I caress her face. “I’m sorry. Okay?”
“Your poor mom, too. It was very moving, seeing you with her,” she says quietly.
“I’ve never seen her that way.”
Grace sobbing.
Mom.
Mom sobbing.
“Yes, that was really something. She’s normally so self-possessed. It was quite a shock.”
“See? Everyone loves you. Perhaps now you’ll start believing it.” She kisses me. “Happy birthday, Christian. I’m glad you’re here to share your day with me. And you haven’t seen what I’ve got for you tomorrow, um, today.”
“There’s more?” I’m astonished. What more could I possibly want?
“Oh yes, Mr. Grey, but you’ll have to wait until then.”
She cuddles up to me and closes her eyes, and in moments she’s asleep. I’m amazed at how she can fall asleep so quickly.
“My precious girl. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to make you worry,” I whisper, and kiss her forehead. Feeling more content than I’ve ever felt in my life, I close my eyes.
Ana, burnished hair and broad smiles, is with me in Charlie Tango.
Let’s chase the dawn.
She laughs. Carefree. Young. My girl.
The light around us is golden.
She’s golden.
I’m golden.
I cough. There’s smoke. Smoke everywhere.
I can’t see Ana. She’s gone in the smoke.
And we’re diving down. Down.
Hurtling fast. In Charlie Tango.
The ground is coming up to meet me.
I close my eyes, waiting for the impact.
It never comes.
We’re in the orchard.
The trees are laden with apples.
Ana smiles, her hair free and wafting in the breeze.
She holds out two apples. A red apple. A green apple.
You choose.
Choose.
Red. Green.
I smile. And take the red apple.
The sweeter apple.
Ana takes my hand and we walk.
Hand in hand.
Past the alcoholics and addicts outside the liquor store in Detroit.
They wave and hold up their brown paper bags in salute.
Past Esclava. Elena smiles and waves.
Past Leila. Leila smiles and waves.
Ana takes my apple. She bites into it.
Mmm…tasty. She licks her lips.
Delicious. I love it.
I made it. With Grandpa.
Wow. You’re so capable.
She smiles and whirls around, her hair flying.
I love you, she cries. I love you, Christian Grey.
I wake, startled by my dream. But, I’m left with a sense of contentment, when normally I’m terrified of my dreams.
The Anastasia Steele effect.
I grin and look around. She’s not in bed. Before I get up, I check my charged phone. I have too many messages, mostly from Sam, but I don’t want to deal with him just yet. I switch off my phone and pick up my keychain to examine it once more.
She said “Yes.”
That wasn’t the most romantic proposal.
She’s right. She deserves better. If she wants the hearts and flowers shit, then I need to step up. I have an idea, and Google a florist near my parents’ home. They’re not yet open so I leave a voice mail.
Shit. I’m going to need a ring. Today.
I’ll deal with that later.
In the meantime, I go looking for Ana. She’s not in the bathroom. I wander toward the living room and hear her voice. She’s talking to her friend. I pause. And listen.
“You really like him, don’t you?” José says.
“I love him, José.”
That’s my girl.
“What’s not to love?” José says and I think he’s referring to my apartment.
“Gee, thanks!” Ana exclaims, sounding hurt.
What an asshole.
“Hey, Ana, just kidding.” José tries to placate her. “Seriously, I’m kidding. You’ve never been that kind of girl.”
No. She’s not. You dick.
“Omelet good for you?” she asks him.
“Sure.”
“And me,” I state, striding into the kitchen, surprising them both. “José.” I greet him with a nod.
“Christian.” José returns my nod.
Yeah. I heard you, you fucker, disrespecting my girl.
She’s giving me an odd look. She knows what I’m doing. “I was going to bring you breakfast in bed,” she says. I saunter over to her, in front of the photographer, tilt up her chin, and kiss her, long, hard, and noisily.
“Good morning, Anastasia,” I whisper.
“Good morning, Christian. Happy birthday.” She gives me a shy smile.
“I’m looking forward to my other present,” I state, and she blushes and looks nervously in Rodriguez’s direction.
Oh. What does she have planned?
Rodriguez looks like he’s swallowed a lemon.
Good.
“So what are your plans today, José?” I ask, keeping it polite.
“I’m heading up to see my dad and Ray, Ana’s dad.”
“They know each other?” I frown at this new tidbit of information.
“Yeah, they were in the Army together. They lost contact until Ana and I were in college. It’s kinda cute. They’re best buds now. We’re going on a fishing trip.”
“Fishing?” He really doesn’t look the type.
“Yeah—some great catches in these coastal waters. The steelheads can grow way big.”
“True. My brother Elliot and I landed a thirty-four-pound steelhead once.”
“Thirty-four pounds?” José says, and he seems genuinely impressed. “Not bad. Ana’s father, though, he holds the record. A forty-three-pounder.”
“You’re kidding! He never said.” But Ray wouldn’t brag. That’s not his thing, just like his daughter.
“Happy birthday, by the way.”
“Thanks. So, where do you like to fish?”
“All around the Pacific Northwest. Dad’s favorite is the Skagit.”
“Really, that’s my dad’s favorite, too.” I’m surprised yet again.
“He prefers the Canadian side. Ray on the other hand prefers the American.”
“Lead to some arguments?”
“Sure, after a beer or two.” José grins and I settle in beside him at the kitchen counter. Maybe this guy’s not such a dick.
“So your dad likes the Skagit. What about you?” I ask.
“I prefer coastal waters.”
“You do?”
“Sea fishing is harder. More exciting. More of a challenge. I love the sea.”
“I remember the seascapes in your exhibition. They were good. By the way, thanks for dropping those portraits off.”
He’s embarrassed by the compliment. “No problem. Where do you like to fish?”
We discuss at length the merits of fishing in rivers, in lakes, and at sea. He’s passionate about it, too.
Ana makes breakfast and watches us—happy, I think, that we’re getting along.
She pops a steaming omelet and a coffee on the counter for each of us, and sits down beside me to eat her granola. Our conversation segues from fishing to baseball, and I hope we’re not boring her. We talk about the upcoming Mariners game—he’s a fan—and I realize that José and I have much in common.