Chapter 26

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Christian was startled awake by the beeping of his alarm. It was a horrendous, strange sound to him. One that made his soul jump from his body and his eyes open wide. He rarely slept long enough to hear his alarm go off in the morning. With a groan, he rolled over to the other side of the double bed and reached for his phone, tapping on the home button to unlock it. He wiped the drool away from his eyes as he slowly woke up. The bright screen illuminated, causing him to squint his strained eyes. He could just make out the shape of Ana's beautiful face.

A smile drew across his lips as he stared at her. He had taken the photo last time he saw her, which wasn't much in the past few weeks. Carla had her on lockdown since she was put on bed rest. Christian still made sure to stop by every Saturday after he was finished at the Trevelyan house. Ana would always be in the lounge room, bored out of her mind watching some movie that she knew all the words too. Her face would light up with a smile whenever she saw Christian. He managed to catch one of those smiles on camera.

Slowly, his eyes shifted away from the beautiful girl he was able to call his. The numbers on the screen came into focus…

"FUCK!"

He threw the covers back and quickly jumped to his feet. He was late. He was going to be very late. He was never late. His eyes scanned the room in a panic, searching for his school uniform. He had gotten home from work late last night and stripped off his clothes, dropping them wherever before crawling into bed and passing out. He was meant to work on his AP calculus revision homework as well as his French essay. In the corner of the room was a half completed bassinet. Elliot had attempted to build it for him since he had a natural knack for tools, but even he couldn't figure it out. There was also a car seat that Christian had to put in his truck. There was so much he had to, but no time or energy to do it.

He was running out of time, not just to get to school, but to get ready for his son.

Teddy would be here at any moment. It was unlikely he would stay put until his due date. Like Christian, his son was going to be impatient. He was going to want things on his terms. That was probably karma for Christian and his bad attitude.

He buttoned his school blouse in record time and jumped into the legs of his crinkled trousers. He flatted down his bed-headed curls and squirted a mouthful of toothpaste in his mouth – that would have to do for the day. He rushed down the narrow hallway, throwing his heavy backpack over his shoulders as he went. The smell of Ella's freshly brewed herbal tea filled his nostrils causing his stomach to ache. He needed a coffee. Actually, he needed food. He hadn't had time to eat since yesterday morning.

He doubted he would have time today, either. He had back-to-back classes and would need to take Ana to her weekly doctor's appointment.

"Morning!" He shouted out to Ella as he passed the kitchen on his way to the front door.

"Christian-"

"Can't talk now, Mumma"

"Hey!" Ella's footsteps picked up behind him as she followed her son. Her warm hand wrapped around his bicep and spun him around. He was forced to stop "Where are you headed in such a hurry?"

"School. Shockingly"

"Hey, drop the attitude, Mr. Grumpy"

He sighed "I am late, Mom, I really need to go"

"You didn't come home until late last night"

"Yeah, I stayed behind at work. Carrick had a few tuxes for me to try on for the party"

The fundraiser was next Friday night and it was the last thing Christian wanted to do. It would be a night filled with people who had looked down on him his whole life, now suddenly showing an interest in him since he was Carrick Trevelyan's biological son. The coward in him wanted to say "fuck it" and forget about the night. He would run away and hide, pretending as if none of his problems existed. That tactic never turned out well. He had to go to this party, no matter how uncomfortable it would be for everyone.

"I have something for you" She said as she approached him.

Ella reached for the cluttered, wooden dining table. It wasn't a surface for eating on, but instead for throwing shit on. Junk mail. Car keys. Bills dated back months ago. She reached for a letter that sat on top of the junk pile. Christian's name was clearly written across it. The red emblem sitting in the corner. He knew that emblem. He knew what this was. His heart sunk into his stomach.

Ella's hand shook as she cautiously handed it to her son. "This came for you yesterday"

In his hand was a letter from Harvard University.

"I…Ahh…I was tempted to open it myself but I didn't"

Years of hard work would come down to whatever was inside this letter. His dream of business school was one paper rip away. All he had ever wanted was to make something of himself, to get out of the shithole he called a home, to no longer be the son of a crackhead. He wanted to be important. He wanted to be respected. He wanted to never have to work at a place like Shake 'n' Grill again. He wanted to achieve something amazing, and getting into Harvard was the first step.

