At Spencer, Bill was on a call when Brooke arrived at his behest, even though she was still uneasy about their secret meetings. Bill quipped that Katie was too busy being engaged to "Forrester Lite" to care. After rolling her eyes at the comment, Brooke stated that Katie and Thorne were getting married, and she bet that Bill couldn't guess when.
Bill fumed about Katie getting married just to look better for the judge. Bill believed it was just another ill-advised move of Katie's that would eventually hurt their son. Brooke, who'd been on her way to Katie's house before stopping at Spencer, said she'd see what Katie wanted and what frame of mind she was in. Brooke urged Bill not to do anything rash.
Reluctantly, Bill agreed to sit tight. His face softened. "What?" Brooke asked. He said he didn't know what he'd do without Brooke, who was keeping him sane, and he appreciated her.
Later, Brooke had gone, and Bill was fuming to Justin about Katie's impromptu nuptials. Bill was sure Thorne was behind the cynical, calculated move. Justin suggested that Bill do the same thing and walk into the courtroom with his own new spouse. Justin added that it was too bad that Brooke was taken. "Alison isn't taken," Bill replied.
Scoffing, Justin asked Bill to say that he was joking. "Well, why not? Why can't Alison and I...? The two of us..." Bill said. Bill decided that until Justin got information on the judge, the plan would be Mrs. Alison Spencer. Justin replied that he hadn't gotten anywhere, and McMullen was squeaky clean. Bill said that walking into the hearing with nothing was not plan B, and Justin had better come up with something else fast.
Later, Justin got off the phone with his family law expert. Justin told Bill that they had a game plan, and the expert thought it was best that Justin handle the hearing without co-counsel. Bill uttered that he'd promised Brooke that he wouldn't take matters into his own hands, but he had to do something. "Right now," Bill said and left the office.
At Katie's house, Katie and Thorne explained to Will that the couple intended to get married the following day. They wanted Will to be a part of the ceremony -- but only if he was comfortable with it. Thorne and Katie also explained that Will's father would always be his father, and Thorne would never try to take Bill's place. They asked if Will was okay with everything.
Katie hoped that she and Thorne weren't rushing Will. Will said that they weren't rushing him. He liked Thorne and wanted his mother to be happy. Will knew that Thorne made his mother happy. "So, let's do this," Will decided, and Katie hugged him.
Later, Katie was alone when Brooke arrived. After exchanging pleasantries with Katie, Brooke said Katie hadn't really mentioned what she'd wanted. Katie replied that she understood that she and Brooke didn't see eye to eye on the custody issue, but she hoped Brooke could put the feelings aside long enough to be Katie's matron of honor. Brooke readily agreed, saying that she was Katie's sister and would always be there for Katie.
Brooke stated that she only needed to know that Katie and Thorne weren't rushing to the altar to look better for the custody case. Katie assured her sister that it wasn't so, and while the marriage looked nice for the judge, she and Thorne loved each other, Thorne and Will loved each other, and they all wanted to be a family, no matter how the custody issue went.
Though Brooke figured Katie didn't want to hear it again, Brooke wanted to advocate once more for Katie and Bill to work things out without lawyers and court. Katie replied that lawyers were already involved, and a judge would be soon. Katie thought that they just had to hope they had a guardian angel to help things go in their favor.
At Forrester, Eric and Ridge discussed Thorne's upcoming wedding. Eric said that he and Quinn had been surprised to hear about it, and he wondered if Ridge had been, too. Ridge thought it made perfect sense, especially in light of the hearing, and it would make the judge's choice a no-brainer. Eric asked if Ridge didn't think love had anything to do with the wedding.
Ridge believed that love had everything to do with it, and he said that after the wedding, the couple could give the little boy what he wanted -- a man in the house with decency and morality, something Spencer had never had. Eric was surprised by how invested Ridge was in the situation. Ridge replied that Eric had no idea. Eric was glad to see Ridge in Thorne's corner.
Ridge said he'd always been in his brother's corner. Ridge believed that Thorne, Katie, and Will deserved the new start. Eric asked if Ridge was concerned about being subpoenaed. Ridge welcomed a chance to tell the judge everything about Spencer and how good Thorne would be for Will. To Eric, it was starting to sound like a vendetta. Ridge asked if it was a vendetta to see Bill get what he deserved. "Huh, I guess it is a vendetta, isn't it?" Ridge answered himself.
