Ana's POV – Sunday 24 July 2011
I wake from a second lot of sleep and smile as think about the night, the parties were such a success and I can't believe what Kate and Elliot managed to pulled off. It couldn't have been more perfect and I know I need to spend more time with Kate, I have not been as a good a friend as I used to be and decide that at Sunday lunch today, I'll make some time to just chat to her and thank her.
As I stretch, glad that Christian let me go back to sleep after his morning wake up shenanigans, following our very late or actual early morning arrival home where he'd carried me up to the bedroom and then couldn't restrain himself, taking me against the wall, his hands and his mouth tracing delicious paths around my body until he lifted me and impaled me, my keening only driving him on in his frenzy, his desire to love me to within an inch of my life driving him. Completely and utterly sated and with the alcohol hitting me, he still hadn't put me down when he carried me into the shower and somehow round two turned into round three and I almost had to beg him to stop, almost.
Feeling slightly groggy when I woke this morning there was a glass of sparkling water, two Advil and a Christian with devilish eyes looking at me from an angle that was definitely sinful and my body, harlot that she is, welcomed him as if she'd never seen such a fine specimen before and when he'd finished, there was nothing but jelly left in my body. He'd curled up with me in his arms and I'd fallen back to sleep unable to put a cohesive thought together and now, finally I feel able to operate each of my limbs and pulling on a robe, I make my way gingerly downstairs.
Before I make it to the landing, I can hear the shouting and my stomach clenches, I haven't heard Christian this angry and I hesitate for a second before running towards his office as his cursing reaches a fever pitch and I hear, "Elliot, how could you be so fucking stupid? You've put the whole fucking wedding at risk. You've put Ana at risk, how could you do that? It's the only thing I care about and you've gone and fucked it up. I don't give a fuck how bad a hangover you have right now, if I was there you would be fucking passed out on the floor with a broken nose for your fucking stupidity, no I don't want to hear it." The phone sounds like it hits the floor and his growl stops as he sees me, he's so angry that he can't actually form a greeting and just steps around the detritus on the floor to pull me into a hug, no kiss, just a squeeze like he wants to absorb me.
"What's happened?" I finally manage to breathe out.
"I'm sorry," he says with such a heartbroken tone, that my chest tightens as he loosens his right arm from me to reach the remote and turn on the TV and turning me towards it, he thrusts the paper in my hand and so it is simultaneously that I see, "Obviously Christian Grey is going to be married within the next week or so," and standing there in all his drunken glory is Elliot with his "I'm the best man" t-shirt with Kate looking decidedly the worse for wear hanging off his arm and Mia in the picture looking rather dishevelled as well.
"But where?" I manage to gasp out.
"Apparently after we left, they kept drinking and dancing and while their security was attempting to corral them into a vehicle, they were adamant that they had to go to a club and the security didn't want to wake Taylor which is fair enough because he's had about as much sleep as I've had and they were supposed to all just go straight home. Anyway, they didn't actually make it into the club because they were too wasted but the paps managed to capture those photos and they have been on constant rotation on all the channels and it's across all the silly tabloids, there is no way to contain it."
He looks so angry so I simply put my hands on his chest, waiting until he is looking at me, "It's ok, it was bound to come out, it doesn't matter, I will follow every instruction that Taylor and you give me this week and it'll be fine, please don't worry about it. Don't make a fuss today at the lunch, let's go into this week with love and not worry about the world, it will always be there just waiting to annoy you, don't let it anger you and destroy your relationship with your brother. Please?"
His shoulders slump as he shakes his head at me, "How do you do that? I just wanted to throttle him and here you are saying, "Don't worry about it," Ana, every crazy and his dog will be hounding us for the next week, I just wanted to marry you and take you away from all of this, I don't want you getting cold feet because they are all too awful."
"Ha, no chance of that, I'm safer with you than with anyone else, I love you, I know you'll do everything to protect us and I don't care about them, I care about you. Just you."
The groan starts really low and is smothered by our lips, he holds me like a drowning man and I lift my hands to his face and then up to his hair, trying to calm him and finally he relaxes against me, closing his eyes, he rests his forehead against mine and his heartbeat calms, no longer thumping against his rib cage and reverberating against my chest.
"Let's have breakfast and then get on with our day, I had something planned but I doubt we'll be able to do it now," Christian says, his voice laced with annoyance.
"I'd be really happy to just stay here and relax," I start to say and he turns to me with his eyes full of concern.
"Are you ok? Are you hurting?"
"Only deliciously," I say as my cheeks redden and he chuckles as he realises what I am saying.
"Let's relax then, I am happy to do that and try and forget about my idiotic brother."
