The audible sound of the lock disengaging had him sucking air into his lungs. He swore there was visible evidence of the act as he snatched the door open before the locks engaged again.
He took the stairs, avoiding the elevator. He needed the few minutes he would gain to compose himself. He didn't get a chance to knock before the door swung open. Elliot stood there, a look of surprise and guarded suspicion etched across his face.
"Christian," he said, his tone flat but laced with an undercurrent of tension. "What are you doing here?"
"I was hoping we could talk," he replied, his voice steady despite the churning of emotions within him. After a beat, Elliot stepped aside, allowing Christian into the apartment. He'd never been to Elliot's apartment; worse, he didn't even know where his brother lived. He had to ask Welch to find the information for him. He remembered the cramped one-bed apartment Elliot used to live in. He'd lived there for a few months when living at home became difficult because Carrick was still fuming about him having dropped out of Harvard. This place was beautifully decorated; a worn brown leather couch faced a fireplace. Elliot loved his sports, so the lack of TV surprised him; then, he noticed the projector hanging from the ceiling. This kitchen took up the back wall; it was the same kitchen as Ana's, with the same layout and design.
Elliot crossed his arms, his posture defensive. "Talk? After years of silence?" His words had an edge, a sharpness that brought Christian's attention back to his brother.
"I know I've made no effort...," Christian began, his heart racing as he searched for the right words.
"The truth is I don't know how to do this. I can't dispute a single thing you said. You guys were never a priority. For one reason or another, you needed to be kept at arm's length. I have no reason now, but I realize I don't know how to be a son or a brother." Elliot took the beer; Christian had forgotten he was holding them.
"Sit down." Elliot groused as he put the beer in the fridge, slamming the door shut. "How fucking hard is it to pick up the goddamn phone and ask, 'How are you?' Seriously. I'm asking. You cannot be so far gone that you can't even do the bare basics." Elliot was stood by the fridge screaming.
"I can't remember the last time I asked anyone that question." He admitted, sounding surprised by his own admission. He truly couldn't remember the last time he'd asked anyone how they were. He was sure he had but just couldn't remember.
"We aren't anyone, Christian," Elliot murmured, still standing by the fridge.
Christian finally looked up at his brother. "How are you?"
Elliot's reaction was not what he expected. His brother let out a choked sob and leaned against the fridge. "I asked Kate to marry me." Christian hadn't expected that response either.
"What did she say?" He stood slowly.
"Yes, of course," Elliot said with a scoff. "We've been in a committed relationship for over two years. Of course, Kate said yes." To his surprise, Christian matched toward him and pulled him into a firm hug before he could react.
"Congratulations, Lelliot… I couldn't be happier for you." Chrisitan held on. "Motherfucker hug me back." Slowly, Elliot's hand wrapped around his brother as he let out a strangled chuckle.
"I don't expect it to be easy," Christian said, stepping back and locking eyes with Elliot. "But I'm here, and I want to prove that I can be the brother you deserve. I'm done keeping you at a distance; I'm done running away."
Elliot sighed, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "Alright. But don't expect me to trust you right away. It's going to take time."
"I'll earn it," Christian promised, the determination in his voice unwavering. Just give me the chance." Elliot nodded slowly, the tension between them beginning to ease. "Alright. Let's start with lunch. Mom and Dad are coming over on Wednesday. You should come. I'm going to try and see if I can get Mia to come as well." He added, unsure. If anyone was going to be harder to win back, it would be Mia.
"Well, I will be there," Elliot said, easing some of his brother's anxiety.
As they moved into the living room, Christian couldn't help but feel a sense of hope building within him. He had a long way to go, but this was the first step in reclaiming the family he had walked away from.
But deep down, as he glanced at Elliot, he knew that the road ahead would throw up the occasional challenge; surprisingly, he felt ready for it.
"Do you want a beer," Elliot suggested, breaking the silence and pulling Christian from his thoughts.
"Yeah, I think I will have one." As his brother entered the kitchen, a sense of cautious optimism began to settle in.
Come Wednesday, the sureness he felt after his interactions with Elena and the afternoon spent with Elliot seemed to slip away, leaving him feeling uncertain. The nerves that had began to quietly creep in were now starting to take hold, gnawing at him with each passing moment. He spent the morning trying to immerse himself in work, but the more he attempted to focus, the harder it became. Emails that should have been straightforward felt like intricate puzzles, and after a while, he found himself staring blankly at the screen, giving up entirely on work. In a bid for distraction, he wandered to the kitchen, where he watched Gail prepare sandwiches. He focused on her movements; they were methodical and unexpectedly calmed his nerves.
"Can I help?" He asked.
As he stood next to her, meticulously arranging the sandwiches on a serving platter, the soft chime of the elevator announced his family's arrival. "Hey guys, good to see you all," he called out, keeping his head down as he finished arranging the last of the sandwiches. Christian took a moment to compose himself, wiping his hands on a dish rag before striding towards the entrance with an air of confidence that he hoped masked his anxiety.
