Wounds to Bind Chapter 23 – 'Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.' – Golda Meir

September 10 – APOV

I laugh at Dad. He seems so flustered when we are leaving for dinner at Geppetto's. He wore black jeans and a white sweater I bought him years ago. He smells woody and spicy and leathery thanks to his Polo cologne. Kate bought Polo for him a few years ago when he repaired our college digs. I wore my new consignment jeans, a Shawn-selected cobalt sweater, and dark denim wedges with a dark denim hobo bag donated by Kate. I sent a selfie to Shawn to prove I clean up nice.

We are seated, looking at the menu, when Dad spotted Laura. He stood and smiled when she approached the table. They exchanged kisses on the cheek. He introduced us and sat between us. We laughed over the menu. Dad claimed there were some things he couldn't eat because my food was better. Laura agreed with him and asked me to send her the recipe for the Italian beef stew and lasagna. I keep those recipes on my phone as people asked for them all the time. I emailed them to Laura.

We talked about my job, Dad's current projects and Laura's jobs. She teaches computer science and information technology at Grays Harbor Community College. She lives in Aberdeen and teaches community CS/IT classes in Aberdeen and Montesano. She is a brunette like Mom, but has amazing hazel eyes with gold and green highlights. She has a pair of Pomskys named Timber and Tundra. I love her pictures of them.

Laura's goal is to move to an acreage. She wants two more sets of Pomskys. The acreage will provide space where she can have kennels to breed Pomskys. She is an avid sci fi reader and watcher. She loves Dr. Who, which made me laugh because I'm addicted to BBC America. She hired Dad to build a queen-sized Murphy bed for guests in her home office. She shows me pictures of a big blue Tardis/Police Call Box which holds the bed. I told Dad to put pictures on his website. I think he could sell a lot of them, especially in Seattle to Comicon attendees who live in small apartments.

When Laura asks me the boldest thing I've ever done in my life, I reply, "Dated a billionaire, didn't like his decor." Dad roars with laughter. Dad's reply was asking Laura to come to the house for lunch the day after he met her in class. Laura's answer to the question was marrying at the age of seventeen and moving from the Midwest to Southern California to be a naval officer's wife. She discovered she really didn't want to travel the world.

Laura loves José's picture over Dad's mantle. We segue into camping, fishing, hiking and the joys of a hot shower and delivery pizza after a camping trip. Laura has a list of questions she got from an online dating site; she says the questions will help us get to know one another. Dad and I laugh through most of them. When she asks the coolest thing I've ever done, I say gliding at dawn. Dad says a camping trip before he joined the Army. His family cruised the Arctic Circle, fished and saw the aurora borealis. Laura answers racing cars at the Top Gun Raceway in Fallon, Nevada was the coolest thing she's ever done.

Dad excused himself and headed to the restroom, leaving Laura and me alone.

"Do you have anything to say to me while Ray's gone?" Laura attempts to press creases out of her napkin.

"Like…if you hurt my Dad, I'll kick your ass?" There's too much laughter in my voice to make the threat real. "If you are worried I won't like you because I think Dad and Mom should be together…then either you haven't asked Dad about me, or you haven't asked him about Mom. So, I will tell you. Mom is a little self-centered sometimes. Her view of the world is a little skewed sometimes. What she thinks is important is sometimes meaningless to Dad and me."

I sighed. "Mom is a chameleon. She takes on traits and personality to match her current man. I don't know what she was like with my biological father. With Dad, she was the perfect military wife and hostess. She taught Dad how to dance. She refused to be embarrassed at the NCO Club because he could only shuffle his feet and grab her ass like the rest of the military men. She liked rock music and jeans because Dad did. She drank tea with Dad and watched soccer games. She appreciated his woodworking and fix-it abilities, especially when we moved from base to base."

"She was a stay-at-home mom. Our house was the latchkey house before and after school for the neighborhood kids. Mom volunteered at school, at church, and was on the welcoming committee for new wives on base. She was a Girl Scout Den Leader. Once Dad retired from the army and took over his grandfather and father's business in Montesano, Mom seemed to be lost and less social."

