Chapter 7
I arrive at my parent's house at 6:00 o'clock, my mother taught me punctuality, so I'm always on time. I'm alone today, Taylor has the day off, but I can see the security I put on my parent's house. Gretchen opens the door and greats me, and as usual, she sees me like Elliot sees the food. I swear, one of these days I'm going to lose my patience with her.
My mother comes to great me and I kiss her on the cheek.
"Christian! I'm so glad you're here, at least I still have one son", she jokes,
Fucking Elliot!
"Elliot hasn't arrived yet?", I'm going to kill him. "You know what, mom? I told him I will let him know when I arrived, so, I'm going to go get him".
I don't wait for my mom to say anything, I go out of the house and run to Elliot's house. He will not leave me alone today.
I knock on his door like a crazy man.
"Elliot! Open the fucking door! we shake hands on it!".
The door opens and there he is, he looks ready to go to mom's, but he is on the phone.
"Calm your horses, Bro. Give a minute, I'm on the phone with Ana".
Ana? He is talking to her? I haven't talked to her today, she text me yesterday when she got to Montesano and I call her. We talked for a little while, but nothing relevant. She ended the call really fast, I was a little hurt by that, but when I called Sawyer, he told me he could tell she was a bit emotional.
Sawyer and Reynolds came back today, but Preston move to Montesano, she is going to stay there and take care of Ana from a distance. Of course, Ana or Elliot don't know about that yet, I have to find a way to tell them. I should call Ana, but I don't really know what to say to her…maybe I'll call her tomorrow and see how she is doing.
"Ok, Bro, let's go. Sorry, I swear I was on my way but Ana called, I just wanted to check on her really quick".
"How is she?".
"Sad. I think going back and see all of her dad's belongings it's been really hard on her, but at least she is not thinking about Ethan fucking Kavanagh".
"I talked to her yesterday, I think I'll call her tomorrow".
"You could send her a message today", he says and smiles me.
I could do that. While we walk to my parent's house I sed her a message.
C: Hey! how are you? Elliot told me he was talking to you. I hope everything it's fine. May I call you tomorrow?
I hope I don't look needy.
We get to my parent's house and Gretchen opens the door. I walk in and go to the living room, I know Elliot will not run.
"Oh, Christian, you're back. Did you find your brother?".
"He did! Hi mom, how are you? I was on my way, but had to take a call", Elliot kisses my mom and takes a sit on the couch.
"Where is dad?", I ask, Mia is not here neither, but I'm just hoping she's out".
"Your dad is running late, he took Mia to her friend's house".
Elliot and I look at each other but don't say anything. I received a message from Ana
A: Hi! I'm good. How are you? I'm waiting for a friend of my dads to come and see his equipment and see if he wants to buy it. Sure, call me tomorrow, you don't have to ask. ;)
We talk to my mom until my dad arrives, then we eat. I had a great time, no one mentions the last couple of dinners that end up in disaster because Elliot, Mia and I would end up fighting, so it's a great night at the Grey's house.
The problems with Mia started before the shit hole with Leila. My parents talked to me and ask me to stop giving Mia everything she asked for because they wanted for her either go to school or find a job. I agree and talked to her, I told her I wasn't going to give her more money; at first, she said she understood. While I didn't give her money anymore, she still had her credit card that was only for emergencies.
Apparently, for Mia, an emergency is the need to buy Louboutin shoes, jewelry from Cartier and pay for her 21 birthday party. I was so mad at her that I drove to my parent's house to talk to her, but I didn't know it was the same day of her party. My parents and Elliot were so mad at me because they thought I was paying, and I was, but I didn't know.
The house was full of guests, so we agreed not to make a scene in front of everyone. We were planning to stay for a little while, but things went out of control after she introduces her boyfriend to us. Neither Elliot or I had a good feeling about him, and that was probe later when Elliot find him kissing some girl that obviously wasn't Mia.
So Elliot did what every brother should, he kick his ass. I was about to help him when Mia star to scream at us because, according to her, we were ruining everything. That day Mia swore to never speak to Elliot again unless he apologized to her boyfriend, it didn't matter how much Elliot explain to her what her boyfriend and friend were doing, she never believed him. The nail on the coffin was when she started to scream that we shouldn't ruin her life because we weren't her real brothers. That hurts us. Elliot turned around and was out of the house so fast, that my mom came to see was going on.
I tried to calm Mia, but she just started to ask for her birthday present as if the problem with Elliot had not happened. I told her that I didn't buy her anything and she got mad. My parents were with us when she started to scream again, but when my mother tried to calm her, Mia told her "What good is it for me to have a rich brother if he will not buy me what I want. What else can he do with his money? Sometimes I wish you had not adopted me, they just try to ruin my life".
My mom was so hurt, that she let go of Mia. After that, everyone left the house, My father and Mia screamed at each other, Mia and I scream at each other, and my mom just looked hurt. Over the next couple of days, my parents try to fix the relationship, but Mia wasn't interested in Elliot or me. She did apologize to mom and my dad gave her an ultimatum, either she goes to school or she finds a job, but he did stop giving her extra money, he only gives her the essentials. Since then, every time we see each other, there's always claims, bad comments, and bad attitude, so Elliot and I try to avoid her.