So why couldn't he open the letter?

Ella's gentle hand coming to rest on his forearm tore him away from his thoughts. He looked down to her smiling face. Her eyebrows raise. "Go on" She urged him "Open it!"

With a shake of his head, he tucked the letter into the back pocket of his trousers. "I am late"

"Christian-"

He bent down, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I am taking Ana to the doctor this afternoon. I'll be home late. Don't wait up"

"Sweetie-"

"Have a good day, Mumma"

He let the apartment door swing shut behind him.

There was no way she was going to fit into that.

Ana stared down at her old bridesmaid dress. It was a halter design that came to about the knee. Ana had hoped that maybe she might be able to squeeze into it. Yet, as she looked down at it sprawled across the floral bedsheets in the guest room, she knew there was no chance in hell. That meant she had nothing to wear to the party and no fairy godmother to save her.

"What're we going to do, Teddy-bear?" She whispered to herself. Her hand rubbing across her low belly.

She swore her stomach had dropped another inch in the past week. The pressure she felt…down there, was ridiculous. It was like there was a heavyweight holding her down, making it impossible to walk, sit, lay down. Anything. She knew she wasn't meant to stress – actually, she needed to avoid it if she wanted Teddy to arrive on time – but she couldn't help but wonder what the building pressure meant. She would lay awake at night, staring up at the white ceiling, wondering if tonight would be the night she became a mother. Some nights fear would keep her awake, other nights it was excitement. She wasn't sure which one she should be feeling.

She turned the dress over, examining the tag on the back. She held her breath in hope that maybe it was a size 4 or 6 and just maybe Ana could fit into it. No, it was a 2. She would have to find something, and quick. Kate might be able to help her.

"Anastasia?" She glanced over her shoulder to her mother stood in the doorway of the guest room. A hamper of laundry sat against her hip. The overpowering scent of lavender detergent made Ana's stomach churn. "I thought you would've left for your doctor's appointment by now"

"Christian will be here soon"

"Well, you should be downstairs resting while you wait" Carla stepped into the room to see what her daughter was looking at. A frown formed across her face. "What're you doing with your old dress?"

"Just needed to check something" Ana shrugged as she bent down to pick it up. She smoothed out the newly formed creases before returning to her wardrobe. "You know, all I've been doing is resting. It does feel nice to stretch my legs every once in a while"

Carla had taken bed-rest to the extreme

Grace had given Ana firm orders. She wasn't allowed to do any strenuous physical activity – which, yes, included sex. Not that she and Christian had any privacy for that. She needed to limit her stress levels by taking warm, relaxing baths and drinking more green tea. Not that either of those things relaxed her, in fact, she felt more stressed than ever.

The three weeks prior to leaving the hospital had been surreal, to say the least. It was like the threat of Teddy arriving early had kicked Carla's motherly instincts into overdrive. She had set up a bed downstairs in the living room so Ana could rest easily and avoid walking up and down the stairs throughout the day. She was force feeding her three full meals a day filled with iron and protein, as well as a green health shake that tasted like dirt. Ana would much prefer a chocolate thick shake, topped with whipped cream. She was now only allowed to focus on school work for two hours every day, the other twenty-two hours of the day were to be spent resting. That's all she did. Rested. It was driving her bonkers.

Ana wasn't going to lie though, it was nice to have Carla care for her, even if she did take it to the extreme. It made Ana believe that there was still hope for her to change her mind. She always had hope it would happen. As hopeful as she was, she couldn't help but wonder if her mother genuinely cared for her grandson's well-being or if she didn't want him arriving any sooner than what he had to.

Carla's eyes remained focused on the dress. "Why would you need to check the dress?"

"Just checking the size"

"Why?"

"For…the…Ahh…fundraiser"

She hadn't said anything about it to Carla. She figured if she never asked her mother whether or not she could go, Carla could never make a fuss about it.

"Anastasia" She sighed in disappointment. She gave a slow shake of the head. "You can't be serious?"

"I know, the dress won't fit me, I just wanted to see-"

"There is no way you are going to that fundraiser"

"Excuse me?"

