At the mansion, Nicole stated that Maya had been named after their grandfather, Myron Avant, but Maya replied that Nicole had never had an older brother. Nicole said she'd held Myron's birth certificate, but Maya said it was impossible.
Nicole recalled that Maya had never lived with Nicole. Maya said she'd moved out when Nicole had been very young. Nicole recalled that their mother had tried to give her a talk about sexually transmitted diseases and had shown her a book of girls with various diseases. Nicole hadn't understood it, and she'd gone looking for the book later.
When Nicole had found the book, she had also found a hospital bracelet, baby picture, and birth certificate for Myron Avant, a male child. Maya denied it was hers, but Nicole cited that the birth date matched Maya's. Maya tearfully admitted that it wasn't hers because she'd had hers changed.
Maya guessed that Nicole wanted money. Nicole was insulted and said she hadn't known what else to do besides blackmail to get Maya to admit that she was a "freak." Nicole declared that their whole lives were lies because of Maya.
Maya asked for Nicole's memory of Maya. Nicole said she'd leaned in to kiss an aunt at a wedding, and the aunt had whispered to tell Nicole's sister that Aunt Caroline had said hello. Maya said she'd always wondered if the aunt had known. Nicole, who'd been seven, had asked her parents about it, and her father admitted that Nicole had a sister who'd run away from home; however, they didn't talk about it to spare "mama's" feelings.
Nicole said she hadn't heard another word until a woman had shown up at her school, given her a velvet horse, and taken her for ice cream. Maya recalled that it had been Nicole's ninth birthday. Crying, Maya said she'd been very alone, and she'd wanted to know Nicole. Maya wanted to love Nicole because it had been hard to receive love under their parents' roof.
Nicole asked why Maya hadn't returned, but Maya said it had been impossible. Nicole stated that no one had said anything when Maya had walked her home. "Not until you went upstairs," Maya corrected. Nicole asserted that Maya could have taken her little sister with her.
Maya replied that she hadn't been able to do that, and there had been things she'd needed in Los Angeles that she hadn't been able to have access to until she'd turned twenty-one. Nicole noted that Maya looked different from the way she'd looked when the nine-year-old Nicole had seen her.
Nicole asked if Maya had always talked like a girl, and Maya asked how girls talked. Looking at Maya's breasts, Nicole said Maya hadn't been born with them. Maya claimed that no woman was, and Nicole said that even Maya's face was different.
Maya claimed that she'd grown into her body the same way Nicole had. Nicole wanted to know how many operations Maya had undergone and why Maya hadn't just worn the clothes. Maya asserted that being herself wasn't something she could take on and take off. "But if you didn't look right in the dress, didn't that tell you something? Mainly, that you were a boy?" Nicole asked.
Maya said she'd never been a boy. "I mean the way nature made you," Nicole added. Maya claimed it was the way she'd been born, and "every third woman" in town had had work done. Maya asked if Nicole would ask any of them how many procedures they'd had and question their womanhood because some rebuilding had been involved. "It's not the same thing, and you know it," Nicole replied.
Maya said she'd sensed that she'd worried her father from a young age, and others had caught on when she'd been about the same age as Nicole had been when Maya had picked her up from school. Maya insisted that she'd always known, but Nicole replied that kids didn't think like that.
Maya said she'd hated haircuts and Sundays, but she'd never complained about the freedom boys had that girls didn't. On Sundays, she'd believed she should have worn dresses like the other girls at church. Maya recalled that their mother had said she'd grow out of it, and a lot of boys played with dolls. Nicole stated that their mother had said the dolls were their mother's dolls.
Maya said their mother had made excuses for her and tried to protect her. Maya had often gotten beaten up and sent home from school, but she'd realized that she wasn't a freak. Maya asserted that the reason Nicole only knew Maya as her sister was because it was all Maya had ever been.
Nicole didn't understand how Rick didn't know and how Maya could have lied to Rick. Maya asserted that she had never told Rick a lie -- unlike Nicole. Nicole asked if that was how Maya convinced herself it was right and honest.
Maya claimed that she'd broken up with Rick in the past out of fear that he'd react like Nicole had. Maya claimed that she'd dated another man but had really been in love with Rick. Maya had decided to see if Rick would reject her instead of rejecting himself. Nicole pointed out that Maya still didn't know it, and Rick would find out when Maya needed paperwork to get married.
