At Brooke's house, Ridge talked to Brooke about how things were going at home. Although he'd previously told her that she should stay on her trip, he felt that he could use a hug. After Ridge's call with Brooke, Katie asked Ridge if her sister could get a flight home. Ridge replied that Brooke was trying but not hopeful, and he was really missing his wife. Katie hugged him.
Nearby, Wyatt thanked Sally for being there. Sally didn't know where else she'd be at a time like that. Wyatt stated that being there could be awkward for her. She assured him that none of it mattered anymore. She was actually glad that Thomas had taken the time with Caroline when he'd had the chance -- for Douglas' sake.
By the sofa, Thomas offered Douglas some fruit, but Douglas wanted mac and cheese the way his mother "makes" it. Douglas said she made it better than Thomas, and Thomas agreed. Steffy took Douglas to the kitchen to check grandpa's pantry for the dish.
Eric let Thomas know that Thorne was available at any time to talk. Eric began to mention Aly, but Thomas cut Eric off, saying he'd reach out to Thorne.
Thomas thanked everyone for being there. He stated that he and Douglas needed to be with family and friends. Taylor said everyone was there for them. Seconding it, Bill stated that they'd also help Dani and Karen with any arrangements if they needed it.
Thomas conveyed that Dani and Karen had agreed to let him have the memorial in Los Angeles, but he had no idea where to start. Quinn assured him that they'd make calls and handle things for him. Thomas said he'd never thought he'd have to plan anything like that or that he'd have to say goodbye. Taylor hugged him.
Later, Steffy ended a call with Amelia. Liam offered to go to the house to relieve Amelia, but Steffy told him that he was needed where he already was. He replied that she was needed there, too. Agreeing, Steffy stated that she'd be there for as long as her brother needed her; however, Steffy still thought it was best to take the trip and give Hope some space.
On the sofa, Douglas spoke with Hope. Thomas approached, and Douglas said that Hope was nice. He told Thomas that she thought she could make mac and cheese like his mother. Hope stated that she'd need Douglas to help her. Thomas asked if Hope was sure about it. Nodding, Hope replied that it would give Thomas a chance to talk freely for a while.
Hope and Douglas went to the kitchen. Sally noted to Thomas that Douglas was an awesome kid. It meant a lot to Thomas that Sally was being supportive after what had happened between them. Sally stated that it had been best for them, and even though she'd hated it at first, she believed that he'd done the right thing.
Sally said Thomas had given Douglas memories of his parents and family together. Thomas wondered how much of it the child really would remember. Sally replied that Douglas would remember the stories and the pictures, and everyone else would help keep Caroline alive.
Wyatt chimed in, affirming that they'd all make sure Caroline remained alive for Douglas. Wyatt joked that there were hours of reading on social media alone. Liam said Thomas might want to steer Douglas clear of Caroline's pre-motherhood posts because they were edgy.
Steffy replied that Douglas should know that side of her mother, too. Steffy recalled that Caroline had been wild and fun and unafraid to let her online followers know it. "Or her real-life followers, either," Eric added. Bill remarked that she'd had charm and charisma.
Nodding, Thomas recalled when he'd seen Caroline step out of the car on her first day in town. "I knew right then and there that I -- I don't know anything, did I?" Thomas tearfully asked.
Later, while Douglas was still out of the room, everyone sat down to discuss what had happened to Caroline. Bill conveyed that Karen hadn't been able to get the words out when she'd told him about the blood clot. Thomas relayed that neither he nor Douglas had been there when it had happened, and it had occurred very fast.
Thomas hadn't been able to help Caroline's mothers with the details because he'd had to support his son. He feared that Douglas was "so alone." Taylor replied that it wasn't so and that they were all there. Steffy affirmed that Douglas, a Forrester and Spencer, would never be alone.
Thomas said that the child seemed to be handling it well, but that might be because it hadn't sunk in yet. Eric said it hadn't sunk in for any of them. Worried about the motherless Douglas, Thomas wished he knew what to do.
Later, Steffy made calls to delay her meetings and trip to Paris. Afterward, she told her mother that family had to be first. Agreeing, Taylor hoped Steffy could see that even more in light of Caroline's death. Steffy knew what Taylor was getting at. Taylor thought that Steffy should take Hope up on her offer and go to Liam, but Steffy insisted that Hope hadn't been in her right mind when she'd made the offer.
By the fireplace, Ridge called for everyone's attention. He said that he also remembered the day Caroline had first arrived in town, and he remembered her. He decided that it might be nice for everyone to say what they remembered about her.
Starting first, Taylor said she'd always remember Caroline's determination and commitment to excellence. Sally knew Caroline's work, and she admired and respected Caroline for it. Quinn remarked that Caroline's designs had always made Quinn's work easy. Quinn had always thought Caroline would be back at Forrester someday.
