life – his career, his aspirations, and even his marriage. Yes Luke, I know you got married four months before my diagnosis and you didn't tell mom. You got on an airplane in Germany as basically a newlywed and got off the plane knowing you were walking away from the life you so carefully constructed and I know why too. Not everyone can cope with instant parenthood, much less instant parenthood with a critically ill child." Abby raises her glass of wine. "And for your caring and support Luke, I will forever be in your debt."
Everyone drank to Luke, who stared at his sister in shock.
"As I said," Abby continued with a gentle smile. "I'm lucky. I survived and was raised by the most incredible sibling in the world. Others aren't so fortunate. I want everyone to reach into their wallets, purses, or even on their phones and look at pictures of their children, grandchildren or younger siblings and think about how this type of a diagnosis would make you feel."
She began running through another set of slides:
Slide 1: This slide featured a side-by-side of a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed toddler on one side, and a bald, pale child in an intensive care unit on a respirator.
"Maggie and her family weren't so lucky," Abby informed them. "They lived paycheck to paycheck with both parents working and five other siblings at home. Maggie passed away two days before her third birthday of the same cancer I had. Her family never received the counseling and support they needed. They lost their daughter and were left in financial ruin. Their marriage also crumbled. This family was torn apart by the stress of coping with the treatment required for a child with cancer. It was all avoidable."
They listened intently as Abby went through a few more slides featuring children who had either died or survived, but suffered lasting effects to their families due to finances or just stress through the process.
"Our goal at the new Pediatric Oncology unit is to provide comprehensive medical and psychological care, along with opening up a research center that will work directly with John's Hopkins, the Mayo clinic, MD Anderson, and St. Jude's Hospital to find better treatments for childhood cancers. We will treat not just the child but support the family. In addition, Luke and I just closed on a building near the hospital known as 'The Parkway' and will be converting it into a apartments with two shared floors for families who live too far to commute daily to the hospital while their children are inpatient. Demolition begins this coming Monday and I'm happy to say this will be a joint venture between Saguero Trust LLC and Grey Construction."
Abby glances at a nervous looking Elliott, raises her glass, and toasts, "To Elliott Grey and Grey Construction for their assistance with this project along with the additional wing to the hospital. Estimated completion time eighteen months."
Christian couldn't help but glare at his brother. "How long have you known Elliott?" he whispered menacingly toward his brother.
"I designed the plans a month ago and picked up all the permits yesterday," he replied. I didn't find out until yesterday that you were bidding on the property.
Abby continued scrolling through the side, showing the facility mock-ups of the Pediatric Emergency Room, the Pediatric Oncology Ward and Clinic, the Oncology private practice suits, the private and group therapy rooms, the isolation ward, and finally three floors that will be the research center.
"I'll close reiterating, I was one of the lucky ones. I not only survived, but I thrived due to the right support through it all, and again after. I learned that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you don't see the why until much later. I'm no different from anyone else here. Will I be alive in ten years? Hopefully, but I could be dead from anything, including a relapse. All I know is when I finally pass on, the first person I meet in heaven or hell isn't the person who I should have become. My brother taught me to live like there isn't a tomorrow.
"I know I've met people who believe my brother pushed me too hard academically but the reality is, I played league soccer two years after my transplant. I took dancing lessons along with martial arts. I traveled, painted, and volunteered all around the globe. Hell, he even took me sky diving and taught me how to ride a motorcycle. All the while his message, silent but clear, live for today just in case. I've danced in the moonlight in Hawaii. The nerd that Luke is, he took me on the Lord of the Rings tour in New Zealand – best two weeks ever by the way. Surviving cancer means living without regrets. If I die tomorrow, it is without regret whatsoever. Personally, I'd like to see others who are in my situation when I was younger have that same opportunities I was blessed with. Given the proper treatment, support, and ongoing research, more people will have that chance. Thank you!"