"You're on bed rest!"

"Yes, but Grace said I can go" Ana fought "Nothing has changed in three weeks. The cramps have died down. I haven't dilated any further. Teddy isn't here yet!"

"Teddy?" Her mother asked, taking a step away from her daughter. She didn't bother to hide her disdain. It was evident on her curled lips and her upturned nostrils. Speaking through gritted teeth, the disgust fell from her mouth. "You've named him?"

"Of course we've named him" Ana let out a half laugh.

Carla wasn't amused. She was rarely ever amused. Ana couldn't recall the last time she heard her laugh. Stephen never made her laugh, all Stephen did was make her yell and curse whenever he decided to come home – which wasn't often. He would say he was at the office all night working on something for Mr Kavanagh. Ana knew what that something was and she knew it was very illegal, which was why she kept her mouth shut. The less she knew, the less trouble she would get into. Carla had to know something was up. She probably thought he was having an affair. Maybe he was. It wasn't Ana's business to know.

In fairness, she felt sorry for the miserable life her mother had created for herself. A life filled with laundry, and numbing her boredom with brandy by midday. Though, it was hard for Ana to feel sorry for her when Carla was standing there looking at her with such disgust.

"Mom" She spoke softer, this time. "I've left the house three times in three weeks and that was to see the doctor. You can't expect me to sit around on my but all day, just waiting for Teddy to be born. That's not fair on me"

"This is what you chose"

Ana did choose to go through with the pregnancy, no matter how many times Carla had offered her a way out. She would appreciate that not being thrown back in her face.

"I know you think I am some big, bad, bully out to ruin your life, but have you considered how tiring this party will be?" Carla raised her eyebrows up at the girl. "Have you thought about how long you're going to be standing on your feet for? How many people are going to come up to you and ask you about the baby? How many kids your age will be there and the things they will say about you!?"

She took a small breath to calm herself, probably counted to ten inside her head before speaking again. Her voice was much softer this time. Almost caring. "This will be a very stressful environment for you. That's not good for the…baby, now is it?"

You know what else isn't good for the baby? Having your phone taken away from you, not being allowed any contact with peers my own age, being locked inside all day, and having a mother like you…is what she wanted to say.

She continued "People can be cruel, Anastasia, why would you want to put yourself through that?"

"Yeah, I get it, I am going to be the laughing stock of the party!" She cried out "But I am doing this for Christian. I know you don't get it, but this will be important for him, which makes it important for me. I am going for him, whether you like it or not"

She squeezed past the woman, stepping out of the guest room before she said something she would regret. As she made her way to the staircase, she swore she could hear her mother mutter under her breath. "Such a stupid little girl". Ana felt her blood boil with rage. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the staircase railing. Her jaw clenched. She turned, opened her mouth to let out all of her frustrations, but the beeping of a car horn outside stopped her. Christian was here.

She shut her mouth and held her head high as she continued down the stairs.

She would save that argument for later.

It was always a happy sight to see Christian's truck in the driveway. She hurried her steps to meet him. He jumped out of the truck, he was just as eager to see her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he lifted her until her feet barely touched the ground. Their lips found each others in an instant. The softness of his gentle lips making her feel at home. It was only a short kiss that to anybody passing by would look like nothing more than a peck, but to Ana, it felt like everything.

After a quick hello, he lifted her into the passenger sheet of the truck. She hated to admit that she needed help getting in. The radio played what sounded like Red Hot Chilli Pepper's, a band that made Ana think of Ray. It was the only modern music that her father would listen to, even though they weren't very modern. She watched him silently from the other side of the car. Taking in all of him. The way his hair would curl up at the ends. His long eyelashes that brushed against his cheekbones. The heaviness of his eyelids. The bags under his eyes.

Reaching across the car, she gently began to run her fingers through the ends of his hair. He seemed to relax into her touch.

"Tired?"

"Very" He gave a nod of his head. He glanced in Ana's direction. His beautiful grey eyes meeting hers in a split second. With one hand on the steering wheel, he reached across with his free hand to rest on Ana's belly. "This little terror is already causing so much trouble"

"Well, would you expect anything less from the son of Christian Grey?"

