A Reckless Cup of Tea
by MKT
Alexis is sitting on the couch in her apartment wearing a lavender lace camisole and shorty pjs set with matching fuzzy slippers. She's sipping a cup of herbal tea while looking at some blue bound legal papers.
Alexis sighs.
Alexis: Well I guess it'll all be over tomorrow.
As she tosses the papers back onto the coffee table, the phone rings, startling her. She picks up the cordless phone sitting on the table.
Alexis: Hello?
Ric: Hey, it's me. Could you come down to the car and help me? Both girls are asleep and I can't carry them both in.
Alexis: Oh, okay. I wasn't expecting you to bring the girls back until morning.
Ric: Well, Kristina said she had a tummy ache, but I think she just misses her mom. She fell asleep though, just about as soon as we got back in the car.
Alexis: Aw, poor thing. Give me a minute and I'll be right down.
Tossing the phone on the couch, Alexis jumps up and looks around for something to put on. She spies her tan trench coat slung over the desk chair. She slips it on, making sure the sash is securely tightened, and she heads out the door.
Next scene. Ric and Alexis come back into the apartment they once shared, a dozing Kristina on Ric's shoulder. Alexis is carrying a sleeping six-month-old Molly in her car seat/carrier. Ric offers to help put the girls to bed.
They thencome back into the living room. All the while, Alexis is still wearing the tan trench coat.
Alexis: Well, I'm glad you and the girls had a fun time. Same time next week, just like we worked out in the custody agreement?
Ric: Uh, yeah. Actually, I was hoping…could I have them again on Saturday?
Alexis: I don't know. We have plans for Saturday.
Ric (disappointed): Oh. It's just that – I had something special to do with them…
Alexis: Well I do too. There's a new –
Ric (finishing her sentence): – trained seal show at the Port Charles Aquarium?
Alexis: Yes, that was it. But, okay, if you'd like to take them…
Ric: No, that's fine, you can take them…
Alexis: No, well, it was your idea; you should take the girls…
Ric: I don't know, maybe we could all go…uh...together?
Alexis: Well, I guess if we were to happen to show up at the same time – that would almost be like going…uh…together.
Ric: Okay, great. I'll just meet you there. One o'clock okay?
Alexis: Yeah, fine, good. We'll meet you there.
Ric: Good. (Awkward pause as they realize they're out of things to stammer about.) Uh, okay, guess that's settled. I'll be going now. (Ric heads for the door.)
Alexis: Okay. (Pause) Uh, I just made some herbal tea, if, you know, maybe you would like a cup?
Ric (holding onto the door knob): Oh, I don't know – I probably should –
Alexis (trying to hide her dejection): Yeah, okay, well…
Ric (summoning up some courage): This is stupid.
Alexis: What is?
Ric: The fact that we can't seem to have a conversation with one another. This doesn't have to be so awkward, you know.
Alexis (also summoning up some courage): You're right. You are absolutely right. How about that cup of tea?
Ric: Yes, please.
Alexis: Great, I'll be right back.
Alexis makes her way off to the kitchen. Ric goes to sit on the couch and notices the legal papers on the coffee table. He picks them up and leafs through them. Alexis, still in the tan trench coat, comes back with the mug of tea and hands it to Ric.
Alexis: With just a touch of honey.
Ric: Oooh, good. Just the way I like it.
Alexis: I know.
Ric and Alexis smile and look at each other as they take in the intimacy of the moment and realize just how well they know each other. Ric then holds up the legal papers as Alexis comes around to sit with him on the couch.
Ric: So, you going to the final hearing tomorrow?
Alexis: No, I don't think so (takes a sip of tea.) I mean, it's just a formality, right?
Ric (takes a sip of tea): Right.
Alexis: I'll just have Dara go and represent me. Everything's all worked out, right?
Ric: Right. I was thinking of skipping it myself. Justus will take care of things for me. We don't really need to be there.
Another awkward silence as they each sip their tea. Alexis lets out a small laugh.
