Monday, December 04, 2006, Episode #4948

Pam is surprised to hear from her sister again.

At the Forrester mansion, Stephanie paces as she remembers Taylor telling her that she had to go to Chicago and confront her mother. She picks up the phone and calls her sister Pam again, apologizing for ending her call yesterday so abruptly. Pam comments that she told their mother about Stephanie's call yesterday, and their mother was surprised. Stephanie goes silent for a moment and then gets to the reason she called; she tells Pam that she's coming to Chicago on business today, so she'd like to drop by to see Pam and their mom. Pam seems surprised. Stephanie asks Pam to tell their mother that she's coming. Pam says she will, so Stephanie says she'll be taking the company jet and will be there in a few hours. Stephanie hangs up, fretting that she'll see her mother in just a few hours.

Ann vows not to let Stephanie say unpleasant things again.

Pam tells her mother, Ann, about Stephanie's call. When she tells Ann that Stephanie wants to come visit this afternoon, she asks if Ann is happy about that. Ann replies that she is, asking why she shouldn't be happy that her daughter is finally coming home to make amends. Pam points out that they don't know why Stephanie is visiting; Ann asks what other reason there could be, and what kind of mother would she be if she didn't forgive. Ann and Pam start looking through old photos. Ann is thrilled at the prospect of having both her daughters with her again. She suggests they get some of Stephanie's favorite chocolate angel cake, but then she wonders if Stephanie's tastes changed as much as Stephanie herself did. Pam recalls how unpleasant things were when Ann last saw Stephanie; Ann agrees that things were said that shouldn't have been, but she vows not to let those things be said again.

Taylor urges Stephanie to open up to Eric.

As Stephanie calls the pilot to get the company jet - shouldn't that belong to Nick now? - ready, Taylor arrives. She's glad that Stephanie is going to confront her mother, but she hopes Stephanie can tell her mom how she felt about her father's abuse. Stephanie reminds Taylor that she tried to tell her mother before, and her mother wouldn't listen. Taylor urges Stephanie to make her listen this time. She asks Stephanie if Eric knows. Stephanie sees no reason to tell him. Taylor asks Stephanie how she can expect to have intimacy in her marriage if she can't be honest with her husband. She's sure Eric will understand. "I'll understand what?" Eric asks as he enters the room. He asks what's going on here. Stephanie tells him that she's going to Chicago to see her mother. Eric assumes she's going to the cemetery, but Stephanie stuns him with the news that her mother is still alive! Confused, Eric asks why she would lie that her mother had died 30 years ago. Stephanie tries to answer but hesitates. Angry, Eric demands that she tell him why she's kept yet another secret from him. Taylor asks Eric to calm down and let Stephanie finish. She turns to Stephanie and urges her to talk to her husband, but when Stephanie refuses, Taylor tells Eric about a little girl who was physically abused by her father - a little girl who grew up to be his wife!

A shocked Eric can't believe that John Douglas hit his daughter to make her behave. He's even more stunned when Stephanie tries to justify her father taking a belt to her. There's no excuse for a parent to take his anger out on a child, he tells his wife. And that's what Stephanie is just starting to see, Taylor explains. She asserts that Stephanie always needs to have control now because she never had control as a little girl. Stephanie admits that her father's actions were wrong, but she's survived, and the marks from her father's belt are long gone. But the emotional scars are still there, Eric states. Taylor agrees; she points out that Stephanie's mother knew about the abuse but didn't do anything to stop it. Eric suddenly understands why Stephanie considers her mother dead to her, even if she's still alive. He can't understand how Ann Douglas didn't do anything once she knew John hit their daughter. She asks Stephanie if she's going to Chicago to confront Ann. Stephanie replies that she's going because Taylor thinks this is the only way to save her marriage; she refuses to lose Eric, too, so she's going to talk with her mother about this and put it behind her. Eric says he's coming with her. Stephanie won't hear of it, but Eric insists; he won't let his wife face this alone.

While Eric gets the car, Stephanie thanks Taylor for all her help. She thinks Ridge, Thorne, Kristen and Felicia need to know that their grandmother is alive, but she doesn't know if she can tell them herself, so she asks Taylor to tell them. Eric comes in and tells Stephanie they're ready. Taylor tells Stephanie to remember, no matter what happens in Chicago, that her family loves and supports her. Nothing Stephanie's mother says, or doesn't say, will change that. She promises Stephanie that she'll be fine.