Sonny's Carpenter Chronicles: A Home Depot and A Dream

September 14, 2005

"Home Depot and a Dream"

He wakes up half-ashamed of his fears from the night before. The birds chirping and the smell of something cooking from the house next door livens his senses. He sniffs the air for a moment and talks himself into sitting up and thinking about his next move. The light peeks through his tent and he feels more confident about walking into that house and rediscovering what he's missed for so many years. He thinks about Alexis and wonders if she might fit him into her plans for the day.

"What are you two doing now?" Alexis slams her coffee mug onto her desk catching Ric and Lorenzo both flipping through their newspapers and snickering.

Ric pulls downs his paper and shows her the want ads. "We're finding potential jobs for Sonny. This is some funny stuff. Hey Lo. Read this one."

Lorenzo puts down his paper and looks over Ric's shoulder. He throws his hand on his mouth and tries to hold back the laughter with his face beaming crimson. He finally controls himself and reads the ad out loud. "Wanted. Funeral singer. Males must have soft angelic voices. Dapper appearance. And must be able to emote."

"Can Sonny emote?" Ric grins at her like a Cheshire cat.

Alexis shots Ric a raised eyebrow. "Yes Ric. Sonny can emote. He did Schizophrenic pretty well. Remember?"

She jumps from her desk and grabs the papers from the troublemaking twosome. "We need to focus on this firm. And our cases. Don't make fun of Sonny. I'm sensitive."

Lorenzo stands up with the smile leaving his face. "Hey Alexis. We're being straight up here. We're your friends. We know that there was an element of guilt in you asking Sonny to leave the business. And now you feel responsible for him cause it's just not working out."

"But Lo it's just the first day Man." Ric interjects.

"Yea. You guys are right. I stayed on his ass to get out of the mob after everything that happened. I didn't realize that he didn't have a plan once he got out. So now I send him back to the one place that scares him the most to…"

"…Start over again." Lorenzo interrupts. "Nothing wrong with that. I used to be a criminal. We all want that second chance. Some of us know what to do with it and some of us don't."

He finally gathers the courage to go into the house. Looking around he tries to draw a picture of his mother's last moments.

"I wonder if she died with a second of happiness. She used to compete with Momma Cassarelli next door. They used to have a bake off. I wonder what Cass is cooking this morning? It smelled good." He looks out the front door at the house over yonder and spots the woman he used to call Momma Cass talking to the postman. The postman walks away and Cass notices Sonny looking in her direction. She waves with a boisterous hello and signals him over.

"Adella's Boy! You haven't grown an inch!" She yells across the lawn. "My toilet is overflowing! Get over here and I'll let you have a meatball. Maybe two if you fix it right."

Sonny laughs thanking God under his breath that she remembers his face. "I'll be over in a minute Momma Cass!" He bites his lip and ponders for a moment on exactly how to fix an overflowing toilet. "Why is her toilet overflowing in the first place?" He scrounges up his face in disgust remembering the many dinners that he used to enjoy in her kitchen and the repercussions. "I'm gonna have to buy Momma Cass some Drano."

Alexis rushes into the apartment across the hall certain of her decision. "I have decided. I'm gonna be strong. I won't shed a tear. He's a big boy. Big bad mobster. He used to kill people…"

"…Correction. Jason did the killing. That was keep him out of prison argument number…What number was that Lo?"

"That case was last year. I'm too busy to care about it at the moment." Lorenzo grumbles while engrossed in his files strewn across the coffee table.

"Whatever. I used logic. Logic screamed at me. It told me that I needn't be bothered any longer. Luckily he has nothing to offer me." Alexis plops down in the chair and beams at her newfound freedom.

"Well there you go Natasha. You made a decision and you justified it. You've won your case. Can Ric and I finish what we're doing please?" Lorenzo tilts his head at Alexis with a forced smile.

She notices both of them less than enthusiastic about her news so she jumps up from the chair and shuffles herself back over to her apartment. Viola walks in with Kristina in her arms covered in sand from head to toe with a broken shovel in her hand. Alexis gasps knowing that the little girl was sent out that morning precious enough to sit next to the Queen of England but now fit to be dumped in the nearest water hole.

