Family dinner...
Phoebe's POV
I feel strangely positive after an extremely successful wedding and bridesmaid dress fitting trip. Our dresses have been chosen and we have been fitted for them. We just need to do a fitting prior to the wedding. There is excitement in the air for my brother and his fiancé this summer. I can't wipe the smile off my face knowing this summer means I will a being able to spend more time with Eva and Michael, the wedding and my dad's upcoming 50th birthday. The family is planning some surprise party, which I don't know how well it will go down with dad as he hates surprises, in fact I have my own surprise for dad for his birthday. Out of fear of my dad finding out I have only told my grandmother.
It is almost 4pm when I arrive back home. Hayley has dropped me off and I walk slowly to the house unsure of what to expect. Are my parents going to be understanding of my behavior considering I just found out of a major family secret or will they be furious that I ran out and went to see Brent? I find both my parents cars are not in the drive way and I breathe a sigh of relief. At last I can get changed and clear my head before I face them. I walk in and the house is so still, it had only just been over 24 hours that I have been away but it feels longer. I go into my room and find my cell phone there and I check it. There are several missed calls from friends and Eva. I deduct that they were probably contacted to see if they knew where I was. I walk to the kitchen and grab a glass of orange juice. I am not alone long as Gail enters and smiles.
"Hello Phoebe. You have had a lot of people worried" she says warmly and but in a very matter of fact tone. Regardless of the fact that I know she just cares, I feel small. She and Taylor have had a long time relationship and I don't think she likes the idea of him spending all night chasing after me. Personally I don't blame her.
"Yes I know and I am sorry. Where is Taylor he isn't still looking for me is he?" I asked concerned
"He was but not anymore" a voice says behind me. I turn around and there is Taylor, looking a little tried but he is smiling. I feel terrible and start to cry; I get up and put my arms around him.
"I am sorry, I just had to leave" I try to explain. Both Taylor and Gail are looking at each other now and I wonder how much they know.
"Stay here, don't move" He warns pointing his finger at me "I am going to ring your parents and let them know that you are home and then we will talk". Taylor leaves and I watch as Gail moves around the kitchen and starts to prepare dinner. I find it comforting watching here and I use to do it as a child. You would think that I would have picked up some tips watching her as often as I did. Taylor returns shortly.
"Did you speak to my dad?" I ask curious as to his current temperament.
"Yes I did" he says but doesn't give anything else away. "He and your mother will be home soon. They are eager to see you"
"I just wish I didn't have to talk to them" Taylor then grabs my hand and leads me outside. He sits on the chair facing me.
"Talk to me" he says insistent.
"I can't talk about it. It's a private matter" I say sorrowful. I had always spoken to Taylor and I really wanted to now but it wasn't a viable option.
"I know about the private matter. I know about your fathers past and your parent's lifestyle. I was around when some of the women in the photos were around. Your father told me about what you found"
"Really? It didn't freak you out?" I ask astonished by how casual he was about it all.
"It did a little at first but it was all consensual. You father never forced anyone into anything that's why it was different from you and Brent" he emphasizes the word different.
I nod knowing that was a big factor. Everything was consensual. Though I wonder what my father would say if I entered that type of relationship.
Christians POV:
Ana has just left my office and I sink into my chair relieved that Phoebe has rung and seems to be well. My natural instinct tells me to pick her up and take her home, screaming and kicking if necessary. I would have done so if Ana hadn't begged me not to. The problem with Phoebe, according to my mother and wife, is that she is too much like me. I ring Taylor and tell him that Phoebe has phoned and to go back to the house. We agree that he will wait for her and ring me when she finally arrives. I give him further instructions as how to deal with Leila, who shouldn't have disclosed the information about the cardboard box let alone that she had known me to anyone, let alone my son.
Just after midday Ted comes into my office. I haven't done anything productive today. My mind keeps wondering about Phoebe with Brent and then Phoebe with Michael and what she was thinking about those photos. I give my son a brusque look and my eyes are glued on him, but I fail to speak.
"I just spoke to Hayley. Phoebe is with her and the two other bridesmaids. Hayley is going to drop off Phoebe at the house when they are done. I asked Hayley how Phoebe was and she told me that she was happy from what she could tell" he says optimistically. I smile slightly but I don't verbally respond. Ted is looking at me for more but I can't give it to him right now and this causes Ted to pace.
"Dad, can you stop this cold shoulder treatment? I may have screwed up but so did you. Did you explain the photos to Phoebe?"
"Yes" I said monotone.
"So would you care to explain the photos to me now?" Ted is searching for answers and I wonder if I have the energy to explain again.
