Chapter 31

 

The three girls were giggling as they got out of the car at the beach. Caitlyn opened the trunk and got the bag of snacks that they had picked up at the deli and Shelby took out the blanket. Bridget sat down to remove her shoes. The warm sand felt good between her toes and she smiled as she adjusted her sunglasses.

"We should have brought bathing suits." She said.

"Yeah right Bridget, I can just see us going home and telling our parents ‘Hey Mom, I’m cutting school and I just wanted my bikini.’" Shelby said with a laugh.

"We can go to the concession stand and buy new ones." Bridget suggested.

"I’m tapped." Caitlyn told her. "I maxed out my Mom’s Amex and she cut me off totally. I barely had enough to get the Coke’s and chips."

"I’ll spring." Bridget said. "This was my idea after all."

"Well at least we have towels and sunscreen." Caitlyn added. "But honestly, I’m more curious about what the big secret is Bridge, are you gonna make us wait all day?"

"It’s not like it’s going to change your life Cate, but it will change mine, mine and my whole family’s too."

"Oh no! You’re not pregnant!" Shelby gasped. Bridget and Caitlyn looked at her and started to laugh. Shelby was always prone to the dramatic and they knew it. Plus they both knew that Bridget hadn’t even been alone with Aidan and she had no real interest in any other of the boys at school.

"Ewwwwhhh." Bridget moaned at her friend. "I’m not stupid dork. No, this is really personal. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you guys, at least not till my Mom knows."

"You know we’d never tell your mother Bridget." Caitlyn assured her.

"Yeah Bridge, we’ll keep your secret so come on and tell us." Shelby pressured her.

"Do you guys remember when I was a kid and my mom was married to Ridge?"

"Yeah sort of. Why?" Caitlyn asked her.

"Remember that we all thought Ridge was my Dad?"

"That must have been so weird. To have your Dad turn out to be your brother and to have your mother sleeping with him and all. Ick." Shelby said as she crinkled her nose.

Caitlyn gave Shelby a sharp look and smiled at Bridget. "Ignore her, she has no class."

"I know my mother does some weird things." Bridget admitted. "But I love her and I think maybe now I understand a little better."

"Well I heard my mother and her friend talking Bridget. She said that your mother not only dumped your OTHER brother but she’s back with Ridge again."

"Ridge isn’t my brother." Bridget simply stated.

"I know you wish he wasn’t Bridget but I was your friend when all that stuff happened." Caitlyn said. "It’s not your fault so you shouldn’t worry about what anyone says anyway."

"Guys I am not kidding. Ridge and I went and had tests done, just the two of us. They were lying, they were lying to all of us. Ridge is my father, he’s always been my father." She said leaving her friends too shocked for words.

 

"Where is she Logan? I don’t like wondering like this." Ridge said as he impatiently paced in the examination room. He walked back to the screen and stared hard at it. "I’ve never been good at making out anything in these tests. I wish I could tell. What do you think Logan? Do you see anything?"

"I see a baby Ridge. I don’t know what it is, but that’s really not that important to me, not as long as it’s a happy, healthy baby." She said as she peered at the screen. She traced the tiny form with her finger.

"You know that’s what’s most important to me too. But she was just about to tell us."

"And she will Ridge." She reached out for his hand. "Sit with me while we wait." He sat down again and held her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it.

"You’re right, it doesn’t make a real difference. As long as he’s healthy."

"There you go with the he again." She laughed. "I hope you aren’t going to be disappointed Ridge. It could just as easily be a girl."

"I love girls." He assured her.

"That’s good then." Dr. Hennessy said as she walked into the room.

"Are you saying?" Brooke asked.

"Let’s hope some of Bridget’s old clothes are still in good shape Brooke." She smiled. "Your daughter may well be wearing them."

"A girl?" Ridge smiled.

"A girl." She confirmed.

"A daughter Logan, we’re having a daughter." Ridge beamed. He leaned over and kissed Brooke on the lips. The kiss that was meant to be quick and chaste grew as their love and excitement took over.

"Ahem." Dr. Hennessy said, clearing her throat. Brooke and Ridge broke off their kiss and started to laugh. "I just didn’t want you to get too carried away in front of an audience." She said with a smile.

"I love this woman and I love this baby, my daughter." Ridge said as he looked at the screen again. "Can we get a picture?" He asked.

"Two?" Brooke asked.

"Of course you can." Dr. Hennessy told them. She hit print on the computer keyboard and turned back to them. "But the next ultrasound will give you a clearer, more detailed picture of her. Little Suzy or Mary is it?" She laughed.

"We have to talk about that one." Brooke giggled, holding tightly onto Ridge’s hand. "We have a daughter, a daughter like we once thought we did. We have to tell the kids."

"They’ll be excited Logan, they’ll be happy for us. But are you sure you want to tell them right away?"

"Do you have a reason to hide it Ridge? Taylor knows, I’m sure she’ll tell your mother. Why not tell my kids?" Brooke asked. She was confused and a bit hurt at his suggestion.

"Not hide it, I just don’t want to jinx it Brooke. Can we wait just a little while?"

"I suppose so." She said to him. "But not too long Ridge. I’m really showing and I want to be happy about it and."

"Okay! You win." He said putting a kiss on her lips. "We’ll tell them tonight. Call Rick and have him come to dinner."

"Do you mean it?" She asked.

"Yes I do Logan, I just want everything to be calm and happy for us. But if that means telling the kids, we tell the kids."

"Thank you Ridge." She said as she put her arms around him.

 

The waiting room at the legal offices was regal. There were beautiful antique tables and chairs and the rug was a pale and tasteful oriental. Taylor sat in the soft chair and sipped tea from a Waterford cup. She picked up a woman’s magazine and skimmed through it.

"Dr. Forrester?" The legal aid addressed her in a chipped English accent. "Ms. Brennan will be right with you. May I get you some more tea?"

"No thank you, I’m fine." Taylor smiled. She put down the magazine and picked up a shortbread cookie. She took a small bite of it, relishing it’s delicious taste. She glanced at her watch nervously as the door opened. "Dr. Forrester?" The attractive brunette said to her. "I’m Kelly Brennan, won’t you come in."

Taylor started to put down her cup. "Oh please bring that with you. I think I’ll join you myself." She walked to the cart that had coffee, tea , cookies and pastries and poured herself a cup of black coffee. She then put a mini-danish on a plate and smiled at Taylor. "Right this way." She said as she led her into her office. "I’m sorry I kept you waiting. I was on a call with an associate who’s in Connecticut this week. We’ve had a hard time catching up."

"That’s quite alright." Taylor said as she took a seat next to her desk.

"Your husband’s lawyer sent me the papers as we requested and I’ve looked them over. It appears he is being quite generous, both financially and about the custody of your children." Taylor looked down nervously and then started to softly cry.

"I’m sorry, I just never expected it to come to this." She apologized.

"The end of a marriage, good or bad is never easy." Kelly said as she handed her a tissue. Taylor gently blew her nose and looked up.

"I’m okay now." She said.

"May I call you Taylor?" Kelly asked.

"I wish you would." She answered with a smile.

"Taylor, I always ask this question. Is there any chance of repairing your marriage?"

"No, his girlfriend is pregnant and he’s moved in with her." Taylor said, admitting it out loud wasn’t as easy, or as hard as she had imagined.

"That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over, if you don’t want it to be, but I agree it does make it difficult."

"I don’t even know if I love him anymore. Part of me hates losing my marriage, and what once was. But it isn’t the same and I doubt it could ever be again." Taylor told her. "He betrayed me, but I betrayed him too. We’ve both got so many issues and neither of us seems all that willing to open them up and deal with them."

"I only need to know the issues that will effect the divorce. But sadly that means most of them. You said you betrayed him. How did you do that Taylor?" Kelly asked as she picked up her pad.

"Earlier in our marriage, when I was weaker and I though I was losing Ridge, I was unfaithful to him."

"Not that uncommon. Why is this an issue now?"

"I never realized it was until the man I was unfaithful with came back to town."

"I see, and you still have feelings for him?"

"I do, but not like you think. Pierce discovered something, something he kept from me until recently. And now Ridge knows too." Taylor felt her eyes well with tears but before she could reach into her purse for another tissue Kelly gave her a box.

"These come in handy here." She said with a smile.

"I’m sorry." Taylor told her. "I thought I was well past tears."

"We seldom are." Kelly assured her. "Please take your time. Can I get you a glass of water?"

"Yes thank you." Taylor said. Kelly poured her a glass and handed it to her. Taylor took a sip and put the glass down. "Where was I? Oh yes Pierce. Pierce was my boss and a good friend. I was going through a rough spot in my marriage. I felt my husband was drifting away from me. There was another woman, Brooke, the same woman he’s with now."

"So this isn’t a reactionary thing I take it." Kelly asked as she wrote down some notes.

"Oh no. Brooke knew Ridge even before I did. She’s always set her sights on being a member of the Forrester family. She’s gone through them all, had children with his father and even tried to pawn them off on Ridge, but that’s another story."

"Maybe it isn’t." Kelly stated.

"Anyway Ridge was spending more and more time with Brooke and less time with me and our son. She knew how to push his buttons and mine too."

"Was Ridge having an affair?" Kelly asked.

"He said no. I wanted to believe him, but I didn’t. One night Pierce and I were working late because Ridge didn’t come home. I was tired and upset and Pierce had a wonderful dinner for me. We talked and we danced and we drank too much. I went to bed with him." Taylor said with a blush. "I regretted it immediately. Not that it was Pierce but because I was a married woman and I loved my husband. I made it my priority to fix my marriage and for a while I did."

"Did you ever tell Ridge about that night?" Kelly asked as she looked up from her notebook.

"No. It was a mistake and it was never going to happen again. I told that to Pierce and he left town. He loved me, but I couldn’t return his love. Ridge and I grew closer and we decided we wanted another child. Soon I became pregnant with my twins."

"Wasn’t your husband happy?" Kelly asked her.

"He was very happy, but there were complications. I almost lost them, but thankfully I didn’t. I have two beautiful daughters that I adore. My life was perfect. I had everything I wanted, three healthy children, a husband I adored, a beautiful home. Life couldn’t have been better. But I guess I started to take it all for granted. I thought nothing could ever change. I underestimated Brooke Logan and I also never questioned that night with Pierce."

"Did someone find out and tell Ridge? Brooke perhaps?"

"No. I was the one who told him."

"Why Taylor? Wouldn’t it have been better to let it rest? Not that I am advocating deception, but what was the point after all that time?" Kelly asked her.

Taylor took a sip of water and looked at her. "I’ll explain it now."

 

"I’d really like you to take it easy Brooke." Ridge said as he walked her to her office.

"I’m just pregnant Ridge, not broken. Really I’m fine. I haven’t felt better in ages. I am energized. Now go work and let me work and then we can go home faster." She leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you for taking me to the doctor. I’m really glad we went."

"Me too Logan. I can’t remember when I felt more excited. Now please, don’t over do it."

"I won’t, promise." She kissed him again and grinned. "Hurry back, I miss you already."

He smiled at her and walked out of her office and up to Megan’s desk. "Is my mother in her office?"

"Yes she is. Is anything wrong? You look so serious."

"No Megan, but I would appreciate it if we weren’t disturbed."

"I’ll make sure you aren’t." She said.

He walked to her door and knocked and went inside closing the door but not realizing it was still open a crack.

"Hi honey." Stephanie said. "I’ve been meaning to talk to you."

"I need to talk to you first Mother, this is important."

"So is what I want to talk about. Ridge, you have to think about what you are doing. You are throwing your family away for, for, SEX! That’s all that woman is, just sex! You and Taylor love each other, you have children, you have a wonderful life. Please Ridge, you need to fix things while you still can."

"Have you been talking to Taylor?" He asked.

"Yes, but she is stubborn too. She seems to think it’s useless. I know it isn’t. You had your fun with Brooke, now it’s time to go home to your wife and family."

"It’s not that simple." He said to her. She looked at him and for the first time in a long time she felt a shred of hope.

"Honey? What do you mean it’s not that simple?" She asked him. "If you still love Taylor you have to fight for her, you have to fight for your family. Don’t let Brooke Logan steal it from you."

Ridge bit his lip, took a deep breath and sighed. He looked his mother in the eye. "She’s pregnant."

"Brooke?" She gasped.

"Yes." He said with a twinge of sadness.

"You fool! What have you done?"

"I’m not that sure I did anything Mother. I think Brooke is trying to trap me with her baby, I have every reason to believe it’s not mine."

"We’ll get her tested. We can end this as fast as it started." She said triumphantly.

"It’s not that I want to hurt her, I do care about her in a way, but I love Taylor and Brooke is going to spoil everything for me. When she told me she was pregnant I was shocked. Mother I know she slept with Sean and probably Thorne too but she insists it’s mine. I don’t want it to be mine. I don’t want a baby with her, I never did." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Why did I do it? Why did I let her seduce me? I’m losing everything Mother and I don’t know what to do. I need to find a way to prove it isn’t mine."

"I’m sure it’s not, that slut could have been with a dozen men." Stephanie smiled. She had won, she was getting her family back the way she wanted it. Ridge and Taylor would make it after all. She had to make sure that she kept her composure. Even though he was upset he did have a certain allegiance to Brooke and he could turn again if she upset him. She looked at his face to gage the reaction to her words. To her shock and pleasure he seemed to be in agreement.

"I know she’s been with at least the two of them, who knows who else when she was away either." He looked upset and confused. "I’m at my wits end Mother, she wants me to marry her. I don’t want to marry her, I don’t want that at all."

"Then the first thing you have to do is move back home." Stephanie instructed him.

"Taylor will never take me back. Maybe I can come home with you and Dad?" He asked her. "Then I can take my time and try to woo Taylor back. I can romance her."

"What a wonderful idea." She said. "But don’t take too long, you need to be home with your family as soon as possible. And don’t worry about Brooke, I’ll handle her."

"I can’t ask you to do that. I just want help, I want a way out of it. I can’t be stuck with Brooke and her baby for the rest of my life, I just can’t." He said. The look of pain on his face should have upset her, but Stephanie was so thrilled, so happy that he had finally come to his senses that she couldn’t help but smile. The bitch was history, she would finally have Brooke Logan out of their lives.

 

Macy put down her napkin and took a sip of her iced tea. "This was a wonderful lunch. Clarke, Darla, Mom, thanks so much for making my welcome home so special." She looked at Darla who was holding and cooing to little Adam. "He’s something isn’t he?"

"He’s the best Mace." Darla grinned. Clarke turned to Sally and gave her a look.

"Come with me a minute Bucky, I need to ask you something." Sally said. He got up and followed her to the lobby of the restaurant. She turned to him. "Would you stop with the looks!" She commanded.

"You have to tell her Sal, she needs to know about Thorne and Kimberly."

"I was all set to tell her when you and Darla came barging in. Now how could I do that in the middle of that reunion?"

"She thinks Thorne and Brooke are together, and Sally she still loves him. It’s going to kill her to find out about her own sister."

"Kimberly didn’t know Macy was alive." Sally said, defending the girl. "But you’re right, it will devastate her. I’m just glad Macy didn’t ask about Kimberly yet."

"Do you think she doesn’t remember her?" Clarke asked.

"It’s very possible. Macy said things are returning slowly. I just need to find the right time and the right way to tell her. But when Darla suggested lunch and Macy was so excited I knew I couldn’t disappoint her."

"I’d never want that either Sally." Clarke said. "We’ll all be there to support her, CJ too." He promised.

"Did you reach him?" Sally asked.

"Yeah, I got him right before we left. Of course he was blown away. He’s flying home tomorrow. He can’t wait to see her. I did tell him about Thorne and Kimberly and I asked him not to mention it to Macy."

"Good idea, I’m sure he would hear from someone else and Macy doesn’t need another shock. We have to be very careful about how we tell her."

Meanwhile Macy and Darla were talking as they waited for Sally and Clarke to return.

"Is there something going on there Darla?" Macy asked.

"Clarke and Sal?" Darla laughed. "Nah, they’re just being Clarke and Sal. You know them."

"I wish my mother would have someone. She’s so wonderful and she deserves happiness." Macy told her. "I’ve really learned a lot in these months Darla, I know what is important in life. That’s why if Thorne wants to try again, for me or for Adam, I’ve decided I will give him another chance. Life is way too short to throw away second chances." Darla looked worried and Macy caught it. "Darla you can tell me, you don’t have to protect me. Before you and Clarke came in Mom was trying to tell me something. I think it’s about Thorne and Brooke. Are they together?" She asked her friend. "Please tell me the truth."

 

Kimberly threw down the jacket she had been wearing in the photo shoot and plopped down on the couch. "No more! I’m so tired." She complained to Giovanni.

"We’ve barely started Princess, what is wrong?" He asked with concern. "You’ve never given me such a hard time before."

"I’m sorry." She told him. "I guess all this modeling stuff just isn’t important to me anymore."

"Since you married Thorne?" He wondered.

"Since I’m pregnant." She grinned.

"Oh no Princess, you are breaking my heart." He said. He took her hand and put it to his mouth and kissed it. "You will be a beautiful mama, but what bambinos you would have had with Gio, no?"

"You’re so silly." She giggled. "I know all about you and Megan."

"So tell me Cara, are you feeling ill?"

"No, just tired and I really wanted to spend time with Thorne today."

"Newlyweds." Giovanni said with a sexy laugh. "Are you happy Princess?"

"Oh Giovanni, I have never been happier in my life. I’m married to the man of my dreams and I’m having his baby. He’s the perfect lover, he always makes me feel so special. What more could I want?"

"I wonder how much longer I will have you as my beautiful model. Does Brooke know Kim? Has she looked into a replacement?"

"I don’t care about Brooke." She pouted. "I don’t like her anyway."

"Ah but Cara, you are a Forrester now and your baby will be an heir. The company, the business, is it not important to you?"

"Nothing but Thorne and my baby matter to me." She told him. "Nothing at all."

 

"I thought my life was perfect." Taylor continued. "I had three beautiful children, a husband I adored, a supportive family, a gorgeous home. I never dreamed of the nightmare that was about to begin. One day, out of nowhere Pierce Peterson came back into town."

"Did you approach him Taylor or did he come to you?" Kelly asked.

"Does that make a difference?" Taylor wondered. "No, he came to me."

"I only ask because if you were the one to actively pursue the affair it would only work to Ridge’s advantage."

"Pierce called me. He called and asked if he could come visit. By that time I had pretty much forgotten about our night. It was almost like a dream. So of course I told him to come over. We talked and laughed and it was so nice. He was a friend, nothing more. And then he asked me to come back to work for him."

"You never told me why you stopped in the first place. Was it the affair?"

"It wasn’t an affair Kelly, it was one night, one mistake. It never was repeated and never spoken of again."

"Then why did your business association end?"

"I was uncomfortable around Pierce. He told me he loved me and I knew I couldn’t continue to see him, even professionally. Not only that but Ridge was so jealous. Pierce gave up his business in LA and moved away. I never saw or heard from him until he returned."

"And he asked you to work with him again? You said no I assume."

"I didn’t say yes, but you have to understand. I had been at home for so long and I really wanted to work again. The job he described was so perfect. I wanted it Kelly, I wanted it badly."

"So you asked Ridge?"

"No, I told Ridge. I told him I was taking it. He was furious but I assured him that I would spend very little time actually with Pierce and that the feelings he had had for me were gone. Ridge wasn’t happy but I wasn’t going to wait for permission. I took the job."

"And that started things in motion?" Kelly asked. Taylor thought about it and realized Kelly was right. If she hadn’t taken the job she and Ridge would never have fought. If they had never fought he never would have slept with Brooke and if he had never slept with Brooke they would still be together. She sighed and nodded.

"I guess it was the beginning of the end. For every minute I spend on my job Ridge spent another hour with Brooke. Sure, he justified it as business and maybe it was. But he was angry and jealous and I was pushing him away from myself and towards her."

"But Taylor, this still doesn’t explain why you told Ridge about that night. Were there feelings for Pierce? Was it in the heat of the argument?" Kelly needed to know this. She needed as many facts as possible. Ridge Forrester was a wealthy man and a prominent man. It was not going to be easy to win against him in court. He was sure to have a team of shrewd lawyers. Kelly needed to be fully prepared.

"When Pierce came over I showed him my children. Thomas, who he had met as a baby and the twins, Steffie and Phoebe. I didn’t notice anything strange. I should have, a mother should sense these things but I trusted him, he was my friend."

"Taylor! Did he hurt your children?" Kelly gasped.

"Oh no, no, never. Pierce is a kind man. He would never hurt a child. No, this was worse, far worse." She said as she grabbed another tissue.

 

"How can I prove it Mother? How can I prove that I’m not her baby’s father?" Ridge asked Stephanie. "I keep thinking back to Bridget and how she lied to me and how she tried to bribe Dr. Peters. I almost believed her Mother, I almost fell for it. What if she does it again? What if she finds a way to rig the tests? I can’t let this happen, I can’t be stuck with her for life. Mother you have to help me." Ridge begged. He watched her carefully as a sly grin crossed her face.

"Don’t you worry honey, Mother will take care of everything." She told him.

 

"Brooke? Brooke what’s wrong?" Megan called as Brooke stormed into her office and threw down the folder she had been holding. Megan got up and followed her inside. "What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" She shouted. She opened her briefcase and started to throw things inside it.

"Where are you going?" Megan asked.

"Home! And stop asking questions! This is my business! Mine and mine alone! From now on I will handle everything in my life alone! Now leave!" She screamed at the shocked assistant. She shut her briefcase, dropped it, picked it up again and stomped out of the office, to the elevator and out of the building. Once she was in her car she took a deep breath to compose herself before starting the engine. "Damn you Ridge Forrester, damn you to hell."

 

Beth Logan was sitting in the living room watching the news when Brooke came into the house. She immediately knew something was wrong and from the look on her daughter’s face it could only have been caused by a Forrester.

"Brooke? Honey what happened?" She asked as she stood up and went over to her daughter.

"You were right, everyone was right, everyone but me. Stupid gullible Brooke. Falling for his sweet talk again. Believing he loved me, that he wanted our baby, that our love meant something. Never again! Never!" She shouted.

"What happened?" Beth asked again.

"It’s over, it’s all over. Will you help me?"

"Help you what? What’s over? Why is it over?" Beth was beside herself with worry.

Brooke looked back and her and headed up the stairs. Beth followed quickly behind her. When she got to the bedroom Brooke was throwing clothes, Ridge’s clothes, into big black trash bags.

"What are you doing?" Beth implored.

"I never want to see another thing that has anything to do with Ridge Forrester, or any other Forrester for that matter." Brooke said as she shoved underwear into the bag. "How many times? How many times do I have to go through this before I admit the truth? He never loved me, I never meant more than sex to him. But Mom, he really fooled me this time. He really did." At this point Brooke couldn’t hold back her tears and Beth took her into her arms and held her as she sobbed. Whatever Ridge had done he had hurt her daughter for the last time. Beth didn’t need to know what it was, she just needed to be there for Brooke, to love her and to comfort her.

 

"What did Pierce do? What happened and what does it have to do with your children?" Kelly asked. She liked and respected her new client and she wanted to help her, but she knew that this was going to be a complicated case, getting more so by the minute.

"He looked at my girls and he noticed something. Something he didn’t tell me. But somehow a couple of days later he got back into my house when I wasn’t home and he was alone with my babies." Taylor was weeping softly into tissue after tissue. Kelly didn’t want to stop her, afraid if she did that she would never learn the whole story. She just waited, waited for Taylor to start again. "I don’t know how I even saw it, it was so tiny but they are my babies and I know every inch of their bodies. It was a tiny pinprick, barely noticeable, but I noticed it. I questioned our nanny and she hadn’t seen anything, she denied everything and I flipped. I called Ridge at work freaking out but he pooh-poohed me saying the kids must have been playing, but that wasn’t it at all."

Kelly couldn’t contain herself at this point, she had to ask. "What did he do to her Taylor?"

"He took a blood sample. He took blood from my baby." She sobbed.

"Oh Taylor, is this what I think it is?" Kelly asked.

Taylor looked at her and nodded. "They aren’t Ridge’s babies, they’re Pierce’s babies. My one night, my one stupid mistake and my life was taken from me. My babies, my beautiful babies weren’t Ridge’s, they were Pierce’s." She confessed.

 

"No Mace, Brooke is chasing Ridge again, just like Sal told you." Darla explained.

"Then what is it? Every time I mention Thorne you all close up. Is there someone else? Did Thorne meet another woman?" Macy asked.

"Why are you so concerned with Thorne Forrester?" Sally said as she and Clarke returned to the table. "Hello Adam, hello sweetie, come to Grandma." Sally cooed to the baby. Clarke shot Darla look and sat down.

"He’s an angel isn’t he Bucky?" Sally asked her former husband.

"He certainly is." He smiled at Macy. "You know he looks a little bit like his brother."

"CJ, I sure miss him." Macy said with a faraway look.

"Not for long." Clarke grinned. "He’s coming home tomorrow to see you and meet his new nephew."

"That’s wonderful. Adam will have his whole family." Macy said. "Well, except for his father, but that will happen soon too. I have no plans to hide him from Thorne." She looked from Clarke, to Darla and then to Sally. "Now who is going to tell me why you’re being so secretive about my husband?"

 

Beth was livid. She couldn’t believe that after their conversation where Ridge had sworn his love and devotion to Brooke that he could do this, but he was a Forrester and Forresters had caused Brooke nothing but pain and heartache. Brooke was surprisingly calm. She had dried her eyes and finished putting Ridge’s belongings into the bags and then threw them down the stairs. Then she had showered and changed into a soft, flowery shift. She had made a sandwich and tea and had lunch. Beth was so proud of her. She hadn’t fallen apart, she was strong and independent. When she found her again she was busily talking on the phone. Not wanting to intrude Beth had left the room and waited for Brooke to return. She was trying to concentrate on Judge Judy when Brooke joined her again. Beth turned the volume low and smiled at her daughter. "How are you?" She asked.

"I’m going to be fine. And so is my daughter." Brooke said. "That was Sean on the phone, he’s on his way over."

"Sean Damon?" Beth asked her.

"Yes, I told you he works for me again. Well, we are making some arrangements for Forrester. Today was my last day. I am not going to subject myself to those people again. I am not a masochist, no matter what Ridge and Stephanie think."

"Did you tell Sean?" Beth asked her.

"Of course I did, after all, they’re throwing his name around as my baby’s father. He was shocked, but not as much as I thought he would be, You’ll never believe what he did." Brooke told her as she pushed a strand of hair from her face.

"I suppose I won’t unless you tell me." Beth sighed. She hoped it wasn’t all bravado on Brooke’s part, she hoped she would put Ridge in the past where he belonged now.

"He asked me to marry him." Brooke said. "He wants to be a father to my baby, to the baby Ridge is denying."

"Oh Brooke, you didn’t say yes did you?"

"Sean’s in love with Becky Moore, I’d never force him into a loveless marriage. But I did appreciate the offer. He’s a wonderful man, a special man."

"Why does Ridge think he’s the baby’s father?" Beth asked her.

"Because the day Sean came back into town I made love with him and Ridge caught us. Of course it was far too long ago for the baby to ever be Sean’s and it never happened again, but I suppose Ridge doesn’t give me or my love much credit. Mom, the minute I knew I was still in love with Ridge I could never have been with anyone else. But Ridge doesn’t believe that." She sighed.

"Are you going to call Ridge?" Beth asked.

"Hell no." Brooke said with an almost cruel laugh. "This is his show, he wants to dump us so badly let him sweat it. No, I imagine he’ll be here with some lame excuse about Taylor or Stephanie and all kinds of promises about how he’s coming back soon. But I will be ready for him with his things and something even more special."

"What Brooke? What do you have in mind?"

Brooke turned at the sound of a car in the driveway. "Just a minute Mom and I’ll tell you everything." She went to the door and opened it. Sean came to the door and took her into his arms and held her tightly.

"I’m so sorry Brooke, please think about what I suggested." He told her with a kiss.

Brooke took his hand and led him into the living room. "Mom, you remember Sean don’t you? Sean my mother, Beth Logan."

"Of course Beth, you’re looking well." Sean said taking her hand.

"Thank you for being there for my daughter Sean, she needs all the friends she can get at a time like this."

"Mom, I introduced you to Sean, but I didn’t make the full introduction." She smiled at Sean and turned to her mother. "Beth Logan, please meet Sean Damon, the new CEO of Forrester Creations."

 

"No one is being secretive Macy." Clarke told her.

"Then tell me what’s going on with him, and I know there is something." Macy insisted.

"Not here." Sally said.

"Yes here Mother, please, I need to know."

"Sal she needs to know." Darla said. Macy looked from her friend to her mother.

"Tell me mother, please."

"This is so hard. But you have to understand, we all thought you were dead." Sally started.

"Are you defending Thorne?" Macy was confused. Her mother didn’t seem to have any concern for her husband.

"No, I am laying the groundwork."

"He did marry her didn’t he?" Macy gasped.

"Thorne and Brooke were engaged. But the engagement was short. Like I said before, Brooke set her sights on Ridge again. That is true. Thorne was hurt by her betrayal. But he didn’t stay hurt long."

"Is there another woman in his life? I can handle it Mom, I can. Besides when he sees Adam that could change everything."

"Do you love him Macy? Do you really love him after all he put you through for Brooke Logan?" Sally was grasping at anything at this point. She didn’t want to have to tell Macy but she knew she did. But the pain of betrayal from her sister might be too much to bear.

"I guess a part of me will always love Thorne. But he is the father of my son and Adam deserves a chance for a real family. Please tell me who the woman is, please." Macy begged.

"It’s Kimberly." Sally said quietly.

"Kimberly?" Macy asked. "My sister? My sister is involved with Thorne?"

 

"Now Brooke, that is not what I agreed to." Sean laughed. "Hello Beth." He acknowledged the older woman. "What I did agree to was to fill in for Brooke for as long as she feels the need to be away. But make no mistake, Brooke is the CEO."

"Well it may not make a difference Sean because I may never go back. I think I’ve seen enough Forresters to last me a lifetime." Brooke said to them both. "I just will not subject myself to their scorn or false pity again. And they’ll never make a fool of me again either."

"You shouldn’t have to Brooke, but I am shocked at all of this. Ridge fooled me too. I was sure he was genuine this time. I really thought you had everything you wanted." Sean put his arm around her and took her into a hug. "I’m here for you Brooke, in any capacity and that includes as a husband."

"I’d never ask you to make such a sacrifice." She said to him sincerely. He reached to her face and wiped a tear away.

"I do love you Brooke, we could make a good life together."

"I want more than that for both of us." She told him. "But I was thinking about something."

"What?" He asked her.

"If Ridge is so determined to prove this baby isn’t his why don’t we save him the trouble. I know we were only together that once Sean and so do you, but no one else seems to believe it. Will you let me put your name on the birth certificate?"

"Brooke no!" Beth gasped.

"Your mother is right. As much as I’d love to say that this was my child it’s unfair to do this to him, or to Ridge for that matter. But I will be there for you and your child can look up to me as a father figure. I will always want that."

"Ridge doesn’t deserve this baby." Brooke said with a pout.

"Now who’s sounding like Taylor?" Sean asked her.

"I suppose. But Sean if you had heard him. He was practically begging that cow to do away with me, with me and my baby." Brooke was getting very upset and Beth looked at Sean with concern.

"Okay, I’ll make you a deal then." He said. "You put the real name on the birth certificate, but for the time being we tell Ridge that it’s mine. Let him think about it, maybe he’ll regret his actions. And then when things are calmer and more settled we can tell him the truth."

"I don’t want him in our lives." Brooke protested.

"He’s already in your life Brooke, you let him back in." Beth said with a deep sigh.

"Brooke think about it." Sean told her. "You can tell Ridge when the time is right but in the meantime why not give us a try? It was so good in France, we never gave it a real chance."

"You love Becky." She said.

"I thought I did. But you and me? Brooke we kick ass together."

"We did have fun. But Sean, I am not looking for a relationship. A few hours ago I thought I had the one I always wanted and look what happened."

"I’d never hurt you like that Brooke, never."

"Maybe when I get over him Sean." She said. "If you’re still available that is."

"I’d always become available for you."

"I don’t want that. I want you to go on with your life, I want you to be happy. If something can happen with us then it will. But don’t put your life on hold for me."

"We can date." He said.

"Date? Pretty soon I’ll be as big as a house with another man’s child. I don’t think you want to date that."

"You’d be surprised what I want Brooke."

"Give her time Sean." Beth said. "Too much has happened to make life altering decisions right now. You both have to think about everything, and that includes Forrester."

"I’m not going back." Brooke said obstinately.

"You say that now honey, but you may change your mind. Remember, this is your children’s heritage, all three of them." Beth reminded her. "Now I’m going to leave you two alone so you can talk, but think about what I said to you Brooke, think very carefully."

"I will Mom." She told her. Beth hugged them both and went up the stairs to her room.

"She’s a smart woman." Sean told Brooke.

"Yes, but her downfall was the same as mine, Forresters." She sighed and looked at the stairs where her mother had just been. "Hold me Sean, please hold me."

"It would be my pleasure." He said as he took her into his arms.

Outside Ridge was pulling into the driveway. He frowned at the unfamiliar car. He was pleased, however, to see Brooke’s car. When Megan told him that she had angrily left the office he had been worried and she hadn’t answered her cell phone. The line at home had been busy so he had decided to go home and find out what was wrong.

He stopped his car, got put and walked over to the other car. There was a familiar Forrester Creations parking sticker on the rear view mirror. "Hmmmm." He said. "I wonder who’s over here." He walked to the door and used his key to open it. The first thing that he saw was the large black plastic bags in the foyer. "What the hell?" He wondered. He continued inside and stopped short at the sight of Brooke and Sean embracing. "What’s going on Logan?" He questioned loudly. Brooke turned to face him but didn’t let go of Sean.

"Why are you here?" She asked him.

"I live here." Ridge told her. "What’s going on? Damon? What’s wrong?" Ridge questioned.

"You used to live here." Brooke corrected him. "Your things are in the foyer. Take them and leave. Go back to your wife Ridge, go!"

"What the hell are you talking about Logan?"

 

"Alright Taylor, I think I have enough to go on for now." Kelly told her. "But this issue with the twins is going to put us in a bad position, especially if Ridge knows the truth."

"I don’t care about that." Taylor assured her. "I’m not looking for anything for myself, I just want him to support his kids."

"But they aren’t his kids Taylor, yes, legally they were conceived in your marriage and the law is on our side, but it can and most likely will get dirty. I just want you to be prepared."

"I don’t think Ridge would want to hurt the girls Kelly, he loves them."

"Love can be fleeting when money is involved. Now as I said, I looked over the initial offer and it seemed fair, but now with these new facts I will go over it again with a fine tooth comb."

"Why?" Taylor asked.

"I’m going to look for loopholes Taylor. Jonathan Young is shrewd and I wouldn’t put it past him to give Ridge an out that he can pull out of his hat at the last moment. I want you to get your fair share. A man’s successes are often based on the role of the woman at his side. Ridge has to acknowledge that, and he has to pay. We also want to be sure that your children are getting what they are entitled to in the way of Forrester Stocks."

"With Ridge marrying Brooke his own stocks won’t matter. She’s the majority stockholder, her 51% will be all that matters to him." Taylor said with a sigh.

"Not true Taylor, those stocks are hers and unless she changes that he has no rights to them, marriage or not. We have to protect you and your children Taylor."

"I’ll leave that up to you Kelly. I can’t think about that, I just can’t."

"That’s why you pay me." She told her. "Now go home and relax and if you think of anything else you need to tell me call my assistant and let her know. I’ll see you again next week." Kelly stood and held her hand out to Taylor who took it and gave her a firm handshake. "It was lovely meeting you, and I know we’ll work well together."

"Thank you Kelly, thank you for taking my case." Taylor told her.

 

"Kimberly." Thorne said as his wife walked into his office. "All done with your shoot?"

"Yeah." She said. She walked over to him and to his side of the desk. She sat on his lap and kissed him. "This is what I’ve been looking forward to all day."

"You’ll get no complaints out of me." He laughed and kissed her. "So how did it go?"

"It was a shoot." She sighed. "But Thorne, I don’t care about modeling anymore. I want to be your wife and the mother of your child and your lover."

"You are all that Kim, but you’re also the lead model of the Princess Line and we all depend on you."

"I can’t be doing that much longer." She said as she stood up and pulled her dress tightly across her still slim waistline.

"No, I guess not." He said. "You know I hadn’t even thought of that. Have you spoken to Brooke about it?"

"Brooke? Ewwwh, why would I talk to her?" Kimberly was obviously disgusted at the thought of talking to the woman she had once considered her rival.

"She’s the boss Kim, and she needs to know. This is important to the company. We can talk to her together. She’s gonna have to find a replacement."

"I suppose so." She said. "Anyway can I borrow something nice to wear to dinner?"

"You already have so many clothes Kim."

"But I want a Forrester gown, something sexy. Something from the haute couture collection." She got up and started to look through a rack of gowns in the side of his office.

"Kim you know that as the princess spokesperson you have to convey a certain appearance, a certain look. Those dresses aren’t that look."

"I’m tired of looking like some vestal virgin." She said talking a low cut red dress off the rack and holding it up to her. "I want to wear things like this." She put the dress over the arms of a chair and reached for the zipper on her own dress. She let it fall to the floor and turned to face Thorne. She was braless and wearing a tiny pink thong. His eyes widened and he felt himself stiffening and he continued to watch her. She was well aware of his arousal and was playing it to the hilt. She picked up the gown and walked closer to him. Her full breasts bounced with each step and he felt his pants grow tighter.

"Come on Kim, someone might walk in." He said without much conviction.

"Oh Thorne! You’re so silly." She giggled. She unzipped the dress and slipped it on. It fit her body as if it had been made for her. It hugged her every curve and was slit up to her thigh. She turned around to him. "Zip it the rest of the way please?"

"Yeah okay, but Kim you can’t have it." He touched the soft skin of her back as he adjusted the zipper. "Wow." He said as she twirled for him. "My God Kim, you’re so beautiful."

"Please let me wear it." She said in a little girl voice.

"I can’t, it’s not the right image and besides, it’s for the showing."

"They won’t miss one little dress." She pouted and then hiked the skirt up.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

"Convincing you." She said as she pulled off her thong. She walked over to him and got back on his lap. She stroked him through the material of his pants. "Come on Thorne, show Kim what you want."

"I want you." He moaned loudly as he reached for his fly. She grinned at him knowing she had won this argument.

 

"I heard you Ridge." Brooke said as she grabbed Sean’s hand and held it tightly. "You really should learn to close doors. I heard every sick word you said to your mother and you know what Ridge. You’re right, this isn’t your baby, it’s Sean’s!"

Ridge turned very pale and a look of shock and fright crossed his face. "No, Brooke you don’t understand."

"Oh I understand alright Ridge, you have no further obligations to me. Go home to Taylor where you belong."

"I belong with you Brooke." He insisted.

"I heard you! I heard every stinking word you said Ridge! How dare you come back and play games with me like this! Is it about sex? You’re hoping for one last quickie before you go back to your safe boring life? Well think again, this lady is through with you forever! I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let myself believe in you. What a fool I am huh? You bastard! I hate you and I want you to leave!" She screamed at him as Sean held her back. He was concerned about her and her baby too.

"I think you’d better leave Ridge." Sean said calmly.

"You can just forget that Damon, I’m here to stay. I will explain this all to Brooke and then she’ll understand exactly what it is she heard."

"I already understand what I heard you prick!" She screamed. "Now take your things and get the hell out of my life! It’s not your baby and it’s not your responsibility!"

"It is my baby Logan! She’s mine and we both know that! Now you calm down and listen to me. I have an explanation and I promise it will clear everything up, everything."

Sean looked at Brooke and touched her gently on the face. "Maybe you should hear him out. I’ll wait in the kitchen to give you some privacy."

"Don’t you dare leave me Sean Damon!" She said. She once more turned to face Ridge. "I’ve made a decision, I’m going to marry the father of my baby."

"Damn right you are!" Ridge shouted back.

"I’m going to marry Sean!"

"Over my dead body!" Ridge growled. "Now sit down and listen to me!"

"No! I don’t want to ever hear another word from you or any other Forrester. It’s over! I quit! Nothing is worth the abuse I’ve put up with from you and your mother and your stupid wife!" Brooke was furious and she was not going to let Ridge get a word in edgewise. He looked at Sean who shrugged at him.

"That’s it Logan, you are going to listen to me right now!" Ridge said as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Brooke screamed at the top of her lungs bringing Beth running down the stairs.

"Put her down now!" She shouted at Ridge.

"Alright all of you listen to me! I didn’t want this to get out yet. I wanted it to be really quiet. I had my plan, my reasons, but things have gotten totally out of hand and I fully intend to stop it right now." He gently put Brooke back down and led her to the couch. "Sit!" He commanded as he pushed her down. "You too Beth! Damon if you need to stay I ask that what I tell you be kept in confidence. Can I trust you?"

"Let’s see if you hurt Brooke before I answer that." Sean told him.

"Fair enough." Ridge said. Brooke looked at him like she was ready to kill him. "Lose the look Logan, you’re going to feel really stupid for being mad at me when you know the truth."

"Don’t count on it." She said sarcastically.

"Just say what you have to say and leave Ridge, I won’t have you hurting my daughter again." Beth told him angrily.

"Please all of you, give me a chance to explain." He said.

"I’m waiting! And not too patiently either." Brooke said with a scowl. "Sean and I have plans."

"The hell with that." Ridge said. He went to the couch and sat next to Brooke. She immediately pulled as far from him as possible. Ridge laughed and took her hand. "I know how mad you must be after hearing what you heard, but believe me, you were the last one I ever wanted to hear that."

"Obviously." Brooke said. Then she turned from him again.

"Logan, look at me." He said turning her face back towards him.

"What?" She said. "Just get it over with Ridge."

He looked at Brooke, then Beth and finally Sean. "I did something the other day, something without your knowledge. But something really important that will effect all our lives, well not yours Damon." He said.

"What did you do? Tell Taylor you want her back?" Brooke said with a snarl.

"No, I had a talk with Bridget."

"Bridget! What did you do to my daughter?" Brooke said like the angry lioness.

"I asked her to do something with me." He told her.

"Do what?" Brooke asked. Now she was getting curious.

"I asked her to have another paternity test done." He admitted.

"You what?" Brooke shouted.

"We went to the hospital and had the test done again. Just Bridget and me. The tests were conclusive Brooke, I’m her father, I’ve always been her father."

"What? What?" Brooke was stunned. She couldn’t seem to comprehend it.

"I wouldn’t have done this if Bridget didn’t want it too Brooke. She did want to know. And now she knows."

"You did this without my approval? Without my knowledge?"

"It’s what Bridget wanted. She didn’t want to upset you if it wasn’t true." He took her hand. "Logan you have to understand, I wanted to make it as easy on her as possible."

"But you found out the truth and still you didn’t tell me? Why Ridge? Why? Because you decided you wanted Taylor again? Because you didn’t trust me about the baby?"

"Oh Logan, I trust you more than anyone in the world and I love you and I want you, you and our baby."

"Look, this is too confusing." Brooke said. "None of this explains what I heard you tell Stephanie."

"After the test Bridget and I talked again. We realized that it was no mistake that we didn’t know the truth before, someone wanted us all to believe that Dad was her father. So we decided that, well, that I would find out who that someone was. I have my suspicions and I was trying to trap her."

"Stephanie?" Brooke asked. "Ridge I know she hates me but how could she do that to you and to Eric and especially to Bridget?"

"I don’t know Logan, but when I started to think of how to trap her I decided that I could see if I could get her to do it again." He said softly.

"My God, Bridget is ours? She’s really ours?" Brooke felt tears running down her face.

"She’s ours Brooke, and I have my mother on the ropes. Now I am asking you all to keep my secret and let this play out. Let me get her confession, let me find out for sure that she kept my baby from me for all these years."

"But you were willing to let me think you didn’t love me or trust me? How could you do that Ridge?" Brooke didn’t know how to react to all the news and Ridge suddenly saw all the holes in his plan.

"I was wrong, I was stupid Brooke, forgive me?" His eyes welled with tears and she threw herself into his arms.

"Oh Ridge, I was so hurt, so hurt."

"I’m so sorry Logan. I never meant for you to know."

"But sooner or later I would have had to, if you wanted the plan to work."

"It was a stupid, cruel selfish plan." Beth told him.

"Maybe it was Beth, but I think I have an idea how we can all make it work." Sean told them.

"How?" Ridge asked him.

"We all know now Ridge, what if we all played along. What if Brooke and I convinced your mother that it’s over between you and that we are and have been involved. She’d do anything to protect you."

"Yeah, but there’s Taylor too." Ridge said.

"Do you trust her?" Sean asked.

"I thought I did." Ridge confessed.

"Then we tell her, we ask her to help us too." Sean said.

"Wait! What if Taylor was involved too?" Brooke asked.

"Logan." Ridge took her hand and kissed it. "Logan I know you and Taylor will never see eye to eye on things but she’d never do anything to hurt Bridget. I can’t believe she could have anything to do with this."

"Test her." Sean suggested. "Tell her that you don’t trust Brooke, that you think Brooke is lying about the baby, just like she tried to do with Bridget. See how she reacts."

"I didn’t think this thing through." Ridge said. "My mother expects me to move back home today."

"Then you have to." Brooke said.

"Logan, I can’t leave you."

"You won’t really be leaving me. But I’ll make sure Stephanie thinks you did." Brooke said, suddenly smiling. "She’ll pay for what she did to us Ridge, for what she did to Bridget. We’ll all see to it."

"We can do this." Ridge said.

"We can." Brooke said. "With Sean and Mom’s help we can."

"And maybe Taylor too." Ridge said.

"But wait!" Brooke stopped. "What about Bridget? She knows about you. What if she says something?"

"We’ll talk to her tonight and tell her everything. We’ll get justice Brooke, it may be late but I will know who kept us apart for all these years." Ridge told her. He hugged her hard. "I love you Brooke Logan and I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world. Trust me."

"I will." She said with a smile. "I really will Ridge."

 

Chapter 32

 

Sean and Beth had gone to the kitchen to give Brooke and Ridge some much needed privacy. They were sitting together, holding each other as Ridge gently stroked her hair.

"I am so sorry I scared you and hurt you. I was thoughtless Brooke, you do forgive me don’t you?" He asked her.

"How could I not?" She said, looking into his eyes.

"This is going to be hard." He said as he kissed her head. "I don’t think I like the idea of being away from you like this, not with having people think that I don’t love you."

"As long as I know you love me, that’s all that matters. We need to find out who did this to Bridget. I can stand anything as long as I know you’re doing this for us. We can think of it as a little game. We can make it fun." She smiled.

"That’s my Logan." He told her. He pulled her closer to him. "I don’t want to wake up without you though."

"What’s a few days when we know we have a lifetime?" She asked him.

"I wish there was another way to do this."

"But there isn’t. You can’t ask Stephanie, she’d lie and you know it." She gave him a weak smile. "I hope you’re wrong, for your sake. But I don’t think you are."

"I don’t either Logan, but I need to find out how she did it and why."

"I can tell you the why part." She frowned. "She hates me. She always has and she always will. But to do that to you and to Bridget, it just makes me so angry."

"I know honey, and it makes me mad too, but we have to hang in a little longer and I promise I will get to the bottom of it all."

Brooke snuggled against him. "I hate to say it but you’d better leave. We want your mother to think we had a big blow out."

"I hate this so much." He said as he kissed her.

"I do too, but it won’t be long. We’re a family now." Brooke smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too Logan." He said. They both turned at the sound of his cell phone. He pulled it out of his pocket. "It’s my mother." He told her.

"Oh goody, do you want me to start my act?" She giggled.

"What?" He asked with a chuckle as he answered. "Hello Mother." To his shock in the background Brooke started to sob and softly beg him not to leave her. It took all he had not to laugh.

"I see you’ve told her it’s over." Stephanie said triumphantly.

"Yes Mother, I did." He shot Brooke a look. She stuck out her tongue at him and continued.

"Good, then it’s done. Now get your things and come home. I have dinner waiting." She told him.

"I don’t know mother. Maybe I’ll go out. I’m not in a social mood."

"Oh pooh." She laughed. "I have all your favorites. We’re celebrating, just get your things and leave. That bitch made her own bed, let her sleep in it."