Eric remembered Caroline's smile and said the holidays would never be the same. Katie said that Caroline had had a presence. Steffy remembered Caroline's confidence. Liam stated that Caroline had been his and Wyatt's cousin, but she'd felt like a sister. Wyatt couldn't imagine the trouble they would have gotten into if they'd grown up with her. Bill didn't even want to think about that.
Thomas told Bill that Caroline had cared about him. Bill replied that Thomas didn't have to say it. Agreeing that he didn't, Thomas stated that Caroline would want him to convey how important Bill -- and every one of them -- had been to her, especially Ridge, her mentor.
Ridge asserted that he was a designer because of two people; Eric had taught Ridge to draw, and Caroline had taught him to draw again. He said that he'd lost his way, and she'd helped him find it through her hands. Eric responded that they were all grateful for that, and the remarkable Caroline had been taken from them too soon.
A song played over a montage of memories of Caroline.
In the kitchen, Hope and Douglas worked on the macaroni and cheese. Douglas stated that his mother had said he'd make an excellent sous chef. Hope complimented his vocabulary and called him a cool kid. He replied that she was a cool adult.
Stirring the mixture in the bowl, Douglas asked what Hope knew about heaven. his father had told him it was where his mother was. Hope replied that her daughter was there, too. Douglas wondered what the place was like, and she replied that one didn't know until one got there.
Douglas' father had told him that people didn't come back from heaven. Hope affirmed it, and Douglas concluded that his mother wasn't in heaven because his mother was coming back. He stated that she had to because she'd said she'd never leave him. He didn't know why his mother had gone away, but he was adamant that she'd be back.
Hope said Caroline would if she could, and Caroline would never leave Douglas on purpose. Hope explained that it hadn't been Caroline's choice, and Caroline had had an accident. Douglas contended that he'd had accidents, and he was still there. Hope replied that he hadn't had the type of accidents that took one to heaven.
Though Hope didn't know what heaven was like, she did know that the people there could see them, watch over them, and take care of them. "Like angels, you mean!" Douglas responded. He assumed that Hope's daughter was an angel, and he decided that Hope's daughter and his mother could be angels together. He said his mother could teach Hope's daughter to be a sous chef, too. Hope said she'd like that a lot.
By the door, Taylor watched as Hope gave Douglas a bowl of food. He said the food looked like what his mother had made. He told Hope that he wanted "her." Hope knew it and believed that his mother wanted to be there with him, too. Hope said Caroline would always look over him from heaven. Douglas replied that heaven was too far away, and he needed a mother right there. Hope hugged him and said she was there for him.
At Brooke's house after the memorial service, Thomas and Douglas sat with Ridge, Taylor, Eric, Quinn, Pam, Hope, and Maya. Eric wished that Dani and Karen hadn't hurried back to New York. Thomas figured that the mothers' memories of their daughter were back east. Pam wanted to fetch the food in the kitchen, but Taylor decided to do it and get a snack for Douglas.
As Taylor stood up, Thomas mentioned how nice it had been to see Steffy with her girls. Quinn remarked that Steffy was going to Paris. The snippy Taylor affirmed it, adding that Steffy should have gone a few days earlier but had wanted to be there for Thomas -- and out of respect. "Oh, boy," Ridge groaned and followed Taylor as she marched toward the kitchen.
By the front door, Ridge asked Taylor how she was doing. Taylor admitted that she was disappointed. She tersely asked why Steffy had postponed her trip but Brooke couldn't find any way to be there. Ridge said Brooke had been trying to get there and would be there soon. Ridge told Taylor that it wasn't about her or Brooke; it was about being there for Thomas and Douglas. "Exactly," Taylor quipped.
Behind the sofa, Thomas gazed at the family pictures. He thanked everyone for their support. Los Angeles was home to him. It had been where he'd met Caroline and where Douglas had been born. He believed that everyone would make it feel like home for Douglas. Eric assured Thomas that he and Douglas would have a home there with them, and everyone would help Thomas to find happiness again.
Quinn, Eric, Pam, and Maya prepared to leave. Maya offered to let Douglas hang out with Lizzy whenever he wanted to. She conveyed that even though she and Caroline had had their differences, she'd carry Caroline's apology and the lesson of forgiveness with her forever.
Pam offered to be there for anything that Thomas needed. Quinn hugged Thomas, and Eric invited Douglas to visit him at any time. Eric said they'd draw together, like Eric and Thomas had done. As Ridge and Taylor saw the others out, Hope offered to take Douglas with her to the cabin and said his father could pick him up when it was time to go.
