I go upstairs and get dressed for work and I have Gibson take me in. Whenever we arrive, he escorts me inside, as usual, and then I go and get on the elevator. I don't even pay attention to who is on it. I rarely do. Once the doors close and it starts moving, I hear, "I've finally got you alone again." I scoff.

"Of course, you have to trick me into being alone with you again. Will you please just fuck off, Gideon?" I ask without even turning around.

I hear him approaching me so I put my hand up and he runs into it. "I know you still think about me, Ana."

I laugh. "Never in a good way."

"Ana, I've gone to great lengths to talk to you. I think I deserve to be heard out."

I roll my eyes and turn towards him, still holding him back with my hand. "What the fuck do you want me to hear?"

"I still love you, Ana." He says.

I turn back around and scoff. "You shouldn't. You're married and I'm married, and I just so happen to hate your guts." Please open soon, elevator.

"I know damn well that you enjoyed it whenever I made love to you, Ana."

I giggle. "I only had orgasms because of the fact that it was sex. That had absolutely nothing to do with you. I loathed you then and I loathe you now. I only tolerate you because you're a part of this family now for whatever reason. I need you to just leave me the fuck alone."

"Ana…" he says, but the elevator doors open and I rush out of them and into my office. I close my door and immediately call my husband.

"Grey." He answers.

"Hey, baby. Do you have a few minutes free? We need to talk."

"I have a meeting in a few minutes, but I can be late. What do we need to talk about?"

I sigh. "I met Gideon in the fucking elevator again. I got on and didn't pay attention to who was on it. I didn't know that he was there until after the elevator started moving. He moved towards me and I held him back with my hand. He insisted that I still think about him and I told him that my thoughts about him were never good. He begged me to listen and said that he deserved to be heard. I let him talk and he just said that he still loves me and that he knows I enjoyed the fucking sex. I told him to get over it and that I hate him and did NOT enjoy it. I told him to fuck off and luckily the elevator doors opened on my floor and I rushed off of the elevator."

"That mother fucker. I have a meeting with him now. I will handle this. It sounds like you handled that well. Is there anything else that you'd like to discuss?"

"Well only about my conversation with my mother, but that can wait for now."

"Okay, baby. I love you. Come up for lunch."

I smile. "I will be there. I love you, too."

"Laters, baby." He says and I giggle.

"Laters, baby." I reply. We've been around Elliot way too much.

He hangs up and this is when I realize that there's another bouquet on my desk. Damn it. I take the card out to read it.

Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

I can't wait to reveal myself to you.

Your Secret Admirer

What. The. Fuck? I put the card to the side and take the flowers out and put them on the receptionist desk again.

I go back to my office and realize that I've got to go up to Christian's office for lunch in 20 minutes so I work on a manuscript for 20 minutes.

I mark my place and get up and grab the card and my purse and head up to the 20th floor. Whenever I arrive, Gideon is there waiting to get on the elevator. He just winks and I roll my eyes and walk past him where I see my husband with his eyes on Gideon. No wonder he didn't say anything else. I wrap my arms around Christian's waist and he wraps his arm around me and leads me into the office and closes and locks the door.

As soon as it is locked, he turns around and wraps his arms around my waist and crashes his lips into mine and he kisses me feverishly. He lifts me by my waist and he carries me over to his floor to ceiling windows with his lips still firmly connected to my own. "Turn around and lean against the window with your ass out and your feet shoulder width apart." I smile and he kisses me sweetly.

I do as he asks and adjust myself to his specification. I hear his belt and then I hear his zipper. Right afterwards, he lifts my skirt and rips off my panties. It doesn't take but a minute before he plunges into my core and thrusts mercilessly. After about 15 minutes and 2 orgasms, he encourages me to come with him, and I do. It's a glorious release.

Once we calm a little, he kisses my back and pulls out before picking me up and carrying me to the couch. He lays me down and lies beside me and holds me. I tell him about my phone call with my mother and he agrees that I should approach the situation with caution. Whenever there is a knock at the door, he tells whoever it is to hold on and he helps me up and we get situated. He has me sit back on the couch and he goes to answer the door.

Andrea hands him his lunch and he locks the door again and approaches. We eat together and we have another round of dessert before he sends me back off to work.

It's been 2 days since my mother asked me to get her tickets and a hotel so she could come here to talk to me in person. Gibson and I are waiting at the airport for her arrival.

