My dear little broccolis💚💚💚
💚Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy💚
"The best investment I ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that."
‼️Rated M - {Out Of Characters/All Human/Alternate Universe}‼️
‼️Romance/Angst/Drama/Lemons‼️
‼️AS/CG/The Greys/The Steeles/José Rodriguez/Grace Grey‼️
💚Now, in case it wasn't clear, this will be a Christian POV story. and I know you will want Ana's PoV, but it will just be Christian.
💚 READ & REVIEW, DON'T BE A SILENT READER 💚
Chapter 15: Rose Quartz & Bourbon (8,1K)
So about this title, Rose quartz is a precious stone that supposedly restores trust and harmony in couples. It is also said to open the heart and heal the deep wounds. And bourbon, well … Christian is always some sort of whiskey, you got that by now ^^
On their way home, Christian decided to just walk with Grace, given the fact that it was much warmer on the ground than it had been on the top of the building. And he did not regret his decision as Grace marvelled at the windows of the shops they walked by. So he promised himself that he would ultimately take her shopping one day, though it would definitely be without her mother, given the fact that Ana always liked to nag when he wanted to actually spend his hard-earned money on her.
Grace held his hand for the thirty minutes it took them to go back to their home, letting him know all about her day at school, as well as her prowess at the pool with her Uncle Elliott. She even bragged that Elliott had praised her that she was a good swimmer and that she would soon no longer need her floaties. When they got home, they had the good surprise to find Ana eating a pizza on the couch with Elliott, her head no longer wrapped in bandages.
Grace screeched at the sight of her mother and ran to her, forgetting all about her father, who simply smiled at Ana. Though he was surprised, given the fact that the doctors had mentioned the possibility of keeping Ana an extra night, and he had strongly encouraged that notion, he didn't put it above Ana to do everything she could to be released as soon as possible. She didn't like people fussing over her, even when it was obviously needed.
"Did you have fun with your Daddy? Where did he take you?" Ana asked with interest, but Grace put her finger on her lips and solemnly declared, "It's a special place, so I can't tell you."
"A special place, uh?" Ana mimicked with a smile addressed to Christian, and she helped Grace out of her coat as she told her, "Well, this is a school night, honey. So now, we're going to brush those little teeth and get to bed. It's already past your bedtime."
Grace pouted, but didn't argue, and followed her mother out of the room. Christian sat next to his brother, noticing with displeasure the glasses of wine. Surely Ana shouldn't drink so soon after being cleared from the hospital.
"Relax, we only had a glass each. And Ana didn't even finish hers," Elliott said, noticing his gaze. Christian didn't reply, simply taking Ana's glass and finishing it for her as he asked, "When do you plan on going back?"
"Are you kicking me out?"
"No. On the contrary. I'd … appreciate it if you stayed over the weekend."
Elliott nudged him with his elbow, "Trying to get me to babysit whilst you get crazy with Ana? I guess I could take Grace to the Museum if she has the patience. Well, I could take her shopping and finally get the joy of buying dresses, but some parents seem to think it's a crime to treat a child."
Christian laughed, agreeing with Elliott that Ana always nagged about anyone trying to treat her daughter. Apparently making Grace happy resulted in spoiling her. Still, though the opportunity of being intimate with Ana was appealing, it wasn't the reason why he wanted his brother to stay.
"No. It's not that. I have moved a business dinner to tomorrow evening, and … I'd like for Ana to come with me. I'm pretty sure she won't want to ask Jose since Grace already spent last night at his place."
Elliott agreed, explaining that his boys were all too happy to be rid of him for the weekend anyway. After all, every time they stayed at their grandparents, they got away with murder, and Christian was pretty sure that Ana would have an issue with that for Grace. God forbid anyone tries to spoil the kid.
"By the way … you know what I told you last time …" Elliott started, though he was interrupted by Ana holding Grace in her arms and asking Christian, "Do you want to help me put her to bed?"
Christian promptly got up, though he glanced at his brother for him to finish his sentence. Elliott's eyes briefly went to the brunettes, before he shook his head with a smile and leaned to pour himself another glass of wine as he quickly said, "About Kate. Make sure you actually apply what I told you."
As he followed the two girls to Grace's room, Christian was lost for a moment, trying to understand what his brother had tried to imply. It was only when Ana tugged Grace in that he snapped back to the present moment, mostly because, to his surprise, Ana had refused Grace her usual bedtime story.
"Tonight, I have something important to tell you, honey."
