Fifty Shades of Living

The Accident

(APOV)

We decide swimming back is just too exhausting. So we make our way up the side of the pier til we reach the sandy shore. Once again walking hand in hand, we head back to our chairs.

"Where have you two been?" Grace questions with raised brows.

All of a sudden I feel like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Before I can respond, Christian says,"We just took a swim and then checked out the beach."

I can't believe we got away with that.
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An hour later, Carrick has had enough and decides to head back to the room.

"Don't stay in the sun too long or you'll burn to a crisp!" Dad warns all of us with a pointed finger.

"Yes sir!" We all say in unison.

"Speaking of too much sun, you're starting to get red baby." Christian notices. "I forgot to grab the sunscreen, so I'm going to run up to the room and get it. You, my lady, stay right here in the shade. If you burn I won't be able to touch you."

"I promise. I'll stay put." I smile sweetly at him as he bends to kiss me.

"Be right back." And like that he's off to the room.

(EPOV)

"Come on Kate...you can't just lay around the whole time. Let's get up and do something ....anything!"

"Elliott, I'm just not in the mood to play in the surf or whatever it is that you want to do. I just wanna lay here, read my book and get a tan." Kate tells me in her no nonsense way.

Great. All I wanna do is have some fun. Maybe Ana might.

"Hey Ana, you wanna have some fun?"

"Huh?" She cocks her head at me.

"Come on...let's go down to the water. We can look for shells, splash around, you know have fun!"

"I can't Elliott. I promised Christian I would stay right here. He said I'm getting too red." Ana says apologetically.

Geez my brother has got to give up his control freak ways. I know.... I'll just grab Ana and drag her out. Then Christian can't blame her.

(APOV)

Before I know it Elliott comes over and grabs my wrists. Pulling, tugging and literally dragging me. My heels dig trenches in the sand.

"Come on Ana! You know you want to." Elliott laughs out.

"No, I can't. Christian will be back any minute."

Without any warning, Elliott picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I'm now begging and pleading with him to put me down. Just as he reaches the water and wades in past his knees, I look up and see my husband standing by our spot looking around desperately for me.

"Christian!" I call out.

Just as our eyes meet, I feel myself being thrown through the air and splashing down in the water. As I'm coming up for air, I feel a sharp pain hit my ankle.

"AAAHHH!!!" I scream out in pain.

"ANA!!" Christian yells in panic.

I'm struggling to get out of the water, tears streaming down my face. Elliott grabs my arm to help me up just as Christian reaches me.

"Let go of her!" Christian spits at Elliott. "What the fuck did you do?! It's ok baby, I got you."

In one swift motion I'm cradled in my husband's arms bridal style as he carries me up the shore. Pain is radiating through my body. I've never felt anything like it before. Through my tears I see Grace running over to us.

"It's ok darling girl. Just let me have a quick look." Grace says reassuringly.

"It hurts! It hurts so bad!" I cry out.

"I know sweetie. It looks like you may have been stung by a jellyfish." Grace accesses. "Christian, take Ana back to the hotel to the first aid clinic. They'll know the best treatment for her."

Christian turns and walks as fast as he possibly can with me in his arms taking me straight to the clinic.

"I need some help here!" He shouts. "My wife is hurt!"

"Hi there. I'm Scott. How can I help y'all?"

"My wife's hurt and in a lot of pain. My mom thinks she may have been stung by a jellyfish. Can you help her?" Christian pleas.

"Well let's take a look." Scott says as he looks down my leg.

"It's my ankle! It really hurts!" I cry out.

"No worries ma'am. We handle this sort of problem all the time. Yep! It looks like your mom was right. You've been stung by a jellyfish. See right here...see this whip like mark. That's where it got you."

"How long am I going to be in pain like this?"

"As soon as I wash off the infected area and start treating it, you should immediately start noticing the pain subsiding. Just don't scratch or rub it when it starts itching. That will only make it worse." Scott informs me.

Scott gets right to work. He grabs a huge bucket from the sink, and begins pouring it over my sting. The water in the bucket doesn't look clean. Scott tells me it's salt water. And that fresh water reactivates the stinger. Next he pours vinegar on it. Then he pulls out shaving cream and a razor. Seriously...he's going to shave my leg? He says this will remove any remaining attached bits of tentacles.

"Thank you so much. The pain is slowly starting to go away now."

"Well I'm also going to give you some hydrocortisone cream that will help with the itching."

"I can't begin to tell you again how thankful I am."

"No problem ma'am." He flashes his sweet southern smile.

I can see Christian is relieved too. Yet at the same time he looks like he could kill someone. And I have a pretty good idea who that someone is.