Promises . . . .
Carrie's POV:
"Carrie, we can ring you every day. We can Skype" Craig explains.
"Mom and Craig, I am not upset that you are both leaving. I get it. You both just got married and are coming back. Actually I am here because I have a surprise for you both. Though it might be more for Craig actually, but I hope you both consider it a gift for you both."
"A surprise?" Craig asks
"Yeah. Its outside." I smile, excited to show him, and hope he doesn't say no.
"Then lead the way" Craig helps my mother off the couch. Mom's pregnant stomach is making it hard for her get up and down lately. She still has three more months to go and is so worried about how big she will get. Personally I am more interested in the gender of the baby.
I walk towards the French doors that lead to the backyard area. In my excitement, I forgot to check if they were properly attired. I casually look over my shoulder and am relieved when I see their clothes will be suitable. If I had to ask them to get changed, it might have ruined my surprise. It must be obvious that we are walking out in the direction of our stables, and thankfully neither mom nor Craig start to quiz me.
My excitement starts to build when I see Ryan exit the stable and give my grandparents the thumbs up. It can only mean that everything has gone to plan. "Yes" What a relief. Yesterday when I came up with this idea, I was worried that we may not be able to pull it off in time. But whom am I kidding? My grandparents are Christian and Ana Grey! With their help, I am pretty sure I can make the earth stop rotation.
"Your parents are by the stable" Craig tells my mom.
"What are they doing back here? Carrie did they drop you off or did security?"
"Yes they dropped me off. I think they wanted to check out the back yard" I close my eyes, knowing that I have just made up the lamest excuse ever!
"What? That doesn't make sense. They have been here hundreds of times! What is there to check out?" My mother questions. I shrug my shoulders and pick up the pace, hopeful that my mother doesn't start to ask her usual thousand questions.
I smile broadly at my Grandma and Grandpa as I reach them. Unlike my grandmother, my grandfather doesn't show any emotions, but nods briefly, reconfirming that everything is set.
"Mom and Dad, why are you both out here?" My mother asks my grandparents as she greets them. Craig shakes my grandpa's hand and kisses my grandmothers cheek.
"Nothing in particular." My grandfather replies. My mother shakes her head. She hates being in the dark.
"That isn't actually the whole truth!" I confess. "They were helping me that is all"
"Oh?" Craig says.
"I think we should give you three, some privacy. Phoebe and Craig, if it is alright with you both, Christian and I will wait for Carrie inside the house, rather than waiting at the front."
"Of course mom. Mary, our housekeeper is here today before she goes on leave. She can get you something to drink or eat."
My grandparents head back to the house, and carefully I watch them. Never once do they let go of each other hands. They love each other so much! I hope Craig and my mom are still like them when they are older. I turn, and there is my mom, and now step-father looking at me, waiting for me to make a move or say something.
"We need to go into the stables" I advise them. I rush in before they can question me. I want this to be a complete surprise. There in the first two sections, is my horse, Eagle and my mothers, Destiny. Both are beautiful creatures. My mother's house has a rich brown coat, whilst mine has a more chocolate color. One of my moms and my favorite things to do is to ride our horses around the property and take them to the coast. Craig has ridden before, but he doesn't feel too confident on our horses.
I take several more steps into the stables, and stop when I see him. 'Brandneis' I stop immediately and take in his presence, once more. He is as elegant and graceful as I remember him. In a crazy way, he looks at me and raises his head in familiarity. I go over and stroke him. Tears build up in my eyes. I have loved this horse since the first time I laid eyes on him.
"Hey there, Brandneis! I have missed you" I tell him and inspect his dark black coat.
"Who is this horse?" I hear Craig ask my mother when she gasps. I reply quickly before my mother can say anything.
"This horse is Brandneis. He was named after Louis Brendneis who was a judge on the US Supreme Court a long time ago. From what I can remember bring told, Louis Brandneis, was a People's Lawyer, whatever that means, and was honest. He believed in freedom of speech." I then take a deep breath to compose myself.