Christian frowned, not sure where she was going with this. They still hadn't had time to explain to Grace that this was now her only residence, and he had thought that they would do it over the weekend. But Ana seemed to have thought that the sooner the better, and he was certainly not going to complain about that.
"Do you remember how you said you wished your Daddy lived with you all the time? Well … he and I talked, and we decided that it would be best for you if we all lived together here."
Though Christian's eyes were on Grace when Ana dropped the news, he couldn't help but briefly glance at her, slightly disturbed by her phrasing. And then, what Elliott had said hit him. In fact, it went perfectly in line with what his mother had also said. It wasn't that he didn't like the idea of Ana telling Grace about their relocation, but more that he was bothered by the way Ana phrased it. It sounded a lot as if she was only doing it for Grace.
Grace looked from her mother to her father, her serious face on as she was trying to understand. "So … we're not going back home?"
"This is your home, now," Christian explained, getting closer to the bed. Given the fact that he knew that Grace had been petitioning for him to live with the girls, he had expected her to be thrilled by this new piece of news, but she seemed anything but.
"But … why can't we live all together at home?"
Ana opened her mouth, probably to give some rational explanation that the little girl would understand, but Christian was quicker to voice his incomprehension. "I thought you wanted us to live together?"
"I do. But at home."
"But … this is your home. I thought you liked it here."
"But what about Andrew? And Tio Jose and Karl? They never come here. Only mama and me."
"They can come at any time. In fact, how about we invite Andrew for lasagna night?" Christian immediately proposed, relieved that there wasn't any real underlying issue about Grace's lack of thrill.
She shook her head, pouting a little. "Oh no. everyone is going to eat my lasagna. We should invite him on another day."
Ana chuckled, rolling her eyes as she admonished her daughter, "Grace … you should always share what you love the most. This is how you show you are a nice person."
Grace's pout did not disappear, and Ana kissed her cheek to ease her sullen mood as she once again properly tucked the little girl in. Grace repressed a yawn, her eyes heavy with sleep, and when Christian leaned in to kiss her goodnight, she wrapped her little arms around him, and said, "Goodnight Daddy."
He couldn't stop the smile that spread his lips, even when Ana gave him a look that showed that she knew that he was beaming inside. Then, Ana hesitated before kissing their daughter as well, as she let her know, "Honey, if you have a bad dream tonight, you will have to go to your father's room."
"Why?"
"Because that is where I will be."
"Why? Do you have nightmares?"
"No. But … when a mommy and a daddy live together, they sleep together as well."
Grace sat back up, her brows knotted as she was trying to understand, and so Christian intervened, "What your Mom is trying to tell you is that we are a real family now."
He was surprised that Ana finally told Grace, especially without giving him any head start, but he was not going to complain about it. Now that Grace knew, it really felt indeed like a family.
"But … why does Mama sleep with you and not me?"
"Because you have your own room, and you are a big girl," Ana explained.
"But it's not fair. I am little. I should sleep with him too! Please, Daddy?" She added in Christian's direction, and he was ready to give in, knowing that it mostly meant a sleepless night for him, when Ana forced Grace to lay back down and explained, "You didn't sleep with Jose and Karl when you stayed with them. That's because you're a big girl."
"But it's not the same, they're married. Are you married?!" She asked with indignation, clearly thinking that her parents had kept this big secret from her.
"No. Of course not, honey. We are just adults, and adults can sleep together if they want. Children sleep on their own, so they can grow to be strong and healthy all on their own. Don't you want to be strong and healthy?"
"Yes," the young girl pouted, still clearly annoyed that she had to sleep on her own when her parents got to sleep together, and so Christian sweetened the pot, "But that doesn't mean you can't come in at any time for anything, okay?"
Grace nodded, though the sadness was still obvious and Christian kissed her cheek once again before leaving the little girl's bedroom with Ana, who did not completely close the door. She started walking back to the living room when Christian stopped her and made her face him so he could delicately trace her face.
"I do realise that I've been … rather forceful in making you girls move but …"
"It's okay, Christian. We both know that it was just a question of time," she said, without an ounce of resentment. He gave her a small smile before leaning in and pressing his lips against her soft ones.
She moved a little so she could be closer to him, and they shared a sweet and intimate kiss that was only broken by the cat snaking its ways between their legs. Christian rolled his eyes, wondering if there was anything that the furball would not interrupt for him, and Ana chuckled, tapping his chest as she said, "Go to your brother, I'm going to get ready for bed."
