This last week with the puppies has been crazy. Anastasia has been working from home so that she can train the dogs and get them settled. I've worked from home when I could, but had quite a few meetings I had to go in for. It's Friday night and I'm coming home late. There has been a snag in the shipping house in Detroit. They've had an awful winter, making it practically impossible for consumers to get their products in a timely manner. Ros and I spent most of the evening on a Skype conference, coming up with ways to compensate these people without losing their business.
My fucking brain hurts.
As I come through the front door, Anastasia comes flying past me, holding a puppy away from herself.
"Don't poop, don't poop, don't poop!" She's chanting as she rushes through the door and down the front steps.
Turning, I watch her rush the dog to the grass and plop him down just in time for him to do his business.
"Well, happy to see you, too." I murmur, shutting the door.
When I turn back around, there is a puppy standing there, wagging it's butt at me.
"Hello, Ember. At least you're happy to see me." She's so excited to see me, her whole body is wiggling while her tail wags. Reaching down, I pick her up.
"Did you miss me?" I ask, letting her lap at my chin.
I hear the door open and turn to see Anastasia coming back in with Asher.
"I'm so glad you're home." She states, leaning up to kiss my lips. "I'm exhausted."
She releases Asher and I bend down, releasing Ember so she can play with her brother.
"Is that so?" I ask, pulling Anastasia into my arms.
Smiling, she snuggles in deeper. "Mmhmm. You've been gone all day. I bet you're tired, too."
"I am. We had a small disaster with Detroit."
Her eyebrows knit together. "You did? I hope everything is okay..."
"Everything is fine, baby. We've got it taken care of. Now, it's time to eat."
We hear small growls and look down to see the dogs wrestling on the floor.
"It's been like this all day." Anastasia mentions, watching them with her hands on her hips.
I laugh. "And you thought the extra noise would be comforting."
She gives me a playful scowl and sticks her tongue out at me.
"Watch your manners, Mrs. Grey, or I'll make better use of that tongue of yours."
Smiling, she snuggles into me. "I like the sound of that, Mr. Grey."
I hum and kiss her soundly. "Later. Food first." I release her and spank her. "Feed me, woman."
I start to follow her, and look back, seeing that the dogs are too busy wrestling to pay attention to us.
"Break it up! It's dinner time." They both stop, looking up at me while they lay on the floor. Quickly, the clamber to their feet and hurry over to me, looking up. "You hungry? You want some food?"
Barking, they both hurry past me to the kitchen, running full speed. It didn't take them long to figure out dinner time.
By the time I reach the kitchen, both dogs are at the bowls, chowing down. My wife is standing at the stove, ladling some home made chicken and dumplings and my mouth starts to water.
"Did you make it?" I ask, hopeful. Anastasia makes the best comfort food.
She smiles at me over her shoulder. "Of course I did."
We've given Gail the week off since Anastasia has been home and she's managed to juggle the dogs, cooking, cleaning, and work this week. She's incredible. I don't know how women do it all.
Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around her and nibble on her neck. "I love seeing you in the kitchen."
She giggles and tries to hide her neck. "I like being in the kitchen."
I watch her ladle the rest of the soup and see a manuscript sitting beside the oven, a red pen and yellow highlighter resting next to it. So that's how she does it. My wife seems to be the queen of multi-tasking.
"I've baked some zucchini bread. We'll have that for dessert." She tells me, placing our bowls on the island in front of our chairs. "Would you like a glass of wine tonight? You've had a long day." She goes back to the fridge and pulls out two bowls, filled with apple cranberry salad. One of my favorites.
I sit, ready to dig into my soup and salad. "Yes, that sounds great, Ana."
She pulls out two stemless wine glasses and goes to the wine fridge. "I think white for tonight."
I nod, agreeing, while I add poppy seed dressing to my salad. "Sounds perfect, baby."
While she pours, I add a lemon vinaigrette to her salad and toss hers for her. When she comes to sit, I lean in, kissing her soundly.
"Thank you, baby. You spoil me."
She smiles up at me. "You're very welcome, husband. I like feeding you."
While we eat, the dogs sit at our feet and stare up at us, their tails wagging against the floor. We make it a point to ignore them while we eat, a pointer Anastasia read in a book so that the dogs don't learn to beg.
After dessert, I offer to take the dogs out while Anastasia cleans up the mess. While standing outside, waiting for the dogs to do their business, I watch Anastasia through the back window of the kitchen. I love this. I love our house, our marriage, our dogs, and our dynamic. Life couldn't get much better than this. My heart is so full, I feel like it could just burst. I have the most incredible wife. She was made for me, and I, for her. Everyone keeps saying that our honeymoon phase will end, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
While I'm lost in daydreams of my wife, I hear the dogs barking and I find them at the backdoor, barking to get back in.
"I guess you're done then." I mention, opening the door for them.
"Christian?"
"Yes?"
Anastasia is standing at the sink, her phone in her hand.
