[author's note: believe it or not, I wrote this chapter the same day as the
1/24/02 episode *before* I watched the show. I actually had to go back and
change the name of the bakery (originally called Stan's). It was a
Twilight Zone moment for me.]
Chapter 14
Skye and Sonny sat in silence for a moment. Skye wondering if he was going to leave now, and was trying to figure out if she wanted him to or not. After awhile he spoke. "Actually, you could return the favor right now." Startled, Skye looked at him askance. He smiled. "I am in dire need of a cup of coffee." Her eyebrows went up. "Oh, sure, I can do that. Would you like an espresso?" He grinned. "You have an espresso machine? Great, I would love a cup." She stood up and went to the kitchen and began preparations for the espresso. Sonny strolled into the kitchen and looked around. "Would you like something to go with your coffee? I have some lemon poppyseed muffins." She opened a tin and showed him the muffins. He cocked his head. "That depends. There's only one bakery in town that I like. If its not from Aquisto's, I usually don't bother." She shrugged. "Then I guess you're out of luck, because I baked these myself." Sonny's look was incredulous. "You mean to tell me you can cook?" She shook her head. "Cooking and baking are two different things." He frowned. "How are they different?" She shrugged. "Not sure. Lets just say that I make great cookies, but a lousy lasagna."
He leaned on the counter. "So how'd you learn to bake?" She paused. "When I was a kid, I would go to other kids' homes, and their kitchens smelled great because the mother would always be baking something. Then I would go home andā¦things were different. The smell of baking became associated in my mind with a happy home. So I got a cookbook from the library and learned how myself. Pretty soon I began to enjoy it for more than just the aroma. Baking is generally consistent. A list of ingredients, mixed together and put in the oven, will usually turn out the same every time. Its predictable and satisfying." Sonny didn't comment, knowing that it took a lot to reveal that glimpse of herself to him. He plucked a muffin from the tin. "I'll take homemade over Aquisto's any day."
They ate their espressos and muffins in companionable silence. "So if you don't cook, what do you do for meals?" She sipped her coffee. "I usually have business lunches or order out. For dinners, I use this great service by a caterer in town. She cooks large meals and divides them into individual servings to be frozen and eaten later. I just pop it into the oven or microwave when I'm ready to eat. The food is really wonderful." Sonny shook his head. "Yeah, but its still frozen." Skye laughed. "Maybe so, but its more economical than hiring a chef. I'm really happy with the catering service. She is such a gem. I'm always thanking AJ for recommending her." When she realized she had brought up a sore subject, she glanced swiftly over at Sonny. His expression was unreadable. "Well, I better go. Thanks for the coffee and muffin. They were both very good. Call me about arrangements for the cat." He left before she could even respond. Skye sighed and slumped in her seat. She almost wished they could go back to hating each other. Life was so much easier that way.
The doorbell rang, and Skye rushed for the door, thinking perhaps that Sonny had come back. AJ was standing there. Covering her disappointment, she lashed out at him. "Thanks a lot for putting me in a bad position!" AJ strolled into the living room, unconcerned. "I saw Sonny's limo pull away from the curb. I take it he was here to grill you about our whereabouts." Skye folded her arms. "Yes he was. Fortunately, before I had to fight to the death over you, Mike called and said Courtney was home. No mention was made of an elopement. Did you get married, or what?" AJ smiled smugly. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you. Then if Sonny grills you about it, you can honestly say you don't know." Skye glared at him. "Just tell me, damn it! Did you make the stupidest mistake of your entire life, or not?" AJ folded his arms. "No stupid mistakes from me. Marrying the woman I love was probably the smartest thing I ever did." Skye slumped onto the couch and groaned. "I can't believe you married a Corinthos." AJ laughed. "Hey, that makes Sonny your brother-in-law!" Skye narrowed her eyes at him. "And that also makes Michael your nephew. This whole thing is too bizarre for words." AJ's expression sobered at the mention of his son. "Now that I'm married to his sister, Sonny will be forced to accept me, and allow me to see Michael."