Maya repeated that she'd changed her birth certificate. It still needed to be ratified in Illinois, but it was legal in California. Maya said she'd had a medical problem that needed to be corrected to match her outside with her inside. Afterward, she'd felt like herself for the first time.
Maya asked if that was the point of living. She claimed that she had to love herself before someone else could love her. She felt that she could be there for Nicole at that point if Nicole let her.
At Forrester, Katie was worried about the pedestal that Rick was putting Maya on. Katie was sure that, because Maya was human, she'd disappoint Rick at some point. "Then what? More bullet holes in the walls?" Katie asked. He decided that he didn't want to settle for being realistic, and if he couldn't trust his partner, he'd rather be alone.
Katie stated that she and Brooke were friends again, and Katie wanted to be close to her nephew, too. Katie said he didn't have to believe that Maya was the only person he could count upon. Rick loved his aunt, but she was married to a guy who thought he was a head-case. Rick was sure Katie would choose Bill over Rick, and Rick said she'd have to forgive him if he preferred to turn to Maya, the woman he could count on.
Katie asked if he'd have children with Maya the way he'd planned to with Caroline. Rick recalled that Maya hadn't gotten over the child she'd lost. He imagined that he and Maya would have children when the time was right. Katie asked if he'd marry Maya, and he asked for a reason that he wouldn't.
At Brooke's house, Brooke sighed and said the trashing of the liquor seemed wasteful. Deacon replied that it wouldn't be a waste if she no longer got wasted. She thanked him. She knew she'd been awful to him through the years. She didn't know why he was there for her, but she was glad he was.
Deacon suggested that Brooke go to a meeting. Brooke assured Deacon that she wouldn't be calling him every minute. He said he'd once fantasized that he'd be the one to rescue her from everyone instead of being the one she needed rescuing from.
Deacon left, and Brooke sprayed air freshener around her house. She sat down, took a whiff, and smiled to herself. After a while, she smelled the alcohol in the trash and decided to take it out.
Later, Deacon arrived home, and Quinn showed him the text message he'd sent her earlier. "I-L-Y...does that mean 'I'm leaving you?'" she asked. Deacon stated that it meant that he loved her. She was surprised that, while helping some guy stay sober, Deacon had been thinking about that. He said that thinking of her and loving her made him happy.
Deacon asked if Quinn thought of him, too, in that loving, obsessing way. She said she thought of how long he'd be gone and when he'd get back to her. She asked how things had gone with the friend, and if "he'd" drink that night. "Who?" Deacon asked and quickly added. "No, not tonight."
Quinn was curious about the experience with the friend. Deacon said that he hadn't been to a meeting in a while, but someone new like his friend needed a sponsor. He thought he'd helped "'em," and doing so had made Deacon more committed to his sobriety. She wondered if he'd turn all inspirational and if she'd have to read self-help books. He told her not to do anything rash.
Quinn left to close down the warehouse, and Deacon called Brooke to see how she was doing. Brooke said she'd taken the bottles out to recycling, and Deacon had really helped. He told her that he wasn't helpful by nature and to take care. After the call, Deacon released a weighted sigh.
At the Forrester mansion, Maya had a heated discussion with her sister, Nicole, about Maya's decision to become a transgender female. Maya maintained she had nothing to be ashamed of and had nothing to hide. Nicole said she didn't understand.
Maya said she'd done what she'd had to do. Nicole asked about Maya's daughter. Maya said the girl had been her boyfriend's child. Maya had become her guardian and had raised her like her own. Maya reminded Nicole that the little girl had died in a car accident.
Maya shared that her life had changed a lot in the past decade, and she had never dreamed she'd be leading the life she had. Nicole wanted an explanation. Maya said that she'd been born male but had always wanted to be female. Maya noted that she was no different than people born with ailing hearts that needed to be rebuilt.
Maya insisted she would no longer apologize for who she was. She had put up with all the insults of people wondering about her breasts, what she'd had removed, and how many hormone pills she had taken because they could result in cancer. She added that people had asked why she couldn't just be gay.
Nicole pointed out that Maya would have to tell Rick she could not have children. Maya agreed, but she wanted some time to tell Rick about what had happened. Maya maintained that she would not lose Rick. She wanted to work everything out with him.
