Anastasia

I'm enjoying my cup of tea, sitting in Christian's kitchen admiring the sleek modern design. It's strange, his home feels like an empty canvas, just waiting for anyone to paint it, to fill it with life. I try comparing it to my apartment, the place I've called home since I left the shelter. My place is small and colorful, most of the furniture is from Leila, the rest I've bought second hand, so everything bears the evidence of life. Here everything is brand new, and it all feels more like an interior design showroom than a place someone lives in.

The oddest thing is though, that here, even when I'm in this impersonal kitchen all alone, I feel more at home than I've ever felt at my place. I try to find some explanation for it, and I realize it's because of Christian; I'm sure anywhere would feel like home as long as I have him by my side. I can't believe how much has changed, in such a short period of time, I just pray that my life will not change to the worse as quickly as it has changed for the better.

Mrs. Jones comes by, asking if I need anything. "No, I'm fine, thank you for the tea and the bagel, it was delicious..." I answer her. She smiles at me and as her smile reaches her eyes; I realize there's one more thing I have to say "Mrs. Jones... Thank you for helping me with that... Um... Situation..." Thank god Dr. Hewitt didn't meet Carrick as that would have been too awkward… I cringe at the thought and can't help wondering if Grace knows her?

"You're welcome Ms. Steele, it was no problem, I'm just doing my job" Mrs. Jones replies me winking her eye. "Well anyway… Thank you. And please call me Ana, Ms. Steele is so formal" I say hoping she'll do as I ask, as we will probably be seeing a lot of each other and the Ms. Steele mumbo jumbo is driving me insane. "Alright, but only if you call me Gail" she says, her voice soft and friendly. I have loads of questions I want to ask her, now that I feel we have gotten to a friendly level in our interactions, but I don't get a chance, as Taylor is calling for her from his office, and just as quickly as she came, she leaves me sitting there all alone.

Suddenly there's a commotion by the elevator, and a beautiful woman, about my age, steps into the hallway screaming "Christian! Come on, where are you?! Are you ignoring my calls? I know you are at home, no use hiding! CHRIS!" What the hell is going on?

Christian opens the door with a surprised expression, and Carrick is standing just behind him. "You are going to be a step dad?! How could you hide this from me? You have a girlfriend?! And I have to find it out online? Do you have any idea how shocked and embarrassed I was when Laura showed me a picture of you, asking me who this girl is, you are kissing? And I had no idea! None, nada, zilch!" her rant goes on and on as she's slapping Christian on his arm and chest.

Who the hell is this woman and what's her connection to Christian? Holy shit! It's an ex, the thought crosses my mind but I wipe it away; he didn't have anyone before me, or at least that's what he said.

Suddenly the only thought that registers in my mind is that she's touching him! Oh fuck! "Hey... Get your hands of him, he doesn't like to be touched!" I shout at her, running towards them to save Christian from her assault. The woman freezes as she hears my voice, all color draining from her cheeks as she turns to look at me and I realize that Christian and Carrick are both trying to stifle a grin.

Christian grabs my hand and pulls me to his side, wrapping his arm around me while kissing the top of my head. "Ana, this crazy woman here is Mia, you remember, my sister" Christian says and I barely manage a "Hi". "Mia, this is my girlfriend, Ana". Mia's face lights up and she surprises me by giving me a hug "It's so nice to meet you" Mia says with a smile before scowling at Christian and then turning back to me "I'm so sorry for the way I behaved, but my butthead brother" she says nudging Christian with her elbow "didn't tell me he has started dating".

Carrick clears his throat at her choice of words "Mia, please" he says but she just rolls her eyes.

I try to remember if Mia was like this when we were kids? Yup, pretty much; she was funny and bubbly and nosy. I smile, as it is apparent that she still is all of that. "So when, how, where, how long? I want to know everything" Mia keeps on firing away questions at Christian, who sneaks a glance at me, offering a small Sorry about this shrug. I place my hand on his chest and look him in the eye, smiling, trying to tell him It's ok, without using any words.

I realize that has Mia become silent; I turn towards her and see that she's staring at my hand which is lying flat on Christian's chest. The expression on her face reminds me of the shocked stare Grace, Taylor and Mrs. Jones - no Gail, gave us at the beach house.

