At the cliff house, the harried Steffy took phone calls, tried to return emails, and juggled Kelly in her arms-- all at the same time. Ridge arrived and apologized for just popping in. Steffy welcomed the visit and readily handed Kelly to him as, in the kitchen, a teapot began to whistle.
Later, Ridge joined Steffy in the kitchen after he'd put both of the babies to sleep. Steffy said she'd nominate him for father of the year. Ridge joked that he won that competition every year, and he had the mugs to prove it. She replied that Liam would probably get a similar mug.
Ridge told Steffy to make sure Liam earned it because, to Ridge, it looked like she was raising two girls alone. Steffy said it wouldn't be that way if Hope had any say in it, and Steffy stated that Ridge wouldn't believe what Hope had attempted to do.
Later, Ridge asked if Hope had thought she'd take off her ring and Liam would just go back to Steffy. Steffy replied that Hope hadn't been thinking clearly, but Liam had gotten her to put her ring back on. Ridge asked if any part of Steffy had thought Hope's idea was a good one and if Steffy wanted Liam to return to raise the kids with her.
Steffy didn't want Liam's marriage to end under such circumstances. She rhetorically asked if she wished things were different and if she wished Liam was with her to raise Kelly. Answering herself, she said she did, but it wasn't what was happening. She reasoned that she wouldn't have baby Phoebe if Liam had been there, and Steffy loved that child as her own.
Later, baby Phoebe was awake and in Ridge's arms. He gazed at the child and asked if the birth mother looked like Steffy. "No. Why?" Steffy asked. Ridge said that the baby looked like Kelly. Steffy acknowledged the resemblance to Kelly but said she wouldn't mind if the baby looked like her birth mother, who was pretty. Steffy often thought of the mother and hoped the mother was happy and comfortable with her decision.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam congratulated Wyatt on returning to Spencer and said Sally and Wyatt would be missed at Forrester. Wyatt had wanted to tell Hope the news, but Liam conveyed that Hope was out with Katie. He had a feeling that going to "Bikini" would help Hope more than she thought. Wyatt wondered why Liam was optimistic about the outing but seemed gloomy overall.
Liam reluctantly revealed that Hope had told him to go back to Steffy. Liam described Hope's obsession with the reunion as manic and said he'd finally talked her out of it. Wyatt concluded that Hope wanted to sacrifice her happiness for the girls. Liam hoped she understood that it wasn't necessary. Wyatt asked if Liam was sure Hope was wrong.
Liam looked puzzled, and Wyatt wondered if Liam had given any thought to going back to Steffy. Wyatt figured that it was killing Liam not to be full-time with Kelly. Liam affirmed it but said that he wasn't married to her mother. He was married to Hope and needed to be there for his wife.
Wyatt decided that he didn't have a right to an opinion about it, but Liam gleaned that Wyatt obviously did have one. Liam asked if Wyatt thought Hope was right. Wyatt advised Liam to think of what was best for himself, his daughter, and his daughter's sister.
Liam wanted to spend as much time as he could with both of the kids. He said there was something special about baby Phoebe, and her presence affected everyone. He felt a connection to her and was grateful she was in their lives.
At Bikini, Flo told Zoe that Flo needed to get back to work, but Zoe replied that what Flo needed to do was head back to Las Vegas.
At Forrester later, Zoe arrived in the design studio in time to hear an intern announce Zoe and Xander's early call times. The intern made note of their British accents and left. Xander asked if Zoe ever got tired of people treating them as if their accents were "too precious." He guessed he should have stuck with the American accent he'd tried out when he'd first arrived in town.
Zoe claimed that Xander hadn't pulled the accent off well, and Xander countered that she was only saying that because she couldn't pull one off. To Zoe, it sounded like a challenge. Xander decided that the first one to lose the British accent won, and the prize would be determined later -- after they'd had their fun with the competition.
Xander and Zoe began using American accents. He outlined the guidelines for the accent challenge. Switching up accents with each place he named, he said he could pretend he was from Texas, and she could say she was from Boston.
In her silence, Xander guessed that Zoe wasn't listening. "Is there a Vegas accent?" Zoe asked. She said it was where Flo, the woman in Reese's apartment, hailed from. Zoe revealed that she'd encountered Flo, and Xander assumed it hadn't been pleasant. Zoe asked if it was "pleasant" to ask someone to leave town.
Xander expressed shock that Zoe had asked Flo to leave town. Zoe called him out for dropping his American accent while speaking. He didn't understand why Zoe was concerned about Flo, who was no longer in Reese's orbit, and asked if Zoe thought Flo might cause trouble for Steffy by reneging on the adoption. He assured Zoe that the adoption was legal. He said that Flo had made a choice and signed papers. There was nothing Flo could do if she regretted the choice.
