a fanfic by SonnyandAlexisGal
Chapter Twelve
The door opens and in walks Mike Corbin, the grandfather-to-be.
He spots Alexis and walks over to her table.
“Alexis?” he says.
“Damn!” she blurts as she turns around. She sees that it’s only Mike and she relaxes. “Oh. It’s you…”
“Well yes, it’s me,” he says, amused. “Catch you at a bad time?”
“Actually no,” Alexis admits. “I was just…having a bowl of ice cream. I was afraid that you were Sonny or something…”
Mike pulls out a chair and sits.
“Oh, now I get it…”
“They’re both known for their dietary expertise…”
“Wouldn’t approve of the ice cream, huh?”
“I don’t know,” she says. “But I didn’t really want to find out. So…how have you been?”
“I’ve been fine,” Mike answers. “Busy here and there. How about you? How’s my grandchild?”
“You’re grandchild is doing quite well, thank you. Actually…I’ve been taking care of myself – under Kristina’s watchful eye, of course. I’ve even been doing a little exercise…”
“Good,” he says. “And…how’s the new apartment?”
“Mike,” she begins, “I…know how you felt about me moving out of the penthouse…”
“I just didn’t want to see you and Sonny break up.”
“Well, we haven’t broken up – exactly…”
“So you’re still seeing each other?”
“Well…Actually no…I ran into Sonny early this morning – at the courthouse – but…I hadn’t seen him for a couple of weeks before that…”
“Then you’ve broken up.”
Alexis takes a deep breath.
“I suppose so…” she admits. “That really wasn’t my intention, you know. I just…want to keep my baby safe and…Sonny’s life may be many things but…safe is not one of them…”
“You’re right. I can’t argue with you there. But…Sonny loves you so much, Alexis. And he’s absolutely in love with the baby that you’re carrying…Losing the two of you…hurt him, Alexis…”
Alexis stares into her bowl of ice cream.
“I know…”
“As a matter of fact,” Mike begins, “he…” He thinks for a quick second. “Never mind…”
“Nevermind what?” Alexis asks. “What were you about to say, Mike?”
“I…probably shouldn’t say anything…”
“Oh? Now you have to…”
“I don’t want to upset you…”
“You don’t want to upset me,” she repeats. “Now I’m afraid that you’re going to have to tell me…”
“It’s just that…well…Sonny…hasn’t really been himself since you left. He’s been a little less…careful…”
“A little less careful?” she asks, beginning to be alarmed. “A little less careful about what?”
Mike shakes his head.
“I shouldn’t have said anything…”
“But you did and now you have to finish what you started. A little less careful about what?”
“Whenever I’ve seen him away from the penthouse,” Mike begins, “…he never has a bodyguard with him and…”
“And what?” Alexis insists.
“And the few times that I’ve gone to see him at the penthouse…there hasn’t been a guard outside his door. As a matter of fact, the door wasn’t even locked the last time I was there…”
She stares at him in disbelief.
“What?” she manages. “I mean, is he crazy? Someone is trying to…” She stops herself and looks around quickly, making sure that no one else is listening. “Someone is trying to kill him,” she continues in a near whisper. “He cannot go around unprotected, Mike. He just can’t…”
“I know that and you know that,” Mike says. “But when I said the same thing to Sonny, he nearly tore my head off…”
Alexis shakes her head.
“Why?” she asks. “Why would he take a chance like that?”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…look, Alexis. Sonny has lost a lot in his life – Brenda, Lily and their baby, the baby with Carly…And when he and Carly split up, I didn’t think that he would ever get over it…Then the two of you got together…and I haven’t seen Sonny that happy since…I don’t know when…And now he’s lost you – and the baby…My son doesn’t deal with loss very well…”
“I know…” Alexis says. “I…I care…about Sonny. You know that…”
“I thought you did…”
“I do,” she insists. “But I have to protect my baby…”
“From her father?”
“No - from the dangers in her father’s life…I know how much Sonny loves this baby and I know how hard he will try to protect her but…well look at what happened to his first wife, Lily. Look at what very nearly happened to me…Sonny himself has admitted on any number of occasions that…his life…is not conducive to the continued good health of those around him…I can’t let that danger touch our baby, Mike. I can’t…”
At that moment, the door to Kelly’s swings open. Carly swoops into the diner.
“Mike!” she calls as she approaches.
“Carly?”
“Here you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. You’ve gotta come with me,” she says. “We have to find Sonny!”
“Find Sonny?” Alexis repeats. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, that’s right,” Carly says, bitterly. “You wouldn’t know, would you? I hope you’re happy, Alexis. Thanks to you, Sonny might not live to see tomorrow.”
“Take it easy,” Mike says as he stands. “Now, what are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Sonny,” Carly says. “I was with him at the penthouse when he got this call and he got real quiet so I know it was business. And then he slammed down the phone and took off.”
Mike shrugs.
“Sounds like any conversation I’ve had with him over the years…”
“It was about Alexis, here. I’m sure of it!”
“About me?” Alexis asks – her anxiety level on the rise. “What do you mean?”
“Sonny said, and I quote, ‘if you lay a hand on her, I’ll kill you myself’. And then he stormed out of there – alone. He doesn’t care what happens to him now. You see what you’ve done to him, Alexis?”
“Carly,” Alexis begins nervously as she makes her way to her feet, “I’m sure that Sonny will be fine.”
“Well, if he isn’t,” she says, “it’ll be your fault!”
“Carly, don’t…”
“I mean it, Mike,” Carly continues. “Little Alexis The Good forces her way into Sonny’s life and gets herself pregnant and then when Sonny needs her the most, she bails on him. If Sonny dies out there somewhere tonight, it’ll be because of Alexis!”
“Stop it,” Mike insists. “We don’t have time for this. If what you say is true, we need to get out there and try to find Sonny…”
Alexis grabs her pocketbook and attaché out of the nearby chair.
“I’m coming with you,” she says.
“Not on your life,” Carly hisses. “You’ve done enough for one night, okay?”
“Mike…”
“Alexis,” Mike begins as calmly as he can manage, “why don’t you go home? Francis is outside and he can take you home.”
“I want to make sure that Sonny is alright…”
“Well, he won’t be if you’re anywhere around…”
“That’s enough, Carly!” Mike insists. “Look Alexis, you go home and I’ll call you as soon as we know something. Besides…Sonny would want you and the baby to be safe.”
Alexis looks up at Mike with tears in her eyes.
“Mike, please…”
“Alexis,” he begins, “you know that I’m right.”
She takes a deep breath and exhales.
“Alright, alright,” she manages. “Just…call me as soon as you know anything!”
Mike gently touches her cheek.
“I will,” he says.
“Come on!” Carly insists as she pulls Mike’s arm. “Let’s go!”
Alexis stands and watches helplessly as Mike and Carly rush out of Kelly’s Diner. After a moment where she inhales deeply and exhales, trying to keep herself calm, she follows them to the door.
She pushes it open and sees Francis standing nearby.
“I have to go home,” Alexis tells him. “It’s…an emergency…”