Wednesday, April 29, 2009, Episode #5552

Katie talks with Brooke about Ridge.

On the day of Bill Spencer's funeral, Katie drops by to talk to Brooke and sees that her sister is distracted. Katie can't imagine why Brooke would be this worked up about Bill dying. Brooke confides that Ridge walked out last night over their problems with Rick and stayed the night at Taylor's.

Donna reveals that she was invited to the reading of Bill Spencer's will.

Ridge drops by Eric's office to talk. When Ridge mentions Bill's funeral, Eric recounts how he offered to go with Stephanie, but she turned him down flat. Ridge isn't completely surprised given how Eric fired Stephanie. While he's not pleased to see his mother at Jackie M, he's glad she has something to be excited about. Donna comes in and tells Eric that she had Pam send flowers to Bill's funeral. Ridge asks Donna if she skipped the funeral because it would bring up awkward memories of her involvement with Bill in her "modeling" days. Eric thinks everyone has forgotten that by now, but Donna doesn't think that's true, since she was invited to the reading of Bill's will.

Eric hears the recording of Rick that Ridge made.

After Donna leaves, Ridge tells Eric that he should have fired Rick and not Stephanie. Eric thinks Ridge should rethink that given that Rick is about to become his son-in-law, but Ridge informs him that the wedding is off. Eric asks why, so Ridge plays the recording of Rick for Eric. After hearing the recording, Eric assumes that Steffy was devastated. Ridge confirms that she was and thinks that kind of disrespect should not be tolerated, which is why he wants Eric to fire Rick. Eric agrees that what Rick said was disturbing, but he wants to know if this has caused problems for Ridge and Brooke. Ridge tells his dad not to bring Brooke into something that's his decision, but Eric can't do that if this is causing problems in Ridge's marriage. When Ridge reveals that he stormed out when Rick showed up at the house yesterday and won't return until Rick is gone, Eric is stunned. Ridge says that he spent the night at Taylor's with her and the kids, but he hopes to go home to Brooke tonight. Eric thinks the recording shows that Rick needs professional help, but Ridge insists that Rick has to go! Eric refuses to waver from his original decision months ago that Ridge and Rick need to learn to co-exist, but Ridge says that will never happen and storms out!

Stephanie and Clarke await the reading of Bill's will.

Karen arrives at Jackie M following the service for her dad and thanks Stephanie for allowing the will to be read here. Stephanie says it was her pleasure, although she's surprised Bill wanted his will read here. Karen thinks being here brings back a lot of memories (since she worked there when her father owned controlling interest in Spectra). She's especially pleased to see Stephanie behind Sally's old desk and thinks her dad would have approved, too. While they wait for the attorney, Mr. Simmons, Stephanie catches Karen up on what's been going on with Eric and Ridge and their respective Logan women. Mr. Simmons and Clarke arrive for the will reading. Clarke is surprised there aren't more people here, since he expected Bill to gather all his friends to apologize for being such a jerk. Stephanie and Karen agree that wasn't Bill's style. Donna enters the room and everyone but Simmons is surprised to see her. Simmons explains that Bill wanted Donna here and gets started. After a short statement about Bill, the lawyer starts giving out gifts Bill had left for each of them. Donna gets a beautiful but empty jewelry box that shows what Bill thought of Donna's part in his life. Clarke gets a chocolate gold medal honoring his work as a designer that's "as fake as your designs." As for Bill's estate, including Bill's publishing empire, that's to be divided equally between Karen and her brother Bill Jr. - who, by the way, was never mentioned before yesterday's show - with Karen and Bill Jr. acting as co-CEOs. Stephanie thinks Karen and her brother will do great in the publishing business. Upset at Bill's insulting gifts, Donna and Clarke storm out in a huff.

Karen thanks Stephanie for her support.

Once Mr. Simmons leaves, Karen tells Stephanie that someone will have to move to LA to run Spencer Publishing's local office. Stephanie hopes Karen will do it, but Karen says they'll have to wait and see. She thinks it will be interesting working side by side with her brother, who chose not to come today. Stephanie admits that she's not sure why Bill wanted her here. Karen hands her a letter that Bill left with instructions to be delivered privately. Stephanie reads aloud the letter, in which Bill asked Stephanie to watch over Karen for him. While he realized his son Bill was independent and a loner, he thought Karen would benefit from Stephanie's guidance and friendship. Karen confides that Bill always told her how much Caroline meant to Stephanie. Stephanie says that Caroline was the love of Ridge's life, so they were close, but she assures Karen that Bill was proud of her, too. Karen wonders if she can step in to run a huge multinational company, but Stephanie is sure she'll be fine. Karen thanks Stephanie for her support and tells her to call if there's anything she can do to help Stephanie. Stephanie thanks her and says that there might be something she needs, so she'll be in touch.

Thomas talks with his mom about his dad's marriage to Brooke.

At Taylor's, Thomas tells his mom how good it felt having Ridge there last night and wonders if Ridge might come back for good. Taylor reminds him that Ridge is married to Brooke, but Thomas thinks that marriage is in major trouble. Taylor says that all marriages go through difficult times and reminds Thomas that Ridge wanted to raise his children with Brooke just like he raised Thomas and his sisters here. She admits, though, that she wishes she would have fought harder to hold onto Ridge, but she recognizes that there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed. That's why any hope of she and Ridge reuniting ended when he and Brooke said "I do." Thomas comforts his mom.

Taylor talks with Stephanie about Ridge.

Later, Stephanie arrives to see Taylor, who says that she was sorry to hear about Bill. Stephanie muses that she was reminded of Caroline when she with her twin sister Karen earlier. It made her realizes that Brooke could never hold a candle to Caroline, or to Taylor for that matter. Thomas thinks it's OK for his mom to want Ridge back, but Taylor tells him and Stephanie that she can't think about "what if." Stephanie asks to talk to Taylor alone, so Thomas reminds his mom one more time that Ridge belongs here and leaves. Once Thomas is gone, Stephanie tells Taylor that Thomas was right, because Brooke can never make Ridge happy the way Taylor did. Taylor thinks that fact that Ridge isn't here says something. Stephanie thinks men have to be reminded sometimes; Taylor says she tried to do that when she left Rick, but Ridge married Brooke anyway. Stephanie urges Taylor to take action. She explains how Eric did her a favor and forced her to leave Forrester; she could have taken it as rejection, but she let it redefine her, and she thinks Taylor needs to do the same and take control of her life by fighting for Ridge.

Pam realizes that she made an error.

Back at Forrester, Pam asks Eric if Ridge is coming back, because she has some important papers for him to sign. Eric admits that he doesn't know when or if Ridge will return, but he hopes his son is going to see Brooke right now.

Ridge returns home.

Ridge returns home and looks around. Brooke comes in and tells him that Rick went back to the beach house now that Steffy has moved out. Ridge is glad to hear that, but he thinks Rick is still in his and Brooke's life. Brooke asks if Eric was willing to fire Rick. Ridge starts to explain that Eric heard the recording and was appalled, but he gets a call from Pam asking if she can drop by with some important papers to sign. Ridge tells Pam that the papers can wait until tomorrow and hangs up. Pam freaks out, frantic that tomorrow is no good. She wishes she had never been made receptionist again, because now she needs to find a way to fix this!