Chapter 6 - Thanksgiving, I Love You


Ana's POV

Christian and I have formally been dating for almost two months now. And I know what you're all thinking. How's the sex?

Well, truth be told, we haven't had sex yet. I know, I know, what the hell am I waiting for?! I don't know exactly, but I know I want to wait a bit longer.

Trust me; there's been more than one occasion where both of us almost lost our control. I mean, with someone looking like Christian, it's very hard to resist.

I think my reasoning for waiting to have sex stems from my mother's issues with men. She threw herself at countless men and look how that turned out for her. I don't want to be anything like her. She's on husband number four, and it doesn't look like she's slowing down anytime soon.

Christian has been so amazing about my decision to wait too. From what Kate tells me and from what I hear from other girls at school, all guys are sex crazy. If you're not willing to give it to them, they'll lose interest. But not my Christian.

I know he must be going insane, but he has never once shown annoyance or anger at my wanting to wait to have sex. He's so understanding of my choice and has told me repeatedly that he wants to wait until I'm ready and 100% sure.

By now, I'm certain that I love him. Aside from my father, he's the guy I trust the most in my life. I really can't wait to tell him that I'm in love with him. Call me old-fashioned, but I want him to be the one to say it first. I mentally chastise myself over my traditionalist views, but what girl doesn't want to hear her man say that first? Because I sure as hell do.

Anyways, it's almost time for Thanksgiving, and the Grey's have invited me over to their house for Thanksgiving dinner.

Ray was supposed to come home for Thanksgiving, but something in D.C. has caught his attention – some national security crisis apparently.

He was absolutely devastated that he couldn't make it to Seattle for Thanksgiving, and apologized profusely for missing one of our favorite holidays.

While I was a little upset, I couldn't hold it against him. I knew what taking that job would entail. Sometimes there are emergencies that require his full attention, and he can't escape from work for hours, let alone days to come see me. My dad is doing a job that he loves, so I can't be upset at him for missing Thanksgiving. And he promised me that he would be home for Christmas, so I'm looking forward to that.

Oh, I forgot to mention everything that happened at school!

By now, everyone knows that Christian and I are exclusive. Christian still hasn't made any guy friends, and I'm pretty much the only one he willingly converses with at school. While I revel in his constant company, I know it's quite odd that Christian is so closed off with everyone else.

If I didn't know him, I would think he's socially awkward. But the thing is he's not. He's so engaging with me, and I am genuinely baffled as to why he seems not to want to make other friends.

I guess that means more time with Christian for me. I'm certainly not complaining about that. I'm just a little concerned. I think he needs some male friends.

Moving on, I have noticed a few quirks and a few odd things about Christian and his demeanor, which I'm assuming stem from some of his issues from the past.

I recall the night Christian finally opened up to me about his life and his childhood.

It was just another normal Friday night. Typical of Seattle weather, it was pouring rain, and it was a dark, gloomy night. It was only a few weeks into our official relationship, and Christian and I were having a cozy night in, which fit with the weather. We were snuggled on the couch in my apartment watching movies, eating junk food, and drinking hot chocolate. We were so lighthearted and were enjoying each other's company. Little did we know, that night would become a pivotal moment in our relationship.


Flashback

Christian and I are watching a movie he picked out, much to my indignation. He argued it was only fair since I picked the movie last time, so being a good girlfriend, I let him have his way.

He's now making me sit through two hours of Top Gun. And while I admit a young Tom Cruise is quite dashing, it's definitely not making my list of all time favorite movies. But Christian seems to be enjoying it, so that's all that matters to me.

I feel myself start to get drowsy as I'm uninterested in the film. I tell myself I'm going to close my eyes for a few minutes, but fall into a deep sleep instead, wrapped like a vine around Christian.

When I wake up, it's pitch dark. The TV has been shut off, and Christian is sleeping soundly next to me. I'm still wearing my clothes from tonight, and it's quite uncomfortable to sleep in.

I carefully untwine myself from Christian's tight grip and quietly run upstairs to change into some pajamas.

I find a pair of white silk pajamas and put them on. I get distracted organizing clothes in my closet when I hear a loud scream coming from downstairs. Is that Christian? It can't be, right? I must be hearing things, so I ignore it and continue fiddling around with my clothes and shoes.

A few minutes later I think I hear some moans and groans and what sounds like a plea for help. I then hear another earth-shattering scream, and I'm now certain I'm not hearing things.

