Thursday, January 12, 2006, Episode #4722

Felicia laments about how little time she has left with her son.
Felicia brings baby Dominick to the beach house to visit with Nick and Bridget, since Bridget is still bed-ridden and can't come to them. Nick says that Bridget won't be bedridden much longer, and the doctor thinks she will be able to carry the baby to term. Bridget asks Felicia how she is. Felicia says she has good days and bad days, and she's been spending as much time as she can with Dominick. Speaking of Dominick, Nick says that he and Bridget are glad that Felicia stopped by, as they've been retrofitting a room here with a nautical theme, so that Dominick can have his own room. Felicia is sure the baby will love it. Bridget and Nick explain that Bridget got a little too enthusiastic in decorating the room, since she fell while trying to get a boat for the room from a high shelf. She knows she should have called Nick, but she likes to do things herself. Nick says that Bridget was just stubborn, explaining to the baby that all the Forrester women are stubborn. Felicia asks if she can see the room, so Bridget brings her in. When they come out, a stunned Felicia tells Nick and Bridget how pleased she is. She says that even Dominick likes it already, since he's napping comfortably inside. She thinks this shows that she made the right choice in asking Nick and Bridget to raise her son once she's gone.

Bridget and Nick have an idea for Felicia.
Bridget says she'll be able to help more when she's back on her feet, but Felicia says that she's already helped so much. She's glad Dominick will be cared for once she's gone, since knowing that lets her enjoy the time she has with her son now. She just wishes Dominick will remember this when he's older. Nick and Bridget have a way that he can. Bridget explains that the video footage from Christmas came out so well that they thought they should make a tape for Dominick - from his mother! Felicia is stunned. As Nick sets up the tripod and camera, Felicia says that she has so much that she'd want to tell him, so where does she start? Nick suggests that she tell their son about herself, but Felicia has so many lessons to pass on that she might not be able to stop. Nick tells her not to worry, since he thinks their son is a fast learner. The important thing, Bridget adds, is for Felicia to tell the baby how much she loves him. Felicia thinks that's a good idea. Bridget goes to stand by Nick and asks Felicia what she'd say if Dominick was old enough to understand. Nick then turns on the camera and tells a tearful Felicia to take her time and picture their boy at the different stages in his life, Just have a talk with her son, he tells her.

Brooke won't be manipulated by Taylor or Stephanie anymore.
At Forrester, Brooke tells Stephanie to bully her as usual, since Brooke is used to her attacks after all these years. Stephanie says she was only defending herself and her family, but Brooke doesn't think Stephanie can take a moral high ground after letting Ridge think he married a saint. Stephanie says that Taylor is a wonderful woman, but Brooke points out that Taylor had an affair with another man that Stephanie helped her cover up! She knows now why Stephanie has been so worried lately, especially now that everyone knows what Taylor is really like. Because Taylor confessed, Stephanie points out. But it was years too late, Brooke replies. Stephanie tells Brooke to forget about Ridge, since he chose Taylor and is committed to their family. Brooke says that was her family. Stephanie says she did what she thought was right. Brooke says Stephanie lied, whereas she has been honest with Ridge. Steph boasts that Taylor and Ridge have no secrets. Brooke actually agrees - and now that there are no secrets, she boasts, Ridge's eyes are opened. He won't be manipulated anymore and neither will Brooke, who isn't intimidated by Taylor or Stephanie anymore. Now that the truth is out, Brooke says as she leaves, whatever happens with Ridge and Taylor will happen. She leaves a frustrated Stephanie behind.

Stephanie urges Ridge to fix his marriage.
Stephanie is still in the office, asking Sally to find Ridge, but then Ridge walks in. He asks his mother if she knows what honesty is. On top of her lie about the heart attack, he now knows that she kept Taylor's affair from him for years. Stephanie says that the night with James was so long ago. Ridge says he can forgive Taylor for a kiss, or even one night with James. But he can't believe the hypocrisy. If Brooke had done what Taylor did, he knows his mom would have let him know. She tells him not to bring up Brooke, since this has nothing to do with her. It has everything to do with her! Ridge argues. Besides, he reminds Stephanie, she brought Brooke into this, since she and Taylor ganged up on Brooke for years. Brooke is hardly faultless, Stephanie says. But she made everyone think Taylor WAS faultless, Ridge counters. And that's what he's upset about, Stephanie speculates, and not the way Brooke was treated. Ridge argues that Brooke was more honest than Stephanie and Taylor combined. He reminds Stephanie how he lived his life thinking that Eric was his father, but that was a lie. Then, Taylor came back, and he had the biggest decision of his life to make, and his mother treated them all like puppets by faking a heart attack. Stephanie says she apologized for that. Only because Brooke found out, Ridge counters. He tells his mom that she knew Taylor betrayed him, yet she used Taylor's perfect image to pressure him into leaving his wife and child.