At Forrester, Rick sat in his office, and Ridge and Carter entered. Ridge wondered why they had been summoned. Rick shared that he had recently finished a meeting with Ridge's ex. Ridge looked suspicious, and Rick laughed that the ex had been Katie -- one of many of Ridge's exes.
Rick noted that Katie and Bill had apparently returned from their honeymoon. Ridge replied that he'd heard it had all been Champagne and fairy dust, but he wanted to know what Rick wanted from him and Carter. Rick said he'd wanted to discuss designs that Ridge and Caroline had completed. He said that while Caroline was in New York, taking springtime selfies, he wanted to finish the line and review jewelry. Rick asked Pam to call Ivy in.
In Ivy's office at Forrester, Ivy and Liam discussed that Ivy had been working too hard. Ivy said she had to keep Rick happy. Pam called and summoned Ivy to a meeting. Liam wanted to attend with her. Ivy wasn't keen on it, but Liam said it couldn't get any worse.
Liam promised to annoy Rick, and Ivy decided that was a good enough reason to attend. Ivy and Liam entered Rick's office, and Rick wondered why Liam was there. Liam reminded Rick that his father owned part of the company. Rick promised that he could easily ignore Liam's presence just as he would have ignored Liam's father.
Liam countered that it was too bad Rick hadn't inherited any of his father's concern for family, employees, and manners. Rick ignored him, and said "Ivy, Ivy, Ivy, I am heartbroken." He chided Ivy and said her designs were "adorbs" -- something he noted that Caroline would say. But he said she needed to up her game. Rick checked with Carter to see if they had a contract with Ivy, and Carter confirmed that they did not.
Liam noted that Rick was trying to humiliate Ivy, but Rick said he needed her to develop some edgier designs. Rick felt that she needed to have some bold, sleek items that worked with the Forrester style. Ivy agreed she could do that.
Liam argued that Rick needed to improve his method of communicating with employees and asking for feedback. Ivy interrupted and said she would create something gutsier. Rick encouraged Ivy to make something like "Quinn used to dream up."
Rick added that Ivy and the design team should think about Maya when they designed necklaces and clothing -- how things would look on her because she was the lead model, and her femininity should be considered.
Rick left, followed by Liam and Ivy. Carter and Ridge discussed Rick. Ridge said Rick had been completely wrong about Ivy's jewelry. He added that it had always been Rick's style to terrorize people then say something nice. "He perfected it with his mother," Ridge said. Pam entered and encouraged Ridge to be a good big brother to Rick. Ridge maintained that would never happen.
In Ivy's office, Liam was angry that Rick had started a full frontal assault on Ivy, but Ivy said she had a bulletproof vest. Liam promised to soften the blow of Rick's insults. Liam offered keys to his home. Ivy refused to take them, but Liam insisted that if Ivy and Aly needed to get away from Rick, they could get into his house. She accepted the keys and kissed him.
At the Forrester mansion, Nicole lamented that Maya had left her with parents who were never happy. Maya apologized but added that she'd had to save herself and live her own life. Maya promised to be the woman Rick wanted as long as he wanted her. Nicole reminded Maya that Rick would want children, and she could never have a child of her own. Maya added that she hoped Rick didn't call her a freak as Nicole had.
Maya said she would tell Rick on her own terms, and if she lost him, she would have to live with it. Rick entered and hugged Maya.
Maya said she had lost track of time, and she had not made the martinis yet. Rick gushed that he had the love of a woman he thought he'd never meet. He praised her love, beauty integrity, honesty, and more. Rick hugged her, and Maya looked at Nicole.
At the Forrester mansion, Rick and Maya shared martinis in the living room, and Nicole sat with them. Rick gushed to Nicole that what he loved most about Maya was her self-acceptance. Maya knew herself, and she didn't apologize for it, Rick said. Maya smiled.
Nicole listened intently. Maya inquired about Rick's day, and they discussed Ivy. Rick said Ivy had been difficult, and Maya agreed. Rick said he didn't like Ivy's attitude. Nicole wondered what the problem was because she liked Ivy.
