An awkward video chat!

Even if Ridge had forgiven her, Taylor went to great lengths to make up for her mistake and show Ridge that she was ready to take the next step. In addition to getting him the keys, she also got him a parking spot in the building's underground parking garage. Ridge still had his own apartment, but he now kept many of his stuff at Taylor's.

Taylor had taken that day off to work on an article. Recently, a medical journal had offered her the opportunity to publish with them on a regular basis. She was working on her research when the doorbell rang. As soon as she opened the door, she was lifted up and whirled around.

"Hey, you have a key!"

"Yeah, but I love it when you open the door for me Doc."

"You are such a mancho! By the way, what are you doing here already? It's only three pm."

"Oh, it's such a beautiful day. I have capable employees who can run the place without me. So I had a spontaneous inspiration, it would make much more sense to go home." Stormily, he took her in his arms. Taylor enjoyed his caresses. Reluctantly she stopped him.

"Ridge! I have to work."

"I can see that! Gee whiz, what does this place look like?" There were books and papers with notes all over the coffee table and the couch."

"Shut up! You're the biggest slob I know."

"I'm an artist! Artists are rarely neat, they need their space, their freedom, to unleash their creativity." Taylor rolled her eyes. She knew this speech well enough. She was about to pick up another book when Ridge gathered up all the papers that were scattered around. He snatched the book out of her hand.

"Ridge, what are you doing?"

"You know what is an important part of working? Regular breaks, you're supposed to know that as a psychiatrist Doc!"

"And you think you can tell me when to take my break?"

"Who else?" He pulled her to him, stroking her tenderly.

"Ridge, you're impossible!"

"All right! Let's work on your article." He let go of her and grabbed a book. "What's the subject again?" Taylor laughed and now took the book from his hand.

"Forget it!" She tugged him into her arms and kissed him with passion and desire.

Later, they lay on the couch, tightly embraced and kissing. Taylor smiled at him, content.

"You were right! I feel wonderful, refreshed." They caressed each other and couldn't get enough. Just then, Taylor's laptop rang. "Oh no! That is Steffy! We agreed to video chat. Taylor got up, startled. Ridge tried to pull her back to him.

"Let her ring!"

"Ridge! That's our daughter. Besides, she knows I'm home." She gave him one last kiss and frantically began to get dressed. She tossed Ridge his clothes. "Now go ahead and sit in the chair back there, away from the screen."

"Okay!" Ridge got dressed and made himself comfortable. Taylor quickly tied up her hair. Steffy had hung up by now, but now Taylor's phone beeped incessantly. She collected herself before calling her daughter back.

"Hi Steffy!" Taylor made an effort to act as if nothing was wrong.

"Hey Mom! Finally! I was beginning to think you weren't home." "I am! I was just asleep." Ridge grimaced, she tried to ignore him

"Are you not feeling well, Mom? You seem a little rushed and disheveled."

"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm just not really awake yet. What about you and how is Thomas?" While Steffy was telling the news with her and her brother and the situation at Forrester Creation, Taylor was trying hard not to look at Ridge, who continued to make faces. He was obviously having great fun with the situation. She kept scowling at him.

"But now tell me about yourself. How are you?"

"I'm fine! I told you that I'm now writing articles for the medical journal regularly. That's why I'm working at home today."

"And then you fell asleep in the middle of your work? That never happened to you. Must be a very boring subject."

"No, not at all! I was just tired."

"You work too much Mom, and now this writing thing. You should go out more, enjoy your life, have some fun!" Ridge bit his tongue, he had to pull himself together very hard not to laugh out loud. Taylor felt a distinct blush on her face. This situation was getting more and more uncomfortable.

"Steffy, you really don't have to worry about my social life. I'm doing great and I definitely have a life outside my work. You should rather concentrate on your own life and not always worry your head about me."

"Yeah, whatever. By the way, have you seen Dad lately?" This was too much. Taylor turned bright red and would have preferred to disappear. Ridge nearly fell off his chair.

"Um yeah, I have. Why do you ask?" she stuttered now very embarrassed.

"Next time you see him, you can remind him that he has a son and daughter he hasn't contacted for a while." Taylor cast a venomous glance at Ridge. Guilt was written all over his face.

"I'll give him the message. He's probably just busy. You know him when he's absorbed in his work. After all, besides the store, he still has his CEO responsibilities."

"Well, I wonder if it's just work. I mean, he is single. Maybe he has met a new woman, that makes him forget about his kids." Taylor was getting extremely nervous, Ridge was stunned too.

"Well, that would be entirely your father's business." She tried to distract her daughter by asking her how the rest of the family was doing. After some more small talk, they finally hung up.

Taylor slumped back on the couch with a loud sigh. She buried her face in her hands. Ridge came over to her, grinning, and lay down next to her.

"Oh my god! That was the most embarrassing situation in my entire life!"

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad." Taylor was not convinced.

