Wednesday, June 18, 2008, Episode #5336

Steffy demands answers from Marcus.

Marcus demands to know why Steffy is looking through his stuff. Steffy asks if Donna is really his mother, but Marcus tells her that it's none of her damn business. Steffy apologizes for going through his things. She knows it was wrong, but certain people here are worried because of his connection to Donna. With "certain people" meaning her family, he surmises. Steffy explains how the members of her family were concerned because of the way Donna got him hired without a background check and asks why Donna has kept his identity secret. Marcus reminds Steffy of the way her family treats Donna every day, refusing to even give her a chance to be accepted, so he thinks it's no wonder that Donna would want to keep the fact that she has a grown son under wraps. Steffy thinks it's equally understandable why people would be freaked out by Donna. She tells him that her grandparents built this company from nothing, so how are they supposed to react when her grandfather married some young hottie and tries to put her center stage. "That's the situation you walked into," she cautions Marcus, "so watch yourself."

Marcus explains his actions.

Steffy asks Marcus how it's even possible that Donna is his mother. Marcus explains how Donna had him as a teenager and gave him up for adoption when she couldn't raise him herself. He decided to look for his birth mother and found her, so now he and Donna are just getting to know each other. Steffy guesses that it must have been rough. And it would be easier if Donna could tell her new husband Eric, Marcus points out, but Donna is worried about how he'll react since he's been burned by lies before. Steffy is forced to agree that her grandmother hasn't always been the picture of honesty. And that's why Donna got the idea for the Forresters to get to know him before she revealed who he really is, Marcus explains. But all those plans will blow up now once Steffy tells her dad the whole story. "What makes you think I'm gonna tell?" Steffy asks. Marcus asks if she's saying she'll keep quiet. Steffy tells him that she still doesn't like having Donna in the family, and she also knows that Donna is bad for the company. But she also thinks Marcus deserves a chance to get to know his mother and doesn't want to be the one to mess that up. Joking, a surprised Marcus asks Steffy if she's sure she's really a Forrester and offers to take her to dinner to thank her. Steffy thinks it would be a bad idea for Ridge's daughter to be out with Donna's son, but Marcus reminds her that no one would know he's Donna's son. Steffy coyly tells him that she'll think about it.

Jackie grills her son about his feelings.

Downstairs at the Marone mansion, Jackie helps Nick sort the mail that piled up while he was busy helping Katie. She tells him that she took Katie up some soup before Brooke and Donna arrived and Katie seemed a bit down about something. Nick tells her that Katie is just tired and asks her not to read too much into Katie's mood, but Jackie guesses from his quick answer that his situation with Katie has suddenly gotten complicated. Given everything she's seen, Jackie suspects that Katie has fallen madly in love with her son, and she asks Nick how he feels about Katie. Nick reminds her that he's living here with Bridget, and they're raising Jack together and having a passionate relationship. Jackie knows he cares for Bridget, and she admits that she adores her former daughter in law. But it's obvious that he and Katie have shared some intense experiences together, so what is he going to do if he follows his heart and it leads to Katie? Nick reminds Jackie that all the Logan women, including Bridget, rallied around Katie, so Jackie figures out that Katie is holding back on her feelings to keep from betraying Bridget. She warns that he can't deny any feelings he has for Katie, but Nick avoids the issue by telling his mom that he's going upstairs to being Katie some more soup.

Brooke and Donna ask Katie what's bothering her.

Up in Katie's bedroom, Brooke and Donna fill their kid sister in about what's going on with Marcus. Brooke advises Donna to tell Eric the truth before he finds out from someone else, but Donna wants to wait just a little bit more. Brooke reminds Donna that keeping the secret from Ridge could put her in an awkward position. Donna pleads with Brooke not to tell Ridge. Brooke looks to Katie to back her up, but Katie has a faraway look on her face. Brooke and Donna assume something is wrong and offer to call Bridget, but Katie says that she was just thinking about something. Brooke and Donna ask what's on her mind, so Katie admits that she's been thinking about their mother. Given everything that's happened lately, she thinks it's odd that they haven't heard from their mom and asks her sisters if they've spoken to her. When Brooke says she hasn't, Katie finds that odd, but she then puts those thoughts aside to thank her sisters for their support. She's glad to be part of a family that loves her so unconditionally. Brooke and Donna sense that Katie is still bothered that they haven't heard from their mom and ask her to open up to them. Katie tells them that it's right, because she keeps wondering where their mother is. Given that Storm died and she had a heart transplant, Katie can't understand why their mother hasn't been here.

Katie can't understand how her mother could abandon them.

Brooke reminds Katie that their dad said that their mom has been too distraught to think about traveling, but that doesn't make sense to Katie. Donna points out that she can understand why their mother didn't come to her wedding, given who the groom was, and she also believes that their mom felt too ill to travel all the way from Europe. Brooke wonders if they should check on Beth to see if she needs their help, but Katie argues that their mother is the one who's supposed to be supporting them. Donna defends Beth, but Katie says that she needs her mother now. Outside, Nick approaches the door and listens to the sisters disagreement. Donna thinks they should just give Beth some time to come from Europe, but Katie can't understand why their mother hasn't even picked up the phone or emailed to see how she's doing. "Storm died. I almost did, too. What kind of mother abandons her family at a time like that?" she asks.

Brooke and Donna go downstairs. Donna is glad Brooke agrees that they should cut their mom some slack. Brooke points out that while she agrees, she also thinks their mother should be there. Donna tells Brooke how Beth was there for her when she was scared and pregnant, so she's sure their mother would be on the next plane over from Paris if she could. Brooke wants to believe that, but she's having a hard time. Being a mother herself, she knows she'd be there for her own kids if they needed her, no matter what, so she just can't fathom what would be keeping their mother out of touch for so long.

Beth cuts her conversation with Katie short.

Nick comes into Katie's room and talks to her about her confusion over her mother not being there. She suggests that Katie give her mom a call to find out what's going on. Katie asks for the phone and dials. Over in Paris, Beth answers the phone. When she realizes it's her youngest daughter, she pauses for a moment. Katie asks if the connection is bad, but Beth says that it's fine. Katie apologizes for calling so early (since it's early morning in Paris) and says it's good to hear Beth's voice. The two engage in some casual small talk, and Katie then tells her mom how about how she's doing since the heart transplant. Beth says she's happy to hear that. Katie tells her mom that she was just talking with her sisters, and they realized that they haven't seen Beth in a while, so she asks if Beth can come to L.A. Startled by the question, Beth lies to Katie that she has guests now and has to run before ending the call. Back in L.A., Katie fumes that her mom hung up on her.