"What happened to my daughter? She's filthy."

"She got into a little fight."

"A fight?"

"My box." Kristina sings with an innocent smile.

"She took her shovel and broke it over some little boy's head because he wouldn't get out of the sandbox."

Alexis looks at Kristina in shock trying to picture the sweet child with proper Cassadine manners breaking a shovel over the head of an obnoxious little boy.

"Kristina?" Alexis crosses her arms and gives her a stern look.

Kristina looks away from her mother shaking her head with a no. Alexis taps her on the knee to regain her attention. "Little Miss Davis? Can I have a moment of your time? You're going to have to explain to Mommy why you're not sharing."

"My box." Kristina looks away again refusing to say anymore.

Viola interrupts. "Actually Alexis. She almost took out the whole park of children for sitting in "her" sandbox. She's quite territorial."

"Oh no. I'm sorry Viola. I don't mean to make excuses, but it's obviously in her genes."

Sonny walks in on the defensive. "Ok. Just hear me out Alexis."

"So you made it through the night?"

"Barely. I slept in the tent."

"You did what! Oh good God Sonny! You're such a drama queen!"

"I just can't sleep in that house. I had nightmares when I lived there so there is no doubt I'd have nightmares now. But anyway, I was thinking. It's just a thought. I was thinking maybe you could help me."

"With? Cover Kristina's ears Viola. He comes up with some good ones. I don't want her getting any ideas."

Sonny laughs. "It's not like that. I need a Home Depot card."

Alexis steps back. "A who?"

"All I need is a Home Depot and a dream. And I'll be all set. But anyway, I gotta unclog Mommy Cass' toilet."

Lorenzo walks in with a big grin. "I thought she died on a ham sandwich?"

"Naw. Her toilet is clogged. And it needs Drano that I can get from Home Depot if only I had a card where Drano flows freely. How about it?"

"Do they sell guns at Home Depot?" Alexis inquires with a raised eyebrow.

Sonny looks perplexed. "Nooo."

"Ok. But that's it. I'm done!"

Lorenzo throws up his hands. "So much for logic Natasha!"

Aisles and shelves of tools and nails. Mini blinds and assorted paint. Wood and gardenscapes. Alexis' headache hits her standing in the plumbing aisle. She tries not to show her aggravation after seeing Sonny carefully comparing the different types of pipes to Kristina seemingly enticed.

"Home Depot is really big I notice." Alexis tries to alleviate the headache with conversation. "Does she need new pipes or Drano?"

"The Drano should do her fine." Sonny goes back to his pipe lesson with Kristina.

Alexis looks at her watch. "How about we leave now? It's getting late Dear. Kristina had a long day."

"You're ruining our fun Alexis."

"Home Depot is not fun!" Alexis raises her voice amidst the shoppers passing by in the aisle. She blows off the stares with a forced smile.

Sonny takes the hint and leads the way towards the exit of Home Depot. They make it out to the limo and Alexis notices Sonny more silent than usual.

"Now you're trying to make me feel guilty Sonny."

"How is that Alexis?"

"You're giving me the silent treatment."

"Am I not allowed to just ponder? I'm sleeping in a tent. I have a lot to think about."

Sonny settles into the limo with Kristina, but Alexis remains outside ready to blow. Sonny leans out the window waiting for her to decide to join them.

"The limo ain't leaving with you standing out there Doll."

She gives in with a frustrated plea to the heavens. "Sonny, you do it to me every time. Where is logic when I need it!"

Viola steps off the elevator hanging up from a conversation with Alexis going over Kristina's evening arrangements. Across the hall from Alexis', she sees Lorenzo's apartment door wide open. "I never understand why Alexis doesn't lock the door of this apartment."

Viola walks into the apartment and notices files scattered along his coffee table and the letterhead bearing the names of the partnership Alcazar, Davis, and Lansing. "I wonder when she plans to change the name of the firm. It's been a year at least."

She stops her straightening and leaves the apartment locking the door behind her with a key on her key chain. She continues on across the hall to Alexis' apartment without another thought.