I observed Laura's poker face and continued. "I had to live with Mom when she divorced Dad, since he isn't my biological father. He is the only father I have known...and I wouldn't trade him for the world. When I was sixteen, I came home to live with him. He's always been there for me when Mom hasn't been."

"Do you have an issue with us dating?" Laura tries not to stress.

"I approve of Dad dating you," I like Laura. She seems kind and intelligent. "I will cheer if Dad becomes computer literate as a side effect of dating you. Dad and I have a need-to-know relationship. I tell him what he needs to know and vice versa. Everything else is chatter and we don't do chatter."

"For the last five years, Mom has personality to go, and she's with a great guy who appreciates her. She is Bob's trophy wife. She doesn't need to work, so she took gourmet cooking classes and wine appreciation classes. She dresses well, has salon days, and works out to keep her figure. She belongs to a tennis club and supports Bob playing golf. They belong to a country club where they dine and dance most Saturday nights. She drinks coffee and entertains his business contacts with gourmet food and wine. Their house is a show place. I think because her life is a little empty, she calls Dad when she gets overly concerned about me. Otherwise, she's too busy living her trophy wife life."

"Still," Laura started to say…

"If you ask me not to tell Mom about Dad dating, I wouldn't anyway. I don't tell Dad what she's doing, except when her actions impact us. A prime example is when I came back to live with him when I was sixteen. Mom was a party doll with husband number three. I never trusted him or his drinking buddies. They had rows about her cheating on him; he was a drunk, abusive bastard. Which why I came home to Dad."

"I believe in monogamy, so does Ray," Laura revealed. "He's proud of you."

"I'm proud of him. I'm proud of the choices he's made in his life. I hope he feels the same way about me and my choices. I think he's pretty special and he deserves someone who thinks he's special too." I don't hesitate to let her know my feelings.

"Did you really buy your dad a computer, printer and cell phone for Father's Day this year?" Laura inquired.

"I know…bad me…but he needed a cell phone so I can contact him at any time. He checks the house phone for messages before he goes to the workshop, at lunch, at dinner and before bed. I felt he needs to have a cell phone and a website where potential clients can talk to him. I love the website you helped him build." I praise their work. "Dad or I call each other at least once a week, and I try to visit him at least once a month."

"Well, I thank you for sharing him with me. I hope we can be friends," Laura hesitates.

"As long as you don't nag at me to go shopping instead of playing in the workshop, I'm sure we will get along," I laughed. "If you don't nag at me to date the billionaire whose decor, I detest…we'll get along just fine."

"As long as you don't have issues about how I take care of Ray, we'll get along. I don't have time to play Suzie Homemaker. However, I'm clean, neat, can cook and I'm not searching for a sugar daddy." Laura ensures she gets her point across. "Thank you for feeding his freezer."

"Will you teach him to cook something other than toast, and broaden his horizons about grilling?" I laughed again.

"We've had three dates where Ray helped prepare dinner. He tosses a pretty mean salad," Laura laughed. "He's more adventurous about cooking than I expected. Seriously, your dad and I are new to this relationship stuff. I married at seventeen and divorced at twenty-four. I was single and, in a few relationships, following the divorce. I haven't had a relationship with anyone in the last three years because I worked on establishing my career at Grays Harbor. I want us to take our time. I don't want to rush into anything."

"I understand completely. I hope you don't think meeting me was weird and uncomfortable. I'm just Ana." I believe Laura will be good for Dad.

"Meeting you was a little uncomfortable; I didn't expect you to be so down-to-earth. I've overheard a few of Carla's phone conversations with Ray about Christian. She was not happy to learn about your new beau from Ray in May. She wasn't happy to learn you are taking a break from one another. Carla wants Ray to counsel you to reconcile with Christian." Laura is bluntly honest.