Stephanie tells Ridge that he made the right decision. But he made it after she claimed she was dying, he points out. If he wants, Stephanie says, blame this on her. She tells him that Taylor wanted to tell him long ago, but she hid Taylor's letter from him. Ridge says he doesn't want to be around people who lie. Stephanie argues that she only did what she thought was right. The bottom line, she thinks, is that he loves Taylor. Ridge replies that he hardly knows her anymore. He blames himself as well, since he put Taylor on a pedestal, too. Taylor made one mistake. Stephanie argues, while Brooke brought countless scandals on their family. Ridge tells her to stop. He won't let her do that to Brooke anymore. Fine, Stephanie says, she won't mention Brooke's name again, if he'll just admit that he and Taylor love each other so they can try to make this marriage work.

Brooke thinks back to around the time of the quake.
At Forrester, Brooke approaches Taylor's office. She stops and remembers a conversation she had with Taylor, shortly after the earthquake. Taylor told Brooke to get out, but Brooke wanted to know something first. She wanted Taylor to look her in the eye and tells her that she (Taylor) and James never made love. She offered to go if Taylor did that, but she didn't think Taylor could do it. Taylor insisted she didn't have to tell Brooke anything. Maybe it's more like she CAN'T, Brooke argued.

Taylor refused to answer Brooke.
Taylor argued that her personal life was her own business. Obviously it's not Ridge's business, Brooke countered. Taylor asked what that meant. Brooke demanded to know what happened at Big Bear. Why? Taylor asked. Brooke said she was involved. With Ridge? Taylor asked. With James, Brooke replied. She wanted to know if Taylor and James were romantic. Taylor accused Brooke of wanting something to use against her; she said Brooke was just trying to stir up trouble instead of moving on with her life, and she thought that was pathetic. Brooke said she had nothing to feel guilty about, but she thought Taylor did.

Coming back to the present, Brooke enters Taylor's office. Taylor asks Brooke to leave, but Brooke observes that Taylor seems preoccupied. Taylor says she talked to Ridge. About Hector? Brooke asks. Among other things, Taylor replies. Brooke guesses it didn't go as Taylor hoped, but Taylor doesn't want to discuss this. Brooke guesses it must have gone badly. Taylor informs Brooke she has something to deal with, so if Brooke doesn't mind... Brooke recalls she had a lot to deal with when she stepped into Ridge's life. She cared for Taylor's children and she and Ridge had a son, but that didn't matter. Because Ridge made a choice, Taylor says. Brooke wonders if Ridge would have made that same choice if he knew Taylor slept with James Warwick! Taylor is stunned that Ridge told her. Brooke admits she was stunned to find out, since she expected this kind of deception from Stephanie, not Taylor. She sees Taylor is ashamed and thinks she should be. She walks over to a picture of Taylor and gushes with praise for the elegant Taylor Forrester, admired by everyone because of her commitment to truth. She recalls how Taylor and Stephanie always made her feel like an inferior tramp who wasn't good enough. She fought that, but it was never enough, since she would never equal the perfect Taylor. But now she knows that Taylor hasn't been so perfect!

Taylor tells Brooke that she never claimed to be perfect.
Taylor says she never claimed to perfect. But she lapped it up when Stephanie made her out to be someone who could do no wrong, Brooke insists - or at least, no wrong she's have to admit to. Taylor says she sent Ridge a letter. Which he never got, Brooke says. Because of Stephanie, Taylor replies, tired of making excuses. Brooke can't believe that Taylor is still acting like she's better than her. Taylor says that she knows she made a mistake and has admitted it. Brooke recalls how she had to pay for Taylor's mistakes because she bought into Taylor's hype. When Ridge chose Taylor, Brooke told herself he did because Taylor was a Saint compared to her. Taylor points out Brooke's history of mistakes. But she has faced up to hers, Brooke says, unlike Taylor. She thinks of all the years she felt inferior to Taylor. Now she knows that was all smoke and mirrors, because angelic Taylor has been brought down to Earth. Taylor says she never asked to be the family's moral compass, since she makes mistakes, too. But that didn't stop her from passing judgement, Brooke argues. She thinks Taylor was the magnetic north that everyone's morality was judged by, and Taylor judged her the harshest by sitting by and agreeing whenever Stephanie berated her. She would have liked to have been friends with Taylor. Taylor explains that when she came back, all she heard was... What Stephanie told her, Brooke says, and Taylor believed it. Brooke thinks she can even understand that, because she, too, sang Taylor's praises to Taylor's kids, always telling them what a wonderful mother they had. But today, that's all changed. Now she sees that the compass was off. For the first time, she knows she's good enough, so she tells Taylor never to look down on her again. Her days of being intimidated are over, and she'll never feel inferior to Taylor ever again!