OK if I want to keep up this pic thing I think I'm going to be lazy and just recast Roman with Josh Taylor. Sorry Wayne.

AT CHEZ ROUGE:

“I take it that’s a no?” Roman asked sheepishly.

“No, Roman. I mean… I don’t know. That’s the honest truth. I just wasn’t expecting this at all right now and I need some time to think about what this means,” Anna said. “You understand, don’t you?”

“Sure, Anna. Take all the time you need,” Roman said. “How about this – I leave this ring with you and I’ll let you tell me when you get back if you think it looks good on you.”

Anna held the ring and stared at it. It was beautiful. Much more stylish and expensive than the engagement ring he gave her for their first wedding and much more than she would have expected on a cop’s salary. But she knew her heart still belonged to Tony. Sure, he hadn’t called her since she came back to Salem, but she needed to have a talk with him before she could go through with a marriage to Roman.

She looked down at the ring and thought how jealous Tony would be to know that Roman had proposed. That would get him to admit his feelings for her for sure. She would go down to Mythic to see Tony right then.

“Roman, I like that idea very much,” Anna said gulping down her champagne in one swig. “Thank you so much for understanding. Now I have so many errands to run before I leave I hope you don’t mind me not staying for the rest of lunch. I’ll call you.”

Anna gave Roman a big kiss and grabbed the ring box on her way out the door in such a hurry she nearly knocked Marlena over as she came around the corner.

“Oh, hi again, Marlena,” Anna said in an excited rush. “And bye, Marlena!”

Marlena shook her head and walked over to Roman’s table.

“Runaway bride?” Marlena said.

“Not funny, Doc,” Roman said with a sigh. “She said she has to THINK about it. And what are you doing here? I thought you left.”

“I had, but I needed to stop in the ladies room,” Marlena said. “Listen Roman, I’m sorry I made that joke. I had no idea. But I have to tell you, Anna is crazy if she lets a man like you get away.”

“Crazy like you?” Roman said in a huff as he threw a wad of cash on the table and walked out.

AT MYTHIC COMMUNICATIONS:

Lucas ambled into his office at Mythic Communications disheveled and unshaven and set his briefcase down on a chair when he saw his desk chair seemingly swivel around on its own to face him.

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Lucas asked Kate.

“Oh, me? I am here working, trying to keep this company going, pouring my lifeblood into this office so that you and all my children will have a stake in a very successful corporation to inherit one day, but it seems you are not interested enough in that to show up for work until the afternoon?” Kate accused.

“I… well…” Lucas stammered.

“Well nothing,” Kate said throwing her hands in the air in frustration and getting out of the chair to walk across the room. “I don’t know what to do with you, Lucas. What is there I can do to help you? I mean, you’re clearly drinking again.”

“What makes you say that?” Lucas said defensively.

“For starters, this is not the first time you’ve been late to work,” Kate said. “Thankfully Tony is too preoccupied with his whole weird DiMera thing to notice, but I am really getting sick of covering for you here.”

“Then don’t. Stop covering for me,” Lucas said. “See if I care.”

“Oh, that’s really mature, Lucas. There’s also the fact that it looks like you haven’t shaved in a week,” Kate said moving closer to Lucas and putting her hand on his cheek before he pushed it away. “And you’re definitely wearing the same suit as yesterday.”

Kate leaned in and sniffed.

“Dammit, Lucas! You’re drunk right now, aren’t you?” Kate screamed.