Point of View Series
by Kristen

Part 3-- Sonny's b-day (Alexis' POV)

We had Sonny's birthday party today. I think he had a good time. Scratch that, I KNOW he did. Sonny doesn't smile unless he means it, and he has been smiling for the last two hours. I guess when I think about it, what's not to smile about? For both of us?

We have two beautiful children, and we have each other. What more do we need? I am sometimes amazed at the good fortune we have been granted. We are incredibly lucky; and we both know it. I don't think a night has gone by in the last five years that Sonny hasn't gotten on his knees and given thanks for the life we share with our children and each other.

Our children. It was strange enough to conceive of having one child with Sonny. If you had told me I would have two, I would have told you that Carly would someday be voted mother of the year. Ok, so that didn't happen, but the two children did. Thank God.

Our children are a never-ending source of pride and joy in my life. They are also a never- ending puzzle to me. They are completely opposite in every way. Every way that is, except for looks. In that way, they could be twins. Twins. Perish the thought.

They have Sonny's deep, dark eyes, and already Ellie has learned that they hold a power over me that is unfathomable. She can look at me with her little lower lip hidden between her teeth, eyes upturned and imploring, and I feel myself nearly powerless to resist or deny her anything. NEARLY. I do know how to say no occasionally. That is a concept Sonny needs to get behind.

Then there are the dimples. That is just a cruel joke perpetrated on both of us. Of course it was inevitable, I know, but still, come on. Once MJ gets old enough to realize the power of the dimples, I have a feeling Sonny and I are goners. It's bad enough that Ellie has figured it out, but MJ is so solemn already, that once he catches on (and if he doesn't I know Ellie will tell him, she has a bit of her Aunt Kristina in her) we will be flat broke and known as the biggest pushovers in town. You just can't compete with two pairs of those dimples working in tandem.

But their looks are their only similarities. When I look in their eyes, I see the inherent difference between them. MJ looks at me with wisdom, Ellie with wonder. It's as though Ellie sees the world the way we want it to be, MJ sees the world the way we know it to be.

I am fascinated when I see Sonny and Ellie together. As much as he loves Michael and MJ, there is a special bond between these two that even I will never quite be able to fathom. I don't know if it's because Ellie was his first born, or if it's because she is a daughter, but whatever it is, there's a part of Sonny's heart that will forever belong only to our daughter.

The party was small, just a few friends and family. Mike was there of course. He and Sonny have established a father/son relationship that will never be perfect, but Sonny has finally realized that he DOES need Mike in his life. They spend most of their time discussing cooking and the kids. Mike is a devoted grandfather. I think he sees a chance to lavish all the love and attention on his grandchildren that he never gave to Sonny and Courtney.

Courtney seems to be happy. She and AJ had a rough couple of years after she found out the truth, but in time they were able to reconcile and I will give AJ credit. He was able to make a life on his own, without his family, and he has proven that he DOES love his wife. I hope that one day Sonny will be able to accept that fact as well, but it is one point I never push him on. He has to fight some demons on his own, and I have to let him.

She and Kristina have become best friends, but that didn't stop them from spending most of the party arguing about a couple of characters in some book they had both recently read. Apparently Sonny reminds each of them of two different characters in said book. Just hearing their names I had to go with the one named Joe. Ranger just sounds too nefarious. We have enough of nefarious to last us TWO lifetimes.

Kristina is living in New York now, and has a thriving career singing there. She recently signed a contract with a record label and we are all hopeful that she can have the success that was so cruelly ripped away from our mother. She and Ned didn't last long. They both realized that there was just something missing, and I think both always felt a tinge of guilt that they were somehow betraying me. I tried to tell them that I was happy for them, but I think they both felt a sense of relief when things finally ended.

The party was going along swimmingly when MJ decided he was hungry. I headed upstairs to nurse him and Ellie went along, as she likes to do sometimes. I had already started to nurse as we went upstairs and Ellie had to let Sonny know in her usual manner.

"Daddy, MJ is eating mommy again!"

I flashed back to the day MJ was born. Ellie had been in the hospital room when the nurse brought him in to be fed and as I lifted him to my breast, Ellie started to cry uncontrollably. It had taken Sonny fifteen minutes to calm her down enough to tell us what was wrong.

"MJ….MJ….he's eating mommy," she had sobbed out.

Sonny had stifled a grin and almost choked from trying to contain the laughter threatening to spill forth, but he had calmly and rationally explained to Ellie that what MJ was doing was perfectly normal, that it was how all babies were fed, and that it was called nursing. She had accepted his explanation, but still chose to inform him and whoever was within earshot in her own unique manner.

I froze in my tracks, as usual, hearing her blurt it out, and flashed a warning look at Sonny. He merely raised an eyebrow, gave me a wink, and turned his attention to his daughter.

"He must be hungry penguin."

"He's always hungry daddy. Doesn't he ever get full?"

"Guess not. I can't blame him, If I were.."

"Sonny," I flashed him a warning look.

I seemed to have forgotten the fact that I was standing there, my son was nursing, and we were not alone. Thank God it was only family still there. They've heard it all from my charming daughter. They, and I, were about to hear a little more.

"Hey Aunt Kristina, did you know that mommy has diamonds and jewelrys there where MJ is nursing?"

"She does? You sure about that?"

Ellie shook her head vigorously.

"Yep, cause daddy says that mommy has a treasure chest."

Every mouth in the room clamped shut and every set of eyes, mine included, flew to Sonny. Sonny had the grace to look sheepish, but Ellie wasn't finished.

"But daddy says he has the only key, and when he unlocks it there are a couple of real gems in there. He also says that there is a super duper secret jewelry box.."

"Kristin Adella, that's enough."

She looked at me, and her little mouth immediately stopped informing everyone of another one of those conversations that I have warned Sonny about repeatedly. He keeps forgetting that Ellie isn't like us. She thinks it, she says it.

"I'm sorry mommy."

"It's ok little one, it's just that some things are private and we only tell them to mommy and daddy."

"You mean like how I'm not supposed to tell people that you eat lots of strawberries cause you know it turns daddy's lights on?"

I slowly raised my eyes and looked at Sonny. He was grinning to beat the band and I could only shake my head as I felt the heat rising in my face. Kristina, Mike, and Courtney quickly made their exits. Sonny turned and headed for the kitchen.

"Where are you going daddy? I thought you were full."

"I am penguin, but I think mommy is hungry. Lucky for her, I just bought a big box of strawberries."

He turned and winked.

"Happy birthday to me."

With that, he turned and headed to the kitchen. Ellie turned and looked at me knowingly.

"I'm going to bed early tonight, aren't I mommy?"

"I think we both are little one. I think we both are."

part 4