I barely saw my husband for the next fortnight. Between a deal he and Ros were brokering with a Japanese firm, and Christian helping Elliot launch Grey Constructions Manufacturing, he was up at first light and didn't come home until late at night. I missed him, but I'd been doing my best to stay busy. I'd worked with Heather finishing orders and commissions for the new house, I attended playgroup, and today Grace and I took Teddy to Tiny Tots by the Symphony Orchestra which he adored; although not as much as Grace.
My mother-in-law was in her element, graciously greeting several of her society friends who also attended with their grandchildren. Saying hello to Judith, a pleasant-looking woman Grace was familiar with through the Seattle Grace Hospital Fundraising Committee, we sat with her group during the performance. Afterward Grace issued an impromptu invitation for Judith, her daughter and infant granddaughter to join us for lunch.
"The Mile High Club isn't far from here," Grace suggested sweetly. "Since you have the strollers, we could walk?"
"We'll never get a booking," Grace's friend Judith predicted. "It's always so busy there."
"Let me try," I said, pulling out my cell. A quick call later, and a table for four plus two high-chairs had been arranged.
"How did you do that?" Judith's daughter Sonia asked as we walked side by side pushing the strollers as Grace and Judith walked ahead, Sawyer, Clarke and Grace's CPO trailing behind us. "Mom has to book weeks ahead to go there, and I didn't even think the Mile High Club had high-chairs!"
"My husband's company Grey Enterprises Holdings owns it," I admitted with a small blush. "The first time we visited there with Teddy, Christian realized they had no highchairs, so he asked them to order some."
Sonia smiled at me and giggled. I looked at her inquisitively.
"I'm just trying to imagine the maître d' when he learned that request!"
Giggled as well, I smiled at Sonia. As one of Seattle's most exclusive fine dining restaurants, infants were not frequent visitors at the Mile High Club – until now! During the five-minute walk to the restaurant, I learned Sonia was twenty-three and lived in Kirkland. She'd recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend, and daughter's father, so she'd moved back from California to live with her parents.
"It's not too bad," Sonia said. "My parents have been a great help, especially since my ex is being difficult. Still, I can't wait to get back on my feet, get my own place and do things with people my own age and not my parents!"
Lunch turned out to be a pleasant affair. Sonia was fun to talk to, and we discovered Asha and Teddy had been born only four days apart. Like me, Sonia found it hard to meet other moms, so I wasted no time inviting her to join me at the Bellevue playgroup I took Teddy to. Looking over to where Grace and Judith chatted, I couldn't help but see a satisfied expression on both grandmothers' faces. So perhaps our meeting at Tiny Tots hadn't been so coincidental after all? I wasn't annoyed. If Grace and Judith had recognized Sonia and I needed a friend around our own age, and engineered a meeting, it was a kindness.
We were just considering whether to indulge in a dessert with our tea and coffee when my skin prickled, and a familiar feeling overcame me. I looked up, and saw Christian and Ros, along with some Asian businessmen I didn't recognize, exiting the owners' private suite. Our eyes locking across the restaurant, Christian said his goodbyes before coming across to our table.
"What a sight for sore eyes you are, Mrs. Grey," he said, leaning down to brush his lips across mine. Christian looked delicious in a navy suit and silver tie, and I appreciated I was the envy of almost every woman in the room. "Hey, buddy!" Christian continued, scooping Teddy out of the highchair. As soon as he'd heard Christian's voice, Teddy had started excited giggling. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who'd missed him!
"I didn't realize you would be here?" Christian said to Grace and me after dropping some kisses onto Teddy's copper curls. His hair had grown longer, and he looked more and more like his Daddy. The way he held Teddy, it was obvious Christian was very comfortable with our son. Anyone could see he was a true hands-on father.
"Christian!" Grace greeted. "What a lovely surprise! You remember my friend Judith Montgomery? And her daughter Sonia? Sonia has a little one Asha around the same age as Teddy. We met up at the Symphony this morning and thought we'd have a spot of lunch."
"We're just about to have dessert, if you can stay?" I asked hopefully. Christian had barely looked around when a waiter approach with an extra chair.
"I can. Actually, I'm finished for the week," he announced seating himself beside me, sitting Teddy in his lap facing him. "In fact, why don't I head home with you after we share a piece of the chocolate ganache cake?"
"Really?" I sounded giddy, but it was early Thursday afternoon and I'd missed my man!
"Really," Christian replied with a grin.
"I've given Gail and Taylor the weekend off," Christian announced when we walked into our home at Medina.