Hope and Douglas left through the terrace, and Thomas asked his parents if it would always be that hard. Ridge and Taylor assured him that it would get easier and that they'd be with him every step of the way. Ridge said that Thomas would take care of his boy, and Ridge and Taylor would take care of theirs.
Taylor hoped that day hadn't been too much for her son. Thomas felt that it had been good and said Douglas needed to be around family and friends. She reminded Thomas that he did, too. Thomas couldn't think about himself while helping Douglas deal with things. Taylor offered to help him find a grief counselor for children and groups to help Douglas feel like a normal kid.
Nothing felt normal to Thomas. Ridge remarked that it would take time, and Thomas had lost the woman he loved. Thomas said that he'd loved Caroline, but they hadn't been together. Confused, Taylor stated that Thomas had moved to New York to be with her. "To help raise our son," Thomas replied. Ridge said Thomas had left Sally to be with Caroline.
Thomas affirmed it but said it just hadn't worked. He and Caroline had become great co-parents. Taylor was thrown off guard by the news. Thomas said it hadn't made Caroline's passing any less painful for him. She'd been his son's mother, and they'd been a family. Ridge asserted that they still were, and Ridge wanted Thomas and Douglas to move in there.
"With you and Brooke?" Taylor asked. Ridge asked why not. He said it was where people went when they wanted to figure out the next step. He knew that Taylor wanted them at the cliff house, but Ridge figured Douglas and Thomas would be lonely while Taylor was visiting Steffy and the girls in Europe.
Taylor agreed with Ridge. She urged her son to call her at any time. She'd really cared for Caroline, who'd given her the wonderful gift of a grandson. Taylor wished there was a way to take away Thomas' pain.
Later, Taylor was alone with Ridge. She was still disillusioned by the news that Thomas and Caroline hadn't been a couple and guessed she'd been too busy getting her life together to see it. Ridge said that the pair had been living together and raising Douglas. Taylor emphasized that they hadn't been romantically involved. Ridge didn't think that changed the way Thomas felt about Caroline.
Taylor began to have a revelation. She said she'd seen something the other day, and she hadn't known what to make of it until then. She described watching Douglas and Hope bond in the kitchen and said Hope had been consoling Douglas.
Ridge didn't find anything surprising about that. Taylor explained that real healing could happen when two grieving people bonded through a crisis. Ridge asked what Taylor was getting at. Taylor replied that Hope and Douglas needed each other. Douglas was a little boy in need of a mother, and Hope was a mother in need of a child.
At the cabin, Thomas slipped in through the front door as Hope and Douglas played "Go Fish." Hope had never played against a pro like him. Douglas said that his parents had taught him. He beamed that he was having fun, and Hope replied that she was having fun with him, too.
At Spencer, Katie, Bill, Justin, Liam, Wyatt, and Sally gathered. Katie thought that what Bill and Liam had said at the memorial had been moving. Bill wished he could have said it to Caroline's face. Katie stated that Caroline had known how Bill had felt about her, and she'd forgiven him. Justin stated that Caroline had been a Spencer through and through.
Bill said he'd miss Caroline more than he could express. The family talked about Caroline, who'd been a force and a genius at getting her own way. They admired her determination and drive. Sally said Caroline had proven that one didn't have to be a Forrester to make it at Forrester Creations. Bill stated that Caroline had been most proud of Douglas, the little boy who'd meant everything to her.
Wyatt appreciated the way Caroline had always let people know what had been on her mind. Katie quipped that Caroline had had no filter, just like her uncle. Liam recalled that Caroline had been completely real and hadn't had a problem telling anyone if she'd been sad or "pissed." Justin said she'd had the Spencer temper and could go off like fireworks.
Wyatt swore he'd seen steam coming out of Caroline's ears. Sally asked if they were supposed to remember the good things about Caroline. Liam replied that "that" had been one of the best things about his fierce cousin. He could still hear her laugh. Liam stated that Caroline would have been the first to say that she hadn't been perfect, but she had been an inspiration.
Liam didn't think Caroline would want them to be sad while remembering her. "Or regret the things that it's too late to apologize for," Wyatt said, looking at the somber Bill. Bill told them that Caroline had been more than a niece; she'd been a daughter to him. It had been his job to look out for Caroline.
Liam and Wyatt thought Caroline had done a good job looking out for herself and Douglas. Bill said he hadn't always done the right thing for Caroline, but he would do what was best for her son, starting with keeping her memory alive for him. Bill said it had been a dark time for their family. They'd been fractured and divided, and they'd suffered a terrible loss. He vowed that they'd pull together and get through it, stronger and closer than ever.
At Ridge's house, Taylor tried to convince Ridge that Thomas and Hope would make a good match. She reasoned that their grandson had lost his mother, and Hope had lost a child. Taylor had watched Hope and Douglas bond, and she was positive that they could form a family.
