"Oh by all means I can't wait to hear you explain this one but first let me remind you I am not my sister, Julia may be willing to forgive you anything I however subscibe to no such doctrine."
"Apparently your sister doesn't either anymore."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind, it's not important right now. The only thing I care about is keeping my family safe. Think about it Alexis, you claim Helena is still capable of hurting people. Tell me then which scenario would tempt her more; finding out that you had a husband and some kids you never mentioned, that you don't even visit and are no longer a part of your life or finding out that you have a twin sister who is married with three children, a whole new branch of the family tree she can manipulate, torture, kill..."
"Okay okay, I see your point. You know I would do anything to protect Julia and the kids."
"Then do this, pretend to be Julia just for a couple days then I'll leave, with the kids and everything will go back to normal."
"Maybe for you, in case you have forgotten I just acquired three children and a husband."
"You said you were willing to do anything." He reminded her.
"And I am, it doesn't mean I'm going to do a happy dance about it. You should probably call Julia and let her know where the kids are."
"I was thinking you could do that." He told her suddenly finding his shoes fascinating.
"Why?"
"Because your sister isn't talking to me these days." He admitted reluctantly.
"What did you do?"
"I'd rather not get into that right now. He told her nodding in the direction of her kitchen from where Sasha was sure to be eavesdropping by now."
"Just how bad are things?" Alexis asked in hushed tones.
"She left me, she took the kids and left Santa Barbara."
"When?"
"Two months ago."
"What? How? Why? Alexis stuttered for a minute before regaining her sense of direction. "Neither one of you mentioned a word of it in your e-mails or phone conversations."
"We thought you had been through enough, with Kristina and the baby ... we agreed not to burden you with our problems."
"Wait a minute. That's why you wanted me to come back to Santa Barbara with you. Julia is refusing to come back home so you wanted to use me as bait to lure her back to town." She accused.
"That's not true." He denied.
"You told me I have family in Santa Barbara when in fact the only person currently living there, who even knows I exist, is you."
"Julia's going to come home Alexis, she has to."
"Daddy, are you guys almost done?"
"Yes Alexandria, come on out."
The children came out of the kitchen and Alexis motioned them to sit down.
"Now I know you guys are probably confused right now about why I pretended that Alexis was your Mom."
"No, we're not. You want us to pretend aunt Alexis is our Mom so that Helena doesn't find out about Mom and aunt Alexis being twins, right?"
"Exactly how much of our conversation did you hear?" Mason asked sternly.
"Just up to the part about not doing a happy dance, then CJ pulled me away from the door."
"Alexandria you shouldn't eavesdrop on peoples conversations."
"But that's the only way to find things out." She complained and Mason and Alexis both rolled their eyes.
"All right I guess the three of us will go back to the hotel and I'll call Julia from there." Mason said standing to leave.
"I want to stay here with aunt Alexis." Sasha told her father.
"I'm sure Alexis is busy..."
"It's okay, I'd like to spend some time with her if you don't mind? We could meet up again for supper.
"Fine I'll be back in a while, Chester do you want to go or stay?"
"I'll go to the hotel with you Dad."
"Great, see you ladies later." Mason said giving Sasha a quick kiss before leaving.
Before long the two had settled down on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and began some serious girl talk.
"Aunt Alexis, why did that man at the house say that you almost married him?"
"Ned? Well, probably because I did."
"But you don't like him now right?" Sasha asked, though she didn't know her aunt well she knew she deserved better than the angry sideburn man.
"Well I like him, I mean Ned is my friend. He is also Kristina's Daddy."
"No he's not, Mr Corinthos is."
"Why would you think that?" Alexis asked trying not to choke on a piece of popcorn.
"I heard Mommy on the phone with you." Sasha explained "I was in bed and then I heard Mommy yell "Sonny Corinthos is the father of your baby Alexis! Are you insane?" Then she said she would let you borrow her favourite book, Smart Women Stupid Men."
"Actually it's ... never mind that's probably more accurate anyway. Listen to me sweetie, this idea you have about Mr Corinthos, it's um ... a secret, a family secret."
"Like how we're going to pretend that you are mine and CJ's Mom?"
"Right, exactly. It's a family secret that means you shouldn't talk to anyone outside the family about it especially not Mr Corinthos, promise?"
"Okay I promise." Sasha said and Alexis breathed a sigh of relief.
"But, aunt Alexis, if Mr Corinthos is Kristina's Daddy and Kristina is my cousin, doesn't that make him family?"
Before Alexis could answer someone knocked on her door and she was eternally grateful. Thinking Mason and CJ were back early she began to open the door while exclaiming.
"I love you so much right... Sonny!"