We're standing at the gate for arrivals. Several people start to come through and then I see her. I smile through my apprehension and she approaches me and I hug her. "You look amazing, Ana." She actually does look sick. Maybe she isn't making it up.

"Thank you, Mom. Let's get you to your hotel and we can talk." She takes my hand and I walk her with Gibson out to the SUV. By the time we get there, she is out of breath. "Mom, are you okay?" she shakes her head and pulls an inhaler out of her pocket and takes 2 puffs before putting it back in.

"I have asthma on top of everything else now." I give her a sad smile and Gibson helps us both into the SUV. Whenever we arrive at the Fairmont, Gibson lets us out and I pick up the key to the room that I reserved for her. Gibson comes in carrying her luggage and follows up to the elevator and we take her to her room.

"Would you like to get freshened up and we can go out to lunch to discuss your health?"

"I better." I nod and she disappears into the restroom. She comes out about 15 minutes later and she takes my hand and we take her back out to the SUV. We go to the Mile High Club and I take her to the private booth that I reserved. We're seated and I ask her if she'd like some wine. "No, darling. I can't drink with my medications." This surprises me and I start to actually worry that she's telling the truth.

I order her a sparkling water and get a glass of wine for myself. "So how are you doing?"

"Not well." The waitress comes and takes our orders and walks away. "I have end stage renal disease for starters. I need a kidney transplant and they haven't been able to locate a donor. That's just the start of it."

"So, you need a kidney? Can you get one from a live donor?" I ask. I think I'd actually give this crazy woman a kidney.

"I can. If I remember correctly, you and I have the same blood type." I nod.

"A positive?" I ask.

She smiles. "Yes. But first, you need to know what else is wrong with me. It's the reason that they haven't been able to find me a kidney yet. They're afraid that a kidney donation may be wasted on me."

"Elaborate, please." She nods.

"I have stage 4a lung cancer. It has spread throughout my lungs. We've tried chemo. It's stopped the cancer from spreading but it isn't shrinking either. They tell me that there's other experimental treatments that may help, but there's no way that I could ever afford that."

"Wow." I sit back in my chair. The waitress brings us our food and sets it out in front of it. I eat and mom eats slowly like it's hard to swallow. "Is it hard for you to swallow?"

She nods. "They think it's related to the chemo that I'm on."

I look down at my plate and continue eating. I need to discuss this with my husband. Maybe we can help to get her experimental treatment after getting her in to see a local oncologist to confirm the cancer.

After I'm finished eating, she's barely eaten anything. "Do you need more time?"

She shakes her head. "No. I just can't eat. Ana, I need to apologize to you. You don't need to apologize to me."

I furrow my brow. Is this really happening? If so, who is this woman? I nod.

"I am so sorry that I didn't believe you about Steven. I should've known that he was hurting you, too, and I should've done something to stop it. I was incredibly selfish and greedy at the time and for whatever reason, I turned a blind eye to it. I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to believe it."

I gasp. Surprised by this apology. I put my hand on hers across the table. "I accept your apology. Life is too short to hold grudges. That is why I chose to reach out to you."

"Thank you, Ana." She pulls some money out of her purse.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

She sets the money down on the table. "I'm paying the bill." I scoff and pick the money up and put it back in her hand.

"Put your money away. I will take care of it. Also, if you need a kidney in order to survive and fight the cancer and I'm a match, I'd be happy to donate one. I've got to discuss it with my husband, of course, but I want to."

She gives me a weak smile. "Thank you, sweetheart. You don't have to. I'm half tempted to just let it all go when it comes down to it. If it's my turn to go, I'm gonna go anyways."

"Mom, I insist that you fight and I will be here to help." I tell her.

She smiles at me. "Okay." I pull money out of my purse and throw it down on the table.

"Let's get out of here. You look like you need some rest."

She nods. I get up and help her up and walk her to the elevator. Whenever we get her back to the hotel, I walk her to her room, I'm shocked whenever she pulls off a wig and she is completely bald. I start to cry and she notices and comes and hugs me. "Oh, honey. It's the chemo. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, Mom. The bald part doesn't scare me. It just hit me when I saw it that there's a very real possibility that you won't be around much longer and I'm mad at myself for not speaking to you for all of these years. I'm going to get you in with a doctor here and, if Christian's okay with it, you can stay in our guest house while you receive treatment. I can't lose you, too."

She holds me. "I appreciate the offer, Ana. I will consider it. I need to get some rest now."

"Let me help you." I say.

