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LESLIE MOORE'S CAR
As Leslie Moore's car sits outside Gemini Designs, light rain gently raps the windows. She is quickly snapped out of the hazy daze that the general ennui of a Monday morning and a Carpenters song on the radio have lulled her into.
"We're here."
Leslie glances to her left, where Akilah Moore is at the wheel. She knows she must have been really out of it, otherwise she would be about ready to pass out from being in the passenger's seat of a car driven by her teenage daughter.
"Thank you for driving me," Leslie says.
"I'm gonna go to the mall."
"No...I need you to be here just for half an hour, that's all this should take."
"Why the hell do I have to hang around?" Akilah demands. "I don't care about this stupid wedding. Mr. Maddock creeps me out. And that Rebecca woman is a freak."
"Akilah, watch your mouth," Leslie snaps. "Aaron is a family friend. And he was extremely helpful to us during our family therapy sessions."
Akilah scoffs. "Family therapy. A lot of good that did."
Leslie wearily rubs her forehead, attempting to coax out a headache. But Akilah brings a new one on just as quickly.
"You call this a family? We don't even have a home."
"We're living with Robert for the time being," Leslie says.
"Yeah. Just like that time you were a drug addict," Akilah says. "Wait no, Mr. Bale just looked after us then. Instead, you let our crazy homicidal uncle move in with us and try to kill you. Then our house got blown up by another crazy person trying to kill Vince. And we moved in with Michael. And you married him. Then he turned out to be crazy too and now he's trying to steal your baby."
"Akilah, I understand that you're..."
"What's next, mom?" Akilah counters. "Mr. Bale tries to molest us like he did Alec and then tries to kill us too?"
Leslie slaps Akilah across the face. "Stop it. Now."
"I just want a normal life," Akilah says.
"And I want to give it to you," Leslie insists. "I am trying the best I can."
"Then stop moving us from place to place. Stay married to my dad and stop pushing away my aunt," Akilah insists. "Stop making our family into a one-stop freakshow."
Akilah flings open the door to the car, not even bothering to grab her umbrella. And with that, she storms into the boutique.
"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down..."
Frowning, Leslie shuts off the radio. "Tell me about it."
Rebecca Li enters from the fitting room, wearing a bright yellow dress. "She spent years in a padded cell. I think she'll be fine."
"You are not wearing that," Aaron snaps.
"What? I've already been married before, so I certainly can't wear white."
Felicia Bale looks up from her seat, where Gabrielle Sanchez holds open a book profiling several different wedding venues in town. Felicia takes notice of the yellow dress, then sweetly turns to Gabrielle and rests a hand on her shoulder.
"We're not planning a Quinceañera," Felicia says. "Can we try something a bit more demure?"
"Demure like the ensembles you wore when you were in a wheelchair?" Gabrielle counters. "Or those from your AA meetings?"
Felicia smiles, baring a set of gritted teeth. "Wonderful suggestions, Rosalita."
"Ladies...what is going on?" Aaron snaps, zeroing in on both women. "I'm already dying from having to be here, do I have to listen to you two bickering?"
"You don't need to be here, Aaron," Gabrielle says. "You shouldn't see Rebecca in her dress before the wedding."
"We're not superstitious," Rebecca and Aaron respond unanimously. "And Aaron, before you get on board with Gabrielle here, who has certainly been around the wedding block, why not try someone fresh?" Felicia suggests.
Almost as if on cue, Akilah storms into the boutique with Leslie in tow. Felicia smiles, waving Leslie toward her. "Leslie, so glad you could make it."
"I'm still not sure what I've made it to," Leslie says. "You said it was urgent?"
"Yes, I have a proposition for you... do you remember your wonderful wedding to Sean?"
"No, she's probably burned the photos," Akilah mutters.
"Of course," Leslie says, speaking over her daughter's rude comment. "But what does that..."
"I remember you planned the wedding yourself, and it was so lovely," Felicia says. "Would you consider doing the same for Aaron? It would be so fantastic if you could. I know it's last minute."
