STEFFY - Monday
Steffy grabbed her coat as she prepared to leave for the office, to her surprise her father knocked on the patio door before walking in to see her.
"Dad?" She asked in surprise, what can I do for you, or are you here to see the kids? They're upstairs with Amelia getting ready for school."
"Morning Steffy," he said with a half-smile, "no, though I'll see them before I go if that's okay, I wanted to talk to you for a moment. I need to get your thoughts on something I've been thinking of doing."
Steffy looked at her father who was now looking somewhat sheepish, "I was thinking of asking your mother out to dinner . . . what do you think?"
"Mum?" said Steffy in complete surprise, "since when did you start thinking this way again?"
Ridge frowned, "I know it's hard to believe, given the way I've behaved, but a part of me has always loved Taylor, it's just that I was always torn between her and Brooke. Now that Brookes out of the picture for good, I was thinking that maybe it's our time at last, what do you think? Is it a good idea or does she still have feelings for Sharpe?"
Steffi's heart beat fast as her dream of her parents reuniting seemed to take a mighty leap forward. "I don't know about her feelings, I think she honestly still cares for Deacon, but they have broken up. Dad, if you're serious you know you have my blessing. Not only that, but I'll do anything in my power to help you but, you need to be serious about this, you can't just encourage mum to fall in love with you just to dump her at the last minute because you've had a change of mind, again! It's not fair, last time you almost destroyed her, you can't do that again, it's not fair on her."
"I wouldn't do that honey, not this time. I know I haven't got a great track record, but the thought of re-connecting with Taylor seems right to me, we'd be a family again, this time forever."
Steffy smiled, "then go talk to her, see what she thinks, and dad, be prepared, because she may not want to reconnect. Mum and Deacon really had something beginning between them, something strong and good, and she may still feel that pull to him, so don't get your hopes up okay."
Ridge nodded and kissed her on the cheek, "Thanks Steffy, so what if I invite her to the cook-out, that way we can sit down and catch up and it's still casual. It'll be no pressure, just our family and a few of your friends. It'll be nice and relaxed for everyone, and we can just see how we go."
Steffy smiled, "That's perfect, I've invited her of course, but she still hasn't got back to me. Perhaps if you give her a quick call now you can see if she's coming or not?"
Ridge took out his phone a huge grin splitting his face, "I'm on it." He said before turning and walking outside for a little privacy.
Steffy smiled in happiness and relief, this was the first time she'd seen her father smiling and involved in something other than his sketchpad for weeks, and the thought of her mum and dad getting back together again excited the small child that lay within her who still longed for her family.
Her own phone rang and she absently swooped it up as she continued to gaze at the patio door where her father had left.
"Steffy Forrester," she said absently.
"Mizz Forrester, this is Sheriff Bant from the Big Bear Sheriffs Department. I'm just ringing to confirm whether you have anyone due at your cabin. We've had a notification of someone entering on an older passcode, and when my Deputy checked to see who it was, he recognised Brooke Logan. Given everything that I've seen that has transpired in the last year, I thought it might be wise to double check before the deputy apprehends Mizz Logan for breaking and entering, or if she was given permission and you just forgot to give her the new passcodes."
Steffy's eyes widened in shock before narrowing in utter rage. Brooke Logan, how dare she, of all the gall! She'd have her arrested and dragged in handcuffs to the local jail for this, she thought maliciously.
Just then Ridge walked back in smiling and giving her a jubilant thumbs up. She immediately hesitated and started thinking of what would then happen if Brooke was arrested. Yet if Brooke was out of the way at Big Bear, then her mother and father could have some time to renew their bond with-out her constant presence overshadowing them, not to mention the fact that she'd be interfering with them every chance she got. Whereas if she was hiding away from the press up at the cabin by herself, then they got their chance, and even better, her grandfather would have time to think things through properly without her gaslighting him.
Her mind made up she answered. "No everything's perfectly fine, she has my permission, but thank you so much for giving me a call and checking. Oh, and please don't interact with her, she really wants to be alone at the moment." She said, as she forced her face into a relaxed smile.
"That's no problems at all Mizz Forrester, I hope to see you and your family up here soon. Bye for now." He replied politely before hanging up.
She looked over at her father who was looking at her puzzled, "Problems?"
