Point of View Series
by Kristen

Part 7 -- Getting caught (Sonny's POV)

You ever try making love to your wife with four kids in the house? Trust me, it's not easy. There are kids to be fed, books to be read, games to be played, lives to be led, and all the while, there is a gorgeous woman running around with long legs, tapered fingers, and a luscious mouth that is driving me crazy.

Tonight we thought, "maybe the fates were on our side." We should have known we weren't going to be getting off that easy, pardon the pun.

We had managed to get all four kids down with a minimum of fuss. Ellie had only required four books be read to her tonight, instead of her customary eight or nine, and she had only asked about 20 questions per book, instead of her customary 40 or fifty. I'm all for a curious and inquiring mind, but sometimes I feel like too much information is NOT a good thing. She had even gone to sleep without noticing that she had left that damn penguin in the limo.

MJ had only required two glasses of water and three visits from Alexis before he settled down and fell quickly asleep. I need to take him to the pool more often. Apparently that "swim `til you pass out thing" is genetic. Who knew?

Chloe and Annie were a piece of cake tonight too, and that never happens. It normally takes at least forty-five minutes of rocking both of them at the same time for Alexis to be able to get them down, but tonight, they had quickly nursed and been asleep before she had been able to get them in their sleepers. We had laid them down together, and stood a moment, watching them as Chloe reached out in her sleep and found Annie's little fist with her own long fingers. She can't sleep peacefully without touching Annie. The mysterious bond of twins still escapes me, even after all these months.

We were amazed to notice that it was not yet nine o'clock and our young brood were all down for the count. I had winked at Alexis and we practically sprinted to our room. We quickly shed ourselves of our clothing and came together as we so rarely have the time and energy to do anymore, slowly and languidly.

Things had proceeded nicely, Alexis was nearing the peak, and she wasn't even breaking the skin on my back. All in all, I was a very happy man and about to get happier when in the dark of the room I heard a tiny voice.

"Mommy, why are you calling daddy God, and where are you going? I wanna come to, can I please?"

I had quickly let loose with a few choice words under my breath, Alexis threw the covers over us both and flipped on the light near our bed. I was grateful that the candles had burned out, or God knows what kind of damage we might have done to our daughter's curious psyche.It's one thing to see people "wrestling" on a tv screen, it's another to witness it up close and personal, especially between one's mother and father. Not to mention what she would have said to anyone she came in contact with. Ellie and discretion are not two words that go together in any way. Trust me, I should know.

Alexis attempted to explain that she was having a bad dream, but my daughter was ever vigilant and too smart for her own good.

"I guess daddy was having a dream too huh? I think it's neat that you and daddy have your dreams at the same time. That means you really like each other when you dream at the same time. It's too bad you dream wasn't a good dream like daddy's."

"What do you mean Ellie?"

"Well, you said you were having a bad dream, but daddy's dream was good."

"How do you know that?"

" 'Cause daddy was saying "yes" in his dream. And I think he was dreaming 'bout you mommy, cause he kept saying your name sometimes when he was saying yes."

Alexis decided it was time to change the subject.

"What are you doing up young lady? It's way past your bedtime."

"I can't find Charlie."

That damn penguin. I should have known. Why did I ever buy that thing in the first place? We have spent more time looking for that thing, and made more trips back to restaurants and stores to retrieve it than I care to remember. Buying a new one to replace was also out of the question, Ellie knew the real thing and would accept no substitutes.

I had quickly yanked the phone off the hook and called down to the basement.

"Johnny! Get that penguin of Ellie's out of the limo and get it up here now. And one more thing, bring Max with you. You are two are on babysitting detail for an hour. That's what I said, you got a problem? That's what I thought."

Alexis had managed to slip her robe on under the sheets and was leading Ellie back to bed, all the while trying to explain to her why she was sleeping without her "jammies" on. I didn't want to know, I would make it up to her somehow.

Johhny and Max arrived, looking none too happy, but knowing enough not to say anything. As my daughter and her penguin shared a happy reunion, Alexis and I rode down the elevator in silence and anticipation. I couldn't believe we had been reduced to using our limo as a romantic rendezvous, but damn, desperate times called for desperate measures. Plus, I think whether Alexis likes to admit it or not, the limo is a bit of an aphrodisiac for my "not as buttoned up as she wants people to think" lawyer and wife.

No need to bore you with the details and they are really none of your business, but I will say that Alexis and I rode back up in the elevator happy and relaxed.

It was only when we got off the elevator that we got nervous. There were sounds coming from the penthouse, and if my children were asleep like they were supposed to be, there would be no sounds. Something told me this wasn't going to be good. The last time we had left Johnny and Max with the kids, we had spent two hours looking for the keys to the handcuffs Ellie had used to "tie up the bad guys."

We both swallowed and walked in hesitantly. Now there's something you don't see everyday. Johnny and Max as toiletpaper bride and groom. I feel a big fat bonus coming on here. That kid is gonna drive me to bankruptcy.

part 8