"She’s um, pretty broke up." Ridge told his mother as he silently begged Brooke to stop.

"She’ll be fine. She can call Sean or whoever the real father is. You come home now Ridge." She demanded.

"Alright Mother, I’ll leave in a moment. See you soon." He shut the phone off and grabbed Brooke. "You little vixen, I swear I almost couldn’t keep it up. What were you trying to do to me?"

"She never would have believed I would just let you go. She heard me didn’t she?" Brooke asked.

"I think all of LA heard you." He laughed. "Oh Logan, how will I get by without you?"

"You won’t." She told him. "But please be careful. And remember, I’m always just a phone call away."

 

"I don’t know what this is all about Stephanie but I don’t think I like it." Taylor complained as Stephanie let her into the house.

"You’ll love it dear. Believe me you will. Everything is going to be alright now. I told you it would and it is."

"What have you done Stephanie? Does this have something to do with Ridge?" Taylor asked. She had had second thoughts about coming over but didn’t want to raise her friend’s suspicions.

"Nothing at all Taylor, I just wanted to have you over. We haven’t talked lately." Stephanie said with a smile.

"We talked on the phone yesterday and you saw me at my house the day before." Taylor reminded her. "But you know I love spending time with you. I just wondered why you wanted me without the children."

"You need a little time to yourself." Stephanie told her. "Now lets go out by the pool and sit. I have Helen making us your favorite Raspberry Iced Tea. How does that sound?"

"It sounds lovely but I need to get home and make dinner for my children."

"You can call Catherine and tell her you will be having dinner with me. Eric is at a late meeting and I don’t want to be alone. Now you won’t turn me down will you?"

"Okay." Taylor said, as she shrugged, knowing she didn’t stand a chance. "Let’s go."

 

 

Macy sat holding Adam and softly singing to him. She had been shocked to learn that Thorne and her sister were involved. She had fully expected Brooke and Thorne to be an item, in fact she was prepared for them to be married. But to learn about Kimberly and Thorne was something she never imagined in her wildest dreams. Kimberly had been in love with Rick Forrester, how had she ever turned to Thorne? And how serious was she about him. She hoped that Thorne realized that her sister had a typical schoolgirl crush. She had wanted to ask Sally and Darla more about them but everything had been so crazy. She would have to get them alone again. She thought about how Kimberly and Thorne might have gotten together. Probably both saddened by her death, she imagined. But still she was surprised it had become romantic. She was sure that would change once they both knew she was alive. Her hopes of a family for little Adam were increasing. She and Thorne could do it if they both wanted it.

 

 

"Where did Ridge go?" Sean asked Brooke as he came out and found her sitting sadly alone on the couch.

"Stephanie called, we didn’t want her to be suspicious so he left, but now I’m second guessing myself. Is it really that important anymore Sean? We know the truth, we can’t go back in time. Maybe Ridge and Bridget and I should work on building a life together from this point and the hell with Stephanie and Taylor." She sighed and looked up at him, hoping he would agree with her.

"I’m not so sure Brooke. If you let her get away with this she’ll do worse later. Ridge may be right, he has her where he wants her. She has no idea that anyone knows and she thinks she can do it again. Can’t you hold on a few days?"

"Yes." She said sadly. "But I miss him already. It’s amazing Sean, in such a short time I have gotten so used to having him be a part of my every moment and I hate losing it."

"He’s still part of your every moment, he’s just not here, physically. Mentally he is with you Brooke." He sat down next to her and hugged her.

"Thanks, you always know exactly what I need to hear." She smiled. "Now what can I do for you? Can I talk to Becky?"

"Becky. No Brooke, I think Becky and I are all over."

"She is a sweet girl, but she is very young Sean." She reminded him.

"Don’t I know it." He said. "But you’re right, she is sweet and I miss that."

"Did Ridge leave?" Beth asked Brooke and Sean as she walked in.

"Yes, he went home to Mommy like a good boy." Brooke laughed.

"We have to talk to Bridget. We have to tell her what we know and what’s going on. We don’t want her to jeopardize it all by saying something." Beth said as she sat on Brooke’s other side. She looked at her daughter and laughed.

"What?" Brooke asked her.

"You. You’re really getting big. I hadn’t realized it. I hope the divorce doesn’t take too long. I’d really like my grandchild to be born after your wedding."

"If she is she is Mom." Brooke said. "I want it all to be legal this time and if that means waiting I will wait."

"I keep forgetting that you told us it’s a girl." Beth smiled. "Was Ridge happy?"

"Yes, he was thrilled. He kept referring to the baby as he but when Dr. Hennessy said it was a girl, well, we were both blown away."

"I hope that Ridge is sensitive to Bridget’s feelings when she’s born. It may be difficult on her seeing her new sister getting all the love from him that she lost out on." Sean said thoughtfully.

"But she really didn’t lose out on his love. Ridge always loved her, and so did Eric." Brooke suddenly looked pale. "Eric. I never thought about him. Oh Mom, this is going to kill him, especially if it was all Stephanie’s doing. He’s going to be furious with her." She then smiled at Beth.

"What are you thinking Brooke?"

"Well you and Dad are over and it looks like Stephanie and Eric are going to be over. Did you ever consider the two of you again?" Brooke asked her mother. Sean frowned at Brooke. "Don’t give me looks Sean, at one time they were both very much in love. It would be nice to see them both happy again."

"I can’t deny that I still think about him honey, but our ship has sailed." Beth said with resignation.

"I thought that about me and Ridge Mom and look at us now." Brooke grinned. "Want me to put a good word in with him?"

"No I don’t. I doubt he even knows I’m here in the US and maybe it’s better that way. If I do see Eric again it will be on my terms." Beth proclaimed to them.

 

Taylor took a sip of her iced tea and waited for Stephanie to return again. She had, at Stephanie’s request changed into a black bikini that she had left there and she was lounging on a chair. But she wasn’t as comfortable as she appeared. Something was up and she was growing impatient. "Oh God, I hope she isn’t trying to get us back together." Taylor said aloud to herself. She stood up and started to pace back and forth in front of the pool. "Come on Stephanie, come back and tell me what you are doing."

 

"Welcome home honey." Stephanie said to Ridge with a hug and a kiss. She snorted as she saw the large, black trash bags. "Don’t tell me she threw your things in there."

"She did." Ridge sighed. "She was angry at me Mother, but you are right, it was best to make a clean break. Now all I have to do is find a way to prove that her baby isn’t mine."

"Don’t fret about that, it’s all under control." She smiled. "I’m just so glad that your brother married Kimberly."

"I didn’t think you were happy about that." Ridge said to her.

"Oh I wasn’t, but with you gone I know Brooke would have tried to latch onto him. No, our family is finally Brooke Logan free! Hallelujah! Champagne for everyone!" She said with a laugh.

"Not until I’m free from her and her baby." Ridge reminded her. "I need that to happen before I can breath again." He stretched and yawned. "I guess I’ll go settle in. Is Dad home yet?"

"No he isn’t." Stephanie told him. "And you are not retreating to your room. Did you bring a swimsuit?"

"I’m sure there’s one in there." Ridge said as he pointed to the black bags.

"Well find it and change into it and come out to the pool. I’m having a casual dinner out there tonight. Helen is making her wonderful fajitas with warm tortillas, guacamole and pico de gallo. I was hoping you would whip up some margaritas for us." Stephanie told him as she gently touched his arm. "It’s so nice to have you here again honey."

Ridge was not in the mood to put up with his mother bashing Brooke but he also realized that the sooner he took care of this the sooner he could go back home to her. He missed her already and he hoped she wasn’t too lonely. He picked up one of the bags and then the another one. "Okay Mother, I’ll go up and change and meet you by the pool."

"Perfect. I’ll go check on Helen and the dinner. I think she has some salsa and chips for us to snack on."

 

 

"Where did you get that dress?" Megan asked Kimberly as she tried to walk past her desk unnoticed. Megan recognized it as one of the designs for the new showing and she knew Kimberly shouldn’t be wearing it. She wondered if Thorne had Okayed it.

"Oh hi Megan." Kimberly said. "Isn’t it pretty? Thorne and I are having dinner and he told me I could wear it. He had to leave for a phone call and I’m meeting him at the restaurant. I just wanted to go home and fix my hair."

"Kimberly I don’t think Thorne realizes that this dress is for the showing. No one should wear it until it’s shown to the public. Maybe I can help you find something from the last showing?" She suggested.

"No, this is what I want to wear." She said with a pout. "Besides, we already christened it." She giggled.

"Maybe I’d better call Ridge or Eric." Megan said as she reached for the phone.

"Maybe you’d better call the unemployment office instead. In case you don’t remember, I am a Forrester now, so in a way that means you work for me. My husband told me to wear this and I am wearing it."

Megan was so shocked she couldn’t find words. She stood dumbfounded as Kimberly walked past her and out of the building.

 

"Mom, do you want regular or frozen, Taylor?" Ridge asked with a sudden stop as he walked into the pool area. He hadn’t expected to see her there. His mother sure was a fast worker. Now he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He wasn’t ready for this yet.

"Your mother, she must have set this up." Taylor said apologetically. "I’ll go." She said as she stood and started to gather her things.

"It’s okay Doc, sit. She meant well." He walked over to her and hugged her. "You look nice."

"This is really uncomfortable Ridge. I mean I just saw my lawyer today and all. Maybe I better leave."

"Are the kids here?" He asked as he looked around.

"No, and that should have given it away. I can usually read people but I suppose I was distracted. She told me she wanted to spend time with me, alone. Now I can see she was trying to set us up. I’m sorry, I’ll leave." She turned to walk away.

"Taylor no." He said as he grabbed her hand. "I’d really like to talk to you."

"I think we’ve both said all that there is to say. But you know your mother, she never gives up." She smiled.

"Can we talk?" He asked.

"I suppose so. But I am not staying for dinner."

"Oh Doc, I think you will. Mother can be very persuasive." He laughed. She looked at him and smiled. They both sat down on a lounge chair and Stephanie smiled as she watched them from the entrance.

"That’s it honey, you get your wife back. She loves you and you love her. Mother will take care of that bitch and her baby, don’t you worry about that." She gave them one last look and walked back to the house.

"So how are the kids?" Ridge asked.

"Fine, they miss you, they don’t really understand what’s happening. Frankly neither do I." She admitted. "I mean it all happened so quickly. Everything came out, everything changed. I don’t know Ridge, I just don’t know how our lives got to this point. I thought we’d be together forever."

"So did I Doc." He sighed.

"I’m so sorry Ridge, I never knew, I never even imagined about the twins, but believe me I would never have lied to you. I truly thought they were ours. I guess I tried to suppress that night with Pierce and I did such a good job of it that it worked."

"Can I ask you something Taylor?" He took her hand and held it.

"Yes." She said hopefully.

"If you had known, would you have told us both, I mean right from the start?"

"You mean you and Pierce?" She asked.

"Yes. The girls are his Taylor and he was cheated of the first years of their lives. It has to hurt him. Would you have let him know if you had known?"

"What difference does that make now?" She asked.

"A lot. It goes to you being the person that I knew, the person that I married. I suppose I’m saying that the Taylor Hayes that I fell in love with could never have kept a father from his child. Am I right?"

She looked up into his eyes and her own eyes pooled with tears. "That’s so hard Ridge. I love you so much, I never would have wanted to take a chance at losing you."

"So you’re saying it would have been alright to hide the truth from Pierce, to protect what you wanted? And what about the girls? I mean, I love them, I love them so much it hurts, but Taylor, I’m not their father and they have a right to know their father don’t they?"

 

Brooke came out of the bedroom and down the stairs in the dress that Sean had made for her. It was her first real maternity dress and it fit perfectly. She spun around, showing the dress off for Sean and Beth.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Like an angel." Beth gushed.

"A big angel." Brooke laughed.

"Yes, you certainly can see that you are pregnant in that." Beth agreed. "I hadn’t realized just how big you already are."

"I am showing a lot. I guess all the teasing from Ridge was for real." She grinned. "Ridge." She sighed. "He’s only been gone a couple of hours and I miss him already."

"You can call off this nonsense Brooke." Beth told her.

"How Beth?" Sean asked.

"We know it was Stephanie. What good will it really do in proving it? All this is doing is keeping Ridge and Brooke apart. They’re both going to be miserable and isn’t that letting her win again?"

"Maybe Mom, but if we can prove she did it and how she did it she will have to pay." Brooke said.

"Pay how? You aren’t going to press charges against the mother of your future husband. How will she pay?" Beth asked.

"Because everyone will know what she did and how she was going to try and do it again. Bridget and Eric will both be disgusted with her. She’ll have to come off her high horse. I just want her to suffer like we all have had to over her schemes." Brooke said. She walked to the mirror and held the dress closer to her body. "She wants to ruin this little girl’s life too mother."

"But she didn’t ruin Bridget’s life Brooke. She was loved, very much loved. You were a good mother to her and Eric was a good father."

"He should have been a good Grandfather." Brooke reiterated.

"I suppose you’re right. I just don’t want to see you unhappy and this is making you unhappy."

"It’s only temporary. Soon Ridge will be back home and we can get married and we’ll be a family again." She said with a smile as she rubbed her extended belly.

"Mom?" Bridget said in shock as she walked in. "You’re pregnant!"

 

"Well when do you expect Mrs. Forrester back?" Pierce demanded of Catherine. He wanted to see the children, Taylor had promised him he could and the nanny was not being flexible at all.

"I don’t know Mr. Peterson. Maybe you can come back tomorrow." She suggested.

"Maybe I can come in and wait. It’s very important."

"I don’t think so, I’m busy with the children and I can’t exactly just leave you sitting here."

"Are you afraid that I’ll steal something?" He asked with a charismatic grin. Catherine felt herself wavering but then she remembered how someone had put that Band-Aid on Steffi.

"I don’t think so. Come back tomorrow please." She said, remaining firm.

"Do I look like a bad man Catherine? Taylor knows me, she works for me. Surely you trust me enough to just come in and wait. Besides, I’m great with kids. I can lend you a hand."

Catherine looked at his face. He looked so honest and so sincere. And Thomas had been acting up since Ridge had left. Maybe he would be good for the boy. "Alright, but you have to stay with me." She told him.

"Oh course." He smiled as he followed her inside the mansion that had once been his home.

 

Sally Spectra stood watching her daughter singing a lullaby to her grandson. She was still stunned by everything and oh so happy. Her baby was alive and the world was a good place again. It was amazing to her that after everything that Macy had gone through she still could sing with such love and emotion. But would that change when she learned the whole story about Thorne and Kimberly? Somehow Sally had not found herself able to tell her the last lurid detail. But she knew Macy had a right to know everything. She could handle it, she was almost positive but that one tiny bit of doubt made her hold back. She couldn’t bear to see Macy return to the bottle, not over Thorne Forrester. How she wished that he and Kimberly had just left town. She smiled again seeing Macy rock Adam. Adam, how her father would be proud of her. She wondered if he was still somehow keeping an eye on them. Somehow she felt he was.

"Mother?" Macy said turning to her. "I didn’t hear you come in."

"I was listening. You don’t know how much I’ve missed that beautiful voice of yours. Your son is a lucky little boy."

"I’m the lucky one." Macy replied. "I got a second chance, I got my family back." She looked down at her baby. "He’s asleep." She whispered. She gently put him down on the bed between two firm pillows so he wouldn’t roll off. "This makes me nervous." She told Sally.

"I knew it would, that’s why I sent Bucky and Darla out to find you a crib."

"Tonight?" Macy laughed.

"Oh yes tonight. And then tomorrow you and I will go and furnish an entire room. I told them to get a cheap one, we’ll donate it when we find one we both love for him."

"Oh Mom." Macy said with a hug. "I’m so happy. I love you so much."

"And I love you Macy." She put her arm around her and they watched the baby sleeping. "He is so perfect." Sally said as only a proud grandmother could.

"I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world." Macy said. "Come on, let’s let him sleep." She said as she led her mother out of the room. They went into the living room and sat down. "I can’t wait to see CJ. What time is he coming tomorrow?" Macy asked.

"That I don’t know honey. Clarke talked to him. But I’m sure as early as possible. Maybe we should have a party?"

"Hmmm." Macy frowned. "No, no party. I could have a party without Kimberly and I can’t have her to a party until we’ve talked about Thorne. I don’t know how serious she thinks it is, but once Thorne knows he’s a father it will change everything."

"You aren’t mad at her?" Sally wondered.

"No, how could I be. I was dead Mom. There was no reason for Thorne not to move on and Kimberly is a beautiful girl, even if she is way too young for him. I imagine they reached out to each other in their pain. Mom, I have to see her. Maybe I should call her?"

"I don’t think that’s a good idea. It was shocking enough for me to deal with in person. A phone call could put her in the hospital." Sally joked.

"True." Macy said. "I just hate to think of her all alone in that house. I wish she had moved in with you when Daddy left town."

"She did move Macy." Sally carefully started.

"She did? Is she living on campus now?" Macy asked excitedly.

"No, she moved into your house. Remember, you left it to her?" Sally said carefully. This had been true but she imagined that Kimberly was now living with Thorne. She was going to have to tell Macy. She just didn’t know how to do it.

 

"I think I know what you’re really talking about." Taylor said.

"And that is?" Ridge asked her.

"Brooke, and if she had married Thorne. Then you wouldn’t have known the baby was yours. Am I right?" She asked him. He knew it was the time to make a decision. He thought hard and quickly.

"Not exactly Taylor, but do you think I would have had a right to be upset?"

"You just lost the girls and then Brooke would have taken another child from you, yes, you would have had a right. But it didn’t happen." She smiled.

"Maybe it did. Maybe I’ve been taken for a ride again like I was with Bridget." He told her. He watched her face carefully, trying to gage her reaction.

"That was a mistake. You never believed that she lied to you, at least not after you took the time to think about it. What are you saying Ridge?"

"This isn’t my baby. I know it’s not my baby, but she’s pretending it is. I left her Taylor. I know I made a mistake, I know it may be too late for us but I was wrong and I’m sorry."

It killed him to see the look of pain and bewilderment on her face. She had been a good wife and he had loved her deeply. He didn’t want to hurt her but he needed to know if she had been involved. If she hadn’t then maybe, just maybe he could trust her.

"Oh Ridge." She said in a half whisper. "What are you telling me? What do you want from me?"

"Maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing for my mother to do. Maybe we moved too fast. Will you at least consider forgiving me and maybe letting me back into your life?" He asked her.

"I never expected this." She said. "Ridge, I don’t want you coming back to me because you’re angry with Brooke. I don’t even understand your accusations. Why would she pretend it’s your child? Do you think she did? Do you think she did with Bridget?"

"Yes. Yes to both Doc. This is not my child. It may be Thorne’s, it may be Damon’s, it may be the maintenance man’s, I just know it isn’t mine. I don’t want to be with her. I’m not in love with her and she’s trying to trap me like she did so many years ago. Can you help me Taylor? Can you help me get out of this?" He asked.

 

"Bridget!" Brooke gasped as she let the dress fall loose. "You startled me."

"And you’re pregnant!" Bridget said again. "Mom, why didn’t you tell me?"

"We were going to tonight. But you have your own little secret don’t you?" Brooke said as she looked at her daughter.

"Me?" Bridget asked innocently.

"Your, um father told me." Brooke smiled. She walked over to Bridget and hugged her. "Are you happy? Are you upset? You love him don’t you? Oh honey, I wish we had known all along. Please don’t be upset with me."

"Mom, you didn’t do it." Bridget said. "And yes I’m happy, but I’m feeling kinda weird about it all too. Dad is going to be so upset. I don’t know how we can tell him. But we have to and, oh Mom, this is so intense isn’t it?"

"It’s very intense." Brooke agreed.

Bridget looked and saw Sean and Beth. "They both know?" She asked.

"Yes, but they’ll both keep it a secret until we all decide how to handle it. Right Mom? Sean?"

"Oh course." Beth said as she joined them and hugged Bridget.

"You can count on me too." Sean told her. "But for now, I am going to leave this little family alone. Brooke, I’ll see you in the office tomorrow. Call me if you need me." He kissed her on the cheek. "Beth, Bridget, goodnight." He told them and he left.

"Why did you tell him?" Bridget asked after she watched his car drive away.

"It’s a long story honey." Brooke started. "Remember Ridge told you that he was planning on finding out how your paternity was mixed up?"

"Yes." Bridget said. "I think that he thinks it was Stephanie. But Mom, why would she want to hurt me and Dad?"

"She hates me honey. So Ridge already started working on it, but he didn’t tell me. I overheard something and I was very upset. I told Sean and he came over. When Ridge came home I confronted him and he had to tell me the truth, that’s about it."

"Where is he now?" Bridget asked.

"He went to stay with Stephanie and Eric." Brooke told her.

"He left you? Does he know you’re pregnant? It is his isn’t it Mom? It’s not Sean’s is it?" Bridget was scared. She had finally started to come to grips with her paternity and this would ruin everything. She wanted Ridge here, she wanted him to marry Brooke.

"He didn’t leave me. It’s a trick. He’s trying to trick Stephanie into confessing. But this is important Bridget, we can’t tell anyone that we know. Stephanie doesn’t know that he knows and she can’t find out. It would ruin everything so for now you can’t tell anyone, not even your Dad."

"Oh." Bridget said quietly.

"Did you tell someone?" Brooke asked her.

"No. But I thought we could tell Dad and Rick. Is it fair that Sean knows and Dad doesn’t?" Bridget said. She was nervous now. She started wrapping a strand of hair around her finger. She had told Caitlyn and Shelby, but they were cool. She’d call them tonight and make them promise not to say anything.

"It isn’t fair, but it won’t be for long sweetie, I promise." Brooke said as she smiled at Beth.

"So when is my new brother or sister coming?" Bridget asked. "Wow, this means that Rick is only my half brother but this baby will be my real brother."

"No it won’t." Brooke said.

"Mom! It’s not Sean’s? Is it Thorne’s?" Bridget asked with a frown. She didn’t like this at all.

"It’s Ridge’s, but she won’t be your brother, she will be your sister." Brooke giggled.

"It’s a girl? You know for sure?" Bridget sighed with relief. It was Ridge’s baby, they would be a family.

"We had the ultrasound today. It’s a girl, want to see her?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah." Bridget said. Brooke went to her purse and took the picture out and handed it to Bridget. She turned it in all directions before finally handing it back to Brooke. "Sorry Mom, but I can’t make out anything."

"Here." Brooke smiled and pointed. "That’s her head, and those right there, they are her legs. See her toes?"

"Um, no. But I’ll believe you. Did it hurt?" Bridget asked.

"I thought we talked about this before Bridget." Brooke said in a serious tone.

"Duh Mom, I don’t mean sex. I mean the ultrasound." Bridget said with a laugh.

"Sorry. Overprotective mother I suppose." Brooke sighed. "I guess I don’t ever want to see you growing up and talking about sex like something casual."

"So did it hurt?" Bridget said, trying to change the subject back.

"No, not at all. There’s nothing painful about it at all. If you want to come next time you’re welcome to."

"Maybe." Bridget said. "So when is the baby due?"

"I just started my fifth month." Brooke said. "And don’t you start counting backwards, this is Ridge’s baby. There are no doubts about it at all."

"I just don’t want it all to fall apart, that’s all." Bridget said. She stared at Brooke. "I must have been blind not to see. It’s so obvious you’re pregnant."

"I’ve been hiding it honey. But no longer. Ridge and I are both very happy. But for now we have to pretend that we’ve broken up. Ridge is going to try to convince his mother that he doesn’t want me or the baby. He wants to convince her to help him prove it’s not his child. He is going to try to convince her that he wants to go back to Taylor."

"Oh Mom. What if he really does?" Bridget gasped.

 

"What are you doing?" Thorne said sharply as Kimberly joined him at the Café Russe. "I told you to take that dress off!"

"I couldn’t. Not after we christened it." She smiled and kissed him. "We stained it you know?" She giggled. "Anyway, it looks so nice on me. Look at all the men looking at me."

Thorne looked around the room and in fact the men were staring at his sexy young bride. The dress clung to her and he knew she wore nothing at all under it. As mad as he was, he was also turned on. And he was flattered that his wife was with the object of so many other’s desires. He got up and held her chair out for her. "Didn’t you forget something?" He said under his breath.

"I thought you might want to fool around in the car on the way home. No need for panties." She cooed.

"Kim, this is not the Forrester Princess Line image. Ridge and Dad will be furious, not to mention Brooke."

"This is the image for Mrs. Thorne Forrester. I think it’s time they found a new princess. I don’t want that anymore."

"You can’t leave us high and dry with a showing coming up." He said.

"Okay." She pouted. "But this is the last showing. Okay? Besides, the princess really shouldn’t be pregnant."

"Good point." He laughed. He leaned over and kissed her.

"I love you Thorne." She told him.

He smiled back and sat down. It annoyed Kimberly that he never pronounced his love for her but that would come in time, especially after the baby. She knew in her heart that he did love her, he showed it in his actions and in the way he looked at her.

 

"Stephanie!" Eric called out to his wife. He looked at the two large black trash bags and frowned. "Stephanie! What is this?"

"Hello dear." She smiled and walked in. She came up to him and hugged and kissed him. "It’s Ridge’s, he’s come home."

"Ridge? He brought this here? Why?"

"It’s his clothes. He left that tramp. He’s here and he and Taylor are by the pool. It think they’re going to reconcile." She said happily. She looked at Eric and was taken back by the look on his face. He wasn’t happy. He looked ill in fact. She knew he liked Brooke but she had hoped he would support Ridge returning to his family. Family was always so important to both of them. "Why aren’t you happy?" She asked him.

"Stephanie he wanted to be with Brooke, I can’t imagine what could have changed this. Did you do something? I mean he and Taylor have both seen lawyers about a divorce. It’s insane to try and start again. It isn’t going to work out for them."

"It’s already working Eric. They were talking and holding hands. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he just goes home with her tonight instead of staying here. So you don’t go doing anything to spoil it. Go say hello and then leave them alone." She warned him.

 

"Help you how Ridge? Do you want me to talk to Brooke? Surely you don’t think she would confide in me. Ridge, Brooke and I don’t get along, that’s a fact and I have no respect for her tactics. But she loves you, I will never deny that, even if it is an obsessive love, it is love. I can’t imagine her doing what you accuse her of. I think you need to clear your head and think about what it is you want. You can’t be playing games with my emotions or Brooke’s either for that matter. You say you want me and yet you’ve filed for divorce. I am trying my hardest to move on and to remain civil, for the children at least but your confusion is making it so hard Ridge. So very hard." She took his hands in hers. "Do you really love me and want me back or is this some kind of payback for Brooke? I need to know Ridge, I deserve to know."

"You’re right Taylor, this isn’t fair to you but I just don’t know who I can believe, who I can trust. We need to talk." He said in a serious tone.

"I thought that was what we were doing."

"It is but this is really important. Taylor if you ever loved me and you ever cared about me now is the time to put all our differences aside, for the sake of a child, actually for the sake of all the children. I need to tell you something and I pray you will not betray me."

Taylor looked at the pain on his face and knew whatever this was that it was serious and deadly important to him. "You can trust me." She told him.

 

"I’d like to see her. Kimberly I mean." Macy told Sally. "Maybe I should drive over there. Will you stay with Adam?" Macy asked her.

"Honey, Thorne may be with her. Are you sure you can handle that? I don’t even know how you really feel about him any more."

"Neither do I." Macy admitted. "The last time I saw him we were saying goodbye and then the accident. It was so fast and confusing. He was so worried about me and of course about Brooke. But Adam changes everything, especially since he and Brooke never married. Mom, maybe we can make it again. I am still legally his wife I think. Anyway I think it’s time to see Kimberly and if Thorne is there I can get that over with too. So can I borrow your car?" She picked up Sally’s car keys.

"Macy wait." Sally said. "There’s something else you need to know."

"It can wait, I want to see her before I chicken out. I’ll see you later Mom." Macy said with a smile. "Wish me luck." She said and she walked out the door.

"I think I should wish Kimberly and Thorne luck too." Sally said to the closed door. "I hope you’re all prepared for this. None of your lives are ever going to be the same again."

 

"You want me to go in there and say hello and support them trying to make the marriage work? Stephanie I’m sorry but I think it’s a mistake. Brooke and Ridge are having a baby. The twins aren’t Ridge’s children. There is far too much for them to go back. I can’t and I won’t pressure them to make this marriage work because I don’t think it does work anymore. I don’t think they are in love anymore." Eric insisted.

"Don’t be so negative. It is meant to be. Not only that but Ridge told me, no never mind, we can go into this later." She said. "Go say hello and then give them so privacy until dinner. I’m going to check on Helen and see how she’s doing." Stephanie kissed Eric and walked out to the kitchen.

"No, Taylor no." Eric said softly. A look of determination crossed his face as he walked to the pool. When he got there he saw Ridge and Taylor sitting closely together on a lounge chair deep in conversation. "He can’t do this to her. He can’t do this to either of them, not now." He told himself. He walked towards them and cleared his throat. "Hello." He said, announcing himself.

"Dad." Ridge said looking up. Taylor blushed and looked up at him. Eric wasn’t sure how to take that.

"Hello son, Taylor. You’re mother told me you were both out here. What’s going on?" He asked, trying to sound casual.

"Well Dad, Brooke and I broke up and Mother invited me back home. She also invited Taylor to dinner. We were just catching up."

"It’s good to see you being civil to each other." Eric said to him.

"We never hated each other Dad. Anyway, do me a favor and entertain Taylor. I promised Mother I’d make the margaritas." He turned to Taylor. "Frozen or regular?"

"Regular please." She said.

"Dad?"

"That’s fine Ridge. No, actually I prefer frozen." He said realizing that would take longer to prepare.

"Salt?" He asked them.

"Of course." Taylor said with a smile.

"We can finish our conversation later." Ridge told Taylor. "I’ll be right back." He said. He smiled at them both and went into the house leaving Taylor and Eric staring uncomfortably at each other.

"So." Eric said. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" She asked.

"You and Ridge. Are you getting back together? Will you really reconcile with him?"

"Eric." She said softly. She walked over to him and gently touched his face. "Oh Eric." She said again as she leaned up to him for a kiss.

"Thank God." He said pulling her close.

"No, not here." She said, struggling from his arms.

"Stephanie had me frantic." He told her. He held tightly onto her hand. "I though I lost you forever."

"I’m really confused Eric. I’m confused about everything but I have no intention of going back to Ridge and I don’t think it’s what he wants either. He was starting to open up to me when you came in. Something strange is going on."

"So you think it’s odd that he left Brooke too?" He asked her.

"No." She laughed. "I never thought they would make it. She’s too selfish and fickle. Once she gets what she’s after she loses interest. But she isn’t married yet so I doubt she’s come to that point yet. No there’s something else and I think Ridge did want to tell me."

"Perhaps if we leave you two alone." He suggested, but he didn’t appear to like his own suggestion.

"I’m afraid the mood may have been broken. Whatever it is, it’s really bothering him. I wish I could help."

"Always the caring doctor, and friend." Eric told her. "So, did you see your lawyer?"

"Yes, she was wonderful. But I don’t think we should be talking about this. It’s too uncomfortable."

"I needed to see you today." He told her.

"I had hoped to see you too." She said softly. "But I couldn’t make Stephanie suspicious. I’m leaving right after dinner. I need to get home to the kids. I know she had hoped to get us back together but that really isn’t in the cards."

"I don’t want it to be." He said truthfully.

"Eric I don’t know. It’s so complicated."

"We can work it out Taylor, we both deserve happiness." He pulled her to him again and his lips covered hers. She responded with a sigh and her mouth opened to accommodate his tongue. The kiss was long and sensuous and finally she broke away.

"We can’t do this here. Ridge or Stephanie could see us and." His mouth cut off her protests and her arms snaked around him. "Don’t, please don’t Eric." She begged.

"Tonight, I am coming to you tonight Taylor, I will not take no for an answer."

"No isn’t my answer." She said as she gazed, lovingly, into his eyes.

 

Catherine stood at the doorway to the playroom in amazement. Pierce Peterson was on the floor finger-painting with the three children. His expensive, designer suit was probably ruined beyond compare and he didn’t seem to care at all. He was right, he was good with children and Ridge and Taylor’s children were no exceptions. She watched him lift Steffi high into the air. She was giggling and he was laughing and Phoebe and Thomas both waited patiently to be next. He was as kind and gentle with them as he was with the first child. Perhaps this would be the right man for Taylor if her marriage did indeed fail. She walked in carrying the tray of ice cream sundaes that she had prepared. "Is anyone hungry?" She announced.

"Ice kweem." Phoebe said happily. Steffi joined her with the cheer and Thomas looked at Pierce with a shrug as if to say "girls". He ruffled the boy’s hair and stood up.

"They look great." He told Catherine.

"Good, cause I made one for you too." She said. She put them down on the small play table. "But you all have to wash up first."

"Will you hep me Pierce?" Phoebe asked as she looked up at him adoringly. His heart melted. He was falling deeply in love with his daughters. He so wished that they could call him Daddy though. Pierce just wouldn’t do.

"Of course I will sweetheart." He said. He took one of each of his daughter’s hands and walked them into the bathroom.

"You want to go clean up too Thomas?" Catherine asked the boy.

"Okay." He said. He smiled at her and went to his own room, to his own bathroom to clean up.

 

Ridge looked around to make sure that he was alone and then he pulled out his cell phone. He quietly punched in a number. "Come on honey, answer, please answer."

"Hello." Brooke’s voice answered.

"Logan." He said. "Oh Logan I am missing the hell out of you."

"I miss you too Ridge. Where are you?" She asked.

"I’m at the bar making margarita’s. Taylor is here. Mother didn’t waste a minute trying to set us up again."

"Taylor?" She said sadly.

"Brooke stop. I’m yours. I love you. Please don’t worry about this." He told her.

"I just wish you were here. I’m so lonely without you."

"Oh me too. Logan, just say the word and I’ll forget about it. I don’t want to put any pressure on you or our baby."

"We’re fine, just melancholy." She admitted. "Bridget knows everything."

"Everything?" He asked.

"The plan, you living there, the baby."

"You told her without me?" He asked.

"No, Sean gave me a dress. I put it on and well, I can’t hide it anymore. She took one look at me and she knew. I had to tell her everything. You aren’t mad are you?"

"How could I ever be mad at you? No Logan, our daughter knows about her sister. It’s better that way. I know she’ll take care of you."

"That’s what you’re for." She laughed. He sighed deeply. Her crystal tones always got to him. He wanted to be in her arms, in her bed, in her body. He ached thinking about it.

"Soon Logan. In fact I think somehow we have to find a way to sneak off together tomorrow. I don’t think I can go a day without having you."

"I can almost taste you." She said suggestively.

"Are you trying to get to me?" He laughed. "How am I supposed to explain a hard-on to my parents?"

"Tell them Taylor did it." She giggled. "Nah, don’t do that. Think about elephants."

"I’d rather think about you." He laughed. "Shit, someone’s coming. I love you Brooke," He said before he shut the phone off.

Brooke held her phone to her heart. "I love you too Ridge."

 

Kimberly was practically on Thorne’s lap on the way home. They were touching and kissing and laughing. They had dined on Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce, poached asparagus, garden salad, twice-baked potatoes and Dark Chocolate Ecstasy Cake for dessert. They had shared a bottle of French champagne as well as brandy with their dessert. They had talked and laughed and danced and now they both wanted to be home in bed making love. Kimberly was planning on starting far before they got there. She pulled her gown up to her thighs and led Thorne’s hand until it was stroking her. She closed her eyes and leaned against him purring and cooing. "Let me do you too." She said.

"No, not while I’m driving." He warned her.

"Silly boy. You can handle it." She said as she unzipped his fly. He moaned loudly as she freed him.

"Kim please." He begged.

"We’re going to be so ready we won’t make it to the bedroom." She laughed.

"We might not even make it in the door." He agreed. He started to laugh with her but soon her touching and stroking was making him far too crazy. He turned down the street to his house almost out of control he pulled into the driveway. They fumbled at each other’s clothing. Neither one of them was willing to go the distance to the house. Almost before he had the engine turned off he was inside her and her legs were tightly wound around him.

 

Next door waiting outside the darkened cottage Macy turned towards Thorne’s home. She saw the car in the driveway and noticed that the windows were steamed. "It’s them." She said to herself. She got up from the chair she had been sitting on and walked closer to the other home. "Oh God, this is embarrassing. Should I wait or stop them? I can’t give them a heart attack by knocking on the car window but they wouldn’t want me to watch them. I know." She suddenly said with a smile. She got into Sally’s car and started the engine. She carefully pulled out of the driveway and into Thorne’s. Once she was in back of the car she hit the horn three times and sat in the car waiting.

 

"Were you talking to someone?" Stephanie asked Ridge as she approached him at the bar. "And what are you doing here?"

"No I wasn’t talking to anyone and I was making margaritas, like you asked me to."

"You left Taylor all alone?" She was stunned.

"She’s talking to Dad. Come on Mom, give me time. This can’t happen overnight. There have been a lot of bad feelings. It’s going to take a lot of work to get her to trust me again, if she ever does."

"She will." Stephanie told him. "I really had hoped you’d be going home tonight."

"Not tonight Mother, but at least we’re talking." He said. He added ice cubes to the blender. "Do you want regular or frozen?"

"Regular, no salt, you know I have to stay away from sodium." She told him.

"That I do. Why don’t you go join Dad and Taylor and I’ll be in with the drinks in a minute."

"Alright, if you’re sure nothing is going to happen tonight." She said with a sigh.

"Promise." He said. She kissed him on the cheek and left for the pool. Once she was gone Ridge took out his phone and hit redial. "Logan?" He said.

"Ridge." She sighed.

"Sorry about that, Mother was in here. I just wanted to say goodnight again."

"Ridge?"

"Yeah?"

"Please hurry, we miss you." She said as she patted and looked down at her belly.

"You have my word. I love you."

"I love you too." She said. "See you tomorrow."

"Was that Ridge again?" Bridget asked.

"Yes." Brooke answered with a smile. "So does that answer your question?"

"Yeah, he loves you." She sighed. She walked over to Brooke and hugged her.

"And he loves you too honey." She told her.

 

"I think I have it." Eric said quickly as he reached for Taylor’s eye. She looked at him in shock and then realized what was happening.

"Thank you, It really hurt." She said.

"What’s going on?" Stephanie asked.

"Taylor had something in her eye." Eric explained. He winked at Taylor who smiled back.

"But Eric got it out."

"Good. Ridge is making the drinks." She said.

"I could use one." Eric said under his breath.

"What dear?" Stephanie asked.

"I said I will enjoy that. He makes a good margarita."

"Yes he does." Taylor agreed.

"Do you two have some secret?" Stephanie asked.

"No, why?" Taylor said with a quick look at Eric.

"You are both acting so strangely." She said.

"Are we?" Eric approached his wife and put his arm around her. "Actually it’s you who is acting strangely. After all, you’re the one doing the matchmaking."

"And it’s working isn’t it?" She winked at Taylor who blushed.

"Here we go." Ridge said as he entered with the drinks. He handed them out and soon the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

 

"Who the hell is that?" Thorne said as he pulled out of his wife.

"No, don’t stop." She moaned.

"Kim, someone is here. I’m not into giving free shows." He tried to look out the windows but they were steamed over from their passion. He straightened out and helped Kim with her dress and then they got out of the car. He took her hand and they walked towards the car. They both stopped in a stunned shock when Macy stepped out of the car to greet them.

"Hello." She said. "I guess I’m the last person you ever expected to see."

 

Chapter 33

 

"No it is not working." Taylor told Stephanie. "You have to realize that it’s over Stephanie. Ridge and I are talking, we are trying to communicate better, we have to for the children, but too much has happened, even if we wanted to get back together too much has happened."

"Oh pooh." Stephanie said, dismissing the thought. "A good marriage needs work, it’s not always roses and lollipops but a good marriage is enduring. Tell them Eric." She instructed her husband.

"Sometimes no matter how good it was, it doesn’t always stay that way." He told her. His eyes met Taylor’s but she quickly looked down.

"Don’t listen to him honey." Stephanie warned Taylor. "You are Ridge are meant to be together, you both know it. Sometimes love is hard work but true love is always worth it."

"Mother don’t pressure her." Ridge said sternly.

"Let’s leave them alone Eric, they can work things out better alone." Stephanie grabbed his hand and started to pull him away from the patio.

"You don’t have to leave mother." Ridge laughed. "Just stop pressuring Taylor."

"It’s alright dear, your father and I would like some private time too." She smiled at him.

"Have fun then." Ridge said with a grin. He and Taylor watched the older couple leave. Once they were gone Ridge turned to Taylor. "Sorry. I don’t know what gets into her sometimes."

"She means well." Taylor said with sad smile. "Your mother wants us both happy."

"I do too Taylor." Ridge agreed. Taylor looked at him with a strange expression on her face.

"I can’t read you Ridge. First it seems like you want to get back together, then you don’t, then you seem to have some secret you want to tell me and then you hold back. Can’t we at least be honest with each other? After all we’ve shared Ridge I expect that much."

Ridge looked at her, he stared deeply into her eyes making her a little nervous. Taylor let a tiny laugh escape but held back from saying anything. She knew something was bothering Ridge deeply and she really wanted to help him. All animosity aside she loved him, maybe they would never be a couple again but her love hadn’t disappeared. Ridge took a deep breath and started to talk.

 

"Thorne?" Kimberly gasped grabbing his arm. "Who is that? Who is that?"

"It’s a joke, it’s someone’s idea of a sick joke Kim." He told her, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of the woman who looked so much like his dead wife.

"And who would be joking and what would be the purpose?" Macy asked him.

"Macy is dead, I saw her die. Who the hell are you?" Thorne demanded. "Who are you and who sent you here?"

"Thorne, Kimberly, I’m not trying to upset you. I’m really not. I am Macy. I’m alive." She walked towards then. Kimberly held tightly to Thorne as she stepped back. "I’m not going to hurt you Kimberly." Macy said softly. "But we need to talk, we all need to talk."

"Thorne." Kimberly said again. She looked at his face and saw that his expression had changed. Gone was the fear and anger, replacing it was confusion and something else, something that scared her.

"It’s really you." Thorne said. "It’s really you."

"It is and I can explain, if you give me a chance I can explain everything." Macy said. A breeze started to blow from the ocean and she crossed her arms in front of her, shivering from the cold.

"Let’s go inside." Thorne said to her.

"Yes, let’s." Macy agreed.

 

"I wonder what Ridge is doing or saying." Bridget said to Brooke. "Do you really think that he’ll be able to prove it was Stephanie?"

"If anyone can do it Ridge can." Brooke assured her. "Stephanie has always favored him. She won’t suspect him, not if he’s careful. I just hate that he is going to be making Taylor think they have a chance."

"Why? Why should you even care about her?" Bridget wondered.

"Because I don’t think she would have anything to do with this. Yes, she hates me but she loves you and I just can’t see her causing you so much pain. And Ridge too, if she knew you were really his daughter I think she would have welcomed you into her life, her home. I think she might have tried to get you to leave home even. No, Taylor wouldn’t hurt you, I’m almost positive of that." Brooke said thoughtfully.

"But I thought Stephanie loved me too." Bridget said.

"You know honey, she does. But she hates me more. She knew that Eric loved Rick and would love you as well. To her she was providing you a good father while depriving me her son. It was all justified in her head. The woman is sick Bridget, I know I never will but I hope some day you can forgive her." Brooke said. She walked to the mantle and looked at a photo of her two children. She smiled and picked it up. "I just hope you realize that I love you the same no matter who your father is. I always did."

"I know that Mom." Bridget told her.

Brooke hugged her tightly. "So are you excited about having a new baby sister?"

"Um, I guess. But Mom, aren’t you a little old to be having a baby?"

"Thanks a lot." Brooke replied with a giggle.

"I guess you’re not. But I mean you’ve already done all the diaper stuff. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

"Honey this baby is already so loved and so wanted, by both her parents. She is going to have everything that Ridge and I weren’t able to give you, and we will also try to make it all up to you too. We’re going to be so happy Bridget, all of us."

"I love her Taylor." Ridge said. "I love her and I want a life with her." Taylor felt her heart sink. She turned away so he couldn’t see her pain. Even though she already resigned herself that her marriage was over, hearing Ridge say these words were like a knife to her heart. But she had promised him that she could be trusted and she knew something was wrong so she took a deep breath and turned back to face him.

"What’s wrong Ridge? Something happened, something you want to talk to me about."

"It’s all so complicated. I want to trust you, I want to but I just don’t know if I can." He said sadly.

"Once we put all the pain and heartache aside Ridge, we still have love don’t we? I know I can’t just forget all the happiness we’ve shared. I won’t betray you. And I won’t try to hold onto you."

"I found out something Taylor, something that would have changed all our lives. And now I need to know the how’s and the why’s. I guess I’m asking you to help me. But it won’t be easy, I am going to ask a lot of you and even if you can’t do it I’m going to ask you at least to not speak of this."

"It’s something very serious isn’t it?" She asked him. "Is this about the girls Ridge? I swear I’ve told you everything."

"I lost my daughters Taylor." He said. "I loved them and I’ve lost them."

"You will always be the man who raised them, they will always love you Ridge. I want you to still be in their lives. I mean you couldn’t come and see Thomas and ignore them could you?" She asked in fear.

"Never. Taylor I still think of them as mine, they aren’t but my mind hasn’t fully adjusted to that. But I don’t want to cause them more pain and confusion. As much as I hate to say it Pierce has rights, they are his girls and he needs to be their father. Have you talked to him about how you want to tell them?" He asked her.

"They’re babies Ridge, they won’t understand." She was shocked that he even thought this way. She intended for them to know, but not for a long, long time.

"They are young, but the can sense something is wrong. They may not really understand but now is the time for Pierce to bond with them. You can’t do this to them Taylor. They may grow up to resent all of us."

"So you want us all to tell them?" She asked. "But Ridge, what does this have to do with Brooke?"

"Nothing, this has nothing and yet everything. Taylor, Bridget is my daughter." He said point blank. Her expression went from shocked to confused and back to shocked.

"But how? Why? Ridge I don’t understand. There were tests, many tests. How could this be true. Dear God don’t tell me Brooke is still so insecure that she’s pulling this crap on you again. Ridge think about this. Do you really want to spend you life with someone who would deceive you like this?" She asked this and then thought of their own situation and blushed. "I didn’t deceive you. I didn’t know." She added halfheartedly.

"Brooke always suspected she was mine. She made a comment a couple of months ago but I ignored it. I put it up to her trying to get me back. But it gnawed on my mind. Little things about her reminded me of myself."

"Bridget is your sister." Taylor said. "Of course things are similar between you two. Don’t do this to yourself Ridge. I know it’s because you lost the twins, but trying to do this won’t make that go away. Besides, she’s grown. You can’t go back in time. And do you want to put Bridget and Eric through the embarrassment again? Or even Brooke for that matter. Think about how pathetic she’ll look."

"Bridget and I had the tests done. We told no one. We wanted to know and now we do. I just told Brooke and Beth tonight." He confessed.

"You had tests done? You mean it’s true?" She gasped.

"It’s been true all along. I was denied my daughter practically all her life Doc. That’s why I’m sympathetic to Pierce, not that I care about the idiot."

"And Brooke didn’t have a part in all this?" She asked him.

"We had talked about it but she refused to do anything. She told me she had her suspicions but she was not going to hurt Bridget or Dad again." He explained. "But when I was talking to Bridget one day, well I just had to ask her if she was willing to find out. She was, we did and now we know. Like I said, I never mentioned it to Brooke at all. Bridget wanted time to get used to it all but Brooke overheard something that I said to my Mother and I had to tell her. And Beth was there so she knows too."

"Beth?" She asked. "Beth Logan?"

"Brooke’s mother came home from Paris with her."

"Why? Was Brooke that upset then?" Taylor asked him. She didn’t even want to think about Beth Logan being in town and what complications that could add to her life.

"Beth and Steven are divorced. Beth moved back home. She’s living with Brooke and Bridget." He told her. He was so absorbed in his own problems that he never even noticed how Taylor had paled at the news. She clutched the arm of the chair and sat down in shock.

"D-d-do you think she’ll make a play for Eric?" Taylor said in a half whisper.

"She’d better not Doc." Ridge told her. "I like Beth, but I certainly can’t support her breaking up my parent’s marriage."