"Anything else, Mr. Grey?" Gail asked.
"Thanks, Gail, that will be all," Christian replied, smiling.
"Mia… it's great to see you all… thanks for coming." His gaze drifted over to Grace, who was inspecting the picture wall with a fond and surprised expression. The rest of the family soon joined her, their attention drawn to the collection of memories.
"Wow," Mia whispered, her voice filled with awe.
"Ahh yes, Christian's picture wall," Elliot teased, his playful tone breaking the momentary reverence. "Speaking of pictures… where's Ana's painting? You guys have to see it. I want your honest opinions." Elliot's excitement had Christian's shoulders dropping in relief.
"It's in my office. It loo—"
"Don't say anything!" Elliot exclaimed, stepping forward to slap a hand over his brother's mouth in a playful but desperate attempt to prevent him from revealing too much. Christian stuck his tongue out, and Elliot quickly pulled his hand away, looking mildly disgusted.
"Seriously, dude, that's disgusting," Elliot grumbled, wiping his palm on Christian's shirt as he recoiled. Without thought, he ran his palm right down Christian's chest. The lack of a reaction from Christian did not go unnoticed by the rest of the family.
"Well, let's see this painting then," Mia said, her voice steady despite her dismay at Elliot touching Christian's chest, and he not even flinching.
"Yeah, this way," Christian said, leading them to his office. The painting was prominently displayed on the wall facing his desk, surrounded by various pictures from events hosted by GEH over the years.
"Oh, that is a beautiful painting of you. Ana really is talented," Grace observed softly, stepping closer to admire the artwork. "It's really beautiful," she added, her voice barely above a whisper.
"That's not him," Elliot said with a cheeky grin.
"Of course, it's him," Carrick interjected for the first time, his tone serious. Christian could see the tension in his father's face, a familiar expression that indicated Carrick was doing his utmost to contain his anger.
"No, it's not. I needed a way to meet Ana, and I hired some dealers to find me a suitably destroyed painting. This is what they found," Christian explained, his eyes fixed on the canvas.
"Who is he?" Mia asked.
"I have no idea. Ana sent pictures and samples of the canvas to a friend, but so far, he hasn't found anything about the sitter," Christian replied with a shrug. "Anyway, come on before the sandwiches get cold and soggy."
He placed the platter on the center table in the living room, along with a jug of iced tea. "So, Mia, how are you? How's work?" he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"I'm actually doing rather well. The pastry chef quit—well, he quit before he could be fired," she chuckled, the sound lightening the mood. "Ms. Ferland was afraid to fire him even though he turned up for work when he felt like it. Then he didn't show up on Saturday, and I asked Ms. Ferland if I could give it a go. She said she had nothing to lose and told me to have at it. Long story short, I'm now the new pastry chef."
"Congratulations, Mia," Christian beamed at his little sister, genuinely proud of her achievement.
"Indeed," Grace added with a chuckle.
"What was Elena Lincoln doing at GEH on Monday?" Carrick blurted out, his fury unmasked. Knowing the reason for Carrick's anger put a smile on Christian's face.
"I did tell you Ana had her home bugged, right?" Christian replied, his gaze shifting between the concerned faces of his family. They nodded. "Well, the bugs were planted so they'd know how to… relieve her of her possessions. After her stylists were poached by Belle's, her finances took a hit, and naturally, it made the banks nervous; they threatened to call in her loans. With no other options, she sold everything, and I mean everything. In the end, the only thing left in her house was her sofa, bed, and some clothes. Afraid the banks would take the money, she kept it in her safe, and a few hours later, she was robbed. Oh, and she'd canceled her home contents insurance because she had nothing to insure."
"This is what led her to ask you for money?" Carrick asked, his tone incredulous. Christian's smile at his question made it clear that Elena's reason for being at GEH was not what he thought.
"Yes," Christian said, taking a sip of his iced tea. "Thanks to Ana, that didn't pan out. She sold her house, and Ana had that money stolen two weeks later too." He chuckled.
"So, that's what she meant by Elena not getting the money," Elliot laughed, shaking his head at Ana's genius.
"When she asked me for money, she told me the banks had taken the three properties that housed Esclava. I knew something about that didn't add up, and well, I was right. At first, I thought Ana had something to do with that, but she told me she didn't have that much power. Then she informed me Elena was quietly trying to sell them."
"The bitch still had the properties but couldn't advertise them because of the lie she'd told you," Carrick interjected, his voice filled with disdain.