"I've got it, Ana. I can still get ready by myself. You go home to those amazing kids and don't waste a minute with them. You will regret it if you do." I nod and wipe away my tears.

"Call me if you need anything and I'll get here as quickly as I can. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." I nod and reluctantly leave and head down to the SUV.

"Take me to Grey House, Gibson. I need my husband." I say.

"Yes, Ana."

Whenever we arrive, I dry away my tears again and get on the elevator. I pay attention to who is on it this time and, thankfully, there's no Gideon. I take it straight up to the 20th floor and after a few stops to drop other people off, I finally arrive. I approach Andrea. "Is he available?" I ask.

She takes one look at me and can tell that I'm upset. "He's in a meeting, but I will let him know that you're here." I nod and go into his office and I walk to his desk and grab some tissues and I walk over to the floor to ceiling windows and look out over the city and I start crying again.

It doesn't take long before I hear the door open. I turn around and he's already very close to me. He wraps his arms around me and I wrap mine around his waist. "She's dying, Christian. She's really dying."

"Oh, baby." He just holds me like this for a little while. Once my cries die down, he walks me over to the couch and I lay down and he lies in front of me and we just look into each other's eyes.

I tell him everything from how she looks to her diagnosis and her lack of hair. "I am pretty certain that she's being honest. She even apologized to me for being selfish. That's not like my mother at all. I feel terrible that I wasted all of this time hating her whenever she needed me."

He wraps his arms around me and holds me close. "I will be here for you every step of the way, Ana. We can have an oncologist here check her out to confirm the cancer and get her any treatments available that she can withstand and try to help her beat this thing. I'm okay with you donating a kidney if she's still eligible for donation, but we need to speak with the oncologist about that first. I've got you, baby. We will all fight this together."

"Thank you, Christian. Thank you so much."

"Anything for you, Ana."

We lay like this a little longer. He pulls my head away from his chest. "Do you want to get home and get some baby snuggles to help you feel better?" I giggle and smile.

"I like that plan, but will you be joining me?"

"Of course, baby. What part of staying by your side do you not understand?" This causes me to laugh and he laughs with me.

"Let's go home and get them baby snuggles then, Mr. Grey."

He smiles and gets up and helps me up. He takes me to the bathroom and helps me to freshen up and he tells Andrea that he will be out for the rest of the day as we walk past her to the elevator.

Whenever we get home, we go straight to the babies and get our snuggles. We spend the rest of the day together with our family.

The next morning, I go back to check on my mother at the hotel. Christian is coming with me this time because he wants to offer her our help.

When we arrive at her room, she doesn't answer the door, so I use the spare key and enter the room. I turn the light on and see that she's still asleep. I walk over to open the curtains. "Mom, it's time to get up." I say.

There's no response so I sit on the edge of the bed beside here and I try to shake her. "Mom! Wake up!" I get a bad feeling in my gut and I grab her hand. It is cold and limp. NO! I check her pulse. There is none. I grab her shoulders and shake her. "WAKE UP, MOM!!" I hear Christian on the phone.

I put my ear up to her mouth to check for breathing and that's when I see a pill bottle spilled on the nightstand with a letter underneath it. "NO!!!" I keep trying to shake her and start sobbing. "You have to wake up, Mommy!!" I shout through my tears. Christian puts a hand on my back. He reaches around me and checks her pulse as well.

"She's gone, baby." He says and I start sobbing again and I lay my head on her chest and hold her.

"NO!!" I'm bawling like a baby and I'm suddenly brought back to my childhood. I see her laying there in a puddle of her own blood and I try to wake her, but she doesn't get up so I call 911. It must be a repressed memory. She tried to kill herself then to get away from Morton and she just did it again and succeeded. I should've stayed with her last night.

I continue to hold her and sob and I don't hear anything around me. I feel my husband's hands on my shoulders and I attempt to shake him off. "The paramedics are here, baby. They need to take her away."

"NO!!" I reply and tighten my grip.

"She's gone, Ana. You have to let her go." I loosen my grip and my husband scoops me up and I wrap my arms around his neck and sob into his shoulder.

"I shouldn't have ignored her for so fucking long. This is my fault."

"No, Ana. This is NOT your fault. She was already dying and she made the conscious decision to take her own life, probably to stop her own suffering. There's nothing that you could've done to prevent this."

After the paramedics take her away, Christian helps me to gather all of her stuff and then I spot the note on the nightstand. "Christian, can you get that?"