I immediately run downstairs to check on Christian. I see him thrashing about on the couch and screaming, "Mommy, please help me. It hurts."

I'm so shocked at the scene before me that I'm frozen in place. I'm absolutely stunned, and I have no idea what to do. Is this a common occurrence for Christian to have nightmares like this or is this a one-off?

I know I need to do something to bring him out of his misery. I bolt over to the couch and try to shake his shoulder to wake him up. That doesn't work, and he continues to flail around on the couch and keeps screaming for help.

I try shaking him harder, but that still doesn't bring him out of his dream. His body is still violently moving, so maybe if I subdue his movements that will help him wake up.

I get on the couch and climb on top of him to restrict his body's movements. That was a terrible idea because he's so much bigger and stronger than me that my weight doesn't help.

I then resort to the only other thing I can think of. I grab the sides of his face to hold him still and kiss him.

I think it's working as I can feel his body start to calm down. "Christian," I state tenderly, "It's me. You're safe."

He slowly opens his eyes, and there's a mixture of fear, shock, and terror on his face. I immediately envelop him into my arms, and he crumbles into me. He looks defeated and terrified.

I pull him up to a sitting position on the couch, and he rests his head against my chest. I see a single tear run down his cheek and I quickly wipe it away with my sleeve. I know he must be trying really hard to not cry in front of me. I stroke his hair methodically, and when an ample amount of time has passed, I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, just to let him know that I'm here for him.

As much as I want to question him about what just happened, I know that it's best to let him be the first one to talk.

I softly whisper, "You can tell me anything, you know. I won't judge you. I promise."

He looks into my eyes, debating whether or not he should explain. His eyes shift away from mine, and he stares blankly in front of him. He nuzzles his head further into the crevice of my neck, and I continue to gently stroke his unruly hair.

It takes what seems like hours for Christian to finally get the courage to say something.

"I was adopted when I was four," he states with a tremor in his voice.

"I, I, I," he struggles to continue. I can't even fathom what could've happened to this boy. I love him so much, and seeing him in this much pain hurts me as well.

I grab his hand hoping it will help him tell his story. With a shaky voice he continues, "My birth mom, she wasn't a good mom."

Another tear rolls down his cheek, and I can feel the tears in my eyes start to form as well. It's then I realize how fragile Christian is emotionally. I want to keep him in my arms and hold him there forever so no one can hurt him.

"I was abused as a kid," he somberly states. I'm dying to ask more questions like who and how but I know that I shouldn't pry further. I should take everything he decides to tell me with immense gratitude that he is even sharing this with me.

"Th, Th, The" he stutters, "The nightmares… they, they're always of those memories."

He looks ashamed, as somehow this was his fault when it absolutely wasn't.

The only thing I manage to mumble is, "I'm so sorry, Christian."

With a shaky voice, he says, "I, I think I was sleeping just fine, but something changed. Did, did you leave me?" His eyes scan mine, searching for an answer.

I nod my head and reply, "I just went to go change into some pajamas."

"Promise me you'll never leave me again," he cries and buries himself in my embrace.

"I promise, Christian," I reply, silently vowing to always stay by his side, no matter what life throws our way.

End Flashback


I know Christian still has so many demons buried deep in his soul that he hasn't told me yet. And I'm okay with that. I know he has trouble opening up to people and am so lucky that he trusts me enough to tell me some of these things. It truly means the world to me, and I hope he knows that.


Christian's POV

Today's Thanksgiving week, so that means no school. Fuck yeah!

These past two months with Ana have been the absolute best. I can't remember a time when I smiled or laughed as much as I do now. Ana has completely changed me and my outlook on life for the better. She's an angel, and I owe her so much.

At times she's had to be strong enough for the both of us, like on that fateful night when I revealed some of my past to her.

After that night, I've been reluctant to share any more details about my early childhood. It's not that I don't trust her, I just want to protect and shield her from my fucked up stuff. She's too good to hear some of the horrible shit I've gone through, and I don't want to cause her any pain.

I still haven't told her about the haphephobia, the drug-loving mother, or the pimp and his cigarettes. I know I'll probably end up telling her the really dark shit someday, but for now, I don't want to bother her with that crap. All I want is to see her laugh and smile every day, and so far, I've succeeded in my goal.

