Control Part 5

The hospital…

Downstairs, Thorne is still staring at his phone. When it actually does ring he jumps. He quickly answers it. “Hello?”

At first no one said anything. “Hello? Is anyone there?”

“Thorne?”

“Yes.”

“Thorne, it’s Sally. We really need to talk about Macy.”

In the hospital lounge, Thorne visibly slumps in his chair. I really hoped it would be Brooke. “Is there anything wrong? I thought you and Adam were taking care of the lawyer and everything?”

“Well, that’s true, but I don’t understand why. Why doesn’t Macy want you with her? You are her husband, you belong by her side.”

“Sally, things are complicated for everyone right now. What did she tell you when you asked?”

“Nothing. That has me even more worried. What made her start drinking again? I just don’t understand.”

“Sally, let’s just worry about Macy’s legal problems for now. Everything else can just wait.”

“Are the two of you having problems?”

“Sally, I said don’t worry about that now. (His voice was more brisk then he meant to be. Thorne recognizes it and tries to relax.) Sally, just tell me what’s going on with the police.”

“Well, we got a call from Brooke’s lawyer, with her offer of help. He also called the DA’s office. The police seem to feel that with the victim willing to be lenient, the courts will as well. Hopefully, she will just have to enter a rehab center, lose her license for a while, and do some sort of community service.”

“That’s great.”

“Yes, it is, but..”

“But what?”

“I don’t understand why Brooke is doing this. She and Macy have never been friends.”

“Maybe, she just wants to put this behind her. Who knows?” She just doesn’t want anything to do with the Forrester family ever again. This accident puts her right in the middle again.

“Yes, maybe. How is Brooke doing? I would like to talk to her and thank her.”

(A little too forcefully) “NO! (Quickly he recovers) I mean, she is going to be fine, but doesn’t want any visitors right now. I’ll pass along your message. Let me know when Macy is going to be released, ok? Look, I don’t mean to rush off, but I’m expecting another call. Bye.” Thorne quickly hung up and resumed staring at the phone again, praying that next time it rang, it would be Brooke.

Back at Sally’s house, she was also looking at her phone trying to figure out what was going on. She knew something was up with her daughter’s marriage to Thorne. He better not hurt her again. What am I saying, he must have hurt her already. Why else would she start drinking again, after being sober for so long. Sally replayed her conversation with Thorne over in her mind. Thorne said he would ‘pass along my message’ to Brooke. Since when do the two of them speak. Something is going on, and I don’t like it. Sally quickly picks up the phone again and starts dialing. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.

In the hospital lounge Thorne jumped again as his phone rang. “Hello?”

“Thorne, it’s Taylor.”

(Disappointed) “Taylor, hi. What’s up?” What is it today, everyone wants to talk?

“Nothing much, well… your mother just called. She’s worried about you and thought maybe you need to talk with someone?”

“Look, Taylor, I’ll be fine. I’m just going through a lot right now. So tell my mother that I’ll be ok.”

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do for you? I’m always here if you need to talk.”

“No, that’s alright. Wait; there is something that I’ve been wondering about. Are you sure?”

“Yes, we can talk about anything.”

“Taylor, how did you know it was the right thing to marry Ridge?”

“What?” This was the last thing Taylor expected.

“You heard me.”

“Because we loved each other.”

“But how did you know?”

“What is going on Thorne? Where are these questions coming from?”

“Taylor, I’m just wondering how you knew you could marry Ridge when you thought he still loved Brooke? I mean, they were married, they loved each other; I know you had your doubts. I guess what I’m asking, is how did you know that he really loved only you and that Brooke was in his past?”

“Well, that’s difficult to answer. I guess I just knew in my heart that even if he still loved her, he was ‘in love’ with me. It was hard for me to accept, at first, but I loved him too much to not be with him. Does that make any sense?”

“Yes, a little. But how did you get past the hurt and anger every time he would chase after Brooke?”

“Well, part of me never will. It started with being able to forgive him for everything he did to hurt me, whether he meant to or not. Forgiveness goes a long way to healing a relationship. But, I guess I just had to accept that they did have a past, and that Ridge would always care for Brooke and want to protect her, even from herself. Whatever feelings that Ridge has for Brooke, they can’t compare to what he and I feel for each other. He and I are meant to be with each other. Any situation or person that came between us, well, it just made what we have now stronger and more important. We weathered all of our problems and came through them together, with our children. Nothing could come between us now.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because we have learned from our mistakes. All of our problems came from a lack of honesty. Ridge and I are completely honest with each other now. We talk over any problems that we may have. That is the only way to make a relationship last. Thorne, what’s really wrong? I still don’t understand why you’re asking about your brother and me. We couldn’t be happier.”

“I guess that’s true. After all, the two of you were able to work through whatever problems you were having in Venice. The two of you seem to be as close as ever.”

“Well, that’s true.” Taylor gets a guilty look on her face. She still feels bad about how she and Ridge deceived Thorne into thinking they were about to break up. “It’s like there was never anything wrong in the first place. (Quickly changing the subject) Enough about me and Ridge, is this about you and Macy?”

