Christian's POV – Sunday 7 August 2011
The sound of my stomach rumbling wakes me and I smile, I wonder when I became this happy and this lucky and then the smile, almost permanently on my face nowadays, broadens as I take in the sight before me. Ana is attempting to brush her hair, the jerky movements as she tries to drag the brush through the knots in what more closely resembles a crow's nest than the beautifully coiffed hairdo of yesterday is matched with what sounds suspiciously like cursing. Her hand drops when she hears my chuckle and she turns to me, a blush and a smile creeping across her face.
"You, I blame you," she says mock pouting as she gently pokes me with her brush, "I could never control my hair before but if you're going to do that to me..." And the blush deepens as she remembers, "I think I should just shave it all off"
"Don't you dare," I say and something in her face makes me stop as she rests her hand on my arm and I know I have to change the topic otherwise I'm sure I'll be waking up to a bald woman tomorrow. "Because if you do I won't be able to do this" and I wrap my hand around her hair, exposing her neck and twisting just slightly so that I can nibble up her neck and I know my last comment has been forgotten or more likely stowed while she melts against me.
Pulling away reluctantly and slowly, I finally breathe against her lips, "I believe I said "Hey sleepyhead" and then somehow we've lost a couple more hours, what magic you weave Baby". As much as we lose ourselves in each other, I know I am finding myself like I never have before in the wonder that is Ana but we have things we should be doing, sights I want to show Ana before we leave for the next part of the honeymoon and then real life again.
Our exploration of Scotland continues albeit delayed and with Ana still not used to the power of my wealth and the exclusive access that allows us, her gratitude turns what would have been a quicker trip through each attraction into a fuller experience, the best guides who fall under her charm and provide so much more detail, showing us locked away pieces never usually seen and providing extensive answers to Ana's insightful questions.
I watch amazed too as Daniel, who speaks even less than Taylor, something I did not think was possible, comes out of his shell in Ana's presence and as an amateur history buff, fills in gaps as we drive between sites. Daniel has also thanked me several times for the experience and I think if I was to ask him to move to Seattle, he might well do so and I tuck that thought into the back of my mind, I know I'll be needing additional staff soon and who better than Taylor's brother on my security team.
Finishing up our time in Scotland, we are staying tonight in Loch Leven Castle. It was here in 1567 that Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned and forced to abdicate before her dramatic escape a year later and the idea of locking Ana up in a turret to keep her to myself and safe, is very, very tempting. Later, walking up the 270 steps of the National Wallace Monument, it seems like the perfect tower and we have to leave before I put something in place, my concern is in overdrive especially since tomorrow we head for the most unknown and unplanned part of the honeymoon, this fact leaves me more than a little concerned but Daniel assures me that he and Taylor have worked with Welch to ensure all sites have been scoped and will be secure when we arrive.
Ana's POV – Sunday 7 August 2011
The previous days have been complete bliss, I couldn't believe it when Christian brought us to the cottage in which Thomas Hardy was born and wrote his early works, all the beautiful places we've seen over the last week and I've loved the fact that Christian has been completely relaxed, he's even more fun and I can see the years drop away from his face so that he looks younger than his 27 years. Watching him actually "see" things, slowing down to enjoy and savour the moment, allow himself to feel, has been a huge part of my own enjoyment. I can't believe the access we've had, the things we've seen and we've managed to do it completely away from any prying eyes. The freedom of these hidden away locations a sharp contrast to our lives in Seattle and I almost dread going back home but at least we are returning to the Sound and that is as private as we can make it. Before we do that though we have the next part of the honeymoon which seems to be making Christian especially nervous and it's only as we take our seats on the plane that he tells me that our next stop is Naples in Italy.
I understand his concern and my heart swells further than I thought possible with love at what he is doing. He obviously changed his plans when Carla gave me the file on my relatives and then he breaks his no information rule further to tell me that after two days alone together, we will be meeting my nonna and her mother at our hotel. My uncontrolled sobs illicit an anxious "Happy tears?" and at my vigorous nods he folds me into his arms and hugs me tight until I finally calm and eventually giggle as he wipes my face with one of his ubiquitous handkerchiefs, their existence still a constant source of mirth for me.
The plans as Christian outlines them sound divine, we are spending a couple of days on our own and then, Taylor and Gail will be finishing their honeymoon and joining us, and I am glad to hear it. The extra security needed and having Gail's moral support I feel will make it easier to cope with this new family I have suddenly found and Gail's ability to speak Italian while being impartial will help me immensely and calms my nerves.
