Fifty Shades of Mutual Anxiety

Office Visit Goes Awry

Ana didn't feel like dressing up, but she hated going into Grey Enterprise Holdings in casual clothes — she was the CEO's wife after all. So she threw on a smart skirt — for easy access — and plain white blouse. Nothing fancy but the clothes were just going to be tossed into the corner anyway, she thought wryly, picturing her impatient husband clawing at them.

Hopefully he'll let her get a word in about her post-pregnancy concerns before he pounces on her, she smirked.

Ana kissed the top of Phoebe's head, gave Mrs. Winston a few final instructions and began to leave when the phone interrupted her.

"Hey Kate, I was just heading out to visit Christian at GEH. What's up?"

"A little office nookie eh?" Leave it to her best-friend-super-sleuth-reporter to hit the nail on the head.

"Kate your mind is always in the gutter," Ana laughed.

"Right there along with you," she shot back. "Am I wrong?"

Ana giggled. Kate was always a keen observer, especially when it came to bedroom matters.

"Hey aren't you at six weeks? Shit, you and Christian must just be getting back into the swing of things aren't you?"

Too keen. Ana wasn't in the mood to delve into the subject any further, so she dismissed Kate's unrelenting curiosity. "Sorry Kate I'm really running late..."

Undeterred, her sister-in-law pressed on. "Oh man I remember when Elliot and I started back up again after Ava. Rough going — everything felt different, you know? The shit babies do to your body that no one ever tells you about. We eventually got over it but he complained..."

"Kate," Ana interjected. "I'm really sorry but I've got to go. We still on for lunch on Saturday? Teddy misses Ava."

"Course. I was just calling to see if we could switch it to 1 o'clock."

"No problem," Ana replied. "You'll be late anyway. I'll see you then."

She hung up, her worries back in full force. Why the hell did Kate have to bring that up? But Ana wouldn't let her well-meaning friend's nonsense deter her from her mission, so she walked out the door before her resolve could waver.

Ana strolled into the vast lobby of GEH, still overwhelmed by its sheer scale, and was grateful to see a friendly face in Calvin, the sweet security guard she had grown fond of. Ana wasn't sure why Christian kept him on — he was nearing 80 and didn't offer any actual security — but she suspected it was because Calvin enjoyed the job and deep down Christian was a sentimental softie. No hearts and flowers my ass, she thought.

"Hello Mrs. Grey. Wonderful to see you. How are you?" he greeted her enthusiastically. He always made her feel at ease, like a caring grandfather. "How are the two little ones?"

"Tiring," she replied honestly. "But wonderful. I'm still getting used to having a newborn in the house again but I can't complain. How is Monica? Did she get the banana bread recipe I emailed her?"

"She certainly did and I have to compliment both you and my wife for making some of the best banana bread I've ever tasted."

"Glad to hear it. Tell her I still expect her to send me that secret barbeque recipe in return."

"I've been waiting 50 years for that one, so good luck," he joked as Ana headed toward the elevator, giving him a friendly wave.

She smiled to herself as she rode up the sleek elevator to the 20th floor. Calvin was a nice change of pace from the army of efficient blondes Christian usually employed.