CPOV
Damn it Ana, Why are you so friendly to people you just met? I think frustratedly while I look over the file on Tyler. Of course he knows Hyde. I want to leave work and go to Ana, or go find Tyler, or have a boxing match with Claude, but I know Ana is safe at home and the team would let me know if anything is or was happening. I put the email away and go back to finding a solution for the lost merger.
I planned on telling Ana about what I've learned of Tyler when I got home but she was still asleep on our bed. I'd have to tell her later. I head back to the kitchen and Gail gives me some Parmesan chicken and garden salad. Once I had finished Claude came over and we practiced punching for a while. It started to get dark so he headed home and I headed up to our shower before joining Ana in bed.
APOV
When I woke up next it was morning and Christian was asleep beside me. His alarm sounded and I heard him groan before clicking the snooze button. He rolled back onto his back with his eyes still closed.
"Morning." I say softly. His head turns to me ad one eye peaks open. I smile at him.
"What are you doing here? Won't you be late? Are you feeling okay?" He asks.
"I won't be late and yes I'm feeling okay. I have an appointment with Flynn today. I'm leaving at the same time as you." I say. He rolls toward me and pulls me into his arms.
"I didn't know you had an appointment with him."
"Yeah, he called me yesterday before I fell asleep saying there was a cancellation so I took the appointment. Actually Sawyer's probably wondering where I am right now, usually I've said good morning by now." I laugh a little.
"I like when you laugh." Christian says snuggling into my side. I smile and wrap my arms around him too. I like when I laugh too. I think sadly.
We laid like that until his snooze timer ran out and then we bot got up to shower and dress. We walk hand in hand down to the kitchen where Gail had prepared bacon and eggs for Christian and was looking at me wondering if I'd have anything this morning.
"Um, oatmeal please." I say shyly. I knew it'd make Christian happy and I really wanted to make him happy. I miss when we were both happy and I wasn't constantly thinking about food. I feel Christian squeeze my hands before sitting down. I join him and not long after a bowl of oatmeal is placed in front of me. We eat in silence and when I'm finished I run up to brush my teeth before leaving with Sawyer.
I sat quietly fiddling with the yellow note pad Flynn had given me while he signs into his computer. He grabs his own yellow pad, smiles at me and then asks how things have been going.
"Um, okay I guess. I've had some breakfast with Christian the last few days. It seems to make him happy." I answer.
"I assume it would, he's awfully worrisome in the food department and Ana department. But I have a feeling the food isn't making you happy?" He questions back.
"It's not that, it's just.. I don't really know. I'm not really hungry in the morning. And I met this guy named Tyler who asked me to have lunch with him so I'm more full than I'm use to being so I'm a little uncomfortable."
"Tyler" Flynn gave me a look.
"Yeah, we met at the bookstore and liked some of the same books. And yes, Christian knows about him." I offer.
"How's Christian feel about it?" He asks.
"I don't really know, we haven't talked about it much. Though I'm sure he's already run a background check on him." I say rolling my eyes.
"Alright then, just make sure you guys talk about it at some point. Communication is important." I nod my head at him. "I talked to Dr. Green ad she said she had a check up with you not to long ago and nothing seemed to be wrong physically other than maybe a few pounds underweight. You also seem to be open to therapy and trying to eat more so we don't think hospitalization-"
"Hospitalization?" I interrupt him worriedly.
"Yes. We don't think it's necessary yet but it's a possibility Ana if things don't start getting better." I nod my head numbly at the realization that hospitalization was an option. "For now we'll just get a team together and start working through things. Dr. Green can take care of the health, I'll take care of the therapy, and I think we should also get a dietician. If that's alright with you?"
"Yeah, sure. I don't want to end up in a hospital…" I slouch a bit.
"None of us want you there Ana." He smiles gently at me. "So tell me more about when this first happened."
"Well, I don't know, I guess it was a month and a bit ago? Maybe 2 months? Back when Hyde kidnapped Mia. When I first heard it made me so sick to my stomach and I… well, ended up being sick. It felt awful during but after… throwing up I felt clear enough to do what I had to do to get her back." I explained.
"So how do you think it turned into a habit then?" He pushed further.
"I got pretty banged up getting Mia back and once I got out of the hospital I tried to go back to work but Christian didn't want to let me. I was so angry at him. He controls everything I do. We got in a big fight over that and I ended up making myself sick again. I know it sounds stupid." I trail off.
"No Ana it doesn't. I don't know how much you know about it but stress can cause you to be sick even if you don't have the flu. It's looking for a release of the energy you're holding. It's also not uncommon for people who don't have much control in their life to control the only thing they can; eating. And deciding what stays in their body. Between the stress of Hyde and the tight control Christian holds it's not surprising something developed. I also remember a comment you made a while ago at one of Christian's appointment that led me to believe you have have a lower self esteem?" He prompts.
"Yeah, I guess so. That's probably what led to the restricting. I don't feel like I'm enough to be beside him. I mean all the females around him are thin, blonde, and beautiful. I'm just… plain." I shrug.
"You're not plain Ana, I've never seen someone captivate Christian so much. But regardless, the good news is we can work on all of these things. Find ways to deal with some of that stress, take back some control, and boost your self esteem again." He finishes.
I just sit for a moment and think of all we talked about. It would be nice to not think about this stuff all the time, but it's clearly going to take work on my part. I'm willing to do the work if it means Christian and I can be happy and normal again. I leave Flynns' office with instructions to keep up with the journaling my feelings and to bring a couple specific problems to our next appointment.
There's still enough time to get half a day of work in so I ask Sawyer to take me there. Things are busy since there'll be a meeting soon about possible new authors. I hear my phone email ding a few times but I'm to wrapped up in the stories i'm reading to check it.
"Hey." I hear and look up. Christian is standing in the doorway.
"Oh hey." I say. "Is something wrong? What time is it?"
"It's almost 7." He smirks as he answers. I give a small smile.
"I must have been so wrapped up I didn't notice. I'll pack up now and we can go." I say putting a sticky note on the page I'm reading. Christian just waits quietly for me to grab my things before leaving us to his car. Only Taylor is there so I assume Christian sent Sawyer home ahead of us.
I end up eating half of my dinner while Christian eats all of his. We talk about work first and then I end up telling him about all the stuff Flynn said and about Tyler.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about him." Christian says.
"Christian please." I try to stop him there.
"Ana." He says seriously. "I did a background check on him and it showed he had ties with Hyde."
"That doesn't mean he's conspiring against us! Not everyone who knows Hyde is going to be devil. He's been nothing but nice to me." I argue back.
"Ana, people can act nice to get what they want. Remember not long ago Mia was kidnapped." I know what will shut him up. I stand up and place my hands on either side of his face and kiss him. I don't want to argue about Tyler and I don't want to think about the kidnapping. I can tell he's given up for now when I feel his shoulders slump.
A moment later his hands are on my waist. I feel sparks follow the trail his hands make as they sneak their way around to the small of my back and then back again and up my sides. I take a step closer to stand between his legs. Christian pulls away from my mouth to pepper kisses down my neck. I give a small giggle and pull away as his stubble tickles my neck. I hear a small growl from him before he stands and pulls me up into his arms bridal style. I smile softly and snuggle into his chest as he carries me up to our room.
The rest of the week goes by without much incident. I don't meet with Tyler again and Christian and I don't talk anymore about him. Christian tells me about letting the ruined merger go and my new authors meeting goes well. I don't eat anything near the amount Christian eats or wants me to eat but it's more than I've been eating. It seems to make him happy even though I'm sure he's hoping for more. But progress is progress even if it's slow.