It's not so easy leaving the past behind!
Over the Time the relationship of Ridge and Taylor became strong and solid. Since their first weekend, they had never spent a night apart. They enjoyed it too much to fall asleep in each other's arms and waking up together in the morning.
Even though Taylor wanted to spend every minute of the day with Ridge, she made sure to spend enough time with her friends again, especially Susan. She was still very embarrassed about the missed lunch. To make up for it, she invited Stacy, Rosa and Susan to a brunch at her house.
It was Saturday and Susan rang Taylor's doorbell.
"Hey! Marc, Steven and I want to go to that new exhibit Marc told us about. How about you? Are you guys coming with us? Stacy has to work and Rosa and John are not in town!"
"Thanks, but I think we'll pass." replied Taylor in a low, hushed voice.
"Now come on! This should be interesting!" Taylor, who was in the middle of wrapping a gift, just shook her head. "Alright, whatever. Oh, a triple berry cake, that looks delicious." Susan swiped a berry. Taylor hissed angrily at Susan.
"Get your hands away! The cake is for Ridge!" Susan winced. She was very puzzled by Taylor's outburst.
"It's all right! I won't eat anything away from your darling." Susan wondered what was wrong with her friend. Something was not right. Concerned, she sat down beside her.
"What's the matter with you? Is something wrong with the kids?" Taylor shook her head again. "But you do have something? I can tell by the look on your face. You've been crying. Is something going on with Ridge? Where is he, anyway?"
"He's at home, in his apartment."
"What? He's hardly there at all. What happened?" Taylor said nothing, but Susan could see tears coming to her eyes.
"You guys didn't have a fight, did you?"
"You can't call it a fight." Susan compassionately put her arm around her friend.
"Now, tell me what happened? What did he do?" Taylor began to sob.
"He didn't do anything, I'm the stupid cow! I ruined everything!" She cried harder. Susan took her in her arms.
"Calm down! I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems." She comforted Taylor until she was able to tell what had happened in the first place.
"Actually, everything was normal, we had arranged to cook together and then I got held up at work and was a little late. Ridge had to wait outside the door, later he said that it would be more practical if I would give him a key and then he immediately asked if we could rearrange the closet in the bedroom, so that he could leave a few things there and not always have to drive back and forth. Actually not a big deal, but I don't know why, I felt completely left out and blindsided. So I got really rough on him."
"How so?"
"I yelled at him that it was still my apartment and he couldn't just decide who I would give a key to and how I would sort my closet. I don't know what came over me." Susan was quite surprised at Taylor's narrative.
"I don't understand what was so bad about it. What was Ridge's reaction?"
"Completely shocked at first, and then he got pretty loud, too. He then left the apartment quite offended, I would have done the same in his place. I was immediately sorry, he wasn't out the door five minutes before I didn't know myself why I had said all that to him. I ran after him, but he was already gone. He hasn't contacted me since, and he's not answering his phone."
"Maybe he just needs time to cool off."
"I hope so, I want to go see him right now and talk to him. If he even wants to see me anymore!"
"Oh for sure! I'm sure you guys will work it out. Alright your outburst may have been a little over the top and I'm sure he's disappointed, but he loves you. He'll give you a chance to explain everything."
"I hope so!"
"I'll definitely keep my fingers crossed, you'll be fine." Susan gave her one last hug and left. A short time later, Taylor was also on her way to Ridge's apartment. She prayed fervently that he would hear her out.
She placed the cake on the floor with some distance to the door. With the leftover berries, she had written 'Sorry' in the center of the cake. She rang the doorbell and hid.
Ridge was in a miserable mood. He hadn't slept all night, but kept thinking about what might have provoked Taylor's outburst. He couldn't understand why she had reacted so violently. Moreover, he was deeply hurt by her harsh words. When the doorbell rang, he was not in the mood to answer itl. He didn't want to talk to anyone, but finally he opened the door. When he didn't see anyone, he was about to slam the door again, but then he spotted the cake. He had to smile. He lifted it up and looked all around. Taylor came out of her hiding, shy and unsure. She glanced at him with pleading eyes.
"May I come in?" Ridge stared at her very thoughtfully. "Please!" After a while, he finally relented.
"Okay! But if you want some of the cake, forget it!" Relieved, she stepped into the apartment and sat down on the sofa. Nervously she looked around; she had only been to his place a few short times before. Mostly just to pick him up.
"What can I get you?" Ridge snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Nothing, thank you!" She held out her hand to him. "The only thing I want is for you to sit with me and listen to me." Ridge complied with this request, yet his demeanor was still rather reserved and dismissive. Taylor cleared her throat.
"I'm really sorry for the way I treated you last night. I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I regretted it as soon as you left. I was still chasing after you, but you were already gone. I know I was totally out of line. I'm really sorry!"
"Okay, I believe you, but I don't understand why you said all that. Was it really all that bad for you?"
"No, I don't know how to explain it to you either. At that moment I just felt totally blindsided. Then I panicked and...I didn't really know what I was saying myself."
"What do you mean you panicked?"