Back at Bikini, Zoe had gone, and Danny seated Hope and Katie at the bar. Hope asked if Katie would be okay. Katie asserted that the place was full of hot guys, and she was newly single. Hope had a feeling that Katie hadn't asked Hope there to scope out the hot guys. Katie revealed that Brooke had told Katie that Hope had tried to reunite Liam and Steffy.
Hope said Kelly and baby Phoebe deserved to have a father in the home. Behind the bar, Flo's ears perked up, and she began listening as Katie advised Hope to think of her needs and not push her husband away. Hope replied that what she needed was gone; her baby was gone.
Flo continued to listen as Hope talked about holding Beth in Catalina. Hope said the baby in her arms hadn't felt like Beth. "But this -- this is -- this is her. This is my baby," Hope added, holding up the sonogram photo. Hope said the sonogram depicted when her baby had been alive. Katie was glad that Hope had the photo to help her keep her baby close.
Polishing drinking glasses, Flo listened more as Hope expressed regret for being unconscious during the labor. Katie assured Hope that she'd done everything she could. Hope stated that Dr. Buckingham had also done all he could.
Hearing Reese's name, Flo dropped the glass she'd been holding. Hope and Katie gazed over at Flo. Hope asked if Flo was okay. Flo expressed her embarrassment for the accident. Danny offered to finish her orders while she cleaned up. Flo squatted down to sweep the mess into a dustpan with a hand broom, and she listened as Katie and Hope resumed their conversation.
Hope continued to wonder if things would have been different if she'd been awake during the birth of her baby. Katie said a mother's love, though powerful, couldn't return things to life. Hope stated that she'd do anything to have her daughter back.
Katie received a message that she needed to pick up Will earlier than anticipated. She thought about getting Bill to do it, but Hope insisted that she'd be fine alone. She said she'd finish her drink and take off. Hope half cynically added that it was good to get back out in the world again. Katie replied that it was good indeed. She hugged Hope and exited the bar.
Hope pulled out her credit card and asked Flo to close her tab. Flo took the card and read Hope's name on it. Introducing herself to Hope, Flo said she'd overheard Hope's conversation and was very sorry. Struggling to remain calm, Hope said she needed to pay her bill and go. Flo replied that before Hope left, there was something Flo needed to tell Hope.
At the cliff house, Ridge sat with Steffy as she rocked baby Phoebe to sleep. Ridge thought everyone could see how much Steffy loved the baby, who seemed very comfortable with Steffy.
Steffy said the moment she put baby Phoebe down, Kelly would wake up. Ridge replied that Steffy and Phoebe had done that, and he believed it had been on purpose. He wished he could meet the birth mother and thank her for allowing them to have her baby in their lives.
After Steffy put the baby to bed, she returned to the living room. There, Ridge reaffirmed his offer to babysit at any time. She murmured that it was really sweet. He guessed she didn't think he could do it, but he swore that he was a pro. Back in the day, he'd had Steffy and Phoebe on his chest, and Thomas crawling up his back. Steffy said she'd seen the photos of the "circus."
Ridge agreed that it had been a circus, and Steffy replied that her mother had said he'd just been showing off. Ridge stated that he'd wanted to show off his kids, and he wanted to show off his grandkids, too. Steffy promised to take the girls to the office to enable him to do that.
Ridge stated that he'd had three kids, and he really could help out. Steffy conveyed her belief in him, but she didn't want him to worry about her because she had plenty of help. Steffy had Amelia, and when her mother was in town, she had Taylor. Steffy added that, even after what had happened to Beth, Liam was present in Kelly and baby Phoebe's lives.
Later, Ridge handed Steffy a baby garment he'd folded, and she said she was impressed. He quipped that he handled clothing for a living. Steffy said Liam had a good folding system. Ridge was glad Liam was helping out when he could. "But he's not moving in here?" Ridge asked.
Dismissing the idea, Steffy stated that Hope only wanted Liam to do that because Hope was having a hard time. Ridge was glad that Liam was stepping up. Steffy replied that the girls were lucky to have Liam as a father. "I mean Kelly. Kelly is really lucky to have him as a father," she corrected. She said Liam was so great with baby Phoebe that she had to keep reminding herself that he wasn't the child's father.
Later, Steffy sat in a chair, alone, trying to catch up on work. She gazed at the portrait on the wall, and in her mind, she heard Hope advocating for Liam and Steffy to raise the girls and have their life together again.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam showed Wyatt pictures of when Liam had met baby Phoebe and of his first beach day with the girls. Liam said Kelly had already inherited his and Wyatt's fondness for water and had flopped around in the tub for an hour. Liam loved spending time with his daughter and said he wouldn't mind being a father figure to baby Phoebe, too.
Wyatt thought it was natural for Liam to bond with Kelly's sister. Believing that children needed all the attention in the world, Wyatt said the girls could count on him to be their "funcle." Liam asked what that was, and Wyatt defined it as fun uncle. "Funcle Wyatt is going to make it happen," Wyatt affirmed. Liam decided that Wyatt just wanted to spoil the kids. Wyatt countered that Liam did, too. Though Liam was grateful to the birth mother, he couldn't imagine having a child in the world that wasn't in his life.
