The Bold & The Beautiful Update Friday 7/29/05

By Wanda
Pictures by Amanda

Same night continuation at the Forrester Mansion:

Stephanie stands facing Ridge and says she knows he's angry but not to back away from Taylor to punish her. Brooke steps forward and accuses that she had Ridge marry Taylor to punish her. Stephanie says she was wrong and she realizes that now. Taylor is overhearing this from the wings of the house. Ridge is angry and tells Stephanie she had them thinking she had a heart attack. Stephanie says she is sorry, but he's not buying it. She says she panicked when she saw Brooke down at the beach house. Ridge stops her and tells her, "no, don't.... don't.... don't you dare blame this on her!"

At Brooke's house, Bridget unlocks the door and walks in, followed by Dante carrying some paintings and bags. She laments that it's too bad he was just getting settled in and now her dad shows up and needs him to leave. He says he could have stayed at a hotel and she could have stayed with her dad. Bridget dabs her eye with a tissue and says no, it's okay, she managed to talk to him a little while and he's still in shock but she thinks he just needs to be alone for a while. She can't believe he actually left Stephanie. Dante comments that he didn't blame him. Bridget says she can't either; Stephanie betrayed the entire family. Dante continues that staging a heart attack and paying off a doctor; he heard her say her family was a little crazy and he didn't know whether to believe her, but this was unbelievably an understatement. Bridget agrees that Stephanie didn't care who she hurt; she only wanted Ridge to marry Taylor and get her mother out of his life. Dante asks how her mother is, by the way? Bridget says she's sure she feels pretty vindicated because she always thought it was a setup from the beginning. Dante still isn't sure she will be okay with him staying there at her place. Bridget responds by saying she doesn't think she will care and he's her guest. Dante asks if Bridget will be around? She tells him she doesn't know; things are up in the air at the moment. If her mother moves back in with Ridge, then he might have the whole house to himself. Dante wonders if Ridge would change his decision but Bridget reminds him Ridge didn't make the decision; Stephanie had. And now all hell was breaking loose because of it.

Stephanie continues to plead that she did this for him, Thomas and the girls. He blasts that Thomas and the girls were scared to death; so was he. Holding her in his arms and rushing her to the hospital and all the while blaming himself. She says she never meant for all of that to happen but Ridge continues that they were arguing when she collapsed, she was gasping for her breath and this whole time, she was making a fool of him. She says she was the foolish one and she's sorry but it's just that she knew what Brooke was capable of. Ridge says now he knows what SHE is capable of...and it was all an act, wasn't it? She calls it a mistake. Brooke reminds her she deceived her entire family.

Ridge wants to know if she planned this? Did she wait for this moment? Did she rehearse her little performance here? She denies it. He goes on, did she just see the opportunity to manipulate the situation and she just took it? Again she denies it happened that way. She gestures with her hands; she was just thinking of him and Taylor, and she's sorry. Ridge shouts that he doesn't want her apology. He doesn't need it and the truth is, he's glad this happened.

Dante sits beside Bridget on the couch and states that now Ridge knows he was tricked into choosing Taylor and that changes everything. Bridget realizes she shouldn't get ahead of herself but yes she hopes her mother and Ridge will get back together as she thinks her mother and her children deserve to be happy. Dante looks at her and says so does she. Bridget gets up and comments that this isn't about her. Dante says she would have less to worry about if her mother and Ridge got back together (she throws him a look)....and so would he. He gets up and Bridget faces him and wonders why would he? And he continues that Nick won't be happy when he finds out Dante is staying over at her mother's place. In case she hadn't noticed, Nick's a little protective of her....... and Dante inquires where is Nick; isn't tonight supposed to be her honeymoon? Bridget tells him not to start; does he have to go there?

He offers that he's just asking and she walks off saying it's been a very, very long day and she's exhausted. He comments, "tired of walking down the aisle? I mean, how many times has it been now? And you still don't have a ring on your finger. You know, if I were a suspicious man, and I am, I'd say this wedding isn't meant to be." She turns once more to face him and comments that he just can't let this go. And he retorts, "and give up any hope of being with you? Never." She stares at him and finally says she is going to show him to his room. He quickly asks is it across the hall from hers; picking up his painting and suitcase and gladly following her up the stairs.