"Brandneis here, was my father horse. My dad named him after the judge he most admired."
I fight tears as I recall memories of my father riding him, but they are replaced with joy as I recall how joyful this horse made him. My father's love of horses developed when he was married to my mom, and they passed on this love to me. When I was young, I would try to keep up with this horse and my dad, when I became competent to ride without an instructor next to me.
"Carrie, how did you get him here?" My mother probes.
"Grandma and Grandpa helped me. That is why they were out here just then" I announce. After my dad passed away, in conjunction with his wishes, his horse was donated to a rehabilitation and charity farm that helped kids with serious illnesses and disabilities. There was no real need to keep an extra horse here, and I think that regardless of how majestic the horse was, it was a sad reminder of what we had lost. My wonderful father. But I wanted this horse here today as a reminder of what we had survived and now gained. A loving husband for mom and now a step-father for me.
"Brendneis is only here for today, and Craig, he is your surprise. My father loved this horse. I have a lot of fond memories of this horse with my father. I thought you might like to ride Brandneis before he has to be returned tonight. Would you like to ride with me? He is pretty tame these days, and we can just trot along the backyard if you prefer" I ask. I pray that my mom and Craig understand the sentiment in my gift. It is my gift in reply for my most cherished new necklace and their vows made to me yesterday at their wedding ceremony. A ceremony that should have been only about them, but they lovingly shared with me.
"You want me to ride your dad's old horse?" Craig asks to clarify.
"Yes"
"Carrie, I would love to. I will just grab us some appropriate helmets." Craig hugs me tight as he goes into the small store room that we have in the stables that has all our accessories and gear.
My mother kneels down a little and kisses me. "Angel this is the most beautiful gift. It means a lot to Craig and Me."
"Dad would have liked Craig to ride Brendneis. I just wish you could join us!" Mom being pregnant means that horse riding just isn't safe.
"I will, once the baby is born. I promise you"
"I can't wait to teach my baby sister or brother to ride. But we will have to get it a pony." I state.
"How about a silver horse, similar to your first pony?" My mother suggests.
"Okay"
# # # #
Seven years later:
I place the last few piece of clothes into one of my too many suitcases in preparation to leave for college today. My grandfather demanded we take a shopping trip in preparation for this next chapter in my life, with my grandmother. We had a personal shopper and walked out of Nieman Marcus with an insane amount of clothes for the east coast climate. Even I know that the bill was ghastly, but as my grandparents always say, 'it is their money to spend.' I can't even believe that I am leaving. I have lived in this house my whole life. I am glad that mom and Craig never wanted to move! They did remodel the house, to make it bigger, but that is all. I look around to make sure I have everything I need before my sister Christina Mia enters. Though everyone calls her Chrissy for short.
"Carrie, Mom and dad told me to tell you to come downstairs. It's time for breakfast, and everyone is here." Chrissy announces. She is almost seven years old now, and I love her to death.
"Everyone?" I ask curious as to whom Carrie is actually referring to.
"Yep the family."
"Like in us four?" I question,
"And the rest!"
"What? We had dinner with the whole family last night! Do they all need to be here again?" I groan. I am not upset that they are all here. In fact, I love being around them all, but I hate big goodbyes.
"Yes. This we can have ice-cream with pancakes. So hurry up!" Chrissy says and bolts out of my bedroom. Trust my little sister to see the positive in everything.
I head downstairs, but leave my suitcases upstairs. Chrissy wasn't joking. Everyone is here again. My grandparents, my great Uncle Elliot and Aunt Kate, with my cousin Ava, her husband Marcus, and her son Cameron. Emma is currently at a pre-season training camp for her college softball team. My other great Aunt Mia is on the couch with her latest boyfriend, Raoul.
My Uncle Ted and Aunt Lily are here also, with their kids. Eli, having ending his days of going from one girl to another, has finally found the one woman he wants to marry, and is here with his fiancé, Paige, and Ruby is here with her husband Liam.