Anyways, I think that's enough about how I'm fifty shades of fucked up. We already knew that.

My parents invited Ana over for Thanksgiving dinner, which frankly, I was surprised with. For Grace, Thanksgiving has only ever been for family. Thanksgiving at the Grey house has always been a grand affair. Mom always goes all out with the food and decorations. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are invited to our house every Thanksgiving, so Ana will get a chance to meet some of my extended family.

Ana's dad was originally supposed to come back home for Thanksgiving. I know Ana was disappointed when her dad broke the bad news, but she didn't show it. When Grace found out that Ana had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, she jumped at the opportunity to invite her to spend it with us.

Now my mother will not stop pestering me about what Ana's preferences are about literally everything. I can really appreciate how much my mother cares about my girlfriend, though. I know she means well and is just trying to make Ana feel comfortable and at home around my family.

Dating Ana for two months now has solidified the fact that I'm in love with her. I know we're young, but somewhere deep down in my heart, I know I'm going to marry her. Call me crazy. Call me stupid. I don't care. I'm in love with Anastasia Steele.


Ana's POV

Christian and I are perusing through the grocery store, looking for ingredients for apple pie. Even though Christian insists I don't need to bring anything, I don't want to show up to the Grey's Thanksgiving extravaganza empty-handed.

Christian looks very out of his element at the grocery store, as he's obviously not a frequent visitor.

"What are we looking for, Ana?" he asks.

"What do you think we need for apple pie?" I tease.

"Yeah, but there are like ten different kinds of apples here," he says with a worried tone. "How do you know which ones you need. Also, why are there so many different kinds of apples?"

I giggle at his concern for the many varieties of apples and place my hand on his arm to get him to settle down.

"It's not funny, Ana," he whines, "That was a serious question."

I roll my eyes at him and put five Granny Smith apples in a bag.

"You know my mom really doesn't expect you to bring anything," he states, "Mia and my mom have already started preparing the food."

"I know," I retort, "But I'm a guest. And I really want to do this."

"Okay, baby," he says, pulling me into his arms and giving me a kiss on the cheek, "Whatever you want."

With a glimmer in my eyes, I ask, "You're going to help me though, right?"

He gives me a crooked grin and laughs. If you think you're getting out of this one Grey, you're sorely mistaken!


Christian's POV

Today's the day before Thanksgiving, and my mother is frantically running all over the house preparing for the actual day.

I was supposed to hang out with Ana today, but my mother is making me help with the prep. I hate to sound like a spoiled kid, but why doesn't she hire people to help her?

I know the answer to that one though. Grace wants holidays to be a family affair, and she wants all of us to pitch in and help.

So now instead of being with Ana, I'm stuck picking up my aunt, uncle, and two very annoying cousins from the airport.

Ana said it was no problem that I would be busy today and told me about having a "Friendsgiving" with Kate and some other friends from school.

Anyways, my mother is making me pick up her brother and his family from the airport. They're from Los Angeles. There's Uncle Charlie, his very fake and plastic surgery loving wife: Aunt Jessica, and my cousins: Mackenzie and Addison. They're identical twins and are Mia's age, but definitely way more annoying and are complete brats. I really don't know why my mother invites them every year; they only cause the whole family headaches.

Elliot can't make it this year. Something about a football commitment at Yale. Whatever.

Moving on, my dad's younger sister, Maria, and her husband Josh are also coming along with their three kids: Brandon, Emma, and Alexis who are 14, 11, and 9 respectively. My dad's older sister, Cecilia and her husband Jake are coming too and don't have any kids. Both of my dad's siblings live in the Seattle area, so they'll be driving to our house tomorrow.

My grandparents on my mom's side are also coming. Grandpa Theo and I have always had a very close relationship and ever since I've been going out with Ana, I haven't been talking to him much, which is definitely something that needs to change. I mentally remind myself to start calling him weekly.

Ana confided in me about being intimidated to meet my large family. She grew up as an only child and isn't accustomed to these huge family holidays. I know everyone's going to love her, though. How can they not?!


Ana's POV

I'm super nervous and excited about going to Christian's tomorrow morning. He said a bunch of his cousins, aunts, and uncles are coming and I want to make a good impression. Also, I come from a very small family. The sheer size of Christian's family intimidates me. Being around that many personalities is going to be a big adjustment for me, but nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to meeting all of Christian's extended family.

