1987 (#13) - The quarrels of Donna and Mark, the role of Storm, the flirtation with Alex

If on the one hand the insecure and fragile Katie sees in her sister Donna a model to imitate, and often to envy, given her apparently solid and happy love situation, the reality is actually very different. In fact, while Katie begins to enjoy Rocco's company and to fall in love with him, unaware that he feels a strong attraction towards Donna, the latter is increasingly struggling with the problems arising from her relationship with Mark. After a carefree, romantic and exciting first phase, the relationship between Donna and Mark has reached a stalemate, which creates tensions and continuous arguments. On the one hand Mark, who would like Donna to move in with her to start a life together, on the other hand there is a much more realistic Donna, who does not see how she could take this step without economic stability or an income, since Mark has no job. Of the same opinion as Donna is her older brother Storm, who doesn't like the boy and thinks with increasing conviction that he is just a slacker. Donna has often defended her boyfriend in front of Storm, but with the passing of the months she's beginning to change her mind, given Mark's aversion and unmotivated antipathy towards his family. Several times, in fact, Mark has deserted the family reunions and convinced Donna to do the same, provoking the irritation of Storm, who has always been very attached to this kind of thing. But the episode that literally infuriates the man is the one related to the theft in the house of grandmother Helen, robbed in her own home after opening the door to a couple of thugs who she thought were Donna and Mark. Helen, in fact, was waiting for the same granddaughter, but she never arrived because of an unexpected and suspicious engagement of Mark. A disappointed Storm accuses Donna of endangering her grandmother's safety, who after this scare gladly accepts the proposal to move in with the Logans; and Donna, in response, announces to the family that she has made the decision to move in with Mark, happy for the success of her plan to get Donna away from her family. For Beth, Katie, and Storm himself, it's a huge blow: it's the first time a member of their family has left their home since their father left. This situation is particularly hard on Storm, who since Stephen's departure has always carried the weight of the family and the difficult role of head of the family, always very protective of his women, a role that Donna clearly can no longer bear. And with her, Storm's new girlfriend, model Alex Simpson, begins to show signs of exasperation. She feels more and more neglected and sidelined by the man, who appears to be focused exclusively on the family business from which she is often excluded. And at the end of a tough but sincere and frank confrontation between the two, it is Alex who puts an end to their brief relationship.