Rick explained that Ivy was his cousin, but she dated Liam, who was Caroline's cousin. Nicole guessed that Ivy supported Caroline. Rick said Ivy had accused Maya of being a gold-digger and pretending to be something she wasn't. "The irony was that Caroline was the one keeping secrets," Rick said.
Rick explained that Maya had been totally up-front with him. Nicole noted that Maya would never take advantage of him. Nicole offered to talk to Ivy and smooth things over. Rick agreed it might be a good idea, but Maya refused. Maya didn't want anyone interfering in a personal issue. Maya said that if Ivy had done something wrong at Forrester, Rick should fire her, but they had no reason to discuss a personal issue with Ivy.
Nicole argued that she would be happy to try. Maya adamantly refused and asked Nicole to leave the room so she could have some time alone with Rick. After Nicole left, Maya looked uncomfortable, and Rick wondered what was wrong. "Rick, there is something I need to tell you," she said.
At Ridge's place, Bill visited Ridge. Bill eyed the painting of Caroline and teased that Ridge had to have liked becoming an artist in Europe. Ridge agreed. Ridge asked what Bill wanted, and Bill talked about Ridge's designing abilities.
Ridge wondered if Bill had been concerned about him. Bill said that he was concerned about Forrester because he owned part of it. Bill said the Forresters had a thing for paintings. Rick had a giant portrait of Maya in the Forrester mansion, and Ridge had one of Bill's niece.
Bill stared disapprovingly at the portrait of Caroline. Ridge said Caroline was beautiful and had offered to pose for it. "It's my niece. It's disgusting," Bill said. Ridge promised to share Bill's review of the painting with Caroline.
Bill wanted to know if Ridge had thought about the takeover. Ridge said it couldn't happen without Steffy. Ridge handed Bill a beer, and Bill worried that the company might not last long if Rick remained at the helm. Ridge said he felt things would turn around.
Bill countered that Ridge and Rick had daddy issues, and daddy had apparently chosen Rick over Ridge. Ridge said that Rick would fall soon enough. Bill said Liam had been interested in the takeover because of the way Rick treated Ivy. Ridge noted that Liam was preoccupied with Ivy.
Bill asked how much it would cost to take over, and Ridge said Forrester wasn't for sale. Bill disagreed. Bill wondered what, if anything, Ridge and Caroline had in common. Ridge told Bill to remember that Caroline had been fresh off a divorce. Bill noted that the six-month waiting period was a good thing because people changed their minds. Ridge said that Rick had lost his mind.
Ridge reminded Bill that Rick was out of the picture because he was with Maya. Bill worried that the company needed leadership, but it had done extremely well because of Ridge and Caroline's designs. Ridge predicted that Rick would eventually go off the deep end. He added that Maya had a lot to do with it, and her sister was in town. "You never knew what you're going to get with Maya Avant," Bill said.
At Liam's, Ivy entered and said it was nice to be away from Forrester and Rick. Liam said that Rick didn't know what he'd been talking about when he'd insulted Ivy's work. Liam promised a special evening to take Ivy's mind off Rick. "Rick who?" asked Ivy playfully.
Liam handed Ivy a glass of wine, and they discussed that Ivy could work from Liam's house, but Ivy teased that Liam would never do well with the clutter she would have. Ivy encouraged Liam to tell her more about the surprise evening he'd planned for her. "Is it a Ferrari? Because I've always wanted one," Ivy joked.
Ivy lamented that she and Rick had been cousins and on friendly terms at one time, but when Rick had lost Caroline to Ridge, Rick had taken it out on everyone. Later, Liam cooked Ivy dinner, and they fed each other dessert. Ivy thanked Liam for a great evening, and Liam joked that Ivy could always kiss up to Maya to get on Rick's good side.
Ivy shared that Rick and Maya had treated Aly and Ivy horribly at the Forrester house. Liam wondered if Rick and Maya were really in love. Ivy thought they were. Ivy had originally thought Rick was on the rebound after Caroline, but it seemed that Rick and Maya had been sticking together like glue. Ivy added that with Nicole living at the Forrester house, it was a different dynamic because Nicole seemed to annoy Maya.
At the Forrester mansion, Rick wondered what was wrong that Maya was so serious. He suggested that it was something with her sister, and she could share anything she wanted with him. Maya said it was serious, and she added that she wasn't perfect. Rick noted that no one was perfect, Maya said she'd never regretted anything she'd done.
