Chapter Twelve

The next morning, I have both babies fed and back to sleep before seven-thirty. Feeling proud of myself, I realize that I'm in time to see the girls off on the bus. I quickly throw on a robe and pad downstairs in bare feet. The girls and Teddy are just finishing up breakfast, and Gail is sliding a stack of fluffy pancakes in front of Sawyer. They both freeze and look up at me like I'm a creature from another planet.

Okay, so I really haven't been downstairs much and I still need that shower… "Good morning," I chirp. "Can I help with anything? Have you packed the girls' lunches yet?"

Gail recovers and closes her mouth, straightening. "Well good morning… No, I have it under control. I was just about to pack…"

I wave her off. "I'll do it." I look around me and instantly regret offering to pack lunches. I have no idea where anything is in this new kitchen. "Ummm…"

In the end, I think it takes twice as long with me 'helping' out. It turns out that the peanut butter and jam are in the 'pantry cabinet' which has a complex system of layered doors and shelving. I didn't even know that it existed, never mind what was kept in it.

The girls scramble out the door just as the school bus pulls up and honks its horn. I close the door behind them and lean back against it. "Well that could have gone more smoothly," I say, feeling defeated.

"Don't worry, Ana," soothes Gail. "You'll be back in the swing of things in no time. Come sit down and let me make you some tea."

xoxox

Two days later, my invitation to Gia's party arrives in the mail. It's on heavy, cream stationary with coral and gold flowers. Elinor Landry invites me to join in celebrating her daughter Gia's thirtieth birthday. Like Taylor, the agents aren't sure what the Bitch Troll is up to with her visit to the hospital and now this.

The party is at four o'clock in the afternoon. I can't decide if that's good or bad… I won't have to snoop around in the dark, but I also won't be able to use it as cover.

xoxox

On the Tuesday before the party, Gail and Teddy are the only ones in the kitchen when I come downstairs. "Sawyer went downtown with Christian today," she says, and makes a face. "Taylor isn't feeling well."

"Oh," I say. "Is he… you know." Gail is extremely caring and capable in so many areas, but she cannot handle vomit. Seeing, smelling it, or even talking about it will send her into a round of gagging.

She nods and puts her hand over her mouth, which is my signal to change the subject.

"So…" I say, trying to think of something. I'm relieved when my phone rings, but groan when I see that it's Gia.

"Hey Gia," I say, trying to sound glad that she called.

"Ana! How are you? How are the new babies? Can I tempt you to meet me for coffee? We have got to catch up, girl," she says.

Wow, she's enthusiastic this morning… am I suddenly her new bestie? "Um, I'm good… they're good… I don't know, Gia…" I stammer.

"Come on, Ana," she whines, "Courtney and Ashley are out of town and I seriously need a little girl time. And you need to get yourself out of that house. Just an hour, okay?"

In spite of the fact that it's Gia, it does sound tempting… getting out, sipping a coffee, being in the outside world. And I think Gia rivals Kate in her powers of persuasion.

I sigh. "Give me an hour? And I'll come meet you, okay?"

Gia lets out a high-pitched squeal, and I have to hold the phone away from my ear. "See you in a few," I hear her exclaim before the call disconnects.

I turn around and Gail is watching me with her arms crossed. "Ana, you know you can't go out without security. Sawyer's downtown and Taylor's… you know."

Oh crap… I should call Gia back and cancel, but now I really want to get out. Even if it is with the original super mom. Okay, super mom and possible human trafficker. "I'll be fine. I'll drive straight there, have one cup of coffee in a very public setting, and drive straight back."

"But Christian said -" she begins.

I cut her off and head out of the room. "But Christian's not here. I am, and I want to go have a coffee."

xoxox

An hour later, I am showered and the babies are fed and changed. Gail's quiet when I leave, disapproval radiating off of her.

"Thank you, Gail," I say, trying to make peace with her. "I'll be back in an hour, tops. And if Christian calls… don't tell him that I'm out with Gia, okay? Let me tell him tonight."

I slip behind the wheel of the R8, and ohh it's good to be behind the wheel again. I feel completely and totally liberated as I roar out of the driveway and turn toward town.

As soon as we have our drinks - my latte and Gia's power smoothie - she starts bubbling on about her party, how her mother's really gone all out. "She's brought in special coral roses from Italy… they're called 'Gia' roses… isn't that so perfect?" She sighs. "So I have three dresses that we ordered and I cannot decide which one is my favorite."

Trying to play along and be a good friend, I ask her to describe the dresses and I am subjected to a ten-minute tirade involving shirring, cold shoulders, and yolks. My head is spinning. "Maybe you should ask Courtney or Ashley?" I suggest. "They're really more…"

Gia shakes her head firmly. "Ashley's out of town until Friday and Courtney's with her mother who's ill." She sighs. "Can I just try them on for you? Pretty please?"

"Oh I don't know, Gia, I really should…"

"It'll be super quick… I promise. Pleeease?" She gives me the pouty-face, which I thought was a Kate Kavanagh original.

"Fine," I hold my hands up in surrender, "I guess it's on the way home anyway. I'll follow you, but I have to go straight home afterwards."

The R8 is parked next to Gia's tiny, two-seater convertible. I turn the key and… nothing. What in the world? I try again, and… still nothing. I lean my head back against the headrest. Ugh, me and my stupid baby brain. I must have left something on and drained the battery.

I get out of the car, and Gia rolls down her passenger-side window. "Ana? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah… I think the battery's dead. I don't know what I did, but…" I groan.