"Hey, I am not the troublemaker here!" He declared. There was a playful glimmer in his eyes as he looked to Ana. "I am a perfect, little angel"

"If you're a perfect little angel then I am the queen of England," She said with a dramatic eye roll.

From the corner of her vision, something caught her attention. It was an unopened white letter sitting in the glovebox. It wasn't the letter that caught her attention, but the red school emblem that sat in the corner of it. Maybe her eyes were deceiving her, but she swore that was the Harvard emblem.

As she reached for the letter, Christian quickly grabbed it. He threw it onto the backseat where his school bag and homework had been thrown.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Phone bill"

"You were awfully quick to get rid of it" She questioned him.

He shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

She wished she could say she was used to this.

It didn't matter how many times her vagina was poked and prodded; it was still a surreal feeling to her. She let her nails dig into the foam cushioning of the mattress below her, clenched her eyes shut and tried to recite her alphabet in reverse or name every planet in the solar system. None of the tactics worked. It was still a horrible feeling.

As she laid on the examining table, she thought back to the time when her pregnancy had been easy. All she had to deal with was the occasional morning sickness and tender boobs. She was able to sleep in whatever position she liked. She could walk without issue. Getting into and out of bed was never a challenge. She was able to fit into her old clothes. She was able to socialize with kids her own age. She was able to look her mother in the eyes.

I love you, little boy, she thought, but I need my body back.

She was able to breathe once again as Grace pulled away from the examining bed.

"The good news is you haven't dilated any further" Grace began.

"Bad news?"

"You're now eighty percent effaced"

From the lacklustre research Ana had performed online, she understood that effacement meant the thinning and stretching of the cervix. Once the cervix was one-hundred-percent effaced, the baby would be able to pass through. Ana was eighty-percent.

Oh no.

The wheelie stool squeaked as Grace move to her feet. She would yank off her white gloves and throw them into the trash can beneath the bench. She would then move to the basin to wash her hands, afterwards, she would write down anything that may be of significance, before stepping out of the room to give Ana privacy to dress. She had been to enough of these appointments over the past three weeks to learn Grace's routine.

Ana sat up on the bed, hugging the modesty sheet around her legs.

"So," She asked, "Does that mean he could come in the next week or-"

Grace turned from the bench. She let out a soft sigh. There was a gentleness in her honey brown eyes as she looked to the girl. "We don't know. You may become ninety-percent-effaced but not go into active labour for another five weeks. The only thing you can do in the meantime is rest"

Great. More resting.

Grace sighed "I am sorry. I wish I had the answers for you, but we simply don't know"

That was the worst part.

At least before, she had a due date. She had a date circled on her calendar of when she could roughly expect him to make his entrance into the world. Now she noticed every small flinch or movement he made. She was forced awake in the middle of the night whenever he kicked a little too hard, out of fear that it may be another cramp. There was a constant anxious knot tied in her stomach at the thought that today could be the day.

Grace made her way to Ana, pulling the black wheelie chair to the side of the bed so she could look the young girl in the eyes. She reached out, squeezing her hand.

"You're terrified. I can see"

The corner of her lips pulled up in a nervous, sheepish smile. "It still feels too soon"

"He doesn't think so. He is an impatient little boy. He wants to come out now" Grace joked.

"He is already like his father"

"Speaking of which, would you like me to call Christian in?" Grace asked "I am sure he wants to be here for the ultrasound"

It only took a few short moments for Christian to step into the room. Ana could already imagine him eagerly sitting in the stylish white and cream chairs in the waiting room. His thumbnail in his mouth, his leg bouncing up and down with anticipation. He would've run to the door the moment he heard his name being called.

He stepped inside with a happy smile on his face. With a quick nod and hello to Grace, he came to sit beside Ana. Their hands entwining together. Him gently kissing the skin of her knuckles, reassuring her that he was here. The lights dimmed on queue as Grace prepared the machine. The cool gel was squeezed onto Ana's stomach, it no longer shocked her as much as it once had. The probe began to glide along her bulging pregnant belly. The screen before her came alive with Teddy. This made the horrible, uncomfortable doctor's visits worth it.

