Thursday, December 10th
I can never get used to waking up with such a view…my wonderful handsome husband and the scenery over the sound. I can't decide which I love to look at more, but I think my husband is a better option than the waterfront. There is just something about waking up with him every morning that thrills me deep inside. I never knew it would feel like this to be this much in love with him or with anyone.
Tomorrow I get to spend time with Grace running some errands and getting my hair and nails done with her. Christian and I are decidedly trying to have another child. So different from the last time. I had purchased a couple of pregnancy test kits once we decided to start. Christian has already gone to work as he had an early morning meeting with some European buyers via teleconference. I was almost giddy when I saw that the test came back positive and it took all my willpower not to fly down the stairs to show Gail. Christian should be told first so I hatched a plan to visit his office today at lunchtime. I then decided that I probably should schedule an appointment with Dr. Green as a follow-up so I left a message with her answering service to call me for an appointment. I buzz Sawyer on the house phone that I am ready to go to work this morning and that it will only be for half a day as I have plans this afternoon.
When I showed up at Christian's office unannounced at lunch Andrea was quite startled. She wasn't sure where Christian was at the moment but allowed me to wait in his office. I decided that I would sit in his desk chair and make myself at home. I look around the office and along with the photo that Jose took of me he has a portrait of the three of us on the lawn at our home that he commissioned an artist to paint. He looks so happy. I also notice that he has some photos at his desk of me and Teddy. Christian walks into his office and he stands there looking at me sitting at his desk with a smirk on his face.
"Mrs. Grey, do you not have an office of your own to sit in? I had no idea that you would be by today."
"Well Mr. Grey, your office is also my office if I so choose, is it not?"
"Indeed it is wife. To what do I owe this pleasure? Are we having a lunch I was not aware of or are you in need of something?" My insides quiver thinking about what I could need.
"No, Mr. Grey, husband, but I am always in need of you. I stopped in to give you some news that you might want to hear" and as I say these words I think in my mind this time.
He reaches the desk and stands before me looking down and places his fingers under my chin looking at me with love and wonder. "And what news do you have, wife. Another best seller on your list of many successes? An idea for a vacation?".
I reach into my purse and pull out the baggy that contains the pregnancy test strip and place it in his hands. He looks at it and me and the biggest shit eating grin appears on his face that I can't help but grin back. "Well, I guess we have some celebrating to do tonight don't we? Or do we just take the afternoon off and start right now?"
"Well, Teddy is with the nanny and I arranged to take the afternoon off from work to come see you so it is entirely up to you what we do with this time. I have some ideas but then I don't want to interrupt your day if you have something planned already. We can celebrate later if you are busy."
He goes to his door and speaks clearly out to the reception area "Andrea, cancel my afternoon appointments. My wife and I are taking the rest of the day off." It is a dreary December day but this will not affect my joy and from the look my husband gives me it will definitely be memorable.
I expected him to drive to Escala and the playroom but he looks at me with that sly smile and drives to our home by the bay. Gail is cleaning upstairs when we arrive but that doesn't stop Christian. She is cleaning up in Teddy's room and as we walk by I can't help but look in at my baby boy's room wondering whether he will have a new little brother to share his stuff with or a baby sister. Gail is startled when she sees us as I am sure we were not expected home for a few hours. "I was just changing all the sheets upstairs but I can finish all this later. I am surprised to see you both home. Is there something I need to take care of for you Ana?"
"No Gail, Mr. Grey and I just decided to play hooky for an afternoon as we are both a little tired and just wanted some quiet time as Teddy is with the nanny. We needed to have some time to talk and plan for some things coming up so we will go down to the library and let you finish for now. Christmas is almost here and we need to decide on a few things for Teddy. Just let me know when you are done." I am so happy that she has stopped calling me "Mrs. Grey" as we all live together and now that she is married to Jason we can all drop our titles when it is just us in the house.
I walk up to Christian and grab his hand expecting him to follow me down the stairs but he grabs me and holding my head gives me the sweetest, longest most heart warming kiss. I think Gail is going to turn fifty shades of red watching us. Christian takes my hand and walks me down the hallway away from Teddy's room and walks into the adjacent bedroom which we have not done anything with yet. He looks at me and rubbing his hand over my belly says "what color should we paint this room, Anastasia? Pink or blue? We don't have to decide today."
Oh my, I haven't even thought about the bedroom or anything else for that matter. "Dr. Green can see us next week for our first visit but you know it will be a little while before we know what it is."
"I will add it to my calendar so I can be there with you. I don't want to miss a single moment with you this time, not even the first visit."
"Well, she has me scheduled for ten on Monday if that works for you. Or I can have her make a later appointment if you have plans for that day already. She said it is entirely up to us and she can open her schedule up to accommodate us anytime."
"Oh, I think I can move some things around. Want to plan a lunch that day at one of our favorites? I know your appetite will increase and I love to watch you eat."
"Hmm, I know what I have an appetite for but we should wait for Gail to finish, unless you want to go downstairs or the gazebo. It is a little chilly outside and it looks like rain. We could improvise in your office like we did a month ago when you had that late night call with the Koreans."
"I like improvising and I have some ideas Mrs. Grey. Let's head down to my office then"
As we leave the spare room Gail winks at me and smiles. I don't know if she heard our conversation or not. I still after all this time cannot get use to having others listening inside my own home but since I married Christian I have grown to realize the need for security and Teddy's safety. We are always shadowed by paparazzi when we go out now, even for the most mundane of tasks. Kate has even commented that she has been photographed so often that her parents have started an album.
Christian motions his hand for me to enter his office first and he follows. I hear the door close and lock. "Mrs. Grey you have made me a very happy man today and I think you should be rewarded."
He is just so tempting when he is like this. I walk over to him, place my arms around his neck and gently lower his lips to mine. "Mr. Grey, husband, father of our children, you are my life, my world, my very reason for being. I couldn't have done any of this without your contribution. So I think a reward is entitled to both sides." And with that I gently remove his belt, unbutton his pants and slide his zipper down so I can fondle his cute ass and gain access to one of my favorite parts of his anatomy. It is hard to choose sometimes whether I love his mouth, his wit, his tender touches or his "love tool" but I love him, all of him. As I unbutton his shirt and slide down to the floor all I see are his darkening eyes and the grin on his beautiful face. He always wants to start with taking his shoes off first but I have learned over the years to be very adept at removing his pants, shoes and socks simultaneously. He has such a cute ass, but then my husband can turn me on with just that smoldering look of his. I know he loves for me to suck him and watch my every move, almost as much as I love for his lips, mouth and tongue on me…everywhere. But I love watching him watching me. I am still taken back to that first bath we had and how he wanted me to "get acquainted" with his favorite part of his anatomy. He was so damn cute, not that he isn't now. But I do love seeing the joy in his eyes and I love making my man happy because he does that to me always.
