Subject:Over-Extravagant Gestures
Date:May 30 2011 21:53
To:Christian Grey
Dear Mr. Grey
What really alarms me is how you knew which flight I was on.
Your stalking knows no bounds. Let’s hope that Dr. Flynn is back from vacation.
I have had a manicure, a back massage, and two glasses of champagne – a very nice
start to my vacation.
Thank you.
Ana
From:Christian Grey
Subject:You’re Most Welcome
Date:May 30 2011 21:59
To:Anastasia Steele
Dear Miss Steele
Dr. Flynn is back, and I have an appointment this week.
Who was massaging your back?
Christian Grey
CEO with friends in the right places, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.
Aha! Pay back time. Our flight has been called so I shall email him from the plane. It will
be safer. I almost hug myself with mischievous glee.
There is so much room in first class. Champagne cocktail in hand, I settle myself into the
sumptuous leather window seat as the cabin slowly fills. I call Ray to tell him where I am
– a mercifully brief call, as it’s so late for him.
“Love you, Dad,” I murmur.
“You too, Annie. Say hi to your mom. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” I hang up.
Ray is in good form. I stare at my Mac and with the same childish glee building.
Opening my laptop, I log into the email program.
From:Anastasia Steele
Subject:Strong Able Hands
Date:May 30 2011 22:22
To:Christian Grey
Dear Sir
A very pleasant young man massaged my back. Yes. Very pleasant indeed. I wouldn’t
have encountered Jean-Paul in the ordinary departure lounge – so thank you again for
that treat. I’m not sure if I’ll be allowed to email once we take off, and I need my beauty
sleep since I’ve not been sleeping so well recently.
Pleasant dreams Mr. Grey… thinking of you.
Ana
Oh, he’s going to flip out – and I shall be airborne and out of reach. Serves him right.
If I’d been in the ordinary departure lounge then Jean-Paul wouldn’t have gotten his hands
on me. He was a very nice young man, in a blonde, perma-tanned way – honestly, who
has a tan in Seattle? It’s just so wrong. I think he was gay – but I’ll just keep that detail to
myself. I stare at my email. Kate is right. It is like shooting fish in a barrel with him. My
subconscious stares at me with an ugly twist to her mouth – do you really want to wind him
up?What he’s done is sweet, you know! He cares about you and wants you to travel in
style. Yes, but he could have asked me or told me. Not made me look like a complete klutz
at check-in. I press send and wait, feeling like a very naughty girl.
“Miss Steele, you’ll need to stow your laptop for take-off,” the over-made-up flight
attendant says politely. She makes me jump. My guilty conscience is at work.
“Oh, sorry.”
Crap.Now I’ll have to wait to know if he’s replied. She hands me a soft blanket and
pillow, showing her perfect teeth. I drape the blanket over my knees. It’s nice to feel mol-
lycoddled sometimes.
The cabin has filled up, except for the seat beside me which is still unoccupied. Oh
no… a disturbing thought crosses my mind. Perhaps the seat is Christian’s.Oh shit…
no… he wouldn’t do that. Would he? I told him I didn’t want him to come with me. I
glance anxiously at my watch and then the disembodied voice from the flight deck an-
nounces,
“Cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross check.”
What does that mean? Are they closing the doors? My scalp prickles as I sit in pal-
pitating anticipation. The seat next to me is the only unoccupied one in the sixteen-seat
cabin. The plane jolts as it pulls away from its stand, and I breathe a sigh of relief but feel
a faint tingle of disappointment too… no Christian for four days. I take a sneak peek at
my BlackBerry.
From:Christian Grey
Subject:Enjoy it While You Can
Date:May 30 2011 22:25
To:Anastasia Steele
Dear Miss Steele
I know what you’re trying to do – and trust me – you’ve succeeded. Next time you’ll be
in the cargo hold, bound and gagged in a crate. Believe me when I say that attending to
you in that state will give me so much more pleasure than merely upgrading your ticket.
I look forward to your return.
Christian Grey
Palm-Twitching CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.
Holy crap.That’s the problem with Christian’s humor – I can be never be sure if he’s
joking or if he’s seriously angry. I suspect on this occasion he’s seriously angry. Surrepti-
tiously, so the flight attendant can’t see, I type a reply under the blanket.
From:Anastasia Steele
Subject:Joking?
Date:May 30 2011 22:30
To:Christian Grey
You see – I have no idea if you’re joking – and if you’re not – then I think I’ll stay in Geor-
gia. Crates are a hard limit for me. Sorry I made you mad. Tell me you forgive me.
A
From:Christian Grey
Subject:Joking
Date:May 30 2011 22:31
To:Anastasia Steele
How can you be emailing? Are you risking the life of everyone on board, including your-
self, by using your BlackBerry? I think that contravenes one of the rules.
Christian Grey
Two Palms Twitching CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.
Two palms!I put my BlackBerry away, sit back while the plane taxis to the runway, and
pull out my tattered copy of Tess – some light reading for the journey. Once we’re air-
borne, I tip my seat back, and soon I’m drifting off to sleep.
The flight attendant wakes me as we start our descent into Atlanta. Local time is 5:45
a.m., but I’ve only had four hours sleep or so… I feel groggy, but grateful for the glass of
orange juice she hands me. I glance nervously at my BlackBerry. There are no further
emails from Christian. Well, it’s nearly three in the morning in Seattle, and he probably
wants to discourage me from screwing up the avionics system, or whatever prevents planes
from flying if mobile phones are switched on.
The wait in Atlanta is only an hour. And again I’m luxuriating in the confines of the first
class lounge. I am tempted to curl up and go to sleep on one of the plush, inviting couches
that sink softly under my weight. But it will just not be long enough. To keep myself
awake, I start a long steam of consciousness to Christian on my laptop.
From:Anastasia Steele
Subject:Do you like to scare me?
Date:May 31 2011 06:52 EST
To:Christian Grey
You know how much I dislike you spending money on me. Yes, you’re very rich, but still
it makes me uncomfortable, like you’re paying me for sex. However, I like traveling first
class, it’s so much more civilized than coach. So thank you. I mean it – and I did enjoy
the massage from Jean Paul. He was very gay. I omitted that bit in my email to you to
wind you up, because I was annoyed with you, and I’m sorry about that.
But as usual you overreact. You can’t write things like that to me – bound and gagged
in a crate – (Were you serious or was it a joke?) That scares me… you scare me… I am