Chp34 Meet Anna family
Seattle February: first Monday of the month 9am.
I sip tea in the great room, one more month to go till the blips are born. One more month to cherish the little ones inside me. I watch the grey sky, weatherman said it might snow. I worry Chris and Taylor flew Tango Charlie to Portland for meetings today, they may get stuck there. I made him promise not to take chances. I'd be ok for night. Sawyer and Gail are here, if I get lonely Dad, Sandy, Penny and Lewis and Claude will come by. Grace has taken to stopping on the way to work or the way home to check on me. I'm very irate to be made of glass, or so everyone thinks.
PING! PING! The elevator opens to a very scared James my newest CPO. "Mrs. Grey theirs an elderly lady downstairs demanding to see you. says she your mother."
Carla faking an elderly lady? "How old?" I ask trying to work out what to do.
"maybe seventy, seventy-five, she has a nurse with her. Says the flew in from Cleveland" James says. Moms good at camouflage but not that good. "Who in security?"
"Samuel and me, Sawyers running an errand, should be back in thirty minutes." James say nervous.
"Notify welch and Sawyer, then escort the lady and her nurse up here." I say as Gail enters and stand next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. My loving friend.
PIG! PING! The elevator opens to a very elderly lady pushing a walker, a nurse in formal wear, like a movie. I stare as her head come up, like looking at mirror, older regal version of me. She looks hard at me. "You're not Charlotte." She shakes. "Please sit here on the couch and tell me who you are."
She halting explains who she is and Charlotte. I now shake. I have a grandmother. I see pain and weariness in her eyes, but kindness, and joy of life. The nurse explains she has last stage Alzheimer and advanced heart condition. She shouldn't have flown here. I hold her explaining how Charlotte became Carla. And all the evil she did and is. We cry holding each other. I can't believe I have family.
Sawyer arrives with reinforcements. I wave him over, explaining everything. He relaxes. Sending the extra guys back to Grey house.
She suddenly agitated, something about TV shows. "Mrs. Anastasia, calm down, I'm sure your granddaughter Anna has a TV so you can watch your shows" says Billie the nurse.
"What did you call her?"
"Sorry Mrs. Anna, she gets very agitated if she misses her shows."
"NO! what name did you call her?"
"Name? I don't understand. I didn't use any fouls language? I've never have in her present" Billie become irate.
"NO! you called her Anastasia. Why?"
"it's her name Mrs. Anastasia Dahlia Wheelwright. I don't understand why your upset."
"Calm down everyone. Anna calm down! Down! Mrs. Anastasia Dahlia Wheelwright meet your granddaughter Mrs. Anastasia Rose Grey" say the always steady Gail.
"Charlotte named you after me for spite. She is an evil girl, her father made her like that. beat me so many times I just gave up." Stasia say sad and alone. I hug her smiling into her worried face. "she tried, but we make the name mean kindness and caring, love and family" she melts into me. I feel the old lady pain and horror. I will make her last days the best I can. She will see her great grand-kids are loved and cherished with a big family.
"Gail let's move to the media room, so Grandma Stasia can watch her shows and tell me more on my family. I can't wait to meet the uncle and aunt with the cousins." I smile and say chipperly like a song bird in springs blooms.
XXXXXX
Downstairs Escala lobby 11am
I'm livid as I hit the lobby. Carla snuck in and security let her. Sandy coming from court. Lewis is behind me. the truck is on the curb. I see two teenagers arguing with deskman. "Mr. STEELE! these two-want entries to the penthouse, something about their mother." I turn from the elevators, a pin the boy against a wall. The girl charges me, I hold her throat as well. Two more spawns of Carla, their dead. A guy my age hits me. I release the teens reach for his life. "FREEZE! EVERYONE FREEZE!" screams my wife.
Lewis has some guy on the floor in an arm bar. I look around as the elevator open and Sawyer exist. I want to kill. "Everyone sit over here, while we work out what is going on. Who are you?" Sandy point to the older guy.
"I'm Jeffery Wheelwright, my sister called me, saying my ill mother was upstairs in the penthouse here, this is my son Chuck and my Daughter Windy. Who are you?"
"I'm Sandy Steele, this is my husband Ray. My son Lewis. Any our daughter lives upstairs in the penthouse. Are you sure you have the right address?" Sandy ask, shit I hope they have the wrong address, I'll feel bad, make it up to them.
"They have the right address. Sandy. No! its not Carla upstairs. But her mother, Anna's grandmother, Mrs. Anastasia Wheelwright." Sawyers says
"you though we meant Charlotte's! No wonder you guys went ballistic. She still using that alias Carla Wilkes?" Jeffery says
"It's now Carla Adams, a she's not coming anywhere near Annie or the kids" Ray barks
"What she like?" ask Windy
"I suggest we go upstairs, the ladies are watching Judge Judy. Everyone try to be calm. And not upset or stress Anna" Sawyer commands. We all crowd into the elevator.
"How many kids does she have?" ask the newly minted uncle.
"Three in about a month, she's just started her ninth month. So be gentle. She very special, you'll see." Sandy glows with motherly pride.