"Really? Dad didn't say anything." I shook my head. "I should have expected Mom to act this way. While I'd like to think Mom is worried about me having a broken heart…I think she anticipated socializing with him and his family. He came to Georgia to see me when I visited in May. While I visited this time, he sent flowers. I think Mom has greater expectations than I do." I show Laura a picture of the bouquet.

"OMG, the vase is..." Laura couldn't explain.

"Two feet wide? I swear there were one hundred blooms. The bouquet was hotel lobby quality! Mom took pictures of the bouquet from every angle. She commissioned a florist shop to recreate the bouquet, using silk flowers and the vase, for her console table." I shook my head.

"Are you happy you're taking a break?" Laura inquired. "Sometimes your answer puts everything into perspective."

"We both need this time to grow up, work on issues and figure out where we're going and if we're going there together." I shrugged. I'm really tired of trying to be an adult and have people accept my decisions. However, pouting and stomping my feet will not solve anything.

XXX – CPOV

My parents didn't react to John joining us in my home office. I think they understood I needed his support when I answered their questions today.

"How did the relationship between you and Elena start," Mom's question began the discussion.

"I was fifteen, doing yard work the summer Linc built the extension on their house. Seattle was hot that day; Elena brought me some lemonade. I told her the lemonade would taste better with vodka. She slapped me, hard. Then she grabbed my face and kissed me."

"Why?" Dad asked.

"I was fifteen with raging hormones, Dad. I couldn't bear to be touched. Elena knew where to touch, and how to touch." I explained. "I was young, and dumb and … well, you know the rest of the quote."

"Why didn't you say something?" Mom looked distressed.

"About Elena touching me? You knew I had touch issues; you never had to worry about stranger danger with me. I would have screamed bloody murder. Elena showed me she was willing to provide what I needed. She used what I wanted to keep me in line. Fighting meant no sex. Bad grades meant no sex. Drinking meant no sex. I had to prove I was changing, gaining control of myself, and behaving properly or she denied me sex."

"Why her? Why not some girl your own age?" Mom's eyes fill with unshed tears.

"Elena knew where to touch. She swore she wouldn't touch my chest or back. I challenged her, I didn't believe her. Our first few times together, she allowed me to wear my t-shirt. She proved she could make me feel good without touching my chest or back." I wonder if I'm revealing too much or too little.

"Grace, I need you to go to the library for a minute. I want to ask Christian something, and I'd rather he didn't…" Dad requested.

"No," John intervened. "Christian doesn't want to have secrets from either of you. He'll answer what he can, but there are some things you don't need to know – like the frequency of their trysts. None of them occurred in your house or on your property."

"We didn't have sex every time we were together. She taught me to dance, how to give a woman a massage, how to wash a woman's hair, how to blow dry a woman's hair. She taught me about women's body types and erogenous zones. She taught me about clothing a woman and stripping a woman. While I was at Harvard, she directed me to take wine tasting classes, taste different cuisines, and eat healthy. I learned to dress properly for any occasion. I studied art and music history and appreciation. I worked hard on my French, my piano, my kick boxing, and my rowing. I immersed myself in my studies." I reminded them of my heavy schedule at Harvard.

"Did you take the maximum online classes and ace them to recoup your high school credits…or to have sex with Elena?" Mom is still trying to puzzle out the change in me.

"Once I started applying myself to classes, once the need to release physical tension through fighting was gone, my mind was clearer. I had purpose. I had goals. Classes were easier. I understood with hard work, I could graduate on time with my classmates." I explained.

"Was Elena the reason you dropped out of Harvard?" Dad is rethinking my Harvard days also.

"Elena found it harder to control me while I was at Harvard, since I only came home at holidays. I always saw her at the beginning or end of a trip home. I would tell you I was coming home a day later than I did, or leaving a day earlier than I did, so I could be with her. I attended summer sessions to be away from the mental conflict I experienced. I didn't like lying to you, but I wasn't ready to walk away from a sexual relationship with her, despite the infrequency."

