The Reason We Have Middle Names

Christian's POV:

"If you keep running your hands through your hair you are going to have none left by the end of the day" Ana cautions. "Also, can you stop pacing? You are making me tense!" I turn to face her and narrow my eyes.

"Anastasia, our youngest granddaughters tried to leave their school, by themselves, and enter the city today. The fact that I am only pacing and running my hands through my hair is a miracle in itself" I point out harshly.

"Then that would make two miracles that happened today wouldn't it?" Ana raises her eyebrows, challenging me. "I mean it was remarkable that Taylor just happened to be at the girls school this morning, wasn't it?" The sarcasm in her voice is coming through loud and clear

For what it is worth I enter CEO mode, though there is no point even attempting to deny my involvement in this apparent co-incidence. Ana can read me like an open book.

"I only asked Taylor to check out the school this morning. I wanted to make sure that the girls were going to be safe." Ana is about to protest over my overzealous security measures, but the safety of my family is still my paramount concern.

"There was no threat. Craig's ex-wife is far away in California, and you already had Anabel stationed at the school for the whole day."

"Anastasia, don't argue with me over this" My lips form a hard line but quickly turns into a smile. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

After all these years, I wonder if Ana rolled her eyes at me because she thinks I just doesn't agree with actions this morning or as a tactic, to refocus my attention from my anger. Either way my palm is already starting to twitch. I close the distance between us and take Ana's hand, pulling her up so her body rubs against mine.

"Do you remember Mrs Grey, what I told you all those years ago, in your old Pike market apartment? What I said I would do to you each time you rolled your eyes at me?" Ana eyes are locked on mine, and I know she isn't scared, rather she is anticipating the inevitable.

"Yes"

There is a knock at the door, and Sawyer enters. I don't make eye contact with at him, rather I keep my gaze upon on Ana. I know that this won't phase him, he is more than accustomed to our behavior.

"Excuse me. Taylor has just entered through the gate" Sawyer updates us.

"Thank you. Please meet him and our granddaughters at the door. Tell them that we are waiting for them in the study" Sawyer quickly leaves us alone and executes my orders.

"So Mrs Anastasia Grey, it seems as if I will have to stow my twitchy palm for now; however, as you know I have an excellent memory. We can deal with your eye rolling tonight" I slide my hands up thigh, under her skirt and over her panties. "Always so ready! Unfortunately, we will have to deal with this later. Our granddaughter represent some of the few people that I would put our desires aside for.

"Don't be too harsh Christian. We are their grandparents, not their parents" Ana chimes.

"Now who is being mercurial? One second you are all hot and bothered and the next you are all assertive."

"I learnt from the best" Ana comments.

The study door then opens. In walk our two youngest grandchildren, Macie and Carrie. I love all my grandchildren, though there is something about these two girls. Maybe it is because Macie so resembles Ted and Carrie resembles her mother so much, or maybe it is because we have been able to spend so much time with them. Either way I know that they have me wrapped around their little fingers, but now is not the time for that. I start to think about what might have happened to them if I Taylor wasn't at the school and caught them. I recommence to run my hands through my hair again and pull as my fear, of what could have happened, takes fills my thoughts.

"Take a seat, young ladies" I strategically point to the ottoman that is in front where Ana is sitting, and where I will soon take my seat. They both obey although avoid making eye contact with us.

"Taylor informs us that you two girls had a little bit of adventure today." Ana asserts thought calmly.

"Yes. We are sorry, but it was for a good cause" Macie states, outline their motives at the first chance she got.

"We know. Everything!" I emphasize the word 'everything'. I don't want them thinking that maybe that could get away with only telling us part of the story.

"Taylor has kept us updated via emails and text messages. Now don't think for a second that it will excuse your poor choices. Do you know what could have happened if Taylor had not intercepted you both? You two are way too young to go into the city alone and with no one knowing what you are going! Do either of you, have any idea, how scared everyone that loves you both would have been?!" I sternly scold the girls. Both of them intermittently look up, mainly out of respect, though for the most part look down.

"This wasn't Macie's fault. She didn't plan any of it. She only wanted to make sure I was going to be safe." Ana and I are both already aware of this fact, but I do respect Carrie honesty.

"We know that. Macie you are to go up to your father's old room. Since your school thinks you are sick, they have emailed you some school work. It is on the desk. You are to go and complete it. Then you are grounded to that room until your parents arrive for dinner. You are also to give Sawyer your cell phone. I will return it to you later!" Ana updates Macie.

"To avoid your parents any stress, we are going to tell them that we are picking up both up from school, so you can spend a little more time with Taylor and Gail, before dinner tonight. You both are also going to be punished further by us" I update the girls. Ana and I prefer not tell Phoebe about Carries actions. It will only further stress her at a time that is far from optimal. A side effect of this is that we are also unable to tell Ted about Macie's contribution.

