Chapter 4
Christian watched his family pose for pictures. Ella and Jose just had their 2nd baby, a little girl Mia Eleanor Rodriguez. Their son was Jose III and they called him Trip. He looked at his polo shirt and khaki pants with the brown loafers. He felt out of place. He always did. "You look nice."
He smiled hearing the familiar voice of his best friend. "Thanks Ana." Ana was always there. She kept his secrets. Christian had secrets, he was picked on constantly at school. He made Ana promise not to tell his parents. He thought his family was perfect and didn't want to upset anyone.
His copper colored hair and gray eyes didn't come close to his popular big brother Elliot. He loved Elliot and Elliot loved him, but it was hard following in his footsteps. He wasn't the star that Ella or Elliot were. He didn't even have an E name, he was just Christian. "Take the picture, so we can hang out."
Christian walked over and smiled, but he was really smiling at Ana. Ella brushed his hair in place and he stood next to her. Ella always seemed to cater to Christian, a lot more than Elliot. Kate nudged her, "He likes you." Ana smiled playfully declaring they were just friends and cute boys like Christian didn't like her like that. Kate shrugged and walked away muttering, "So young and innocent."
Christian had struggled a lot lately. He lost two more grandparents. Grace's mother and father both passed away within the same year. Grandpa Theo was his favorite. He hadn't seen Grandpa Carrick in years, but he was the only one left.
Ana watched the Grey family, she was a little jealous, but they loved her too. Even the Lincolns were part of the family. With Elliot and Kate dating, they were bound to be joined at some point. Elena smiled, "Ana, sweetheart! Come on and get in this photo!" Ana took her place next to Christian and smiled with a huge grin as Christian placed his arm on her shoulder. She felt safe and loved.
After the pictures they all had dinner. She saw Christian and Ethan playing video games. Even though Ethan was younger they were best friends. Usually she joined them reading a book while they argued over who was better, but today she took her chance. She walked up to Ella, "Is she sleeping?" Ella rocked Mia and nodded. "Can I talk to you?" Ella placed Mia down carefully and patted the sofa. "It's about Christian."
That got Ella's attention, Christian always did. He was hers. No matter how much she tried to let her parents raise him. "He doesn't want anyone to know the truth and I promised not to tell Grace or Cary. I have to keep that promise. He doesn't want his parents to know." Ella frowned, she was his parent. "But you're his big sister. I know you can help him. I can't keep his secrets and I don't think I should."
Ella became worried and asked her what was wrong. Ana told her how the kids picked on him in school, because he wasn't like them. "It's bad Ella, really bad. They not only say mean things like he doesn't look like you all and he's not athletic, but they do awful things to him. I'm worried about him. Maybe he can just come to my high school."
Ella listened to her. The truth was, the older Christian became, the more she saw herself in him. She wondered how long she could keep the truth from him. His bright copper hair was toning down and getting darker with age. His eyes were still Jack's light gray, but he had the shape of Ella's eyes, nose, lips, chin, and even her ears. He had her face and when they stood side by side, she saw it.
She watched Ana wipe her eyes. "I'll talk to my parents, okay?" Ana smiled slightly. "Ana, how are you doing?" Ana looked up with more tears. It was almost 4 years to the day that Carla died in a tragic car accident. She was driving on a rainy day and her car went down an embankment.
Ana was with her and was in a coma for two weeks. Elena and Grace barely left her side as Ray stayed with Carla. When Ana woke up they had to tell her that her mom died. Ana was in therapy for months nursing a broken leg.
Since then Ray did two things, he worked at Lincoln Timber all day and drank heavily all night. They tried to help him, but he pushed everyone away, even Ana. She saw him sometimes, but not often. He sold the house because he couldn't stand to be there without Carla.
He had Ana for two years until Elena and Eric threatened to take Ana after Grace found her malnourished. He signed over custody to the Lincolns a week later. She had been with them ever since. Kate and Ethan were her brother and sister. "I miss her so much." Ella held Ana as she cried. Christian stood behind them. He loved Ella for loving Ana. He walked away knowing she was in good hands.
After everyone left, Ella approached her parents, "Jose took Trip and Mia home." They actually lived in Ana's old home. Jose was a popular photographer, not only in Seattle, but all over. Ella was an assistant basketball coach at her alma mater at the University of Washington. "Ana told me some things about Christian today. Did you know he was being picked on at school? Did you know he was keeping secrets from you? Haven't secrets ruined this family enough?"
Her parents stopped at her angry tone. She was mad, because this was her solution, but Christian was supposed to be different. Grace pulled her to the table, "We didn't know anything." Cary stood against the counter. Ella couldn't tell them what happened because Ana didn't tell her, only it was bad. "Baby, what do you want us to do? Pull him out of Bellevue Academy and put him into Bellevue High?"
Cary shook his head, stopping it, because it was his protection. "You wanted this! You decided this for him!"
Ella had angry tears and yelled back. Grace was stuck in the middle and trying to calm everyone. "I decided that as a 14 year old kid. I'm an adult now with his siblings. I'm tired of the secrets, Christian should know."
Christian being the only one in the house came down hearing the yelling. "I should know what?" Cary slammed his hands on the counter in frustration. Christian was his son, not his grandson.
Grace had a different relationship with him, she had more of the grandmother bond with him. She loved him, but she always felt like Ella would come around. She saw the way she looked at him. When he cried, Ella would run first. Ella looked at him, "Come here Christian." Christian sat down and looked at his mom and dad for assurance. They both nodded.
Ella rubbed his shoulder, "Ana, told me you're having trouble at school." Christian rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't be mad at her. She loves you. We all love you. Christian, what's going on and why won't you tell us?"
Christian was confused. Ella was talking to him like a parent and Grace and Cary just sat there. They didn't say anything. He looked at Ella, "You all are so perfect. I don't look like y'all." He told them he hears it all the time and even the teachers say it.
Ella made him feel better, "That's not true. You even have that mark right above your eyebrow like me." Christian smiled, they both had a small amount of hair missing from their right eyebrow. Ella's wasn't noticeable because of makeup.
Christian sighed, "Remember that time I was going to try out for basketball?" They all nodded, it was a gift. He had Ella's talent, but after the first day he came home slammed the basketball down and said he quit. It reminded everyone of Ella's tantrum. "I was good, better than any of them. Luke Sawyer hates me. He's always the one starting it. He…" Christian dropped his head, frustrated.
Ella tilted his chin up and told him to tell her. "It's embarrassing." They waited until he was ready. "He got them to grab me and they pulled me in the shower. He called me a pussy and said I had ugly red hair and it was probably on my balls too. He pulled down my pants and laughed because I didn't have a lot of hair down there. He pushed me and turned the water on."
Grace and Cary were pissed and said they would call the school. Ella was more concerned with Luke. Ana told her about him. "Hey, it's going to be okay."
Christian sighed, "I told you my secret, what were y'all yelling about?" His parents sat down. They weren't sure how Christian would take the news. This wouldn't be easy.
Ella talked, "You may be mad at me and not talk to me after this. I understand, but Christian, you are a Grey and I love you. I always have." Christian squinted his eyes, it wasn't what she said, it was the way she said it. "Christian, I'm your mother. They're your grandparents." Christian looked at Grace and Cary. He thought about Elliot. Then he turned to look at his mother and for the first time in his life he felt like he was looking in the mirror.