"We thought you were gay," Mom blushed. "You never looked at a girl. Elliot brought home a new blonde every week."

John cleared his throat. "Dr. T, there is no way to predict how a teenager will act sexually. Most adolescents, like Elliot, explore relationships with one another. They experience crushes and fall in and out of like/love. Most of them participate in sexual intercourse before the age of twenty. Men of Carrick's and my generation normally got lucky our first year in college either with a willing girl, or a paid sexual encounter. Elliot was seventeen when he had his first sexual encounter. By seventeen, Christian had experienced sexual trysts for two years."

"Oh god," Mom groaned. "I really don't want Elliot or your sex life in my head."

"I thought you quit Harvard because of a broken heart." Dad commented.

"I was propositioned by plenty of men and women. However, Elena was all I wanted, all I thought I needed, until I grew up. Besides, if Elena thought I looked at another woman or man, she punished me." I answered too quickly…please let them think I mean sexual restrictions…not the beatings she inflicted.

"Did you know Elena was a madam?" Mom asks me, but she looks at Dad.

"Yes, I paid Elena to find women for me. Over the last seven years, she found fifteen young women who didn't mind having their hands restrained so they couldn't touch me. They didn't mind being blindfolded so they couldn't see my scars. They passed health examinations and were on birth control. They signed nondisclosure agreements and sexual contracts. There was no girlfriend-boyfriend stuff – just sex. If any of the fifteen wanted a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, I terminated with them. I bought clothes, jewelry, electronics and cars for them. I paid for their education. They came over on Friday nights and left on Sunday nights. They had their own room here at Escala. If any of you showed up unexpectedly, they were hidden behind locked doors until you left."

"Ana is not…" Dad started to ask.

"A sexual contract? NO. I terminated with woman number fourteen in October. I spent November and December at various family events…and found I enjoyed it. The last woman Elena furnished for me was in January of this year. We terminated in March because she broke one of my rules. I always insisted on health, safety and monogamy. Elena was after me, trying to get me to hire a new sexual partner. I didn't want to. Something happened to me. I grew up? I changed? I don't know. John and I are trying to figure out what happened. Then Ana came to interview me. I felt connected to her. I couldn't leave her alone. I pursued her. Then there was the picture in the paper, and Mom met Ana."

"Elena didn't like your interest in Ana instead of hiring one of her women, did she?" Dad chuckled.

"I don't think so. She kept after me to hire a sexual partner, but I wouldn't interview anyone she suggested. Mom told Elena we had the family dinner with Ana and Kate. Then Ana flew to Georgia. I knew I should stay away, but I couldn't leave her alone. I went to Georgia to be with her, and I would have stayed longer but there was a situation here." My fervent hope they will not ask is moot.

"Situation?" Dad asked.

"One of my previous sexual contracts came to Escala. She tried to cut her wrists in front of my housekeeper. Mrs. Jones took her to the hospital, but Miss Williams managed to slip out of the hospital before they could put her on a seventy-two-hour psychiatric hold. Taylor and my security staff have been looking for her. None of us want her to endanger herself further."

"How long were you with some of these women?" Mom frowned. Seven years of contractual sex partners seems to overwhelm her.

"My shortest contract was over a month. My longest, eighteen months, was with the young woman who scared Mrs. Jones. We ended over three years ago. She married someone immediately after she left me and moved to Portland. Anyway, she is divorcing him. Her boyfriend died in January in a car accident. John believes she's depressed because of the death of the boyfriend." I explained. "But we won't know until we find her."

"Is this woman part of the reason you and Ana are separated?" Mom acts like she knows the answer.

"Perhaps, I told Ana about the women and about Elena. She was upset because I had dinner with Elena while she was in Georgia. She hated Elena for touching me and for remaining a friend. When Ana left the Saturday morning after Georgia, she told me to get my shit together." I sighed. "That's what I'm doing. Therapy with John, traumatic touch therapy, setting personal goals for myself, and eliminating Elena from my life."