Rick praised Maya because she had always been honest. Rick wondered if they were talking about something specific. Maya said that everything she had done to become the woman sitting in front of him had been worth it. Rick noted that she had become a different person since she'd left her family, and he added that nothing that had happened could be as bad as she was making it seem.
Maya maintained that it was very personal. Rick had hoped that Maya and Nicole could be close again, but he understood how difficult it was because he had siblings he couldn't stand, and they had complicated relationships.
Rick worried that Nicole didn't appreciate Maya, and he apologized because he had invited Nicole to live there. Rick said that if Nicole didn't appreciate Maya, they should find her another place to live. Nicole entered and overheard the conversation. Nicole confronted Maya and asked if that was what Maya wanted. Maya looked nervous.
At Ridge's place, Bill had gone, and Ridge sketched some designs. He looked at his painting of Caroline and flashed back to their first drawings together. He recalled guiding her hand to create Forrester designs, and he remembered how their romance had blossomed. He flashed back to a series of kisses and making love with Caroline, ending with the evening they had painted each other. He smiled at the memories.
At the mansion, Rick told Nicole it was a private conversation. Nicole felt it was too bad, but she'd heard it. She asked if Maya wanted her gone or if they'd take the chance at being sisters. Rick guessed that he'd moved to quickly by asking Nicole to move in.
Rick had observed tension between the sisters. Nicole said it wasn't from her. He reasoned that he had to respect Maya's feeling, but they'd take care of Nicole and get her a place nearby. Nicole acknowledged that the road to sisterhood had been bumpy, but she said the best way to smooth it was to remain together, not apart. Nicole asked what the conspicuously quiet Maya thought.
Maya said that Rick's first instincts had been right, but it wasn't easy being with her sister after so much time apart. She admitted to being guarded and protective of herself. She wanted the chance to become real sisters, and she wanted to be a woman Nicole could respect and look up to. Maya said that if Nicole wanted the same, then Maya wanted Nicole to stay.
Nicole wanted to be there if Maya really wanted it. Maya said she did, and Rick figured that all the sisters had to overcome was distance, which should be a cinch. He left so they could get started.
Alone with Maya, Nicole said she hadn't arrived there to blackmail Maya. She just wanted to be a part of the life Maya had built. Nicole was proud of her big sister and wanted to be close to her. "But I have expectations," Nicole added.
Nicole wanted to be treated like family, not a misaddressed package. She wanted Maya to look out for her and share the wealth. Maya asked what Nicole wanted her to share. Nicole thought "share" might be the wrong word and mentioned having trouble with her car lease. Maya claimed not to have the authority to lend out Forrester vehicles.
"Then ask Rick -- or not!" Nicole stated and added that it was just an example of reaching out. Nicole said it wasn't about material things; she just wanted to feel like family. Maya agreed that she could be more welcoming; however, Maya insisted that Nicole let Maya handle her past in her own way. Maya asserted that unless Rick proposed, he could not know that she was transgender. Grinning, Nicole said it was no problem, and if Maya took care of Nicole, Nicole would take care of Maya.
At Brooke's house, Katie and Brooke set the coffee table to eat their takeout. Brooke frowned nervously as she watched Katie open some wine. Brooke hid a twinge as Katie set a glass before her.
Katie asked about Brooke's involvement in Forrester. Brooke said Rick was in charge and doing a good job. She was sure he didn't want his mother looking over his shoulder. Brooke watched every drop of wine Katie sipped, and Katie asked if Brooke had experienced a big change since Milan. Brooke said she'd been needed overseas, but back home, it seemed as if the world had passed her by.
Katie asked what Brooke was doing with herself. Brooke said she'd been thinking, figuring it all out. Katie felt that Brooke needed to get out of the house more and visit Will. "You've been alone too long," Katie added, and Brooke stared at the wine.
Brooke strode to her bar for a bottle of water. She told her sister not to worry about her and insisted she was just adjusting to being alone. Brooke asked if Katie had enjoyed it. Katie admitted that when Bill had been gone, she'd felt as if the house would swallow her, but she'd forced herself to focus on her present, future, and Will. Katie's job had helped, and she suggested that Brooke return to work.
