So glad to be back home. Even though the trip and the time spent there was extremely productive. I have my shipyard. I am done with those idiots.
Ana and I skyped or spoke almost every day, I also spoke to my family quite a lot. Ana and Kate spent a great deal of time with my mom and Mia. My dad managed to convince Ana to bake him a cake as I ate his. Elliot took great delight in skyping me just to see him eating Ana's chocolate cake. I'll get my own back if it's the last thing I do.
Then there was the boy Jose fucking Rodriguez you think he'd get the message and fuck off. Ana had to go to Portland for business, the moment the fucker found out he invited Ana to come stay with him for the duration she was there. Thank god for Sawyer, he told Ana that I had a room at the Heathman and due to security reasons they preferred she stayed there. He immediately texted Taylor who informed me, I called the hotel and booked a suite for her. Stay with him for 4 days, nice try asshole
After more pictures of Ana and me surfaced on the internet my dad and Welch thought it was best to get Ana a CPO which she agreed. I have the distinct feeling if I said it, an argument would have ensued.
I planned to stop in London briefly to buy a few things for Ana, nothing expensive, hell she would have loved a pen simply because I purchased it in London, but that changed as I was desperate to get home.
I had become extremely comfortable talking to Ana. I don't how the conversation about my Subs came about. I found myself talking about one, in particular, Leila Williams, as I had just found out she been admitted to a mental facility. I strongly suspected she had mental health issues but did nothing, I was telling Ana about that when I realized what I was saying.
The moment I realized I stopped, but it was too late. I looked at Ana, the look of disappointment she wore confirmed it, too late. She said nothing for what felt like hours and simply asked, you knew but did nothing. How could I say yes, because that was the answer? She told me she had to go and disconnected the video call, in the month we've been talking that was the first. No matter how completely exhausted we were disconnecting our calls took a good five to ten minutes of me telling her to hang up or her telling to do the same. This time, there was none of that. I was frozen with fear.
I didn't sleep the whole night I was scared and was not going to show it. Whatever look I wore lit a fire under the shipyards owner's ass, we signed the deal less than an hour later and were on the plane home in no time.
I desperately wanted to see Ana, we drove to SIP now Grey Publishing straight from the airport. It was quite late and I know from her schedule she'd still be at work.
"What the fuck?" Taylor yelled bringing me out of my musings.
My God here was a car coming up behind us, and from the way it was moving it would be climbing the curb in no time. Taylors floored it, I wondered what he was doing. When I saw her, she's walking away from the oncoming car and doesn't seem to hear the horn beeping.
Taylor got close enough for me to jump out and tackle her out of the way, just in fucking time I might hard. An SUV climbs the curb and brings the runaway car to a stop.
Taylor comes and helps myself and Ana up, that when I realize I've dislocated my shoulder.
"Oh my God Christian are you alright?"
"First I'll live. Second why are walking on the edge of the curb, it's late you've got the whole place to yourself. Thirdly didn't you hear all the shouting and horns beeping." I'm mad at her complete disregard for her own safety.
"Sorry, I was listening to music." She sounds shaken up and this is not the time to be berating her.
"Ooh." it's all I manage.
"Sir, I believe you've dislocated your shoulder."
"Pop it back in."
"Sir."
"Taylor just pop it back in." We have to talk to the police and going to the hospital would just delay my talk with Ana.
After an hour of dealing with the police and the paramedics putting my arm in a sling, we are on our way to Escala.
Turns out the SUV was mine and the driver was Sawyer, thank God, he only stopped his planned intervention when he saw me or he would have run me over to stop the runaway car. The driver had run over something and somehow messed up a few things with the car. The car was quite old, had no power steering and brake line was quite worn and easily started leaking fluid when he run over whatever it was. He's in a lot of trouble as the car wasn't roadworthy to begin with.
Ana stops short when we step off the elevator, I have to say the place looks unrecognisable.
"Wow."
"Yeah, I didn't know what it would look like but I admit I like it."
"What, you haven't seen it?"
"No, I commissioned it just before I left for Taiwan. It was done in my absence."
The white walls in the foyer are gone replaced by warm cream colour, with various pictures of my family on the walls, gone are the expensive artworks. The theme continuous into the great room more pictures of my family and some of Ana and I. Ana looks surprised by the pictures of us. The furniture is mostly the same with a few additions, throw pillows on the couch. A beautiful Persian rug with light brown and red tones on the floor.
"Christian this is impressive, has your family seen it."
"I was going to invite them for the weekend." That's a first I've never had my family
Here for the weekend before. I decide to ask Ana to join us for the weekend. What's the worst that could happen.
"Ana do you want to stay. For the weekend I mean."
"Sure. We need to talk." She answers after what seemed like an eternity. Elliot always said we need to talk was never a good sign. For once I hope he's proved wrong.
I call my mom inviting her over for the weekend, she didn't say anything for a long time, I thought the call had been disconnected. Then she started crying, I didn't hear a word she said my dad took the phone and said yes.
Ana called Kate to pack her a few items for her since Elliot would be here with Kate.
Mia is bringing her new boyfriend, Kate brother Ethan. Both Ana and Elliot said he's a nice guy and to give him a chance. We'll see.
This could either go well or set me back a long way. I decide on the truth I have zero intention of lying about anything. Why the hell did I have to start a conversation about my subs what was I thinking. Ana quietly waits for me to start talking, dig a bigger grave for myself.
"Yes, I knew there was something wrong, but I also realized she wanted more. It started with little things like putting music on my iPod. Trying to start a conversation, escalating to invading my personal space.
Talking to her about how she was feeling, would have led her to believe." I pause.