Ric: What?
Alexis: Well, it's just a little odd to think our marriage is being formally declared over tomorrow, and it's being done without us.
Ric: Yeah, I guess so.
Some more silence. Some more sipping. Ric puts his cup down on the coffee table and begins to rise from the couch.
Ric: Well, I guess I should be going. Thanks for letting me have the girls today.
Alexis: Hey, it's part of the custody agreement.
Ric: I know that, but, I mean, aside from the agreement, aside from a piece of paper…I just wanted to thank you for…
Alexis: For what?
Ric: I don't know. For not fighting me, I guess.
Alexis: I told you I wouldn't. You're Molly's father…and practically Kristina's.
Ric: You know I love them very much, and I do everything I can to protect them…
Alexis: Uh, yeah, right, okay…
Ric: Alexis, I mean it. I protect them. Their safety is always my top concern.
Alexis: Then stop working for Sonny.
Ric: Alexis, c'mon. We've been through this a thousand times…
Alexis: And that's precisely why we're getting divorced tomorrow.
Ric (agitated): Okay, okay. You know what? I'm not doing this anymore, so…good night!
Alexis: Yes, well then, good night!
Ric goes to open the door, but stops for a second and slowly turns back around to look at Alexis.
Ric: Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I snapped at you. (In a lighter tone) Good night.
Alexis (also in a lighter tone): Good night.
Ric once again goes to open the door, but stops and slowly turns back around, looks her up and down, and breaks out with a mischievous grin.
Ric: You know, you can take your trench coat off now.
Alexis self-consciously grabs at the front of her coat, closing it up tighter.
Alexis: No, that's okay.
Ric (his interest piqued): What don't you want me to see under there?
Alexis: Nothing…(Ric raises an eyebrow at the possibility of her wearing nothing under the trench coat.) I mean, obviously I am wearing something…but, well, it's just that…uh…it's a little chilly in here.
Ric turns his head around to eye the digital thermostat near the door.
Ric: Chilly? Alexis, it's 78 degrees in here, and, actually, you seem to be perspiring.
Alexis (wiping her brow): Am not!
Ric takes a step or two closer to Alexis.
Ric: Here let me…
He reaches for the sash. Alexis tries to stop him, but, too late. The sash becomes undone and the coat opens wide, revealing Alexis in her skimpy lacy lavender shorty pjs.
Ric: Wow.
Alexis (trying to retie the sash, but fumbling with it): Don't 'wow' me. You've forfeited your right to 'wow' me.
Ric: Oh, I don't know about that. (He takes another step closer.) I'm still your husband for the next…(looks at his watch)…twelve hours and twenty-two minutes.
Ric reaches out and runs the back of his hand down her cheek, along her jawline and down to her collarbone.
Alexis (trying not to react to his touch): Ric…
Ric (looking into her eyes): What?
Alexis is speechless for a moment.
Alexis: Nothing…
Alexis goes in for a kiss. Ric softly pushes the trench coat off her shoulders as he buries his face in the crook of her neck. Alexis manages to turn them around and, while locked in a steamy embrace, propels him to the couch.
And, since this is Ric and Alexis we're talking about, we reluctantly fade to black
Next scene. Alexis and Ric are curled up in bed in the "afterglow."
Alexis (matter of factly): You know this doesn't solve anything…
Ric: I know.
Alexis: …and you know this doesn't change anything. We're still getting divorced in (cranes neck to look over Ric to the clock radio on the nightstand) 9 hours and thirteen minutes.
Ric: Well I don't know about that…the grounds for our divorce were "physical and sexual abandonment for more than a year." I think we just blew that second one.
Alexis: No one has to know.
Ric (with mock conscientiousness): Alexis, we are both officers of the court, bound by our ethics and our duty and our oath to uphold the law to admit to the judge that we just had se--- made love.
Alexis (sitting up in the bed): What? You are actually going to go into court tomorrow and admit that we just slept together.
Ric (sitting up in the bed, that mischievous grin still on his face): It's the honorable thing to do. Besides, you know me, I cannot tell a lie.