"Kate has gone into preterm labor. They're at the hospital." She looks up at me, her eyes full of tears. I hurry to her and pull her to me.
"It'll be alright, Ana. Everything will be okay. We'll go."
"What about the dogs?"
"Go get your shoes on and I'll call Taylor and Gail. I'm sure they wouldn't mind playing with the dogs for awhile." I kiss her forehead and turn her around, guiding her to the kitchen doorway.
XxXxXx
We rush into the labor and delivery department of the hospital and I see my mother pacing.
"What is going on? Is Kate okay? Is the baby okay?" Ana is practically panicking and I put my arm around her shoulders to try and give her some comfort.
"She's in surgery now. They had to do an emergency cesarean. Elliot is in there with her." My mother's face makes me worried. She's always been the ultimate optimist, but she looks like she's about to break at any second.
"Where's Dad?" I ask, looking around. Mia is curled up in a chair, her cheeks tear stained, while Ethan sits next to her slouched in his chair with his hands on his face. Kate's parents are standing in the corner, her father comforting her mother as she cries.
Fuck.
"He went to San Francisco for a lawyer's conference. He's trying to get back now." My mother begins to wring her hands and I release Ana to pull my mother in for a hug. When her face hits my chest, her resolve crumbles and she begins to sob.
"It's okay, Mom. Everything is going to be okay." I feel like I'm lying to my mother, because I don't really know if everything truly is going to be alright. It's the only thing I can think of at the moment to say. The baby is seven weeks early, so I'm hopeful that everything will be alright.
"What happened?" Ana asks and I realize she's rubbing my mom's back.
Sniffling, my mother pulls her head of out my chest, but her arms continue to squeeze me around my waist. "Kate and Elliot were over at the house having dinner with me since your father was gone and she suddenly became pale and weak. We hadn't had dinner quite yet, so I thought maybe her blood sugar dropped, but then she started having stomach pains and I realized they were contractions. When she stood up, her jeans had blood on them and so did the dining room chair. Elliot scooped her up and we raced to the hospital."
Anastasia wipes at her eyes, her tears freely falling and before I can pull her into my arms, too, Mia comes and wraps her in a hug.
"She has to be okay, Ana. She just has to." Mia says holding onto her.
Anastasia nods. "Both of them will be okay."
"Come sit with us." Mia tells her, bringing her over to the sitting area by Ethan. Anastasia sits next to her, holding her hand.
"Come on, Mom. Let's go have a seat." I guide her over, but she refuses to let go of me on the way. I don't mind. I've never been able to comfort my mother before and it feels good to be able to. I feel like I have more purpose.
I take a seat next to Ana and my mother sits next to me, hugging my arm. We wait in silence and I begin to wonder how Elliot is doing. I can't imagine how worried he is right now. His wife and his daughter are both at risk, his wife being cut open, his child being born early. The thought of Ana being in that position makes me sick to my stomach. I'm hoping that Kate hasn't lost too much blood.
Twenty minutes later, Elliot comes out in blue scrubs and we all jump up.
"Elliot! Is everything okay? Is my baby okay?" Liv comes running towards him, worried for her daughter.
He puts an arm around her and hugs her. "Yes, everything is fine. Kate and the baby are fine."
"Oh, thank god." Mom puts a hand to her chest.
"When can we see them?" Graham asks.
"They're getting them cleaned up now and then everyone can come back." A grin forms on his face. "You should see her. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on."
The girls coo at him and I can't help my own grin. He looks star struck all of a sudden. That little girl is going to have him wrapped around her finger.
"I'm going to go back and check on them and then I'll come back to get you. I just wanted to let you know that everything is fine."
It's another twenty minutes before he comes to get us and when we get to the room, a tired, pale looking Kate is sitting in the bed propped up with a pink bundle in her arms.
Everyone hurries over to her, asking questions all at the same time, and cooing and squealing over the baby. Kate laughs at the sudden rush and then grabs her stomach, immediately regretting it. I watch from the door as everyone fusses and, seeing Kate for myself, I feel my body relax.
"Calm down everyone, everything is fine. She's got a little jaundice, but they said once she spends a little time under the lights, she'll be fine." Kate explains.
"But what about you, darlin'? How are you?" Graham asks, stroking her hair.
"I'm fine, Dad. My placenta tore away from the wall, and so I lost some blood, but I'm okay. They're giving me a blood transfusion in a bit."
"You are so lucky nothing worse happened." Liv still has tears in her eyes and Kate tries to console her by patting her hand.
"Would you like to hold her?" Kate asks, I'm sure hoping to get Liv to stop worrying.
"Yes, of course! Oh... I'm a grandma!" She takes the pink bundle and rocks it. "What's her name?"
Kate smiles. "Her name is Ava."
The girls coo again over the pretty name and they all look on while Liv rocks her. She hands her over to my mother, who is an emotional mess.
"She's perfect." Mom states, wiping at her face while she looks down at the bundle. "Just perfect."
