Thursday, November 30, 2006, Episode #4946

Eric is livid when Stephanie again throws his mistakes in his face.

In the living room of the Forrester mansion, Eric and Stephanie wonder what to do today. Stephanie suggests they do some things they never had time for now that they have plenty of time. Eric's glad she sees the positive in their decision to sell the company. Stephanie says she understands that he had thought he had to sell to protect her, and she appreciates it. But she can't help but think it was a mistake. She thinks they should have called Nick's bluff and fought him, since she's sure she could have convinced a jury that Jackie's fall was an accident. Eric is livid that he sacrificed his life's work to protect his wife, but she can only scold him for his mistakes yet again! Stephanie tells him not to let people control him. "Except for you!" he replies, fed up with this debate. Taylor walks in and witnesses the heated exchange. Stephanie tries to apologize, but Eric's done. He asks Taylor if she intends to help his wife and storms out. Outside, Eric gets a call from Ridge, who wants Eric to stop by Brooke's to discuss business. Eric says he can't now, because he's too angry. He tells Ridge about his argument with Stephanie; nothing's good enough for that woman, Eric fumes. Ridge says they can talk later and hangs up.

Ridge and Brooke do some "exploration" in the bedroom.

Ridge tells Brooke that his dad won't be coming by. Brooke asks if everything is OK. Ridge explains that his mother is getting on his dad's case again, and he doesn't know how much more Eric can take. He wishes he knew why his mother had to start with his dad after all Eric's been through lately. Brooke agrees that Stephanie should get her husband's mind off Forrester and on starting a new company. On that note, she has an idea for a new design: one that's classic, yet provocative, and it reveals the real you. It's tailored to each individual, and it can be worn any time, although it's most appropriate on birthdays. She opens her robe and lets Ridge get a peek, She asks if he likes it; Ridge replies that he likes it so much that he wants to do some immediate exploration of this fashion right now! He leads her to the bed and they make love. As they bask in the afterglow, Ridge thanks Brooke for again making him forget about his problems. Still, he can't help but worry about his parents' marriage. Brooke thinks Stephanie will see how tense Eric is and will soon let up, but Ridge fears his mother won't relent.It's almost like she lacks the control to do it, he suggests. Brooke reminds him that his mother is the queen of control. She's sure Stephanie will do whatever's necessary to save her marriage if she thinks the marriage is in danger.

Jackie is concerned about Eric.

Eric drops by the Marone mansion to see Jackie, who sees how angry he is. Eric explains that Stephanie blames him for losing the company by giving in to Nick's blackmail. Doesn't Stephanie see that he kept her out of jail? Jackie asks. Eric remarks that Stephanie thinks they should have called Nick's bluff, since she thinks she would have beaten the assault charges. "So she didn't need your help," Jackie surmises. Stephanie doesn't think she ever needs anyone's help, Eric laments. For as long as he's known her, she's had this emotional wall around her that she can't break down, even though she knows it's hurting their marriage. That's why she's gone to Taylor for help. Jackie wonders if even Taylor's talent can help Stephanie. Eric apologizes for dumping on her this way, but Jackie's OK with it. She's glad he's here, since she thought he'd never want to see her after what he's been through. Eric admits that he knows she's suffering, since what Stephanie did to her was inexcusable. Which is why Stephanie, and not he, should make amends, Jackie responds. Eric wonders if anything he can do can make amends. He tells Jackie that he's concerned about her. Jackie says she's concerned about him, too, Especially after everything he did to keep Stephanie out of jail. Eric wishes Stephanie could see it that way, but he fears her anger blinds her, to the point where she'll never find peace until she looks deep inside herself.

Taylor tries to get Stephanie to open up.

At the Forrester mansion, Taylor asks Stephanie if she resents Eric trying to help her. Stephanie points out that she came for Taylor for help. "If you'd only let me," Taylor responds. Stephanie frets that Taylor wants to talk about her childhood when they should be talking about saving her crumbling marriage. Taylor remarks that after what she just saw, Stephanie may very well lose her marriage, and she asks Stephanie what she intends to do about it. They proceed to Taylor's office, where Taylor asks what happened this morning. Stephanie responds that as usual, she tried to have a calm conversation, but this rage and anger exploded inside and she said things she regretted. Taylor finds it interesting that the first word Stephanie used to describe her emotion was "rage." Stephanie explains that rage is an emotional reaction, like the emotional need a mother has to protect her child out of love. So these reactions are based in love? Taylor asks. Stephanie admits that she was angry at Eric, because he wasn't thinking about her or the children when he sold the business. Taylor points out that Eric wanted to keep her out of jail. Stephanie argues that she didn't need Eric's help. She's an adult, for God's sake. Taylor reminds Stephanie that her children are adults, too. She observes that Stephanie has withdrawn every time they started to talk about Stephanie's children and wonders if she struck a nerve. Stephanie remarks that things were simpler when she was younger; if you did something wrong, you knew it. "Did you ever do anything wrong?" Taylor asks Stephanie.

Stephanie recalls how strict her father was.

Stephanie responds that of course she did things wrong. Taylor points out that Stephanie talked about knowing she had done wrong when she was a child and asks for some examples. Stephanie explains that her sister Pam was the happy, smiling girly girl that her father called "his Little Miss." She, on the other hand, spent a lot of time playing pool and gold with her father, and they used to fish on Lake Geneva. She thinks back to her father in the boat by the lake, smoking his pipe; her father even let her light the pipe if she was good. She guesses she was her father's daughter in that she did these things with him, something she heard a thousand times at his funeral. Taylor then asks about Stephanie's mother, since Stephanie barely mentions her. Stephanie doesn't want to talk about her mother. Taylor finds it odd that Stephanie says she's always had this anger inside, yet her descriptions of her childhood sound so idyllic. She pours Stephanie some tea and asks her to think back to a time what was difficult growing up. Stephanie says there was no fighting in the home, because talking back was not tolerated. When her father said jump, she did it.

A frightened young Stephanie says she's sorry.

Taylor asks what happened if she didn't jump. Stephanie explains that her father gave his family everything they needed. But his home was his castle. Taylor again asks, "What would he do?" Stephanie flashes back to a time when her father tried to teach her to make a pool shot. Stephanie complained that the shot was too far, but her father assured her she could do it. Stephanie reached forward and missed the shot, tearing the fabric on the pool table. John screamed at his daughter that she had ruined his table! Stephanie offered to have it fixed, but John noted that his Board of Directors meeting would be there tomorrow. Stephanie reminded her dad that she said she couldn't reach it. She stuttered that she was sorry.

John Douglas lashes out at his daughter.

Furious at his daughter's clumsiness, John ranted about all the times he had warned Stephanie to be careful. He took his belt off and glared at his daughter angrily. Stephanie begged her father not to and said she was sorry, but John drew back and beat his daughter with the belt.