Previously on "The Mysteries of Our Lives"

ø Rochelle confronted her mother about the shared lineage between her and the Stone twins, only to discover that her mother was shacking up with the twins father, Leo Stone. Rochelle came to an understanding about Leo and her mother's relationship, but was not ready for Dean to know that they were half-siblings. As she was leaving Coral Springs, she was rattled by a disturbing memory she couldn't place. (~)

ø Romain wanted Sherri Reynolds to acknowledge that she still had feelings for him, and that's why she was so bothered to see him kissing her sister. Sherri, however, maintained that the secrets and distrust were too much for her to overlook. (~)

ø Alexander Pierre crashed his son's engagement party, looking to make amends. Kyle was filled with mix emotions concerning his father's grand gesture, but Lacreasha was vehemently opposed, and warned her fiancé not to trust a word that comes from his father's mouth!

***Kyle watches overhead from the balcony as life moves forth as normal for the residents of Hallandale. Just a few hours ago, he was gathered inside with his fiancée celebrating the big step they were taking in their relationship. He had purpose again. He had friends whom he loved and adored. They were genuinely happy for him. He couldn't ask for anything more, or so he thought until his estranged father dangled the one thing that at one time meant so much for him. The one thing he lost himself seeking to obtain before.

"Hey," Lacreasha's voice breaking through his thoughts, "I hope you're not avoiding me already."

"Of course not. I just needed to catch a breath of fresh air is all."

She smiles faintly, "Oh."

"Did Anton and Malina take off yet?" He asks, circling around her.

"No. Last I saw, they were clearing out the back room they used to store our gifts and the cake." She pauses momentarily. The air suddenly thicker between them. "So... are you all right? I mean, Alexander and that huge show."

"I am fine." He gives her a light kiss on the cheek. "I should help Malina and Anton load that stuff into the car." And just like that, his back was turned away from her as he made his way back inside, leaving her alone to embrace the mint cool air.

Although she was far from the only one standing outside the restaurant on this brisk cool night. Romain Chandler was still putting out a fire that ignited earlier this evening when his ex- caught him kissing her sister. He believed that if one kiss could stir such a response in Sherri Reynolds, then maybe there was still something worth exploring between them. However, she nipped that in the bud when she threw his secret past back in his face.

"Why do I continue to let you do this to me?" He asks in frustration, not really expecting an answer.

"Me? Do this to you?" she fires back in defense. "You are the one that has been lying and kissing my sister."

"And why do you give a damn?" The words come out harsher than he intended.

Given that her last marriage ended because her husband was really in love with said sister, it mattered greatly that Romain seem to be looking in Sandy Reynolds direction now as well. But she could not dare acknowledge that. So she stayed quiet as he continued to unload.

"You told me more times than I care to count that it is over between us. So you don't want me, but you don't want me to move on either?"

"Is that what you were doing tonight, moving on with my sister?" As much as she tried to hide it, the sense of betrayal she felt as the words left her lips and resonated into his ears were evident. So much so that it convicts Romain to draw a deep breath, biting down his words.

He can not believe that she is making him feel like he was in the wrong when she was the one that ended their relationship. Was he not free to kiss whomever he wanted to without judgment, even if that woman happened to be her sister?! The kiss was not intended as some malicious act to hurt her, he told himself. Hell, she was the furthest thing from his mind in that moment, truth be told.

So, in short, he answers: "No, not really." After all, he was not sure where things were headed with him and Sandy. There was definitely a spark, but they didn't even have an opportunity to process any of it because his ex- came in rearing to go. "We had a moment. That's all it was. But--" He stops himself.

"But what?"

"But you and I are not together," clarifies Romain with careful consideration. "And if you can not accept that there are things I choose to remain private about, then we need to move on-- from each other."

(<- Cypress Gardens Plaza ->)
~The role of Liam Jackson is now being represented by Nicholas Gonzalez.
It appears the Monte Carlos wasn't the only place beginning to die down as Cypress Gardens Plaza, too, was practically a ghost town. Among the stragglers was A.D.A. Liam Jackson, who stood up to greet his newly arrived friend with a warm hug. "Welcome back."