Leslie is completely floored. Aside from the fact that she doesn't completely trust Aaron after what she's been told by Robert, she knows that this man is planning to take Robert's child from him. And she isn't really in the mood to entertain the latest games of Michael's dear sister.
"I'm not quite..."
"This is completely inappropriate," Gabrielle cries, rising to her feet and unleashing a string of expletives in Spanish.
Felicia ignores Gabrielle. "You'd be paid handsomely. With enough money to find a new home, or rebuild your first home...that is what you want, isn't it?"
Leslie spies the fraught look on Akilah's face. She knows that moving out of Robert's and into a home for herself and her children is something she needs to do. "Yes...yes, it is."
MADDOCK HOME
Alexis Lopez always hated Mondays.
The worst moments in her life were always reserved for Mondays. She was first attacked by Samantha Clark on a Monday. An attack that left her teacher in a coma. She was most recently kidnapped by Ryan Phillips and held at gunpoint on a Monday.
And now, here she is.
Some foreign place that she doesn't feel comfortable in. But she hasn't felt comfortable in years, however. Not since she fell in love with her English teacher and had sex with him. After that, she felt damaged.
The only thing that made her feel alive, feel fixed, was the child growing inside her. But once it was gone, she was empty again. An emptiness only increased as she was locked away in an asylum for years.
That is why she clung to the news that Melissa Bale was her mother. When she told by Melissa's brother Kyle...her uncle, she supposes that makes him...she finally felt alive again. Except once she discovered his true motives, she felt that emptiness again.
She was finally given a family, and just as quickly...it was taken from her. Her family only exists for her to destroy them, according to Kyle. She has no family.
How apt, since she's at "home" now in a large, empty mansion. She was picked up by her cousin Aaron to move in with him, and no sooner than she arrived was she abandoned by him.
Sure, nothing is really wrong...but still feels as if she didn't belong.
Alexis trudges through the living room, resting on the couch. As she leans back to rest for a moment, she is interrupted as the doorbell rings. Irritated to be stirred so quickly, she jumps to her feet and goes to the door.
As she unlocks the door and pulls it open, she is startled by the man who appears on the doorstep.
"Hello Alexis," Kyle Maddock says, a wide grin painted across his otherwise callous and diabolical face. "Welcome home."
DARREN REYNOLDS' APARTMENT
Darren Reynolds stands leaned against the doorway, taking in the emptiness of Blake Thomas' bedroom. The expansive room looks even emptier with rain sliding down the windowpanes.
Sighing, Darren sits on the edge of Blake's bed and hangs his head. When he asked his ex-boyfriend to move in with him while he was displaced from the Andersons' home, part of him thought it would be a chance to rekindle their relationship.
Darren now realizes how foolish that notion was.
Blake doesn't appear to be interested in the same things Darren wants. A relationship again. Some stability in his life after quitting his job in the midst of an economic crisis and now not even having another job to crawl back to, what with his uncle losing his license to practice law.
Blake is barely ever there, and just when Darren thought they'd finally reached a point that could ignite their relationship once more, Blake vanished. He started coming in at all hours of the night, if he even came home at all. And now he barely answers Darren's phone calls.
Clearly the actions of someone not that into you.
Darren is snapped from his pity party when an unexpected guest rings his doorbell. He rises from the bed, exits the room, and opens the door to find Robert Bale outside. His hair matted and dripping wet, and a half-open umbrella dangling from his hands.
"Uncle Robert," Darren says. "What are you doing here?"
"I need your help," Robert says. "And I have no idea why you'd want to help me after how horrible I've been to you lately, and especially with what happened with Alec..."
"I know you didn't hurt Alec," Darren says, folding his arms. "I could never believe that about you."
Robert isn't quite sure what to say. Instead, he steps forward and hugs his nephew. And they're both grateful for that brief embrace.
"What's wrong?" Darren finally asks.
"It's Aaron," Robert says. "He's suing me for full custody of Hunter."
Darren laughs. "As twisted as that sounds, it makes perfect sense."