Once Macie sees me she runs up and hugs me out of excitement. She is leaving in a couple of days, to return college. Macie has been going to MIT and studying engineering like her mother; however, is interested in Mechanical engineering as opposed to Environmental engineering. She and I will share an apartment together, which has been organized by our grandparents.
"I can't wait till we are living together in Massachusetts. We are going to have the wildest time ever. So glad that you chose Harvard over Yale!" Macie tells me quietly. Our grandfather is close by and he is still frightfully protective of us. He would increase security tenfold if he knew what Macie has in planned for us the first weekend we are together at college.
"Me too. Yale can wait!" I reply. I have decided to go to Harvard first, and then do my law degree at Yale.
"Breakfast!" My parents call out. I stand for a minute and watch my family gather around the long formal table as Craig, my mom, with our house keeper's help, puts the final touches to our breakfast. I clutch the heart shaped locket that my parents gave the day there were married. I don't know when I stopped thinking of them as my mom and Craig, and just considered them as both my parents, but I know it wasn't long after the wedding.
I still think about my birth father and treasure his memory. To this day I still love him, but I also love Craig as a father. I know that my dad was so brave and as an act of love had me promise that I would accept anyone who married my mother as a father figure. Dad knew that mom was too astute to make a poor choice in whom she would remarry and get to be part of my life.
# # # #
"I give up. What about you Craig?" I ask. Craig look's at the monopoly board we have been playing together against my mother and Chrissy, ever since we took off from Seattle.
"Please! We are headed into complete bankruptcy. Good thing I work in IT and you are going to study Law, and we don't work for Grey Enterprise" Craig jokes.
"Yes!" Carrie calls out overjoyed at her joint win.
"However, Carrie, you could always come and work in the legal department at Grey Enterprise. There will be so many opportunities for you there." Mom reminds me. I know she has been secretly hoping for years that I would follow in her footsteps, but the world of mergers and acquisitions honestly do not appeal to me at all. I would remind her of this fact, but mom is emotional enough about me leaving for college. I don't want to give her any more cause to be upset.
"I will give it some thought, thought I am interested in practicing criminal law" The thought of corporate law is enough to make me reconsider even going to college.
Just then my grandmother walks out of the office that is located on the GEH jet. She and my grandfather have been in there for about an hour. She looks over at us and smiles. "Carrie, your grandfather wants to have a chat with you" she declares. I get an awful feeling in my stomach. I know what this is about!
"Sure" I try to say with a smile, but inside I am worried. I know that grandpa knows what I have done! I don't want my parents to suspect anything. They would skin me alive if they found out.
Christians POV:
I watch Ana as she puts on her clothes. Surely there has been no other sorry sight in the world. Regardless of our mind blowing activities, the last hour in the on-board office hasn't helped relieved my tension. I wanted to storm over to my daughters and Craig's house and ring my granddaughter's neck, yesterday! She has more common sense than this!
"I am going to go and get something to eat. Are you hungry?" Ana inquires.
"I am, but I will eat later" Ana's jaw practically hits the floor. "Can you ask Carrie to come in and see me? I need to talk to her"
"Christian…" I know that Ana is going to try to convince me to lay off her, but this is too serious a situation. I can't let her get away with it, plus I can't tell Phoebe or Craig, it would only serve to worry them.
A few minutes later there is a knock at the door and in enters Carrie. I am so mad at her, but it is hard to remain so when I see her. Her long brown hair, blue eyes and the warm smile get me every time! Shit, Grey she has you wrapped around her little finger.
"Hi Grandpa. Can I get you a drink?" Carrie offers politely and gives me her award winning smile. I know that she is just trying to get me to go soft on her.
"No"
"Are you sure? I might help relax you" Carrie evaluates.
"Trust me Carrie there isn't enough drinks in the world to help me relax after I read this report from Sawyer. I can't believe that I didn't have a heart attack when I read this." I declare. "How did you get away from security that day?"
