Chapter 28
Christian paced back and forth in the small doctor's office a couple of floors above Ana's room. He had been lucky that Flynn had managed to get an orthopedic consult for him so he didn't have to wait in the ER. It was, however, still not fast enough for him, as no matter how much money one has things like the time an x-ray takes to develop can't be bought.
"Christian would you please sit down? Your pacing is intolerable," Carrick groused as he put his cell phone back into his pocket, having finished making the calls he needed to so that they could attempt to circumvent as much damage from Carla and Kate as possible.
"I can't, Dad. I need to be with her."
"Well your mother is."
"And you think that is a good idea?" Christian wondered as he stopped short. "Do you really think Mom has forgiven her for leaving me ten years ago?"
"I think your mother is starting to see it in a different context. Besides which, your mother always knew that she would still have a place in your life- even if it was only as friends."
"And with it being on the more side of things."
"The 'more?'" Carrick questioned.
Christian sighed: "she told me back then she wanted more from me. She has always been my more. My chance to be more than I could have thought I'd be- more than I wanted to be."
"Ahhh… I think I see," Carrick sighed. "Son, if you're happy your mother and I will be happy for you."
"And Elliot and Mia?"
"Neither seemed surprised. Mia is going to be happy if you're happy, you know that. Elliot had to get over the ideas that that Kavanagh woman put in his head about Ana, but Luke put him in his place."
"I would've liked to see that… well maybe not because I probably don't want to know what he said about Ana to get Luke to comment."
"He didn't say much, just hinted Luke wouldn't hear a word of it and defended Ana. I'll admit I filled in a couple of blanks as well."
Christian sighed and sat down next to his father on the exam table: "how the hell did everything get so fucked up? I mean, I told Elliot years ago that she never took advantage of my wealth. That she didn't want the money. Why did Kate's word mean more than mine?"
"It wasn't like we knew for sure that she wasn't your first."
Christian smiled sardonically at that: "you really thought that I was a virgin at 29? Seriously Dad?"
"You did have issues with being touch."
"Hench the lifestyle I choose."
"Was brought into," Carrick correctly automatically.
"Dad…"
"You were fifteen, Christian. You were molested."
"In the eyes of the law."
"And in yours?" Carrick wondered.
Christian shrugged: "guys are supposed to want to be with older women. It's more supposedly acceptable than a man and…"
"Christian, that is not what I was asking and you know it!"
"I won't say I was a victim."
"Did I say you were?"
"I was a willing participant Dad. I know you don't want to believe that, but…"
"What I believe is that you were taken advantage of by a predator who used things your mother told her in confidence to her advantage. She then used her position as your mother's friend to keep you on her hook."
"I am not, nor was I ever, some easily preyed upon person."
"A predator like her is a master manipulator so I would never say that you were easy prey for someone."
"Then what?"
"Christian, what she did was wrong. I don't care if you thought you two were in a relationship for six years. That you blame yourself for what Linc did to her.
She used her position against you.
She used things she knew to manipulate you and your feelings and then your life."
"She's been out of it for years.
I paid her back the money I borrowed within a year.
I got out of our partnership too."
"After you met Ana…"
"Ana calls her Mrs. Robinson," he admitted, earning a laugh from his father. "She said she was a pedophile, it was the first time I considered the notion."
"And your conclusion?"
Christian sighed: "I believed the relationship she brought me into was what I needed. That Elena made me the man I was for a long time. I've talked to Flynn and now I see the whole picture. She was/is a pedophile. She had sex with me when I was underage and she made sure that she continued to have a say in my sex life by finding my subs… she needed that control for some reason.
I never felt I could tell you and mom because of what she told me, and then later because of the type of sex that we had.
I never want Mom to know about that part of my life… but I can't regret it."
"Why?"
"Because it was a coping mechanism for me. Because it influenced my choices, including- and most importantly my being with Ana. The truth is that Ana is all I need, can you understand that?"
"I think I'm learning that," Carrick admitted. "I just want you to be happy."
"I will be with her."
Carrick sighed as he slapped his son on the back: "just remember that until Ray is back in her life I have the role of father to her as well. You hurt her and I will come down on you the same way I would someone who hurt your sister."
"And you had to hurt Luke how much?'
"Point taken, just remember the possibly is always there."
"I won't, because I don't want to hurt her- ever…"