The Bed You Make
Chapter 22, concluded
“Ya know, for a moment there, I thought you were calling me back to pump me for information about your brother and his wife.”
The thought had crossed her mind – for about a split second. But pride had gotten the best of curiosity. The last thing she wanted was for Dara – or Stefan – to know that she was asking about them.
There was also a bit of fear involved in her decision not to ask Taggert about Dara or Stefan, Alexis admitted. She was afraid to have him confirm the suspicions Nikolas had unwittingly planted.
She and Nikolas were rebuilding their relationship; the young prince had begun to telephone Alexis every other day or so. His conversations very pointedly did not include more than a fleeting reference to Stefan and his new bride.
That was not a good thing.
That Nikolas had not made a single mention of his concerns about the marriage sent up alarms for Alexis. It meant that whatever arrangement Stefan and Dara had concocted was succeeding. And not just for them, but for Nikolas as well. For despite everything, the only thing her nephew wanted for Stefan was happiness and someone to share it with.
Alexis did not think she was ready to contemplate the idea that Dara could be anything but a pawn in Stefan's latest chess game. If the other woman somehow managed to carve a significant niche in the rigid construction of Stefan's life, Alexis was not sure what place that would leave for her.
The lawyer deliberately banished the troubling thoughts. She stepped into the darkened house and dropped her keys onto the table. Alexis allowed her briefcase and jacket to fall there as well.
‘ You have no new messages' , the answering machine announced. Alexis turned it off and tried to pretend she had not hoped for a different outcome. She kicked off her shoes and took a moment to dig her toes into the deep pile of the dark brown carpet.
Sighing, she headed for the kitchen. A quick scan of the refrigerator revealed nothing that appealed to her appetite. Alexis was well known by the staffs of all the local takeout places in Port Charles. It was not unusual to find cartons of leftover meals inside her refrigerator. “Looks like I'm gonna have to cook tonight,” the weary lawyer murmured.
Alexis opened a nearby cabinet. Her gaze fell on three immediate possibilities. She debated only a moment before choosing her favorite among the trio. “You can't go wrong with Movie Theatre Butter ,” she quipped wryly, tossing a bag of popcorn into the microwave.
Automatically, Alexis began her evening routine. She had this portion of her day down to a science. During the five minutes it took the popcorn to pop, Alexis set out all the paperwork she needed to review for the next day's business. She arranged it by order of importance on the low glass coffee table in front of the couch.
‘ Ding! ' The microwave sounded just as Alexis set the last group of papers down on the table. The smell of butter-covered popcorn wafted into the room.
Alexis hurried into the kitchen. She grabbed the piping hot bag of popcorn and juggled it expertly down the hallway to her bedroom. “A nice hot bath while we eat.” And , Alexis admitted silently, wonder about our place in the Cassadine universe.