"Excuse me?"
"He's marrying Rebecca, taking in Alexis," Darren says. "That should look awfully good to a judge. And if he brings up Alec's accusations."
"Aaron is the one who did this to my son," Robert insists. "Or he messed with his head, or something. This is all some sick game of his."
"What do you need me to do?"
"I need you to represent me, since I can't represent myself," Robert says. "And I need you to help me track someone down."
"Who?"
"Tyler Rogers," Robert says. "He told me about Aaron's past, and that he was being blackmailed by his father. But ever since I left, I haven't been able to get in contact with him. So finding him is the key to everything. I need to get my life back."
And maybe it has to do with how utterly lonely and useful Darren has felt for the better part of the year, but he nods emphatically at his uncle's request. "You've got my help. Whatever you need."
GEMINI DESIGNS
Farrah Louis shakes out her umbrella as she enters the boutique, quickly checking her watch to make sure she's not as late as she thinks she is. When she spots Gabrielle's disapproving glare, however, Farrah knows that she is indeed exceedingly late.
"Farrah, so nice of you to join us," Gabrielle says, her voice as cold as the chill running down Farrah's spine. "Have a seat."
As Farrah nods quickly and sits next to her employer, she is equally horrified to discover the people who are in the boutique. All of these people, Alec Bale's family and friends, hate her for some reason or another.
As if her day couldn't get any worse.
"I think you should hear what I can offer you," Gabrielle continues, speaking to Aaron and Rebecca. "Obviously, I'd be coming from a professional standpoint. And Leslie here would be amateurish at best."
"I think amateur in this case means spirited and soulful," Felicia pipes up.
Gabrielle narrows her eyes. "I respectfully disagree."
"Would you call sleeping with a client's husband...professional? Because if so, then you were the height of professional when you worked on Melissa Maddock's marriage to my ex-husband."
As the room goes silent, Farrah interjects, asking if anyone would like coffee. After hearing mumbled responses, she escapes from the couch and heads toward the office.
Thankful to be alone, she takes a quick breath as she searches for coffee filters in the office. It is more than just being around the people that her which is driving Farrah up the wall. It's the fact that once again, she is being forced by Alec to lie to these people.
They think he's dead. But he's not. He's in her fucking apartment. Farrah never imagined she'd be able to feel something worse than feeling like a common whore, but here it is.
"Hey."
Startled, Farrah drops the coffee filters onto the floor. As she bends over to pick them up, Kane Li does as well, locking eyes with Farrah.
"Kane," Farrah says. "It is Kane...right?"
"Yeah," Kane says, smiling. "I didn't know you worked here."
"Gotta pay the bills," Farrah says, standing and sticking the coffee filters onto the counter. She takes the remaining ones from Kane.
"That's odd. I thought you were more well off than that."
Farrah doesn't know how to take Kane's comment, so she ignores it. "Your mom's getting married, huh?"
"Yeah. She's having her fun. For now," Kane says, touching Farrah's arm. "But I have fun too."
Farrah pulls her arm back. "I really have to..."
"I thought you looked familiar," Kane continues. "When I saw you at the hospital site the other day. And now I know from where."
Farrah's lip trembles as she attempts to ignore Kane, but she can barely hold a coffee filter in her hands. "I get that a lot."
"We're in the same line of work, you and I."
"You work at a bridal boutique?"
"I used to work in the film industry," Kane answers. "The adult industry."
"You're mistaken." Farrah angrily tosses the coffee filters into the trash can and strides out the room. "I'll go to the Café instead. The coffee here's stale."
MADDOCK HOME
Alexis stands nervously in the kitchen, watching as Kyle pours himself a cup of coffee. Watching him move is like watching a snake slithering toward its prey. Even his beady eyes unnerve her.
"All right," Kyle says, taking a sip from his coffee mug. "We need to talk shop, little niece."
"I'm not sure what that means."
"You and I...we're damaged, Alexis. We've been damaged by the people who should care about us."
Alexis shakes her head. "I'm not damaged."