Brooke said Rick deserved to be in control of Forrester, and Katie suggested that Brooke do volunteer work. Katie added that she'd be there if the walls felt as if they were caving in. Brooke said she knew she could count on Katie, but Brooke needed to navigate things on her own. She needed to figure out who the newly single and independent Brooke was.
Katie left, and Brooke cleaned up. She picked up her untouched wine glass and sniffed it. Panicked, she charged outside and with the glass and bottle. Brooke poured the wine into the fountain by the porch. She sat on the stoop and wiped away tears.
At Quinn's loft, Deacon told Quinn to stop staring at her diamond. Quinn loved her ring and said if it had tons of carats, she wouldn't be able to wear it a lot. She did note that she might change it design-wise, though. He offered to reset it, but she protested because he'd picked it out for her.
Deacon noticed a look in Quinn's eyes, and she took off for the bedroom. She returned to the living room in dominatrix mode. She blindfolded Deacon and commanded him to get down on his knees.
Later, Deacon was huffing and puffing about the things "you do to me." He'd never met a woman like Quinn before and planned to put it in writing the day they got married. "If we're allowed to get married," Quinn replied. Deacon said Brooke couldn't stop their runaway train. With a kiss, Quinn thanked him for "one hell of a ride."
Deacon poured Quinn some wine and grabbed water for himself. She refused the drink, and he said she didn't have to do that. Quinn asked what would happen if he tasted wine on her lips. He didn't know. She said she didn't plan to make his sobriety difficult for him, so they'd share the water.
Quinn turned to wedding talk. She relayed her dream of a big wedding but figured no one would attend. She knew Wyatt would be there and asked if Hope would attend. Deacon didn't know. Quinn theorized that Hope could take along some Forresters and Logans and maybe Bill. "Bill?" Deacon rasped.
"Maybe not, so just Wyatt," Quinn relented and grinned. It wasn't much of a guest list to her, and she asked how it was that they had no friends. She remembered his friend from the meetings and asked if Deacon wanted to invite "him." Deacon said it defeated the point, and Quinn remembered that things were supposed to be anonymous. She concluded that guests were overrated.
Quinn showed Deacon a picture on her laptop. Surprised, he guessed it was her wedding dress. She said the lace softened it a bit. He concluded that it was different but definitely sexy.
Quinn conveyed her idea of having a ceremony at night with candles and bonfires. Deacon said it sounded witchy like her. He liked it. "You are such a turn-on. I can't believe I caught you," he added. Quinn quipped that no one caught her, and they kissed.
In the morning at Brooke's house, Brooke answered her phone for Deacon. He asked if she was going to the meeting and if she needed a ride. Brooke didn't need one and said she'd see him there.
Katie called next and invited Brooke to brunch. Katie planned to call Donna, too, but Brooke said she had somewhere to be. Katie asked Brooke to stop in to see Will first, but Brooke said she couldn't.
At Katie's house, Katie decided to go see Brooke. Bill stated that Brooke would figure out that Katie was just checking up on her sister. Katie realized that, but she was worried. She said that Brooke had been confident she could handle things on her own, but Katie didn't believe it.
Katie contemplated having Donna check in on Brooke or having Stephen call Brooke, but Bill stated that Will was the one who needed babysitting. Katie couldn't shake her concern that Brooke didn't do well when she was lonely. She hoped Brooke didn't reach out to the wrong person.
Katie thanked Bill for trying to be a good listener, even though he thought she was overreacting. It made her feel loved. He said she was overreacting, and she was loved. The two kissed.
At Quinn's loft, Quinn had overheard Deacon checking in with his A.A. friend, which she still assumed was a male. Deacon said he had to get going to a meeting. Quinn was proud of Deacon, and grinning, she said she'd find a way to reward him for the chips he earned.
Deacon left, and Quinn received a call from Rick, who wanted to meet her that day. She pretended to check her schedule then said she could make time for him.
At the A.A. meeting, Brooke and Deacon arrived and sat separately. When the meeting started, a woman explained that she'd succumbed to the urge to patronize a liquor store on her way home from work. Because her child had been unexpectedly home and had disapprovingly stared at the brown paper bag, she'd garnered the strength to get rid of the alcohol.
