Chapter 51
The noise amazed her every time. There was just something about school gymnasiums. It didn't help that she was sitting next to Alice, who was much, much more enthusiastic than the rest of the crowd. More than one Alice had been on her feet yelling at the poor umpire. Alexis just had the worst time following the game. She knew if the kids in blue made a basket that was bad, and if the kids in white made one that was good. At least if the game was being held in this gym. If it was anywhere else Sam was in her pretty green jersey.
She scanned the crowd during a recess. The Quartermaines were in the front row. She smiled. Emily and Sam spoke animatedly with Lila. Emily's grandparents came to every home game. Edward spent a lot of time with a grimace on his face, but Lila cheered with the best of them. Alexis even suspected Edward's exterior was a bit of a fraud. He had a gleam in his eye watching Emily, when he thought no one was watching. Tonight both Doctors were there as well. This was much more unusual and Alexis was glad to see it. She even noticed Ned joining in the conversation.
In the top row Alexis knew Sly and Lucky and their friends were there…they had the most unusual ways of cheering the team on. She liked the boys very much, despite their being raised by Luke. She told herself Laura was doing the actual parenting, and that explained it.
She made eye contact with Sam and the girl waved before running back out. The awful bell squealed and everything started up again.
"Hey!"
Alexis turned to see Ned standing next to her. He motioned for her to scoot over. The crowd erupted and Alexis looked to see the score board reflect 3 more points. "Who scored?" She yelled.
"Jocelyn." Alice answered.
"From far away?"
"Yes." Alice had long since accepted Alexis' understanding, or lack there of, of the game.
"Oh good."
Ned leaned in. "Haven't seen you lately? How's it going?"
Alexis smiled a little, without looking from the game. "Same old, same old."
"I know I wasn't all that supportive in the beginning…but I got to hand it to you. You've done a great job with her."
Alexis rolled her eyes.
"Really, Alexis, she's come a long way. She's very lucky."
Alexis pretended she hadn't heard him. She absolutely hated people saying Sam was lucky. If they had any idea what she'd gone through in her short life, they wouldn't say that.
Ned was saying something now, but Alexis truly couldn't hear him at this point. "What?"
"I SAID…" Ned shouted. A buzzer sounded and the place went silent. "I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU OUT TO DINNER!"
Every head swiveled around.
Ned flashed his dimples and waved. Alexis turned bright red and saw Sam cover her face. A spattering of applause and random giggles broke out around them. After a short eternity the crowd returned its attention to the game.
"Uh…sorry."
Alexis winked. "I'll need to think about it."
Alexis parked Sheba next to Alice's Harley. The truck was gone…which meant one of two things. Alice was out running errands or it was in the shop again.
She slid out of her car her mind a thousand places at once. Gathering her briefcase in one hand, pulling her purse over her shoulder and grabbing the garment bag with her other, she headed across the parking garage. Her date had her frazzled. Though she and Ned had flirted off and on for months it had never progressed passed that. And when Sam came into her life it screeched to a dead halt.
And now they were not only going on a date, but they were going on Valentine's. Alexis tried to get out of it. Explaining that Alice had plans and she couldn't leave Sam alone for that long, but that was quashed when Sam informed her that she and the girls were going to their own Valentine dance at school. Alexis raised an eyebrow to that, since it was the first she'd heard of it, but Sam was insistent.
Of course Ned wasn't just taking her out for dinner and a movie, no it was a huge fund raiser for the Ward House. This meant not only formal attire and boring speeches, but socializing with the hoi polloi of Port Charles. Including, but not limited too, the Quartermaines, the Barringtons, the Baldwins…she could deal with that she thought as she stepped into the elevator…but also the Spencers, she'd been avoiding Luke somewhat successfully for days, but he'd corner her tomorrow night for sure, and last but certainly not least, the Cassadines. She didn't know if she could deal with Stefan and Katherine…and there were rumors of Helena. So these things plagued her, but they were trivial compared to what she'd found out yesterday.
Her private eye had located Sam's mother. Evelyn McCall was now Evelyn Hunt…married five years and living comfortably in a small town in South Carolina. She said absolutely nothing to Sam. She was going to consult with Justus and Kevin over the weekend and decide how to proceed. If Sam was right this woman had rejected her multiple times, but what if Sam was wrong. What if Cody had stolen Sam from her mother's arms?