"No, but come home for dinner tonight and we will talk. Just you not Hayley, she isn't to know about this at all, but then you may have to confess to your mother and sister that it was you who moved the photos" I say sternly and my son agrees. I take a few deep breathes. "Ted, I want you to know that you have acted inappropriately over this matter. You shouldn't have moved them and you should have told me earlier. You should have told me that you met Leila and that she told you about the cardboard box" I yelled but not so loudly that we could be heard. Ted looked around the room and I couldn't tell if he understood or was just furious at my decision, but before I knew it he had left my office.
At 4pm I get the welcome news that Phoebe is home. I ring Ana on my blackberry and we both agree to leave our offices and go home. I go to see Ted before I leave and tell him to leave in an about an hour and to come straight to our home.
I arrive home before Ana and enter the house through the large double doors. Taylor finds me and gives me nod with a little smile. I know that he means Phoebe is home and is calm. I don't have to wait long for Ana to come home and we proceed to our daughter's bedroom. When we enter we find her on her iMac and she looks curious at her laptop. When she notices that we are the room, she quickly closes the lid.
"What were you looking at?" Ana asks intrigued but I think we both already know what was occupying her attention on the internet. When Phoebe didn't understand something she would research it. Oh no, I could only imagine the images that were coming up!
"Your brother is coming for dinner, just him not Hayley; I think we need a Grey family meeting in regards to the photos. We can discuss the nature of the photos and your actions yesterday" I inform the two most important women in my life. They are both shocked to learn that Ted is also going to be told the truth, but they don't know about his guilt.
Ana and I walk out of Phoebe's room and she looks horrified. I turn to face her and frown. "Ana it's time we also tell Ted everything and discussed Phoebe's actions with her. Phoebe will obviously have more questions and we need to answer them! No more secrets!"
Ted arrives promptly and we are all sitting at the dinner table and have started to eat dinner. We were seated in our traditional seats. Phoebe is next to me on one side of the table. Ana is sitting next to Ted. I am facing Ted and Ana is facing Phoebe. The four of us ate dinner like for years and we naturally gravitated to these seats even though Ted no longer lives at home and Phoebe has been in college for close to four years.
Phoebe is the first one to speak "So when are we going to start with all the truth telling?" She is rolling her eyes but I know she wants to know everything.
"What do you want to start with?" Ana asks. She is nervous about where tonight will go, as am I. She is likely to find out about Ted's actions soon and I know she will be heartbroken.
"Ted, just so you know, I found some very provocative photos from our parents, well really our dads, past and I would like to know why it was in the cupboard with photos from when Ted and I were little kids?" Phoebe asks very direct and reminds me of when I was young, but before Ana and I can talk, Ted interjects.
"Because I put them there" Ted confesses. Both Ana and Phoebe are instantly dismayed.
"Why on earth did you do that?" Ana asks clutching at her chest. We all sit here and listen to his story about how he met Leila. Even though I had already heard it, it made me angry still. I then went on to explain to him my past just as I had to Phoebe. Ana and I held hands us our children took everything in, and they were both silent.
"I can't believe this" says Ted rubbing his forehead.
"It was consensual though Ted. Dad didn't do anything that they didn't agree to plus they are both still our parents. They are entitled to their private sexual life and so are we." Phoebe said standing up for us but she was also sending us a message to stay out of her personal sexual life, something I knew I couldn't do for her, at least not yet.
"So now that we have told you everything, Phoebe do you wish to tell us what you did yesterday?" I asked my daughter.
"I went to see Brent, but I ended it, then I spent the night at Michael's house. I stayed in his sister's old room and we didn't do anything" she said honestly and we all knew to believe her. "I love Michael; in fact I am going to ask him to move in with me, just like Hayley did with Ted in college."
My lips thinned and I looked at Ana who was unreadable. When Phoebe started to see Michael, I had started to dig dipper into his history as something didn't sit right with me when I revisited his background check recently. It was something that I had strangely missed. I wondered if Brent even knew the truth himself. It was time to get Welch to focus more of his attention on it!
The next few days of summer break went quickly and soon we were saying good bye to Phoebe until summer. It had been 3 hours after she left that I found a brown papered box on my desk, it didn't have a card on it and cautiously I opened it.
Sorry if this chapter was a little boring, I just needed to tie up some loose strings so we can move on to the next part of book 2. That is why I stayed up to finish this chapter for you all. I have the best ending for this book in my mind now and how I will start book 3. Thank you to everyone who is putting up with me and reading. I am taking all your opinions into consideration and learning a lot for you all!
