Grace's POV – Friday 29 July 2011
I've been watching Ana today and am amazed, whenever Christian is in the room, she has a luminance, a glow that shines out of every pore and she comes alive in ways I can't describe and so does he. In just one day today I think I have seen him smile more than in the entire last five years, even with Mia and Kate being as obnoxious as they have been, when his eyes meet hers, there is no-one else left in the room.
The priest pulled me aside and said that he was worried that they were marrying in haste but I am with Christian on this, tomorrow is not soon enough and I brushed his concerns aside as gently as I could, vouching for both of them and their love for each other.
Carrick has been acting strangely today and I assume he's up to something, just like the boys, he has some tells, some giveaways that I have learnt over the years but he won't say and I hope it's something nice, I'm a bit concerned that he is going to say something to upset Christian and I just want peace tomorrow.
I think I've organised everything as Christian and Ana wanted it, quiet, understated, well as understated as I could coerce Mia to be and as much as security would let me. My house is a fortress and I hate that the beautiful view is obscured but I understand and just wish the two of them could live a normal life but nothing about Christian has ever been normal, finally though it is beautiful and tomorrow cannot come fast enough.
I walk into the kitchen and see the night staff already starting to prepare and stop for a quick chat and ensure that things are moving to plan. I am so annoyed with Gretchen, I've tolerated her ogling Christian over the years as I knew he wasn't interested in her and she was an efficient staff member but tonight, I was on the verge of pulling her to the side and suggesting she button up her top and leave Christian alone and then she poured the pitcher over Ana. Unbelievable! Taylor looked annoyed with himself for having allowed that to happen, I thought Christian was going to blow a bulb with his anger and Ana simply wiped it up without saying a word, without saying a word, she was the victor. The girl has more insight than I'm sure she's credited for, she knows she's going to be dealing with unwanted attention marrying Christian and she handled it perfectly and now unfortunately I am one staff member short for the wedding. There is no way Gretchen could continue as a staff member and I hope she doesn't do anything tomorrow given that she knows all the plans, I'm sure Taylor handled it but it plays on my mind, I worry at what else could go wrong.
Ana wasn't happy about the tradition of staying away from each other the night before the wedding but since I had insisted, she had bowed to my pressure and agreed to stay here with me, sending Christian home. Obviously Ana passed on the information about staying here tonight when she went to change, poor Christian, I heard the bellow, and when they came back down I saw that his face was as dark as thunder and the sulky pout would have been adorable on a two year old that had just lost their lollipop but it was a bit much from him.
Helping my mother out to the car and assuring her that yes, the wedding was going ahead tomorrow and no, there were no grandchildren on the way, much to her annoyance, my mom's embarrassing, "Well get to it boy, I thought that's why you went upstairs, I want to see grandchildren before I die," had Ana's cheek's reddening and Christian clearing his throat and with even greater alacrity ensuring she was safe in their car and heading home. I must say, a beautiful baby is guaranteed with these two but could Ana's body handle a baby? She should really be still recuperating from the accident, I've seen her wince and seen her limp when she's overdone it and I hope that whatever Christian has planned for the honeymoon that it also includes a lot of just plain resting.
It's gone midnight now but Christian was loathe to leave until the very last second, it was a reverse Cinderella moment as Ana put it and he crushed her to him like he was never going to see her again, the word "Cinderella" seems to trigger something in both of them and I wonder at the secrets they've shared and am so glad that they now have each other. His eyes as he looked down at her were pure love, as they turned on me, anguish at having to leave her behind even if just for a few hours and I patted him on the arm and assured him that I'd look after her.
Prowling around the house for one last check that everything is ready for the celebrations, my blood runs cold at the sounds I hear coming from Christian's old room. The same heart wrenching sounds from years before, sounds I'd hoped I'd never have to hear again, thankfully the door isn't locked and I let myself in, turning on a soft lamp as I do.
"Ana, darling, it's ok" I coo, trying to bring her out of the nightmare that has her writhing and fighting in her sleep. "Ana, do you have these all the time?" I ask tentatively once she's woken. Rubbing her back to provide what solace I can, I can feel her pain as she sobs into her hands, the remnants of the nightmare still with her, the shaking eventually subsiding.
"Not when I'm sleeping next to Christian, he keeps all the bad nightmares away as apparently I do for him, sleeping together, neither of us has them," she hiccups and telling me what I have wondered for years, my poor boy is still tortured by his nightmares.
Eventually after a warm milk she's calm enough for me to leave her and she assures me she'll be fine. I hope she manages to sleep and her words strike me that Christian is probably similarly affected and I realise that maintaining this tradition wasn't the wisest decision and heartily wish I'd kept my mouth shut and not forced her into it.
Sitting outside her room a little while later I hear her message tone ping and a giggle and she locks the door and I realise they must be texting, ah good, I can happily go to bed now, tradition smadition, these two need each other and all power to technology if at least they can be close this way, they may both end up with a bit of sleep and be able to function on their big day.
I on the other hand am going to struggle, I am on my third attempt to fall asleep, for once I can see what Christian deals with on a daily basis, the security staff running through the garden during the early hours of the morning having detected an intruder, possibly a photographer, possibly someone wishing to do them harm has had me on edge for the last hour.