Steffy smiled, "nothing I couldn't handle, just a mix-up with some Forrester business I had to take care of, you know Forresters, there's always something. Now, I gather from your smile mums coming this Saturday?" she asked as she deftly switched the subject.
"Yep, I promised I would make her one of my famous burgers, so I'm going to have to be in charge of the grill for a while," he grinned.
Steffy smiled, "it's all yours, including the cleaning of it."
Ridge groaned and screwed up his face at the last bit of news.
"Anyway, I've got to get moving, I'll see you later," she said as she hurried to the door. Once in her car she stared back at the house for a moment.
I'm sorry dad, but I can't run the risk of Brooke doing another number on you, not when you're still vulnerable to her, and not now that you and mum might get another chance. She thought silently before she started her car and drove off to work.
Friday –
Steffy glanced down at her daughter as she went over her guest list that she, Hayes and Douglas had made up, Steffy had added an extra few to it and had invited Wyatt, Bill, Zende, her aunt Felicia and cousin Dom, and on a whim Sasha, as she knew that Marius's brother was highly attracted to her, and she thought it might be nice to even up the numbers a little. The kids had invited all of Cats family, including their cook (who unfortunately had a previous engagement), as well as Thomas, Douglas, Ridge, Taylor, and their new favourite aunt from down under, Dee.
"Well, everything's ordered and setup for tomorrow, anyone else you want to invite or are you happy?"
Hayes pouted, "I wanted daddy to come too, but Grandpa Bill says he's gone to New York for his work."
"Well, perhaps he'll come to the next one, and who knows, he might even bring a friend with him."
Hayes frowned, seemingly a little disturbed at that line of thought, "which reminds me, there is something I have been meaning to talk to you two about."
Kelly and Hayes quieted as Steffy say down in front of them.
"I know this might seem a little to soon for you, and maybe even a little weird but, well, I've decided I'd like to start dating again."
Kelly's eyes went wide as Hayes immediately asked, "Daddy?"
Steffy shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry Hayes, but as much as your daddy and I care for each other, and as much as we both love the pair of you, neither one of us wants to date each other again. I know it's hard to understand, but our time to be together has past, but luckily, we're still great friends, and we still have you two, and that makes us the luckiest people in the world."
Kelly got up and hugged her mum and Hayes quickly followed. After she'd hugged them and then sat them back down, she said.
"I was thinking of asking someone from work out on a date, he's been very kind to me, especially when the press were being mean, and then when I did the fashion show, well, after it finished and I went backstage I got a bit upset, and he was the only one who noticed."
She smiled in remembrance of Marius's wise words and strong arms holding her, as her mind started to wander to other things that had happened, she quickly snapped herself out of her daydream and smiled softly at her children.
"He was very kind and gentle with me, he gave me a good hug and encouraged me to be brave, and he stood by me helping me all the way. I really like him." she finished.
Kelly's eyes were wide, this was just like Douglas had said would happen, her cousin was so smart, he always seemed to know what the adults would do and think. It was time to put their plan into action before her mum picked someone her and Hayes didn't like. If possible, her, Hayes, Beth, and Douglas had decided they all should be a proper family again, and that meant Thomas had to marry Beths mum, Cat, and her mum had to marry one of Beths uncles, either Marius or Sebastion. Beth had said both of them were very really nice, and her Uncle Marius already worked for her mum, so he might be easier as her Uncle Bastion travelled a lot. Her mind made up Kelly was prepared to use the cookout as a matchmaking event for their mum and Beths uncle, she just hoped this man her mum was talking about wasn't coming, or her and Hayes would have to try to make him go away.
"What's his name?" she asked warily.
Steffy stifled a grin, "his name is Marius, and he is the head designer at Forresters." She said, smiling at her daughter.
Kelly couldn't believe her luck, she looked at Hayes and grinned, before turning back to her mother. "Isn't he Beths Uncle?" she asked.
Steffy nodded, "yes, he is, I think you might have met him the last time you visited her. So, what do you think then? Are both of you all right if I start to date again, and do you think Marius might go out with me on a date?"
Kelly elbowed a grinning Hayes as he finally realised what his mum was saying, this was what his big sister, Douglas and Beth were all talking about after their picnic on the beach. He wasn't sure why it was important, but he idolised his big sister, and anything she thought was good must be good.
"Hayes and I are okay with you dating again mum, Douglas said you might, and it's kinda good if it's Marius."
