Melii is back with nearly 5000 words of... not the date :D

Thanks for the love, the reviews and the obsession with Daddy C. He feels honored. ;)

NOT BETAED!

12. From girls and Nanas

„…how is everyone? Your friends are treating you well?"

The fatherly tone of Ray made me smirk as I tried to clean a pepper while talking to him with my phone squeezed between my shoulder and my ear.

„Yes, Dad. They are treating me well. And they are fine." I told him about Jose's newly found obsession with photography, something he was pretty good at. Being the nature lovers that he was, Jose loved to take pictures of mountains, rivers and long winged ravens flying over frozen lakes.

„Well, he can take a picture of our next fishing trip." Ray announced, his proud smile audible. „He is driving over next weekend. A couple of guys from work will accompany us."

„Jose is going to visit you?" I asked with a frown. He didn't say anything about it, even though we saw each other daily at work. I didn't know what to feel about Jose and my father spending time together, they were friends, but Jose had never driven all the way to my dad's place to go fishing.

„Gia insists that you come, too. She can't wait to meet you and your boyfriend." My father said enthusiastically, my frown deepening.

„Jose isn't my boyfriend, Dad." I said, stopping my task of cutting vegetables. The salad I was preparing had to wait.

„Oh. I just thought since you both are so close.." He stuttered, I knew him well enough to know that he was blushing now. Ray was the second person on earth who was easily embarrassed after me.

„Jose is just a good friend, Dad. A very good friend to us both, it seems." I said, wanting to end this boyfriend business.

„He is a good one. Nice, polite and knows fishing. I am happy that you have someone like him in your life. Makes your anxious father sleep better." Ray joked. I suspected that he was hoping for me dating Jose.

„I'm big enough to take care of myself." I said, leaning against my kitchen counter with my back. „The big city doesn't scare me."

„I'm just an old father who wants to see his daughter's happiness. And maybe have some grandchildren."

I smirked at his words.

„You are not that old." I said, although his grayish hair was giving him the old man look. „You are too young for grandchildren."

Loud squealing coming out of my living room interrupted our conversation. I rolled my eyes.

„Dad, the girls are over and I fear that they are having too much fun in my living room. I will call you tomorrow. Say hi to Gia."

„Say hi to the girls from me. Are you coming over with Jose next weekend?" He asked, making me pout.

„Unfortunately, I already have plans. But I promise to visit you as soon as I can."

„Okay, Annie. We will talk tomorrow."

After we hung up, I sighed exhausted, thinking that Jose was going to meet Ray's girlfriend this weekend before me. The thought saddened me, I had wished to meet the new lady of my father soon, but unfortunately, I was otherwise occupied on next Saturday.

I'm kidnapping you on Saturday night. – Christian.

His text came two days ago on Tuesday evening, making me jump and down in my seat, squealing like a giddy teenager. I kinda felt like the crazy mother hens of Mrs. Williams', whenever the hot daddy tipped an imaginary hat at them. With great pleasure and smugness, I had noted that he wasn't tipping anything at them anymore, he just smiled politely before he winked at me , dazzling me with his panty dropping smile.

Speaking of panties, mine were desperately trying to find their way out of my pants whenever Christian looked at us with his intense gray eyes. I had tried to act all professional whenever I saw him when he picked his daughter up, but professionalism meant nothing to me when his lips were so close to kiss, but so far since there were too many witnesses around us. The only thing I could do was to smile and do small talk, since Christian and I had agreed on taking things slow in public. We needed to find out what we were before we let other people know.

If you asked me, I would call us a project, something that needed to be worked on, and I was ready and willing to work on anything of his.

„Ana!" I heard Andrea call out, her slur giving away that she already had too many drinks. Great. The night was just starting.

Leaving my neglected salad behind, I walked to my living room on which's floor Kate, Andrea and Leila were sitting around my coffee table. They had put all kind of snacks – popcorn, chips, gummy bears, chocolate bars. You name it, they have it – and Tequilla shots on the brown, wooden surface. They had emptied the first half of the Tequilla bottle, which explained their loud giggles and squeals.

