Christian
Today is the day, finally! There have been a few issue and I had to pay some extra cash, so Elliot could hire more crew members to work solely on the house and get it ready, but now it's all done and we can finally move in.
I have to say, I had no idea how much needed to be done before the move could even take place, but Ana made sure that on our moving day everything would be perfect. We went shopping for everything from glassware up to bedding and bathroom accessories. To be honest, I didn't even think about stuff like that and would have just hired someone to do all that shit for me, but Ana informed me that if we wanted it to be our home, we would have to pick things ourselves.
In the end it was a lot of fun and it started to feel like the house became more and more our home with every article we got and put in its place. Now, we just have to move in. I had the security guys pack everything at Escala up yesterday and it's already at the house, so today, we just have to move Ana's belonging to the house and then it's done, we will be officially living together.
Well, that is if my very pregnant girlfriend isn't going to give me a heart attack by trying to lift things way too heavy for her. Honestly, I may need to tie her down, because she is way too active for my liking. On one hand I'm glad that she is feeling so good, but then the anxious part of me wants her to just sit on the couch all day and let everyone else cater to her needs, just so nothing can happen to either her or our son.
Liam… we have done every test Dr. Greene recommended to us, to find out if everything is alright with him and so far, it all looks good, there is no indication that he will be born as anything else than a healthy baby. Still, we know that there are things like problems with his vision or hearing that can't be tested until he is born, but these are also things we can fix with glasses, a hearing aid or surgery of some kind, so it's not as scary to me as a heart condition or deformation or even under development of his brain, which have all been possibilities we had to discuss.
Things have really calmed down since Elena took her own life. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could finally relax completely, because the threat of my former lifestyle and what Elena has done to me being exposed is gone. Two days after she committed suicide, I decided Ana and I needed a break, just a few days where it is just us and I, so I just asked her if there was any place in the world she would like to go. I was fully expecting her to say London, but she surprised me when she told me she wanted to go somewhere remote, where it would be just us. We looked up a few places online and in the end choose to rent a private island where we could lay around at the beach all day, be lazy and just relax for a few days.
That was the first time since I was kid that I had a normal vacation and I have to say, I really enjoyed doing nothing for a change. In addition, it gave Ana and I a lot of time to talk, learn more about each other and just spend more time together without any interruptions. Ana even convinced me to try paragliding, which was offered on the main island and it's something I want to do again as soon as I get the chance.
While I was paragliding, Ana went to a bazaar style market with Sawyer and bought a lot of wooden toys that the locals are crafting and selling to the tourists. She got a little train set, a few toy cars and even a little plane, which have already found their new home on one of the shelves in Liam's nursery.
And then Christmas came along and I have learned for a fact that the holiday season can indeed be the best season of the year. Ever since I have first started GEH I never went home to celebrate Christmas or any other holiday with my family. Most of the time I was working or beating a sub into submission, not even caring about Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years. This time however, Ana wouldn't even let me anywhere near my laptop. Instead she got me into the holiday spirit with all of her decorating, baking and over all excitement about the holiday season.
Where I would usually let Andrea or Gail by gifts for my family, I had to do it myself this year and I have to admit that gift shopping wasn't as bad as I thought. Ana and I went to New York over the weekend and had a really good time picking gifts for our families and friends. Kate told me that Ana always wanted to see a Broadway Musical, so I got us tickets and enjoyed watching Ana watching the show. She was so excited when I showed her the tickets she started to cry and we barely even made it in time to see the show, because right after the crying, she started to kiss me and that of course led to us fucking, so we had to hurry to make it in time.
We spent Christmas Eve with her parents at her Dad's house in Montesano and while I haven't told Ana, so she doesn't get her hopes up too high, I am convinced that her parents are slowly but surely getting back together. Of course, Ray laid into me for still not having proposed to his daughter, but this time I could actually win points with him, when I told him that I have a ring for her and was just waiting for the right moment. Ana has no idea, but tonight I am going to propose to her. I wanted to propose on a number of occasions, but it never seemed to be the right moment. So tonight, on our first night in our new home, I want to ask her to be my wife.
I'm not sure she wants to get married before Liam is born, but I would love for her to be my wife before our son is born. Maybe we can have a small courthouse wedding now and a big fest in the summer or maybe we can even manage to have a big wedding before the birth… though I leave that choice up to her. All I need is a time and date and I'm ready, but I know that for a woman a wedding is a huge deal, so I will let Ana decide what she wants.
"Christian?" I hear Ana call out and stop stuffing her books into moving crates. She is in her living room getting the stuff she wants to take with her together, while I'm packing up the last few things in her room. When I find her, she is staring at a huge potted plant like she is trying to make an attack plan.
"You want to take that huge thing with you?" I ask and wrap my arms around her middle, where I can feel our son moving.
"I guess we won't have a choice. My mother loves to have plants, but where others have a green thumb and can make anything grow, she has brown thumb… I swear she can even kill a cactus."
"I've heard that, Ana… but much to my dismay, I have to agree." Carla says who just stepped into the apartment carrying a box.
"What's that, Mom?"
"It's for you. Ray sent it over. When you were little we kept some keep sakes to give you once you are all grown up and ready to start your own family." She says and places the box on the coffee table.