"Yep," Christian replied, his smile growing wider. "Even better, something occurred to me that night and I had Welch dig through some files. I still own those three properties. Had Elena found a buyer, she would have quickly realized that she did not own the buildings. I was going to have legal send a letter warning her to stay away from me and GEH. In fact, they still did late Monday. Welch had informed me that she was selling Esclava's contents. With all her money gone, it was how she was paying her bills. I asked her to come to GEH because I needed her out of the way when I had Esclava emptied and the locks changed." Everyone's jaws dropped in shock. "I'm sure by now she has realized I now know the truth," he added, looking smug as fuck.
"So, she's broke. This is her worst nightmare," Grace giggled, her laughter infectious.
"Not as broke as I would like," Christian groused. "She'd paid two years' rent upfront before Ana got her money. She's renting a condo five minutes from here. She tried renting a spot on the seventh floor here but couldn't secure the necessary references."
"Yeah, she's paid rent, but what of condo and maintenance fees? That's a whole different ball game. Anything around here, you are looking at five hundred to a thousand dollars a month in condo fees. Add another three hundred to five hundred for maintenance fees. She hasn't got that kind of money. If anything, that fucking wench has thrown her money away paying rent upfront," Elliot said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Ana is right; this sandwich is downright tasty," he added, taking another large bite.
"I would like a copy of that picture," Grace pointed to a framed photo of Christian and Elliot holding up a large bass. The family had taken a road trip to California, spending a memorable day fishing at Clear Lake. It was the summer before Elena had first sunk her hooks into Christian. After all the sandwiches were gone, Grace returned to inspecting his picture wall.
"I would have thought you of all people, would have a copy," Christian said, nonchalantly throwing an arm over his mother's shoulders.
"I did. Remember that insane ball of fur the Connors called a dog?" Grace nearly growled, her eyes narrowing at the memory.
"Who can forget that lunatic?" Elliot piped up, laughter bubbling in his voice.
"That thing was a menace. It should have been put down long before it was," Carrick jumped in.
"Yeah, if it wasn't for Christian, that dog would have killed me," Mia added.
"In the end, it damn near killed their son," Christian recalled, a shiver running down his spine as he remembered that horrific day.
"The one and only time it was in our home. It snatched that picture off the table, and that was that," Grace muttered angrily. "I was putting the pictures of our vacation in an album, and before I knew it, it was shredded. I told myself I had the film and would get another copy made, but I never got around to it. Can't tell you where the film is now," she added.
"I will print a copy for you," he murmured.
"Hey." His relief and happiness were evident, not that he was trying to hide it.
"I take it it went well," Ana laughed.
"I expected them to stay for an hour or two if I was fortunate enough, but they just left." It had just gone nine when his family left.
"What! Don't you people have work in the morning?" Ana teased, her voice light and playful. "I'm glad it went well," she added, her genuine happiness for him warming his heart.
"Yeah, you and me both. We still have a long way to go, but as long as I keep this up, we will get there," he sighed. "My dad is either having me followed or has someone at GEH keeping an eye on me for him." He hadn't intended on telling her.
"Why?" Ana's incredulity was evident in her tone.
"He knew Elena was at GEH on Monday. I checked, and I'm having Welch check as well, but there are no pictures of her outside GEH on Monday." He knew there were a few paparazzi camped outside after he was spotted that morning.
"Wow," Ana whispered. "And how do you feel about that?"
"Honestly, I don't care. If that is what he needs to do to help him deal, then that's what he needs to do. I know out of everyone, he feels the most guilty about Elena," Christian shrugged, even though Ana couldn't see him.
"Elliot told me about the elevator key," Ana said, the amusement in her voice making him smile.
"Of course, he did." He had given Elliot an override key for his elevator on Monday. "I gave each of them a key. Hearing how devastated my mom was after I put them on the prescribed list… I couldn't think of anything else to do. I think giving her a real hug goodbye did more than the key, though," he admitted.
"Being able to hug you, a physical act, a tangible connection. If there was ever going to be an act that screams 'I am getting my son back,' that was it," Ana said, her words resonating deeply with him.
"It looked that way," Christian admitted, a smile creeping onto his face. "I would like to book a weekend with you," he added, laughing lightly.
"I'm not so busy these days that you have to book one. Saying that, I am busy this weekend. I'm visiting the parentals, so next weekend?" Ana suggested.
"Next weekend is great." He hesitated momentarily before adding, "Would you like to meet me, or I can pick you up?"
"Depends on the time," Ana murmured, her curiosity piqued.
He hesitated again. "Five in the morning," he said, holding his breath, bracing himself for her reaction.
"You want me to get up at five on a Saturday morning?" There was a coldness in her tone which sent a shiver down his spine. Elliot had warned him about this, yet he found himself unprepared for the response.
"I promise you, it will be worth it," he said earnestly, hoping to convince her.
"It better be," she threatened, but her voice had a hint of amusement. "I will send you my address." With that, she ended the call. He didn't give a fuck that she had abruptly ended the call without so much as a goodbye, especially when a text came through with her address.
One word encapsulated his day: Progress.