"God, Ana I barely talked to my subs if there was something wrong with our arrangement, they had the end of the weekend to address any concerns with me before they left.
Sitting down and talking about feeling wasn't something I did. In hindsight, her mental state fell under her wellbeing and I should have addressed it or sent her to Flynn. But instead I spoke to Elena who advised me to get rid of her." One more reason I'm glad I destroyed her.
"Of course you listened to bitch troll."
"Bitch troll. I like it."
"Good, because using her name makes her a human being and I refuse to recognise her as human."
"I know you are disappointed and disappointing you was something I told myself I wouldn't do. It was wrong I realize that now."
"Good."
I'm about to ask of there was anything else when the oaf makes is presence known.
"Bro, liking the new decor. Actually looks like someone lives here instead of a museum."
"Fuck off, Elliot."
"Christian language."
"Sorry, mom." Where did she come from?
"The place does look very warm, homely can't wait to see the rest of it." Mom adds.
"Is there any food I'm starving." That would be the oaf again.
"Yeah, there should be something in the fridge."
After showing my family the rest of the penthouse and their rooms. I make my way to the office. I still can't sleep in my bedroom, even though it's unrecognisable.
Ethan seems like a good guy, keeps Mia grounded and that's a hard thing to do. He will be good for her. Strange, I find myself hoping he sticks around.
"Why are you sleeping here?" Fuck it's Ana.
"I can't …"
"Get up, let's go."
"I don't…"
"You seem to be under the impression I'm giving you an option." Did she just….well fuck me?
"Ana it's…"
"I don't see you moving."
" Are you going to let me finish a sentence."
"You finished that one." She sits on the floor.
"What are you doing?"
"If you are sleeping here, I'm sleeping here." Fuck.
"Are you always this stubborn."
"You have no idea."
We walk to my bedroom and to my surprise Ana stays with me.
"You used to be scared of me."
"Yeah, until I realized under all that bravado you really are puddy tat."
"A what?"
"Puddy tat, you know from Tweety and Sylvester, I tawt I taw a puddy tat." I must look very confused.
"Christian please tell me you know what I'm talking about."
"Really I don't." I chuckle.
"You are kidding. You don't know the yellow Canary bird and black and white Cat."
"Ooh, I've seen the images and I didn't know it was a cartoon."
"Well, it is, you, me YouTube tomorrow."
Anything to spend time with her, she's become very comfortable around me. I used to like the idea of my Subs being a little scared of me. I don't like the idea of Ana feeling the same.
"I like that you are not scared of me and speak your mind. It's refreshing. Can I ask you something."
"Ask away."
"Is there a chance…. I mean will we…me and you." She giggles.
"Christian grey I never thought I see the day."
"I love you." I blurt out. She doesn't say anything. God that hurts, now I know how my subs felt. She didn't tell me to fuck off like I usually did, but it hurts all the same. Fuck.
The next morning I wake up and Ana is gone, her side of the bed still warm, she got up not too long ago. I get up to brush my teeth and wash my face. I enter the kitchen to hear Elliot asking Ana why she won't cook him her lasagna. He sounds like a child been denied their favourite toy, I'm one to talk. At least he's not going on about her chocolate cake.
"But if Chrissy here asked you I bet you will say yes." Ana looks at him and simple answers.
"Yes." I am waiting for him to ask another petulant why but he doesn't.
Ana and Mia's breakfast hits the spot. Most of the day is spent with everybody lounging in the media room. Elliot wants to play FIFA 11, I'm not the mood, but I indulge him. Naturally he beats me and everybody else. My mum, Kate and Mia refuse to play. But Ana says why not. Elliot wants to place a bet on the game and Ana agrees. Anything the other wants is the bet. I know exactly what he wants. A look passes between Kate and Ethan, Elliot is the only one that misses it. Just under 20 minutes later we all understand why. Ana's Chelsea team has seriously thrashed Elliot's Real Madrid team several times. It wasn't even a contest.
Elliot wants to play another game, Kate and Ethan just sigh, it's obvious what it means, but Elliot refuses to listen and picks Need for Speed-Drift. I've played this game a few times. I have never seen some of the roads Ana takes, Elliot isn't complaining so I guess it's allowed. She hasn't hit the wall once. The closet Elliot came was 17 seconds behind Ana.
The idiot is a glutton for punishment and now wants to play Call of Duty. This time Kate and Ethan voice their objections. Simply put it's Ana's favourite game.
Elliot wisely decides he's lost. Ana tells him she will collect at a later date. Elliot doesn't like that, but he has no choice.
My mom notices I'm not in the best of moods and pulls me out of the media room to talk.
"I told Ana I loved her and she said nothing." I start before my mom can ask.
"Oh Christian, did you wonder why Elliot didn't ask Ana why she will cook for you if you ask and not for him."
"I did." I want to know why.
" He didn't ask because he didn't need to. Ana loves you. She might not be ready to say it, but she loves you." I feel elated.
"But I want to hear it." Now I sound petulant.
"You will." When she's ready.
That night I decide to try and sleep in my bedroom. The memory of Ana not responding to my declaration is far better than the previous one. There's a knock on my door.
"Yes." Then I hear her voice, yes doesn't mean I can come in. I laugh as I open the door. " You and your smart mouth."
"You decided to sleep in here then."
"Yeah, my back can no longer take the couch."
"Can I join you."
"Yes." Like 'no' was ever an option. We lie there for a few minutes and my lack of patience wins out.
"Why would you say no to Elliot, granted he's annoying. But not to me." I wait for what feel like hours and just us I'm about to give up she answers. In a way I least expect.