Thorne had ushered Macy and Kimberly into the house and made a pot of coffee. Kimberly was scared and still not trusting. She stood as far away from Macy as possible but wouldn’t take her eyes off of her. Thorne came in with a tray and poured them each a steaming cup. He handed one to the nearly comatose Kimberly and then one to Macy. She took a sip and smiled.

"You still remember how I like it." She told him.

"There is nothing about you I could ever forget Macy. Now please, tell us what happened, how you’re here, where you’ve been all this time." He sat next to her on the couch and to Kimberly’s dismay, took her hand in his.

"I didn’t mean to shock you. I just thought if I didn’t make myself known soon, well things could have gotten a bit embarrassing." She told them. She looked over to her sister and held her hand out to her. "Kimberly, won’t you please come sit near me? I promise I’m not a ghost."

"I-I-I’m fine here." Kimberly stuttered.

"She’s shocked Macy, we both are." Thorne explained. "I never in a million years imagined that you could be alive. I prayed but still." He stopped.

"I was in bad shape that night Thorne. I had lost you to Brooke. I think I needed to forget everything and my brain let me. I had amnesia. I didn’t know who you were or even who I was." She told them.

"How did your memory return?" He asked.

"Slowly, very slowly things were coming back to me. Words, names, smells." She told him. "I kept seeing this red headed woman, Mom. And then certain things effected me. I was at a park with a friend and her son gave me a flower. I pricked myself on a thorn." She laughed. "And for some reason I freaked. Isn’t that funny?" She asked.

"Hilarious." Kimberly said sarcastically. Macy looked at her sadly and Thorne shot her a look of outright contempt.

"Another thing was the water, there was a little brook and I hated it. I didn’t know why but every time someone said something about the brook I felt angry. It was all right below the surface."

"How convenient." Kimberly muttered.

"I know you’re confused honey, so am I." Macy told her sister. "And I also know things aren’t the same as when I left. I realize time has passed, but there are things that will always be." She looked at Thorne and smiled. He squeezed her hand and smiled back at her.

"So all these clues, you mean one day you just remembered?" Thorne asked.

"I think so, but it was an issue of Eye on Fashion that did it." She smiled at him. "I saw you, and I saw me and then I saw Brooke and it all came back to me. I went home, got the" She stopped short. She wasn’t ready to tell him about his son.

"Got what?" Thorne asked.

"Suitcase. I got my suitcase and I left. I came home."

"How long have you been here?" Kimberly asked her.

"I just got here honey. I saw Mom and Clarke and Darla and then I knew I had to see you." She said, looking at Thorne and then Kimberly.

"It’s a miracle." Thorne said. "But how did you survive the explosion?"

"I was thrown. The truck driver freed me and seconds later the car exploded. I was thrown and when I woke up I just ran. I don’t know why. I was scared and confused."

"If only I had known." Thorne said. "I would have had them search for you, you would have been with us all this time. Macy, can you forgive me?"

"You did nothing wrong Thorne. You thought I was dead, I don’t blame you. I blame it all on myself. I almost killed Brooke and I did kill that driver." She said sadly.

"No you didn’t, it was an accident. She was trying to help you Macy, it wasn’t your fault." Thorne tried to assure her.

"But I wanted to die Thorne, and I wanted Brooke to die too. I was a terrible person."

"No Macy, you were never a terrible person, never." He moved closer to her and to his young wife’s dismay took her into his arms and held her.

 

Megan sat down alone at a dark table at Mannequins. She made sure she was as far away from the crowd as possible. She blew out the candle that was lit on the table and hid her face behind the menu. Now all she had to do was wait. She looked at her watch again. She was right on time. She ordered two Cosmopolitans and shooed the waitress away. Nervously she checked to see if there was anyone else there that she knew. She turned towards the bar and looked there and when she turned back she was no longer alone.

"I didn’t hear you." She said to her companion.

"I didn’t want to be heard."

"I think we should go somewhere else." Megan said nervously.

"No one here knows me, at least they wouldn’t recognize me."

Megan looked across the table and nodded in agreement.

"Do you have anything for me?"

"Something is going on. I’m not sure what it is though." Megan said.

"Not good enough. I need more."

"I’m doing the best I can, but she doesn’t trust me anymore." Megan said apologetically.

"And that should never have happened. So what do you think is going on?"

"Something with Ridge." She said.

"It’s always Ridge isn’t it?" Her companion asked with a laugh. "Good, I’ll take them both down."

"I think they’re going to self destruct anyway. She ran out crying and Ridge was in with Stephanie. I think he’s done with her." Megan said as she carefully looked around.

"Why are you such a scared rabbit? No one knows why you’re here. And no one knows me at all."

"Giovanni comes here a lot." Megan said.

"So?"

"I’m dating him." Megan said.

"Can we use him?"

"No, he’s loyal to her." Megan said.

"Then it’s over. You aren’t dating him anymore."

"Please, I like him."

"Sorry Megan, casualties of war."

"The waitress is coming." Megan said.

"Good, I’m thirsty and hungry too."

"She’ll remember you." Megan said.

"No she won’t." Her companion laughed. "No one will remember me, not until I want them to."

 

"What is it you want me to do?" Taylor asked after she regained her composure. The thought of another woman after Eric had hit her hard. She didn’t realize how much she had counted on him until it occurred to her that someone else might well get him.

"Let me finish okay?" He said.

"Alright Ridge." She said.

"Bridget and I had the test done, the results were conclusive. Bridget is mine, there is no doubt whatsoever."

"I don’t understand Ridge, how can that be. The last time there were tests done at three independent labs. How could they have all been wrong?"

"They’re wrong because the people who arranged the tests were paid to give the results they gave. Remember everyone was blaming Brooke, hell, I was blaming Brooke. We all thought she had something to do with the first test so everyone watched her. But they were watching the wrong person." Ridge said.

"You are not suggesting what I think you are." Taylor said. "No way Ridge, she’d never do that to Eric or to Bridget."

"She’d do anything to keep us apart. She placed the doubts in my mind Doc."

"Even if she wanted to, it didn’t make a difference. You went back to Brooke." Taylor protested.

"But I never trusted her again, not like I should have. Brooke was innocent Taylor, my mother did it. She made the tests show that Dad was her father, she did it all to keep me from Brooke. She did it then, and she’s ready to do it now." Ridge said.

"You doubt the paternity again?" Taylor was shocked. She was so confused.

"Not for a second, but that is not what Mother thinks. I told her that it’s not my baby and that Brooke was trying to trap me. I told her I wanted to go back to you."

"You did what?" She shouted.

"Shhhhh, Doc please, I don’t want to alert my mother."

"How could you put me in the middle like that Ridge? Or were you planning on stringing me along too?"

"I don’t know what I was planning. I didn’t want to hurt you. I wanted to trust you and to see if you’d help me."

"You bastard. You left me for her and now you want me to help you destroy your mother, my friend, for her? For a woman who has hated me from the moment she met me? Damn you Ridge. You are the most cruel, thoughtless man I’ve ever known. I will not betray your mother, not for some stupid notion that Brooke Logan put in your head. Your mother would never do that! Never!"

"She told me not to worry about it, that she’d take care of everything. Taylor she’s ready to fix the tests again!" He tried to explain.

"Maybe she really believes you Ridge, maybe she thinks the baby isn’t yours. Maybe it’s not! Brooke was with Sean and with Thorne. That’s a one out of three chance Ridge. Think about that."

"I won’t even justify that with an answer." Ridge angrily replied.

"Why not? You know it’s true. She’s always been like that. Remember Grant? She had you and still she couldn’t keep her hands off of him."

"Shall we talk about Pierce?" Ridge asked to her dismay. He saw the shame on her face as she turned away. He gently touched her face and turned her back to him. "Let’s not make this ugly Taylor. Brooke was alone and single when she and Damon were together and that was a long time ago. It’s long been over."

"And Thorne? She was going to marry him Ridge."

"She never slept with him."

"Of course you believe that." She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I do Taylor. Because Brooke told me so. But even if she had slept with him it is not his child. This is my baby. My point is that I wanted to trap my mother into admitting that she can do this and has done it before."

"Why Ridge? What do you hope to accomplish by that? You’ll alienate your mother, the woman who loves you more than life itself and why? If you already know Bridget is yours then fine. You can’t bring back the past. Let it go Ridge, please let it go." She begged him.

"Someone has to pay Taylor. Someone has to pay for what she did to all of us and that includes you."

"Me? No Ridge, don’t put me into your little fantasy."

"Taylor if I has totally trusted Brooke things would have been different. All of our lives would have been different."

"What are you saying?" She asked. "That you wouldn’t have married me again?"

"Yes." He admitted softly.

"And this is supposed to make me want to help you?" She asked as against her will her eyes pooled with tears.

"It’s not that I didn’t love you Taylor, I did. But if all the suspicions were gone I never would have left her like that and I never would have asked you to."

"To marry you?" She finished.

"No, to model the dress at the showing. And ultimately to marry me yes. I would have proposed to Brooke and we would have been married."

"So because you think your mother lied about Bridget, now you claim that you and Brooke would be married today? I’m sorry Ridge but I don’t think so. If that were true then all the things you told me, all the love we shared, it would be a lie. It would be a lie and I refuse to believe that." She told him.

"Taylor don’t do this. I’m just trying to make you understand what my mother did to all of us. I’ve lived a lie for years and I’m mad, I’m very mad."

"A lie? Our love was a lie? Ridge you are making this worse and worse by the moment. I can’t keep talking to you. It hurts, it hurts that you’d do this to me." She said sadly.

"I’m sorry. It’s just all made me so angry. Please don’t take it personally. I don’t mean to hurt you. I’m really sorry. I’m just so disappointed in my mother. You can understand that can’t you?" He asked her.

"I could if I believed she did it but I don’t Ridge, I don’t."

"So you won’t help me?" He asked her.

"No. I’m sorry Ridge but no. For more reasons than you can even imagine." She told him.

"Are you going to tell her what I told you?" He asked her. He was scared, scared that he had made the wrong decision in trusting her.

"No. I won’t say anything to her, but I won’t help you deceive her. For whatever reasons you doubt her, I will try and respect your opinion but I will not help you trap her. But if she asks me if we are reuniting I will tell her no."

"That’s fair." Ridge said. "I’ll have to come up with another plan."

"Just ask her Ridge. Confront her and be done with it." She advised him.

"She’ll deny it, she’ll blame Brooke somehow and she’ll deny it. I won’t have my family hurt."

Taylor winced at his choice of words. "Your family? Who exactly do you consider your family now?"

"Brooke, Bridget and the baby." He told her. "And of course Thomas."

"So now the girls and I as well as your parents mean nothing?"

"I never should have approached you on this. Taylor please try and forget this conversation."

"I’d like to forget the day I met you." She said angrily. "In fact the days of crying over you are over. The Ridge I loved is gone and I don’t like this new man who took his place, I don’t like him one bit." She grabbed her things and walked away from him leaving him frustrated and unsure of what his next move should be.

 

Ridge sat and thought for quite some time after Taylor left. He had been counting on her help and now he had to handle it himself. He needed to see Brooke, he needed to hold her, to kiss her, to make love to her. "What the hell am I doing sitting here without her?" He asked himself. He then got up and walked through the house and was about to open the front door when Stephanie stopped him.

"Where are you going and where is your wife?" She asked.

"I’m going for a drive and I have no idea where Taylor went Mother." He said as he reached for the door knob.

"Did you have a fight? Ridge you have to go after her, you love her, you need to make her see that your nonsense with Brooke was nothing but, well nothing but nonsense."

"I’m afraid it’s not in the cards for us Mother. She turned me down flat. Maybe Peterson has gotten to her. I need to go out and clear my head."

"You can’t let her go so easily. You hurt her honey, you have to work hard to show her how much you love her and your family." She said sympathetically. Then suddenly an icy look came over her face. "You aren’t going to see that bitch are you?"

Ridge was so tempted to end the charade at that point. He loved Brooke, he loved her and he wanted to be with her, but he also owed it to her to make Stephanie pay for what she had done to them. He turned around and gave him mother a broad smile. "No Mother, I have no intention of seeing Brooke. I just need to regroup over Taylor’s rejection. No, I don’t want anything to do with Brooke and her baby. I just wish."

"Wish what honey?"

"I wish I had a way to prove it isn’t mine. I don’t know if she’ll agree to a test and like I told you before I’m scared if she does she’ll get it doctored like the first test with Bridget. When I think of how long I believed her lies and how she deceived us all it makes me sick. I really thought she had changed this time, I was so stupid to throw away my marriage for her."

"You were stupid. But she is a whore and when she flashes her body you respond. But never again." She smiled slyly at him. "You just let me handle Brooke Logan. You concentrate on getting your wife to forgive you."

"What do you have planned Mother?" He asked.

"Don’t you worry about it. I’ll take care of everything." She looked at the table which had been set for dinner for four. "Now if only your father would get back, at least the two of us could eat."

"Where’s Dad?" Ridge asked.

"He got a phone call a little while ago and he said he had to go out."

"Is it work?"

"Let your father handle that. You need to work on Taylor." She smiled. "You take your drive and then go to her, even if it is only to see the children. Prove to her that you are a family honey."

"Alright mother. Maybe I will." He smiled.

"I hope I don’t see you until tomorrow at the office." She said with a hug.

"Hey, you never know." He smiled back at her.

 

Taylor opened the door before Eric even had a chance to ring the bell. She threw herself into his arms and their mouths met in a kiss.

"God it was torture seeing you with him, listening to Stephanie talk about a reconciliation." He told her when they finally parted.

"I’m with the only man I want." She assured him.

"Do you mean that?" He asked.

"Oh yes Eric. I really mean it." She pulled him back to her and kissed him again.

"I love you Taylor." He said softly. "I love you and I want you to be my wife."

 

"Knock knock." Brooke said as she walked into Beth’s room.

"Hi honey." Beth smiled.

"What do you think?" Brooke asked as she twirled around in the cream colored negligee and wrap.

"It’s lovely, and it fits you so well. Did Ridge get that for you?"

"Actually Sean did." Brooke blushed.

"Honey? Are you sure you aren’t encouraging him? I think he really does love you."

"He told me it was really for Ridge." Brooke giggled. "It was his first design for the bedroom line. You don’t think it’s too tight do you?"

"Not at all, at least not yet." Beth said as she walked over and felt the material. "I love satin, it feels so good on the skin."

"I know." Brooke agreed. She sat down on Beth’s bed with a pout.

"Now what’s wrong?"

"I just wish I had a reason to wear it tonight. When he gave it to me before I was so excited but since then all this stuff happened and Ridge left and oh Mom I miss him so much."

"He won’t be gone forever. But if you don’t want his to stay away then tell him. Tell him you don’t care about Stephanie and what she did. After all honey, it was a long time ago. Maybe you can make peace with her if you just let it go."

"If I really thought that could happen I would Mom. I’ve tried so hard for so long to have that woman accept me. She’s done nothing but harm to my whole family and still I wanted to please her. But this time Ridge is mad and he wants her punished." She sighed. "How can I go against him with that?"

"You don’t have to go against him. Just tell him that revenge isn’t that important to you, at least not as important as your love for him and his children is."

"You’re a wise woman Mom." Brooke smiled. "And I think you’re right. I mean, I really don’t care what she did or what she wants to do. Ridge and I know the truth and we are finally on the same page. She can’t hurt us any longer. Maybe some day she’ll come to at least tolerate me."

"Then tomorrow at the office tell him Brooke, tell him and call off this act. You and Ridge can start your life like you both want."

"I will Mom, you always have the answers." She said as she hugged her. "Now I better get out of this and put on something more appropriate for an evening with you and Bridget." She laughed.

"Do that and I’ll have to kill you." Ridge said as he walked into the room.

"Ridge!" Brooke shouted. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. "You came home, oh thank God, you came home."

"What’s this all about." He asked her. She was softly crying as she clung to him. "Brooke what happened? What’s wrong?"

"I don’t want you to go. I don’t care about proving anything against your mother. Please let’s forget the whole thing Ridge. Please stay with me. I don’t want to be alone anymore." She begged.

"Come on." He said as he led her out of Beth’s room. "Let’s go into our room and talk this over."

"I just want you to hold me and love me Ridge."

"I do Brooke, you know I do." He lifted her into his arms and lovingly carried her into the bedroom.

 

"Thank you Thorne. It’s nice to know that you still believe in me, even if I’m not sure I can believe in myself anymore." Macy said.

"I’m just so stunned Mace, I can’t seem to come up with the questions I want to ask you." He told her.

"You have plenty of time Thorne, I’m not going anywhere now. I’m home again." She told him with a bright smile. Then she turned to her sister. "Kimberly I am so happy to see you again, you can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you."

"I’ve missed you too Macy." She said with apprehension.

"Honey, I know about you and Thorne." Macy said to ease her sister’s discomfort. "And I know we can work it all out. I mean you thought I was dead." She looked at Thorne again. "I know things are strange and strained too, but we all love each other and that will make it easier. I can’t expect things to be the same, we can’t just pick up where we left off now can we?"

"Everything is different now." Kimberly muttered.

"I know that honey, they are for all of us. I know about you and Thorne. This will be his decision, after he has all the facts and after he gets over the shock." Macy told her. "I remember that things were bad for us as a couple then, I know he loved Brooke, but apparently that’s over." A sad look came over Thorne’s face and Macy then realized that it was far from over. Thorne still loved Brooke, but she had hurt him.

"Brooke is ancient history." Kimberly told her.

"And you and Thorne turned to each other, I do understand that Kimberly. But there’s something that Thorne needs to know." Macy explained.

"What is it Macy?" He asked softly.

"It doesn’t matter Macy. Thorne and I are happy now." Kimberly protested.

"If you both are as happy as you say then you have nothing to be scared of do you Kimberly?" Macy asked her. She loved her sister but she was a bit annoyed at her. Instead of being happy she was feeling threatened.

"Well what is it?" Kimberly challenged her.

"This is really between Thorne and me." Macy told her.

"Thorne and I don’t have secrets." Kimberly said almost rudely.

"I wish I didn’t feel such hatred from you Kimberly." Macy said sadly.

"Mace, maybe it’s best you tell us both." Thorne suggested.

 

Ridge led Brooke to the bed and sat her down. He sat next to her and gently pulled her into his arms. "Logan, what’s gotten into you? Why are you so upset?"

"It all just seems so stupid and meaningless Ridge. Why should we suffer any longer? She’s already kept us apart for so long and now to let her think she’s gotten the better of me again, I mean I just don’t know if I can handle it. Call it hormones, call it anything but I want you here, I want you with me. I just don’t care about proving a point that she won’t even care about. She’ll still hate me and she’ll still deny everything. It’s not like we’d do anything anyway."

"I know, I miss you too Logan. But this is important. Can’t you see that I’ve let my mother lead me around for far too long with her lies. She has to pay for what she’s done to all of us."

"She’ll pay by not being a part of her granddaughter’s life won’t she Ridge?" Brooke told him. "And do you really want that?"

"Don’t tell me you still want her acceptance?" He asked her.

"I suppose a part of me always will Ridge. But after all is said and done she’s still your mother and eventually you’ll mend things with her, but she’ll always blame me and she’ll make my life hell. Frankly I just don’t have the energy for that anymore."

"So what is it you want to do?" He wondered.

"Just forget it. Tell her you love me and you and I are getting married no matter what she has to say about it. Tell her that Bridget is your daughter and leave it alone." She insisted.

"But Brooke, she’s caused us so much hurt."

"Will trapping her make it any different?" Brooke wondered. "Besides that, I don’t want Taylor thinking she can get her claws into you again."

"I am not going back to Taylor." Ridge said, trying to assure her.

"I suppose I’m insecure but we have the history to support that." She sighed. "Did you talk to your mother and Taylor tonight? Did you start anything?"

"I spoke to Taylor. I told her the truth."

"Ridge are you sure that was a good idea?"

"Not anymore. She said she wouldn’t help. She doesn’t believe me and she won’t hurt Mother." He confessed.

"So now she’s a powder keg ready to blow." Brooke said nervously.

"It doesn’t matter Logan, no one will ever take me from you again."

"I wish I had your faith. Ridge please let’s forget this whole thing. Stay with me, stay and never leave again." She begged him.

"How about a compromise?" He asked.

"No." She said stubbornly.

"Come on Logan, hear me out."

"I’m tired of waiting, I’m tired of being put second Ridge. I don’t want to play these games anymore. It sounded okay at first but damn it I’m pregnant and I’m cranky and I’m lonely and I am damn sick and tired of sleeping alone."

"Two days." He said.

"Two days what?"

"Give me two days to break her. If not I’ll just confront her, tell her I know and that she no longer has a say in my life. Surely you can handle two days."

"Starting when? I want you with me now." She said.

"I’ll stay tonight. I told her I needed to go out and clear my head, I’ll tell her I stayed at a hotel."

"I wouldn’t put it past her to drive over here looking for you." Brooke muttered.

"If she does then the game is over and we confront her. Please honey, let me try this. I want to know how she did it, it’s important to me. It should be important to you too."

"It is, but my baby is more important right now." She told him.

"You can do this Logan."

"Yes, I suppose I can." She sighed again. "But maybe you better go back tonight. Then the two days will be over sooner."

"I can’t do that." He said in a very serious tone.

"Why not?"

"Because of this." He said as he pulled her onto his lap and started to kiss her passionately.

"Hmmm, you think you get rewarded?" She teased.

"I’ll work for it." He said. He put his hand on her knee. "I’ll work really hard." He laughed as his fingers started a slow trek up her leg.

"Where do you think you’re going?" She asked him.

"Paradise." He smiled as his hand found her warmth. Brooke moaned and sighed as he immediately found her pleasure point. "Paradise." He repeated, and Brooke had to agree.

 

Megan sat in her car and stared out the window. How had she gotten in so deep? She didn’t know where to turn, she didn’t know what was right or wrong anymore or who to support. She turned and looked back at Mannequins. She hoped they hadn’t been seen. It was too soon, too dangerous. She wondered how it would all end and who would survive it all.

 

Taylor sat up in the bed and looked over at Eric. "Is this right Eric, is what we’re doing really right?"

"How can you even ask that, has anything ever felt more right to you Taylor?" He sat up and took her hands in his. "I love you Taylor, of course it’s right."

"But others will be hurt."

"It’s time we both put ourselves first." He said.
"I want that Eric, I want it so much but it’s so hard and the children, what will it do to the children?"

"We both love them Taylor and that won’t change. I will never let your children suffer. I will make you all so happy, please let me prove it to you." He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"You make it seem so simple."

"It is simple Taylor." He leaned over and kissed her. "I let you go once but I will not let you go again."

"I wish it was that easy Eric." She sighed.

"You want me too, you wouldn’t have come to me if you didn’t. But I have to admit I was scared." He said.

"Ridge and Stephanie were sure doing a number on us." She smiled.

"Do you still love him Taylor?"

"Oh Eric, it’s not something so simple or black and white. I was married to him forever, we have a family. I do love him. But he’s disappointed me so much. No matter what happens with us I am not going back to Ridge. That’s over."

"Because of Brooke? I still think that they’ll be together." Eric stated.

Taylor’s thoughts returned to their conversation. She had promised Ridge she wouldn’t say anything, but she didn’t want to lie to Eric either, and she wanted to assure him that Ridge wasn’t the issue for them.

"I think he wants her too. Whether or not he loves her I can’t say."

"This is upsetting you. Let’s not talk about them." Eric said as he pulled her into his arms.

"What do you want to talk about?" She purred.

"Let’s not talk at all." He said as he claimed her mouth.

 

"This isn’t something I just wanted to blurt out. It’s not going to be that easy." Macy said.

"Thorne and I are solid Macy, we can handle anything together." Kimberly sneered.

"Kim stop it." Thorne said sharply. "Macy has been gone a long time, she’s been through so much. Let’s give her all the love and support that we can."

"I’m not the only one who needs love and support." Macy smiled.

"But you are the one who needs it the most right now." Thorne said. "So what is it you want to tell us Macy?"

"Let me show you." She said. She opened her purse and took out her wallet. Kimberly looked at her and frowned.

"Are you going to try and buy me off?" Kimberly asked. Thorne shot her an angry look.

"No." Macy said as she pulled out the photo. She smiled as she touched it with love and handed it to Thorne.

"Who is this?" He asked as he stared at the picture of the baby boy.

"His name is Adam Alexander Forrester, he’s your son Thorne." Macy announced with pride. The look of shock and love and disbelief and confusion on Thorne’s face was something that Macy had expected. The look of pure horror on her sister’s face was the last thing that she had expected.

"No, no, no." Kimberly shouted as Macy and Thorne both looked at her. "I won’t let you do this to me! He’s mine Macy! Thorne is my husband now!"

 

Chapter 34 

 

“Now remember Brooke, you hate me, I’ve betrayed you and you want to get back at me.” Ridge said as he stirred his coffee. Brooke looked at him and frowned. “You promised me two days.” He reminded her.

“That wasn’t fair, you had a distinct advantage at the moment.” She told him with a pout. “If I remember correctly I was in the middle of being made love to. I would have agreed to anything.”

“Now quite Logan, we talked it out before I laid a hand on you.” He said with a smile. “Anyway, don’t you want to set things straight?” He asked her.

“And have your mother hate me even more? I’m not so sure Ridge. I really don’t know how much more I’m up to. I still think it might be better to try and mend fences with her. Think about Bridget and the baby. She is their grandmother.”

“You my love are far too kind and far too forgiving.” He smiled and kissed her. “Perhaps if she confesses and apologizes for what she’s done to our lives we can move forward. But until then you, our baby and our daughter are all I care about.”

“Please Ridge, don’t forget Thomas and the girls. I love you, I want you but not at their expense. I never would want you to turn your back on them.” She implored the man she adored.

“Everyday you do or say something more to show me why I love you so much.” Ridge walked to her and pulled her into his arms. “In a few days it will all be over, the divorce proceedings will continue and then you and I can plan a wedding.”

“And this time it will be legal and it will be forever.” Brooke told him.

“Forever. I like the sound of that Logan.”

“So do you think she’ll believe you were at a hotel?” Brooke asked him.

“Yup. I made some calls last night after you fell asleep. I registered and paid for a room at the Hyatt.”

Brooke looked at him and laughed. “A room not slept in. If she’s checking she may have spies.”

“And if she does a dark haired man checked in and slept in that room.” He told her.

“Who?” She asked.

“Sean.”

“You asked Sean?” She gasped. She knew how much Ridge had hated her dear friend.

“He’s not so bad. He showed me he could really be supportive when he decided to help us yesterday.” He sheepishly admitted. “But I still don’t want him hanging all over you.”

“No one can hang over me but you Ridge.” She promised. She walked to the toaster and took out two pieces of browned bread. “Do you want some toast?” She asked him.

“No, just coffee. I really want to get to the office well ahead of you. No reason to raise anyone’s suspicion.”

Brooke spread strawberry jam on her toast, cut it and lifted a square to her mouth. After she bit into it there was a tiny speck of jam on the corner of her mouth. Ridge couldn’t resist. He smiled, walked over to her and licked it off, turning the gesture into a sensual kiss. Brooke’s arms circled his waist and she pulled him closer.  

“Ummm, let’s go back to bed.” She said when they broke apart.

“Two days Brooke, after two days they’ll have to ply us out.” He grinned.

“Two long, terrible days.” She frowned again.

“Two short, fun days.” He said as he lifted her chin up and kissed her. “We can make it an adventure. Be an actress Logan, make everyone think you’re totally miserable.”

“I am.” She pouted.

“The hell you are.” He laughed. “You’re carrying our baby, we have Bridget back as ours too, we will get married soon. If that’s misery then I say bring it on.”

“Oh you’re no fun.” She said with a laugh. “Go to work before I seduce you. You do know I am a seductress don’t you?”

“Oh yeah, I have personal experience.” He said. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. “This is going to have to hold us. We can’t take chances again okay?”

“Okay.” She agreed.

“Will you be alright?” He asked.  

“Lonely but alright I suppose.” She said with a sigh.

“Our life is ready to start Logan. Believe me.” He promised. With one last quick kiss he was out the door. 

 

Thorne looked over at his sleeping wife. Last night had been unbelievable. Macy was alive, she was alive, she was home and she had his child. At one point he was sure that Kimberly was going to attack her sister but he had somehow managed to calm her down. Macy had changed. Gone was the clingy, insecure drunk and in her place was the Macy that he had first fallen in love with. How he admired her. She had come clean with all her ghosts and was ready to move on, no matter how the chips fell. Kimberly was a different case. She had screamed and sobbed until Macy had apologized, promised to be back with Adam the next day and left. It had taken Thorne almost two hours to calm the girl and he had held her in his arms until she finally fell asleep. But sleep hadn’t come for Thorne. He had spent the night pacing and thinking and trying to assess his life. When Macy had “died” he was sure that he didn’t love her. He had loved Brooke with all his heart and soul. But she had left him, just like everyone had warned. The affair with Kimberly had been all about sex, at least in the beginning. But Thorne had to admit that he had grown to have feelings for her. He wasn’t in love with her but the girl was pregnant with his child. His child, his children. He had gone from a lonely bachelor to a man with two wives and two children. He knew something was going to have to be done. Something legal. Macy had never died so he imagined that legally she was still his wife. But what about Kimberly? She was carrying his child. She had given him her innocence and she loved him. Could he continue to live with her knowing that Macy and Adam were his family too? How could he turn his back on either woman, on either child? Thorne knew that he needed to talk to someone but he didn’t know where to turn. Certainly his mother wasn’t the one. His father had been preoccupied lately. He considered Taylor but he knew that she was a mess with the Brooke situation. “What can I do? What can I do?” He asked aloud.  

 

Taylor felt eyes on her before she was fully awakened. She opened her own eyes to look into those of her lover’s. “Eric.” She sighed.

“You are so beautiful.” He told her. “I’ve been just sitting here watching you sleep. I would be happy doing that for the rest of my life.”

“Good.” She told him. “Because I’ve made a decision. My answer is yes.”

“Yes? You’ll marry me?” He asked.

“I’ll marry you Eric, yes, I’ll marry you.” She reached for him and pulled him down on top of her.

“I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world Taylor, you will never ever regret this.” He covered her mouth with his own, kissing her deeply.  

 

“Where is he Megan?” Stephanie asked the woman as she came out of Eric’s empty office.

“He isn’t in yet Mrs. Forrester.” Megan said with a confused look.

“When he gets in tell him I need to see him. I’ll be in my office.” She said, storming off.

“And why don’t you know where he is?” Megan questioned after the woman had left. 

 

Beth was pouring her second cup of coffee when Bridget came into the kitchen. The girl was positively glowing. Her smile was so broad that Beth couldn’t help from smiling back. “Did you sleep well?”

“Oh yes.” Bridget said as she opened the freezer. She took out a box of frozen waffles then opened the refrigerator. There she took out the maple syrup, butter and orange juice.

“Coffee dear?” Beth asked.

“Sure.” Bridget said as she put two waffles into the toaster. “Want one Grandma?”

“No thank you honey.” Beth replied.

“Where are Mom and Ridge, um I guess I mean Dad.” Bridget giggled.

“They’ve both already left for work.”

“Isn’t life wonderful?” Bridget said. “Oh Grandma, we’re finally a real family again.”

“So you’ve gotten past your initial concerns?” Beth wondered.

“Well, I still don’t want to hurt Dad. I mean I know it wasn’t his fault and I know he loves me, but Grandma, this is the way it always should have been.”

“So many lives are going to change.” Beth sighed. “I can’t help wondering about those children.”

“It’s our turn.” Bridget simply answered. She took a gulp of her juice and looked at Beth who was staring at her. “Don’t look at me that way Grandma, you know I’m right. Ridge left us for them and they had him all those years. He loved us, he loved Mom and he gave us up for them. Well the tide has turned and now it’s our turn. Let Taylor learn what it’s like to suffer for a change. God knows she deserves it.”

“Bridget Forrester I am ashamed of you.” Beth said sharply. “Those are little children who have no idea that their entire world is going to be blown apart. I would think you would have a little bit of sympathy for them.”

“Like Taylor did for me and Rick?” Bridget asked. “Sorry Grandma, but I’m not going to let anyone or anything ruin my mood.”

“You’re going to have to control yourself young lady. Your mother and Ridge are not going public about this yet.” Beth warned her.

“I know, I know, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have my own personal private celebration.”

“Like you did yesterday? I know you skipped school. I held my tongue in front of your mother but if it happens again.”

“Oh come on Grandma, you must have cut as a kid too. It was so nice out, we just went to the beach.” Bridget said as she removed the waffles and put them on her plate. “Anyway how did you find out?”

“The school called.”

“Shit.” Bridget muttered.

“I covered for you, but it’s the last time Bridget.” She informed her.

“Oh Grandma I love you.” Bridget smiled and ran to the woman and hugged her.

“I love you too sweetheart.” Beth said. “And I am happy that you are happy.” Beth turned to Bridget at the sound of the doorbell. “Now who could that be at this hour? Are your friends meeting you here before school?”

“Nope.” Bridget said sitting down with her breakfast.

“Alright, I’ll get it then.” Beth laughed. She was still smiling as she walked to the front door and opened it. 

 

“Good morning darling.” Sally said with a hug and kiss to Macy. “Now I want you to tell me everything. What happened when you saw Thorne and Kimberly.”

“My sister is a mess Mom.” Macy said as she spooned some cereal into Adam’s waiting mouth. “She’s so insecure. She thinks she loves him Mom, but I’m really not sure.”

“Did they tell you?” Sally questioned.

“That they’re married? Yes.” Macy turned to face her. “You should have warned me Mother, I could have handled the situation a lot better if I had known. And now she’s pregnant too. It’s a mess, a real mess.”

“And it’s their own fault. He should have known better than to go sniffing around that child.” Sally said angrily. “But where were things left?”

“They weren’t really.” Macy said calmly. “Kimberly was so upset that I just left. Thorne wanted to talk more, I know that, but we just couldn’t with her like that. I feel so badly for him. She must have given him hell after I left. Anyway I’m bringing Adam to see him today. He is so excited.”  

“You’re going back there?” Sally was flabbergasted.

“Of course I am, Thorne is Adam’s father and he has a right, no not just a right but an obligation to him. If Thorne wants to stay with Kimberly I suppose there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ll sign whatever papers have to be signed, but he is not going to turn his back on his son. I will not allow my child to be brought up without a father, that will never happen to Adam, never.”

“Oh Macy, Macy how we hurt you.” Sally said as she pulled her daughter to her huge breasts. “I wish I could go back in time and change things, oh how I wish I could.”

“But you can’t Mother, and I love you and I love how you did all you could to give me everything. But that is just not good enough for Adam.” She told her.  

 

Brooke walked to Megan’s desk before going into her own office. She picked up a pile of mail and started to sort through it. “Is Stephanie in yet?”

“Yes she is Brooke, in fact she got in rather early.” Megan replied.

“And Ridge?” Brooke said forcing tears to her eyes. “Is he in?”

“Don’t do this to yourself Brooke, please.” Megan implored her.

“Is he in?” Brooke insisted.  

“He is. He’s in his office, he’s been on his personal line most of the morning.”

“With that bitch I suppose.” Brooke said angrily. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose.

“She’s his wife Brooke, you knew that going in, you knew how he always returns to her.”

“Yes, you warned me.” She said. “Everyone warned me but stupid Brooke never listens does she?”

“Brooke you need to face things and move on. I am sorry that you are hurting but.”

“I know.” Brooke said, cutting her off. “I only have myself to blame right?”

“I didn’t say that Brooke.” Megan said apologetically.

“You didn’t have to.” Brooke said, forcing more tears. “I know no one believes me or cares. But I love him and, Ridge.” She gasped as Ridge headed towards Stephanie’s office.

“Brooke don’t.” Megan begged, but Brooke took off towards him. 

 

“Sean.” Beth said with a smile. “You missed them. They both already left for work but Brooke told me what you did for them, you are a true friend.”

“Thanks Beth, may I come in?” He asked her.

“Certainly.” She said with a laugh. She led him inside the house. “Bridget and I are having breakfast, can I get you something?”

“Coffee would be wonderful.” He told her. “That is if it’s not too much trouble.”

“None at all, join us in the kitchen.” She smiled. She started towards the kitchen and he followed her. Bridget looked up at then as they entered. “You remember Sean don’t you honey?”

“Yes.” Bridget said. “Mom isn’t here.”

“So I’ve been told.” He said. “But Beth graciously invited me for breakfast. You don’t mind do you?”

“Nope.” She said. “But I’m late for school anyway.” She got up, put her dishes into the dishwasher and gave her grandmother a kiss. “See you later Grandma, bye Sean.” With a wave she went out the back door.

“She’s a pretty girl.” Sean commented.

“She is.” Beth agreed. “How do you take your coffee Sean?”

“Just a little milk and Sweet and Low if you have it.”

“Will Equal do?” Beth asked.

“That will be just fine.” He said. He watched her make his coffee.

“Sit, sit.” She said. “Can I get you anything to eat?”  

“Coffee is fine.” He said. He sat down and she gave him a steaming mug.

“You’re lucky, this is the real thing. I made if after Brooke left. Personally I am not much of a fan of decaf.” She told him.

“I can drink it but I prefer a jolt myself.” He said with a smile.

“So Brooke tells me you’re dating one of the assistants.” Beth said, making conversation.

“I was, but that’s over. She was too young Beth, I don’t know what I was thinking. I suppose I was trying to get over the rejection.”

“Brooke.” She sighed. “My daughter is a wonderful girl but she has a tendency to be a bit heartless with men.”

“Men that aren’t named Ridge Forrester.” He said. He took a sip of the coffee. “Delicious.”

“Are you sure I can’t make you a waffle or some toast?” She asked nervously.

He smiled at her and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl. “How about this?” He asked.

“And ruin the design?” She teased. “Please help yourself.” She stirred her own coffee and looked up at him. He was watching her and she uncharacteristically blushed. “Why are you here Sean?”

“I was hoping to make lunch plans.” He confessed.

“That might be a good idea. I’m sure Brooke is going to be frantic without Ridge today. It’s going to be very hard on her pretending that they are enemies.”

“I wasn’t talking about Brooke.” He said. Beth’s eyes widened when he reached over and took her hand in his. “Would you have lunch with me Beth?”

“Sean Damon I’m old enough to be your mother.” She said with a nervous laugh.

“Not in my eyes.” He said. “Would it bother you to have a date with a man your junior?”

“A date? This is a date you’re suggesting?” She asked him.

“Yes it is. I would really like to have the company of a lovely woman at lunch today, but if today is inconvenient tomorrow will do.” He said.

Beth looked down at their hands. He still held hers in his and it felt strangely good. “I can’t imagine why you would want to entertain a woman like me.”

“No?” He asked. “What kind of a man would I be that wouldn’t be proud to be seen in the company of such a beautiful woman? Say yes Beth. It isn’t that hard to do and I promise I don’t bite, that is unless you want me to.” He added suggestively. 

 

“Ridge wait, please.” Brooke called out. She let the tears stream down her cheeks. It was easy, all she had to do was pretend that it was real and the tears were there. “Ridge you have to believe me, I love you, please Ridge, please come back to me.” She sobbed.

“Leave me the hell alone Brooke, it’s over!” He shouted at her angrily.

His tone was so realistic that it cut like a knife and Brooke fell over sobbing. “No, no Ridge, don’t do this, I’m having your baby, we need you.”

“It’s not mine Brooke, I don’t know who’s it is but it sure as hell ain’t mine, now leave me alone!” He shouted again and opened Stephanie’s office door. He quickly went inside closing the door behind him. But it did nothing to drown out Brooke’s sobs and pleas.

“She’s pathetic.” Stephanie said.

“Mother enough.” Ridge sighed.

“Don’t tell me you have sympathy for that slut.” She asked him.

“We had something once. And I did sleep with her. But no, I don’t really have sympathy, not with her trying to pawn off her brat on me. Mother we have to do something. She’s making a scene and she isn’t about to stop. We have to prove it’s not mine and we have to do it now. You gotta help me Mother, please.” He begged.  

 

Megan was watching Brooke sobbing and pounding on the door. She felt so badly for her but she knew she couldn’t let herself get emotionally involved. She wondered how she had let herself get into this predicament. With a deep sigh she turned away at the sound of her own personal line. “Megan Conley.” She said.

“What took you?” The familiar voice asked.

“I’m working, you shouldn’t be calling me here.”

“And you shouldn’t be telling me what to do. What’s that racket?”

“Brooke’s upset. Ridge is turning her away, he’s in with his mother. Brooke is really taking it badly.”

“Good. Serves the bitch right.”  

“I don’t feel right about this. These people are my friends, they’ve been here for me.” Megan complained.

“I don’t care how you feel. Just remember what they’ve done to me and to others. She had to pay, they all have to pay and they will.”

“I thought about last night and I am not going to stop seeing Giovanni. I like him and he likes me.”

“You’ll do exactly as I said, or you’ll be paying too Megan.”

“You’re so cruel. I don’t know why I ever let myself get involved with you.”

“But you did and now you’re stuck.”

“No! I can’t,” Megan started, but her companion had already hung up. 

 

“Thorne?” Kimberly called out. She sat up in the bed and looked around. His side of the bed hadn’t been slept in. She was terrified that he had left her. “Thorne where are you?”

“I’m right here Kimberly.” He said as he walked in and sat down next to her.

“I thought.” She said.

“No Kim, I’m here.”

“You never came to bed. Thorne what did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong Kim, but I had to think, I still have to think. We have ourselves quite a problem here and frankly I don’t know what we’re going to do to get out of it.”

“You’re my husband.” She said.

“And I’m her husband too Kim. Macy and I never divorced and she never died. Kim I’m not saying this to scare you or to upset you but I really am confused.”  

“But I’m having your baby.” She said as her eyes pooled with tears.

“And Adam is my son too. Nothing about this is easy Kim. I have two very special women who also happen to be sisters and I’m married to them both and I have kids with them both and damn it I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“I love you Thorne.” She said. “Don’t you love me? Doesn’t everything we shared mean anything anymore?”

“If it didn’t I wouldn’t have a decision or a problem Kim but I do. Look, you need to rest and think too and I have to go to work.”

“Work? You’re going to go to work after everything?” She asked him.

“It’s the only place where I can have peace. I need to be alone without you or Macy. I need to think and I also need to know what I have to do legally.”

“Legally?” She asked.

“Kim, in the eyes of the law I’m a bigamist.” He looked at her with the most sad and serious _expression she had ever seen. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“Yes.” She whispered.

“Well, I’m not so sure I do honey. I don’t know how to get out of this. I don’t know who is really my wife and who isn’t. I don’t know what to do about the children. Kim, I gotta go, I gotta have time alone to think.”

“Will you, will you come back?” She asked with a sob.

“Yes.” He promised. “We’re in this together. I won’t let you down.”  

 

Brooke was emotionally exhausted after the performance earlier. She had sat in her office trying to compose herself but she had found it almost impossible. She knew that it was an act but it had seemed so real, Ridge had acted so cruelly that she had almost believed him. Needing time to herself she had gone outside to take a walk. She had walked almost a mile to a lush green park. Getting her mind off her problems hadn’t been as easy as she had hoped. She had watched the young mothers with their children and wondered if it could ever be that easy for her and Ridge. It didn’t seem likely. Everyone was against them, even Megan. Brooke didn’t understand the animosity she had felt from her assistant. She had promised both Ridge and Sean that she would give the woman a chance but she didn’t think she could hold out much longer. Even when she was being sympathetic Brooke felt a sense of falseness from her. The once easy comradely was gone, replaced by a never-ending uncomfortable silence. Finding it too painful watching the children Brooke had walked on. She stopped at an ice cream vendor and bought herself a Creamsicle. It was a familiar favorite from her youth and she relished each lick. She was sitting on a green bench, licking and thinking when she felt hands on her shoulders.

“Now if only I could take it’s place I’d be in heaven.”

“Ridge.” She sighed. She turned around as he crushed her mouth to his. “How did you find me?” She asked.

“It wasn’t easy, but I was determined.” He said.

“What happened with your mother?” She asked.

“We’re getting closer. She believes me and she is calculating something in her head, I can tell.” He told her. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. “Bite?” He asked.

“Lick.” She grinned. He leaned his head to her treat and took a long lick.

“Umm good.” He said. “Brooke I’m sorry you had to go through that before, but you really were great.”

“I don’t know what point it stopped being an act and became real.” She told him. “But once I couldn’t stop crying I had to get out of there. Ridge please, I can’t keep this up. At first I thought it could be fun but it isn’t. We’ve finally made it back to each other and I’m so scared we’re going to lose it all.”

“You’ll never lose me Logan. Never.” He assured her with another kiss.

“How did you manage to get away from her?” Brooke asked him.

“I just left.”

“But I don’t think that this is a good idea, not if you want to keep the act up. Someone could have followed you.”

“If they did then they did.” Ridge said. “I’ll play the game to an extent, but when I see you hurting Brooke, then it’s gone way too far.”

“I’m okay, you said two days and I can go two days. Go back to the office and work on her will you?” She said.  

“What about you?”

“I’ll be back soon. I promise.” She said. “It’s a nice day and it’s healthy for me to walk, it’s good for the baby.”  

“How is she?” Ridge asked as he gently put his hand on her belly.

“She’s fine. She’s getting bigger every day. We have to start seriously talking about names.” She told him.

“Once this is all over Logan we will. But right now we have to keep concentrating on the plan. Cause this way we will all be happy in the end.”

“I’d be happy if you’d just come home with me.” She told him. “But I’ll do as you ask.”  

“I love you Brooke, I love you like I have never loved anyone in my life.”  

 

Macy hung up the phone and looked sadly at her mother.

“I know you’re disappointed honey.” Sally said. “But he will be home soon.”

“It’s a good job Mom, I wouldn’t want to cost CJ a chance at a promotion. Anyway, I’m glad that I got to talk to him. He sounds so grown up.”

“Both my babies are grown.” Sally said as she pulled Macy close to her.

“I’m trying to decide if I should bring Adam to Thorne and Kim or just go to Forrester.” Macy said.

“Ha.” Sally laughed. “I’d love to see the look on old Queenie’s face when she sees you. Though she has tried to profess how much she loved you.”

“You don’t think she even likes me do you Mom?” Macy asked.

“I don’t think Queen Stephanie likes anyone but herself and her eldest son.” Sally told her. “But you served a purpose, you kept Thorne from Brooke and for that she found you useful. Now it all depends on if Brooke Logan has her eyes set on Thorne again if you or your sister will have a purpose for her again.”

“But this isn’t about Stephanie, it’s about Thorne and his son. And Mom, I want him to meet him today.” Macy insisted.

“Then I imagine Forrester is your best bet. Kimberly won’t be receptive to this Macy, as much as you love her and as much as you want it all to work you have to realize that your sister has changed. She is very possessive of Thorne, she’s pregnant and protective and right now she sees you as a threat, not as a loving sister but as a threat to her own happiness. Whatever choices you and Thorne make, let me warn you that Kimberly is going to be very hard to deal with.”

“I know Mom.” Macy said. “And as much as I love her, Adam comes first.” 

 

Brooke had been back in her office for about an hour but she was still finding it hard to concentrate. She gently rubbed her belly and smiled down. “Your Daddy really does love you, I hope you aren’t scared because it’s all an act. We’re going to be a family little one, I promise you we are.” She was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Yes?” She called out.

“Brooke? Can we talk?” Thorne asked as he poked his head in.

“If you’re here to condemn me too you can forget it Thorne, I’m sticking to my story.” She frowned.

“I don’t know what you mean.” He said. Then she noticed the sad look in his eyes.

“Come in and shut the door.” She told him. 

 

Beth Logan couldn’t seem to stop smiling. She knew the whole idea was ridiculous but she had been so flattered. Sean was such a handsome young man. And he really did seem to be sincere. What would Brooke think? What would anyone think? How could she have agreed? But she had and now she was standing in front of her closet looking for something that would make her feel young but not stupid. “I have to call this off.” She said to herself. And then she remembered his smile and she knew she wouldn’t. It had been a long time since a man had looked at her that way. God knows Steven hadn’t in ages. Beth thought about Eric and how excited she had been at the prospect of seeing him again. Brooke had told her that he and Stephanie appeared to be having problems but even the idea of seeing him again didn’t make her not want to see Sean. “You must be crazy.” She told herself. Then she pulled the light blue dress out of the closet and knew she had made the right decision all around. 

 

“Where have you been?” Stephanie asked her husband. “I’ve been waiting for you for hours. You never came home last night.”