"Thank you. It is good to be back," adds Rochelle as she breaks their embrace. "Anything new while I've been away?"

"Nonsense." He pulls out a chair from the nearest table, gesturing for her to take a seat as he sits down at the other end. "We have plenty of time to talk about the latest in Hallandale, but I would rather hear about your trip. No details spared."

She chuckles nervously, her mind flashing back immediately to her disturbing memory recall in Coral Springs.

"Rochelle," calls out Liam again to her. Her eyes shoot up at him, dazed from her vision. It takes a few seconds for her to register that she is actually sitting across from him in the plaza, and this is not lost on him. "Where did you just go?"

Season 6, Episode #3:
"Buried Secrets"

Malina Ramirez looks around the empty restaurant for Lacreasha before the sound of the creaking door hinges turns her head toward the balcony, where she finds the woman of the hour making her way back inside.

"Were you out on the balcony this whole time?"

"Not long. I was with Kyle at first, but then he hurried off to help you and Anton."

Malina sighs with a grin, "Yes, then they decided they could handle things on their own. So I came back inside. So--what did you think of Mr. Pierre's grand statement this evening?"

Lacreasha scoffs, "Don't remind me." Although, truthfully, she needed no reminder. Alexander's stunt had cast a shadow over the entire evening. "I'm more concerned about Kyle. He's never delved deep into his relationship with his father, but I know there is a lot of hurt there. "

Meanwhile, Kyle lets out a heavy grunt as he assists Anton with carrying over a king size package to his car. "What the hell is this?" asks Kyle as they press toward his trunk.

Anton responds, "I don't know, but the thing weighs a ton."

With the trunk at their fingertips, the men gladly free the weight of the package from their arms, being careful not to damage it in their haste. Thankfully, there was enough room for it to slip right into place.

"No kidding," he takes a collective breath, stretching out his arms. "Perhaps I should consider an addendum to skip the presents when the actual wedding rolls around." He presses down the hatch to the trunk.

"Can I ask you something?"

Kyle answers, "I guess it depends on the question," as he grabs the last few items sitting on the curb.

"Does it feel any different now-- being engaged? I mean, compared to before, when things were serious, but not so official."

"I guess," he reasons, hovering over the backseat of his car. "I mean, I love her more and more, but it is new territory, you know? New avenues to explore." Although it was not entirely new territory for him. He had been engaged to be married once before, but that felt like a lifetime ago. Pulling his body out of his backseat, he looks back on squarely at his friend. "Why do you ask? Are you thinking of proposing to Malina?"

(<- Cypress Gardens Plaza ->)
"Are you sure you’re okay?" inquires Liam. "You seem a little out of it."

Her recent arrival from the airport withstanding, she maintained: "I’m sure. It was an eventful trip. I guess things are finally catching up with me."

"How were things with your mom?" He knew that her relationship with her mother had become strained over the years, and had no idea what inspired her impromptu trip to Nevada.

"It was-- it was tense." She hunches up her shoulders recalling the moment she came face to face with Rachel Desmores again. "We had a lot to work through. There were even a few surprises."

"Good or bad?"

"Depends on who you ask--" she pauses, "My mom remarried."

"Yeah, that's never easy...at any age!"

"Especially when her new husband is Leonard's father."

"Whoa!" The shock in his tone unmistakable as he questions aloud: "Your mother and your ex's father? I can see how that might take a little time to wrap your head around, especially given your history with Leonard. It feels almost incestuous when you think about it."

Rochelle shutters at the gross reality of his statement. The truth was it was very incestuous: she was dating her own half-brother at one point in time, and did not even know it.

Liam takes note of the thickening silence that falls between them, and starts to back pedal: "I am sorry, I didn't mean to--"

No, like you said, it's a hard situation to wrap your head around."

Liam nods, "Do you think he knows?"

"Who? Knows what?"

"Dean... that his own sister was practically sleeping with his brother--her brother!"

"What?" Rochelle is almost certain that she couldn't have heard what she thought she did.

He reiterates, "About your mother and his father's marriage? Do you think Dean knows?"

"No," she answers with relief. "I am pretty sure he does not."

(<- Monte Carlos ->)
The weight of his friend's question lingering in the air, Anton repeats: "The big M. Yeah, I've thought about it."