„I can't believe it." I narrowed my eyes at them with my hands at my hips. „I'm trying to cook us something yummy and here you are, eating junk food before dinner."

„Shhh. Ana bear, don't be so tight." Andrea chuckled, mocking Jose's voice. The other two laughed at her joke.

„Ana bear?" Kate said, looking at me with a questioning look. „Is that your nickname?"

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

„Yes, it is." Leila said with a goofy grin on her face. „We all call her that and since you are now a member of our gang, you have to, too."

„Please don't call me that." I tried my luck on convincing her not to call me that stupid nickname, Jose had given me.

„Don't listen to her, Kitty Cat." Andrea had already given Kate a nickname, oblivious to my private joke. According to her, Kate deserved that nickname since she was the youngest in our group, originally from Oklahoma, and kinda lost in the big city of Seattle, but like a stubborn kitty, she fought her way through the busy crowd.

„Ana bear, Kitty cat. We have an animal muster." Leila pointed out excitedly. „Let's think about nicknames for us, too."

So, the discussion about fitting nicknames started, in which creative suggestions like Kobra A for Andrea and Bambi Leila were made. I supposed that the amount of alcohol in their veins made their ideas less intelligent. When I tried to convince them to help me with the food, Leila just yanked at my arm, making me squeal when I fell down on my ass.

„Have a shot, Ana bear." She said as she handed me over a glass. I gave up and took it, there was no way I could get them to help me now. Seemed like dinner consisted of junk food for tonight. I grimaced when my throat felt like it was on fire, wondering why grown-ups were lying to themselves about alcohol. It didn't taste good enough to enjoy the pain.

„I bet you feel less tight now." Andrea joked as she poured me another shot. Leila snorted unattractively.

„That's what he said." Her brilliant wit made me sigh, while the other two giggled like hens.

„Ha. Ha. I'm glad that someone with your wit is responsible of little kids." I said dryly, making her stick her tongue out.

„Shut your cakehole, Ana bear. Drink your shot."

„I'm so lucky to have met you girls. I don't think I had this much fun before." Kate said with a drunken blush, her light complexion gave so much away, she blushed easily.

„We are lucky to have met someone who can get us free drinks at a restaurant."

Andrea joked, her grin wide. She looked like a drunken mess, with her hair standing on its ends, her lipstick smeared, her t-shirt crooked. She would never look like this if she was sober.

„I think, Kate would get in trouble if she gave us free drinks." I noted, reaching for the gummy bears. I didn't think we would get to eat some of the Cannoli, I had planned to cook.

„We need to find someone who works as a bartender. That's what our group is missing." Leila said, chewing on popcorn.

„Oh. I have a friend who works as a bartender in this cool bar. He could give us free drinks." Kate said with an excited expression. She was a really attractive woman in her early twenties with blonde hair and shiny blue eyes, around her nose she had lots of light freckles. Her lips were full and uneven, naturally colored in a reddish tone.

„Kitty cat, you just became my most favorite person on earth." Andrea said with her hand at her chest in a proud gesture. Drunken love confessions were made, Shakespeare would be proud if he could hear Andrea quomting him, while Leila started laughing maniacally. Alcohol really changed people.

„Where is the hot daddy taking you?" Leila asked me. When they were making plans for next Saturday, she had remembered that I had a date. I remembered too well how they had freaked out when I had told them about my date with the hot daddy. There was a loud round of squealing, squeaking and telling me that I better wax my kitty because apparently kitty scratches felt better without fur on it.

„I don't know. He hasn't told me."

I had tried to persuade him to tell me where we were going to go, but persuading Christian to do something was impossible. He had just send following text, mocking me with his emoji.

