Ana is at her favourite coffee shop again, enjoying a cappuccino instead of making calls to authors which is what she should be doing. Sitting across the coffee table is Kate with a look of expectancy in her eyes.
"So why am I here? I've skipped work for you so it better be something good." Kate narrows her eyes at Ana. "Am I right to think this has something to do with Grey?"
Ana looks intently at her coffee cup for a while, and nods. Of course she's right. Kate has been very patient with her; she hasn't really asked anything about Christian. Kate knows Ana well; she needs to think things through on her own before airing them with her friend.
"Kate, you've seen him a lot the past years. I just want to know … what he's been like? I feel like maybe he's changed since I knew him. Or in one way he's different and in another way he's just the same…" She's not making any sense, but Kate shrugs.
"Just like you and me and everybody else have from ten years ago, then. I think he's matured that's all. Other than that I don't think he's different." Then she smiles suddenly. "Except with Jamie and Ella. They certainly know Christian better than I do. Maybe you should be talking to them."
Ana smiles. Christian wasn't just trying to impress her when he was talking so fondly about his niece and nephew. She also remembers the ease with which he talked to Sara. Although she tries to suppress the feeling, she's very pleased.
"Ana, are you seriously going to date Christian? I know about the "picnic"," Kate makes a face and rolls her eyes, "on Sunday. Seems my son is chaperoning."
"I am not dating him. I've made it very clear to Christian that I can't date him, Kate."
"Then what are you doing? Are you two just going to be friends? Excuse me, but that's preposterous." Kate actually looks quite upset. But then her face softens and she reaches over the table and takes Ana's hand.
"Honey, you're still so naïve sometimes. Are you telling me that you're going to resist Christian Grey? Nobody does, except maybe me. I seem to be immune." She snorts. "You two will be all over each other in a blink. I saw the sparks at my birthday party. If you don't want to be with him, you will have to stay away completely, Ana."
Ana looks at her friend. Kate is so sincere and caring, and she's right. What is she doing? Keep telling yourself the friend fib all you like, but you know it's just a matter of time. Of course she's known all along that if Christian Grey still wants her, there's no way she'll be able to resist.
Her eyes well up and she tightens her grasp on Kate's hand. "It's too late," she whispers. "I already can't stay away. Why? I've only seen him three times, but it's just like the first time we met. I can't think of anything but him."
"Oh, Ana." Kate seems at a loss for words for once. But she gets over it quickly and straightens her back, getting ready for a Speech a la Kate. "Listen. If you two want to be together nothing would make me happier. But please make sure that you are on the same page this time, before things go too far. I don't ever want to see you or Christian the in the stateyou two were ten years ago, When you broke up." And then, half-jokingly: "Yes, I have come to care for Christian a lot, I know that surprises you. But he loves my children and that makes him irresistible, in an uncle-sort-of way. So I really don't want to see him hurt either." Kate sighs. "What I'm saying is, do what makes you happy Ana, but just go slow ok? You guys have been apart for ten years; give yourselves some time to catch up."
Ana still has tears in her eyes, but she's smiling and nodding. "Slow is good, I like that." She takes a sip from her cappuccino, which is getting cold by now. She can always count on Kate to straighten her tangled thoughts. "Anyway, Christian is seeing someone, so you might be getting ahead of yourself slightly, Mrs. Grey.
Kate finishes her coffee slowly and actually talks into the cup. "You mean Nicole? Christian told Elliot he broke it off yesterday."
Oh. So much for slow. But I'm so happy Nicole's gone.
"Why are we making a cake if he told us not to bring anything?"
It's eight on a Sunday morning and Ana and Sara are baking a chocolate cake to bring to the picnic with Christian. Sara thinks it's a bit early to be out of bed on the week-end. But Christian is picking them up at ten, and the cake needs to rest and cool.
Ana wasn't going to make a cake, but last night when she couldn't sleep, she changed her mind. She had to bring something. Starting a bake in the middle of the night would probably wake Sara, a light sleeper. Shame, it would have been the perfect distraction from her thoughts.
Instead she was tossing and turning for hours. What if he wants her? What if he doesn't want her? How will Sara fit into everything? She won't, not if there's still a Red Room of Pain in his apartment. Has he had submissives over the years? Can he still not sleep without her? Does he still love me?
In the end Ana had been able to get a couple of hours of rest, and now she's so nervous she feels wide awake despite the lack of sleep.
After getting the cake in the oven, they have a long, lazy breakfast together. They talk for a bit while eating, Sara is excited that Jamie is coming to the outing. Then they immerse themselves into their respective books while drinking their tea.
At ten o'clock sharp, a car pulls up outside their house and Sara yells: "They're here!" But when the man gets out of the car she's disappointed. "It's not them," she says sulkily.
Ana opens the door to see who the unexpected guest is and she gets a small shock.
"O my God, Taylor!" Christian has sent Taylor to get them! Ana wouldn't have thought he still worked for Christian; being his chauffeur and head of security was quite a demanding job, after all.
Without hesitation she throws herself at Taylor, giving him a long hard hug. He hugs her back, although with a little more restraint. When she lets him go, his cheeks are flushed but he's grinning at her. "Very pleased to see you again, Mrs. Randall. Mrs. Taylor sends her best as well." Mrs. Taylor? Have he and Gail …
"Oh, Taylor!" She hugs him again. "You and Gail got married? That's fantastic, I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Randall." Taylor gives her a big grin again. "I will tell her you said so. Are you and Miss Randall ready to go? Mr. Grey is waiting."
"Taylor, call me Ana, and this is Sara. And yes, we're ready." As I'll ever be.