As Steffy Suggests Thomas Leave With Paris and Douglas, Hope Questions Her Decision
We open with Finn continuing to help Hope deal with recent developments. “Your feelings are justified,” he tells her before pondering whether she was perhaps hoping Thomas might come home and reunite with her. They know one another, Finn says, before adding — as a friend — that he believes Thomas is truly committed to Paris.
Hope tells Finn that “Steffy would do anything to keep Thomas and I apart,” adding that the brunette is clearly pushing the Thomas/Paris pairing. For his part, Finn’s all-in on the relationship. Why? Because he’s sure Hope can do better. When Finn admits he understands why Hope is struggling with the situation, Hope shares that she can’t begin to understand why Thomas is rushing into this relationship. But she’s also confused as to why she turned down his multiple proposals. “I don’t want to lose him, but the idea of forever absolutely terrifies me. I don’t know what’s happening to me!”
At Steffy’s house, Paris, Thomas and Douglas are hanging out. “I love this,” admits Steffy. “This beautiful little family.” She’s thrilled with how close they’ve all become. Steffy is thrilled to learn that Thomas and Paris will have a “traditional Forrester family wedding.” (Read: In the living room.)
Douglas shows his aunt the pics he took in Paris (which sadly, we don’t get to see). The tot admits that while he misses his mom and little sister, Paris makes Thomas happy and him too. Steffy sends Douglas off to play with Kelly and Hayes in the guesthouse. Steffy continues making it clear she’s totally #TeamTaris, while Paris hopes that perhaps Douglas can talk some sense into Hope.
Paris reveals that she knows Hope still has feeling for Thomas. That said, she is “not feeling insecure about it at all. I’m completely confident in our love for each other.” Steffy says her brother hasn’t been this happy in ages, and Hope should be able to see that too. “It makes me wonder what’s really going on with Hope,” she muses, unaware the blonde in question is pouring her heart out to Finn.
Over at Wedding Central — aka the Forrester mansion — Eric is ready to host the wedding whenever it happens. Brooke suggests it might be a long engagement (as if!), while Donna wonders if Thomas is actually as over Hope as he insists he is. Ridge, of course, immediately bristles. He and Eric agree that Thomas and Hope will always be connected, but he’s moved on with Paris.
As Donna continues to question why Thomas is in such a rush, Ridge gets increasingly frustrated. “I’m not insensitive to” what Hope’s going through, he insists, despite being exactly that. Brooke claims not to be lobbying for a Thomas/Hope reunion, but adds that her daughter is lost and confused. She then asks if Steffy might be pushing Thomas toward Paris in order to keep him away from Hope.
“No one forced them together,” snaps Ridge.”Thomas is excited about his future with Paris. And so is Douglas. He loves Paris!” He vaguely acknowledges Hope’s pain before suggesting she find “someone else, somewhere else.”
Hope continues to question her own feelings. “All I had to do was say yes,” she tells Finn. “But I turned him down. And I am starting to wonder… is it just because I can’t have him?” Finn says the one thing he knows is that she will find love again because people are drawn to her and she’s awesome and “there is life after Thomas.”
After Eric and Donna go down to the pool, Ridge and Brooke are left behind to continue discussing — what else? — Hope, Paris and Thomas. Ridge says he’s sorry her daughter is hurting, but “Thomas has moved on. He’s found some joy in his life.” He promises that Hope will find someone to share her life with.
Paris and Douglas take a walk on the beach, leaving Steffy and Thomas to talk about his wedding plans, of which she clearly approves. He worries he made things weird by asking permission to marry in the family mansion in front of everyone. “Oh, you mean in front of Hope?” she asks, reminding him that she turned him down. “She didn’t want a life with you. You know who wants a life with you? Paris. She wants to be your wife. More than that, she’s just fantastic! She’s wonderful!” (Translation: She’s not Hope!) Steffy doesn’t want to put everything on Hope, but “you were never enough. As hard as you tried, you could just never measure up, and that’s not right, Thomas.” After all, Steffy knows he’s an extraordinary man. She suggests he put Hope behind him. “Take Paris, take Douglas and go to Europe! Live a spectacular life! When you come back, Hope will have moved on. She’ll be on to another man.”
And in that moment, Hope is asking Finn if she made a mistake in letting Thomas go. Finn says no, again reminding her just how awesome she is. “People look up to you. Hope, you have a message that effects people all over the world. But you’ve got to be your best self. Don’t let these guys get you down! You thought it was Liam, and it never really was Thomas. But when you least expect it, the guy you are meant to be with is going to be standing right in front of you.” And just like that, we end the episode with pretty much the exact same scene which ended yesterday’s.