Patience ;) - C

I was a saint when it came to patience, it was a virtue I possessed, but something about his tone made me want to throw a temper tantrum like a little kid. He enjoyed that very much in a cocky, arrogant, but hot way. Something about his confidence drove me crazy.

„How can you know what to wear then? What if you dress inappropriately?" Kate gasped, looking at me as if Christian had commited a great crime.

„I'm going to wear.."

Andrea interrupted me with a groan.

„Please don't say that you are going to wear your casual jeans and shirt outfit." She rolled her eyes at me.

„I wasn't going to say that. And I don't understand what's wrong with it." I shrugged my shoulders, another gummy bears disappeared in my mouth.

„He has seen you in that outfit since you guys met. Maybe it's time for something else. You know, something that could take his breath away." She said, earning an approving nod from the two others.

„I'm sure he would like to see her out of her clothes." Kate snorted at her own words, earning a long look from me.

„Kate, I would hate you to turn into these ladies. Don't be fooled by their cool looks, they are huge dorks." I warned her playfully, nudging her with my shoulder.

„Dorks whose fashion advise you should take, since they dress to impress." Leila flipped her hair back with a raised chin. I looked at her doubtfully with raised eyebrows.

„Really, Miss I'm wearing a Chanel blouse with sweatpants?" I nodded down toward her lap where she was sporting dark blue sweatpants with white stripes on each leg. She pursed her lips, throwing a gummy bear at me. It hit my forehead.

„The fashion police doesn't work on girls'-night-ins. This doesn't count."

„Hey! You know what?" Andrea suddenly exclaimed. „You should buy that plum dress. You know, the one we saw last week? That looked super awesome on you."

„Of course, I will. As soon as I win on the lottery." I answered sarcastically, earning another gummy bear on my forehead. „Stop throwing with food."

I pulled the gummy bear package away from them, blocking their hands as they tried to reach for it.

„Don't joke about that dress. It was fabulous." Andrea said with a warning tone, answering Leila and Kate's questions about it. She described it with so many flowery words, that it made the British Literature student in me proud.

„Ana, you have to let us lend you money for it. You can't miss out on a dress like that." Leila begged. Before they could offer me money again, I interrupted them.

„I have a dress, I could wear. It's not my usual jeans-shirt-combo." I said nonchalantly. Just like I had thought, they were distracted with it.

„Show us."

Dutifully, I made my way to my bedroom, picking up my summer dress from my wardrobe. It was a cute, little thing with little, red and whire flowers printed on it. Its thin straps lead to an oval, socially acceptable low collar, its skirt reached my thighs. I had bought it last fall at a sale, thinking that it might come to an use eventually. Seemed like it was meant to be worn on my first date with Christian Grey. When I returned to the living room, I got approving looks from my friends.

„Well, that's a cutie." Kate said, nodding at herself.

„I thought I could wear it with a Cardigan since it can get chilly at nights. And my flats with my thighs underneath it." I mumbled, holding it up so they could how short it was on me.

„Skip the tighs." Leila said, reaching over to touch the fabric of my dress.

„I don't want to freeze my butt off." I said with a frown. It was unusually chilly for May this year.

Global warming be damned.

„It's worth the risk. Trust me. He will be all over you." Leila argued with a knowing smirk.

„More than he already is?" Andrea snorted. „I mean, the way you said he kissed you? Hot."

I knew I shouldn't have told her the details of our kiss.

„But won't it look.. cheap? I mean, won't it look like if I'm just asking for sex?" I muttered, maybe being a little old-fashioned.

„Honey, there is nothing wrong with just asking for sex. Besides, it's obvious that you are not that type of girl. You are not like his ex wife." Leila said firmly, her hands at her hips. I looked at her, biting my lip, because the mention of his ex wife made me nervous. She was the last thing I wanted to think about before our date.

„Do you know his ex?" Kate asked curiously, curious being her main character trait. It was probably a good thing since she was studying Journalism. As soon as we had made her a member of our gang, Leila and Andrea had made sure that she knew everything about the hot daddy and me.

