Thursday, August 17, 2006, Episode #4875

Nick lets his wife make her pitch to the board.

At the Marone board meeting, the board members, especially George, are stunned that Brooke thinks a change in tanker colors will help their business. Brooke explains that the green would be symbolic of the company's commitment to "green," environmentally conscious shipping. One board member asks what that means. For instance, Brooke proposes, Marone tankers would only dock in ports with electrical hookups that allow them to not burn fuel when docked. The board fears that would limit the ports they could dock in, and it would be expensive. Brooke agrees, but she thinks that the ports would adapt rather than lose Marone's business. As for the cost, it would be costly at first. But if they advertise - say, with a slogan like "Marone industries -- greener and cleaner" - the public would want to buy products shipped by Marone, and manufacturers would want to use their tankers. So they make up at the end what they spent in the beginning, a board member realizes. Exactly, Brooke confirms. Nick thinks it's a good idea, and the board members start to warm to it - except for George, who asks if Brooke intends to be their spokesmodel. Nick thinks that's a good idea, too. And when she's promoting Marone, George asks, will she be wearing a negligee? Or nothing at all?

Brooke wonders which company she wants to be at.

Nick tells George to watch his mouth, but George thinks someone has to show some sense here. He criticizes Nick as a leader for even considering it and suggests that Massimo would never support this ridiculous idea. Actually, Nick says, he and Mass discussed it last year. But they never implemented it, George says. They were looking at costs, Nick says, because they have a responsibility to future generations. They have a responsibility to the stockholders, a fed up George says. Nick suggests they break for lunch. As the board members file into the next office, Brooke stays behind with Nick and says she's sorry. She has nothing to be sorry for, Nick says, since he was proud of her. He thinks she can really make a difference here. She fears her presence will just cause discord among the board, and she doesn't want to be in the middle of that. Nick promises to support her and assures her that she can do some good for Marone, but she thinks this isn't her field. Neither was fashion when she started at Forrester, Nick says, confident that she could fit in. He asks her to at least consider it. Brooke thinks she's had enough for today and sends him to have lunch with the board. After Nick leaves, Brooke looks at the model tanker in the office. She then picks up a copy of EYE ON FASHION trumpeting her return to Forrester and considers where she wants to be.

Thorne opens up to Sally about his feelings since Darla died.

Thorne arrives at Forrester and finds Sally working on the orders pouring in for the Bedroom line. Sally is surprised to see him back at work already. He says that it was tough to be home alone, since Alexandria wasn't home. It's tough being anywhere without Darla, Sally agrees. Thorne says that he called Taylor, but she wasn't home. Sally notes how helpful Taylor has been since Darla died. Thorne can't find the words to describe how grateful he is for what Taylor has done for him and Alexandria. He doesn't have to, Sally says, since she can see it. She points out that he's here, and Alexandria is at art camp. Thorne feels like that's just baby steps, but Sally thinks it's like Neil Armstrong "just" hopping down a ladder on the moon. The important thing is that he's moving on. Thorne says that he hoped he could purge his grief by finding Darla's killer, but now he's thinking about something Hector said the other day. The fireman suggested that it could have been an accident. Sally thinks it's possible. But if that's the case, Thorne wonders, why hasn't the person come forward? Still, he has to wonder if knowing would make a difference, since it won't bring Darla back. Lt. Baker pops in; here's the man who will help answer that, Sally suggests. Thorne asks if Baker has any new leads on the case. Baker wishes he did; he fears they won't find anything more unless someone comes forward. He suggests questioning Phoebe again, but Thorne thinks the teen has been through too much. In that case, the cops says, he has a court date to get to, so he'll be in touch.

Diane tells Taylor and Phoebe her tale of woe.

At the jail, Hector's inmate friend Diane Walker continues telling Taylor and Phoebe her story. She had no idea that she'd be throwing away her freedom when she took that drink. And her remorse didn't matter to the judge, who only cared about what she did. She was hoping for a suspended sentence and parole, but the judge knew that and gave her ten years, since it was what she deserved. What about her kids? Taylor asks. The kids came to see her for a while, she says, but then it got too hard. Her youngest wound up with a bad crowd, since she wasn't around to guide her. She missed the wedding of her other daughter, who moved away and had a son who Diane's never even met. Phoebe thinks that's sad. Diane tells her not to be sorry for her. She'll get out when she's done her time. But it still eats away at her, Hector suggests. It has, Diane agrees. Even after she confessed? Hector asks. Telling the whole world couldn't erase that she killed someone, Diane says. The guard comes to take Diane back to her cell. As she says goodbye to Taylor, Diane hopes her story helped. She wishes someone had "scared her straight" before she took that drink and got behind the wheel. She hopes Taylor will learn from her mistake.

Taylor and Phoebe agree to think about what Diane told them.

Alone in the visiting room, Phoebe wonders if that could happen to her mom. It could, Hector says. Taylor tells him to stop scaring Phoebe, but Hector says they both should be scared. He knows it's hard to lie, but this is the fate that awaits Taylor if she confesses. Diane thought her position in the community would save her, and it didn't help. Maybe she needed a better lawyer, Phoebe suggests. All the lawyers in the world won't help, since Taylor's a public figure. The press will be all over her, and the judge will want to make an example of her and put her away for murder. It wasn't murder! Taylor protests. But it was manslaughter, he points out. And it will land her in jail, just like Diane, if she confesses. Taylor protests that Thorne and Alexandria deserve the truth, but Hector says she has everything to lose and nothing to gain by confessing. She'll be nothing more than a number in the system for ten years if she tells the truth, She'll miss out on the lives of Thomas, Steffy and Phoebe, assuming Phoebe escapes the consequences of lying, too. Taylor asks why she should see her kids grow up when Darla won't. Hector asks her to think long and hard about what Diane said before she decides. She says she will, so they get up to leave.