Chapter 8 - Home
Ana
I slowly drift back into consciousness and smile when I see my own bedroom. On closer inspection it has been converted into a hospital suite. I am attached to a heart monitor, my IV line is in place, there is a box with all kinds of medical stuff on the chest facing the bed and it even smells a bit of hospital in here. Still, I am home and I'm very happy to be here and to have a husband who can make just about anything happen.
Speaking of Christian, I am surprised that he isn't here, but just when I start to worry, that something might has happened to him, I hear his voice outside.
"... now boys, I will go into the bedroom and see if your mommy is awake. If she is still asleep, both of you will go to bed, no arguing. Mommy still needs a lot of sleep to recover, so I don't want either of you to throw a fit outside the bedroom. If mommy is up, I will let you in and you can see her. I expect both of you to behave. No screaming, jumping on the bed and if one of you should try to throw yourself at mommy you will be grounded. Remember why?"
"Because mommy has a sore stomach because they had to cut Aria out of her belly." I hear Teddy pipe up and suddenly I feel tears in burning in my eyes. I have missed my children so much... at one point I even thought I never see them again and now I am home and they are here.
I watch the door open and Christian steps into the room closing the door behind him.
"Hey, what is wrong, are you in pain?" Christian asks alarmed by my tears, but I smile at him.
"No, I just heard you talk to the boys, I have missed them so much... I... never mind." I whisper and shake my head.
"Talk to me, Ana. What is it?"
"When I was in labor and knew there was no time to get to a hospital... at one point I thought I never see you or our children again. Sorry... it's stupid, I guess my hormones are turning me into a cry baby now."
"Ana you have been through so much, don't act like it is nothing. You have every right to be emotional after everything you have been through. And if you feel the need to talk you can always talk to me or if you want we can call John and you can talk to him."
"Right now, I just want to see my boys, is Phoebe already in bed?"
"Yes, she wanted to wait, but an hour ago she was out for the count. You can see her tomorrow."
"Okay, where is Aria?"
"Your mother is looking after her. She has offered to have Aria sleep in her room until you are better. You need your sleep."
I want to argue, but I know it's for the best, so I let it go, knowing that my mother will take good care of my baby girl. Christian opens the door and Teddy and Sam burst into the room.
"Mommy! Mommy!" They both scream at the same time and Christian actually has to grab them by their clothes so they don't jump on the bed.
"Boys! We talked about this, Mommy is still very sore, you cannot jump her. Now show me that you two can behave." Christian says sternly and sits Teddy on the edge of the bed while Sam stays back a bit. I kiss Teddy and then look at Sam.
"Come here Sam, it's okay." I say and he looks up at me with sad eyes.
"I'm sorry Mommy, it's my fault, if I hadn't kicked the ball so hard..."
"Sam, come here darling." I stop him and hold my hand out for him, which he reluctantly takes.
"It's not your fault. Sometimes bad things just happen, it's no one's fault and if anything it is my fault. I should have known better than to walk off without security. What happened to me, it's exactly why we have security." I explain and he looks at Daddy.
"Daddy, please don't scold mommy because she didn't listen." He says and it's so adorable I can't help but pull Sam closer to kiss him.
"Eww, mommy, I'm a big boy now, no more kissing, that's for babies." Sam exclaims and it makes both Christian and I laugh out loud.
"Well, you will always be my baby, even when you are all grown up. So I guess that means a lot of mommy kisses in your future." I giggle.
"But only at home, okay mommy?"
"Okay, only at home." I agree and kiss both my boys again.
Twenty minutes later Christian returns to our bedroom, after he helped the boys to get ready for bed and kissed them goodnight.
"Do you need something, baby?" He asked me.
"Just you sleeping next to me."
"Not going to happen, Ana. You've had surgery just a few days ago, I could accidentally hurt you in my sleep, I will sleep there." He says and points to the cot in the corner, which I hadn't even noticed before.
"Please?" I beg trying my best puppy eye look.
"No, I can't. It's just until you are feeling better, baby." He says and I watch him getting ready for bed.
"You already want to go to bed? It's just after eight in the evening."
"Yes, but I haven't slept a full night since the day you went missing, it's time to catch up on some sleep." He says and since I am tired too I just nod. However, once the light is out, I can't sleep instead I keep thinking about what Sam said.
"Christian are you still awake?" I whisper.
"Yes, what do you need, baby?"
"Why are you not mad at me?" I ask and he sits up and switches the bedside light on.
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I went into the woods alone and told Sawyer not to follow me, when I should have known better." I say and he sighs.
"Look, had you pulled that stunt and nothing had happened, I had probably waited until Aria was born and then spanked your ass until you had to do everything standing up for a week. But instead you got kidnapped and nearly died and while I am still angry that you've been so careless, I don't want to yell at you or punish you. I'm just happy that you've come out of it alive and I know you will never do something like that again."
"You are right, I won't... it's just... never mind." I stop myself an remain silent, but I can't help the sob that escapes from my lips.
"What is wrong, Ana? Are you in pain? Do you want me to get the nurse?"
"No... it's stupid, I'm mad at myself and at the world we live in." I confess and he sits on the edge of the bed and gently wipes my tears away.
"Talk to me, Ana. Why are you mad at yourself?"
"Because, I should have known better than to walk into the woods alone, but at the same time I'm mad at the world we are living in. I mean, what kind of fucked up place is this world if I can't go anywhere by myself without the fear of being kidnapped, robbed, raped or murdered... it's not the world I want our children to grow up in Christian. It scares me to think that one day they will all go to college or explore the world and we might not be able to protect them and at the same time, I don't want to raise them being afraid of the world... it's stupid." I say quickly, when I realize that I am rambling.
