Christian
"Don't make that face." Ana admonishes me and I roll my eyes. She was been briefing me on how not to behave around Mia's boy-toy ever since my sister told us last night that she would like to come over to dinner so I can meet Josh. She has already introduced him to our parents and now it's Elliott's and my turn. Took her long enough if you ask me. When Ana offered them to come over for dinner she was seven months along and now her due date is only four days away.
I even told Mia it would be too much for Ana to have guests over now, but Ana told me that that's not true. Of course, she is right. Gail does all the cooking and it doesn't matter if it's only us at the dinner table or four more people. Still, Mia could have done this earlier.
"Do you prefer this face?" I ask and give her a ridiculous smile while I cross my eyes.
"Stop it, just act normal." She laughs. Hearing her laugh makes me smile because I know how uncomfortable Ana has been for the last few weeks. Her back hurts, she can't sleep very well and is constantly exhausted. I wish I could do something to help her rest more comfortably, after all, she will have to give birth to our son soon, so she needs all of her strength.
"I'll try, baby." I mutter and Gail announces that Elliott and Elise are on their way up the driveway. So, we walk to the front door and greet them there.
"Wait, there is another car coming up." Ana says as I'm ushering everyone in. So, we wait for them and I frown as they get out of the car. I expected a nerdy college kid, but that guy looks he is too old to be in college. Not too old to date Mia, but most definitively more of a man than a boy as I thought.
As Mia introduces us I have to give him some points for having a firm handshake and holding eye contact. At least, he doesn't seem to be scared. Inside Elliott and I exchange looks making sure we have the good cop, bad cop roles down. I promised Ana I would not interrogate the boy, but hell, if he wants to date my baby sister he better be ready to answer all the questions I have.
My dad told me he really likes him and he apparently won my mom over right away, but I won't let the guy charm me. I'm too good at reading people to fall for any kind of charade.
During dinner though, it's not what he says or how he treats Mia that pisses me off. It's the way the little fucker is ogling my wife whenever he feels like no one is noticing it.
"Hey Chris, do you have a minute?" Elliott says as soon as we have finished dinner and I follow him into the hallway.
"What the fuck, why is the kid eye fucking Ana like that?" Elliott bursts out as soon as we are out of earshot.
"Yeah, that's what I have been wondering too. Little fucker can be damn glad I haven't punched his lights out. Who the hell does that, come to meet his girlfriend's siblings and then stare at the wife of one of them the entire time." Fuck me, I really want to punch the guy.
"Christian, Elliott?" We turn around and sure enough, it's the little fucker.
"Yes?" I snap but he doesn't even seem to be bothered.
"I have to apologize. I'm sure you have noticed that I have been looking at Ana a lot. It's not what you think though, so I felt like I need to explain this to you since I don't want this to come across the wrong way." He says.
"Right now, I have to believe that you are more interested in my wife than my sister." I say staring him down but he still doesn't seem to be scared.
"Well, I am interested in your wife..." He says and Elliott has to hold me back.
"Wait... it's not what you think. I think Ana is related to me." He says and I stop and frown.
"What do you mean?" I ask and he sighs.
"My family... is difficult to say the least. I do know all of my father's family, even though I could do well without any of them. What I don't know is any of my mother's family history. The most she ever said is that she doesn't have a family. I don't know if her parents are dead or alive... if she had siblings... if there was a fallout or if she lost her family young and it's too painful for her to talk about. And then I met Ana and it really startled me. You see, if she was a bit taller and had lighter hair she would be the exact clone of my mother." He says and hands me a picture.
I look at it and blink. It sure looks a lot like Ana... well, except for the blonde hair, tons of make-up and horrible dress that the woman is wearing.
"Is that your mom?" I ask and he nods.
For a moment I just stare at him and then I get a really bad feeling. "How many siblings do you have?"
"A younger brother and sister, why?"
"Your mom, is her first name Cara?" I ask.
"Yes, why?" He asks and I start to cuss up a storm.
"Hey, what is going on?" Josh finally calls out loud enough for me to snap out of it.
"Did your mom set you up to this? Get chummy with my sister to get to Ana?" I sneer and his eyes widen.
"No! Can you please explain what is going on?" He asks and seems seriously confused.
"Elliott, go back to the women, tell them Josh wants to see my R8, this can take a little." I tell him and gladly he isn't asking any questions and I usher Josh into my study, close the door, take a bottle of whiskey, fill two tumblers, and hand him one.
"Thanks, so what is going on. Do you know my mom?"
"No, and she can be damn happy we haven't met because it would turn ugly real quick if I ever do." I mutter darkly.
"Please Christian, I really don't get what is going on."
"Your maternal grandparents are alive."
"What, really, are they well... can I meet them?" He asks excited and I walk over to the small table in the corner that is filled with family pictures.
