Sally ransacked her desk, trying to find the trade papers she was looking for. She shouted out to Darla to find them for her then took a phone call from Macy, who sadly said she was okay. When Macy told her mother she didn't feel like going in to work, Sally advised Macy to take all the time she needed and asked Macy to call her if she wanted to talk.
Clarke overheard and guessed that Macy was still in bad shape. Sally confirmed it, reporting that Macy was really hurting. Then Sally asked Clarke if he had seen the trade papers, and she again called out for Darla. Clarke saw Darla in the reception area, holding the paper and trying to signal to Clarke that something was wrong, but Sally caught them and wanted to know why the pantomime. Darla lied that there was a sale at Fenmore's West, but Sally grabbed the paper and saw the headline, "Stephanie Forrester Says Spectra Is No Competition."
Infuriated, Sally read the article, which reported Stephanie declaring Spectra Fashions' decision to lower their prices by 25 percent "a desperate act to save their company." Clarke fumed as he read that Stephanie wasn't concerned by any supposed competition from Spectra-Garrison and that the reduced prices reflected the lower quality of their "stylings." Sally deemed Stephanie evil and vindictive, and roared that she would not tolerate Stephanie attacking her family. As Sally stormed toward the elevator, Darla asked if Clarke was going to stop Sally, but Clarke determined that no one could stop Sally when she got an idea in her head. "You can bet your boots on that!" Sally swore as the elevator doors closed. Clarke told Darla he was more worried about Stephanie than about Sally.
At Jake's apartment, Jake asked if Macy had enjoyed her chili. She said it had been delicious and turned down Jake's offer for more coffee. Macy offered to help with the dishes, since Jake had cooked, but Jake wanted her to finish her book and relax. Macy relayed that she'd feel more relaxed if Jake let her pitch in. Jake wanted Macy to be comfortable. Macy noted that she was, but at times, it felt like Jake wasn't. It was sweet that he was treating her like a guest in a hotel, but it wasn't necessary. Macy said that, if they were going to live together, he should be more relaxed around her. She offered to help him.
Jake sat with Macy on the bed, stroking her face. Macy lamented that she might be frustrating Jake more than she was helping him. Jake didn't think Macy should question that. She wished she could do more. Jake replied that she could, but it wasn't time yet. Macy softly said it was time for them to grow together and live together.
Jake wanted to make sure Macy knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. She said she did, and he announced that he felt totally relaxed. He had the greatest lady in the world under his roof. Macy suggested they get back to the dishes, but Jake said she could do them -- he was too relaxed. That prompted Macy to start a quick pillow fight with Jake, which had them both smiling and laughing.
Felicia looked over her designs at Spectra and was interrupted by Clarke, who had brought her coffee with lots of sugar, the way she liked it. Felicia warned Clarke that he would end up with a few lumps if he didn't leave her alone. Felicia was surprised Clarke was even at work, figuring he'd be too exhausted. The rumor was that Sally was back and looking for love. "How was your night last night?" Felicia asked Clarke teasingly.
Clarke wanted to know where Felicia had heard that Sally was "back in heat." Felicia grinned and said that she had her sources. Clarke declared the rumor absurd because Sally knew the parameters of their relationship. He confirmed that nothing had happened with Sally the previous night. When Felicia wanted to know if there had been even a little smooching or "touchy-feely," he told her to back off.
Felicia smiled and said that Clarke was fun to tease because he made it so easy. However, Clarke hadn't stopped by to talk about his married life. He was there to talk about him and Felicia. He had a proposition for her that could be the opportunity of her lifetime.
Clarke had a new idea. With the fall showing two months away, and the success of their previous showing, Spectra would be able to go top-notch -- though with their price reduction, they could only afford one quality line. Felicia balked at the idea of her line being cut, but Clarke said he wanted to work with Felicia as a team. If they pooled their talents, they could put on a showing like L.A. had never seen. When Felicia said she'd have to think about it, Clarke deemed the possible combination of Felicia's flair for contemporary action wear and his high fashion designs hot, marketable, and very cutting edge. Clarke was sure of it.
Felicia remarked that Clarke had never been a team player. He replied that he'd never had the right teammate. Felicia wasn't sure they could work together, but Clarke felt they were cut from the same cloth: they were headstrong, defiant, and forces to be reckoned with. All Felicia had to do was open her mind and give him a chance -- give them a chance. Felicia reconsidered and said yes. Clarke jubilantly said they had to get Felicia's things packed. She was moving into his office. It was part of the deal.
Felicia was dubious about sharing an office with Clarke, who stated that they'd need to with the amount of work involved in starting a line from scratch. Felicia wanted to be straightforward and for Clarke to be the same. She asked if he was really serious about designing together or if he just wanted another notch in his belt. Clarke said Felicia's work excited him, but he also admitted he was attracted to her, feeling she might be attracted to him, too.
