Without Hate - Chapter 4
"Carly!" Alexis yelled after she'd caught her heel on one of Michael's toys. At this rate, she'd be defending Jason in a hip cast.
Carly strolled out of the kitchen with an éclair in hand. "What?"
Alexis gave her the once over, wondering how she managed to eat as crappy as she did and still have an incredible figure. "I almost broke my ankle on Michael's puffy squeezy thing."
Alexis picked up the toy and held it out for Carly to take.
"It's a toy. Babies drop them sometimes. What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is mothers generally pick the toys up when babies drop them." Alexis continued to hold the toy extended toward Carly. Carly continued to eat her éclair. "Are you going to take this or what?"
"No, I'm eating a doughnut."
"That's not a doughnut, it's an éclair." One day into their living arrangement and Alexis already wanted her dead. The two months preceding her arrival had sped along faster than a kid's day at a carnival. For the most part, they had been wonderful. Sonny's guilt caused him to shower her with attention. He even made her microwave popcorn when she got home from work. And now, instead of popcorn and warm conversation, she had Carly's drama and Michael's toys. "And just what am I supposed to do with this?"
Carly wrinkled her nose. "Throw it on the sofa. I don't care."
"Carly, the sofa's not a playpen. I'm not going to throw Michael's toys all over the place."
"As soon as you find some place to put that you can have one of your pretentious donuts. There are more in the kitchen."
Alexis tossed the toy on the sofa and headed to the kitchen. When she returned she was delicately caressing her own éclair. "These are amazing. They're my favorites. Where did you get them?"
"Jason brought them this morning. He said they were your favorite." Outwardly, Carly was a tomboy. Her voice was husky. She walked tough and she never hesitated to get in anyone's face. Now, she moved around Alexis as she tried to size her up. "Why is it that my man is bringing you your favorites for breakfast? You got designs on Jason? Cause if you do, this living situation, you and me, we aren't going to work."
"Carly, I have absolutely no romantic interest in Jason. We are friends, which is the only reason I have agreed to allow you to live in my home. For whatever reason, he loves you and I respect that, but that only goes so far. So, try to stay out of my way."
"Well, you don't have to get snippy about it." Carly wasn't the least bit phased by Alexis's tough talk. In fact, she preferred people who were straight with her. She liked to know where she stood.
Michael began to cry. Soon his wails could be heard on the first floor by both Carly and Alexis.
Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to get him?"
"Oh don't tell me, Leticia's not here."
"Carly, Michael's your son, which makes him your responsibility. You need to take care of him."
"Yes, your highness. Is there anything else?" Carly headed upstairs.
"Yeah, keep the toys out of my way, too." Alexis realized she was cranky. She had a right to be. Ned suggested they take a break as soon as he learned Carly was going to be her roommate. He mentioned feeling uncomfortable going against the family on something "this big." At the time, it made her chuckle since Ned always billed himself as some sort of Quartermaine Maverick. The truth was when the chips were down; he always did what the family expected.
A knock on the door soon revealed Jason. Carly must have been able to smell him because two seconds after he arrived, Carly flung herself and Michael into Jason's arms. "Jase, I don't think I can do this." She kissed his cheek.
"You can go, if you like." Alexis smiled through clinched teeth.
Jason ignored both Carly and Alexis. Neither was a woman you wanted to cross. Soon he was on the sofa, completely engrossed in playing with his boy. Carly and Alexis stood transfixed on this man who could be so cold; and yet, in the blink of an eye, be so gentle with the little one. Carly joined him. Both seemed amazed by every move this miniature human made. Alexis determined, at that moment, she would not allow this little family to be broken.
Alexis heard a knock on the door, which she immediately recognized. No sooner than Sonny appeared, Jason stood and extended a hand to Carly. "You ready to go?" He turned to Alexis, "We'll be back in a couple of hours."
Sonny nodded to the duo.
Alexis's eyes widened. "But I thought we all agreed it was better if the two of you weren't seen together."
"Don't worry, Lexy. Where we're going, no one's going to see us." Carly giggled. Alexis watched amazed that Carly was able to make Jason blush. She was probably the only person on the planet who could. Alexis felt her heart begin to race as she watched Jason hand the baby to Sonny.
"You can't keep him here."
"He lives her." Carly spat. "We're only going next door. Don't be a spaz, Alexis. Plus, I haven't really seen Jason in two months."
"Just go. We'll, keep Michael." Sonny volunteered.
"What do you mean we'll keep Michael?"
"See you guys in a couple of hours." The door closing set Alexis's feet in motion. Michael's head moved from side to side as he watched her pace.
"Alexis, will you stop? You're going to make the baby dizzy."
"I don't do babies, Sonny. They hate me. Brooke Lynn hated me and she wasn't a baby. Maybe people under 18 hate me." She sighed and dropped herself in the chair by her desk. "I'll just sit at my desk and work."
Alexis tried to ignore Sonny as he sat on the sofa and played with the baby. But she found something about his vulnerability with the baby, so sexy. Without meaning to, she repeatedly glanced in his direction. It seemed her last glance was one-glance too many because as she looked up she found herself locked in his gaze.
He was the first to speak. "Come here. Let me show you something."
Reluctantly, Alexis walked toward the sofa and dropped herself on the sofa. She began to withdraw as Sonny tried to hand her the baby. Michael began to squirm.
"Alexis, babies can smell fear."
"If that what he's smelling he's got a good nose."
Sonny chuckled. Something in him knew she would be a great mother one day. He helped Alexis position the boy on her lap. "Now just talk to him."
"About what?"
"About anything. It doesn't matter. They just like to hear your voice." Truth was, he enjoyed hearing her voice. She was an interesting mix of sophisticated with a dash of quirky.
Alexis sighed. "Okay. Hello Michael. You are one lucky little boy. Your mama loves you and Jason, he loves you too. Plus, you've got this extended family named the Quartermaines, they're actually insane, but I don't think it's genetic. Emily's not crazy...but that doesn't solve your genetic problem now does it?"
Michael gave her a toothless grin. Sonny followed with a dimpled one. Alexis was in the midst of one of her infamous rambles.
"Lila's not crazy and she's a Morgan...just like you." Alexis brushed her hand over the boy's red hair. She remembered the other side of the baby's lineage. "Oh no, you are part Spencer aren't you? You've got your crazy Uncle Luke."
Sonny laughed out loud. He rose from the sofa.
"Where are you going, Corinthos?" Alexis felt herself tense up.
"It's almost time for Michael's lunch. Trust me; you don't want to be around a hungry baby."
"What am I supposed to do?"
Sonny continued toward the kitchen. "Keep talking to him."
Alexis looked at the baby who stared at her without blinking. "Do you want to talk about your crazy Uncle Luke?"
Michael frowned.
"That's how I feel about Uncle Luke, too. Do you want to talk about Uncle Sonny?" The baby grinned again. "Uncle Sonny wears very expensive suits, so you should try not to spit up on them. And even though he sometimes seems grumpy, he's really a good man." She kissed the baby's forehead. Her reward was another toothless grin. "You've got a beautiful smile, Little One." She looked toward the kitchen to see if Sonny was on his way back; he wasn't. "You know who else has a beautiful smile: Uncle Sonny. And he has beautiful hair and beautiful hands. And his dimples are absolutely amazing."
Unfortunately Alexis didn't hear Carly come through the door until it was too late. "You've got the hots for Sonny?"