Skye stood up. "You don't mean to say that you married her in order to get to Michael?" AJ gave her an exhasperated look. "Don't be ridiculous. You know I love Courtney. Seeing Michael is just icing on the cake." Skye raised one eyebrow. "If the cake doesn't fall flat first. So when are you planning to spring the big news?" AJ smirked. "Maybe I'll just make an announcement in the newspaper. Sonny can read all about it over breakfast." Skye rolled her eyes. "Be serious." AJ stopped smiling and shrugged. "I'm sure he'll find out about it when Courtney moves out of her dad's and into my place. That is, if Janine hasn't blabbed it first. She was the witness at our wedding, and is thrilled to pieces that her daughter is marrying a rich man." Skye narrowed her eyes. "Are you too afraid to face him yourself?" AJ looked at her coldly. "I admit it doesn't appeal to me. Would you like to do the honors?" She made a face at him. "Not hardly. He'll probably end up coming to me anyway for confirmation. He knows that I know something, and he'll be furious that I didn't tell him." AJ rolled his eyes. "That's his problem. You don't owe him an explanation, your loyalty is to me, not him."
Skye started pacing. "Do you think you can wait to make your announcement until after I get back from Pine Valley?" AJ shrugged. "We were planning to wait a couple of weeks anyway. Hey, you want me to watch your cat while you're gone?" Skye paused in her pacing. "I already arranged with someone else to come in." AJ frowned. "Who, a stranger? Why have a stranger take care of Mocha when I'm willing to do it." Skye stopped. "Well, this person isnt exactly a stranger. And believe it or not, Mocha likes him." AJ's eyebrows went up. "You mean the little brat actually likes someone besides you?" She glared at him. "He's not a brat, just shy." AJ rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So who is it that Mocha has condescended to accept in his domain?" Skye bit her lip. "Sonny." AJ did a double take. "You mean to tell me that little furball will bolt out of the room if I so much as extend a toe in the door, but scumbag Sonny makes himself at home and everything's right with the world?" Skye shrugged. "What can I say?" AJ pointed towards the bedroom. "Your cat has no taste at all!" Skye drew herself up. "Hey! He likes me!" AJ rolled his eyes again. "Okay, so maybe he has a split personality."
Skye gave him a pitying look. "I'm sorry that Mocha doesn't like you, but its not personal. Lots of people have been here this past week, and he hasn't liked any of them. Except Sonny. That's why I asked Sonny to watch him while I'm gone. And why I want you to wait until after I get back to tell him. He may rescind the favor if he's ticked at me." AJ laughed. "That's the lamest reason I've ever heard for keeping a marriage a secret. I can't believe Sonny agreed to cat-sit in the first place." Skye smiled. "I think he was charmed into it. Mocha can be very appealing." AJ looked at Skye speculatively.
Chapter 14
Skye and Sonny sat in silence for a moment. Skye wondering if he was going to leave now, and was trying to figure out if she wanted him to or not. After awhile he spoke. "Actually, you could return the favor right now." Startled, Skye looked at him askance. He smiled. "I am in dire need of a cup of coffee." Her eyebrows went up. "Oh, sure, I can do that. Would you like an espresso?" He grinned. "You have an espresso machine? Great, I would love a cup." She stood up and went to the kitchen and began preparations for the espresso. Sonny strolled into the kitchen and looked around. "Would you like something to go with your coffee? I have some lemon poppyseed muffins." She opened a tin and showed him the muffins. He cocked his head. "That depends. There's only one bakery in town that I like. If its not from Aquisto's, I usually don't bother." She shrugged. "Then I guess you're out of luck, because I baked these myself." Sonny's look was incredulous. "You mean to tell me you can cook?" She shook her head. "Cooking and baking are two different things." He frowned. "How are they different?" She shrugged. "Not sure. Lets just say that I make great cookies, but a lousy lasagna."
He leaned on the counter. "So how'd you learn to bake?" She paused. "When I was a kid, I would go to other kids' homes, and their kitchens smelled great because the mother would always be baking something. Then I would go home andā¦things were different. The smell of baking became associated in my mind with a happy home. So I got a cookbook from the library and learned how myself. Pretty soon I began to enjoy it for more than just the aroma. Baking is generally consistent. A list of ingredients, mixed together and put in the oven, will usually turn out the same every time. Its predictable and satisfying." Sonny didn't comment, knowing that it took a lot to reveal that glimpse of herself to him. He plucked a muffin from the tin. "I'll take homemade over Aquisto's any day."