"Do you need any help?" He asked, definitely more interested in seeing Ana naked than anything else. But she didn't understand his innuendo since she rolled her eyes and retorted, "I'm a big girl, Christian, I don't need anyone to wash my face for me."
She gave him a quick kiss and he watched her go to their bedroom before he went back to the living room, where he found his brother FaceTiming his sons. He waved hello to the kids and sat by his brother's side and went through his phone, letting him finish his conversation with the boys.
As Elliott finished his conversation with his children, Peanut jumped on the couch to sit between the two brothers, making Elliott laugh as Christian kept thinking how every single cat owner he had known lied to him. Starting with Ros. The kitten was nothing like the independent animals that had been sold to him.
Elliott glanced at the kitten, and even before he opened his mouth, Christian knew what he was going to say. "So … Peanut huh?"
"Shut up."
"I think it's an interesting name, to be fair. Very … personal."
"Grace is the one who picked the name," Ana said as she walked back into the living room, dressed in sweats and a tank top and her hair tied into a single braid.
Elliott grinned, getting up to leave his place to Ana and sit on the opposite sofa. And he asked as she took the kitten in her arms, "Did you know that Peanut is always Christian's nickname?"
"I gathered," she said mindlessly, petting the kitten as Christian got closer to her. Now that they were officially together in the eyes of Grace, he was going to take every chance he had to be close to Ana. He had always been a rather tactile guy in his relationships, and it wasn't going to stop now.
So he rested his hand on her lap as his brother kept with his tale of how he got his nickname. "Everyone assumed it was because he was so small when he was a baby, but it's more that he was obsessed with peanuts. Peanut butter of course, but he used to follow me around everywhere, asking me to open monkey peanuts for him. Everywhere."
"Elliott, please?" Christian asked, showing yet another peanut to his brother for him to open them.
No matter how many times he had seen Elliott crack a peanut for him, he still couldn't understand the magic behind it all. He wished he could just snap his fingers like his big brother and open the peanuts himself, but he always crushed them when he tried. And Elliott always opened the peanuts perfectly, so they could paint them after. And he always gave him his in secret as well.
Ana chuckled, her eyes quickly going to Christian with mirth as she said, "If I had known that you were so easy to please, I would have simply invested in peanuts."
"You can still do it. But there are other simple ways you can please me."
She smirked, but Elliott quickly intervened, pretending to swoon, "Aww, young love."
Christian ignored his brother, slipping Ana's hand in his as she directed the conversation elsewhere, squeezing his hand with a small smile.
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
They went to bed much later than any of them had expected, mostly all talking through the evening, the two brothers digging up old memories that made Ana laugh and smile with them. Elliott and Christian finished the bottle of wine whilst Ana was sipping on tea, so when he laid in the bed, Christian was definitely feeling slightly tipsy.
He watched with a satisfied smile as Ana slipped into bed next to him, and caged her in his arms as soon as she was under the covers, passionately kissing every inch of her skin he could access. Ana giggled, which was something she rarely did and she opened her mouth to him when his lips met hers.
Without even thinking about it, he rolled so he could be on top of her, a strong desire for her suddenly surging inside him, and he let his hands travel beneath her shirt, loving feeling the softness of her skin and the smell of coconut Ana always had before going to bed.
It was only when he started grinding against her, tearing a moan out of her that Christian came back to his senses, and rolled on the side, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He heard Ana do the same thing next to him before she moved so she could look at him with a sweet smile, leaning on her elbows as he explained, "I got carried away. I forgot about Grace and Elliott for a moment."
"Understandable."
He raised his hand to caress her cheek, feeling a strange knot in his stomach as he thought back of how he was feeling not even twenty-four hours ago. "I just … I'm glad you're okay."
She smiled and kissed him, before she proposed, "I could ask Jose to take Grace tomorrow night. So we could have some … grown-up time."
Christian briefly furrowed his brows, before shaking his head and refusing this golden opportunity Ana was giving them. "No. Not tomorrow." She raised an eyebrow, and he explained, "There are a couple of reasons. But I managed to push a business meeting for tomorrow for dinner, and I want you to come with me."
She raised an eyebrow to him, clearly not expecting that. "I want you to meet Jamie. If he holds up, he is ultimately going to ease up my workload, and he will be in my shadow quite a lot in the meantime. So I want you to get used to him."
"So … how is this not working for us? If I ask to look after Grace, she will spend the night at his place, and we can get crazy after your business dinner," she pragmatically pointed out.