Ridge was surprised that Taylor would suggest something like that, and he tried to make her understand that everyone was worried about Douglas but that her suggestion was off base. Taylor insisted that she was right. "The reality is Douglas needs a mother, and Hope desperately needs a child," she said.
Ridge tried to be understanding because he recognized that Taylor was distraught. Taylor repeated her suggestion that Hope and Thomas could be together because they had been in love at one time. Ridge reminded Taylor that Hope was married to Liam.
Taylor maintained that Steffy and Liam would have been together if Bill hadn't interfered. Taylor knew that Steffy still loved Liam, and they had a family together.
Ridge argued that Liam and Steffy were working on their family while Liam was married to Hope. Taylor wanted Liam and Steffy to live under one roof together with the girls.
Taylor wanted Ridge to "step up" and fight for his daughter's happiness with Liam. Ridge was offended and said that Liam and Hope were happy. Taylor wouldn't let up. Ridge refused to push for Hope to lose her husband. Taylor insisted that Hope had tried to push Liam away. Taylor added that she knew that Liam would eventually return to Steffy. "Thomas is grieving," she said.
Ridge told Taylor that she needed to stop with her idea that Thomas and Hope should be together. Taylor started to cry and said it was devastating that Douglas had lost his mother. "It's too much," she said. Ridge hugged Taylor and told her to take a breath. Taylor lamented that their family had fallen apart, and she said nothing had been the same "since I lost you."
Taylor hugged Ridge, and she suddenly said she'd never stopped loving him. She kissed him, and Ridge gently pushed her away. Brooke was watching from the front door -- unnoticed by Ridge or Taylor. Ridge told Taylor to put the conversation and the kiss behind them. He walked away from her.
Taylor tried to compose herself. Brooke said she was sorry about Caroline's tragic death and for being gone during the memorial service. Brooke thanked Taylor "for being there for Ridge -- he was really upset by this."
Brooke noted that "tragic times like these bring people together." She added that emotions could be raw, and people could be vulnerable; however, she raised her voice and warned that what she had walked in on was inappropriate and unacceptable. Brooke was furious, and Taylor looked smug.
At Hope and Liam's cabin, Hope played Go Fish with Douglas, and Thomas watched. Douglas won another game, and Hope marveled at his skill. Thomas teased that Hope wasn't a very good player, but Douglas defended her and said she's "not so bad -- just not as good as Mom."
Thomas told Douglas that the cabin was built on property that had a buried treasure outside. Hope agreed, and Douglas wanted to know what kind of treasure. Thomas said it was gold and lollipops. He presented a lollipop to Douglas and acted as if it had magically appeared behind Douglas' ear. Hope marveled at the magic, and Douglas duplicated the trick for her. Hope called him a wizard.
Later, Hope and Douglas danced and sang to the "Baby Shark" video on a laptop. They laughed, and Thomas did, too. Douglas wanted to play outside, and Thomas told him to stay close to the house. Thomas told Hope that he and Douglas would be staying at Ridge and Brooke's house. Hope assured him that he would be fine. Thomas was worried that he had suddenly become a single parent, and it was scary. "We're all here for both of you," Hope said. Thomas thanked her and said she had been amazing with Douglas.
At Spencer, Katie and Bill discussed that the memorial service for Caroline had been beautiful, and they both felt for Caroline's mothers. Bill was worried that they had lost their only child, and he felt guilty that he had three healthy sons and a thriving granddaughter. He said it was a reminder of how fragile life was. He said that family was important, and Katie complimented him on leading the Spencer family through a difficult time. Bill thanked her for being there for him.
Bill regretted the mistakes he'd made with Caroline. Katie was understanding. She acknowledged that he had been working to repair relationships that were important to him. She knew that Will understood, too. "You're making me remember the man I fell in love with," Katie said. He grabbed her hand and thanked her. They joked that they looked forward to bumping into each other again soon.
In another office at Spencer, Justin, Donna, Wyatt, Sally, and Liam said they were all concerned about Douglas. They all praised Caroline as a mother and a wonderful woman who had been full of life.
Liam and Wyatt noted that Bill was a different man, and Donna agreed. So did Sally. They agreed Bill had a soft spot for his niece -- and Katie. They were all in agreement that Bill and Katie might get back together, but Sally said they were very different. Justin said they were yin and yang.
Later, when Liam and Wyatt were alone, they discussed what a whirlwind of creativity Caroline had been. Wyatt sympathized that there had been a lot of loss for Liam lately, and they were all worried about Hope.
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the NCAA "March Madness" basketball tournament, The Bold and the Beautiful did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of this scheduling change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 25, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 20 episode concluded.
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the NCAA "March Madness" basketball tournament, The Young and the Restless did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of this scheduling change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 25, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 20 episode concluded.
