Could you repeat that?
Phoebe POV:
"Mom and dad; Josh and I have been seeing each other. He is my boyfriend" I tell them confidently. We both sit down slowly, and I evaluate my parent's reactions. Oh shit this will be bad. All the color has drained from my mother's face, but it's my father's expression that gets to me. He has cocked his head to the side, and a large smile has formed on his face. Unexpectedly he starts to laugh.
"Very humorous Phoebe and thank you Josh for participating in this little joke." I become apprehensive at my dad reaction that I could crack in half.
"I will get us all some wine. Phoebe I hope you decide to tell the truth, by the time I return. I suspect it has something to do with the banker's son who also was bidding on you last night". My father says raising his eyebrows at me. Oh shit this is going to go worse than I thought. I don't even know whom the other bidder was.
"Who would like a glass of wine?" My father asks us all. No one responds as they all know that this is not a joke, except my mother who is confused now.
"Dad this isn't a joke. Josh and I have been together for a few months now." I restate slowly. My father's expression changes too swiftly, and now looks disturbed. In an attempt to find some parental support, I focus on my mother, but she is shaking her head a little.
"The past few months?" My father questions. It is obvious that he is angry that he didn't know about us earlier, but he is the one who set the ground rules down. I allow security to remain with me, after the age of twenty-one and I get to keep my privacy.
"Yes" I reconfirm.
"Joshua, is this correct?" My father asks.
"Yes. I am in a relationship with your daughter" Josh confirms.
"Do you both realize what are you both doing? My father hisses. I take Josh's hand, and he holds me tightly.
"Yes, we have just been seeing each other, just like every warm blooded person in the world" I try to explain. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look over and see it's my grandfather. I am beyond grateful for his presence.
"Christian, remain calm and just listen to your daughter" My grandfather orders.
"How can I? Didn't you just hear her? She is seeing a guy that is old enough to be her father." My father steps back a little and starts to read everyone in the room. It doesn't take him long to work out to start to work out that not everyone has been in the dark.
"Dad, did you know about this?" My father asks. I swallow loudly, knowing this is not going to help the situation.
"Yes, I did" My grandfather admits, though supporting me. My mother has now stood and is standing behind my father.
"Phoebe, how many people knew about this relationship before your father and me?" My mother asks. I know she actually wants to know how many people knew before her. Oh Mom, I never meant to hurt you or keep you out of the dark. I have an extreme urge, to go over and hug my mother, but I can't face the idea that she wouldn't respond in kind.
"I am sorry," I tell my mother sincerely.
"Answer my question" she asks crossly.
"I didn't tell Ted, he found out and then he told Lily." I state not wanting to hurt my mother, but it doesn't seem to work.
"And…?" She asks.
"I told grandpa last night, and I let him tell grandma" I admit.
"Wonderful" my mother comments sarcastically. My parents momentarily face each other and start to talk, quietly, so we are unable to hear them. I can only stand and watch, as my mother nods and then my father turns again to face us.
"Ted, Lily, Mom and Dad..." My father takes a deep breath before he continues. "Since you are all in the know and Ana and I were not, even though we are Phoebe's parents, and one would think we should have been told first, I would respectfully request that you all give us some privacy, to discuss the issue, with them both"
"I'd prefer grandpa and grandma stay" I say immediately. My parents give each other a quick look and both shake their heads.
"We are more than happy to stay" My grandmother adds to support me.
"And we both would rather you not. I am sorry Grace and Carrick, you two are always welcome in our home, but we wish to discuss this in private. Phoebe can call you both later this evening" I can't believe that my mother has literally told them to leave.
My parents leave Josh and me outside as they courteously walk our other family members, to their cars. I so wish my grandparents had been allowed to stay, without them, I feel so much less confident. Thank gosh, Josh is next to me, I would have utterly crumbled under my parent's reaction I thought that my parents had left us alone, but when I look to the side, I see Taylor. Shit! Taylor is glaring directly at Josh and looks like he wants to rip his head off.
Christian's POV:
Ana and I stand at the doorway until everyone has driven off. We have reassured my parents that we will listen to Phoebe and Josh, whilst it is apparent to us that Ted disagrees with this relationship. I have had Taylor watch them. Mainly because I don't want them to go out, or leave, before we have had a chance to talk to them.