Later, Thorne had arrived. Eric insisted that the wedding be at his house. Thorne requested that Ridge be the best man. Ridge agreed, and Thorne let him know that Katie was asking Brooke to stand up for the bride. Thorne wasn't sure Brooke would agree to it because of her feelings about the custody issue.
Ridge thought that Brooke would put her feelings aside for her little sister's big day. Ridge believed that Katie, Thorne, and Will would be happy and make a great family. Ridge stated that he'd do anything he had to in order to make it happen. Thorne said it was the fresh start he'd been hoping for, and he hadn't been able to imagine being so blessed.
Ridge's phone rang. He checked it and said he needed to take the call alone. Eric and Thorne left, and Ridge answered the call from Judge McMullen, who wanted to discuss Ridge's issue. McMullen felt that Ridge had put McMullen in a difficult position. Ridge didn't think it should be such a hard decision.
In Ridge's view, Bill was a bad parent, but Katie and Thorne wanted to give Will a better life. Ridge asked if McMullen knew how it felt for someone to go out of his way to give McMullen a better life. Ridge asked if McMullen would give Katie, Thorne, and Will a better life. "Rule in her favor. Can you do that for me?" Ridge asked.
Later, Brooke arrived in the CEO's office. Eric and Thorne entered, looking for Ridge. Brooke hadn't seen him yet. Thorne was eager to know if Brooke had accepted Katie's matron of honor request. Brooke asked if Ridge had accepted Thorne's request to be the best man. Thorne asked how Brooke had known he'd choose Ridge. Brooke squinted her eyes at Thorne, and he stated that Ridge had agreed. She replied that she'd agreed to stand up for Katie.
Thorne guessed Brooke still had issues with the custody case. Brooke asserted that she loved her nephew and wanted Will to have a relationship with his father. Eric reasoned that no one was denying Bill that. Brooke stated that it could happen, and Thorne elaborated that it could happen if Bill dropped the ball again and forgot that he had a little boy.
Brooke told Thorne that she wasn't saying that Bill was perfect; however, Bill cherished his son and wanted to be in his son's life. Thorne replied that Bill said so, but Bill hadn't been there at all. "My God! You sound just like Ridge. You all do," Brooke accused. She believed that a custody battle should be the last resort, not the first option. She hoped that Bill and Katie could find some middle ground before the hearing.
Back at Katie's house, Katie heard a knock at her door. As soon as she opened it, Bill strode in, saying he'd heard about her wedding scheduled for the following day. Katie groaned, and Bill told her that she had to stop the madness before it was too late.
Katie said that Will was playing at a friend's house, so Bill should leave. "Not until I talk some sense into you. You are out of control, Katie," Bill complained. He said she'd filed for sole custody, and in a nanosecond, she'd agreed to marry loser Thorne. Bill asked if she'd considered how it would affect Will.
Offended, Katie claimed that all she did was think of Will and how to give him the best life possible. Bill accused her of having a quickie wedding to try to steal his son from him. Katie responded that it wasn't a quickie wedding, and she wasn't trying to steal Bill's child from him.
Just then, Ridge entered the house. "You Forresters are like cockroaches! What the hell are you doing here?" Bill roared. Ridge said he'd wanted Katie to know he'd be Thorne's best man. Bill asked what had happened to text messages. Bill ordered Ridge to go so that Bill and Katie could talk about their son.
Ridge asked if Bill was referring to the little boy whom Bill had abandoned for months while stalking Steffy and how Bill thought a judge could take his side in it. Bill replied that Ridge had no idea what a judge would decide. Bill wanted Ridge to shut up and get out. Assuming it was so Bill could harass Katie, Ridge asked how a judge would feel about that. Bill wanted Ridge to stay out of it. Ridge said it was because Bill always won -- at least it was what Bill had told him -- and there was nothing Ridge could do about it.
Agreeing, Bill asserted that there wasn't one "damn thing" Ridge could do about it. Ridge said that Katie and Will would become a part of Ridge's family, and the judge would give Katie and Thorne custody. Ridge asserted that there wasn't a "damn thing" Bill could do about it.
At Katie's, Katie prepared for her wedding. Will asked if they would be heading over to Eric's for the wedding. Katie told Will that that they would be leaving soon, and she hoped he was excited. Will agreed he was happy. She teased that he might just be happy about the cake.
Katie embraced her son and told him that they were about to take a big step, and it was the beginning of something wonderful. Katie's family entered, and Brooke, Hope, Bridget, and Donna agreed they were ready for the wedding. They asked what Katie needed them to do. They all wished her luck, and Katie thanked them for showing up on short notice.
