The biological father!

Taylor stared at Bridget impatiently.

"Now tell me! I want to know who Jack's father is right now!

Bridget hesitated for a moment. She looked deep into Taylor's eyes.

"Ridge! Ridge is Jack's father!"

Taylor froze. Fireworks of emotion erupted inside her and her mind went on a roller coaster.

"Ridge?! But how is that even possible? I mean that's absurd! What makes you think it is Ridge?"

"The DNA test indicated paternity could be ruled out but there was still some genetic match. So I concluded Jack and Nick must be related. And then the memories all came back to me. Do you remember the story between Ridge and my mother?"

Taylor thought hard but it just wouldn't come to her mind.

"Brooke and Ridge? I don't know exactly what you're alluding to?"

"Think back to when Nick and you first started thinking about pregnancy and in vitro fertilization."

"Yeah I'm starting to remember." All at once Taylor reacted rather angry. "Brooke was still after Nick and left no stone unturned to win him back. She did everything she could to break us up." Taylor got even more upset when she thought about it, Bridget was more uncomfortable with this subject.

"Yeah she was just in love with Nick. I'm sure you remember, she even showed up here at the hospital for a test to see if she could donate her eggs."

"I do remember that, though. She was always trying to convince Nick how nice it would be if they had a baby together. Even on our wedding day, she was pestering him and trying to seduce him. Thank God Nick didn't go for it and in the end it turned out that my own fertility wasn't limited so Nick and I were able to plan a baby of our own, but what does all this have to do with Ridge?"

"You must have noticed back then when Mom realized Nick wasn't responding to her advances she threw herself at Ridge to provoke Nick."

"Nobody couldn't have missed it! And Ridge the jerk got involved with her and even dumped Ashley for Brooke. Well he's just alway so smitten and naive when it comes to Brooke. Ridge and I had a pretty big fight back then when I confronted him about Brooke just using him."

"Yeah Ridge was definitely blind in both eyes. He was just focused on finally getting happy with my mom. That's why he went along with this stupid idea."

"What stupid idea?"

"Mom talked him into trying to have a baby, too. She told him the same thing she told Nick, how nice it would be to have a child together and this child would be the perfect foundation for a new beginning and blah blah blah. Ridge in his boundless infatuation was finally ready to go along with it. The two of them came to me together and asked me to help them.

"You help them? How so?"

"Mom didn't want to leave anything to chance, so she begged me to arrange an in vitro fertilization surgery for them."

"Nick once told me Brooke had informed him about her plan. But we dismissed it as a pipe dream, we thought it was just another attempt to win Nick back. Besides, the two of them didn't even meet the formal criteria."

Bridget looked guiltily at the floor.

"I helped them with the formalities, we submitted invalid paperwork and manipulated the files accordingly as if everything was fine. No one questioned it." Taylor looked at her in horror. "I'm so sorry, I knew it was wrong but Mom kept begging me until I finally gave in. I thought maybe everything would turn out for the best. Mom and Ridge might have had a chance to be happy together with their own child and at the same time Mom would then focus on her new family and leave Nick and you alone."

Taylor couldn't believe what Bridget was telling her. She feels slain by all the information.

"In other words Brooke had the procedure done as well?"

"Yes, almost at the same time as you. Mom was also in the hospital when you were. That's probably how the mix-up happened. Mom was still going by the name Marone in the system. So this could be the reason."

Taylor felt like she was in a nightmare. She looked over at Jack, who was oblivious to all the chaos and sleeping contentedly. She was no longer capable of a clear thought. She had no idea how to proceed with all of this. She had been convinced, with some time and support, Nick would have eventually come to terms with the fact that some stranger was Jack's biological father, but she didn't want to imagine Nick's reaction when he found out the truth. Ridge, of all people! The two couldn't stand each other anyway, and in the last few months the situation had gotten even worse. This story was really the crowning glory. All at once a thought occurred to her. She looked back at Bridget.

"Wait if Jack is Ridge's child, does that mean Brooke's egg was fertilized with Nick's sperm?"

"We have to assume so, unfortunately we won't be able to probe it because Mom's treatment was unsuccessful and she didn't get pregnant. From today's perspective, I would say thank God."

"Indeed, just the idea Brooke would also have gotten pregnant and carried Nick's child to term, that would have been the final disaster. By the way, does this failed pregnancy have anything to do with the break up between Ridge and Brooke?"

"Yes when Mom found out she wasn't pregnant she completely lost it. She literally broke down and was completely beside herself, especially after she found out that Nick and you were expecting a baby. In her desperation, she blamed Ridge for everything, she lashed out on him quite badly and completely snapped at him. Everything burst out of her and she also threw it at him that she didn't really love him anymore, but did the whole thing just to provoke Nick and that she actually wanted to carry Nick's baby under her heart. The poor guy had to listen to a lot from her. Of course, the relationship ended immediately."

"My sympathy for him is in check at the moment, I mean how can a grown up man be so stupid as to get involved in such bullshit? Why does he have to keep falling for Brooke's games?"

"Love makes you do some stupid things, I guess he just didn't realize what he was really getting himself into. By the way, while we're on this subject, are you going to tell him that Jack is his son?"

"I can't worry about that right now, I have to figure out how to tell Nick the whole truth, I mean the situation of not being Jack's father was bad enough for him. But if he finds out that Ridge of all people is the father, that will kill him, he can't take that! Honestly, I'm terrified to tell him." Bridget could well relate to Taylor's fears. After all, she knew Nick very well and knew how devastating this news would be for him.

"Do you want me to be there when you tell him? Taylor thought about Bridget's offer, but then shook his head.

"No, I think it's better if I tell him alone. It's going to be hard enough, but I think he'll still take it best if I tell him in private."

"Alright, whatever you say, but if there is anything I can do for Nick or you, please let me know." Taylor just nodded his head.

Bridget was startled to realize how late it was. She rose from the bed.

"You really need to get some rest and try to sleep, the next few days are probably going to be very tough. I'll have a nurse bring you a mild sedative." Bridget set about leaving the hospital room. "I might not actually wish you a good night under the circumstances." Taylor snorted.

"That would indeed be more than ironic. Goodbye Bridget."

Despite the sedative, Taylor had spent a restless night. She had been plagued by nightmares and the thoughts wouldn't stop circling. The next few days seemed like a big black hole to her. The only bright spot was Jack, who somehow always managed to make her laugh. She was determined to tell Nick the truth today. It did no one any good if she put it off any longer. She grew restless as the morning went by without Nick contacting her or showing up. Finally, around noon, she couldn't take it anymore and called her husband. Nick made a relatively composed impression at first, but Taylor could tell by his voice, he was struggling to maintain the facade. He told her he had some urgent work to do at the office that morning, but would come by afternoon. When they hung up, Taylor was a little miffed. He didn't want to know how she was doing, nor had he asked about Jack, but perhaps she shouldn't attach too much importance to that. Surely Nick was as upset and confused as she was. Still, it made her uncomfortable that he would even think about work in such a situation and decide to go to the office rather than come to her and clarify the situation with her. An uneasy feeling crept into her. While she waited for Nick to show up as promised, she kept thinking about the best way to tell him. But the harder she tried, the less she could think of. She hoped that some higher power would help her find the right words. Nick had told her on the phone that he would be there around 3:30 p.m. At quarter past three, Taylor rang for a nurse and asked her to take Jack to the nursery. Not knowing how Nick would react to the news, she thought it best not to expose Jack to the situation. Nervously, she lay in her hospital bed waiting for the knock on the door and at the same time dreading this moment.