"Come on Ridge! I don't want to know what Steffy is thinking now."

"Do you really believe she noticed something?

"You may have forgotten, but we have a very intelligent daughter and Steffy has a sixth sense about situations like this and you weren't much help with your grimaces. I could have strangled you." Ridge put on his innocent face.

"Sorry, but the whole situation was just too funny!" He laughed, Taylor giving him a light shove in the ribs.

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty funny too! It's not like you were in the hot seat." He tried to placate her.

"Well relax! You survived it." He took her in his arms and began to kiss her along her neck, but Taylor brushed him off. She had other thoughts on her mind right now.

"And why is Steffy complaining to me that you don't call them? I thought you were on the phone with them as much as I?"

"Well, in the last few days I have indeed neglected this a bit. You used to tell me everything. I just didn't think about that they didn't know. I'll call them first thing in the morning." Taylor thought hard.

"Ridge, don't you think we should just tell the kids? This sneaking around is getting very tiresome and I definitely don't want to go through another situation like earlier." Ridge's face grew serious.

"I thought we want to take our time before we inform them and the rest of the family?"

"Yes, but I think it's time. At least concerning the kids. I mean, our relationship is at a very stable point right now and it's not going to get any easier if we wait any longer. On the contrary, what if they ask more questions? They both have a right to know the truth."

"Of course. Maybe you're right. It's probably really the best time to tell the kids. So let's make a plan, how we will break it to them."

"I would suggest we invite them over, after all, it's been quite a while since they were last here. I'll call and ask them to stop by for a weekend. Then we'll all meet here at our place for a family dinner and we'll tell them together."

"Agreed! That sounds good to me. I just hope the kids are as excited as we are."

"I'm sure they will be thrilled! Finally, they get what they've wanted for so many years: Their family happily reunited."

"Indeed, that has always been their dream."

"Sometimes dreams do come true! Speaking of dreams, where were we before Steffy brazenly interrupted us." She sparkled mischievously at him.

Steffy and Thomas were sitting down to dinner. Thomas had brought chinese take-out. Thomas noticed his sister was obviously not listening to him at all.

"Oh and by the way Brooke and I got engaged!"

"Yeah fine...PLEASE WHAT? Steffy screamed, nearly falling off the couch in shock.

"Just kidding! I was just testing if you'd listen to me."

"Man, don't ever do that again! It's not funny!"

"So where are you with your thoughts?"

"Mom, something's wrong with her. We video chatted today and she was acting very weird."

"How?"

"At first, she didn't answer my call, even though we had fixed a time. She said she was asleep. Then she was so erratic and distracted, like she wasn't listening to me at all."

"Maybe she's just overworked. You know Mom!"

"No, there was something else, like when I asked her about Dad, she turned red like a beet"

"Strange! I thought she and Dad, that's all relaxed by now."

"I thought so too, but somehow she was uncomfortable talking about him. It might sound crazy but I think Mom wasn't alone. She was so nervous and tense, and she kept staring away from the screen at one spot, like someone was there."

"You mean Mom had some kind of date."

"I don't know. It's just a feeling. But something's up!"

"You really wanna say, Mom has met another man?" Thomas screwed up his face. He didn't like the idea at all.

"Well, she's been living there for quite a while now and when I asked her about her personal life, she was very quick to brush me off. She just said she's doing fine."

"Well, I hope you're wrong. It may be selfish, but I don't want to picture Mom with some guy."

"I feel the same way! I know she and Dad will never be together again, but the idea of her and a new man sounds so wrong!"

"You'll see, you imagined it all. Mom was probably just overworked and sleepy. The last thing we need is Mom and another love disaster."

"Absolutely!"

A few days later, Taylor took action. She called her children and asked or rather urged them, to come to San Francisco for a weekend as soon as possible. She used all her motherly tricks from longing to guilt-tripping to persuade her children. Finally, Steffy and Thomas gave in and agreed to come the weekend after next. After they hung up, Thomas and Steffy gave each other definite looks.

"Are you thinking the same as I'm thinking?" Thomas looked at his sister thoughtfully.

"You mean you were right about your suspicions. Mom's got a crush on some guy and she wants us to meet him now?!

"Do you have another explanation, why she wants to see us so badly?

"Maybe she just misses us."

"Yeah right and that's why she's almost forcing us to come over. I guarantee you there's more to it than that." Steffy was stressed. She didn't like the whole situation at all. "What shall we do?"

"We're going and if this mystery guy really exists, we should at least give him a fair chance for Mom's sake." Steffy screwed up her face. She knew her brother was right, but she wasn't excited. In her world, her mother still belonged with her father.

"Okay! Let's just wait and see. But I can promise you this. If there's this guy, he can prepare himself for the worst."

"Absolutely! He'll have to pass our test before we'll even think about including him in the family." The two high-fived.

In the next chapter, Steffy and Thomas learn the truth. How do you think, they will react when they find out who the mysterious guy is?