Chapter 11

When Alexis returned to her hotel room, it was to work on the documents she brought with her. They were documents that needed to be filed with the court clerks office the next morning. She had no reservations whatsoever about the case before her. She knew where Michael belonged and she also knew that the battle would begin in earnest the following day. Carly would be served with a new set of divorce papers, but Alexis was also able to acquire the information she needed against Carly to send her to jail if she gave Michael or Sonny any problems in the future.

She still needed to bring Sonny up to date on her activities over the last few weeks on Michael's account. But today wasn't the right time. Today was about a little boy needing to spend some special time with his dad. Before she left them to go on their outing, she discreetly let Sonny know that she had information that she needed to discuss with him before she went to the clerk's office in the morning. He assured her he would call later to set a time to come by.

Alexis finished going over the contracts she had with her and wondered if her 'buddy' was still outside her door. She crossed the living room, opened the door and stuck her head out to see if he was still there.

It had been so quiet inside that Johnny was completely caught by surprise to hear her door open. When he saw her head peek around the corner he couldn't help the goofy grin that lit his face. He felt like teasing her. "Can I be of service to you, ma'am?"

Alexis played along. "Well, sir, I'm not quite sure. You wouldn't happen to know how to play poker, would you?"

Johnny laughed and said. "Why yes, ma'am. I believe I do. In fact, I'm about as good as they come."

"Oh? That sounds like quite the challenge. Would a gentleman, such as yourself, find it to beneath him to engage in a little competitive game of 5 card stud? I have a little free time to spare and according to my watch it looks like it should be just enough time to whip your butt. At poker, I mean."

Johnny knew that last quip was meant strictly to embarrass him and she wasn't disappointed. His face turned a bright pink as he attempted to hide it from her until it was back to normal. He also knew exactly what time it was and what she was waiting for.

"Uh, Alexis?"

She looked back at him and smiled warmly to thank him for using her first name.

"Yes, Johnny."

"I checked the weather report today and I'm keeping up with the time. I'll let you know when its time to go upstairs."

Alexis looked up into the face of this man whom she had never laid eyes on before yesterday and was stunned by just how much he had come to mean to her in just a few short hours. With a hint of moisture in her eyes, she looked down to take hold of his hand and again lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Thanks, Johnny. Thanks"

A couple of hours later, Johnny looked at his watch and said. "Ok, Miss Smarty, you have an appointment and I'm broke."

Alexis had laughed harder in the last two hours than she had in the last ten years. And she felt terrific. Today was a good day. And she needed to share it with her mother. But, this time, she had a surprise for this gentle man who sat across from her stacking the cards and cleaning up the mess they made.

"Come on, Johnny. Leave that, well take care of it when we get back." She grabbed his hand and headed for the door.

Johnny didn't know what she was up to. All he knew was that he enjoyed her company. And he wanted her to stay around for a while. He also liked how his boss looked at her. Maybe something would happen there. Who knows, a guy could wonder couldn't he.

Johnny opened the roof door and stepped back to let Alexis proceed ahead of him. He mentally called his reflexes to an alert because he saw first hand what this ritual of hers could cost her. But, tonight he was unprepared for what she intended.

Alexis took a few steps forward and noticed that Johnny as usual was hanging back in order to give her enough space for what she needed to do. She retraced her steps back to Johnny and put her hand in his and led him with her to the railing.

Johnny was uncomfortable, he wasn't sure what Alexis wanted from him and as he looked down at her, she lifted her eyes to meet his. She could see he was uncomfortable and she knew why, so she began her ritual not caring that Johnny was listening. He heard the questions come one at a time.

"Alexis, did you take care of business honorably today?"

He heard her ask the question but he knew he would not be allowed to hear the answer. He stood and waited. It was as if she were bringing him into the circle of her world. He knew she was telling him she trusted him. She was telling him that she had accepted him completely as her friend.

"Alexis, did you take care of those you came into contact with today to the best of your ability?"

"Were your words honest and true?"