"Here, these are your grandparents, Carla and Ray."
"Wow, this is so strange. They look so young."
"They had your mom when they were both still very young."
"So, Ana is my aunt?" He asks and I take a gulp of my whiskey.
"Legally yes... biologically no."
"I don't understand." He says with a frown.
"They adopted Ana when she was a year old, but it was your mom who gave birth to her. She's your half-sister."
"What, fuck, is that why my mom isn't talking to her family, because they took Ana away from her?"
"No, absolutely not. Your mom was a teenage runaway. After over a year she returned with Ana, who was badly abused and malnourished. She dropped her off with her parents and left again. She even refused to meet Ana ten years later when your grandparents tried to contact her." I say and Josh sits down in one of the leather chairs. He looks so deflated that I actually feel bad for him.
"Everything alright?" I ask and he sadly shakes his head.
"No... I thought... nevermind. I guess I have to face the fact that my mother has never cared for anything but money in all of her life. If Ana had been taken from her it would have at least given me an excuse to think that something traumatic turned her this way." He says and I sigh.
"So, she hasn't been good to you or your siblings either?"
"No, she is rarely around anyway. And if she is at home she has never been motherly. She only acts like the perfect mom in front of others. Behind closed doors, it's a different story. My younger brother is gay, my parents tried to beat it out of him... he hasn't talked to them for two years now... they disowned him. Now my baby sister is getting the most of their anger. She's not the boy they wanted. Doesn't show interest in clothes or beauty... she is a shy girl... that's why Mia and I stay at my place a lot, so I'm close by to make sure nothing happens to her."
"Fuck... is there anything I can do?"
"Believe me, no one will believe you. I tried talking to her teachers, CPS... everything. No one believed me or her. My parents are masters at manipulating people. I have decided to stay home until she is 16, then she will be old enough to get emancipated, so she can move in with me until she can go to college. I know it's not fair to Mia to wait almost four more years until I can move out... I only didn't even want to date at all because of my situation... but then I met Mia and I just fell in love. She's the best thing that has ever happened to me." He says and fuck if I don't feel bad as hell for the kid and both of his siblings.
"Look, I know a lot of people... my dad is a lawyer, I promise I'll find a way to help you."
"You really don't have to..."
"Yes, I do. I happen to love my family and you are now a part of that family. Just, can you wait to talk to Ana until she had the baby. Her due date is really close by and I don't want her to get upset and go into labor."
"Sure... but do you think I could meet my grandparents?"
"Of course, I'll talk to them. Ray doesn't really talk about it, but Carla is really heartbroken about the fact that she never got to meet her other grandchildren."
"They know about us?"
"Kind of, they know Cara got married and had more kids, but that's about it. I'm sure they'll be happy to meet you and your siblings."
"So, you don't think they will judge my brother Aiden because he's gay?" And I want to be surprised by his question, but sadly I know a gay child or grandchild still is something many families struggle with.
"Why would they? What he does behind closed doors is up to him. They'll be happy as long as he's happy."
"They sound like great people... would be nice to have a family who actually cares." He says and I wonder what Josh and his siblings must have been through in their childhood with parents like that.
"We'll figure this out. Believe me, no one is ever going to lay hand on you or your siblings ever again... that's a promise." I say just as Elliott bursts into the room.
"Christ Elliott, are you trying to scare the shit out of me?" I snap.
"Ana's water just broke, you need to come." He says and once his words sink in I run back into the dining room where I find Ana holding her belly.
"What happened, baby?" I ask as I kneel beside her.
"I don't know, there was like a pop in my belly... can you help me upstairs, my clothes are soaked." She says looking pale, so I pick her up and carry her upstairs.
Upstairs I help Ana change and grab the back she has already packed for the hospital. "Are you alright, baby?"
"Yes, just a little scared maybe." She says and I hug her.
"It's alright baby, you are going to be fine and I won't leave your side even for one second. I promise."
"I think I've already forgotten all those breathing techniques and I guess now is a good time to confess that I'm not great at dealing with pain... so promise me that you talk me out of getting an epidural unless it is really necessary."
"Promise, but baby, if you feel like you need the epidural take it. It won't make you any less of a good mother... just one who knows that she doesn't have to go through birth without any kind of pain relief."
"I know, but I at least want to try." She says and takes a deep breath.
"Contraction?"
"Yes, but it's not too bad... I had period cramps like this." She says and I want to believe her but I know she doesn't like to show weakness so I'm not quite convinced.
Because our doctor told us to come to the Swedish once Ana's water breaks or she has contractions every five minutes we have Elliott and Elise drive us to the hospital, while Mia wants to get our parents and I have asked Taylor to contact Ray and Carla. I'll also have to ask him to run a background check on Josh's parents but right now my main focus is on Ana.
