Chapter 1
Christian's POV
"Teddy, it's time for bed," I say and look at my son, who's still playing with his cars and trucks. He stops and looks at me, with a frown on his beautiful face.
"But daddy, I'm not tired yet," he complains and he give me his best puppy dog eyes. When he does that, the similarity between him and my beautiful wife is striking.
"Those puppy dog eyes won't work on me, Teddy," I say and shake my head. I walk up to him and scoops him up into my arms. "You have a big day tomorrow; first day at school." I see how Teddy's blue eyes gets bigger and filled with fear.
"Daddy, I won't go to school," he says quietly and shakes his little head. "I want to stay home with you, mommy, Phoebe, Sophie and mrs. Taylor."
I knew it would have been better if he was home schooled, but Ana wouldn't hear of it. I had made a promise to her, that I would give the public school a fair chance, so I have to be firm. "Hey buddy," I say very soft while I gently stroke his chin. "We have talked about this, there's nothing to be worried about. You'll do just fine and you'll get a lot of new friends, other than Sophie. Mommy and I will be there tomorrow until you're safe enough to be on your own."
Teddy buries his head in my neck and I can feel how tense his small body is. "I'm scared, daddy," he says with a small whisper. "What if I don't have any friends, daddy. And what if I'm too stupid? And what if I'm..."
"Theodore, stop it and now," I say in a firm voice. "I'll promise you, that you'll get many friends, and that you won't be stupid or anything else that you fear."
"Why is our son still up?" Ana asks as she appears from around a corner, and she holds her arms out towards Teddy.
"I don't want to go to school tomorrow, mommy," Teddy says in his most sad voice.
Ana looks at me, as if it's my fault. "He was fine until I told him about his first day at school," I say and stoke him on the hair. "He's scared that he won't make any friends and that he would be stupid." I shrug my shoulders and hopes that Ana will help me out.
"Oh, my little prince," Ana says softly and kisses Ted on his cheeks. "I'll tell you something. I was just as scared as you are now, when I had my first day at school. But the first day went by and I did get some new friends and after the first day I could read the word 'ice'. And I wasn't afraid anymore."
Teddy looks at his mother with his big blue eyes and let go a big sigh. "OK, I'll try, mommy," he whispers. "But if I don't like it when you pick me up..."
"We'll take it from there, Teddy," Ana cuts in. "But you have to be rested, so of to bed you go. Daddy comes in a minute and read to you." She puts him back on the floor and give him a big kiss on the top of his head. "Love you to the moon and back again, Teddy."
"I love you like a hundred million billion firetrucks, mommy," he says and walks toward his room.
I pull Ana into an embrace. "Thank you. I didn't know what to say to him. Know I said that I would give public school a fair chance, but baby, Teddy told me that he wanted to stay at home."
She gives me a quick kiss on my cheek and hold me tightly. "Christian, Teddy just don't like new things."
I leans down and places my nose in Ana's hair and inhales deeply. "I just want him to be happy. But Bauer will be there with him."
"Oh, Christian not that discussion again," she snaps at my. But I will not change my mind about that. The media somehow discovered that our son was attending Green Lake Elementary School and I know there will be a big fuss and hype tomorrow.
"Anastasia, I will not bent on this one," I say in a firm voice. "Ted is not going to a public school without any security at all. I think you know what happened after our engagement at SIP?" I raise my eyebrows at her.
"I know, I know," my wife sighs. "But can't Bauer be placed in the staff room, or even better, out in the car on the street? Does he really have to be in Teddy's classroom? He won't have a normal day with him there."
I ran both my hands through my hair. Deep down I know, she's right, but the mere thought of my son being unprotected makes me nervous. I look down into Ana's eyes and I can't help it, but smirk. She's giving me the exactly same puppy dog eyes Teddy gave me 10 minutes ago. "OK, not in the classroom, but Bauer will out on the hall by the door." I give Ana a strict glare. "End of discussion. Period."
Ana beams up at me. "I can accept that. Thank you, Sir," she says with a big smile on her lips. "Now, go check our son and I'll go and check our daughter." And with that she disappears down the hall.
