Friday, January 13, 2006
Felicia took a seat on the couch to record a message for Dominick. She started out nervous, but quickly fell into speaking naturally toward him. She called Bridget into the frame and told Dominick that while she was in Heaven watching over, Bridget would be the one he called Mommy. She repeated that she had no fear leaving him because she knew Bridget and his father would take care of him. Then she said she knew he'd go places, because of the wanderlust he's sure to have inherited from her and Nick, but she hoped he'd realize sooner than she and Nick had that the love, support and anything else needed in life was "right here, where we started with our families." She concluded that the "only thing that matters is that I love you. I love you with all my heart and I always will. Always." Then she dissolved into tears. Nick and Bridget gave some support. She again asked Bridget to think of Dominick as her own. Bridget confirmed her promise, even calling Dominick her son. The two women embraced.

Meanwhile, the Taylor reveal square dance continued. First Taylor and Brooke concluded their two step. Taylor's big moment was when she said that, contrary to Brooke's accusation that Taylor made her feel inferior (by pretending to be perfect), most people actually feel inferior because of their own unfair judgment of themselves. She remained confident she'd get Ridge back, but Brooke left her with a, "Good luck, Taylor. You're going to need it." Stephanie, meanwhile, remained set on convincing Ridge to take Taylor back, but Ridge finally stormed out after saying, "You seem to think I'm still connected to you. Like I can't get along without you. Well you know what? I'm through letting you try to control my life."

Then they switched partners, with Taylor going back to Stephanie and Brooke finding Ridge at her place with RJ. Taylor was most upset that Ridge was more concerned with Brooke than her fling. Stephanie blamed that on Brooke and said that she was now the problem in Taylor's marriage. Taylor questioned Stephanie's motives, asking if she only supported their marriage and forgiven her indiscretion as a means to get rid of Brooke. Stephanie denied that, but Taylor insisted the faked heart attack was proof that Stephanie didn't trust Ridge would choose her. Stephanie wouldn't back down and told her not to get sidetracked or she'd be letting Brooke "derail the marriage."

Ridge seemed to already be over that marriage when Brooke joined him and RJ in front of the fire. As RJ played, they talked about the kids and it was just simple, sweet and nice. Ridge missed being around RJ and Hope everyday and remembered how happy they'd been before Taylor's return. He empathized about how busy life had been for Brooke between work, Bridget and the kids, and apologized for becoming an absent father. She was pleased to hear he would help tuck in the kids. Then Ridge tried to turn the conversation to them, but Brooke said he'd broken the bond between them when he'd chosen Taylor. Ridge understood, considering what he was going through now. He promised he'd never let his mother or Taylor abuse her again and asked her to forgive him. Brooke was flummoxed when he didn't complete his final sentence, "More than that, I'm asking you to…" (Translation: Tune in next week to hear what he's going to ask.)

Thursday, January 12, 2006
Brooke taunted Stephanie about her involvement in covering up Taylor's affair and the fact that she was now the only one who was honest with him, while Stephanie continued with her "stay away from Ridge" party line. Brooke was over it all and walked out. Shortly after, Ridge walked in to find Stephanie trying to track him down. He trounced on his mom for her involvement in Taylor's cover-up and insisted it had everything to do with Brooke. He listed off the lies Stephanie had told, including the fact that Massimo was actually his father and of course, her fake heart attack. Much to her dismay, he said he was questioning his choice to leave Brooke for the returned Taylor. "You let me abandon my son for a woman who cheated on me," he sniped. She finally told him to blame her, not Taylor, since she'd intercepted Taylor's confession and kept Taylor quiet. He admitted (finally) that he'd put her on a pedestal too, but didn't back down.

Brooke flashed back to the long-ago night when she'd asked Taylor if she'd slept with James. She'd seemed convinced of Taylor's guilt back then. She returned to the present and let herself into Taylor's office to torture her a bit. She laid it on heavy, noting that she'd taken care of Taylor's children in her absence and praised her to the ends of the Earth, only to lose Ridge. Then she dropped the bomb that she knew about James. "You can't even look at me, you're so ashamed," Brooke shot. She stayed calm as she repeated all the accolades that have always gone with Taylor's name. All clearly a lie, now. As they hashed it out, Taylor refused to make excuses for herself. She admitted to her mistakes, but Brooke insisted she was the one who paid the price for those mistakes. Not only was Brooke ridiculed in comparison to Taylor, but she'd even compared herself to Taylor. "Today, your halo's been knocked off your head," she declared. Taylor insisted she'd never asked for the halo, but Brooke noted that she'd accepted it and sat in judgment. If only Taylor had stepped up for her with Stephanie, they might have been friends. "I would have like that," Brooke admitted. She calmly ranted some more before concluding, "I will never feel inferior again!"