Kate and I are hosting a "Friendsgiving" at my apartment tonight. It's a yearly girls tradition that we do to share our appreciation and love for all our friends.

Kate and I are finishing up decorating the apartment. We laid out baby pumpkins of all different hues and placed bouquets of fall flowers around the dining room, kitchen, and living room. We additionally hung some wreaths and added cute little Thanksgiving themed knick-knacks around the place.

Kate and I are currently setting the table, with my special Thanksgiving china. There's a beautiful cornucopia centerpiece filled with some more mini pumpkins and decorative leaves sprinkled across the table.

The food is almost all done. The mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, candied yams, cranberry sauce, green beans, and biscuits are all ready to eat. The only thing we're waiting on is the enormous turkey in the oven, which needs about 30 more minutes to cook.

There's also an apple pie and pumpkin pie ready to go in the oven once the meal starts, so it will be nice and hot when we do get around to eating it.

Did I mention I absolutely love Thanksgiving? Because I really do. I get so excited about the food and decorating. I live for it. It makes me dream about having a family one day to share this with.

I hear my phone ring on the granite countertop and see that it's a text from Christian.

C: My family is crazy. Wish you were here xx

A: Miss you too baby. I'm sure your family isn't that bad.

C: They are Ana. Trust me on this one

A: I'll see you tomorrow. Try enjoying the time with your family.

C: laters baby xx

The ubiquitous smile I have when Christian texts me is present on my face.

"What's Christian up to?" Kate asks from across the room, knowing I was just talking to him based off my facial expression.

"He's with his family. I think his aunts and uncles are coming," I reply.

"Nervous to be thrown in the ringer tomorrow, Ana?" Kate inquires, referring to my invite to Christian's family Thanksgiving.

"I'd be lying if I said no," I bite the inside of my lip nervously.

"Don't be, Steele," she says assuredly, "You'll charm their pants off, just like you do to Christian."

I smack her for her distasteful joke, and we both burst out into laughter seconds later. I have to admit that joke was stupidly funny.

Emily texts us saying that she just got here, so I have to call the doorman to let her up.

The elevator dings her arrival a few minutes later, and she greets us, "Hey girlies."

She spots the food on the kitchen counter and immediately goes over there to pick at the food. And it's not like I'm going to stop her.

"Mmmm, Ana," she moans while eating a spoonful of the mashed potatoes, "I'm going to eat this whole thing if you don't stop me."

Kate pipes in, "Hey, I could've made that too. Why do you always assume it's Ana."

Emily at I look at each other and grin. We both know that there's no way Kate could make something even remotely edible.

We break out into giggles and Kate joins realizing how preposterous her statement really was.

This is already shaping up to be a great Friendsgiving.


Christian's POV

I just got back from the airport with my uncle and his irritating family. They're staying at our house for the week, and I really need to get out of this place. Jessica is so fucking rude, walking around my god damn house like she owns the place. Also, her fucking daughters are so annoying. Think Mia on steroids. I can't take their incessant giggling and their valley girl accent. Learn how to fucking speak English like a normal person! Gah!

I really want to leave and crash Ana's party, but my mother is not having it. Apparently, I have to "entertain" our guests, but what the fuck does that entail? I have no fucking idea!

I text Ana, hoping she can save me from my family, but she says I need to spend time with them! Ugh! I don't want to spend time with them. I want to spend time with Ana, preferably on top of her, making her moan and gasp!

"Chrissy," Mia yells from the kitchen. Not that name again! Especially in front of Mackenzie and Addison. They're going to start calling me that now! Gah!

"What Mia," I shout back from the couch.

"Can you take me, Mackenzie, and Addison to the mall?" she calls even louder.

Seriously? "Isn't that what Black Friday is for, Mia?" I say exasperated at this conversation.

Mia and my cousins walk into the living room, and Mia starts hitting me, trying to coax me off my position on the couch. "It's never not a good time for shopping, Chrissy!" Mackenzie squeals.

Mia and Addison both nod in agreement. "If you don't take us, I'm going to tell mom. And she's going to make you," Mia states sassily, crossing her arms.

This is going to be a long day!


When we get to the mall, I'm insistent that I'll stay in the car and pick them up when they're done. But Mia, Addison, and Mackenzie are having none of that.

"You have to come with us, Chrissy," Mia whines.

"We need someone to carry our bags," Addison chirps.

