I know it's been a while...
It's been a crazy year, totally a plot twist no one expected. We've learned a lot about ourselves; about fear and exhaustion; about isolation and loneliness (that kind of loneliness that comes even when you're surrounded by people); about limits and compromise; about loss and about hope.
I hope this epilogue finds you and your family well.
Music:
Your song. Elton John.
Somebody. Depeche Mode.
I've got you under my skin. Frank Sinatra.
EPILOGUE
Christian paced back and forth in his parents' backyard, leaving a path of flat, matted grass in his trail.
"Nervous, bro? Having second thoughts?" Elliot chuckled beside him.
"Not nervous. I'm just… anxious." Christian gulped, exhaling long and hard. "And I'm… sweating." He grimaced, taking off his tuxedo jacket, which left him in his silver vest and crisp white shirt. He tucked a finger inside the collar of his shirt, tightly secured by his silver and navy blue tie. It was a sunny late April's day, warmer than it should be, but the weather had nothing to do with how hot he felt.
"Didn't see the time to watch Christian Grey squirming under the pressure." Elliot teased as he took a photo of his disheveled brother.
Christian didn't comment; just arched a brow and gave him the finger. "You'll tell me in a few months, fucker. I will see you squirm then." His smile grew big despite of his nerves.
"Yeah, I know. But it's my turn now. It's not every day my little bro marries the love of his life."
_§§ 0 §§_
"Oh my, Ana! Look at you!" Kate put her hands over her mouth, her eyes already glistening with emotion. "I don't want to cry! I won't cry, I won't cry!" She fanned her face with her eyes open wide.
"I know I will cry my eyes out at your wedding, Kate." Ana engulfed her best friend in a tight embrace.
"Let me see you, Annie." Carla took Ana's hand, making her twirl.
"So beautiful, darling." Grace beamed with affection.
"Christian is going to go mental." Mia snickered.
Ana stood in front of the mirror, running her hands down the skirt of her dress, the folds of tulle running between her fingers. Her mother appeared behind her, both her hands on Ana's bare shoulders.
"I'm so happy for you, baby." Her eyes crinkled with happiness. "I know you're young, but you're wise, and you're prepared for this important step. Christian is a good man, and I'm positive you two are going to live such a happy marriage."
"Thank you, mum." Ana whispered with a lump in her throat, squeezing one of her mother's hands.
"Come on, let us help you with the last touches. I'm sure that fine young man must be climbing up the walls." She helped Ana to put on her guipure and lace short jacket.
"Ok, so you have something new." Kate pointed to the rhinestone hair comb that held Ana's right side of her hair.
"You have something old." Carla smiled with affection, looking at her grandmother's snowflake diamond studs adorning Ana's ears.
"And something blue." Mia wiggled her eyebrows, stretching between her thumbs a pale blue garter.
"Of course!" Ana laughed. Mia had been the naughty sister-in-law in that wedding preparation.
Mia put the garter around her right thigh, earning hollers from the other ladies in the room, while Ana did her best to not let them see the underwear she had picked up for the occasion. Grace was a cool mother-in-law, but some things were best to keep in private.
Ana turned around with a flourish. "Now, the only thing missing is my groom."
_§§ 0 §§_
Christian was already waiting under the white-washed wooden arch where they would become husband and wife. He took a deep breath and craned his neck, his eyes wandering to the white lilies cascading from its frame. The reassuring smile from his mother warmed him from the inside, somehow quieting the jitters pirouetting inside his belly. Judge Hudson, one of his father's oldest friends, who had graciously agreed to perform the marriage ceremony, beamed at him from his position as the officiant. He studied the rest of the guests seated in front of him. The playful wink of his father, who nodded reassuringly, telling him without words that he knew how he was feeling. Ethan Kavanagh, his parents, and the space beside him for Mia. Christian predicted he would see more and more of him as their relationship grew. Bob and Carla, who was already a crying mess. Nora, Ray's girlfriend, one of his rehab nurses. Ray introduced her some weeks ago, and she seemed a wonderful woman. Christian's grandparents and uncles. Gail and Taylor, Sawyer and his girlfriend Maya; Flint with his wife and two kids, Bastille and his husband, Ross and Gwen, Barney and his girlfriend. There were a bunch of Ana's friends too: Claire, from Everybody's possession, and some other junior editors that were working along Ana to recuperate the music magazine from the wound inflicted by Hyde's scandal and disastrous management. There were also Bruce Kane and his very pregnant wife Maureen, who had become good friends with the both of them. From the very beginning, they decided the wedding would be an intimate ceremony, only friends and family, and seeing all those significant people sharing and celebrating his joy, he realized how wrong he'd been his entire life; how that notion of loneliness had been a wicked trick of his messed up mind.