Bridget said she had been determined to be there. Donna asked how Bill had taken the news, and Katie answered that he hated it, "but it doesn't matter. I'm determined to give my son the best home and family." Donna, Bridget, and Hope left, and Brooke remained to help Katie. Brooke pressured Katie about her decision to sue for full custody. Brooke said she didn't think Katie had been fair to Bill.
Katie countered that she didn't want to argue with Brooke, but she had no intention of keeping Bill away from his son. She added that Will needed stability and security. She noted that she didn't know how the judge would rule the next day, but marrying Thorne had already been helpful to Will. "Look how happy he is," Katie said.
Brooke promised to be supportive of Katie's wedding and added that she was honored to be a part of the wedding. "Please be happy for me," Katie begged. Brooke sighed and hugged Katie.
At Eric's, Ridge noted that his dad and Quinn had outdone themselves decorating for the wedding. Quinn replied that Eric had always loved weddings in the house. Thorne showed up, and everyone told him he looked wonderful. Ridge apologized to Thorne that Steffy would not be there because Kelly was sick.
Liam and Carter showed up and greeted Thorne, Quinn, Eric, and Ridge. They were all happy to celebrate with Thorne and his bride. Donna entered the Forrester house and sighed. "Another Forrester wedding," she said quietly to herself. She had a flashback to when she'd married Eric in the same room. Eric greeted her, and she told him it was nice to be "back here again. So many memories." Eric smiled.
Thorne found Will and pinned a boutonnière on Will that was just like Thorne's. Will and Thorne discussed that they were ready to become a family with Katie. Nearby, Liam greeted Hope, and they reminisced that they had gotten married in the house a short time before.
Bridget entered and announced, "Mom and Katie are almost here." Eric hugged Thorne and WiIl and said he was happy for them. Thorne explained to Will that he and Katie would be up front with Carter, but Will was very much a part of the wedding. Donna grabbed Will's hand, and they sat together in the front row. Brooke entered the front door, and Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" began.
Next, "Here Comes the Bride" played, and Katie entered. Thorne smiled, and Katie smiled at Thorne and Will. She blew Will a kiss, and he returned the blown kiss.
Katie and Thorne stood in front of Carter, and Carter welcomed and thanked everyone. He added that Katie and Thorne had been longtime friends and were involved in uniting their families. Katie and Thorne smiled.
Ridge recited a reading from Ecclesiastes that "two are better than one." Carter thanked him and invited the guests to witness vows that Thorne and Katie were about to make. Thorne said it was only fitting that he would speak first because he'd been the first to realize what an amazing couple they would become.
Thorne said that he admired Katie's passion, generosity, and commitment, and she'd charmed him with her humor and inspired him with her strength. He looked forward to being a devoted husband and dedicated stepfather. He vowed to love Katie and Will.
Katie was tearful and said she had never dreamed she would be standing with Thorne, about to get married.
Katie thanked Thorne because she felt she could speak her mind, and she knew that Thorne would have her heart and take care of her. She recalled that she'd known him most of her life, and she looked forward making a home with him. She knew that Thorne would love her and her son.
Katie and Thorne recited their vows, and Carter asked for the rings. Thorne looked at Ridge, and Ridge said that Thorne had not given him rings. Thorne smiled and said his "other best man" had them. Will handed the rings to Thorne, and Katie and Thorne exchanged rings as reminders of their commitment, love, and devotion to one another.
Carter officially pronounced Thorne and Katie husband and wife. They kissed, and everyone cheered. Will covered his eyes then joined his mom and Thorne for a hug. "We did it. We're a family," Katie said. Thorne agreed, and they kissed.
At Spencer Publications, Bill announced to Justin that he was angry. "I'm his father," Bill shouted. He was angry that Katie felt Bill couldn't provide the stability that Will needed. "I'm his dad," Bill shouted again.
Bill refused to lose his son. He lamented that he had tried to reason with Katie. He reiterated that he would not lose Will to "Forrester." Bill was furious, and Justin knew that Bill wanted to stop Katie's wedding. Justin advised against it, and Bill shouted that as much as he wanted to stop the wedding, he wouldn't.
Bill insisted he would not give up on his son. He was worried about his son and angry about Katie suing for full custody and for her "quickie wedding." Bill vowed to take care of his son.
