Christian
Okay in all honesty this movie is really good. I am with Ana thinking that this is way better and Ricky Lake in this movie is hilarious. Ana is asleep around the mess we have made of the bed. I slowly move off the bed and throw away all the garbage and sweep off the bed best I can of the crumbs left over from the pizza we ate. I lift her legs and tuck her in.
I make my way over to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed. I make my way over to Ana on the bed and mold myself into her body. I love how well we fit. I hug her and drift off to sleep.
…
Carrick
While sitting in my study I pull out the photo album of Christian. Grace made each of the kids their own album and had one giant blended one for everyone. The first pages of him as a child were always so sad. He didn't talk when he first got here and then that sadness is then highlighted by the anger of his early teens. Christian always had a bruise or split lip from his fighting. Mia even gave Grace some misconduct forms from Christian's old schools listing what he had done wrong and the sarcastic answers he gave them. One excuse for hitting someone read "He was chewing with his mouth open. Don't act like you didn't want to do it too". That boy really needed a helping hand in those days.
I remember when he started that public school. I was convinced that he was going to get kicked out on the first day. When he came home so nonchalant though… I was surprised at the level of calm coming off of him. When Ana came into the picture back then I was skeptical and leery of this quick change around. The last pages of him in those Junior and Senior years were happy. He ate with us and laughed. Christian hung out with his brother and sister and didn't storm off into the house and yell. Oh and the nightmares that would haunt this house as if he were dying ceased. Ana was around and Christian was always happy to be with her and sometimes I got the feel that he preferred to be with Ray and Ana than with us.
Yeah that actually did hurt. Even during that camping trip Ray knew just how to deal with him. Ray gave him a strong arm to grasp on to and I think that is what hurt the most. My family always reacted to things and the Steele family worked with my son to be better. I was always harsh on them to because they were JUST TOO GOOD. Maybe my emphasizing Ana as a gold digger helped me find a way to finally find something bad about the Steele family. I was sort of hoping Ray would hit me that night during dinner to help me be mad at him and say he was a hot head… but no he handled me and then Ana…. Wow that girl sure could handle me. She has an arm like a grown man and the power of a truck behind her swing.
I think they truly loved my son and it was hard to process. I think I need to give them all a shot so that we are all sane at the end of this. Maybe them being married isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe grandkids are not such a far off idea. I think I would like to have an album of them.
I walk over to Grace in the bedroom and see that she is drifting into sleep. I move the hair out of her face and I whisper.
"I will apologize tomorrow" and kiss her forehead. She smiles at me and I walk over to my side of the bed and lay down with my wife.
…
Christian
I felt pressure on my hips as I try to grain consciousness after a good night's sleep. I open my eyes and jump then laugh. Ana is sitting on my hips and looking at me very closely. She laughs at me when I jump and I join in.
"What are you doing?" I mumble out
"Since I have nothing to do today I am trying to start my day with a little test…how long does it take for Christian to wake up when I sit on him…the result is one hour and fourteen minutes." She really needs something to do. Hmmmm I have an idea.
"Ouch my Ana my poor hips… well since you have nothing to do today why don't you intern at the company today. Come and see how it works." I think that this would be fun.
"Okay!" she bounces and makes me groan with frustration. She leaves and trips over the sheet as she makes her way to the bathroom… "I'm okay!" she yells as she jumps into the shower.
Oh my clutz
I go and rub my groin to relieve some pressure because we are already late and need to get going.
…
By the time I am done Ana is already in a pencil skirt and blue blouse and I am in my signature suit.
"Gail made breakfast, hurry and eat to we can get going." She seems so excited.
"Wow you seem like you are really looking forward to this" I say with a grin
"Yes I am it will be great to see what you do all day." She says with a shy smile
"Well sometimes it is just meetings and boring stuff really. Nothing too exciting" I want to warn her in case she is let down with how boring it can be sometimes
"Well still this is what you have been doing for years and it will be great to see you in your natural element." I never thought of it that way.
I just smile at her and we make our way to work together.
…
We walk into work and she automatically waves at my secretaries. She is just so nice sometimes.
I go straight to me desk and start replying to emails. I must have been here for a while because I did not notice that Ana was standing over my shoulders and reading what I was writing.