"I already asked Elliott, and he's thrilled to have an occasion to be with his niece without any parent to nag him about wanting to treat her."
She twisted her mouth on the side, clearly not happy about this piece of news and Christian chuckled, tracing the contour of her shoulder as he wondered, "Why is it so difficult for you to accept that some people just want to spoil our child?"
She hesitated, and when he saw that she was about to do what she did best and elude his question, he took her chin between his fingers and forced her to look at him. She sighed and said, "It's just that … I know you, Christian. You like to spend on people you care about and I just don't want Grace to become entitled. I want her to know the value of a dollar, the value of hard work, the fact that sometimes, no matter how much effort you put into something, you don't get what you want. I just want her to know life is not as sweet as you would love to make her believe."
"So what? Shall I let her suffer for the rest of her life? What's the point of having money if I can't spend it on —"
"That's not what I'm saying. I just want her to appreciate more the moments she has with you, that the comfort that you'll bring her. Moments are what makes a life worth living for, not money."
He looked deep in her blue eyes, seeing her point-of-view, though it didn't stop the fact that he was still going to make sure that his kid would want for nothing in life. His hand left her chin to cup her cheek, and he asked, "What's our moment, then?"
"We have many. And hopefully, we will make many more." He held her gaze, silently asking her to name one of those moments. "When you came to LA, even though you didn't have to. You could have gone on with your day, just like you did when Ann passed away, but you didn't."
He felt his heart race as another question burnt his lips. He knew that if he asked, she would answer, but he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer. "What about when we had the contract. Were there any moments that had value in your eyes?"
She looked down, her brows slightly furrowed, and Christian instantly regretted his question. He had known from the start that he wouldn't like the answer, so why did he need to torture himself? And yet, she whispered with a mix of sadness and nostalgia, "We made Grace, didn't we?"
She looked up, with a small smile, and Christian agreed, bringing her closer to him so he could kiss her. They made Grace. And no matter how much he loved the little girl and how much he couldn't even fathom a life without her, he knew the awful truth. He knew that, had Ana known that she had been pregnant, he would have simply written her a check and sent her to his lawyer. In fact, he knew that the only reason he even met Grace was that she had been sick. And he was pretty sure that Ana was very well aware of that.
Ana rested her head on his torso, playing with the fabric of his shirt, and she asked, "What's the second reason you didn't want to ask Jose to help us have some well deserved, awesome sex?"
He hesitated for a moment, mostly because deep down, he knew he was being ridiculous. But still, when Ana stopped her soothing movements to tilt her head up, he let her know, "It … it's just … I've always been a passionate and instantaneous man when it comes to sex and … I don't know. It just feels weird to schedule our lovemaking."
"Granted, you're right. I just think it would be weirder if Grace heard us and asked us in the morning why mommy was asking daddy to 'give it to her'."
He shook his head with a chuckle, definitely not ready for the birds and the bees conversation. "Yes. I just wish we had other options that would make it feel more organic."
Ana kissed his chest with compassion, before breaking out of their embrace and stretching so she could switch off the light of his nightstand. Then she laid back on the bed, and Christian immediately spooned with her as she promised, "We will. You are the living proof that parents can have sex with a kid around."
"I didn't need that image in my mind," he whined before kissing her neck. She chuckled, cuddling against him and resting her left hand on his own, and as his fingers intertwined with hers, the image of the ring he had bought for her popped in his mind.
Now would be a good time as any to pop the question again. After all, she had just moved in with him, and they had told their daughter that they would be a family. And Grace had already unknowingly put that idea in their mind. He opened his mouth, calling her babe, ready to tell her of his plan to marry her, when he stopped himself, remembering at the last second a part of the letter she had sent him on Christmas.
Ana was a romantic. And him proposing in the dark of the night was certainly not going to be enough for her. So when Ana asked him what he had been about to say, he went on a completely different topic. "I didn't expect you to tell Grace straight away that we are together. I thought you would put it off for as long as you could."
"Oh! That makes me think!" She sat right back up, switching back on the light on her side of the bed, and she turned to Christian. "Can I have your phone?"
He gave it to her, though he had no idea what sparked that sudden outburst and she asked, "It's your personal phone, right?"
"Yeah? What's wrong?"
"I'm just putting in Grace's and my details. In case something happens, you should know everything. You know, allergies, blood type, past operations, organ donations, and so on."
"Oh. Do you want mine?"