When we re-join them we find, Josh has his arms around Phoebe, comforting her. I would pry Joshua off my young daughter if they didn't let go of each other, when they see that we are in the room.
"Why don't we take this inside?" I tell them. Being outside feel way too open, and I prefer a more enclosed environment as I can feel myself reverting to CEO mode. I need to take control of this matter.
"Sit" I order them both, once we are in the living room. I ensure that I am seated closely to Ana. It will be the only thing keeping me from punching Josh out and sending my daughter to her room until she has come to her senses, like a child.
"So where were we?" I probe.
"Before you threw out most of the members of our family? Well we were trying to explain that we have just been seeing each other for a few months" My daughter states. Ana and I knew that Ted has asked Josh to make sure Phoebe was doing well after she didn't want to go back to college, but we never thought this would happen.
"So how did this relationship happen?" I ask
"It kind of just did. We had been spending a lot of time together and then one day we kissed, and it took off from there" Josh states, but I dislike it even more hearing it from him.
"Took off from there? And you have been together for three months" I repeat senselessly, but I need to be sure.
"Yes dad." Phoebe rolls her eyes. "Let's get to the main concerns. Tell me what it is that you both don't agree with?" Phoebe asks.
"You want the list?" Ana comments. I have never seen her so disagreeable, I take her hand and giving her a knowing look. I figure it is time that I took control of this situation.
"First off is the age factor." I outline.
"Aunt Kate and Uncle Elliot have an age gap, they are almost nine years apart" Phoebe states.
"Yes, but we are not talking about nine years, rather double that age gap. Joshua when you were legally considered to be an adult, Phoebe was just a few months old. Joshua you were visiting Ted, when Phoebe has a young child. Surely your presence, though not regular, whilst she was so young tells you that this is wrong." I explain offensively.
"We didn't see each other for over ten years. Josh barely even recognized me when he first saw me" Phoebe rebuffs.
"But still the age gap exists, and it leads to so many more concerns. What about what you both want in your lives." I start to explain.
"We want each other in our lives if that is what you mean." Phoebe says, and Josh agrees.
"Oh come on, you are both intelligent people. You both know what I mean! Phoebe you are a young twenty-one year old who has just finished college and is starting her whole life. You love to travel, explore and not ready to settle down. You have an exceptionally promising future at Grey Enterprise and have the world at your feet. Whilst Josh, you are at a different stage in your life. You are more than ready to settle down, and you have accomplished many things in your career. Phoebe hasn't and isn't ready to settle down, in the way you are." I run both my hands thorough my hair, frustrated that they haven't already worked this all out.
"Children. Josh you have always loved children and you want to have your own don't you?" I ask him, now pacing around.
"Yes," he says simply.
"Well you are approaching forty, and if you are with Phoebe who is only twenty-one, and not ready for children, you will be closer to fifty while my daughter will be closer to thirty, when she is ready to have children. Do you want to wait that long and be that old to be a father?" I point out.
"Dad you were 45 when you had me" Phoebe points out smartly.
"Yes, but your mother and I weren't eighteen years apart, and we were separated for a long time." Phoebe realizing that she isn't going to win or convince me, focuses on her mother,
"Mom, please say something. Josh and I just want to be together. Can't you see that?" Phoebe pleads.
"I just don't think you are looking at the big picture, and I think this is wrong. Josh I have known you since I moved to New York when Ted was five, you were five also. You are a generation too old for my daughter. When you are sixty-five and planning on retiring, and Phoebe will be more than likely be at the height of her career." Ana explains
"In addition, surely you understand that your relationship has an expiry date?" Phoebe and Josh look at me unsure of what I mean. "Josh your extraordinarily successful Law practice is in New York, and Phoebe you are commencing work at Grey Enterprise here in Seattle. Also, Phoebe, I require you to commence tomorrow. I cannot grant you your requested delayed start to work." I inform her.
"But Josh leave's for New York on Tuesday evening. We won't have any time for each other than." Phoebe points out upset before she realizes this is my objective.
"That's just life, accept it!" Ana states bitterly.