"Cause he's Beths Uncle, and if you get married Beth will be our cousin again, and we can all have sleepovers, and Christmas together, and parties and stuff," burst out Hayes enthusiastically.
"Hey, I'm not getting married yet you two, and who knows, Marius might not even want to date me. I think he likes me though; he smiles a lot when we talk, and he's always very kind to me which is good. I do hope you like him, and that he likes me," she finished.
"He will mum, don't worry, we'll be extra good and help with all the work so you can talk to him. Can me and Hayes go play upstairs for a while now?" Said Kelly, who seemed eager to get going.
"Sure honey, Amelia will be here soon, then I'll be off to work and I'll see you later this afternoon." She gave both her kids a huge hug and a kiss and they ran upstairs to play – or, more likely, to plot and plan how to hook her and Marius up together.
She suppressed a grin, she knew she was manipulating her kids a little, but she figured it would be so much easier to ease into a new relationship if her children thought they'd had a hand in it. They'd been through so much in their lives already, and she didn't want them to feel like she was forcing anything more onto them, so when Thomas had told her what Douglas and the kids had been saying she saw it as an opportunity to ease Marius and her into their life on their terms.
She took a deep breath, she had already told Marius what the kids seemed to be planning, and he was more than ready to play his part, she just hoped everything worked out the way she wanted, for her father and mother too.
She had been keeping tabs on Brooke's occupation of the cabin, thanks to a Deputy in Big Bear, and as far as she was concerned, the longer she stayed away from them, the better off her dad and mom would be.
So far, she hadn't heard anything from Eric, which depressed her a little, especially given what had been shown on the news, surely, he must see how he was conned? Given the no contact, she had refused the kids request to invite him to the cook-out, there was still way too much anger and bitterness swirling around all of them for that. Maybe when he finally came to his senses and apologised to her dad by himself, then the time for forgiveness and friendly gestures would begin anew.
The ball was now well and truly in his court.
The Cookout
"Anyone want another burger or hotdog before I close the grill?" asked Ridge loudly.
"I can't stuff another thing in," replied Steffy around a mouthful of hotdog.
A crescendo of no's, and we're full echoed her comments from around a large seating area.
"I'll take the leftovers up to the house" said Taylor rising to her feet.
"No, you relax with your daughter AND Ridge, I'll take them up to the house," said Marius with a smile.
Taylor thanked him and sat back down, with Ridge joining her as he grabbed a beer.
"Where's Thomas and Cat got to?" He asked looking around.
Bill grinned, "it seems the kids are up to a little match making, after they planted Marius next to Steffy, they scoffed down a burger before insisting that Cat and Thomas take them for a walk down the beach. What's to bet they find an excuse to hurry back here and leave them to continue their little stroll."
Antonio chuckled, "it seems my granddaughter and your children are intent on some matchmaking. I miss the antics of children sometimes."
"Speaking of antics, I got a phone call from Eric, he was looking for Brooke and wondered if I'd seen her. Apparently, she had taken off to get away from everything and hadn't told Eric where she was headed. He said she'd been injured by someone before she left, and he was a little worried."
Steffy froze, injured? She thought. Perhaps I better say something about where she is, someone could actually be after her.
Ridge immediately echoed Steffy's thoughts aloud adding, "knowing the type of people out there, and if someone's already attacked her, this could be serious. Perhaps we should contact the police?"
"No, she's alright, no-one attacked her . . . well, no kidnapper anyway."
"Taylor? What's going on?" Said Ridge as he turned to her in surprise.
She looked around to see that everyone was now staring at her.
"Ummm, her injuries might have been what I did to her the last time I saw her," said Taylor sheepishly."
Before anyone could say a word she continued with her confession.
"She came to my house the morning the story hit. The absolute cow barged into my house and started to harangue me! She actually had the unmitigated gall to try to blame what happened on both me and Steffy. After arguing with her and telling her we had nothing to do with it, and it was all Hopes idea, and that she deserved everything she got, she came over and slapped me, and I, well, I punched her in the mouth as hard as I could. It even split her lip," she said with poorly concealed satisfaction.
"After that she left, still refusing to accept any blame for herself or Hope, and vowing revenge on me and Steffy, that was the last I saw of her. I imagine she went straight home to Eric after that. Did he tell you what happened?" she asked Bill.
Bill ignored the question as he stared at Taylor in shock.
