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Thursday, June 9, 2011
I wake in Ana's—well not Ana's bedroom. The light is streaming in through the vast window. I am strewn across the bed and the iPad is open. The battery is low. I chuckle. Since Ana has left, I have awoken on splintered glass, in the playroom, on my sofa, and now in this room. I seem to recall only spending only two sleepless nights in my own bed. I lay for a moment longer, watching the curtains dance lazily in the slight breeze from the open window. It is a mesmerizing motion, almost like a ritual dance. Like two lovers embracing.
I glance at my watch and see that it is after 6 a.m. I groan and wipe my hand over my stubble and over my eyes. I inhale a deep breath and realize that I need to start my plan on how to make things right with Ana. Christ, I'm nervous as hell, but I am also aching to see her.
Getting up, I grab Ana's iPad and head to my room. I place her device to charge as I take my shower. The shower is the best place where I like to think. I probably make most of my business decisions in the shower. I close my eyes. The scalding water feels good on my back. Today is the day that I try to win Ana back. John and I have spoken of goals and that my main goal is to get Ana back. Well, time's come to implement it: Ana said she wants 'more'. Done. I will get her to clarify what 'more' is and what her needs and wants are. She will have to communicate them to me. I know that I will most likely have to offer the vanilla option first to get her to trust me—and to trust us. The simple decisions are sometimes the hardest to make: I want her back and I will sacrifice everything to get her. I want her any way that I can get her—even if my needs take a back seat.
In the kitchen Gail is doing the finishing touches on breakfast. She passes me the plate of scrambled eggs and toast. After I'm done eating, I ask Gail where the wrapping paper is kept. She cocks her head and smiles when she sees the iPad. She leaves the room and moments later, enters with a roll of beautiful thick silver wrap. She pulls scissors and clear tape from a utility drawer. Like choosing the flowers, I want to wrap this myself. I put the iPad and charger cord neatly back into the slim white box. I take the personalized note I had made earlier and slipped it between the glass and the case, ensuring that she will see the note when she opens the leather case. I close the iPad box and slide the wrap under it. I stare at this for a moment. This can't be too hard. I cut the paper to size, but I am dumbfounded where to go from here. I lift an end and loosely place it over the box, remove it and try the same with the other end of paper. Christ, this is not rocket science. I move the paper again. I slide my finger down and get a paper cut. Jesus! How could something so small hurt so bad? Then I remember the small cuts from laying in glass. Those hurt too...
“Shall I wrap this for you, Mr. Grey?” Gail asks, seeing my painfully obvious inexperience with wrapping. My hands are all thumbs and I can't seem to get a square corner on the paper. There is a trickle of blood from the cut and Gail hands me a small, clear bandage. I acquiesce and step away from the counter. I snicker. I guess that being a business mogul does not pull from a skill-set which includes gift wrapping. And here I thought that I could do everything... I apply the bandage while I watch Gail perform the most beautiful and precise wrapping. Who even has the ability to put 'hospital corners' on a wrapped box? Apparently she can.
Gail smiles and passes me the box. I take it, the Blackberry and the MacBook Pro and insert them in a larger gift box.
It is now 7:00 a.m. I summon Taylor. “Please notify Sawyer that I will be keeping him on staff and to continue his surveillance on Ana.” Taylor nods. “Also, we are leaving in ten minutes.”
YOU ARE READING
Five Days of Perpetual Night
FanfictionDid you ever wonder how Christian spent those five tortuous days without Ana? Did she miss him? Follow Christian as he tries so hard to overcome his sadness as well as finds the courage to try and win her back!