The topic turned to Hope's insistence that Liam be with Steffy. Liam didn't think Hope knew what she was saying, and he said she felt as if she was keeping the girls from having a perfect family. Wyatt replied that there was no such thing as a perfect family. He noted that he and Liam had turned out okay after being raised by single mothers.
Liam explained that Hope wanted the girls to have what Hope hadn't had while growing up, which was two parents living under one roof. Wyatt stated that there was nothing wrong with it, but Liam was married to Hope. Liam replied that he wanted to keep it that way.
Wyatt asked if it was what Liam really wanted. "Wyatt!" Liam asserted. Wyatt started to say that he was sure that Liam would never turn his back on Hope. Interrupting Wyatt, Liam affirmed that he would not give up on Hope or his marriage.
As Wyatt prepared to go, Liam thanked Wyatt for being there and said it was nice for Liam to have someone to talk to instead of bottling things up. Wyatt promised to be there at any time. Liam congratulated Wyatt on the exciting things happening at Spencer. Wyatt replied that even though he would be busy, he'd still be there for his brother.
Wyatt knew how strong Liam was and assured Liam that he'd get through it. Wyatt believed that Hope would get through it, too, because Liam would help her. He stated that Liam and Hope would help each other, and they would survive it. Liam wished there was a way to bring Beth back; however, he knew that she was gone, and they just had to live right on through it.
At Bikini, Hope became uncomfortable and wanted to leave. Flo insisted upon telling Hope something before she left. Flo was sorry for what Hope had gone through. Hope said many people had been approaching her with condolences. Flo replied that she wasn't just anyone, and there was something that Hope didn't know about Flo.
Zoe arrived at the entrance and spotted Flo with Hope. Zoe strode up to the women and asked Flo what she was doing. Hope gathered that Flo and Zoe knew each other. Zoe explained that she'd met Flo through Danny. Hope asked what had happened to Zoe's accent. Zoe said it was nothing, just a bet between Xander and her.
Zoe told Flo that Danny was looking for her, but Hope said that Flo had been about to tell Hope something. Zoe was sure it could wait, but Hope replied that it had sounded important. Deciding that Hope was right, Zoe announced that it was time that Hope knew the truth.
Hope asked what truth she should know. Though Zoe knew it wasn't her place to speak on it, she said it was hard for Flo to talk about because of the role she'd played in the situation. Hope asked what Zoe was talking about.
Zoe prepped Hope by saying the information Zoe had was shocking, but Hope should have learned it a while back. It had to do with Steffy's adopted child. Hope asked what it was. Zoe revealed that she knew who the baby's biological mother was. Hope asked who the mother was.
Zoe claimed that Flo was baby Phoebe's birth mother. Zoe told Flo that it was okay for Hope to know the truth, and Flo affirmed that she was the mother. Awestruck, Hope said Flo had given birth to an angel. Hope figured it had been difficult to give the baby away, and she wanted Flo to know what a gift the baby had been to Hope.
Becoming emotional, Hope said she would have given anything to hold the baby she'd lost once more, but she had baby Phoebe. Even though the child wasn't Hope's, the child gave Hope peace. Hope affirmed that the child was in good hands and had a family caring for her. Hope hoped it comforted Flo to know that Steffy would give the baby a wonderful life.
Flo was speechless. The emotional Hope decided that it was time for her to go. She said it was nice to talk to Flo, and she exited. "What were you thinking, Flo?" Zoe asked and accused Flo of being on the verge of telling Hope that baby Phoebe was really Beth.
Zoe asked Danny to cover for Flo, and Flo followed Zoe out to the patio. Flo said that Zoe had lied to Hope, who deserved the truth. Zoe asked why Flo had even been talking to Hope. Flo explained that she'd overheard Hope's conversation about Catalina and had deduced that Hope was the birth mother. Zoe asked if Flo had decided to be the one to tell Hope.
Zoe guessed that Flo had no care for what could happen to Reese or to Flo. Flo claimed that if she'd known the whole story from the beginning, she never would have gotten involved. Zoe reminded Flo that she had gotten involved and had signed fake papers. Flo called it the worst decision of her life, and she hated that Hope thought her baby was dead.
Set upon protecting her father, Zoe insisted that Reese couldn't go to jail and that Flo couldn't say a word to anyone. Zoe told Flo to leave town. Flo replied that the incident would haunt her even if she returned to Las Vegas. Flo was upset that she'd played a part in causing Hope enormous pain. Zoe felt bad about it, too, and said it was why Flo should leave town.