"We've discussed this. If family asks, we will tell them you could not stand Elena's constant questions about Ana. I'm sorry about Elena crashing lunch with Ana, but now I know why Ana left. Ana doesn't like Elena." Mom pauses.

"The situation between them is worse…" I explain. "The night of Coping Together, Elena asked Ana to work for her…"

"As a working girl?" Dad was horrified.

"Yes. Elena intercepted Ana after she used the powder room in your house. Sawyer didn't see Elena enter the house or he would have stopped her from confronting Ana. Elena sent me an email, claiming Ana was rude to her. I asked if Ana was rude to her before or after she offered Ana a job as a working girl."

"That miserable bitch!" Mom yelled. "I'll rip her bleached blonde hair out of her head!"

"Stand in line," I advised her. "I think Taylor and Mrs. Jones called first dibs."

"You said if you misbehaved, Elena would punish you," Dad hesitated. "Do we want to know…?"

"No," my answer is quite firm. "I don't think you want that in your head."

"Fifteen years old," Mom murmured. "God, I hate Elena Lincoln. I cannot think of a punishment equal to her actions."

"I can," Dad doesn't even try to hide his evil grin. "General population in a prison yard. Inmates don't like pedophiles."

"I think Christian was ready to step away from Elena in March. Christian exhibited a great deal of strength while he stood up to Elena and removed her from your lives." John informs my parents. "He's no longer in business with her. If she gets arrested for promoting prostitution, the bad press should not affect Christian or Grey House."

"Speaking of bad press, I'm holding a press conference on September thirtieth, announcing I gave the stock in Esclava Salons to Elena, the stock in restaurants and clubs to Mia and the stock I have in Grey Construction and its subsidiaries to Elliot. I would like to have my family there as a united front. I'll even take you to lunch after the press conference."

"We'll clear our schedules," Mom smiled. "Are you asking Ana?"

"Yes, I'm giving Elliot a handwritten invitation to give to her. I don't know if she'll attend because of the press surrounding us."

September 12 – 3PPOV

Barney's Google alerts warned him there were some interesting stock purchases in companies Grey Enterprises Holdings examined for possible mergers and acquisitions. He ran diagnostics on GEH servers and firewalls. There was no breach of information. After hours today, he would wander through GEH.

Barney liked conducting afterhours walkthroughs off all floors except Security on nineteenth floor and the Executive Offices on the twentieth floor. He liked the GEH firewalls which prevented staff from downloading games and social media sites to their workstations. Security always had a pot or two of hot coffee prepared, no matter the hour of day or night. Finance always kept crystal bowls of wrapped chocolate truffles, squares or mini bars on hand for stressed staff. Marketing and PR always had the latest gossip, lots of access to online newspapers, and constant streaming of TV stations. They were the only offices immune to the no social media rule. Research and Development always had the best toys to play with. Currently they were working on a solar-powered tablet, which had interface problems and issues with power storage of the solar batteries.

Barney's walkabouts had interesting effects. He learned Andrea was dating the division head of subsidiary management. He confirmed Olivia was obsessed with Mr. Grey. He discovered Taylor was sleeping with Mr. Grey's housekeeper. He didn't want to think about all the background checks he and Welch had run. Welch usually did the background checks on people in contact with Mr. Grey or as requested by Mr. Grey. Barney usually ran background checks on businesses which were part of GEH, or would become part of GEH. He conducted background checks on finances, business records, and credit card usage.

Lately Mr. Grey's obsession with Ana Steele resulted in watching her finances, her father's finances, her mother's finances, and her roommate's finances. He thought Elliot Grey dating Ana Steele's roommate was weird. Barney ran weekly checks on Ana Steele's mother and father's emails. The one task he always hated was watching the finances of Esclava Salons. He knew something wasn't right. Elena Lincoln had a lot more money than she ever earned through the salon chain. When Mr. Grey assigned him to uncover the outstanding debts of the Esclava Salon chain…he had answers for him in less than six hours. He was amazed at the number of debts four businesses accrued considering the salon chain was an established business with a full calendar of appointments. He didn't know where Elena Lincoln put the money she siphoned from the salons. However, he knew Mr. Grey never took a penny in payment from any of them. He insisted his profits be funneled back into the businesses for upgrades and expansions. Additionally, he knew Grey paid the business taxes for the salons. Barney was no businessman like Christian Grey, but he was sure Elena Lincoln's salon chain would downsize or collapse in the next fiscal year without Grey's help or guidance.

