Fifty Shades After ii

Chapter 2: GreyVanagh Get-together

My eyes squint. The sunlight hits me and I quickly place my arm over my face. What time is it? I slowly try to sit up, but a force pins me down. James is quietly snoring, resting his head on my stomach. His glasses are off and his jacket is bundled up on the chair. I briefly get a glimpse of the young James. The one who used to call me Miss Phoebe and say things like me thinks. I giggle. Who am I kidding? He still does.

"Hey." I tap his nose with my index. "Wake up, sunshine." His nose crinkles and he swats my hand away. I bite my lip to hold in my laugh. James mumbles something incoherent and I pinch his bottom lip to make him talk. "Hey look at me. I'm so cool, I like pretending to climb balconies." I say in a deep voice. He groans and his eyes slowly open. "Hi." I smile. He gasps and jumps up, rolling off of my bed. "Crap, sorry!" He stands in double time and brushes himself off.

"I didn't know you talked in your sleep." I lie and his face reddens. "Wh-what did I say?" I laugh. "I don't know. I think it was in Mandarin or something." He exhales in relief. I stretch and stand from my bed. "I thought you'd be gone," I say walking to the closet and closing it behind me. "Uh, I can't do that. I'm a heavy sleeper." He clears his throat. I remove my shorts and top and pick out a small white lacy dress. I toss it on. "I figured," I say exiting the closet. I enter the restroom and french braid my hair up. "Are you staying over after all?" I call out. "I'm going home for a shower. I'll come back with Mom and Dad."

- "Hey, by the way, did you hear what happened?" I say exiting the restroom and searching for my suede buckle shoes. "With my grandpa? Yeah. Complete a-hole who thinks himself superior to everyone else. If Mom wasn't going, neither was I." He sounds cold and tough all of a sudden.

Ooh, la-la.

I remember how superior James used to act. It's amazing how time has changed him.

"Yeah. That's very cruel. Oh, speaking of which. Do you know how Grandma Grace is doing?"
- "Last I heard she was in New York with her friends. She seems to be getting better."
- "I'm glad. Grandpa and I were never close, but I really do miss him." I sigh buckling my shoes.

We both make way downstairs. James asks for the time and I say Eight-thirty. Mom and Dad probably left to work already. We enter the kitchen where Gail is making omelets and we sit on the island table. "Good morning, Phoebe dear. Oh! Good morning, James."

- "Hey, Gail." We say at the same time. "I'm gonna call Teddy. Hopefully, he can come later."

- "I doubt he'll answer. You know he doesn't like to be bothered during the weekends. It's his independent working time." I ignore James and speed dial Ted. At the fourth ring, he answers. "Hey, little lady." He speaks with a mouthful. "Oh, sorry. Am I disrupting your breakfast, Teddy?"

- "Not at all, baby doll." I giggle. "What's up?"

- "Nothing, I was just going to ask you if you were coming to dinner." He's quiet. "Yes, please." He whispers away from the speaker. "Um, I don't know, doll, I might not. I mean, I got a handful to take care of over here." I hear a sort of swatting sound. "Aw. Well, if you do finish your work quick, come over. I wanna see you."

- "I'll try." I can hear his smile. "Alright, I'll leave you to it."

- "Oh, and Phoebe?"

- "Yeah?"

- "You didn't happen to get a surprise visit from James last night, did you?" I stiff and slowly turn to James, who's happily eating his omelet. "Uh, why?" I say. "He called me. The kid was angsty last night. Worried sick about you for some reason." I feel my face heat up. "Funny. Well, see you soon, hopefully. Bye."

- "See ya, baby doll." He clicks.

I can already imagine James frantic on the phone with Ted.

"What'd he say?" James sips orange juice. "Nothing much, really. He said he has a lot to take care of, and he'll try to come."