Bridget: Sure, I can give him a message. Okay. Yeah. Next Tuesday, 9:15 -- [ doorbell rings ] -- parent-teacher conference. Got it. Thanks for calling. Bye. Mark, what are you doing here?

Mark: I'm making a house call.

Bridget: But I'm not sick.

Mark: Yeah, well, haven't you ever heard of preventative medicine?

Bridget: Oh, what're you preventing me from getting exactly?

Mark: The blues.

Bridget: The blues? Hmm. And how do you plan on doing that?

Mark: By bringing you some good news.

Bridget: A file?

Mark: Open it.

Bridget: Okay. Dr. Lani Brauer, graduated summa cum laude, specializing in pediatric medicine, attending physician at University Hospital. Very impressive. Who is she?

Mark: It's your new mentor.

***************************************

Stephanie: It's really disappointing. I really, truly gave Brooke the benefit of the doubt. And she kept saying to me over and over again, "thank you. Thank you for your support and your friendship during this really difficult point in my life." And it was just lip service. That's all it was -- lip service. The body isn't cold in the grave, and she's after Ridge. Oh, god, it's just disgusting. And it isn't good for Ridge.

Eric: Mm-hmm.

Stephanie: It's not good for the children. You think you can talk to Brooke about that? No. Why? Because Brooke is still the same old Brooke. She sees something that she wants, and she goes after it no matter who gets hurt.

Brooke: Oh, Eric, good. I need to talk to you about -- Stephanie.

Stephanie: You need to talk to Eric about me? How charming.

Eric: What is it, Brooke?

Brooke: I need to talk to you about Ridge.

Stephanie: Has any other topic of conversation crossed your lips these days?

Eric: What about Ridge, Brooke?

Brooke: I've been trying to persuade him to come back to Forrester, and I'm not sure I'm getting through to him.

Stephanie: Is that a bad thing?

Brooke: If it were up to you and Tricia, you would have Ridge staying home, trying to deal with his grief.

Stephanie: Well, God forbid we should take the advice of an expert, someone who's a grief counselor and can teach us how to deal with our loss.

Brooke: I happen to know Ridge a lot better than this so-called "therapist." Now, work has been his best medicine. He's gotten through some of the toughest times of his life that way.

Stephanie: In case you hadn't noticed, he has a job with Marone Industries.

Brooke: Yes, he has a contract with Massimo. But that doesn't mean he's passionate about that place. And how could he be? He needs to be here at Forrester. This is where his heart is.

Stephanie: You're so transparent.

Brooke: Oh, Stephanie -- you just want him over there at Marone just so he's nowhere near me.

Stephanie: I just want what's best for him. And it ain't you!

Brooke: I don't think you have any idea what's best for him.

Eric: Neither one of you knows what's best for Ridge right now.

********************************************

Sally: I don't know. I don't know. Maybe it needs something else. Some more confetti, a few streamers? I don't know.

Darla: Oh, Sal, no, it's absolutely perfect.

Sally: You sure, Darla?

Darla: Yeah.

Sally: I was hoping it would look a little more festive, you know?

Tony: You don't want to overwhelm the guy.

Sofia: I think Ridge is going to be really touched by this.

Sally: Oh, I hope you're right, Sofia, because that is the whole idea.  Now, where's Massimo? He said he'd be here.

Massimo: And I am. What is this?

Sally: It's a welcome back celebration for Ridge.

Massimo: Welcome back to Spectra?

Sally: Yeah, welcome back to work.

Massimo: As long as you understand that Spectra is just a part of Marone Industries, and that Ridge's job is to run the entire organization.

Sally: Of course I understand that. But, Mojo, you've gotta remember something. You may be able to take the man away from the design table, but it's a little tougher to take the designer out of the man. You know what I mean?

Clarke: She's right. Once you have that desire to create, there's just no stopping it.

Massimo: What if we're pushing him too fast? I mean, what if he is simply not ready for this yet?

Sally: Mojo, I don't think anybody is ready for what Ridge has just had to go through. I remember when my daughter Macy -- all right. I remember when Macy died. I really thought I would never be able to work again. But it was work that saved me. And I know it can do the same thing for Ridge.

Massimo: I hope you are right, Sally. But -- at least he's coming back here and not Forrester.

Sally: Yes. And let's hear it for that, huh?  [ Buzzer ] Sally Spectra. Good. Great. Okay. Heads up, everybody. Ridge is here. He's just on his way up. He's coming up in the elevator right now.  Get ready. Okay.

Tony: Everybody grab one.

[ Laughing ]

Darla: Thank you.

Sally: Okay, he's here. Come on.

All: Surprise!

Ridge: What the -- this for me?

