"Mommy, Mommy wake up" The little monster jumping on my bed shaking me wakes me from my slumber,
"Ok, Ok I'm up" I mumble pulling the covers up over my head
"No you're not Mommy, Your eyes are still closed" Teddy laughs as he pulls the covers from my body, The cold air hits me and it's an instant wake up call
"I don't suppose you'll let me go back to sleep will you?" I ask smirking at my little boy
"No Mommy, It's my birthday, Up" He orders, Yep your defiantly your father's son
"Ok I'm up" I smile as I sit up and slide out of bed, Teddy grabs my hand and drags me to the kitchen,
"What does the birthday boy want for breakfast?" I ask, Teddy takes some time to think but I know what it will be, pancakes and bacon
"Pancakes and bacon" He smiles at me... See I was right
"Coming right up" I bow playfully as he giggles
After a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon Teddy showers and gets ready to go see him Grandma and Grandpa, He's always so excited to see them, But he's even more excited to see Uncle Elliot, They're like two pea's in a pod and it always cheers me up seeing them together.
I shower and change, It's quite chilly today but thankfully the weathers clear, No sign of rain which is good, I dress in a blue check shirt, Black jeans and my converse trainers, I may be a mother now but I haven't changed who I am.
"C'mom Mommy" Teddy whines as we lock up, He runs to the car and jumps up and down impatiently, I roll my eyes and open the car, He straps himself in and then we're off, The radio comes to life and Teddy sings along, He's got such a brilliant voice for his age, His teachers at school call him a little genius and I can't help but smile.
"Faster Mommy, Uncle Elliott is waiting" He moans when we stop at a red light, My son obviously doesn't know that we can't run a red light and there are speed limits.
"Teddy, We will be there shortly" I tell him, I look in the mirror and see him sit back, Fold his arms and glare at me, Wow! Mini Christian
We pull up to Grace and Carrick's and find them waiting at the front door, Teddy's unclipped himself and opened the door before I've even opened my door
"Grandma, Grandpa!" Teddy squeals as he runs in to their waiting arms, Oh her sounds like Mia, I stifle a laugh but Grace obviously thinks the same
"You sound like Aunt Mia" Grace laughs as she tickles him, Teddy's laughter stops as he glares
"I do not" He frowns
"Ok you don't" Grace smiles as Carrick takes him in to the house
"He really does" She whispers to me, We both burst out laughing cause it's true
We all through the house to the family room following closing behind Carrick and Teddy
"Is that my little man!" I hear Elliott yell
"Uncle Elliott" Teddy screams as he jumps out from Carrick's hold, He runs in to the family room and straight in to Elliott
"Hey Dude, Happy birthday" Elliott smiles as Teddy hugs him
"Thanks Uncle Elliott, Did you get me a present? Did ya? Did ya?" Teddy asks excitedly as Elliott laughs
"I sure did dude but you'll have to wait till later for it" Elliott laughs at Teddy's sulky face, I'm sure it's the same face his Uncle was wearing yesterday when Grace told him he couldn't go on the bouncy castle.
"But Uncle Elliott" Teddy whines
"Sorry dude, Later"
"Fine" Teddy mumbles pouting his lip out
"Hey you wanna go see the garden?" Elliott asks to cheer him up
"Yeah" Teddy smiles
Once Elliott and Teddy have gone Grace takes me in to the kitchen and I help her with the party food, The kitchen is over flowing with cakes, cocktail sausages, sandwiches... Every type of party food imaginable
"Grace how many people are coming?" I ask with wide eyes
"Oh Ana, The grown ups have to eat too, Elliott eats like a horse" She smiles
"How are you dear? I'm sorry about the phone call last night I should never have brought Christian up"
"I'm ok Grace, It's always hard on his birthday or Christmas, Teddy's getting to the age where he wants to know why he doesn't have a daddy like his friends and I don't know what to tell him, What do I tell him Grace?" I sigh, She wraps her arms around me and hugs me close
"I don't know Ana, I wish I knew but I don't sweetie" She whispers
The door bell rings pulling us out of our embrace, Grace smiles and winks at me
"Time to get the party started"
By 3.30pm the party is in full swing, It's lovely to watch Teddy running around with his friends having run and enjoying himself, He has his family around him and I'm thankful to each and every one of them for sticking by me and not shunning me like Christian did, I need to stop thinking about him otherwise I'm going to burst in to tears in the middle of cutting the cake.
