Thanksgiving

Chapter 13

After a long night of restlessness laced with flashes of an angry Christian's look of horror and being constantly woken up by the excruciating pain in my foot, I have never been happier to hear my alarm even though I hadn't gotten any sleep. Christian never came back to bed. Not sure where he ended up, and part of me was ok with that because at some point during the night I had balled his pillow up and shoved it under my foot thinking elevation would help.

I turn off my alarm, pull the blankets back from myself, and swing my feet over the edge. Without thinking, I stand up and the pain in my foot shoots throughout my whole body. I scream in pain nearly falling to the floor. I look down at my foot as I sink back onto the bed and see an angry, reddish... purplish... bluish... swollen form staring back at me. It looks like an eggplant with 5 small bumps attached to it. Damn, why does Christian always have to be right?

Ok, self, you have to go to the bathroom... let's get this done. I can't even convince myself but if I don't get a move on, I'm going to have more problems than I started with. I get up and find that I can kind of sort of step ever so gingerly on my right heel. I hobble/hop to the bathroom as fast as I can and decide maybe a nice warm shower will help. I'll be able to sit on the ledge and keep my weight off my foot. While the water warms, I find some extra strength pain medicine in the cabinet and take 3. Half an hour later, I emerge from the bathroom clean, dressed in a sweater, and a knee-length skirt. The thought of putting my foot through a pant leg makes me cringe. I find that I'm in just the same amount of pain – if not more – than when I went into the bathroom. The clock says it's 8:30am. I haven't heard from my children or Christian who are usually up by now. The pain in my foot is throbbing. I've stubbed my toes before, but never had so much pain. I know this is more than just a simple stubbing.

I hobble into the hallway and I can feel the tears in my eyes. I need to check on my children, but I'm not sure I can get that far down the hallway in my current state. I step back into the bedroom and push the page button hoping someone would be near another intercom and reply. "Is anyone there?" I say. Nothing but silence. Seriously? This place is like Grand Central Station any other day. I push the button again and say "Miss Evelyn?" I inhale through my teeth as I put too much weight on my heel. "Christian?" I beg. Tears begin. I need to get to an ER.

"Mrs. Grey?" I hear Miss Evelyn's angelic voice.

"Oh thank god," I say into the intercom. "Where are you? Where are my children?"

"We are all downstairs, sweetheart. Can I help you?"

"Where is Christian?" I ask.

"He's left for work already, ma'am. He was gone before we got up. When I was coming down the hallway to the first level, I peeked into Phoebe's room just as she was stirring, so I got her up and Ted came in, so we all just came downstairs. We have breakfast ready for you, ma'am."

"Miss Evelyn, where are Sawyer and Bryan?"

"I'm not sure, ma'am. Do you need them?"

I start bawling, so many emotions are stirring in my head right now. The horrendous pain from my foot, the argument last night, the fact that Christian left without saying anything, not being able to get anyone on the intercom. Just then I hear the front doorbell ring. OH THANK GOD! I scream in my head. "Miss Evelyn, if that is Mia and Kate, please send Kate upstairs as soon as she gets in."

"Yes ma'am."

I grab the chair that resides along the wall and pull it to me and sit so I can reach the intercom if necessary. Moments later, Kate appears at the door. She looks at me, I'm sure I'm the absolute picture of all things feminine and beautiful as tears stream down my face.