"Of course, baby." When we finish packing everything, he carries her luggage in one hand and wraps his other arm around my waist and we leave. The kids didn't really know her, so this isn't likely to hurt them nearly as much.

We head home and Christian carries me straight to bed. "You rest. I'm going to help Taylor bring her luggage in." I nod and he kisses me sweetly.

He leaves the room and I just lay there and cry into my pillow. I hear him come back in the room and I turn around. He is carrying Penny in one arm and a bottle of wine in the other. I smile at him. Baby snuggles.

He sets the wine on the nightstand. "I figured you wouldn't need a glass today." I giggle.

"You're right about that." I say. He hands me Penny and I snuggle her to my chest and sniff her relaxing baby smell and kiss her head before laying her on the bed beside me. She reaches up and touches my cheek and babbles. I smile. "I know, baby. Everything will be alright." Christian climbs into the other side of the bed and leans his head on his elbow and watches us.

He wraps an arm around my waist and just holds on to me. After a little while, Penny starts to get fussy. "I'll take her to the nanny and she can feed her. I will be right back." He tells me.

"Thank you." He smiles and nods and leaves the room. I sit up with my back against the headboard and I open the bottle of wine and start drinking straight out of the bottle. My husband finally comes back into the room and he wraps his arm around me. "Would you like a drink, Mr. Grey?"

He half-smiles. "No. That bottle is all yours."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Ana. Like I said yesterday. I'll be here with you through everything." I smile and lean over and kiss him sweetly.

"Thank you." He nods and continues to hold me and I drink about half of the bottle before I lay back down flat. I wrap myself around Christian and he keeps an arm wrapped around me. "I guess I need to call Bob." I say.

"I already called him. I didn't tell him what happened. I just told him that it's imperative that I talk to him in person immediately. I booked him a flight and he's on his way." He tells me.

"You think of everything."

"I try." I kiss him sweetly again. "Get a nap, baby. I'll be right here holding you."

"Okay. I love you." I say and he kisses me on the top of my head.

He knows my pain. His own pain is still raw for him. I drift off to sleep. I dream of a happy childhood with my mom and my dad.

It's 10 pm and we're at the airport waiting for the arrival of Bob. Christian came along and Taylor brought us. Finally, Bob approaches us. I've only met him once, at our second wedding. He wraps his arms around me. "It's nice to see you again, Ana."

"You too, Bob." He lets go of me.

"Let's go get a drink and talk." Christian says and Bob nods.

We take him to Escala. Probably so he can have his feelings loudly and not wake up the kids.

Whenever we arrive at the penthouse, Bob whistles in appreciation as he looks around. "Is this where you live now, Ana?" he asks.

I shake my head. "We have a house out on the sound. This is our penthouse as well." I tell him.

"Bourbon okay with you, Bob?"

"Bourbon will do just fine." Christian nods and goes over to his bar and he comes back with them both a glass. We all sit on the couch. "So, what do you need to speak about so urgently, Christian?" he asks, cutting right to the chase.

"It's about Carla."

"Where is she? How is she doing?" Bob asks.

Christian looks to me and I nod, urging him to answer.

"Carla passed away in her sleep last night. It appears that she overdosed and they don't believe that it was accidental." Christian tells him.

I look to Bob and he looks away. He puts down his glass and puts his face in his hands. I put my hand on his back. "I should've known something like this might happen. She was in so much pain all the time. She became depressed. She was so excited whenever you called, Ana. She couldn't wait to come see you. Did she get the chance to apologize?"

I nod. "She did." My own silent tears begin to fall again.

Bob lifts his head and looks at me and that's when I see that he'd been crying as well. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me and I continue to cry and I feel tears on my shirt where his head is. "I'm so sorry that you didn't get more time with her, Ana. She really wanted more time with you."

"It's my own fault. I shouldn't have ignored her for so many years." I respond.

"Nonsense." He pulls back and wipes away his tears and puts a hand on each of my shoulders. "She understood exactly why you wouldn't talk to her. For years, she refused to acknowledge her part in your abuse, but whenever she got sick, she finally admitted it to herself. She's been waiting to apologize for at least a couple of years."

"How long was she sick, Bob?" I ask.

"It would've been 4 years in May."

I start crying again. "Why didn't someone contact me sooner?"

"She wanted to give you your space. A Grace called and invited her to your wedding and she was thrilled. She understood why you distanced yourself from her there. She didn't want to burden you on your big day by telling you about her health. At least she got to meet your kids."

"She didn't get to meet the youngest 2." I tell him.

