Chapter Five
“Who is it?” she calls.
“Jax.”
A smile crosses her face as she opens the door.
“Well, hello,” she says.
“Hello yourself,” Jax answers. He pulls her into his arms and squeezes her warmly. “You look great.”
“Thank you for saying that,” Alexis says. She lets him go. “So what are you doing here so early in the day?”
“It isn’t all that early, Alexis. It’s nearly eleven o’clock.”
Alexis shrugs.
“It’s early for me.”
He laughs.
“That’s right,” he says. “I forgot that you aren’t exactly what one could call a morning person.”
“Not exactly. So where are you off to?”
“I’m on my way to Paris to negotiate about buying that computer company that I told you about.”
“Well, come in and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”
Jax laughs.
“I’ll come in but only if you promise that I don’t have to drink your coffee…”
“Very funny,” Alexis says. “Get in here.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says.
He walks into the apartment and over to the sofa.
“You’re sure that I can’t get you anything?” Alexis asks as she closes the door.
“Nothing,” Jax says. “I’m fine. So…” he begins as he sits, “how are you?”
Alexis shrugs.
“Taking things one step at a time,” she answers. “I’m feeling much better than I did when you saw me last.”
“And you look much better,” Jax says. “I’m happy to see you back on your feet.”
Alexis walks to the sofa and sits next to him.
“I’m happy to be back on my feet,” she says. “Believe me…”
“I uh…I hear that Sonny…took really good care of you after you came home…”
“Oh, you’ve heard that, have you? From Kristina no doubt…” She takes a deep breath and tries not to think any more than she has to. “Actually…Sonny was wonderful to me. And firm. He wouldn’t let me do more than my doctor said I should…”
“Good. I hate to admit it but…while you were in the hospital…I could see how much he cares about you. Now I would almost rather that it were anyone else…but as long as he’s good to you and takes care of you…”
“Jax…”
“I know how you hate to discuss personal things like this,” he interrupts. “But I just wanted you to know…that I want you to be happy – even if it means that you’d be happy with Corinthos…”
Perfect, her mind says to her. Now that Sonny has dumped me, Jax wants us to be happy together…
“Are you sure that I can’t get anything for you?” she asks.
Jax shakes his head no.
“I’m actually on my way to the airport.”
“Oh? Taking a plain ol’ commercial flight for a change?”
He laughs.
“I have some notes to go over before my meeting. Besides,” he says as he stands, “it’ll give me a chance to stretch my legs…”
Alexis stands and takes his hand.
“Well, I’m glad that you came by.”
“I wanted to check up on you,” Jax says. He studies her for a moment. “Are you sure that you’re okay?”
“Of course I’m okay,” Alexis answers. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You seem a little…different somehow…”
“No,” Alexis says quickly. “I’m the same old Alexis. And I have a date in court so you’d better get going so that I can get going myself.”
“Alright, alright,” Jax teases. “I know when I’m not wanted.”
He starts for the door with Alexis following close behind.
“You keep taking care of yourself,” he says as he opens the door. “And don’t…”
“I know, I know,” she interrupts. “Don’t overdo. I hear that all the time.” She kisses him gently. “Thank you for being my friend.”
“You’re welcome,” Jax says. “I’ll see you when I get back.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Alexis says. “Travel safely.”
Jax smiles at her before turning around and walking to the elevator.
“Take care of yourself, too,” she calls after him.
“I plan to,” he answers.
___________________________________________________________________
Sonny sits in the interrogation room at the PCPD, patiently waiting for Taggart to come back.
Some things never change, he tells himself. Taggart will take any and every opportunity to harass me and pull me down here for questioning. You’d think he’d figure it out by now – I don’t talk.
“Well Sonny boy,” Taggart begins as he enters the room, closing the door behind him. “You sure you don’t want to call that lovely mouthpiece of yours?”
“Just get on with it,” Sonny answers. “What is it this time?”
“Okay,” Taggart begins as he pulls out the chair across from Sonny and sits. “We’re still investigating everything that went down with Roslyakov at that warehouse. Care to hear what we’ve uncovered so far?”
“It might be entertaining…”
“We found out that Roslyakov was working for somebody else – somebody pretty high up in The Organization – Mr. Phil Lundine. Name mean anything to you?”
Sonny shrugs.
“Never heard of him…”
“Now, that’s funny because Lundine was closely connected to your old friend, Joe Scully. Word has it that they came up through the ranks together…”
“Is there gonna be a point here, Taggart?”
“Come on, Corinthos!” Taggart blurts as he stands. “You know and I know that Lundine has had it in for you ever since you shot and killed his boy Scully. You also know that Roslyakov was working for Lundine when he kidnapped Miss Davis. Work with us, Sonny. Give us whatever you’ve got on Lundine. Let us handle it.”
Sonny stands.
“Am I free to go?”
“Lundine is gonna keep on coming, Sonny. Now last time it was Miss Davis and she almost didn’t make it because she took a bullet for being close to you…Who’s to say that it won’t be that ex-wife of yours next time or her son or even your father? He might even go after Miss Davis himself next time and she might not make it next time…”
Sonny stares at Taggart and keeps himself calm.
“You done?”
“Damn it, Corinthos! How many people around you are gonna have to pay for your sins?”
“Am I free to go?” Sonny repeats.
“Go on,” Taggart says. “Get out of my sight!”
Sonny turns and walks to the door.
“Been a pleasure, Lieutenant.”
He opens the door and steps out.
He makes his way between the desks in the squad room and through the swinging half-doors.