“It was late, I was tired, things went wrong at the office. I stayed late and then went to the club and took a shower and a nap. I’m sorry if I worried you.” He lied.

“Well you did.” She said. “But that’s not important now.”

“No, it never is is it?” He asked sarcastically.

“What is that supposed to mean?” She almost spat at him. “No, nevermind. We don’t have time for this. We have to help our son.”

“Which one?” He asked with a sigh.

“Ridge of course.”

“Of course. What now Stephanie?”

“He and Taylor, Eric we have to help him fix his marriage. We have to make them see how much they need each other. We have to help them and then we have to, no, no I’ll do that.”

“You’re babbling.” He said in an uninterested tone.

“This is our family Eric, I’d think you could find the energy to wake up and deal with it.” She said with more than a faint touch of anger.

“Ridge is a man Stephanie, he has to handle his own problems. I am not going to continue to bail him out and you are not going to interfere. If he wants a divorce from her he will get one, if he wants to marry Brooke he will marry her.”

“It is not his baby!” She shouted.

“What?” He asked, suddenly very serious. “Are you sure?”

“He told me so himself.”

“And Brooke is trying to make him claim it? That doesn’t sound like Brooke.”

“It sounds exactly like Brooke. Remember what she did with Bridget!” She reminded him.

“Brooke was as stunned at the results as we all were Stephanie. No matter what you think of her she is a good mother and she wouldn’t have lied about this. She wasn’t happy but she accepted it and she did her best to make the transition easier for us all.”

“By running off to Barbados?” Stephanie scoffed. “You’ll defend her to the end won’t you? I don’t know what kind of power she has over you men but thank God Ridge seems to have woken up from it.”

“What exactly did he say to you?” Eric asked.

“He said that he is positive that the baby Brooke is carrying is not his and that he wants nothing to do with her.” She explained.

“But nothing about Taylor?” He sighed.

“That’s a given. He loves her and she loves him. He made a mistake, he fell into that slut’s web again but he’s managed to crawl out and now he wants to go home, home to his wife where he belongs.” She stated. “And we are going to help him. Have I made myself clear?”

“No we aren’t” Eric said defiantly. “He’s a grown man and he’s made his own problems. While I will always love him I refuse to support him ping-ponging between those two women one moment longer. Have I made MYSELF clear?” He said before he stormed out of her office.

“Crystal.” She muttered to herself. “But I don’t need your help this time Eric, I have all I need at the touch of my fingers.” She reached for the phone and punched in a number. “Hello, it’s me. I need your help.” 

 

“What’s wrong Thorne?” Brooke asked her friend. She could see he was close to tears as she got up, closed the door and then embraced him.

“Oh Brooke, Brooke I don’t know what to do anymore.” He said as he clung to her like a lifeline.

“Are you and Kimberly having problems? It’s not because I don’t want her modeling is it?” She asked.

“No, she’s fine with that, she agrees herself. She doesn’t want to model. No Brooke it’s so amazing and yet it’s so terrible. I am in a total quandary.” He explained.

“Let’s sit down and talk.” She said, taking his hand and leading him to her couch. “Now just start at the beginning. I’m here for you Thorne, you know I am.”

“You’re not going to believe this, you’re not.” He started.

“Try me, I can believe just about anything these days.” She said with a laugh.

“Not this one. Brooke, it’s Macy.”  

“I know you miss her Thorne.”

“Not anymore.” He laughed.

“Well, that’s good I guess. Time you moved on. If Kimberly makes you that happy then I guess I’m happy for you. I never really thought she was good for you but I won’t be like your mother. Your happiness is important to me.”

Thorne looked at her and smiled. “You know, I think you really mean it.”

“I do Thorne, but please, tell me what’s wrong.”

“The reason I don’t miss her anymore is because she’s alive Brooke.”

“What?” Brooke gasped. “Thorne this isn’t funny.”

“It’s not a joke. She’s alive. She came to see me last night and.”

“Have you been drinking?” Brooke interrupted him.

“No honey, she’s alive, she’s alive and she’s back and that’s not the end of it. Brooke, I have a son.”

“A son?” She said with wide eyes. “I don’t understand, I don’t understand anything.”

“Welcome to the club.” He said as he shook his head. “Let me start at the beginning.” 

 

“Good morning Dr. Forrester.” Missy greeted Taylor as she came into the office. Taylor smiled and looked at her watch.

“Just barely huh?” She said with a lilting laugh. “Anything going on that I should know about?”

“Mr. Peterson was here but he had to go downtown to a meeting. He left a note on your desk.” Missy told her. “Mrs. Lundgren called, she had to cancel for today. I told her I’d get back to her with a time that was good for you and then Ms. Brennan called. She’s messengering over some papers for your signature.”

“Ms. Brennan?” Taylor asked. “Oh Kelly, my lawyer.” She sighed. “Thank you Missy.”

“May I get you anything Dr. Forrester?” Missy asked politely.

“Nothing thank you, and Missy, please call me Taylor.”

“Thank you Dr. Forrester.” Missy replied. With a wave she left Taylor’s office.

Later Taylor was busily engrossed in her work when there was a knock at her door. “Yes.” She said. The door opened and Pierce walked in carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. “Oh Pierce, you shouldn’t have done that.” Taylor told him.

“Judging by the look on your face I wish I had, but I’m only the messenger.” He told her as he handed them to her. “Maybe your dimwitted husband is finally catching a clue.” Taylor blushed as she took them and looked for an empty vase. Pierce saw her confusion and laughed. “I asked Missy to get you something to put them in. She didn’t like my suggestion.”

“And what was that?” Taylor asked.

“Why the trash of course.” He grinned. He walked up to her and looked over her shoulder trying to see the card. “So am I going to find out who your admirer is?”

Taylor frowned at him and pulled the card away. She walked to the corner and opened it. As she turned back Pierce saw the huge smile on her face.

“Ridge huh?” He said.

“Ridge and I are over Pierce, we’re already in the process of divorcing.”

“Then who’s my competition?”

“Stop it.” She told him. “You and I are friends Pierce. We have the connection with the girls but that’s it. I never promised you anything more.”

“No, but you implied. We did have fun at the beach.” He reminded her.

“I don’t know why you want me.” She told him. “I’ve never really offered you what you wanted from me. Can’t we just stay friends like this. I love this job and working with you, but Pierce, if you insist on trying to build something that isn’t going to happen I’ll have to leave.”

“Who is he Taylor? At least tell me that much.”

“As soon as we’re ready to let people know about us I promise you’ll be among the first to know. That’s all I can promise right now.” She put the card inside her purse which she then put inside her desk drawer. “So, how was your meeting?” She asked, changing the subject.

“Productive.” He said. “Remember those videos that we were working on?”

“How could I ever forget?” She sighed. They had spelled the end of her life as she had known it.

“Anyway, I’m working on a second series. I was hoping for you to give me some input if not your wonderful presence again.”

“No, no, no.” She laughed. “I am not going to be making videos again, but I’d be happy to give you my suggestions and even help you cast them.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.” He smiled. “So who is he Taylor? Come on, you know you can trust me.”

“It’s not a matter of trust.” She said.

“Is he married?” He asked her. When she turned with a blush he knew his answer. “Not too smart Taylor. Why not rethink this whole thing? I’m single, I’m crazy about you, we share two beautiful children, not to mention how much we have in common. I know I sound like I’m begging but it’s such a perfect match Taylor. Why not give it a chance?”

“What if I told you I was in love?” She asked him.

“Someone besides the mighty Ridge Forrester? I doubt it Taylor, sounds too much like rebound for me. Now me, I could deal with the rebound thing cause I know we can build it into something real, it already was real once.”

“Sometimes things happen when you aren’t looking for them.” She told him. “I never intended to fall in love but it happened. This man makes me happy Pierce, very happy.”

“Then why are you still wearing Ridge’s ring?” He asked as he looked down at her finger. 

 

“I’m glad you suggested lunch Brooke.” Thorne told his former lover. “It’s easier to talk when I’m away from Forrester and all those prying eyes and ears.”

“You’re going to have to tell them Thorne. You can’t just hide Macy and Adam and why would you want to anyway?”

“Um, because I’m married to Kimberly? Duh.” He said with a laugh.

“You’re not going to stay married to her Thorne, I know you too well. You and Macy share much more than you ever could with Kimberly.” She told him. She picked up her fork and took a bite of her salad. “This is so good. Are you sure you don’t want a taste?”

“I think that privilege is my brother’s now.” He said sadly. “You know I’d give them both up for a chance to be with you.”

“No you wouldn’t Thorne. You and I are friends, wonderful friends but we were wrong to ever take it further and I am going to apologize to Macy too. Life gave me another chance, not only with Ridge but now with her. I am going to set things right Thorne and maybe we can all be friends.”

“I think she’d like that Brooke. She’s grown so much.”

“Hopefully we all have.” She sighed.

“Brooke, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Ridge but I can’t believe the crap that I’m hearing that he doesn’t want you and all.”

“Shhhh.” She said, putting her finger on his lips. “I know I can trust you so I will tell you the truth. Ridge and I are totally committed to each other, we are getting married and I am having his child. He is not doubting me. It’s a ploy to test your mother. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“I should have guessed Mother was involved. I guess I’m glad you’re happy then Brooke.”

“We can be glad for each other right?” She said.

“We can try.” He said. “But I reserve the right to be jealous.”

“No way.” She giggled. “You got two wives and two kids, you couldn’t handle me too.”

“I suppose not.” He smiled. “Brooke?” He said in a serious tone.

“What?”

“Isn’t that your mother with Sean Damon?” He asked as his eyes zeroed in on the couple across the restaurant. 

 

“Ridge, can we talk?” Eric asked his son as he entered his office. Ridge had been dreading this. He knew that his father cared about Brooke. He also was aware that Eric knew Ridge had always loved her too. Ridge couldn’t come clean with him, not without risking his mother finding out.

“I’m really busy Dad.” He said, hoping to postpone the conversation.

“Not too busy for this.” Eric told him. He shut the door and came in. “Ridge, I was appalled with the way you treated Brooke earlier. I understand from your mother that you think Brooke is lying to you about the paternity of her baby. Now if this is true it is terrible, but still, to call her names and slam the door in her face. Ridge I raised you better than this. Brooke may not be the woman you love but she once was and she is also our CEO. You could be putting this company into a great deal of exposure to damage with your attitude. If Brooke has a grudge she can make it public and destroy us all.”

“She’d be hurting herself too.” Ridge said. “And her baby.”

“And who’s child do you think it is son?”

“I don’t really care, it’s not mine.” He said.

“Why are you so sure Ridge? You slept with her, I know you did. Isn’t there more than a slim chance that this is your child?”

“She slept with Thorne and Sean Dad. When I slept with her we used protection. It’s not mine, I don’t care what she says, she is not trapping me with her brat.” Ridge told his painful lie. Inside his stomach was churning and he was silently begging his unborn daughter to forgive him.

“Is this about Taylor? Are you still in love with her?” Eric asked. Somehow he was able to disguise his own fear. Could he step away from her if Ridge still did love her? He wondered, he wasn’t sure he could at this point.

Ridge looked at his father. It would have made it so much easier to lie and say yes, but he owed Taylor more than that. He couldn’t hurt her by keeping her in his lies. He took a deep breath and spoke. “No Dad, Taylor and I are over, but for different reasons. Don’t hurt her or include her in Brooke’s mess. I want nothing but happiness for Taylor, but that can’t be with me. Not anymore.”

Eric let his breath out. He was so relieved he almost forgot about Brooke, but he did care and he was worried. “Ridge please, be kind to Brooke. Even if this isn’t your child treat her with some respect. She has no one. Your brother is married to Kimberly, Sean is with Becky and you, well your feelings are obvious.”

“She has her mother.” Ridge said cruelly.

“Beth lives in Paris. Brooke can talk to her on the phone but that’s not the same and you know it.” Eric protested.

“Didn’t you know Dad? Beth came home with Brooke.” 

 

Macy had just gotten Adam ready for the trip to Forrester to meet his father when the doorbell rang. “Maybe it’s Thorne Mom.” Macy said hopefully to Sally.

“Do you want me to get it?” Sally asked.

“Please.” Macy said as she put Adam into his highchair. “Maybe that’s your Daddy Adam.”

Sally walked to the door and opened it but instead of the blonde man it was his young brunette wife. “Kimberly.” Sally said. “I wasn’t expecting you.”  

“Is Macy in?” She asked.

“Yes, come on in.” Sally turned towards her daughter. “Macy, it’s Kimberly.”

“Kimberly.” Macy said softly. “Come meet Adam.”

Kimberly gingerly walked over to her sister. She let Macy lead her over to the baby. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. “Macy he’s so cute. But.”

“I know Kim, I know how hard this is and I promise you, if Thorne wants to stay with you I will give him an easy divorce. I will not hold him to us. All I ask is that he be a father to Adam. That’s not asking too much is it?”

“No.” Kimberly reluctantly replied. “Macy things have changed since you left. Thorne was in love with Brooke but he turned to love me and we’re having a baby. I can’t be alone with this baby. I need Thorne Macy, please don’t take him away from me.”

“That isn’t my choice.” Macy said honestly.

“It could be. If you tell him you aren’t available to him I know he’ll stay. I know he loves me but now he’s confused. You could take that confusion away, you could if you cared about me.”

“Kimberly it isn’t that simple. In my heart I never stopped loving him and we have a baby too. Can’t you try to see it from my perspective? I’m not doing anything in attempt to hurt you. I’m just trying to get my life back together. You can’t imagine how hard it was and how confusing it was for me. And then to come back and have my sister seem to resent my being alive. That hurt me, I did understand it but that didn’t make it not hurt.” Macy said in a voice of reason.

“I don’t resent you being alive.” Kimberly told her. She wiped back her tears. “But I love him and I was shocked and I don’t want to lose him, not to you, not to anyone.”

“He’s not a possession to win or lose honey.” Macy said. “He’s a man, a very torn man I imagine. What do you say that we let him make this decision on his own and still try to love each other? Can you do that Kim?”

“I never said I didn’t love you.” Kimberly protested.

“No you didn’t and I realize that part of you is happy to see me but the bigger part sees me as someone who is coming back to tear your world apart. Would you really rather I have stayed dead?” She asked.

“No.” Kimberly admitted. “I just wish you had come back in love with someone else and left Thorne alone.”

“Even if I had, Thorne is still Adam’s father and he always will be. I’d never deny him that honey. You know how hard it was for me to grow up without Dad. Do you think my son deserves that? I not only want Thorne in his life but you too sweetie. You’re his aunt.” Macy said with a smile.

“B,b,b,but.” Kimberly said with a stutter.

“But you still love Thorne and want to keep your marriage. I do understand that. And like I said, if that’s what Thorne wants too I won’t fight you. I’ll love and support you both, because I do love you both.”

Sally smiled as she listened to her daughter. She had grown so much, she had become so wise and so loving. She thought about her own resentment and how she had harbored such ill will at Thorne, Brooke and even to an extent Kimberly. Macy had already taught her the error of her ways and she was happy to have learned that lesson. She walked over and took Macy’s hand in one of hers and Kimberly’s in her other. “You two are sisters, sisters who love each other so very much. No matter what you both have to fight to keep that love. Men come and go in our lives but blood, blood never does. You will have each other long after this has been forgotten. Don’t let a man come between you, not when you have waited so long to find each other.” 

 

Brooke squinted and then looked back at Thorne in amazement. “You’re right. What is she doing with Sean?”

“Probably talking about you and your future. He loves you too Brooke, maybe he’s trying to enlist her aid in getting you away from Ridge.”

“Never happen.” She laughed. “Maybe I need to go over there and set them straight.”

“Don’t embarrass him Brooke, it’s not easy losing you.” Thorne told her. “Give him his pride, let Beth handle him. I’m sure that she knows how you feel about my brother.”

“She does.” Brooke agreed. “She knows how we both feel.”

“Then let her help let him down easy. I can tell you from experience it isn’t going to be pleasant.” He said as he looked over at Beth and Sean again. They seemed to be deep into conversation, but they were both smiling and somehow to him it didn’t seem like Sean was baring his soul about his love for Brooke. Could he be wrong he wondered. 

 

“Beth came back with Brooke?” Eric asked.

“Yes, but I didn’t tell you this so you’d go getting ideas.” Ridge told him. “I want to see you and Mom fix things. You both went through hell to get back to where you are now. I don’t want to see my parents split up. Call me selfish but I like seeing my mother and father in the same house.”

“We don’t even share a bed anymore Ridge.” Eric told him.

“Whoa! Too much information.” He then frowned and looked him in the eyes. “Dad you love her and she loves you. I really wish you’d try to fix things.” He wondered why he was so worried about their happiness, especially when he was so angry at his mother. Maybe Brooke was right, maybe it would be best to just confront her, let the cards fall where they may and end the hostility. He planned on a long, happy life with Brooke and their children. He wanted the same for his mother and father too.

“Sometimes it’s too late to fix things son. But you don’t have to worry about Beth. Our ship sailed years ago. I care very much for her but there is no romance anymore. My staying with your mother and then marrying Brooke ruined that and frankly I doubt she’d be interested either. And now, with the resentment between you and Brooke I couldn’t exactly run to her mother now could I?”

“What happens with me and Brooke shouldn’t have any bearing on your life Dad. But my real point was that I want to see you and Mom work things out. Maybe you can start by moving back to the bedroom.”

“Ridge that is personal and something I don’t care to discuss with you.” Eric told him.

“Fine Dad, fine, but you know I am only looking out for your best interest.” 

 

“Thanks for lending an ear Brooke, it really helped.” Thorne told her.

“Are you going to see Macy today?” She asked.

“You bet I am, I have a son to meet.” He said with a proud smile.

“Thorne, please tell her how happy I am that she’s alright and that when the time is right for her I’d like to see her.”

“I will Brooke.” He said. He gave her a hug and walked away. Brooke went into her office shutting the door behind her. She pulled out the designs that she had been looking at earlier but her mind was wandering. She was curious about Beth and Sean, she was worried about Thorne but most of all she missed Ridge. Gingerly she opened her top drawer and pulled out a picture from their first wedding. It had been such a perfect day, such a wonderful start to a perfect life. She knew it was her own fault that things had fallen apart. Even after Taylor had returned he had chosen to stay with them but she had foolishly started a flirtation with Grant. It had seemed innocent at the time, but with Taylor and Stephanie working overtime to poison Ridge’s mind and her own carelessness in letting Grant take things just a bit too far she had lost the man she loved more than life. “But that’s the past and he’s back.” She smiled. “And this time no one is going to spoil it for us.” She let her finger trace his face on the photo. How she loved him, how she had always loved him. Somehow, no matter how hard she tried to move on it always came back to Ridge. “My past, my present and my future. You are my one true love Ridge.” She said with a sign. “You are the one man that can really make my life worth living. Please God, don’t let anyone steal this from us this time. We’ve waited so long.” She whispered.

“Too long.” Ridge said as he slipped into the office.

“Shut the door!” She gasped.

Ridge smiled and let it close. “Don’t worry about it Logan. No one was out there and I am almost at the same place you are. If they see us they see us. I’ve waited too long for this and staying away from you is way too hard.” He walked over to her and put his arms around her, kissing her neck and caressing her breasts with his hands. “What do you say we take a little break?”

“Seems that’s all I’ve been doing today.” She said. “But what did you have in mind?” She said with a sly grin. Brooke followed Ridge’s eyes to the bed. “Hmmmm, I knew I was smart putting that in here.”

“I’d settle at just holding you and looking at you.” Ridge told her.

“You never have to settle for anything again Ridge.” She turned her face towards his and kissed him. “I’m yours for the asking and since you asked so nicely.” With a giggle she stood up and reached behind her, unzipping her dress. Ridge stood in awe as it fell to the floor. She stood before him in pretty pink panties and bra. Her swollen belly only added to the appeal. Ridge felt his desire rising immediately.

“The affect you have on me Logan.” He moaned.

“If you like this you’ll love this even more.” She said as she unhooked her bra and let it join her dress. Ridge’s hands cupped her full breasts, kneading them, caressing them and finally letting his mouth take their place. He licked and bit her nipples making them hard pearls. Brooke moaned and leaned into his embrace. “Ridge, oh Ridge.”

“I love you, God how I love you.” He told her. He stood back and then his thumbs each took one side of her panties pulling them down. Brooke stepped out of them and walked to the bed.

“Are you going to join me?” She asked.

“In more ways than one.” He promised. He quickly took off his own clothes showing Brooke just how deep his desire was.

“I need you, I need you inside me right now.” Brooke said as her eyes went up and down his body. 

 

Stephanie was angry as she approached Megan. Her phone conversation hadn’t gone as she had assumed it would. Times were different, security was tighter and she had been told that it might not be possible to ensure the results she wanted from the tests. No matter how much money she had been willing to pay she still couldn’t get her cohort to promise it would work. She had sat fuming in her office trying to decide what her next move would be. “Brooke, I have to get to you, scare you, make you realize that Ridge will never accept you. Maybe I can pay you to leave.” She had said. Now she was ready to put her plan into action. She stood in front of the assistant, who was on the phone. Megan looked nervous as she tried to end the call. Finally she hung up.

“Mrs. Forrester, what can I do for you?”

“Is Brooke in her office?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m not sure. Shall I buzz her?”

“No need, I’ll just go in. I don’t want anyone or any calls to disturb us.” She said. She walked to the door and put her hand on the knob. “Today will be your last day at Forrester Brooke Logan, you are going to be out of our lives.” With an evil grin she turned the knob. 

 

Chapter 35 

 

“Oh Ridge.” Brooke moaned as their bodies joined. As always it was more than just the sexual act, it was so deep, so real, such love that she felt, and he felt it too. He looked adoringly into her eyes.

“Logan, God Logan.” As much as he wanted to be careful and gentle with her he couldn’t. The passion was too intense and he needed to express it as a man to a woman, a husband to a wife. He pushed deep inside her and then pulled out, almost all the way but Brooke pulled him back to her. They found their familiar but never boring rhythm together. They had each other and that was all that mattered to them. They had shut out the entire world except each other. At any other time this would have been perfect, it would have been right and it would have been safe. Hearing only each other’s sighs and endearments neither of them heard the sound of the doorknob turning. 

 

“Mother!” Thorne called out to Stephanie as she started to open Brooke’s office door. “I need to talk to you.”

“Honey what’s wrong?” Stephanie’s hand dropped from the doorknob and she walked over to her son. “You look terrible.”

“Can we go to your office? This is really important.” He implored her.

“Honey can it wait, I really do need to speak to Brooke about something.” Stephanie frowned. As much as she loved her younger son she knew that she had to fix things for her older son first. Thorne’s problems certainly couldn’t be that pressing after all he had escaped the wrath of Brooke Logan.

“No, no it really can’t wait Mother. Come on.” He took her arm and led her away from the door towards her own office. 

 

Taylor flushed as she started to twist and turn the ring on her finger. “It’s nothing Pierce, we’re still officially married, I never really thought about removing his ring. Do you think I should?”

“I think you need to set your priorities straight Taylor. I don’t know who this new man is but I also don’t think you’re over Ridge.”

Taylor gave him a pensive look and then walked towards the window and stared out. A moment later she turned back to face him. “I don’t think I’ll ever really be over Ridge, he was the love of my life but that’s over. The new man is not a substitute, he’s his own man, a special, loving man. I know you think that I am moving too fast and maybe I am but if I don’t then maybe I’d be letting this slip through my fingers and I can’t do that. This may well be the most important thing in my life and I am not going to lose him Pierce.”

“You could be losing something here too Taylor. You and I have something too. And we have children together, something that will bond us forever. You know how I feel about you Taylor, I’ve made my feelings clear. I come with no baggage, I wish you’d consider giving us a chance.” He smiled at her. “I love you Taylor, just in case you weren’t sure. I do love you.” 

 

Sean ran to the passenger door and opened it for Beth. She smiled at him and took his hand as she got out. “Thank you.” She said softly. “You prove that manners aren’t just a forgotten art.”

“Never with me.” He proclaimed. “I hope you had a good time.”

“Even better than I had imagined. But who wouldn’t have been flattered by having the attention of such a handsome young man.” She told him.

“I wish you would stop emphasizing the young part. I’m not that young Beth and you certainly are not old.”

“Again I’m flattered, but Sean, I do know that you are much more suited in age and circumstances to my daughter.” She laughed. “It seems that our family has done it’s share of sharing.”

“Brooke hasn’t even been in my thoughts today Beth, I have been totally captivated by the woman I was with.”

“I think that might work better on my granddaughter.” Beth grinned at him. “But again I am flattered.”

“How do you see yourself Beth? When you look into the mirror or even think about Beth Logan what is it that you see?” He asked her.

“I see a more than middle aged woman who has made quite a mess out of her life but who also has managed to raise four wonderful children. I see a woman who is well past her prime and who has never truly known love. But I also see someone who is strong and a fighter. How’s that?” She asked him.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit at all. Yes, you did raise at least one wonderful child, I can’t comment on the ones that I don’t know but you can be proud of Brooke, she’s like you. She’s full of love and passion and she certainly gets her beauty from you.” Beth looked at him and blushed. “Come now Beth, you do know you’re beautiful.”

“I’ve never considered myself so, attractive yes, beautiful no. My daughters are but I think they got some of that from their father.”

“I see beauty inside and outside. I see a woman who has so much to give, so much to share with the world. I see a woman that I am honored to be able to share her company.”

“We don’t know each other that well Sean.” She said.

“I intend to remedy that.” He said. He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. “I am so attracted to you Beth Logan.” 

 

“Ridge the door!” Brooke gasped as she let him go. The door was slightly ajar. “What if your mother saw us?”

“If she had she would have been in here.” He assured her. He got up and quickly closed and locked it. When he returned to her she had a sly grin on her face. “Now what is that look for?”

“I think I’m ready for round two.” She said devilishly.

“Even in your pregnant state you are insatiable aren’t you Logan?” He laughed.

“Are you complaining?” She pouted.

“No, but I don’t want people to be looking for us.”

“And I don’t care about people.” She let her eyes drift from his to his once more rock hard appendage. “And I don’t think you do either.”

“What I have to put up with.” He said with a sigh. Brooke laughed hard and sexily and Ridge took a few quick strides until he was back in her arms. “A man has to do what a man has to do.” He said right before he claimed her lips in another soulful kiss. 

 

“Alright, you dragged me away from important business, so what is it Thorne?” Stephanie said with an impatient tap of her foot.

“Sit.” He said as he gently pushed her into her chair.

“I don’t have time for dramatics. If this is about Kimberly all I can say is you made your bed, you will have to sleep in it.”

“Funny but I don’t think you’d take that attitude with Ridge.” He said a bit sadly. “And yes, this has to do with Kimberly and myself and more than just that.”

“I don’t mean it seem like I favor your brother Thorne, I don’t, it’s just that you seem to have more sense than he does, he needs the guidance more than you do even if you are the younger one.”

“I suppose I should take that as a complement but it’s not that easy Mother. All my life Ridge and his entanglements have meant so much more to you than mine or Felicia’s or Kristen’s. I think Ridge knows pretty much what he’s doing and he’s certainly old enough to make his own mistakes.” He seemed to have shocked her, at least temporarily into silence. “But I didn’t ask to talk to you about Ridge. This is important Mother, it’s quite earth shattering to be truthful.”

“Then by all means tell me.” She said.

“I’m a father.” He said. Then he looked at her, awaiting her reaction. She frowned, causing her forehead to wrinkle and then she looked into his eyes.

“Do you want me to help you get rid of Kimberly’s baby?” She asked.

“What?” He shouted. “Mother how could you even suggest that? I am going to pretend I didn’t even hear that.”

“I didn’t mean to harm the child, I just meant if you thought it wasn’t your baby Thorne, must you always overreact?” She clucked at him.

“I know it’s my child Mother. Kimberly was a virgin, I know that for a fact.”

“Then what is the dramatic news? We all already knew she was pregnant. Thorne I am busy.” She said as she attempted to stand.

“Sit!” He demanded. “This is one time you will be here for me and you will care about me and the hell with Ridge!”

“Ridge? Did I mention Ridge?” She asked with an uncharacteristic blush. She had been caught and she knew it.

“You were going to see Brooke so I know it had to do with Ridge. Why can’t you just leave them alone? It’s inevitable Mother, like the sun coming up in the morning, Ridge and Brooke will always be. Even when they are apart they will always be.”

“Not this time. Once I get that bitch out of his life she’ll be out of all of our lives. You should consider yourself lucky to have escaped her clutches Thorne.”

“You were willing to sacrifice me to her for Ridge, not that I considered it a sacrifice. But again we aren’t talking about what needs to be said. You know Mother, sometimes I don’t know why I even care. Why do I bother?”

Stephanie then felt guilty. She loved Thorne, she loved him dearly. All the attention she had paid to Ridge throughout the years may have indeed hurt her younger son. She got up and walked to him and hugged him. Thorne was taken aback and fell into the embrace. How he had always longed for these times with her. Even the smell of Chanel on another woman brought back the memories of his mother’s arms, the arms that he had felt such comfort in. And time hadn’t changed that. He let his head rest on her strong shoulder and he inhaled her sweet scent.

“I love you Mother.” He said with a smile.

“And I love you Thorne, please never doubt that.” She said. Then she stiffened and let him go. “So please, tell me what it is that has you so upset. Something about your child? Your marriage?”

“Can I ask you something?” He said honestly.

“Of course.”

“When I married Macy the last time, were you really happy for us or was it all about my not being with Brooke?”

Stephanie took a deep breath. She didn’t want to hurt her son and she didn’t want to lie. They had just shared a tender moment and she didn’t want to ruin it. She thought hard before she answered. “I was never happy about you being married to Sally’s daughter, but Macy was her own person. She was a lovely girl that I grew to love for herself. I’m not sure that a third marriage was a good idea. It cost more than just her life Thorne, it cost you your integrity and it cost this family a lot of pain and shame. Brooke Logan. Brooke was the one who caused it all but Macy was the pawn, the innocent victim. Was I happy for you?” She asked. “I was, because I honestly believed that you loved Macy more than you could ever love Brooke. I believed that there was a deep connection that you wanted to recapture. I wasn’t happy to see you in a marriage that was only made for the reasons that it turned out to be but I did approve of Macy. Does that answer your question?”

“Yeah, I guess it does.” Thorne said. “I did love her Mother, but I admit that I married her in a way to prove something to myself and to Brooke. Brooke had hurt me, not intentionally and not of her own doing but nevertheless it did hurt.”

“And she proved us right honey.” Stephanie told him gently.

“Yes she did.” He admitted.

“And now you’ve done it again haven’t you?” She asked him. “You’ve married Kimberly to teach Brooke a lesson. Unfortunately she doesn’t even care does she?”

“Actually she does.” Thorne said.

“Pooh.” Stephanie admonished. “She only cares about herself and trying to catch your brother.”

“She cares about me too Mother, she is a friend and she cares.”

“So you want out of your marriage?” She asked. “Not to pursue Brooke, please tell me not to pursue her.”

“I may not be married to Kim Mother.” He announced. “Or then again I just don’t know. Mother please sit down, this is really going to shock you. It’s Macy, she’s alive.”  

 

Megan looked at the display on her phone and shuddered. She knew that she had no choice but to answer and the longer she took the more abuse she’d have to face but somehow she couldn’t seem to force herself to pick up the receiver.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Becky asked as she approached her friend.

“Oh, I guess I was daydreaming.” Megan lied. She reached for the phone, at the same time hitting the button to disable the display feature. “Forrester Creations, Megan Conley.” She announced herself.

“I know you know who this is.” The voice shot back.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Logan is in a conference right now. Can I give her a message?”

“Who’s there? Is someone listening to us?”

“That’s right. Yes, she should be out in an hour, I’m sure she will be able to take your call then.” Megan said in a polite voice.

“You call me back as soon as the person is gone Megan! I mean it!”

“Thank you for calling.” Megan said as she disconnected the phone. “So Becky, what’s up?” 

“Two things.” Becky said. “One, how about going to lunch?”

“Great and two?” Megan asked.

“Have you seen Sean? He left earlier and he hasn’t called in or anything.”

“Nope.” Megan said. “Maybe Brooke knows but she’s in her office and she isn’t answering calls.”

“Is he in there?” Becky asked. “You don’t have to protect me, I can handle it. We’re over Meg, really we are.”

“No he’s not in there and I wish you weren’t over. I sure like him better than your crazy mystery guy.”

“Sasha.” Becky sighed.

“He’s strange Becky, really weird. Something isn’t right about him. I don’t trust him.”

“Well you’ve been acting strange lately too and I still like you.” Becky told her.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ve had some personal problems.”

“You used to be able to talk to me.” Becky said.

“Maybe someday, not now okay?”

“I just hate to see you like this. Even Giovanni doesn’t seem to get a smile out of you anymore.”

“I think that may be over too.” Megan said sadly.

“No! Megan no! He loves you.”

“Not really and well, things weren’t as great as you think. I just think I need a break.”

“Maybe Sasha has a friend?” Becky suggested with a laugh.

“No thanks, I have enough drama in my life right now.” She said, thinking of the person who had been on the other side of the phone. 

 

“I wish you wouldn’t say that Pierce.” Taylor told him. “It makes me very uncomfortable.”

“Why?”

“Why?” She shot back. “Because I think of you as a friend but not as a lover. What happened between us happened once. I was vulnerable and I had too much to drink. It wasn’t love, it was sex Pierce.”

“It was love for me.”

“Then I think I have to rethink my position here.” She said. “I don’t think about you in those ways and it will be too difficult working with you if you keep pressing me.”

“You’re in love with a married man Taylor, think about it. I can give you so much more and I know you have feelings for me. We have fun together, you know we do. Think about our day at the beach honey.” He implored her.

“Stop it Pierce!” She shouted. “I’ve had just about all the pressure I can take! I am in love with Eric and there is nothing you can.” Suddenly she turned pale and stopped. She had let out the name, Pierce knew who it was. He stared at her in shock.

“Eric? Eric Forrester? Taylor are you insane?” 

 

Beth Logan wasn’t used to drinking during the day, in fact she was not much of a drinker at all but when Sean escorted her back inside she knew she had to offer him something. Her idea had been coffee but Sean instead had spied a bottle of Chablis chilling in the refrigerator and knowing that Brooke wouldn’t be drinking it he had suggested sharing it with Beth. She had agreed almost too readily. But his boyish grin had won her over. Now they were on their third glass and his arm was around her and it felt far too good to ask him to move it. When his fingers started tracing a delicate pattern down her bare arm Beth felt Goosebumps rising and when he turned her face towards his she knew what was coming next. His kiss was tender and yet demanding. His tongue mated with hers and Beth felt something she hadn’t felt with a man in oh so long. Gently Sean took the glass from her hand and placed it on the table. Then he took her fully into his arms. Beth sighed and let the feelings take her. Somehow, as if they had a power of their own her hands began to make their way underneath his shirt. Her nails raked his chest and she heard a low moan and then flushed when she realized it was coming from her. Things were moving too fast but she felt unable to stop them. She didn’t even know if she wanted to. She felt an old familiar aching between her legs and she quickly crossed them hoping to purge it. Sean pushed her back on the couch and then he was on top of her. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. As wrong as she knew this was she was powerless to stop it. She found herself willing his hands to touch her more intimately and then he did. His hand was stroking her inner thigh and Beth moved so that he moved even higher. Suddenly he pulled his hand away.

“Beth, oh Beth.” He said in a deep voice. “We have to stop now or I will never be able to. Our first time won’t be on your daughter’s couch, you deserve so much more.” Beth pulled back as if stung but Sean grabbed her hands in his own larger ones. “No, no don’t be embarrassed. We’ve done nothing wrong, things just moved a little bit faster than either one of us was ready for.”

“I was acting like a teenager.” She told him. “I’m a grandmother and I threw myself at you like I was sixteen years old.”

“Did you see any objections? And wasn’t I as much into it as you? Oh Beth, I am so attracted to you. You’re a special woman, a very special woman.” He pulled her over and kissed her again. “But I’m not going to mess this one up. I have to leave now but I want to see you again, tomorrow. Will you have dinner with me?” He asked.

“Yes.” She said softly.

“You’re a beautiful woman Beth.” He said kissing her again. “And I thank you for a lovely day.” He stood up and she did as well. She walked him to the door where they shared another long, sensuous kiss. “Until tomorrow.” He said.

“Tomorrow.” She repeated. She stood and watched him as he drove away. Then her hand went to her kiss-swollen lips. “Beth Logan, what have you gotten yourself into now?” 

 

“Thorne loves me Macy, I know he does.” Kimberly told her sister. Macy had to wonder if she was trying to convince her or herself. She nodded at her and then glanced at Sally. “Why don’t you believe me?”

“I do Kimberly.” Macy said. “But it’s so much more complicated now. But what I don’t understand is what it is you expect me to do. I can’t make his mind up for him, I can’t force him to stay with you, not anymore than I could force him to come back to me.”

“But if you didn’t want him to come back he’d stay, and I need him, my baby needs him.” Kimberly begged.

“And Adam? Doesn’t he deserve a father too?” Macy said softly.

“Thorne could still be there for him, even as my husband.”

“That goes the other way too Kimberly.” Sally pointed out. “Would you really want to be married to a man who didn’t want to be married to you?”

“But he does Sally, I didn’t force him to marry me, I didn’t force him to make me pregnant, I didn’t force him to take my virginity!” She turned to Macy when she made her last point and the effect she had wanted was achieved. Macy cringed.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves shall we?” Sally said. “We need Thorne involved in this conversation. Perhaps we can call him at his office?”

“Are you ready for that Kim?” Macy asked. “Are you ready to hear what Thorne has to say?”  

 

“Cait! Shelby!” Bridget called to her friends and then ran to catch up to them. “Wait up!”

The two girls stopped and waited for Bridget to join them. “Hi Bridget.” Shelby said with a grin.

“Hey, I gotta talk to you guys.” She joined arms with the two girls. “This is really important okay?”

“Okay.” Caitlyn said. “Sounds serious.”

“It is. Well Mom and Ridge seem to think so.”

“Uh oh, did they find out you cut?” Caitlyn asked.

“My Grandmother did, but she promised not to tell. No, this is about what I told you guys about Ridge. You didn’t tell anyone did you?”

They all stopped and walked to the corner of the hallway. “Come on Bridget. You told us not to.” Shelby said. She seemed to be insulted that Bridget would even ask.

“It’s just that Ridge wants to keep it a secret for a while.” Bridget tried to explain.

“Ewwh, you mean he’s ashamed of you?” Caitlyn teased.

“No, but he doesn’t want Stephanie to know. It’s a long story but he seems to think that she was the one who made it look like Dad was my dad you know.”

“So your father doesn’t know yet?” Shelby asked her.

“No, just me and Ridge and Mom and Grandma and my mother’s old boyfriend Sean.”

“Why does he know?” Caitlyn asked her.

“I don’t know, my Mom runs to him whenever she has a problem. I think she still likes him.”

“But doesn’t she love Ridge? I mean he is your father and she always loved him.” Shelby said with a frown.

“Let’s just not talk about it okay. It makes it a lot easier for now. Just don’t tell anyone okay?” Bridget said.

“Okay, okay.” Caitlyn said with a sigh.

“Okay, I got to meet with Jen about my history assignment. I’ll catch you after school.” With a wave Bridget ran off down the hallway. Once she was gone Shelby grabbed Caitlyn’s arm.

“We are so dead.” Shelby said.

“Why?” Caitlyn asked her.

“Well I told my Mom last night and I know she told my Aunt Patsi. And you know how she gets. It’s like putting it on the six o’clock news. Bridget will freak if she finds out.”

“Can you call your aunt?” Caitlyn asked her.

“I’m going to but it may be too late. I hope Bridget doesn’t get too mad.”

“She shouldn’t, after all it’s not like it won’t come out soon anyway.”  

 

“Brooke? Honey is that you?” Beth called down when she heard the door open. She walked to the top of the stairs and looked down.

“Yeah Mom, it’s me.” Brooke said with a sigh. She threw her purse and her jacket down and then plopped on the couch. She kicked her shoes off and put her feet on the coffee table.

“What’s wrong?” Beth asked as she headed down the stairs to her daughter. “Brooke?”

“I’m fine, just tired.” She said. “It was a trying day Mom. I just don’t know how much longer I can keep this farce up. I’m sick of hiding, I’m sick of sneaking around too. I want to be out in the open. I love Ridge and he loves me. Damn it I’ve waited too long for this already. When will it be my turn?”

“What does Ridge say?” Beth asked as she sat down next to Brooke. She took her hand and squeezed it.

“Ridge is getting frustrated but I know he wants to prove his point. I just don’t know if I care anymore. I want him to tell her and Taylor and make this official. I don’t want to be the other woman any more.” Brooke crossed her legs and started to rub her right foot. “You know I went for a walk today because I was so upset I couldn’t stay there. I know Stephanie can’t wait to rub it in my face. How is this going to make our relationship even at all tolerable? She hates me so much already and I am going to marry him.”

“When are you going to see Ridge again?” Beth asked.

“I wish I knew.” Brooke said as she rubbed her belly. “It seems like we just play it by ear. I can’t take it Mom, I really can’t.”

“Then call him and call it off Brooke. You have your health and your baby’s health to think about. Stress is the worst possible thing for you now.” Beth stroked her hair. “Listen to me please honey.”

“It’s so important to Ridge.” Brooke said with a squint. “But it can’t change anything, it won’t give us back the years we lost, the years he and Bridget lost. She’s a young woman now, they can never recapture what Stephanie stole from us. I guess Ridge wants her to pay in some way.”

“But you’re the one who is paying Brooke and I won’t have that.” Beth protested. She stood up and had a determined look on her face.

“Please don’t do anything.” Brooke begged.

“I only want to talk to that man of yours. I don’t think he realizes what this is doing to you Brooke.”

“I’m overreacting. We were together, we were. I just don’t want to hide.”

“I’m going to talk to him. You sit and relax Brooke, I am going to talk to him.”

“Mom no.” Brooke said calmly. “When he comes over again you can talk to him. He’s under enough pressure right now with me and Stephanie. I’ll be okay. I just need to relax.”

“I’m going to get you a cup of herbal tea and I want you to go take a nice warm bath.” Beth insisted. “And if that man is not here by tomorrow night I will call him.” 

 

“Pierce please, please pretend you didn’t hear that.” Taylor begged.

“I can’t believe it Taylor, I can’t believe this. Eric Forrester? You must have lost your mind. There is not a chance in hell that this is going to work out. And as for forgetting that I heard it, well no can do. I’m your friend if nothing else and I intend on helping you see how hopeless this whole thing is. Think about it Taylor, think about what happened with Brooke.”

“I am not Brooke!” She shouted.

“No, you aren’t. And somehow if anyone could have made it work it would have been Brooke, they at least had the children to bind them. Can you seriously think that you can make a life with the father of the man that you’ve loved most of your life? Your son’s grandfather? Even if you won’t think about me or yourself think about Thomas, and the girls. This will put them into therapy for years. Is the sex that good Taylor?”

“How dare you?” She hissed at him.

“Try being honest with yourself Taylor, you’ll see that I am making sense. This is doomed, there isn’t a chance in hell for this to work out. Open your eyes Taylor, please open your eyes.”  

 

“Alive?” Stephanie finally got out. “Macy is alive?” He had told her an abridged version of what Macy had told him, leaving out some of the pain she had endured. Stephanie was flabbergasted and uncharacteristically silent.

“She was confused for a long time Mother, but she finally figured it out and she came home. Macy is alive and this is where it gets more complicated.” Thorne told her.

“Your marriage.” She said. “We’ll call Jonathan, he’ll know what to do.”

“How can he know when I don’t.” Thorne said.

“She’s your wife Thorne, you never ended your marriage. Surely you love Macy more than you love her sister.”

“Kim is having my baby.” Thorne said sadly.  

 

 

Ridge walked past Brooke’s open office door and did a double take. It was empty and the light was out. He immediately walked to Megan’s desk. “Where is she?” He demanded.

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough damage Ridge?” She said angrily. For a moment he forgot that she wasn’t in on the plan. She and Brooke had been so close for so long. But something changed that. Megan had turned on Brooke and started to support Taylor when Brooke had declared her love for Ridge again. Now she seemed back in Brooke’s corner.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Megan.” He sighed. “Just tell me where she is.”

“I might have my own issues with Brooke but I will not turn against her for the likes of you.” Megan told him. “I saw how you treated her before. You were horrible Ridge. She’s having a baby, even if it isn’t yours. Can’t you show her some respect?”

“She’s doing a number on me Megan, on me and my whole family and I can’t let her get away with it.” He lied. The words cut him to the quick. He hated this game, he hated speaking badly about the woman he loved, about his baby daughter that she was carrying. He was starting to think that maybe Brooke was right.

“What do you want Ridge? You turned her down, she’s broken. She walked out of here in tears.” Ridge turned pale and faced Megan with his mouth wide open, no words coming. “Are you really surprised Ridge? She’s loved you all her life. If this baby is not yours I truly believe that Brooke at least thinks it is. She’d never do something to hurt you like this. She knows how important children are to you and you know how important they are to her. Just leave her alone Ridge. If you can’t give her what she wants leave her alone.”

“I’m sorry you feel this way Megan but my reasons for needing to see Brooke right now are strictly business. Now did she go home?” He demanded.

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask her. But she took her briefcase and shut down her computer and the lights so I think it’s a pretty good possibility. Can’t it wait till tomorrow?”

“I’m sure it can.” He said. He was impressed by her loyalty. He’d have to convince Brooke to give her another chance. She might just be the friend that Brooke needed. He walked away and into his own office. As he sat down the phone rang. He grabbed it on the second ring, hoping desperately that it was Brooke. “Ridge Forrester.” He said.

“Ridge, it’s Taylor.”

“What’s wrong Taylor?” He asked.

“I need you to watch the children tonight. Can you?” She asked.

“This is short notice.” He complained.

“They are your children Ridge, I would think you’d want to see them.”

“I do want to see them but I have some things I might not be able to get out of. Maybe Mother can take them and I can pick them up from her.” He suggested. “And what happened to Catherine?”

“Catherine has personal plans, plans that have been in the works for months. Can’t you do this Ridge?” She was angry and she found it hard to kept it out of her voice.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll give Mother my keys, she can pick them up from Catherine and bring them to her house. I’ll finish up what I have to do and then bring them back and wait there until you get home. Will that work?” He said with a sigh.

“I suppose so. But I was hoping you could take them for the night.” She tapped her nails on her desk and looked up at Pierce who was staring at her.

“All night Doc?” He asked.

“That’s what I said. What’s your problem, do you have a date?” She said sarcastically. “Oh no you can’t can you, you and Brooke are still playing your cruel little game.”

“It’s not a game and Brooke isn’t in favor of it either. Leave her out of it.”

“I don’t want her with my children Ridge.”

“She’s going to be in their lives whether you like it or not. At least in Thomas’.” He answered.

“Not yet, not until they are prepared.” She shouted.

“Brooke is not the wicked witch of the west Taylor, she loves the children.”

“This is not going to work. You’re being way too uncooperative. I’m asking you a simple favor and you give me nothing but grief.” Ridge knew he wasn’t going to win this battle and he did miss the children. He finally relented.

“I won’t bring Brooke.” He promised. “Okay?”

“Thank you Ridge. You’ll keep them overnight?”

“Yes Taylor, I’ll keep them overnight. I’ll have Mother pick them up and I’ll get them from there. Just give me more warning next time.” He told her.

“I’ll try Ridge.” Taylor hung up the phone and turned to Pierce. “Now we have to talk. You have to promise me that you are not going to tell anyone what you heard.” 

 

Ridge was frustrated. He wasn’t prepared for Taylor’s request and he was worried about Brooke. Everything had seemed fine when he left her but if Megan was right she had gone home in tears. He knew she needed him but so did the children. He was torn. He loved the children but right now he knew that Brooke really needed him. He didn’t want to deal with this over the phone but he also had to make arrangements with his mother. He picked up the phone and called her office.

“Hello.” Stephanie said in an annoyed voice.

“Mother? Is something wrong?” Ridge asked.

“I’m in here with Thorne. What is it Ridge?” She asked impatiently.

“Taylor had something come up and I have to take the kids tonight. Can you pick them up for me? I’ll leave my keys with Megan.”

“Where are you going?” She asked. “And where will you take them? You are staying with us aren’t you?”

