fifty-shades-of-grey

Oh no…“Oh, Mom, his mood-swings make me dizzy. He’s had a grim upbringing, so he’s veryclosed, difficult to gauge.”“Do you like him?”“I more than like him.”“Really?” She gapes at me.“Yes, Mom.”“Men aren’t really complicated, Ana, honey. They are very simple, literal creatures.They usually mean what they say. And we spend hours trying to analyze what they’ve said– when really it’s obvious. If I were you, I’d take him literally. That might help.”I gape at her. This sounds like good advice. Take Christian literally. Immediately someof the things he’s said spring into my mind.I don’t want to lose you…You’ve bewitched me…You’ve completely beguiled me…I’ll miss you too… more than you know...I gaze at my mom. She is on her fourth marriage. Maybe she does know somethingabout men after all.“Most men are moody darling, some more than others. Take your father for instance…,”Her eyes soften and sadden whenever she thinks of my dad. My real dad, thismythical man I never knew, snatched so cruelly from us in a combat training accident whenhe was a marine. Part of me thinks my mom has been looking for someone like my dadall this time… maybe she’s finally found what she’s looking for in Bob. Pity she couldn’tfind it with Ray.“I used to think your father was moody. But now when I look back, I just think he wastoo caught up in his job and trying to make a life for us.” She sighs. “He was so young,we both were. Maybe that was the issue.”Hmm… Christian is not exactly old. I smile fondly at her. She can become very soulfulthinking about my father, but I’m sure he had nothing on Christian’s moods.“Bob wants to take us out tonight for dinner. To his golf club.”“Oh no! Bob’s started playing golf?” I scoff in disbelief.“Tell me about it,” groans my mother, rolling her eyes.After a light lunch back at the house, I start to unpack. I am going to treat myself to a siesta.My mother has disappeared to mold some candles or whatever she does with them,and Bob is at work, so I have time to catch up on some sleep. I open the Mac and fire it up.It’s two in the afternoon in Georgia, eleven in the morning in Seattle. I wonder if I have areply from Christian. Nervously, I log into the email program.From: Christian Grey