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The door to their private meeting room opens and Marcus Vicman steps inside. Though his recognition of Vanessa draws a brief smile to his face, he appears to be broken, destitute and former shell of the man that was married to her sister. He doesn't at all seem like the uncle to her son Eamon. Doesn't appear to be the man she lived with, along with Nikki, in Paris for the past four years.
"Vanessa," Marcus says, his voice cracking like he hasn't had a drop of water within his throat in years. "How are you?"
"I've been better," Vanessa says, wanting to reach out and embrace her brother-in-law, but knowing it's against prison rules. "This is a friend of mine from Marquette Cove, Sean Moore."
Marcus frowns. "Moore... how do I know that name?"
"His brother is the one whose car exploded outside the church on my wedding day," Vanessa explains. "Derek Moore."
"Oh, right," Marcus says, now remembering. "Weddings in that town are quite eventful, huh?"
"You don't know the half of it," Sean says, smiling.
"But what are you doing here, Vanessa?" Marcus demands, taking a seat. "I told you not to come here. Not to make things harder on yourself with everything that I've been accused of."
"I came here to get these ridiculous charges dropped," Vanessa insists. "We've been investigating Francois Davenport, the man who recanted his witness statement for your alibi."
Marcus' face falls. "You talked to... you talked to Francois?"
"Yes," Vanessa says. "So I know what you've been hiding from me, Marcus. Why you were willing to go to jail for Nikki's death instead of speaking up. You were cheating on her, weren't you? You were cheating on my sister."
"I want answers," Darren insists.
"Excuse me?" Akilah says, glancing up from an issue of Us Weekly. "Answers about what?"
"How long have they been together? How long has Blake been sleeping with Aaron?"
Akilah shrugs. "Who knows."
"Akilah, I am not playing around," Darren snaps. "I want a goddamn answer!"
"I'm sorry," Akilah says. "I don't... I don't know. I just saw them kissing once, and I..."
Darren looks to Akilah with sympathetic eyes. "So you never saw them sleeping together?"
"No, I never saw it," Akilah says. "But it's pretty obvious, don't you think?"
Darren sits on the couch next to her. "Maybe you were wrong. Maybe I was wrong."
"Listen, I'm gonna need you to get over this," Akilah says, rolling her eyes. "This is bordering on pathetic."
"I love him."
Akilah is unable to respond to this. She knows that Darren is genuinely torn up about this, but she also knows that he could become a lot more pathetic whining about someone who doesn't care about him. She's gone through this before. With Morris. With Matt. Falling in love is useless. People always end up letting you down.
"I...I'm sorry," Akilah says, reaching out and resting a hand on his knee. Darren leans in toward her, pulling her into an embrace and resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Darren. I really am."
ST. THOMAS CHURCH
"You look perfect," Simon Holden says, watching as his friend Aaron Maddock steps into the aisle between the pews, dressed from head to toe in his tuxedo.
"Thanks, Simon," Aaron says, leaning against a bench. "I'm grateful that you're here. You've pretty much been the one consistent friend I've had here in Marquette Cove."
Simon laughs. "Even when that was pretty trying, you have to admit."
"Don't tell me you're referring to the time we tried to open up an office together?" Aaron says.
"Yes," Simon says, nodding. "Our own practices, right in the same office. It could have been great."
"Goddamn economy."
Both men laugh, remembering all of the time and effort that had gone into renting their own office building almost three years ago. And how everything seemed so bleak when their plans fell apart. But they're both here now, still standing and still friends.
And their lives are headed on completely different paths that are even better than they could have imagined.
"You remember the best part? How that realtor almost didn't sell us the apartment because she thought we were gay?" Simon says through filtered laughter. "I can't believe I'm finding discrimination funny, but there you go."
The mention of that moment dredges up anger in Aaron. It reminds him of the reasons he's marrying Rebecca, the reason why he's forcing himself into this black hole of a union.
"Where the hell is everyone?" Aaron snaps, quickly changing the subject.
Before Simon can respond, his cell phone rings. He holds up a hand to excuse himself. "Hello? Yes, well I've got a wedding to... it's that urgent? Fine, I'll be right there." He hangs up his phone and turns back to Aaron. "I'm sorry, that was the lab at the clinic. I need to leave for a moment."
"Is something wrong? Aaron asks.
"Frankly, I'm hoping that Kristin is merely overreacting," Simon says, shoving his phone into his pocket. "The last thing anyone needs today is bad news."
THOMAS HOME
Blake Thomas descends the basement steps, turning on the lights as he approaches the couch where Chris Server sleeps silently. He sits next to Chris, running his fingers along his ex's arm. Chris stirs from his sleep, eyes flashing bright red and fangs baring.
"Blake," Chris hisses. "You were hurt."
"You can sense that?" Blake asks.
Chris nods.
"I want you to help me forget about it," Blake says, craning his neck and taking Chris by the hand. "I want you to take me back into the dark."