Sally: Of course it's for you, baby. Who else? Welcome back, Ridge.

[ All speaking at once ]

***********************************************

Bridget: So you did it. You resigned as my mentor.

Mark: I told you I was going to.

Bridget: Yeah, I guess I just didn't expect you to --

Mark: Have a woman assigned to you?

Bridget: No, I didn't expect you to do it so soon. But now that you mention it, is there a reason you hooked me up with a female doctor?

Mark: Lani happens to be an exceptional physician.

Bridget: Mm-hmm. So, you weren't worried about any potential competition from a male colleague?

Mark: Of course I was. I already have a little brother to deal with. Why throw another iron into the fire?

Bridget: Keeps things interesting.

Mark: I can do that all by myself.

Bridget: So, Dr. Brauer is my mentor, and you're not. That the good news?

Mark: Well, that's part of it.

Bridget: What's this?

Mark: Open it.

Bridget: My anatomy mid-term.

Mark: 98%. That is the highest score in the class. You know, that is not bad for someone who, in addition to premed, is holding down a job, helping a relative deal with death and being a surrogate mother to his kids.

Bridget: Should see what I do for an encore.

Mark: Oh, I can't wait.

Bridget: Don't get too excited. It's got a lot to do with sleep. True, I may look like superwoman, but even I get worn out.

Mark: Well, it's funny you should mention that.

Bridget: Uh-oh.

Mark: Uh-oh, you don't trust me?

Bridget: Not really.

Mark: Well, you should. You should, because you are gonna love this.

Bridget: What? Love what?

Mark: Surprise. Ming, meet Bridget. Bridget, get ready for the best massage you have ever had in your life.

************************************************’

Ridge: I don't know what to say.

Sally: You don't have to say anything. You let us do the talking, okay?  All you have to do is listen to us tell you how glad we are to have you back and how much you mean to us, and then you can say thank you if you feel like it. That's all. Seriously, Ridge -- everybody here knows how difficult it is to get through what you've just endured. I mean, to lose someone so special like Taylor was almost unendurable, okay? But somehow you've gotta get past it. You've gotta get on with your life. You know you do. That's why we're so glad to see you here today, because it means you're saying yes to life. And you know that's what Taylor would want, because it's what's best for you, okay? So, everybody, let's hear it.  Here's to Ridge.

All: Hear, hear.

Ridge: I -- Sally, everybody, I still don't really know what to say. I --

Sally: I said before, you don't have to say anything, okay?

Ridge: But I do. I need to tell all of you something very important.

******************************************

Eric: I'll tell you what Ridge needs right now. He needs a good, swift kick in the pants.

Stephanie: What's gotten into you?

Eric: This.

Brooke: An ad for a Spectra Design?

Eric: That's not a Spectra Design! It's a direct rip-off from our collection. That's my design!

Brooke: Well, Spectra copying our designs is really nothing new, Eric.

Eric: No, it's not, but Ridge being in on it with them is. If he wants them to be competitive, he's gonna have to come up with original ideas, not rip mine off. I'm going over there.

Stephanie: No, no. Don't do that.

Eric: Why the hell not?

Stephanie: Because I don't want you to get into it with Ridge right now.

Eric: Ridge is exactly who I'm gonna get into it with.

Stephanie: Oh, no, Eric, this is such a mistake. Don't even think about it.

***********************************************’’

Bridget: I'm not so sure about this.

Mark: You are gonna love this.

Bridget: Mark, I have a lot of studying to do.

Mark: I know. I know. Listen, you also need to relax sometimes too, okay?  I promise you, this is gonna be a massage you will not forget for a long time.

Bridget: You make it hard to resist.

Mark: Impossible, I hope. Come on.

Ming: Bridget, I want you to clear your mind. Let go of all the tension, all the stress. And take a deep, cleansing breath. In through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth. That's it.

Bridget: Mmm. Oh, god.

Mark: Pretty good, huh?

Bridget: Yes, you were right. Ming, you have the most incredible hands.  That feels so unbelievably wonderful. Mm. I wish this never had to end. Mm.

*********************************************

Sally: You said you had something important to say, Ridge. What is it?

Ridge: It means a lot to me that you went to this much trouble to do this.  And I wish you hadn't.

Darla: Oh, Ridge, we wanted to.

Ridge: Yeah, well -- I've had a lot of time on my hands since -- since lately. And it's given me a chance to think about things.

Massimo: What kind of things, Ridge?

Ridge: Priorities, mostly. They've changed. I mean, they had to. My kids, they -- I'm all they have now. That's a lot of responsibility, and I want to do it right. That's gonna take a lot of energy and time. Time -- time -- time -- yeah, time is what I need. Time with Thomas, with my girls. Time to figure out where I'm going with my life right now.