Ridge tells his mother this is the best damn thing she could have done; it opened his eyes. She addresses him as honey and says he's angry and he has every right to be. He goes on that everyone told him now manipulative she was but he defended her. And when Brooke complained about her vendetta, he'd asked her to please be patient. Over and over he'd given her the benefit of the doubt. He thought she was just trying to help him and doing things in his best interest. She pleads, "I did. I do." But he differs, if she did then she'd let him make his own choice. he says, "I told you that you wouldn't like what would happen if you didn't stay out of this." He scowls, "and you're not going to like it now!" She begs him again, "Honey, don't do this." He interrupts as he turns on her and accuses her of being the one who did it. It was her lies, her manipulations, her vendetta. She had to punish Brooke; she had to make Brooke pay. He spits, "you make me SICK!" Stephanie sinks her head and in despair admits all right, she went too far. She sits and shrugs it's just that she loves him so much....it's all the years of competing with Brooke for his love. He looks at her in disbelief and disgust. Taylor moves out of the shadows toward them. He implores Stephanie, what is she talking about; he's her son! And she says he's her whole world and she could feel Brooke pulling him away from her. She continues louder that he'd said if she didn't accept Brooke that he'd cut her out of his life and that she'd never get to see her grandchildren. Those were his exact words...and knowing her, she'd make sure that came true!

Taylor speaks, "you gave him an ultimatum?" Brooke denies it. Ridge points his hands at Brooke and tells his mother that Brooke was the mother of his child; they were married but Stephanie couldn't deal with that. She had to keep on; she couldn't let go of her damn vendetta. He takes a big breath and let's it out and shakes his head and sneers that it's over. Stephanie quickly agrees, eyes begging, that yes it is over and she promises never to deceive him again. He grits his teeth in rage and seethes, "you're damn right, you won't. I am no longer your son. I am cutting you out. You're a cancer that's killing this family, and I'm cutting YOU out, FOREVER!" Stephanie has not taken her eyes off him; shocked and frozen in horror.

There is a knock at Dante's door and he says enter. He's standing without his shirt on as Bridget brings in linens and realizes he's changing and says she's sorry, she'll come back. He says no; does he make her nervous? Clearly she feels awkward and he quickens that don't deny it, she couldn't even look at him. She hesitates before coming on in and depositing the linens and nervously laughs that it's just that he's only half-dressed. He comments that it didn't bother her on the beach in Italy. She denies that she is bothered now. She's looking over her shoulder as her eyes take a stroll along his torso, trying not to look. She repeats again she is not bothered. He approaches her and brushes the back of his hand against her face and then strokes it and asks then why is she blushing? Why did she ask him to come stay here? She is speechless, she gulps and then sputters that it was her Dad, the beach house.....(she can't breath as he moves in even closer). He taunts that he didn't have to stay here; he could have stayed somewhere else, but she wanted him to stay here, right, next to her, right? He kisses her as she returns his kisses. Slowly he lays her on the bed as their passionate kisses continues.

Reality strikes, we know the previous scene has been a fantasy. Dante is startled back to his senses as Bridget enters the room with towels. She asks if there is anything else she can get for him? He first replies no, he has everything.....he studies her and then smiles and says, "well, almost everything.......I think I'm gonna be very happy here."

Stephanie continues that she wasn't thinking very clearly and she made a poor decision in a moment of weakness. Ridge tells her this wasn't the first time she'd tried to force Brooke out of his life. He motions with outstretched hands as Brooke comes into them that he should have protected her and he was sorry, so sorry. With both Taylor and Stephanie looking on, he hugs her, clasps her hair. Brooke says it's ok but he says no, he'd let her down. Brooke says she was angry and confused. Ridge says with good reason but she continues she shouldn't have taken it out on him; it wasn't his fault. He continues that he should have seen it. Taylor says that no one could have; no one knew the lengths his mother would go to. Brooke adds, "Stephanie took advantage of all of us. She used your compassion against you. She knew if she convinced you she was dying, she could get you to do anything."