Brooke shared that she hadn't had a drink, but she'd been tempted. She uttered that she didn't like being drunk, but she didn't like being alone, either. She confessed that she was very lonely. She'd always had family, male companions, and her kids around her, but people were no longer around. She was alone in her big, empty house. She confessed that her sister's wedding had been hard to get through, and the most difficult time for her had been when her sister had been on her honeymoon.
The meeting leader asked what had helped Brooke not to drink. "A friend," Brooke uttered, and Deacon turned to her to listen. The leader asked if the friend was also an alcoholic, and when Brooke admitted it, he added that it was good to have a friend who understood. Deacon stated that it was good to reach out to someone who understood and had felt the same loneliness.
Brooke said her friend was special. He knew the worst about her but still cared. She hadn't been good to him, and she didn't know why he didn't hate her. She just knew that he was there to help her make it through each day. She said she knew that if she called, he'd be there.
After the meeting concluded, Deacon thanked Brooke for what she'd said and reiterated that he'd be there for her if she called.
Sometime after the meeting, Brooke was at home when Deacon arrived. He guessed that he should have called first. Brooke noted that he'd been there for her, and she would be there for him if he felt tempted. "Brooke, I'm tempted -- but not by alcohol," Deacon revealed.
Frowning, Brooke asked what Deacon was talking about. Deacon didn't even know. He guessed the sobriety was messing with his head. He asked if she'd meant what she'd said at the meeting. "Every word," Brooke replied. She said she was becoming more positive and getting her footing because of his help. She really appreciated it. Brooke touched his shoulder, and he blurted out that he was engaged.
"I know," Brooke said in a tone indicating that he'd been pointing out the obvious. Deacon stated that he and Quinn were ready to build a life together, and Brooke interjected that it was a mistake. He conveyed that he couldn't get the unobtainable Brooke out of his head or stop wondering if he could have one more chance with her. He couldn't help but hope that something had changed through their new bonding and with Ridge out of the picture.
Deacon asserted that Brooke didn't have to be lonely, and he might be what she was looking for. "'Cause I'm feeling it. I know I am, and I think you're feeling it, too. So I've gotta ask you. Is there a chance for us? Is there, Brooke?" Deacon asked.
At Forrester, Rick asked Pam to cancel his meeting with Ivy. Pam asked when to reschedule it, but he emphasized that he'd said to cancel -- and that was all. Pam left, and Wyatt arrived to speak with Rick. Rick stated that Wyatt's timing was impeccable.
Later, Pam saw Quinn in the corridor and announced that she was calling the police. Quinn said she was on the approved list, and Charlie had let her in because Rick wanted to see her. Quinn charged into the CEO's office, despite Pam's protests, and Rick told Pam that he'd invited Quinn. The perplexed Wyatt asked why Rick had asked to see Quinn.
Rick stated that he was the CEO, which meant that he could hire and fire people. He asked if Quinn would want her old job if it were available. Quinn enthusiastically answered that she would, and he wondered if they could make it happen. Quinn was sorry to hear that Ivy hadn't worked out.
Rick stated that he was keeping Ivy -- "for now" -- but he needed more out of her. He'd decided that some healthy competition might do the trick. "Not that I'd pit you two against each other," he added.
Wyatt asked if Rick was ready for the employee backlash. Rick claimed that he had to think of what was best for the company, even if it meant a few disgruntled employees. He said he'd gotten a lot of requests for Quinn's work, and she'd been missed. She asked if it meant he was rehiring her.
Rick still wasn't happy with how Quinn had treated his sister and asked what the price of Quinn's craziness would be. Quinn professed that she was a changed woman and asked Wyatt to vouch for it. Grinning, she stated that Deacon had drawn out the best in her.
Rick offered Quinn her old salary with more hours. Quinn readily agreed, and Rick welcomed her back. She couldn't believe it. He asked her to stick around, so he could make it official. She promised that she wouldn't let him down. She said she could separate her personal and professional lives, Rick wouldn't even remember her past, and she'd be employee of the year.
Rick thought it might be a good idea to order some employee plaques for morale boosting. He told Quinn not to make him regret his choice. He left to set up his announcement, and Quinn beamed that she'd be working with Wyatt again. Wyatt was strangely quiet, but in a sing-song tone, she exclaimed that she and Deacon were "gonna celebrate" that night.