I know what I gotta do, Taggart. And I don’t need the PCPD around to mess everything up…
___________________________________________________________________
Alexis walks briskly through Kelly’s Diner, carrying a cup of coffee in a brown paper bag. She opens the door and nearly bumps into Mike Corbin.
“Whoa!” Mike says. “Where’s the fire?”
“Excuse me, Mike,” Alexis says. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Small wonder…You should slow down. You haven’t been out of the hospital for that long, you know.”
“I’m fine,” Alexis insists.
She continues past Mike. She gets in a couple of steps more when everything around her suddenly begins to spin.
She drops her coffee and immediately brings her hands to her head.
Mike’s head whips around and he rushes over to catch her before she falls.
“Hey!” he says. “Have a seat.”
Alexis leans on him and lets him guide her into a nearby chair.
“Thank you,” she manages.
Mike pulls another chair close.
“Are you okay?”
“I felt a little dizzy just then,” Alexis says. “It’ll go away in a minute.”
“I don’t know,” Mike says. “You’re looking kinda on the green side…”
“Thanks for noticing…”
Mike studies her for a moment. Alexis sees him staring at her.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing,” Mike says. “It’s just that…well I’ve only ever seen something like what just happened, you know -- that sudden onset dizziness -- when…" He thinks better of continuing. "Nevermind.”
“When what?” Alexis asks.
“Well when…Adela was pregnant with Sonny…and then again when Janine was having Courtney…”
“Well, that’s just plain ridiculous,” Alexis insists.
“Is it?”
“Yes, it is. I just forgot to take my medication, that’s all. And I’ve been doing a little too much lately. I’m tired. I could probably use a little more rest.”
“I see,” Mike says. “Well then, maybe what you need is to sit still long enough to have a decent breakfast. Why don’t you let me go inside and get you a Western Omelet – my treat?”
Alexis thinks about eating eggs and immediately feels a wave of nausea.
Mike sees the look on her face and smiles.
“That’s the look alright,” he says. “Alexis, you’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“No,” she insists. “I am not pregnant. And don’t even mention that word to Sonny. Do you hear me?”
“Understood,” Mike says. “But you are pregnant…aren’t you?”
Alexis takes a deep breath and exhales.
“Do me a favor, Mike? Leave it alone.”
“Why?”
“Just trust me, okay?” she says as she stands. “Leave it alone. Please.”
“Okay, okay,” Mike says. “I’ll stay out of it.”
“Thank you,” Alexis says.
___________________________________________________________________
Kristina unlocks the apartment door and steps inside after her morning jog, carrying the newspaper. She puts the newspaper down on the desk as she closes the door. She walks further into the apartment and begins to stretch when she notices a fully dressed Alexis coming down the stairs.
“Good morning,” she says. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel fine,” Alexis says. “Did you just come back in?”
“Yep,” Kristina answers. “There’s nothing like a brisk jog in the morning air to wake a person. You should try it.”
“I don’t think so…”
“You don’t know what you’re missing…”
“Exactly,” Alexis says. “So…will you be busy this morning?”
“God, yes,” Kristina says. “I promised Ned that I would clean out all of the old L&B files today and I planned to get an early start. I got the morning paper and it’s on the desk. I’m gonna go upstairs and shower so that I can get to work.” She starts up the stairs. “See you in a few minutes.”
“Take your time,” Alexis calls.
Alexis watches Kristina disappear up the stairs. She waits for a moment longer until she’s reasonably certain that Kristina won’t be coming back down. Then she walks to the desk and opens the bottom drawer – the one with the Yellow Pages in it.
She picks up the heavy book and brings it over to the sofa. She sits and immediately begins to scan the page headers. Frantically she turns and flips past page after page until she finds what she’s looking for.
She stands and quickly makes her way to the desk. She opens the middle drawer and takes out a pen and a piece of paper. Then she goes back over to the sofa, leans over the book, and jots down an address on the paper in her hand.
She heads back over to the desk and takes her pocketbook out of the chair, opens the door, and closes it behind her.
___________________________________________________________________
“I can’t believe how good that felt,” Kristina says as she comes back down the stairs into the living room.
She doesn’t hear anything and looks around.
“Alexis?” No answer. “Are you in the kitchen fiddling with that cappuccino machine again?”
She walks into the kitchen and sees no one there. She’s puzzled for a moment but then shrugs and goes back into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.
About ten or fifteen minutes later, Kristina walks out of the kitchen, carrying a cup that is half full of coffee. She walks to the desk, picks up the newspaper, and brings it over to the dining table. She sits sipping her coffee and skimming through the newspaper in front of her.
At that moment, the telephone rings.
Kristina walks to the telephone and answers it.
“Hello?” she says. “Well, good morning to you, too…I know and I intend to keep my promise. I was just having a cup of coffee and then I’ll be right over…I missed you too but…I really think that Alexis appreciated having me around last night…No reason. I just think so…Okay. I’ll be right over…Bye.”
Kristina hurries back into the kitchen to pour the rest of her coffee down the drain. She leaves the cup in the sink and walks back out into the living room. She walks to the desk and picks up her keys.
She notices the open middle drawer.
“That’s not like her,” Kristina tells herself.
An instinct tells her to glance around the room and she does. Her eyes fall on the open Yellow Pages sitting on the sofa with a pen in the middle.
With some trepidation, Kristina goes to the sofa and over to the open Yellow Pages book. She reaches down and picks it up.
And her heart stops when she sees what’s there – listing after listing of abortion clinics.
“Oh my God, Alexis,” Kristina manages. “What have you done?”