Stephanie interjects that's a lie! And she begs Ridge not to compound her mistake by him making one that he'll regret for the rest of his life. He retorts, "oh, shut up, Mother!" Brooke doesn't need to listen to this anymore, and neither do I." He tells Brooke he's taking her home but she says no, he and Taylor have a lot to discuss, she will see him later. He wags his finger and says, "no way. And risk having her show up on your doorstep? No way. I may not have protected you before, Logan, but I'm not going to let her harass you ever again." With barely a backward glance, he touches Taylor and then grabs Brooke and heads out the door.

Stephanie stands in shock and Taylor in defeat as she points both arms at Steph in disgust. Steph reflects and accepts her blunder. The two women look at each other and Taylor throws up her arms and says, "Stephanie, well done!" Stephanie answers this is NOT what she wanted. Taylor retorts this wasn't supposed to have anything to DO with her. Stephanie says to be angry with her, if she wants, but to focus on her husband. Don't let Brooke turn this situation to her advantage. Taylor flails her arms and shakes, "my God, my God. You don't quit - you haven't learned anything from this, have you? You're trying to manipulate me RIGHT NOW." Stephanie shouts back, "I'm trying to help you!" Taylor touches her forehead (a headache coming on?) and half-way laughs that Stephanie really doesn't know the difference, does she? Stephanie says she knows Ridge is vulnerable right now. Taylor moves in closer in her face and corrects her by saying Ridge is feeling guilty right now because Brooke asked him for help and he didn't give it to her. And that he'd taken her home right now to protect her from Stephanie, that's all. Stephanie counters with she hopes that Taylor is right, but if she's not..... Taylor demands she stop it (arms for emphasis). Her marriage was not in trouble, but if it was, it would not be Brooke's fault, "it would be YOURS." Stephanie begs her not to turn away from her now, not when she needs her the most. She knows everyone is angry at her and hurt and doesn't understand why she did it. But that Taylor was the most compassionate person, her best friend and Taylor knows she would never do anything deliberately to hurt this family......."don't turn away, please." Taylor glares.....storms off.....slams the door.....Stephanie gulps.

Brooke walks into her house; Ridge follows and she says he was awfully quiet in the car. He simply says he was stunned. "My God, Logan, what I've put you through these last years." She says no, not him. He continues that she knew how his mother felt about her. She knew how far she would go, yet she stayed with him. She looks him in the eye and says there is no place else she'd rather be. He continues that she must have felt all alone. She had tried to tell him how bad it was; Stephanie's animosity and obsession but he did NOTHING. Brooke reminds him he did put his foot down with R.J. was born. He says he should have done a hell of a lot more than that! She says she had his love; that's all that really mattered. ....but there was something else she'd like to ask of him now. He tells her anything; he meant what he said. He'll never let his mother hurt her ever again.

She says she doesn't want there to be any more secrets in this family and he replies there wouldn't be. She wants to be honest about their feelings. She sits and Ridge follows, sitting also facing her. And tells her just to trust him; his mother knows exactly how he feels about her now. Brooke says they aren't the only ones she has hurt with her deception and Ridge knows it's hurt the kids and his dad too and Brooke adds Taylor. She speaks how his commitment to Taylor now is based on a lie. His mother manipulated him most of his life, but never quite like this. She says she knows how strong the bond is between mother and son; she has that with R.J. but at some point you have to let your children grow up and make their own decisions. Stephanie was never able to do that, but now the umbilical cord had been cut and he was finally free. Free to make his own decisions so she was going to ask him one more time. Even though she had promised herself she wouldn't when he pushed her out of the house and demoralized her. He speaks up that he never meant to hurt her and she says she knows; he didn't see what his mother was doing. But now he did know who she was and who Brooke was, and how much she loved him and how deeply committed she was to him and their family. She wanted him to look into his heart and make his decision....the decision he knew was right; "for yourself, for me, for the kids." He asks what is she asking him to do? She replies, "I am asking you to give our future the chance it deserves. Let's go home. Let's restart our life and rebuild our future and never look back." He returns her look with a furrowed brow.

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