The grave visit to Ella
This was another of many firsts. As me and Christian drive towards the cemetery, I feel a prick of excitement stab me. Christian will finally get the tortured thoughts of his crack-whore mother out of his head and be able to begin to heal. I glance at him as drives, his eyes focused on the road. His jaw seems slightly tense, and I see his grip harden on the wheel the closer we get to the cemetery. I gaze out the window, worrying about him. This is one of the many shades of Christian I don't know; his reactions usually being different from my own predictions.
" Stop biting your lip." Christian says with a slight echo of strain in his voice. I look over to see him watching me, his eyes wide. The thought of a confused, frightened child lying next to his mothers corpse crawls gruesomely into my head. I instantly force the thought away.
" What's wrong, Ana?" Christian asks, turning his eyes back on the road, looking quickly at me in concern.
" I should be the one worrying about you." I reply, glancing at him to gauge his reaction. His eyes flash with honest fear and his jaw clenches. I know he doesn't want to talk about this. I decide not to push him any more. Not today.
Eventually, we arrive at the cemetery. We drive under a semi-circled black arc and drive down a narrow road. Beside us, graves sit among the too tall grass. The air becomes cold, the thought of what's under the ground sends a chill down my spine. I look at Christian, whose face has now become ashen. His driving slows as he pulls up to a parking space. When we stop, I place my hand over his clenched grip on the steering wheel. He doesn't react.
" You can do this. Please, try." I ask him, squeezing his hand gently. An unstable sigh leaves him, his chest slumping as he does so.
" Ana, I..." He struggles to get the words out. Fifty, stay strong.
" You're frightened. That's normal." I say to him gently. I think about what I've said for a brief moment. My fifty shades reacting normally? His scared grey eyes look at me. It's strange hearing him so silent. I think back to little Christian, unable to talk for two years. I couldn't bare to process the memories that he could be thinking. I decide we should go, before he thinks about it too much. I get out the car, the action slowly mirrored by Christian. I quickly walk around the car and take his hand. He wordlessly begins to walk and I go with him. He knows where he's going, thanks to Taylor for finding where Ella is.
We walk along a faded path, covered by grass and weeds. The only sounds are our footsteps on the pavement. After a few minuets of walking, Christian begins to walk towards a large looking oak tree, most of its leafs missing. Its long, empty branches reach out into the grey sky. Christian suddenly halts to a stop.