"I think you are over valuing that company Christian" she says as she looks at the same sheet as I am.
No I don't agree but I want to see why she says that.
"Why would you say that?" I look at the sheet to see what she sees
"Look Christian yes they are up this year but only because of resent rebuilding of the plain states. Tornadoes have made this company vital but it is season at best and the profits come mainly from mass clean up and disasters. That is no way to run a long lasting company. If you buy it, buy it at a reasonable price and then when you do you need to get some contracts from local states to have construction done year round." She says while only looking at the screen.
I guess I took too long to respond and she turns to look at me.
"What?" she says
I shake my head and look back at the sheet. She is right.
I kiss her on her cheek and she giggles. "Thank you baby." I go back and email Ros my opinion and I quote Ana in the email as to why I am bidding so low on this company.
Eventually Ana makes her way to the desk with Andrea. I don't know what she is doing but I was busy on the phone with Ros and eventually I make my way over to the desk.
"Where is Ana?" I say authoritatively
"Oh sir she went down to the filing room. She overheard that someone called in sick and they were slammed with the forms from your last purchase and she decided to go down stairs and help." Andrea says with a smile. I swear that girl is something. I don't think anyone willingly goes into the filing room.
I walk away with a smile and then I am swept up by Ros for a round of meetings and then in my last one I find Ana and another intern setting up the room as I sit down.
"Hey my Ana how are you doing so far?" I sit down as she places the folder in front of me.
"Oh you know I just wanted to help. I helped file paper work, then another intern is sick so one of your other managers needed someone to help take notations and I volunteered to help. I then found out that this same intern had the responsibility of setting up this meeting and I just took on the task." She says with a smile. She really had no problem helping others. She always tried to help me when we were younger and that same trait is still there after all these years.
After all the meetings eventually it was time for lunch. Ana and other interns had apparently commandeered my office for lunch. They all ate on the floor eating sandwiches and just talking nonsense when I walked in. The others went stiff with alarm but Ana just sat up, just bare foot because her heels laid next to her lunch plate, she walked over to me and greets me with a kiss
"I left you a sandwich with soup on your desk. Did you know the interns can't access the kitchen during their break because of maintenance? Highly inconvenient for them all to find a corner or desk to eat when you prohibit eating at work stations Christian." That was a greeting filled with information. I nod my head and think about it.
"They can eat at their desks during construction and have Andrea put that in a memo." She just pulls out her phone and just smiles. Did she just pull a me and just text Andrea? Then the ping on my cell goes off and there is the memo I was just talking about. The rest of the interns slowly but surely trickle out as the break was coming to a close. Ana is left cleaning up and she just smiles radiantly.
"Baby how is your day so far?" I ask
"So far so good I think. Busy but I was just trying to help where I can." She says she comes to my side. She simply sits on the floor Indian style and rests her head on my knee.
"You learning a lot?" I want to know what she thinks of the company
"Yeah you do a lot here. But I want to talk about your reputation here." She says with a sigh
"What do they say about me?" I really am curious
"Well they think you are fair but they say you can be clipped, harsh and mean. Now I know you are the boss her Christian but I think it wouldn't hurt to have some people that can say good things about your personality instead of just saying charity work. Even with Barney you were so quick to fire him over a mistake. Let them see your personality every once in a while." She explained
"I guess I can be a bit more nice." I say. I wanted to please Ana. She was who made me better and she wasn't telling me what to do but just advised me to be nicer basically.
"Can I tell you something else without you getting mad or freaking out?" she said with a wince.
This did not sound good.
"Okay promise." I say and turn to see her concentrating on her lap.
"Well while I was out shopping with Mia and your mom I was kind of picked on by the teller at that swanky place they went to. I brought my dress but judging by my regular clothes she made it a point to be very specific about how they treat situations of trade ins and refunds…" she takes a breath.
I am seething with rage. HOW DARE THEY TREAT HER THIS WAY!? My mother spends good money there and now the store wants to make sure she doesn't return it after wearing it once.
"BITCH!" Is all that comes out of my mouth.
"I know Christian I just didn't want to cause a problem in front of everyone but I did tell them after we left. But Mia has a great idea on how you can help make her feel stupid." She then says with a smile.
