3 months later - Ana
I look at Christian who has been staring at his phone for the past six hours and sigh. Six weeks ago the trial against Flynn has begun and I can tell that it is really eating away at Christian. It took him almost a month to finally confide in me that he is scared something will go wrong with the trial or they will not put him away for life and Flynn will be free to leave prison one day and find a way to manipulate him again. I do not believe for a single minute that he will be sentenced to anything less than life in prison for what he has done to Christian and the murder of the real John Flynn.
There is just no way that any jury or judge would allow for a man who has no empathy for anyone and is a clear threat to society to ever walk around as a free man again. But I also understand where Christian is coming from. After everything he has been through, this is the last piece of the puzzle that will allow him to truly move on and not live with the constant fear that this monster will find a way to get to him and cause more harm. Carrick who is at the court promised to call as soon as the jury is back in.
„Do you really don't want anything to eat?" I ask him but he just shakes his head. He has already missed breakfast and now lunch... I hate this, it just has been enough, I want this to be over and done for him so he doesn't have to feel this way anymore, but it's another hour until his phone rings and he puts it on speaker.
„Dad what is happening, why did it take them so long?" He says and I hold his hand in mine.
„The jury has found him guilty in all cases, the judge asked for a fifteen-minute break until before the sentencing... it's over Christian, he was sentenced to two life sentences in a high-security prison. He will never get out again." Carrick says and I watch Christian take a deep shuttering breath.
„Thank you, Dad... can we talk later, I need a minute." He says, hangs up and pulls me into his arms. For the next few minutes, we stay like this and then I feel him taking a deep breath and he pulls back.
„Do you feel better?" I ask and he slowly nods and pulls me into his arms again.
„Can you please eat something then?" I ask after a while and feel him smile against my neck.
„Can I have mac and cheese?" He asks and I smile.
„With chocolate fudge for dessert?"
„Yes please." He says and kisses me before I start to cook for him. I have never in all the time we have known each other seen him skip a meal leave alone two, so I'm very pleased to watch him eat a little later.
„It's over, Ana." He muses.
„I know and I have a surprise for you. Are you up to go somewhere today or do you want to wait until tomorrow?"
„Today is fine, what kind of surprise is it?" He asks smiling.
„One you are going to be very happy about." I smile back, take my phone and sent a quick text to confirm his surprise for today.
Since Gail and Taylor are having the day off and are at the zoo with Arielle and his daughter Sophie, we have the house to us and Sawyer will drive us later.
Right now, we are still at my house, but we are going to move back home next weekend when all the renovations are going to be done. We pick new wallpapers and colors for every wall in the house, had the bathrooms updated and part of the family room has been renovated to be a huge play den for Arielle and her future siblings. Christian even had a playground put outside and another one in the basement next to his gym so Arielle will be able to have her own playground no matter what weather it is. I thought that's a little over the top since we have parks nearby, but Christian is a bit anxious about taking Arielle to the park.
It's not that he doesn't want her to make friends, but he is worried that she will get kidnapped when someone realizes who her parents are. Which is why I have agreed not to take her to the park anymore. Especially now that Christian is slowing starting to work again. For now, he is mostly working from home and only goes in when big meetings are taking place. I just don't want him to worry about us while he is at work. Granted, he will always worry about us no matter what, but I don't need to add to his natural state of being worried.
In addition, it's not like Arielle is missing out on having play buddies. She has all of her cousins who she sees regularly and once she will start with kindergarten I'm sure she will have no problems to make more friends.
As for her cousins... well Elliot's kids, not Mia's. I try to spend as much time with them as possible. After all, they don't have mom and while Cadie is awesome with them, I feel like she is trying to not let them get too attached to her. Poor little Brianna has started to call her mama and Cadie is still trying to explain to her that she isn't her mom, but Elliot is no help because he just shrugs it off... or to be more honest, I think he really likes it.
I have learned to bite my tongue when it comes to their relationship. It's obvious for everyone who sees them together that Cadie is so very much in love with Elliot and him... I want to say he is too, but it really seems like he is fighting it, while they continue their strange relationship. Poor Grace is furious with her son, especially because he has no issues to kiss and touch Cadie at any given chance, but at the same time still introduces her as the nanny of his children, which is like a slap to her face and frankly humiliating to her. Both Mia and I would love to talk to her, just let her know to give him hell for his behavior, but Cadie is so young, she needs to grow her own confidence and if she is comfortable with staying with Elliot then who are we to tell her what to do.