Elliot, who was next to him as his best man, clapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. "It's time, bro."
The Jazz quartet that played with Ana in the Coping Together gala -it seemed so long ago- began playing a melodic tune as Kate set foot on the cobblestone path that ran from the main house to the makeshift altar. Kate beamed as she walked, her silver dress flowing with the light breeze. She locked eyes with Elliot, who watched her mesmerized, thinking about the day she would walk that same path, but dressed in lace and white. He popped the question a month ago, helped by Ana, Ethan, and his siblings, making him the luckiest man alive by saying yes.
The next one was Mia, ecstatic in her gray and silver dress. Christian felt overcome with emotion, never having thought he would share this day with his little sister. She walked down to him, engulfing him in a tight hug before sitting beside Ethan.
The music, a piano rendition of a traditional sweet tune, picked up the pace and morphed into Elton John's "Your song" as Ana and Ray stepped outside the house. The singer's voice was rich and smooth, warm and melodic, but Christian couldn't focus on anything but Ana. Everything turned into white noise; everything around him blurred as she walked toward him. She clutched Ray's arm with a white-knuckled grip, taking measured steps in her high heels, but despite her clear nervousness, she lighted up the whole backyard. And it wasn't because of the sparkling diamonds, or the exquisite white lace that hugged her torso and cinched around her thin waist; neither was because of the sheer white silk of her skirt. It was her face, her beautiful face. Her bottomless eyes that shone so bright they kept the darkness away. He shuddered and smiled; a shy smile followed by a relieved exhale that helped let off the pressure boiling in his chest. And then it grew, big, bright and hopeful, parting his face in two, as he shook his head with humor.
Ray kissed Ana's cheek and whispered something in her ear before turning to Christian. He didn't speak, just clapped him on his back with glistening eyes, nodding his head with a tight smile.
"I love you, dad." Ana's voice was thick with emotion.
"Love you more," he answered huskily.
The ceremony was perfect: simple and full of emotion. Even Ros, tough as nails as she was, shed a tear when Ana and Christian sang together "Somebody" by Depeche Mode as their shared vows.
Judge Hudson spoke heartfelt words of wisdom and finally gave the pronouncement of marriage. "It's my pleasure now pronounce this happy couple husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride!"
Cheers and whistles flooded the backyard; delicate white and soft pink confetti raining down on them.
Christian cupped Ana's face with both hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks tenderly. "Wife," he exhaled. He looked at her with wide eyes full of awe and wonder.
"Husband." She mirrored his expression, a single tear sliding to his thumb as she put her hands over his.
Soft lips collided together, molding to perfection like old lovers. What began sweet and slow, rapidly became a frenzied dance, chasing lips and battling tongues, until the judge cleared his throat. They laughed into each other's mouths, the soft cotton hue of their happiness making everything around them lighter and better. Christian shrugged to the judge with a sheepish smile, hugging Ana to his chest.
_§§ 0 §§_
The tingling sound of a fork hitting glass hushed the busy conversations into a soft murmur.
"Ladies and gentlemen… also you, Sawyer." Elliot pointed at Luke, who gave him the finger, as the guests laughed at their jokes. "Let me give you the awaited first groom talk."