"Any reason?"
"I thought we might enjoy a quiet weekend alone just the three of us," Christian replied.
"Hmm," I murmured, stepping forward into my husband's embrace. "I like the sound of that!"
"Me too, baby," Christian cooed, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me tightly against him. "I've missed you and Teddy. This weekend will be just about us."
We spent the afternoon together on a sofa in the family room, playing with Teddy until I fed him then he fell asleep – after which Christian and I watched a movie and made out while Teddy slumbered in his bassinet beside us.
"I want to take you to bed," Christian groaned as I straddled his lap, rocking back and forth.
"I want that, too!" I whimpered.
Alas a waking baby put a halt to those plans.
"Duty calls, Mrs. Grey," Christian groaned, lifting me off his lap and onto the sofa beside him. "And you, Teddy bear, have the worst sense of timing!"
I picked Teddy up, ready to take him upstairs.
"I'll change Teddy then make dinner. What do you fancy?"
Not replying, Christian pulled out his cell, ordering a delicious meal from a local restaurant, then calling Reynolds in the security office, ordering him to collect it.
"I would have cooked," I mumbled as I climbed the stairs to Teddy's nursery.
"Nope. This weekend is all about us. What do you want to do?" Christian asked as he followed.
"Well... Perhaps we could spend the weekend at Escala?"
"We've only lived in Medina a few weeks and you want to go back to Seattle?" Christian asked, sounding confused.
"Not to stay. But maybe to play?" I left the words hanging in the air between us.
"You want to visit the red room, baby?" Christian asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind as I quickly changed Teddy into a dry diaper.
"I wouldn't say no..." I answered, sensing my cheeks blush. With the way Christian knew my body, and everything he did to me, I shouldn't be embarrassed in front of him. But telling my husband I wanted him to dominate me still embarrassed me.
"Did you want to go tonight?"
"No. Let's go in the morning."
I felt the warmth and light from the windows at Escala pouring into our bedroom. I sensed Christian wasn't in bed beside me. As my eyelids fluttered open, I looked around realizing I was, indeed, alone. Climbing out of bed and using the bathroom, I covered my nakedness with a robe, going next door to check Teddy's nursery. Finding that likewise empty, I walked downstairs to find Christian up and dressed, putting the final touches on breakfast.
"Did you cook?" I asked, eyeing the spread before me suspiciously.
"Afraid not, Mrs. Grey. But it turns out, Teddy and I are experts at ordering in." Christian looked so pleased with himself; it was very endearing.
It was different being back at the penthouse. In a short time Medina had become our home. While I loved Escala, and the memories Christian and I had created here, it seemed like we were visitors here, now. I sat opposite Christian, enjoying a splendid Eggs Florentine and a cup tea while he chowed down on a full cooked breakfast.
"You're eating a lot this morning," I commented, looking up at Christian from under my lashes.
"I worked up quite an appetite last night," he replied with a panty-dropping grin. Four hours in the playroom had left us sated but also exhausted. "So how do you want to spend today?"
The sun shining, it looked warm out. Teddy still too young to go on The Grace, it was nonetheless the perfect day to be outdoors, so I suggested a visit to the Pike Place Market then possibly the Aquarium.
"Mia and Ethan might like to join us," I added since we'd be close by Ethan's apartment. "They haven't seen Teddy in a while."
Christian's expression soured, before he nodded his head. He and Mia had been close before the fallout with Elliot and Kate.
"You call her," he stipulated. I kept a smirk from my face as I reached for my phone charging on the counter. My husband didn't want to be seen to be making the first move.
"Ana?" Mia answered sounding surprised.
"Morning Mia," I greeted, smiling as I watched Teddy reaching out to try to take food off his father's plate. At four months he was getting ready for solids. In fact, I would ask Dr. Blaine about it at his check-up next week. "We're staying at Escala for the weekend, and since it's such a nice day out we're planning to take Teddy down to the Pike Market or maybe the Aquarium. We thought if you and Ethan are free you might want to join us?"
"Oh. Um... Just give me a moment."
I heard Mia relay the offer to Ethan who reluctantly agreed. I was glad to learn my partner was not the only reticent male!
"Um... sure? It's always busy around here on a Saturday. Did you want to park at ours, and we can walk down?" Mia offered.
"Sure. We're just finishing breakfast, and I need to feed Teddy, so say in an hour?"
"Perfect! We'll see you then."
"I can't believe you talked me into this," Christian grumbled as we pulled up outside the apartment I'd once shared with Kate.