We exist to find her sitting in her wheelchair in the foyer. She beams and hugs everyone. As soon as Judge Judy is over Grandmother Stasia will join us for lunch. I sit apart watching the new relatives, a little wary, but Annie is her normal happy self. She loves family whether, blood, marriage, or adoption. She welcomes them all. Carla is in for a shock that her mother found Annie, An Annie welcome them into the fold.
Jeff walks over and sits with me. we talk about the families and how much it means to his mother to have Annie. Proof that Carla never will succeed. Never prosper as long as the family lives.
Xxxxxxxxx
Christian Grey-pov
Escala: 6pm
I walked into a party. Welch notified me late that unknown family had shown up at Escala. Everything checked out and Anna would explain when I arrived.
Anna is holding court on the couch with an elderly lady, Grandma T and Grace with a blonde bombshell about mom's age. The guys are by the patio, what is Jeff Wheelwright going here? I told him we'd consider his proposal.
"Wheelwright what are you doing here?"
"Grey what are you doing here?" he asks
"I live here, this is my home!"
"Your Chris, my new nephew-in-law? Fantastic man. I didn't realize. Sorry I'm Anna's uncle, Carla's step brother. Whoa man! (throwing his hand up in the universal surrender sign) we hate her just as much as you guys. We have nothing to do with the evil bitch. Ok cool. Check with Ray here?" Jeff placates me. Ray nods handing me a beer. I'll need a full briefing but for now Anna happy and that all that counts.
The blonde bomb shell is Jeff's wife, a dark hairs woman is his sister Theresa with her two middle school kids Desiree and Walter. Jeff's kids, who were at the meeting Friday, are here mingling with Penny and Mia. Beth is spinning around dancing with Kate and Elliot. I see Gail kissing Jason, as Claude is banging pots in the kitchen. I simply sit on the floor and rub Anna feet and legs, listen to my wife soar with happiness and pride.
Stasia as she prefers to be called is teary eyed about her grandmother's pearls. The suffragette watch is not a family heirloom, although Great-great grandma did spend three month in jail protesting the vote. Anna will make it a heirloom no-matter what. I feel her happiness as my mother strokes my hair. The Grey now have competition for loud boisterous family. I sneak a slow dance with my girl. As people head home, the Wheelwrights are spread upstairs and down on 15. I love my live, wife and blips.
Xxxxxxxxx
I arrive in Seattle from Boston, its the first Thursday in February. I check my email, a request from my old team leader to skype a conference at 8am Seattle tomorrow. I order a pizza, eating I watch the news. Same old same old.
Logging in to the skype conference I'm surprised by a hard command sergeant major in what looks like the dust of Afghanistan. Two more windows pop up. the JP guy and older guy who looks familiar. "Dodge, I'm Thelonious, that JP and Welch you might remember from first Gulf." The Sergeant-major says
"yea, I remember Welch, my old CO. said you wanted a meet. Well here I am. Why is JP kicking over rocks he shouldn't?"
"It's Family thing, and why are you guarding them?" Thelonious speaks
"Bullshit! You don't have any family stake in Lambert. So, cut the BS and explain, or I simply bury you guys"
"Dodge? We have the same position here, what is your family tie to Lambert?" Welch speaks. The brain trust from CENTCOM is not someone to jump into this lightly.
"Lambert was my kid brother."
"Bullshit, Lambert was a only kid, his mother died when he was eighteen." Welch commands and JP nods
"Frank and Ruth, his mother moved in with my dad and me when he was five, I was fifteen. Dad and Ruth died in the car crash on I-95 outside of Jacksonville." Speaking the words pains me.
"we need to verify that." Welch says
"What your side?"
"Simple we represent his daughter." Welch speaks, I notice JP and the Sergeant-Major are letting him lead. What frigging daughter, Frank had a son, dies days after him of SID's.
"Frank had a son, died of SID's"
"Who told you that bullshit? Carla?" JP
"yea his bitch of a wife. She disappeared before I could talk to her."
"he had a daughter, my god-daughter. Her step father is Ray Steele from LURP. You've heard of him?" SGT-Major speaks deadly and true. Shit Ray "reaper" Steele is not someone to mess with. Could it be true. Do I have a niece? Why the press on Carla?
"Ok, say I believe you, why the action now? Why have a hunter like him?"
"Carla is trying to reenter Anna's life. THAT is never going to happen. The evil bitch is never going to harm her again. Am I clear. There have been several serious attempts on her life, because of who she is and married to. So once were sure of your information. We will contact you and arrange a meeting. Till then sit tight and don't push on us" Welch reads me the riot act, fine but I'm not on board yet.
"Ok, who's she married to?"
"Christian Grey of GEH Seattle. Where are you loc'd." welch says.
"Seattle, Hyatt. I verify my own. I'll call your office at GEH since your Greys man." Hanging up the conference. The last part was a leap of faith. I google Grey. the information is turning my rage meter up. Anna is a doll, perfect with Franks blue eyes. I see so much of him in her. The Attacks, the coma. If Welch and Grey haven't extracted a pound of flesh, I sure damm will. She lives just blocks away. With Steele and Welch security will be heavy. A call to San Diego leads to a couple of former team mates in Grey's company.