I'm shaking my head amused. I'll deal with my dear wife later. When I'm in Teddy's room he's jumping up and down on his bed and his night wear is on the floor. "Teddy, don't jump on the bed," I scold him and picks up his clothes. "Come here. You need to change you clothes."
"Daddy, did you like to go to school?" Teddy asks me while he jumps down from his bed and walks up to me.
I hated going to school when I was his age; well I didn't hate the learning only being together with other people who didn't know my limits, like my parents. My classmates was afraid of me because I throw punches at them when they touched me. But I won't tell Teddy that – I won't allow my tainted past to interfere with his future. "Well Ted, I won't lie to you. There will be times that sucks but most of all it's fun to learn new thing," I say while I help him undress and changes to his night wear. "Aren't you exited to learn to read, count, understand science and much more?"
Teddy frowns. "I guess so, daddy," he says with his little voice. "Will there be music too?"
I let out a big laugh. "Of course buddy. You'll also learn how to read nodes and play an instrument."
"The piano?" he asks and I can hear the eagerness in his voice.
I nod. "Yes, if that's what you want to play," I say with pride in my voice. My son want's to play the piano. "But there will be a lot of others instruments that you can play." I remove the duvet from Teddy's bed and Teddy climbs in bed and I tuck the duvet around him.
"Nah," he says and makes a yawn. "I'll play the piano, just like you daddy."
I lean down and kisses his forehead and both cheeks. "I'm so proud of you, my sweet, sweet boy and I love you so much." I grab two books from the bookshelf. "With one? 'Lorax' or 'The Little Prince'?"
"Little Prince, daddy. Because that's what mommy calls me," he says sleepily and curls further under his duvet with 'Winnie the Pooh' sheets and hugs his stuffed duck.
I kiss his little nose and opens the book. "That's right. You're mommy's little prince; and mine too." And I begin reading the book.
"Can you believe that our little prince has his first day at school today?" Ana asks me while we watch Teddy sleep. It's 7 in the morning and we're about to wake our little guy.
"No," I say with a little sadness in my voice. "I would wish for a special clock that could freeze time. I don't want any of our children to grow up." I wrap my arms around Ana's waist and kisses the back of her neck.
"This is a part of life, Christian," Ana says mildly and turns around in my arms and gives me a kiss on my cheek. "Come on, let's wake him up."
We walks up to his bed and I sits down on it and Ana kneels on the floor. I gently strokes his hair. "Teddy, it's time to get up," I say and nuzzles his earlobe. Just like his mother, he snuggles deeper under the duvet and mumble something incomprehensible.
"Wake up my little prince," Ana says and gives him a kiss on the top of his hair. "Today is your first day at school."
Our beautiful boy slowly opens his eyes then looks at his shark backpack with a little worried frown. "It will be fine, Teddy," I reassure him. "Mrs. Taylor have prepared you favorite sandwich for lunch."
When he hears this, he's sitting up straight and looks at me and then to Ana with a big smile on his face. "With chicken?" he asks in a high voice. He looks like Christmas and his birthday has been merged.
I nod and both me and Ana laugh. All of his worries is swept away with a chicken sandwich. "Come on buddy. Mrs. Taylor has prepared breakfast," and scoop him up in my arms. "Do you want my or mommy to help you get dressed?"
"Mommy."
"OK Teddy," I say and put him down on his feet. "I'll be in the kitchen."
10 minutes later Teddy and Ana, with Phoebe in her arms appears in the kitchen. "What do you want Teddy?" I ask. "Oatmeal or omelet?"
"Omelet, daddy," he says while he climbs onto the stool and grabs his fork.
I pour some omelet on to his plate and then I pour some milk into his glass. Just as I'm about to put my own fork into my mouth again, Taylor emerges from around the corner. I look at him questioningly.
"Sir, when you're done eating, then I need to speak to you."
"It's fine Taylor," I nod and watch him disappear again. I continue eating but I can feel Ana's gaze at me. I look at her, and just as I felt, she's looking at me. "What is it baby?"
"What was that about?", she asks me and her eyes are filled with concern.