"She's your sister," I replied sternly. "You need to get things back on track." As pissed as I was with Ethan and Mia, Christian needed tough love to move past this. Parking being hard on a weekend around the market, Prescott and McIntyre traveled with us to Ethan's apartment. Strapping Teddy into his stroller, I buzzed and Mia and Ethan came downstairs.
"Oh! He's getting so big!" Mia squealed, going straight to the stroller to look at Teddy. Dressed in a cute pair of shorts and a mini button-up, he looked adorable – especially with the hat Christian had insisted on. He was sitting up and looking around, now, but when he fell asleep, I'd put his seat into the lay-back position.
"Can you believe he's nearly ready for solids?" I asked.
In my peripheral vision I saw Ethan and Christian shake hands. They didn't look friendly, but at least they weren't openly hostile.
"Shall we go?" I suggested. Christian and Ethan walked side by side in front, saying nothing, while Mia and I followed, me pushing Teddy. McIntyre and Prescott followed behind us, looking every bit the unlikely couple.
Mia kept up a steady stream of chatter as we walked toward the market. Looking at Ethan and Christian from behind, I had to stifle a giggle. Christian looked smoking in a pair of cargo shorts and a polo. Ethan, in a pair of rolled up chinos and a floral button-up looked like the archetype hipster metrosexual, the basket he carried only added to the vibe. He never used to dress that way, so I put it down to Mia's influence.
"We went to visit Grandpa Theo and Grandma Adele for dinner last night," Mia announced out of the blue, looking at me carefully.
"Oh? How are they? I haven't seen them since the BBQ."
"They're good. Ethan wanted to apologize for the way he talked to Gramps in Las Vegas."
"That's big of him." My inner Goddess shouted it too little, too late, but hey – we were all meant to be moving on from this.
"He's still furious about what happened, and how Kate was hurt, but he's starting to appreciate Eamon is the one who set everything in motion."
Too fricken right!
"Has he spoken to Eamon?" I asked, curious about how things would play out between father and son.
"No. Ethan talks with his mother, though. Melinda has gone to Europe. Prague, although she's about to head to Munich."
We'd arrived at the market, so conversation ended. During our walk, Teddy had fallen asleep, so I laid his stroller back, covering the top of his stroller with a light muslin wrap. Since he was facing me, I could lift the wrap and check on him, but it shielded Teddy from curious observation.
"Let's meet here in an hour," Christian suggested coming over to Teddy and me.
"Great idea," Ethan replied, sounding relieved as he addressed us all. "We will do some shopping, so we'll see you here at 12:30."
Splitting off and heading in separate directions, Christian, Teddy and I headed towards a bakery stall that boasted the best chocolate croissants I'd ever eaten. A favorite of mine, and once upon a time Kate's too, I insisted we needed to stock up. Once at the stall, Christian decided we also needed a loaf of their award-winning spelt bread.
"Mia told me she and Ethan visited your grandparents last night." I mentioned as we walked over to the flower stalls. I was vaguely aware of people noticing us and the occasional person photographing us on their phone. "Apparently, Ethan wanted to apologize to Grandpa Theo about his comments in Las Vegas."
"As he should," my husband snapped. "Gramps deserved better than Ethan's comments to him!"
Christian had outlined Ethan's comments to Grandpa Theo in Vegas, and they had disappointed me. The Ethan I'd known would not have been so discourteous to an older relative, which I suppose just proved how much the whole situation had affected him.
"Well according to Mia, they've made their peace," I soothed.
We walked around for an hour, Prescott and McIntyre trailing us and doing their best to appear inconspicuous. Prescott was even wearing a T-shirt and a long, printed cheesecloth skirt in an attempt to look more casual. One of the few times I'd seen her in civilian attire, I made a mental note to tell her how good she looked.
"Got everything you need?" I asked Mia and Ethan as we met near the front an hour later.
"Sure have," Ethan said with a smile, lifting his laden basket to show us their purchases.
"Let's get lunch then," Christian announced with an enthusiasm I recognized he didn't feel. He was still fucked off, although he did his best to conceal it.
After gourmet sandwiches at a nearby café, a bum change for Ted, a quick breastfeed in the corner, and we were on our way. More relaxed, now, we headed to the Aquarium. I'd expected Mia and Ethan to beg off after shopping, but they were into it – accompanying the three of us to the local attraction.
"I don't think I've been here since grade school," Mia tittered.
"I've never been here," Ethan admitted.
"Me either," I added, looking for any common ground.
