CHAPTER - 5
Christian Grey was born twenty-eight years ago on June 18, 1983, in Detroit, Michigan. His life started out hard with a crack-whore birth mother, but look at him now. He had just announced that Anastasia Steel had agreed to marry him and then had an unwelcome conversation with his ex-dominant/submissive, Elena Lincoln. The result was his mother found out he was molested by Elena at fifteen. Christian wondered if his life would ever have a normal day since meeting his love or was he doomed to live in chaos.
He was sitting alone in the living room of his parents' house when John approached. "I hate to disturb your quiet moment, but there is such an undercurrent of negativity running around the house; I am wondering if you could tell me what it is."
"I thought this could wait until Monday, John, but if you can feel the current so can everyone else. Elena cornered Anastasia and basically told her that she could never satisfy my needs. Anastasia finally got pissed off and threw a drink in her face. I came across the scene and Elena and I had it out. Then my mother walked in on the three of us. It was horrible. She threw Elena out only after slapping her hard across the face." He took a big sigh like air being deflated from a balloon.
"Elena left and Anastasia went in the opposite direction. My mother bombarded me with questions. Some I answered and some I didn't, but the cat is out of the bag. I don't know what's going to happen now. Ana and I are okay. I promised her, my relationship with Elena had ended. My mother is not going to let this go until she gets the truth. What I have always feared has come to pass. This is the first time, I feel cheap and dirty. I need to gather my love and give her my surprise. You, my friend, need to go find Rhian and continue with the party."
"Christian, don't get down. You have what you want. You have the woman of your heart who wants nothing more than you."
Just then Anastasia appeared at the door. "Yes, he does have the woman of his heart. John, I'm sure you're helping Christian, and thank you for helping me on Thursday. But if I could just have a bit of time with him? "John smiled and left the room.
"Oh, my love, we need to continue partying with your guests. We have spent way too much time apart from them. Whatever happens now, we are together. I would never, ever, ever leave you. I just want to feel you with me and have you tell me that I did nothing wrong," she begged.
Christian unfolded from the uncomfortable position he was sitting in and took Ana in his arms. "You have done nothing wrong. Please, don't let this mess spoil our engagement. I want you in the worst way, but that can wait until later."
Ana pulled his face down to hers while grabbing his hair. She kissed him with the passion that she usually reserved for the bedroom. He groaned at her powerful love. He was about to take her on the living room couch when Mia yelled, "Get a room!"
Christian continued to kiss Anastasia while trying to wave Mia off, but she would have none of that. "Come on you two, let's party." Ana said to Mia, "One day I'll interrupt you when you're in a moment of passion, just to let you know how it feels." Mia laughed and drifted off to another room.
Christian said, "Do you want your surprise now or later?" She smiled at him. "You have been a poor birthday boy. Let's join the others." Anastasia took his hand and they went to find their guests.
June 20, 2011, Christian was again flopped on John's couch looking at the pale green ceiling. "I think the ceiling should be yellow like sunshine or blue like the sky."
"I know you don't want to talk, Christian, but tell me what is going on." John said sternly.
"My mother showed up at Grey House at two-thirty today just like any other business appointment. She had made Andrea swear that she wouldn't tell me. I was surprised as she marched in wearing her blue sundress, dressed as only Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey could be dressed, impeccably. I stood up and gave her a kiss. She grabbed my hand and we went to talk on the white leather L-shaped couch. She was kind and gentle. Then all hell broke loose."
"I need to back up. Carrick confronted me on Sunday morning before breakfast, since Ana and I had slept in the boathouse in the garden of flowers that I had made where I gave her an engagement ring on bended knee. Anyway, back to Carrick, he was his usual non-confrontational self. He asked what happened with Elena. I just told him that we had affair - years ago, and he seemed satisfied with my answer. Then he got the idea that I needed a prenuptial agreement if I was going to get married. We argued. We even took the argument into the kitchen where Ana overheard the upheaval. She told Carrick that she would sign any agreement he wanted, just like she signed the NDA without reading it. She told me at the time that she would never talk about me no matter what happened, and she has been true to her word. One more thing, I told her to tear up the NDA. She smiled at me."
He went for water and then sat on the couch.
"I know I'm wandering all over the place here, John, but I'm just going to continue. I settled the discussion with my dad and told him that no way in hell was Anastasia going to sign a prenup - that, if she left me, she may as well take the money with her. I certainly wouldn't have a life anyway. On the way home Ana told me that Carrick made her feel like a cheap gold-digger."