„Yes, I do. We are friends on Facebook." Leila confessed, making Andrea gasp.

„Why didn't you tell us that before? Show us her picture." She insisted curiously, while I could only watch Leila pick up her phone with anxiety sitting on my guts. It felt wrong, snooping around.

„Holy shit. That's her?" Andrea let out as she and Kate were leaning over Leila's phone, the screen of the small device throwing a soft light at their faces. Their fingers zoomed in and out of the picture, analysing every corner. By their reactions, it was easy to say that she looked more than fabulous. Suddenly, my stupid dress in my hands felt more stupid.

„Well, no wonder their daughter looks cute. That's a great mix." Andrea stated, only now noticing my doubtful expression.

„Oh. Ana, we didn't mean to hurt you." She said with a sad tone, genuinely sorry. I brushed it off, telling her that it was nothing to worry about. Curiosity finally made me take a look of Christian's ex wife, a long legged Blonde with a breathtaking smile and mesmerising curves. Elena Lincoln was the type of human being, you usually only saw on magazine covers, someone who deserved to walk on red carpets or catwalks. To make matters worse, she was a professional and successful business tycoon, she had her own brand of shampoos, conditioners and bodywashs – her brand was called Ella, something you couldn't buy at the drugstore.

I felt like a good smelling bomb had hit me.

Bomb – 1.

Ana's self-esteem – below 0.

The next morning, the Friday before my date with Christian, I woke up with a slack feeling in my bones. My sleep had been restless since I couldn't stop from dreaming about a gorgeous Blonde making fun of me, making me regret eating junk food last night. I was sure that a therapist could have a field day with my dream, it surely showed that I let some pictures on Facebook drag me down. She probably didn't look this good on real life, I tried to tell myself. People put only their best photos online. Besides, I had nothing to fear about her.

If Christian had wanted her, he wouldn't have divorced her.

The slack feeling didn't leave through the day, though. Only Christian's texts managed to humor me.

I can't wait to see you. – C

Did he used to say those words to his ex wife, too? Dear God. I had to stop thinking about her, otherwise I would ruin our date.

You will see me when you pick Ellie up. In approximately, two hours. – A

I threw a look toward my class, they were happily watching the Disney money I had put on. It was a classic, The Sword in the Stone. They were oblivious to my flirty texts and my flushed face.

I'm not picking her up today. My mum will. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. – C

His mother was going to pick her up? That was a first. That was intimidating. Had he told her about our date? Did guys tell their mums about the teachers they wanted to wine and dine? I feared that she would think less of me, when she found out that I was her granddaughter's teacher. Crap. Maybe she would think of me as a hussy, who flirted with her students' parents, instead of being a professional. I was such a mess – a nervous, horny mess since our meeting at Edward's.

After he had managed to make me ask him out, like the cocky bastard that he was, we had shared a few drinks while chatting about Ellie, his work at the workshop as a car mechanic and my degree in British Literature.

The sexual tension between us had been thick and unbearable, I had been so close to just jump his bones, maybe let him have his wicked way with me right there and then, but somehow, we had managed to keep our hands to ourselves. Talking to him was fun and easy, even though he was intimidating and rudely direct.

He always bluntly told what he was thinking about, for example, telling me that he detested Mark Twain's fragment on Jane Austen because he thought that Twain was just a misogynist or telling me that he liked the taste of my lips, he couldn't wait to kiss me again.

I had expected a kiss after his words, hell, I had even ached for it. But when we said our goodbyes at the end of the night, standing once again by my car, where memories were the freshest, he had just hugged me gently, his hand at my waist, before he went his way. While he had walked to his car, I had stared at him with disbelief visible on my face, cursing myself for not taking what I wanted. I should have kissed him, and by now I knew him well enough to know that he probably had just tested me. Hell, the man had made me ask him out, of course, he would make me do the first step.

