Monday, February 04, 2008, Episode #5241

Bridget tells Stephanie about the egg mix-up.

Jackie drops by the Forrester mansion to see Stephanie, who has no desire to speak with Lady M and tries to close the door on her. Jackie barges in and tells Stephanie that this is about Jack - and about Brooke, his biological mother! Stephanie doesn't believe Jackie and asks her to leave before Bridget arrives. Jackie decides to wait, since Bridget can confirm her story. When Bridget arrives, she immediately senses the tension between Jackie and Stephanie. Stephanie tells Bridget about Jackie's assertion and asks her to confirm that Jackie is delusional, but when Bridget hesitates, Stephanie realizes that something is going on and demands to know what it is. Bridget confirms Jackie's story, explaining to Stephanie about the mix-up in the lab. Stephanie asks how this could happen. Jackie chimes in about Taylor's delusion that this was some sort of plot, citing that as proof of how unstable Taylor is. She thinks this shows that Taylor needs to give up Nick so that Brooke and Nick can reunite to raise their child. Bridget tells Jackie that she feels as bad as anyone about what happened because of her part in the egg mix-up, but she's sick of hearing Jackie talking about a simple human error like it's some sign that Brooke should be with Nick! She warns Jackie to stay out of this. Stephanie tries to ask a question, but Bridget gets paged to the hospital, leaving La Forrester and Lady M to discuss their common agenda.

Jackie tells Stephanie that they should work together.

Stephanie scoffs at the idea of allying herself with Jackie, but Jackie thinks they both want the same thing and have a chance to go after it for the common good. She argues that Jack is the one suffering here because Nick belongs with Brooke, and everyone knows that, including Ridge. Stephanie is surprised that Ridge knows about this. Jackie states that Ridge is just in denial of the fact that Brooke and Nick belong together. When Stephanie rolls her eyes, Jackie tells her not to pretend that she doesn't want to get Ridge and Brooke apart. She heard how Stephanie got Donna out of Eric's life and urges the Forrester matriarch to consider what a coup it would be to get Brooke out Ridge's life, too. She thinks they can turn this tragedy into something positive that will not only benefit Ridge, but also Taylor, who Stephanie cares for so much. Stephanie still doesn't seem convinced, so Jackie tells her that the stress of raising Jack is luring Taylor back to the bottle and urges Stephanie not to let that downward spiral continue. "Do this for Ridge. Do it for yourself. But most of all, do it for Taylor," Jackie begs, asserting that she and Stephanie can turn this into a win-win situation for both of them if they just act now!

Ridge asks Taylor to see things from Brooke's perspective.

In the Marone living room, Taylor asks Brooke if she's holding back on marrying Ridge because of some unresolved feelings for Nick or Jack. Brooke asks to speak to Nick alone. Taylor sees no reason to let her rival speak with her husband alone, but when Brooke asks if she threatens Taylor, the doc reluctantly tells Brooke to go ahead and get it over with so they can get on with this wedding. While Nick and Brooke go to the study, Taylor asks Ridge why Brooke wouldn't marry him. Ridge thinks Brooke was just caught by surprise, since she has specific ideas for the wedding. Taylor argues that he and Brooke haven't been able to make those ideas a reality, which is why she thinks her idea for them to get married tonight was perfect. Ridge tells Taylor that he knows she was just trying to help. Taylor is glad someone sees that and wonders what lies Brooke is telling Nick right now. She starts to ramble about how she was floored when she found out Jack was conceived with Brooke's egg, but she's fine now, and the only thing holding her back is that Brooke won't marry Ridge. Ridge suggests that forcing the wedding on Brooke might not have been the best approach, but Taylor wishes someone would think about her needs instead of Brooke's. The minister comes in and says he has to visit a sick member of his Parrish, so he takes his leave, offering to come back later to perform the ceremony if needed. As Ridge shows the Reverend out, Taylor sobs that everything is falling apart.

Brooke isn't willing to go along with Taylor's plans.

In the study, Brooke and Nick discuss Taylor's "surprise gift" for the evening. Brooke wishes she followed her instincts, since she knew it sounded too good to be true when Taylor invited them. Nick assures her that Taylor is trying, but Brooke thinks he needs to talk to Taylor and tell her to back off! She feels like she's damned if she does marry Ridge and damned if she doesn't, fuming at the way Taylor is manipulating her life instead of focusing on Nick and Jack! She and Nick then return to the living room, where Brooke tells Taylor that she and Ridge can't get go along with Taylor's ridiculous notion to get married here tonight. Taylor scoffs at Brooke's dismissing her gift this way after all the years Brooke tried to take Ridge away from her. "Don't you dare make it look like I'm the wishy-washy crazy person!" Taylor accuses, suggesting that Brooke is taking her idea to give Brooke and Ridge something wonderful and is rubbing her face in it! Taylor picks up a glass of wine and rants that she would have been the first one to toast to Brooke and her new husband after the wedding; stating that she still thinks a toast is in order, she toasts, "To Brooke: you win!" and raises her glass. Nick and Brooke tell her to put the glass down; Taylor looks like she's about to take a drink, but then she smashes the glass against the wall and tells Brooke and Ridge to go home.

Taylor tells Nick that she needs a life without Brooke.

After Ridge and Brooke leave, Nick tends to Taylor's injured hand. As he wraps a bandage around it, Taylor asks why he can't see that Brooke still has feelings for him and for Jack. Nick asks her to look at it from Brooke's perspective, but Taylor weeps at the way her husband is again defending Brooke over her. Nick tells her that he knows she meant well, and he's sorry that things didn't go as she planned, but he still supports her. Taylor wants to believe that, but what she needs is a life without Brooke. She puts her head on Nick's shoulder and sobs about how much she loves him.