“You and Dad have your own problems. I’ll get a room at the club, a suite. We’ll be fine. Just keep them with you until I get there okay?”

“You can stay here honey, your father has to go out of town tonight.” She informed him.

“He does? For what?” Ridge wondered.

“Something about the showing. He didn’t go into details. Look I have to finish with your brother but I’ll be happy to pick up the kids.” She assured him. “But honey, I think maybe they should stay here. They’ve been through so much lately. Please consider them Ridge.”

“I’ll think about it Mother.” He said. “See you later.” He hung up and went out to Megan. “My mother is going to stop by for these.” He said as he handed her his old house keys.

“Is something wrong Ridge?” Megan asked.

“Nothing that I can’t handle Megan, nothing at all.” He winked at her. “I have something I have to handle. If you have a problem see Sean, we need to put the guy to work anyway don’t we?” He said with a laugh.

 

Stephanie turned back to Thorne. “I’m sorry honey, Ridge needs me to watch the children but we still have time. Now I know you feel obligated to Kimberly but.”

“But nothing Mother.” He interrupted. “I can’t believe you. When you thought I was going to be with Brooke you couldn’t push Kim any harder but now, now that Macy is here you want me to abandon my wife and unborn child. Could you do that? Could you?”

“What about Macy and your son? Don’t they count? And legally honey, legally she is your wife.”

“This whole thing is going to get so ugly. Kim is a mess. She’s so scared.” Thorne ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I can’t blame her for feeling that way. Mother I never would have married her if I had any idea about Macy and Adam.”

“You need to sit her down and explain it.” She took her son’s hand. “You know Thorne, Kimberly isn’t that far along.”

“And your meaning?” He asked.

“It’s not too late for an abortion.”

Thorne dropped her hand and stared at her. “I can’t believe you would say that. You want Kimberly to abort my child? My child? Your grandchild?”

“A child that never should have been conceived.” Stephanie said to him. She got right up to his face. “A child that will never have a normal life if he is born.”  

 

“Beth.” Ridge said as she opened the door. “Where’s Brooke?”  

“She’s taking a bath Ridge, come on in.” She told him.

“What happened Beth? She was in a great mood the last time I saw her and then Megan told me she left in tears.”

“Hormones Ridge, I blame it mostly on hormones. But she doesn’t want to do this anymore. She’s only doing it because you want to. She’s miserable. She wants to be honest. She doesn’t want to lie to your mother. Frankly I can’t blame her, things are tense enough between them already. You know Stephanie will never blame you for this, she’ll say it was all Brooke’s idea.” Beth said as they walked inside.

“I’m going up there.” Ridge told her. “Don’t worry, if she really wants to stop this I will. Brooke and the baby come first with me.”

“Thank you Ridge, thank you so much.” Beth told him. He quickly made his way up the stairs and into Brooke’s bedroom. The bathroom door was closed and he smiled. He quietly opened it and watched her as she bathed. She was so beautiful and so agile for a woman as pregnant as she was.

“Hello Logan.” He said.

“Ridge!” Brooke gasped and quickly covered herself.

“A little late for modesty isn’t it?” He teased.

“What are you doing here?” She asked him as she moved her hands away. “Hand me a towel.”

“No way, you enjoy yourself.”

“Why don’t you join me?” She smiled at him.

“I’d love nothing better but now isn’t the time.” He sat down on the toilet seat next to her. “So are you going to tell me what got you so upset honey?”

“Oh Ridge.” She sighed. “I just miss you the second you’re gone, and then I have to play the part of the scorned woman and I hate it, I really hate it. All I want is to have a happy life for us. It’s all I ever wanted.”

“Okay Logan, you win, it’s over. We stop right now. Tomorrow we tell Mother we’re in love and we tell her about Bridget and let the chips fall where they may.” He took her hand and held it tightly.

“Really?” She smiled. A single, perfect tear fell from her eye.

“Really.” He said. Then to her amazement he pulled off his shoes and fully clothed got into the tub with her. Brooke started to laugh hysterically but when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with more love and passion than either one of them knew existed her laughter turned into sighs of contentment.  

 

“I don’t want to make your life more difficult Taylor, that’s the last thing I’d want.” Pierce protested. “But I have to tell you that I think you’re playing with fire.”

“That’s my prerogative Pierce.” She said with a frown. “I just want your word before I leave.”

“My word?” he asked.

“You know what I’m talking about. I want your word that you won’t tell anyone what you heard today.”

“You’re embarrassed.” He stated flatly.

“No, I am not. I just want to spare everyone the pain that could happen if it got out too soon.”

“Well hallelujah. Taylor Hayes Forrester is finally thinking with that wonderful brain of hers! Pain? Taylor there is going to be nothing but pain and you will have your own share of it. You and Eric are on a one way road to disaster. I can stop that. Taylor I can be your savior. Think about what I can offer you. Think about the life we could have. Yes, there would be some scandal but that’s going to happen regardless of what you do. But Eric? My God a life with Eric will destroy everything you’ve built.”

“I’ll take it under advisement.” She said. She turned and gathered up her things. “I’ll be late tomorrow Pierce.”

“Think about it Taylor, please think about it.” He begged her again.

She quickly walked past him into the elevator. Once she got down she pulled out her cell phone and punched in a number.

“Eric Forrester.” The voice answered.

“Eric.” Taylor sighed. “I can’t wait to see you. I’ve arranged for Ridge to take the children tonight so we’ll be all alone.”

“When can I come?” He asked.

“Not for a couple of hours. Just wait till he’s gotten the kids and I’ll call you. I’ll make us a wonderful dinner.”

“All I need is you darling.” He told her.

“You have me Eric, you have me forever.”  

 

“Macy you’ve been gone for so long. Things have changed.” Kimberly protested. “Thorne has changed. He really does love me.”

“I don’t doubt he does honey.” Macy told her insecure sister. “But Thorne has other obligations now. Not just you. It has to be his choice. I won’t press him but I expect you to do the same. I promise I will abide by his choices. Can you?” Macy asked her.

“He’ll chose me. He’ll chose me and our baby.” Kimberly said softly.

“Then I guess you have nothing to worry about do you?” Macy told her. “Now I am going to take Adam to Forrester to meet his father. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes.” Kimberly said quickly.  

“Girls.” Sally said stopping them. “Just remember one thing. You are sisters, blood is thicker than water. No matter what happens with Thorne Forrester you two will forever share a bond. Don’t ever lose that for a man, no matter who that man is.”  

 

Ridge helped Brooke out of the tub. They laughed as they climbed over his wet, abandoned clothes. “You never stop amazing me.” She smiled.

“For that it was all worth it.” He said with a kiss.

“For what?” She asked.

“That beautiful smile. God how I love that smile. I could drown in your eyes and melt when you look at me that way. I was a fool to make you go through something so painful.”

“Ridge?” She said as she clutched his hand. “Will you stay tonight?”

He knew he had made a promise to Taylor but at this moment Brooke needed him more. He pulled her tightly into his arms. “You will never spend another night outside of my arms. Of course I’ll stay.”

“Oh Ridge.” She sighed deeply.

“But I have to call my mother.”

“Are you going to tell her tonight?” She gasped.

“No honey. But I have to make arrangements for her to watch the children.”  

“Ridge it’s okay, you can go to them.” She told him with a sad face.

“Nope, not tonight. Tonight is our night.” He promised. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Brooke. “Do I have more clothes here?”

“Of course you do. You didn’t think I packed everything away did you?” She giggled.

“You were convincing.” He laughed as he wrapped a towel around his waist. “Oh shit my phone.”

“What about it?” Brooke asked.

He pulled the drenched cell phone out of his pants pocket. “I think I killed it.”

“Call from my phone.” She said.

“I can’t she has caller ID.” He said.

“She’s so suspicious.” Brooke crinkled her nose. “So now what?”

“I’ll get dressed and call from a phone booth. I’ll tell her I lost my phone.”

“You’re leaving me already.” She said with a sigh.

“No. I won’t then. The hell with her. I’ll just tell her I came to see you.”

“You’d do that for me?” She asked.

“For us Brooke.” He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He deposited her onto the bed. “You’re getting heavy.” He laughed.

“I’m pregnant Ridge, in case you forgot.”

“Not on your life.” He said, stealing another kiss. Then he picked up the phone and called his mother’s office.

“Ridge, she’s not here.” Megan answered. “Maybe you can get her on her cell phone.”

“Great.” He said. He hung up and turned to Brooke. “We’re in luck, she left the office. I’ll get her on her cell. She’s driving, she won’t be looking at the number.” She smiled and ran her hand up and down his bare leg. “Not now Logan, this is serious business.” He said grabbing her hand and caressing it.” He then called his mother’s cell phone. It rang three times and finally she answered.

“Hello?”

“Mother it’s me.” Ridge said. “I have a problem.”

“What did that bitch do now?” She asked him.

“It’s not Brooke, it’s business.” He lied. “Mother I can’t take the kids tonight. Can you watch them?”

“You know I can, but they’ll be disappointed. Why can’t you come home?”

“That meeting that Dad has to go to, well he needs me too. I’m about to catch a jet.”

“Why didn’t I know anything about this?” She asked.

“Last moment stuff. Thanks Mother, I owe you.”

“You know I love the children. Just try and get home soon. I want to see your family back on track.”

“Just don’t tell Taylor, she seemed annoyed that I couldn’t pick them up. If she knows I won’t be watching them it might just set her off.” Ridge told her.

“I don’t what that. I won’t mention a thing. You know I want you two to work things out honey. I would never jeopardize that. So please do what you can to get back as early as possible. You do need to spend time with your family.”

“I’ll do my best.” He promised and quickly hung up. “She didn’t suspect a thing.” He told Brooke.

“And tomorrow?” She started.

“Tomorrow we tell her everything and our life starts out in the open.” He kissed her once more and then looked quizzically at his ladylove. “Logan, where did you send Dad and why?”

“Me? I didn’t send him anywhere. I thought you and he had arranged something.” She frowned. “Do you think something is wrong?”

“Maybe Sean found something and he didn’t want to upset us. We should call him.” Ridge suggested.

“Did my mother mention anything about going anywhere?” Brooke coyly asked.

“Don’t even go there Logan. I love your mother but I don’t want to see her coming between my parents, I don’t want to see anyone doing that. I want them to make it work. Mother is going to need him when the shit hits that fan with us.”

“I know.” Brooke agreed. “But I’d like to see my mother happy too.”

“So do I.” Ridge told her. “I hope she finds someone too. But my father isn’t that someone Logan, I know that and so do you.”

“You’re right. We make it all dysfunctional enough don’t we?” She teased with a giggle.

“If we’re dysfunctional then I hope to never be normal.” He said as he pulled the towel off of her. “Never.”  

 

Taylor had seen Catherine off and was packing for the kids when she heard the door open. “Stephanie?” She called out.

“Yes honey, it’s me. Are the kids ready?” She answered.

Taylor walked to the top of the staircase. “Just about. I really appreciate this Stephanie. I’m sorry Ridge wasn’t able to pick them up but he’ll have them out of your hair soon.”

“They are never a problem for me honey.” Stephanie assured her. “So what came up for you? Not Pierce Peterson I hope.”

“No, not Pierce but I um, well I have a meeting out of town in the morning and I thought it would be best to leave tonight and get a good night’s sleep.”

“You know honey, I could take the kids and you could bring Ridge, it could be a whole new start for you.”

“Stephanie please, don’t push this.” Taylor begged her.

“I just want my family together.” Stephanie reminded her.

“I know that, but sometimes things just don’t work out as we planned them. Now excuse me a moment and I’ll finish packing for them. The children are in the playroom watching a video if you want to get them ready.” She suggested.

“Okay darling, I’ll do that.”  

 

Kimberly walked behind Macy as they entered Forrester. She was scared. Adam was a beautiful boy and he would surely affect Thorne but he also had to remember the child that she was carrying. Wasn’t he or she as important? She hoped Thorne realized that.

“Come on Kim, walk with me.” Macy said with a smile.

“This is your show, your triumphant return. I don’t want to steal your thunder.” Kimberly told her with a pout.

“It’s not a show and I am not looking at it as a triumphant return. I just want Thorne to meet his son Kim.” Macy told her. But the looks of shock from the employees did put a smile on Macy’s face. She had thought that Thorne would have informed people that she was alive. She hoped the shock wouldn’t harm anyone, especially Stephanie. She suddenly stopped and turned to Kimberly. “I think maybe I should go into an office and wait. You can bring Thorne if you don’t mind.”

“Why?” Kimberly asked.

“Well when I last saw her Stephanie was in a rather delicate state. If Thorne hasn’t said anything to her I certainly don’t want to cause another stroke.”

“Oh God are you ever naïve.” Kimberly laughed. “That old cow hasn’t had a delicate day in her life. You know it was all a big show. She didn’t want Brooke. Well she has me now and she’s happy about that. She might not be too thrilled to see you but she certainly won’t have a stroke.”

“I want to be careful.” Macy said softly. She had been gone a long time. Things and people had changed. Maybe Kim was right, maybe she wouldn’t be welcomed back with open arms. “Please Kim, please just bring Thorne. I’ll wait in the conference room.” She said pointing to the open door.

“Fine, but don’t hold your breath waiting. Thorne usually is so happy to see me he forgets about everything else.” Kimberly said with false confidence.

“We’ll be in here.” Macy said, not wanting another confrontation. She went into the room and closed the door.

“I’ll have him making love to me before he even knows you’re here Macy.” Kimberly said under her breath. “And when I’m finished with him it’ll be ‘Macy who?’” 

 

Eric’s timing was almost a disaster. Stephanie had just left with the children when he pulled into the driveway. Neither of them saw the other so a disaster had been averted. Taylor heard his car pull up and ran to the door to greet him. She threw herself into his eager arms, their mouths meeting in a kiss.

“I could get used to those greetings.” Eric smiled when he came up for air.

“I hope so.” She said. “Because I love you.” She pulled him back to her and placed his hand on her breast. “My heart beats so fast when I think about you Eric.”

“Oh Taylor, my beautiful Taylor. I can’t wait to make you my wife.”  

“And I can’t wait to be your wife. Come in and I’ll get dinner out.”

“I could feast on you forever.” He declared.

“Oh you will.” She said as she kissed him again, licking his lips suggestively.  

 

“Who wants ice cream?” Stephanie cheerfully asked her grandchildren. Thomas immediately chimed in the he wanted vanilla, Phoebe wanted chocolate but little Steffie looked forlornly at her grandmother.

“I want my Mommy.” She sobbed as she put her thumb in her mouth.

“Oh sweetheart, don’t you want to be with Grandma?” Stephanie asked the child as she lifted her into her arms. “I’m so happy to have you here with me.”

“I want Mommy.” She repeated.

“Mommy is away.” Thomas informed her. “Can I have sprinkles?” He asked with wide eyes.

“I think we can manage that. Why don’t you and Phoebe go find Helen and she’ll get you cones. I’m going to talk to your sister.”

The two children happily ran to the kitchen in search of the servant and their treat but Steffie was inconsolable.

“Maybe you’d like Grandma to tell you a story?” Stephanie suggested to her namesake.

“I want to go home.” She sobbed.

Stephanie had just gotten them into their pajamas and was ready to have them settle down for the night but she knew how stubborn this little girl could be.

“Don’t you like it here honey?”

“I want my Mommy.” She sobbed.

“I know you do but you love Grandma don’t you?” Stephanie asked her.

“Yes.” She said through her sobs. “But I don’t have Elmo and I don’t have my blankie and I wanna go home.” She said, her eyes filling with fresh tears.

“You forgot Elmo? Well we can’t have that can we.” Stephanie said, soothing the child. “Then I have an idea. What do you say that we have our ice cream and then Grandma packs a suitcase and we go and sleep at your house? Would you like that?”

“Yes Grandma, yes.” She said, breaking into a smile.

“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do my sweetheart, that’s exactly what we’ll do.” 

 

There was a trail of carelessly thrown clothes leading the way up the stairs, an unfinished meal on the table and two overturned wine glasses on the floor. The two lovers were panting and moaning as they made love for the second time that evening, totally oblivious to anything else in the world. So oblivious that the sound of the key in the lock and the laughing children didn’t penetrate their love nest.

“Wait here children and I’ll go up and open your beds.” Stephanie Douglas Forrester told her grandchildren as she made her way up the stairs. 

 

 

Chapter 36 

 

“Hmmmm.” Stephanie said to herself as she looked at the discarded clothing. “So that’s why Ridge couldn’t take the children. Good for you honey, get your wife back.” She said with a smile.

As she made the turn at the top of the stairs she heard the sound of Taylor moaning. It was obvious to her that it was the throws of a sexual encounter. This brought another smile to Stephanie’s face. “I’ll just get the blankie and a couple of toys and bring the children back home, they need this time.” She had to pass the master bedroom to get to the girl’s room and to her surprise the door was wide open. Soft candlelight was all that illuminated the room and against her better judgement Stephanie found herself stopping and looking in. Ridge’s bare butt was moving up and down as he made love to his wife. Stephanie blushed at what she was witnessing, but she was also very happy. Suddenly he grunted loudly and gave one hard, final thrust. Stephanie turned to walk away when she heard the words that would change her life forever.

“Oh Eric.” Taylor moaned. “I love you so much.”

“Eric?” Stephanie whispered. She was confused. She was hearing things. This was Ridge. What was happening? 

“Taylor, my darling Taylor.”

“No.” Stephanie moaned. This was the voice of the man she had been married to for most of her life. This couldn’t be happening. “Eric?” She whispered again. “Eric?” She clung to the wall and reached for the light switch. Suddenly the room was bathed in bright light.

It all played before her like a movie, like a movie in slow motion. Eric turned and she saw his pen*s slip out of Taylor. Her eyes went to where it had been and she felt sick seeing his semen dripping out of her open legs. “No, oh God no.” Stephanie sobbed. “Not you Taylor, not you.” She felt bile coming into her throat and just stood there as it erupted from her mouth. Tears filled her eyes as she made no attempt to even wipe it away.

“Stephanie.” Eric gasped in shock. He reached for the blanket to cover Taylor but Stephanie ran out.

“Eric stop her, stop her.” Taylor begged. He wasn’t sure why Taylor wanted this to happen but he knew he had to try. He grabbed his shorts from the floor and after several attempts he pulled them up. He ran down the stairs only to find the front door wide open and Stephanie’s taillights fading into the night.

“Hi Grandpa.” Little Steffie said. He stopped short and turned to see all three of his grandchildren sitting, staring at him.

“Taylor! Taylor get down here.” He called out. 

 

How she made it home she would never know but when she pulled into the driveway she lost all control and reason. Her car plowed into the tall palm tree crushing the passenger side beyond repair. The air bag deployed but not before her head hit the steering wheel causing blood to gush. Somehow she freed herself from the crumbled wreckage and made her way into the house. She stumbled to the bar and knocked over several bottles and glasses as she poured the amber liquid. With blood pouring from her head and vomit covering her designer pantsuit Stephanie Douglas Forrester downed a shot of bourbon.

“Mrs. Forrester? Mrs. Forrester what happened?” Helen screamed as she ran into the room.

“Get out! Get out!” Stephanie screamed at her.

Helen cowered and ran from the room. 

 

“More?” Ridge asked as he scooped another spoonful of ice cream into Brooke’s mouth.

“Ummm, that’s so good, it should be illegal.” She giggled.

“You’re so good you should be illegal.” He reiterated.

“Ask your Mother, I think I may already be.” She teased.

“Don’t you worry about my mother. The only mother on my mind is this one.” He told her as he rubbed her bulging belly.

“Soon Ridge, soon we will have our precious baby daughter.” She smiled. “And this time nothing is going to keep us apart.”

“Never again Logan.” He promised. He frowned as his cell phone rang.

“Don’t answer it.” She told him.

 

“I have to Brooke, what if it’s about the kids?”

“Oh Ridge.” She pouted.

“Trust me.” He said with a kiss. He reached for the phone and opened it. “Hello.”

“Mr. Forrester, thank God.”

“Helen? Is that you?”

“Yes Mr. Forrester, I tried you at home but no one answered, I can’t find Mr. Forrester and I just know she needs someone.”

“Who Helen? What happened?” He asked.

“I don’t know, she won’t tell me, she yells at me and makes me leave but she’s bleeding and she’s sick. Please come home Mr. Forrester, please.”

“My mother? Are you talking about my mother?”

“Yes, please come home.”

“I’m on my way.” He promised. He hung up and looked at Brooke.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.  

“I don’t know but Helen is really worried about my mother, I have to go see Logan.”

“I’m coming with you.” She insisted.

“Brooke no, not now. If she’s upset you’ll only make it worse and she’ll upset you too. Just let me do this, I’ll be back.”

“No!” She said loudly. “No. We are a couple, the game is over. She’s your mother and if something is wrong then I’ll be there at your side. Please Ridge.”

“Okay, but just let me handle it.”

“I won’t make it worse, I promise.” She told him. She handed him his pants and then got up and went to the closet and pulled out a loose dress. “I’ll be nice to her. I won’t upset her.”

“I know baby.” He said. He pulled on his pants and walked up to her. She turned and he zipped her dress up. “Ready?”

“Ready.” She smiled. 

 

“Oh my God Ridge.” Brooke looked at him and back to the crashed car. “Is she in there?”

“Helen said she’s inside, this must be what’s wrong. Oh Mother, what happened to you.”

“Can we get past?” Brooke asked.  

“No. We have to park here and walk.” He said. He got out and helped her out of the car.

“You go ahead, I’ll catch up.” Brooke told him.

“Are you sure?”

“Make sure your mother is okay honey.” She said. “I’m slow with this bundle.” She smiled and patted her belly.

“Okay.” He squeezed her hand and ran towards the house.

“What have you done Stephanie?” Brooke asked as she slowly made her way to the door. 

 

“Mother? Where is she?” Ridge demanded from Helen who was waiting at the door but her eyes were on Brooke who was slowly making her way to the house.

“Mr. Ridge, why did you bring her here? Your mother needs you, not that woman.”

“I’ll worry about Brooke, now where is she and what happened?”

“She crashed her car and she’s been in there drinking since she came in.” Helen told him as she pointed to the living room.

“Keep Brooke here when she gets here.” He told her. Then he walked into the living room. He hardly recognized the woman before him. She was disheveled and bleeding. Her normally spotless clothes were stained with things Ridge didn’t even want to imagine and she was shaking as she drank straight from the carafe. “Mother? Mother what happened?” Ridge asked as he slowly approached her.

“No! You go away! You did this! You brought her into this family! You leave me alone!” She screamed at him.

“Shit.” He muttered. He hoped Helen would be able to keep Brooke back, something she did had made his mother go off of the deep end. “It’s okay Mother, you and I can talk this over and figure it all out.”

“Go away!” She swung at him as he tried to take the liquor from her. “I need to be alone.”

“You’re bleeding.” Brooke said as she walked in. “You need to see a doctor.”

“Logan stay out of this.” Ridge warned her.

“No Ridge.” She said as she walked up to Stephanie. “Helen, get the first aid kit, Ridge get me a warm, wet washcloth.” She instructed. To Ridge’s shock Stephanie didn’t say a word to Brooke. Her anger seemed to be aimed at him. Brooke took the older woman’s arm and led her to the couch. Stephanie held onto the container like a lifeline and Brooke made no move to take it away. She turned to Ridge who was still standing there watching them. “Now Ridge!” She yelled. He was stunned out of his coma like state and walked to the small powder room. He returned with the washcloth that Brooke had requested. She took it from him and carefully wiped the cut on Stephanie’s head. “I think you’re going to need stitches but I can put a butterfly bandage on until we can get you to a doctor.” She told her. “Helen, come on! I need that kit.” Brooke ordered. The woman ran to Brooke and tried to hand it to her. “Open it up and get me something to clean this with.” Helen opened the Hydrogen Peroxide and poured some onto clean gauze. She gave it to Brooke. “This is going to hurt but I need to clean this.” She told Stephanie. Ridge was watching in awe. Not only was his mother not arguing but she was cooperating.

“Ouch.” She complained but she stood firm as Brooke cleaned the wound.

“Open a butterfly bandage.” Brooke told Helen. She did as instructed and handed it to Brooke. She blew softly on the cut and then applied the bandage. “That should do it for now, but if you don’t want a scar we need to see a doctor.”

“I don’t care.” Stephanie told her.

“But you will.” Brooke smiled sweetly at her. “Helen, would you go and get Mrs. Forrester something clean to put on. She’s soiled her blouse.”

“Mother are you going to tell me what happened?” Ridge asked her.

Stephanie looked at him and then at Brooke and then at Brooke’s belly. “Whose child is this?” She asked them. “Tell me now!”

“It’s mine mother, it’s my daughter.” He admitted. “A daughter I want more than anything in the world.”

Stephanie looked confused. She looked up at Brooke. “Then why?”

“It was a nasty trick and we’re sorry.” Brooke told her. “We should have been honest with you from the start. But you should have been honest with us too Stephanie for years we’ve all lived under the illusion that my daughter was your husband’s daughter and now we know that isn’t true. So we all have our own lies don’t we?” Brooke asked her.

Stephanie stepped closer to Brooke and took her hand. She walked her over to Ridge and took his hand in her other hand, then to both of their shock she put the two hands together. She looked up at her son. “I want you to divorce that slut and make this baby legitimate.”  

 

Macy had waited for almost an hour and finally Kimberly had returned to her alone.

“Where is Thorne?” She asked her sister.

“He isn’t here. We missed him.” Kimberly told her.

“Then what took you so long?”  

“I was looking for him Macy.”

“Alright. Did you find out where he is?” Macy asked her.

“As far as I know he went home.” Kim said. “You know, where he and I live.”

“I know where home is Kimberly.”

“He doesn’t want you Macy. He wants me and our baby.” She flung her hair back. “So you better just forget any ideas you have. He’s mine now and he’s going to stay mine.”

Macy frowned at her. “You’re scared Kimberly. You’re scared and you are not half as secure as you pretend to be. I can’t say that I blame you but I am angry with you too.”

“You’re mad at me?” Kimberly scoffed.

“I’m more disappointed than anything. I couldn’t wait to see you again Kimberly. I loved you so much and I missed you and all you care about is winning Thorne’s affections. You know what? You want him, you take him. All I ask is that he be a father to Adam. I don’t need a man to make me whole.” 

 

Taylor put on her robe and ran down the stairs. She found Eric staring out the door and the children all sitting on the couch.

“What have we done?” He kept repeating over and over again.

“Did she leave?” Taylor asked him.  

“She was gone when I got here.”

“And she just left the children?” She shouted. “She promised to watch them until Ridge got home. Why did she bring them here? Why?”

“The children? Stephanie just walked in on us and all you can think about is that she isn’t babysitting the children?”

“Eric I’m sorry. I’m upset too, I didn’t expect this, I don’t know how to process this. I’m scared.”

“Did you see her? She threw up Taylor, she was in a daze. I need to make sure she’s alright.”

“And what about me Eric? What about us? Is that all forgotten because Stephanie is upset? You knew she would be upset. You knew it. Did I throw everything in my life away for nothing? For a dream?” She asked him frantically.

“What do you suggest I do Taylor? Let her go and have another stroke? You know how fragile her health is.”

“Fine Eric, why should I expect more from you than Ridge anyway, you are his father.”

“Don’t be this way, we knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Anything that’s worthwhile takes time. I know we are worth fighting for but right now I have to make sure Stephanie is alright. Forgive me Taylor but I have to.” 

 

Ridge shut off the light and closed the door. When he turned he was facing Brooke. She looked tired but she gave him a smile. He took her gently into his arms and kissed her head. “Logan you amaze me.”

“Not me.” She said.

“Oh yes you. I was so sure that it was you Mother was upset with. I still don’t understand what happened but you handled her with such love and such dignity.”

“I wish she would tell us. I’m amazed that she even fell asleep in the state she was in.” Brooke said, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes.

“Secret?” He said with a wink. “I put a pill in her tea.”

“Oh Ridge, with all she drank tonight? Are you sure that was safe?”

“I saw no alternative. But I’ll watch her tonight. I want to be there when she wakes. I have to find out what brought this all on.”

“We’ll watch her.” Brooke corrected him. He frowned at her but she shook her head. “We’re a team, remember?”

“Honey I’m not saying that we aren’t but you look like a train wreck. I want to call your mother and have her come and take you home. I promise I will tell you everything my mother tells me. But you and our baby.” He said touching her belly with love. “You both need rest and calm.”

“How can you expect me to rest or be calm when I know you’re here so worried. I promise I won’t overdo it Ridge. Something happened tonight. For some strange reason your mother accepted me, us. I am not going to leave now and take the chance of her changing her mind.”

“Were you always this stubborn Logan?” He asked with a laugh.

“I think you know the answer to that.” She said with a kiss. “But Ridge? Why is she angry at Taylor?” 

 

Taylor got the children a snack and set them in front of a video. Then she walked out to Eric who was pacing back and forth.

“I wasn’t sure you’d still be here.” She said.

“I couldn’t just leave but I have to go home. I have to make sure she’s okay.”

“You could call her Eric.”

“Cold and clinical hmm?” He asked her. “Is that how you want us to start our life? You want to just push her aside like she doesn’t matter? I thought you cared about her Taylor.”

She looked at him with a strained _expression. “Eric this is so difficult. Yes, I do care about her, I care very much. But when? When is it my turn? Why do the Brooke’s and the Stephanie’s and the Morgan’s in the world always have to come ahead of me? When do I put my own happiness first? Is it so cruel to want you to stay with me? She saw us, she knows Eric, are you planning on lying to her? Making up some excuse for why you were in my bed? Inside me?”

“No Taylor, I want to explain to her that I love you, but I want to spare her as much pain as I can. Is that so wrong?”

“I don’t want her in pain either but right now she has to hate both of us.”

“Then I have to find a way to change that. For my family. For us Taylor.”

“If you go to her now you won’t come back.” She said sadly.

“I hope you have more faith in me.”

“Faith has nothing to do with anything Eric. I know you. You’re a good man. You’ll see her hurting and you’ll want to end her pain. But look at mine Eric, look at my pain.” She begged. 

 

Sean walked into his dark and empty office and turned on the light. He had been inspired today and he wanted to put his inspirations on paper as soon as possible. He turned on the light and pulled out a pad and pencil. Then he walked to the stereo and turned on the radio. It was tuned to a soft jazz station and that suited him just fine. Humming along he put his first stroke on the paper. Then next and the next came fast. Before long his design had taken on a life of it’s own. He held it up to the light.

“That’s beautiful.” The soft feminine voice said, scaring him out of his wits.

“Becky.” He laughed. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

“I forgot something in my desk and then I saw your light on. Working really late aren’t you?”

“You gotta go when you’re inspired.” He told her.

“That’s really nice, very classy, classic.” She said. “But not really like your normal work.”

“So normally I’m not classy?” He asked.

“You’ve always been classy.” She said. She sat down in the chair next to his desk. “Who is she?”

“Why does there have to be a she?”

“Because a design like that was inspired.”

“Maybe a combination.” He told her. “A little Brooke, a little Megan, a little Becky.”

“Liar.” She laughed. “You’ve long forgotten me.”

“No Becky that is not true at all.”

“You are a terrible liar Sean, but you’re sweet.” She smiled.

“I worry about you Becky.”

“Why? Why would you worry about me?”

“That crazy woman you live with for one and that strange man who sends you the dead flowers.”

“They’re not dead, they’re black.” She laughed.

“Same difference if you ask me. I just think you should know more about him before getting so involved.”

“Oh like I did with you?” She asked. “Sean you’re not my father and you’re not my boyfriend anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“What about Sheila, I mean Emily? I don’t like her, I don’t trust her. What kind of normal person just changes her name like that? I don’t trust her Becky.”

“But I do.” Becky argued. “She’s wonderful with Kevin and with Mary. And I told you, she only used Sheila, her real name is Emily and she wanted a new start. You need to stop being so paranoid.”

“What does Megan think of her?” He asked.

“Megan hasn’t met her.”

“Why not? You two are best buddies. Are you afraid that Megan will agree with me?”

“No. They just never have met. I’m not hiding her. Megan and I don’t spend time at my place. In fact we don’t really spend too much time together anymore.” She sadly explained.

“Why not?” He asked.

“You certainly are nosy tonight.” She said with a smile.

“I care about you Becky.”  

“Well I care about you too Sean.” She said sweetly. “Anyway, I have to go. I’m meeting Sasha at the club.”

“The club?” He asked.

“Passions, it’s where Sasha likes to go.”

“Is he into drugs Becky?” Sean asked.

“Oh God are you sure you don’t think you’re my father?” She laughed.

“You haven’t answered me.” He said.

“We get high sometimes, no big deal.”

“Oh Becky it is a big deal. You know what drugs can do to you.”

“And you’ve never done anything right?”

“Becky I won’t lie to you, I did my share of wild things in my youth.”

“So you can’t talk can you?” She said.

“I can hope you don’t make the mistakes that I’ve made Becky. But it’s not just the drugs, I know kids experiment, it’s that guy, you know nothing about him.”

“I didn’t know you.” She answered.

“But you knew Brooke and Brooke knew me and this isn’t about me.”

“Look Sean.” She said seriously. “We’ve both moved on. I can see it in your drawings. You have some sophisticated woman, probably someone far more suited to you than I could ever have been, but I found someone who suits me too. I respect your opinion and I really am flattered that you care, just don’t try to run my life.”

“Becky.”

“No, I gotta go. Take care Sean.” She kissed him on the cheek and was gone before he could say another word of protest. 

 

“Taylor?” Ridge asked Brooke.

“Yes Taylor.” Brooke laughed. “Ridge she called her a slut.”

“I thought.” He stumbled.

“I know, when Stephanie Forrester says slut it’s usually about me, but she told you to divorce the slut and make our baby legitimate.”

“You’re right, why didn’t I catch that? Whatever could Taylor have done to her?”

“Damned if I know.” Brooke laughed even harder.

“You find this funny?” Ridge asked.

“Hell yes.” Brooke giggled. “For once she is not on my case. She’s on Taylor’s case and Ridge, she was actually nice to me.”

“You were nice to her.”

“I usually am.” She told him. He frowned and cocked his eyebrow. “Well most of the time.” She conceded.  

“I know you try Logan. This whole thing just has me really confused.”

“Me too honey.” She laughed. Then she became silent and pensive. “I think we should try to find Eric.”

“Yes, she needs Dad.” He said. “But I don’t know where he is and what the hell he’s up to.”

“I didn’t send him anywhere Ridge. But Eric has been taking a lot of things on his own lately. Can you try his cell? I can call Megan at home and see if she knows anything.”

“Come on, let’s go downstairs and call. I want to call Mom and tell her I’m staying here too.”

“Logan I’d really prefer you went home and rested.”

“Sorry babe, this time you don’t get your way.” She said. “I’m fine and you need me and Stephanie needs me.”

“I never thought I’d hear those words.” He said in amazement.

“Me either but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts, for all I know she’ll sober up and remember how much she hates me.”

“I won’t let her.” Ridge said. “God Logan, how I’d love to put this feud to rest for ever. If you and Mother could get along together it would make everything so perfect.”

“I’d even forget or at least try to forget about what she did to us before.”

“Bridget.” He said, suddenly remembering. “How did I forget that?”

“Hope.” She said. “We just want peace so badly Ridge. But right now I want to know what Taylor did that would make your mother have such an about face.”

“Don’t push her Logan, let her tell us in her own time.”

“Aren’t you even curious?” She asked.

“Hell yes, but it’s probably minor. Maybe she’s mad that Taylor isn’t fighting for our marriage.”

“Possibly.” Brooke said thoughtfully, but he could tell she wasn’t convinced.

“Do you have some idea what it is Brooke?” He asked her.

“No, but I think it has to be more than that. Ridge she called her a slut. That word has always been reserved for me.” She laughed.

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough. I could call Taylor.” He suggested.

“No, don’t do that.” Brooke said in a voice suddenly filled with terror.

“Logan,” He said putting his hands on her shoulders. “No matter what she has to say, nothing will ever take me away from you again. Nothing.”

“It better not.” She said with a pout. “Because it took a lot for me to trust you again. If you ever let me down Ridge I don’t know if I could handle that.”

“You don’t have to worry about it Brooke, you have my word on that.” He pulled her close and kissed her. “Now would you please go sit down at least. I’m worried about you. Look at your ankles.”

Brooke looked down and indeed her ankles were swollen. “The perks of pregnancy.” She sighed. “But yes, I’ll sit down. Will you sit with me?”

“After I check on Mother one more time.” He promised. 

 

Kimberly got out of the car and headed to her own. Macy turned to face her.

“Aren’t you coming in?” She asked.

“No, I think I’ll go home and wait for my husband.” Kimberly said with a smile.  

“I thought we agreed to talk to him together.” Macy said.

“If he was at Forrester, he wasn’t, I’m going home.”

“Kimberly can’t we settle this like three adults?”

“All I know is that I have a husband who is probably waiting for me at home. I am not going to disappoint him Macy. You can see him tomorrow, we’ll be too busy tonight.” She said slyly. Then she got into her car, started the engine, waved and drove off.

“Damn it Kimberly you can’t hide from this.” Macy said aloud. She shifted Adam in her arms and carried him inside. To her shock Thorne was sitting next to Sally on the couch. He took one look at Adam and a huge grin crossed his face. He got up and walked over to Macy and his son.

“He’s so beautiful.” He said. He leaned over and touched the boy on the head. “Hello Adam, I’m your Daddy.”

“Thorne, I had no idea you would be here.”

“Sally told me you went to Forrester to find me, she convinced me that I should just stay here and wait instead of taking a chance of missing you.” He looked beyond her to the still open door. “Where is Kimberly?”

“She went home. Apparently she had plans for her husband.” Macy said with a trace of sarcasm.

“Maybe it’s best this way.” He said. “We really need time alone, just us and Adam.”

“Thorne your wife is a very insecure girl.” Sally told him. “Emphasis on the word girl. She’s still a child.”

“She may be young Sally but she’s no longer a child and I blame myself for that.” He said sadly. He looked at Macy and his son. “I thought you were dead, Brooke left me I had nothing.”

“So you slept with Kimberly?” Macy asked.

“It isn’t that simple Mace. It wasn’t something I planned. I didn’t set out to seduce her.”

“And yet you did.” Macy said with a sigh. “Thorne I didn’t expect you to remain true to my memory. I mean we were over anyway. But turning to her after Brooke? It just, no never mind, it’s not my position to judge.”

“I wish it never happened Mace. And as for marrying her, God that whole thing was a mess. I was a mess. I was drunk, Brooke had run off with Ridge.”

“Please Thorne, I have no desire to hear about Brooke Logan.” Sally said sharply.

“I’m sorry she let you down but I did warn you.” Macy told him.

“I know you did.” He said. “But your mother is right, we shouldn’t be talking about Brooke, we should be talking about Adam and us and the future and.”

“The future Thorne?” Macy asked. “We have no future, you set your future when you married Kimberly. All I ask is that you be a father to your son. That is if you want to be in his life.”

“Want to be? Macy how could you even ask me that? I want him so badly.” He smiled and gazed lovingly at his son. “I love him already.”

 

 

Helen walked into the living room finding Brooke sitting on the couch sipping a cup of tea. She felt uncomfortable having this woman in the house and yet she had to admire how she had taken control and helped her employer so quickly and so kindly. “Is she sleeping?” She asked the younger woman.

Brooke looked up and smiled. “Yes. But I doubt it’s a really restful sleep. Ridge is up there with her right now. I just hope he’s leaving her alone. She needs to heal. Whatever happened was traumatic and she needs to heal.”

“Yes.” Helen agreed.  

“Helen I know you don’t trust me but I promise I don’t mean Stephanie any harm. I want to help her. She’s the mother of the man I love. All I’ve ever wanted from her was love and respect.”

“You were good to her.” Helen admitted.

“Thank you.” Brooke said as she stifled a yawn.

“You need your rest.” Helen said with concern. “How soon are you due?” She asked as she surveyed Brooke’s bulging midsection.

“Don’t worry.” She laughed. “I have about a month still.”

“Is it true?” She asked her.

“That it’s Ridge’s baby? Yes.” Brooke confirmed. “Yes it is.”

Helen blushed as she imagined the scandal this was going to bring the family. It seemed to her that everything that involved Brooke Logan caused scandal. But still the woman had been very kind to Stephanie and that rated in Helen’s book. Not just that but the looks of love that came from Ridge were overwhelming. Helen decided she would give this woman the benefit of the doubt. “Can I get you anything? Can I help you get more comfortable?” She asked.

“Oh no Helen, I’m just fine. I’m really more concerned about Stephanie.” She pushed a strand of hair back and looked up to Helen. “Did she say anything to you? Did she even give a hint as to what happened to her?”

“Not a word, she told me to leave her alone and she just started drinking. I couldn’t contact Mr. Forrester.”

“I know, Ridge and I have no idea where to find him either. I tried Thorne but he didn’t answer his home or his cell phone. Do you have any ideas? Any clue where he’s been spending his time?” Brooke asked her.

“No, but he has spent a lot more time away from home lately.” Helen informed her and then immediately felt guilty for betraying her employee. Brooke noted her discomfort right away.

“It’s okay Helen, I’m not checking up on him, I just wish I could find him so he could be here with Stephanie. She could use him I think.”

“So do I Miss Brooke.” Helen said.  

 

When Bridget came home she found her grandmother sitting on the sofa with her legs feet curled under her legs reading a paperback novel. She was so into it that she didn’t even notice the teen.

“Hi Grandma.” Bridget giggled as she bent over to look at the racy cover. “Oh my God, a bodice ripper?” She laughed even harder.

“Guilty.” Beth smiled, putting down the book.

“Ewh.” Bridget laughed. “Those things are so trashy.”

“Sometimes a little fantasy is fun Bridget.” She said, defending her choice. “We can’t always read the classics. But how would you know about them if you haven’t read them?” She winked.

“You caught me. But I really don’t like them. It’s all about sex and so illogical.” She said. “But don’t feel too bad, Mom reads them too.”

“I know, this one is hers.” Beth confided.

“Where is Mom?” Bridget asked. “In bed? Alone?”

“Actually she and Ridge went over to Stephanie’s.” Beth told her.

“Why?” Bridget gasped. “Did she confess?” 

“Something happened. The housekeeper called Ridge, she was very distraught.”

“Oh Grandma, I feel so terrible. I mean I was so mad at her but if something happened.”

“Brooke called a little while ago. She didn’t go into any detail but Stephanie is alright, she’s resting. Brooke and Ridge are going to spend the night there.”

“Together? Grandma what is going on?”

“I wish I knew honey. She didn’t have time to talk, she was trying to find your fa, I mean Eric.” Beth blushed. She still found it hard to believe that Eric wasn’t Bridget’s father.

“Don’t worry about it Grandma, I still call him Dad too. I mean he still thinks he is my Dad. But I wish I knew what was going on.”

“Your mother didn’t seem worried about herself or Ridge, just about Stephanie. She didn’t tell me anything honey. Maybe she’ll call back.”

“I could call her.”

“Yes, but she seemed busy, distracted. Maybe wait a little bit longer.” She put the book down on the coffee table. “I was going to have some ice cream, will you join me?”

“All those fat grams? No thanks but I’ll have an apple or something.”

“You surely don’t think you’re fat do you?” Beth was a little concerned. She knew that kids today were overwhelmed with fashion dictating that they needed to be rail thin, and being a child of the fashion community it had to be ever harder on Bridget. She remembered how hard it had been on Katie when she was growing up. She was slightly chubby and she had horrible acne. And her two older sisters seemed to be exempt from those problems. She looked at Bridget. The girl had a beautiful figure and clear skin.

“I’m not now, but it’s so easy to get there.” Bridget told her. “I only eat things like ice cream on special occasions.”

“Well isn’t a banana split with your Grandmother a special occasion?” Beth asked her.

“Any other time.” Bridget laughed. “But Cait and I met Aidan and Drew and we had pizza.” Bridget said with a guilty smile.

“Is Aidan the boy you are interested in?” Beth asked.

“Yeah, but I think he just thinks of me like a friend. Cait is so lucky, Drew was all over her.”

“I don’t think that is all that lucky.” Beth told her. Again her thoughts went to Brooke, Donna and Katie. Times weren’t so different. Teenaged boys were still so unpredictable. Her heart went out to Bridget. It was so hard to have a crush not reciprocated. “I think it’s better that Aidan doesn’t come on too strong.”

“Oh Grandma.” Bridget sighed. “I’m not a little kid anymore.”

“I suppose you’re not.” Beth agreed. “I just wish you wouldn’t try to grow up so fast.”

“In this family? How could I not?”

“Has it been hard honey? Has your life been unhappy?”

“No. I’m happy. I love Mom but sometimes it’s hard to live in her shadow. It’s also embarrassing to have to keep defending her and all her affairs and marriages. Now with Ridge it is only going to get worse, but this time I don’t really mind.”

“Do you think she’s really happy this time?” Beth asked her. Bridget had grown up with Brooke, she had seen her in her happiness and her despair. If anyone knew it would be Brooke’s daughter.

“All my life it seems that the only thing Mom ever really wanted was Ridge. I mean she may have been happy for a while with Grant or Thorne or whoever but she always was pining away for Ridge. I did think she might have liked Sean though.” Bridget added.

“Sean?” Beth asked. She felt a twinge of guilt, both at her own interest and at Brooke’s possible jealousy. She knew her daughter was in love with Ridge but would it hurt her to see Beth and Sean? Beth’s mind started racing. Guilt and pleasure and back again. She thought of his kisses, and how they promised so much more. Was she being a crazy old lady? Could Sean really desire her after Brooke?

“Grandma? Hello!” Bridget said loudly.

“I’m sorry, my mind wandered. Do you think your mother was serious about Sean?”

“Well if she was that’s all over now. She has Ridge.” Bridget said. “Why?”

“No reason. I just think he is a nice man.” Beth answered honestly.

“You have any idea how old he is?” Bridget wondered aloud.

“I suppose your mother’s age.” Beth said as she felt her face flush again. But Bridget didn’t seem to notice.

“Nah, I think he’s younger. In fact a lot younger.” Her granddaughter’s comment felt like a knife to Beth’s heart. Did Bridget suspect something? She was starting to feel very foolish.

“Younger?” Beth asked. “Why do you say that?”

“Hmmm, maybe wishful thinking.” Bridget said with a giggle much like her mother’s. “He is really hot. I guess if Aidan isn’t interested I wouldn’t mind if Sean was.”

“He’s far too old for you Bridget.”

“Not really. Dad was a lot older than Mom when they got married. Um, I mean my Grandfather, oh you know what I mean.”

“And look how well that turned out.” Beth said to her.

“Only because Mom loved Ridge. If it wasn’t for Ridge.” Bridget stopped. “Hell, if it wasn’t for Ridge I guess I wouldn’t be here.”

“You really aren’t serious about Sean are you Bridget?” Beth asked.

“You never know.” Bridget said with a sly grin. “I’ll be right back Grandma, I have to call Shelby.” And with a wave the teen ran off to her room leaving a worried and very confused Beth Logan. 

“Stephanie! Stephanie we have to talk about this!” Eric shouted as he entered the house. He was so intent upon finding his wife that he failed to notice Brooke sitting there staring at him. “Stephanie where are you?” He called out.

“Shhhh.” Brooke said getting up. “She’s alright Eric but she’s sleeping.”

“Brooke? What are you doing here?” He asked, stopping short. “Does Stephanie know you are here?”

“She certainly does Dad.” Ridge beamed as he walked down the stairs. “And you should have seen them. Brooke was so good with her. Mother was putty in her hands. I swear I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

“Her car?” Eric said.

“She hurt her head but not too badly.” Brooke told him. “I think she was moving pretty slowly when she hit the tree. Ridge, honey maybe you should see about moving her car.”

“Actually I think I’ll wait till morning. I want daylight to better determine the damage.”

“Did, did you mother tell you why she was upset?” Eric asked in terror.

“No.” Brooke told him. “And Eric we’re both really worried. She isn’t herself at all.”

“Mother is being very supportive of Brooke Dad.” Ridge explained. “I can’t tell you why but I’m pretty happy about it. Whatever happened may well be a blessing in disguise.” He turned to Brooke and smiled at her. “By the way Dad, where were you? We’ve been trying to find you.”

“Um, I had a meeting.” He lied “Your mother didn’t say anything at all?”

