Subject:What you said in your sleep

Date:June 2 2011 20:20

To:Anastasia Steele

Anastasia

I’d rather hear you say the words that you uttered in your sleep when you’re conscious,

that’s why I won’t tell you. Go to sleep. You’ll need to be rested with what I have in mind

for you tomorrow.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Oh no… What have I said? It’s as bad as I think, I’m sure.

My mother hugs me tightly.

“Follow your heart, darling, and please, please – try not to over-think things. Relax

and enjoy yourself. You are so young, sweetheart. You have so much of life to experience

yet, just let it happen. You deserve the best of everything.” Her heartfelt words are com-

forting whispered in my ear. She kisses my hair.

“Oh, Mom.” Hot, unwelcome tears prick my eyes as I cling to her.

“Darling, you know what they say. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your

prince.”

I give her a lopsided, bittersweet smile.

“I think I’ve kissed a prince, Mom. I hope he doesn’t turn into a frog.”

She gives me her most endearing-motherly-absolute-unconditional-love smile, and I

marvel at the love I feel for this woman as we hug again.

“Ana – they’re calling your flight,” Bob’s voice is anxious.

“Will you visit, Mom?”

“Of course darling – soon. Love you.”

“Me too.”

Her eyes are red with unshed tears as she releases me. I hate leaving her. I hug Bob,

and turning, head to the gate – I do not have time for the first class lounge today. I will

myself not to glance back. But I do… and Bob is holding my mom, and tears are streaming

down her face. I can no longer hold mine back. I put my head down and proceed to the

gate, keeping my eyes on the shiny, white floor, blurred through my watery tears.

Once on board, in the luxury of first class, I curl up in my seat and try to compose my-

self. It is always painful to wrench myself away from Mom… she is scatty, disorganized,

but newly insightful, and she loves me. Unconditional love – what every child deserves

from its parents. I frown at my wayward thoughts, and pulling out my BlackBerry, stare

at it despondently.

What does Christian know of love? Seems he didn’t get the unconditional love he was

entitled to during his very early years. My heart twists, and my mother’s words waft like a

zephyr through my mind: Yes, Ana. Hell – what do you need? – a neon sign flashing on his

forehead?She thinks Christian loves me, but then she’s my mother, of course she’d think

that. She thinks I deserve the best of everything. I frown. It’s true, and in a moment of

startling clarity, I see it. It’s very simple: I want his love. I needChristian Grey to love me.

This is why I am so reticent about our relationship – because on some basic, fundamental

level, I recognize within me a deep-seated compulsion to be loved and cherished.

And because of his fifty shades – I am holding myself back. The BDSM is a distrac-

tion from the real issue. The sex is amazing, he’s wealthy, he’s beautiful, but this is all

meaningless without his love, and the real heart-fail is that I don’t know if he’s capable of

love. He doesn’t even love himself. I recall his self-loathing, her love being the only form he found – acceptable.Punished – whipped, beaten, whatever their relationship entailed –

he feels undeserving of love. Why does he feel like that? How can he feel like that? His

words haunt me: ‘It’s very hard to grow up in a perfect family when you’re not perfect.’

I close my eyes, imagining his pain, and I can’t begin to comprehend it. I shudder as

I remember that I may have divulged too much. What have I confessed to Christian in my

sleep? What secrets have I revealed?

I stare at the BlackBerry in the vague hope that it will give me some answers. Rather

unsurprisingly, it is not very forthcoming. As we haven’t taken off yet, I decide to email

my Fifty Shades.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Homeward Bound

Date:June 3 2011 12:53 EST

To:Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Grey

I am once again ensconced in first class, for which I thank you. I am counting the min-

utes until I see you this evening, and perhaps torturing the truth out of you about my

nocturnal admissions.

Your Ana x

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Homeward Bound

Date:June 3 2011 09:58

To:Anastasia Steele

Anastasia, I look forward to seeing you.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

His response makes me frown. It sounds clipped and formal, not his usual witty, pithy

style.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Homeward Bound

Date:June 3 2011 13:01 EST

To:Christian Grey

Dearest Mr. Grey

I hope everything is okay re ‘the situation.’ The tone of your email is worrying.

Ana x

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Homeward Bound

Date:June 3 2011 10:04

To:Anastasia Steele

Anastasia

The situation could be better. Have you taken off yet? If so you should not be emailing.

You are putting yourself at risk, in direct contravention of the rule regarding your personal

safety. I meant what I said about punishments.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Crap. Okay.Jeez. What is eating him? Perhaps ‘the situation’? Maybe Taylor’s gone

AWOL, maybe he’s dropped a few million on the stock market – whatever the reason.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Over-Reaction

Date:June 3 2011 13:06 EST

To:Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Grumpy

The aircraft doors are still open. We are delayed but only by ten minutes. My welfare

and that of the passengers around me is vouchsafed. You may stow your twitchy palm

for now.

Miss Steele

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Apologies - Twitchy Palm Stowed

Date:June 3 2011 10:08

To:Anastasia Steele

I miss you and your smart mouth Miss Steele.

I want you safely home.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Apology Accepted

Date:June 3 2011 13:10 EST

To:Christian Grey

They are shutting the doors. You won’t hear another peep from me, especially given your

deafness.

Laters.

Ana x

I switch off the BlackBerry, unable to shake my anxiety. Something is up with Christian.

Perhaps ‘the situation’ is out of hand. I sit back, glancing up at the locker where my bags

are stowed. I managed this morning, with my mother’s help, to buy Christian a small gift

to say thank you for first class and for the gliding. I smile at the memory of the soaring –

that was something else. I don’t know yet if I’ll give my silly gift to him. He might think