Monday, October 17, 2005, Episode #4661

Stephanie is stunned by Jonathan's news.
In Eric's office, Stephanie laughs at the notion that Eric would ever marry someone like Jackie. She's so sure that it's not going to happen that she dials Jonathan's office and tells the family attorney that she has a delusional woman here who thinks that Eric has gotten a divorce without her knowledge. She puts Jonathan on speaker so Jackie can hear. Jonathan tells her to take him off speaker so he can talk to her privately, but she says that can wait until he explains, in words of one syllable, that Eric could not have gotten a divorce with legal notice to his wife. Jonathan tells Stephanie that he just tried to reach her, so he could tell her before the news hit the media. Tell her what? she asks. He reminds that he holds her Power of Attorney. Stephanie asks if he's done anything illegal. They're less strict about such matters in the Dominican Republic, Jonathan explains. Stephanie asks what he's saying. Jackie comes over and tells Jonathan, on the speaker, to go on, in one syllable words. Jonathan tells Stephanie that he's sorry, but Eric has been granted a divorce. A stunned Stephanie sinks into Eric's chair.

Eric and Brooke tell Bridget why they remarried.
At Brooke's house, Bridget asks her father how he can marry any one, since he's married to Stephanie. Holding Brooke's hand, Eric explains that he found a way to divorce Stephanie without her knowledge. Brooke tells Bridget that she has what she always wanted, her parents reunited. Bridget is furious: it was bad enough that her mom dragged Dante into this mess, but now she has dragged Eric in, too? Eric says that's not how it is. He tells Bridget that all that Brooke has been through recently changed Brooke, to the point where she realized she wanted to be with him. Bridget isn't buying this sudden burst of passion. It's about family, Brooke says, not passion. Bridget is skeptical, but Eric tells Bridget that he learned long ago that true happiness is all about family and not just passion. Bridget still isn't buying this marriage; she knows Brooke would have to be in love with a man to marry him, so she tells her mom to look in Eric's eyes and tell him that she loves him more than any other man. Brooke hesitates at first, but she then looks at Eric and tells him she loves him completely, more than anyone. She wants to rebuild their family and their company, together, as partners to the end.

Bridget is skeptical of her mother's motives.
Bridget is skeptical of her parents as partners. Eric assures her that this is real. He and Brooke see a deeper meaning in life, he explains, and they know that they're the loves of each other's lives. He asks Bridget why she's not happy, as she's wanted this for so long. That's exactly why she's so suspicious, she says. She just can't believe this is real. Whether she believes it or not, Brooke says, it is real. She has a vision of her life with Eric and she knows he's the man for her. Bridget thinks back to the other "visions" her mom's had in the past, but Brooke insists this is different. She says that Bridget's child will be born to two loving parents, with its loving grandparents by their side. It sounds like a pretty picture, Bridget says. It does, Eric agrees, and it's also real. He excuses himself so Brooke and Bridget can talk. Once he's gone, Bridget blasts Brooke for using Eric to push her back to Nick, knowing that Nick still loves her mother more than her. Brooke begs Bridget not to give up on Nick. She tells Bridget that she finally woke up and realized that what she wants in life is a family, and a husband who would always be there for her. Eric is the man who can give her that, she states. Bridget wishes she could believe her mom, but she still thinks that her mom only remarried her dad out of guilt for what she did with Nick. If she's really over Nick, Bridget asks her mom, why didn't she realize that weeks ago, instead of deceiving herself again and hurting Eric in the process? Brooke is silent. Bridget takes that as a sign that Brooke ISN'T over Nick and leaves.

Jackie finds the gift Eric left and thinks it's for her.
Jackie arrives at Eric's beach house and sees the romantic setting that's been set up. She thinks it's all for her. Benjie the caterer comes in and tells "Mrs. Forrester" that she's been a naughty girl, since she is ruining Mr. Forrester's surprise. He introduces himself, but Jackie says she knows who he is, and she is flattered that Eric would hire him to do all this. She promises to be surprised when Eric arrives. In that case, Benjie says, his work is done, so he takes his leave. Jackie then finds a box with a black teddy in it and gushes some more. Soon after, Eric arrives. He sees Jackie's coat and thinks it's Brooke's, wondering how she beat him here. He then sees a lingerie clad leg appear from the bedroom door. "Well, hello," he says, admitting he is sorry that he wasn't here to see the look on her face. Now he can, Jackie says, emerging from the room in the teddy. Eric is shocked! Jackie raves about how wonderful he is to do all this for her. She promises to remember this moment for the rest of her life. Eric tries to explain, but Jackie won't let him get a word in. She then sees the wedding band on his finger and is touched that he couldn't wait to wear it. She hugs him and tells him that she loves him so much.

Nick tells Brooke how he feels.
Nick is in his office, shuffling papers; he finds the photo of Brooke from the wedding album mixed among them. As he picks up the photo, he recalls Bridget telling him to be with Brooke. He then recalls Jackie telling him to find Brooke, so they can finally have the life they deserve, together. He then holds the photo of Brooke in his right hand while holding a wedding photo of him and Bridget in his left, and he flashes back to happier times with Brooke. He gets up, looks from one photo to the other and leaves. Soon after, he arrives at Brooke's and finds her looking sad. He asks where Bridget is. She just left, Brooke says. Nick asks if she's OK; Brooke says she is. Nick looks her in the eye and says that he sees now that they never should have hurt Bridget. They can make up for that, Brooke says. Nick says that he knows the truth now: he loves Brooke and always will. He wants to do what they should have done all along and get married. Brooke just replies, "No wedding." OK, Nick says, that's fine: they can just elope if she wants, rather than have a formal wedding. It doesn't matter how they do it, as long as they're together. He wants to profess his love to her, and put his ring on her finger. He then looks to his finger and sees a wedding band there. What's that? he asks. A wedding band, she says. Nick is confused. She sobs that she had to do it for her daughter, so last night, in Vegas. Nick asks what the heck she's talking about and asks whose ring that is.

"I got married last night -- to Eric," she tells a stunned Nick.