We all sit down and I watch Ana open it. On top is a white, very soft looking blanket with the letter A and a pink rose embroidered on one corner.
"Oh Mom, that's my blanket. The one Grandma Lambert made for me, right?" She says and Carla nods.
"Yes, we kept it for you to give to your baby one day, but you should look at the other things too." Carla says and next Ana's retrieves some ugly looking, unidentifiable stuffed animal that makes her clap her hands in excitement.
"Oh my gosh, it's Pebbles, my first stuffed animal, look Christian, isn't he cute, we can give him to Liam." She says and I smile, though I make a mental note not to let that thing anywhere near my son, it looks creepy and reminds me off road kill on the highway after laying a full week in the sun.
She puts it to the side and takes some Christmas ornaments out that look handmade and it turns out Ana actually made them herself as a kid, I will say they look way better than the ones my Mom has from Elliot and I, but my girl still is no artist by any means.
Ana retrieves some more things until she finds an envelope and blushes, while Carla has the biggest most infectious grin on her face.
"You kept that letter? Mom!" Ana whines and Carla giggles.
"Of course, I did, now hand it to Christian." She says and I frown, so Carla jumps in.
"Ana had a hard time in school when she was about nine or ten, some of the boys were really mean to her and she didn't have friends, so I told her that one day she would find someone who would see how special she is right away and that she should write him a letter. It was just a sweet little thing my mother made me do when I was a child, so I thought it would be nice for Ana to do the same." She says and I look at Ana.
"Can I have my letter, baby?"
"Fine." She pouts and hands it to me, while glaring at her mom.
Dear …
My mommy made me write this letter, I don't even know why, because I know there will never be anyone who likes me, so no one is ever going to read it anyway… just… if you are out there, do you think you can find me before I turn into an old cat lady that freaks kids out at Halloween? Because, that's how I will end up… or at least that is what the kids in my school say… oh and maybe you can also tell me why boys are so stupid? I mean, not all boys, my Daddy isn't like that… he is great… I hope if you exist, you are a lot like my Daddy and make me feel safe, just like he does.
But just so you know, I will never kiss a boy, because that's gross and my Daddy says I get cooties if I ever kiss a boy and that's gross too. Maybe we can read books together, I like them, whenever I'm sad or hear the other kids play outside and they don't allow me to play with them, I read a book and it's like I'm part of the story. I hope you like to read too, it's fun… even if all the other kids think it's boring.
We can be best friends… though I have to warn you, all the other kids think I'm boring and a nerd, I don't even know what that is… but mommy says they are just being mean to make them feel better… that's stupid, but maybe it's true.
If you are out there, I hope you like to eat ice cream at midnight and hot chocolate in the middle of summer… because if you do we can share… maybe we can sleep outside together and have smores…
And if you are out there somewhere just know that I'm waiting for you… because if it's true and there is someone out there who I'm going to spend my life with then I'll know when I see you…
Ana
I look at Ana and she is so embarrassed, but I can't help but smile and suddenly, I know this is the right moment, I had everything planned out for later tonight, hearts and flowers… but in this moment, I can't stop myself.
"Look at me, baby." I say gently and take her hand in mine and when she does look at me I get of the sofa and get to my knees in front of her.
"Ana, you are the most wonderful person I have ever met, you make me feel alive, showed me that I can be happy, that I have a heart and that I can love and be loved in return… I want to have ice cream with you at midnight and hot chocolate in the summertime… I want to spend the rest of my life with you… Anastasia Rose Steele, will you marry me?" I ask and watch as she takes a moment to realize what is happening, next tears start to fall from her eyes and she nods, before she hugs me tightly.
"Was that a yes?" I ask.
"Yes, of course I want to marry you, I love you so much!"
"I love you too, baby… and I'm glad you have changed your mind about kissing." I whisper against her lips and kiss her, but we both stop when we hear someone blow his nose rather loudly and turn around to find Carla a sobbing mess.
"Sorry… I'm just so happy for both you… I leave you here for a moment." She says we both have to laugh when we hear her calling who I assume is Ray, screaming that their baby just got engaged and that reminds me.
"This is for you." I say and get the small velvet box from my pants pocket to show her, her engagement ring. I wanted to buy a new one, but when I told my mother that I wanted to propose she gave me her grandmother's engagement ring. It's beautiful, white gold with a diamond circled by sapphires just that almost exactly match Ana's eyes. I wanted a huge rock for Ana… but I knew it wasn't what she would pick for herself and this ring is elegant and simple, something she can wear every day for the rest of her life.
"Oh my god, it's beautiful."
"It belonged to my great-grandmother. Grace gave it to me when I told her I wanted to propose… if you don't like it, we can buy you a different ring."
"No, it's perfect… can I ask you something… well it's more of a wish."
"Whatever you want, baby." I reply and Ana smiles.
"I want us to get married before Liam is born… do you think we can get a wedding together in two months?" She asks and I know I'm grinning like an idiot, but this is exactly what I wanted.
"Baby, I'm going to make every single wish you have come true and since this is mine too, we are going to make it happen." I reply and kiss her again. God, I love her so much and soon this wonderful creature is going to be my wife… mine, forever!