He gasps. "You had 2 more babies?" I nod. "I don't want to get in the way, but do you mind if I meet them myself? I am kind of their grandpa anyways."

I smile. "I think they'd like that. Yes, you can meet them."

"Am I going to be staying here tonight?" he asks.

I look to Christian questionably. "You can come out to the house with us. You can spend some time with the kids tomorrow before they go to school and after they get home. Maybe you and Ana can get some funeral planning done during the day?"

He nods. "I'd like that."

"Let's head out to the house now, then." Christian suggests.

Bob nods in agreement and empties out his glass of bourbon and Christian does the same with his.

We head back to the house and set Bob up in a guest room and we go to bed ourselves. We're lying in bed together and he's holding me. "Christian?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I need you to get lost in me." I look up at him with pleading eyes and he half smiles.

"What baby wants; baby gets." I giggle and then he rolls me onto my back. He takes off my nightie and panties and shakes out of his boxers. "You just lay there and let me love you well, baby."

"Yes, sir." I reply and his lips crash into mine as he slowly penetrates my core. He loves me well for hours and we come undone together and I'm crying again. He wipes away my tears and kisses me sweetly.

"I love you, Mrs. Grey. Do you feel better now?" I nod.

"Very much so. Thank you, Mr. Grey. I love you as well." He smiles and kisses me sweetly as he pulls out and he lies beside me and pulls me into his side and I wrap myself around him and he holds me as I drift off to sleep.

The next day, Bob spends time with the older kids and with the babies. We begin planning her funeral. He agrees to bury her here. He said that she always loved Seattle. He calls their attorney to come to Seattle with her will.

I called my dad to let him know and Christian and I told the kids together. They weren't as upset as they were about Grace and Carrick, but they were still upset, understandably so. They had only met her once, but they loved her.

Over the last week, we've completed my mom's funeral arrangements. Today is her funeral. Christian, Bob and I ride together in our SUV. We are met there by the Elliot, Kate, and my Dad. The kids are all at home with the nannies. One funeral is enough for them for now. There's a few of her friends and distant family that I'd never met that came as well. The priest gives a prayer and a speech and I give a small speech myself. Christian stays by my side and holds me throughout. We each throw a rose on her casket as they lower her into the ground.

I'm sobbing throughout the entire thing. Afterwards, we invite everyone to our ranch home for a meal. I get to know a few cousins a little bit and an aunt. My mother never introduced me to anyone in her family. I'm not sure why, though. They seem like good people.

The next day, we have a will reading and she leaves me various mementos. I don't even know what half of the stuff that he's talking about is, but I go ahead and accept it. She left Bob everything else.

We are seeing Bob off at the airport now. "It's been a pleasure getting to know you and your family, Ana. Thank you both for your hospitality. I will bring all of the stuff that she left you soon." Bob says.

"No need. Just pack the stuff up and then we will come down in my jet and get it whenever it's ready. You are welcome to visit anytime though, Bob." Christian says.

Bob smiles and looks at me. "You seem to have gotten yourself a good egg here, Ana." He winks at me and pats Christian on his shoulder.

"I know that." I say and I look up at my husband lovingly. He smiles back at me.

"Well, let me get a hug and I better go board my plane before I miss my flight." Bob says. I give him a hug and him and Christian clap each other on the back.

Once Bob walks away, my husband puts his arm back around my waist and walks me back out to the SUV. He helps me in and gets in himself. Whenever we get home, we are welcomed by the children. "I'm going to take Mom up to take a nap. I will be back soon." He tells them.

They say okay and go off and play and my husband takes me to bed. I beg him to love me and he does so and it's phenomenal and just what I needed. "Why does everyone keep dying, Christian?" I ask him.

"Well, they say people die in 3s so we should be safe for a while. They were all up in their 70s and early 80s so it would've happened fairly soon regardless."

I nod. "You're right. I'm definitely not ready to lose my Daddy yet, though, so let's make sure to take care of him. Maybe he can move into our guest house?"

He looks at me and smiles. "We can arrange it. I know he loves to work in his woodshop so maybe I can get Elliot to build him one here on the property and he will be more willing to come."

I kiss him sweetly. "You, my husband, are a fucking genius."

"Mmm… I do what I can, baby. Let me love your body again and then you should really get a nap and I will take care of the babies and older kids while you rest. You've had a very tough week and you deserve some sleep."

I smile. "I feel like I said that to you not too long ago." He smiles and kisses my nose.