"Inside of me there was all of a sudden this instinct, I had this flashback of old feelings. I remembered what it felt like to put up my hopes when you decided to come back to us and we were getting close and the disappointment and pain at the end when you left again. All those feelings of insecurity and fear were back and came over me. I suddenly had this panic of having another backfire when I'm getting too close to you. I couldn't do anything about it and before I realized it, all these ugly words were coming out of my mouth."
Ridge was now no longer angry, but thoughtful and sad.
"So you still don't trust me?!"
"Yes I do!" She fell around his neck. "Of course I trust you. I know there's no reason for any doubt at all. You've never hurt or disrespected me in the last few weeks or months, on the contrary. That instinct was just stronger than me. I really didn't want this, you have to believe me. I love you and I'm happy with you. And of course, there's nothing wrong at all if you want a key to the apartment or to leave some stuff at my place.
"In a way, I can understand you. After all, it's my own fault if something inside you is still afraid to get involved with me. But I'll prove to your instinct that you can rely on me."
"We'll prove it to him together. We'll prove it to everyone." She kissed him. "Does that mean you'll forgive me and everything will be okay?" She tickled him with her nose and put on her puppy face. Ridge laughed.
"Cut it out! You know I can't stay mad at you when you do that and look at me that way."
"That's exactly the plan!" Ridge relented and they kissed wildly.
"I'm so glad you came and we worked this out. I can really relate to your fears. I love you so much, I couldn't stand to lose you."
"That's never going to happen. You'll never be rid of me. You're stuck with me, forever!" She clung to him tightly.
"Forever? That sounds threatening! ...I don't really deserve a second chance with you!"
"Ridge, let it go. We've both made mistakes. Besides, you've changed and so have I. We've both made some improvements, so things are going to be different this time." She kissed him reassuringly. "Besides, this isn't your second chance, it's your seventh or eighth. I stopped counting at some point."
"How could I fall in love with someone as cheeky and loudmouthed as you?!" They laughed and hugged tightly. Then Taylor remembered something.
"I brought you a gift!" Ridge started unwrapping it, when he removed the wrapping paper, a gift box was revealed, when he opened it, another one was revealed.
"Is that your famous humor again?"
"Don't be so impatient!" He unwrapped more boxes until finally he held a small box in his hands. He eyed it tentatively.
"You swear nothing is about to pop out in my face?
"You don't trust me?" He just flung her a skeptical look. Very carefully, he opened it. Inside was a set of keys with a pendant in the shape of a heart.
"Are these...?"
"Yes, these are the keys to my apartment and the pendant is to tell you these are also the keys to my heart.''
"In this case, they are the most precious keys I have ever received. I love you Doc!"
"I love you too!" He gave her a big sloppy kiss.
"Can I get you something now? I could make us some milkshakes."
"I'd love to!"
"Okay, just make yourself comfortable." Ridge disappeared into the small kitchen.
Relieved and satisfied, Taylor now took a closer look around the apartment. The walls and all the furnishings were very neutral in black and white. From the living room, she moved on to the bedroom. On one wall Ridge had hung up some pictures. Taylor looked at them curiously. There were many of Thomas and the twins, as well as RJ and Hope. One picture showed him with all his siblings. Then there were some family portraits. On the dresser was a large picture of Eric and Stephanie. This couldn't be that old, Taylor guessed it was the official wedding photo of the two of them. She moved on to the bed. On the one nightstand were two other pictures. One was of them together, this was a snapshot Susan had taken of them once. Taylor noted with amusement how intimate and familiar they were in each other's arms, even though the photo had been taken at a time when they had just been friends. The other one showed her alone. Taylor made herself comfortable on the bed.
"So this is where you've been hiding." Ridge came into the room with the two milkshakes.
"You told me yourself to get myself comfortable." He sat down with her and they drank their shakes. Taylor pointed toward the dresser.
"That picture of Eric and Stephanie, is that their wedding photo?"
"Yeah right! Dad designed Mothers costume himself."
"Well, how else could it be?! Your mother has a piercing look, as if she could see us right now. I feel like she's watching us."
"You really have a special kind of humor! She would probably be very taken, though, if she could see us here like this."
"Oh yes, she would certainly be thrilled!"
Ridge began to tell about the wedding, realizing at one point, Taylor wasn't really listening to him. She had her eyes closed and wasn't responding to any of his narration.
"Hey. Are you even listening to me?" He nudged her. Taylor, who had fallen into a light slumber, startled up.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just, I barely got any sleep tonight. I couldn't rest at all because of this whole stupid story. Just now it was so toasty and cozy." She snuggled even tighter against him. Ridge stroked her face. He kissed her gently.
"I feel the same way. I haven't slept a wink either. You know what?" He reached for the blanket and covered them both. How about a nap?"
"Now? In the middle of the day?"
"Why not? There's no one to bother."
"Sometimes you have really good ideas, Ridge Forrester." They got comfortable under the covers and in less than five minutes they were asleep.