"Yeah," Mackenzie agrees.

Okay, I'm really being coerced by three teenage girls. Does life get any worse than this?

My phone dings in my pocket and it's an adorable photo from Ana of her and a delicious looking pie. Fuck me!

C: That's a very low cut dress ;)

She replies instantly.

A: naughty xx

Fuck, Grey! Don't get a hard-on in front of your sister and cousins! The things that girl does to me, fuck I love her.


Ana's POV

Friendsgiving was definitely a success. We all ate to our heart's content and ate even more for dessert. The wine seemed bottomless, and I'm definitely a bit tipsy right now.

All the girls left my apartment already, so I'm all alone.

I don't know if it's the alcohol, but something possesses me to send another photo to Christian.

I put on a black silk slip with white lace on the bodice from La Perla. I stand in front of the mirror in a seductive yet innocent pose and send it to Christian.

Haha. I hope he likes it!


Christian's POV

I'm sitting quietly having a family dinner when I get another text from Ana. I almost choke on my food at the image that appears on my screen.

Fuck, the things that girl does to me! I really want to bolt from this table, drive to her apartment, and fuck her into oblivion.

Grace gives me a side eye for daring to go on my phone during a meal.

"Oooooh," Mia teases, "Is Christian talking to his girlfriend?"

Uncle Charlie pipes in, "A girlfriend Christian?" He raises his eyebrows in my direction, incredulous to the fact. Why is my whole family surprised that I have a girlfriend? Was I that anti-social?

"Yeah," I reply nonchalantly, "She's coming over for Thanksgiving tomorrow."

"What about her family?" Jessica asks rudely.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her and reply proudly, "Her dad works for the president. There was an emergency, and he couldn't make it back home."

"What's her name?" Uncle Charlie asks.

"Anastasia Steele," I reply, a smile forming on my lips from thinking about her.


Thanksgiving Day

Ana's POV

Christian told me to come to his house in the morning. He said his mom always makes the best breakfast and insists his mom is looking forward to me spending the day with them.

Surprisingly, I'm not that nervous anymore. I know Christian's parents well since I'm at his house a lot, and Mia and I have become good friends. I'm really only meeting his extended family, and while I also want them to like me, it's nowhere near as intimidating as meeting his parents.

I decide to go with a Thanksgiving and fall-themed outfit. I put on a burnt orange and army green colored plaid dress. It's a very conservative and modest dress that falls mid-thigh, has a high neckline and has short capped sleeves. Since it's cold out, I put on a pair of black wool Wolford stockings and also grab a dark green wool coat. I put on a pair of black suede Christian Louboutin booties, pick up my black Chanel boy bag, and I'm out the door.

Pulling into Christian's driveway, I notice there are a lot more cars here than usual. Christian's aunts from his dad's side must also be here then too.

Christian must have been looking out the window for me because as soon as I get out of the car, he's already there.

"Can you help me with the pies in the back?" I ask him, smiling sweetly so he'll listen to me.

He lightly pushes me against my car and greets me with a kiss. I'd let this go on longer if we weren't surrounded by his family.

"Christian," I chastise him while nudging him away from me, "Your whole family is here." My cheeks flare up red, and he flashes me a cheeky grin.

"I missed you, baby," he says while wrapping his arms around me.

"It's been a day," I joke. He gives me a wounded look, and I relent, "I missed you too. But right now the pies are more important."

Christian grabs the pies from the trunk, and we walk inside the house together. I can hear a lot of noise coming from the kitchen and a lot of laughter as well.

"You're going to have to remind me of everyone's names," I tell Christian looking up into his eyes before reaching the kitchen.

"Don't worry baby," he says tenderly, "I'll be by your side all day."

His words are comforting to me, and I snuggle against his arm.

"Ana's here," Christian gets the room's attention.

I'm met with a bunch of new faces. Christian told me about his Uncle Charlie and his Aunt Jessica, and I can immediately tell which one is her. Her face is full of botox, and there is way too much Juvederm in her lips. Like worse than Kylie Jenner's. Way worse.

I also see Christian's grandparents, who he talks so highly of. I think I'm the most excited to meet them. Christian always talks about how close he and his grandfather are and how he could always talk to him.

There's also a set of identical twins in the room who look a year or two younger than me who obviously take after their mother. I don't think they need any more explanation than that. There are three younger kids: a boy and two girls, who look absolutely sweet and adorable.