John said, "I'm just as curious as your father - why no prenup?"
"On that Thursday night when we were in Portland at José's Art Show, I told her that I wanted her without restrictions, rules, or devices. That was just not for her coming back to me then, but I meant it with my entire being. John, I have made money and you know I like being rich but, since finding Anastasia, I want her more than money. Even though in the back of my mind, I fear she will leave I want her more than money, almost more than life itself. I love her."
"I understand that, Christian, but your father is a lawyer, he only wants to protect your assets. He is concerned about your financial well-being, just like any father might be when his son wants to marry a girl he just met."
"Ana is not interested in my money. I have to basically buy things for her instead of her buying them on her own. You might be surprised to know that she hates to shop. On our first meeting, she called me the ultimate consumer."
"Boy, she nailed you the first time. She can read you like a book."
Christian smiled and said, "When she stumbled into my office and looked up from the floor with those powder-blue eyes, I thought she could look right through me. Now I know she can. She can see through all my bullshit."
"No wonder you stalked her to Portland. I'm sure you wanted to know if she could see through you again. Just one question before I let you tell me about the haranguing you took from your mother. What feelings did you have other than the desire to make her your submissive?
Christian looked at the floor a while as he gathered his wits. "I had the need or desire to be with her all the time. I waited five days before tracking her down at Clayton's Hardware. How I hate to wait for anything. I don't think that's an emotion, more of a compulsion, but then again, I had never felt like that before, not since the very beginning with Elena. With her it was about my hormones; with Ana it's all about need. I've no idea what I would have done if she was not interested in me."
"Okay, what about Grace? I'm sure she wasn't as easily to put off as Carrick." He actually smirked at Christian.
"Oh, you do know my mother! She started asking me if she had been a bad mother. How could Grace be a bad mother? I already had one of those I told her. Then my very composed and refined mother started to cry. She was very surprised when I scooted next to her and held her in my arms, something I had never done until the night Charlie Tango went down. Ana has helped me so much with the touching thing or, as you like to say, my haphephobia. You must have used your big word mouth on Ana when you talked to her. What were you trying to do scare the shit out of her?"
"No, I just wanted to see her reaction. If she hadn't been so nervous and overwhelmed she could have figured the words out. You know you really do intimidate her."
"Yes, and I'm trying not to, but old habits are hard to break. Do you want me to tell you about my mother?"
"Please go ahead, good sir." Flynn stood up and bowed at Christian. They both smiled.
"I don't know why this is so damn urgent to tell you, but it feels like it to me."
Christian got another bottle of water and tossed one to John. "Good catch, Sir." After drinking, he set the bottle on the table. "My mother is a piece of work. After all the tears, she said, "I have seen so many broken and abused children in my career as a pediatrician. You were one of those children who still haunt me to this day. When I was called to look after a small boy in a filthy blue sweater in the emergency room all those years ago, when I saw you, I knew you were mine. My heart broke, and then you smiled at me, all the fear I had melted away. I kept making excuses for child services not to take you away that day. Then Carrick and I went to see you in foster care. You grabbed my hand and would not let go until the foster mother yanked your hand from mine and you went into a complete tizzy fit. You wouldn't talk, but you drew me pictures."
"She took my hand in hers asking how it was possible that she had let a pedophile ruin me? She thought my days of abuse were long over until that bitch Elena molded me into a non-loving man. She wanted to know the truth. She asked if I was one of Elena's play things because everyone knew Elena had boy-toys for years. My mother found out that I was one of those boy-toys...her own son. Then she told me that she could have killed Elena with her bare hands on my birthday! She said, 'I'm going to tell you something I never told another human being. You've always been my favorite child. I know as a parent, I'm not supposed to have a favorite, but you're so special and, to find out you were abused again, breaks me, Christian; it just breaks me'." He took a thinking pause.
"John, I was so floored that all I could do was kiss her sweet cheek, like she did when I was a boy. Tears were running down my face, something she had never witnessed. I knew I had to say something, but I didn't know what to say. Elena happened a long time ago, I told her. She would have none of that. Then she asked if the abuse from Elena had changed me. I could not lie to her so I answered yes. Then she said, "Christian, I'm a bad mother. A good mother would have taught you abuse was wrong." I think my tears were falling even harder as I struggled for my handkerchief. When I calmed down, I told her that, with Elena, I didn't know it was abuse until Ana came along. Elena used the old carrot-and-stick trick. The carrot was her sex, and the stick was literally a stick, but she used canes, belts, and her favorite was a whip. I did learn discipline and focus. Yes, I learned a lot about sex and control, and then I shut up."