When Ridge woke up again, it was already evening. Taylor was still fast asleep in his arms. Careful not to wake her, he freed himself from her grasp, covered her again, and gave her a kiss. He left the bedroom as quietly as possible. He wanted to take care of dinner first. He reached for the menu of the small French restaurant and placed an order for a full meal. While waiting for the delivery service, he cleared the table and began to set it. After the food arrived, he arranged everything for the appetizer and put the rest of the food in the oven to keep it warm, or the dessert in the refrigerator. Now it was time to wake his sleeping beauty. He stepped into the bedroom, Taylor still lay there in exactly the same position as he had left her. Gently he bent over her, kissing and tickling her. Taylor just grumbled and sank deeper into the pillow. She stretched and opened her eyes sleepily. She was shocked when she realized how late it was.
"My God, we really did sleep through most of the afternoon." She shook herself to wake up properly. She noticed Ridge staring at her. She gazed at him questioningly. He pulled her to him.
"You look adorable when you're sleepy like this."
"I think you have a peculiar sense of humor!" She went into the bathroom, freshening up. She was stunned when she saw the table, where everything was set.
"Wow, that looks great!"
"Yeah, while you were sleeping, I whipped up a menu for us."
"Mmm, one of your famous self-made dinners?" Taylor smiled mischievously, looked around for a while, and finally found what she was looking for. "Aha, I see you've immersed yourself in the fine art of French cuisine. I'm impressed." She waved the bill. "Still the same loop as before." Ridge was miffed.
"Hey, I called there myself, I picked out the menu myself, I set the table myself, and I prepared everything myself. I think that's a lot to call this a self-made dinner." He pouted. Taylor tickled him under the chin.
"Now don't be such a baby. You know I love your self-made menus and I love you!"
"I love you too, even when you're sassy like that." They sat down, Ridge reached for the wine bottle to pour for them. Taylor held her glass shut.
"Don't worry. It's without alcohol. It might taste a little bit strange at first, but if you mix it with sparkling water, it's really good."
"You tried it before?" asked Taylor, puzzled.
"Of course, they have four in all. I personally like this one the best, though the others are pretty good too."
"You've tried all of them?" Her astonishment grew.
"Surely I must know what to offer you. At least I could try them all without having a hangover the next day." She was overwhelmed. Full of love and adoration, she fell around his neck and kissed him softly.
"You are wonderful. I love you!" She couldn't believe how attentive he was to such little details lately. They savored the wonderful meal, Taylor praised his choices. They took the dessert, chocolate mousse, to bed. They fed each other with relish. Ridge just scraped together the rest and gave it to her. Then he kissed her passionately.
"Mmm yummy!"
"The mousse or me?"
"Well, chocolate mousse can't really be topped by anything." She turned away, offended. "Except by you!"
"Saved again!"
They started kissing more fiercely, and their hands wouldn't stay still. That's when Ridge noticed Taylor was hesitating and avoiding him. A little surprised at her reaction, he asked her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah...it's nothing...it's just...please don't think I'm a lunatic but...that picture there." She pointed to the picture of Eric and Stephanie. "I feel like your mothers eyes, spying on us." He started to laugh.
"You really have a special kind of humor!"
"I can't help it. It's just that piercing look of hers."
"Aren't you exaggerating a little? I mean, it's just a picture." He was about to take her in his arms again, but suddenly they looked at each other and both hesitated. They stared at the picture. Finally, they both started laughing terribly. Ridge walked over to the dresser, vigorously grabbed the picture and turned it over. He placed one of the figures that was there, in front of it. "So shutdown for you Moyher!" He climbed back into bed; this time, as they embraced, Taylor looked around.
"Better! Much better!" They sank into each other's arms and this time nothing stopped them.
Afterwards, they lay there in each other's arms for a long time. Taylor raised up to check the time.
"It's pretty late!"
"So what? You weren't planning on going home now, were you?"
"Well actually..."
"That's out of the question at all!" He pulled her tighter against him. "The one night without you was bad enough. I'm definitely not giving you up tonight!"
"Well, actually, I was about to say, I don't feel like going home at all." She kissed him affectionately and hugged him. "It's much nicer here."
"Very good!" They snuggled back under the covers. She looked deep into his eyes.
"I sleep so much better when I'm in your arms. You're just like Humphrey!"
"Who's Humphrey?" asked Ridge curiously with a slightly jealous tone. "Humphrey Bogart?"
"No! Humphrey was my teddy bear when I was a little girl. I took him with me everywhere. Never spent a night without him, and whenever I fell asleep, I laid on top of him."
"You're seriously comparing me to a teddy bear?" Ridge acted indignant, poking her in the side.
"Hey stop it, you should take that as a compliment. For many years he was my most loyal companion."
"What happened to him?"
"Oh, the usual stuff. When I moved out I had to sort things out and he ended up in a box in the attic. My father probably gave him away at some point."
"Uh-huh, I just hope you don't put me in a box someday too when you don't need me anymore.'' Taylor giggled, snuggling in close and stroking his face.
"That's never going to happen, because I need you for the rest of my life!"