Christian has left to meet the nanny to pick up Teddy. I at least got him to agree to my terms on his care after he was born. That was a battle. I think he was wanting me to stay home longer or even work from home for a while but I insisted that little Ted needed to be around other children and learn how to interact with other people aside from his mother and father. I am not having our son brought up in a bubble! Now he will have another sibling to interact with which will be a lot easier since he is learning to share with others. I am downstairs in the kitchen and I have a craving for caramel fudge ice cream which we don't seem to have so I have to improvise. Vanilla with caramel topping will do. Gail walks in and looks at me with a smile. "I think I can add some items to our grocery list for the holidays Ana." She has a sly grin on her face so I know she overheard our conversation earlier but I give nothing away. I grin back.
"Gail, with Christmas coming of course we are going to need some additional items for my dad, all of Christian's family. I don't know if mom and Bob are going to come for the holiday or not yet. I figured this year we would do a Christmas Eve celebration especially with Elliot and Kate about to be parents. They probably want to start having their own celebration at home. What do you and Jason want to do?"
"We are having Sophie over for a couple of days. Jason is negotiating which ones right now."
"You know you are always welcome at our celebrations." I smile back at Gail and decide I will spill the beans as we are both having a grin off. "We are definitely going to be celebrating a lot this year, and probably on into next year too. Maybe as far as August or so."
"Well Ana, I am very happy for you and Mr. Grey. He reacted a lot better this time with the news, didn't he?"
"Well, at least this time it was planned so he shouldn't be surprised. I guess we should plan on getting a few 'special' items with the regular groceries for a while" and I smirk at her.
"I think I remember what your favorites were from the last time. Are you planning on announcing at Christmas Eve or waiting a while?"
"I haven't decided just yet. Grace and I are going out tomorrow afternoon and we are getting our hair and nails done. I gave the nanny the day off so Teddy and I can have some quality time together or see if Christian wants to spend time teaching him some bad habits. Last time I left the two of them together for any length of time he taught Teddy how to burp like his uncle Elliot! Men and their habits. Really! Maybe I should check with mom and see what her schedule is for the next few days." I head to my office to set my plans in motion for Friday.
Friday, December 11th
I plan on telling Grace today and Mom is flying in tomorrow with Bob for the weekend so we can share the news with them. They are really looking forward to seeing Teddy and are probably bringing way too may presents for him but since they are coming via our private jet they feel like they can cram it full of toys and clothes. We can share the news with them tomorrow and have a family outing to celebrate. I know it is still a few weeks till Christmas but they can always come back if they want. Mom would love to spend more time with Teddy and maybe I can convince them to spend a week here instead of just a few days. I know that she thinks that she is interfering in our life and Mom is not too keen on the security we have to have when we go somewhere but I keep telling her that we have to. I do understand. It took me quite a while before I got use to it, but I get to drive myself sometimes. The Spider doesn't get driven enough since I can't use the car seat in there but I will NOT get rid of it! I let Jason drive it as he loves that car. Every now and then Christian and I take our cars for a drive on the seaside roads and enjoy racing each other.
My gorgeous husband opens his eyes and smiles his "I am so happy" smile at me but alas we cannot have any fun at the moment because Teddy has taken this opportunity to wake up. Well, there will always be later. Maybe I can sneak into his office today for a little preview of coming attractions. I am sure I can get Andrea or even Ros to watch Teddy for a few minutes while I light up my husband and give him something to think about this afternoon. It will drive him insane, and probably me as well.
I think Teddy needs to wear his little nautical suit today if I am going to Christian's office. They will really love this outfit on him and he looks so cute. So, while Christian is getting his shower I dress Teddy in a jumper and take him downstairs where Gail is fixing breakfast. I put Teddy in his play area for now and check on breakfast. I think I have enough time to intercept Christian for his final cleaning so I head back upstairs to check on his progress. After all, I need a shower too!
As I open the door to our bath I see my gorgeous husband standing at the sink with a towel wrapped around doing his morning shave. Well, let's see how well he can concentrate! I slide my hands up his firm back and make small circles on his shoulder blades. Allowing my "fingers to do the walking" I start my way down and slide around to his stomach. He is so trying to concentrate on shaving and I watch his eyes as I continue my explorations.
"Mrs. Grey, are you trying to get me to cut my throat? Or shall I just smear shaving cream all over you?"
"Why Mr. Grey, am I distracting you?"
"I think I shall show you a distraction or two wife! Now you are just too tempting this morning and I need to make sure you are good and dirty for your shower." As much as I can't stand "being dirty" I do LOVE getting dirty, especially with my husband. I slide my hands around and grab his towel, untying it and letting it drop to the floor. My husband is ready and waiting as he turns around grabs me and hauls me into the shower….
You know, I never thought I would have a closet like mine, ever. Christian's is just as huge as mine. I never knew men could have almost as many shoes as women and Christian LOVES buying me shoes. And dresses. And skirts. I really would like to get rid of half the clothes in here but I think it would hurt Christian's feelings. Of course it seems that everybody wants to know what I am wearing and who made it. Somedays I really wish I was Ana Steele again. But then I wouldn't have the love of my life…well, make that loves. I think that today feels like a red day. Since Grace and I are getting pedicures, manicures and I am getting a trim I can't wear my thigh highs today. But it is also too chilly to just wear my dress so I opt for some leggings and boots. It isn't like the salon will not let me remove my leggings for my pedicure. If nothing else, Christian has made sure that if I even have to remove a blouse for a highlight treatment there is security and privacy up to your eyeballs. I have had to learn from Christian how to deal with some of this and Ms. Melinda Gates and I have shared some experiences. She has been a good source of advice on dealing with all the attention.
So I go downstairs and look at my two men that are the most important things in my life and hug them both, well Christian wants to be hugged, Teddy not so much.
Gail didn't even need to ask what I wanted for breakfast. She knows what I like so well. After I eat my eggs and bacon with toast I get Teddy's fruit and cereal ready and set him in his high chair to eat.
"What time are you and Mom meeting today?"
"Grace and I have appointments for two thirty. Is there something I need to pick up for you today? I can drop some things at the cleaners and have it delivered later since I will be in the area. Gail I am sure will not care if I take one of her jobs today."