Too bad that first steps weren't my strength.

Maybe tomorrow night, I would be able to kiss him again. I was hoping for it.

„Miss Steele?" I looked down at the boy at my side. Josh was given me the full puppy dog eyes experience, his green eyes exceptional at this.

„Yes, Josh?" I asked in concern, when I saw that he was biting his lips nervously.

„I'm feeling sick." He mumbled quietly. Immediately, I checked if he had a fever by holding the back of my hand against his forehead. It wasn't hot.

„What do you have, Josh? Where is the booboo?" I asked softly. He pointed to his stomach, cringing once.

„Why don't we call your mum to pick you up?" I said, feeling the eyes of the other kids on us, the movie not as interesting as our talk.

Josh nodded shyly, now holding onto my hand as if his life depended on it. I helped him pack his stuff, before I went to Leila's office with him, leaving the rest of my class to Nicole who was in the room next door. Leila was typing something on her laptop when we entered.

„Josh is feeling ill. Will you call his parents?" I asked her, helping Josh up as he sat down on a chair. He was hugging himself with his tiny arms, his face grimaced because of pain. I couldn't look at sick kids without feeling like crying, my empathy was too big.

„The Kavanaughs, right?" Leila asked me with a questioning look, her phone already in her hand.

„Yes. I think, his father is at home. His mum has a full time job." I explained, turning to Josh now. I kneeled down beside him, reaching for his hands.

„Your father will be here soon, Josh. Miss Williams will wait with you, okay? Get well soon." I said, smiling encouragingly at him. He pouted, again giving me puppy dog eyes.

„Can't you wait with me, Miss Steele? Please." He begged quietly.

„It's okay, Ana. I will check on your students. You can stay with him." Leila assured me after she talked to Mr. Kavanaugh on the phone.

„Thanks, L." I said with a smile, sitting down on the empty chair beside Josh.

As Leila left, I tried to distract Josh with small talk. I told him about my father's obsession with fishing, telling him that I didn't like fishing or eating fish, asking him questions about him, which he answered quietly at first, but after a while he was more confident. He was especially interested in talking about comics. I had a talk with his parents just last week about his obsession with comics, his father shared that obsession with him. I had told them that some of the comics, he had brought to kindergarten, were too violent for a kid his age, they had made sure to put them away safely after that. But Josh's love for them was visible on the pictures, he drew.

I had noted that he was a very talented kid, he was also very precise with what he drew.

Twenty minutes later, there was a light knock on the door. It was Josh's father, a tall man in his early thirties with a dark blond ponytail and warm brown eyes. Josh hugged his leg as soon as he entered Leila's office. I stood up to greet him, telling him that Josh had complained stomach aches.

„Thanks for waiting with me, Miss Steele." Josh said to me when his father carried him out. Unlike his wife, Ethan Kavanaugh wasn't very chatty, but he had a soft aura and treated his son kindly.

The rest of the day was over in a rush, curious eyes and nosy voices asked me about Josh's well beings when I returned to my class. I assured them that Josh was fine and on his way to the doctor.

„Josh goes to the doctor a lot." Ellie announced, her soft voice full of concern. „My mummy said that he goes to talk to the doctor."

Did Ellie just mention her mother? That was a first. What was it with Grey's and their mothers today? They seemed too eager to talk about them.

„You don't go to doctors to talk." Alice said with a frown, she always loved to correct people. „You go to doctors, so they can heal you."

„My mummy isn't a liar." Ellie stated with a frown. „You can go to doctors to talk, right, Miss Steele?"

All eyes were on me again. Crap.

I suspected that Josh was seeing a therapist, although I couldn't know why, and most importantly, I didn't know why this wasn't in his file. I tried not to frown as I answered my kids.

„Well, yes, you can. But if Josh goes to talk to a doctor, that's nothing we should talk about." I said, trying to distract them by telling them that it was time to pack their stuff.

