Chapter 8
It's been two days since Ana told me about her plans to go to the adoption agency. I have been talking to her at dinner time, but we haven't talked about the baby again.
I can't stop thinking about her decision and want to say I'm happy for her because she finally knows what she is going to do, but I don't feel that way. I'm realizing I was picturing a future where Ana has a baby in her arms, one with her hair and her smile. I was picturing a future where I could have a place by her side and her child, but with her going to the agency, that future it's just fading away by the minute.
I'm in the office, but to be honest, I'm not doing anything. I have been stalking Ana on social media, I already comment on her post on Instagram and share her article on my Facebook page, I even read some of the comments people have left her. Most of her followers are women, but there are a couple of guys I really want to punch for their lack of manners.
I'm supposed to go to a meeting and I really don't want to. I wish Ros where here so she could take care of GEH, but she is still on maternity leave. She gave birth almost to months ago to a little guy named Brody. He is the cutest little baby I have ever seen. Ros is been sending me pictures of her little family every week. I think she is trying to make me feel jealous of her or she is trying to tell me she will cut hours at the job to be with them.
I guess family means different things to people. I'm just now realizing what family means to me. For years I was used to seeing them once in a while. The really strong connection I had with them was my last name, and all because of Elena. It's been a long time since I last thought of her, to be honest, I think the last time I did was when I close her salons after her death.
After all of the years I lived thinking she was my friend and that I was the only boy she ever "helped", I woke up one morning with the news of her death. She was run over by a woman who's child Elena abused. She didn't die on impact, she died slowly in the hospital alone. After I learned everything she did, I helped the woman and her family. How I see it, she was defending her boy.
To that woman, family means to do anything to protect her son. For Ros, family means to show how happy they are with their new addition. For me, family means support. Now I know I will always have my parents and my brother. I don't know about Mia, but I do know Elliot will always have my back and I will always have his.
I know I love my sister, but she changed. She is no longer the sweet girl I used to know. I don't know what happened o her, even before the fight at her birthday, I felt she was pushing us away. When I tried to talk to her she would always change the subject. Now, I can't be in the same room with her whit out her yelling and reproaching something.
Maybe down the road things will change between her and me, and she and Elliot. Her relationship with my parents it's patched. She still lives with them, they still support her, but I don't think they forgive or forget what she said on her birthday.
But Elliot it's different. He has been always so kind to everyone, so supportive, always making people laugh. His relationship with Ana is proof of that, but it's also proof that he misses Mia. I think he is trying to do for Ana everything he didn't do for our sister.
That's why I think he deserver to know Ana's decision about the baby. I have to tell him, even do Ana doesn't want to. I decide to call him and ask him to dinner tonight.
"This is Grey", Elliot answers his phone.
"Which one?", I ask him and smile at his joking side.
"The blonde, better-looking son of Carrick Grey".
"Ah, the idiot. I was afraid I was calling any of our cousins".
"Fuck you, you know I'm the handsome one in the family. Matt and Michael don't have anything on me. Maybe Luke, but he is not a Grey".
"I'm going to tell him you think he is handsome".
"Please do, if he thinks I say nice things about him, maybe he'll help me beat you up. You can tell him this Friday".
"This Friday? He is coming to Seattle?".
"Yep, he called me Monday night. He is coming with uncle John to see our grandparents. Apparently, he has a big announcement to make. Luke says he already finished all of his paperwork with the army, so I don't know what else can he announce".
"That's great, I will be happy to see him".
As soon as I said that, I remember Ana is supposed to be here Friday afternoon. Shit.
"I was actually going to call you, bro. I have something to do Friday night, Luke is going to help me, but I was thinking maybe you'll be up for it too".
"What?", I aks. I'm hoping he doesn't say to go look for girls at some bar.
"I prefer not to tell you over the phone".
"Well, I was actually calling you to invite you to dinner at my place tonight".
"Sure. I call Gail, she loves to cook for me. See you at your place", Elliot says and hangs up.
Idiot.
I arrive at Escala with Taylor and we both can hear the music in the apartment. Elliot always makes himself at home here.
I walk to the kitchen and see Elliot sitting at the breakfast bar eating salad and making Gail laugh.
"Hey, bro! You're finally here. Gail was kind enough to feed me".
"I see. It's a wonder why can't you wait for dinner".
"Hey, I'm growing".
I sit at the breakfast bar and Gail puts a plate in front of us with some steak, potatoes and vegetables. After that, she goes to her place.
"So, what are you planning for Friday with Luke?", I ask Elliot while we eat.
"Hunting", he says.
"Hunting? what the fuck do you want to hunt in Seattle? since when do you hunt? I can go out for the weekend, I have plans".
Shit, I hope he doesn't want to go somewhere.
"No, bro. It's a local hunt. After a lot of time, I finally have a plan in place to get the idiot that attacked Ana at her old job".
"What?".
I know Ana left her job at a publishing house in Seattle before she went to work at Kavanagh Media, but she hasn't told me why.