"I have several things to go to the cleaners today. And, the only thing I need is you. I have a full morning so I need to be going. Are we decorating this weekend with your Mom or are we going to do it after they leave? I don't want you doing anything strenuous, and NO LADDERS!"
"Yes dear. And as far as decorating, I think Mom would love doing that with us. Sawyer can select the tree and have it delivered this weekend. Now, you get going so I can take my other little man and get him ready for his day with grandma and mommy."
When Christian leaves I decide to catch up on the weather and see what might have gone on in the world overnight. The local news media is reporting on a fire at a home that looks pretty bad but it is the name that catches my attention…Elena Lincoln. I see Gail looking at the screen as well. They aren't giving a lot of details but it seems that there is some serious damage but they don't know what the cause was. No word on her status as they are not divulging any information on casualties. I wonder what they will find in her house and then my thought turn to our apartment at Escala and I am wondering if we should start hiding some of the items in the room just in case something like this happens. But I am sure the Lincoln bitch has a lot more secrets than we do to hide. Wonder where the fire was in her home?
Grabbing Teddy I take him upstairs to get him ready. He looks so cute and the women at Christian's office will love it. I can already tell that he is going to be a heart breaker when he gets older. I don't know how I will feel about that but I have a few years before that all happens. I take Teddy downstairs and run back up to get all our clothes for the cleaners. Gail says she can run it over but I will be going right by it so it is no problem. I let Sawyer take out the clothes and I grab Teddy and put him in his car seat. I call Grace as we leave and let her know that we are leaving the house and will meet her at the salon later this afternoon.
Andrea loves Teddy's outfit. And I am surprised when she confides in me that she is pregnant but not to tell Christian. Well, must be something in the water! I tell her that she will make a wonderful mother and not to let Christian work her too hard. I know what hours he makes her keep sometimes and I tell her that if she needs a rest to call me and I will come over and take care of him for a while. She smirks at me and I just wink. So, I leave Teddy in her care while I walk into Christian's office. Ros is there and they are looking over some plans on his desk.
"Ana, you are looking more beautiful than your pictures. They really don't do you justice!"
"Thank you, Ros, I think Christian takes enough pictures of me already. I know that I will regret looking at our albums years from now at some of the candid shots he has managed. He is making me regret getting him that camera on our honeymoon!"
"Well, Christian has certainly benefited from marrying you. I wouldn't have thought that married life would make him a better man but you have certainly made a wonderful influence on him. I know that I thank you every day for making him a happier man. He is easier to work with now that you are in his life. I will leave you two so you can have your lunch or whatever you were here for." Christian just stares at her open mouthed, not sure what to retort.
"Ros, you are too kind. It is Christian who has changed me and made me a happy person but thank you!"
"Baby, do you want lunch in or out? I have some time or we can order out."
"Teddy would probably like to have lunch with his daddy and mommy so let's just order in and then I have to meet Grace."
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the salon Grace and I frequent has a day care available. Of course Christian takes care of everything so we can relax while we get our "pretty" on. I stretch out on the table as they get me ready for my facial and my mani and pedi treatment. After I get pampered I will get my trim. Grace is stretched out beside me relaxing while we wait for our session to start.
"What time does your Mom arrive tomorrow? She and I may need to do some shopping together for Teddy."
"Mom and Bob should be arriving in time for breakfast. I do hope they get some sleep on the plane so Bob will not be so cranky but I have their room ready to sack out in if they are too tired and need a nap. I am planning a family party tomorrow night with Mom and Ray being there. You and Carrick are invited if you don't have any plans."
"Well, we just had Thanksgiving together and Christmas is not that far. Are you sure you want to entertain all of us? What about Elliott, Kate and Mia?"
"Well, Christian and I felt that this should be a grandparent night and not a family night"
Grace turns to look at me kind of strangely. She starts to say something but our aestheticians arrive. I never thought getting a facial could be so relaxing. The other girl is working my hands and nails. It is all a bit decadent.
We are relaxing in the quiet room and waiting for my haircut stylist to be available and Grace turns to me.
"Did you see on the news about Elena's house fire? I hear that they found her unconscious and she is in bad shape in the Burn Unit at one of the hospitals. I haven't bothered to check which one. Carrick got a call from the police investigating to come over as they had something to show him. Ana, I need to ask you something…"
Oh shit. My hair is standing on end even tho I am sweating slightly. I do not want to have this conversation with Grace. We have avoided all mentioning of the bitch troll since Jack Hyde's trial and now I am wondering what she knows.
"Christian of course will never tell us what the bitch did to him when he was a teenager. Carrick saw the remains of her basement as the firemen were pulling items out that had been damaged or were still smoldering. He could not believe some of the items he saw. They called him out of concern for some of the things they found and the relationship he has with their union. The firemen said it looked like the fire had started there in her basement and a lot of the items were damaged or destroyed. They described it as a chamber of horrors. I don't even know if Christian has told you everything about that bitch and what she did to him but I think you know more than I do about it. She had some photos in albums inside a safe. The police turned this album over to Carrick. They were pictures of Christian when he was younger. I can't tell you what the photos were about…"
"Grace, I really do not want to tell you about these things. Christian didn't want you to know about her in the first place as he loves you and never wanted to hurt you. He only told me because he wanted me to trust him, and he did not want any secrets between us. I don't think it is my place to tell you anything that he has confided to me."
"Ana, I know what conversations she and I use to have. She didn't go into any details but she told me about maybe what was the mundane parts. She would mention some of the clubs she frequented and I looked them up. I was shocked but then I knew she liked being in charge of things and being a little aggressive. I just never thought she and Linc fit that way. He seemed so much more in command of her when we were together and I never imagined that she would…oh Ana. She had pictures of Christian hanging in shackles with welts all over his chest and thighs. Some I don't even want to think about. How? Why? She hurt my boy!"
"Grace, please. That part of Christian's life is over now. I am sure that his therapist would explain it better than I could but he never wanted you to know about this part of his life."
"Was that the reason why he never dated anyone until you? He never did anything to you did he? I know right after you started seeing him something happened because Elena said that you two had broken up and I didn't know what had happened and then you came to the ball with him and you both looked so happy together I just thought…well I thought maybe she was wrong."