The mention of the end of the day made them forget about Josh and his doctor, thank God. Loudly, they slipped into their jackets and packed their backpacks, before I let them out. My colleagues and their students soon enough met us at the entrance where we sang our goodbye song, before we opened the doors to let them out. Their mums and dads were already waiting, the crazy hens aka the Christian Grey fan club were pouting, since the man of their dreams wasn't present.

In his stead, there was a stylish clothed woman in her late fifties with caramel colored hair and a sweet smile. Ellie ran toward her with a squeal when she saw her, the woman caught her with wife grin.

„Nana!" I heard Ellie say loudly. I watched them from afar with Nicole and Andrea at my side, who were oblivious to what happened.

Christian didn't resemble his mother at all, I noticed. Maybe he looked like his father. Maybe Ellie had a hot granddaddy. I snorted at that thought.

„What are you laughing at, Ana bear?" Andrea asked beside me, still looking hungover from last night's drinking. I didn't know why we had thought it would be clever to have a girls night on a school day, but the promise of alcohol, junk food and gossip had made us decide for it.

„Christian's mum is picking Ellie up." I whispered, nodding toward said woman. Immediately, Andrea scanned them with her stalker eyes, taking in every detail like a pro.

„Her clothes look fancy. Probably Dior." She nodded to herself. I nudged her shoulder, warning her, because Ellie was just pointing toward us as she spoke excitedly with her grandmother.

„Miss Steele! Come and say hi to my Nana." She said proudly, waving me over. I blushed deep crimson, smiling awkwardly as I made my way over to them.

„Meeting the mother-in-law before the first date? That's just so you, Ana." Andrea had whispered to me with a grin before I walked away from her.

Ellie was all over me when I walked up to them, gesturing wildly with her arms as she told her grandmother about the time, I managed to build a decent looking sandcastle. It had made her day when I put a bunch of flowers on top of it, naming it the flag of the castle.

„Hello, Miss Steele." Mrs. Grey gave me a warm, motherly smile when we shook his hands. „It's nice to finally meet you. Ellie has been speaking highly about you."

„Good afternoon, Mrs. Grey." I greeted her, smiling although I felt nervous. „Ellie has been speaking about you, too. About your flowers, especially."

„Thanks for saving them, by the way. Since you told her that flowers die if you pluck them, she hasn't touched them." Mrs. Grey laughed like an angel, I soon enough found out.

„It's my moral duty to save the nature." I joked nervously, crossing my arms at my chest. Crap. I wasn't clothed as fancy as her.

„Nana, where is Daddy?" Ellie asked her, looking up with big eyes.

„Your daddy has to work a little longer tonight, so he can take tomorrow afternoon off." Mrs. Grey explained patiently, making me raise my eyebrows. I supposed that he was talking tomorrow afternoon off for our date, although we weren't meeting until 6pm. He had told me that he would pick me up then.

„Come on, Ellie. Your granddad has made mac'n cheese for you. Miss Steele, it was nice meeting you. I hope, we see each other again." Christian's mum said with a polite smile.

„Likewise, Mrs. Grey. See you Monday, Ellie." I smiled back and waved as they went their way. My cheek hurt from all the smiling. Andrea was at my side, immediately.

„What did she say? What was she like?" She whispered eagerly, making me roll my eyes. Sometimes, her questions could be tiring.

„She was nice, just like anyone in their family, I suppose." I answered with a shrug.

„You haven't met them all yet. They could be mean." She argued.

She was right, I didn't know what was yet to come, but I didn't bother over thinking it. For now, I had Christian and his texts which made me giddy and anxious.

I can't wait to kiss you tomorrow. - C

Daddy C's ass belongs to sammyfl for this chapter ;)

Well, no Daddy C in this one, but important meetings were made - personally or via Facebook. This chapter got longer than I had expected, but I guess, that's just your luck.

Next time: the date, maybe a kiss, maybe even more. ;)

Melii xoxo