Monday, November 10, 2008, Episode #5437

Taylor advises Steffy not to get her hopes up.

At the Bel Air mansion, Steffy offers to set the table for the big pepper steak dinner for her dad, but Taylor warns that Ridge might not be there. Steffy is sure her dad will be there since they had such a great time last night, but Taylor warns Steffy not to get her hopes up over just one night, no matter how much fun it was. Steffy boasts that one night isn't enough. Taylor muses that they'll have more than one night if Steffy's grandma/namesake Stephanie has her way and expresses how grateful she is that she's friends with Stephanie again. Steffy thinks her grandma also just wants to see them reunited as a family, and she hopes Ridge sees that, too. Taylor assures Steffy that she'll do anything in her power to make that happen. Steffy is glad to hear Taylor sound so positive, since having her parents together would be her dream true. She recalls how she always felt like there was something she should have done to make that happen when Taylor returned, but then Ridge left and that fantasy exploded. She thinks the reason she stayed in London when Phoebe came home was that she couldn't handle the disappointment of losing that. Taylor tells her not to blame herself, but Steffy can't help wishing for her fantasy to come true. She wants to be able to bring her kids here some day to see their grandparents living happily ever after. Taylor says she wants that, too, but she can't discount the hold Brooke has on Ridge. Steffy is sure that won't last, since it never does, and she holds out hope that her dad will be there. She offers to call Ridge to find out where he is; Taylor advises her not to, but Steffy thinks Ridge needs to know that they're there for him through his current rough time.

Eric is upset that Ridge gave up on him.

At Brooke's, Ridge tells Eric that Forrester can't have two presidents and insists that the idea of sharing the presidency is a bad one, especially with the way Rick feels about him. He can't believe Eric is doubting him. Eric counters that he can't believe that Ridge almost killed him by disconnecting him from his life support after just a few weeks. Ridge bets that Rick told Eric about that and put his spin on it, but he insists that he was just motivated by the sight of seeing Eric lying in bed, suffering. He explains that he thought he heard Eric telling him to pull the plug, but Eric says he never asked for that and is upset that Ridge would give up on him. Ridge retorts that he feels like Eric is giving up on him now by siding with Rick. Eric informs Ridge how Rick feels like his contributions to the company have been overlooked, but Ridge contends that Rick is just laying on a guilt trip to get what he wants, and it's working. Eric insists that he wants all his children to know that they have an equal place in his heart and in their business, but that's not the message they've been getting, so he intends to change that. Ridge again states that Rick is using his accident to play on Eric and Brooke's sympathies and begs Eric not to let Rick play him for a fool this way.

Brooke is stunned to see Rick on his feet.

In Rick's bedroom, Brooke is stunned to see her son on his feet. Acting like this is the first time he has stood, Rick credits Eric's faith and belief in him for making him think he could do anything, to the point where he just swung his legs over the bed and stood. He guesses Bridget was right that it was only a matter of time until the swelling went down, but he still thinks Eric's support was what got him out of that bed. When he starts to wobble a bit (or possibly feigns wobbling), Brooke rushes to Rick's side. Eric and Ridge return, so Brooke asks them to help her, but Rick insists that he's fine. Brooke tells Rick to get back to bed, but Rick wants Eric to see what his faith and support have done. "I can walk!" he declares. Eric and Brooke are thrilled, but Ridge sarcastically calls it a miracle. "It's my father's faith in me," Rick states. Ridge is still skeptical and watches with disdain as Eric and Brooke fawn over Rick. Eric asks Rick what happened. Rick explains that he was living in Ridge's shadow his whole life, never feeling like he could measure up, but that changed today when Eric made him feel like he could. He recalls having a vision of being in his office at Forrester and being able to walk again, and suddenly, the fantasy became a reality. Ridge thinks they should call Rick's doctor to check him out. Brooke agrees, but Rick doesn't need a doctor to tell him he can feel his legs again. He is sure that Eric's naming Forrester was what ended his depression and thinks about how he was cursing his fate before. Now he's on top of the world and has Eric to thank for that, so he promises to make his dad proud. "You already do," Eric tells him.

Steffy urges her mom to keep fighting.

Ridge goes out to the hall to talk to Steffy, who asks when he's coming over. Ridge tells her that he's tied up with something right now. Steffy assumes that he's at work, but he tells her that he is at Brooke's and informs her that Rick is now able to walk. Steffy is amazed. That's one way to describe it," Ridge quips, telling his daughter that he has to get back to her grandpa and Rick and will call him later. Steffy tells her mom that Rick is walking again. Taylor is thrilled, but Steffy points out that Rick's not needing Brooke to take care of him means that Ridge can move back into the house. When Taylor acknowledges that possibility, Steffy argues, "You can't let that happen, Mom. You're the woman he belongs with!" Taylor considers her daughter's impassioned plea.

Ridge finds Rick's recovery to be just a tad convenient.

Ridge returns to Rick's bedroom, where he finds Eric and Brooke fawning over Rick in bed. Ridge finds it convenient that Rick suddenly can walk after his promotion and accuses Rick of being able to walk for some time. Brooke and Eric tell him to stop, but Ridge continues to needle Rick about this charade. Eric tells Ridge again to stop, but Ridge keeps going and taunts Rick that he made one minor flaw: now that Rick is walking again, it means he is on the way to recovery, so Ridge can move back in. Between the house and work, he intends to be in Rick's face all the time. "Can you handle that, big boy?" he asks. Fed up, Eric drags Ridge out of the room as Brooke apologizes to Rick.