Carly mentally chastised herself for drinking so much and vowed if she ever recuperated, she'd never look at another bottle of liquor again, her head was now delivering a painful pounding behind her eyes and through the middle of her head, she tried desperately to remember if she'd actually gone through two bottles of Tequila. Lying flat on her stomach across her body pillow she'd purchased during her long separation the first time, she frowned, her eyes remained shut to block out the rude awakening of sunlight she'd be in for upon opening them. Yesterday had proven to be the day of all bad days.
Her mother had spent the last week avoiding her, so when Carly had met her at the front door she'd expected a reunion of sorts, what she hadn't expected was to see her Mother's weasel of a boyfriend Scott Baldwin tagging along, they'd spent the entire hour giving her the riot act for her disappearing act and the supposed turmoil she'd put her loved ones through, if that hadn't of been enough her Mother had the gall then to tell her she was taking Michael home with her. Carly might've been fine with that, but it was the authoritative tone in Bobbie's voice that had caused Carly to rebel, and she'd really gone over the brink when it was revealed it was Sonny's idea, as if clockwork someone knocked at the door, and Scotty answered and sneered, Sonny was there to see Michael.
Flashback to the day before
"Carly if you have something to say, don't tell your Mother, say it to my face." Sonny had said crisply, not eve acknowledging Scotty's presence as he made his way through the door.
"How dare you make demands on where my Son should live, he's fine where he is!" Carly shouted, the hurt and bitterness seeping through.
"Are you fine Carly, you seem angry and do you really think Michael deserves to see that?"
"This is rich, the Ward Cleaver of mob bosses," Scotty sniped, rolling his eyes and putting his hands in his pockets.
"Why are you here?" Sonny asked irritably, never taking his eyes off Carly, "this is none of your business."
"It sure is my business, Bobbie happens to be my friend… not to mention my client."
Carly's eyes widened with suspicion, "Client… why do you need an attorney Mother?"
Bobbie shook her head, "Now Scott, quit trying to stir up trouble, I'm not his client and sometimes I wonder if I'm even his friend… but Honey I do know one thing for sure, I am your Mother and I happen to agree with Sonny on this, you need sometime to get yourself together… I'm not taking Michael forever, just until you feel better."
"And Just how am I supposed to feel better… when my hus… my ex-husband has been conning me the entire time!" Carly shrieked, "Scott I want to hire you, to sue Sonny and Alexis for mental cruelty."
"Toot's, no matter how much I hate the half pint, the thought of representing you makes my skin break out in a case of the creepy crawlies… besides that I wouldn't touch your case with a ten foot pole… they could counter sue… you got nothing."
"FINE!"" Carly shouted," Take Michael, and get the hell out of my house… all of you!"
End of Flashback
So that's how her day had started, they'd left her alone soon after that, giving her time to revel in her own misery and from there it had only gotten worst. First she'd decided to pay a visit to Club 101 and dance her troubles away, only to be blocked from entering by none other than Skye Quartermaine, it seemed Jasper decided to play dirty and barred her from entering his establishment ever again. After that she'd ended up on the docks and ran into Zander, putting on a little charm and seduction she thought it would lead the amnesiac stud into her embrace and back into her bed, she however hadn't expected him to tell her off, seems his memory wasn't so bad after all, he'd remembered her. Her last stop had been to Jakes, flirting with every man that came within ten feet of her… then the tequila…she'd started off with shouts and ended with the bottle.
Suddenly Carly's right eye flew open, if she didn't know better the pillow she was lying on had somehow developed arms, her other eye flew open oblivious to the bright sunlight streaming through her blinds, her attention was now solely focused on the pillow that was shifting beneath her and was groaning in what she could only recognize as the affects of his own hangover… what has she done or who? Slowly her head traveled up from the chest she was lying against, her eyes traveling up, just as another set of eyes were traveling down… when they finally met all you could hear were horrified screams.
Alexis narrowed her eyes and turned to face the Mafioso that carried her heart," just how long have you been standing there?"
Grinning widely, with dimples blazing he rocked back on his heels, "long enough to hear the truth."
"The truth huh," Brenda said, " what's the truth Sonny that you're a self serving jerk with an ego to match?"
"Temper, Temper Bren," Sonny chuckled, taking a seat next to Alexis and reaching for her hand only to have her snatch it away, "I was just agreeing with you."
"And what per say would you be agreeing with?" Brenda asked again.