Zoe warned Flo that all three of them could wind up behind bars. Flo didn't know how Reese could do what he'd done to anyone. Zoe asserted that he'd done it to protect her. Flo asked if Zoe didn't think it would get out. Flo said there were ancestry kits at the drug store, and Steffy would eventually figure out that Hope Logan was the baby's mother.
Zoe prayed that it wouldn't happen. Figuring that Zoe only cared about her father, Flo said that Reese probably deserved to get locked up for what he'd done to her. She couldn't believe she was in the middle of it. Zoe replied that Flo was in the middle of it. Zoe felt guilty about the situation, too, but Zoe warned that they'd end up in serious trouble if Flo told anyone.
Danny called for Flo to return to the bar. Zoe implored Flo to quit the job, pack her bags, and leave town immediately. Zoe walked off, and Flo cleared her head and turned toward the bar.
Not looking at where she was heading, Flo bumped into Wyatt. As he apologized for not seeing her, Flo said, "Wyatt? Wyatt Fuller?"
Back at the cabin, Liam arrived in the living room and saw Hope sitting on the sofa, deep in thought. He asked how her visit with Katie had gone. "Fine," Hope blankly responded. He asked what was wrong. Hope revealed that she'd met someone after Katie had gone. "I met Phoebe's birth mother," Hope stated.
At home, Hope and Liam discussed that Hope had been at the Bikini Bar with Katie and met Phoebe's birth mother. Liam was surprised. "It was almost like I was supposed to meet her," Hope said.
Hope added that the mother's name was Florence, and it all felt "like coincidence, fate," with so many things associated with Phoebe. Hope felt it was odd that they would "end up in the same place at the same time."
Liam wondered how Hope had found out that Florence was the birth mother -- and at a bar. Hope said it had been intense, and Florence was a server at the bar. They had just started talking when Zoe had shown up. Florence and Zoe had apparently known each other. Liam asked how they had known each other, and Hope said she assumed they both had modeling careers. Zoe had interrupted Hope's conversation with Florence.
Hope said the models all hung out at Bikini, and she felt Florence was pretty enough to be a model. She added that there had seemed to be some tension between Zoe and Florence when they'd seen one another. Zoe had told Hope about Florence being Phoebe's birth mother.
Liam wondered how Zoe had known and why she would have shared it with Hope because Steffy had said that the birth mother had wanted to keep the adoption private and secret. Hope agreed it didn't make sense, and she'd never seen Zoe so intense.
Liam asked what Florence was like, and Hope said there was something sweet and vulnerable about her. Liam said it was clear that Hope had liked her, and Steffy had also liked her. Liam felt he was the only person who had yet to meet Phoebe's birth mother. He wanted to meet her to see who had "brought that angel into the world."
Later, Hope was reading, and Liam said that they needed to get ready for dinner. Hope wondered what he meant, and he reminded her that they had been invited to Wyatt and Sally's for dinner. Hope wanted him to go without her, but Liam refused. He gently tried to persuade her that she had to get out of the house more. Hope replied that she'd been out with Katie earlier, but Liam wanted them to try to move on together.
Hope felt she was being disloyal to Beth when she went out. Liam reminded Hope that there had to be a way to hold Beth in their hearts without letting sadness consume them. Hope agreed. She wondered how hard it had to have been for Florence to give away her daughter. Liam hugged her.
At Bikini, Florence saw Wyatt and said, "Wyatt Fuller!" Wyatt recognized Florence and said, "Wow, Flo, you look amazing." They discussed that Wyatt had moved to Los Angeles from Las Vegas, and Florence said she was there for "an extended stay." They acknowledged that they hadn't seen each other or talked in years.
Florence noted that Wyatt had left Las Vegas unexpectedly and never contacted her to explain. She'd never understood why he'd left. They were old high-school sweethearts, and she missed him. Wyatt said he'd thought about her and never wanted to leave. He explained that his mother's jewelry business had had some issues, and "we had to leave Vegas quickly."
Florence asked if Quinn was in some kind of trouble, but Wyatt said, "She's better now." He changed the subject and told her she was "as beautiful as ever." She responded that he was still the "best-looking guy in the room." She asked if he was still working with his mom, and he said he had a lot of changes in his life.
Wyatt explained that he'd found his father and worked with him. Florence was surprised because he'd thought his father was dead when they'd been in Las Vegas. Wyatt explained that his mother had lied about a lot of things, but he understood why she had tried to protect him from his dad. He added that his father was complicated, but he loved his dad. "He's flawed, ruthless," Wyatt said. He added that he had taken his father's name and changed his name to Wyatt Spencer. Florence laughed at all the changes.
Wyatt noted there was no ring on her finger. He asked if she had kids, and she said that "didn't happen." They agreed that running into each other was a nice surprise. Florence said it was "exactly what I needed." She admitted she'd lost hope of ever seeing him again. He apologized. Florence kissed him and said she was afraid if she didn't, she might never see him again. She smiled and told him that she had always wanted to tell him she loved him.