"Here, pop in with me. You can give one of your staff a call or we can call a mechanic."

I sigh and slip my phone and keys into my purse. Gia gets out and opens the trunk, placing her purse inside it. "Here, put yours in as well. This car is so tiny, there's no room once you add a second person." I plop my purse in next to hers, and get into the car.

Once Gia starts driving, I automatically reach for my phone to call Gail. Shit, it's in my purse… in the trunk… Ugh. She drives up Crestview, but goes past her driveway and follows the road around another curve.

"Um, Gia…" I say, "didn't you just pass your driveway?"

"Oh didn't I tell you?" She croons, "The dresses are at my mother's… Don't worry, she'll be just fine with us dropping by for a quick minute."

I feel a lump starting to build in the pit of my stomach. We are going straight into the Bitch Troll's den. Part of me wants to tell her 'No, I can't go in there…' But the other part of me doesn't want to raise suspicion. I could blow this whole investigation.

Gia turns into a driveway just past the curve. It's heavily wooded here, with tall iron gates in our path. Gia pulls up to the security box, inputs a code, and the gates swing in to admit us. I can't help but glance in my rearview mirror as the gates close behind us, shutting us in.

I take a deep breath, let it out. Just breathe, Ana. As far as she knows, we're just two friends looking at dresses. She's allowed me into her inner circle and she values my input.

What could go wrong?

Gia Breezes in through the front door calling, "Mother, where are you? I have someone here for you to meet."

I feel a fine prickle of goosebumps break out over my skin. I can't help but feel like I've just walked into the belly of the beast, and I am about to meet the bitch troll herself. Shit. Here I am… and no one knows I'm here. "Gia," I say, "I left my phone in your car… do you mind if I just…"

She waves her hand dismissively "We won't be twenty minutes… promise!" Then she leads me deeper into the house, calling for her mother. And, whether I should or not, I feel like I have no choice but to follow her. We emerge from the entry hallway into a large, open room. Like all the homes on the coast, it's positioned to take in the view. But what strikes me is the color palate, or lack of it. Like mother, like daughter… The room - walls, carpet, furniture, accessories, artwork - is all white with silver accents. I would be afraid to let my kids within one hundred feet of this room. A stray squirt from a juice box would ruin it.

"Darling!" Calls a husky female voice, and a tall, blonde woman appears, coming through the kitchen area. 'I didn't hear you come in… I was downstairs working on some preparations."

And here she is Elena Lincoln in the flesh. My first thought is that this woman has 'cougar' written all over her. She's gorgeous - or she used to be - with high cheekbones and a slim figure. But I can tell she's had work done… her eyes are too cat-like, her lips too full. And her skin has seen too much of the inside of a tanning bed. She's wearing a flowy blouse, tight white cropped pants, and high-heeled sandals. Her too-long and pointed nails, toenails, and lips are all painted fire-engine red. Her eyes are blue, but there's no warmth to them and I know she is taking me in, sizing me up.

"Mother!" Gia rushes forward to meet her, and they air-kiss each other on both cheeks. "I want you to meet my new friend that I was telling you about? This is Anastasia, you know… the one who's married to…"

"Christian Grey," she purrs. And the way she says my husband's name, the way it rolls off her tongue to familiarly, so - possessively - makes my skin crawl. "You may have heard that we were - previously associated?" she asks as she reaches out to take my hand.

I nod, and shake her hand, which is dry and cold, and I immediately pull back out of her grasp. "Yes," I squeak - come on Ana - "Um, I did recently learn that." I cannot discern whether she means their personal or business dealings, but I can only assume both. Does Gia have any idea of their history?

Her eyes narrow, and she looks me up and down, smiling and seeming to suddenly grasp that she's supposed to be playing hostess here. "Can I get you ladies some iced tea?"

Before I can politely decline, Gia answers for both of us. "Oh thank you mother, that would be just wonderful. I was telling Anastasia that I just could not decide on which dress to wear for my party. You've ordered in three such lovely choices." Gia bats her eyes and I can't help but wonder if she's putting on a show for her mother or for me.

Elena busies herself in the kitchen while Gia goes to collect the dresses. "I'll be two secs, Ana, and we'll be done before you can finish your iced tea."

I perch on the edge of a white chair, and Elena brings me my tea, returning to the kitchen for hers and Gia's.

She sits in the loveseat opposite me, taking a long drink. "Mmm…" she says, "I'm from the South and we do love our sweet tea."

I smile, and being polite, take a drink of mine. It's very sweet, and I have never been much of an iced tea person, but I absentmindedly sip on it while watching Gia model the first dress. It's the 'cold-shoulder' one she described, and honestly it's never been one of my favorite fashion trends. But, Gia pulls it off, of course. Like Kate, she can look fantastic in a burlap sack. The dress is white with large roses scattered across it, obviously keeping with the party theme, and the color sets off her tanned skin.

I 'ooh' and 'ahh' over it appropriately. I have years of experience doing this with Kate… watching her parade outfit after outfit in front of me, and of course they always look amazing.

Gia leaves to try on the second dress, and - partly to avoid conversation with Elena - I take long drink of my tea, nearly finishing it off. As I sit waiting for Gia, and in spite of being on high alert because of who I'm with - I start to feel sleepy. I check my watch and yawn - mmm, naptime. But when I lower my arm, it feels strangely heavy. It seems like I am moving in slow motion. And then everything around me is swirling, my whole body feels fuzzy, and I see spots in my vision. I have just enough sense about me to feel a moment of outraged shock before everything goes black.