Ana hugged Christian's waist, leaning on his shoulder. He hugged her back tighter and kissed the top of her head.
"I guess all of you know the epic tale of Ana and Christian's love story." Elliot walked around the tables, talking on the wireless microphone. The people hummed in acquiescence of his question, even when they didn't know the half of it. "It hasn't been all hearts and flowers, but they made it." Elliot bit his lip, his nostrils flaring, thinking about all they had been through. He looked at his brother and his brand new sister-in-law as his chest filled with pride. "We all made it. And it made us stronger." Christian nodded, mouth set in a thin line and eyes shining with emotion. "So…" Elliot's chest deflated with a loud and satisfying exhale. "I'm one hundred percent sure they will overcome whatever fate puts their way." He strolled lazily among the tables. "That is if Ana, sweet, selfless Ana, doesn't get fed up with my hot-headed brother." That earned him some laughs and whoops from the guests, including the stoic Taylor. "I hope you will bear with him, though, because if you dump him, he will drag us with him in his black pit of despair. And it won't be funny."
"Christian is stuck with me." Ana smirked, lifting a brow.
"Change the subject, bro. Now that I've finally snatched her, I don't want her changing her mind." Christian circled his arms around Ana's waist, setting her closer to his chest. The guests whooped from their tables while Elliot chuckled.
"Ana, you know better than anyone how infuriating he can be." Elliot turned his head left and right, his left hand enclosing his mouth as if telling a secret. "He is a pompous asshole most of the time." Ros hollered and more laughter erupted. Even Christian couldn't help his smile. "But he is one of the best men I know. A genius, ridiculously generous, and━," Elliot turned toward Christian "━I think he turned out well after all." Elliot bit his lip. "I love you, little bro."
Christian stood up and walked toward his brother, engulfing his large frame in a tight hug that made the microphone in Elliot's hand protest with a high-pitched sound. "Love you, bro."
"I'm glad to have you back, Christian. I'm glad to have my brother back again." Elliot looked Christian in the eye.
"I'm glad too."
The guests clapped and cheered when Mia joined them, sandwiching herself between the two of them with a loud shriek. Grace, who was a hot mess of sobs and happy tears, gazed at her three children with adoration. Ana also looked at them through her own tears, grateful for that special moment of happiness.
_§§ 0 §§_
Frank Sinatra crooned "I've got you under my skin" as Ana and Christian glided through the makeshift dance floor.
"Remember this song?" Christian whispered in Ana's ear as he breathed in the sweet scent of her neck.
"You and I in my kitchen, after you mopped my bathroom?" Ana smirked mischievously, making Christian chuckle at her answer.
"You and I in your kitchen, the morning after taking your virginity and claiming you as mine." Christian growled against her skin.
"I can't wait until tonight. Our wedding night." She gripped both lapels of Christian's tuxedo jacket, the smooth silk cool against her fingers.
"Do you think we'll wait that long?" His smirk was predatory, eyes shining with sinful promises.
"We'll see." She traced a line sown the buttons of his shirt.
The newlyweds parted their ways and danced with their family and friends. Taylor twirled Ana and made a playful bow when another song ended. She kissed his cheek and the tough man hugged her in a brief but fierce display of sentiment.
"I wish you and Mr. Grey a long and happy life, Ana." Taylor was a man of few words, but when he talked, it was always meaningful.
"Thank you so much, Jason. I hope you, Gail, and Sophie will enjoy it with us."
Ana walked back to the bar area to rest a little. She put down on the pub table her lime and soda and watched Christian dancing with Ros. He shook with laughter, head tilted back and a wide smile on his face. Ana smiled back at the scene.
"Mrs. Grey." Kate sneaked behind Ana.
"You will be Mrs. Grey soon, too."
Kate beamed at Ana and stared at the princess cut diamond ring Elliot gave her a month before, moving her hand to make the jewel sparkle. "We're going to be sisters."
They smiled so big their cheeks hurt.
"I can't believe Christian gave me the exclusivity to the Lincoln case…" Kate shook her head in disbelief before taking a sip from her pina colada.