Bridget and Nick caught up with a ghastly-looking Felicia. She said she was having a good day, but the cancer was seriously taking its toll. Bridget said she should be able to carry Nick's daughter to term. Then, they told Felicia about the nursery for Dominick, including the fact that is was the cause of Bridget's fall. Bridget admitted she should have asked Nick for his help, but was used to doing things for herself. Nick teased that the Forrester women were stubborn and then they all went to see the room. Felicia was touched by how clear it was that they were already accepting Dominick as their own and was glad she could enjoy her time with him instead of worrying about who would take care of him when she was gone. Then, the couple pulled out a camera and suggested she make a recording for her son, so he could remember her. She feared she couldn't "cram a lifetime of wishes and love and advice into one tape." Bridget said that her love was the most important thing to communicate, but she remained resistant. With words of encouragement, Nick started rolling the tape.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Taylor filled Stephanie in on her confrontation with Ridge. Stephanie kept trying to downplay Taylor's indiscretion with James, but Taylor understood that she'd been a hypocrite and ruined Ridge's image of her by keeping it a secret. "What's worse than that is how I treated Brooke," Taylor cried. "That's what he can never forgive — how harshly I judged her. That makes me no better than her!" Stephanie wasn't going to let that slide, insisting Taylor was still morally superior to Brooke. She said "we" have to act fast, but Taylor said it was out of their hands. Stephanie set out to talk Ridge down, telling Taylor to be sexy and ready for his return. Taylor warned that Ridge knew about his mother's involvement, but Stephanie wasn't concerned.

Brooke found Ridge sleeping at the office. She was shocked to learn about Taylor's one night fling with James and recognized how important honesty was to Ridge. He reminisced about his time with Brooke, saying it was never based on lies. Brooke wished she could be there when Stephanie learns the truth about Taylor and was beside herself to learn "that bitch" had known all along. As a disgusted Brooke rehashed everything from the faked heart attach to this big reveal, Stephanie arrived to listen in at the door. Brooke reminded him that there was "one other person, Ridge, who doesn't judge you, who doesn't keep secrets with you, who just wants to be with you, to love you. Our son, RJ." She suggested he go spend some time with RJ, sending him off with a kiss on the cheek and a soulful look. When she promised to be there for him, it looked like he was going to go in for a real kiss, but he left instead. Stephanie stormed in immediately and went on the attack, telling Brooke to back off. She was somehow confident that Taylor and Ridge would work things out, but Brooke said that wasn't her business and she didn't care. What did matter? "Ridge and I finally know that truth: That you and Taylor are the biggest hypocrites this world has ever produced!" Brooke cried, throwing her folders down in fury. Stephanie replied, "Oh really?" in a tone that indicating this was just the beginning of their newest battle.

Nick watched on as Laurie David (wife of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM's Larry David) finished her pitch to Massimo about voluntary programs to reduce the pollution from Marone ships. When Massimo mentioned that he had to consider business and the bottom line, Nick pointed out that the savings that would show up eventually, especially as these changes become socially and then legally mandatory. He also used the "this is our children's future" argument, admitting that becoming a father made the issue more immediate to him: Not only can't he feed his pregnant wife the fish he catches for fear of mercury hurting their baby, but he didn't want to have to one day explain to his children why he'd done nothing to save the world. Massimo continued to resist as a businessman, but David told him, "green means green," and that reducing carbon emissions would save him money while staying global warming. Won over, Massimo asked her to send him a report. Later, Massimo gave Nick trouble about the costs associated, but Nick said it was money well spent to make the world a better place. That turned talk to family. Massimo was pleased both his sons were happy and on track. Nick agreed on his own account, but hinted that trouble was afoot with Ridge. Massimo pushed him for the story of Hector and Taylor's kiss, which was still all he knew of the story.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Felicia walked in on Stephanie leaving a desperate message for Taylor, begging her to keep her mouth shut about sleeping with James. Felicia fished for the story, but Stephanie hesitated in explaining and remained vague when she finally did. Felicia was not surprised to hear her mother wanted Taylor to keep quiet and patiently suggested her mother butt out. Talk, of course, turned to Brooke. Stephanie was horrified by the idea that she would go running back to Ridge, saying she considered the alternative to Taylor and Ridge surviving this roadblock as "unthinkable."

Brooke and Nick continued to pamper Bridget as they all imagined what was happening at Taylor and Ridge's. When Brooke revealed that there seemed to be more going on than just a kiss, Bridget suggested she call Ridge to give him support. Nick, of course, voted for the opposite tack, suggesting Brooke "stay out of it and not get sucked back into his life." The couple started discussing/arguing their sides, with Bridget confident her mother would — and should — jump at a chance to reunite with Ridge. When she mentioned the difficulty of being a single mom, Nick responded that Brooke was doing just fine, but Bridget turned it on the kids, saying she'd always wished she'd had a father in the house. Later, after Bridget turned in, Nick and Brooke conceded that Ridge and Taylor were none of their business and Brooke turned the convo to Nick, commending him for taking such good care of Bridget. When she left, Nick realized she'd forgotten her handbag and followed. Their hands touched as he handed it over and there was a pregnant pause. Then he begged her not to go back to Ridge "after what he's put you through." She understood and they said goodnight with a hug (which was just a little too tight). As they pulled apart, she thanked him for "everything" he was doing for Bridget and the two stared into each other's eyes (for just a little too long).