He drank the rest of his water bottle. John waited for him to continue.
"Then she asked the question I'd been dreading for years. "How long, Christian?" I told her six years, and it was like I had kicked her in the gut. Her face fractured in front of me. I didn't know what to do and I was in a panic. She said, "Why did Anastasia think it was abuse?" I told her, Ana didn't think at fifteen I was capable of entering into a sexual relationship. Of course, Ana thinks Elena or Mrs. Robinson is pure evil. My mother asked one final question, 'Did she give you the money to start your company?' I nodded, and she said with hatred in her voice, "Payment for services rendered." I have never been so shocked and hurt in my life. I told her on my birthday it started at fifteen and ended at twenty-one."
"She got up and smiled then said she would get together with Anastasia about the wedding this week. She kissed me on each cheek, like she normally does. What do you make of my mother, John? Have I lost her love? I feel rather empty. She did not fail me, but I failed her. It's the first time I realized that all those fucked years affected my mother, as well as the subs."
"Christian, your mother is hurt because she could not and did not protect you from Elena, the sexual predator. Her confessions that it was love at first sight and you have always been her favorite are heart wrenching. She would do anything to save you from that pain; little did she know that you are just feeling that pain for the first time. Rest assured that she still loves you, but her hurt is lashing out at you. You have been in a constant state of upheaval since Ana came into your life. Someday the secret of your lifestyle will come out, but it will not matter, because by then your life with Anastasia will be forged. Remember secrets always come out no matter how hard you try to hide them. Take your mom to lunch in a couple of weeks. The best revenge against Elena is striving to have a happy life."
"I like your form of revenge. Should I ask my dad to apologize to Ana?"
"No, do you really want to bring up that shit again? Christian, Ana has to fight her own battles, and this one is between the future daughter-in-law and the future father-in-law. As long as she never thinks she is a gold-digger in your eyes, then Ana is fine."
"I guess I will see you tomorrow and now I need to tell Ana about my rather interesting day."
Christian stood, stretched, collected his water bottles, disposed of them in the recycle bin, and walked out.
Taylor and Christian were on time to pick up Ana. She crawled in the back of the car next to Christian. She put on his seat belt. He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss.
"You look rather unhappy, Ana, what is it?"
"This is the start of the seventh week I've known you and, in that time, I have been deflowered, graduated college, moved to Seattle, gotten my first full-time job, been stalked by an ex sub, kneed my employer in the balls, and agreed to marry you. It has all been too much. I could add the fun parts, like soaring, sailing, and your kinky fuckery, but I need life to slow down. How do you keep up with the pace that life is throwing at us?"
"Ana, when you put it like that, no wonder we are both exhausted. Now that you have agreed to marry me, over the next few weeks, the pace will keep at a steady clip. We don't need to do anything tonight, so we can just relax together."
As they went up to the penthouse, he gave her a soft kiss with no sexual intentions. Ana looked much more relaxed. After a wonderful dinner of meatloaf, that Christian had requested, they retired to the great room and sank into the couch.
"I've something to tell you. My mother visited me today. She made an appointment with Andrea, just like any other business person, and I was floored when she came in. We sat, and she cried, asking me if she had failed as a mother. Oh it was extremely hard to reassure her that she was the best thing in my life. She asked questions about Elena and all that shit. She knows you know and will probably ask you questions when you get together this week to discuss the wedding."
Ana groaned, "I wish I had taken you up on your offer to fly to Las Vegas and get married."
"No you don't, because I want to show you off as my bride. I know you have questions to ask me so let me get us an after-dinner drink and we'll talk."
Ana could not believe that he had not jumped her bones yet. Christian was being reasonable and rational; maybe because he figured out she was truly his.
The sweet golden liquid slid down her throat. "What is this? It is sweet and hot with a bite,"
"It's Galliano, Italian licorice liqueur."
"Why have we never done this before," she questioned.
"You're right; we have been too busy with other things. There is so much that I want to show you in the world. Do you have a passport?"