The private eye nosed around the neighborhood trying to find out about the Hunts. One thing he reported bothered Alexis deeply. Everyone claimed the couple was childless. Was Sam wrong about having an older brother?
Alexis juggled around to fish out her house keys. As she opened the door she heard a poof, followed by Sam yelling "No…No Don't!"
Alexis dropped everything and ran straight to the kitchen. There was red everywhere. "What…what happened?"
Sam was scrunched in a ball covering her face, Emily in a similar pose. Both girls yelping as the red kept flying…but it wasn't blood…it was lava…and it was all over her, the girls and the kitchen.
Finally it sputtered to a stop and the girls stopped yelling and pulled their hands away from their faces. "I told you not to add the vinegar yet!" Sam yelled, still unaware of Alexis' presence.
"It's step 12…" Emily argued, wrinkling her nose at the mess surrounding them.
"But we skipped 5 thru 7, we needed to go back to that…you never listen…" Sam looked around. "Ah man Alice is going kill me!"
"Ah hem…"
Sam whirled around, horror struck. "Alexis…I'm gonna clean it up I swear!"
"Hi Alexis…sorry."
"What is this stuff…exactly?" She asked trying to look semi-stern.
"Mostly baking soda…" Emily said.
"And VINEGAR!" Sam added loudly.
"And food coloring?"
"Yeah, lots of that."
"You look really nice." Sam leaned in the doorway.
"Thank you…you look…Sam what are you wearing?"
Sam looked down. "Huh?"
"Shouldn't you be in a dress?"
"No…"
"I thought this was a semi-formal. That usually means a dress."
"Maybe in the olden days. Everyone's wearing jeans and stuff."
Alexis let the olden days remark slide. "I think you should wear something a little nicer…what about your black skirt…"
"No…it's cold Alexis…and it's not like I have a date or anything."
Alexis threw up her hands in defeat. "I give up."
"When is Ned picking us up?"
"Pretty soon. We'll drop you two off and Reginald will pick you up…do you have your overnight bag ready?"
"Yeah…but…" Sam shifted. "Do I have to go Emily's?"
"You don't have to, but I thought you wanted to? I'm going to be pretty late and Alice has tonight off…"
"But I won't get in the way or anything…I'll stay in my room…"
Alexis extended her hand. Sam approached slowly. "This isn't about you being in the way Sam. This is your home, you couldn't be in the way…You were so excited about the sleepover. What's wrong?"
Sam shrugged. "Nothing…"
"You have my phone number, you can call me any time and I'll come and get you."
"Won't that make Ned mad?"
"I don't think so…and I don't care if it does. Sam, Ned is just my friend."
The doorbell rang and Sam ran off to answer it.
She giggled as they stepped off the elevator. "You're making that up!"
"I swear on my mother's grave."
"Tracy isn't dead."
"True…but that's hardly the point. You're a wonderful dancer Alexis." Ned leaned in and Alexis accepted his kiss, returning it gently at first then deepening it. She was still a little buzzed and she'd had a very good time, and Ned was looking better by the second.
Her back was against the door. "Maybe we could have another dance…" She whispered as the door gave way. Ned barely caught her before she toppled over.
"You didn't lock the door?"
"I'm sure I did…maybe Alice?" Ned steadied her and she flipped on the light. "Oh dear god!"
"Thank you Monica…yeah…Alexis will pick her up tomorrow."
"Here Ms. Davis…" Alexis lifted her head out of her hands and gratefully took the tea from Max.
"Sam's fine Alexis…Monica said they were both sound asleep when she checked on them."
Detective Taggart half knocked before letting himself into Sonny's. "Mr. Ashton, Ms. Davis, I need to get your statements, then will be out of your hair…"
"Is he…is the…"
"The body's been taken to the morgue. Your apartment is still a crime scene, so you will need to find someplace to stay tonight."
Alexis nodded. "Who…who was it?"
Taggart raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"I've never seen that man in my life detective…let alone his…"
"Well, I can't say with 100 percent certainty, but I do believe that was none other than one Cody McCall."