Oh my, Grace is getting so near the truth about Christian's lifestyle that I need to deter her thoughts and move her away from all this. I need to let Christian know that he is in for a shock, of course unless Carrick hasn't gotten up with him first. I mentally shudder when I think about that conversation. I remember our engagement announcement and what we went thru that night. Christian was so subdued that I was afraid to even get up for a bathroom break. He tossed and turned all night and I had to keep holding him to keep him calm. Breakfast was very tense the next morning. I don't think it really eased up until after we got back from our honeymoon. Although Carrick did apologize to Christian before our wedding. Maybe it is time to open that door but I can't do it without Christian's approval.
"Grace, I really don't feel it is my place to have this conversation with you right now. It will not be easy for Christian to tell you either. He always told me how you saved him from his miserable childhood but he lived with that trauma for so many years. It was always in his mind that he deserved the treatment that his mother exposed him to but it wasn't her fault. She was in a bad shape herself and just could not stop what he was going thru. He is dealing with things now and not avoiding them if that makes you feel any better."
"Ana, you have been his reason for living and I was so happy to see him come to life around you. I wanted so much when he was young to hold him and nurture him but he was so scared at first and then seemed to get a little better until he hit the teen years. Then he just completely clammed up to everyone. But before that all he would let me do is hold his hand or his head. He didn't want me to help him dress or wash. I had to show him how to bathe himself because I don't think they used a lot of soap and water where he lived. Even going to the barber was an experience. We knew he was bright and intelligent and in need of so much love but he just never thought he was worthy of receiving it."
I ponder what I need to tell Christian and if he is ready for this. It's time he tells them the truth, even tho it will be very unpleasant for all of us, including me. I haven't told Christian about it but I ran into some of his former "subs" this past fall while shopping. The only reason I knew who they were was because of two things, they all three had long brown hair (although one of them was getting a little grey) and they all three were staring at me and whispering amongst themselves. I knew. They did come up to me a few minutes later and told me who they were. Sawyer was going to stop them and tried to get me out the door but I told him it was OK. It was almost the same conversation that I had with Leila that one afternoon. I just let it go as responding to their questions and comments would probably not be a good idea and encourage others to confront me as well so I simply acknowledged them and wished them well. I knew in my heart that Christian was oblivious to anyone's feelings for so many years and he certainly didn't treat these women like a "lover" would. He vented his anger at the world using all of these women but even tho they may have loved him they did so for all the wrong reasons. They liked to be punished and beaten which I really have a hard time understanding but I guess I kind of understand parts of it. I never knew that some "pain" could be pleasurable but then I can't take the amount that these women could. I fell in love with Christian for what he made me feel, how his touch would make my heart flutter and how his eyes would change so much with his moods. I loved him, I didn't get to know the businessman side until later. And I guess I started thinking that all those women before me were just like acquiring a business, taking what you want to keep and selling the rest away.
He is not going to like this idea but I think it is time he confesses. I know we have come a long way since Teddy was born and he seems more at ease with his past but confessing things to your parents is still a little risky. It would be like me confessing some deep dark secret to Ray or Mom that they didn't know about. I need to test the water first before I make any suggestions.
"Grace, let me talk to Christian about all this. I will call you later to discuss it." I mull over my thoughts and feelings. I guess our big news will have to wait.
Teddy at least is in a good mood on the way home. He is starting to get a little tired after all the play time he had at the salon. I do hope he takes a nice long nap because I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting afternoon and evening. I decide to text Christian first to test his mood.
To: Christian Grey
From: Ana Grey
Subject: Feeling well pampered now. How about you?
How has your day been? I need to chat with you later but it can wait until you get home.
Your loving wife xxxx
The phone rings almost a minute after I hit the send button.
"I am leaving the office now. Carrick stopped by."
Oh shit. He knows. He probably knows what I want to talk to him about. I can hear the tension in his voice. I can imagine his hands flying thru that gorgeous crop of hair of his pulling as he goes. He will be bald if he keeps that up as his tension release, well at least less hair. What should I say? I know it will not be a pleasant conversation.
"Christian, I want you to calm down and try to relax. See Flynn if you like, or have him come over. We have a lot to discuss when you get home, but try not to worry about it so. We should be home in about fifteen minutes now."
Christian comes charging into our bedroom as I am across the hall putting Teddy down for a nap. I know he is tense and we need to discuss what should be done. My only concern now is how much information is out there. Who has seen it and are any of the paparazzi involved. Unlike Christian, I do not think this is as upsetting as he makes it. It may be embarrassing but unless his "sub club" comes forward with tales and such he should be able to handle this in some manner. It is what his parents, grandparents and siblings knows that will be hard…and my parents as well.
"Christian, we need to talk about this…rationally." He looks at me with that lost look of defeat that he has when he knows he is out of his element and needing grounding.
"My people are trying to do damage control. Dad came by and showed me some of the items he was given by the fire department. He was furious, with her, with me. I hate this. How could she be so careless!"
"Christian, calm down. You too had pictures that you kept locked away and had Leila not moved them for me to find you might still have them, forgotten away in your safe. It is too late to look back as we cannot change the past but we can make it thru this. Just have a little faith and patience. We need to sit down and talk to your Mom and Dad ASAP and maybe we can address this legally or on some level of security so the whole world doesn't get hold of this. I was just wondering if there was anything in our playroom that we should discard should anything like this happen at Escala."
He looks at me with those wide eyes like he is so scared. I have an idea of what is running thru his mind right now. Of course his thoughts are always more about protecting me and Teddy than himself. "Christian, call your Mom and Dad and have them come over for a talk. We can all discuss how we are going to handle this. Do not leave me out of this conversation. I have a stake in this too."
I can't tell if he has resigned himself to the worst or still scared of the consequences. I need to call Flynn if he hasn't to get an idea of what we should do. At least he can offer some guidance as a neutral third party. Janet answers the phone on the second ring. "Janet, this is Ana Grey. I was wondering if John was free this evening or if he had time to talk now?"
"Let me go ask him as he is between sessions right now. Hold on."
A few seconds later, Dr. Flynn answers the phone. "Ana, what can I do for you? Is there something wrong?"
"Dr. Flynn, everything is wrong. I guess you have not seen any news today. Elena Lincoln's house burned down and they found 'things' in her basement, some about Christian."
"Oh, I see. No I have not had any time to watch or listen to the media today. How is Christian?"
"Upset. Confused. At his wit's end I am afraid. His parents know some things now that they probably shouldn't. I have suggested they come over to consult and have legal advice. What do you suggest we do?"
"Christian has always lived with the fear of this day, especially since he met you. He didn't seem to care before then as he felt in control and command of all that was around him but it was an illusion. I tried to keep reminding him of this but he was unyielding and adamant that his security was in place. I don't think having me present for a group session will help any matters but if you and Christian need to discuss the ramifications and plan a strategy then I can make some time to either meet with you here or at your home."