After dinner, I go back to Escala with photos Elliot gave me of some properties on sale that I could buy to make my new house. That night I go to bed with the hope of a new future, a healthy one. I plan to work on my friendship with Ana and plan a better life for myself.
3 months later
I'm finally in Seattle again. I have been in New York for the past two months. I haven't seen Ana in three months. Elliot has seen her at least twice a month. I have been talking to her daily and I have to say we have a good friendship. It's different from the one she has with Elliot, but I'm happy to say is a good one.
We talk about everything. She found herself a job, and she is doing great. At first, I wasn't really sure about her decision, but in the last couple of months, she has proved me wrong.
She started to look for a job at the Montesano schools and libraries, but after many rejections, she wrote to a friend of hers that works at one of the most important magazines in the country, she liked Ana's texts so much, she started to ask her for more. Ana now has a blog about books, art, photography, movies and food. She sells a lot of her texts to magazines and newspapers, now she even has some sponsorships.
She is the reason now I'm an active member of social media, for the only reason to keep in touch with everything she does. She even trolls me sometime and I do the same. It's refreshing having this relationship with her.
Ana's been in Seattle a couple of times to see her doctor. Apparently, everything it's going good with her pregnancy. Elliot has been with her to the appointments, every time he has called me and told me what the doctor explains and how the baby is growing. I can tell my brother is excited, but I don't feel that from Ana.
When I ask her, she always tells me how she feels, physically, but she doesn't talk about the baby. She didn't even want to find out about the sex.
I'm at Escala about to have dinner, so I decide to FaceTime Ana, that way I don't feel like I'm eating alone, it's something we been doing lately.
"Oh my god! You took so long, I'm already eating". Ana's face appears on my screen and I can see her chewing.
"Sorry. I had a long day at work. What are you eating?".
"I made lasagna. You?".
"Chicken parmesan".
"Sounds good".
"It is. How was your day?".
"I start cleaning my closet. I never thought I had many clothes, but I'm ready to leave behind a lot. Nothing fits me anymore anyway".
"Do you know where do you want to live in Seattle?".
Ana is coming back to Seattle. Finally. After her first month in Montesano, I saw a change in her, at least in the Ana I meet when she was lost. Elliot says now she is the Ana she knew a year ago. I can see how strong she is, how dedicated to her job she is. I see a lot of life and fire in her, and that always brings a smile to my face.
"I been looking for some apartments, I want to go and check them out. I want something close to Pike Place Market, but not that close to Kate's place. I need something kind of cheap, so don't suggest Escala".
"I can call my real estate agent. She did get me a great deal with the property on the Sound".
"That's not a bad idea. Do you think she can have something for this weekend?".
"This weekend? You're coming?".
"I am. I have three appointments. Actually, I was planning to ask you to accompany me".
"Sure. Where are you taking me?", I smile at her.
"Well, it's not a date, but if you are a good boy, I'll buy you dinner".
"I wasn't thinking of a date, but it's nice to know you do think about it. So, where are we going?", he kind of flirt with each other, but we never take it far.
"Well, I have a doctor appointment, I need to find out the sex of the baby. Then, I have an appointment at an adoption agency, and we'll go to a new restaurant, I have to do a review of the place".
"Adoption agency? You already decided?".
"Nothing it's written in stone, but I lean toward adoption, that's why I need to go. They are going to explaining to me the process and the options".
I don't know what to say. I honestly thought she was going to keep the baby.
"Christian? Will you go with me?".
I look at her and I can see she is nervous.
"Sure. Of course, I'll go. What is the plan? What time do you arrive?".
"I have the first appointment at 10:00 o'clock. I'm planning to get to Seattle Friday afternoon".
"I can arrive at Elliot's house at 9, we can go from there together, or I can see you guys at the doctor's, but I don't think taking two cars will be good".
"I'm not planning to stay with Elliot".
"You're not?".
"No. Elliot doesn't know I'm going. He doesn't know about anything. I can't ask you not to tell him, even though I'd really appreciate it, but I don't think that he will be happy over my decision, so I plan to tell him after the appointment".
Shit. I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. If I don't tell Elliot, I would be betraying him, but if I tell him, I would hurt Ana.
"I think you should tell him, Ana. He is been with you every step of the way. He has a right to know".
"I know, please don't think that I don't. I'm going to tell him everything, but I don't want him to go with us. He is really attached to the baby, even though I had asked him not to do it. That's why I need you to go with me. I need your support".
I look at her and I see how much she needs this, I can see the girl that ran to Montesano three months ago. I can't let her go back to that.
"Fine, I'll go with you to the adoption agency".
Author's note: Tan tan taaaan.
What do you think? What are you thinking, should Ana have a boy or a girl?
I have not been able to answer your comments or messages, but I will do it soon, I promise. I thank you for your kind words. I am very happy to know that you are enjoying the story. See you next Friday.