"We lied to the security detail, saying that we were going to stay upstairs at Ava and Marcus's house, and with considerable care, Emma and I snuck out. The guys picked us up a few streets away, and we set off" Carrie explains. I clench my hands in anger. I swear I am going to fire someone over this!
"Of all the dangerous, poorly thought out plans! If you were younger, I would put you over my knee and spank you!" I am so furious that Carrie looks more like a young child than her usual graceful and bright self. I have never threatened to spank her, and never even considered doing so! But right now I am furious!
"Take a seat" I order.
"Grandpa. I know you are upset, but I am eighteen..." Carrie starts to argue in her defence, but no argument is going to sway me.
"You were seventeen at the time though. You hadn't even graduated from high school yet"
"Yes... But... I am fine. I didn't get hurt, and millions of people do it"
"I don't care how many people do it. You are my granddaughter, you could have gotten hurt, or worse died! The guys weren't even from a proper company. Where the hell did you and Emma meet those fuckers anyway?" I demand to know. I fail to enlighten Carrie, but I have made sure that these boys will never be able to try to impress girls by skydiving again. They are older and should have known better!
"They were some guys that Emma knew. They suggested it, and we went with it. They had skydived numerous times!" Carrie explains simplistically. My lip forms a hard line, and I can tell my expression looks horribly forbidding as my granddaughter seems to be shrinking right in front of me!
"It was my way of interpreting another one of my father's promises to me" Carrie voice is so unassertive and low that I don't even recognize it. I run my hands through my hair so harshly that a few strands come lose.
"Not Again!" I promised myself and Ana that I wouldn't try to find out about the other promises Carrie shared with her dad on the day he died, years ago. Nonetheless, this is the second time Carrie has but herself in danger to fulfill her dads wishes. She was only seven when Josh died, and I am beyond anxious and frightened that she is misinterpreting his wishes to her detriment.
"Carrie, I seriously doubt your father would have ever wanted you to lie about your age and to jump out of an airplane, with a bunch of guys that had no insurance or real training! You are lucky you, you are not dead and even more so that you didn't get injured."
"I know. I am sorry. No more jumping out of planes! I promise" Carrie utters, but I don't respond. I am worried about what else she may do in the future.
"Look Grandpa, one of the promises dad had me agree to be to take risks and live life to the full. That I shouldn't let my fears take control of me. To have adventures. The offer to skydive that day unequivocally fitted the bill, though I agree with you the circumstances under which I agreed was stupid. I promise I won't do that again." I immediately believe Carrie. If she promises then, it certainly won't happen again.
"Angel, you once told me that there were six promises you made to your dad. You have told me the nature of three, what were the other three?" I request. I am so worried what Carrie might do, in the future, to fulfill them. I couldn't handle losing her.
"Oh Grandpa, do I have to tell you?"
"No." I reply, much to my granddaughter's surprise.
"Really? You are not going to try to coerce the information out of me?"
"No. It's your right to keep whatever your father told you to yourself. I am just worried that you are going to hurt yourself. I don't want to rush, over to the east coast, to be by your side on a hospital bed"
"It's not going to happen" Carrie tries to assure me, but fails.
"I sure hope not. I don't think my heart can handle it" I respond.
"It's honestly scares you doesn't it? You are worried about what I may do!" Carrie says reading my expression.
"Very much Angel!"
"Okay, but if I tell you the next three promises, you can't repeat them to anyone, especially the last promise. It might hurt some special people." Carrie beseeches me. I almost want to tell her not to tell me, but my need for control is too intense.
"I promise." I look at Carrie, and wait for her to recite what she was told almost a decade ago.
"Dad ask me never to become a Seattle Mariners supporter, and always be a New York Yankee fan. He also asked, if I was to go to attend Law school, I would go to Yale over Harvard." I smile in acknowledgment. These two may seem small requests, but they are significant. If Josh had lived, he would have influenced Carrie to be a Yankee fan as he loved that team. Josh went to Yale over Harvard as he preferred the campus. This was his way of influencing her life even though he had passed away.