Christian
"Mr. Grey would it be ok for me and Gail to have the afternoon off Sir? We have a birthday party to go to, We'll be back by 6pm Sir" Taylor says as he knocks on my office door,
"Huh?" I say as I glance at the clock, It's 1.20pm
"Oh yes Taylor that's fine, Il be busy later anyway" I mumble
"Thankyou Sir" He closes the door behind him when he leaves
I sit back in my chair and rub my hands down my face, I was going to go to GEH this morning but I didn't get much sleep last night so I decided against it, Actually I don't get much sleep most nights, I either sleep in my office or I don't sleep, I spend my whole life working again, I wake up, Work, Work, Work, Come home (Sometimes), Work, Try to sleep, Play my piano, More work... That's my life. Shit isn't it.
I don't sleep in my bedroom cause well I can't it holds to many memories, Every time I enter that room I die just a little bit more, I need to get out of the house, I have an appointment with Flynn at 2pm, I need to get ready, I shower and change in under 20 minuets, I grab my keys to my R8 and head down to the garage, Once I'm set I'm off,
The roads are clear for a saturday afternoon and I'm thankful for that, I want to have a quick appointment with Flynn and then I have to make a trip that I really don't want to make but I no I have no choice...
Flynn was unhelpful as ever, He say's I'm making progress but I don't feel like I am, I feel like I'm the same fucked up son of a bitch I've always been, I hope back in to R8 and drive the sort distance, I park up and realise there must be something going on, Something I was obviously not invited too, Who cares? Not me, This will be a quick visit, Strictly business and then Il be gone again.
I knock on the door but no one answers, Fucking typical, I push the door open to see lots of balloons and lots of noise, It's so loud it hurts my ears, I grit my teeth and make my way through what used to be my home, I look out of the patio doors and see a bunch of children running about, What's this?
"Christian?"
I turn to see my mother standing behind me holding a plate of sandwiches, She smiles at me but it doesn't reach her eyes
"Christian go in the kitchen, Il be there in a minuet" She says quietly and then walks away, I do as she asks, I walk in to the kitchen and take a seat, I see lots of snacks and party food and decide to help myself
"Those are for the party" My mother glares as she walks behind me, Taking the plate away she sets it down on the counter
"And who's party is it?" I ask, Her head snaps back so hard I'm surprised she hasn't got whiplash
"I can't believe you just asked me that Christian" She glares at me and I frown, What I'm just asking an innocent question
"You really don't know what day it is today?" I shake my head
"Its Teddy's birthday, He's 4 today, You know your son" She sneers and I swallow hard
FUCK! I forgot!
"Christian don't tell me you forgot your own son's birthday" She asks and I shrug, I've reduced to acting like a child, It's my own fault really, I knew his birthday was in November but I couldn't remember when,
"Oh Christian, When are you going to take responsibly for your Child?, He's 4 years old today Christian and have you ever seen him?" She asks and I shake my head
"Have you ever brought him a birthday present or card?" Again I shake my head
"Christian, You need to step up to the mark and be a father to your child" She scolds me
"I don't know how" I mumble
Just then the door opens and a little boy walks in, I feel the blood drain from my face, He has copper hair, Gray eyes, And a cheeky smile... Fuck he's me!
"Grandma, Uncle Elliott wanted me to ask you if we can open my presents yet?" The little boy asks my mom and she picks him up and puts him on her knee,
"Teddy I want you to meet someone, Christian this is Teddy, Teddy this is Christian" Mom says as she motions between us, Teddy holds his hand out for me to shake, I feel frozen, I can't move, I can't breathe... No I shouldn't be here, I should go.
I stand up and almost run from the room, I hear my mother yell for me to come back but I can't my feet keep moving and I feel trapped, I look behind me and I smash in to something, I look down and see a mush of brown hair, Long legs and Blue Eyes...
"Ana"