Abby left the stage to applause, while Grace took her place with a remote in hand. "We have a few special messages accompanied with donation pledges, but first I'd like to announce that the Gates Foundation have donated five million dollars to the Pediatric Oncology Unit and Research Center."
The video played of actors, rappers, politicians, and other celebrities briefly explaining how pediatric cancer has affected their friends and family. The last was Latin rap artist Juan Miguel Sorreno, who explained the effect of pediatric cancer on his musical family. He was young and the hottest thing in rap music performing and mixing today.
"I met Dr. Aguero when she was a fellow at John's Hopkins. When you play in a band, your bandmates, roadies, and those that travel with you become like family. We were in Baltimore for a concert when the child of one of the band members became ill and was admitted to Hopkins. After endless tests, Abby was called in for a consult. She gave us the diagnosis with compassion and helped build not just a treatment plan for the child, but for all of us to get through this. She may look like an unruly, petulant child but that woman is tough as nails, yet compassionate. She was there through every treatment, every hospital stay, and every step forward. The band and I would like to donate two million dollars to the pediatric research center, and fifty percent of the net proceeds of our upcoming tour of the Americas will be donated to Saguero Trust to assist with the treatment of underprivileged pediatric oncology patients and their families."
With a click of the button, the tally board was up to thirty three million dollars for the hospital. "Anyone wishing to donate, please feel free to drop an envelope into one of the donation baskets around the stage," Grace continued. "At the end of the night we'll have a final number for our fundraiser. Let the dancing begin."
The band began playing and couples took to the dance floor. The music and festivities went late into the night when Grace took to the stage once again and thanked everyone for their contributions, before announcing the sixty-million dollar donation total.
"Time for me to be nosey," Christian informed Ana as he kissed her cheek and headed Sawyer, Taylor and Welch who appeared to be catching up with each other by the CCTV monitor tent.
"Well Sawyer," Christian began, "looks like you've done well for yourself."
"Call me Luke, Mr. Grey," he replied. "And I can't complain – business is good and my sister finally moved to Seattle."
Christian could see by the look on Luke's face that he was waiting for his former boss to inquire more about the government contract he'd acquired. After a second of thought, he decided to try another route, "It's amazing how you and your sister look nothing alike. Even height-wise, you're what, six-five or six-six, and she's what? Five flat at best?"
Luke laughed. "We each take after our fathers." He paused for a moment before adding, "Sorry about Parkway. We knew there were corporations attempting to purchase it, but we went directly to the owners and purchased not just Parkway, but three other locations around Seattle as well. Had we known GEH was involved in the bidding…"
Christian laughed and slapped him on the back, "It wouldn't have made a difference. It's business. I get it. Still, how did you and your sister secure it at such a bottom dollar price?"
He laughed. "Have you met my sister? She can be extremely persuasive when she wants something. She just looked up at Mr. Ontiveros with her big brown eyes, pulled out her plans and showed them to him, while I pulled out the Saguero Trust checkbook." Again he paused for a moment, then continued with a smirk. "Remind you of anyone?"
All four men laughed, before Christian, Taylor, and Welch replied in unison, "Ana"
"Exactly. That's why when I worked for you I was protective of her," Luke sighed. "Ana and Abby are quite alike – just swap brown eyes for blue. Protecting Ana was like watching over Abby."
They all looked over at the dance floor, where Mia and Ethan, Elliott and Kate, and, Abby and Javi were all dancing to Latin club music along with some of the younger guests who stayed for the after party.
"Ana was showing me pictures of Teddy," Luke commented as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. "I can't believe how big he's gotten and Phoebe is adorable. Congratulations!"
"Thank you Luke. I hear you took on Rodriguez as your business partner," Christian commented as he struggled to keep even a hint of contempt from his voice at the topic of Jose Rodriguez.
"I did. He's a great photographer but a better engineer. Between the two of us we combed some of the top universities around the country to balance out our team with new graduates – fresh minds if you will," Luke explained. "Jose is mechanical engineering. I'm the polymer guy. Jake is the mad computer genius-slash-hacker type of guy, among other things; and so the list goes. It works, though I hate feeling like the old man of the shop when I'm about to turn forty."