"It's okay, Elliott got you covered earlier," she mindlessly replied, quickly typing into his phone before she gave him back the phone, and reminded him, "Remember, if I'm past saving, don't revive me. If you do, I'll come back to haunt you as soon as I die."
Then she kissed him as if they hadn't been just talking about her probable death. Christian wondered if she was so comfortable with the idea of dying because she was a lawyer, or if it was the way she grew up that made her so prone to accept meeting their maker.
"Anyway...I told Grace because she's going to hear about it soon anyway. Roger called me when I was still stuck at the hospital, and he told me that you would release a public statement about her on Monday."
"What?"
"Didn't you tell him that you wanted to make a statement?"
"Yes. But he had no right to call you. I'm going to have his head," he snapped with anger. He understood why Roger spoke to Ana, she was more open to discussion than he was, and every time in the past that Roger had wanted Christian to lean a certain way, Ana had made him bend in that direction. But still, this was crossing the line.
"Stop being ridiculous. You hired him to keep your image pristine, and he came up with a rather decent solution that will keep your image perfect."
"I don't care about my image. I just don't want you girls plastered —"
"Of course you care about your image. Let's be honest here. But I know you also care about Grace. And that's why I like Roger's statement. Basically, it will heavily rely on this loophole created by the fact that you never released a statement that we were no longer together. And it will imply that you knew about Grace all along and that we only went to London to protect her anonymity and give her a sort of normal start in life. Roger said that you travelled enough of the past five years for the story to match up."
"Isn't it a bit far fetched?"
"People would rather believe in a beautiful lie than the ugly truth."
Christian wished that the light was still on so he could see her face. He could see how Roger came up with this idea, but it was a blatant lie, and he never thought Ana would agree to lie so overtly. She seemed to be someone who placed a high value in her word.
"And you're okay with lying to the press. To the whole wide world?"
"It's not lying. It's tweaking with the truth. I know that, had you known about Grace, you would have done your best to keep her hidden." Christian rolled his eyes, hearing the lawyer in her. It wasn't tweaking, it was an outright lie, but lawyers liked to pretend otherwise.
"And anyway, I know you want to protect her, and I think it's the best way. It's what she believes. I don't want her bullied in school and called names because some stupid article would have printed something the wrong way.
And even for your company. We both know that a loving father and family present better than a cold businessman who's only owning up to his indiscretion."
"She's not an —"
"I know. But if you say things as they are, that's how people will see it. I really don't mind, Christian or I wouldn't have told Roger otherwise."
He turned her so he could look at her silhouette and she brought her hand to his face, silently letting him know that she was really okay with it. "What would I do without you?"
He started kissing her, though this time there was a desperation in his touch. All his fears from last night came back to him, one by one reminding him that he had been so close to losing her forever. So close to being a single father. His kiss became more urgent as if he was trying to melt her into him, and when she finally broke it to get some air, he hid his face in her neck, as he told her in a strange voice,
"You can't leave us, babe. I would never be able to do what you did. I can't be a single parent. I can't raise her alone."
She delicately kissed his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck in a reassuring embrace as she promised him (though it wasn't the promise he actually wanted), "You are not alone. You have your parents and your brother. And no matter what, Jose will always do his best to be in Grace's life. I mean, he takes his Godfather's duty very seriously. He Skyped her every week when we were in London, came to see us for her birthday and Christmas, he … you wouldn't be alone, Christian. No more than I was."
"I don't care how you see it. You could have died, and I can't even think of that possibility. So just so you know, from tomorrow on, Sawyer is your shadow. Well, Grace's, but —"
"Christian …"
"No. This is not negotiable. I don't care about your theory of clumsiness and accidents, I'm not risking it."
"Well, who's going to look after you, Mr 50MIL?" Christian chuckled as he heard the little nickname she had given him on her birthday. He was pretty sure that she had called him that several times in her head, but, back then, only inebriated by the alcohol did she dare say it to his face.
"Taylor is coming tomorrow. I think I can do half a day on my own."
"Christian! What about his son? Parker needs his father around."
"And Grace needs her mother alive. It's not up for debate."
She heavily breathed in, clearly not agreeing with him, but fully aware that the battle was lost. If he was honest with himself, this was something he had wanted to do for a long time. Ever since he realised that she was reckless enough to run on her own at the darkest hours of the day. But back then, her trust issues were so high that he didn't dare propose a security guard for her.