And then there is Kate. Ethan has told me that even her lawyers told her to plead insanity, but she is refusing it. She is convinced that by going through a trial and taking the stand she can get away with what she was done when in reality she is looking at 25 years to life in prison. For a while, I thought I needed closure and talk to her, but after talking to my therapist about it I have decided against it. She is still portraying herself as the victim in this situation when in reality she is anything but. I just can't believe that being rejected by Christian has sent her spiraling like this. It's just baffling to me that she would not be able to let this go all the while she got married, had a good career and three beautiful children... and her entire behavior was nothing but an act. That all screams sociopath to me and so I know going to see her wouldn't get me any closure. She might say what I want to hear, but it wouldn't be honest, so I don't need to hear her lies. As it is, her trial is up in two months and not even her parents will be able to get her out of this. Not that they are trying anymore, because once they realized that the public is not Kate sides, neither were they and Ethan has told them point blank that he is done with them. He just couldn't take their behavior anymore and felt like they were always trying to get him to pick a side when nobody else did.
At first, Mia was really worried about how all of this would impact their marriage, but Ethan assured her that she and their children are all the family he would ever need in his life.
In the late afternoon, Sawyer drives us to the city and I watch Christian's confused face as we walk into the doctor's office and the receptionist tells us to go right through. So, I take his hand and lead him into the room where Dr. Hemmings is already waiting.
„Hi Ana, it's good to see you, how are you doing today."
„Great Rachel, how are you." I ask her. We have known each other for a couple of years now because her husband is a local businessman as well, so we have met at several events and ladies luncheons over time.
„I'm good, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Grey... Ana why don't you lay down." She says and I almost feel pity for Christian who still has no clue why we are here or what this has to do with my surprise for him.
As I lay down she helps me to pull my shirt up and leggings down a bit and then puts some clear gel on my lower belly.
„Ok, we are ready, Mr. Grey, I would like for you to run this over your wife's belly where the gel is, do it slowly and apply just a tiny amount of pressure." She says and Christian looks so confused I want to laugh, but he does as he was told and then Rachel asks him to stop.
„Perfect, just keep it there and then I need you to push this button here." She says to him and points to one of the buttons on the board in front of her and when he does the room is filled with the most magical sound on earth.
„Do you know what that sound is, Christian?" I ask him and slowly he seems to realize what we are doing and what we are hearing.
„Ana... is this a heartbeat... I mean..." he says and stops when Rachel turns the monitor she was looking at so we both can see the tiny little baby on the monitor, while she discreetly leaves the room.
„Surprise." I whisper as I watch him look at the monitor.
„That's our baby, Ana." He says.
„I know. I found out two days ago and Rachel said we might be able to hear the heartbeat already, so I thought I surprise you with it." I explain and he leans in to kiss me.
„Is everything alright, I mean is the baby fine... are you ok?"
„Yes, we are both fine, I'm almost eight weeks along, do you want to know the due date?" I ask with a smile.
„Yes, can your doctor already tell?"
„Of course... it's the 18th of June." I grin and he laughs and kisses me again.
„So, it's not just a surprise but also a very early birthday present?" He asks smiling.
„Yes... though I guess this little one qualifies as a birthday present you partially made for yourself." I giggle.
„Thank you, baby... you have no idea what this means to me." He says kisses me again and we both watch our child for ten more minutes before Rachel comes back in to finish up with my appointment and we leave with pictures from the sonogram.
„Can we stop at a baby market on our way home?" He asks and I nod, so we ask Sawyer to drive us there and together we look at the adorable clothes for newborns.
„What do you think what it is?"
„I don't know, how about we pick something neutral and something for a boy, if it is a girl we have so many clothes from Arielle that we don't have to buy much." I say and let him look through all the tiny clothes until he finds a blue and white onesie along with another one that is light green.
„I like these." He says and so we take them, but in the car he frowns.
„Why are you not seeing Dr. Greene anymore?" He asks after a while.
„I wasn't happy with her back when I was pregnant with Arielle. When the first rumors about our break up started to come up she kept telling me about my options."
„Options?" He asks even though from the look on his face I know he knows where this is going.
„She tried to encourage me to end the pregnancy since my child wouldn't have a father, after I told her in no uncertain ways that that was never going to happen she stopped but I just never got over it and then I met Rachel again, she is Stuart Evans wife, and she told me that she recently opened her private practice, so I went to her instead."