In his office at Spencer Publications, Bill scowled when Justin told him that Katie and Thorne's marriage was official. Bill blasted the nuptials as a "sham of a marriage." Bill told Justin that he wanted to call a surprise witness at the custody hearing. When Bill said he wanted to call the one person who had been in his corner, Justin knew that Bill was referring to Brooke.
Brooke and Ridge relaxed after the wedding. Ridge commented that it had been "sweet" having had Will in the ceremony. Brooke nodded and agreed that it had been cute. "Thorne is going to be the father [Will] always needed," Ridge added. Brooke remarked that she wished Ridge was not involved in Katie and Bill's custody battle. She asked Ridge if there was anything that she could say to make Ridge reconsider testifying against Bill. Ridge said that there was no one in his family who had not "been scarred" by Bill.
As Brooke and Ridge discussed the matter, she received a phone call from Justin telling her that she would be subpoenaed to give testimony in favor of Bill. Brooke was stunned, but Ridge appeared pleased. There was no way, Ridge proclaimed, that Brooke would testify against her sister. Ridge tried to talk Brooke into siding with Katie at the hearing. Ridge thought it was arrogant for Bill to ask Brooke to testify without having talked to her about it first. "Just let it go," Brooke said softly as she moved in to kiss Ridge. Brooke headed off to the shower.
When Brooke left the room, Ridge sent a text message that read: "Counting on you tomorrow. The way you counted on me years ago. I expect you'll do what I know is the right thing." Ridge then sat alone, reflecting on the many things about Bill that enraged him.
Back at home, Will was supposed to be changing into casual clothing, but he said that he really liked wearing his suit. The tie? That was another thing. Thorne mused that he thought Will had grown a full inch since the wedding. Will was quickly overcome by excitement -- but then Thorne admitted that he was just kidding. Before Will headed upstairs to change, he and Thorne exchanged a "secret handshake," prompting Katie to announce that she wanted to learn the handshake. "I don't want to think of this day as the day before something terrible happened," Katie sighed. Thorne told her not to link their wedding day to the custody hearing.
Katie told Thorne that she wished they could skip over the following day so that they would not have to endure the custody hearing. Thorne agreed but said that he definitely didn't want to skip past their first night as husband and wife. After some kissing, Katie took a deep breath and worried that Liam and Wyatt's relationship could be splintered as a result of testifying on opposites sites at the custody hearing. Katie and Thorne fed each other wedding cake while discussing plans for their honeymoon -- which would happen sometime in the near future. Thorne then reassured Katie that they were doing the right thing by fighting for full custody of Will.
Liam remarked that it was amazing how quickly the Forresters were able to pull things together for a wedding. Wyatt seemed annoyed that he had to testify for Bill but said that he could not fight a subpoena.
Bill showed up at the cliff house to talk to his sons. Bill made small talk, asking Liam about Hope and Kelly. Wyatt interrupted and asked Bill why he'd dropped by. Bill admitted that he had not been the best father to Will. "The reason I want to be close to Will is a simple one. I love him," Bill stated. Bill then noted that he had been so occupied ruining Liam and Wyatt's lives that he had completely neglected Will.
Bill vowed to be a better father to all three of his sons. "I want equally custody," Bill proclaimed. "Family. That's what I want. That's what I need. And Will needs it, too," he insisted. When confronted about Bill not having been there for either Wyatt or Liam when they'd been Will's age, Bill countered that he had not known that either Liam or Wyatt existed when they'd been Will's age. Bill then asked Liam to consider what it would be like for Will to grow up without his biological father in his life.
Due to CBS News coverage of the Ford-Kavanaugh hearings, The Bold and the Beautiful did not air. While this was not a planned preemption, there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change. The episode that was to have aired on Thursday, September 27, aired on Friday, September 28. All subsequent episodes were also be pushed back one day.
In the judge's chambers, Katie, Carter, and Thorne arrived and wandered down the aisle between the rows of seats. The judge's chambers was set up like a small courtroom with the judge's desk being his bench. Katie guessed it was best to have the hearing there to keep the news of it out of the press.
As Bill and Justin entered, Carter asked if Katie had seen the revised witness list. "My sister, Bill?" Katie asked. Liam and Wyatt arrived, and Katie's gaze flatly rolled over them. Ridge charged in with Brooke behind him, angry that Bill had subpoenaed Brooke. Ridge suspected that Bill intended to pit the sisters against each other. Bill asked why Ridge was even there.
The judge hastily arrived, sorry for being late. He quickly asked everyone to take their seats, and the bailiff called court into session. Carter readily presented Katie's marriage license, and Justin sniped about Katie's new last name being legal within hours of the proceeding.