“Well she made some comments about Taylor.” Brooke said with a laugh. “Can you imagine that Eric? She actually had good to say about me and bad about Taylor.”

“Bad? Bad? What did she say?”

“She called her a slut.” Ridge told him. “I’m afraid that mother had a bit too much to drink. I think she was confused. I am just hoping that she doesn’t turn on Brooke again. But it doesn’t matter. Brooke and I are going on record here and now. We are in love, we are having a baby and as soon as my divorce is final we are getting married.”

“That’s fine son.” Eric said distractedly. He looked up at the stairs. “I think you and Brooke should leave now, I can take care of your mother.”

“No way Eric.” Brooke protested. “I’ve finally made some inroads and I am not about to blow it now. Besides, Stephanie needs me, she really does.”

“I quite doubt that Brooke.” Eric told her with a scowl.

“You’d be surprised Dad.” Ridge said walking up to Brooke and putting a protective arm around her. “Mother wanted nothing to do with any of us, that is until Brooke took over. She really was amazing.” He smiled and planted a kiss on her lips. “The most amazing woman in the world.” He said.

“Well right now she needs me and I want to be alone with her.” Eric told them. “I’d appreciate it if you’d both leave.”

“Why are you so insistent on getting rid of us Eric?” Brooke asked. “Is there something we should know? Something you’re not telling us?” 

“No Brooke, it’s just not your place right now. I do appreciate your being here for her but I can handle it now.”

“The children!” Ridge suddenly remembered. “Mother was supposed to pick up the children. Taylor will be furious. Brooke I think we’d better go get them.”

“But Taylor didn’t want me with them Ridge.”

“It doesn’t matter, she has to get used to the fact that we are a package deal.” He said.

Eric looked at the couple with an _expression of pure terror.

“What is it Eric?” Brooke said, picking up on it.

“Nnnothing. Maybe you’re right. Maybe you should stay here, but just let her sleep. I, I, I’ll go and get the children or maybe stay there with them until Taylor returns.”

“That’s very nice of you Dad but I didn’t mean that it was your responsibility.” Ridge told him. “Honesty, Taylor has to get used to the fact that Brooke is going to be my wife.”

“Taylor doesn’t want Brooke there, it would help keep peace in the family if I went. Just promise me you’ll let your mother sleep undisturbed while I am gone.”  

 

Thorne handed Adam back to Macy. “I guess I should go. Kimberly must be wondering where I am.”

“Thorne you have to think carefully.” Macy told him. “I know you want to do the right thing and I am not trying to pressure you. I don’t hold any false illusions about us. I just hate to see you settling for a life that will never truly make you happy. Kimberly is an insecure child Thorne and I don’t think you really love her. If you look into your heart you’ll do what is right. And one last thing. Adam will always be here as your son, no matter what decision you make. And I will be your friend no matter what Thorne.” She walked up to him and kissed him gently on the lips.

“Macy.” He said. But no further words would come. Her sweet smile made his heart feel so much lighter. He knew at that moment what could make him happy. But his happiness wasn’t the issue. He had two women and two children to think about. He looked up at her again. “I’ll call you tomorrow Macy.”

“Good night Thorne.” She said softly as he walked out the door. 

 

“So what happened with Aidan?” Shelby asked her friend.

“Nothing. We had pizza, we talked but I swear he thinks of me like a sister or something. Time to move on.” Bridget told her.

“Who? You still like Jacob Castner?” Shelby asked. “Cause I really think he’s cute, but I heard he might be into drugs.”

“No not him.” Bridget said. “I think it’s time that Bridget Forrester found herself a man.”

“A man huh? Like in Jeff McGee?” She wondered. The man in question was a college boy, the brother of a friend that both Shelby and Caitlyn had their eyes on.

“No not him either.” Bridget said.  

“Are you going to tell me or are we playing Twenty Questions?” Shelby asked.

“A guy from Forrester.” Bridget said. “He used to date Becky so it’s not like he doesn’t like younger women. He’s alone now and he’s really hot.”

“So are you going to go for it?” Shelby wondered.

“Maybe.” Bridget said. “But I have to do it right. I need to have the right clothes and do the right things. Find out where he hangs out. I know he probably only thinks of me as Brooke Logan’s daughter but I think I can change that. He sure seems worth a try.”

“So what’s his name?”

“Sean, Sean Damon. And maybe I am the woman to make him glad he came back to California.” She laughed.  

 

Megan reached for the table lamp as she entered her apartment but nothing happened. “Hmmm.” She said as she walked in and dropped her purse on the couch. She turned the switch on the floor lamp and again nothing. “Power outage?” She wondered aloud but she looked out the window and saw that the other apartments seemed to be lit. Then she was frightened. Suddenly the dark was like a trap and she wanted out. As she turned towards the door it slammed shut. Her eyes widened in fear. “Who is it? What do you want?” She called out.

“You know who it is you little mouse.” The voice replied. “And by now you surely know what it is I want too.” 

 

After she got the children to bed Taylor poured herself a glass of wine and sat down to think. She knew that Eric had to control the situation with Stephanie but she was still angry that he found it so easy to leave her. She was a mess too, she was scared and alone. At this point she didn’t know what would happen to their relationship. She wondered if Eric would have the strength to leave Stephanie. Would she let him go? She also felt enormous guilt for what she had done to her friend. All these years Stephanie had been her most staunch supporter and she had just stabbed her in the back. “Just like Brooke.” Taylor said sadly. “I’m no better than Brooke. How could I have done something like this? Why did it have to be you Eric? Why do I have to love you so much?” She wished Eric would call her. She needed to know what was going on. She reached for the phone but let her hand drop off before she picked it up. “No, no you have to handle this and I have to trust you.”  

 

 

“I’m going to check on Stephanie.” Brooke told Ridge and Eric. “I’ll be right back.”

“Try not to wake her.” Eric instructed her.

“Of course not Eric. I’m not a monster.” Brooke said with a squint. She headed up the stairs. Once she was out of hearing range Ridge turned to his father.

“I don’t understand your attitude Dad. Brooke was more than kind to Mother, she was loving and supportive which believe me is more than she deserves. Someday we’ll tell you a story and maybe then you will realize just how badly Mother has treated Brooke in the past.”

“I know she has son, I would never deny that, and I do appreciate her trying to help but I think your mother needs to rest and she can’t do that with Brooke around her.”

“You haven’t even seen her Dad.”

“No, you’re right.” He said. “And I, um, I want to see if she was injured before I go and check on the children.”

“Dad Brooke and I can go. Taylor has to deal with it.”

“I don’t know, I just don’t know.” Eric said nervously. He stared to pace back and forth as Ridge watched him.

“Dad, she’s okay. Really she is. Whatever it is we will get to the bottom of it when she wakes up. Maybe I should go get the kids and bring them here or to Brooke’s. Beth can watch them.”

“She’s still sleeping.” Brooke announced as she returned.

“Good, I hope you didn’t disturb her.” Eric said again.

“No, but I think maybe I should.” Brooke told him.

“Why Logan?” Ridge questioned her.

“Because if she has a concussion it might not be good for her to be sleeping right now.”

“No Brooke! She needs to sleep.” Eric insisted. “She needs to just sleep!” He said loudly.

“Calm down Dad, she’s going to be fine. Go see her if you don’t think so.” Ridge said trying to calm him.

“You don’t know how important it is she rests, she calms down!” Eric shouted.

Suddenly Brooke’s eyes widened in shock as she looked up at the top of the stairs. “Stephanie?” She said.

“Oh dear Lord.” Eric gasped as he saw the rage in his wife’s eyes.

Ridge looked from Brooke to Stephanie and then to Eric. “Dad? Mom?”

“You bastard! You bastard!” Stephanie screamed at him. “You lousy stinking bastard!”

“Mother?” Ridge broke out of his trance like state and ran up the stairs to her. “Mother what’s wrong?”

“Get that son of a bitch out of my house! Now! Now!” She screamed.

“She’s not herself, she’s delusional.” Eric tried to tell the confused Brooke.

“Mother what is it?” Ridge demanded. “Please talk to me.”

“You love her? You love her?” She screamed, her eyes not leaving Eric’s. “All this time you’ve been catting around and playing me for the fool. You watched me try to save their marriage, you heard my pleas. You listened to my schemes. You let me blame Brooke! You let Ridge and Brooke come up with lies about their baby because of me! You did all of this Eric! All of is! You love her? You let Ridge think it was Pierce Peterson when it was you! You!”

“Stephanie no, wait, you have to listen to me.” Eric pleaded.

“I will never listen to another word you say! Never!”

“Mother what are you talking about? Please Mother what are you saying?” Ridge was desperate to understand. He couldn’t fathom what he was hearing. He looked at his mother and his father, the two people he had loved and trusted all his life, hoping for answers.

“Taylor?” Brooke asked Eric. “You and Taylor?”

“No, no Brooke that’s not true.” Ridge said. “No.”

“Tell them Eric! Tell them what I saw! Tell them how I saw you in her bed! In her body! The evidence of your sins dripping from her legs! Tell them!” Stephanie screamed.

“Taylor? Oh God no, Dad no.” Ridge moaned. “How could you do this to me? To us? To Mother?”

Brooke felt tears forming in her eyes. Her world was falling apart around her. Ridge was more upset that Taylor had cheated. She never had been first, she was still the consolation prize. She turned to walk away. She had to leave, she had to be away from all of these people. These people who had cause her so much pain in her life. “Oh Ridge.” She sobbed. Suddenly she clutched at her abdomen. “No, no!” She screamed.  

Thorne opened the door to his home and smelled a delicious aroma. Tomatoes and garlic and warm bread assaulted his senses. “Kimberly?” He called out.

“In here.” She called from the kitchen. He walked in to find her surrounded by pots and pans and towels and food. It was a mess and so was she but on the stove a large pot of spaghetti sauce was boiling and it smelled so good his stomach started doing cartwheels.

“Looks like we were hit by an earthquake.” He laughed.

“Sorry, I’m not used to this. Dad and I ate out a lot or else he cooked.” She opened the refrigerator and took a piece of lettuce from a salad and walked to him. “Open wide.” She grinned, which he did and she placed the morsel in his mouth. “Well?” She asked.

“Good, did you make the dressing?” He asked.

“Yes, I did make salad a lot.” She smiled. “Don’t worry I’ll clean up. I know I made a mess.”

“I’ll help you.” He laughed. “Can I do something now?”

“I have a bottle of Chianti for you, and a bottle of 7-Up for me.” She told him. “You can open them up to breathe.”

“Sure.” He said.

“So where were you?” She asked him.

He was afraid to ruin her good mood but he also felt he owed it to her to tell her the truth. “I was at Sally’s, I went to meet Adam.”

“Macy and I brought him to Forrester, but we missed you.”

“I know.” He said. “Why didn’t you come in?”

“I thought you might be home and I wanted to make dinner.”

“Kim we have to talk about this.”

“I would never ask you to not see your son Thorne.” She said. “Did Macy suggest that I would?”

“Macy didn’t suggest anything of the sort.” He told her. “But we have to talk about Macy too. I don’t know why you resent her so much.”

“She thinks she can come back and take what’s mine.”

“Am I a possession Kim?”

“No, you’re my husband. You know till death do us part and all that.”

“But everything is different now.”

“Why? You had her sign divorce papers before she went away. You were going to marry Brooke. You didn’t, you married me, so where is there a problem?”

“Don’t be simplistic Kimberly. You know perfectly well that Macy never signed the papers, we never got divorced and since she didn’t die we’re more likely than not still legally married.”

“We can call Jonathan.” She said. “Thorne I’m pregnant, please, you can’t leave me.” She grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes with her own tear filled ones.

“Oh Kim, honey please don’t cry. We will find a way to fix it all.”

“Our baby.” She said. “Please Thorne don’t leave me.”

“I won’t.” He promised, and at that moment he made a decision he would most likely regret for the rest of his life. 

 

“Logan?” Ridge suddenly saw her. She was doubled over in pain, sweat was pouring from her head. Suddenly Taylor and Eric and their betrayal meant nothing. Brooke was in trouble. He ran down the stairs and pulled her into his arms. “Logan, Logan what’s going on?”

“The baby, she’s coming Ridge, she’s coming.” She sobbed. She grabbed his arm and held it.

The shouting brought Helen into the room. She ran over to Ridge and Brooke and started to wipe the younger woman’s brow with a towel.

“Now?” Ridge asked.

“I’m sorry.” She told him.

“No, no honey no, don’t be sorry. We need to get you to the hospital. Our baby is coming, our daughter is coming.”

“Can you leave them?” She asked as she looked at Stephanie and Eric. They seemed to be almost stunned out of their own problems by Brooke’s announcement.

“The hell with them Logan. You, you and our child are all that matters.” He pulled her into his arms and walked to the door. He turned back to his parents. “Go Dad, leave. Mother doesn’t want you here. Helen, make sure he goes and watch over Mother.” 

“Yes Mr. Ridge, you get her to the hospital now. I’ve seen many babies born and your Brooke, she is ready, she is very ready.” 

 

Chapter 37 

 

“Come on Logan, push, push honey.” Ridge coached as he held onto his lady’s hand. She was grunting and sweating and she dug her nails into his hand.

“I can’t! It hurts! Ridge it hurts!”

“It’s okay Brooke, this isn’t your first, you know what to expect. I’m here baby, I’m with you. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” He promised.

“It’s not the same. Ridge it doesn’t feel the same like it did with Rick and Bridget.” She let out a sigh and leaned back onto the bed. “I’m too old, I can’t do this anymore.”

“It’s a little too late for that honey.” The nurse said with a smile.

“I can’t.” She sobbed. “It’s too soon, she can’t come this early.”

“It’s not that early Logan, she’ll be fine. The doctor told us she’d be fine.”

“Where is she?” She screamed. “She just ran out on me! I’m in labor damn it!”

“He’s right here Brooke. He just went outside to talk to someone. You’re fine.” The nurse told her.

“I want an epidural!” Brooke screamed. “Please Ridge, tell them to give me one.”

“You’re at six centimeters Brooke, it’s too late. Come on Logan you can do this. Our little girl wants to come out and meet us.” He said gently as he wiped her brow with a cool cloth.

“I’m not kidding Ridge, I hurt, something is wrong, this isn’t normal, please I hurt so much.” She shouted.

The first nurse pulled the other one aside. “Get Dr. Hennessy, something may be going wrong. Go now.”  

 

Stephanie put down her coffee cup and looked up at Helen. “Please stop hovering. I’m not going to break.”

“You were so upset, I was so worried Mrs. Forrester.”

“I’m fine. Helen please just leave me alone.”

Helen looked over at the carafes of liquor and Stephanie didn’t miss a step. “I’m not going to drink anymore, that man is not worth it.” She rubbed her head. “Has Ridge called yet?”

“Not since he got there. Brooke is in labor and he’s with her. I’m sure he’ll call after the baby is born. I wonder what it will be.” Helen said with a smile.

“Brooke mentioned a girl. I suppose that they had that test. Somehow that seems wrong, like it’s cheating but then it’s a New World isn’t it?” She picked up her cup and took another sip.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call a doctor to look at your head?” Helen asked.

“You and Brooke took care of it Helen. I’ll see someone in the morning. I just want to be left alone.” She made a shooing motion with her hands.

“I’ll be in the kitchen. Please call me if you want anything.”

“Yes Helen, I will.” Stephanie said. She watched until the woman left the room and then she got up. She walked to the mantle and picked up a picture of herself and Eric. “You bastard. I’m going to bury you.” She said as she slammed it down. She turned to Ridge and Taylor’s wedding portrait. “And you too bitch! You thought you had a friend, well be prepared for the enemy of a lifetime!” She then smashed the frame against the fireplace. She tore the photo out and ripped Taylor’s half into shreds. “You crossed the wrong person Taylor Hayes, the wrong person.”  

 

Thorne put the last of the glassware away and hung up the dishtowel. He turned on the coffeemaker and walked into the living room. Kimberly was asleep on the couch. He walked over to her and covered her with a blanket and then sat down in a chair next to her. With a deep sigh he watched her sleep. Was this to be his life from now on? Before Macy returned it didn’t seem like a sentence but now, now it was almost unbearable. She was a child and they had nothing in common, nothing but sex and the unborn child she was carrying. “I wish, oh God how I wish.” He whispered. “Macy, why didn’t you come home sooner?”

Kimberly moaned softly in her sleep and turned towards him. “Thorne?” She asked as she watched him through sleepy eyes.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She said. “What time is it?”

“Early. I guess your pregnancy makes you tired.” He smiled at her. “Why don’t you go on up to bed?”

“I’d rather stay with you.” She said.

“Kim, today was a bad day for me. It was good but it was bad. I’m really not good company.”

“Are you going to leave me?” She asked as she trembled.

“I’m here aren’t I?”

“But you don’t want to be.” She said sadly.

“No, no I don’t Kim. But don’t take it personally, I don’t know where the hell I want to be.” He stood up. “I’m makin’ coffee, want some?”

Kimberly gave him a sad look. She knew he was trying his best and she also knew he was unhappy. She had to do her best not to aggravate him. She had to prove that she was the ideal wife, the wife he wanted above all others. She wouldn’t cry, she wouldn’t pout, she would be agreeable and make him love her.

“Is it decaf?” She asked.

“Yeah.” He sighed.

“Thorne I don’t want you to be unhappy. What can I do? How can I fix it?”

“If I figure it out I’ll let ya know Kim.” He said. He walked silently into the kitchen. 

 

Taylor was visibly staggering as she opened her heavy front door. She threw herself into her lover’s arms. “Oh Eric, you came back.” She said, punctuating it with a hiccup.

“You’ve been drinking.”

“What? What? All that is going on and you’re going to criticize me for having a glass of wine?” She shouted.

“Shhh, calm down.” He took her arm and led her inside. “Where are the children?”

“In bed.” She said. She shook him off and walked to the wine bottle and poured herself another glass.

“I think you’ve had enough Taylor.”

“You do? Well I don’t.” She took a large gulp. “So what happened? Is she alright?”

“She had a car accident.”

“Oh my God.” She cried out.

“She’s alright, Brooke took care of her.”

“Brooke! Brooke?” Taylor lamented. “Why was Brooke there? Stephanie hates Brooke. Eric Brooke?”

 

“What’s the problem Brooke?” Dr. Hennessy asked as she came back into the room. “I see you’re in a lot of pain.”

“It’s different. It’s stronger than with Rick or Bridget. Please it hurts!” She looked from the doctor to Ridge, begging anyone to help her.

“Come on Logan, be strong you can do this.” Ridge implored her.

“Oh shut up Ridge! Until you push a basketball from your dick you have no right to tell me what to feel! Grrrr!” She screamed. “Get this baby out of me now!”

“Logan.” He said softly.

“Come on Brooke, time to push.” The nurse told her.

“That’s right Brooke, push.” Ridge echoed.

“You push!” She screamed at him.

“Logan childbirth is natural, just go with it. It will be over soon.”

“You’re an ass Ridge! Damn it this is all your fault! Don’t think you’re ever getting into my panties again!” She screamed at him.

“Come on Brooke, you can do it.” Ridge encouraged her. “Doctor, is she doing her best? I can’t remember Taylor ever getting this angry or having such trouble and she was sick.”

“Taylor? Taylor?” Brooke sat up glared at him. “Don’t you dare bring that bitch into my child’s birth!”

“I just meant.” Ridge sheepishly tried to cover. 

“You’re not helping Ridge.” Dr. Hennessy said. 

 

Thorne handed Kim her coffee and flopped back into his chair. “I’m sorry Kim, I don’t mean to upset you. Meeting Adam has really done a job on me. My mind, my mind is working overtime.”

“I love you Thorne.” She said as she gently touched his hand.

“I know Kim. I just am so confused about it all. I feel like I’m being torn in two directions and I just don’t know where I belong.”

“You belong with me.” She told him.

“Macy doesn’t feel that way. I doubt Adam would.” He told her. “Maybe, maybe you should.” He started as the phone rang. Thorne got up and picked up the receiver. “Yeah?” He said. “What? When? What happened? Is she okay? What is she doing now? Is she alone? No, no, no. I’ll be there. She needs me and I’ll be there.” He listened to the other side of the conversation. “When? Now? Is she okay? You’re kidding. Are you sure? This is insane. It’s like some weird movie. Where is my father? What do you mean? Helen if you know something I need to know. Alright, alright I’m on my way. Thanks.” He hung up and turned to Kimberly. “We’re gonna have to finish this later. My mother was in an accident.”

“What? Is she alright? Is she in the hospital?” Kimberly asked as she jumped up off the couch. “I’m going with you Thorne.”

“No, you stay here and rest. I need to be alone with her. Things are going on that I need to find out about. She won’t talk in front of strangers.”

“Strangers? I’m not a stranger Thorne, I’m your wife.” She protested.

“Kim I am not going to argue with you about this. I’m going alone. You wait here, I’ll call you later.” He grabbed his keys and walked out of the house. 

 

“I’m sorry Taylor, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Eric told the distraught woman. “I just was telling you what happened. Ridge and Brooke were there and Stephanie, well she seemed to be leaning on Brooke.”

“Oh Eric, she’s going to hate me.” She whined.

“Did you really expect differently Taylor? We knew what we were facing when we started this. It’s only going to get worse.” He said sadly.

“I never thought it would come out like this. I thought we’d have time.”

“Time for what?”

“To figure out how to handle it, how to tell people, how to get them to accept us.” She flung her arms wildly as she spoke. “Now it’s a mess! A mess and Brooke is taking full advantage.”

“Brooke isn’t doing that right now Taylor.”

“Oh I’m sure she is. She’s poisoning Ridge and Stephanie against me.”

“I’m sure you’re the last thing on Brooke’s mind right now Taylor.”

“You men sure buy into that slut.” She growled. “She is going to use this opportunity to make me look worse!”

“I don’t think that is possible.” Eric lamented. “We did that job quite well on our own. But honestly, Brooke isn’t concerned with us at all right now.”

“No, no, she has her claws into MY husband! Why should she?”

Eric looked at her like she had slapped him. “So that’s what this is Taylor? You’re way of getting back at Brooke and Ridge? It wasn’t about you and me at all was it?”

“Oh Eric no.” She reached and stroked his face. “No, I love you. I’m just upset. That bitch always makes my blood boil. I just know she is going to make it impossible for Stephanie and Ridge to ever understand about us.”

“Brooke is in labor Taylor, I think you and I are the last thing on her mind.”

“Labor?” She gasped. “She found a way to twist this all to suit her again didn’t she? Damn it that bitch won’t leave me alone!” She cried.  

 

“Mother?” Thorne ran into the house. “Mother are you alright?”

“I’m fine honey. It was a minor accident.” She told him as she got up from her chair. She walked over to him and hugged him. “You shouldn’t have come running over here. I’m fine. See?” She opened her arms and smiled at him.

“Helen told me a little bit but I just, I mean I’m really confused.”

“Your father and my marriage is over. That is all I have to say about the matter.”

“You can’t just leave it at that mother. Please talk to me.”

“Ask him. I have no desire to rehash the incident.”

“The incident? What happened Mother? You’re full of bruises, Helen said you were drinking.”

“I’m not now darling.” She walked back to her chair and sat down. “See, it’s just coffee. Taste it if you don’t believe me.”

“That’s not the point. Mother what happened with Dad? Helen said it was like a war zone in here. She said that you were hugging Brooke. Mom that is not normal behavior from you.”

“I misjudged her.” She simply stated. “She is carrying your brother’s child, in fact she may even have given birth to my granddaughter by now.” She smiled. “Perhaps you could go down to the hospital and find out for me.”

“This is too weird for me.” He laughed. “You worried about Brooke, you telling me you’re leaving Dad. Mother please tell me what’s going on.”

“Your father has taken a lover and our marriage is over.”

“Dad?”

“Yes Thorne and I don’t want to discuss it.”

“Damn it.” He muttered. “But Mom, maybe he made a mistake, maybe he realizes how stupid he was. Are you really going to throw your whole life away because of an affair?”

“Oh yes, over this one I am.” She said.

“Do we know her?” Thorne asked.  

“I’m not going to discuss it Thorne. Now please, go and find out about the baby. Your brother was very flustered. I doubt he is even thinking about calling me.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He pressed.

“I’m fine. Thorne I am counting on you.”

“Alright, I’ll go down and see. But you just stay here okay?”

“Where else would I go?” She sighed. 

 

Brooke let out a scream and grabbed Ridge’s hand. “I can’t keep this up. I need this baby out of me.”

“How far is she doctor?” Ridge asked.

“She’s right there Ridge, the baby is coming.”

“Did you hear that Logan? Our baby is coming, she’s coming now.”

“I wanted to be married.” She sobbed.

“Oh honey we will be, I promise you. It won’t be long. Taylor isn’t fighting the divorce. Don’t worry about things like this now.”

“Okay Brooke, I can see her now.” Dr. Hennessy told her. “Take a deep breath and give it one more big push, you can do it Brooke, I know you can.”

“Hold my hand Logan.” Ridge told her. “Let’s bring our baby into the world now.”

“Okay. Okay.” She sobbed. “Come on baby! Come on now!” She grunted and moaned as she gave a hard push.

“I see her! I see her Brooke!” Ridge said excitedly.

“Ohhhh.” She moaned.

“Here she comes Brooke, here comes your beautiful baby, oh my God.” The doctor stopped mid sentence.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Brooke screamed out. Ridge grabbed her hand and looked at the doctor in horror.

“What’s the matter doctor. What is happening to the baby?” 

 

“Brooke?” Beth said as she picked up the phone on the first ring.

“Sorry.” Sean said with a smile in his voice. “Hope you’re not too disappointed.”

“Oh Sean.” Beth stammered. “I was expecting Brooke.”

“Is something wrong? Do you need me to come over?”

“Oh no, no don’t. Something happened with Stephanie Forrester and Brooke and Ridge went over there. I haven’t heard from them since and I’m getting a little concerned.”

“Maybe I should come over Beth.”

“No, I don’t want to start tongues wagging right now Sean. This whole thing has happened so fast. I’m not sure what to think anymore. I don’t know what I’m doing or you’re doing. Try and understand.”

“Oh I do.” He laughed. “It all came out of left field for me too Beth. I never expected to find myself attracted to another woman so soon. I never expected it to be you.”

“No.” She sighed. “No, I’m sure you never expected to look at a woman your mother’s age.”

“Beth would you give that age thing a rest please. I only meant that after Becky I wasn’t prepared to get involved at all. I wasn’t looking and it took me by surprise, but I am happy about it.”

“Don’t.” She begged.

“Don’t? Don’t push you? I won’t. Don’t pressure you? That’s the last thing on my mind. But you can’t ask me not to care about you or not to think about you.”

“Alright Sean, alright.” She agreed. “I’m sorry. I’m just not used to this right now.”

“Well get used to it Beth because when I make my mind up to have something, I get it.” 

 

“Taylor stop it now.” Eric commanded her. “What happened tonight has nothing to do with Brooke or with Ridge or with their baby. It has to do with us. You and me and Stephanie. What happened was a tragedy and we have to find a way to deal with it.”

“A tragedy? Our love is a tragedy?”

“Oh Taylor stop it please. Stop twisting everything I say to you. My love for you is not a tragedy. Stephanie walking into the bedroom like that was.”

“You never planned on telling her did you? You weren’t really going to marry me.”

“Of course I was!”

“Was? Was? Past tense Eric?”

“Am!” He corrected himself. “I am going to marry you. But right now it’s going to be ugly. Stephanie and I had been drifting apart and I had hoped to divorce amicably. I wanted perhaps for it to be her doing.”

“Oh it will be now.” Taylor snorted.

“Yes, but it is not going to be friendly. She is going to fight us tooth and nail.”

“Why Eric? Why now that she knows it’s over. I think she has her pride and will just want it over and done with.”

“I don’t know Taylor.” He rubbed his hands together. “I remember with Brooke.”

“Brooke again!” She growled.

“When I wanted to divorce her and marry Brooke, well Stephanie made it very hard for us. I just think she will make it even harder now.”

 

“I’ve got it Helen.” Stephanie called out to her housekeeper. She got up and walked to the door. A faint smile crossed her face as she embraced her friend and attorney. “Jonathan. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Your car?” He asked. “Your head?”

“It’s nothing, just a bump.” She told him. She shut the door behind him. “Do you have it? Do you have the paper?”

“It’s in the safe at the office Stephanie, but I have a copy.”

“And it says everything I remembered?”

“Yes.” He confirmed. “But I can’t advise you to do anything rashly.”

“This is not a rash decision. What he did, that may have been but I have protected myself all my life, just as my father wanted. May I see the paper please.”

“Let’s sit and talk Stephanie, you tell me what happened.”

“Just as I told you. I found Eric in bed with Taylor. I want them to pay, I want both of them to pay.”

“And Ridge?” He asked.

“What about Ridge?”

“How does he feel? Does he know?”

“He knows and he doesn’t care. He’s with Brooke now.”

“Brooke, I should have known this had something to do with Brooke.” Jonathan said with a frown. “Stephanie you have to stop letting that woman get to you like this. You have to stop letting her control you life.”

“Oh no Jonathan. This has nothing to do with Brooke, nothing at all. Believe me I see her in a whole different light.”

“I think you may have a worse head injury than you imagine Stephanie, perhaps you should have a cat scan.” He suggested.

“Oh Jonathan, you are a breath of fresh air.” She laughed. “Now please, sit down and I’ll tell you my plan.” 

 

“Kim, it’s Thorne.” He told his young wife through the phone.

“Is your mother alright?” She asked.

“I’m at the hospital.”

“Oh no! I’ll be right there!”

“No Kim wait. It’s not mother, it’s Brooke.”

“Brooke?” She grumbled. “What happened to Brooke?”

“She’s in labor.”

“So why are you there?”

“Mother asked me to come down. I can’t get in there. I haven’t seen Ridge yet.”

“Did she have the baby?”

“She’s in labor.” He repeated.

“Thorne? Honey? Is it yours?” She trembled.

“Oh my God no Kim. God I have enough problems with you and Macy, God forbid it was mine. No, Brooke and I, nothing happened since we broke up the first time. It’s Ridge’s baby, not mine.”

“Problems? Is our baby a problem?” She asked.

“Kim you know what I meant, I don’t want to fight. I just didn’t want you to worry. Anyway I gotta go, Bridget and Rick aren’t here so they probably don’t know about their Mom, I have to call them. I’ll call you after the baby is born.”

“Whatever.” She sighed.

“Kim don’t be mad, this is family. Talk to you later.” He said as he hung up.

“I thought I was family Thorne.” She said to the dead phone. 

 

“What’s wrong with my baby?” Brooke screamed. “Ridge my baby! My baby!”

“No Brooke, no, your baby is fine.” Dr. Hennessy smiled at her. “I’m sorry but I was shocked. Brooke sometimes the ultrasounds, sometimes they are wrong.” She put her hand on Ridge’s arm. “I’m sorry that I scared you. You and Brooke have a beautiful healthy baby, a baby boy.”

“A boy?” Brooke said. “A boy? We have a son?”

“A son Logan.” Ridge smiled. “Well, a son.” He walked over to his baby who was being cleaned off. “Brooke he’s beautiful. He’s so beautiful.”

“A son.” She whispered. “I want to hold him. I want to, oh God, oh God no.” She screamed as she doubled over in pain. “Help me, help me, help me.” 

 

“Why are we here again?” Shelby asked Bridget as she pulled the car into Brooke’s private parking space at Forrester Creations.

“Because I need to do some snooping. I need to see what I can find out about Sean.” Bridget told her.

“This is really crazy Bridge. I mean this guy doesn’t even know you like him. How do you know he doesn’t have a girlfriend?”

“Because he was dating Becky and I know that’s all over and he was boo-hooing to my mother and I know he’s lonely. He lived in Europe a long time Shelb and he doesn’t know a lot of people. I am going to make sure that I am where he is when he is.”

“So what does this guy look like?”

“I’ll show you, I’m sure my Mom has a picture in her office.”

“And they’re gonna just let us in?”

“Duh Shelb, I am the CEO’s daughter.” She sighed and giggled. “When you see him you’ll know I’m right.”  

 

“Hold on a moment Sean, I have call waiting.” Beth told him. “Maybe it’s Brooke.”

“No problem. Why don’t I just call you back?” He suggested.

“Alright.” She agreed. She clicked him off and picked up the other call. “Hello?”

“Beth? Is this Beth?” The man asked.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“Thorne Forrester. I had no idea you were in town Beth.”

“Thorne is something wrong?” She asked.

“No, but you might want to come down to Cedar’s. Brooke is in labor.”

“Labor? Thorne it’s too soon. She isn’t due for at least a month.”

“Tell that to the baby.” He laughed. “Ridge is in with her now. I was actually calling for Bridget. Do you want me to call Rick?”

“I’ll try and get him.” Beth said. “Thorne thank you for calling, I’ll see you in a few minutes.” 

 

“That was easy.” Shelby said to Bridget. She put her purse down on Brooke’s desk and started to look around. “Oh my God she has a bed?”

“Yeah, it was her little promotion thing.” Bridget explained with a blush. “But I imagine that is where my new little sister was conceived.” She turned away from the bed, trying to change the conversation from the embarrassing subject. “Anyway why wouldn’t it be easy? I’m a Forrester, I belong here.” She sat down and started going through Brooke’s drawers. “God it’s like a sick little scrapbook.” She laughed as she took out a bunch of photos. “Mom and Dad, Mom and Ridge, Mom and Thorne. Sometimes she really does embarrass me.” She continued to sort through them. “Here, here he is.” She handed a photo to Shelby. It was Brooke, Sean and Ridge. It was taken years earlier when Brooke had first met Sean but he was just as handsome then as he was now.

“Not bad, but Bridge he really could be your father.”

“He’s not!” She said loudly.

“No, no I mean he is old enough to be.”

“He’s at least ten years younger than my mother, maybe more.” She said. She grabbed the photo back. “He’s going to be the one.” Bridget announced.

“The one? You mean the one Bridget?”

“I’m not wasting it on a boy Shelb. I want a man who knows how to do it. I want it to really be hot, like in the movies.”

“But Bridget, isn’t it like gross to think about doing a guy that did your mother?”

“Once he and I are together he won’t even remember her. Besides, my mother is totally in love with Ridge. This is what she always wanted. It’s what we all wanted. She doesn’t want Sean. Why shouldn’t I have him?”

“I guess, I just think it’s sort of well ick.” Shelby laughed. “But he is hot and I can’t blame you for wanting the first time to be with someone like that.”

“Let’s go to his office. I need to find out as much about him as I can.” Bridget grabbed her friend’s hand. “It will be okay Shelby!” 

 

“Why did you turn off the electricity? Can we please have a light?” Megan begged.

“I don’t want anyone to see me.”

“You don’t look the same. Please Sheila, just put on a light, this is making me nervous.”

“Do you think I care Megan? Do you think I care at all how you feel? You never cared when the Forresters did everything in their power to ruin my life! You never cared when they tried to take away my daughter! You never cared when they drove me to do the things that I did! I was you sister Megan! Your flesh and blood and you never cared! Never!”

“I did everything I could to help you make a life in LA!” Megan protested. “I knew you were hiding from the law and I made sure you had a job and you took advantage of me. You couldn’t be satisfied at the hospital, you had to have everything I had!”

“You lived the life that I should have had Megan. My father, our father! He acknowledged you, he never pretended you didn’t exist.”

“This isn’t about him Sheila, it never was. You can’t blame me because my father made your mother pregnant and wouldn’t marry her. I wasn’t even born, it’s not my fault. Sheila I did everything to help you. Why are you torturing me like this? Why won’t you just go away?”

“Not until they pay. Not until they pay for what they did to me.”

“What do you hope to accomplish?” Megan asked as she sat down.

“They ruined it all. Brooke and Stephanie. They both are going to pay Megan and you are going to help me. If you don’t well remember I can make it known that you knew all about me. I can make it known just who you are. And I will Megan, I will.”

“Brooke didn’t do anything to you.”

“Brooke pretended to be my friend. She pretended to care and she turned on me just for those damn Forresters. She will pay and so will Stephanie and if you don’t help me by God so will you.” 

 

“What are you thinking?” Sally asked Macy. She turned to her mother and smiled.

“I was thinking about how glad I am to be home. I’m thinking about how happy Thorne was to meet his son. I’m thinking about how my sister is ruining his life. Oh Mom, he doesn’t love her.”

“Don’t you worry about Thorne Forrester Macy. He made this decision all on his own. No one forced him to marry that child and no one is going to force him to stay with her. Do you still love him Macy?”

“Yes. I guess I’ve always loved him. But so much has happened. It’s too late for us, but it’s not too late for Adam. I won’t ruin their relationship by clinging to Thorne. My son deserves more than that.”

“Your son deserves the wonderful mother that he has Macy.” Sally walked to her and put her arm around her. “And he is so blessed to have you.”

“Just like I am to have you.” Macy smiled.

“Some day Macy, some day you are going to meet a man, a man who can give you everything that you deserve. And Macy you will find happiness. You will find the true happiness that you deserve, happiness like you have never known before. I know you will darling, I know it in my heart.”

“You’re good for me Mom, so good for me.” Macy said with a hug.  

 

“Grandma!” Rick smiled as he ran up and hugged Beth. “How’s Mom?”

“We haven’t heard anything yet. I was hoping Ridge would come out and tell us.” She said. She looked over at Thorne who shrugged.

“Ridge.” Rick muttered.

“Come on man, he loves her.” Thorne walked over and tousled his brother’s hair.

“Sure has shown that love over the years. You know Thorne I was really hoping you and Mom would work things out.”

“So was I Rick but that wasn’t meant to be and right now I got enough on my plate.”

“I heard about Macy, that is so great Thorne, I mean that she’s alive and all.” Rick added. “But it must be weird having a kid you didn’t know about.”

“And another on the way.” Thorne said softly. “Rick I’m sorry. I know you really cared about Kimberly. I never meant to step in on your woman.”

“Hey it was over man.” Rick told him. “Kim didn’t want me anymore. I’ve moved on.”

“Have you heard from Amber?” Thorne asked.

“I talk to her. I sort of miss her but I don’t know, that whole thing she did with the baby, it’s hard to get over. Every time I think I’m past it and ready to really talk to her I just can’t.”

“It’s for the best Rick.” Beth told him. “You are far to young to be a father and a husband.”

“So how is school coming these days?” Thorne asked.

“Really great. And working part time with Dad is fun too.”

“Any woman in your life?” Thorne teased.

“I beat them off with a stick.” Rick laughed. He turned towards the door. “Damn I wish that someone would tell us something. Grandma?”

“Yes dear?”

“Where is Budge?”

“She went out with one of her friends. She must not have her cell phone on, I tried to get her. I know she’d want to be here.”

“Beth, I’m going to call my Mother.” Thorne informed her.

“Alright Thorne.” She smiled and turned back to Rick. “Come here and give me another hug you.”

“I’ve sure missed you Grandma.” Rick said as he gave her a bear hug. 

 

“Oh my God he’s in there.” Bridget whispered to Shelby. Then moved to the side and peered into Sean’s office. He was deep in thought as he worked on a design. “He is so hot isn’t he?”

“Yeah.” Shelby agreed. “But we can’t go in now. Let’s go before he sees us.”

“Maybe I should go in and say hi. It can’t hurt. Maybe I can get things going. How do I look?” Bridget asked her.

“You look fine but I don’t know Bridget. Won’t you think it looks pretty pathetic? What excuse will you give him?” Shelby asked.  

“Shhhh, you’re getting too loud.” Bridget pushed them back. “I don’t know. What do you think? I need an excuse or maybe not. Maybe I can say I was looking for Mom or Ridge.”

“Yeah but still Bridget.”

“Go back to Mom’s office, I want to do this alone.” She told her friend.  

 

Eric walked into the living room carrying a tray. He had a large carafe of coffee, two mugs, some cookies and cream and sugar. He placed it down in front of Taylor.

“Thank you.” She said. She took one last gulp from her wineglass and let him pour her a steaming mug of coffee. “So what now?” She asked.

“Well I can’t stay here, it will hurt me in the divorce. I suppose I can go to the club. Will you be alright?” He asked.

“No.” She answered truthfully. “I don’t know if I ever will be alright again. Eric how did we get here? How did this happen? Were we wrong? Were we stupid? Were we crazy?”

“It’s too new Taylor, too new and too difficult, too painful. Oh my dear I do love you. I just think we have a long road ahead of us. I hope we’re both up to it.”

“I’m so sorry Eric. I never wanted to cause you pain. I never wanted to cause Stephanie pain. All I wanted was my life back, the life that bitch stole from me.”

“Ridge.” He sighed. “You still love Ridge don’t you?”

“Am I supposed to just turn it on and off? Wake up one day not loving him? Did I ever ask you to forget your love for Stephanie?”

“Maybe that’s where we differ Taylor. I think I already had stopped being in love with her. I love her, but not as a wife, not anymore. I don’t know if you are at that point though.”

“I’m not.” She admitted. “But can’t I love two men? Is that so terrible?”

“No Taylor, it’s not terrible at all. This all came as a shock to all of us.” He put his arm around her and looked down at his watch. “I wonder.”

“Yes?” she asked.

“I wonder if I have a new grandchild yet.”

Taylor’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want that baby Eric. I don’t want that baby. I just, I, I.”  

“I know darling, I know.” He said as he pulled her into the comfort of his arms. “Let me make it better.”  

 

“So it’s all still valid isn’t it?” Stephanie asked Jonathan. “It’s going to work?”

“Stephanie I am so sorry that it had to come to this but yes, it’s all still very valid. Those papers were signed at the time of your marriage and they were re-signed with your second marriage. But are you sure? Is there no way you can work this out?”

“My husband was spilling his sperm inside his daughter-in-law Jonathan, no there is no way that this will work out. Can I get a restraining order?”

“Forrester could fold without him Stephanie.”

“No, my sons can take over. Eric hasn’t been contributing as much in the last few years anyway.”

“You do realize that this will really have no major effect on the business, it won’t counteract anything as far as Brooke is concerned. She will still be majority stock owner.”

“I have no problem with that.” She told him. “Brooke is right now giving birth to my granddaughter. I have reached a new, um shall we say appreciation for her.”

“For Brooke?” He asked.

“Yes Jonathan, and I want you to help make sure that Ridge gets his divorce as soon as possible. I want that child to be made legitimate.”

“I really think I have to take you in for that cat scan Stephanie.” He said in all seriousness. She smiled at him and gave him a lilting laugh. “This is not you Stephanie.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I will always have my misgivings about her. But she is at least honest. She makes my son happy and she, well she showed me a different side of her tonight. Brooke and I will be able to work together Jonathan. But as for Eric.”

“Are you sure?” He asked again.

“Jonathan Young, I want to take that man and his whore to the cleaners.” 

“Dr. Hennessy what is wrong with Brooke? Help her, help her now!” Ridge demanded. As much as he already loved his new son, his concerns were with the woman he loved. While the nurse tended to the newborn Ridge ran to Brooke’s side and grabbed her hand.

“Ridge it hurts, it hurts.”

“She’s still bleeding Doctor!” Ridge shouted. “Help her for God’s sake.”

“Move out of my way Ridge.” Dr. Hennessy told him. “What’s wrong Brooke, what hurts?” She asked.

“It hurts so much, worse than before. What’s happening to me?” She sobbed.

“It’s alright Brooke, calm down. Ridge I need you to step back.” Dr. Hennessy instructed.

“Help her doctor, please help her.” He begged. Tears were filling his eyes as he watched the terror on Brooke’s face. The best day in their lives, the most beautiful experience was changing before his eyes into one of pure horror. “Please what’s happening?” Ridge begged.

“I’m trying to find out Ridge.” Dr. Hennessy told him. “Brooke please try and relax, I need to examine you.”

“I don’t want to die.” She sobbed. “My baby, my baby needs me. He needs me.” 

 

“This is taking a long time isn’t it Grandma?” Rick asked Beth.

“Sometimes labor is like that. Maybe they will let one of us go in.” She suggested.

“Um not me.” Rick laughed. “I really don’t want to see that and I don’t think Ridge wants Thorne looking at Mom like that either. Maybe you Grandma.”

“I just wish I could find Bridget.” Beth said.

“Try her again, or I will.” Thorne volunteered.

“You stay with Rick, I’ll try her.” Beth said. “I wish hospitals let you use cell phones.” She sighed as she dug into her wallet for change.

“Here, use my calling card.” Thorne said. He handed her the card.

“Thank you dear.” Beth said with a smile. She walked to the public phone and called Bridget’s cell. It rang unanswered so she tried home. That too rang but the answering machine picked up with Brooke’s pleasant voice announcing that she was unavailable but to please leave a message after the beep. Beth waited for the beep and spoke. “Bridget, if you hear this it’s your Grandma. Mom is in labor at Cedars, Rick and Thorne are with me and Ridge is with your Mother. Come down dear.” She hung up, thought for a moment and pulled her PDA out. She searched for Sean’s number and punched it in. It rang three times before he came on.

“Hello?” He said.

“Sean?”

“Beth? Is that you?” He asked.

“Yes Sean.”

“I’m so sorry, I was going to call you back but I got so involved in this design. Is everything alright?” He asked.

“Brooke is in labor.” She said happily.

“Ridge? Is he with her?”

“Yes. We’re at Cedars. So far no baby and Ridge hasn’t come out.”

“Would you like me to come down?” He asked her.

“Oh Sean I’m not sure what to say. I don’t want either of us to have to start answering a lot of questions.”

“I am her friend Beth.” He reminded her. “I’d never put you in an awkward position, you have to know that.”

“Come Sean, I’m sure Brooke would love you to meet her daughter.” She told him.

“I need to put a few touches on this design. I’m on a roll, I had some major inspiration.” He said with a laugh.

“I’m sure she won’t mind. And I know how it is with you designers. Once you have a muse and all.”

“Beth, you have to know who my muse was.”

“Oh Sean, please.” She found herself turning warm as she blushed.

“I’ll see you soon.” He told her. He hung up and looked down again at the dress he was designing. Becky had been right. A sophisticated woman, a woman who was invading his every thought, inspired him. “I’ll see you real soon.” He repeated.  

 

“He hung up.” Shelby told Bridget. “I’m going now. Good luck.”

“Thanks Shelby.” She grinned at her friend. She waited until her footsteps had faded and then she knocked lightly on his door.

Sean’s concentration was immediately interrupted and he looked up. “Bridget?” He said. He got up from his desk and walked to the door. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to get something from my Mom’s office and I saw your light on.” She smiled at him. “I thought I’d come in and say hello.”

“Well hello to you but shouldn’t you be down at Cedar’s?” He asked.

“Why would I be? Oh my God Sean, is my mother having the baby?”

“Yes she is. I was just about to head down there myself. Do you have a car?”

“Actually no. I mean Shelby drove me but she needs to go home so can you take me?” She asked him.

“Sure. Where is your friend?”

“In Mom’s office. Let me go tell her.”

“You do that. I’ll close up and meet you in the parking lot.” He told her. “It’s a good thing you stopped in Bridget.” He smiled.

“Yeah.” She said. “I’ll see you in a minute.” She grinned at him and ran down to Brooke’s office.

“That was fast.” Shelby said. “What happened? Did he get mad?”

“My mother is in labor.” She said.

“What? Well let’s get down there!” Shelby giggled.

“Actually no.” Bridget told her.

“No?”

“Sean asked me if I needed a ride so I told him you needed to get home. Don’t be mad.”

“How did Sean know Bridget?”

“I don’t know, maybe Mom or Ridge called him.”

“Bridget I know he and your mother.” Shelby started. “Could it be his?”

“No way! This is Ridge’s baby Shelby. My mother and Sean was years ago. This is not his kid.” She shook her head.

“Okay I just wondered.” Shelby told her. “Anyway are you sure I can’t come?”

“I really want to go with Sean. But why don’t you drive around a little bit like you had to go somewhere and then come down to Cedars.”

“Okay.” She said with a hug. “I’ll see you later then!”  

 

“Anything?” Beth asked as she returned.

“Nope.” Thorne told her. “Did you find Budge?”

“No, but I spoke to Sean, he’s coming down.”

“Why Sean?” Rick asked.

“He and your mother and Ridge are very close. I thought he would want to know and he wanted to be here.” She explained.

“Okay.” Rick said, fully accepting her explanation. “I sure wish someone would tell us something.”

“I think I may go see if someone can.” Beth told them. But as she started to head towards the delivery room two nurses and a doctor ran past her and inside. “Thorne! Rick!” Beth shouted. “Something is wrong, something is going on in there!”  