"Who else would do it better than you? You're family, and we trust you."
"That's huge coming from Christian… I don't want to disappoint any of you."
"You won't, future Mrs. Grey."
"I won't, Mrs. Grey."
They looked at each other, giggling like teenagers.
"I'm so done with all of it, though." Ana stopped short of threading her hand through her hair and ruining her updo. "That bitch will rot in jail forever… I hope she suffers every single day of her miserable life."
"She was into so much shit, she had it coming sooner or later. Karma is a bitch."
"Amen. Anyway, her interaction with Jack made the shit hit the fan."
"God, Ana. I can't believe what a lunatic he turned into." Kate shook her head.
"He gave me the creeps when I first met him," Ana said. Kate looked at her with an arching brow. "Yes, it was one of those things you dismiss because it makes no sense."
"Always trust your gut." Kate pointed out.
"Yeah…" Ana sighed, leaning her head on Kate's shoulder.
"I would have killed him with my bare hands if he wasn't already dead." Kate looked straight ahead, eyes glassy and unfocused.
"I know the feeling." Ana squeezed her fingers. "Elliot is doing fine, isn't he?"
"Elliot is doing fantastic. He's strong as a horse. As a stallion would be more accurate."
"Gross." Ana grimaced, scrunching her nose.
She faced Kate, eyes wide and bright. "You won't believe who is a couple now."
"Tell me!"
"Jose and Leila."
"They're together?" Kate asked, furrowing her brow. Ana nodded. "Together-together? As a couple?"
"Like white on rice."
"Like two peas in a pod?"
They both snickered at their silliness. "Like peanut butter and jelly!" They said in unison, clinking their glasses in a toast.
"Yeah, there's nothing as inseparable as peanut butter and jelly," Kate said.
"Jose kept an eye on Leila at the hospital. He said he empathized with her. When she got better, he made sure she went to rehab, even accompanying her to some meetings, and… they somehow clicked and got together." Ana drew patterns on the moist surface of her glass.
"Wow. I hope they stay out of trouble…" Kate mulled over Ana's words.
"Yeah, I hope so. He seemed… happy when he called me. Freer. Do you know what I mean?"
Kate nodded. "I do."
They watched the guests in companionable silence for a while.
"Hey, we haven't danced together yet!" Kate threw her hands in the air, turning her attention to Ana. "You owe me a dance, Mrs." Kate made a vow in front of Ana, a smirk on her face. "Shall we?"
"We shall, but please, be gentle. You may keep my virtue intact for my husband."
"That man blew out your virtue the minute he put his eyes on you, girl."
"You might be right."
They snorted, walking arm in arm to the dance floor.
_§§ 0 §§_
"May I have this dance, please?" Christian had been watching Ana from afar, dancing with Kate, with his grandpa, his uncle, and with Kane. But his patience was wearing thin, and now he was claiming his Ana all for himself.
"She's all yours," Bruce said. "I think we will head home soon, anyway. Maureen's feet must be killing her."
"Oh, poor Maureen. We are so happy you could come and celebrate with us. We really appreciate it." Ana said, hugging him.
"Yeah, Bruce. Thank you so much for coming." Christian shook his hand.
"It's been a blast. Enjoy yourselves in your honeymoon."
Once Bruce was on his way out, Christian whisked Ana away, going in circles around the dance floor. Ana laughed, a light and carefree sound that made Christian's heart beat a little faster.
"I love you, Mrs. Grey." Christian brushed his lips on Ana's earlobe.
"I love you, Mr. Grey."
"It's such a turn on calling you that." His hands traveled from her waist to the middle of her back, pulling her closer.
"Is that so?" Ana bit her bottom lip, looking at him through her lashes.
"You have no idea." Christian ran his nose along Ana's jawline.
"I think I have." Ana pressed her stomach into the bulge growing in his pants. She dragged a finger up his chest, stopping under his chin. "Let's get out of here for a while."
"Fuck. I like the way your mind works, Mrs. Grey."