"Yes you are, darling," Kyle insists. "But I can fix you. And you owe me. You owe me for getting you out."
"Technically, I owe the asteroid that crash landed into the hospital," Alexis shoots back.
Kyle leaps from his seat and approaches Alexis, reaching out to touch her hair. He runs his fingers through it, causing her to tense up and stare ahead, keeping her eyes away from his glare.
"You're going to help me have my revenge."
"I'm done with revenge," Alexis says. "I just want my life back."
Kyle grabs Alexis by both her arms and grips them tightly. "Life? What life? Do you have any friends? Any of them come to visit you since you've been sprung?"
"I want my life back."
"You will get your life back," Kyle whispers. "A new life. But you'll get it when you're done. Done with what I want."
"Let go of me!"
Kyle slams Alexis into the refrigerator. "I'll never let go until I get what I want! I own you, Alexis. And don't you ever forget that!"
Alexis sinks to the floor, tears streaming down her eyes. As she sobs, Kyle walks toward the table and takes another gulp of coffee. He pours the remainder into the sink, watching as it swirls down the drain. Then he lays the mug in the empty sink and grins at Alexis before striding out the kitchen.
She knows she'll see him again.
GEMINI DESIGNS
"Then I think we've decided on Leslie, correct?" Felicia opines, addressing Aaron and Rebecca. "I think it would be wonderful for her to plan your wedding."
"So do I," Rebecca says, shooting a deathly glare at Gabrielle.
Exasperated, Gabrielle packs up her wedding planning book and stands. "Then I think we're done here. Excuse me."
Felicia watches as Gabrielle return to her office. Ever since she'd discovered Gabrielle was having an affair with Robert while he was married to Melissa, she despised the woman. She had already accepted what Robert was, but this woman...she was stepping upon territory that wasn't hers.
So she had to be punished.
Felicia spots Gabrielle talking to Farrah, another woman in severe need of justice. She had done the same thing Gabrielle had, only with Felicia's son. While everyone else is preoccupied with wedding plans, Felicia snatches an expensive silk scarf from a rack.
She shoves the scarf into Farrah's purse, near the edge of the couch, and beams in satisfaction.
"I have to get going," Felicia announces. "But I can't wait to see how the wedding turns out."
The other adults say their goodbyes as Felicia grabs her own purse and exits the store, wishing she could stay to relish Farrah's moment of humiliation. Humiliation that could be no worse than what Felicia had suffered over the years.
But if she had remained in the boutique just a while longer, Felicia would have noticed that she placed the scarf not into Farrah's purse, but into...Akilah's.
"Mom, I have to go," Akilah says, breaking into the conversation. "I have to meet Julia."
"You can just sit here and wait until I'm done, Akilah," Leslie hisses.
"If you really need a ride home, why don't you call Mr. Bale?" Akilah snaps, continuing to mouth off. "You call him for everything else."
Akilah seizes her purse and flounces toward the door, not bothering to give her mother a second glance. But not two seconds after she steps past the metal detector in the store, the alarm sounds off.
Leslie turns in surprise, along with everyone else in the boutique, as a security guard takes Akilah's purse and begins to dig through it.
Akilah rolls her eyes. "I didn't steal anything. It's probably my Blackberry, it happens all the time."
"Then explain this," the guard says, pulling the silk scarf from Akilah's bag.
Floored, Akilah sputters attempting to come up with a response. "I didn't put that in there! I promise!"
The guard reaches into the purse again, this time removing a tiny plastic bag with white powder in it. "And I suppose this coke isn't yours either?"
Leslie immediately jumps to her feet and whips out her cell phone, dialing furiously. Akilah turns to her mother in horror, bewildered by everything that's happening to her.
"Neither of those things are mine!" Akilah cries.
Leslie ignores Akilah, raising her phone to her face.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"I'm calling Mr. Bale," Leslie snaps. "If that is quite all right with you, young lady."
As Leslie waits for Robert to answer his phone, she looks at her daughter with utter dismay and disappointment, then focuses her gaze outside. At least it's stopped raining.