"No, I don't have a passport."
"Yes, you will need a passport for the honeymoon."
"Isn't there a question on the form about where I intend to travel?"
"I'm not telling, and it sounds like you have already applied for a passport."
"Just on a whim, I sent it off two weeks ago."
"Good girl."
Christian took her in his arms, kissed her passionately, and then went back to being relaxed. Ana knew this was his plan, to keep her relaxed until she had no will but to give him what he wanted.
"What do you want me to say to your mother if and when she asks?"
"You know me, Ana; you know the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of me. Anything you want to say is fine. Flynn told me today that secrets have a way of coming out. If the sub/dom thing comes out, my reputation will survive because it was all adult fun and games; but if Mrs. Robinson comes out, I would have to endure everyone's pity. I can barely take pity from you. Please, I trust you."
She took a sip of the golden liquid and said, "I would never hurt you, Christian, but your mother wants to know if she should do something to help you now. Victims of sexual abuse often think it's their fault. You didn't realize that until a few days ago..."
"I want you to know that my lawyer has drawn up a separation agreement with Elena dissolving our partnership. He will handle it and I'm not going to see her."
"Thank you, Christian; I just never want another confrontation with her or any of your other subs."
"I know you don't, even though you prove to me again and again you can handle yourself in a crisis. On to a more pleasant subject The Wedding. How big of a wedding do you want? I would be honored to cover the costs."
"Look, Christian, I know you have as much money as God, but let me have a little dignity. Can I please buy my own wedding gown? Of course, Carla and Ray want to pay for something. They know they can't pay for the style of wedding we'll have. Could you give them a little slack or talk to them about how they might contribute? They just don't want to be left out of their own daughter's wedding."
"Good point, well made, Miss Steel, soon to be my Mrs. Grey! Have you decided how many people will be there?"
"Christian, I was hoping that you and your parents would decide that. I know my mother has a few friends and Ray wants José Sr. and José there. That won't be a problem, will it?" She gave him a rather threatening look.
He smiled and ran his index finger across her cheek. "Look at the time; it's almost ten and do you think we should head to bed?"
Ana took the last sip of the golden liquid just as Christian did. She put her arms around his neck and he carried her to bed.
"How many orgasms does my lady want? I'm taking requests tonight."
"Just one please, long, slow, and sweet. I have become rather fond of your love making abilities. I think it has been such a relaxing evening that long, slow, and sweet is in order."
"Anyway I can have you, Ana. Let's get our clothes off, shall we?"
They each looked at each other and started to take their own clothes off. Then they used the toilet, taking turns, and even brushed their teeth. When Ana slipped between the sheets, Christian had pulled the duvet cover off onto the floor. He crawled in next to her.
"Can I make love to you, Christian? I want to thank you for asking me to marry you?"
Christian was trying to shield his look of terror from Ana, but his voice was clear and full of expectation when he answered yes. She had her man and was going to seduce him into an orgasm, something she had wanted to do since the first time she was naked in his bed.
"I can turn off the light or get a mask for your eyes, or, better yet, just put your arm over your eyes if it gets too intense. If you want me to stop at any time, just say stop. Do you understand, Christian?"
He smirked because she was using the same words he had used on her many times before. Now he was intrigued about what she was going to do to him."
Ana started kissing his face, his forehead, then his eyebrows, and licked his eyelids. She kissed his temples, then down to his ears, and licked his ear canal. She had no game plan. She sucked her way across his jaw line to his other ear and did the same thing back up to his temple. She then kissed his nose and sucked on each earlobe, but never touched his lips. Christian was starting to squirm, just like she hoped he would. He even tried to kiss her, and she said, "If you aren't still, I'll have to restrain you."
He gulped air trying not to laugh. She placed both hands around his neck and started to massage the stressors away from his day. She slowly massaged his neck and kissed him from the jaw line to the base of the neck. She threw off the sheet to see what effect she was having on him. She was satisfied because his penis was on the rise. She kissed his shoulder and then started outlining where the lipstick had been. From there she made smaller and smaller outlines until her hands met half way between his navel and the base of his neck. He seemed very relaxed and she started to kiss his chest with no regard for his scars. Her hands came to rest on his nipples.