Sally: What exactly are you trying to say, Ridge?

Ridge: When I said I was coming in to the office, I didn't mean I was coming back to work. I was just gonna pick up a few of my things.

Sally: Well, so you want to take a little time off. Fine, we can deal with that.

Ridge: I'm not talking about a little time, Sally. I don't know when I'm gonna be ready to come back to work.

***************************************

Stephanie: This is the last thing that Ridge needs.

Eric: Well, that's too bad, you know? Because if he is in on this with Sally, I'm gonna come down on him just as hard as I do everybody else.

Stephanie: Please don't make a scene!

Sally: Hey! What do you mean bursting in here without an invitation? This is a private celebration. Do you mind?

Eric: No, I don't mind, Sally. I don't mind. In fact, I'm glad you're all here.

Sally: What's this all about, Eric?

Eric: It's about you, Sally. It's about you and your pathetic team of no-talent designers.

Sally: Are you still riding that old sawhorse, Eric? It hasn't won a race in years. We have our own very talented design department here.

Eric: And nobody in it can compete with Forrester, unless, of course, you're copying my designs.

Sally: No, no, no. We prefer to call our designs "Spectra originals."

Eric: What do you call this, Sally? What do you call this?

Sally: I call that a Spectra original.

Eric: That's my design! There's nobody here that can come up with a design of that caliber!

Sally: Isn't there?

Eric: And whose is this? Who designed this?

Ridge: Me.

***********************************************

Bridget: Oh. Mm. Mm. Mm. Oh, Ming, this is amazing. You have the hands of a --

Mark: Surgeon?

Bridget: I should've known.

Mark: Come on, you just said this is the best massage you've ever had in your life. Bridget: What? I did not say that.

Mark: But it is, isn't it?

Bridget: Maybe.

Mark: So why stop when it feels so good? You don't want me to stop, do you?

Bridget: No.

Mark: Then lie down and let me finish.

Bridget: Mm. Oh. Mm.

[ Buzzing ]

Bridget: What is that?

Mark: It's my pager. E.R., 911 emergency. Listen, I gotta run.

Bridget: Life of a doctor, huh?

Mark: It is so unsatisfying. But we will finish this -- sooner or later.

Bridget: Bye.

**********************************************

Eric: You're taking credit for this?

Ridge: It's my design.

Eric: The Hell it is.

Ridge: Is there a problem here, Dad?

Eric: You know what my problem is, Ridge. My problem is people taking my work and then claiming that it's their own. Now, I realize that it's been standard operating procedure around here for a very, very long time, but I never expected it of you.

Ridge: Dad, that's an original right there.

Eric: Oh, come on, give me a break. Even before your accident, you weren't good enough to turn this out. And now, well, it's a damn shame, but you're really no competition at all.

Ridge: What is up with you? You on some kind of ego trip?

Eric: You know, but I know talent, Ridge. I know talent. I know who has it, and I know who doesn't.

Ridge: Are you saying I don't?

Eric: You know what I'm saying? I'm saying that, under my guidance, you were good. But without me, there's no way you could've done this.

Massimo: What the hell are you talking about, Eric? He just told you he did!

Eric: You're not in this Massimo. You're not in this. This is between me and my son.

Ridge: So you're calling me a liar?

Eric: Yes, I am.

Stephanie: Oh, Ridge, no, he did not mean that.

Eric: Yes, I did. You're all second rate, and you know it. And that's why you're up to your old games, ripping me off.

Sally: Really? Would you care to make a little wager on that, Eric?

Eric: Ridge -- you think you have what it takes to tango with me? You prove it. In fact, you know what? I'll give you a chance to prove it. I challenge you. I have a showing in Portofino -- Portofino, Italy -- two weeks from today. Now, if you're as good as you say you are, as good as this, you show up there with six of your best original designs. You and I will go head-to-head, and we will let the fashion editors of Europe decide who the better designer is.

Ridge: This is absolutely ridiculous.

Eric: Why is that? Because you know you can't win?

Stephanie: Oh, Eric --

Eric: Oh, come on, Stephanie. He hasn't had a good design since he left Forrester.

Ridge: Dad -- dad, if I wanted to show you up, I could do it like that.

Eric: Is that right?

Ridge: Yeah.

Eric: Is that right?

Ridge: Yeah, that's right.

Eric: All right, you show up. You put your money where your mouth is. You show up in Portofino. You show me what you've got. You show the fashion world what you've got. And we're gonna let them decide who's the better designer -- father or son. It sure as Hell's not gonna be you.

[ All speaking at once ]