I know that my parents kept certain events, from Ana, and I, when Phoebe was growing up and in a way it made them closer to her. I close my eyes briefly as I feel a pang of guilt as I recall that I deprived Ted of those experiences. He may have long forgiven me, but once in a while I am reminded of this circumstance. I was a terrible fool.

"Macie you are to go upstairs now. Don't even think about leaving the bedroom for even a second!" I tell her regaining my composure. I put my regret aside, to focus on getting a key piece of information out Carrie.

"Yes Grandpa and Grandma." Macie makes a quick exit, leaving Ana and me, with Carrie.

"Carrie, you have a lot of explaining to do, and we have a lot of questions. Firstly, you are going to tell us what promise you made to your father that meant you had to be disobedient, and skip school to see Craig." I demand. I know I am making her reveal an extremely private moment between her and her father, but I have to know if it is something that will put her in danger, again. Josh would never have wanted that, and Carrie was only seven when he died. She may have misinterpreted one of his requests.

"How do you know about my promise?"

"Taylor told us. Now we only want to keep you safe, and it is hard to do that if you are not honest with us." Ana explains softly.

"What was the promise Carrie?" I demand

"Dad had me promise that I…." Carrie sighs and suddenly stops talking.

"Can't I just plead the fifth?" I cock my head to the side at her strange request

"Do you even know what the fifth means?" I probe.

"No. I heard Dad say it several times to some of his lawyer friends and Uncle Ted. " Carrie answers honestly.

"No. Also, it only applies in a court. This isn't a court"

"You are right, this is a study, so I don't have to answer your question." Carrie gains a shot of confidence.

"Excuse me?" I reply, requesting my youngest granddaughter explain herself.

"Grandpa, my dad told me that when a person was in a court they had to answer questions. It had something about it being the law. You just said that this isn't a court, so I don't want to answer your questions." Carrie once again demonstrates what her teachers often say, that she has an elaborate argument for everything. I notice Ana is smirking a little at the scene.

"If that is what you want. Fine. You don't have to talk to us." I announce much to Carrie excitement and Ana's disbelief.

"Really? You are just going to drop it?" Carrie is taking small breaths waiting for my answer.

"Yes" I reply. A large smile grows on Carrie's face, whilst Ana looks like she doesn't even know whom I am. I move over to my desk and pick up my cell phone. I make it obvious that I am calling someone.

"Hi Madison, its Christian Grey. Is Phoebe in her office?" Carries face expression swiftly changes from one of relief to horror. "Yes I will wait"

"You are ringing mom?" Carrie asks so quickly that I only just understand what she said.

"Yes. Since you won't talk to us, then I have no choice then ask your mother to talk to you" I analyze Carrie body language. I conceal my smirk, knowing it is working.

"No, don't. Please don't tell mom. I will cooperate" Carrie sighs. Please I am able to disconnect, Phoebe answers the phone.

"Hi Phoebe, I just wanted to make sure that you are all sorted for this evening…. When did that start?" Phoebe then goes on to tell me of the packages that have started to arrive for her. "No, I don't know anything about it, how many bunches and boxes? Okay, love you too" I disconnect the call and take a seat next to Ana.

"Okay Carrie you said you would talk, so start"

"What do you want to know?" Carrie voice is so smooth, and she is looking at Ana and I thought those magical blue eyes. She isn't going to offer any more information than she needs to right now.

"Why did you go and see Craig? And what is the link to your father?" I get straight to the point.

"Mom should be with Craig. He makes her happy in a way no one else does" Carrie offers minimalistic explanation, hopeful that it will be enough. "Can I go upstairs and do my school work now? Is it in my mom's old room, right?"

"Yes, all your school assignments for the day are there; however, we are not finished with you. Elaborate on your previous statement" I demand.

"Well when you told Macie her school her school work was in her father's room, I simply predicted that my school work would be in my mother's room. Macie and I attend the same school, so I also assumed that the school would have sent my work through when they did Macie's." My lips form a hard line at my granddaughter's choice of elaboration.

"Carrie, that wasn't what I was asking you to elaborate on" I tell her sternly.

"Actually Grandpa it was. You asked me to elaborate on my last statement, which I did. My last statement was about my school work". Quietly I groan inwardly. She is making it impossible to get information out of her. I note that Ana is desperately trying to prevent herself from laughing at the scene.

"Elaborate on the part where you went to see Craig and why!" I demanded this piece of information, once more. "And Carrie, if you fail to give us a complete answer straight away, I am going to ring your mother." Carries face drops.

"But if you ring Mom, then she will know, and then everything I did today won't matter!" Carrie looks so at pains that Ana grandmother instincts almost saw to it that she leaped up and held our granddaughter tightly.

"Then you better explain yourself. NOW!"