"I will keep you on speed dial if needed. I am just not certain what I should offer to keep this from exploding all over our lives. I just hope that Grace doesn't just pull the plug on Elena for revenge. I have no idea which hospital she is in but I know both she and Carrick will be fuming if they are not already."
As I walk into Christian's study he looks so out of sorts. How far should he go into his past to tell Grace and Carrick about his life with her? Can he now tell them his feelings and what was going on in his mind during those years? Can he explain why Elena was his "force of good" as he kept telling me? I didn't understand it myself until he started telling me about his time with her. And he has continued to tell me bits and pieces of his teen years as well as his time with his grandfather Theodore. I have told him about Mom's divorce from Ray and my horrible time in Texas with Mom's number three. But that cannot compare to his experience nor how much he has healed but still needs to heal. This is like the wound was gashed open and left bleeding again. I circle around his desk and grab his face to look into his eyes before I sit down in his lap. Planting a soft kiss on his lips I decide I need to help my lost husband find his way.
"Christian, I know you really don't want to do this but it is time now. Grace and Carrick need to know once and for all what you endured, allowed and the lessons you learned from it. No more secrets from them. Even if it hurts them to hear it, it will help them understand the reasons why you acted like you did and how it helped you to become a better man. And then we can all address the ramifications of what has gotten out and how we can deal with this. But it has to start somewhere so why not now? They know what your life was like before they adopted you. They know that you were combative as a teen but they really have no idea what was going thru your life then. And they see how you are now, so please let them know everything. We don't have to tell them about our start unless you want to. Maybe that would help them understand why you changed when you and I met. And then we can finish the evening by telling them our good news to have a positive ending of the day. OK, so maybe you don't need to tell them about your subs and our playroom nor the clubs you use to frequent but they deserve an explanation, especially now."
He just gazes at me wide eyed for seconds, minutes…I don't know how long. And then he grabs my face and plants a gentle kiss on my lips, looking into my eyes like he is seeking my soul. "I never wanted it to come down to this. I never wanted them to find out, or anyone for that matter. What does that say about me? What if Teddy finds out when he is older how his father was? How can I explain any of this to him when I can't even explain it to my parents?"
"Christian, let's just start by answering any questions they may have…about you and Elena, about us, about any of it. Maybe they don't want to know more than they do but it is not fair to keep them in the dark any longer about that part of your life. We will make it through this, you and me and Teddy…and new blimp. But we need to let them ask and get some answers, even if it hurts. This was your past and as I have told you enough you can't run from it. It has made you what you are and I would like to think a better man for it. Your agreements with your subs were always contractual and with permissions. Whether or not you want to think of it this way, they were employees in a way that filled a time slot in your life so you were not alone. Your mechanism to deal with stress and anger were misplaced but you have learned new ways now and are more at ease and composed with your emotions. Just let this part of you out in the sunlight to show them and maybe it will be easier to deal with the questions that come. It will never be hiding in the dark again."
There is a look of fury and anguish on his face. I know this is not something he wants to do but this is now out of our hands and could get out in the public eye so we really need to get a handle on the information and who has access right now. If Christian's lifestyle became public his overseas investments as well as some of his more prudish home investments would be at risk. I have learned that controlling the message is half the battle and if we can control what is said and how it is released then it becomes a non-story. No one would really care if say the message was that fifteen years ago Christian experimented with sexual curiosity as a teen. Christian's new PR manager has a way with phrases and stories that are less flamboyant than his previous one and not as much of a publicity hound. I kiss him again gently and look him squarely in the eye. It is not just his fear of his parents and everyone else knowing, it is his fear for my future and what this brings to my plate as well.
"Christian, I told you when I agreed to marry you that your past and your future were all part of the deal. I knew that this day might come, I just didn't think it would be this way. I can handle the questions and the looks and the intrusion to our world. We are stronger together in this than we are separate. Let us both face this head on and put and end to your past with Mrs. Lincoln. And you might want to address Mr. Lincoln too as he may have something he wants to add to this."
We greet Grace and Carrick warmly when they arrive, well at least I do. Grace hugs me a little longer than she normally does and I think she whispers that she is sorry in my ear. I can't make it out because she is sobbing slightly when she says it. Carrick just looks at Christian but doesn't say anything. It is getting a little testy so I pipe in "let's all go to Christian's study to talk". Gail is cleaning the kitchen area and I give her a look to let her know that we do not want to be disturbed.
The tension is so present that the room is almost stuffy. I decide to open the first shot. "Christian wants to tell you about his experiences with Elena. This is not a secret between us. I knew about all this before I married Christian so don't feel like you have to shield me from anything. We have dealt with this a long time ago but now we need to finish this because of the circumstances."
Christian just stares at me as does Grace and Carrick. I get the feeling that they wish I would leave so they could talk more freely. "If it would make you more comfortable for me to leave then I will but I am wanting to be here for Christian."
Grace starts to cry. I kneel in front of her and hug her. "Grace, it's OK. We are here to address any questions or concerns that you have."
Grace just stares at me, then glares at Christian with this look of confusion mixed with I think a little rage? Wanting this conversation to move on from the stare down, I decide to start them on the path of enlightenment.
"Grace, Carrick, I know that you are aware of how Christian was in his teen years and the relationship he had with Elena but we kept certain things from you because we knew how painful it would be to talk about them. As I have told Christian often enough this was his past and what tainted his past was something I accepted when I married him. I want to emphasis that this has nothing to do with any actions on your part or anything that you did or didn't do for him. But you need to understand where he was at that time of his life and the pain and feelings that he was dealing with. I know that Christian does not want to tell you about his relationship with Elena but I have told him that the time has come to empty that part of his life and put a light on it so that it no longer is hidden in darkness which is what he did for so long with everything. And he needs to start here, with you, and get your advice, counsel and a course of action if needed. I want to reassure you that this is not hidden from me as Christian and I wanted no secrets between us in our marriage. Now that I have started this conversation, I will leave you to discuss this with Christian as I feel that the questions and answers may come more freely now that I have opened the door for you."
I look at Christian and he is scowling at me but I go up to him and hold his cheek. "My darling, please just tell them. This needs to be out now. Tell them as much as you can please. I will wait for you in the den by the fireplace. That will be a good place to end this as a family gathering. And please, try to keep in mind that they are here to help you even tho all those years you felt you never deserved their help or love."
