Tuesday, January 30, 2007, Episode #4987

Nick asks Brooke how much she wants to hurt him.

Nick brings Hope home after spending the afternoon with her and finds Brooke working in the garden. After Hope tells her Mommy about her octopus dinner, Brooke sends Hope inside to find Catherine. As Hope goes in, Nick thanks Brooke for letting him spend time with Hope. Brooke is glad he was able to tear himself away from Forrester; she asks him again what he meant earlier when he told Jackie it was time to celebrate. Nick warns that she won't drag any information out of him with this "corporate spy" act. She calls him stubborn as ever. Nick asks what she wants from him, since he already gave her everything she wanted.. If he did that, she counters, they'd still be married. Nick can't believe that she's saying she's marrying the dressmaker because he didn't give her what she needed. She says she broke up with him because loving him was too painful, not because of Ridge. Nick is confused. They way he remembers it, he let her lay down her rules about how he should be a good husband, and he accepted them all, even though they made his head spin. And then she left him anyway, and he had to watch her on TV as she accepted Ridge's proposal. She points out that he knew her plans, but he tells her that she didn't have to parade their life in front of everyone like it was some kind of circus. He asks, "How much do you want to hurt me back?"

Brooke tells Nick that she'll always care about him.

Brooke tells Nick she never wanted to hurt him, since he was and always will be precious to her. Nick shakes his head in disbelief, since he didn't see this coming. Brooke doesn't know why he's surprised, since she never forgot a single moment they shared. In fact, she wishes she COULD forget... She then takes that back; what she really wishes, she asserts, is that their life could have been the beginning, so it would never have to end. Nick is stunned; he tells her that he's stuck here, like a solider who's been shot trying to hold his guts in, unable to get past what they had. But here she is, easily moving on with Ridge. He asks how she could do that. She asks him to put himself in her shoes and think about how she felt to learn that her husband slept with her daughter. Is it any wonder she ran away as fast as she could? Nick doesn't respond; Brooke then apologizes for bringing that up. Nick turns to leave, thanking Brooke for letting him see Hope. Brooke asks him to wait; she wants to know who lost who. Nick guesses she heals faster than he does. She says that women handle pain better, since they think it will never go away. Nick asks if this will ever go away; Brooke says it won't. Nick tells her not to invite him to the wedding, since weddings make him cry. Brooke tells him that she sees him every time she looks at Hope, and that's a part of him she'll always carry with her. Nick then leaves, leaving Brooke alone in the garden.

Eric convinces Pam to stay for the party.

At the Forrester mansion, Eric and Pamela play a game of Scrabble. Eric makes the word "aromatic", inspired by the smell of the pot roast Pam has in the oven. She laughs that it's like he never smalled pot roast. Not in this house, he replies. He wants Pam to know how good it's been having her around this house lately. Pam reminds him that his wife is coming home tomorrow, so he doesn't need her. Eric suggests she stay to play referee, but she reminds him that she has to get back to her mother in Chicago once Stephanie comes home. Eric laughs at the way she responds so quickly to her mother's commands. Pam supposes that she never found the kind of love he found with Stephanie. In fact, she finds it ironic that she was raised to be the wife, while Stephanie was raised to lead people by their father. Yet she stepped in to care for her mother, since no one else was there to do it, while Stephanie found happiness raising a family with Eric. She begs Eric not to give up on his wife.

Pam feels guilty about her fantasy.

Over Pam's delicious pot roast, Eric laughs that they have to finish, or it will turn up on the table at Ridge and Brooke's engagement party tomorrow night. Pam offers to make him breakfast before she leaves tomorrow morning. Eric however suggests that she hold off leaving for a day and stay for the party; after all, he reminds her, it is a family event, and she's family. Pam is reluctant, but Eric twists her arm and convinces her to stay the extra day. After dinner, Pam has a daydream where Eric kisses her. When she comes back to reality, Pam has a guilty look as she looks at her sister's photo.

Rick walks into the Forrester Originals showroom and finds Phoebe practicing her walking on the runway. Rick tells her she's wearing the wrong shoes, since she's pounding the floor like a Clydesdale. He also tells her she's smiling too much. Phoebe asks how she should be walking. Rick tells her she should look like she has a secret behind her eyes, like she actually has something going on in her life. Phoebe says she's perfectly happy with her life. Rick thinks that's the problem, wondering how everyone around here hasn't even blinked at the thought of his mother marrying Phoebe's father again. Phoebe admits that she was sad to see things end between her parents, but she also saw how her Dad missed Brooke. She suggests that Rick might not see that since he was away while everything unfolded. Rick reminds her of all the times her dad walked out on his mom. Phoebe suggests that love makes people do funny things, but Rick can only remember the damage Ridge left in his wake. Phoebe says she wanted to blame her dad when he left her mom, but it was just so hard. Changing the subject, Rick goes to get Phoebe some better shoes. When he returns, he gives her some tips on walking the runway. He tells her to walk like she feels like she's beautiful.