And So I Ran - Complete

Chapter 54

I had so much to do at work before Friday, but when Gail rang and told me about Ana's meltdown, I knew I needed to come home. I hurried my meeting along, getting out of there as soon as I could, the whole time worrying about my girl. The press was still camped out the front of Grey House, and Escala, and for some reason that exacerbated my already spectacularly shitty mood.

I should have insisted Ana stay home today. She was three months pregnant, for God's sake – she didn't need this kind of stress. But even as I thought it, I appreciated that this would have happened no matter where she'd been today. My father had disrespected my fiancée and mother of my child. No wonder she was upset!

"She's asleep," Gail said as I stomped into the great room, discarding my jacket and briefcase on the sofa. "She was much better after she had something to eat and a good cry."

"She shouldn't be crying! This is meant to be a happy time," I growled.

"It's a challenging time for her, and then there are all the hormones, too. Sometimes a woman just needs to let go and cry."

I didn't want to wake Ana, so I plonked myself down at the breakfast bar.

"Is that mac and cheese I smell?"

"It is. Miss Steele requested it. I have some here if you'd like some?"

I nodded eagerly, so Gail plated a serve and passed it to me. I could see Gail looking at me as though she wanted to say something. That fact she was pausing made me realize I probably wasn't going to enjoy hearing it.

"Yes, Gail? I know you have something to say."

"Two things, actually. First, don't fall into the trap of thinking Ana will always be smiling. It sets a dangerous precedent for both of you. A happy marriage is not about making sure your partner is never sad, it's about supporting them and helping them work their way through things when they are."

I chewed slowly on my mac and cheese, turning Gail's words over in my head.

"I think that's the best marriage advice I've received so far, and I've been getting a lot recently. Thank you, Gail."

She nodded and continued. "Well, then I hope you like this one, too. Ana told me what happened with your father. Usually, I'd say let Ana fight her own battles, but this is something you need to resolve and before the wedding. I've grown to love that girl as if she were my own, and she doesn't deserve to have this hanging over her head on her wedding day."

Gail looked at me defiantly, all but challenging me to take exception to her words. The Christian Grey of six months ago would have fired her on the spot for daring to voice an opinion on anything to do with my private life. Now I appreciated that she cared enough to say what needed to be said.

"I know," I replied, dragging my hand through my hair for the umpteenth time that day. "I just don't know how. If I call him I'm going to lose it."