I leave his study and gently close the door. I can hear Carrick's voice as I walk away. I can't make out what he is telling or asking but I feel that I have done what I needed to do and say to get this out in the open. I walk over to the kitchen and Gail is preparing some chicken for multiple uses in her pies and stews. She looks up when I enter and has a concerned look on her face.
"How are they?"
"I think more shell shocked and hurt than anything. Although I know Christian told his Mom about his relationship with Elena I do not think he elaborated on the kind and depth of their actions. With this new situation he needs to let them know the why as well as the how. It will not be easy for any of them but at least it will clear the air."
"It is not my place to say Ana, but Jason and I can help if they want to know about his life before. We were his shield in his life before you came along and changed him."
"No, I don't think that is necessary right now. It is this part that he needs to deal with and he has to explain why he accepted this and what it did for him. I had a hard time understanding that she was his 'force for good' idea but knowing that he never dealt with his mother and why she killed herself sort of started all this for him. He never felt that he was worthy of love, attention or all that came with unconditional love of family. He punished himself in the idea that he was punishing his mother for leaving him. Then he felt that he should punish her in some fashion to address his anger at her. I guess I just never understood why none of his therapists when he was younger were able to see this and try to mend his soul. Of course, I suppose he would not be who he is today and maybe I would not be where I am either."
I stop on this thought because it is true. If Christian had resolved his abandonment issues early in life and accepted Grace and Carrick's love openly then he would never have become the boy he was nor the man he became. Elena might still have seduced him but maybe he would not have allowed the punishment he endured. And he would have had a more healthy relationship with his parents as well as other people. Who knows how his life would have changed. Maybe it was fate playing a role. I would like to think that he was waiting for me all along.
I run upstairs and check on Teddy. He is fast asleep, exhausted still from his day. I know I will regret it later but I let him sleep a little longer. I go back downstairs to my study and grab one of the many manuscripts that I am reviewing and sit in one of the comfy chairs in front of the fire waiting for them to finish. After about an hour or so they all come out of the study. Christian looks tense but I think relieved that it is over. Carrick looks like he is in shock. Grace comes over and hugs me again. She looks into my eyes and I think she wants to thank me but she can't get her thoughts together at the moment. I remember how I felt when Christian showed me his playroom the first time. I was confused, questioning and if truthful a little scared. I get up and approach Christian trying to get an idea of his mood. I reach around and hug him, then whisper in his ear that we should tell them our good news to make things a little better for them. He looks at me and smiles.
"Yes, I think you are right."
He steps over to the kitchen and says something to Gail and she smiles and turns around to the refrigerator to open a bottle I assume. After a minute or two she appears with a tray of wine glasses and hands one to each of us.
"Sparking water for you Ana" she whispers in my ear.
I grin knowing how my husband feels about my consuming alcohol while I am pregnant. "Grace, Carrick…I know this has been a tough evening but we want to tell you something that might make it a better time. Teddy will be having a little sister or brother about August or so."
Grace and Carrick look astonished, surprised and then ultimately happy. "We were going to tell all the grandparents tomorrow night but I think you needed to hear this now to make the ending of this day a little brighter. My Mom, Dad and Bob will find out tomorrow when we have you all over for dinner. That was one reason I wanted to get this out in the open and hopefully behind us so our weekend will be special and joyous. We may even decorate the tree tomorrow if one is found. The sooner we get past this the better each day will become."
Once Grace and Carrick leave the monitor comes to life and alerts us that our little man is awake and probably a little hungry. I run upstairs and grab him out of his crib and carry him downstairs. Of course he wiggles constantly as he wants to walk but not on the stairs yet. I place him in Christian's arms while I go and fix him a small bite to eat as he doesn't need a big dinner this late. Gail is finishing our dinner as I told her just something lite like a soup would be fine for us. I grab some cereal from the pantry and fix a small bowl for Teddy. Christian places him in his chair to eat and I sit down and start helping him eat his dinner. Teddy wants the spoon so I give him the control he seeks and watch as he of course makes a huge mess but it is so humorous to watch that I can't help my laugh. I think he prefers to eat trough style at this age, everything laid out flat for easy access hand to mouth. Christian places my bowl in front of me as he sits down across and looks at his bowl.
"How are you feeling."
"Do you remember how Mom felt the night of our engagement? I think she might have known but didn't want to think about it at the time. I still feel that they really didn't need to know all the details. I left out some things like the clubs and the playroom. But I think they understand me better now and I hate the look that was in their eyes, like they had failed me somehow. I tried to be as vague as possible in some things but Dad had those pictures that Elena took of me shackled, beaten and bruised. She had videos too. I didn't remember her making any of these."
"She might have used a hidden camera so you wouldn't know. I am glad that this is out in the open for them because they will have to face this as well if it gets out to the media. Did Carrick give you some indication as to whether this was thwarted or not? I know he has a lot of connections."
"Dad knows the fire chief, the head of the police department as well as the mayor and governor. He thinks he has this covered although it wasn't easy. The fire marshal who found and opened her safe was at least familiar with these types of things and has agreed not to run to the press as long as a nice deposit is made to the Fireman's Fund for the next few years. I told him I thought that could be managed. I just feel…dirty from all this."
"Did it make it any better when you told them how you felt growing up? You could never express your feelings to them. Now that you have Teddy I hope it was a little easier for you."
"Yes, having Teddy has helped. Mrs. Grey, you are quite the therapist, aren't you? Where were you when I was growing up?"
"Waiting for you to become 'The Christian Grey' so I could be forced to interview you for Kate." I had to laugh at that thought. What would my future have looked like if that had not happened? Bookworm? Spinster? Being like Mom and jumping from marriage to marriage? "It seems that we were meant for each other Mr. Grey."
As we get ready for bed I hear Christian's phone ringing. He is in the bathroom and may not hear it so I decide to answer for him. A man responds and identifies himself as one of the doctors caring for Mrs. Lincoln and he wants to speak to Christian, not me. My hackles are up as this cannot be a good thing. So, I knock and open the bathroom and see Christian standing at the sink with his toothbrush in his mouth and hand him his phone and leave. I don't need to hear this conversation. Christian comes out a few minutes later looking pale. "Elena is dying. They don't think she will make it to the morning. They called me because she left a notice in her living will that I was to be called if something like this were to happen. She has left me with power of attorney for her care. I don't know why or when she did this. Ana, I just don't know what I should do…"
This was her final play for his attention, I am sure. She wanted him by her side when the time came. Just could not give him up. Was it as a defiance toward me or did she write this years ago and never changed it? After all I am sure she has new submissives now but I also know that like Christian's interactions with his subs they were not relationships but more of an ownership or even just a "job" of sorts.
