Thursday, October 11, 2007, Episode #5164

Donna compliments Brooke on giving Ridge the photo album.

Donna comes over to Brooke's house, since they're both going to Taylor's baby shower. As Brooke gets ready to leave, she tells Donna about the photo album she gave Ridge. When Donna hears how moved Ridge was by the gift, she asks if Ridge stayed the night. Brooke says that he didn't, because he's committed to Ashley, but she can't help but think that she still has a chance with Ridge. Donna hopes Brooke gets that chance. Brooke says they should get going, but Donna says she'll follow on her own, since Katie left a message that she wanted to talk. They exchange "I love you's" and Donna compliments Brooke on giving Ridge the photo album, and Brooke is on her way.

Katie is disgusted with Donna's actions.

Katie comes down and sees Donna, and she's thoroughly disgusted at the sight of her sister. Donna asks what's wrong. Katie lashes out at Donna for seducing Eric, unable to believe that Donna would move on from Eric's son to Eric himself while Eric's marriage is in crisis. Donna insists that she cares for Eric, but Katie scoffs given that Donna's obviously sleeping with Eric. Donna tells Katie not to judge her, but Katie says she can't help it given how worried Thorne is. Hearing Katie so concerned about Thorne, Donna wonders if Katie has a crush on Thorne herself and suggests that's why Katie stopped their wedding. Katie says she was just being honest with Thorne when Donna wasn't. Donna counters that it's her turn to be honest now and insists that she's not using Eric. "What we have is real," she asserts. Katie can't believe Donna is so delusional that she thinks Eric will marry her. Donna insists that she'll live her life as she pleases. Just like Brooke, Katie retorts, sick of having to watch her two sisters doing whatever they want, no matter who it hurts. Donna tells Katie to stop being all holier than thou and insists that she's not backing away from Eric. As Donna turns to leave for the shower, Katie wonders if Felicia would have invited Donna knowing that Donna's sleeping with Eric. Donna points out that Felicia's no nun, either, but she's not about to judge the woman who someday might be her stepdaughter. That said, she leaves.

Ashley tells Ridge that she's had enough.

At Ridge's house, Ashley gets dressed while Ridge sleeps in. She spots the photo album Brooke gave Ridge and looks through it, and she's furious. When Ridge wakes up, Ashley confronts him about the album. Ridge tells her that it was a gift from Brooke to say goodbye, but Ashley finds the gift completely inappropriate, especially since he's marrying her and not Brooke. She sniffles that she had a gift of her own for him, but she guesses one little photo can't compare with a whole album full of memories. She's had it with this and isn't going to take any more. Ridge sighs and apologizes, admitting that it was insensitive to take the album and bring it here, but he insists that he and Brooke did nothing more than reminisce. Ashley reminds him that he went over there to settle things with Brooke, not to relive their romance through old pictures. She thinks about how much she and Abby have been through and isn't going to go through this any more. "I want this marriage to be my last, but you have to want that, too," she attests. Ridge thinks that sounds like an ultimatum. Ashley tells him that she's going to Taylor's shower and is leaving for Paris after that. She wants Ridge to use the time while she's away to think about what he wants. Ridge insists he wants her. Then he has to tell Brooke it's over, she states, like he was supposed to do last night, because she can't deal with the pain his relationship with his ex is causing. Ridge says he loves her and vows to deal with Brooke once and for all.

Nick has a question for Bridget.

Nick drops Taylor off at the Forrester mansion for her shower. Taylor asks if he wants to come in for a while, but he wants nothing to do with what she and those other wild women have in store. He kisses her goodbye and she heads inside. On his way back to the car, Nick runs into Bridget in the courtyard and asks if he can talk to her privately. They go to one of the guest houses, where Nick wants to know more about the new procedure she told him about.

Bridget tells Nick what he wants to know.

Bridget takes that to mean that he wants to know who the baby's mother is before the baby is born. Nick asks if they can do this procedure without Taylor knowing, but Bridget says they can't. Then it's a non-issue, Nick insists, and this baby is Taylor's, no matter who donated the egg. Bridget asks if he's considered the impact this might have if the egg came from her mother. Nick repeats that Taylor is the mother of this child, and that's all there is to it.

Taylor is bowled over by the decorations for her shower.

Inside the mansion, Felicia and Jackie welcome Taylor, who is bowled over at how much effort the ladies put into this shower. Jackie insists it was worth it for the woman who's giving Nick the child he always wanted. Phoebe arrives, and Taylor tells the others how she and Nick agreed not to know the gender of the baby until it's born, even though Nick is sure it's a boy. Phoebe thinks it's a girl. They'll know in three weeks, Jackie says, since that's when the baby is due. Ashley comes in and apologizes to Felicia for being late. When Felicia asks if her big brother had anything to do with that, Ashley blushes.

Felicia and Jackie propose a wedding shower for Ashley.

As Phoebe wonders how her grandmother is missing the shower, Bridget comes in and greets Taylor. After Bridget compliments Jackie and Felicia on how good everything looks, Felicia suggests she should continue the shower planning by throwing a wedding shower for Ashley. Jackie thinks that's a great idea (although I can't figure that one out given how she hates Ashley's groom and barely knows Ashley). Later, while the ladies chat with Taylor about names, Felicia pulls Ashley aside to talk about Ashley's trip to Paris. She wonders if maybe Ridge might be coming along so they can sneak off to elope. Trying to change the suspect, Ashley asks when Taylor will finish opening her gifts. Felicia replies that they're still waiting for Brooke and Donna to arrive. Ashley is surprised to know that Brooke is coming. Felicia wonders where Brooke is. Ashley doesn't know, but she also knows where she hopes Brooke isn't!

Ridge asks Brooke about her intentions with the photo album.

Ridge comes out of the shower and is surprised to see Brooke in the room. She says she thought it would be OK to come up when she saw Ashley drive away. She wanted to tells him that she slept better than she has since the rape, and she owes it to him. Ridge quickly tries to cover up, so Brooke giggles about his sudden modesty. After he puts on some clothes, Ridge suggests they go downstairs to talk. Brooke sees the photo album and asks if he looked at it. He tells her that Ashley found it and was none too happy, since the photos aren't really family photos. Brooke apologizes for not being more sensitive. Ridge asks if she might have intended to cause some friction between him and Ashley, but Brooke insists that she didn't. She explains that she looked at the album as a form of therapy, since it made her look back at the life she wanted back after her recent ordeal.

Brooke tells Ridge that she'll be happy for him if that's what he needs.

Ridge tells Brooke that he sees why she'd want to go back to something safe after what she went through, and he admits things might have been different for them had he not met Ashley. But he did meet her and they fell in love, so Brooke can't be part of his life in the same way she was anymore. Brooke guesses that Ashley gave him an ultimatum. He thinks Ashley is justified, since she's committing not only her own life but her daughter's to him. Brooke asks if he can really put what they shared behind him when he still has feelings for him. Ridge urges her to please let go, for all their sakes. Brooke tells Ridge that she sees now that she can't keep complicating his life, but she also can't help thinking it's not over for them. It's not over, Ridge says, since they still have R.J., but that's as far as their relationship can go now that he's committed to Ashley. Still, he wants Brooke to be happy after what she's been through. Brooke reminds him that she came through that to him, and she really thinks he's the only man she'll ever want. But if he's saying that he wants her to only play the supportive ex-wife because he wants Ashley, then she'll put a smile on her face and place that role, because she doesn't want to cause him any heartache.