Alexis goes to hit Ric with her pillow, but he stops her by grabbing her wrists and then kissing her passionately. But they are prevented from dissolving their grounds for divorce for a second time by the sound of baby Molly crying out from her crib in the room across the hall.
Alexis reaches for her robe at the end of the bed, but Ric stops her.
Ric: Here, let me.
Ric flings back the covers and hops out of bed, looking around for his pants, as Molly's cries get ever louder.
Ric: Damn. My jeans are on the floor in the living room.
Alexis: There's a pair of your sweatpants in the bottom drawer of the dresser.
Ric looks at Alexis raising an eyebrow, surprised that she's hung on to something of his. Alexis answers his look with a shrug of her shoulders.
Alexis: I like to wear them sometimes.
Ric stifles a small chuckle and reaches into the drawer for the gray sweatpants, and spies a Harvard tee tucked underneath. Ric quickly dons the pants and tee and runs out to retrieve the baby, while Alexis slips into her silky bathrobe.
Ric comes back a moment later with a baby in one arm, and leading Kristina in with the other hand. Kristina bounds up on the bed.
Ric: The baby woke her up.
Ric places the still wailing infant into her mother's arms. The baby quickly latches on for her midnight snack.
Kristina: Look! Mommy's feeding the baby.
Ric (climbing back onto his side of the bed): Your little sister sure is hungry. Here, sweetie, sit in my lap and we'll read a story together.
Kristina settles herself in Ric's lap as he reaches over to the nightstand to pick up a few books. As Ric starts reading, Alexis looks over at her soon-to-be ex-husband.
After reading a page or two, they realize both kids have fallen asleep. Ric moves to put Kristina back in her bed, when she rouses just a bit. Not wanting to disturb her, Ric settles back into the pillows.
Ric: Guess we're going to be here a while.
Alexis: I guess so.
Ric looks over at Alexis and watches as the child he loves more than anything peacefully sleeps in the arms of the woman he loves more than anything as he gently strokes the curls on the head of the little girl he loves as his own. They lay there a few moments, listening to the quiet in and out of their children's breathing, when all of a sudden Ric makes a miraculous realization…
Ric: I've been such a dumbass.
Alexis: What!
Ric: I've been a complete and total dumbass. Look at this, look at us. Here I am in bed with the woman I love – the woman to whom I just made love (looks at the clock radio) for 3 hours and nine minutes – and curled up with our children. And I gave this up? I gave all of this up for what? Just so my brother would like me? Just so he would acknowledge I exist?
Alexis: Ric…
Ric: No, really, what a fool I've been. Alexis, I love you, and I love these children. We are a family…the family I've always wanted. And I can't believe I threw it all away. There is no place else in the world I'd rather be than here.
Alexis: Ric…
Ric: What?
Alexis: It's too late. (Ric just looks at her stunned.) The hearing to dissolve our marriage is first thing in the morning.
Ric: Hand me the phone.
Alexis: What?
Ric: Hand me the phone. I'm calling Justus…
Alexis (handing him the phone): But it's after midnight.
Ric punches the number pad on the telephone handset.
Ric: Justus? Hi, yeah, Ric Lansing. Yeah, I know it's late. Yes, it's important. I need you to cancel my divorce hearing in the morning. No, no, don't reschedule. I've had a piano fall on my head and finally knock some sense into me. I love my wife and I love my children and I'm not giving them up. (Pause) Well, she's lying here in bed right next to me, why don't you ask her yourself? (Ric hands the phone to Alexis.)
Alexis: Justus? Hi, it's Alexis. Yes. Yes. I understand. Yes. It's what I want to. Thanks. Apologize to Dara for me. Thanks. Oh, and Justus, I'll make sure Ric pays you double for this. Thanks. Good night.
Alexis turns off the phone and puts it back on the nightstand. Ric puts his arm around her as the entire family snuggles up for their first decent night's sleep in over a year.
End scene.