Wyatt said Los Angeles was his home, and he wasn't going anywhere. Florence said she might be heading back to Las Vegas. Wyatt encouraged her to remain in Los Angeles. Florence said she wanted to laugh and have dinner. She'd missed his laugh and his corny jokes. They chatted, and Wyatt stopped and said he had to tell her that he'd been living with someone. "My heart just broke a little bit," she said.
Wyatt encouraged Florence to attend a dinner party he and Sally were hosting that night -- he added that he lived down the beach, and he had two brothers, one of whom was married. Florence didn't want to attend dinner, but he persuaded her stop by for a drink. She agreed, and he left. Florence looked thoughtful.
At Forrester, Sally announced to Xander and Tiffany that she was leaving Forrester to have her own line at Spencer. Sally admitted she wasn't crazy about the name, but she had to take the opportunity. "Obviously, you gotta go," Xander said.
Sally asked what had happened to Xander's British accent, and TIffany explained that Zoe and Xander were challenging one another to see who could lose their accent first. Zoe showed up and seemed distracted. Tiffany left, and Zoe wondered what news she'd missed.
Sally explained, and Xander wondered if Zoe was all right. Sally took a call, and Zoe explained that she'd met someone at Bikini that she didn't want to see. Sally returned, and Zoe and Xander agreed she was a phenomenal designer. Sally praised all the Forrester designers from whom she had learned so much. She gushed about Zoe and Xander as models, as well.
Zoe called attention to Sally's past with Bill Spencer and wondered what had changed. Sally explained that Bill wanted his family back together and wanted Wyatt to return to work at Spencer. Wyatt had made it a condition of employment that Bill fund and restart Sally's design business. Zoe and Xander cheered for Wyatt. Sally said she felt lucky "to be the woman he loves."
Sally invited Zoe and Xander to join them for dinner, and she added that Hope and Liam were also joining them. Xander wanted to attend, but Zoe said they had plans. Zoe and Sally hugged, Zoe said she would miss Sally, and Sally left. Xander asked what their plans were, and Zoe playfully kissed him and said that clothing was optional. She wanted to go to her house because it was closer.
At the cliff house, Taylor presented Steffy with a box. Calling it technology, Taylor explained that Steffy could make baby food. Steffy reasoned that she could do that with a blender, but Taylor stipulated that Steffy couldn't do it without cutting, slicing, dicing, straining, and boiling the ingredients herself. The appliance Taylor had gotten did all that for the chef.
Taylor had bought it because she hadn't been around much to help and figured, "Once my practice starts up full-time..." Steffy was happy that Taylor was rebuilding her life. Taylor said it had happened because Steffy had given Taylor the space to do it, and thanks to Steffy and the girls, Taylor was enjoying life again.
Later, Taylor chopped produce and explained how to use the food processor. She yelped, dropped the knife, and squeezed her finger. Steffy asked if Taylor was bleeding and got some paper towels. Embarrassed, Taylor said it had been a while since she'd been domestic. She hadn't had a reason to be that way for a long time.
Knowing the feeling, Steffy said she was great at running the company, but to her, nothing beat doing the little things for the girls. Taylor assumed that meant Steffy didn't regret the adoption. Steffy replied that Kelly hadn't been meant to be an only child, and the baby completed them.
Once the mother and daughter had finished practicing with the processor, Steffy sampled what they'd made. Liking it, she decided that she wouldn't cook again, and she and Taylor would eat what Kelly ate. Taylor loved seeing her daughter happy. Steffy, however, conveyed her nagging feeling that she'd stolen something from someone who deserved it more.
Taylor asserted that Steffy hadn't, but Steffy wondered if Flo might be having second thoughts. Taylor stated that Steffy had tried to include Flo, but it hadn't been what Flo had wanted. In Taylor's opinion, it might take shutting down certain feelings to do what Flo had done. Steffy hoped that, wherever Flo was, she knew that the baby was in a happy home.
Steffy showed baby photos to Taylor, who was glad Steffy hadn't heard from Flo. Taylor figured that Flo had decided that motherhood hadn't been for her; therefore, Flo needed to move on with her life, and Steffy and Taylor needed to move on with theirs.
Steffy understood but had thought the baby and Flo would want to know each other. Steffy stated that she'd been with the baby longer than Flo had. Steffy felt like she was a mother to the child in every way that mattered. Taylor asserted that no one would take it from Steffy.
At Zoe's house, Zoe set the table for dinner. She'd made a pot roast and claimed that one couldn't get more American than that. Xander noted that she'd dropped her American accent. Zoe asked him to go easy on her because it had been a hard week. He asked what he could do. Kissing him, she replied that he could be nice to her and be her boy toy.
Xander wished Zoe had let him take her out and said she needed pampering more than he. He could tell that something was weighing on her and wondered if she'd heard from her father. Zoe replied that she hadn't, and she didn't want to.
