This is still not a continuing story. Just a series of vignettes.
Dinner, which had somehow escaped awkwardness because everyone was so hungry they were too busy eating and not talking, did not have a chance to turn into something awkward or otherwise afterwards, because Kristina started to feel the baby kicking.
"Oooh, can we feel it?" asked Lulu, with a wistful sort of pang in her voice. Maybe though, Dante told himself, he was just imagining it.
"Sure," Kristina said.
"Maybe it's just indigestion," Dante whispered to himself. He felt he should say something to Kristina, but really, what could he say? They didn't talk all that much, and it's not like they had had a shared childhood from which he could claim brotherly rights to lecture her.
"Ha," Johnny said, interrupting his thoughts. "I was thinking the same thing. I know I have it, at least." How the hell had he heard that, Dante wondered irritably.
"You're not allowed in our bathroom," said Dante absently. "Go shit in the hall. Preferably in front of door 4G. I hate them."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Johnny. He looked over at the women, who had moved on to some other baby related topic. "Crazy, huh, how they're getting all excited over the baby kicking?"
"Yeah, women and their bird brains," said Dante.
Johnny held up his hands. "Hey, no, that's not what I meant. Just that I get excited 'cause it's my kid, but they're getting all excited just for - well, kicks."
"It is Lulu's niece or nephew," said Dante, inadvertently acknowledging Johnny and Kristina's marriage. "And my mom's - whatever. She likes babies."
"Yeah," said Johnny, looking fondly at Olivia. "I guess it can be her niece, or nephew, too. Olivia's like the town aunt, anyway."
"Is that why you were with her?" asked Dante. "You like town aunts?"
Johnny chuckled.
"What is this?" asked Dante suspiciously. "Why are you laughing at my line?"
"It was funny," said Johnny. "You know. For you."
"No," replied Dante. "You're trying to . . . bond with me. Stop that!"
"Believe it or not - "
"Okay, I won't," Dante interrupted.
"Believe it or not, Johnny repeated, "I love Kristina, and I admit . . . I may want to try to get along with the family."
"How is Alexis taking this?" asked Dante. He hadn't thought of Alexis yet in all the chaos. Jesus, she must have been -
"Hyperventilating," Johnny said. "Something about passing on her attraction to bad boys and Cassadine curses, I really was trying to make myself scarce."
"Oh yeah," said Dante scathingly. "When I want to make myself scarce, I go and get the daughter of my greatest enemy pregnant."
Johnny ignored this. "Anyway, we left her to Sam and Molly. We're hoping they make some progress."
Dante glanced over at Kristina. "You might be hoping. Kristina loves to stir the family up."
Johnny leaned forward, smiling at Dante's insinuation that Kristina was using him. "What are you suggesting, brother-in-law? That Kristina married me and got herself knocked up just to piss off your dad?"
"Stranger things have been known to happen," said Dante.
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but it's kind of easy to piss Sonny off. You serve him his BLT wrong at Kelly's, it send his blood pressure skyrocketing."
"Well, it is really disappointing when they mess that one up," Dante mumbled.
"My point is, she didn't need to go that far if that's all she wanted to do," said Johnny.
"No, she didn't have to go that far. But," Dante pointed out. "I don't know if you've noticed this in all the whirlwind, Kristina never needs to go that far, but she usually does."
"It wasn't a whirlwind," said Johnny. "We've been seeing each other for over a year. Admittedly, the baby was a shock, but that's not why we're together at all."
"It isn't?" asked Dante. "I should hope that has something to do with it!"
Johnny waved away Dante's indignation. "You know what I mean."
"No, I don't, please explain," said Dante sarcastically.
"I mean, I would still be with her even if she weren't pregnant. Being with her, it's just - "
"Please, stop right there, that's good, I believe you, it's love, great, yes, no more proof required - " said Dante, holding his hand out.
"Awww," chorused a trio of female voices.
"That's so sweet," said Olivia.
Lulu nodded, tearing up. Kristina was smiling at Johnny.
"I don't fu - " Dante stopped, spotting his mother. Ameding himself before she could scold him for cursing, he continued, "I don't get it." He waved around his hand at Johnny. "What you all see in this guy. I mean you all, you two," he then waved his hand at Lulu and Olivia, "were, you know, with him, and then he knocks up my 22 year old sister up" - more waving, at said sister this time - "and then you're all melting over how romantic it is."
"First of all, don't use the phrase 'knocked up'", said Olivia. "It's rude."
"Yeah, Dante, it's rude," sucked up Johnny. Kristina and Lulu nodded their heads in agreement. Dante decided he hated everyone.
"Second," continued Olivia. "If you keep waving your arms around like that, they're gonna fall off. And third, we're melting because it is romantic." She clasped her hands together and sighed.
Dante stared at her in disbelief, not only because his mother was acting like schoolgirl but at the sheer hypocrisy of her talking about someone else moving their arms around too much.
"You know," Johnny said. "Your eyes are already pretty big. I wouldn't widen them anymore than I could help it, if I were you."
A chorus of laughter followed him as he left the apartment, trying to find some refuge.