Wednesday, January 31, 2007, Episode #4988

Eric tells Pam he's enjoyed having her here.

At the Forrester mansion, Eric sits with Pamela by the fireplace. He admits that he owes her. When Stephanie left, he was angry at being stuck with Pam as a house-guest, and he expected to be angry and alone in this big house. But he was surprised to learn how comfortable he was having Pam here. Pam admits that she owes him, too, for the glamorous parties and for the quiet nights by the fire. Just then, they hear Stephanie call out that she's home! When Eric and Pam go to greet her, Stephanie explains that she came home early to keep from being annoyed by her mother. Pam welcomes her sister home and goes to make some tea. When Stephanie smells the wonderful aroma of Pam's pot roast, she guesses that Eric's been well cared for; she asks if he missed her, and if he got along with her chirpy sister. Eric replies that Pam was the perfect guest, and she was also a big help with Ridge and Brooke's engagement party tomorrow night. Stephanie is surprised to hear about the party (even though Brooke said the other day that Stephanie was helping plan it from Chicago). Eric says he'll fill her in once he pays her driver and takes up her bags.

Pam tells her sister about Eric's reaction to Jackie's "visit."

While Eric gets the bags, Pam asks Stephanie how the trip was. Stephanie admits their mother was a handful and asks how things were here. Pam says everything was great, which pleases Stephanie. La Forrester asks if Ms. Marone showed up; Pam tells her sister that Jackie did indeed show, but Eric wasn't interested. Stephanie is glad that her husband turned Jackie down and thanks Pam for keeping a eye out for her. Eric returns and is glad to see the sisters embracing. Pam goes to check on the tea, giving Stephanie a chance to ask Eric if he got a quickie divorce while she was gone. Eric quips that it must have slipped his mind; Stephanie is glad, since she knows what she wants to be when she grows up now. An astronaut? Eric asks. There's that, Stephanie concedes, but what she really wants to be is the person who cares for Eric the rest of his life.

Stephanie asks Eric if they can start over.

Pam catches Eric and is glad he doesn't seem angry with Stephanie. Eric thinks she worries too much, but Pam says his marriage is important to her. Eric asks why; before Pam can answer, Stephanie returns, griping about the tedious nature of plane trips. She then says how glad she is that Pam is staying one more day; Pam guesses their mother will have something to say about that when she gets home and heads for bed. Alone with Stephanie, Eric tells her that he still doesn't understand her, but he does know what he needs from her. He wants to be married, but he needs Stephanie to do a few things for him. He needs her to stop showing contempt for him and calling him weak every time he makes a decision. He needs her to stop with the elaborate schemes that she keeps secret from him, even though they involve him. And he needs her never-ending war with Jackie to end. Stephanie asks if he loves Jackie. He says he has not been unfaithful since they last took marriage vows together. Stephanie lets him know that Pam told her that Jackie came by, but he turned her down; she's glad to hear that, since she can't bear to think he could get something she can't give him from another woman. "I love you," she says.

"Why?" Eric asks.

"Habit," Stephanie replies.

Eric suggests they start again, since it's what they do best. They embrace, not realizing that a wistful Pam is watching from the top of the stairs.

At Brooke's house, Ridge puts on a more paternal shirt to try and win Rick over. Brooke advises him to be himself. Phoebe arrives, since tonight is one of the nights she's staying here with Brooke and her dad; Brooke admits she forgot Phoebe was coming, but she still has plenty for dinner and is thrilled Phoebe is here. Ridge suggests that Phoebe can help act as a buffer between him and Rick. Phoebe is happy to try, even though she barely knows Rick. Right on cue, Rick walks through the door, a bit drunk and looking beat-up; Brooke asks what happened. Rick answers that he went to some lecture at a leather bar in Silver Lake. Over dinner, he explains that he went because he confused the French words for "lecture" and "reading," because they're similar. What he thought was a lecture was a reading about the attitude the French have about Americans. He didn't know it was a leather bar until he got there, and when he objected to the lies the French say about Americans, he was taken outside and beat up. Phoebe bets Rick misses his friends in Paris; Rick admits he didn't like the way he left. Ridge tells him to keep in touch with the folks at International, so they can bring them on board at Forrester Originals once they're established. Rick reminds Ridge that those people have lives and can't sit around waiting for Forrester Originals to get running, so many of them are working for Nick now. Ridge thinks they will jump ship in time; Rick frets that Forrester Originals is just a start-up, so they have nothing secure to offer the crew in the international division.

The tone of the dinner conversation disturbs Brooke.

Phoebe and Brooke suggest they table the shop talk after a long work day, so Ridge changes the subject. He tells Brooke that Hope said Nick was here earlier. Brooke tells him that Nick spent the day with Hope, but Ridge frets that Hope said Nick was helping Brooke in the garden. That's not how it was, Brooke says. Ridge asks what happened, but Rick thinks that's a bit personal. Ridge doesn't think so given how Nick has declared war on the family, but Rick attributes that to what Stephanie and Ridge did to Nick's family. Ridge points out that it was his father's decision to sell to Nick. "It was Massimo's decision?" Rick asks. "So it was YOUR father," Ridge concedes. Rick says it sounds like Nick still has unfinished business with Brooke. Ridge says Nick destroyed his marriage on his own, but Rick can't understand how that can be true if Ridge was the one who kept pursuing a married Brooke. Brooke tries to stop the conversation here; Rick feels like he's being kept in the dark and storms off, so Phoebe goes to try calming him down.

Ridge agrees to do things Brooke's way.

Alone with Ridge, Brooke asks him if he was going to tell Rick what really happened with Nick. Ridge suggests that Rick would think differently about Nick if he knew, but Brooke doesn't want anyone else to know that Nick slept with Bridget. She doesn't think either she or Bridget should have to keep reliving that, and she worries that Ridge almost said it in front of Phoebe. Ridge isn't happy, since Rick keeps bringing up his own history with Brooke, but he agrees to do it Brooke's way. Brooke thinks they just need time, but Ridge thinks the ball is in Rick's court. He then goes to check on R.J. before going to bed.

Phoebe and Rick gaze at the stars.

Phoebe catches up to Rick in the garden and tries to calm him down. Rick asks her what happened between his mom and Nick, but Phoebe isn't sure. All she knows is that Brooke seems to love Ridge, and she thinks she and Rick, as Ridge and Brooke's kids, have to let their parents make their own mistakes. Rick quips that he might as well keep spoiling things, wondering what would happen if he fell asleep with a lit cigarette. Phoebe points out that he doesn't smoke, although his suggestion reminds her of a time when she stuck gum in Steffy's hair and it took two days to get it out. "So that's why she isn't coming home," Rick quips. The two of them lie down on the grass and look up at the stars. When Phoebe complains about finding the big dipper, Rick shows her how to connect the stars to see it. Phoebe is still unimpressed at those seven stars that are in textbooks everywhere. She and Rick laugh at combinations of stars that could easily be the big zipper, the big flipper, or even the big stripper.