"And?" Kyle leans against the rear passenger side door.

"Well, I'm new to all of this. Malina's the first serious relationship I've had."

"So you're committed to her, then?"

"Yeah, but does that mean marriage is the next step--the right step?!"

"I think that's only something you can answer bro. I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but when you do make that decision, make sure it is about you and Malina, nothing and no one else."

Anton nods his head in the affirmative, "Thank you."

"So come on, what are you thinking about Alexander's big pitch?" inquires Malina.

Lacreasha scoffs, "What? That he wants to make amends with his son after all this time?" She shakes her head in opposition the minute the words fall from her lips. "It doesn't bode well with me."

"You don't think there could be any truth to his speech?"

"Do you?" she rebuffs.

"Well, I was friends with his daughter," defends Malina. "So I have a different perspective than most when it comes to Alexander."

Lacreasha counters with a conflicted sigh, "I have a hard time trusting a man that has devalued my fiancé over the years--his own son by the way. And if Alexander believes one little heartfelt speech is going to erase all that, he’s sadly mistaken."

Romain Chandler, likewise, did not want his present overshadowed by his past. He only wished Sherri could focus on their present as well, but given her recent history with Mitchell Desmores, she was not willing to risk becoming deeply involved with another man who was keeping parts of his life secret.

"How do you propose we move on from each other?" she asked.

"By letting go of the fantasy, and accepting that we can't give each other what we want in this relationship."

"It really is that easy for you, isn't it?"

"Believe me," the hint of the crack in his voice, "This is not easy. It's why I was so easily sucked into your sister's scheme because I wanted to believe we could make this work. That we had something worth fighting for, but look at us!" Romain realized in that moment that their relationship had become one dramatic episode after another. It stopped being fun and simple.

Sherri wipes away a tear that escapes from her eye, "All I wanted was a little transparency, but you wouldn't give me that!"

"You're right," he validated her. Hearing her rehash for the 99th time how he failed to open up to her about something that was none of her business just solidified for him that their relationship was dead in the water. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"No. What I wanted was to be able to trust you, but you made that impossible."

"I never lied to you, Sherri. I was very upfront that my past in North Dakota had no bearing on our relationship. You chose not to accept that, and that's why we are here now."

"So I'm the blame for our relationship falling apart?"

"That's not what I am saying." Although he did feel a bit on the defensive after she made that pointed remark about him making a conscience choice not to open up about his past. "Aren't you tired?" he cracks, "Tired of this tug of war that our relationship has become?!"

A quickening silence falls between them, providing a harsh reality for the answer to his question.

"Then can we agree that it needs to be done? We need to be done!" He resolves.

"Then go, Romain," she fires back. "You Just go--" her words are muffled by his surprise kiss. As their lips part, she is left speechless.

"Goodbye, Sherri!" He sizes up her one last time before turning down the alley. Determined to leave her and their failed relationship behind him, he doesn't look back. Instead, he presses forward into the black of the night, hoping he remembered where he parked his car.

Instinctively, her hand gravitates toward her lips, which still tingle from the memory of his lips upon hers. She realized now that it was a kiss good-bye. All her anger and frustration was derailed in that fleeitng moment. Romain was done, and so she had to be as well. As much as she hated what came next, her eyes begin to well up and the flood gate opened as she slowly dropped to the ground.

"You seem more upset about Alexander than Kyle does," Malina assesses.

"Because I've seen how much he has hurt him over the years. I don't trust him, and I don't particularly like him either. Do you really think that show tonight was sincere?"

Malina knew by Lacreasha's tone and choice of words that she was deeply skeptical, so she did not answer in the affirmative, but she did not dismiss the possibility either.

"People can change," she defends. "I've seen Alexander's paternal side with his daughter. Maybe he's ready to fully explore that side with Kyle as well." Lacreasha scoffs; she was not ready to consider that possibility. "You don't agree?"

She is measured in her response: "I think it's admirable that-- that you're able to hold onto the good in people..."

"But?"