Christian, as is his way, has downloaded some iPad apps for both of us and has been studiously adding to his previous knowledge of the Italian language and I enthusiastically agree to develop some basic knowledge too. I absolutely hate being reliant on others and have always wanted to learn another language, so start applying myself as soon as the plane begins taxiing and it's not just to take my mind off the fact that I hate it when the plane takes off. Christian's arm around me, his finger pointing and repeating the words for me in my ear, make me lose concentration for a bit and his chuckle has me blushing as I realise he's caught me out.
10 August 2011
Despite the presence of Daniel and Sawyer, I have felt once again at peace with Christian, strolling hand in hand through narrow alleys to drown in hot drinks and eat my weight in Italian dessert delicacies or antipasto platters while practicing our new found language. Our attempts, especially mine, eliciting laughter but compassion and correction with a smile and hands-on touching by strangers that has Christian totally on edge but feels strangely familial to me and non-threatening.
Today as we wandered through the ruins of Pompeii so many emotions coursed through me, they were being both amazing and hauntingly beautiful but oh so overwhelmingly sad. Seeing whole families petrified and held in time has Christian squeezing my hand and reaching across to wipe a tear from my cheek, time and again until he stops and pulls me into his arms, holding me tight.
"Ana baby, are you ok, this is sad but you're taking it very personally, are you ok?" He repeats and I nod my head, completely bemused myself as to why it is upsetting me so much and then as I am about to suggest that we keep going, my stomach growls. "Well, on that note baby, it's time to eat." He says straightening, all his food issues coming to the fore and it doesn't matter that I want to see more.
"But we just ate," I attempt to say but I must admit I'm starving and the time has flown, it's nowhere near lunchtime but my appetite for the food of Italy seems to be insatiable, so I hurry alongside him as he practically pulls me back to our car.
The basket of goodies placed with a wink by Sawyer on the back seat is looked over by Christian, some snacks chosen and handed to me and he smiles as he says, "Just a snack, we're going to have a picnic lunch in just a little bit and we need some food left in the basket to do that," I can't devour it quick enough before leaning back against him, his hands moving down my top to brush away the crumbs and resting them on my stomach, he pulls me back against him and I can feel his lips smiling into my hair.
Taylor's POV
I hadn't realised how much stress we have all been under until I saw my twin Daniel and his relaxed face and body compared to mine and I decided that I would take this week and fully enjoy it. The Boss and Ana are in good hands with Daniel and with Gail in my hands I'm intending to make sure her interpretation of our honeymoon is more than "good"
It's not so surprising anymore for me to see the Boss with Ana showing positive emotion, when he walked Gail down the aisle I couldn't think of anyone better, he's an old man in a young man's body, having lived multiple lives in his short lifetime, many lives that no-one should ever have had to live and now starting a new one, hopefully a much happier fulfilling life.
I can't help but think about all the changes that have been wrought in our lives since that interview, his frantic efforts to find her when she went missing, his horror at finding her and pulling the car away from the tree, his reactions in the hospital, his realisation that Elena's influence on his life had been evil. Watching him fall in love when he didn't even realise it himself, having to learn about the gamut of emotions exposed when the whole family found out about his past. So much information that we all now know, that he'd hidden for so long but helped explain why he'd become the person he had, the hard angry but otherwise expressionless shell of a man and it's been a wonder to watch that shell being dismantled and him being rebuilt as a new man.
Watching him fall apart as he tried to control his jealousy, watching him grow as he had to consider someone else's emotions, not just his own needs and wants, realising the importance of saying sorry, especially screwing things up so badly for the worst four days of both of their lives and that time really testing my patience. Knowing that he realised then that Ana was the only thing worth having, the wealth, the gadgets, the companies meaning nothing if he couldn't have her.
Seeing his love and selflessness in the superhuman strength used to save Ana after the glider crash, his absolute despair when once again he hadn't protected her after Hyde's repeated assaults, when she, Grace and my beautiful Gail had been taken, his big realisation at the time that he was part of a family, really part of a family that extended past himself, that he was loved. That realisation was such a turning point, realising that he was loved, that he wasn't alone as he believe he was, he was loved, how important those three little words were and now revelling in that love, seeing him as a very different man, mostly around his family, always around Ana and in himself.
Every disaster was worth it, the only one that hurts though is Carla and at least with her family willing to accept Ana, finally some of those wrongs will be righted and the thought of that brings me back to where I am today, about to go to Italy to meet goodness knows what head on, another family… Two people who effectively had felt like orphans and fending for themselves suddenly finding that they are actually very important parts of a much bigger picture, the next week is going to be very interesting.. now though, it's Gail and I by ourselves, such bliss despite what has gotten us here, making me shake my head.