"Quit whining Luke," Welch ordered. "At least you're not pushing fifty."
Taylor laughed at Welch, "Technically Welch, you are pushing fifty-five."
"So what are you developing?" Christian asked curiously.
"Sorry, it's classified," Luke informed him. "But I will say, at some point in the next few months I might come knocking at your door with a solution to your casing issue on that communications technology project for Africa that you've been working on for five years."
"Really? Now I'm intrigued," Christian replied rubbing his chin.
"I knew you would be sir," Luke replied looking at his watch. "It's midnight. Abby will turn into a pumpkin if I don't get her home soon. She's covering the pediatric wing on a twelve hour shift tomorrow starting at seven am. It was good seeing you all."
Once Luke left them, Christian turned to Welch and Taylor ordering them to leave no stone unturned and find out more on Luke's company and the contract, along with an updated background check on Luke.
"I'll tell you right now sir," Taylor informed him "the updated background check won't tell us anything on Luke. Like his sisters' it's intentionally vague – carefully compiled."
"We met Luke in Afghanistan when he was sent into our unit looking for a traitor," Welch continued. "He wasn't a marine but convincingly portrayed one. Taylor was set up as a traitor and within a few days of Luke's arrival, Jason had been cleared. It took Luke a few months to find the appropriate person, but he saved our military careers.
"As a thanks, we took him for to Stuttgart to celebrate and thank him, when we landed, there was the then senator in charge of the intelligence committee waiting for him along with a dozen operatives," Welch continued. "That was the day his mother and her husband were killed in the accident. He was immediately shuttled home. After that I managed to find out a few things about Luke Sawyer – before joining our unit, he was on a submarine for a few months performing a similar task. Rumor was back then that he was a high-level intelligence operative, and based on the senator's presence to notify him of the accident, it wouldn't surprise me if it were true."
Taylor continued. "There were all kinds of rumors flying around about Luke when Welch and I returned to Afghanistan; like – he speaks a dozen or more languages, he was Ivy League educated then but now has multiple degrees, he's a trust fund kid, and not only was he a U.S. operative but he handled some special situations for Interpol as a favor for the U.S. government."
"He also had very strong ties in and around Africa," Welch added. "Supposedly he speaks many dialects and helped build a large, stand-by intelligence network throughout the continent."
"So what was he doing working for me?" Christian asked.
"I kept up with Luke after Stuttgart," Welch explained. "He worked at the Pentagon once his sister's treatment was completed, but he didn't want to start traveling again for his job, as he called it. By the time I called him about the position, his sister was in the Fellowship program, they'd taken in a stray, Javi, and he was looking for a change. You have to remember, this was originally a short-term position. From what he said he needed some time to sort the past decade or so of his life out. That's why he took the position."
"So when Abby made the Sawyer, Luke Sawyer – James Bond reference, she may not have been too far off the mark," Christian wondered aloud.
"Somehow I doubt we'll ever know it all," Welch added. "I mean, look at his sister – well-educated at a young age, something Luke and her share in common. He finished college on his first degree at fifteen. Both of their fathers' were wealthy. Neither of them ever had to work for a living. Abby's worth at least eight-hundred million U.S. dollars but from what I've been able to find out, she's worth ten times that and it's kept in Brazil from her father's oil business. Luke's father dabbled quite successfully in the stock market – especially technology. It took some digging but Luke's trust fund, which he has rarely touched other than when Abby was sick and today, is estimated in the five-hundred million dollar range."
Taylor rubbed his temples as he listened to Welch. "Why do I get the feeling there's more to Luke being employed at GEH than we think there is?"
"I was just thinking the exact same thing," Christian replied uncertainly. "Gentleman, start digging. If Uncle Sam was looking for information on me, I want to know what that information was and if Luke passed them anything."
"Will do," Welch replied as Christian turned to leave.