*This is the last chapter! I really loved writing for you guys. I hope you've enjoyed it as well.*
"Hi mom" Ted kisses me lightly on the cheek.
"Hi Sweet Boy! I've missed you How was your vacation?"
"Enjoyable enough."
"Where's Amelia?"
"In the bathroom."
"And where are your brothers and sisters? It's mighty quiet around here."
"Phoebe is in the bathroom with Amelia. Aria is on the phone with, I believe, boyfriend number three this month. Adrian is in the garage with dad. I don't think they saw me though. Carrey is late like always and Spencer is here now."
Spencer drops her bags and bolts for Teddy. "Ohmigosh! Mom didn't tell me you were coming home! Is Amelia here? How have you been? Are you guys going to have kids yet? Ohmigosh I can't believe you here! I missed you!"
"Hey little sis."
"Where is Amelia?"
"And I thought you were excited to see me…"
"Oh whatever I'll find her myself." Spencer, all legs, stalks away.
"She's so… long. How old are the triplets now Mom?"
"Seventeen."
"Wow."
"Yeah I'm getting old."
"Don't worry mom. I won't let Aria put you in a home." We laugh together.
"Who's going to a home?" Age fits Christian. His hair is smattered with grey and reading glasses sitting on his nose. Of course he's just as beautiful as ever.
"Hey Pops."
"Ted. How was Europe?"
"European." Ted shrugs. He prefers Asia but Amelia loves European art.
"Daddy!" Phoebe calls from upstairs and Christian walks away. She still has him wrapped around her finger.
"Mom." My baby boys are standing in front of me. I remember when Teddy was seventeen. It seems like forever ago. "Aria wants you." Adrian says.
"She's in her closet. I think she's crying." Carrick continues.
I walk into her closet and she is indeed on the floor, knees in her chest, crying.
"Mom why can't I just be happy like you and dad?"
I chuckle to myself. "Aria, you're only eighteen. I didn't meet your father until my senior year of college. Even after I met him, we weren't just this happy perfect couple. Hell, we've been married over twenty years and we're not perfect. Now get out of this funk and go congratulate your brother. He and Amelia are expecting their first baby."
"I believe a toast is in order." Christian stands up and looks around the table. I love having everyone here. After having Thanksgiving here all those years ago everyone decided that Christian and I would always host. It's become a tradition. Kate, Eliot, Mia, Ethan, Grace, and all thirteen grandchildren are here. "First and foremost, congratulations to Amelia and Ted who are expecting their first child." Phoebe looks as if she's going to explode. She's almost more excited than Amelia. "Good luck to Phoebe. She's going to Milan to intern for Burberry. And last but certainly not least, congratulations to Aria for getting into Tisch early decision. NYU is an amazing school and I know you'll kill it on the east coast. Just, please, try not to get lost or killed."
Now that was the argument of a lifetime.
"Dad it's not fair!"
"I'm done discussing it. I will not have my daughter gallivanting around New York City without some type of protection."
"Are you trying to ruin my life?! High School was bad enough being flanked by glorified bouncers!"
"I'm done discussing it Aria."
"If I was Phoebe you'd let me go alone. Precious Phoebe get's whatever her little heart desires and I'm the red headed step child!"
"Phoebe didn't decide to go to college across the country." Christian still hadn't looked up from his news paper and his voice was level.
"You're right and that's because she couldn't bear to be away from "Daddy Dearest" for more than a minute at a time! And Ted went to Princeton in New Jersey. That's even further and-"
"It's not going to happen." I guess all the years of arguing with children expanded his patience. There was a point where he'd take me over his knee if I spoke to him that way.
"Mom. This isn't fair. Tell him this isn't fair. How will I ever have any type of social life?! Who wants to be friends with the weird girl with the guys in suits around her all the time! And I'm NEVER going to get laid!" That did it. Christian put his new paper down and I put myself between them and put my hand on his chest.
"Aria-May Cynthia Grey!"
"Christian." His eyes were blazing. "Christian. Calm down. She's right. You didn't make Teddy or Phoebe take security to college with them so it isn't fair." The look on his face made it clear that security was the last thing on his mind. "She's eighteen Christian. How old were you when you lost your virginity?" I raised my eyebrow at him and he backed down. "Fine" He threw his hands in the air. "But you." He pointed at me. "Put her on birth control."
"I'm happy to have you all here again this year. My beautiful wife and I are both very grateful to have all of you in our lives and I'm thankful my beautiful mother is here with us and has the opportunity to see her grandchildren accomplish great things. You hear that Adriane? Great. Things." Everyone around the table laughed. Adriane was just as smart as any one of his siblings. His problem was that he was just as good looking as the rest of them as well. He was girl crazy.
"Oh come on pops! I'm good for it."
"Adriane! How did you fail Music Appreciation! You're a musician!" And a very talented one. If it has strings, can be beaten, or blown through, Adriane could play it.
"Oh come on Mom." He ran his hand through his quiff like he always does when he's in trouble. "Music Appreciation isn't even a real class. It doesn't matter."
"It does when you plan on going to music school!" I snap. He frustrates me so much. He's capable, more than capable but he just won't focus. "Do you think that you're going to get into Julliard with a forty five in music appreciation?"
"About that! I'm thinking about going to-"
"No matter where you want go to school you are not going to get very far with a forty five! And it says you didn't even come to class most days! You begged your father to go to public school and you don't even go to the classes." I almost never yell at the children, but he's the baby and someone has to bring up the rear.
"It's not my fault. The administration put me in M.A the same time Julie has study period!"
"Adriane Ethan Grey. You will go to school and you will beg Mr. Boga to let you write as many papers as it takes to get this up to at least an eighty. Until then your car privileges are revoked and you are grounded." I took his keys and I could see his heart break. He loves his car more than life itself and he paid for it himself.
"Come on Mom! Dad can just-"
"You're father and I will not write a check or make one phone call to change your grades. You will work for them like the rest of your siblings had to. Now march up those stairs. I believe you have a paper to write."
"But-"
"MARCH!"
**********************************************************
Leave it to Christian to forget someone. "And since my husband blatantly forgot. Congrats baby girl for getting the part of the Swan in Swan Lake!"
"Oh it's not that big of a deal. She gets the lead every year Ana." Elliot calls out and everyone laughs.
"May I say a few words?" A small voice says. It's Grace and Ethan helps her stand.
"I just want to say, to my thirteen wonderful grandchildren and my six children that I am so proud of who you all have grown to be. You are all so beautiful and talented. I'm grateful for all of you every day, especially you Ana. You are the glue that keeps this family together. I'm so happy that I'll be here to see my first great-grandchild and if my husband was here I know he'd be just as proud of you all as I am." A single tear fell to her cheek.
"Oh Mom." Mia's crying and got up to hug her mother. One by one everyone got up to hug Grace and we ended up as on huge Grey-Cavanaugh group hug.
It's still a bit crazy that I, little Anastasia Steel, married thee Christian Grey and now have his huge crazy family. Sure, sometimes we're dysfunctional but we're a unit. I love them all and wouldn't trade them for the weight of the world in gold. Finally my fifty shades aren't all that grey anymore.