"I want Mom and Craig back together. Mom was happy and would smile all the time, when they were together. I don't think she has been like that since the restaurant. I know that…"

"Wait, you know about what happened at the restaurant? What do you know?" I probe.

"Everything. Craig was dumb, and I have told him he needs to make it up to Mom. Big time. You know flowers, chocolates, and all that type of stuff. Then he can finally ask mom to marry her properly." So that is why Phoebe is receiving certain deliveries at the moment.

"Our granddaughter the matchmaker. Who would have ever guessed?" Ana comments.

"By the way, before you both ask, I knew that Craig, was going to ask Mom to marry him, a few weeks ago. I even went shopping with Craig to pick up the ring. Did you like it?" Carrie is practically glowing while she talks about the ring.

"Yes it was gorgeous" Ana replies.

"I just think Mom and Craig should do what they tell me all the time to do when I have arguments or disagreements with my friends. Sit down and talk."

"Carrie what you have done is admirable but relationships, between a man and a woman are harder than eleven year old friendships" Ana outlines, thought sympathetically. Carrie shrugs her shoulders looking more like her eleven year old self than her usual commentaries would suggest.

"What is the link to your dad?" I ask. Carrie sighs and finally starts to explain the missing piece of the puzzle.

"When dad was dying he asked me to do stuff to make mom happy. He said that I should make sure that I wasn't doing things that would make mom unhappy and always help mom to make her happy..." I cock my head to the side as I analyse one of Josh's old requests.

"Are you sure your dad didn't mean stuff like, be polite and listen to you mother? To do your homework and try hard?" I point out.

"Maybe, but still. Mom wasn't happy away from Craig, and there was something I could do to change that. I figure that dad's second promise counted." Carrie's attempt to justify her actions fails to sway me.

"Except that you skipping school would mean that had your mother found out then, happiness would have been the last thing she'd be feeling" I refute her argument.

"I didn't intend to get caught."

"But you did!" I admonish her.

"I am sorry. Okay. I am sorry." Carrie responds finally knowing that she isn't going to be able to argue anymore.

"Regardless of the fact that your heart was in the right place, you actions were disobedient. You need to go upstairs and complete your school work. As with Macie, you too are not allowed out of the room until we tell you. Your grandmother and I are going to discuss how you both should be punished." Carrie sighs loudly at my stern words

"Do you have something to say Carrie Grace?" I scold.

"No, but I am starting to think that kids are only allocated a middle name to emphasize that they are in trouble, or to stop!" Carrie comment, before finally following our instructions and heading up to Phoebe's old room.

As soon as Ana and I are alone, I tug on her hand, guiding her on to my lap. I bury my hose into her hair and soak her in. I need to relax.

"Carrie has an answer and an argument for everything. Fuck she is only eleven also. She has the potential to be a real handful in a few years" I observe.

"Just like her mother" Ana responds.

"And like grandmother" Ana rolls her eyes again and I am reminded of our all too brief conversation before our granddaughters entered the study.

"You rolled your eyes again, Anastasia Rose." I have intentionally used Ana middle name due to our granddaughter's reference to its purpose.

"I didn't realize" Fuck, she is biting her lip also.

"We need to go upstairs. Now!" I tug at Ana's hand, but she doesn't move.

"Christian, we just sent the girls upstairs. What if one of them sees us"

"They won't. They are in their parent's old rooms, and if they are smart, which we know that they are, they will be busying themselves with the work that they should have done at school. Now let's go take care of your eye rolling.

"Christian, you said that we would deal with it tonight. It is barely mid-morning."

I don't bother continuing to argue with Ana and bend down, throwing Ana over my shoulder.

"Christian, put me down! NOW!" Ana yells.

"No, and do not yell or else you will get the attention of our granddaughters" I warn.

"You are going to hurt yourself!" Ana says trying to wiggle herself out of my grip. I deliver her a sharp but warning whack to her backside, making her yelp.

"Anastasia you are still way too light for me to get hurt, plus I still work out every day. Though right now I am more interested in reviewing your stamina levels.

# # # #

Phoebe's POV:

"Was everything alright?" Ted enters my office just before I end my brief conversation with our father.

"Yes, Dad was just checking that I was aware of tonight dinner plans. I was rather hoping he would be able to shine some light over all of this" I gesture to my office that is starting to look more like a floral garden. Flowers, with no cards or names, started to arrive about an hour ago.

"Craig?" Ted questions.

"I guess so" I shrug.

"If any more flowers arrive, our next corporate venture might be the floral industry" I joke.

"There has been another delivery actually" Ted informs me. In his hand is a beautifully wrapped box. "This item needed a signature. I signed for you as you were on the phone."

My heart starts to beat quickly for some reason as I take the object from Ted. I open it and inside there is a letter. A simple handwritten letter.

Authors Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. In the next chapter, we will see what Craig has written and how he is going to propose. Thank you.