His little legs were curled up to his adorable round belly. One of his arms tucked against his chest, the other extended out as if he were waving. The smile couldn't be wiped from Ana's face. She glanced to Christian from the corner of her eyes to see the smile on his face was even bigger.

She loved him.

Teddy and Christian.

"He is exactly the size he should be for thirty-five weeks" Grace informed them. "Placenta is in the right place. The heart is beating fast and loud. He is perfectly healthy"

"And he is a he, right?" Christian double checked.

"Yes, he is most certainly a he"

"I don't think I would be able to handle another gender switch up"

"As I said, he has never been shy to hide his penis ever since he developed one. I am not sure what the other technician sure when she examined you, but I am certain you are having a boy" She assured them "And I have spoken to the nurse. It's not the first time something like this has happened. I don't think her work is suited to my practice"

Ana knew in her heart that she was having a son. She always had. Whenever she pictured a little toddler running around, shirtless wearing only a nappy, she pictured a little Christian. A happy little boy with dark red hair and shining grey eyes. A girl had never felt real to her. She couldn't imagine a daughter.

Grace then continued "Now, one thing I am noticing is his positioning. He is moving into the birthing position"

Her heart picked up.

"Right now he is still mostly on the side, but his head is moving closer and closer towards your pelvis. You're going to start to feel more pressure down there. Your belly will change shape. This is to be expected the weeks leading up to birth" She gently grasped Ana's shoulder in her gentle hand "If we want a safe birth, we need him to move into this position. This is a good thing, even if it is a bit early. Okay?"

She gave a nod of her head.

She was trying to be okay.

They had enough time after the doctors to stop at the Shake 'n' Grill. The smell of grease sizzling on the grill and fries being deep fried caused Ana to audible moan out loud. This was what she wanted. No green smoothies or baked kale, but high-calorie thick shakes and cheeseburgers. They both ordered large meals – it took Ana ten minutes to finally decide what she wanted. She couldn't choose between the ham and beacon special or the gravy fries. Christian chose for her by ordering both. As they waited for their food, Ana could feel eyes burning into the back of her skull. A group of girls dressed in Bellevue Academy uniforms sat in a back booth. Their giggles were quiet, but Ana still heard them.

"We can go somewhere else?" He tried to suggest.

"Let them talk" She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes glancing over to the girls. "I am not ashamed"

Ana ignored the girls as she settled into the booth with Christian. It was easy to ignore them when her mind was focused on the deliciously greasy food in front of her. This was all she had wanted for weeks and it tasted amazing. Christian picked at his burger and fries, he seemed more interested in watching Ana pig out. He would smile as she dipped her gravy fries into the sauce on her burger before taking a big gulp of her thick shake.

She took another big bite of her burger, glancing up she caught Christian's eyes on her. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing. I've never seen you eat so much"

She smiled, patting her belly. "It's what Teddy wants"

His lips pulled up into that smile that made Ana squirm in her seat. The kind of smile that he tried to hold back, but couldn't stop it from growing across his beautiful face. His cheeks dimpled and his eyes shone as he looked at her.

"Are we really going with the name Teddy?"

"Yes," She reached for her thick shake, taking one last sip of the sugary, chocolate drink. "You agreed to it"

"I agreed to it in a moment of weakness"

"But you still agreed to it"

He let out a long sigh "Teddy is too cute, Ana. We have to think about his future. He needs a strong, respectful name. A powerful name. Teddy makes me think of a cute, little toy that kids play with"

"And?"

"And no one will take him seriously because of it!"

He sat forward in the booth, crossing his arms against the bench and looking Ana square in the eyes. He lowered his voice until only she could hear. "If I met a grown man with that name, I know I wouldn't take him seriously"

She smiled "Yes, well, you can be a bit of a judgemental dick sometimes, Christian"

"That's not the point" He sighed, falling back in the booth. "Baby, I love you, but I can't put Teddy Grey on my son's birth certificate"

Ana truly loved the name Teddy. She wasn't sure why exactly, but there was something about it that made sense. She couldn't imagine calling her son Oliver, or Jack, or Hudson. They were cute names, but they weren't his name. His name was Teddy.

"What about Thomas?" He then suggested "Tommy for short. I like that name"

"No"

She liked the name too but not more than Teddy.