Lacreasha is hesitant to elaborate further, especially given that both she and Kyle have been afforded grace with people like Anton and Malina despite their own past mistakes. She is thankful when she hears Anton's voice calling out to them from the entrance. Kyle stands right at his side, appearing much more relax than he was when she had stumbled upon him on the balcony.

Anton announces, "Ladies, are you ready to roll?"

(<- Cypress Gardens Plaza ->)
"So, are you going to tell Dean?" asks Liam.

Rochelle rebuffs, "Why should I?" She swishes the straw around in her drink, watching the ripples that form.

"Well, I guess there isn't a reason you should."

"I just think it's something my mother and his father should have the pleasure of breaking to him." Drawing her eyes away from the ripples in her cup, she adds: "Besides, I haven't seen much of him since the verdict in Kavina's conviction trial."

"I wish I could say the same."

She deduces, "He's still making noise about Kavina's verdict?"

"Yes, and who can blame him? The deal she got for his brother's murder was pretty lousy."

She was still conflicted about the verdict. She believed Kavina was put in an awful situation, and made some poor choices out of haste. But Dean still lost a brother--his only brother. Of course, she reminded herself that Leonard was not his only brother. By some bizarre twist of faith, she and Dean now share an older brother, Mitchell Desmores. But Dean didn't know that--yet! What he did know was that Kavina got committed to a psych ward for 6 months, and with proper counseling, could be back among society in a year's time.

"Well, she was tried by a jury of her peers. That was their decision."

"Just don't count on Dean staying quiet about it for too long."

Her curiosity peaked, "What does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?" He teases.

"I guess that means you're not at liberty to say."

"Bingo!"

"So there wouldn't be any way I could convince you to spill just a tiny detail."

He smirks, "You're cute, but not that cute."

"Ouch!" she feigns.

"I'll make it up to you."

"How?"

"Coffee? My place?

"Okay."

He rises from his seat, and quickly moves over to assist her in getting up from the table. He takes her hand in his.

"But you're also going to tell me what else has been going on while I've been away."

"I should have know there was a catch."

(<- Monte Carlos ->)
After finding the back door where she and Romain retreated through earlier this evening locked and secure, Sherri Reynolds dusted herself off and made her way back to the front of the restaurant. As she turns the corner, she hears chatter and light laughter before spying Lacreasha and Kyle, along with Malina and Anton all coupled up. She watched as they exchanged hugs with one another before stepping into their respective cars. It was a bittersweet moment for her to see as she stood alone, wondering where she went wrong.

"Then can we agree that it needs to be done? We need to be done!" Romain's words replay in her head. She shrugs away the thought, finding herself standing in front of the display window of the restaurant. She notices the lights inside have been dimmed down, and the "Closed" sign is now posted. Yep, although the night was over for the patrons, it was not one that Sherri Reynolds would soon forget.

(<- Sky Lansing Condos ->)
Meanwhile, Sherri's eldest sister had just started to drift off when a knock at her door stirred her from her rest on the couch. She ties the drawstring of her night gown together as she glances outside the window to see who her unexpected visitor is. Needless to say, it was yet another man whom she would have not have expected to be standing in her archway this evening.

"Romain! What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, I just wanted to check in and make sure you were alright after everything that went down at the restaurant," he explains. Although it dawns on him how late it must be when he notices she is wearing nothing but her nightie.

She smiles, "No worries." After the jaw dropping news her last visitor dropped on her doorstep, she appreciated the simple nature of his visit. "It has been a long night, but I am fine. Thank you for checking."

"Of course," he returns the smile.

"How about you? Were you able to smooth things over with my sister?"

"I'm okay." He couldn't help but think about how he left things with Sherri this evening. However, he really didn't want to get into all that in the archway of her door. "And yeah, things are much clearer between your sister and I."

"That's comforting."

He backs out of her archway, "Well, I won't keep you. Enjoy the rest of your night."

"You too!"

He gives her an approving nod, and exits the complex as quickly as he had entered.

"Good night," concludes Sandy as she shuts her door once again for the night.

Next...
ø Samantha meets Madame Isabel, who warns the young doctor of "grave" danger;
ø Jennifer discusses Romeo and Brian with her friend, Nia, in hope of gaining some clarity over the situation;
ø Malina meets the mysterious Morgan Hysterias.

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