"Your right, Alexis does make me a better man." Sonny said in all honesty, turning to face Alexis who sat beside him, her head bowed in embarrassment.
"I might have to retract my earlier statement, from what I can tell you're a nosy one." Brenda replied fliply."
"I've never been referred to as nosy before, I don't think I like it."
"If memory serves correct, your Sister mentioned your eavesdropping skills when she was staying with me." Alexis said, finding her voice."
"It's not eavesdropping Alexis… it's called being polite." Sonny shot back, chuckling when she rolled her eyes at him.
"Hmph, polite isn't listening in on personal conversations Son, it's called bad manners." Brenda scolded rising from her chair and picking up her plate.
"I have excellent manners," Sonny corrected, his grin broadening, "Alexis taught me."
"Could've fooled me," Brenda retorted," by the way, how much of our conversation did you really here?"
"I told you… the most important part,' Sonny repeated exasperated, "All I heard was you telling Alexis I was a better man for loving her."
"That's all?" Alexis asked, somewhat relieved.
"That's it, but I wish like I hell I'd gotten here sooner, sounds like it was some conversation."
"One you'll never know about," Brenda pointed out, and winked at Alexis, "now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put this in the sink and then head for the showers."
Disappearing into the kitchen, she returned and started to head for the bathroom, she was halfway there when she spotted Sonny by the window, Alexis had disappeared into the kitchen to get Sonny a cup of coffee.
Approaching him, Brenda tapped his shoulder, he turned to look at the woman he'd once loved, no words were needed to relay the connection that remained between them, but with time came changes and now he understood that their lives had been meant for different courses.
"Son, I'm going to say this once," Brenda looked directly in his eyes, "don't blow it, you've got the real thing… try not to forget that."
"I will Brenda… I've got to much to look forward too."
Brenda's eyes sparkled, "never thought I'd see the day Sonny Corinthos would actually be looking forward to his future without looking over his shoulder."
Jake O'Brien stepped out of the stretch limo and took in the view of Port Charles from the hillside, his brother trailing behind calling after him.
"Leave it to you Jake to have Adam stop on the deadliest stretch of highway just so you can get a breath of fresh air." Johnny shook his head in exasperation, "you have thirty minutes before your meeting with Jason Morgan."
"Take a look at that view!" Jake emphasized, ignoring his brothers protests, " reminds me of when we were kids in Monterey."
Johnny gave his brother a puzzled frown, "we never liven in Monterey."
"We didn't?" Jake asked feigning surprise, "Hell we moved around so much before Pop ran out, how should I remember where we lived."
"I'm already regretting that I reminded Sonny you were back in the states." Johnny muttered, he was joking of course, he knew his brother liked to pull one over on him, "Sonny has certain expectations."
Jake broke out in hearty laughter, slapping Johnny on the back, " you worry to much lite Joh, I wouldn't dream of humiliating you in front of your idol… need I remind you, I worked with Mikey before you ever discovered girls?"
Johnny could've corrected his brother and told him the truth, that though he'd always admired and respected Sonny, his big brother would always wind hands down at being his idol. Jake had sacrificed his future when their father had run out on them. Jake was eighteen when their Father had left, Johnny had been eight, their mother long since deceased after a lengthy illness. It was Jake that had taken on full responsibility of raising him, he'd quit school and gone to work for Joe Scully's crew and had quickly been rewarded with a sense of honor and respect.
If you looked at the two men they looked nothing alike, his brother was tall and strapping with dark hair and hazel eyes, their father had once said Jake had taken after their Mother's Italian heritage…whatever it was Johnny had always wanted to be just like his big brother, and so when he'd decided to start working in the ranks of the underworld he'd been surprised by Jake's anger, he'd wanted Johnny to have what he'd given up for him, school, a regular job, and a family… but the Irish had won out in the end, temper in check Johnny had gone to work for Sonny and the rest was history.
"Uh, your not going to call Sonny by that name are you… he's got a thing about respect."
"Geez, would you relax… I know exactly what I can and cannot say around Senor Corinthos."
"Good, because he's very territorial."
Jake extended his arms out widely, " this town is big enough for the likes of both Sonny ego and my own."
"And what about Taggerts?" Johnny asked, and cringed when his brothers eyes glinted with mischief, " do me a favor lay low, Taggert gets a whiff of you and he'll be in mobster heaven."
"Oh yeah, I think I'm going to like it here." Jake said, once more before
heading back to the limo and toward his future.