“Look, Taylor, I can’t go into that right now. All I can say is thank you. Believe it or not, you really helped me right now. You just put into words, everything I was feeling for a while now. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.” Thorne hung up.

Taylor was more confused then ever. Why would he ask about all those things that happened in the past? Stephanie is worried about Thorne and Macy, but what could be going on? Hopefully I was able to reassure him that he and Macy belong together. Just like me and Ridge. Why else would they have gotten married for the third time? I know they love each other. Any problems, like her drinking, can be overcome.

In her hospital room, Brooke has picked up the phone half a dozen times, but never finishes dialing Thorne’s number. Man, I really don’t want to do this. Why couldn’t he leave me alone? I was doing fine without contact from any of the Forresters, especially him. Oh, whom am I kidding? Brooke picks up the phone and this time dials his entire number, forcing herself not to hang up before he answered.

Downstairs in the lounge, Thorne’s phone rings for the third time. “Hello?” Thorne prays this time it would be Brooke.

“Thorne, its Brooke.”

(Under his breath) “Thank god.”

“What, I couldn’t hear that.”

“Nothing, never mind. How are you doing?” Man, how lame is that?

“I’m fine.”

“That’s great. I hear you are going to be released in a day or two.”

“Yes, the doctor just wants to make sure there are no complications with the… injuries I received in the accident.” What is going on, small talk?

“Brooke, this is silly.”

“What is?”

“This, this entire conversation. Look, I… I’m really glad you agreed to call me, but..”

“But what?”

“I’m here downstairs in the hospital. There are a lot of things I need to say to you, and I would feel better to… no, they need to be said face to face.”

(A little too strong) “NO! Look Thorne, things have worked out very well with my arrangement with the Forresters. (Calming quickly) I don’t want to have any contact with any of you. The only reason I agreed to talk to you is that Megan said you wouldn’t take no for an answer and would try to see me anyway. It has to be this phone call or nothing.” Brooke prayed he wouldn’t force his way into her room. That would just ruin everything.

“Then this phone call will have to do, at least for now.”

“Good, we’re agreed. (Brooke takes a deep breath.) Now, what is so important that you would risk your job?”

“Brooke, I don’t know where to start. (Brooke is silent) Look, a lot has happened in the last year or so.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“Look, just let me say this without any interruptions. Brooke, my marriage to Macy is over.”

Brooke was shocked. “What do you expect me to say? Congratulations?”

“No, look, let me finish.” Thorne was now pacing the hospital lounge as he spoke to Brooke. (Under his breath) “This would be so much easier if I could see you.”

“What? I didn’t catch that?”

“Nothing. Brooke, marrying Macy was the biggest mistake I could have ever made. I didn’t want to hurt her, yet that’s what our entire marriage has been about; hurting each other. No, that’s not true. Macy has been wonderful. (Brooke just rolls her eyes) It’s me, I can’t make her happy. Yesterday, I told her I wanted to end our marriage. That’s why she was out driving last night; I think she was going to Sally’s. I didn’t know that she was drinking again. I swear, I wouldn’t have let her drive if I knew. Brooke, I’m so sorry about your accident.”

A thousand different thought raced through Brooke’s mind. She stops one of them. “Thorne, why tell me? I assume that’s what the urgent message was about. I don’t understand.”

“Brooke, I wanted to be the one to tell you. No one else even knows yet. Not my family, not her family, no one.”

“Again, why not? I can imaging their reactions though.” Yeah, the Forresters will do everything in their power to keep you two together. Not to mention the wrath of Sally and Adam.

“Yes, but that doesn’t matter now. Brooke, you were right. (She doesn’t say anything) You said Macy and I would never be happy together and you were right. I never truly loved Macy. I mean, I will always care for her and love her as my friend, but I will never be in love with her again. Do you know why?”

Brooke didn’t dare voice her hopes. “Why?”

“Because I couldn’t love someone else when I never stopped being in love with you.” There, I finally said it.

In her room, Brooke cries silently. She had always hoped Thorne would tell her these things. She was afraid this might all be a dream.

“Brooke, did you hear me?”

(Choked up, but happy.) “Yes, I did. What does this mean?”

“Brooke, I want to be with you, only you. I understand everything now.” Thorne can’t seem to stop smiling.

“Thorne..”

“No, let me finish. I finally understand what happened in Venice.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I just can’t believe it took me this long to figure it out. I understand your position with my family. We hurt you and you did the only thing you could, you cut us out of your lives. You walking out of my life was the best thing that could have happened.”

(Totally confused) “What?!”

“Yes, it made me realize what my true feeling were.”

“Thorne, you lost me. What does that have anything to do with Venice?”

“It does, see. I finally understand things between you and Ridge.”

“You do?” Did he talk to Ridge about that finally? Did Ridge actually tell him the truth about Venice?