"Doc? You punched Brooke?" Ridge asked, his eyes wide.
Taylors head came up and her eyebrow arched, "Yes!" She said, as if daring him to say a word against what she'd done.
Sudden laughter broke out from Antonio, who raised hid bottle of beer in a toast to her, "Bravo! Perfection!" he cried in salute.
Bill and Sebastion immediately raised their bottles, quickly followed by everyone else that was seated there.
This as quickly followed by some quick jokes from Wyatt and Bill and generalised laughter at what the normally antiviolence Dr Taylor Hayes had done.
Taylor blushed, "I admit, it wasn't my proudest moment, I really shouldn't have resorted to violence."
"Why on earth not?" pipped up Dee.
"That harpy came in your house, onto your turf, and proceeded to run her mouth off at you! Sorry, but there comes a time when everyone has ta stand up for themselves, whether they be normally peaceful or not. This hag got up in your face and you knocked her back on her arse like she deserved! Sometimes Taylor, that's just what ya gotta do with these types of people."
Dee leant forward a little as everyone had stopped and listened to her little speech, Bastion with his mouth hanging open slightly as he digested her Aussie drawl.
"So, the big question is, how did it feel?" She asked Taylor with a sly knowing smile.
Taylor felt a flush creeping up her neck as she looked at the waiting crowd, she looked up at Ridge, and seeing his concerned look she became a little angry.
"I'll be damned if it didn't feel good," she blurted out defiantly.
Everyone started to cheer and laugh again at her words.
After a few more jokes Ridge got up and told Taylor he was just going to take the BBQ implements he'd used up to the house, but she knew he was still going over what she had done to Brooke in his mind.
She suspected he needed to process it all, and how he felt about it, she wasn't foolish enough to think Ridge was totally in control of his emotions at the moment. In the past he'd always had his work to bury himself in, now that he wasn't working, all she'd seen him do lately was whatever he was sketching when he went off by himself, the one time she'd seen a little of that it hadn't been the seascape that she'd expected, it had been more of a pattern of weaving colours, so she let him go, to either acknowledge what she did was within her right, or to lick his still fresh wounds a little.
As he walked away Antonio turned to Taylor and still grinning said, "Taylor, with your obvious fighting skills, anytime you feel like dropping over and sorting my two idiot sons out, please feel free.
"Hey," said Bastion in mock annoyance.
"Oh, they have nothing on my boys," said a clearly chuffed Bill.
"You could come over and teach Wyatt here to fight, he might be able to pick up a clue after his last effort."
"Hey," said Wyatt loudly, "I'm right here!"
He turned to Bastion and waved his hand in front of both their faces, "They can see us, can't they?"
Bastion snorted, "Who knows with men that old," he laughed.
"Hey! What!" said both Bill and Antonio in mock outrage.
"So, what happened in your last fight?" Asked Dee, grinning at Wyatt in anticipation.
Wyatt flushed as Bill piped up, "He got his clock cleaned by Bob Barker a few years back."
Dee blinked several times before saying, "Bob Barker? Wasn't he that really old geezer that died a couple years back? Jeez Wyatt, did he do, run you over with his Mobility scooter? Whack you with his walker? Clock you with his cane?"
Several snorts of laughter turned into outright guffaws from everyone as Wyatt went bright red.
"Hey, he sucker punched me and I slipped and rolled down a hill," he said in his own defence.
This unfortunately, only caused more laughter.
Antonio, wiping tears from his eyes while still chuckling, leant over to Wyatt and said, "Don't worry Wyatt, and least you and your brother aren't stupid enough to start a brawl and smash a freshly delivered box of- The Macallan Double Cask 30 year old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.
Wyatts eyes widened slightly at the name of the horrendously expensive whiskey, even Bill noticeably flinched and stopped laughing.
"Damn, what a waste!" He said in shock.
Antonio raised an eyebrow and looked at his son, "yes, they both still owe me for that!"
"It wasn't only me you know," Bastion muttered sheepishly. "Marius had more than a hand in the fight too!"
He looked around, "Where is he by the way?"
Steffy looked towards the house, "I guess I better go see what's holding those two up."
She smiled at everyone and stood, "in the meantime, you better explain to Dee. Mum and Sasha exactly how expensive that Whiskey is, because I don't think they quite grasp the enormity of your loss."