"Whilst we are on the sensitive topics …" He started, and Ana chuckled, repressing a yawn, which was a bad thing for Christian. He knew how fast she could fall asleep, and he wanted her to fully take his words in.
"Didn't we get to bed like an hour ago?" She joked.
"It's the novelty of it all. I promise after a few years, we'll get to sleep as soon as we touch the pillows."
"Years?!" He laughed, and she slapped his chest before resting her head on it.
"Anyway… I wanted to tell you something, but no matter how I will phrase it, it's going to turn out wrong."
"Just say it, then. There is very little you could say now that would shock me."
"… I want you to quit your job."
It was clear by her reaction that she didn't expect him to say that. She rose up, leaning on her hands so she could distinguish his silhouette, and he could feel her braid tickling his torso.
"Yeah … that definitely came out wrong. Because for a second, I thought you said that —"
"That's what I said."
"But I love my job. That's … that's what I studied for. That's why you put me in contact with Raymond. That's —"
"It's not what you wanted. That's not what you studied for. You wanted to help kids. And I get that you had to make a choice, but that choice is void now. You live with me. You don't have to worry about paying the bills. You can —"
"Depend on you?" She immediately cut him off, her voice going an octave higher and showing her panic.
He held her closer, kissing her neck to reassure her as he asked her, "Isn't that what a relationship is about? Depending on the other?"
She scoffed, "And how are you depending on me?"
"In every other way that is not financial. This evening is a perfect example. I never would have rekindled a relationship with my brother, or my family, if it hadn't been for you. And you seem to forget you are the mother of my child. I don't think you realise how much I am depending on you for everything else in life.
In the past, you kept telling me that I needed balance, and those years apart taught me one thing, you were my balance. Let me do this one thing for you. Let me provide for you, so you can live out your dream."
"Christian …" She started, still trying to find arguments to plead her cause, and so he said with a bit of temper, "Call me a caveman if you must, but I always thought that the most financially stable partner was supposed to provide for their family? If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't be arguing so much. I would appreciate you giving me the opportunity to live my dream!"
For two long minutes, Ana remained silent, before she gently squeezed his hand and promised, "I'll think about it."
Once again, he kissed her neck, silently thanking her for finally showing some open-mindedness, and he couldn't help thinking of the conversation he had with his mother a few days ago.
"I have to say, this is a most welcomed surprise, Christian. I almost thought your PA was making a practical joke when she contacted me," Grace said as Christian sat in front of her, and he simply smiled at her, signalling for a waiter to be sent straight away to their table. He only had one hour for lunch, and he didn't want to have to wait for more than necessary.
"To be honest, I do have ulterior motives," he admitted, and Grace raised an unsurprised eyebrow just as the waiter got to their table asking them what they wanted.
Christian ignored the menu, asking for the day's special as soon as possible, and sparkling water (because he knew his mom liked sparkling water best). Grace ordered the same with a polite smile to the waiter, and once they were alone again, she questioned, "Does this have anything to do with Ana?"
"How do you know?"
"Because, despite this being my job, I am still your mother, Christian."
Though it annoyed him to be so transparent to his mother, Christian didn't say anything or even let it show. But the thing was, she was right. He had no idea how to get Ana to drop her guard down so she would trust him. This was an issue that had kept him awake several times in the past, but now, it was a constant buzzing noise in his ear.
Sure, Ana was open to conversation (well, more than before) and she never shut him down, but he knew that, if their daughter hadn't been in the picture, he would still be struggling as much as he did in the past. And there was also that small issue that was bugging him, but he didn't know how to bring it up to Ana.
"Well … the thing is … I … I do love her. And she knows it. But … I don't know … sometimes, it feels that she's in it … I don't know …"
"I don't think she's in it for the money. She would have dragged you to court as soon as she gave birth if she was," Grace said pragmatically, and Christian shook his head, dismissing that volatile idea. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that Ana never really cared for his money. She didn't mind it, but it always made her uncomfortable when he spent more than he should on her.
"No. It's not the money. I just think that … she's not giving 100% in our relationship. She's … I don't know."
He had expected his mother to reassure him and tell him that he was being paranoid, but she condescendingly patted his hand, smiling at him as if he was a child again.
"If you could not bask in my dismay, that would be great."
"I'm sorry. It's just the first time you're asking me for advice about anything in your life. You've always gone to your father or your brother." Christian didn't say anything about that, and Grace gently squeezed his hand as she told him,
"I don't need to be a shrink to help you with that. Just as a mother, it is quite obvious. And I'm sorry to tell you that Christian, but, given her past, I don't think Ana will ever be able to give you 100%. Not anymore. You have another person, and Grace will always be Ana's priority."
