Chapter 26: Birth Fathers

It seemed to take an eternity for Alexis and Kristina to return from upstairs. Sonny had hoped that was because Kristina could be stubborn about waking up. Lois probably did have a point that she was overtired. He had a feeling that Alexis sometimes got caught up in work and forgot Kristina was still up. He wasn't about to point that out in the moment because he didn't see it going well. He supposed it was another argument for moving the mafia out of his life so he could have more of a presence in his daughter's life. Alexis couldn't raise Kristina alone but that wasn't necessarily a character flaw. He just wasn't sure how to really broach any of that with Alexis.

But eventually Kristina and Alexis joined them in the kitchen, and they all sat down to eat a slightly belated breakfast.

"Mommy, I think I know why you don't want me to see Daddy Mark," Kristina said as she poured more syrup on her pancakes.

Alexis seemed to only focus more intently on cutting Molly's pancakes. Sonny wondered if she thought if she didn't acknowledge what Kristina had said it would be like she hadn't said it. Or maybe she just wasn't sure how to respond. He wasn't.

Kristina put down her fork and looked at her father earnestly. "Is it because he is my birth father? Lacey never gets to see her birth father either. She said her daddy said that her birth father loved her and that was why he gave her to them because he knew they would love her. But Lacey doesn't remember her birth father at all, and she thinks he lives far away, like far, far away."

Alexis continued to cut Molly's pancakes as if she didn't notice Sonny's desperate glance.

Kristina shifted her gaze back to her mother and continued. "But I do remember Daddy Mark and he doesn't live far away. You let daddy see Molly and he is her birth father. Nicole and Abby get to live all the time with their birth fathers so you see, Mommy, you really aren't being fair to me," she said.

"Mark isn't your birth father, Kristina," Sonny said. He himself wasn't Molly's either as much as he wished that could be true.

Kristina seemed shocked by his statement. "He has to be! He was there when I was born. He told me he was, and Daddy Mark never lies!"

Sonny looked more desperately at Alexis. Anytime she wanted to join the conversation would be just fine with him. She was the one who was good with words and coming up with explanations for things that really didn't have much explanation. As Alexis continued to stare at Molly's pancakes Sonny took a deep breath and made another attempt. "Mark was there when you were born that is true. But I am your father because," Sonny paused as he searched for more words. Did he really have to explain where babies came from and Mark in the same conversation? Reflexively he squeezed his chin and threw another desperate glance across the table at Alexis.

"Nicole says that when parents love each other a lot, are old enough to be responsible, and are married that the daddy's sperm and the mommy's egg can combine to make a baby. Her brother married Keesha, and he loves her a lot and now Keesha has a baby inside. But you and mommy were never married. Mommy was married to Daddy Mark and Daddy Ric but Daddy Ric wasn't there when Molly was born so he can't be her real birth father."

Sonny winced. He supposed that the Doctors Alan and Monica Quartermaine had only had children in wedlock and probably wanted that for their children as well. But sometimes life didn't go the way you might want or plan. His hadn't. Alexis really needed to say something.

Apparently, Kristina agreed with him because she asked, "Mommy, are you even listening to me?"

Alexis grimaced and Sonny did feel badly for her. "Well, Nicole is right about the ideal scenario. That is what I hope you will have some day, Kristina. But people can create a baby without being married and your father and I weren't, when we created you. Mark was there when you were born, and he loved you then and he still loves you now but when people talk about birth fathers they are talking about the father who combined with the mother to create the baby. That wasn't Mark so he isn't your birth father. Your dad isn't Molly's birth father either although he was there when she was born and he has loved her ever since."

"So why is it ok for Molly to call him daddy but I can't call Daddy Mark daddy?" Kristina asked.

"Because you have your dad," Alexis said.

"Aunt Lois says daddy was there when Brooklyn was born. Is that why he is her godfather? Then could daddy Mark be my godfather?" Kristina asked.

Sonny wanted to insist that was an absurd idea. It really was, but he supposed Mark couldn't be a worse Godfather than Ric had been. "Mark isn't Catholic, Kristina," he finally said.

"But Brooklyn said that Brenda is her godmother and Brenda isn't Catholic. That is why she and Cruz aren't getting married at St. Timothy's."

No, Brenda was Episcopalian like the rest of the Quartermaine clan. She and Cruz were getting married at Trinity Episcopal, where Kristina had originally been baptized, back before he realized she was his. Sonny sent another glance in Alexis' direction. He could use a little help.

"Why can Brooke have a godmother who isn't Catholic, and I can't have a godfather who isn't Catholic?" Kristina asked.

Sonny knew the Catholicism thing was a copout. Ric had never been Catholic either. "Alright, if you really want Mark to be your godfather then your mother can ask him," he said. He caught the new panic that crossed Alexis's face. What? Did she think he was going to ask Mark?

"He will say yes, I know he will," Kristina insisted.

Sonny realized that, because it obviously mattered to Kristina, he wanted Mark to say yes. He wasn't sure if that was irony or karma or just the reality of all of the messed-up choices, he, Alexis, and Mark, had made over the years.