Christian drew in a breath, but she looked at his penis, and it was still growing so she did not stop. She bent over him, sucking his nipples, while her own nipples were grazing his skin. She was surprised his nipples got hard. This was all new territory for her. His navel had hair she sucked on it, and then gave him a belly fart, which made Christian laugh. She knew that was the closest she was going to get to tickling him and she didn't want to change the mood. Ana took pity on him lying on his front so she scooted up to kiss his lips. His penis popped up and was between her legs moving to the bottom of her butt.
"Do you want me to continue? I don't want to overload you with too much touch." After she broke off her kiss, the only word that came out of his mouth was "more."
She rolled off and straddled him, putting her vagina almost within licking distance of his tongue, but she had his arms pinned against the sides of his body. Christian could smell her and everything was taken to another level. He could not lick her, so he blew his breath across her opening. She looked back and smiled at him. His penis was flexing as she looked down at his feet. She placed her hands at his navel, started to rub his stomach and rubbed concentric circles like he had done to her thighs so many times. She had learned from the master. She rubbed his hips, trying not to touch his penis; when she could not feel to his feet she stretched her body on top of him, making sure she did not smash his penis because she wanted that later.
Ana was stretched on Christian's body, her feet were on his shoulders and her hands were stretched massaging his feet. Christian was now groaning and she could feel his hard penis pressing right below her breasts. Then she remembered he had said something about fucking her breasts.
She jumped off him and moved his legs, getting between them. She moved down so her breasts were at penis level then she cupped her breasts around his penis and slowly moved up and down. Christian was looking in horror and delight, and then started to move. It was awkward and a little painful, but strange and good. He moved faster and faster, and he yelled her name and his liquid started to squirt. She licked it as fast as it shot. When he was still, she cleaned him off and said, "Now you know what it's like to be made love to long, slow, and sweet."
"Ana, my Ana, you can do that to me anytime you want. No one has ever done that to me. Firstly, I would have stopped them and, secondly, I'm so glad it was you, but don't I get to do you?"
She climbed back on the bed and lay down next to him. He looked at her with such love and devotion that she practically came then. She had cum in her hair and he sucked it out. Then he kissed her and she sucked his tongue. This was arousing as Ana started to grind against his hip.
Christian said nothing because she had said nothing. There was no music, no beat, or rhythm, only responding to each other. Christian looked down on her beautiful body and started in the middle of her navel, contemplating the fact that someday he wanted to suck Galliano from it. He thought there were at least fifty liqueurs that would be sweetened by Ana's navel; it would take him a lifetime of navel sucking to do that. He firmly rubbed the sides of her body as his tongue kept circling her navel. He switched his circling tongue to her breasts, sucking each nipple hard until they stood at attention.
"Ana," he whispered and sunk his long index finger into her to see if she wanted him, then pulled it out and sucked it. He got off the bed and pulled her butt to the edge and sucked her clitoris with two fingers inside her. He slowed it down again as she started to grind against him.
"Christian, I want you, please."
"You showed me no mercy, so why should I show you any?"
He went back to sucking as she built, and then she screamed his name, but Christian did not stop. He worked on her again because he wanted her to have another orgasm.
She was panting, trying to catch her breath as he put her legs against his chest with the bottoms of her feet pointing to the ceiling. He entered slowly, no slamming, no sharp thrusts, only circling like he did with his fantastic tongue. They had never done it in this position.
"Christian, I want to kiss you," she said breathlessly.
"I wanted to kiss you too, Baby. Do you want me to go a little faster?"
"I love your torture, just do what you want, and I will try to give you what you need..." she trailed off.
He increased his speed and then reversed his movements. He saw the little beads of sweat appear on her breasts and knew it wouldn't be too long before she was there. Now he started to thrust in and out harder and harder until they came in harmony. When he pulled out, he crawled on her body and found her mouth. She claimed his body next to hers and kissed him as hard as he was kissing her. He finally broke off the kiss.
He looked at his watch it was nearly midnight, he took it off and placed it on the night stand. "We need to sleep. I hope I satisfied you, Anastasia." He was still breathing hard.
"If you satisfied me anymore, I would be in heaven, and I mean the literal place."
"Oh, it was death from orgasm again, dear?"
She turned off the light with a smile on her face, pulling up the duvet cover.
When Ana woke in the morning, her hair was sticky. She slid out of bed and went to the shower. Christian joined her and saw what she was doing.
"The least, I could do is wash your hair after dirtying it up last night."
She turned her back and let his magic fingers do the work. He even helped her blow it dry. They were both dressed professionally when they were seated at the breakfast bar.
