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Lip Service: Alex (Robert Scott Wilson, l.) spies a buss between Theresa (Emily O’Brien) and Brady (Eric Martsolf).
Alex is stunned — and not pleasantly so — when he walks in on Theresa and Brady in a kiss.
“This was Alex’s fear, something he felt [could happen] and was worried about,” begins Robert Scott Wilson (Alex). “He knew that Theresa and Brady still had feelings for one another, that Brady wasn’t being completely honest about it and that Theresa wasn’t being completely honest about it. They always made it that [their closeness] was because they share a child together, but I think Alex knew better. When he sees [them kissing] with his own eyes, it brings it all together in a really unfortunate way. To see it come to reality is like a mini nightmare.”
After Brady leaves, Theresa tries to explain things to Alex. “The excuse really isn’t that good,” contends Wilson. “She tells him the kiss just happened and meant nothing, but Alex doesn’t trust her all the way.”
Alex’s lack of faith in Theresa and their relationship prompts her to take a stance: She says it might be time for her to move out, and she packs her bags to leave. The surprise announcement strikes something in Alex, who tries to persuade Theresa to stay. “Alex is invested [in this relationship], and he’s going to fight for it,” contends Wilson. “He’s not one to roll over and lose. He wants to try to and make it work. Or maybe it’s just more his ego being like, ‘Yeah, [that kiss] really did mean nothing, and I’m going to make sure that Brady knows it meant nothing.’ So he justifies it to himself.”
A guilty Theresa almost tells Alex the truth about his paternity, but chickens out and instead rambles on about what a mess she is. Alex admits that he isn’t perfect either and suggests that maybe they can learn to be better together. “Alex doesn’t want to lose her, so he kind of eats crow, so to speak,” says Wilson. “He chalks this up to, ‘This is a person who’s broken in some ways.’ And Alex is broken in some ways too. He realizes that Theresa is not this picture-perfect person, but he sees the good in her. Ultimately, that’s what keeps him going. He wants to develop with her.”
Plus, Alex sees the two of them as kindred flawed spirits. “Alex believes that they speak the same language and that he can understand Theresa in a way other people can’t,” explains Wilson. “The fact is, she’s done some really truly rotten things, whereas Alex is more this slick businessman, who was a bit of a playboy. Other than that, he didn’t do anything to the measures that Theresa has. But that’s an edge for him, and I think he enjoys that. He likes that about her. That’s what turns him on.”
The couple end up making love while Theresa contemplates whether to stay or go. “Alex shows her that he’s there for her,” notes Wilson. “It’s one of the first steps of him trusting her, when he probably shouldn’t. But he wants to believe so badly that nobody is going to take her from him, including Brady.”