"And the last promise?" I ask. Little tears start to build up in Carries eyes as she scrunches her face up.
"Promise me you will never tell anyone. I couldn't handle them wondering when I finally do get married" Carrie declares.
"I promise." I consider stopping her, but it is obvious that this promise has pained her for a long time. If she doesn't get it out, I fear it will rip her apart.
"Dad said that on the day that I get married, and I am about to walk down the aisle, I should look to my side, and close my eyes. Dad said he will be standing next to me and telling me how beautiful I am" Carrie voice brakes. I get up and wrap my arms around her.
"Oh Carrie your father loved you so much. You meant so much to him!" I tell her to soothe her.
"I know. I love him too. Still do!" I give Carrie a glass of water and hold her hand.
"Grandpa, do you understand why you can never tell anyone of the last promise dad told me? Craig has been an incredible father figure to me and he considers me his daughter. One day he will walk me down the aisle. I don't ever want him to think that he has second place" Carrie pours her heart out to me.
"I understand, but also you need to remember that Craig respects Josh's memory. If Craig knew, then I doubt that he would be upset." I assure her.
"Probably." Carrie then smiles and looks relieved. I cock my head at her mercurial response. "Feels strangely good to finally tell someone about that last promise. It has worried me, but not anymore."
I smile in relief. "Let's go and eat. I am hungry, and you are too thin!"
# # # #
Carries POV:
"So can I have your bedroom?" Chrissy asks.
"No. I do intend to come home during the summer you know" I tell my little sister. She has been asking me for different items in my room as our parents get ready to head back to Seattle.
"What about your new pink chiffon dress? You have left it at home. Can I wear it?"
"No way. I love that top, and I have only left it there as I intend to wear it to the coping together ball next year. Besides you have a tonne of dresses. Our grandfather takes you on shopping trips too, remember?"
"Then what about you old bear. The purple one that your dad gave you. Can I have it?"
"No," I reply. Besides I have bought it here to college with me!
"Christina Mia Bailey, you need to get your shoes on and jacket. We are leaving in a few minutes" our mother instructs her. Ever so obediently she heads off and collects her things. My mother and I look at each, but of us trying not to get emotional over saying goodbye.
My grandparents and sister are the first to hug me goodbye and head off to the car, giving me some time with my mom and Craig to say good bye.
"So I guess I will see you both soon." I say bravely. Mentally I start to count how many days there are to thanksgiving.
"I am going to have to find some companies to take over in Boston, this way I have a whole bunch of excuses to fly over and see you" My mother says trying to be a little humor to cover her sadness. Craig wraps his arm around her and holds her tight. I never worry about my mom whilst Craig is around. He will always make sure she is cared for.
"I love you mom, and you know you don't need excuses to see me. I am going to miss you" I say with tears in my eyes, now mirroring my mother emotions.
"Oh Carrie, I can't even commence to tell you how much I am going to miss you, my angel! You have been an incredible child, and you are an even more brilliant young lady." My mother then proceeds to hug me goodbye about a hundred times.
I look at Craig, and he is keeping an up a brave face. Since I couldn't have had my father here, then Craig is the best alternative. "Bye Carrie. Have a wonderful adventure and we will see you soon Okay!" I nod and hug him tight. "I love you my special angel."
I close my eyes and finally allow myself to say the one thing to him that I have been wanting to for some time now. "I love you too, Dad"
The End… the real, real end!
Some people have asked what I will write next. I am going to continue my other two stories, 'Conferring Ana' and '50 shades of a Young Family', so click on my ID and you should see those stories. Looking forward to writing just about Ana and Christian in CA and Ana and Christian with a young family in 50 shades of a young family.
Thank you everyone for reading this story. I can't believe where it went. I never expected this, but these are the joys of writing.
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