They ate their espressos and muffins in companionable silence. "So if you don't cook, what do you do for meals?" She sipped her coffee. "I usually have business lunches or order out. For dinners, I use this great service by a caterer in town. She cooks large meals and divides them into individual servings to be frozen and eaten later. I just pop it into the oven or microwave when I'm ready to eat. The food is really wonderful." Sonny shook his head. "Yeah, but its still frozen." Skye laughed. "Maybe so, but its more economical than hiring a chef. I'm really happy with the catering service. She is such a gem. I'm always thanking AJ for recommending her." When she realized she had brought up a sore subject, she glanced swiftly over at Sonny. His expression was unreadable. "Well, I better go. Thanks for the coffee and muffin. They were both very good. Call me about arrangements for the cat." He left before she could even respond. Skye sighed and slumped in her seat. She almost wished they could go back to hating each other. Life was so much easier that way.
The doorbell rang, and Skye rushed for the door, thinking perhaps that Sonny had come back. AJ was standing there. Covering her disappointment, she lashed out at him. "Thanks a lot for putting me in a bad position!" AJ strolled into the living room, unconcerned. "I saw Sonny's limo pull away from the curb. I take it he was here to grill you about our whereabouts." Skye folded her arms. "Yes he was. Fortunately, before I had to fight to the death over you, Mike called and said Courtney was home. No mention was made of an elopement. Did you get married, or what?" AJ smiled smugly. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you. Then if Sonny grills you about it, you can honestly say you don't know." Skye glared at him. "Just tell me, damn it! Did you make the stupidest mistake of your entire life, or not?" AJ folded his arms. "No stupid mistakes from me. Marrying the woman I love was probably the smartest thing I ever did." Skye slumped onto the couch and groaned. "I can't believe you married a Corinthos." AJ laughed. "Hey, that makes Sonny your brother-in-law!" Skye narrowed her eyes at him. "And that also makes Michael your nephew. This whole thing is too bizarre for words." AJ's expression sobered at the mention of his son. "Now that I'm married to his sister, Sonny will be forced to accept me, and allow me to see Michael."
Skye stood up. "You don't mean to say that you married her in order to get to Michael?" AJ gave her an exhasperated look. "Don't be ridiculous. You know I love Courtney. Seeing Michael is just icing on the cake." Skye raised one eyebrow. "If the cake doesn't fall flat first. So when are you planning to spring the big news?" AJ smirked. "Maybe I'll just make an announcement in the newspaper. Sonny can read all about it over breakfast." Skye rolled her eyes. "Be serious." AJ stopped smiling and shrugged. "I'm sure he'll find out about it when Courtney moves out of her dad's and into my place. That is, if Janine hasn't blabbed it first. She was the witness at our wedding, and is thrilled to pieces that her daughter is marrying a rich man." Skye narrowed her eyes. "Are you too afraid to face him yourself?" AJ looked at her coldly. "I admit it doesn't appeal to me. Would you like to do the honors?" She made a face at him. "Not hardly. He'll probably end up coming to me anyway for confirmation. He knows that I know something, and he'll be furious that I didn't tell him." AJ rolled his eyes. "That's his problem. You don't owe him an explanation, your loyalty is to me, not him."
Skye started pacing. "Do you think you can wait to make your announcement until after I get back from Pine Valley?" AJ shrugged. "We were planning to wait a couple of weeks anyway. Hey, you want me to watch your cat while you're gone?" Skye paused in her pacing. "I already arranged with someone else to come in." AJ frowned. "Who, a stranger? Why have a stranger take care of Mocha when I'm willing to do it." Skye stopped. "Well, this person isnt exactly a stranger. And believe it or not, Mocha likes him." AJ's eyebrows went up. "You mean the little brat actually likes someone besides you?" She glared at him. "He's not a brat, just shy." AJ rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So who is it that Mocha has condescended to accept in his domain?" Skye bit her lip. "Sonny." AJ did a double take. "You mean to tell me that little furball will bolt out of the room if I so much as extend a toe in the door, but scumbag Sonny makes himself at home and everything's right with the world?" Skye shrugged. "What can I say?" AJ pointed towards the bedroom. "Your cat has no taste at all!" Skye drew herself up. "Hey! He likes me!" AJ rolled his eyes again. "Okay, so maybe he has a split personality."
Skye gave him a pitying look. "I'm sorry that Mocha doesn't like you, but its not personal. Lots of people have been here this past week, and he hasn't liked any of them. Except Sonny. That's why I asked Sonny to watch him while I'm gone. And why I want you to wait until after I get back to tell him. He may rescind the favor if he's ticked at me." AJ laughed. "That's the lamest reason I've ever heard for keeping a marriage a secret. I can't believe Sonny agreed to cat-sit in the first place." Skye smiled. "I think he was charmed into it. Mocha can be very appealing." AJ looked at Skye speculatively.