Of course, Christian stepped up, paying the entry for us all. Teddy awake, Christian carryied him, and we'd dumped Ethan and Mia's basket in Teddy's stroller. Teddy was too young to appreciate his surroundings, but he enjoyed the colors, and giggled when Christian pointed to the bright fish swimming inches from his face as we walked through the underwater tunnel.
"I can't believe how relaxed Christian is," Mia commented. "I never thought I'd see my brother like this. He's so involved with Teddy."
"He has been since the moment Teddy was on his way," I said, thinking back to the party at Grace and Carrick's at Bellevue when I'd told Christian he would be a daddy.
"You're the best thing that ever happened to him."
"I think it's the other way around," I declared so softly Mia didn't hear me.
"Thank you for forcing me to see Mia and Ethan," Christian muttered as we were in the car with McIntyre and Prescott on our way back to Escala.
"You're not angry?" I asked, a little uncertain.
"Not at you," he replied with a small grin. "You're right. I need to move on and knowing Ethan apologized to Gramps makes me feel better about the situation. I still think he's a waste of space, though!"
We held hands, linked over the top of Teddy's car seat. It had been a busy day for him, and he was out for the count.
"What would you like for dinner?" Christian asked as we ascended in the elevator. While I was happy to make something for us to share, my husband seemed determined to order out.
"I'm not fussed," I admitted. I'd brought expressed breast milk over to Escala with me, so even if we did Chinese again, Teddy could enjoy a bottle of my milk without suffering the consequences of whatever I ate.
"I know what I want..." Christian declared.
Calling on his cell as soon as we reached the foyer, as soon as I heard Christian's order, I identified where he was calling. Canlis. My husband ordered the meals we'd enjoyed at our wedding reception.
"Really, Christian?" I said, trying to contain my exasperation. "It's Saturday night! They're probably busy as hell! The last thing they need to be doing is recreating our wedding reception meals!"
"But that's what I want to eat. They said they're happy to make them."
"And how much is that costing?" I snapped, annoyed at Christian's indiscriminate spending.
"No idea," he replied in a tone of voice that indicated he didn't care how expensive our meal was.
"Tell me that wasn't worth it," Christian challenged smugly as we sat opposite one another at Escala's dining table finishing our dinner. The same dining table Christian had made love to me on numerous occasions, I had to admit the meal was superb.
"I loved it," I crooned. Teddy was getting sleepy. He needed a bath, a feed and then bed. And then I'd have my husband to myself again. I wasn't averse to another night in the playroom, but I'd let Christian guide me. More often than not, these days, he preferred spicy vanilla.
Standing up, I was about to pick up Teddy from his highchair when Christian's cell rang. Uttering a curse which earned him a dirty look from me, he looked at the display. I knew he'd told everyone he was not to be contacted this weekend, so any call would be an emergency.
"It's Welch. He wouldn't ring unless it were urgent," Christian declared nervously.
I nodded in understanding. Since the DNA swab Christian had provided two weeks ago, we'd both been on tenterhooks wondering if or when Welch would have anything to report.
"Mr. Grey?" Welch asked as soon as Christian answered. My husband put his phone on speaker so we could both listen to what Welch had to say.
"Yes. You're on speaker and it's just Anastasia, Teddy and me."
Despite the gravity of the situation, I still smiled at Christian's inclusion of Teddy. We were a family of three, and it thrilled me Christian made sure people understood that.
"I'm ringing to let you know I've discovered a family match with your DNA. I need your direction on how to proceed."
"My mother?" Christian gasped, moving toward me and encircling Teddy and me in his arms.
"I have not looked that far, yet," Welch admitted. "Barney and I ran your DNA through several online databases. We have hits on some fifteen people who have a family match to you. Without digging further, it's hard to say how closely related they are, however, the initial reports suggest there may be half-siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins."
"I have siblings?" Christian asked.
"It is possible, sir." Welch responded, sounding absolutely petrified.
"What do you know so far?" Christian demanded.
"Nothing at all, other than most bear the family name O'Riley."
There was a pause as we stopped to consider Welch's words.
"Christian? This is probably a link to your birth family. Do you want Welch to look further?" I asked, voicing the question I knew Welch was too fearful to mention.
My husband stood before me, looking more lost than I'd ever seen him.
"Do I want to know?" Christian asked, tears on his cheeks.
"Do you?" I asked wiping the tears from his eyes and kissing him gently.
"Yes," he admitted, nodding once. "Yes. Find out what you can," he said louder, giving Welch his instructions.