"That's because you did say it, but it's true so let me love you and then you will rest. Husband's orders."

I giggle. "As you wish. You don't have to twist my arm." His lips crash into mine and he loves my body again. He holds me until I drift off to sleep, safe and sated, in his arms.

When I wake up, Christian isn't in bed with me and it's getting dark. I'm hungry, so I get up, put my clothes back on and go freshen up before going downstairs. I don't find anyone around, so I go to my husband's office to talk to him. Surely, he wouldn't leave without letting me know. The door is closed so I tap it lightly before opening it. My husband looks up from behind his desk as I enter the room.

"Hey, baby." He says. I lock the door and turn around and walk to my husband pulling my dress off over my head. I slide out of my panties and I drop both articles of clothing onto the floor. Once I get around his desk, I see that he is freeing himself from his pants. I sit astride him and slide down onto his cock. I gasp as he fills me completely.

I crash my lips into his and he eagerly reciprocates as he holds onto my waist. He guides me as I ride him with my lips firmly connected to his. This continues until I come undone and this spurs his climax as well. Once our beautiful orgasms are over, I lay my head on his shoulder and he just holds me.

"Hello to you, too, baby." He says. I sit back up and smile at him.

"I love you, Christian Grey."

"I love you, too, Anastasia Grey. Are you hungry? We saved you dinner. It just needs to be reheated."

I nod. "I'm famished, Mr. Grey." He smiles.

"Well, we can't have that. Let's go put some food in you." I nod. He helps me up off of him and he helps me back into my dress before he puts himself back into his pants. He leads me out to the kitchen. I sit at the breakfast bar, upon his insistence and he warms up my dinner. He places the plate in front of me and he comes around and sits beside me.

"How did you sleep?" he asks.

"I slept good. I just woke up alone in bed and I was hungry. So, the kids are already in bed, I suppose?"

"You assume correctly. It's 10 pm already."

"Wow. I slept for a while." I reply.

"Ana?"

I look up at him. "Yes?"

"Are you ready to read that letter that your mom left you at the hotel?" he asks. I look away and sigh.

"Yeah. Might as well get it over with. I've been procrastinating."

"After you finish eating, I'll go get it for you and I'll stay with you while you read it, if you want?"

I nod. "Sounds good, baby."

Once I'm done eating, I move to the family room and sit on the couch with a glass of wine and wait for my husband to come back with this letter that I've been dreading reading. He finally comes back and sits beside me and hands me the letter. He wraps an arm around me.

I unfold the letter and begin to read.

My dearest Ana,

I'm so sorry to leave you like this as we've just started to become reacquainted with one another, but I'm suffering. I'm in a horrible amount of pain 24 hours a day. I can't sleep unless I take a lot of medicine. I can't take it anymore.

I'm glad to have gotten to spend a little time with you again. I've been waiting for the opportunity to see you again for years. I realize that I just saw you a year ago at your extravagant wedding, but we didn't get the chance to talk there, and I didn't want to ruin your big day.

I'm so happy for you, Ana. You've done great things in your life, no thanks to me and my stubborn pride. I'm glad that you had Ray as a father. He has shaped you into a wonderful woman. I don't think I ever would've been able to do that well raising you and for that, I'm truly sorry.

Please give the kids my love and let them know that I did love them. I will do what I can to watch over you if there's really an afterlife. You are my only child and you bring me great joy. You always have.

I regret that I wasn't able to keep you safe from Morton, and that I didn't believe you. If I could take that all back, I would in a heartbeat. Please forgive me.

I apologize if you're the one to find me. I'm hoping that housekeeping comes in before you so that you don't have to see this. I love you, Anastasia. Thank you for being my daughter. Take care of that beautiful family and I will see you on the other side. I insist that I don't see you for many years, though.

Love Always,

Your Mom, Carla Adams.

I fold the letter in half and hand it to my husband and I bury my face in his shoulder and cry. I cannot complain about my life, because my dad raised me right and I couldn't imagine anyone could have done it better. I do wish my mother was there for it, too, though.

After he reads the letter, he wraps his arms around me and holds me until my cries die down. I sit up and kiss my husband sweetly before picking up my wine glass and emptying it. "Do you want to talk about it now, Ana?"

I shake my head. "No. I'd rather you take me to bed and help me forget about it all for now." I put my glass down and look over at him and he gives me a sad smile. He stands up and offers me his hand and I eagerly take it.

He scoops me up and carries me to bed and he loves me well again. He always knows just how to make me feel better.