Lying here all I can do is worry about what Elena might have planned, what she might do to wreck the day now that it is practically known by the public that it will be tomorrow because of Elliot and Mia's actions after the parties. I think about the fact that Elena while she was in jail before, managed to organise my kidnapping and before that had absolutely no compunction in ruining so many young lives including my already damaged son and following him, so many young boys including Macy. Oh Macy, my thoughts skip to him, I can't tell how much damage will surface over time but he seems to be doing ok. Ana has managed to teach him to read in the short time that she's worked with him, lifted his confidence and like everyone else, he is in complete awe of her, he has a special little part to play tomorrow and to see him blossom is such a gift. I hate Elena with such a passion and I really hope that Elena doesn't have a hand in doing anything to upset tomorrow.
My last thought before I finally start to fall asleep is that it is such a pity that Carla couldn't find any decency within herself to do the right thing by Ana so that she could be here, I still believe that there must be some kernel of mother's love in her but even I struggle to find it and I'm sure that Ana would like her here, who doesn't want their parents at their wedding or does she? Knowing Ana there must be some part of her heart that doesn't want her mother to miss out but it's too much of a risk in case Carla ruins it as she appears to have done every interaction lately.
Ana deserves a decent mother and I want to be as much a mother to her as Christian, I love her as much as my three children but from what I felt today, I will be a loved mother-in-law and it is actually Gail who is standing in beautifully as a mother figure. I am glad that Gail is there for Ana when I can't be, if anyone knows Christian, it is Gail and she just seems to understand Ana perfectly, I wonder what her story is….
.
Kate's POV - Saturday 30 July 2011
I am so happy for Ana, I've never seen her like this, cool, calm, collected, poised and happy, that's the most important part, so very very happy and the only thing I wish is that Carla hadn't been such a bitch so that Ana could have both her mum and her dad here. Having known Ray over the last few years, it was the best thing finding out that Ray was her biological father. Finally the one person that had been looking out for her and that she loved would not have to feel like he didn't deserve it and she doesn't have to wonder any more about who her biological father could be and if she'd walked past him in the street. Carla on the other hand is a bitch, always was a bitch and always will be, if she was to appear at the wedding, she'd find a way to ruin it but in a way, her absence is true to form, she never made it to any of Ana's graduations, she never made it to any awards nights, she never turned up for birthdays, she was just simply always absent on important days and really I don't think there is a more important day for Ana and it makes sense that she be absent once again. It is entirely her loss.
Elliot was pacing around all night, worrying about his speech, well most of the night, I managed to take his mind off it a couple of times but even then, I knew his heart wasn't in it, his mind was definitely somewhere else and I can't wait for the wedding to be over so that we can concentrate on each other again. I love Ana to bits but her lack of any sort of dream for the wedding made it both harder and easier, either way, I now know of some awesome resources if Elliot proposes. The thought of that makes my heart beat faster, surely I can't be ready to settle down now, I know that Ana is but I have to have a career, have to travel, am I ready? As I start to hyperventilate, Elliot comes back to bed and pulls me in tight, wrapping his arms around me, moulding his body against mine, his breath on my neck, my hair tickling his nose and he kisses me, just under my ear and I melt, maybe I am in the perfect spot and if he asks me…. I'm sure I'll say yes.
When we wake up, Elliot is back to worrying about the speech, for a guy that can light up a room just by walking into it and is comfortable around just about anyone whatever their rank in life, the fact that he is talking about his brother is making all the difference and I wonder at the power that Christian has, his ability to affect lives usually without any intention to do so.
Elliot had started with a roast type speech and then said, "I can't, my brother is the most amazing guy I have ever met, he'd been through so much and since the accident I have found out how much more, how much worse it was than any of us knew. Everything before that I knew about horrified me and I always tried to protect him but like a hedgehog, he was quite good at protecting himself from everyone even those that loved him. I know what Ana sees in him, he needs to love, he did help anyone that deserved his help and the amount of assistance he gave me and gives to Mia and all the charities, we'll never know how much he has given away to help others, but he just never thought he was worthy of that love, Ana has shown him that he is and how do I thank her for that?"
Watching Elliot it becomes more and more apparent that perhaps I have to get over whatever misgivings I still have about Christian, I know Ana, she doesn't trust easily and she has never been truly happy and now she looks like she has both. I love Ana and am over the moon happy for her but I still can't believe she is marrying Christian less than three months after meeting him. She'd never even dated anyone and then she snags Mr Moneybags and major baggage. I hope she's going to be ok and if last night's reaction to that awful Gretchen incident is anything to go by, she's going to do just fine in the catty bitchy business and high society life she's starting. Christian watches her like a hawk, ready to step in and always looks surprised and so proud when she surprises herself, I'm sure and handles things like she was born to be on his arm.
Suddenly I realise that I am to present a speech too and head into a slight tailspin, there aren't that many hours left and I want to let everyone that already doesn't know, how absolutely wonderful Ana is, has been and will be, how she brings out the best in everyone just by being herself. Sitting on Elliot's lap, I finish my speech while he holds me tight, I can't believe that Ana and I found love at the same time with two brothers who are so very different but similar in many ways and I nestle my head onto his shoulder and we sit quietly, I think both contemplating how much our lives have changed in less than three months.
"Kitty Kat, I love you. I always thought that I'd be married before Christian, that he'd probably be alone and lonely for the rest of his life, can I say how glad I am that you were sick and sent Ana to that interview." He shakes his head, kisses me gently on the neck before he smiles as he says, "The ripple effect normally reduces away from the centre, but no, not with you. You've ended up causing a tsunami in so many lives but in such a good way, Kitty Kat, I am so glad you came into our lives and I found you."
A/N: I know, I know, I'm sorry, it wasn't the wedding... it's coming I promise, I just needed to write this bit... bear with me please :)