Christian let out a long sigh. His hands reaching up to run through his hair. "Lord, give me strength" She heard him whisper to himself. When he looked back up to her, there was a sunken look of defeat in his eyes.

"You really love the name, don't you?"

"Yes" Her smile grew "I love it"

She knew he couldn't say no to her.

She went back to work on her burger before moving onto his leftover fries. He hadn't eaten much tonight. He wasn't usually a picky eater, so there must've been something on his mind. He could be thinking about work, about an assignment he has to finish, the party they had to go to next week, or even the pending birth of Teddy. There was any number of things that may be bothering, but Ana felt like she had an idea on what it was.

She placed her burger down on the plate before her. Glancing up to him, she asked him, "When are we going to talk about the letter you got from Harvard?"

He remained silent.

"I am not stupid, I know that wasn't a phone bill in your car"

He shifted in his seat, reaching into the back pocket of his trousers, he retrieved the folded up letter. He threw it across the table until it landed perfectly in front of Ana. It definitely was from Harvard, just like she thought.

"I haven't opened it"

"Why not?"

He shrugged "I am scared, I guess"

Even she was scared. She could feel her heart rate picking up as she turned it over in her shaking hands. He had worked so hard to build a better future for himself, and regardless of what that letter said, she would be extremely proud of him.

"Worst outcome is I am rejected and I end up going to Washington State. I can live with that"

"Best outcome is you're accepted into the Ivy League school you've dreamt of going to since you were fifteen" Ana reached across the table to grasp his hand into hers. She gently squeezed it. "You have a good chance of that happening"

"Not after my stupid fight with Elliot. I don't"

"Don't be so negative"

A gentle smile grew on his face "Baby, this is Harvard. I am being realistic"

"Should I open it?"

He gave a quick nod of his head "You better because I know that I can't"

The butterflies in her belly awoke, fluttering wildly as she used the nail on her finger to rip open the envelope. Her hands tingled as she tried to control the nervous shakes. There was a single white piece of paper inside. Slowly she opened it. Her eyes first focusing on the large red letters that spelt out Harvard at the top of the page. She glanced back up to Christian who gave her a nod to continue. His eyes focused intently on her. She took a deep breath and swallowed past the lump in her throat.

She began to read.

"Dear Christian Grey,

In recent years, Harvard College has received almost twenty thousand applications to be apart of the sixteen hundred and fifty places in the freshman class. The Admissions Committee has taken great care to choose individuals who present extraordinary academic, extracurricular and personal strengths. In making each decision, the Committee keeps in mind that the excellence of Harvard College depends most of all in the excellence of its students. It is the Committee's belief that…you, Christian Grey…posses the talent and promise to make important contributions to Harvard College…

We are delighted to inform you that the Committee of Admissions has admitted you into the Freshman class of 2015…"

She had to re-read it before it sunk in.

She looked up to the nervous Christian.

"You're in!" She squealed with delight. "You made it. You were accepted!"

The colour had drained from his face. He began to slowly shake his head "No" He whispered to himself. As if he couldn't believe what he heard. He reached across the table, taking the letter from her hands. He re-read it quietly under his breath. His eyes focusing on every word on the page.

Ana jumped up and made her way to sit beside him in the booth. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "This is amazing. I told you, you could do it-"

"Ana…"

"I knew you could it-"

"Ana, slow down" He quietened her. "Don't get too excited"

"What…why?"

"Did you read the bottom?"

She glanced down to the bottom of the page. There was another paragraph.

"Unfortunately, the Committee of Admissions has deemed you ineligible for any Scholarship programs. Please contact us on the number provided or visit our website to discuss other financial aid options.

We look forward to having you apart of our 2015 Freshman class"

Oh no.

That wasn't good.

Sorry for the slow upload.

This was the last hump chapter before the 3 chapter finale.

We have the party next chapter, which I am sure is going to go perfectly and nothing bad will happen.

There is also a surprise visitor returning home. Hmm, I wonder who that might be.

Oh, and also Teddy is coming very soon.

It's going to be a crazy weekend for Ana and Christian.

Review and let me know how you think it's going to go down! :)