Daddy issues
The big moment has arrived – Lana will finally find out who the father of her unborn baby is.
Remember back in June when Hillside was buzzing about whether Lana (Mila Guy) could be pregnant? It was the scandal of the month, only to be revealed that she had just gained a few extra kilos in an attempt to fill an emotional void. Well, the whispers about her now-very-real pregnancy will have the Hillsiders gossiping like crazy once more – and this time it’s all about the baby’s daddy.
HOOK UPS
Within a matter of a few days at the start of October, Lana managed to hook up with both her ex-husband Shawn (Deànré Reiners) and the man pining for her heart Rickus (André Lötter). With Shawn, it was purely a drunken night of passion, while Rickus rocked up at Lana’s place in gold body paint proclaiming his undying love. But the month ended in nightmarish fashion when Lana realised that she was pregnant! “It wasn’t the happiest news,” admits Mila. “Mostly because she doesn’t know outright who the father could be. Furthermore, her relationship with Rickus isn’t where it should be, and Shawn made it clear that their night together was nothing more than a mistake.” What’s a girl to do?
ULTIMATE TEST
The idea of an abortion crossed Lana’s mind, but Mila explains that her character couldn’t reconcile the act of terminating the pregnancy with her core beliefs. “She just knows that’s not who she is.” So now that Lana has decided to keep the baby, she’s had to undergo the stressful process of a paternity test. Even worse, neither Rickus nor Shawn are yet aware of the fact that Lana is expecting. “She keeps the secret for a while,” says Mila. In Shawn’s case, it’s purely by choice to protect him, with Mila explaining that “she doesn’t want to add to his troubles” following the recent leak of a few raunchy photos of him online.
Keeping it a secret from Rickus is a bit more complex, with the mother-in-law from hell Mariaan (Deirdre Wolhuter) already in the know. “Lana accidentally called Mariaan instead of her mom to say she’s pregnant. Mariaan just assumes that it’s Rickus’ child but Lana tells her it’s not certain, so Mariaan agrees to keep quiet,” Mila reminds us.
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
The day of the paternity results finally arrives and Lana is an emotional wreck. And while Mila won’t reveal who the father is, she does reveal that Lana has made peace with the fact that the father might not be willing to play an active role in their child’s life. “She has already resolved to raise the baby, assured that it would at least have one loving parent.” Test results in hand, Lana calls Rickus and Shawn to her apartment to share the news and what follows is an emotional moment for all involved…