The judge stated that they were gathered there because Katie was petitioning to end joint custody of Will with Bill, to terminate Bill's legal custodial rights, and to be granted sole custody of Will. Katie said she didn't want to terminate visitation, but McMullen replied that it was a secondary issue they'd address in time.
The bailiff sent from the room anyone who'd been subpoenaed to testify. In the corridor, Ridge's stare reviled Bill's sons, and he quipped that they were loyal to daddy. Liam replied that they shouldn't be discussing the case. Figuring that Bill was dangling the keys to his kingdom, Ridge asked how many sports cars Wyatt needed.
Brooke stated that there was nothing wrong with loyalty. Agreeing, Ridge asked where Wyatt's loyalty to Katie was. Wyatt said he wasn't against anyone, but Ridge quipped that Justin wouldn't allow Wyatt to be Switzerland. "Or you," Ridge added, staring at Brooke.
Back in the judge's chambers, Carter opened by saying that Katie and Bill were amicably divorced. There was no animosity between the parents, but for "the better part of the year," Bill had failed to meet his joint custody obligations. Further, Carter argued that Will's mother should have the power to curtail the effect of Bill's erratic behavior on their son.
Justin spoke next, arguing that, at some point, everyone had been in the humiliating position of failing to meet their commitments, and at times, Bill had been unable to meet the terms of the custody agreement. Justin posited that the sad irony was that Bill's attempt to correct the failure had been met with the attempt to strip him of his custodial rights. Justin asked if anyone believed the answer was to strip the child of his father.
The bailiff called Thorne into the room. Thorne took a seat in a witness chair beside the court reporter. Under Carter's questioning, Thorne explained that he'd started spending time with Will in the spring because he'd been getting closer to Katie and because he'd seen no male role model in Will's life. Thorne claimed that Will's brothers hadn't been around much, and Will's father hadn't been around at all.
Next, Justin questioned Thorne and got him to admit that he'd proposed to his new bride just a week prior and that the marriage wasn't even a full day old. Justin depicted the marriage as a winning strategy to appear as a stable family in the hearing. Thorne claimed that the couple had gotten married for themselves, and he knew he wasn't Will's father. "You're just no longer mommy's boyfriend," Justin noted.
Thorne told the judge that he loved Will, who was bright and full of ideas -- until his father came around to demand attention. When Bill was around, Will regressed. "And your ideas of fatherhood come from...?" Justin asked. Thorne explained that he'd had a daughter who'd died. Apologizing for broaching a sensitive subject, Justin said that Aly had had mental health issues.
Thorne confirmed that Aly had had emotional problems. Justin asked if the problems had had to do with how she'd been raised. Thorne explained that it had started after she'd lost her mother at a young age. Justin asked if losing Bill could have a similar effect on Will. Thorne said that he wouldn't compare the two because Aly's mother had died, but Bill was sitting right there.
Thorne stepped down, and Carter announced Ridge Forrester as the next witness. Judge McMullen flashed back to his conversation with Ridge about granting full custody to Katie. Ridge entered, the bailiff swore him in, and Carter asked Ridge how long he'd known Katie.
Through Carter's questioning, Ridge revealed that he'd known Katie since she'd been sixteen, and he'd known Bill for ten years. Carter asked for Ridge's opinion of the two as parents. Ridge explained that they'd reopened the daycare at Forrester because Katie had wanted to take her child to work. Ridge had seen Katie with the child a lot but claimed it wasn't so about Bill, whom Ridge had never seen with Will. Ridge claimed that not a lot of people had.
Ridge added that he knew Bill's "eldest boy," Liam, who'd been Ridge's son-in-law until Bill had destroyed the marriage. Justin objected to Ridge testifying to facts of a marriage that he had no party to. The judge agreed. Ridge guessed that he had to give direct experiences and asked if attempted murder would do. Ridge accused Bill of throwing Ridge from a helicopter.
As Justin moved to strike the unsubstantiated accusations from the record, Ridge accused Justin of flying the craft. Carter argued that Bill's violent tendencies were relevant. McMullen asked if charges had been filed against Bill, and Ridge said they hadn't been because the incident had happened internationally. McMullen granted Justin's move to strike.
Noting that Ridge hadn't gotten along with Thorne and Bill at times, Carter asked which man Ridge thought would provide stability for a child. Ridge said there was nothing stable about "that guy," who liked to yell and scream -- or worse -- when he didn't get his way. Ridge considered it a blessing for Bill to abandon Will.