Mrs. Jones asked, "Miss Steel, what would you like for breakfast?"
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I have pancakes and bacon?"
Christian said, "Sounds good, Miss Steel; I'll have two eggs with mine, Mrs. Jones."
Ana's cell phone went off. It was Christian's mom asking them to dinner on Wednesday and at the same time, Christian was talking to his dad about going to a Mariners game the following Monday."
They smiled at each other and both said yes.
Last night had been what they needed, just to be with each other without pressure. Ana kissed Christian good bye out in front of SIP. Christian was immediately in the throes of passion. She smiled and waved good bye as Sawyer opened the door for her.
Christian attended his standing appointment at Dr. Flynn's office on that Tuesday afternoon.
John said as Christian entered the office, "You look happier?"
"John, I think it was easier when there were no expectations. Last night she made love to me. She asked me if she could, and what was I supposed to say, don't touch me, I'm not ready? Fuck, I don't know if I'll ever be ready. She is a very persistent woman. I think if I had said no, she would have found a way to do it anyway."
"Before you go any further, did she harm you?" He said with a smirk.
"No, that is not the point."
"Then what's the point?"
"The point being, my good man, that no one has ever taken me to a place of such fulfillment before. I always do the fulfilling, but she took me to heaven, nirvana, or paradise, whatever you want to call it. She touched me slowly with purpose. She kissed and licked my nipples until they were hard, something that I think surprised her. Certainly she must know our anatomy is the same. Then again she probably never read a medical book, always had her nose stuck in a nineteenth century romantic novel. The most erotic thing she did was to take my penis between her breasts and work me off. It was stimulating, and my cum went all over her face and in her hair. She looked so self-satisfied that, when I relaxed, I didn't want to move from that moment.
"Did you thank her for this wonderful experience?"
"After I told her it was another first, I went to work on her exquisite body. Yes, I took her to the same place she had taken me. Am I more relaxed knowing she is committed to me? Because I know she is going to marry me? I seemed to be more relaxed and can enjoy new things; maybe it is not enjoyment, but just allowing experiences to happen to me, instead of being in control the entire time. Am I changing, John?"
"I think you have a long way to go but, if Anastasia can make you relax during sex, you are making progress. Do you still have your security guards? I bet you know everything she sees and does at work. You're a major control freak. Surprisingly, you gave up that control for one minute in the bedroom."
He grinned, "It was more than a minute. You're right about my control, but lately so much seems to be out of my control. Speaking of control, my mother wants to discuss the wedding tomorrow night. I don't want a confrontation with her."
"Do you think Grace will discuss Elena in front of Ana?"
"No, my mother is too civilized, but it will be the first time being back in the house since my birthday."
"Don't you have good memories of that night, like the boathouse filled with hearts and flowers?"
"Yes, I guess I should concentrate on that."
"Do you want a grand wedding?"
"I don't think Ana wants one, but then I'll find out tomorrow night. John, am I making progress? I'm always storming in here with another crisis on my hands."
"Christian, you're figuring out what kind of life you want. You're opening your life up to include Ana. I know these are stressful times and really good times. You wanted to marry Ana, and she said yes, but you're a rush into the fire kind of guy. You're doing the best you can. I'll never say that you're not going to fail, but you're sincerely trying to be considerate of Ana and her feelings and your own. It's strange and new. Just keep coming and talking. I feel it does help ground you. Do you feel calmer now than when you walked in the door? I also think it helps seeing Ana right after our sessions."
"Yes, you're right. I used to jump all over her when she got in the car. I'm still learning about her moods, wants, and needs, both sexual and non-sexual. Before I go, I'm going to ask her to move her things into the penthouse. I don't know if she is paying Kate rent or not, but I know everything in the penthouse is mine. We need more of Anastasia in the penthouse."
"Good idea, Christian. Will I see you tomorrow?"
"No, I'll see you Thursday, but bill me for tomorrow. You probably need a little more time with Rhian and the boys."
Christian left, giving John time to write notes. This day was easier for John than most because there was no big Christian crisis. He seemed calm, John wrote. He also noted that Ana had taken Christian to paradise, and he had been a willing participant. Everything was going great, no nightmares, no days without sleep, and his ability to articulate his feelings was increasing. Christian appeared to be less self-absorbed and more able to embrace to the world he lived in.