"Maybe you can tell me about the honeymoon," I venture hoping that in his adjusted state of mind he might let it slip.
"Ha I don't think so, good try naughty girl," he says with a smile and a tap on my bottom as I walk past him, "I'm onto you, nothing is going to pass these lips until we are there."
Breakfast completed, I sit curled against him as he plays on the piano, happy and calm pieces slowly taking the place of the initial angrier ones he was playing and when he segues into pieces for lovers, I start to squirm in anticipation of another round, eliciting a smile from him and then my phone rings.
Christian plays quietly as I look at the unrecognisable number and I smile and lean against him as I answer it, his arms catching me instantaneously as my legs give way.
Gail's POV – Sunday 24 July 2011
I wish Ana was my daughter, I would so have taken care of her all these years, such a beautiful soul and deserving of love and to see her collapse when she answered her phone, I knew exactly who was on the other end and I quickly turned on the kettle, wanting to look away but knowing I couldn't.
"Hello Mother, yes I am….oh you saw it on the telly…..no I am not saying when we're getting married, that is not something for public record…..oh… oh you want to see me? What for?" and for the first time I hear a hard tone in her voice, all her hurt and rejection over the years finally solidifying in this question, "What do you want to take from me now?"
Christian indicates for Ana to put the call on speaker and she does so and while I'm not eavesdropping, I can't help but hear Carla and beckon Jason in as well. For security purposes he needs to hear it and I know I have done the right thing when I see Christian incline his head upon seeing Jason, calling him over.
"Ana darling," she starts and we all roll our eyes. "Ana darling, I'd just like to see you, I've changed, I'm so sorry for everything I have done to you, I really want to see you. I love you."
"It's a bit late to realise that now Mother," Ana quietly states and even from the distance I can see her hands trembling.
Carla starts crying and I watch Ana's defences crumble, the concern on Christian's face and the annoyance on Jason's all make for an interesting representation of the situation, all I want to do is hug Ana but Christian has her held tight and is about to speak when she shakes her head at him.
"Could you come here to the prison this week? I know I won't be let out for your wedding,"
"Whether you are let out or not, you're not invited to the wedding, I don't want you anywhere near my wedding, I don't want you in my life anymore, you've ruined it enough." Ana spits out, the tears coursing down her own cheeks but her voice is strong.
"I know, I'm so sorry but I want to see you, I want to see my little girl before she is married and belongs to someone else."
"Oh my god, I was always a possession, either something you could show off or something that got in the way to you, wasn't I? I don't belong to anyone," and while I see Christian's face twist at that, I can understand how she's feeling. Interestingly, she grabs hold of his hand and says, "I belong WITH someone that loves me and cares for me and wants the best for me, things I've never felt from you but I do not belong to anyone." And Christian nods, rubbing her back and I'm sure, willing her to continue being strong.
"No, I'm sorry, I know you can't believe me but I have changed, I have really changed, the fog has lifted and since I haven't been taking anything the whole time I have been in here, I have seen what I have done. Honestly, I just want to see you and then you can forget about me here but I want to see you, show you, can you spare just an hour, please?"
Oh, the woman makes me sick but there is no-one as forgiving or big hearted like Ana and despite Christian and Jason both shaking their heads at her, she says, "Ok, I'll come and see you, today, for an hour and that's it." Jason's shoulders slump and he looks so exhausted and I know that this is just another thing he doesn't need but he just nods his head when Ana reaches over and pats his arm mouthing "Sorry."
Christian on the other hand looks like he is going to explode and whatever happened this morning, that bad temper is back and he is struggling to control it when he growls so that Carla can hear it, "If you do one thing to upset Ana any further or damage her any further, you will not live to see anything but those four walls you are looking at now, do you understand?"
"I understand, I don't ever want to hurt Ana again, you have my word." To which everyone including Jason rolls their eyes and Christian simply presses the end button cancelling the call.
Ana turns in his arms and puts up her hand, "Please don't shout at me, I know it's stupid to go see her but she does sound different and…" she isn't able to continue and bursts into tears to which Christian to his credit, swallows whatever he was about to say and simply soothes her, he out of everyone I guess understands the desire for a mother's love.
It's that desire for mother's love which means that awful woman has such a power over Ana and the contrast between the broken girl I see in front of us again and Ana last night, having fun with everyone around her loving her, the fact that she included me both in the night and every activity and made me and has always made me feel like a part of her family makes my heart break and I do the only thing I can do and bring her the tea.
Her reaction stuns me, she lifts those big doe eyes as I place the tea within her reach and twists out of Christian's arms, flinging hers around me hiccupping out, "Gail, thank you for being a better mom to me than Carla will ever be.
A/N: Thank you for bearing with me, there are another few crazy weeks ahead.