During dinner, Xander wondered what had happened between Zoe and Reese to make her lose patience with him. Zoe said that whenever she thought her father would make better decisions, he let her down. "When I think of some of the things he's done to cover his losses... it horrifies me," Zoe replied. Xander asked what he'd missed happening between Zoe and Reese.
Zoe decided that she didn't want to talk about her father that night. Xander pressed, saying that Zoe had been worried about Reese. She stated that Reese had packed up and left; however, she had a man in front of her who was honest and whom she trusted enough to build a future with. Xander promised that the future wouldn't be like their messy past.
"No wagers, please," Zoe replied. Having a gambling father had made her lose her sense of humor about the sport. Xander apologized, and she asked for a reason to forgive him. He kissed her, and she decided that she needed more reasons.
Later, Zoe had changed into a bra and panties set and matching robe. Xander sighed, looking at a framed photo of Harry. Zoe really missed her cat. Xander wondered if they should get another one, but Zoe said Prince Harry was irreplaceable. She added that one couldn't tell a person who'd lost a child that, "Ah, you can just have another one."
In Zoe's view, everything living was irreplaceable. Xander debated whether mosquitoes were. Zoe pretended a mosquito had flown down his shirt, and she began to unbutton it. She kissed Xander's chest, and Xander said he had a bite "right here" beside his lips.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam noted that Hope wasn't dressed. The robe-clad Hope said "this" was as far as she'd gotten. She began to renege on dinner, but Liam claimed that dinner with Sally and Wyatt would be easy. He said they had to start living their lives again and asked if she agreed.
Hope hated having Liam and others see her like she was. Liam reasoned that everyone knew she'd gone through something devastating, and Sally and Wyatt would understand if Hope and Liam left early. Liam tried to convince her that she'd never find an easier reentry into social life than that one. Hope kissed Liam. She said he was right. She had to try.
At Wyatt's house, Sally made a grocery list and wondered if there was anything that Flo didn't eat. Wyatt remarked that no one was pickier than Liam, and Sally gleaned that Wyatt hadn't asked Flo. He replied that "Flo goes with the flow" and said it was her motto.
Wyatt was sorry he'd thrown Sally a curve ball with the extra guest. Sally was glad about it because she hardly knew anything about Wyatt's past. He warned that nothing good could come from asking too many questions. As Sally left, she warned him not to answer the phone, just in case Liam and Hope tried to back out of dinner.
Later, Wyatt answered the door for Flo, who was glad she'd found the place. While locating it, she'd been worried that a movie star's dog might jump out at her. She said the house was gorgeous, and Wyatt told her that she was, too.
Wyatt explained that Sally had gone to the store. Flo asked where his brother and his brother's wife were. Wyatt said they were on the way. He warned that they were so likable that it was sickening. She guessed it ran in the family.
Flo was happy to see how well Wyatt had done for himself. Wyatt figured that it was the benefit of being a Spencer. He urged her to give serious thought to staying in town. Flo said it was such a big city that she hadn't thought she'd run into anyone she knew.
Wyatt said that there had been two people and recalled that she'd arrived in town to help a friend. Flo dismissed that, saying nothing good had happened with it. Wyatt mentioned one good thing -- her presence at his house that night.
Sally arrived with two tote bags full of groceries. Wyatt introduced her as his "boo," Sally Spectra. Flo thanked Sally for the invitation and asked if she could help with anything. Sally wanted to hear all about Wyatt's high school days.
Flo replied that, as a freshman, Wyatt had sported a mohawk for ten minutes. Wyatt corrected that it had been a faux hawk. Sally asked if that was it, and Flo guessed that some people weren't all that secretive. Sally claimed that she and Wyatt had that in common. Flo replied that she'd also been that way, but she'd become more like a woman with things that she wouldn't willingly bring up.
Liam and Hope arrived, and as they entered, Wyatt began introducing them to his old friend, Flo Fulton. "You," Hope said, staring excitedly at Flo. Hope told Liam that Flo was the baby's birth mother. Flo expressed surprise to learn that Hope was married to Liam's brother, and Liam asked how Flo knew Wyatt.
Flo revealed that she'd dated Wyatt in high school. Wyatt asserted that it had been more serious than that, and they'd been high school sweethearts. "Oh, now he tells me," Sally murmured. Wyatt claimed it had been a lifetime back, and he hadn't known Flo had been working at Bikini.
Liam thought it was fair to say that things were awkward. Agreeing that they were, Sally said the poor lady had walked into a house full of strangers who were discussing her personal and private business. Hope apologized for blurting it out, but Flo said it was okay.
Wyatt asked if Flo hadn't told him because she'd thought he'd be shocked. She denied it was the reason, and he asked why she'd told him that she hadn't had any children. Flo apologized. Downing the wine Wyatt had given her, she decided that she should probably go.