“Yes. Believe it or not, I talked to Taylor and she really helped me sort through everything.”

“Taylor?” Taylor? Not Ridge?

“Yes, Taylor. She helped me to understand the feelings you and Ridge have for each other. Things I knew, she put into words. For many years you loved him and were sure the two of you were meant to be together. That is a hard dream to give up. In Venice, when you thought his marriage was over, you pursued Ridge out of habit. You know, past feelings that always seem to resurface when one of you is hurting. I know that the feelings you have for Ridge will never completely go away, but I know now that the two of you can never be more then friends. What happened in Venice between the two of you was just a reaction to the circumstances. Your feelings of friendship towards him got twisted as you comforted Ridge about his marriage breaking up. I know you weren’t totally to blame. (Brooke just sits in her room with a stunned expression on her face. She can’t believe Thorne is actually saying these words.) But do you remember what you told me when I asked you if you were over Ridge?” Thorne paused, when Brooke didn’t answer he continues. “You said that you could never truly love him again and that I was the only man for you. Looking back, I know you meant it. We were both under so much pressure back then, from everyone. Your going to Ridge, and me marrying Macy well, we both turned to our former lovers when we should have just talked about our problems. But these mistakes shouldn’t dictate the rest of our lives. I love you. I’m not afraid to shout it to the world, I love you Brooke Logan. I can forgive anything you did to hurt me, because I know you didn’t mean to. Just like I know you can forgive me for marrying Macy. It happened because I was so hurt that you were with Ridge, that when I saw Macy in Venice, and how much she still cared for me, I thought it was the right thing to do, what was expected of me. But I see everything clearly now. We were meant to be together. The last year shouldn’t stand in our way.” Thorne was starting to get really excited about his and Brooke’s future.

Upstairs, Brooke was slowly fuming. (Trying to stay calm) “Really? I should be so honored that you would deign to forgive me.”

Thorne could hear the anger in her voice and was confused by it. He thought is was because it took him so long to tell her how he felt. “Brooke, listen, I know we still need to talk everything out, but don’t you see? I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“So, you can forgive and forget that I tried to seduce Ridge in Venice. Me in his arms, me on the bed with him, me kissing him?”

“I don’t like it, but I can get past it.”

(Sarcastic) “Oh, how generous of you.”

“Brooke, what’s wrong? I don’t understand…”

Brooke interrupts, yelling now. “NO! It’s quite obvious you don’t. How dare you! I wonder if you ever knew me at all. When I told you that Ridge was my past and you were my future, you didn’t believe me or trust me. After all, you could believe that only hours after you proposed I would be in the arms of your brother. You believed everyone else when they called me a slut whose only purpose in life was to be with Ridge. So what do you do. Did you come to me and demand an explanation about what you saw? No, you go running off INTO THE NIGHT WITH MACY!!!” Brooke has never been more furious in her life.

Downstairs, Thorne is confused. He thought she would be happy to be able to put the past year and mistakes they both made behind them. “Brooke, please calm down. It can’t be good for you to get this upset.”

“That is the only right thing you have said. You’re right. This isn’t good for me. In fact, you’re not good for me. You forgive me? Well, I don’t forgive you. Should I just say ‘so what if the man I planned to spend the rest of my life with went from loving me to hating me in less then a minute’? Because, you had to have hated me to leave me alone in Venice without so much as a word and go off to Amsterdam and marry Macy. (Trying to calm down) Thorne, I went against my better judgment and decided to listen to you. If you say you love me so much, how could you still not believe me? I told you what happened in Venice was a set up, but you refused to listen. You still don’t want to listen. (Sarcastic) No, Taylor and Ridge wouldn’t have done that to us, no, never. You said you talked to Taylor, well, you spoke to the wrong Forrester. Try getting the truth out of your brother, although I doubt he told anyone what really happened in that hotel room, including his own wife. I know it is a difficult concept for you to understand, but I told you the truth. Your entire family has been lying to you. But you don’t want to believe that. No, it’s easier to just ‘forgive’ me when there is nothing for you to forgive. The only thing I did wrong was try to help that selfish bastard. I should have never listened to him and kicked him out of my room. Well, never again. I am officially through with the Forresters. I never want to see you, talk to you, or even hear that you tried to talk to me ever again. Got it! If I do, you won’t be the only one that is fired, the rest of your selfish, self-serving, hypocritical family will be without jobs as well!” Brooke slammed down the phone. As soon as she did, she immediately started to cry.

Downstairs Thorne was stunned. He sat there staring at his phone again. How could things have gone so wrong so fast? What just happened here? Could everything that I think happened be wrong? Has my entire family really been lying to me? I’ve got to talk to Ridge, but first, I have to see her, no matter what the consequences. Thorne ran upstairs to Brooke’s room. I love her and need her. I don’t care about the past, the future is all that matters, and she is my future. Reaching her room, Thorne peeks into the window. Slowly he walks away from her room, unable to believe his own eyes. No, this can’t be happening.

End of Part 5

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