Chapter 4

"You can go home now Anastasia, your test results came back fine, is there someone who can pick you up?" the doctor asked.

"Great, thank you. Yes I will call my friend now" Ana said with a grin.

"No problem. You have an outpatients appointment scheduled with myself in a week".

"Oh okay, can I ask why?".

"Just to check up on how you are really and discuss the possibility of therapy groups. You don't have to think about this right now but I do think it would be a good idea for you".

"Okay, thank you".

The doctor gave her a tight lipped smile and left the room. Ana called Kate and arranged to meet her out the front of the hospital in 20 minutes. She knew Christian would of wanted her to call him but she was still trying to figure what she wanted for the two of them out.

Ana gathered her things into her bag and headed to the front of the hospital.

She had to wait ten minutes until Kate arrived and she got into the passenger seat of her car.

"How are you? I've missed you at home" Kate gushed.

"I'm okay and I've missed being at home too. Its being horrible being stuck in the hospital"

"I bet honey but it was for your own good. You fainted because you weren't eating Ana. I'm surprised they didn't take you to the eating disorder ward".

Ana laughed lightly. "You mean the psychiatric ward Kate and I wasn't at the point where they could justify doing that and I'm glad they didn't".

"Are you going to be okay?" Kate asked and the tone in the car become more sombre.

"I'll be fine Kate, I've gotten over this a couple of times before so I can do it again".

Ana half wanted to tell Kate about making herself sick but she knew that Kate would make way too much out of it and it didn't matter because she was never going to do that again.

The two of them chatted about José's photography event, he was really excited about it and Ana was looking forward to going.

"So what's going on with you and Christian? Elliot said that Christian didn't seem to know".

"Honestly. I don't know. He was great at the hospital but I don't know if I want to be with him right now".

"Why?" Kate asked and she actually looked concerned.

"The relationship with him is just to intense and I don't know if I can do that right now".

"That's fair enough honey but you don't want to break things off if your sure right? I mean if you break things off again this quickly he might just move on".

"I know which is why I haven't told him any of this yet, I'm still trying to figure it out. I love him but , uh, I don't know".

Kate gave her a sympathetic look.

"Anyway, how're things with you and Elliot?".

"Really good thanks. He's coming over tonight, do you mind? I would say you could invite Christian but I don't know if you want to".

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea actually, might make him feel better about me not having him pick me up from the hospital" Ana looked down at her ringing phone. "Oh that's him now".

"Hello"

"I got let out, I'm sorry I meant to text you".

"Kate picked me up".

"I thought you were busy, sorry"

"Actually I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight, Kate is having Elliot over and I thought it'd be nice if the four of us could have dinner or something".

"Okay I'll see you then. Come over at 6?".

"Love you too, see you later".

"Bye".

"He's coming then?" Kate asked.

"Yes, he wasn't too happy that he didn't pick me up or even know but he'll get over it".

"Yes he will. It will be nice tonight though, we'll have a nice meal with a bottle of wine".

Ana stiffened at the mention of food.

"Sounds good Kate" Ana lied. She had no idea how she was going to get through the meal with all three of them watching her.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. Kate had noticed Ana's reaction to the mention of the impending meal but she didn't know whether she should say anything so she decided to keep quiet about it for now anyway.

Once they got home Kate put the kettle on and Ana put her things away and the two women sat down at the table with a cup of coffee.

Kate found herself wanting to say something to Ana about her issue but she still didn't know what to say, she was desperately trying to find the words but they wouldn't come to her.

"What do you wanna do? And what shall we cook our men for dinner?" Kate giggled.

"How about we get take out? I don't feel like cooking".

"Well I can cook if you'd rather, it might be nice for us to sit with a proper meal?"

"Uh, sure. Then you cook whatever. Surprise me" Ana said with a grin.

"I'm gonna go take a bath".

"Okay, enjoy".

Kate watched her friend leave the room, she sighed when she was alone. She wished that she could help Ana but she didn't know how. She was shocked that the hospital hadn't made Ana take some therapy but she hadn't really asked her so for all she knew they could of. There felt like there was some distance between her and Ana that had never been there before.

Kate began making preparations for dinner. The 'Grey men' were due to arrive in a couple of hours. Kate decided she would keep the meal relatively healthy, she didn't want Ana to not be able to eat what was on her plate but she didn't really know what she could eat either so she figured mostly vegetables and meat was a safe bet.

Ana lay in the bathtub trying to think of an excuse she could use to get out of dinner but she came up blank. She couldn't go out because then Kate would know she was lying and if she tried to pretend to be ill Kate and Christian would probably worry and take her straight back to the hospital.

'Guess I'll just have to endure it'.

She got out of the tub and got dressed. She had picked a halter neck top and jeans that she loved.

Ana and Kate spent the last half an hour before Elliot and Christian were due to arrive with Kate doing Ana's hair and painting their nails.

When the two guys arrived Kate put the bottle of Bollinger that Christian brought in the fridge.

"Dinner is going to be ready in ten minutes, anyone want a drink?" Kate said after saying hello to Elliot.

"I'll have a glass of that Champagne babe" Elliot said.

"Me too" Ana and Christian said in unison.

"How're you feeling baby?" Christian asked Ana in a low voice.

"I'm okay" she lied with a smile.

"Good" he planted a kiss on her lips, "I'm glad things are okay with us too".

Ana smiled a little awkwardly. "I'm going to see if Kate wants some help with those drinks".

The rest of the evening went by slowly for Ana, everyone seemed to be trying extremely hard not to talk about Ana's stay in hospital and trying even harder not to watch her eat. She was so glad when the evening came to a close and she could escape from the watchful gaze of Christian.

After the two of them left Ana headed to the bathroom while Kate was saying goodbye to Elliot outside. It felt like she was on auto-pilot, she really didn't want to do what she was planning but she felt like she had to, she couldn't not eat but she didn't feel like she could keep it inside either. Ana leant over the toilet, turned the bath tub taps on and made herself sick. She felt a lot better afterwards but she also felt incredibly guilty. She didn't like lying to Kate about getting better but this felt like it was already out of her control.

She brushed her teeth and went back to her room to get into her pyjamas.

Ana and Kate chatted for a little while and she headed to bed.

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