Christian is putting on his jeans and a shirt. I know he is going to the hospital. Should I go with him? No, I will give him this opportunity to do what he thinks is right. After all, she does care for him in her own way even tho it comes from darkness and desperate need. She may not have anyone else that she trusts to make these decisions for her. So, I get up and watch as my lost husband looks around for his phone and his wallet. I stand there waiting as I know his mind is whirling not knowing what to do or say. "Christian, do you want me to come with you? I can. I am here if you need me and you don't have to do anything but listen to whatever the doctor tells you. If she is really dying there is not much you can do other than just be there. But just so you know, if it is just you there I will come and be there with you. You do not need to deal with this alone."
"I know. I just don't understand why she chose me and never told me about this. I promise I won't be long. You don't have to wait up."
"I know, but I will. I will always be waiting for you."
Saturday, December 12th
I hear the R8 coming down the drive. I get up and wait for my husband to come in. He parks at the portico so as not to wake Jason and Gail. I can see the stress coming off of him in waves and I run up to him and circle my arms around his waist while he holds me tight. "Come and sit down by the fire. You must be cold."
"I feel numb. She was in bad shape. And she passed, peacefully I hope. I guess in a way it was a good thing that she never woke up because she would have been in so much pain."
"Are you OK? I know how hard this must be for you. You cared for her and she cared for you in her own strange way. But I don't want you overthinking things. I think she was manipulative and this was her final attempt to get your attention. She just never thought that she would not have this time with you."
"I am just tired right now and want to be home with my family. She cannot do this to us, to me, anymore. It is you that I need, you and Teddy and new blip."
"Mom and Bob will be flying in this morning. Let's get some sleep so we can have a nice weekend. We will deal with all this later. Now, come to bed, please."
"With pleasure…actually that is exactly what I need right now…pleasure."
My husband can sleep soundly and fitfully and I always know when each will occur. Tonight it is fitfully. He tosses and turns I am sure remembering times with the bitch but I just hold him and try to reassure his psyche that he is safe and loved. Teddy wakes about six and I quietly run to keep him from waking Christian. My needy little men…some of them satisfied more easily than others. Teddy is ready to get up and start his day and I guess since Mom will probably be here in a couple of hours I should go ahead and get dressed. I get Teddy ready first and dress him in his favorite playsuit which in a way kind of looks like the overalls that I sold Christian at the hardware store. I smirk at the thought. I place Teddy in his play pen in his room while I sneak across the hall to get dressed. Christian is still out like a light and to try and let him get some much needed rest I close the curtains to try and keep the morning light from waking him. We normally leave them open as both of us enjoy the view. I take a quick shower and dress in something comfy and warm. It may be a long day and although I know I am just barely pregnant I want loose clothing today. I grab Teddy and head downstairs where Gail is working in the kitchen. "Gail, it is the weekend and you don't have to work today. You and Jason take the time off and do something fun. Maybe with Sophie. I got this."
"Ana, it isn't any trouble and Jason is getting dressed and ready to pick up you Mom soon. They should be landing in about an hour and a half. You had a long night last night so I wanted to help. How is Mr. Grey this morning?"
"Still sleeping, I hope. Elena left quite a surprise in her legal affairs making Christian her POA with her medical affairs. She is gone now. I didn't want a blow by blow last night as I knew he was exhausted. I hope he can let this go but who knows what other 'bombs' she planted in her bag of tricks. I don't even know if they have determined the cause of the fire. But today will be a happy day, not one to be tarnished by her memories. I will just have to see to that."
"Ana, if anyone can shine a light on this day you can. He is a changed man from the one that hired me, and much happier. Jason and I were reflecting last night his troubled years and the darkness that seemed to surround him all the time. He acted like he was happy but there were never any happy moments in his life till you. You brought the life and love that he so desperately needed into his house and world. And that bitch did a lot of this to him. I am glad she is gone."
Mom and Bob arrive around 9 AM and I greet them at the door. Mom grabs me and gives me a huge hug but then immediately says "where is that grandchild of mine". I know that I am superfluous to need! Amazing what a child can do to your parents. Well, even tho I am not blood of his blood Ray is the same way.
I run up the stairs to check on Christian as he should have been up by now but he did have a late and stressful night. I find my husband coming out of our bathroom looking wary. I reach out and grab his jeans, pulling him to me, moving my arms around his waist and give him a proper hug. "How are you this morning? Mom and Bob just arrived. They are consumed by Teddy so no hurry."
"I need to make a couple of calls this morning, and I want to know how you would feel about my handling Elena's funeral? She kind of dumped all of this on me in her will. I don't know why. Or I can turn this all over to a lawyer to deal with. What should I do? I really want nothing to do with this as it will draw unwanted attention that I have avoided and removed myself from."
"If you seek my council then I support you in any decision you choose to make. Although professionally maybe you should turn this over to an outside lawyer away from your firm to disassociate you from the proceedings. If it becomes known that you are involved and her life choices become known then people may will combine these pieces of wisdom unwantedly. But if it is important to you to do this then I am beside you in all matters."
I look into those beautiful grey eyes that are clouding up with his issues and thoughts and wonder what he is thinking. But this is something that he should decide, not me. This was his life at one point and I know how he felt about everything in those dark days with her. But we will deal with this. We may just say if asked that it was for a family friend in need.
Christian disappears into his study after he greets Mom and Bob. Teddy is being very entertaining for Mom. He is eating up all this attention and relishing being held, rocked and hugged repeatedly. I may have to intercede just so we can have a conversation, but I guess I can understand that it isn't ME that they came to see! Jason keeps bringing in bags and boxes of things that they have brought. You would think that we had no means of caring for Ted but I know Mom. She wants to help in the only way she knows. I had Gail get one of the bedrooms in the west wing ready for them just so they would be out of earshot of Christian and me. I sit down on the couch and watch my mother, wondering if this was how she interacted with me when I was Teddy's age. I ask Bob if they are tired and want to rest a little before the afternoon gets here, he looks tired and ready for a nap. Mom is reluctant to give Ted up but I encourage her to go and rest a little and tell her of the activities that she and Bob will be helping with, if they wish. And of course explaining the family dinner I have planned for them. She finally agrees to go lay down for a while but makes me promise to wake them around one or two so they can enjoy some time with us.