Christian's two aunts from his dad's side are easy to pick out as all three siblings look so much alike.

Grace is the first one to greet me. She gives me a big hug and says, "I'm so glad you could join us, Ana."

She pulls me away from Christian's side and sweetly says, "Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Christian flashes me a sympathetic glance and mouths 'good luck.' I'm sure it's not going to be that bad.

Breakfast is already laid out on the counter, so everyone is dispersed around the kitchen and dining room enjoying their meals. I can smell the french toast, and cinnamon buns and my mouth starts to water.

But before I can reach the food, Grace pulls me over to introduce me to Christian's grandparents.

Christian's grandmother is the cutest lady I've ever seen.

"Oh sweetheart," Christian's grandmother coos, "What are you doing with my grandson. You're much too pretty." She envelops me into a hug, and definitely one thing I've noticed about Christian's family is that they are huggers and aren't afraid to invade your personal space.

I invite her hug, laugh at her boldness, and reply, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Trevelyan. It's so nice to finally meet you." "As for what I'm doing with your grandson, I'm not sure," I joke.

She laughs at my joke and grabs both of my hands, "Oh, please dear. Call me grandma. I can't believe our Christian found someone as gorgeous as you."

I blush at her and Christian's grandfather pipes in, "Adelaide, you're scaring the poor girl."

Christian's grandfather, Theodore Trevelyan, holds out his hand for me to shake, and I take it.

"It's so nice to meet you as well," I state confidently.

"Likewise, Anastasia," he replies, "I'm sorry about my wife, she doesn't really have a filter."

I flash him a bright smile. I can see why Christian is so close to him. Judging from the few minutes I've known him, he seems like a very stern but compassionate person. He has a quality about him that instantly makes me feel comfortable and at ease. And he and his wife seem to still have an amazing relationship after being married for so long. I hope to achieve that one day. Hopefully with Christian.

After talking to Christian's grandparents for a little while longer, Grace brings me a full plate of food fixed with a small portion of everything. Thank God! I was absolutely starving!

Grace then introduces me to the rest of the family. Christian's twin cousins are anything but pleasant - both of them are complete airheads and so stuck up. I'm sorry, but my daddy is probably ten times richer than them so they can shut the heck up.

Christian's Uncle Charlie is a good looking guy for his age. He's about 6'4" - the same height as Christian - and has a strong build. He's a very friendly guy and seemed genuinely excited to meet me. His wife, on the other hand, is a piece of work. She's obviously a glorified housewife and doesn't have a job or something she's passionate about. She's the antithesis of Grace who is a working woman who loves her job and loves her children.

Anyways, contrary to the twins, Christian's other three cousins were lovely. The youngest, Alexis, was so sweet and said she wanted a dress just like mine. My heart melted.

Both of Carrick's sisters as well as their husbands were lovely and welcoming.

After I'm introduced to everyone, Christian is immediately at my side, whisking me away.

He leads me to the foyer where there's an ornate wreath with small cards attached to it with ribbon.

"My mom made everyone write what they're thankful for to put on the wreath," he explains to me.

I smile, "That's such a great idea."

There are some extra cards and some pens on the table. I write, 'I'm thankful for friends and family, new and old.'

"Did you do one yet?" I ask him.

He nods and points to his on the wreath. In beautiful, neat cursive one simple word: 'Ana.'


For the past hour, Grace and Christian's aunts, Maria and Cecilia, and I have been going through photo albums of the Grey family while everyone else is watching (or pretending to watch) the Thanksgiving football game - it's the Seahawks against the 49ers this year.

Going through the hundreds of neatly arranged and organized photo albums, there are the cutest photos of the Greys and their extended family.

There are so many photos of Christian and Elliot from elementary school to high school. There are thousands of pictures of Elliot playing pee-wee football, and I'm surprised to see many of Christian playing all different kinds of sports as a kid: baseball, soccer, and basketball.

Mia has many photo albums dedicated only to her, many of which include appearances from her cousins and friends from school. Because Mia is averse to sports and physical activity, I'm not surprised to see photos of her looking miserable in a karate uniform.

I notice that Elliot and Mia both have photos documenting their infant years, but Christian's memories start only start when he was four.