They ran hand in hand to the house, eliciting catcalls from Elliot, Kate, Mia, and Ethan, although they were too caught up in each other to care.
Christian entered the first room with a lock, pressing Ana's back to the closed door.
"I always wondered as a child why the library had a lock," Christian said as his hands cinched around Ana's waist.
"Um, if the walls could talk." Ana ran her hands over Christian's chest, feeling the hard muscles underneath the cotton fabric of his shirt, and the strong thrumming of his heart. His jacket fell silently to the floor with a little push of her hands over his shoulders.
"Thank God they can't…" Christian grimaced, trying to erase the disturbing image of his parents going at it. "Right now, baby, they're about to burn to flames."
Christian gripped Ana's jaw, his hand spread over her throat as he devoured her lips, angling her head to reach deeper. She whimpered inside his mouth, clutching his shirt with both hands. It was all-consuming, the way he exuded power and control, the way he made her ravenous for his searing touch.
"You're so fucking perfect." Christian reached under the hem of her dress, past the delicate layers of fabric, to run a hand up her leg. Up, up, up; slowly past her knee, past the blue garter around her thigh, his fingers stilled when he found warm, wet flesh where the lacy fabric of her panties should be.
"Oh, God!" Ana moaned when Christian rubbed at her entrance, his perplexed expression morphing into something feral.
"What do we have in here, baby? Have you been like this the whole time?"
"Every single moment." Ana was panting with his hand rubbing between her legs, teasing in the most exquisite of ways. "While walking to the altar toward you." She extricated herself from him and walked backward, watching his broad chest expand and contract with every harsh breath he took. "While toasting to a happy marriage with our guests." He followed her, his tongue tracing his teeth and his hands slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Ana bent over the massive mahogany desk that dominated the middle of the room and looked at him with hooded eyes. "Come and see." Ana's voice was low and breathy. Her core tightened at the look on his face.
With two long strides, he came behind her, falling to his knees before lifting the delicate fabric of her skirt and bunching it over her lower back.
"Fuck, so perfect."
He ran his hands along the smooth skin of her legs, interminable in the five-inch stilettos that sparkled with diamonds and pearls. His face was perfectly aligned with the crotchless panties she wore, the pearly white silk showcasing her delectable pink pussy and her puckered ass. When his hands finished his unwavering journey, he grabbed a handful of each ass cheek and dove right in, inhaling her musky scent right before plunging his tongue inside her. She took hold of the edge of the desk to keep from falling when her knees gave out.
"Need to be inside you now." He growled between lapping and sucking and biting. In record time, his hard cock sprung out of his boxers. With one hard thrust that stole Ana's breath, he was deep inside her. He stilled for a moment, groaning in pleasure at the exquisite feel of her warm, wet pussy tightly wrapped around him. When he began moving, he watched himself slowly thrusting in and out of her, her pink flesh surrounding him, her ass full and round, so enticing, he bent over her and whispered in her ear. "I will eat this pussy and this ass tonight. And then I will fuck them both. I will own every inch of you tonight, Mrs. Grey."
Ana groaned at the thought. She loved this possessive, dominant part of him.
"You feel so good, baby." His movements got faster, their flesh slapping with their movements.
"I'm so close, Christian. So close!"
"I can feel it, baby. Give it to me. Come for me, Ana. Come all over my cock."
She came with a breathless moan, clutching the table for dear life. He grabbed her hips and fucked her through her orgasm until his own release came like a jolt of light, leaving him boneless and sated.
"I love you, Mrs. Grey." With his chest pressed to her back, Christian kissed her jaw and the back of her neck, inhaling her hair.
"I love you, Mr. Grey."
Ana turned around when he slipped out of her, grabbing his tie and yanking him to her to kiss him.
"You, crazy woman." He smiled with that timid grin reserved solely for her, laced with that expression of wonder, as he still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her. "Be right back." Christian tucked himself inside his pants and ran to an adjoined service bathroom, returning with a wet washcloth he used to clean Ana. He finished with a kiss on her clit that made her tremble.
