Friday, March 31, 2006, Episode #4776

Ridge thinks he understands what Brooke is feeling.

In her basement office at Forrester, Brooke apologizes to Ridge for raising a voice. Ridge comments that her emotions seemed to be a long time coming. She admits that she was angry at him at first. Ridge admits that he walked out on her, just like her dad did when she was a child. But he didn't disappear, she points out. Still, Ridge notes, as broken bone might heal, but it will never set right if broken again in the same spot. He admits that he knew her family history, so he should have seen what his turning away from her would mean. Brooke responds that she's not a child anymore, and everyone's parents disappoint them. When he asked her to marry him, Ridge reminds her, he asked her to trust him, and she did so without hesitation, but then she got kicked in the teeth for it. That's why it's no wonder that she turned to Nick as a sort of "anti-Ridge," the guy who never turned away. Brooke says that this isn't about Nick. But it is about her father, Ridge counters. He thinks that he and she are still living the story that started when they first met. But Nick was the choice she made out of fear and the lesson that he [Ridge] needs to learn, so he doesn't think that story is over. He suggests that this is just the part of the story where they both learn to come back together.

As Brooke opens her office door, Ridge asks how he father is these days. She says that her dad left her a message on her answering machine on her birthday. He asks if she called back. She says she didn't, since that's how things are between them. After all this time? Ridge asks. She thinks he should leave playing shrink to Taylor. He says he didn't mean to offend her. She admits that part of what he said was true, but she doesn't think that explains her feelings for Nick. But it might explains why she's afraid of being with him, she adds. Still, she doesn't really think it matters, since she likes the way her life is. She wants a family, a husband and a quiet life, but she won't have that with Ridge. "Because of him?" Ridge asks. She tells him not to blame Nick, but he says he was talking about the man who first broke her heart, long before Ridge came along to finish the job. Brooke looks at him silently for a moment and then bids him goodnight.

Taylor feels funny after having bourbon with Nick.

At the Bel Air mansion, Nick sits on the sofa with Taylor as she downs a shot of bourbon. She guesses that three is the magic number, since the fourth short didn't taste like gasoline. Nick sniffs the bourbon bottle and wonders how Ridge has such lousy taste in booze. Ridge doesn't like bourbon, Taylor says, recalling that the bourbon was a gift from a patient. Like a fruitcake, Nick notes. Actually, Taylor quips, psychiatrist's patients don't give fruitcakes as gifts. Nick downs a shot and laughs that she made a joke. She cracks one every three or four years, she replies. And she certainly married one, Nick jokes. Now that's funny, Taylor says, laughing hysterically. Nick notes how Ridge seems so perfect and expects everyone to fawn over him, and he has cash and ego to boot. But even with that, Ridge seems so clueless. But if Ridge is so clueless, Taylor asks, how come he has them all where he wants them, like with Nick batting around between him and Brooke? But Brooke isn't part of Ridge's life, Nick tells Taylor, and neither is she. Taylor agrees, raising her glass to the good things ahead of her in life, like bourbon. But even if the best things in life are free, Nick notes, they won't just come to her front door like the bourbon. Taylor leans toward him and, slurring her words, says he makes her feel funny things - and then she vomits in his lap!

Nick has a lesson about finding luck in life.

Soon after, Nick is in his boxer briefs, making coffee for a hung over Taylor. She sits down and says that she may not be an alcoholic, but she's still a bloody mess. Nick hands her a cup of coffee and agrees. She tells him his pants will be out of the dryer soon. Pants ere overrated, he quips. She thinks he says that like people vomit on him all the time. It's a hazard of boats and bars, he remarks. Taylor looks at the table, eyeing the things Nick took out of his pockets; she picks one object up and looks at it curiously. That's a lucky rock that Hope gave him from her aquarium, he explains, noting that he has his health and is happy. So he can never lose this, Taylor guesses, handing him the rock. Actually, he admits, he's lost it about many times, so he keeps going into Hope's mom for another one. Hope says there's lots of lucky stuff in the world, he notes. Taylor wonders why they never taught her stuff like that in medical school, where they only taught her about people throwing up in her lap. That can be lucky, too, Nick laughs.

Felicia's throat feels sore.

At the clinic, Dr. Ramirez responds to Stephanie's demand that she donate half her fiver to Felicia by telling her that Felicia is not a candidate for a partial liver transplant. Besides, he thinks the risk for Stephanie is way too great. But the risk for Felicia is greater if they wait for another donor, Stephanie argues. Felicia says that her throat feels sore. That's from her breathing tube, Eric says. As Dr. Ramirez comes over to the bedside, Felicia asks if he can make her sore throat go away. He says he doesn't have what she needs yet. He then steps outside; Stephanie follows and asks what he plans to do for Felicia. He replies that he's doing everything medicine can do, but Stephanie again insists on being the donor. The doctor refuses, as it's more likely to kill her than to save Felicia. She doesn't qualify because of her age, her blood pressure and her kidneys, and she won't survive with just half a liver. So she'll give up drinking, she says. It's not about that, Ramirez says, noting his oath not to do harm. She doesn't think he grew up thinking about not doing harm. She thinks he wanted to save lives, and they can save Felicia's if he'll just let her do this. She's lived a full life, but Felicia's is just starting, so she needs to do this to keep her daughter from dying. She knows the risks, but is willing to assume them to save Felicia, and she promises not to hold the doctor responsible if anything goes wrong. The doctor tells her that he has no interest in giving up his obligations. He'll have a transplant surgeon there in an hour.

Eric bonds with Stephanie before the procedure.

Soon after, Stephanie is in a hospital bed with Eric by her side. He asks the nurse about the medication she's about to give Stephanie. It's just a mild relaxant that will only make Stephanie feel a bit dopey, the nurse explains. Stephanie tells Eric to get her will, because she took him out of it. Eric doesn't care about that now. She tells him to forget it, as she has two wills; he should just burn the top one. The nurse leaves them to have some time alone. Eric tells Stephanie that he can't lose her. Starting to feel the medication, she laughs gently that he spent most of his life trying to lose her. Eric replies that it can't be helped that they hate each other's guts from time to time. But she's his bride, the mother of his children. She's everything to him. Stephanie looks at him and asks if he had one of those dopey shots, too. Eric tells her to stop and kisses her. °God help me, l love you too,° she says, sighing. Patting his cheek, she says she knows she's been hard him; with other men, it would have sent them to their graves early, but it only made him vain and useless. But that's not so bad. Thanks for that, he responds. She asks him to tell the children she said something wonderful about them, even if he has to make something up, since he's good at that. And she wants him to tell them that she has no regrets. Then why does he have so many? he asks. Those come with his perfect jaw line, she says, patting his cheek.