The reception, the Scottish isles, all beautiful but these few days with Gail alone in Paris, have been absolutely mind-blowingly amazing. Any prior trips have always been with the Boss, always on alert and usually in and out for business, any tourist visits had felt clinical with the man never showing emotion. Watching him absorb and experience things through Ana has been a revelation and I'm sure to him as well. It was beautiful watching him take Ana's photo, he never once told her to smile, each time he just said, "I love you" and the smile on her face was always beautiful and radiant and oh so genuine.
Similarly for me, the nuances of experiencing romantic Paris with Gail makes it a much more pleasant experience and her joy and freeness as well has had me asking her whether she wants a change. Her vehement response, the same as that time I asked in the hospital, that there is no way she'd want to change now is enough for me and then she floors me, "Especially as I'm sure that I'm going to be needed even more as there will be a little one on the way anytime now"
"What?" I nearly spit the drink I have in my mouth, "What do you know?"
Gail smiles at me as she nonchalantly shrugs, "Well with their frequency and every method of contraception still having a degree of failure, it's only a matter of time and secretly, I think they'd make great parents."
"It's not that, you think she already is? I know you, what aren't you telling me?" I say because there's a secret smile playing on her face.
She laughs at me as she pats the arm I have around her and leans back against me, "All I say is that when it happens, if it happens, well, it will happen, you and I have to be prepared for anything, you told me what she said when he proposed, you heard it on the security tape, we have to make sure she is supported and him too, who knows how he will react to pregnancy news.." And maddeningly she won't tell me what she is suspecting. I'll just have to keep a very keen eye out and be prepared for anything.
My thoughts are taken away from the conversation by my wife's nibbling lips up my neck and on my ear lobe, my beautiful wife and I think back fleetingly to my first marriage and how it was never built on the friendship and love that Gail and I share. Once again I thank my lucky stars that the Boss saw something in both of us and hired and kept us both and allowed our love to grow when he realised what was going on. No more thinking though, I have some more relaxation and pleasure to partake in and know I will have to hit the gym hard when we eventually make it home, especially with the week in Italy.
We have spent our time relaxing, a trip down to the Coast had Gail laughing and splashing like a young girl and making love in the sea was something I'd never try at home, but here in the warmth and where half the population on the beach is topless, it really was the natural thing to do. Holding Gail in my arms, feeding her the most delightful seafood freshly cooked, watching her swallow the oysters whole with a little lift of her eyebrow and that gorgeous smile has me adjusting her on my lap and burying my face in her shoulder, how did I get so lucky.
The Boss gave me the most extravagant budget and we haven't even touched the edges of it despite living it up in luxury the whole way. We have both fulfilled a dream of wandering around hand in hand through the streets of Monaco, marvelling at the architecture, Gail imagining that we were walking exactly where Grace Kelly walked and I repeatedly tell her that she is way more beautiful than Grace Kelly ever was, her shy smile still makes me feel like a fifteen year old boy and I hurry her back to the hotel.
Later, much later, I fulfil my dream of driving a Ferrari around the roads that make up the track of the Monaco Grand Prix, yes, I drive magnificent cars all the time for the Boss but this is something else, the history, the location, the roar of the Ferrari engine, Gail with a kerchief around her hair and one more thing is crossed off my bucket list.
Hmm life is good, now to have some fun in Italy.
The only bit of work the Boss would allow me was the details sent from Welch today on the last day of our holiday so that I'm ready. The fact that he's allowed Gail to stay I know is not just because she speaks Italian but as support for Ana when the full onslaught of an extended Italian family she didn't even know existed is unleashed on her.
Gail, who is a better mother to Ana than Carla has ever been is diligently reading the files with me so that she is prepared and can support as best as possible. Her murmurs as she reads have me pulling her tight against me "Oh the family has had a tough life but it seems the bad seeds might have been sown a long time ago" and then an exclamation, "Look, Carla had a younger sister, I wonder if she even knew about Ana, the excommunication from the family seems to have been complete and she doesn't live far out of Seattle...oh wow, Ana is going to have a lot to absorb."
Author's Note:
I am extremely busy at the moment and while I love writing, I just am struggling for time to write. I have come on and added this note on the 16th Sept 2015 to say, "The story is NOT finished, the story WILL continue." I apologise that my updating is no longer as frequent as it used to be and I appreciate all the readers that have read this far, at some point within the next couple of months, it's that busy for me, I hope to update again.
Please let me assure you, this story is not finished until I write the words "THE END."