 

Taylor came down the stairs and sat next to Eric. “They’ve all calmed down.” She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. “Steffie was crying for her Daddy and of course Phoebe had to join in too. Thomas is still trying to be my little man. He’s so brave Eric. He is the one who senses that something very serious is wrong. I wish I could comfort him, I wish I could make it all go away, Damn it I wish you could stay.”

“So do I darling but after what happened I just feel it’s better we try and lay low.”

“What’s the point now?” She asked. “Nothing worse could possibly happen. We certainly couldn’t be made to look worse could we?”

“I’m so sorry Taylor, if I had any idea.”

“I’m not blaming you Eric. I’m not blaming anyone. We knew that we couldn’t hide forever but I am so ashamed. I’ve hurt everyone. I hurt Ridge, I hurt Stephanie, I hurt my children, I hurt you. Nothing will ever be the same again.”

“No it won’t.” He agreed. “I think time will heal everything though.”

“My mind is racing.” She confessed. “I wonder what I could have done differently. Could I have saved my marriage and yours too?”

“Stephanie and I had drifted apart long before you and I fell in love and as for you and Ridge.”

“I know, it was always Brooke wasn’t it?” She asked.

“If you mean that he always loved her then yes, but if you mean she came ahead of you then no Taylor. Ridge adored you and the children.”

“The children, his son and Pierce Peterson’s daughters.”

“Biologically speaking yes, but in all that counts Ridge is their father and you know as well as I do that he still does love them dearly.”

“I didn’t know Eric, I swear I didn’t know.”

“I believe you.”

“But I don’t think Ridge does. But I guess that doesn’t matter anymore. He has Brooke and their child. Their child! Their child! Oh Eric I resent that child so much. How dare she have a child with my husband!” She sobbed into his arms.

“I’m so sorry Taylor, so sorry.” He said as a cadence as he held her and smoothed her hair. 

 

Rick ran to stand behind his grandmother. “Can you see anything? What’s going on?” He asked.

“I don’t know, something is terribly wrong Rick, I need to get in there, that’s my baby in there.” She turned as a nurse opened the door and started to leave. Beth grabbed her arm. “That’s my daughter! What is going on? Is she alright? Is her baby alright?”

“The baby is fine ma’am, Dr. Hennessy is talking care of Miss Logan, please, I have to get through.”

“Can I go in? Please, she needs me.” Beth begged.

“I don’t think so ma’am. Please I promise someone will bring you up to date.” The nurse said as she started to walk away.

“No!” Beth shouted. “Don’t you dare walk away from me! You tell me what is happening to my daughter and you tell me now!” 

 

“This is exciting.” Sean told Bridget. “Ridge and Brooke must be ecstatic.”

“It’s sort of early though.” Bridget said without any major concern. “I hope the baby doesn’t have to be in one of those incubator things.” She added with a frown.

“One month give or take a week isn’t that much, and Brooke really was large.” He said with a grin.

“You mean fat don’t you.” Bridget laughed.

“No, not at all. It was all baby. You’re mother still was slim everywhere else. She carried really well. I think maybe, just maybe the conception date might have been off.”

“No!” Bridget said sharply.

“What would be so terrible about that?” He asked.

“It would make another stupid paternity thing. I don’t want my sister to ever go through what I did.”

“Oh honey I didn’t mean it that way.” Sean reached over and patted her leg. “It’s Ridge’s baby. Brooke told me that she was never with Thorne and she and I, that was way earlier than possible for this to be my child. It’s your true sister Bridget, you and she will share the same two parents.” He smiled at her.

“You and Mom?” She asked. “I thought that was years ago.”

“Well I shouldn’t have said anything Bridget, let’s just keep it between us okay?”

“You and Mom again?” She asked.

“When I came back to town, but that was long before Ridge told her how much he loved her. Bridget don’t get upset over this. Ridge knows and it doesn’t change anything. He and Brooke are very happy and I’m happy for them.”

“I just didn’t think that you and.” Bridget couldn’t say more. She was upset. She didn’t want this man to still have feelings for her mother. She had to find out how strong the feelings were.

“It was impulsive and spontaneous and I think we both were trying to recapture the past. Bridget believe me I have nothing but respect for your mother. And I am learning to respect your father too. Ridge and I were never really friends but now the way he loves her, I have grown to respect him. He makes my friend happy and that’s good enough for me.”

“Then you aren’t like pining for her?” Bridget asked him.

Sean turned to her and laughed. “No Bridget, I am not the kind of guy who can’t take no for an answer. What we had once was really nice, but that is long over. I cherish her friendship but that is all that it will ever be.”

“Good.” She said softly with a sly grin. 

 

“Kim, it’s me.” Thorne said to his young wife after she answered the phone.

“Did she have the baby yet?” She asked. “Are you coming home?”

“Something is going on. Something is wrong Kim. I need you to do me a favor.”

“What?” She sighed.

“Kim this is important. I really am counting on you.”

“Fine, what?”

“I need you to find Bridget. She’s not here and she needs to be.”

“How am I supposed to find her?” She asked in an uninterested tone.

“Go to Insomnia or where ever you think she and her friends might be. Call her cell phone, keep trying her at home. Kim I am depending on you.”

“Okay Thorne, what about your mother?”

“No, no she’s still a mess. Don’t bother her until we know more. And Kim, thanks.”  

 

“Dr. Hennessy, please what’s wrong?” Ridge demanded.

“Someone keep him back.” She told her staff.

“I hurt, I hurt, oh God I hurt.” Brooke screamed. “Make it stop, make it stop it hurts so bad.”

“She’s still bleeding Dr. Hennessy.” The nurse told her.

“Yes, I see that. I need to get in there. I need to see what’s going on, Ridge I insist you get back now or I will make you leave!”

“Oh God!” Brooke clutched her abdomen. “Ridge! Ridge!” She screamed.

He ran to her and held onto her hands. “It’s okay Brooke, let Dr. Hennessy help you. Please Brooke be strong.”

“I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die. This shouldn’t hurt now, it shouldn’t hurt anymore.” She clung to him. She was bathed in sweat and tears ran down her cheeks.

“Brooke? Ridge? What is going on?” Beth screamed as she burst into the room.

“Mommy! Help me Mommy!” Brooke screamed. “Help me.” She said as she kicked and clutched at her stomach. “I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die.” 

 

 

Chapter 38 

 

Ridge stood behind the doctor as she examined Brooke. He cracked his knuckles in a fit of nerves and kept moving in place. “What is it? What’s going on?” He yelled loudly. It was too late for politeness, too tense for discretion, Ridge needed to know what was wrong with his woman and he needed to know now. Meanwhile Beth held onto Brooke’s hand and wiped her sweaty brow.

“Please help my daughter.” She begged as she tried to remain calm.

“Well I’ll be.” The doctor turned to Ridge and smiled. “This has never happened to me before, I’ve heard of it but I have never seen it.”

“Seen what?” He demanded. “You need to tell me what is wrong with her and you need to tell me now.”

“Damn it stop talking like I’m not even here!” Brooke screamed at them. “It f*cking hurts! Something is wrong! Help me! Shut up and just help me!”

“Brooke I need you to push.” Dr. Hennessy told her.

“Push? Why the hell should I push! Are you blind? My baby is right over there!” Brooke shouted at her.

“Your son is over there Brooke.” Dr. Hennessy laughed. “But it looks like your daughter is still trying to make her way out.”

“My what?” Brooke gasped as she tried to fight the pain away.

“Brooke I am so sorry I missed this but now it all makes sense. Now push for me, your little girl wants to meet you now.”

“Twins?” Ridge asked. “We’re having twins?”

“Yes and little girl Logan is almost out.” Dr. Hennessy told them as she positioned herself for the delivery. It was coming and it was coming fast.

“Forrester!” Brooke screamed at her. “Baby girl Forrester!”

“Wow! Wow. Oh my God Logan we got two!” Ridge ran to her and leaned over and kissed her. “Push Logan, push now.”

“Grrrrrrr.” Brooke moaned. She clung onto Ridge’s hand as her face contorted. “I need a breath.” She told them.

“Quick breath and hard push Brooke.” Dr. Hennessy told her. “That’s it Brooke, that’s it. Here she comes, here she comes now. Ridge!” She turned to the proud father. “Come and meet your daughter.”  

 

“Where is Beth?” Thorne asked Rick when he returned from the phone. Rick was nervously pacing and watching the door to the delivery room.

“She went in, there were doctors and nurses running all over the place, I’m scared Thorne.” Rick admitted.

“Don’t worry, Brooke is fine, I know she is.” But Thorne looked over at the door with a sense of dread. He turned to face Rick and saw Sean and Bridget walking down the hallway with smiles on their faces. “Bridget! Where were you?” Thorne called out.

“Out with Shelby. Sean just told me about Mom. Is the baby here yet?” She asked with a huge grin.

“Not yet honey.” He said as he walked over to them. Thorne knew it was going to be up to him to keep the calm and he wasn’t even sure if he was up for the job. He waited until Sean and Bridget were there, not wanting to shout in a hospital.

“Where’s Beth?” Sean asked him with a quizzical _expression that at another time might have aroused suspicion.

“In with Brooke.” Thorne told him and then he turned his attention back to the door. Bridget was still unconcerned at this point. Her main objective was to impress Sean and to look good. She had no idea that there could be a problem until Sean spoke up.

“Is something wrong Thorne?” Sean asked. He had noticed Thorne’s distraction and he was immediately frightened for his friend.

“I don’t know. Beth seemed to be worried and she went in and hasn’t returned.”

“Mom?” Bridget grabbed Sean’s hand. “Is Mom okay?” All her thoughts of seduction had flown out the window as a deep panic set in. Her eyes filled with unshed tears as she clutched at Sean for the comfort and assurance that she could only find in a mature person. Rick looked over at her with tears in his own eyes.

“We don’t know Budge.” Rick said. “I’m scared.” 

 

Kimberly softly cursed as she got back into her car. She had tried all the hangouts where she knew Bridget and her friends went but no one had seen the girl. She knew that Thorne expected her to come through for him and she didn’t want to let him down, but she really didn’t care about Brooke or Bridget. After all she was pregnant too, she should be home, safe and warm, Thorne needed to straighten his priorities. She also was angry that she wasn’t being included in the family gathering at Brooke’s hospital room or at Stephanie’s bedside. “Stephanie.” She said to herself with a smile. “If Thorne left her and Ridge is with Brooke then most likely she is alone. Something happened, she could use the company. I bet Thorne will thank me. The hell with Bridget.” She laughed and started the car. She pulled out onto the street and headed in the direction of the Forrester mansion. 

 

“Logan, Logan look at her, she’s beautiful. My God we have twins.” Ridge said as he looked adoringly from Brooke to the baby girl in the nurses hands, to the baby boy that was being cleaned and dressed.

“Honey are you alright?” Beth worriedly asked Brooke. She still was in a panic state that had started when she saw her daughter in such great pain.

“Yes.” Brooke said weakly. “I am now.” She smiled at her mother and then at Ridge. “Please, can I hold them?” She asked Dr. Hennessy.

“Of course you can Brooke.” Dr. Hennessy replied. “Ridge, would you like to hold your son while Brooke holds your daughter?”

“Oh yeah.” He grinned and looked at Brooke. He was beaming with a fatherly pride and looking at Brooke with love and total devotion.

“Sit with me.” Brooke told him, tapping the bed.

The nurse handed Brooke her daughter and Dr. Hennessy handed Ridge their son. “Mrs. Logan, do you need a chair? You look rather pale.” She said to the older woman.

“I think I could certainly use one.” Beth said with a deep sigh. “This has been quite an ordeal and a shock.”

“If you think you’re shocked imagine how I feel.” Dr. Hennessy told her. “And how Brooke and Ridge feel.” She added.

“This doesn’t happen often does it?” Ridge asked her. He kissed the baby and cooed at him before looking up for the answer.

“No Ridge, it’s never happened to me before and I am so sorry that I hadn’t been able to prepare you.”

“Brooke and the babies are fine, that’s all that matters.” He said. Then he sat next to Brooke and looked down at the woman he loved and his new daughter. “They’re amazing, you’re amazing.” He told her.

Beth collapsed into the chair that the nurse pulled up next to the bed. Once she had taken a few much needed breaths she reached over to touch her new grandchildren. “They’re both perfect.”

“Just like their mother.” Ridge agreed.

“I was so scared.” Brooke admitted. “I knew something was wrong but I had no idea.”

“Do you have any ideas about names?” Beth asked.

“Wow.” Ridge shook his head. “This sure changes everything.”

“We hadn’t even thought about boys names.” Brooke explained. “The ultrasound showed us it was a girl, just one baby. Now we have one of each and I don’t know, I mean we hadn’t even decided on a girls name.”

“Wanna switch?” Ridge asked her. He was anxious to hold his daughter too.

“I want to hold them both.” Brooke admitted with a guilty smile. “Do you mind? I’ll give them to you in a few moments, I just miss them inside me and I need to have them both right now.”

Ridge understood her need. Taylor had felt the same even though she had been too sick to hold the girls. But Brooke was healthy and happy and there was nothing stopping her from holding her twins. He smiled at Beth and then at Brooke. “I think we can do that.” He gently put his son in Brooke’s arms and she looked from one child to the next. “Look at them Ridge, they have your dark hair.” Brooke said.

“For now, maybe it will lighten like yours.” He suggested.

“Hmm, not without some Clairol.” She giggled. “But I love them with dark hair.”

“They look like you when you were a baby.” Beth told Brooke. “Oh dear, I should go out and tell the others.”

“Who’s here?” Ridge asked.

“Thorne and Rick are here and Sean is on his way.” Beth told them.

“Bridget?” Brooke asked.

“We’re trying to find her.” Beth stood. “I’ll go get them. I know they’re anxious to see you and to meet the baby.”

“Thanks Mom.” Brooke smiled. She looked up at Ridge and their eyes met.

“We did it Logan, we really did it.”

“Ridge, I need to tell you something before they come in.” Brooke said in a very serious voice.

“Okay.” He said hesitantly.

“I won’t hold you to it. I mean I’ll never keep them from you, but if you want to go back to Taylor, I won’t stop you.”

“What the hell?” Ridge said angrily. “Logan where do you come up with these things?”

“I saw how angry you were with Eric. You were jealous, I know it. If you still love her I won’t, we won’t stand in your way.”

Ridge shook his head and leaned over and kissed the two babies, then his lips found Brooke’s and he kissed her with deep love and passion. “I love YOU Logan, you. I was mad, maybe even part of me was jealous, but I don’t think so. But there is only one place I want to be and that is with you and our family, now and for the rest of my life.”

“Don’t let what happened here color you Ridge, you need to think about it.”

“No I don’t, I don’t have to think about anything. I’m finally back where I belong and I’m never going to leave ever again.” 

 

Taylor was standing, staring out the window at where Eric’s car had been. He had left over fifteen minutes before but she was glued to the spot. She sniffled back tears and wiped her eyes and then finally let the curtain fall back. “You’ll never come back, I know you won’t.” She whispered softly. She looked over at the bar, at the open carafe of wine that was beckoning her and as if they had a will of their own her feet led her there. She poured a large glass and held it to the light watching the colors. “I need peace, I need peace.” She said. Then she brought the glass to her mouth. 

 

“Wow.” Kimberly’s eyes widened at the sight of the crashed car. “Poor Stephanie.” She got out of her own car and headed to the door. She didn’t recognize the black sedan parked next to Stephanie’s destroyed Cadillac but she wasn’t going to let anyone stop her. She knew that this was the way to gain acceptance into the family. Kimberly peered into the window before ringing the bell. “The lawyer.” She said to herself. “I wonder what that is all about?” 

 

Sally walked out of Macy’s room and joined her daughter on the couch. “I don’t think he likes my lullabies as much as yours.” She smiled. “But he didn’t cry.”

“He loves you Mom.” Macy assured her. “I don’t think Adam has ever felt so secure or loved in his life, I don’t think I have either.”

Sally put her arm around her daughter and pulled her close to her. The woman’s large breasts cushioned Macy’s head and the younger woman let out a sigh of contentment. “You’re home, home where you belong.”

“We have to call Connor.” Macy told her as she sat up again.

“Connor Davis?” Sally cocked her eyebrow. “Why darling?”

“I need to get all the legalities settled and I need to find out about the truck driver. I can’t live happily until I know that her family is taken care of.”

“It wasn’t your fault, it was an accident.” Sally insisted.

“It was my fault and even if it wasn’t she didn’t deserve to die Mom, she didn’t.”

“Oh honey.” Sally pulled her close again. “You’ve lived through your own hell, you aren’t to blame. You have a heart as big as Texas. We’ll find out about the truck driver, but we’ll protect you first, oh yes, we will protect you. Mama is not ever going to let anyone hurt her baby again.” 

 

“So where do we start?” Stephanie asked her lawyer. “What do we do to make sure Eric never sets foot at Forrester or this house again?”

“It’s not that simple Stephanie, he has his rights too. And I’m sure he is going to fight you.”

“He couldn’t be that stupid.” She scoffed. “Not after what I witnessed. No, he will slink away like the snake he is.”

“And what about his belongings? You’ve built a home here Stephanie, divorce or no divorce, infidelity or not he has entitlements.” He looked around the vast living room and realized that it was going to be a long, drawn out process. The art in this room alone could tie up years of litigation. And he also had to consider that Eric had always been his friend. He frowned at the thought and turned back to Stephanie. “You might want to think about getting a different attorney.”

“Are you saying that you’re on his side?” She asked with a scowl.

“No, but I’ve know you both a long time, not just as an attorney but socially, I might not be the best choice.”

“You’re the only choice Jonathan, don’t let me down.” She said with fierce intensity that was only softened by the sound of the doorbell. “Helen! Please get the door.” She called out. 

 

The three glasses of wine had counteracted all the coffee that Eric had fed her and Taylor was once more feeling the comfortable numbness. With a shaky hand she went to pour another glass but then stopped. “Not alone, not tonight, not now.” She mumbled. “Damn you Eric, damn you.” She reached for the phone, knocking it to the floor. After two unsuccessful attempts she finally retrieved it. Using two hands to hold it steady she punched in numbers that she didn’t even realize she knew without looking. A wild look came over her eyes as the phone rang over and over again. “Be home, be home, be home.” She begged. Finally a groggy voice answered. “Pppplease come over, please I can’t be alone, please.” She sobbed into the phone, once more dropping it to the carpeted floor. “Please.” She whispered, but this time to herself. 

 

“I was so scared.” Bridget said after she let go of Brooke. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.”

“Oh sweetheart, I had no idea I’d go into early labor, you have nothing to be sorry about, I’m just so happy that you and Rick and Grandma are here with us now.” Brooke looked over at Beth and Rick, who were holding the twins, then she turned to Ridge who was talking to Sean, Thorne and Bridget’s friend Shelby. He had a grin plastered onto his face and for the first time Brooke was totally secure in his love.

“You look so tired Mom.” Bridget told her as she smoothed back her hair.

“I am, tonight was, well it was a night none of us will ever forget.” She clutched Bridget’s hand. “I just wish we could come home tonight.”

“No way.” Ridge said, turning away from the others. “Dr. Hennessy wants you to have two days in here and two days you’ll have.” He walked to Brooke and sat next to Bridget on the bed. “You’ll be wishing you had more rest once you and the babies come home.” He laughed and tousled Bridget’s hair. “You’ll help won’t you Budge?”

“Sure.” She agreed. “Are you coming home with us Ridge?” She asked him.

“Not tonight. I would but I’m worried about my mother, I think I’ll spend the night with her if you don’t mind too much.”

“I think that’s a good idea.” Brooke agreed. “Stephanie needs all the support we can give her right now. Did you call her yet Ridge?”

“I haven’t had time, and I’m hoping she’s asleep.” He sheepishly answered.

“She was wide awake when I left.” Thorne told him. “And anxious about the baby too. She’s gonna be floored.”

“I think it’s time you all go home and get some sleep.” Brooke told them. “And maybe I should too.” She added with a laugh.

“Shelby, you can take Bridget home, Beth you have your car, what about you Sean? Thorne?” Ridge asked.

“We’re fine Ridge, you stay with Brooke as long as you can.” Thorne told him.

“Are you going home to Mother?” Ridge asked him.

“I will. I need to find Kimberly though, I sent her out to find Bridget and I don’t want her to think I’ve forgotten about her.” Thorne explained. He had, in fact, forgotten about his young wife and he was starting to feel a little guilty.

“Go Thorne, go find her, she’s pregnant and she needs you.” Brooke told him. “But I can’t thank you enough for being here for us.” She added with a smile.

“There’s nowhere else I’d want to be Brooke.” He assured her. He walked to her bedside and gave her a quick kiss. “You take care of my niece and nephew.”

“Oh I will.” She giggled. She gave his hand a squeeze. “Thanks again Thorne.”

Ridge frowned at the familiarity but when Beth looked at him and shook her head to admonish him he let out a quick laugh. “You’re right Beth.” He answered her. Then he turned to Thorne. “I’ll walk you to your car.”  

 

“Miss Kimberly, what are you doing here? Where is Mr. Thorne?” Helen asked the girl.

“He’s taking care of something so we decided I should come over and make sure Stephanie is alright. How is she? It looks like a bad accident.” Kimberly strained to look over Helen’s head, into the living room.

“She’s with her lawyer, come in and have tea with me, then you can see her when he leaves.” Helen suggested.

“Alright but I just want to say hello first, let her know I’m here.” Kimberly stubbornly pushed past the housekeeper. She walked into the spacious living room. Stephanie stopped her conversation and looked up at the girl.

“Kimberly, what are you doing here? Where is Thorne?” She asked.

“I was worried about you. I wanted to come over and see how I could help you.” She apologized. “Hello Mr. Young.” She smiled at Jonathan.

“Kimberly, Jonathan and I are in the middle of a private conversation. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow.” Stephanie suggested.

“I think we’ve about covered all we can for tonight. Let me look over the papers and I’ll come by again in the morning.” Jonathan told her. Then he looked her squarely in the eyes. “But you need to get to bed. That bruise is getting darker by the moment and the lump.”

“I know, I know.” Stephanie pooh-poohed him. “I’m just fine Jonathan, you all worry far too much.”

“Don’t keep her up long young lady.” Jonathan warned Kimberly.

“I won’t sir, I promise I’ll make sure she goes to bed.” She smiled politely and then turned to Stephanie. “Can I get you anything?”

“Sit down, I need to walk Jonathan out, then I want to know what this is all about.” Stephanie took Jonathan’s arm and led him to the door. Once she was out of Kimberly’s hearing range she spoke. “At one point I felt she was a good wife for my son, I’m having second thoughts. You may have more work than you can handle.”

“I think your own marriage should be your main priority.” He answered.

“It is, it is.” She told him. “And they will both pay for what they’ve done to me.”

“Goodnight Stephanie, sleep well.” Jonathan said with a wary smile and a hug, and then he left. 

 

With a deep yawn Brooke looked at Ridge and smiled. “I miss them.” She said softly.

“So do I.” He agreed. “But they’re both safe and happy sleeping in the nursery and in two days we’ll all be home together.”

“Home.” She sighed. Then she clutched his hand tightly. “Can you come home with us? Can you live with us? Will it hurt the divorce Ridge? I need you so badly. We all do.”

Ridge leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. “And I need you. Logan nothing is going to keep me away. The divorce will go through, I’ll give her anything she wants, I just need to be with you.”

Brooke tilted her head towards him for another kiss. “But.” She started.

“No buts Logan, my place is with you now. Besides, I don’t think Taylor is going to want to make a fuss about us when she has her own dirty laundry to air.”

“Dirty laundry?” Brooke sat up and frowned. “I’m dirty laundry to you? Our children are dirty laundry?” She said loudly.

“No, no, honey no. Bad choice of words, I’m tired, I’m not thinking. Brooke please, you know what I meant. With the girls being Pierce’s and the affair with my father, she doesn’t have a leg to stand on. She’s not gonna fight us, that’s all I meant.” He softly stroked her face. “Am I forgiven?”

“I’ll think about it.” She giggled.

“You’ll think about it?” He repeated with a laugh. Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. “Well?” He asked.

“Hmmmm, good start. You got more?” She teased.

“For you? Honey I have the world for you.” He said before his lips once more descended on hers.  

 

The house was lit up like a Christmas tree but no one was answering the persistent ringing of the doorbell. Taylor sat on the couch clutching her wineglass like a lifesaver, staring blindly at the door. “Go away, just go away.” She mumbled.

The buzz was replaced by an intense pounding. “Come on Taylor, open the door.” The masculine voice shouted.

Taylor’s head was feeling very fuzzy from the wine but even in her stupor she remembered her phone call. “Oh, okay, okay, I’m coming.” She said as she struggled to stand. On unsteady feet she slowly made her way to the door and opened it, falling into the strong arms of the man waiting outside.

“Taylor, my God Taylor what happened?” Pierce Peterson asked as he lifted her into his arms.

“It’s over, it’s all over.” She sobbed as she let him carry her inside. Pierce kicked the door closed with his foot and lowered her onto the couch. He sat next to her and turned to face her.

“What’s over? Taylor talk to me.” He begged.

“Everything, my marriage, Eric, my life, everything is over, I want to die.” She sobbed.

“Do NOT talk that way.” He said sternly. “Come on Taylor, tell me what happened. I can help you, you know I can.”

“Why? Why? Why?” She half-screamed and half-sobbed. She struck her fists against the couch cushions in despair.

“Why what? Taylor, I need you to try and calm down and talk to me.”

Taylor reached for her wine, spilling the glass to the carpet. She moaned and fell to her knees trying to stop the spilling red liquid. Pierce wasn’t sure if she was concerned about the stain or the loss of the wine. “Taylor get up please.” He implored her.

“What’s the use? What’s the use of anything?” She asked as she crumbled into a ball. He got down next to her and pulled her into his arms.

“Talk to me Taylor, please talk to me.”

“It’s over.” She said again. “All over.”

“What happened?” He asked as he held her to his body.

“Eric was here and Stephanie came in, we didn’t know, we didn’t know she would come here. I never wanted her to see that, you know I never did.”

“She saw you? Together?” Pierce’s eyes widened in amazement.

“In bed, she found us in bed.” She sighed. “I need more wine.”

“No you don’t.” He told her. Then he looked around. “Where is Catherine?”

“She has the night off.”

“And the children?” He asked in concern.

“In bed, they’re in bed. Ridge was supposed to take them but that bitch had to go into labor.” She started to cry again. “She’s having my husbands baby. It’s not fair Pierce, I didn’t know, I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t. The were Ridge’s babies, that’s what I always believed, now I’ve lost him forever.”

“I know honey, I know.” Pierce said soothingly. “And I think deep down Ridge knows that too.”

“It doesn’t matter, he made a baby with her, he left me for her.” She sniffled and her eyes went to the bar and the open wine bottle. “I need wine.”

“Taylor are you alone with the children?” He asked her.

“My children are fine!” She announced angrily.

“Yes, but you are impaired Taylor and if something were to happen.”

“My babies?” She gasped in horror. “Oh Pierce will you stay? Will you make sure my babies are alright?”

“Of course I will. Now why don’t I get you some coffee and check the kids and then we can talk.” He suggested.

“No coffee, I had too much coffee. Pierce please just, just, oh just.” She said as she started to sob again. 

 

“What brings you here Kimberly?” Stephanie asked her young daughter-in-law. She was becoming impatient as she knew that the girl had an agenda.

“I was worried about you and I knew Thorne and Ridge were at the hospital. I thought you were alone.”

“You knew Helen was here.” Stephanie answered point blank.

 

“I suppose I did, but I was still concerned. I thought you might want someone to talk to. Thorne was very worried too.”

“I’m sure he was. But not worried enough to call me and give me the news. Did he call you? Did Brooke have the baby yet?” She asked.

Kimberly bit her lip in nervousness. The woman intimidated her. She so wanted to impress her, she knew that now more than ever she needed her on her side. “He called to ask me to find Bridget, but I tried everywhere and I can’t find her. So then I decided to make sure you were okay. And I guess you are. Can I get you something? Aaaanything?” She stammered.

“Helen is fully prepared to get me anything I need. I think you had best get home, after all you are expecting your own child now aren’t you?” Stephanie said as she gave the girl’s flat stomach a suspicious look.

“Yyyyes, I am.” Kimberly managed to reply. She subconsciously patted her belly.

“Are you eating enough? I don’t want to hear about you dieting in your condition.” Stephanie scolded her.

“No, no I’m not dieting. I guess I just don’t show much yet.” She looked helplessly at the older woman. “I am pregnant Mrs. Forrester, I’m not lying.”

“I should hope not.” Stephanie announced. “And now with your sister alive.”

“You know?” Kimberly was astounded.

“You didn’t think this would be a secret did you?”

“No but, but.” Kimberly nervously stammered.

“And she is still legally his wife Kimberly.” Stephanie said with a smile that could only be described as evil.

“Oh my God, you want him to leave me don’t you? You’re against me? Against my baby? But why? Why? You encouraged me, you wanted me with Thorne.”

“When Brooke was a problem, but she no longer is Kimberly and you are disposable to me, and I think soon to my son too.”  

 

“Brooke?” Ridge whispered. “Honey?” He said as he shifted her body in his arms.

“Sorry.” She said with a sleepy smile. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“No honey, you need it, God knows we won’t be getting much with two newborns.” He laughed.

“Yeah, you really did miss the early days with Steffie and Phoebe with them being so tiny and all.” She sighed and touched his face. “But not this time, this time we’ll all be home together.”

“Yes we will.” He agreed. “But for now I think you need to get some sleep and I need to check on Mother. I promise I’ll be back bright and early.”

“Good, I miss you already.” She smiled. “Oh Ridge, I’m so happy.”

“We are blessed Logan, we have everything.” He gave her a deep kiss and then he got up from the bed. “I love you.” He said with a smile.

“I love you too.” Brooke reached out her hand to him. He took hers, brought it to his mouth and kissed it.

“I’ll be here in time for their breakfast.” He winked.

“Awwwh, you just want to get a peek at my bazooka’s.” Brooke giggled. “But watch out Mister, they’ll go back to normal size before you know it.”

“I want to see the woman I love feeding my children Brooke, as for the as you call them “bazooka’s”, well that’s a perk.” He laughed and gave her one last kiss. “Goodnight my love.”

“Goodnight.” Brooke smiled and shut her eyes. She was asleep before Ridge even left the room. 

 

“You said no coffee but how about tea?” Pierce suggested to Taylor.

“No, nothing.” She said as she rubbed her head. “Pierce? What’s wrong with me?”

He got up from the chair he was sitting in and moved to sit next to her on the couch. “Nothing in the world is wrong with you. You’ve been through a horrible ordeal.”

“Oh my own cause.” She admitted. “Why did I do it? Why?”

“Why did you do what?” Pierce asked. “I don’t mean to sound uncaring but I don’t know if you mean us or Eric or even something with Ridge.”

“I guess all of the above.” She frowned. “Why did I sleep with you? I know on some level I had to have known what I was doing and what had happened. I just blocked it all out. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or Ridge.”

“You were vulnerable that night Taylor and I was there for you. I suppose I took advantage of the situation, but you have to understand something.”

“What?” She sighed.

“I love you.” He said softly. “I’ve loved you since the day that I met you.”

“Nothing loveable about me.” She pouted. “Ask Ridge if you don’t believe me.”

“I think his answer would surprise you Taylor. You certainly don’t think he’s just fallen out of love with you do you?”

Taylor reached for her wine glass and took a sip before answering him. “If he was ever even really in love with me.” She put the glass down and looked Pierce in the eyes. “It was always Brooke, he never would have married me again if it wasn’t for Thomas, he never would have left her.”

“You don’t know that.” Pierce said with a pat on her hand.

“Oh I think I do.” She picked up the wine and took another sip. “But we did have a good life. I know that. I was so happy and I think, I think Ridge was too.”

“I know he was. But Ridge isn’t all that you think he is Taylor. He’s played his waffling games with both of you for years, and to my amazement you both always take him back, you both act as if he’s doing you the grand favor by choosing you. Don’t you see how demeaning that is? He’s played you and he’s played Brooke like a piano for so long neither of you even see it anymore.”

“So you’re saying he doesn’t love either of us?” Taylor asked in a confused voice.

“No honey, I’m saying I don’t know if the man is capable of a true, lasting and exclusive love. He seems to have a need to always have adoration. He needs to know that there is always a woman on the side pining away for him. You need to stop that pattern now Taylor, you need to free yourself from him.”

“I tried!” She shouted stubbornly, waving her arms and spilling her wine again. “Damn it!” She said as she grabbed for the glass.

“How did you try? You’re sitting here drinking yourself to a stupor for that man. And where is he? He’s at the hospital while another woman is having his child. Is that the life you want Taylor? Tell me! Tell me this is what you really want?” He turned her roughly to face him.

“Maybe it’s all I deserve.” She whispered.

“No! No Taylor no! You deserve so much more than Ridge or any Forrester can give you! You deserve love and passion and a man who will be truly one hundred percent faithful to you! You deserve a man who wouldn’t even look at another woman, less sleep with her! You deserve this Taylor, you deserve this.” He said as he pulled her to him and claimed her lips with his own. 

 

“Hey Grandma!” Ridge shouted gleefully as he walked into the house. “Hey Grandma! You are not going to believe this!” The smile was broadly plastered across his face as he clutched the photos of the twins. “Mother? Are you up?” He called out and then he saw his mother sitting across the living room from a sobbing Kimberly. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Thorne?” He asked as he ran over to them.

“No Ridge, your brother is fine. Kimberly is a little upset.” Stephanie told him. “So do I have a granddaughter?” She said, dismissing Kimberly as if she wasn’t even there.

“Kimberly, what’s wrong?” Ridge asked the girl. He walked past his mother and sat next to Kimberly. She was pale and shaking and sobbing and looked practically comatose. “Mother what happened to her?”

“She wants me gone, she wants my baby gone.” Kimberly finally managed to tell Ridge.

“Of course she doesn’t Kimberly. My mother may not be happy with how your marriage came about but she doesn’t want any harm done to you or your baby.”

“Ttttthis.” Kimberly’s hand was shaking as she handed Ridge the large wad of cash. His eyes widened as he went through it.

“Mother? What is this? There has to be thousands of dollars here. What is this all about?” Ridge asked.

“An, an, an, an abortion. She wants me to have an abortion.” Kimberly told him. “And she wants me to leave town and never come back.”

“Mother are you insane?” Ridge shouted. “Come on Kimberly, you must have misunderstood her.”

“No she didn’t Ridge. I was offering everyone a way out. Thorne has a wife and a child. He doesn’t want Kimberly and her bastard. Better to be rid of it and she can start a new life. I’ll see to it that she is never needing money. All she has to do is have the abortion and sign these papers.” She lifted a folder up and waved it towards Ridge.

“I can’t believe this. I’ve just made you a grandmother again and you’re plotting to kill Thorne’s baby? No, no, this isn’t you mother, it can’t be. It has to be the shock, it has to be the shock from the accident and from what you saw, it has to be.” He shook his head in disgust and turned back to Kimberly.

“Look at the papers Ridge.” Kimberly sobbed softly.

“Kimberly, never mind the papers.” Ridge took the money and threw it on the floor. “Come on, I’m going to take you home to Thorne.” He turned to face Stephanie. “I’ll deal with you later Mother.”

 

 

Macy hung up the phone and sat down next to her mother. “He sounds so good. I really miss him but it was great to talk to him again.”

“Your brother loves you so much honey, I know he’ll be here as soon as he can.” Sally assured her. “In the meantime you can call each other every day.”

“I just wish things were better with Kimberly.” Macy said sadly. “I just don’t know what to do. It’s not fair that I have to make all the sacrifices, and I refuse to make Adam a pawn in a tug of war either. Thorne is his father and he needs to be part of his life, even if he isn’t part of mine.” She gave Sally a weak smile and squeezed her hand. “Did you get in touch with Darla?” Macy asked.

“Yes. She’ll be happy to watch Adam tomorrow, but are you sure you’re ready for this?” Sally gave her a worried look but Macy’s confidence was back and she smiled at her and nodded.

“Too late to turn back. I called Connor and explained everything. He’s already working on it. But I do want to meet with him in person and sign the right papers and see what has to be done. If Thorne wants to legally marry Kimberly I won’t stand in his way.”

“Connor must have been stunned.” Sally laughed.

“Actually he wasn’t. It seems that he saw Jonathan Young and Thorne had already told him. He wondered what took me so long.” Macy laughed.

“Well we’ll get it all straightened out and get your life back on track.” Sally promised her.

“You know you don’t have to come with me, I’m a big girl now, I need to stand on my own two feet.”

“You are standing on your own two feet darling, I’m just standing right next to you.” Sally said with a hug. “Besides, I’d never pass up a chance to see that fine specimen of a man.”

“Mother!” Macy gasped and laughed in glee. “You have a thing for Connor Davis?”

“And who wouldn’t? Hubba Hubba.” Sally laughed and smiled. “Hmmm, Connor Davis.”

“What is that look about?” Macy said suspiciously.

“A girl could do a lot worse Macy. He’s handsome, he’s smart, he’s wealthy, he’s single.”

“Are you saying what I think you are?” Macy protested. “Mom, I am not looking for a husband, I already have two thank you.”

“I’m sure that Peter nonsense will be easily handled. As for Thorne, he doesn’t deserve you. Think about it Macy, Connor is a fine man, oh so fine.” Sally added with a loud purring noise, which threw Macy into a fit of laughter.

“Oh Mom, you can’t even imagine how much I love you.”

“Of course I can, because I love you a million times more my darling, a million times more.” 

 

Kimberly silently sobbed the entire ride home. Ridge tried to draw her out and get her to talk but it was useless. Once he pulled into the driveway Kimberly opened the car door and made an attempt to run right to the house but Ridge was behind her. “I’m sorry Kimberly but I am not going to let this go. I need to know what she did, and so does my brother.”

“No! No please Ridge, no.” She begged. “You can’t tell Thorne, he’ll think it’s all my fault, he’ll leave me.”

“He’s not going to leave you Kimberly. And I am not letting you go in there alone.” He took her arm and led her inside the house. Thorne was sitting on the couch, watching a video and drinking a beer. He looked up and turned off the sound at their appearance.

“Kimberly, I was worried about you, I’m sorry I sent you out on a wild goose chase.” Then he turned to Ridge. “Where did you find her? Was she at Brooke’s?”

“She went to see Mother.” Ridge said in a deadpan. “Kimberly sit down.” Ridge ordered.

“What’s wrong? Is something wrong with the baby?” Thorne asked them both.

“The baby.” Kimberly said softly, then she started to sob again.

“The baby is fine Thorne.” Ridge assured his horrified brother. “No thanks to Mother.”

“What did she do?” Thorne stood and walked over to his young wife. “Honey what did my mother do to you?”

“Nothing.” She mumbled.

“This doesn’t look like nothing Kim, what happened?” Thorne asked again.

“I’m okay.” She said with a sniffle. She turned to look at Ridge, begging him with her eyes to keep silent.

“Sorry Kimberly but Thorne needs to know this.” Ridge told her. He then looked at Thorne. “It seems our mother has decided it’s time for her to control your life.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Thorne laughed, but when he saw Kimberly’s tears the laughter stopped. “Don’t worry Kimberly, her bark is worse than her bite.”

“She asked your wife to have an abortion.” Ridge informed his brother.

Thorne instantly turned pale. “She what? No, no she wouldn’t do that.”

“Oh yes she would. She handed Kimberly a wad of money and a paper to sign, basically she was trying to pay her off. Thorne this is between you and Kimberly and Macy. I won’t interfere, I just wanted you to know everything and I know that Kimberly didn’t want to betray mother. Now I am going back to talk to her. I am hoping beyond hope that her head injury and what she witnessed with Dad and Taylor is the cause of this but.”

“Dad and Taylor?” Thorne asked. “What about Dad and Taylor? Does Taylor know about his affair? Don’t tell me mother blames her Ridge. I’ll talk to her, you have enough problems with Taylor without Mother making it worse.”

“No!” Ridge said sharply. “Don’t talk to anyone Thorne.”

“But Ridge, if mother makes things worse, well it’s not fair to Taylor.” Thorne was confused. He knew that Ridge loved Brooke and was committed to her but he never expected him to turn against Taylor, it wasn’t smart, not if he wanted an uncomplicated divorce.

“You’ll find out sooner or later.” Ridge growled. “Taylor is the woman, she and Dad are the ones having the affair. She was screwing Dad and mother caught them.”

“What?” Thorne jumped up. “What do you mean caught them?”

“What do you think I mean? She walked in on they in the bedroom. Thorne I don’t have time to go into this right now. I just wanted to make sure that Kimberly is okay. I need to see about Mother. I really think she’s out of it somehow.” He turned to Kimberly. “I don’t think she meant it Kimberly. She’s been through hell today. Give me a chance to straighten this out.”

“Ridge I am stunned and mad and, hell I don’t even know anymore.” Thorne walked up to him and put his arm around Ridge. “Thanks for taking care of Kimberly. Let me know what happens with mother.”

“I will Thorne. Goodnight.”

“Ridge?” Kimberly called out.

“Yes?” Ridge stopped and faced her.

“Your baby, what did you have?”

“We had twins Kimberly, one of each.” He proudly took the pictures out of his pocket and handed them to her. “I have two precious babies.”

Kimberly’s eyes lit up and filled with fresh tears. “They’re so cute.” She told him. “How could she? How?” She sobbed.

“She didn’t mean it honey, I’m sure of it.” Ridge told her, but in his heart he was far from sure. He knew the extent of his mother’s hatred and if Kimberly was on the receiving end of it, God help her. 

 

Beth scraped the crumbs into the garbage and put the plates into the dishwasher, then she turned to Bridget. “I never asked you, what were you doing at Forrester?”

“Forrester?” Bridget asked innocently.

“Isn’t that where Sean found you?” Beth looked quizzically at her granddaughter.

“Oh yeah, um Shelby and I wanted to check out something from the Bedroom Line. Don’t tell Mom okay?” Bridget lied. She knew her grandmother wouldn’t approve of Sean. Bridget needed time to win him over before anyone found out about them.

“Now what would you need that for? Bridget please don’t tell me that.”

“Grandma!” Bridget gasped.

“Don’t look at me like that Bridget, I know what it’s like to be a young woman. This boy, do you love him?” Beth asked her.

“There is no boy, it was just for fun.” Bridget told her. “I’m not sleeping around Grandma.”

“Is it Shelby?”

Bridget thought about how easy it would be to throw suspicion on her friend, but she also knew she couldn’t do that in good conscience. She didn’t want Beth to keep asking questions so she decided to play the innocent kid game. She hoped it would work.

“No Grandma, neither of us are doing anything. We just wanted to try on the sexy things. Is that so bad? I mean imagine how you’d feel if you were brought up with all that around you and you couldn’t try them on or anything.” She looked at her hoping that Beth was buying it. But Bridget couldn’t read her. Finally Beth spoke.

“I suppose it’s hard living in your mother’s shadow, but honey she is so worried about everything. Please don’t give her any more reasons to worry.”

“I won’t.” Bridget sighed in relief. “But you know Grandma, I’m not a kid anymore and I won’t be a virgin forever.”

“No, just a bit longer please.” Beth said with a laugh. And with that Bridget knew she had dodged a bullet. 

 

A frown was on his face as Ridge walked back into the house and up to his mother but she just smiled at him. “Tell me about the baby honey.” She said sweetly.

“I want to know what the hell you think you’re doing Mother.” He was angry and not about to let her talk him down.

“Your brother needs my help. He doesn’t want to be stuck with that child, not with the woman he really loves back.”

“Like you ever cared about Macy when there wasn’t a woman you liked less involved.” Ridge said sarcastically. “Mother you need to stop interfering.”

“And if I did where would you all be?” She asked him.

“Probably right where I am now, but without all the hurt that has come over this family. Mother you know what happened to my relationship with Brooke over your interference. I can’t sit back and watch you do it to Thorne now. He’s made his decision and he wants to be with Kimberly, it’s time you accepted it. The girl loves him. You have to know that.”

“And what of Macy and their son?” Stephanie said with a proud huff. “She IS his wife, Kimberly and he aren’t legally married. If she got rid of the baby and left then everyone will win, including Kimberly.”

“I will pretend I didn’t hear that or that you are still suffering under the influence of tonight’s actions.” He sat down next to her and took her hand. “You’ve been through hell, you aren’t thinking straight. Please Mother, don’t do to Thorne what you did to me.”

Stephanie sat with a reflective look on her face. Then she finally spoke. “You had a happy life with Taylor, I know you did.”

“I love Taylor, but Mother, I have never stopped loving Brooke. You pushed and pushed and pushed until the three of us were all miserable. Now Brooke was hurt, Taylor was hurt, I was hurt but worst of all the children were hurt, all of the children, Rick, Bridget, Thomas and the twins. I honestly don’t know if I can ever make it right again, I swear I will die trying but I don’t know if I can do it.”

“And you blame me?” She asked.

“No, I can’t throw all the blame on you. I had a mind of my own, I chose not to use it, but that is over forever. Somehow I will make some kind of peace with Taylor and.”

“That slut!” Stephanie jumped to her feet and pointed at him. “No! No you will not have anything at all to do with that slut! I am going to bury her! I will make her pay! I will!”

“Stop it Mother!” He said pushing her back down onto the couch. “What Taylor and Dad did was wrong and unforgivable, but she is the mother of my children and.”

“Child.” She corrected him. “The slut conceived the twins with her first lover. In fact it may be prudent to have Thomas tested too.”

“I’ve considered it.” He said sadly. “But he’s mine, I know it in my heart. Taylor really thought the girls were ours.”

“But she was unfaithful to you!” Stephanie protested. “And the bitch is going to pay!”

“I think she’s paying already. She isn’t happy Mother.”

“Do you care?” She asked him. “How can you care? How can you care after all she’s done? How? How?” Stephanie was starting to get hysterical and it was scaring Ridge. He pulled her over and held her in his arms.

“Mother, I am not making excuses for her, I’m not, but I am not going to let her ruin my happiness and I don’t want to let her make you become so bitter. I want you to know you have us, your children, our partners, our kids. We all love you and we want you happy. But you need to let us be happy too.”

“So not only do I have to accept Brooke but I have to accept Kimberly too?” She laughed.

“That’s pretty much the deal Mother.” He smiled. “I think I can make them understand that you didn’t mean it. Can we give it a try?” Ridge asked.

“I’ll think about it.” She said with a sly smile. “Now are you going to tell me about my Granddaughter?”

“Hmmm, maybe I should tell you about your grandson first.” He smiled back at her.  

 

Thorne had calmed Kimberly down and she had finally fallen asleep but he was disturbed, not as much by what his mother had done, that was somewhat expected, but by the fact that a part of him wished she had succeeded. “How can I think this way?” He asked himself aloud. “I did this, I made this happen, it’s not Kim’s fault, it’s mine.” But he knew he wasn’t happy. He sat down and allowed the brandy in the glass to swirl as he thought about Brooke and the twins and how happy and beautiful she had looked. “It should have been us Brooke, it should have been you and me and our babies.” 

 

Bridget was about to put a DVD into the player when the phone rang. “I’ll get it Grandma.” She called out to Beth, who was in the kitchen making microwave popcorn. Bridget picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Hi honey.” Brooke’s voice came over the receiver.

“Mom? Mom why aren’t you sleeping?” Bridget asked her.

“Kind of hard with two hungry babies.” She laughed. “I just fed your brother and as soon as he was done your sister was ready. I’m sort of wired so I thought I’d see how my other little girl is. How are you baby?”

“I’m fine Mom, really excited too. I wish you were all home.”

“It won’t be long.” Brooke promised her. “We’ll all be a family, finally.” She sighed.

“I almost can’t believe it. But Mom, what happened with Stephanie that Ridge is so upset?” Bridget questioned her.

“I don’t want to get into it now, I promise we will sit down and I’ll tell you everything once I get home, no secrets, promise. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“I bet you want to hear Ridge’s too.” Bridget said with a smile.

“I sure do, but he promised to be here tomorrow in time for breakfast. Oh honey, we’re all going to be so happy.” Brooke tried to stifle a yawn but Bridget caught her.

“Mom, you need to sleep.” Bridget laughed.

“I know, I know, but I’m lonely.” She laughed back.

“I’ll come tomorrow too.” Bridget assured her.

