Why doesn't Paulina just tell Lani about Ray?

[varlena]

Lani is an adult, there's not going to be some kind of custody battle. What is Paulina worried about? She's just going to alienate herself from Lani all over again when Lani finds out the truth from someone else.

[CallAboutTheCat]

Thank you. That's all I've been yelling at my screen: "Just tell her, what's the big deal??"

I think she thinks she's protecting Lani from evil Ray by not letting either of them know they're related. But she'd seen how much damage she does by keeping secrets. I'm baffled she'd jeopardize her relationship with Lani (which is hanging by a thread) by keeping this secret.

[Dakotacat]

In the past, Ray has been physically violent. She is afraid if Lani doesn't respect him or want to be around him, that he will hurt her.

[varlena]

Maybe but that seems like a real stretch.

[Mariko]

It may seem like a stretch to you. But, Paulina is legitimately afraid of Ray. She's just going into "mama bear" mode, as she thinks it's the best way to protect her daughter. Sure, it might not be the absolutely best way to handle the situation, but in all honestly I can't really blame her. Not to mention, Lani isn't the best judge of character after all.

[varlena]

Thank you. That's all I've been yelling at my screen: "Just tell her, what's the big deal??"

I think she thinks she's protecting Lani from evil Ray by not letting either of them know they're related. But she'd seen how much damage she does by keeping secrets. I'm baffled she'd jeopardize her relationship with Lani (which is hanging by a thread) by keeping this secret.

She (Paulina) is totally exhausting with all her "pack your bags we're going to Miami!" stuff. She seems incapable of just dealing with issues straight on instead of lying and pretending. She's damaged goods.

[CallAboutTheCat]

It's frustrating and annoying.

[jjtrdsa]

Lani is a police officer. She can handle herself. Another female character that just digs themselves a grave unnecessarily like Gwen. Sigh.

[MDC]

Haha, then there wouldn't be a dragged out story!

[Treasure Box]

maybe she doesn't want lani to cozy up with him.

[Key]

I guess lying is her default mode.

[Beca Drags]

Because then there wouldn't be any drama. This is when the term "contrived writing" comes into play. There's no logical reason why Paulina couldn't or shouldn't tell Lani, as there is no real threat for Lani or great cost for Paulina telling Lani, but the writing is manufacturing drama out of it. It's most likely going to blow up in Paulina's face for keeping yet another secret from Lani, for which there is no good reason to keep that secret other than to create drama for the viewers.

[gymguy68]

Lani could just use the resources at the police station and do a search for her birth father. If it was something she really wanted to find out, she's more than capable. Paulina is not giving me the impression that she's afraid of Ray; she seems more annoyed than anything else. She claims he was abusive which is only one side of the story. Keep in mind that Pauline lies a lot. She's also a strong woman who doesn't strike me as the type who would scare easily. Just like Sami, Kate, Julie and Kristen. Paulina is a "toughie".

[Theresa_Fan]

It would make sense to tell the truth but I can see why she wouldn't want to. If he's been as violent as they claim, he could be dangerous.

[ShermanTank]

Because everyone in Salem has had a lobotomy? So dumb.. Just tell her!

[icyblue2034]

It would make sense to tell the truth but I can see why she wouldn't want to. If he's been as violent as they claim, he could be dangerous.

All the more reason to tell her so that she's not blindsided by him. Paulina got careless with the secret so quickly after he showed up. Never even considered he might run into Chanel at the bakery she runs in the town square.

Paulina needs to stop defaulting to lies. I know she wants to protect Lani but she's only leaving her vulnerable and unprepared. Lani is a grown woman. At one point she was a capable member of the Salem PD. Not so much now, but still she can take care of herself. Not to mention this latest lie just leaves room for Ray to turn the tables on Paulina.

[Key]

This is one of the more absurd who's-the-daddy stories, or maybe this one should be called a "howdy, I'm your father" story.
Lani's an adult, a cop, well-adjusted, stable, fearless. It would be so implausible for her to care a fig at this point about T. R. I sure don't. She's got her hands full with Paulina anyway. One irregular parent is enough for anyone.
These surprise parent stories give me the eye rolls.
Show him the door, Lani. You've got a husband, two babies, a job, great friends. You don't need him in your punchbowl.

[July Baby]

I can understand Paulina not telling Lani the truth at first, when they all ran into each other in the Square. It's not something you say casually on first meeting, "Oh Lani, this is your bio father, the creep I kept away from you all these years." But afterward, Paulina should have made a point of telling Lani privately so that she wouldn't be blindsided by him. She should have told Chanel, too, IMHO.