Hi Everyone
To my new readers, welcome and to the readers that are now reading for the second time, thank you.
I will ask that no one gives the plot away in their reviews. I don't want to spoil it for the new readers.
Thanks again every one.
This is a double update so chapter 3 will be up right after this.
Cheers
GG89 x
TEDDY'S POV
I am sweating buckets. I don't like lying to my parents, but if I tell them, I know my dad will go in all guns blazing and it might scare her and make her run again.
The last four years have been hell for our family. One day we were a happy family of 6, the next a broken family of 5.
Thank god Matthew came along when he did because if it wasn't for him, my parents would have crumbled but they had an 11 month old baby that needed them and a 12 year old who was devastated that her sister, her idol, had gone.
The day I found out my 16 year old sister had ran away from home was the worst of my life. I was 18 and had just started college at WSU. Phoebe had been acting strange for the last few weeks and I tried to get her to open up and come out of the shell she had gone in, but every time I would ask her what was the matter she would reply with "I'm fine" or "Fuck off". I knew something was on her mind but never in a million years did I think she would run away. I mean we had the perfect life! We are part of one of the richest families in the USA. We have fast cars, private jets, boats, designer labels and most importantly, parents that love us unconditionally, so I don't know what would have made her run?
At first we thought she had been kidnapped, but no ransom request ever came and of course we had the note that she left on our Dads desk. He played the CCTV clip of her doing that about 1000 times over the next few weeks. It broke me to see the great Christian Grey so broken. My mother was the glue that kept us together. Her belief has never wavered, not once In four years. I know she has cried. We all have, but she would never do it in front of Matthew, Carly and myself. She was the one who called me the day Phoebe left. Her voice will forever be in my head after that call. The utter devastation was clear in my mothers tone. She told me she needed her little blip so I dropped what I was doing and went to her.
I have been doing my own search for Phoebe as have my father, my grandfather and Taylor and none of us have came up with anything.
Due to a pure stroke of luck and a one in a million chance I know I have found her.
Now its just getting her back.
As I pull up to our family home for dinner, I know Its going to be hard to keep this to myself, but by tomorrow I plan to go get Phoebe and hopefully by the end of the week our family will be whole again.
I just have to get through dinner.
ANA'S POV
I have to keep a brave face but it is so hard. The last 4 years should have broken Christian and I, but I think it has made us stronger.
We needed each other more than ever and what should have driven us apart, made our bond even stronger. The love I have for this man has only increased as each day has passed. He has been my rock. My shoulder to cry on and my wall of strength.
Dinner is quite tonight and for once my husband is not lecturing us all to eat. He is the one picking at his food. I look around our family table and the same look of heart break is on four of our faces. Matthew is too young to even remember Phoebe, but Carly and Teddy both know what today is.
Teddy is extra quite tonight and Carly hasn't even spoken. Looking at my youngest daughter is hard. She is the spitting image of her big sister. Both girls look like me, long brunette hair and pale skin, the only difference between the teo of them is Phoebe has gray eyes like her father and Carly has my blue eyes. Like my boys are different. Teddy has my eyes and Matthew his fathers.
"Um, mom, Dad I was wondering if I could borrow the jet tomorrow?" Teddy asks us.
It has peaked my interest that he wants the jet because I know it's not for work. He runs Grey Publishing along side me and I would know if this was a business trip.
"What do you need it for? Where are you going?" I ask him.
"Um, well with everything going on, I just need a break Mom. I know its short notice but I made sure all my manuscripts were signed offer before I left today and if its urgent I will have my Blackberry with me"
"That's fine Son. You need a break. I think we all do. Where are you going?" Christian asks.
"Well one of the manuscripts I have been reading is based in Texas and the author talks about it with such passion I want to see some of the places she wrote about. Its Friday tomorrow so I will be back by Monday for Moms birthday dinner"
"That's a wonderful idea, Son. Go and enjoy yourself but make sure Smith goes with you. I will call Stephen and tell him to get the plane ready for you for tomorrow morning. I think that when you get back that we should go on a family holiday and all relax. Maybe go to Aspen? What do you all think?"
Matthew cheers from his booster seat so I think its safe to say he is on board with the idea. Teddy just shrugs but its Carly that voices her opinion.
"Daddy, we haven't been on a family holiday since.." she points to the empty seat to the right of Christian which is Phoebes place. No one has sat in her seat since the day she left. It's waiting for her and I know that our family of 6 will be complete again. I just know it.
"I know, baby but your mother and I had a long talk today. Phoebe will be back when she is ready and I know that she would not want us all to stop living our lives because she is temporally not in them. So what do you all say we go to Aspen in two weeks? Or New York?" He gets an "I'm game" from Teddy and a "Whatever" from Carly.
"Well I think it's a wonderful idea" I smile over at him and for the first time tonight I get a smile back from him.
"Well glad that's all sorted. I need to go home and pack. I'll be back next week for your birthday Mom. Hey, because I'll be in the land of the cowboy perhaps I'll bring you back a cow girl hat for a present" he grins over at me.
"Whatever you buy me I will be happy with sweetie" he gets up and gives Carly and Matthew a hug, Christian a hand shake and with me he picks me up and hugs me.
"Be safe my Teddy bear" I kiss his cheek and hug him back.
"I will mom, I promise"
"Hey son, if you get your mom a hat get me one as well. I always wanted a genuine cowboy hat" he winks over at me. What? He told me he though any hat on a man was stupid.
"Sure thing, Dad. Good night everyone" he walks out and I just have to ask Christian why on earth he wants a hat when I know he has no intention of ever wearing it in public.
"Babe, you always said that hats on men were stupid. What do you want one for?" he smiles and then leans in and whispers in my ear.
"So we have props the next time we do reverse cowgirl, Mrs Grey" and then he bites my ear.
I blush a deep shade of red even after all these years. He still gets to me.
"Can I be excused? I have homework to finish?" Carly mumbles from her place to the right of me.
"Sure Princess. Good night, I love you" Christian wraps her in his arms and gives her a kiss on her head.
"Night baby" I give her a hug and watch her walk up the stairs. She looks so sad it breaks my heart. She hero worshiped her big sister.
I walk over to my little man and take him out his booster seat. I cant believe he is 5 next month. I one way it has dragged but in the other way its gone in the blink of an eye.
"Come on Master Grey. Time for your bath and bed"
"You and daddy gonna read me a story, mommy?" he pouts his little mouth in the most adorable way and I snuggle him into my neck.
"Of course baby boy. Mommy loves to read to you but lets get you bathed first and then daddy and I will read you one. Now go on up and I will be up in a moment" I set him down and he runs out the room.
I look over and Christian is drinking his wine, staring at the wall. I walk over and sit on his lap. This is y happy place. In his arms.
"You OK, Baby?"
"Yeah I'm OK, Mrs Grey. Just tired, it's been a long day"
"Been a long Four years"
"Yeah that to… I just…I want her home and safe Ana"
"I want that too and like I said, I know she will be home one day. She's a smart girl Christian. I know she will have looked after herself and made good choices"
I know one of his main fears is that Phoebes will become like his birth mother, Addicted to drugs and selling her body. He has been in with Flynn more times in the last four years than he has his whole life.
"I hope so, she's like you Ana, she's strong and she has street smarts, she will come home, I know she will"
"I'm glad it finally got through your think skull " I roll my eyes at him hoping to provoke him. It works like it always has.
"Wife, I do believe you just earned yourself a place on the naughty list"
"Oh I do hope so Mr Grey, lets go and bath our youngest spawn and go play" I lead him up stairs and hopefully we can forget this awful day together, the best way we know how.