"Shit, I forgot Ana hasn't told you. I'll tell you, but you have to promise me you won't tell her I told you, and after that, you decide if you want to go on the hunt".
Why is everyone asking me to keep secrets?
"I promise", I answer.
"Ana was an assistant to an editor in Seattle Independence Publish. She really loved her job, she was learning so much and was making her dreams come true, until one day her boss told her they were going to New York for a convention. Once in New York she was having a great time, she met a lot of authors, editors and journalists. Everything was going well until her boss tried to kiss her. She rejected him and went to her room. That night her boss got inside her room and tried to rape her. She defended herself and called the police.
"When she came back to Seattle, she informed the president of SIP of what had happened, but he didn't believe her, even do there's a police report. She quit after that. This guy started to follow her everywhere, I was so ready to beat his ass, but her father came to visited her. I don't really know what happened, but he went to SIP to talk to the owner, after that the idiot stop following her".
That mother fucker. I will end him.
"So, it's been a while, but I know he still harassing women. So, I have a plan for making him pay. First Jack Hyde, and then Ethan Kavanagh".
This is Elliot, loyal and protective. I'm protective, but I'm more in the moment kind of guy. Elliot goes more for big plans where everything looks like a coincidence.
"I'm in. What's the plan?".
"I'll tell you friday. I will text you the time and the place".
"Good". I'm going to have to find a way to let Ana alone in the apartment while I go hunting with Elliot.
"So, that was I had to tell you, but what did you invited me here?", Elliot looks at me.
Shit, shit shit shit. Ok, Grey. Just tell him, he has a right to know.
"Ana is coming this weekend".
"Really? she didn't say anything, I talked to her at noon. Why is she coming?".
"She asked me to go with her to an adoption agency".
And cue, comes the silence.
"Adoption agency? But, we haven't talked about it yet, well, not really. She can make this kind of decisions without me", Elliot says and I can see he is starting to get mad.
"Calm down, Lell. Look, I get that you feel upset, but Ana can make this decision on her own, she is the one having the baby, it is her baby, bro, not yours".
"But I have been there, right next to her. I have been to every doctor appointment!", Elliot yells at me.
"Lell, you're not the dad". I took him by the shoulders and make him look at me. "Bro, I know you are attached to Ana and her baby, I know you been there every step of the way, but at the end of the day, it's her decision. She told me adoption is the option she is more inclined to take, but, for now, we only going to get information about the process".
"Fuck!", Elliot yells and turns around, he walks to the windows and stare outside.
I let him cool down and get us a couple of beers, until finally he talks.
"Have you ever wondered what would have happened if we had not been adopted?", Elliot ask me. "I mean, I know all of the awful things you live with your birth mom and her pimp, but, maybe if someone else would have adopt you".
"I used to do it. When I was a kid and I was understanding the concept of adoption, I knew I was lucky enough to be adopted by our parents"..
"Sometimes I still think about that. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think about finding my birth parents. Not because I need another family, I don't need that, I have a family. But I can't lie to you, I do feel like a need answers. Like, what happened? why did they do it? I don't have resentment, but I will like closure. And then, some days I wake up and feel so grateful for Grace and Carrick Grey, for you and even for Mia, that I feel like I don't need to know anything else", Elliot comes closer and takes the beer.
After a moment, he continues.
"But, from time to time I think of all the things that could have happened to me, to you or Mia if we had not been adopted by our parents. What if we have ended in bad homes? In an awful situation like the rumors you hear of abusive parents. What if that happens to Ana's baby? We are not going to be part of that baby's life, we will not be able to protect him or her.
"I get why Ana feels like I'm attached to her baby, I love Ana, bro, she is like a sister. I don't think I feel like the father of the baby, but I do feel the need to protect him and Ana. I think she will be a great mom. I'm excited about the idea of her having a baby and us being part of their lives", Elliot says almost in a whisper.
"I get you, Lell. I was pretty excited about the idea of Ana with a baby, of us helping her with her child. I was thinking we could be her uncles someday", I smile at the idea, but to be honest, I also was thinking of the possibility of that baby calling me daddy some day. "But we have to understand her, she has her reasons to do this, and with all the problems with Ethan, maybe she is not feeling capable to do it on her own".
"But she wouldn't be on her own. I will be there, you will be there", Elliot tries to reason with me.
"You know that, bro, and I know it, but Ana doesn't see it that way. Maybe we just need to make her see that she can count on us. But, in order to do that, we have to support her on her decisions, and that includes the adoption".
"Fuck, men. And why hasn't she tell me all of this?".
"She is worry you'll not agree with her decision".
"Ha! Well, at least she knows me", Elliot tries to smile.
"Look, I will go with her to the agency, after that, I'll convince her to sit down and talk to both of us. We need to hear her and we need to tell her how we feel. And most important, we need to led her know that we support her. Deal?" I ask him and extend my hand.
Elliot pace around a little, and then looks at me.
"Deal, but you have to promise me, that we will try to convince her at least to know everything about the adoption process. And that wherever that baby ends, we will protect him".
"I promise", I say and we shake hands.