I take a deep breath. "Okay as long as I can enjoy her humiliation."
She giggles and hugs me.
….
At the end of the day Ana and I follow Taylor out of the building and head towards the Escala. When we make it to the house my father is waiting in the garage. Oh this is not going to be good.
"Hello" He says while holding his hands together.
"Would you like to come up stairs?" Ana offers
I can't believe she invited him up. Well this is her show. While I was offended at what my father said to her, she is the one who was offended by him. She is the only one who has to forgive.
The ride up in the elevator was tense but we made it.
When we eventually make it up to the living room Ana slips off her shoes and goes to get us some drinks with Gail. I quickly warn my father.
"Don't say anything that you will regret here Dad. Ana is my life and if you choose to push her away…I will not be here for you." I say gravely
He only nods.
Ana comes in with coffee and cookies. She sits down and looks at my father expectantly.
"Well I guess its time to find out why I am here. Well I am here to apologize. I have thought a great deal about this and I hope I can express how much I regret what I said. When Christian was younger he was a handful but we loved him. When he acted out in his teens we were just at our wits end. We love Christian and always will but you changed him for the better. Both you and Ray were able to do for him what we couldn't…. Grace and I tried to work out what we were doing wrong and all you guys did was guide him. Ray touched his shoulders and was able to teach my son when I couldn't. Ana you allowed my son so much freedom from his demons. He was happy and we had nothing to do with it….." he takes a deep breath
"…when you guys supposedly broke up I wasn't relieved I was more interested. Christian didn't become violent again but more focused and withdrawn. Then as a parent I thought I could help. Again I failed to persuade him to come to dinners and see his mother. I failed and then here Ana comes again. She and Ray fix what we couldn't. Insulting Ana was a means of finally seeing fault in their life. She is perfect but she comes back when you have money now. I did not know obviously when I said those things that Ana gave you your seed money or that you guys had this thing going on with school and work. I just thought that I finally was able to find something wrong with this man and woman who were better than me and my wife. I am sorry for being a selfish man and wanting to be my son's hero." He stops and I am in shock.
Ana is the first to speak. "I never fixed Christian and he was never broken. My dad and I let him make his mistakes and then when it came to family mine and yours are very different. My dad and I are affectionate we understand without needing to be instructed to do so. I am sorry you felt or still feel that I took or my father took your families place but all we ever wanted to do was support him." She explains.
"Yeah I can see that now Ana. And this is all to say I am sorry that I said that about you but in that moment I was just a bruised ego exploiting an opportunity." He explains
"It's okay I forgive you Carrick. Maybe it's not only an apology you are here for. Maybe you should think about this hero idea with Christian." She turns to me and holds my hand.
"Dad I love you and Ana helps me see that. Ray and Ana helped when I thought I couldn't turn to you. The threats you dulled out when I got into fights hit home. The military school threats and shrinks left me thinking that I would be returned to the system. I felt rejection every time I did something wrong. Ray was stern and Ana was kind but eventually you became the enemy. You were the satellite in the background monitoring me. You were seen but never felt, you know?" I hope this is coming out right
He nods "I understand. I just wanted the best for you but I never was able to find a thing for us, you know? Mia shopped and Elliot did sports and music and then you had Ana and Ray. I didn't know how to be with you as a child. "
We eventually just sit and Ana rubs my back lovingly.
"I should get going. Can we talk tomorrow? Maybe over lunch." He looks like he needs this.
"Yeah alright" with that he leaves me and Ana sitting….
Eventually we eat absent mindedly and head to bed… I am not sure how long I have been lying in bed but eventually I focus.
"Should my dad be my hero Ana?" I ask
"My father is mine." Is all she said
"I think my mother was mine growing up." I mumble
"Christian I love you for you no matter who your hero is. It could be captain underpants and I think it would still be great." She says to lighten the mood.
She rolls over and hugs me. Eventually I drift off to sleep feeling safe and remembering Captain Underpants.
…..
REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK…
IT TOOK ME EXTRA TIME TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE I WANTED THE EMOTION TO SOUND GENUINE.
SO LUNCH WITH CARRICK…. SHOULD BE INTERESTING