"Would your mother be proud of you today?"

As Johnny heard the last question he was so unprepared for what happened next. It floored him and if Johnny had been able to show the depth of emotion he felt, it would have scared the wits out of him.

Alexis never released his hand during the ritual. When she quietly answered the last question she looked back toward the horizon. As the sun gently slipped into its resting-place, Johnny heard her speak again. "Mom, I want you to meet Johnny. He has become very special to me and I want to ask you if it would be all right with you if I ask him to be my brother. He is a strong, kind man. He has very gentle eyes and I believe he genuinely cares about me. I no longer have someone to look after and care for and I think sometimes, he doesn't either. So I thought maybe we could be that for each other."

Although Alexis considered about what she wanted to do all day, she still was very cautious about letting people get close to her. She never wanted to be hurt again. But, as she looked into Johnny's eyes, she knew that this man would be her protector. She knew she could trust him with her life and he would stand with her against the cruelties of life. She knew that she needed to make sure she would have some part of Johnny with her for the rest of her life. And for all that she needed of him she needed to give back the same. And she wanted to try and fulfill a need in him that she could see shadowed in his eyes.

As she looked up and saw the range of emotions crossing his face she softly said to him, "With your permission of course."

Johnny looked out toward the horizon and with a wealth of feeling he didn't know he possessed took up what he felt was now his part of the ritual. And for the rest of his life he would stop what he was doing at sunset no matter where he was and remember this night. Tonight he could finally lay to rest the sister he had lost so long ago.

"Miss Bergman," He looked down at Alexis, saw what he needed to see and looked back toward the horizon and began again. "Mom, on my honor, I pledge this day to accept this woman who stands beside me as my sister. I will dedicate my life to her protection. I will be there for her when she needs me and I'll go to her when she calls. She now owns my life as much as I do. Thank you, for giving me back, a reason to live."

Alexis didn't hide the tears that were falling in rivers down her face. She had taken a chance and it had been right. This man was her brother, her family, in every sense of the word that mattered to her. She reached up and took him into her arms. They stood together for the longest time and let the years of pain and heartache each endured be comforted by the other. They knew that the pain they held inside would never completely go away, but they had each other to turn to now when the world got to be too much. For them both, today, they were given another moment in time. This moment would be so much more precious than the others, because this moment could be shared between them.

As they turned to walk back inside to wait for Sonny, they failed to notice the man in the shadows whose own hot tears fell unchecked onto his shirt as he had stood quietly and witnessed the scene before him. He had never in his life seen two souls give themselves to each other in such a manner. He had come up to the roof looking for them just in time to hear Alexis ask herself the first question. He knew that he inadvertently wandered in on something that was very personal and not meant for his eyes. He was afraid if he moved they would notice him and he did not want to interrupt what looked to be a very special moment between them. How these two had so quickly created such a bond between them was totally outside his realm of his understanding.

When he overheard Alexis ask permission to allow Johnny to become her brother, the last bit of composure Sonny held onto fell away and he cried as he had two weeks ago in her New York office over the death of his own mother. Sonny did not know to whom Alexis spoke as she stood at the railing, but he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about this woman. He wanted this woman in his life. He didn't care how, and he didn't care what kind of relationship it was. He just knew that he needed this woman in his life. And he wanted Michael to know her. He wanted Michael to benefit from the wisdom he heard pour from her heart tonight.

Sonny waited a while before going downstairs. He didn't need for Alexis to know he let his emotions get the better of him again. He did not want her to know he was on the roof and he wasn't willing to lie to her about it either. So he waited. After an hour passed and he felt ready to go downstairs he got up and headed that way. He noticed that his feet seemed heavier than usual and wondered at it. He didn't have to wonder long, he knew that his feet were mirroring his heart. He was alone again. And he knew there was only one person who could fill his heart completely. He also knew that there wasn't much chance of him getting what he wanted. His lifestyle would prevent it. But, he still had Michael. Would Michael be enough for him?