After I get them off to rest I go searching for my husband and find him with his head down in his study. He looks tired. I go and curl up in his lap and ask him what is wrong. "I decided to pass off the funeral plans to her attorney and allowed her to make all the arrangements. I don't even want to know what her will states and I have instructed her to defer any items directed at me to go back to her business or some charity functions. Even the Battered Wife shelters come to mind as a potential inheritor for whatever she may have left. I don't want anything from her."
"I have put the grandparents to bed now so you can come out and play." I have to make him smile at something so his mood improves. Would not do for Carla to see her son-in-law at something other than "happy". It would make her worry and that I don't need. "Would you like for me to bring you a coffee and some breakfast in here or do you feel like coming out of your hole and be with us?"
"I need to be with you always wife. So I will come out of my hole and be with my family for a while. Maybe even help you a little so you don't get too tired."
Sawyer is sent out in search of a tree of the appropriate size and shape so we can decorate later. We could just run up the mountains and pick one of our own but not today. Christian is looking at the boxes and bags of items that Mom has brought for Teddy. "Does she think us poor? Does she not think we give him enough things to wear and play with?"
"My dear Mr. Grey, first grandchild appreciations. Just wait until you get to that stage! I imaging a whole store full of items being shipped to our children's home."
Christian's phone rings and he heads back to his office to respond to the caller. When he comes out he looks somewhat relieved. He sent Welch over to Elena's home to sort thru the debris to make sure there was nothing else for someone to find about her predilections. There supposedly was a group of people there watching as the fire department scoured the ruins of her home and apparently, they were friends of Elena. Welch found nothing that would comeback on Christian so maybe the files that Carrick received was all there was.
Mom is way too excited about decorating our tree. Or maybe it is because at least it feels like Christmas as compared to Savannah and that makes it more enjoyable. Christian is not letting me help at all, well maybe on the lower branches. Mom thinks this is cute and fortunately is not associating this with any issues with me. We have the tree about half decorated when Carrick and Grace arrive for dinner. Teddy is thrilled to see Grace and stretches out his arms for her to pick him up. I think Mom and Grace are going to have a fight on who gets to hold Teddy more. Maybe this is a good time to make our announcement. But we need to wait for Ray.
Ray arrives just before dinner is ready as he had been out fishing and had to get cleaned up. I hug my dad and told him that we do have showers here and maybe even a change or to of clothes for him to wear. But he wanted none of the chatter…Teddy is the center of all the grandparent's attentions. I look at Christian and smile. We are superfluous to need. The grandchild is the center of the room. So as good a time as any I guess.
I grab Christian around his waist and try to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, Christian and I invited you here tonight for an enjoyable evening with us and we wanted you to be one of the first to know. We are going to have a little surprise for you around August or so"
Mom leaps up for joy as does Grace. We are in a hug fest. Carrick and Ray are shaking Christian's hand furiously. Bob is beside himself just watching and waiting his turn at Christian. I am loving every minute of it. Why does everyone think that you need to sit down when you are pregnant? At least not until I am as big as a house! My feet can support me and blimp 2 just fine. But everybody is in agreement that I need to sit and stay and be waited on. Christian is smiling at me and I know he enjoys the attention that they are giving. Dinner was a chatter party with ideas for names, plans for return trips and toys and what furniture is now needed to purchase. And I was just concerned about the color!
Grace pulls me aside and asks if she can speak with me in private. I take her back to my study and close the door. I know kind of where this may be going.
"Ana, I want to thank you for yesterday and all you have done for Christian, for Carrick and yes even for me. I knew in my heart that there was more to the story than Christian would admit to. But I want to know some things from you as well." Oh shit. Now where is she going with this? "I don't want to know about your sex life but I do want to know if the reason you and Christian broke up was because of Elena. Or perhaps more about what she may have encouraged him to do to you. Did Christian hurt you in some physically? Is that why you broke up? I need to understand what changed him. Something happened and it must have been because of you."
"Grace, I want to assure you that Christian and I have a very healthy marriage and he and I love and respect each other. I guess it is time to put it all out in the open, remove the covers. When Christian and I first met he wasn't in the market for a girlfriend. But I was totally shocked when he showed me what he wanted me to do. He didn't have any idea of how to interact with a woman without what she taught him. Yes, in the end he did hurt me but only because I insisted that he show me what it was that he wanted to do to me. Up until that time we were dancing around the issue that was his lifestyle. What Elena taught him to do. He thought that this gave him joy and happiness. It was an illusion. But it wasn't until I left him that we both realized that there was a well of feelings that were present and they had nothing to do with Elena. After an agonizing few days being apart, we both realized that it was our love for each other that was more powerful than all of what she did to him. And that eventually led to the confrontation at our engagement party as well as when Christian and I had our fight about me getting pregnant with Teddy. Little by little he realized that what she taught him, did to him was not healthy. He felt during that time that he deserved to be abused by someone because of his mother and her life. He never confronted all this until after we met. He avoided it. Used it as a reason to keep control in his life and avoid everyone and everything. He immersed himself in the pursuit of wealth and isolationism. And he tried to convince himself that he was happy. It wasn't until we met that he realized that it was illusion, smoke and mirrors. John, Christian and I have talked all this out and he is in a much better place than he has ever been in his life. He is so full of compassion for a lot of people and causes but he never allowed himself to take credit for any of that because he thought that was being weak. He is slowly becoming a better man but he has always been a wonderful father and husband."
When we get everybody off to bed, Christian and I put Teddy down for the night and we read him a story until he drifts off to sleep. Sneaking off to our bedroom we close the door and I watch my husband. I want to know that he is OK after the last day or so. He grabs me and gives me a gentle hug and a kiss and I look at him with questions. "You know I won't break just because I am pregnant." He laughs and then gives me a proper kiss.
"You ground me, care for me and make my life special. You deserve the world and everything in it. I want you to know that as of this afternoon Elena is longer any concern of you, me or anyone. I have arranged for her salon to be given to all of her employees to decide how they would like to settle. Or if they want to form a union to manage it then it would be up to them. I have removed my name, company and any interests from her will and any future mentions of charitable or financial donations. She will not be an issue anymore."
"Christian, you need not worry. But I want to make sure that you explain anything your Mom needs to know and that they are included in any details in the future. Elena and your Mom were friends and it could come back on her if something is mentioned. I don't care about me. But I am happy you finally confided with them. It makes my time with Grace a little easier. I always felt bad that I couldn't tell her the entire truth of the situation. We will get thru this."
"I know. And we will. But right now I want you my darling wife to make all my dreams come true."
"Vanilla?"
"With a big cherry on top."
Oh my. And so ends Elena and so starts our world with our blimp #2.
