Fifty Shade Forever

The morning sunlight filtered through the heavy drapes of the master bedroom, illuminating the soft edges of the furniture. Ana stirred, her body achy but her mind slightly clearer after a few precious hours of sleep. She blinked, adjusting to the light, and realized it was past noon—12:07 to be exact. Panic bubbled within her. Christian. The kids. She'd left Christian to handle everything after a nearly sleepless night, knowing he was just as exhausted, if not more so.

Throwing back the covers, she dressed quickly in a loose blouse and jeans, pulling her hair into a ponytail before heading downstairs. Her pace quickened as she heard soft laughter and the faint sound of markers squeaking against a surface.

When she entered the living room, Ana paused, taking in the scene: Phoebe and Theo were crouched at the floor-to-ceiling windows, scribbling with colorful markers, filling the glass with what could only be described as chaotic art. Theo was drawing what looked like a sun with a face, while Phoebe proudly added what Ana assumed was a "flower" but looked more like a star with squiggly lines.

Mrs. Jones stood nearby, her hands clasped and a bemused smile on her face. At the sight of Ana, Mrs. Jones straightened slightly. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Grey. I hope you slept well," she said warmly.

Ana stepped closer, her eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed the state of her windows. "Are they—what are they using?" she asked, concern slipping into her tone.

Mrs. Jones chuckled softly, sensing her worry. "Don't worry, it's washable marker. It'll come off easily. I thought it might keep them entertained for a while."

Ana sighed with relief but smirked. "Maybe they can help clean it up later. A little activity to tire them out."

Mrs. Jones gave a nod of approval. "That's a fine idea, Mrs. Grey."

As Ana glanced at the artwork, she suddenly remembered her next question. "What did Christian feed them for breakfast?" she asked, trying to suppress the guilt she felt for not being there herself.

Mrs. Jones's smile faltered slightly, and she looked confused. "Mr. Grey? Oh, he wasn't here this morning, Mrs. Grey. He left quite early—around five, I believe. He asked me to look after the children and mentioned that Sawyer would be handling security for the day."

Ana froze, her brow furrowing. "He left? Did he say where he was going?"

Mrs. Jones shook her head gently. "No, ma'am. He only mentioned ensuring the children were looked after."

Her heart sank a little. No text. No call. Nothing to let her know he'd gone. She pushed the thought aside for now as a pair of small voices suddenly shrieked with excitement.

"Mama!" Theo cried out, bounding toward her with unbridled energy. Phoebe, toddling behind him, squealed, "Mama, look!" waving a purple marker triumphantly in the air.

Ana crouched down, catching Theo in a tight hug while adjusting to balance Phoebe, who promptly threw her arms around Ana's neck. "Good morning, my loves," she said, kissing each of their heads. "Have you been having fun?"

Theo pulled back just enough to flash a wide grin. "I made the sun, Mama! It's happy 'cause we're going swimming!"

Phoebe nodded enthusiastically, pointing to the glass. "I made flowers, Mama! Pretty flowers!"

Ana's stomach tightened at Theo's mention of swimming. She had completely forgotten about the swimming lessons they'd booked for the kids at the nearby pool. A glance at the clock told her it was approaching 12:30—the lesson started in less than an hour.

She set Phoebe down and ruffled Theo's messy hair. "Alright, you two. If we're going swimming, we'd better get you ready."

Theo cheered, running around in circles, his socks sliding on the hardwood floor as he shouted, "Swim! Swim!"