I walk over to the Grey HQ. I enter and ask for Grey. Sawyer, the young pup pops up with four hitters. Good, security is solid. We move to a conference room on the twenty floor. Grey is a young punk, but billionaires self-made at 27 are to be expected. We spar and then he takes me home.
Walking in I find my niece very pregnant sitting with an older woman talking softly. I see Frank, like that with our elderly neighbor Mrs. Goshen. Patiently listening, giving comfort to a lonely old lady. I smile kneeling at her feet. Putting my hand on her knee. "Hi, I'm Roger you father Frank's older brother. You are so like him. I love you and will protect you with my life." I feel Christian hand on my shoulder.
She leans forward, taking my hand. "This is my maternal Grandmother Stasia, you are my paternal uncle and I will respect, love and cherish you always, protect you with my life. We're a mixed bag here; blood, marriage, and adoption: we are the clan Steele-Grey. welcome uncle. Are you hungry, thirsty?"
God how Frank in heaven must be jumping over backwards to have created a girl like this. How the parents would have been so proud to call her granddaughter. How I'm going to strangle that bitch for denying me all the years I could have known her, played with her, supported her dreams. Today, for the first time since Frank's death, I have a family. I belong.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Grey Manor
Mom has a charity gala I have to attend Saturday at the country club. Anna family with her new uncles and aunt are having get together, while I'm stuck in a stuffy, pertinacious party for academic scholarships for foster kids. I know the cause is good, but it's a rubber chicken, black tie, borefest.
The dress is something the adults don't know about. Mia and Penny helped me pick out more adult dress. I like it, it works well with the wheelchair. I will look years older I hope.
Bellevue Golf and Tennis Club is a tacky copy of caddyshack, without the whack employees. The place reeks of stuffy, old money assholes. Dad is very polite, but family is expected. So Luke and Mia are here. Elliot and Kate are at Anna's. Mom doesn't want a repeat of last year event. Seems big brother was bringing strippers and very wild women to these things. I see clearly his logic. Wish I was old enough to try it.
Everyone is mingling, dancing, the cool rich asshole kids are across the room. A cripple like me is shunned by them. I feel strange, like I hit a light socket. I watch the cool girls throw out their chest, flipping their hair, like it's a manic group seizure. In walks a tall, heavy shoulder god. blonde hair and deep green eyes, like a laser, they hone in on me. he walks to a table and sits staring at me. I sweat in strange places. I need to find mom or Mia.
I watch has cool mean girl after girl approaches him, he shoots them down. He finally rises straighten his sharp black tux, walking to me, I stare at him with longing I know he'll pass me by. Another fantasy about to be blow up and destroyed. He kneels next to me, looking at eye level into my eyes, he has the deeps speckled green eyes. I long to kiss him. He rises and walks away. What the hell! I chase after him, catching him outside near the porch entry to the links. He lifts me out of my chair into the sidecar of Motorcycle Adonis bike, the WWII one. He hands me a helmet and dons his. "Relax Princess, this is a kidnapping from the boring party. I'm Tom."
"I'm Beth, I need my chair." He smiles and we roar away.
"Next time I get it, but the man was getting to close. Besides, princess you won't need your chair tonight." He purrs thru the headphone in the helmet. I know Taylor has trackers in my shoes. And I have my purse and cell phone. We roar thru the night, like escapee from the law. Till dawn finds us on the Sound in a wooded park. He carries me to a shore side bench, he leans in a kiss me. I melt into his strong arms. He holds me tight. "how old?"
The breaking moment "Almost Thirteen", not a lie, just five more months. He kisses me again "You?" I ask
"Fifteen going on thirty. I didn't expect to see you in Bellevue, I'd though you were a city girl, in the window of the coffee bar."
He noticed me in the window. He noticed me! "I live on the water in Bellevue, you?"
"off north point. you?" he begs between kisses
"western reach, were neighbors. You're not in school at prep?" I quiz, hoping this will never end, but I know the Adults are closing in on us.
"home schooled, three expulsion last year. Although my grandparents are pushing to have me restart next month." He smirks like he's the bad boy.
"try, I'm a junior, we might have classes together. Since I just restart this semester from my expulsion" I smirk back.
He kisses me long and deep. Battling his tongue, I feel elated and happy. As a shadow falls on us. I look up to Dad's quizzing eyes. "well Bonnie and Clyde, your escape is over. Carry the lady to my car. Your grandparents are waiting at your house. Your both grounded for the week. You're lucky that Anna and Mia are covering you two. Christian and Elliot both would like a word with Clyde here. But I'm the adult, so you too can cool you heels for a week without brotherly interference. Kiss Beth goodnight. Thomas your grandparents are waiting." Dad speaks.
As the CPO pull away I look back at Tom following us. Leaning into Dad arms. "He's a wild kid, Beth. Great dad's giving me the you'll never see him again be careful and don't feel pressured to go too far, your both young. Be yourself and trust us. Grace and me to support you." dad tells me pulling me closer.
My parents rule, Mom already set up his email on my laptop. We message the day away. I hope he starts school. I have a boyfriend! A hot stud boyfriend!