Wyatt said that they hadn't had dinner yet. Hope apologized for putting Flo on the spot, and Liam seconded the statement. Hope said that if Flo had told Wyatt that she didn't have children, then it would remain as simple as that. Flo stated that it was true, and the baby wasn't hers. Wyatt replied that Flo was right, and his question had been stupid.
Sally stated that they were always in each other's business and rusty at respecting boundaries. Hope took Flo to sit on the sofa. Liam decided to fill Flo's wine glass, and at the bar area, he asked if Wyatt really hadn't known. Wyatt asked how he could have known that Flo was the birth mother. Sally asked them to remember that Flo wasn't a walking womb.
On the sofa, Hope remarked that Liam had wanted to meet Flo and that the baby was a special girl. Flo replied that it was just hard to talk about. Liam handed Flo more wine. Liam assumed that Wyatt had told Flo that Hope and Liam had lost their child. Flo uttered that Wyatt hadn't.
Liam explained that it had been a stillbirth, and it had been like his daughter had lost a sister.
Flo asked if Hope had another child, and Hope explained that Liam had a child with his ex-wife, Steffy. Liam stated that it was as if Kelly had her sister back, and the new baby had sort of replaced Beth. Flo expressed sorrow for Hope and Liam's loss. Liam said there was nothing anyone could have done.
Hope disagreed with Liam. She said there had been a windstorm and only one doctor. The delivery had been going well until she had passed out. Liam didn't think it was the time to discuss it. Hope insisted that if she'd been stronger, Beth might be there.
Flo began to cry. Hope apologized and said Liam couldn't take her anywhere. Flo hated what Hope was going through, and Flo wished she'd known. Hope replied that they'd just met Flo, and it was okay. Flo said it was the questions one didn't ask and the objections one didn't raise. Flo asked Hope and Liam not to hate her.
Liam said he and his wife felt nothing but gratitude. Flo didn't think she deserved it. Wyatt said that no one was judging Flo. Hope asked if Flo was trying to tell them something. "Yeah...It's about Phoebe," Flo quietly replied.
At Steffy's house, Taylor and Steffy talked about Steffy's love for her girls. Taylor was happy for Steffy but wished Steffy didn't have to do it alone. Steffy replied that she had her parents. Taylor said it wasn't what she meant. She believed that Liam should be there with Steffy. Steffy replied that Hope did, too. Taylor asked what Hope had said.
Steffy expressed concern for Hope, who was in a lot of pain. Steffy elaborated that Hope believed that Liam should be raising the girls with Steffy. It was heartbreaking to Steffy that Hope wanted to give to the girls everything that she'd wanted Beth to have.
When Hope had been trying to sacrifice her marriage, Steffy had been able to actually feel Hope's pain. Taylor asked if Hope had really taken off her ring. Affirming it, Steffy said she had hardly been able to believe it. "Then what happened?" Taylor asked. Steffy asked what Taylor thought had happened. "Liam insisted that she put it back on," Steffy said.
Taylor huffed in frustration. Taylor believed that Hope was desperate for change and to move forward. Taylor said Hope wanted Liam to go back to Steffy because it was best for the girls. Steffy assured Taylor that the girls were fine.
Taylor said Steffy didn't have to hide her feelings from her mother. She already knew what Steffy was feeling, and she hated that Steffy's children had to experience what Steffy had gone through. Taylor claimed that Brooke had manipulated Ridge with her sexuality and had torn Taylor's family apart. Steffy replied that Hope wasn't like Brooke.
Affirming that Brooke and Hope were very different, Taylor stated that Hope had used her own tactics to take Liam away from Steffy and keep him from Kelly. Steffy asserted that Hope hadn't done either of those things, and Steffy didn't want Taylor to make Steffy out as a victim.
Taylor reasoned that Steffy wasn't living the life she wanted. Steffy countered that Liam and Hope weren't, either. Steffy felt fortunate to have her daughters. Taylor exclaimed that Steffy was raising the kids alone, and even Hope didn't think it should be that way.
Taylor felt compassion for Brooke and Hope but insisted that Hope was right about Liam belonging there with Steffy, helping with the girls. Steffy sighed. Taylor claimed she wasn't trying to diminish Steffy's accomplishments, and she knew that Steffy wasn't a victim. Taylor stated that she wasn't, either, and losing Liam and Ridge hadn't defined Steffy and Taylor.
Taylor felt that she and Steffy had a lot to be proud of and to look forward to. She said they were also fortunate to have the two little girls, and no one could take that from them.
At Wyatt's house, Flo was tearful and sorrowful. She asked if Liam really felt that baby Phoebe had taken the place of Beth. Liam decided that he shouldn't have said that. Flo stated that all of it was wrong, and none of it should have happened. Wyatt agreed with Flo, and Sally said it was a tragic situation. Hope didn't want Flo, who'd given Kelly a sister, to feel bad.