Ridge described his brother as an even-mannered man who put his family before his career. Ridge had thought Thorne would crumble after the deaths of his wife and then daughter; however, Thorne had become more sensitive to people's feelings and needs. Ridge believed Will would blossom with Thorne -- if "your honor" saw fit to make the right choice.
Next, Liam took the stand, and Carter had Liam explain that his mother hadn't wanted him to know his father. Liam said he and Bill hadn't gotten along at first. "Then we did. And then we didn't," Liam stated. Carter asked why the men weren't on speaking terms at that time, and Liam sadly replied that there wasn't much to say.
Carter asked if Bill believed in physical punishment and if he'd ever struck Liam. Liam flashed back to Bill punching him. Bill yelled that Liam wasn't a child, and Liam had tried to steal Bill's company. McMullen warned Bill about making outbursts and instructed Liam to answer. Liam revealed that Bill had struck him -- even though it hadn't had to do with parenting.
Carter moved on to Liam's marriage troubles and why they had occurred. Liam revealed that he'd learned that his father had slept with his wife and had tried to make it seem as if it had been an ongoing affair. Carter asked if it was fair to say that Bill had neglected Will to chase his other son's pregnant wife. Liam said it was true to say, but he didn't know if it was fair to say.
Carter had no further questions, but Liam wanted to comment. The judge allowed it, and Liam said that, though his relationship with Bill was relevant, the father-child relationship wasn't a one-way street. Liam thought it was clear that Bill loved Will and wanted to spend more time with Will. Liam believed it was worth asking what good the two could do for each other.
Next, Katie testified. She and Carter discussed the calendar she'd used to track her and Will's activities. Reviewing it, McMullen asked why the third week of January had been whited out. Katie claimed Will had been scheduled to be with Bill, and she hadn't wanted the boy to dwell on it. She'd started crossing weeks off, and by summer, she'd stopped writing down Bill's dates because she'd feared it would make Will feel forgotten. At times, she'd hoped Bill would show up as a surprise, but the surprise had never happened.
Carter asked if Katie was just asking the court to recognize the de facto situation that she was Will's sole custodian. Katie wanted to be clear that the court action had been a last resort. She said the expectations of joint custody had been tough on Will because Bill couldn't fulfill them; however, she and Thorne could give Will a safe, happy, stable home in which he wasn't waiting for someone to show up. "With visitation?" Carter asked.
Katie affirmed it. Carter asked what would happen the next time Bill didn't show up. Katie replied that she'd have some kind of recourse if she had sole custody. Carter asked if Katie knew that Bill had subpoenaed her medical records from the time she hadn't been able to conceive. Katie hadn't known; however, she explained that she'd been a heart transplant recipient, and her meds supposedly made conception impossible. "Apparently, they were wrong," she said.
Carter revealed that Bill hadn't wanted Katie to carry the baby to term. Crying, Katie recalled that Bill had been scared because the doctors had believed that the pregnancy might kill her, and she admitted that it almost had. She said Bill had pleaded with her, tried to intimidate her, and had cried. She explained that he'd realized that it had been her choice, and he'd supported it. It had been a moment in her life that she'd felt truly loved and supported.
Carter ended his questioning. Justin stated that he was touched by Katie's defense of Bill. Justin had always thought Katie and Bill had had a rare understanding. Katie agreed that they had -- until they hadn't. Justin didn't think Katie really wanted to be in court, and Katie agreed. Justin wondered if Katie was being used by the Forrester brothers in their vendetta against Bill.
Katie ordered Justin to stop. She was tired of people acting like she didn't know her own mind, and she decided that she'd assert why she was there. She was there for one reason -- her responsibility to her son, and it was the only duty she had in her life that was unbreakable. She wouldn't tolerate anyone getting in the way of it, and she vowed to fight against interference in it.
Katie said that in the blink of an eye, Will would be a man. She wanted that man to know how to trust and to be able to receive love. She wanted Will to feel that he deserved it. The well-being of her son was under threat, and she was determined to do something about it. "If you let me," Katie said to the judge. Ridge and McMullen exchanged looks.
Back in the corridor, Wyatt asked Brooke if Bill would lose his son. Brooke thought it was possible, but she didn't understand who'd keep a father from his son. Wyatt replied that his mother had. Brooke asked if he'd thanked his mother for it. In Wyatt's silence, Brooke stated that she'd hate for Katie to have that day of reckoning with Will.