I shrug my shoulders, but I have an idea. "I'll find out as soon I'm done with my breakfast. Don't worry, baby. I've got this under control." I scoop the last bite of my breakfast up on the fork and eat it. I leave the table and walks into Taylor's office. "Taylor, what's up?"
"Sir, you need to see this," he says and points to the security screens, and I'm cursing at the sight. In front of the main gate, several journalists are posted. They are without a doubt waiting for the chance to get a picture of us.
"For fuck sake," I swear and run my hands through my hair.
Taylor looks back at me. "Do you still want to drive yourself in the Audi SR 6, Sir?"
I shake my head. "No, we'll have to take the Q7," I say and slams my fist into the desk. "You know fucking well the windows in the SR 6 aren't tinted. My son isn't going to be a fucking news sensation, Taylor." I'm fucking tired of the fucking press. The whole last week, they have been acting like vultures – trying to get a bloody statement from both GEH and Grey Publishing about our son attending kindergarten. And why, I ask, are people interested in how my son feels about going to school? He's just like everyone else – the only difference is that his parents are some of the wealthiest people in America.
"I'll go and get the car ready, at what time do you want to leave, Sir?"
I look back at Taylor. "We have to be there at 8.20 so we'll leave exactly at 8." I let out a loud sigh. Ana won't be happy about this. I clearly remember when we drove her to the hospital when Phoebe was born.
Out in the kitchen both Ana and Teddy are gone; the only person who is there is Mrs. Taylor. "Good morning, Mr. Grey," she greets me while she's clearing the table.
"Hello, Gail. Where's Mrs. Grey and the children?" I ask and grabs my BlackBerry.
"Mrs. Grey and young Mr. Grey are upstairs in young Mr. Grey's bedroom and Phoebe is with the nanny."
"Thank you," I mutter and goes to the stairs. On my way up I'm thinking how to say this to Ana. This fucking thing would have been easier if Ted was home schooled. When I near Teddy's room I can hear talk and laughter.
"A... B... C... D... H...," Teddy says and that brings a little smile on my lip.
"Not quite, my little prince," Ana says in a soft voice. " A... B... C... D... E. Not H."
I enter the room and see that both Ana and Teddy is sitting on the floor with his wooden letter bricks scattered on the floor. "Daddy, I'm no good with the alphabet," Teddy complains and he looks up at me.
I squat down and tousles his hair. "No, not now – but you'll learn. You just have to practice," I say softly. "May I borrow mommy for awhile?"
His eyes gets bigger. "Do I get her back again, daddy?" and he looks like he's never going to see Ana again.
I chuckle. "Of course, buddy," I reassure him. He looks pleased with my answer. Before I get up again I give him a kiss on his cheek and I sign to Ana to come with me. We leave Teddy's room and I head towards our master bedroom.
"What's wrong, Christian?" she asks me with concern in her eyes.
I wrap my arms around her and look her in the eyes. "There's been a change in our plans. Taylor will drive us to Teddy's school in the Q7."
She frowns. "Why the Q7? I thought that we would take the SR 6, because we're going as a family."
I gently stroke her lovely long hair. "Baby, there are journalists out in front of the main gate. I don't want our son's picture in the media – not because he's attending school," I say as calming as I can, given the circumstance that I'm mad as hell.
Ana stiffens in my arms and let out a gasp. "Why are they doing this Christian? Why can't they leave our family alone?"
"I don't know, baby," I say with a shrug. "People want gossip."
"I know that," she says and her voice has gone one octave up. "But what's so special for strangers to know about our son's first day at school? Don't get me wrong, I understand their curiosity about some of the foundations that we donate money to – but this, it's just wrong."
I kiss the top of her head and pull her into my embrace. "I know baby. And that's why we can't take the SR 6 like we planned," I say while I stroke her back. "If this hasn't died by tomorrow, I'll give them all a fucking statement, that says 'Leave my family alone!'"
Ana giggles at my outbreak. "That will show them," she says with a smile on her face. "I just hope that we can get into the school without any problems."
"Me too, baby. Let's get our son ready."