"I want you again." He growled against her lips.
"Let's make an appearance and get out of here. Then we'll have all night."
"Can't wait to have you all by myself."
After another round of kisses, Ana refreshed her makeup and tamed her hair in front of the mirror, just before walking to the party hand in hand.
_§§ 0 §§_
"Enjoy yourselves in your honeymoon," Grace said as she held Ana tight. "It's the first time my son is taking a vacation; don't let him lose your precious time with work." The last sentence was whisper-yelled against Ana's ear, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I won't let him. I'll try to have him occupied enough he won't be thinking about work." Ana smirked, winking at Christian.
Elliot and Mia made suggestive faces, moving their hips back and forth.
"Is everyone sleeping here tonight, dad?" Christian asked, worried. The alcohol had run freely during the duration of the party, and it was showing.
"Don't worry, son. I've got it covered."
"Let's go. Can we frolic around like the newlyweds did in one of these rooms…?" Kate winked at Ana, screeching when Elliot tossed her over his shoulder on his way to his old bedroom.
"Let's make some noise, babe." He hollered.
"Let's make some noise too." Grace whisper-yelled again to her husband.
"And that's our cue to leave." Christian grimaced, looking at Ana with pleading eyes.
Once they bid their farewells, they went back to Escala to spend their first night as husband and wife.
"Would you tell me now where we are going on our honeymoon?" Ana asked Christian on their way to the penthouse.
"That, Mrs. Grey, would be telling."
_§§ 0 §§_
"I can't believe we're here, in Tokyo." Ana slid toward Christian, her arms gliding over the foamy water of the massive bathtub before circling his neck and flushing her body with his.
"I told you I wanted to come here with you someday." He nuzzled her neck and passed a bubbly glass of champagne to her before adjusting her over his lap.
"This is so decadent. I'm so relaxed right now, I would stop time and live in this moment for the rest of my life."
"Mmm, I want you this relaxed and happy forever." He traced the curve of her neck, of her shoulder, and both her collarbones with the back of his hand. Her skin was warm and flushed, so delectable he pulled her closer to his chest.
The jet-lag had been brutal the day before. They strolled along the Imperial Palace Gardens, which were opposite their hotel, for an hour and just crashed into bed in the afternoon. Charged with renewed energy, they had visited the rest of the gardens, the museum, and the public parts of the Palace in the morning.
She shared her glass with him, nearing the cool beverage to his lips and tipping it into his waiting mouth. He reciprocated, letting the champagne spill down her throat and into the water. His mouth launched on her neck, licking her skin with slow, long strokes.
"Christian…" She sighed his name, head lolling to the side to give him more access.
"I love you like this, relaxed, pliable." He caressed her back. "And wet and hot." His hands glided over her hips, landing on her ass cheeks.
"It's not the water that makes me hot and wet." She turned to face him, straddling his lap. "It's you." She traced his eyebrows, his nose, brushed her fingertips over his lashes. "It's not Tokyo or this bathtub that makes me happy. It's you. It's always been you, my gray-eyed boy."
Christian trembled; a full-body shudder that rippled through the water. "It's always been you for me too, Ana. It will always be you, forever."
"So, are you my happily ever after?" Ana licked her lips, a teasing smile on her face.
Christian smiled back, getting closer to brush his lips with hers. "You know I am."
THE END
I had this bittersweet feeling typing these two final words. This story has been so much to me. I've learned so much, and I've realized I have to learn so much more, I've pushed myself to do it. I've felt accompanied by all of you in this journey, with such warm messages, so encouraging and beautiful, they completely made my day. I couldn't ask for better travel companions.
Now, I have new projects, new dreams, new ideas running around in my head. New, original characters calling for me to give them a voice. If you want to know more about me, follow me on Instagram (link in my profile). I wrote a romantic comedy inspired by the pandemic, in a moment of hopelessness I really needed to let off steam.
Take care (it's wild out there these days...) and see you soon.
Love.