"No baby, it's not stupid, I have the same fears and worries, but I have learned not to give in to them."
"Why?"
"Well, I suspect neither you nor our children would appreciate to be locked in at home 24/7. " He says and winks which actually makes me smile.
"I guess not, have you actually entertained that thought?"
"Maybe once or twice, but never seriously, because even with the bad things in this world, it's still a beautiful place, one I want to explore with my family."
"Yes, me too."
Christian
Ana is still sound asleep, so I decide to let her sleep some more, while I go downstairs to check in with Taylor. We need to find my biological father and finally end this nightmare. I'm almost at the security office when I hear crying coming from the kitchen. I walk closer and find Carla sobbing in Gail's arms.
"Carla, what is going on?" I ask and she looks up.
"Who would do such a horrible thing, Christian? I can't believe someone can be so cruel and insensitive." She says and points to the newspaper. I take it and see that it is the part with the obituary notices. At first I don't understand and then I see it. An huge obituary notice and it's for Ana. I throw the paper back on the table and start to pace.
"TAYLOR!" I yell and he runs into the kitchen.
"Have you seen this?" I snap and he clears his throat.
"Yes, Mr. Cross has already released a statement that Mrs. Grey is still alive and recovering from the surgery and giving birth to your daughter. He also contacted the publisher of the paper and has found out that the notice was placed online by a woman... Susannah." He says and I'm just about to really lose it when Sawyer walks into the kitchen.
"Taylor, we have a situation, something has just been delivered." He says and I don't wait for an explanation, but run towards the door where a delivery guy is waiting.
"Look Sir, this is odd enough as it is, but I don't want that thing in my car any longer, it's freaking me the fuck out." The young guy says and points to a huge stone next to him. For a second I'm confused and then I see what it is. It's a god damn fucking tombstone and it has my wife's name on it.
"Get that fucking thing away from me... my wife is upstairs she cannot see this."
"No way dude, that shitty thing is heavy as shit, I'm not loading it up again." The little fucker says all snotty and I'm just about to grab him and beat the hell out of him when I feel a little hand grabbing my leg. I look down and see my two year old daughter holding onto to my leg to keep her balance.
"Seems today is your lucky day." I mutter and lift Phoebe up in my arms. "Deal with it, Taylor. I don't want that thing anywhere on my property and my wife is not to know about this! Understand?" I hiss and turn to leave with Phoebe.
"Dada mad?" Phoebe asks with lifted eyebrows and place a kiss on the tip of her tiny nose.
"No darling, Daddy is just a little stressed. Do you want to see your mama?"
"Mama home?" She asks and starts to bounce excited in my arms.
"Yes, come we go see if mama is up." I tell her and walk up the stairs. I peek into the room and see that the nurse has just helped Ana to change into a clean nightgown, so I walk into the room.
"Look who is already up and excited to see her mommy." I say trying to sound cheerful, but judging from the look on Ana's I have failed.
"Mama!" Phoebe chirps up and tries to get out of my arms to her mother. "Phoebe, you have to be gentle with mommy, she has an sore belly.
"Mommy owie?"
"Yes, can you be gentle?" I ask her again she nods I sit her down on the bed next to Ana.
"Can I leave her here with you for a moment, baby?"
"What is wrong, Christian?"
"Nothing, just work." I lie and ask the nurse to stay with Ana while I had back down.
"Has the little fucker taken the stone back?" I ask Taylor when I'm back downstairs.
"No Sir, it's in the garage, it's evidence. I have already talked to the police, they will sent someone to get it within the hour, but there is more. We assume your biological father ordered the headstone and he included this note for you." Taylor says, so I take the note and read it.
Son,
you have taken the most important thing in my life away from me. Now I'm returning the favor, keep the stone, you will need it soon and believe me I will not rest until you know what it feels like to have the love of your life ripped away from you. You will know what it feels like when all you have left of your wife is a rock with her name on it. You did this to me, and you will pay for it.
An eye for an eye, son or dare I say a wife for a wife?
Your father
"I will kill this son of a bitch, I will ..."
"Sir, we need to be logical about this." Taylor interrupts me.
"Logical? Are you insane, that son of a bitch wants to kill my wife!" I snap and Taylor nods.
"Yes, we are aware of that, but this note, Sir, it gives us a huge clue about his identity. He says you have killed his wife."
"Because he is insane, I have done a lot of things I am not proud of in my life, Taylor, but murder is not on that list."
"No, of course not, but you have taken over a lot of companies, not all by choice of the owner and maybe one of them was his wife and she has committed suicide when she lost her company." He says and suddenly the wheels in my head start turning. I mentally go through every hostile takeover in my career until finally everything falls into place.
"Sir? Mr. Grey what is it?"
"Karen Miller... fuck I completely forgot about her. It was thirteen years ago, she owned a technology company and I... I needed it. She wasn't willing to sell or become part of GEH, so in the end I've managed to get the company in a hostile takeover. Six weeks later I read in the newspaper that she had jumped of a bridge... her husband tried to contact me... I never answered his calls and then they stopped. Fuck, it's him Taylor, this is his revenge, I'm responsible for his wife's death and now he is after Ana... but why now... why has he waited that long to get his revenge?"
"What is his name, Sir?"
"I don't know... Marc... Martin... no... Marshall... that's it. Marshall Miller. That's his name."
"I will call Welch, we'll find him, Sir. He is not going to harm your wife." He says and leaves, but I remain in the hallway. It's my fault, I took her company and she took her own life. A for a horrible moment I almost feel sympathy towards my father, because I know that I would probably stop at nothing to get revenge if someone would murder my wife or be responsible for her untimely death.
Like father, like son...