Now, for some unknown reason, Welch conducted a background check on Laura Dennison. Barney ran a thorough background check of her finances. Sometimes there were snags with background financial checks because of military dependent status, such as Ana Steele, Raymond Steele, Carla Wilks Lambert Steele, and now Laura Dennison. Taylor's financial background check had been hell because he had a military background in addition to an ex-wife and child. Running finances for any of the security team members who had military backgrounds was also a headache. Barney appreciated Laura Dennison's technology background and applauded her efforts to teach adults some tech savvy.

Welch conducted a background check on three new therapists, but Barney was assigned to background financial checks for them and their businesses. He appreciated unremarkable researches. There was a little issue with Sela Koch because of her military husband, but her business and business finances were under her maiden name of Koch, which facilitated her background check.

September 14 – 3PPOV

"I enjoyed meeting Ana," Laura plumped the pillow under her head.

"I'm glad," Ray turned on his side, facing Laura. "I want both of you to be comfortable around one another. Especially since you and I upgraded our relationship from friends to friends with benefits."

Laura held the bed sheet around her as she turned to face him. "What do you know about friends with benefits?" She teased.

"I'm a quick study, Ms. Dennison," Ray kissed her soundly. "How about some lunch? Annie filled the freezer again."

"Italian beef stew?" Laura asked hopefully.

"Not in this batch. This new batch is mostly hamburger-based dishes. However, there are ciabatta buns and four kinds of roasted meats for sandwiches and six kinds of soup. She also brought a dozen ready to bake pizzas and calzones."

"Calzones and salad sound good to me. I need to shower and change for class this afternoon and tonight." Laura sighed. "I'll see you after class tomorrow night. I have labs all day Friday and I'm teaching an Internet Genealogy class Friday night from 6-10 and Saturday from 9-4 at the college."

"Do you want to stay over Saturday night? I'll take you out to dinner," Ray offered.

"How about a quiet night with pizza and beer with some film noir?" Laura suggested. "I'll be a little brain dead from teaching. The Introductory Genealogy classes are a mixed lot. I show the basics of where to find information. However, once people become invested in the search, I feel like I'm walking minefields. Consumer DNA tests are becoming popular, which increases the interest in my Introductory Genealogy classes."

"A quiet night would be enjoyable. How about we go to the Lake Sylvia Fall Festival and Artists Market after breakfast on Sunday?" Ray suggested.

"I'd like that, but I need to be home around six on Sunday. I have a department breakfast meeting at eight on Monday morning, followed by two afternoon classes and one night class. I have two afternoon classes on Tuesday at Grays Harbor. I'm in Montesano on Tuesday night for Microsoft Office class."

"Excel is not a good name for the spreadsheet application which is kicking my ass." Ray kissed her again. "Are you up for dinner Tuesday before class?"

"You're lucky the teacher likes you. She doesn't mind holding your hand and giving you extra mentoring," Laura laughed. "Dinner before class Tuesday sounds good, but does the invitation include Wednesday morning breakfast?"

Ray grinned.

September 16 – CPOV

"Ready?" Sela indicated she required my permission to begin. "Foot massage to ankles, ankles to knees, knees to groin. Front side first, back second. John will play the music you selected, and help me keep watch on you. I do medium to heavy pressure on the balls and heels of your feet. Any time you feel uncomfortable, let me know."

"Can do," I'm lying back on the massage table, in swimming briefs and a t-shirt. "Just be careful when massaging my toes."

