Fifty Shade Forever

Goodbye Mrs Steele

Her eyes could not meet his as if they were being forced away by some magnetic resistance. Or maybe it was the internal tug-of-war between her heart and her brain. She couldn't think. Not when every fleeting thought would assault her again and again without fully forming into rationality. Or when she could hear the voices of their long lost security team at Grey Holdings. or when Theo kept calling "mommy, mommy."

"Stop the Car Taylor," Ana begged softly.

"Pardon Ms Steele." 

At the sound of her maiden name which was supposedly no longer her name, she screamed, "Stop the damn car, Taylor!"

Everything went silent, and as Taylor drove idly into a space at the curb, Ana threw open her door, slammed it, and let the past 30 minutes projectile from her. 

Christian cursed from inside the car and quickly rounded it to get to her. Putting himself between her and the car, shielding her from the children, he pulled her hair back and rubbed her back as she shook with an emotion that frightened him.

"Fuck, Anastasia talk to me whats wrong?"

She just shook her head and held her neck refusing to look at him. Shrugging out of his hold she walked a few paces until she made it to the convince store, grabbing a bottle of water and sipping its contents down.

"Hey lady, you gotta pay for it!" the man a the desk said. 

At that moment Christian entered the store and Ana finally looked at him. His gaze was unreadable, perhaps because he always seemed to be an extension or reflection of her feelings. "That's okay," she said dryly. "My husband is going to pay for it." She looked Christian up and down. No love and no hate in her gaze. Just an emptiness. 

She made her way back to the car where both children had become completely silent. She had assumed Taylor had told them to be kind to her and give her peace. And while she felt bad she was almost ignoring them, she needed space and a moment to collect herself. Which was considerably difficult when she had to remain within the same space as the person she needed to get away from. 

Instead of the back seat, Ana took up front with Taylor, and while giving a disapproving look, Christian took a seat in the back without a word. 

The car ride back home was fraught with tension, the silence thick enough to cut with a knife. Ana stared out the window, her mind swirling with thoughts and emotions she couldn't fully process. The revelation that Christian hadn't officially filed for divorce hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her feeling betrayed and disoriented.

As they pulled into the driveway, Ana took a deep breath, preparing herself for what lay ahead. The children, blissfully unaware of the turmoil, were eager to get inside. Phoebe, in her innocence, asked, "Mommy, can you and Daddy tuck me in for my nap?"

Ana's forced smile barely masked her frustration. "Not right now, Phoebe. Mommy needs her own nap." She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth, but the weight of the situation pressed down on her, and her patience was wearing thin.

Christian, sensing Ana's distress, attempted to diffuse the tension. "Phoebe, Daddy will tuck you in today, okay?" he said, his voice gentle.

Phoebe's eyes widened, sensing an underlying tension but not understanding its source. "Why, Mommy? Can't you and Daddy tuck me in together?"

Ana's chest tightened at Phoebe's innocent question, her frustration bubbling beneath the surface. She fought to keep her voice steady. "Sweetheart, Mommy and Daddy just need some time to talk. We'll tuck you in later, okay?"

Phoebe pouted, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but nodded reluctantly. "Okay, Mommy."

As they entered the house, Theo, always perceptive, shot Ana a questioning look. "What's going on, Mom?"