Thursday, December 07, 2006, Episode #4951

Ally sleeps on the couch.

Thorne and Taylor enter his beach house and find Alexandria asleep on the couch. Taylor asks why Catherine didn't put Ally to bed. Thorne explains that Ally won't go to sleep until he gets home since... Taylor asks what's wrong. Thorne replies that he still can't believe how a father could hurt his own daughter that way his grandfather hurt his mother. He thinks about the way that they, as parents, teach their children not to trust strangers and wonders what they can do when the danger comes from within.

Thorne and Taylor look in on Ally.

As they put Ally to bed, Thorne tells Taylor that there's a boy in Ally's preschool who is always scraped up or bandaged. The last time it happened, he asked the boy about it. The boy claimed he'd fallen off the monkey bars, but Thorne wonders if the boy felt awkward talking to a stranger. Taylor reminds him that abused children often try to protect their abusive parents, so she suggests that he talk to the boy's teacher. She thinks it's sad that some people have suspicions about abuse but don't act on them, leaving the child unprotected.

Hope tells Brooke that she's worried about her dance rehearsal.

At Brooke's house, Ridge tells Brooke how his grandfather abused his mother. Brooke is horrified that a father could do that to his daughter. She now understands why Stephanie is always so angry. Ridge agrees that his granddad's acts were unforgivable, but he's even more disturbed that his grandmother wouldn't put a stop to it. Brooke suggests that his grandmother may have been scared of his grandfather. Ridge tells her that his grandmother worshipped the ground his granddad walked on. Hope bounds into the bedroom and frets about her upcoming dance recital. She asks if Nick can come over to help her practice some more before tomorrow's dress rehearsal. Brooke replies that she's sure Nick would want to come over, but it's late and he's probably asleep. Seeing Hope's concern, Ridge suggests that she practice by teaching her dance to him.

Brooke holds Ridge after he tries to call his mother.

Hope happily shows Ridge the steps and laughs when he messes up. "I'm hopeless," Ridge laughs as he tries the steps again. Hope smiles and replies, "I'm Hope. Pleased to meet you." Ridge laughs at the joke and accuses Hope of sandbagging him, since she obviously knows the dance cold. He bets she could even teach it to a monkey. Hope tells him that monkeys can't dance, but Ridge vows to show her otherwise. After he and Brooke put Hope to bed, Ridge tries to call his mother, but it goes to voice-mail. Ridge leaves a message telling her to call him at Brooke's when she gets in. He just wants to tell her that he loves her and thank her for being such an amazing mother. As Ridge hangs up the phone, Brooke holds him close.

In Chicago, Stephanie begs for an explanation why her mother would ignore her father abusing her. Did Ann not like her? Or was she adopted? When Ann looks at a photo of John, Stephanie orders her mother to forget a dead man and explain why she didn't defend her little girl. Ann admits that John was disappointed when their first born wasn't a son, but their "little Stevie" was a strong, self-sufficient child who climbed trees, played sports and even got into fights with boys at school. She even got hurt falling from a horse - two cracked ribs and a badly swollen face, Pam recalls. So there were bruises, Ann continues, but the only one to blame for them was Stephanie herself! She scolds Stephanie for stirring up trouble by blaming her own problems on her, and worse, on poor John, who's not here to defend himself. "Shame on you!" she shouts, but Eric counters that she's the one who should be ashamed!

Pam tells Stephanie that she's sorry.

Ann tells Eric not to speak to her that way when he's a guest in her home. But Eric refuses to let her wash her hands of her guilt by laying a guilt trip on his wife and enslaving his sister-in-law with her passive aggressive wheedling. Ann again tells Eric to butt out. He just shakes his head in disbelief, recalling how torn he felt listening to Felicia's cries of pain when she was dying of cancer. He can't understand how Ann could just ignore her daughter's cries. And now Ann has an opportunity to make things right, but she refuses! He tells Ann that he used to admire her for raising his extraordinary wife. But now he sees that Stephanie turned out that way despite her mother, who did nothing but blind herself to what was happening. He thinks the real tragedy is that Ann will never see how magnificently Stephanie raised herself, and he loves Stephanie more than ever now that he knows that. Eric tells Pam that he's sorry they had to meet again under these circumstances and tells her to call if she needs anything. Sobbing, Pam hugs Stephanie and tells her that she's sorry for not doing anything to help her sister. She wishes it had been her. Stephanie tells her that she has nothing to feel sorry for. Eric tells Ann that the next time they hear of her will likely be when Pam calls to tell them of Ann's death. Since age brings wisdom, he hopes she spends her days wisely between then and now. Ann's eyes tear, but she doesn't look as Eric and Stephanie leave.

Stephanie thanks Eric for his support.

On the Forrester jet, Eric and Stephanie wait for the pilot to deice the wings so they can return to Los Angeles. Stephanie reflects on her confrontation with her mother and decides that she can never forgive Ann for failing to keep her safe. In fact, she tells Eric, she never once felt safe in all her life until right now, thanks to him. All her life, she believed she could never count on anyone, but she really needed to hear someone defend her like he did tonight. Eric says he always wanted her to see that he was on her side. And being on her side cost him his company, she laments, wondering if he can ever forgive her. He responds, "How many times have I married you? My forgiveness is on autopilot." Stephanie still regrets that she never loved him the right way, but she doesn't think trust will ever be an issue between them after today - provided he doesn't marry Brooke again, she quips. Eric smiles and says he'll try his best, but he asks, "Are you going to put out?" Stephanie laughs that he's implorable and asks if he'll believe it if she says she loves him. She'd better, Eric responds, still smiling. They agree they should argue less; Stephanie suggests once a week, but when Eric proposes once a year, they settle on once a month. Stephanie leans her head on Eric's shoulder and wonders if her mother realizes what she did to her. She never wants to see her mother again.

Ann is troubled by her memories.

As a montage flashes from Eric and Stephanie, to Thorne and Taylor tucking Ally in, to Ridge and Brooke looking in on Hope, "A Mother's Prayer" plays:

I pray you'll be my eyes and watch her where she goes,
and help her to be wise, help me to let go.
Every mother's prayer, every child knows,
need to find a place, guide her with your grace,
give her faith so she'll be safe.
Lead her to a place, guide her with your grace,
to a place where she'll be safe.