„That old fucking bitch." He mutters under his breath.
„It doesn't matter because our daughter has the best father in the world and this little one will too." I say with a smile and he rests his hand on my stomach.
„I can't wait for you to start showing." He says and I pout.
„What?" He grins.
„I got huge when I had Arielle."
„Ana, you couldn't get huge if you tried, you are pregnant, so of course you will gain weight, but that doesn't make you huge."
„Tell me that again in seven months and try to make it sound believable." I pout and he laughs.
„I will, trust me. Now, is there anything I can do for you right, anything you would like to do, before we head home?"
„Pancakes." I say quickly and he smirks.
„Pancakes?"
„Yes, there is this small place and they make crazy good pancakes with Oreos or peanut butter or strawberries and cream." I tell him all excited suddenly just thinking about them.
„Ok, pancakes it is." He says and Sawyer drives us where to the place where we get a table and because I can't decide which to get I order three different kinds, so I can take the rest home with me for later or tomorrow.
„So, is this a craving?" Christian asks while I dig in.
„It sure is, I usually don't even like pancakes that much." I explain and I know he is worried about me eating too much unhealthy stuff that might cause too much weight gain and through that issues with the pregnancy.
„Don't worry, Christian, I'm fully aware that this is a treat and can't be part of my daily diet."
„You know me to well, Mrs Grey, and it's not like I don't want you to have whatever you crave, I just don't want you to have any kind of problems with this pregnancy. Oh and what did your doctor mean when she talked about a birth center?" He asks and I take a deep breath.
„I don't want to give birth at a hospital, while I was pregnant with Arielle I had thought about giving birth to her at home, but I also kept the option of a birth center, which is a place run by midwives." I explain.
„What if you need a c-section?" He asks clearly alarmed.
„The birth center is right next to the Swedish medical center, so that's not an issue. Please, before you freak out about it look into it, we can visit the place together and if you promise to keep an open mind about the birth center I promise to not drive you into having a heart attack by looking further into giving birth at home." I offer and he sighs.
„Fine, I'll look into it. But why don't you want to give birth at a hospital?"
„I don't know, I just don't like them to begin with and did you know how many people get infected with horrible germs that can kill people each year? It's crazy, so if I can avoid it, I would prefer a different place to have our baby."
„Ok, we'll look into it together and find the best option for us." He says and a little later we arrive home and both look surprised at Elliot who is pacing in the driveway.
„Hey bro, what's up?" Christian asks.
„I fucked it up... Cadie... she left." He says and looks heartbroken.
„What do you mean, she is gone?"
„When I came home from work tonight, no one was there, I looked around and found a note with a letter. The note said that she has brought the kids to mom and dad. She quit and that the agency would send a replacement over tomorrow."
„Well fuck, what did you do to make her run?" Christian asks and he shifts on his feet.
„Elliot!" Christian insists and he runs his hands through his hair.
„I had some friends over yesterday, just to have some drinks. Cadie was in her room, so we talked rather candid. One of them asked about her, while we were eating sandwiches she had left in the fridge for us and like the fucking asshole I am I replied that the only thing she does better than cooking is riding my dick and that's all I need her for. I didn't realize at first why all the guys looked at me like I had lost my mind... and then I turned around and saw her in the kitchen getting herself something to drink. She just went back to her room and locked it, in the morning she acted normal, mostly because the kids were around I assume, and now she is gone... fuck!"
I gape at him and turn to Christian who looks so pissed I'm scared he is going to punch his brother, which to be honest is something I would like to do myself right now.
„Well, if that is all you need her for, just find another one." Christian finally says and now I want to punch him too, how can he say that?
„You don't get... damn it... I need her to come back."
„Why one pussy is as good as the next, right bro?!"
„Christian!" I huff, has he lost his mind too? But he just ignores me.
„Come on, Elliot... I can just hire you a hooker... you don't need that little bi..."
„Don't you fucking dare talk about Cadie like that, I love her, ok, happy now?" Elliot suddenly explodes and Christian smiles.
„I know you do, feels good to finally say it right? Now, why don't we go inside and figure out a way for you to make this right again... and just so you know, right now I really hope you have to meet each one of her older brothers before you even get the chance to talk to her." He says and winks at me before we walk inside.
Jesus... never a dull day with these Grey men...
Just a little note, I had some time and inspiration to write and ended up writing all the remaining chapters of this story. So, from now on there will be daily updates until the story is complete, which including the epilogue be at chapter 40.