For the most part, the photos from Christian's younger years show him as a scared young boy in a brand new environment. You can almost feel the fear radiate from his small face. My heart hurts for the 4-year-old Christian but is filled with happiness and gratuity for the man it brought me today.

Grace flips the page yet again, and there are countless photos of Christian in embarrassing situations. In fact, the title of the page is 'Crazy Christian.'

My favorite picture is Christian running around in his underwear wearing a Tupperware as a hat. He looks about 6 in that photo.

"You have to send me copies of these photos, Grace," I giggle scanning through the plethora of embarrassing photos.

"Of course dear," Grace replies, smiling at the memories on the pages.


Christian's family has been fawning over me all day that I've barely got to spend any time with Christian. While I do miss him, spending time with Christian's extended family has been wonderful. They've really made me feel welcomed and a part of their family.

It's about 5 pm, and Grace just called everyone into the large dining room for dinner. Grace has worked tirelessly along with Mia and Christian's aunts to prepare this stunning meal. There's literally every Thanksgiving dish you could think of on the table, and it all smells delicious.

I'm seated in between Christian and Mia in the center of the table. Carrick is on one end, and Grace is on the other end like the perfect hosts should be.

Christian's hand is firmly placed on my thigh, and I shoot him a warning glare. For goodness, sake. We are literally surrounded by his family now!

He flashes me a goofy grin and moves his hand further up my thigh.

Ugh, whatever! I'll just ignore him for now and punish him later.


Christian's POV

My family has basically monopolized all of Ana's time – I feel like I haven't even seen her today. And she looks amazing in that dress of hers. The dress is definitely covering up her gorgeous little body a lot more than usual, but I have a colorful imagination.

Ana is deep in conversation with Aunt Cecilia. They're chatting about their international travels. Since Cecilia and her husband Jake don't have any kids, they travel quite a bit. And apparently, Ana does too.

I'm sitting here silently eating my food when I decide to play a little game with Ana.

My hand is already resting on her thigh that is exposed from sitting down. Discreetly, I sneak my hand underneath her dress and rub circles around her inner thigh.

I see Ana's cheeks turn red, and I can feel her body start to heat up. It looks like my baby is turned on.

She yet again shoots me a warning glare, and I flash her my signature smirk again.

Ana ignores me and continues her conversation, so I softly whisper against her ear, "I know you're turned on, baby. Don't deny it."

Ana shudders and Aunt Cecilia admonishes, "Christian! Give the poor girl some space. She's trying to eat."

"Sorry, Aunt Cecilia," I apologize and back away from Ana.

At the end of the meal, Grace goes back to the kitchen to get dessert. There's pumpkin pie, pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate tarts, an assortment of other pastries, and of course, Ana's mouthwatering apple pie.

Before we all dig in Grace makes a speech, "I'm so happy you all could make it today. There's so much to be thankful for this year. Ana, we're so happy that you're here with us and so blessed your in our lives."

And with that, everyone devours into the dessert.

After dessert, Maria's kids were starting to get restless at the table, so they went off to go chill in the living room. Mia and the twins went upstairs, and the adults were still at the table, drinking coffee and tea, chatting away.

"Mom," I ask, "May Ana and I be excused?"

"Of course, darling," she replies with a smile.

I get up from my seat and grab Ana's hand leading her outside.

"Where are we going, Christian?" she asks.

"A walk," I reply briskly. "Here," I say wrapping one of my coats around her, "It's cold outside."

"You'll keep me warm," she murmurs.

I open the door outside, and we walk hand-in-hand in comfortable silence on the cobblestone path around the property.

"I love your family, Christian," Ana muses, breaking the silence.

"I love you," I blurt out, then immediately freeze. Fuck did I really just say that?! Fuck Grey, you're going to scare her away!

I sink my head down and try to look anywhere but her. There's a moment of silence before I hear her angelic voice reciprocate, "I love you too, Christian."

Excuse me what did she just say?! I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. The girl I love loves me too, and that's the best feeling in the world.

I immediately turn my gaze back to her, and she's already looking at me for a response.

She puts her hand around my waist, and I gently put my hands on her face, grazing her lip with my thumb. I lift her in my arms, so our heads are level with each other and kiss her with everything I have.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I mumble in between kisses and giggles.

We both have goofy grins on our faces after our declaration of love. I'm not sure if it's the moonlight, but Ana is positively glowing and looking more beautiful than ever.

Best Thanksgiving ever.