Chapter 21

"Kristina Adella Corinthos Davis you get out of my room!" Sam shouted. She lifted a pillow and threw it in the general direction of her sister's repeated 'rise and shine' rendition. She only knew the rise and shine part and the get those animals out of the muddy part…she filled in the rest with a lot of humming and lala's. Krissy had inherited their mother's voice.

Throwing the pillow was, of course, a mistake. It missed the target by several feet, but said target was a moving one and had it in her hands and was pounding her sister with it to the beat of her song. "I'm going to kill you!" Sam said grabbing it back.

"Oh good you're up!" Alexis said.

"I woke her up for you Mommy…she's REAL grumpy though." Kristina smiled. "What's for breakfast Sam?"

"Why the heck are you asking me?" Sam groaned, falling back into her pillows and snuggling back to sleep mode.

"What's for breakfast Sam?" Michael asked.

Now Sam wasn't exactly a morning person, she was her mother's daughter after all, but it was sinking in to her conscious that a theme was developing. She pushed up again and squinted at her mother, brother and sister.

"Yes Sam, what is for breakfast?" Alexis asked.

"Maaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I'm tired." Sam whined.

"I'm terribly sorry, but we church in an hour and everyone's hungry."

"I want waffles…"

"I want pancakes and bacon, lots of bacon."

"I want Cap'n Crunch." Morgan appeared out of nowhere.

"That's a great idea Morgy!!!! Cap'n Crunch all around!" Sam enthused.

Alexis' left eyebrow shot up. She shook her head. "No cold cereal. Michael go jump in the shower, Krissy, Morgan you may watch Aladdin for a little bit." Sam's room emptied out. "Out of bed Sleeping Beauty."

"I'm a horrible cook…dad always makes Sunday breakfast!"

"Not this morning. I think I'd like an omelet." Sam rose with a whimper. Alexis gave her a quick hug. "No, pancakes are fine. Dad left the ingredients out for you."

"Isn't he going to church with us?"

"Something came up last night…He didn't get home until very early this morning, I think he's going to skip church."

"Is the fire insurance policy paid up?" Sam asked slinking into her robe and out her bedroom door.

"I just doubled our coverage, it will be fine."

"Here Michael, now be real careful…we're only allowed to have cereal in front of the tv on Sunday…Mama gets upset if you spill." Sam sat the bowl of Froot Loops down, but Michael ran off to his blocks, knocking the bowl ever so slightly. "Mikey!!!"

"Sammy!" He answered back in the same exasperated tone with a large grin spread across his face. "Bwocks!" He lifted one in each hand.

Sam rolled her eyes, switched on The Power Rangers and began to eat.

"What, what is this?"

"Oh! Morning Mama, Morning Sonny…" She smiled. "I made us breakfast."

"This isn't breakfast…Alexis, you let her eat cardboard?" Sonny admonished.

"It's not cardboard Sonny…it's Froot Loops, they're an important part of this balanced breakfast."

Sonny glared at Alexis. "Don't look at me…you know I don't cook. She doesn't like oatmeal anyway." Alexis argued.

Sonny shook his head in disgust. "You my dear, are going to learn to cook…" He pulled a surprised Sam gently up from her perch of cushions. "If it kills us all."

"Michael don't pour syrup on the bacon, that's just gross!"

"It's all going the same place anyway." Michael replied.

"Can I have more juice?" Kristina asked. Sam reached for the pitcher and poured.

"Morning Dad…I thought you were sleeping late?"

Sonny was watching them from the doorway, a strange expression on his face turned quickly into a smile when Sam greeted him. "I heard you were cooking, I needed to be awake to call 911."

"It was 1 time… 1 time like a million years ago!" Sam's arms flew into the air…

"Daddy, tell us about when Sam blew up the kitchen…" Kristina pleaded, it was right up there with Cinderella and Little Mermaid for favorite stories.

Sonny chuckled. "I think I'd rather eat…"

"Oh sure." Sam shook her head… "Make fun of me then expect me to feed you!"

Sonny laughed. "I'm really putting my life in your hands here." He moved over to the coffee pot. "Who made the joe?"

"What if I said Mom?"

"I'd say I don't need coffee that badly."

"I made it, you're safe."

"Thought so…it lacked that mud-like consistency your mother is famous for."

"I heard that wise guy." Alexis smiled. "Pour me a cup too. You sure you want to come to church? You didn't get a lot of sleep."

"There's nothing I want to do more than spend every second I can with my family."

Alexis followed his eyes to the breakfast table. Morgan in his hi-chair with syrup on everything, except his pancake. Kristina making sure that none of her food touched. Michael making a grab for more bacon, and Sam slapping his hand. "That's for Dad, you pig."

"Mommmmm, Sam called me a pig!"

"We need to talk Alexis. Not now though, okay…I just want to enjoy…"

Alexis frowned. "After church?"

"Yeah…yeah, we can talk after church." Sonny locked eyes with her and pulled her against him. "Hey, have I told you this morning how beautiful you are?"

"I don't think so…"

"You are incredibly beautiful…and I'm the luckiest man alive. I love you." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

It was exactly what every woman wants to hear…and she heard it often…but she didn't care for the sadness that accompanied the sentiment. She returned the kiss and leaned in so they were forehead to forehead. "I love you too" She whispered.

"Ahem!" Michael cleared his throat.

They turned to see all four kids staring at them, Sam making a mock attempt to cover Krissy and Morgan's eyes. "Don't forget there are children present."

"Oh, we could never forget that."