At the hospital, the Doctor looks at Ana, examines her, and then tells us that it would be best if Ana would walk for a while to get her more dilated. So we find ourselves walking up and down the hallway.
"I should have packed my hiking boots." Ana jokes as we turn around to walk the hallway another time.
"Yeah, I had no idea giving birth involved walking a marathon." I joke back but my smile dies rather quick when Ana doubles over in pain and I have to hold her up so her legs won't give out.
"Better?" I ask when she blows out the breath she was holding.
"Yes... but that one really hurt. Keep an eye on the time please." She says and after a moment we continue to walk.
An hour later we are back in the hospital room and the doctor is pleased because all the walking has helped Ana to dilate to six centimeters. 4 more to go and we are ready to welcome Noah into this world.
"Let's give Ana a moment with her mom." My dad says, who stopped by with my mom to check on Ana. My mom went to see Ana's doctor and Ray was obviously too nervous to stay in the room, because he basically fled the room when Ana had a contraction.
I look at Ana and she gives me a smile, so I leave the room with my dad.
"How are you holding up, son?" He asks me and I sigh.
"Ana's contractions keep getting more and more painful but she doesn't want any pain relief. I'm afraid by the time she wants them it's too late." I confess and he squeezes my shoulder.
"Let her do this her way. If she feels she needs pain relief she will ask for it. Women can be stubborn about the way they want to do this. And it's not like we can even understand how this feels or what their instincts tell them."
"I know... but it's driving me insane. I feel so out of control here." He mutter and my dad chuckles.
"Believe me, you will run into many situations where you feel out of control with your son, but it's all worth it." He says and suddenly Carla opens the door.
"Carrick, get the doctor please, Ana says she needs to push." She says and I hurry back inside. What I find shocks me, because Ana is curled up on the bed, panting.
"Baby what's wrong?"
"I need to push... please... oh my god... this contraction won't stop." She cries out and thankfully the doctor comes running in followed by two nurses.
"Oh dear, this was way quicker than expected." She says when she checks on Ana.
"What is going on?" I ask a little sharper than I wanted to but I'm about to lose it.
"It seems your son intends to be born before midnight. Your wife is fully dilated. I would say your son will be here within the hour."
"But I don't understand, you said it would take longer just twenty minutes ago."
"Well, Mr. Grey if I have learned anything about childbirth than it is to expect the unexpected. Some first-time mommy's need up to 48 hours to give birth others are done within two hours. It seems your wife is in the latter group."
"But isn't this dangerous for her?"
"It's not more or less dangerous than any other delivery, only quicker... so she might tear but that is very common in childbirth. Now, let me help your wife."
I hurry back to Ana and she grabs my hand immediately. "I'm here everything is going to be fine."
"Please knock me out." She groans in the middle of a contraction.
"It's alright, try to breathe through it." I try to encourage her but I'm pretty sure there is no way that breathing alone will take away the pain she is going through.
"Ok Ana, with the next contraction I want you to push." The doctor says and when it's time I'm pretty certain I fell some bones snap in my hand. Funny enough, I couldn't care less. Right now, Ana could rip my arm out and beat me with it if it would make her feel better.
Thirty minutes later I feel faint, Ana has been pushing on and off, as the doctor wants her to wait some of them out so she won't tear too much. Now, however, there is no going back, the doctor just announced that the head is almost there which in theory is a good thing but in reality seems to make things worse for Ana. I for one will never in my life forget the way my wife just screamed.
"Now I need you to give me a good hard push, Ana. When I say go you start and I'll count to ten." the doctor says and before I really know what is going on she gives the go and Ana is at it again. Christ, why did no one tell me that childbirth comes close to an exorcism in the movies? Ana is screaming, the doctor is screaming so Ana can hear her over her own screams, the nurses are also screaming because they are trying to cheer Ana on to continue...
"Good job, Ana... the head is born. Here give me your hand." the doctor says and I make the mistake and look. There is blood everywhere, my son's head coming out of my wife's ladyparts and I start to sway.
"Here sit." A nurse who probably notices me about to keel over says and pushes a chair behind me. Thankfully I slump into it and while I am trying to get my shit together the action in the delivery room continues until I hear the piercing screams of my son.
"Congratulations." The doctor announces as she places him on Ana's chest. I lean over her to get a better look at him. He is perfect, a head full of dark hair and when he blinks I see the bluest eyes looking at me. I look at Ana and she is full-on sobbing looking at our son.
"He is so beautiful." She says laughing through her tears.
"Yes, he is. Thank you, baby. You were amazing. I love both of you so, so much." I say and kiss her.
I can't believe we are a family now... but this little guy just turned Ana and I from a couple to a family. One that will hopefully continue to grow in the future and be very, very happy...