I watch my mother coddle her first grandchild and I smile.
"Christian?" My head jerks toward Kate. "There's no need to hide by the door. Come in."
I make my way to the bed and have a seat on the edge, taking Kate's hand. "I'm glad your okay."
She smiles at me. "I'm glad your here."
I squeeze her hand before getting up to congratulate my brother. I smack him on his back and cup his shoulder.
"Congratulations, man."
He smiles. "I'm a dad."
laughing, I nod. "I'm well aware."
"She's incredible, Christian. The feeling is unlike anything I've ever felt. Nothing could ever compare to this."
"You're smitten."
He nods. "Completely. Love at first sight."
My brother nudges me and nods towards the opposite side of the room and when I look, I see Anastasia holding the baby. My heart swells at the sight.
She's beaming down at the pink bundle and I see a tiny fist holding onto her finger. She's talking and cooing at the baby, but I can't hear what she is saying. Her whole body is swaying as she rocks the baby and her face is so animated as she talks.
She's a natural.
She looks up and our eyes meet. She smiles at me, immediately making her way toward me.
"It's time to meet your niece, Christian." Anastasia tells me, offering her to me. I take her willingly and look down at the tiny little. She's beautiful.
Ava has the cutest little button-nose, her tiny bottom lip is out and forming a small pout and she's got the sweetest dimple on her chin. She's got a little hat on her head, hiding her hair, so I can't tell how much she has. Her little hand keeps flexing and tightening, like she's just getting used to her new surroundings. I'm sure she was running out of room in the womb. She can finally move.
*Ana's POV*
I watch Christian with Ava, and feel such affection for him. He reaches up and lets her tiny hand grasp his index finger and I think I just felt my ovaries explode.
What is it about men with babies that make them look so sexy?
I was so worried for Kate and Elliot. I've known Kate for most of my life and, even before we married the Grey brothers, I considered her a sister. I don't know how I would cope if something happened to her.
Ava begins to fuss a little and I see Christian rock her a little. "It's alright, I've got you. Uncle Christian's got you."
Oh. My. God.
I want to jump him right here. What on Earth has made kids a hard limit for him? He'd be an incredible father. Watching him with her is bittersweet. He's so good with her, I can tell he already loves her, but he'll never hold his own baby...my baby. It makes my heart hurt. I can feel myself getting teary-eyed, so I excuse myself to go to the guest bathroom down the hall.
Entering the stall, I sit on the toilet lid and allow myself a few tears before getting myself together. I shouldn't be having a pity party of my own on Kate and Elliot's day. It's bad luck to be so pessimistic in the OB wing. New life is coming into the world and there shouldn't be any bad vibes reverberating through the wing.
I hear the door open.
"Ana?"
It's Mia.
I clear my throat and wipe my eyes quickly.
"Yes?" I try to say clearly.
"Come out and talk to me."
Sighing, I take some toilet paper and blow my nose before emerging. I go straight to the faucet to wash my hands, refusing to make eye contact with her. While I wash, she stands there and regards me, but doesn't say anything. When my hands are dry, she finally speaks.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I try to play it off, but I know she can read past my facade.
"Well...let's see. You were ecstatic to see Ava and then when you handed her off to Christian you got weepy eyed and ran off."
I shrug. "It's just been an emotional day. Just relieved."
Mia searches my face.
The door opens and she turns, yelling at the woman. "Out! Find another bathroom!" She chases the shocked woman out, locking the door behind her.
I can't help, but giggle at my crazy best friend.
She turns back towards me and takes my hand. "You can talk to me, Anastasia. What is it?"
I just shrug and look at the floor. It isn't something I can talk about with my husband's sister...no matter how good of friends we are.
"Does Christian want children?" She asks, hitting the nail on the head the first try.
My chin begins to tremble as I look down and I burst into tears.
"Oh, Ana..." Mia pulls me to her and I cry into her shoulder. It feels good to cry. It feels like a sort of cleansing. "I know how much you wanted children. Have you talked to him about it?"
After I settle myself down, I pull back and use a napkin to blow my nose. "We spoke briefly about it. He said he didn't want children...wouldn't have them. It's something he won't budge on, so I have no choice, but to agree to it."
"Does he know how much you want them?"
I shrug. "He knows I want them, but he doesn't, so I there's nothing I can do."
Mia searches my face, keeping quiet for a moment. "Well...look at the bright side..."
"Bright side?"
She grins at me. "No kids mean no weight gain, no swelling, no morning sickness or heartburn. Kate can have the backaches and all of that and we'll just play with them whenever we want. And then...when we're sick of them...we can just ship them back home."
I giggle at her conclusion. I know she's only saying it to try to make me feel better, but it worked. I still want children, but I feel better. Just talking about it makes me feel better.
I lean in and hug her. "Thanks, Mia. I'm good now."
"Yea?" She asks, uncertain.
I pull away from her and nod. "Yea. I'm good. Let's go see our niece."