It’s another big moment on The Bold and the Beautiful as Steffy returns from Europe, but what does that mean?
Eric (John McCook) presses Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) for the results, saying he doesn’t have “all the time in the world” and he needs to know.
Katie (Heather Tom) and Luna (Lisa Yamada) relax now that the event is over. They discuss Katie’s shoes because the air is heavy with the real matter: who won?
At the Malibu house, Finn (Tanner Novlan) is working on his computer when his kids run through the door. Kelly is wearing a beret. He’s overcome having his kids back, then he asks about their mother. “Surprise,” Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) says when she walks in.
Luna can’t imagine having to pick a gown. Katie admits that she’s going to put in an order for one of the dresses. Luna is eager to see what she picks and she praises RJ’s work with Eric. Katie knows how hard it must have been to shoulder the burden of knowing. She thinks Eric needs to let Ridge know what’s happening, because it’s his son. “Ridge needs to know,” she says. She thinks Ridge’s love and support could be “the best medicine.”
Eric wants to know why Ridge won’t say who won. Ridge thinks back to his conversation about his victory with RJ (Joshua Hoffman) and Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) before they told him about Eric’s condition. Now that he knows Eric is dying, things are different. “It was close,” Ridge admits. Eric wants to know if he’s trying to let him down easy.
Steffy tells Finn she’s so excited to see him and be in his arms again. “I’m home,” she tells him. They share a kiss that probably would have turned into something else if not for the kids in the room. Later, the kids present Finn with a handmade card for him. It says they missed him. She asks if he has any patients to see, and his day is free and clear for them. “I’ll never take this for granted,” he says. He never wants to be away from them again.
Katie can’t believe that they’ll soon have to live without having Eric around. Luna agrees, even though she’s only just met him. Katie knows that Ridge will be devastated and she doesn’t think it’s fair for him not to know. Luna admits RJ has struggled with keeping the secret but it’s tearing him apart. They both know that winning this challenge is incredibly important for him.
Eric says he’s been doing this longer than he’s been born. Ridge finally admits that Eric won. “You’re the master,” he says, and he offers his hand to his father. Eric thanks him, beaming. RJ and Brooke look on, knowing that Ridge just lied to his father.
Steffy praises Hayes for helping Finn bring in the luggage. Kelly shows off her Italian skills (she can ask for chocolate ice cream) and it turns out the whole family loves chocolate ice cream.
Katie wishes the fashion showdown wasn’t such a competition. While the fashion show brought in a bunch of new clients, she hates that it’s going to put a strain on Ridge and Eric’s relationship.
Ridge continues to praise his father, who can hardly believe it. Eric hugs RJ and thanks him for the help. Brooke loved their designs and says he deserves the moment. “You won the day,” Ridge says.
Finn ends his call with Li and tells the kids that she’s coming to get them to take them out. The kids go to get ready to leave and Steffy says that she hopes he doesn’t mind that they surprised him. He says it’s one of the happiest days of his life. The house has been so empty. She missed him, too. She couldn’t bear being away and the kids missed him. She was tired of running away from her life and she’s going to fight for what’s hers. He tries to apologize but she won’t take it. All that matters now is that she and the kids are back together and they’re never leaving again.
Donna (Jennifer Gareis) praises Eric and tells him how proud she is. He appreciates all of her help. Eric tells everyone how much the victory means to him, and how it proves he is on the earth to create beauty. He admits that he knows there has been a lot of tension between them and Eric wants it to end. He praises all of Ridge’s designs, and Ridge laughs and says he still has a lot to learn. Eric says he needed to do this to prove he won’t be discarded like the old stapler. Eric asks if Ridge understands why he needed to do this, and Ridge says he does. Father and son share a meaningful look.
Things keep moving on The Bold and the Beautiful, don’t they? First Sheila and Deacon got engaged, then the fashion showdown and now Steffy is back and she means business.
First of all, welcome back Jacqueline MacInnes Wood. We’ve missed you!
Now, what does Steffy’s return mean? There are a few things to note. First of all, she’s home with Finn. She wanted to return home to Finn. She loves Finn.
Liam (Scott Clifton) is about to get his heart broken. Again.
Steffy’s dedication to her husband is what will be the catalyst in keeping Sheila (Kimberlin Brown) at bay, we think. Sheila thought she could use Steffy leaving as a weapon to make Finn believe he was better off without her. It never would have worked, of course. Finn was devoted to his wife and his devotion never wavered while she was gone.
Steffy has no idea about her grandfather and she’ll no doubt be caught up in that once she learns what’s happening. For now, though, she seems determined to stay in LA with her husband and her family, and that means confronting Sheila.
While Steffy says she’s not going to stand down, something tells us that Sheila won’t make this easy.
The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS and the following day on Paramount Plus. Check your local listings to see when it comes on where you are.