There are tears welling up in her eyes, as she turns towards Carrick and whispers "Dad... Do you see what I'm seeing?" The sound of her voice is very quiet and calm, it's almost like she's watching an endangered bird sit in front of her, and she's trying to keep her voice down not to scare it away. "Yes, Mia... I see it, it's a sight for sore eyes, isn't it?" Carrick says his whole demeanor radiating a friendly warmth.

I know they are talking about me touching him, the enormity of seeing one small touch, my touch, on Christian's body, is making them shocked to silence. In this moment I realize how isolated Christian must have been, captured inside his own personal prison of fear, and how hard it has been on his family. I feel my cheeks heat up, as Christian traces my cheek with the back of his hand before he lifts my chin and plants a chaste kiss on my lips, the intimacy of him kissing me in front of Carrick and Mia, leaving me breathless.

"Does mom know?" Mia asks, her voice still quiet but she's already digging her purse to find her phone. "Yes, Grace knows... She met Ana at the beach house last weekend." Carrick says and Mia practically screams "What?! Last week! And I just find about this now? Why wasn't I told?" but doesn't wait for an answer before she points at Christian, narrowing her eyes and cocking her head in disbelief "You took her to the beach house? So you've been dating for how long?" She takes a deep breath and I'm sure she's going to launch another assault on Christian so I decide to step in. "No, Mia. He didn't take me there... We kind of accidentally met there." I look at Christian, questioning him if he wants to tell her this but he just nods for me to continue.

"We were both admiring the sunset by the beach, and on my way back to my car I hurt my foot and Christian helped me, just like he helped me when I fell off your bike, do you remember that?" I throw her a curveball, to see if she remembers me after all this time. Mia frowns, and I can almost hear the wheels turning as she's trying to figure out what I'm talking about. Then her eyes widen and a big smile spreads on her face as she remembers me "Oh my god! Ana! Sammy's Ana? I can't believe it!" she shrieks grabbing me into a hug again before pushing me back; holding me on arms-length by my shoulder, looking at me from top to toe. "Wow, you've really changed" she says and I can't stop the giggle that bubbles up from within "Well thank god for that, it has been what - 15 years... And as I didn't even recognize you, so I could say the same about you."

Mia takes a step back sighing, and then shaking her head looking puzzled... "You are about my age, right? How do you do it?" She asks, and I just answer her "Do what?" as I have no idea what she's talking about.

"You look amazing, and even though you are a single working mom, you manage to get my workaholic-hermit brother, who is quite a catch you know, to date you." What? I try to fathom what the hell she's saying until I remember, that she has seen the picture of me and Ben.

Christian raises his hand and stops her from continuing, "Enough already... Mia, you really shouldn't believe everything you read online. It isn't Ana's kid in those pictures." Mia looks at her brother, with a confused expression. "Whose kid is it then?" She asks, and I just answer "It's a kid from the shelter I work at, I took him to the park to give his mom a chance to rest, well... And the rest is history."

"So, I'm not going to be an auntie then? Well thank fuck for that!" Mia says receiving a deadly glare from both Christian and Carrick. "Mia! Enough." Carrick says sternly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's a nice kid and all, but it's just too much to take in after years of worrying if my brother will ever find anyone, the thought of him having kids has never even crossed my mind... Actually I never thought about being an aunt, well not by Chris anyway, I always thought El would be the one to bring a bunch of illegitimate kids to the family dinner." Mia goes on and on and I try my best not to laugh as Christian and Carrick both raise their voices "Mia!"

I find this whole situation too absurd, here I am, listening to my boyfriend's sister ranting about kids when I just had a doctor prescribe me contraception, at his home, on a Saturday. Thankfully Carrick finally gets her to stop talking about it.

"Mia, Grace is waiting for us, we should probably leave... now" Carrick says to her and I'm sure he's just making it up, to get her to stop, as he has to nudge her before she catches up and starts rambling "Oh, right, mom had a thing with the... those people from the... Uh… You're right, we'd better leave" she pauses and catches my hand before saying "Ana, it was so nice to meet you, maybe we could do lunch someday to catch up" "I'd love that" I answer her truthfully; actually feeling good about it, it will be a nice change to talk to her, to have someone my own age to talk to, outside the shelter, and outside Leila. Carrick invites me to the family brunch tomorrow, and I accept it, watching Christian's expression closely for any clues to how he feels about it, but it doesn't reveal anything.

AN: A shorter chapter, as RL still getting in the way of writing, but I hope to have to following chapter up during the weekend!

Again a big thank you to all readers, reviewers and followers!

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H xoxo