"Can do, I will probably have you flex them while I'm massaging your feet," Sela agreed.

XXX

"How did you do this week?" Sela removed the warm blanket and allowed me to redress.

"Not sleepy once, a bit uncomfortable as you approached my groin when I was on my back." I admitted.

"I noticed, so I stopped before you were too uncomfortable." Sela handed me a package. "This is the one-piece torso bandage, which covers from under your armpits to the bottom of your rib cage. The front and back are rounded up so you can cover scars. You need try the torso bandage on a few nights this next week to get used to the feel. When you come in on Friday, wear the torso bandage under a t-shirt. I will have you take your t-shirt off so I can massage your face, temples, scalp and neck, front first and then back. I will stop at your collar bone in front and the base of your neck in back and will not go lower. Face and neck are easier if you are lying down. Scalp and temples are easier if you are sitting up, which is why I want you to bring the T-shirt. You can put your t-shirt back on when you sit up so I don't inadvertently touch. Okay?" Sela writes note in my chart.

"I will try the torso bandage a before I come to therapy on Friday." I agreed.

Our ten-minute hold and question session is alphabetical places we want to visit or have visited. For A, I list Aspen and Sela lists Alaska. N rates a New York City response from me and New Mexico from Sela. I list the Mediterranean Sea for M; Sela lists Maine. I list Boston for B; Sela lists Barbados. That segues into a quick conversation regarding Elliot's trip to Barbados this year. D rates a grimace from both of us. I list Detroit; Sela lists Camp Dwyer, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. John acknowledges I have nightmare-causing memories of Detroit. Sela relates Seth has nightmare-causing memories of Camp Dwyer. R rates German answers from Sela and I. I list the Rhine River, which was an excellent tour when I was researching a German company. Sela lists Ramstein Air Base. When Seth was on R&R, he flew into Ramstein. Sela said they enjoyed their castle tour of Germany.

"Feel like some hoops?" Sela reached for the basketball.

"Please tell me the winner gets something other than pizza and games at Chuck E. Cheese." I beg.

"Yes, we're socializing and eating dinner at a sports bar. You can call your brother or dad or grandfather to join us. I'm your wingman. John is mine. Jason is John's wingman and you are Jason's wingman. No one touches and no one is physically compromised. Two bodyguards with us, the rest remain outside. Understood?"

"Acceptable," I called Elliot. He was shocked to be invited to join me, again. He readily agreed to come, with his CPO Anders. Kate wanted a girls' weekend with Ana.

"Jason, you have one hour to find us a sports bar." Sela sets a time limit.

"We'll go to a place Grey's gone before – Ballard Loft. Cocktails, food, shuffleboard, pool, TV." Jason starts texting while we head to the basketball court.

September 17 – 3PPOV

"Elena," Lauren Hudson shook her hand. "Liv recommended your salon. I have an interview at Grey Publishing on Monday for a clerical trainee position. I really need to get this job. My student loans are coming due. Liv let me move in with her; but my emergency living funds are becoming dangerously low."

"I can help, in both ways. We'll prep you for your interview, and I will discuss a financial opportunity for you." Elena beamed at the brunette. The girl obviously spent good money buying herself a decent set of tits. She should recoup her investment in herself. "We'll talk about appropriate wear for the interview."

"If I get the job, do you think I will ever get to meet Christian Grey in person?" Lauren asked reverently. "Liv talks about him all the time."

"I can guarantee you will meet Christian. Grey House is blonde central, but Grey Annex is brunette central. We'll darken your hair to sable before we give you a decent haircut and shape. You should have a facial, body waxing, eyebrow design, and natural French manicure. I'll tell you what to wear to the interview and we'll talk background research on Grey Publishing." Elena did not explain Lauren was three inches taller and twenty pounds heavier than Christian enjoyed. However, she was a young, fresh face which would be appreciated by many of Elena's regular clients. Lauren would be able to support herself decently with one or two dates per week in addition to a forty-hour-per-week job.