Felicia smiled and said that those were the first honest words she'd ever heard Clarke utter. When Clarke assumed the project was off, Felicia replied that as long as he continued being honest and kept his hands off her, they could be an incredible team. Felicia agreed to move into Clarke's office and shook his hand.
Stephanie sat poolside, on the phone with Trish and telling her to assure Eric that she would take care of the issue Trish had called about. Stephanie hung up but didn't notice the scowling Sally arriving.
When Sally greeted her, Stephanie asked what Sally was doing there. "As if you didn't know," Sally scoffed. Stephanie said she didn't, so Sally reminded her of the article Stephanie had done for the West Coast Fashion Insider. Sally accused Stephanie of playing innocent; Stephanie felt that if Sally was offended by the article, there wasn't anything Stephanie could do about it. Sally wanted a retraction, but Stephanie insisted that everything she had said, she'd believed. Sally seethed that of course Stephanie thought Spectra-Garrison wasn't even minor competition and that they weren't on Stephanie's level as human beings, either.
Stephanie didn't want to get into a discussion about Thorne and Macy's troubles. Sally mocked Stephanie for calling them troubles; Macy's marriage was ruined, and Macy was devastated. Stephanie expressed genuine regret but pointed out that the blame lay solely with Macy. Everyone in Stephanie's family had been kind to Macy. Sally asked how -- and questioned if it had been by letting Macy go over for a national holiday or two. Sally understood that anyone connected with her was the scum of the earth to the Forresters. Sally said she'd rather be the scum of the earth than a cold woman who controlled and manipulated her family, especially her two sons.
Sally knew it had been Stephanie who had denied Thorne happiness in his marriage by planting seeds of distrust about Macy. Stephanie insisted that she didn't have that kind of power over her son, while Sally snorted that Stephanie wanted that kind of power over everyone Stephanie was close to. Sally could see how Thorne had been a problem because he'd fallen in love with Macy, but he had defied his mother and married Macy, anyway. So, Sally deduced, Stephanie had just waited like a black widow spider for an excuse to break up Macy's marriage. Stephanie maintained that there had been no excuse, because the Forresters had had every reason to believe Macy had stolen the BeLieF formula from Thorne.
When Sally yelled that was a lie, Stephanie barked that Sally had orchestrated Thorne and Macy's marriage from the beginning. According to Stephanie, Sally had pimped her own daughter to get what she'd wanted. Sally raged that Macy loved Thorne, and she asked how Stephanie dared to suggest otherwise. Stephanie figured any girl would love a kind, considerate, charming young man like Thorne. But Sally had had Macy marry Thorne because he was a Forrester, and Sally had been trying to insinuate herself into their family for 20 years. Stephanie felt sorry for Macy because Sally had set Macy up for heartbreak. Sally had broken Macy's heart, Stephanie contended -- not Thorne, and certainly not Stephanie.
Sally retorted that Stephanie had broken Macy's heart and that Stephanie didn't even know what Macy was going through. Stephanie genuinely said she didn't, but she had to look out for her son, who had been hurt in many ways by the marriage. Sally exclaimed that she had looked up to Stephanie for years because Stephanie had been everything Sally wasn't. Sally had wanted Macy to be elegant, fine, and cultured, like Stephanie. She asked what had been wrong with wanting Macy to marry into a family like that. Sally said she was glad Macy hadn't turned out cruel like Stephanie. Stephanie asserted that Sally had always been jealous of her, her family, and their position. Stephanie asked Sally to leave.
Sally spat that she wasn't jealous of a woman who had to live vicariously through her own children and whose husband had left her for a woman young enough to be her daughter. Sally called Stephanie pathetic. Stephanie thought it was pathetic for Sally to constantly beg and grovel for respect while lying, cheating, and clinging to a gigolo. The whole town knew it, Stephanie snapped, and everyone laughed at Sally. Stephanie had nothing but contempt and pity for Sally and wanted Sally to get "the hell out of [her] house."
"Contempt? Pity?" Sally raged. Sally would show Stephanie contempt! Sally stormed toward Stephanie, raising a hand, but Stephanie tripped her, which sent Sally splashing into the pool. Stephanie couldn't stop laughing while Sally spluttered in the water. "Are you nuts?" Sally yelled.
Stephanie asked if Sally had really thought she'd let Sally push her in the pool. As Sally struggled to climb out, Stephanie offered to help, but Sally shouted for Stephanie not to touch her. "Sally," Stephanie observed, "there's an oil slick from your hairspray." Stephanie burst into laughter again while Sally fumed.
