When we last left off, we found out Ray (Ana’s father) is in the hospital. Also Christian and Ana fought about Christian’s ex submissive Leila showing up to talk to Ana. It was really fascinating, said no one.
Chapter 17
Jose’s father (Mr. Rodriguez) informs Ana there’s been a car accident. Wait, do you all remember who Jose is? He’s the Jacob of this book, except Ana never remotely expressed interest in him. He is supposedly Ana’s best friend, but he only shows up when it’s convenient to the plot and/or to show Christian being jealous. His father and Ana’s father are BFF too! So Ana tells Mr. Rodriguez ,“Okay, I’ll come . . . I’ll come now.” For once Ana doesn’t mean in a sexy way.
Ana cancels all her appointments for the day (spoiler: every time Ana cancels an appointment, it is IMPORTANT. Why? I will reveal it later!). She calls Christian, and he says he’ll be there when he can:
“I have a meeting with some guys over from Taiwan. I can’t blow the off. It’s a deal we’ve been hammering out for months.”
Why do I know nothing about this?
Um, because you’re basically a glorified flower vase, Ana. A flower vase for fucking.
Also, I love how Christian can drop literally anything else on a dime to go scream at Ana for disobeying him, but when she has a legitimate problem suddenly he actually runs a business? You’re telling me this insanely rich business man who is supposedly a workaholic only has real commitments when his wife’s father is in the hospital, but when she goes out for drinks with her friend without his permission he can fly back from his business trip to New York or whatever to yell at her? Come on!
Interesting indeed.
At the hospital, Jose explains that they were headed back from a fishing trip when a drunk driver crashed into the passenger’s side where Ray was sitting. She is shaken up by the story.
“Hey, Ana, you cold?”
I nod. I’m in my white sleeveless shirt and black summer jacket, and neither provides warmth. Gingerly, José pulls off his leather jacket and wraps it around my shoulders.
When Christian shows up his expression “darkens” when he sees Ana holding Jose’s hand. And then, you guessed it, of course the jacket is a thing.
“Are you hungry?”
I shake my head.
“But you’re cold?” he asks, eyeing José’s jacket.
I nod. He shifts in his chair, but wisely says nothing.
Well, I should hope not, given who the fuck cares! It’s not a big deal!
A doctor finally comes out of the operating room to let Ana know Ray is stable but in critical condition. Basically there are internal injuries, and there might be brain damage. The doctors have currently induced a coma so they can monitor any brain swelling. I bet this drama will again be resolved in a matter of pages. We all know that’s how this works.
Ana thinks Daddy and oh, Daddy like thirty five times through this chapter. Ana even infantilizes herself!
That night, Ana and Christian stay at the same hotel they stayed at in the first book. Cute. There, Ana somehow makes what’s happened to Ray (and herself) about, you guessed it, Christian.
Christian gazes at me, and I know he’s rudderless—my lost boy dealing with events beyond his control. He’s been withdrawn and contemplative all afternoon. This is a situation he cannot manipulate and predict. This is real life in the raw, and he’s kept himself from that for so long, he’s exposed and helpless now. My sweet, sheltered Fifty Shades.
Sheltered? Yeah, I don’t think Christian is a sheltered guy. That’s a really weird way to excuse/explain his controlling behavior. Not only is it weird, it makes no fucking sense.
Christian and Ana take a bath, and she asks if when he bathed Leila…he got in with her. This was way back in the second book when Leila pulls a gun on Ana, and so Christian comes in, calms her down and…gives her a bath. Yeah, so anyway, for some reason Ana asks this, and Christian is like, “um…no.” Yay!
Christian’s mother, who is a doctor, shows up at the hospital to help, I guess? She basically just repeats what the other doctors have told us about how Ray’s vitals are good or whatever. Anyway, this was a really long chapter, but it was mainly just Ana being worried about Ray. There’s no real “cliffhanger” at the end of this one! Ana just goes to sleep. And I’m gonna go drink some wine!
