Friday, October 26, 2007, Episode #5175

Ashley tells Rick why she has wedding invitations with her.

Rick and Ashley board the Forrester jet to return home from Paris. As Rick looks for something to pass the time while they wait to be cleared for takeoff, he finds that Ashley has some unmailed wedding invitations with her. Ashley claims that she wanted to get a Paris postmark, but Rick points out that she never mailed the invitations. Before Ashley can answer, she gets a call on her cell from Ridge, who wants to know how her trip to the City of Lights was. Ashley tells him that she's waiting to take off. Ridge apologizes for not being in touch, but he wasn't home since Taylor had her baby, and there were some complications. He tells Ashley that he's glad she's coming home and bids her a safe flight.

Rick tries to hide a magzaine from Ashley.

As they get closer to taking off, Rick flips through some magazines. When he sees his mother and Ridge on the cover of EYE ON FASHION, he shuffles it to the bottom of the pile, but Ashley tells him that she already saw it, and she understands the importance of show business in the fashion world. "Ridge knows what he wants," she assures him, "and that's all I need to know."

Ridge has a talk with Bridget.

Ridge stops by the hospital to see Bridget, and he sees Nick and Taylor's baby through the nursery window. Bridget assures him that this is Nick and Taylor's baby, even if it has some of her mom's DNA, but Ridge can't get past how this baby creates a bond between Brooke and Nick that can never be broken. Bridget reminds Ridge that he, unlike the baby, can go home to the people that love him. "All you have to do is want it enough," she tells him.

Stephanie hopes Brooke will consider what she said.

At Brooke's house, Stephanie accepts responsibility for what she did, but Brooke calls her a liar and seethes that Stephanie wanted to steal her kids away and used Andy to help her, even giving him the key to her house. Stephanie claims that she didn't know Brooke really kept her key under the flower pot, but Brooke argues that this is about more than just a key. It's about the idea of her that Stephanie gave Andy, Brooke fumes, an idea that got her raped! She orders Stephanie to get out. Stephanie tells Brooke, "You and Ridge have my blessing," and promises to stay out of their way, but Brooke scoffs at the notion. Stephanie admits that she was wrong all the times she claimed Brooke destroyed her life and stole her husband, because she knows she was the one who drove Eric away all by herself, something she may have done again. She's tired of destroying relationships and wants to rebuild them instead, starting with Brooke. Brooke doesn't think there is anything to rebuild. She recalls a time when all she wanted was Stephanie's acceptance, but she never got it, and now the shoe is on the other foot. Stephanie asks Brooke to at least consider what she said, but Brooke says the only thing she can promise to do is forget Stephanie. She notes how Stephanie is broken and damaged now, while she's surrounded by love and stronger than ever. "I think I needed to see you to understand that," Brooke contends. "Then I'm glad I came," Stephanie says as she turns to leave.

A new promotion for Forrester features Eric, thanks to Donna.

At Forrester, Donna introduces Eric to a new model named Claire, a cultural anthropology student who Donna thinks will make a great lead model and spokesperson. Eric is surprised, because those are Donna's jobs, but Donna thinks they need a Rolls-Royce and not an all-terrain vehicle like herself. Donna then suggests that Eric get the word out that "the boss is back" and shows him a sample image of him holding some boat oars. She then shows him several other images of him representing the company. Eric says that their clients want to see someone younger, like Ridge or Brooke, over him, but Donna thinks those two are so overexposed. She thinks women will be fascinated by the man and the mind who devoted his life to celebrating their bodies, the leader of Forrester Creations. Eric contends that he's too old, but Donna disagrees. She knows his children hate him, and she doesn't want to make his life difficult, but she also wants Eric to see that he and his life are both fabulous. Eric tells her that he doesn't want to lose her. She assures him that she'll always have her and starts to cry, so Eric tells her that he'll go along with her ideas. Please, Donna leaves to get promotions working on it right away.

Eric tells Donna not to leave.

Soon after, a woman named Marcy comes by to give Eric a haircut as part of his new image. Stephanie arrives just as Marcy finishes and compliments Eric on his new haircut, and she also sees that he has a new jacket. Eric tells her that he's been trying to get a hold of her to tell her to stay away from Brooke, but she tells him that she just left Brooke's. Eric worries that the visit was a disaster, but Stephanie contends that she probably did Brooke some good, even though things didn't go as she hoped. She insists that Eric understand that she wants him back and asks for him to give her the chance to prove that, even if they have to take things one day at a time. She then sees the promotional photos Donna left earlier and suggests that she talk to promotions, because she thinks Eric needs something more dignified. Eric tells her to leave this to the promotion department. Stephanie realizes he's wearing new cologne and guesses from that, and from the new jacket and haircut, that he's having an affair. She assumes that the affair is with Jackie, but Eric denies it. Stephanie then asks if it's one of the models, but Eric denies that, too. He tells her that he's with someone he can actually stand. Stephanie is still puzzled until Donna walks in to talk to Eric. Stephanie tells Donna to leave, but Eric tells Donna, "Darling, don't go." Stephanie catches that comment, so Donna tells her, "Ask yourself why I'm here, Stephanie." Stephanie scolds Eric for getting involved with another son's reject and calls him an old fool.

Brooke makes another attempt to reach Ridge.

Ridge stops by Brooke's house to see her. She tells him that his mother was just there and even gave the two of them her blessing. Ridge fumes that his mother came over when he told her not to, and he sighs at his mother's presuming to think that she could give her blessing on who he wants to be with. When he thinks of all the things he and Brooke could have had, he feels like a fool. Brooke reminds him that they both survived all that and are here now. They are, Ridge agrees. "And nothing's stopping us from what we want," Brooke contends, "or is there?"