Christian closed his eyes, not liking that his mother was confirming his doubts. Ana was only with him because ultimately, it was what was best for Grace. The waiter deposited the food in front of them, and as he begrudgingly took his fork, Grace added,
"Now, as a therapist who knows very little about Ana, I can also guess that she has trust and abandonment issues. I mean, though neither of you said anything, it's quite obvious to me that she had quite a terrible childhood. I think that's why she is so attached to Grace and why Grace is so attached to her.
I don't think they really cut the umbilical cord. Grace is quite possessive when it comes to her mother, which is why she always refers to her as 'my mommy' when she doesn't call her mama. And she also needs to know where her mother is at all times. Which is why I don't think either of them is ready for a whole weekend apart.
And … I also think Ana fought very hard to be as independent as she is. She probably had bad experiences in her past relationships, and now, she's probably fearing that getting romantically involved with you will take away her independence.
But once again, those are just theories. Ana clearly doesn't like the idea that I could psychoanalyse her, and she always does her best to keep me at a safe distance, and to say as little as possible in my presence."
He held Ana closer to him, trying to just make one with her as he told her, "I'm not trying to put pressure on you, babe. I just want to take care of you, the same way you take care of Grace and me. I just want you to be happy."
"I am happy, Christian," she assured him, her voice vibrating with sincerity. "I'm in fact the happiest I've been in years. I have Grace and you, both in my life."
"I just want you to fulfil those dreams you had when we met. Those dreams that made your whole face light up when you talked about them."
Once again, she gently squeezed his arm, and he felt that he said something wrong, though he couldn't tell what it was. So he just kissed her neck, and confessed from the bottom of his heart, "I love you."
She moved so she could kiss him, before cuddling against him, and though he knew he should not let it bother him that she still hadn't said the words back, it did. But he did not make a big deal out of it, closing his eyes as his mother's voice preaching him patience echoed in his brain.
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
The next day was really strange to Christian. Probably because it was the first time he was assisting at a school run for Grace, and that his little girl was a completely different person in the morning. If it could be possible, she was even more active than before, when Christian had never been a morning person. She was asking a thousand and one questions, and Christian was so grateful that his brother was there to answer them.
Ana (who had gotten up an hour before him) had made oatmeal for all of them, and when she poured him some hot coffee, Christian instinctively acted, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her good morning. When Ana broke their embrace to put the pot back at its place, Christian caught Grace looking at them with a big smile, her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands. And he couldn't help but compare that smile to the same one she had when she would watch an old Disney cartoon.
Though Ana took care of almost everything in the morning, including fixing his tie (which had always been a fantasy of his), Grace insisted that he would be the one doing her hair and during the whole struggle he had with her hair, he head Elliott snigger behind him, though he couldn't blame him. He had meant to do a slick ponytail, and it was already falling apart. She definitely had too much hair, and it was in those moments Christian wished she were a boy.
But Grace happily skipped to the front door, proud of her hairdo, and obviously missing the disaster that it was. When they were about to leave, she kissed her father and expectantly waited to see her mother do the same.
Christian left barely five minutes later with a busy day ahead of him. Jamie was in the office before him, which was seen as a good sign from Christian. Maybe he shouldn't be so vindictive and give the man a chance to really prove himself. He informed him of the dinner they had in the evening, and they worked through the day though he had two bad news items that got on his nerves.
The first one was an email from Roger who linked to a web article showing him walking in the streets with Grace (who was blurred) and with the headline Billionaire Christian Grey caught in the streets of New York, with his secret kid.
Roger was prone to do nothing and release the statement as scheduled, given the fact that it was already something planned. He tried to get him to find a loophole to get the picture taken down, or to sue the website, but since Grace had been blurred, and he was a public figure of sorts, there was nothing he could really do.
Ana didn't seem that upset about it when he forwarded her the link. Just like Roger, she said there was nothing they could do since the pictures of Grace were blurred. She said it was bound to happen, and that the statement would just put down any sort of rumours.
The second bad news came from Ana, as they were texting through his lunch.
