Flowers In Winter
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from General Hospital.
Premise: "You see, Miss Davis... you mean more to him than you realize. Even more than he realizes..."
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Prologue: The Scent of Gardenias
The silence of the room mocked her.
Alexis Davis stood idly by the desk in the living room of Sonny Corinthos' home. The bodyguards she was accustomed to seeing allowed her entry and promised to alert Sonny of her presence. Checking her watch casually, the hours growing late, she hoped they'd hurry. She had other stops to make before she would finally be able to go home, but she needed to speak with Sonny about a matter concerning their daughter, Kristina.
Rocking back and forth on her high heeled pumps, Alexis profusely regretted coming over this late.
"You're my daughter's mother, you and Kristina and Molly have access to my home at all times," she remembered him saying. She remembered the way his coal eyes softened. He seemed to genuinely care for what happened to them. Seemed to almost want to protect them himself. For a moment it reminded her of the way things used to be between them.
How long ago all of that seemed. The shared times of friendship and camaraderie that sprung from a high successful professional relationship felt like a lifetime ago to Alexis. She had no doubt that Sonny felt the same. He was so busy with everything else, from Carly and the boys to Kate Howard and the coffeehouse, that he'd more than likely forgotten that they used to be friends once upon a time. Good friends. Best friends.
Though she'd never admit it aloud, Alexis reflected on those times more than she should. Especially of late. When she would go home to the fortress that is Wyndemere, when she would lay in bed at night after having kissed her sleeping daughters. She would lie in bed, listening to the deafening silence and remember times lost.
Even now as she stood there in his home, her mind brought forth the images of her walking into his old penthouse. Of the easy rapport they shared with one another. That friendship meant a great deal to her whether she ever admitted it or not. Whatever bumps they suffered, their friendship created their beautiful daughter.
After a few more moments of being alone in the room, and growing increasingly restless, Alexis looked around the room as she went to sit on the couch to wait. The room was dark and cluttered with wooden accents. The perfect room in a perfect fortress. No life and very little color accept for the gold box on the coffee table. The golden box was a flower box from the florist. Tied with red ribbon going diagonally across the edges, a white envelope was wedged between the box and the ribbon on one end. Kate was written across the envelope in Sonny's handwriting, meaning he'd gone to the florist to pick out the flowers himself.
Given everything she knew about him, Alexis had a hard time imagine Sonny in a flower shop. It just didn't fit the image.
Curious, she peered through the plastic to see the flowers inside and her face and heart fell a little.
The white petaled flower could not be mistaken.
Gardenias.
Her favorite.
Suddenly, Alexis felt silly. Silly and out of character. What on earth did she have to be upset about? That Sonny was giving Kate flowers? That's what men do when they're trying to be romantic. Sonny was certainly no slouch in the romance department. She knew him to be quite charming. Kate would love the flowers. So what they were gardenias... her favorite.
She had the fleeting image of Sonny placing the gardenia in her hair during their trip to Puerto Rico. She remembered the rum and the gambling and the dancing. She remembered falling into his arms and the way he smiled at her. And just as suddenly as before, she felt angry.
She knew she had absolutely no reason to be angry at all. And that made her even angrier.
Sonny didn't belong to her. They shared a daughter-- that was it. There was no relationship... barely a friendship. So what he was giving Kate Howard her favorite flower. So what he seemed more capable and content to give Kate the kind of relationship she longed for. So what he seemed happier with another woman... didn't she want him to be happy?
Another torturous moment slipped by and Alexis had enough of waiting. She'd never get anything done if she kept waiting for Sonny.
Standing, she turned and headed for the door with her head held high. She was the poised, confident attorney again. The sophomoric schoolgirl moment had passed and she was back. Without casting a glance back to the golden box on the table, Alexis left the room and Greystone, intent on forgetting she ever set foot there.