Flo replied that Hope shouldn't feel bad, either, nor should Hope have to go through the pain at all. Hope figured that Flo wanted to find ways to comfort her. Hope was grateful for Flo's support, but Hope didn't believe there was a way to change what had happened. It killed Hope to say it; however, she knew that Beth was gone, and there was no way to get her back.
Flo flashed back to Zoe warning her of the consequences of telling Hope the truth. Snapping out of her muse, Flo said she couldn't believe she had encountered Hope again at Wyatt's house. Liam said he'd been saying he'd wanted to meet Flo. Hope and Liam were glad Flo was there.
Flo replied that the couple was too nice. Wyatt quipped that he'd warned her. Sally didn't want Flo to feel bad and said it wasn't the first time someone had cried at one of her dinner parties. Hope thanked Flo for reminding Hope that she wasn't the only one with challenges in her life.
Liam and Hope got up to get drinks, and Sally left to get appetizers. Flo apologized to Wyatt for getting emotional when he'd been trying to take Hope and Liam's minds off things. Wyatt replied that it would never have happened, even if Flo hadn't said anything. Wyatt couldn't believe Flo was his niece's birth mother. Flo was overwhelmed by all of the connections between everyone.
Wyatt decided to take a photo with Flo to get them back into the party mood. He asked if it was okay for him to post it, and she permitted it. Wyatt believed that she'd done a brave thing with the adoption. She said the child hadn't belonged to her.
Wyatt sensed that the situation had still been hard. Flo agreed, saying it had been harder than he'd ever know. Wyatt didn't mean to pry, but he wondered if he knew the birth father. Flo decided that the less she said about the birth father, the better.
Flo went to get more wine, and Wyatt joined Liam and Sally, who were observing Hope and Flo in the bar area. The three of them were glad things seemed to be going well after the tense moments earlier. Liam found Flo's concern to be genuine.
Wyatt thought it was, too, and said anyone he knew back in Las Vegas would say that Flo was kind and generous. Liam stated that Steffy had gotten those vibes from Flo. Sally felt that Flo had done an incredible thing by giving Kelly a sister. Liam added that it was incredible for Hope, too, to have the baby in her life at that time.
Nearby, Hope apologized to Flo for not considering how hard the adoption had been for Flo. Hope had only heard good things from Steffy, and upon meeting Flo, Hope had seen that those things had all been true. Flo felt that she should be the one apologizing "for so many things."
Hope didn't want Flo to apologize. It felt good to Hope that Flo cared so much for a stranger. Flo stated that Hope didn't feel like a stranger, and Hope said Flo didn't feel that way to her, either.
Hope's description of what she'd gone through with losing her baby had deeply affected Flo. Hope figured that Flo would understand it. Flo replied that Hope hadn't had a choice, but Flo had. Hope stated that Flo had made a selfless choice, and it had brought joy during a very dark time in Hope's life.
Flo and Hope moved to the sofa, and Hope said that she understood the source of the goodness and warmth in baby Phoebe. Flo didn't feel she deserved Hope's compliment. Hope said she felt the same way when people complimented her. Flo replied that the compliment was actually true of Hope.
Hope couldn't think of a more courageous and compassionate act than the one Flo had done for the baby. Hope stated that Flo had given the child a beautiful future, and Steffy was a devoted mother. Hope couldn't think of anyone who'd be a better mother to the child.
Flo believed that Hope would make a great mother, too. Hope looked away. Insisting that it was true, Flo encouraged Hope to try again one day. Hope said she didn't think so.
Flo told Hope that she had to and repeated that Hope would be a great mother. Hope replied that she couldn't go through it again. Flo said that Hope was heartbroken, but she couldn't give up. Hope figured that she just wasn't meant to be a mother. Flo urged Hope not to give up. Flo could tell that Hope was meant to be a mother. Flo was certain of it.
At Zoe's apartment, Zoe and Xander made out, and Zoe had to catch her breath. Xander noted that it happened every time they were "like this." She replied that she'd once thought they would never be that way again. He stated that they'd made it a long way, and she responded that they'd had to go to Los Angeles and become new people.
Zoe told Xander that the only thing that hadn't changed was the way she loved him. Sensual jazz music played as Zoe and Xander undressed and made love on the bed.
In bed with Xander later, Zoe said she'd known she'd made the right decision by following him to L.A. He recalled that he hadn't given her a warm welcome. She said he was making up for it.
As Zoe and Xander kissed, her phone chimed. When Zoe reached for the phone, Xander called her a social media addict. Zoe contended that Katie wanted them to increase their visibility, but he told Zoe not to blame it on work.
Zoe noted that she had a new post. She checked it and was instantly upset upon seeing a photo of Wyatt and Flo. Zoe asked what "she" was doing there, and Xander asked who. Zoe hopped out of bed and quickly dressed. Slowly pulling on his robe, Xander asked what the problem was. Zoe said it was something she'd thought she'd taken care of, and she needed to go.