By the way, Jack just texted me. He will be in town for a couple of days next week. He hasn't seen Grace in a few months, so he proposed a restaurant, but I think it would be more prudent to just have him home for dinner. ~ Ana
Christian wasn't sure what to say to that. If he were to listen to his guts, Hyde would never even breathe the same air as Ana again. The guy had the nerve to take her in his arms when she and Christian weren't even properly broken up. And that was without counting the number of times when he had taken Ana out for a drink when she was officially in a relationship with Christian.
But he also knew that Ana wouldn't stand him giving a veto on Hyde. She didn't stand for it in the past, and she wouldn't do it today. Though he had even more reason now to be jealous. They were together now. Ana could say whatever she wanted, Christian didn't like the idea that she was so close to the man.
So he simply responded with an 'OK' because he would be able to keep an eye on the man and make him understand that if he tried anything, there would be repercussions. Ana didn't comment on his lack of eloquence, and Christian reminded her of their dinner.
I've had a card delivered to you at your office, babe. Go crazy, and don't even think of looking at prices. I want you gorgeous tonight. ~ Christian
I'll come dressed with wine leaves. I'm sure people will appreciate the look. Don't worry, I'll find the most expensive wine leaves there are. 😝😝😝 ~ Ana
It's not funny. ~ Christian
Kind of is. Haha. Easy access for you as well. ~ Ana
Anastasia … ~ Christian
Oh. Where is your sense of humour? Or is it you like to tease, but not to be teased? If I recall, you used to like it when I'd make sex jokes. You got old and boring. 😝😝😝 ~ Ana
Believe me, I'm not boring. I just don't like the idea of anyone but me seeing you naked. You should know that by now. ~ Christian.
I know, and that's why I tease. Relax, Christian. You should know I'd never do that to you. ~ Ana
The rest of the day was rather hectic, but at least Jamie stopped passively taking notes, and started giving his input. Christian thought he needed to be more assertive, but he had just started the job. He couldn't expect from the young man to be perfect from the start.
He called Grace on his way to the restaurant, letting Jamie know that it was a personal call so the man would focus his attention on something else, and Grace spent a good five minutes marvelling on how beautiful her mother was when she left to meet him.
"Pops said that one day you will take me out just like Mama, and I will get to wear a dress just like hers," she awed, and Christian frowned, unaware that his father had called his daughter.
"Pops? Did he call?"
"No. Uncle Elliott called him and Nana, and they said they would come to visit soon. He said he would bring me a princess dress for me and my dolly."
"My dolly and me, sweetie," he corrected, just as he had heard Ana correct her many times. And Grace diligently repeated the proper phrasing.
He asked about her day, and once it was over, she told him about Peanut's latest antics, which involved perching on high furniture and then being too chicken to get down, requiring Elliott to rescue him. As they got closer to the restaurant, Christian informed his daughter that he had to go, and then turned to Jamie, to make sure he was well prepared for the upcoming meeting.
Ana was supposed to join them since she'd needed the time to get back home to change, and so the two men entered the restaurant to meet with their potential client who was there with his wife. Ana arrived barely five minutes after them, in a beautiful maroon and gold outfit. She smiled sweetly at him as he got up, and out of courtesy, the other men did the same.
Christian lovingly kissed her temple and presented her to the table.
"Mr & Mrs Khan, may I present you my better half, Anastasia Steele."
Ana nodded politely in their direction, saluting them the same way she used to do when they were in their masquerade, and then he presented her to Jamie since he was bound to drop by their home more often than not in the future.
"And Ana, this is the man I told you about, Jamie Miller."
Ana turned her head to Jamie, and though it lasted less than half a second, he still saw the look the two exchanged before they smiled and professionally shook hands before Ana sat between Christian and Mrs Khan.
❌PLEASE DO NOT COPY, DOWNLOAD OR SHARE THIS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE❌
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚
💚 So, is this a cliffhanger ... I believe it is, haha. And it has been planted for a while.
💚Now question time,
1. Now, we shall see who has a good memory ... What's up with that look between Jamie and Ana?
2. This chapter was mostly about our couple, and so will the next one. And I quite enjoyed writing it.
3. But About Grace, now they are a family ... Aww. What was your favourite moment? I think mine was the breakfast kiss.
4. Now many things have been said and agreed here. But do you think Ana will quit her job?
5. And what did you think of Christian in this chapter? I am really curious about that ...
6. And what did you think of the explanation for the Peanut name? ii quite like Elliott in this story.
7. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian struggling to do his daughter's hair.
8. And what do you think will happen next?
💚 E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, Everything else is mine (including the mistakes and grammar errors).
Love, Mina 💚💚💚