Thursday, June 26, 2008, Episode #5342

Steffy doesn't want Marcus to leave.

At Forrester, Marcus asks Ridge about the shipment to Texas he mentioned earlier, since it's not on the schedule. Ridge smugly assures him that there will be a shipment to Texas today, and there might even be two of them. Concerned by Ridge's cryptic remark, Marcus heads down to Shipping and Receiving to ask Steffy if she told her dad about him. She assures him that she didn't and asks why he'd think she did. Marcus explains that he ran into Ridge in the hall, and he got the feeling from things Ridge said that he knows the truth. Steffy doesn't see how that could be, but Marcus is still worried and leaves another message for Donna to call him. After he ends the call, Marcus recalls Donna telling him how Eric's kids hated her and were ready to take Eric's company away if she caused any kind of scandal. He tells Steffy that he thinks he should go back to Texas so Ridge will stop hassling Donna. "But I don't want you to go," Steffy strongly objects.

Brooke and Katie share their plans with their mother.

At the Marone mansion, Beth makes plans to return to Paris while her daughters sit in Katie's room, giddily raving about how great it is to have their mother back home. When Katie says that she feels better already after seeing their mom, Donna teases, "Little Katie just needed her mommy." Brooke agrees, but Katie retorts, "We all need her." Beth peeks in the door from the hall and listens as her girls make plans for a family get-together to celebrate their mom's homecoming. Brooke and Donna suggest having it at their respective homes, but Katie proposes a picnic at the beach like they had when they were kids, complete with the little sandwiches Beth used to make with the cut-off crusts. Brooke and Donna think that's a great idea. Katie doesn't think it even matters where they are as long as they're together. Beth comes in and asks how they're all doing. The girls tell their mom about their picnic plans, but Beth asks if Katie's strong enough for that. Katie insists that she feels better now that her mom is back. Brooke and Donna agree that it's great to have Beth home and think it will be great for her to see the kids. It's like Beth always told them, Katie chimes in: nothing is more important than family. Beth hesitantly agrees.

Nick checks on Katie.

Downstairs, Nick asks Stephen about Beth's life in Paris. Stephen admits that he doesn't know much about it, since Beth is always vague when he asks. The thing that puzzles him is that the Beth he remembers would have caught the first plane to L.A. once she heard about Katie's illness. But they had to drag her here, Nick states, and that makes no sense. He asks Stephen if he has any theories about Beth's behavior. Stephen says that it's hard for him to find fault with Beth given how he walked out on their family, but he guesses that his ex was too depressed over Storm's death to return to L.A. But the loss of a child should bring her closer to the ones she has left, Nick states. Stephen thinks that Beth will want to stay after seeing how happy Katie is. The two men go up to Katie's room, where she's now alone. They're pleased to see Katie so happy after seeing her mom. Stephen tells Katie to get some rest and heads down the hall to rest himself. Alone with Nick, Katie thanks him for taking such good care of her and her family. Nick tells her that it's not a problem, but she tells him that he doesn't have to care for her anymore now that her mom is back. She tells him to focus on his future with Bridget.

Donna tells Beth to take credit for raising her and her sisters.

Donna comes downstairs and finds Beth in the living room. She tells her mom how good it is to have her here and asks why she didn't come sooner. Beth says that she's sorry. She knows it would be wonderful for everything to be the way it used to be, but she's just glad to see her girls getting along so well. Donna tells Beth that it's because of her and the way she taught them to always put family first, recalling how Beth always told them that being sisters was more important than any silly argument. "Did I?" Beth asks. Donna tells her not to be so modest, since she deserves credit for the way she raised them. Donna then suggests that Beth take a nap, but Beth doesn't want to miss out on any time with her girls. Donna steps aside to check her messages and bolts off after hearing Marcus's messages. Alone in the room, Beth calls Pascal to see if he's booked her flight back to Paris. Brooke comes down and overhears her mom's plans to leave. "You're going back to Paris tomorrow morning?" a furious Brooke asks. Beth insists that she has to be on that plane, but Brooke argues that they need her here. Beth counters that Katie will be fine with her sisters and father here. Brooke points out that Katie is still recovering from a fatal illness and asks Beth how she can get on a plane knowing that she might not see her youngest daughter again. Beth insists that she loves Katie. "Then how can you do this to her?" scolds an angry Brooke.

Stephanie finds out about Marcus.

Back at Forrester, Ridge tells Stephanie that Donna has a son and has kept it a secret from Eric. Stephanie asks if he's sure. Ridge tells her that he has a copy of the young man's birth certificate as proof. Stephanie asks if he's going to tell Eric. "You're damn right I'm gonna," he replies, informing his mother that he and his siblings are meeting with Eric tonight. Eric will certainly be surprised, La Forrester predicts. And it's not the fact that Donna has a son that's at issue, Ridge points out, but that she kept it a secret. He thinks this is typical of the way Donna has manipulated her new husband. Stephanie agrees that Eric is always blind when he's in love, and she hates to see him disappointed yet again. That's why it's important that she be there for Eric, Ridge states. Stephanie tells him that she has no illusions of things working out for her and Eric, but she still wants him to be happy. That's why she keeps hoping that Eric will see that Donna isn't the woman for him, and that Ridge, Thorne, Felicia and Kristen are his true family and not the Logans. "And you, Mother. Don't ever forget that," adds Ridge.

Marcus fills Donna in.

Donna arrives in Shipping and Receiving and asks Marcus about the messages her left. He tells her about Ridge's cryptic references to shipments to Texas that don't exist and presumes that Ridge is talking about getting them out of here. Since he feels like something's coming down, he suggests that he get out of town so she can deny the accusations when Eric asks. Donna tells him that he's not going anywhere, since she plans to introduce Eric to her son tonight.

Ridge, Thorne and Felicia meet with Eric.

Ridge, Thorne and Felicia wait in Eric's office for him to arrive. Ridge tells his siblings that he filled their mother in on what's going on, and she of course wasn't surprised at all given the havoc that Donna has wreaked on this company. Thorne reminds Ridge that their dad won't see it that way, but Ridge thinks it has to be done, since the alternative is letting Eric stay married to a liar. [And your blessed mother isn't a perpetual liar, guys? Hypocrisy, thy name is Forrester.] Eric comes in and tells his kids to get this over with quickly, warning that he won't put up with any Donna-bashing. Ridge states that this has nothing to do with bashing Donna and everything to do with the problems Donna is causing for this company. Eric doesn't want to hear this, but his kids ask him to hear them out and tell them about Jarrett's visit earlier. Eric scoffs that he can handle anything that Jarrett and the press throw at him, but Ridge warns that the lies aren't going to come from the press this time. Instead, they'll come from Eric's new wife!