Still smiling she turned and hurried up to the house to see what on earth was keeping both Marius, and her father.
At the house –
Marius put down the platter of meat he was carrying and opened the fridge, after storing the meat away in some plastic containers that Steffy had left on the bench for any leftovers, he put them neatly in the fridge and put the dirty tray in her dishwasher.
As he was turning to leave when he noticed a large sketch pad on the bench, he hesitated for a moment before curiosity got the better of him and he wandered over to take a peek.
He picked up the pad and saw Australian designs was written on the cover. He immediately thought these must be Ridges new designs, Steffy had told him her father was sketching a lot while he was over there with her.
He glanced around guiltily, knowing to even open the cover was a gross invasion of his privacy; still, he couldn't help himself. Just a quick glimpse at a couple of his newest designs to see how he's going, he told himself firmly, he opened the pad.
He frowned in surprise, instead of the design he thought he was going to see, there was a picture of interwoven colours in rich red, yellows and browns, in the bottom left-hand corner was the word, Cashmere.
He immediately knew what he was looking at, instead of designing clothing, Ridge had designed fabric patterns. Fascinated he turned another page, before long he was totally engrossed, his mind automatically finding design beginnings to each new fabric.
"What the hell do you think your doing?" came and angry voice from behind him.
Marius started in surprise and turned to see Ridge standing there glaring at him.
"My apologies, I saw your sketch pad and couldn't resist a look," said Marius, a little shamefaced at being caught with his hand in the cookie jar so to speak.
Ridge stormed across the room and threw the BBQ implements into the sink, he turned and was about to snatch the sketchpad back when Marius said, "You're wrong with this sketch though, instead of Qiviut, I think Vicuna would suit better, it would give the designer a little more versatility in use, and personally, I could see this used in a pleated coat for autumn."
Ridge frowned, his arm still raised, poised to snatch back his work from the younger designer. Instead, he walked around to have a look at the particular design Marius was talking about, ready to put him back in his place, instead he grew thoughtful.
"What were you thinking?" he asked as he gazed at his design.
Marius quickly gave a brief outline of his initial thoughts, then he turned back to the very first design and proposed the type of dress he was thinking of to wear beneath it.
Ridge nodded, his mind beginning to come up with other possibilities, he flipped through some more designs until he came to what he was looking for and proposed a scarf and belt in the design to blend in with what Marius had come up with.
Marius nodded excitedly and soon they were engrossed in talks of patterns, designs, and all of the possibilities for his work.
"What on earth are you two doing?" Said Steffy from the doorway.
"We have a party going on and you two are up here gossiping like a couple of old hens," she added as she walked in to see what the two men were actually up to.
"Not gossiping pretty lady, we're having a design conference." Marius said with a smile.
"Dad?" Steffy asked
"We're discussing options for my work, and how it could be used," Sais Ridge patiently.
"You mean all the sketching you've been doing? I don't understand. I thought you were drawing the ocean and the land while you were in Australia."
"Partly," said Ridge, in the beginning I thought that was what I was going to do, but when I tried to start, I couldn't, the land was more than a simple drawing to me. So instead, I tried to interpret what I was seeing in a genre I knew, but instead of clothing, I tried to design fabrics in the colours of the country. I tried to capture the movement of the sand and animals, the sunsets, and sunrises, and how they clashed against the richness of the rocks and plants."
"They're stunning!" Said Marius as Ridge took a breath.
"We've been going over ideas for some of his fabrics for an Autumn Collection."
Steffy blinked in surprise, as did Ridge, "you're serious?" He asked to make sure he heard right.
"Of course I'm serious.
"Steffy," he said turning to his boss, "we were just discussing new fabric designs last week. I think you now have your answer. We should hire your father as head fabric designer. I need to work with these designs!"
Steffy walked over and picked up the sketch pad and started flipping through it. She immediately saw what Marius was talking about, the designs were rich, vibrant, they practically leapt from the page.
She smiled as she looked up at the two men who were both watching her, one with eagerness to begin work as soon as possible, and the other, her father, with a hint of trepidation.
"Steffy, you don't have to," he began.
"No, I've seen enough," she answered quietly.
"These designs are beautiful, and my head designer will whine like a baby unless I get their talented creator on board, so, what do you say dad, do you want to return to Forresters again?"
Ridge let out a deep breath and smiled.
"When do I start."