Ridge remained horrified by Taylor's past attitude toward Brooke, which was now looking very hypocritical. Taylor insisted their issues had nothing to do with Brooke and pleaded for his forgiveness, but Ridge couldn't see his wife as the same woman anymore. "The two women I respect most in the world conspired against me," he bemoaned and while he'd forgiven his mother, he was crushed to find out his wife, "the symbol of integrity and fidelity," had cheated on him. She again called on the strange circumstances of her one-night stand with James as an excuse, but he couldn't excuse the hypocrisy. He rehashed all the abuse Brooke received from Stephanie. Taylor snapped that she'd never defended Brooke because he "was always so quick to." She cried that she'd just bared her soul and didn't want to talk about Brooke, but he felt it was too late to "communicate." He said every decision he'd made involved his (mis)perception of her as "perfect beyond reproach." He looked disgusted as he insisted it was Taylor who created that image (i.e. not taking responsibility for putting her up on a pedestal). He decided to storm out, but had to get dressed first. Taylor fought him as he tried to put his shirt on. He just slipped away and continued getting himself together. He recalled how he'd almost died with Taylor years ago and recalled her glowing return from the grave, but now he couldn't see his angel in her anymore. She begged him to work through everything with her, but he shook his head and left. She screamed her apologies after him, collapsing on the floor in tears.

Monday, January 9, 2006
Brooke and Stephanie continued discussing Taylor. Stephanie revealed that Taylor was telling Ridge about Hector and that she was sure Ridge and Taylor would work it out, but that just made Brooke wonder why Stephanie came running to attack Brooke. Stephanie was worried Brooke would throw herself at Ridge, but Brooke pointed out that she'd had a chance already, when Taylor threw him out, and not taken it. She suspected Stephanie was more worried that Ridge would come running to her.

Nick pampered Bridget, who admitted she enjoyed it. Their talk soon turned to Taylor and Ridge. Bridget wanted to be there for Nick and was concerned that the sensitive nature of the topic — i.e. the fact that Brooke was involved — was keeping him from opening up. She asked what he and Brooke had talked about, but he just swore he wouldn't hold back about Brooke. She told him she didn't believe he'd ever cheat on her or lie and that she understood that this much be difficult "because the feelings that you had for my mom were real, and they don't just go away overnight." She understood that his feelings for her haven't replaced those he had for her mom. Love, she said, "comes more individually wrapped, so that the love you give to someone, they get to keep. It's just theirs." Nick admitted he'd never see Brooke as his mother-in-law, just as she arrived at their door. Brooke immediately filled her in on her confrontation with Stephanie, noting, "She feels their marriage is falling apart, so she doesn't want me anywhere near Ridge." Nick tried to excuse himself, to leave the ladies to talk, but Bridget made him stay. Bridget insisted Brooke (and her kids) had been robbed of Ridge by Stephanie and that Taylor had kept the spoils. She suggested this might be another chance for her mother and Ridge.

Ridge tried to digest the news that Taylor had had sex with James all those years ago, while Taylor continued to hope they could get back to where they used to be — back when they were best friends and she wasn't always fighting to make the "right impression" for him. Then she got in his face, trying to get him to engage in the conversation. She explained she's slept with James because he was a dying virgin and when they were saved, she felt like what they did in the face of "dying" was cancelled out. When she asked him if maybe he had something to share, he pointed out that his mistakes had all been out in the open, with her at witness. "I don’t cut you much slack," she admitted and hoped he'd be more forgiving than she's been. (Yeah right!) When he found out that Stephanie intercepted her letter admitting what she'd done, he reached the end of his leash. For all his confusion over Brooke, he said that unlike Taylor, "I was never unfaithful." Taylor then said she'd put James out of her mind, which Ridge found very hypocritical. Taylor knew she wasn't being fair and said she had to give him time. Unfortunately, he didn't need it. He said he wasn't unglued about Hector, even if she'd promised he'd never to let him in their room again. He saw that Taylor had something in common with Hector, saying, "Maybe it's the halo." Then he recalled how bloody and nasty James was and called her "sacrifice" repulsive. They stood back-to-back as Ridge gave her forgiveness. She cried her thanks, but when she hugged Ridge, he pushed her away. She wasn't forgiven for all. "What about all the hypocrisy?" he shot. "What about Taylor the Good, Taylor the Virtuous, holding all of us up to this standard of yours?" he ranted on about all her hypocrisy and concluded, "That I can never forgive."

2005 recaps