“Promise?”  

“I promise.” Bridget answered.

“I love you baby, see you tomorrow.”

“I love you too Mom.” 

 

“Twins? Twins?” Stephanie was stunned. “It’s almost like it was meant to be. You lost the twins and you have new ones.”

“Oh Mother, it’s nothing like that at all. This is about me and Brooke and our love, it’s not a competition, it’s not a contest and it’s not payback, it’s love pure love.”

Stephanie smiled as she looked at the photos. “They are beautiful honey. So beautiful, your father will be so, no! No! I won’t even think about him, not ever again.”

Ridge frowned and shook his head. “I still can’t believe he could do that.”

“Ridge, I want to talk to you about this.” She handed him the photos and the serene look on her face disappeared.

“Can it wait? I really would like to have one night of happiness.”

“You have a lifetime. But this is important. I want you to see these papers.” She reached into the briefcase next to the couch and took out a folder. She handed it to her son. “Your grandfather was a very distrusting man. He never approved of your father, he always felt that something like this would happen and he was prepared.”

Ridge frowned as he started to read. “Mother is this what I think it is?”

“As of tonight your father is officially out of Forrester Creations. And out of this family.”  

 

Taylor’s head was pounding and a feeling of nausea seemed to be erupting from the pit of her stomach. “Oh God, what have I done?” She said as she opened her eyes and sat up. “Oh my God!” She gasped as she saw the man sleeping next to her. “No, no, I didn’t, I couldn’t have.”

“Hmmmm?” Pierce moaned as he turned around to face her. “Good morning sunshine. Wow do you look like you could use a cup of coffee.”

“Pierce how could you have let this happen?” She said as she clutched her head.

“Calm down Taylor, nothing happened. You didn’t want to be alone and you asked me to sleep with you.”

“Oh and I suppose I’m supposed to believe we just slept?” She frowned at him.

“I certainly hope my lovemaking skills are more impressive than this. I’d like to think that you’d remember if we shared a night of passion.”

“Then we really didn’t?” She asked with a sigh of relief.

“Your virtue is intact.” He assured her. “Though I am feeling a little insulted.”

“Oh Pierce, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that I’ve made such a mess of my life, I don’t want to drag you into the middle of it and I have made a commitment to Eric.” She explained.

“A commitment? How committed are you Taylor?”

“He asked me to marry him and I accepted. Though now I have to wonder if he’ll change his mind.” She said with a sad sigh of resignation.

“He’d be a fool, but that is what I am hoping for.”

Taylor looked down at herself and saw she was in a fresh nightgown. “I threw up didn’t I?” She asked him.

“Several times. I got you showered and changed.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “What time is it?”

He looked at his watch. “Early, it’s not even eight.”

“That may be early to you but not to my children.” She laughed. “I’d better get up and get some breakfast started. And Pierce?”

“I know, I need to get up and dressed. Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you.”

“You’re too good to me Pierce.” She said as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. But Pierce was too quick for her and he turned his head so their lips met. Taylor felt like an electric current had gone through her and she allowed his lips to linger on hers. She even found her fingers reaching for his face and his hair. “Oh my.” She said with a deep breath as the kiss ended.

“It will only get better Taylor, if you give us a chance.”  

 

Kimberly tiptoed into the kitchen to find Thorne making eggs. She sat down on the stool to watch him.

“Hey, I didn’t see you come in.” He laughed as he turned around to find her there. “Did you sleep well?”

“You got up didn’t you?” She asked.

“Yeah, last night was pretty upsetting. I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to disturb you.” He told her as he turned off the heat on the burner. “White or wheat?” He asked as he pointed to the toaster.

“Wheat, I’ll make it.” She got off the stool and put bread into the slots. “Thorne you’re happy aren’t you?”

“I told you I was. Kim you can’t let my mother get to you. Like Ridge said it was a mess last night. I am going to make her apologize to you.”

“No.” She told him. “All I want is for her to accept me.”

Thorne scraped the eggs onto the plates next to the sausages that he had already cooked. “You may have a long wait, if you don’t believe me ask Brooke, or Macy for that matter. My mother has a thing about accepting new women into the Forrester clan.”

“But she used to be so supportive.” She pouted.

“That was because you were the better alternative over Brooke.” Thorne explained.

“So how did Brooke win her over?” She frowned.

“She didn’t, she won by default. When my mother caught Taylor and my father, damn, I still can’t believe that.” He said with a scratch of his head.

“Me either.” She agreed. “Taylor always seemed so perfect.”

“Well my mother loved her. Heck she treated Taylor better than she ever treated Kris or Felicia.”

“But since she did that your mother went to Brooke’s side?”

“Brooke is a great person Kim, and Mother finally got a chance to see it. She will see it about you too, give her time though, it won’t happen overnight.”

“But you love me right?” She asked as her teeth started to chatter.

“Yeah Kim.” He said.

“Okay.” She nodded. But she had yet to hear him utter the words that she so longed to hear. 

 

Bridget had decided to give her mother and Ridge the morning alone with the babies but by eleven am she just couldn’t stand waiting any longer. She had stopped for a new nightgown and flowers for Brooke and then drove to the hospital. She walked in with a cheerful smile but was frightened by the sad look on her mother’s face. “Mom? What’s wrong?” Bridget asked as she put the package and flowers down on a chair. She walked to the bed and sat next to Brooke. “Mom?” She repeated.

“Nothing honey.” Brooke said, but Bridget could tell that she had been crying.

“The babies, they’re okay aren’t they?”

“They’re fine sweetie.” Brooke assured her. “I just fed them again.”

“Just the post natal blues?” Bridget asked.

“I guess.” Brooke sniffled. “No, no honey it’s not that.”

“What is it then?” The frightened Bridget asked.

“Ridge. He never showed up.” Brooke said as a single, perfect tear ran down her cheek.

“Maybe he’s still worried about Stephanie. Mom you know he’ll come, you know it.”

“He didn’t even call Bridget.” Brooke told her. “I think that maybe he’s having second thoughts. I know he never really stopped loving her and he was so jealous. I think maybe he went home.”

“To Taylor? Mom be serious, he wouldn’t go back to Taylor, he loves you, he loves us.”

“Last night something happened honey. And I think it made him so angry and so jealous that he’s going to fight for Taylor. I think that it’s over for us, I’m sorry but I really do.” Brooke could no longer hold back the tears. Bridget put her arms around her mother and held her, her own tears joining her mother’s. 

 

Chapter 39 

 

Brooke let go of Bridget and gave her a smile. “I’m okay honey, just overly emotional. Did you see the babies?”

“Mom, I’m worried about you. Please talk to me.” Bridget begged.

Brooke smiled again and took Bridget’s hand. “I’m really okay. But you know what?”

“What?” Bridget asked hopefully.

“You can do me a huge favor.”

“Anything. Just ask.”

“The food here.” Brooke giggled and turned up her nose as she gave her a thumbs down. “Could you maybe get me a strawberry milkshake?”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Bridget asked with concern.

“No, really no baby. I think I’m tired and hungry and emotional and I’d just like to indulge. Would you do that for me? And you can stop in the nursery and see your brother and sister.”

“Mom, he’ll come.” Bridget told her. She looked her mother deeply in the eyes. “He will, you know maybe Stephanie had a bad night and he overslept. He was here pretty late last night and it was emotional for him too and then whatever happened that you aren’t telling me.” She gave Brooke a squint.

“You look just like me.” Brooke laughed. “I will tell you, go get me that shake and when you come back I’ll tell you the whole story. Deal?”

“Deal.” Bridget said with a hug. “But he will come Mom.”

“I know.” Brooke told her. But in her heart she felt that she had lost him this time. 

 

Taylor pushed a loose strand of hair back as she poured cereal into bowls. “Thomas stop teasing your sisters!” She sharply admonished her son.

“I’m not!” He protested. “Where’s Daddy?”

“He’s with Grandma.” Taylor sighed and looked over at Pierce. He smiled at her and picked up his coffee mug.

“Why?” Thomas asked her.

“Because she’s his mommy and he misses her.” She looked over at the girls. They were both dawdling over their orange juice and giggling as they looked at Pierce.

“But Mom.” Thomas drew out the word Mom until it sounds like it had at least six syllables. “Why was Grandpa here last night?”

“He came to visit.” She answered quickly. Then she brought the bowls of cereal and sat them down in front of the children. “Pierce? Would you like some eggs?”

“Cereal is fine for me Taylor.” He smiled and winked at the two little girls.

“Piewce like Fwoot Loops?” Steffie asked her mother.

“I love them.” He chuckled.

“I have Special K if you’d rather.” Taylor couldn’t help laughing herself.

“I haven’t had Fruit Loops in years.” Pierce said with a hearty laugh.

“You like Fwoot Loops Piewce?” Steffie asked.

“I sure do Steffie.” He reached over and ruffled her hair, then he reached for Phoebe and did the same. Thomas saw this action, turned to his mother and frowned.

“Why is HE here?” He demanded with a scowl. “I don’t like him! Daddy doesn’t like him! I don’t want him here!” He turned to Pierce. “Leave!”

“Thomas Forrester!” Taylor shouted. “You apologize to Dr. Peterson immediately!”

“No!” Thomas stood up and stomped his foot.  

Taylor became immediately enraged. She jumped from her chair, grabbed Thomas’s arm, pulled him to her and started smacking his butt. The boy began screaming and crying which set off the girls. Momentarily Pierce was too stunned to react but finally he got up and pulled the boy from his mother.

“Stop it! Taylor stop it!” He admonished her. “He’s a confused little boy!”

“Oh my God! What am I doing?” She gasped, holding her hand to her mouth. 

 

Brooke blew her nose and turned away from the door. She had to think she had to make some decisions. “I did fine without you before and I will now.” She said softly. “But why Ridge, why did you lead us all on?” She reached for an old worn out magazine that was on the nightstand. Pulling together all her concentration she tried to get into an article but her tearstained eyes weren’t cooperating. She rubbed them, sniffled and turned the page. Finally in frustration she threw the magazine onto the floor.

“Read something you didn’t like?” Ridge asked as he walked in.

“Ridge.” Brooke gasped and looked up at him. She found herself smiling but stopped herself.

“Did you have a good sleep?” He asked. He walked over and reached down to retrieve the magazine. “Oh, did Tom Cruise do something mean to Nicole?” He laughed and put in onto the bed.

“I could care less about Tom Cruise or Nicole Kidman.” Brooke frowned.

“I guess you didn’t sleep well huh? A little cranky?” He teased.

“Why are you here?” She demanded of him.

“That’s cute honey.” He smiled and sat down next to her on the bed. “I stopped at the nursery to see the kids. God they’re beautiful. We have to start thinking names. Somehow the ones we were thinking about just don’t fit now.”

“No, no they don’t.” She agreed. “I’m just not in the mood to decide that right now. I’ve already had too many decisions to make.”

“Really?” he reached for her hand but she pulled it away. “Brooke what’s wrong? Are you angry with me?”

“No.” She said softly, almost too softly for him to hear. “Disappointed, let down but I should have prepared myself. It was inevitable. We’ve been down this road so many times. Why did I let myself think it would be different?” She sighed and looked towards the window.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Logan.”

“How is she?”

“Her head aches a bit. She’s mad, she’s embarrassed and she’s excited too.”

“Oh I bet she is!” Brooke growled.

“Hmmmm. I suppose it was too much to hope that the truce would last, and you’re right Logan, she has to prove it this time.”

“She can go to hell Ridge! And so can you!” Brooke’s eyes were like bright green balls of fire as she faced him. “Just leave, I can’t handle you now.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Leave? I don’t think so. I have a woman and two little babies here, depending on me and.”

“No!” She cut him off. “I don’t depend on you! I never was able to and I never will again. As for the babies, you don’t have to worry about them either, your name will not be on the birth certificates! Now leave Ridge! Leave before I call and have you thrown out!” 

 

Thorne was trying to bury himself in his work but his mind was spinning a hundred miles an hour. Kimberly, Macy, Brooke, their faces swam before his eyes. “Why, oh why is my life such a mess?” He asked as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“Want to talk about it?” Sean asked him from the doorway.

“Sean, hey come on in.”

Sean walked in, closing the door behind him. “It was hard wasn’t it?” He asked as he sat down.

“Everything is hard.” Thorne admitted. “What are you referring to?”

“Last night, watching Brooke and Ridge and their children. You still love her don’t you?”

“Oh God Sean, more than ever. And I have no right, no right at all.” He hung his head in shame.

“Brooke’s not easy to forget and it wasn’t that long ago that you thought you’d be spending your life with her.” Sean reminded him.

“But instead I’m married to a child, a pregnant child, a child that I am not in love with.” Thorne looked up and shook his head. “And Macy, Macy is alive and she has my son. Sean Macy and I could make it, she’s always been there for me, she’s always loved me.”

“Do you love her?” Sean asked.

Thorne thought about it. “Yeah, I love her, not in the same way as I love Brooke, but that’s not a bad thing. Macy and I were happy, we really were.”

“Then maybe you need to consider it Thorne, you’re not doing yourself or Kimberly any favors by hanging onto a marriage you don’t want.”

“So you’re suggesting I leave a pregnant teenager? I can’t do that. I made my bed, I have to lie in it. Forever.” He added sadly.

“Kimberly will know you’re not really there Thorne.”

“I doubt it, she’s very much into her own perceptions. She wants the marriage, she wants the baby and she believes that I do too. I never should have let myself get involved with her, never. She was so sexy okay? She wanted me when things were so low. She gave me herself and she was good, really good.”

“Good sex doesn’t make a marriage. At least I’ve been told.” Sean laughed.

“Never took the plunge?” Thorne asked with a chuckle.

“Came close a couple of times, one time I really wish.” He sighed.

“Brooke?” Thorne asked.

“We’ve both been struck by that same bolt of lighting haven’t we?” Sean said with a laugh. “I loved her a lot, but she still loved Ridge, she always loved Ridge. No one else ever stood a chance.”

“I guess not.” Thorne reluctantly agreed. “I know I have to get over her, she’s happy, she has what she always wanted. I just hope he doesn’t let her down again.”

“You think he will?”

“Is the pope catholic?”

“Shit Thorne, you really have that little confidence in them?”

“I know my brother. I know how it’s always been. She could never count on him. He hasn’t changed Sean.”

“They have kids.”

“He has kids with Taylor, look what happened there.”

 

 

“I’m sorry Thomas, Mommy overreacted.” Taylor said softly to her son. “But you need to be nicer to our guests. Dr. Peterson is a good friend and he loves you and your sisters very much.”

“Daddy hates him!” Thomas said with a scowl that he first addressed to Taylor and then to Pierce.

“Your father does not hate Pierce.” Taylor reprimanded him. “Now if you’re done eating go and wash up.”

“When is Daddy coming home?” Thomas wasn’t about to let up.

“I don’t know!” Taylor shouted. She looked helplessly at Pierce.

“Let’s cut Mom some slack, she doesn’t feel well today.” Pierce said with a wink.

“Are you done eating?” She asked the girls.

“No mommy, more juice pwease.” Phoebe held out her glass.

“Let me.” Pierce got up and took the glass. “How about you Steffie? And Thomas?”

“No.” Thomas scowled. “Can I be excused?”

“Go wash and dress.” Taylor told him. Thomas got up and ran up the stairs without another word. “I’m sorry.” Taylor said with a sigh.

“It’s okay, I know how little boys get, I was one once.” He winked. “Why don’t you go take a shower, I’ll make sure the girls finish.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Are you kidding?” He laughed.  

 

“Okay Logan, now you’re going to tell me what the hell is wrong? I know you’re tired, I know you had a rough time yesterday but we have two beautiful, healthy children, everything should be happy today, I know I was walking on air until I got here.”

“So sorry I had to spoil it.”

Brooke’s sarcasm was wasted on Ridge as it went over his head. “Well you did but that’s okay if you’ll just tell me what’s wrong and I can fix it.”

“You can fix it by leaving. I don’t have the energy for you anymore Ridge, I really don’t. It was a mistake, I believed in a dream. Well it’s morning now and the cruel daylight showed me just how stupid and idealistic I was. Just go Ridge, don’t make me beg you, I’m so tired of begging.”

“I’m not going anywhere, just tell me what I did? You owe me that much.”

“I don’t owe you anything. Just go back home, I’m sure Taylor is wondering where you went.”

“Taylor? Why would Taylor care where I went.” Then the light bulb went on. “You think I was with Taylor? You think I went back to Taylor? Damn it Brooke I am tired of your insecurity, when do I get some faith from you? When can I ever feel that you trust me again? I know I have treated you badly in the past, I’ve apologized until I was blue in the face, I’ve asked you, no, take that back, I’ve begged you to be my wife. I’ve said my vows to you in our own little ceremony. I’ve shunned my family for you. What more? Just tell me and I’ll do it but stop acting like I’m not sincere because I am!”

Brooke’s eyes widened as she stared at him. “I know you were jealous, I know you still love her.”

“Do you want me to hate her Brooke? Will that make you feel better? Well believe it or not right now you pretty much have your wish. What she and Dad did is something I just don’t know if I can ever forgive. But I did want to have a civil relationship with her, for the children and yes Brooke, somewhere in here.” He gestured to his heart. “Somewhere in here I do still have love for her. You don’t spend so many years with someone just to feel nothing. But what I feel for her is not and has never been what I feel for you. It took me a long time, way too long but I did come to my senses and realize that it was always you, always. So what do you say you forget this petty jealousy, tell me why you think I could ever have left you and our babies and gone to Taylor and then let’s get over this shit and get back to our happy life again.”

Brooke looked into his eyes as her own pooled with tears. “You always were good at this Ridge. But you always break my heart too. Where were you? Why didn’t you come like you promised? What could possibly have been more important to you to make you do that to me today of all days?”

“You were asleep.”

“I was asleep? When Ridge? And why would that stop you? Why didn’t you just sit and wait until I woke up? Too boring to sit and watch me?”

“I love watching you sleep Logan, but I didn’t want to disturb you.” He moved closer to her on the bed and grabbed her hand. “Don’t tell me that is what has you so angry.”

“You never came Ridge, I depended on you and as usual, you let me down. I’m not going down that path again, I’ve done it to many times for too many years. Ridge you’ve broken my heart, you’ve broken me. I’m strong now and I can live without you. I’m going to live without you. I just can’t play your games again. Now I’m asking you to leave, please Ridge just leave.”

 

“They towed the car Mrs. Forrester. And Mr. Young called and he’ll be over in about an hour.” Helen told Stephanie as she walked into the living room.

“Thank you Helen. Did you call the locksmith?”

“The locksmith?”

“I told you I wanted all the locks changed.”

“Bbbut.”

“I told you last night Helen, now please make the arrangements.”

“Yes Ma’am. I just thought.”

“Then you thought wrong.” Stephanie tossed back her hair with a regal motion and sat down. “Did you arrange a rental car?”

“Yes, it’s outside but you shouldn’t be driving.”

“My head is fine.” Stephanie countered. “But I’m going to wait for Jonathan first, then I want to go and see my new grandchildren. Has Ridge called?”

“No, not since he left this morning.”

“And Thorne? Has he called me?”

“No Ma’am.”

“Thank you Helen.” Stephanie said in dismissal. The servant walked out and Stephanie picked up the phone. She gave a thoughtful look and then punched in a number. 

 

“Hi Grandma.” Rick gave Beth a hug and closed the door behind him. “Is Budge here? I thought she might want to go to the hospital with me.”

“She beat you to it honey, she’s been there for hours.”

“What about Ridge?” Rick asked.

“He should be getting there soon. He called me about an hour ago and asked me to wait here for a delivery.”

“Of what?” Rick wondered.

“He was being secretive but I’m sure it has something to do with the babies. The man is very excited.”

Rick picked up an apple and took a bite out of it. “Too excited to come home last night?” He asked between bites.

“Stephanie needed him, he was where he had to be.” Beth said in Ridge’s defense. “It’s not like Brooke or the babies were here and besides that honey, it’s going to be very difficult. He and Taylor are still legally married. He and Brooke can’t just pretend that isn’t the way it is.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Rick shrugged. “It just doesn’t seem fair though. Mom always seems to get the short end of the stick. So Grandma, do you know why Dad didn’t come to the hospital?”

“Stephanie had some kind of an accident, I know she’s alright but maybe he felt he should stay with her.”

“Yeah, I guess.” He said again. “I just, oh never mind, I’m sure it’s just my imagination. So do you wanna go with me?”

“I just told you, Ridge asked me to wait here.”

“Yeah. Want me to wait with you?” Rick volunteered.

“It’s alright honey, you go ahead. I’ll be down later.” She gave him another hug.

“I have some errands to run, so I’ll call you before I head down just in case you want me to pick you up.” He told her.

“Thank you honey, that would be very nice.” 

 

“Bridget!” Katie Logan called out across the crowded hospital lobby.

“Aunt Katie!” Bridget squealed and ran to her. “I’m so glad you’re here. Wait till you see them!”

“I can’t believe it.” Katie laughed and let go of her niece. “Leave it to Brooke, she finally gets to have Ridge’s baby and she has two of them.”

“Um yeah.” Bridget held back a laugh. Soon they would all know the truth. “The babies are so beautiful.”

“But small right? They are early aren’t they?” Katie asked.

“They’re small and early but totally healthy. The doctors wanted to observe them for a day but I really think they were more concerned with Mom. She was a mess. You know she had no idea that there were two babies.”

“Really? I thought maybe she was just keeping that a secret. Oh well, it seems everything in this family is a secret. Until she called me last night I had no idea Mom and Dad were here.” Katie laughed. “Are they up there now?”

“I don’t think so. Mom sent me for a milkshake.” Bridget held up the container.

“So is Ridge with her? You know that was a shock too. Last I heard Brooke was going to marry Thorne. Bridget, these ARE Ridge’s kids aren’t they? And is Ridge divorced?”

“Slow down.” Bridget laughed. “Let’s sit and talk a bit before we go up.” She led her aunt to a couch where they both sat down.

“You’re so grown up.” Katie told Bridget.

“We haven’t seen each other in a while.” Bridget admitted. “Anyway, yes, they are Ridge’s kids, not Thorne’s or Sean’s.”

“Sean? Who is Sean?”

“Just someone Mom dated but that was long over.”

“But she was going to marry Thorne?”

“She was and then they broke up. Mom just wanted to be alone but Ridge didn’t seem to want to let her. He and Mom, well they had an affair but Ridge wasn’t really ready to commit.”

“Oh no. Poor Brooke, how is she holding out?”

“Wait.” Bridget stopped Katie. “It gets a lot more complicated.”

“When has my sister’s life not been complicated?” Katie giggled.

“Oh you won’t believe this.” Bridget told her. 

 

“I guess I want to have more faith, at least for Brooke’s sake. And Thorne, I’ve gotten to know your brother pretty well and believe me, the man loves Brooke.”

“I never said differently, but Ridge always loves what he doesn’t have. It’s like that old saying about the grass being greener. And his ties to Taylor are strong.”

“Not as strong as they were.” Sean disagreed. “The twins being Pierce Peterson’s children drove a wedge between them and Brooke having his children now, not to mention.” Then he abruptly stopped.

“Not to mention what?” Thorne asked.

“Sorry, I was thinking about something. It doesn’t really matter.”  

“Sean I can tell there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Just that Brooke and Ridge have fought hard to get here. I just think that they’ll make it. I really do. I know you wish it had turned out differently but I just want her happy.”

“I guess you’ve moved on.” Thorne smiled.

“Haven’t we both?”

“Yes, but one of us is happy with the direction his life took.”

“The future is in your own hands Thorne, not with Brooke but maybe with Macy. It’s time you stood up and took a stand. You and Kimberly both deserve better.” 

 

Beth Logan was looking forward to seeing her daughter and her new grandchildren. She was just waiting for the promised delivery. She decided to pass the time by running a load of wash and baking Brooke’s favorite layer cake. Once she got home she’d be busy and tired and Beth wanted to make her feel not just rested but very loved. She was hand mixing the batter when the doorbell rang. “Good, the mystery is over.” She told herself with a smile. With a stop at the sink to wash her hands she went to the door and opened it. To her shock there was no deliveryman, but her former flame, Eric Forrester.

“Beth?” He asked, almost unbelieving.

“Has it been that long that you have to ask?” She smiled nervously.

“It’s good to see you.” He pulled her to him and hugged her, then feeling uncomfortable let her go.

“What are you doing here?” Beth asked him.

Eric was taken aback. It was obvious that Brooke and Ridge hadn’t told her about Taylor, but they would, of that he had no doubt. “Oh Beth, my Beth.” The words escaped from his mouth unexpectedly. He flushed slightly and so did she.

“You know she’s not home don’t you?” Beth said, attempting to change the subject.

“I wasn’t aware. How is she, and the baby?”

“Baby?” Beth asked. “Eric where have you been? Brooke and Ridge had twins.” She beamed at him.

“Twins? They had twins?”

“Yes, a little boy and a little girl. Eric they are so beautiful. I guess this makes us Co-Grandparents doesn’t it?”

“Yes.” He agreed and started looking around the place. “Is, uh Ridge with Brooke?”

“I imagine he may be by now. He was doing some shopping this morning. Eric how is Stephanie?”

“Uh, she’s doing alright Beth.” He looked around nervously. “Damn it, why am I lying. Beth, Stephanie and I are not together. Something happened and well, it’s over.”

“I’m sorry Eric, I know how much you love her. Maybe you’ll work it out.”

“I doubt it.” He sighed.

“Come in and have some coffee with me please.” Beth told him. She grabbed his arm and led him into the kitchen.  

 

 

“Logan I’m not leaving. You’re going to listen to me and you’re going to relax and you’re going to start getting things back into perspective. We all had a rough night but things are going to be fine. We have each other and our kids and we’re going to be just fine. Please just hear me out.”

“Not now. I’m tired and angry and I just want to be alone. Come back tomorrow. I just don’t want to talk to you now Ridge.”

“You’re being unreasonable!”

“So what? You’ve been unreasonable to me for years! I put up with everything from you! Everything! Now it’s my turn. I don’t want to deal with this and I’m not going to, now leave Ridge, go home.” She pulled her hand from him and rolled over in the bed, facing the opposite wall.

“This isn’t over Logan, it’s not. I won’t let it be.”  

 

“Looks like my sister doesn’t tell me anything.” Katie sighed. “But they are happy now right? No way Taylor will win right?”

“Ridge is committed to us now.”

“Good, finally. But poor Thorne, he must be a real mess.”

“I didn’t even get to his story. Katie you’re not going to believe this but no sooner had he and Kimberly gotten married when Macy came home.”

“Macy what? Macy is dead Bridget, how could she come home?”

“She wasn’t dead, she had amnesia, she’s back and she has a kid, Thorne’s kid.”

“But you told me Kimberly was pregnant.”

“She is.” Bridget giggled.

“So Brooke dumps Thorne, he marries Kimberly, gets her pregnant and then Macy and his baby come back. This is unbelievable! My sister’s life sounds like a movie, or a soap opera or something. I’m just glad that she and Ridge are finally happy. Though I do feel sorry for Taylor and her kids.”

“There’s something going on there.”

“More than the twins?” Katie wondered.

“Yeah, something more, but Mom didn’t tell me yet. Something happened last night, right before Mom went into labor Stephanie had a car accident.”

“Is she okay?” Katie asked.

“I think so, but Mom and Ridge went over there and something happened and Mom went into labor and well, Mom is upset because Ridge didn’t show up today, but I think he must be with Stephanie. Mom’s just paranoid.”

“With a good right to be Bridget, Ridge hasn’t been very dependable over the years. When I think about how he left her for Taylor when she told him about Thomas, I could have killed him myself.”

“Well I didn’t react too well either.” Bridget blushed. “But things are better now.”

“Does Ridge treat you well? He doesn’t resent not being with Thomas does he?”

“Ridge loves us all Aunt Katie, he really does.” 

 

“Thorne?” Kimberly said softly as she knocked on her husband’s office door. “Thorne can I come in?”

“Is that your wife?” Sean asked him.

“Yes it is.” Thorne said as he got up and walked to the door. Kimberly stood there looking pale and ghostly. “What’s wrong Kim?” He asked with concern. Kimberly opened her mouth to speak but saw Sean and stopped.

“I was just leaving.” Sean smiled at the girl. “Take care Thorne.” He said, then he walked out. Thorne closed the door and walked Kimberly to the chair next to his desk. He sat her down gently. “What happened?” He asked.

“She called me.” Kimberly whispered.

“What did she say?” Thorne asked through gritted teeth.

“She, she asked if I had made my decision. Thorne she wants me to get an abortion, she wants me to leave and never come back.”

“We’ll see about that.” He said angrily. As much as he didn’t want this marriage or a child to tie him to Kimberly he would never hurt his baby or put his young bride in such a position.

“Please no.” Kimberly grabbed his arm. “Please I just want her to like me, I want her to accept me. She did before Thorne. I just don’t understand.”

“Why would you even care at this point. She needs to be stopped Kimberly and I won’t have you bowing down to her.”

“I just needed to know you don’t want that.” She visibly shuddered. “You don’t want that do you?” She asked sheepishly.

“Kim.” He took her hand and held it. “Honey, I wasn’t thrilled about the baby, and now with Macy and Adam it’s even more complicated, but no, no I don’t ever want you to have an abortion. I’ll talk to mother. She is highly emotional right now.”

“Yes.” She said softly. “Maybe we should just leave her alone and things will get better.” 

 

“Bridget!” Ridge called out to his daughter. He smiled at her and then saw she wasn’t alone. He approached the two young women. “Hello Katie.”

“Hi Ridge, congratulations.” Katie said with a smile and a hug.

“Have you seen them yet?” He asked.

“No, I saw Bridget first and she was bringing me up to date. Are you on your way up too?” She asked.

“Actually no, I’m on my way out. Budge, can I talk to you a sec?”

“Sure.” Bridget said. She turned to Katie. “Why don’t you go up to see Mom.” She handed her the milkshake. “Tell her I’ll be up in a minute.”

“Okay.” Katie agreed. “Talk to you later. Bye Ridge.” She smiled and headed towards the elevators. Once she was out of range Ridge took Bridget’s arm and led her back to the couch.

“What happened Budge? What is she so upset about?”

“Why didn’t you come? You promised you’d be here when she woke up.” Bridget looked at him with sad. puppy dog eyes.

“I called the desk Bridget. The nurse told me that she had a bad night, the babies wanted to eat but they wouldn’t, Brooke wasn’t about to turn them over and she was up most of the night. She finally got them to eat and she went to sleep. I didn’t want to wake her so I told the nurse to tell her that I called and I’d be in later.”

“Mom never mentioned that.” Bridget pouted.

“Well maybe the nurse never got a chance to tell her, but Brooke didn’t give me a chance to tell her either. She threw me out.” He threw out his arms in frustration. “Look, I know how hard this is on her, I really do and I know that she’s disappointed that I can’t marry her yet. Hell, I am too Budge, but I’m doing the best that I can. All I want is to be there for her but she won’t even listen.”

“Where were you if you didn’t come here?” Bridget questioned him.

“You’re as suspicious as your mother.” He laughed. “And it looks like my life of trying to surprise my girls is all over.” He sighed and smiled. “We had your old crib, but we have two babies. So I went and bought two new cribs and the rest of the bedroom stuff.” He looked at Bridget who looked shocked but not all that excited. “What? Was that wrong too?”

“I think Mom would like a part of that decision.”

“Awhh Bridget come on, give me some credit here. I was trying to do something good. They are my kids too. I just wanted everything nice for when they all came home. Hell if Brooke doesn’t like the furniture we can donate it to a shelter or something and she can pick out what she really wants. I just wanted our kids to come home to a room of their own. I thought I was doing a good thing.” He looked down.

“You were.” Bridget hugged him. “I’m sorry, I guess I was as upset as Mom was, we thought you’d let us down again.”

“I promised never to do that again Bridget.”

“Your promises haven’t been worth much Ridge.” She told him honestly.

“I’ll work on that.” He said and then added. “If she gives me a chance.” 

 

Taylor was shocked to find Thomas sitting on her bed when she got out of her shower. She put on her robe and sat next to her son. “I’m sorry baby, are you angry with me?” She asked him.

“Why does he have to be here? I know Daddy won’t come home if he’s here. Please Mommy, please make him leave.”

“Pierce is only a friend Thomas and he isn’t staying. He just came to help Mommy with something. Why don’t you like him? Did he do something to you?” She looked alarmed as she asked the question. She remembered how Pierce had made his way into her home on more than one occasion, once to draw blood from the girls. She had to wonder if he really could be trusted.

“I just don’t like him, not if Daddy doesn’t like him.”

“Thomas, Daddy and Pierce are not friends, but that doesn’t mean Daddy doesn’t like him. Mommy works for him and he’s a very nice man.”

“I just want Daddy to come home. Why won’t he Mommy?”

Taylor was struck wordless. She didn’t know how to answer her son and at that moment she was angrier at Ridge than ever before. 

 

Beth handed Eric a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with him. “So if you knew she went into labor last night why didn’t you come and why come here today and not the hospital?”

“It’s complicated.” He said. He lifted the cup to his mouth and took a sip. “I’ve done some things I’m not proud of Beth, I’ve made a mess out of a lot of people’s lives. I just didn’t feel I belonged there last night and then this morning, well I was hoping my daughter was home and that she’d be able to give me the word.”

“You seem very distraught Eric. Can you talk about it? Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not now, not yet. I have to make some decisions.”

“I won’t press.” She smiled and patted his hand. “We’ve been friends a long time Eric, just know that you can count on me.”

“You say that now but you may change your mind soon. Anyway, when did you get to town?”

“I came back from Paris with Brooke.” She nervously toyed with a loose strand of hair.

“Just a visit.” He said softly. “I imagine that Steven is anxious to have you back.”

Beth flushed and turned away. He didn’t know, but how would he know. “Eric, Steven and I are divorced.”

“I’m sorry Beth. Do YOU want to talk?”

“Oh it was nothing like you’re thinking. We just drifted apart. We had nothing in common, we had fallen out of love. We were more roommates than man and wife. Yes, we tried but there was no real reason. He has a woman now, he’s happy.”

“And you?” Eric’s eyes lit up.

“Am I happy? I have my children in my life again so yes, I’m happy.”

“And a man? Do you have a man in your life?” He asked her.

Beth hesitated. Was Sean in her life or was it just like a schoolboy crush on an older teacher? Did she really want that relationship and was it any of Eric’s business anyway? Eric noticed her hesitance.

“I guess that answers my question.” He smiled.

“No, I was just thinking.” Beth told him. “I’ve had a few dates but no, there isn’t anyone at this point. I’m not even sure that it’s important to me anymore.”

“Of course it is. You’re a beautiful, vibrant woman, you need the love of a man, you deserve it.”

“You flatter me, but right now it’s not a top priority.” She got up from the table and returned with a plate of cookies. “So, uh, are you going to go meet your new grandchildren?”

“Beth, I just can’t, um, well.”

“Eric, what’s wrong?” She asked him. 

 

“Hey sis!” Katie said to Brooke as she entered her room. “You sure did surprise us.”

“Katie.” Brooke smiled. “Thanks for coming.” 

“And where else would I be? I saw those babies, they’re both beautiful. But then you always make beautiful children. How are you feeling?” She moved to a chair next to the bed and sat down.

“Shell shocked.” Brooke admitted. “It’s been a rough couple of days, a lot has happened.”

“Yeah, you gave birth to unexpected twins. Wow, I can’t believe your doctor didn’t even know.”

“We were all stunned. But the babies are both healthy, just a little small. They are early.”

“I could see that.” Katie told her. “Can they come home?”

“Yes, they’re fine really. The doctor wants to keep me till tomorrow morning. I was in pretty bad shape at first. I think I’m fine but I guess one day isn’t going to kill me.”

“Are you in any pain?”

“Not any more.” Brooke shifted and sat up. “In fact I was going to walk down to the nursery. Wanna come?”

“Can we talk first?” Katie asked. “I saw Ridge downstairs, he and Bridget are talking. Oh.” She handed Brooke the milkshake. “This is for you.”

Brooke’s eyes lit up and she smiled. “Thanks. You know me and my sweet tooth.” She put the straw into the container and took a sip. “Yum.”

“Brooke what’s going on? Why is Ridge upset? Are you guys having problems?”

“Katie I don’t want to talk about this, really I don’t. Please don’t be upset but I need to get it straight in my head. I need to decide what I’m going to do.”

“He loves you.”

“Like the song goes, sometimes love just ain’t enough.” Brooke said with a sigh. “I love him too Katie, but it’s so complicated. I think he’s really not over Taylor yet and I refuse to be something he settled for or feels obligated to. I’m not going to be a rebound wife. I just, well I think Ridge and I need to split until he’s sure of his feelings.”

“Oh Brooke.” Katie protested. “You just had his children. Now is not the time to push him away. Besides, he does have his rights.”

“I’d never keep him from his children. I just think we need to be apart right now.”

“I disagree. I think now is the time to build the best relationship that you two ever had. Brooke this is what you’ve wanted all your life. You’ve never loved anyone like you love Ridge. You really do need to think about this. You really need to talk to him. You’re insecure and you have a right to be, but the man I saw downstairs was in love and totally committed. Brooke he needs you as much as you need him.” 

 

“I don’t like that idea at all.” Thorne told his young wife. “I don’t want Mother thinking that she can come over and upset you like that.”

“She just called me.”

“Same thing, I won’t have it Kimberly, I just won’t.”

“I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” Kimberly told Thorne. “I just wanted you to know, I just didn’t want to go through it all alone.”

“You’ll never be alone Kimberly, never.” Thorne said, once more cementing his marriage, a marriage he truly did not want. 

 

“Are you going back up?” Bridget asked Ridge.

“I want to, but she’s so upset. Maybe if you went up and put in a good word for me.” He smiled and gave her shoulders a squeeze.

“What are daughters for?” She smiled back. “But you will come back today right?”

“Right.” He said confidently. “I just want to go and check on the furniture, give her time to cool off and maybe miss me, and then I’ll be back to see her. Please Budge, help me out with this. I love her so much it hurts.”

“I will Ridge.”

“Budge?” He looked into her eyes.

“Yeah?”

“Ya think someday you might wanna call me Dad again?”

“As soon as we can tell the world.”

“Soon, I just need to get one more thing straightened out with my mother.”

“I love you Ridge, Dad.” She smiled, hugged him and got up to head to the elevators. 

 

Macy put Adam into the carrier and called out to Sally. “Come on Mom, we’ll be late.”

“Hold your horses young lady, I’m not as young as I used to be.” The boisterous redhead came out of her bedroom and approached her daughter. “You look beautiful honey.” And she did, Macy was wearing the light green dress that Sally had Darla bring over.

“I still don’t know what the big deal is and why you wanted me so dressed up.”

“Connor Davis my love, he’s a fine man and I think someone who might make you forget all your troubles.”

“I’m seeing him as a lawyer Mom, not a date.” Macy laughed.

“Stranger things have happened Macy, much stranger things.” 

 

“I betrayed them all Beth, I betrayed my entire family and I know, now I know how wrong I was. God help me I loved her but it can’t work, it will destroy her life and my life and the children’s lives. I don’t know what to do, what to say. I’ve failed everyone and I’m so sorry, so sorry.” Eric was distraught. He looked deeply into Beth’s eyes. “If only I had used control.”

“What did you do Eric, please, you can tell me.”

“No Beth, I can’t. I can’t talk about it. You’d never look at me the same way again and I couldn’t blame you. I’m a silly old man who got caught up in something I never should have. I don’t know who I thought I was fooling.”

“You had an affair? And you lost Stephanie and your children are angry with you.” Beth said softly. “Eric, I won’t condemn you. Sometimes I wonder how you controlled yourself so long. Stephanie is not an easy woman to live with. I’m not saying you can win her back, but you can with your children. Give them time to get over the hurt. They love you, they will come back.”

“Not with what I’ve done.”

“It sounds to me like you’re ready to end this affair. That’s the first step. But are you sure about that? If you love this woman why are you giving her up? Maybe she is what you really need. Maybe you can show your children that this woman makes you happy. Maybe it’s time you thought about yourself.”

“She’s not just another woman Beth. My children will never accept this, they’ll never forgive me and they won’t forgive her either.”

“Who is she Eric? Who could make them react so badly? They didn’t abandon you when you married Brooke.”

“It’s not the same.” He told her.

“Alright, but they weren’t happy about that. You broke up your family.”

“Believe me Beth, this is different. They loved Brooke too. She wasn’t at fault.”

“Okay then what about Sheila. No one approved of her at all. No one liked her or wanted her, they all warned you about her and they did forgive you. No one stopped loving you. I really think you’re blowing this out of proportion. It can’t be as bad as you say.”

“Oh yes it can Beth.” Ridge said as he walked into the room. “Can’t it Dad?” 

 

Bridget stood outside the room watching Brooke and Katie before she went in. She could tell that her mother’s mood hadn’t improved. But she also knew that Ridge did love her. Finally she walked in. “Hi Mom.”

“Hi honey.” Brooke smiled at her daughter. “I hope Ridge didn’t give you too hard a time. I don’t mean to involve you in all this drama.”

“I am involved Mom, I’m your daughter.” Bridget protested. “And as for the drama, I think that’s all that it is. You know you love him. Everything was fine last night. You can’t be mad just because he was late. You didn’t even let him explain.”

“Ridge is always good at sweet talking me with his explanations.” Brooke told her daughter. “I need to keep my perspective.”

“Frankly I think you’ve lost your perspective.” Bridget answered. “Mom, tell me this deep dark secret, then maybe I could understand. Because right now you’re looking like a jealous junior high school girl.”

“She’s right Brooke, why don’t you tell us what happened to make you so insecure all of a sudden.” Katie chimed in.

“Alright.” Brooke agreed. “It all started last night when we got the call from Helen about Stephanie.” Brooke started. “And from then everyone’s world just about fell apart.” 

 

Jonathan put down his briefcase and sat in the sofa chair next to Stephanie. “How are you feeling today? How is you head?”

“I’m fine Jonathan. Stop worrying so much, I don’t like it when you act like a mother hen.”

“Ridge called me last night.” He informed her.

“He worries too much too.”

“He called about what happened with Kimberly. Stephanie I advised you against that.”

“And I had to take a chance. The child isn’t right for Thorne.”

“She was when she kept him away from Brooke.” He reminded her.

“I was wrong.” She simply stated.

“I can’t get over this newfound friendship with Brooke Logan. I’m worried about you Stephanie.”

“I backed the wrong horse, or in my soon to be ex-daughter-in-law’s case, whore.”

“I still can’t believe that, Eric and Taylor, how could they do that to this family?”

“I loved her, I treated her like my own daughter. I fought for her, I fought for her marriage, I alienated my children and my husband. And I think that was her plan all along!”

“Now that’s ridiculous. She didn’t marry and have children with Ridge is some grand scheme to get Eric from you.”

“Fine.” She waved her arms at him. “But once she decided she wanted my husband she went all out. She used my trust and my hatred for Brooke to her advantage. But that’s all in the past. Now I want her to go down, and Eric too!”

“Has he been here?” Jonathan asked.

“No.”

“Where is he staying?”

“I have no clue, nor do I care.”

“Stephanie what you are proposing we do to him.”

“It is NOT a proposal. It will happen and if it doesn’t happen now then I will find someone who will make it happen.”

“I’ve posted guards at Forrester.” Jonathan informed her. “If he shows up he will be escorted to his office and watched as he takes his personal belongings out.”

“And who’s to say what is his?” Stephanie said in a regal tone.

“We have to show the man some respect.”

“Oh do we? Is this like the respect he showed my son and me when he let his sperm drip out of his daughter-in-law? No Jonathan, he will be shown nothing of the kind.”

“You’re overreacting Stephanie.”

“How dare you!”

“I didn’t mean it that way, I just meant that we need to do this the right way. Be above him. If you embarrass him he’s not going to go away quietly. We need to be the ones in control.”

“I will not have him coming and going as he pleases Jonathan. I want him to suffer, I want them both to suffer.”

“And what about your children and grandchildren. Think about what this will be doing to them. Think carefully because once we start this.”

“I have no intentions of stopping it.” She confirmed. “Eric Forrester will be out of this home, my company and all of our lives.” 

 

“Thomas, your Daddy loves you and he’ll be home to see you soon.” Taylor said when she finally regained her composure. “But Daddy is not going to be living here anymore.”

“Why?” Thomas’s eyes widened to saucers. “Mommy no! I want Daddy home!”

“Please don’t cry honey. Daddy will always be your Daddy and he’ll always be there for you. But sometimes Mommies and Daddies just can’t be together anymore.”

“Why Mommy why?” He begged as tears ran down his little cheeks. “It’s because of HIM! I told you to make him leave! I told you!”

“No baby no, it’s not Pierce but you just wait here, I’ll be right back.” She gave him a hug and tightened her robe. She made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where she found Pierce and the girls laughing and talking. “Pierce, I need to speak to you alone.” She took his arm and led him out into the living room.

“They’re amazing Taylor, and we’re relating, we really are.”

“You didn’t tell them anything did you?” She gasped in fear.

“No. I told you I wouldn’t.” He said with a frown. “Are you angry that they like me? That’s not fair Taylor. I really thought you and I had made more progress.”

“Progress? Pierce nothing has changed. Now I have to ask you to leave, Thomas is upset and you being here isn’t helping.”

“He would learn to like me Taylor. I’m not an ogre. You and I could be good for each other and the children.”

“I’m going to marry Eric.” She whispered.

“And you think that Thomas will react well to that? To seeing his mother in bed with his grandfather?”

“Pierce stop it! I told you that I could give you nothing more than friendship and that hasn’t changed.”

“That kiss.” He insisted.

“That kiss was a mistake. I’m sorry I let it happen. Now please leave Pierce. Please do this for me.” 

 

“Dad and Taylor?” Bridget gasped. “Oh Mom why?”

“They were both lonely Bridget. Eric and Stephanie haven’t been happy in a long time and Taylor has been miserable too.”

“It’s so gross.” Bridget complained. “I can’t believe that they’d do that.”

“But Brooke.” Katie interrupted. “If Taylor is with Eric then why would you feel insecure about Ridge?”

“Because of his reaction. He was devastated when he heard. In fact if I hadn’t gone into labor I think he might have just gone to her right then and there.”

“Mom no. Ridge loves you.” Bridget told her distraught mother. “I’m sure he was shocked and upset but he loves you, not Taylor.”

“I think the realization of what she and Eric were doing made him rethink things. I think he still loves her. And until I can know for sure that he doesn’t and that he is 100% committed to us I can’t let myself be caught up in his web. That’s why I’m ending it with him. That’s why I don’t want to see him anymore.”

“Brooke that’s nuts.” Katie protested. “Of course he’d be shocked and upset. His father and the mother of his children were carrying on. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.”

“I’ve never felt secure in his love Katie, he’s always left me when push came to shove. It won’t be different this time. I have to think about myself, my children and my sanity this time. I can’t just live for love, I can’t just let my heart lead me. This time I will do it right.”

“Brooke.” Katie started.

“Katie, I love him, but I am not going to just jump in with my eyes closed ever again.” 

 

“Ridge. Ridge please let me explain.” Eric jumped up and approached his son but Ridge held him at arms distance.

“Go ahead Dad, tell Beth just what it was you did.”

“It wasn’t until it was all over, you loved Brooke, I knew you did and she was so lonely and so was I and.”

“And Mother? What about Mother? Or doesn’t that matter to you?”

Beth watched the two men as if she were watching a tennis match. She had no idea what was going on but somehow she was catching on and if it was what she thought then Eric was right, he had gone way past anything that he could ever fix.

“I didn’t mean to hurt her but our marriage was a mess. Your mother hasn’t been in this marriage for a long time and I was, I was.”

“Shopping for a replacement?” Ridge suggested. “Ah but you didn’t really want to look too hard. So why not turn to someone right there. Not like it was the first time.” He looked disgustedly at his father. “And you let Mother catch you. You carried on right in front of my children! Your grandchildren! What kind of a man are you?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Eric pleaded.

“You’re sorry you got caught. And what about Taylor? You knew she was in bad shape and you zoomed right in! Right in on her!”

“No! It wasn’t like that at all son. I’ve always had feelings for Taylor. They just resurfaced, neither one of us expected it but we couldn’t seem to stop it this time.”

“This time?” Ridge asked. He and Beth both turned to face Eric. “You mean you and Taylor had an affair before too?” 

 

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