"No, it isn't, this is you both not agreeing to something I want. You both just want me to be that obedient little girl that always did what she was told regardless" Phoebe argues.
"We are yet to cover the Geography problem. You both live on opposite sides of the country. Long distance relationships, never work" I emphasis.
"We won't be living on other sides" Phoebe murmurs. All the hairs on my body stand up.
"Excuse me?" I ask, taking harsh breaths.
"Mr and Mrs Grey, I intend to move to Seattle, in a month. Permanently." My lips form a hard thin line, and l glare at Joshua. Even he steps back slightly at the sight of me.
"What about your partnership? Your legal career that you have worked so hard for" I find that I am condescending, but I know that they haven't thought this all out.
"We have an office here that I am going to head up. In fact, I am finishing off some work in New York in preparation for that. I assure you Mr and Mrs Grey, I have thought this through." Josh has become formal and trying to play his herds right. "I promise you both that we are not going to rush into anything just yet. We will take this slow."
"No! You both shouldn't be thinking about this at all. Fast or slow. You both should end this, and find happiness elsewhere." Ana's stated.
"I agree with your mother" I say backing up Ana completely.
"Elsewhere? Like you both did when you were both separated. Oh wait you both didn't because you both loved each other and were too silly to see that, for seventeen years. Which is why you had me so late, and I am so much younger than everyone else!" Phoebe argues back.
"Do not make comparisons between your mother and me, and you and Josh." I am so angry by this point that even Ana wouldn't be able to keep me calm. "Joshua, I am applauded at you, you are a well-respected lawyer whom we have always welcomed into our house, you should have known better. Now Phoebe, your mother and I love you deeply, but we do not accept that you know what you are doing. You are prematurely seeking love." I argue back.
"It isn't premature." Phoebes says emotionally. "I love Joshua." My daughter actually saying this out loud shocks me. She has never said that about any guy and regardless of her emotions, I know this all needs to end still.
"I love your daughter, Mr and Mrs Grey. I have never felt like this before." Josh informs us his feelings.
"Whilst I feel for you both, I still don't support or agree with this relationship," I tell them. Joshua looks down whilst Phoebe's shoulders drop. She looks like she is about start to cry, making my heart ache a little. I just want to protect her.
"Phoebe, please, you need to trust me here" I implore her. Her emotional state ends automatically
"I have always trusted you dad, but I can't this time. Not until you have faith in me" Phoebe's comments appalled. I sigh deeply and count again, in the hope that it will prevent me from getting any angrier, but I realize that I am going thermonuclear. I go to my daughter and place my hands on her arms.
"You have lived a blessed life, we have made sure of that. You have never wanted for anything and had every opportunity. You have never seen or witnessed any family member go through hardship or even any marital issues. I know it is something you long for, and you will find it eventually. Do not try to get to something hastily or you will be hurt!" I argue.
"So you are both saying that you won't accept our relationship?" Phoebe asks.
"No. We won't support it. It is wrong" I restate our position to our daughter.
"Then there is no point in me standing here arguing the point then." Phoebe spits. "Josh lets go"
"Where are you going?" I question.
"You see my boss, informed me today that I have to start work earlier than negotiated and therefore, I have exceptionally little time to spend with the man I love, so I am going to go and spend every free minute I have with him, right now" Phoebe is beyond spiteful. She turns around and with Josh and commence to walk out. Annoyed I put my hands in my pocket and recall the object I found last night in the boat house.
"Before you go Phoebe and Josh, I should warn you both to be more discreet in the future. I believe this is yours?" I hold up the bracelet that Phoebe had extended.
"I lost that last night. Where did you find it?" Phoebe asks, coming closer to me to retrieve it.
"The boat house, and do not tell me that you were both innocently in there last night. I am too smart for that" I scold my daughter. Phoebe shakes her head and then laughs.
"Dad, I am a virgin," She says irritated as she takes the bracelet from me and walks out of the house with Joshua. I am thrilled that she is still a virgin, but at the same time, she has given me another reason to confirm that their relationship isn't right.
Authors note:
Hope you enjoyed the chapter, quickly after the last one. I know it is a little short, comparatively, but I know you all wanted to hear Christians and Ana's reaction to Phoebe and Josh's relationship. More action to come…
Please review if you like...