October 16, 2006

Billie: What? Did you forget something?

Steve: Yeah, yeah -- how to do this.

Billie: What?

Steve: [Sighs] Well, it's one thing remembering Stephanie's my daughter, but I don't know the first thing about being her old man.

Billie: Come on, it's just like riding a bike.

Steve: I had a bike?

Billie: It's like drinking a beer.

Steve: Come on. I'm serious. I don't want to screw this up.

Billie: Listen, I know. But if I can handle being a parent, so can you. Just be yourself.

Steve: Whoever that is. Okay. Here goes.

Billie: Okay.

Stephanie: Dad.

Steve: Hey. I brought you this.

Stephanie: [Laughs]

Steve: How's that?

Stephanie: It's cute.

Steve: I probably should have gotten you makeup or a CD or something.

Stephanie: No, no, I love it.

Steve: You're too big for that.

Stephanie: I love it.

Steve: I didn't know what to get you. I didn't know what you'd want. The only memory I have of you, you were... you were a baby.

Stephanie: Yeah, Mom told me. And I knew you would get your memory back.

Steve: Oh, now, hold on.

Stephanie: I know, I know. You still don't remember Mom, but you will. What is she doing here?

Steve: Listen, I asked Billie to come with me. She's my friend.

Stephanie: She's not mine.

Steve: Now, listen, come on.

Billie: It's okay. Steve, I'll wait outside. Stephanie, I'm glad you're feeling better.

Steve: You forgot to spit and kick dirt in her face.

Stephanie: Next time.

Steve: You are my kid, aren't you?

Stephanie: That's what they tell me.

Steve: Well, since we have this special bond and everything, do you think I could talk you into being a little bit nicer to Billie?

Stephanie: No, you should be with Mom, not with that -- not Billie.

Kayla: Hello.

Billie: Kayla.

Kayla: Steve inside?

Billie: Yes, he is. He asked me to come.

Kayla: And you just couldn't say no.

Billie: He wanted me here for moral support. Otherwise, he didn't feel like he could come at all.

Kayla: Well, I'm here now, so --

Billie: I'll stay.

Kayla: Suit yourself. I mean, what's important is that Steve spends time with Stephanie.

Billie: Yes, the bond between a father and a daughter is very important.

Kayla: Well, he always had a special way with her when she was a baby, worked his magic on her. It's funny. He always said she was the one that cast her spell on him.

Billie: I heard that she wasn't the only one.

Steve: No more. No more talk about Billie.

Stephanie: Okay, let's talk about Mom.

Steve: No, no, no, no. I got a better idea. Let's talk about you. I've got this one picture now in my mind of you as a baby. That's all I got. I don’t know what happened to you between then and now.

Stephanie: I grew up without a father. That's what happened.

Steve: I know that. I can't make that right.

Stephanie: Yes, you can. Yeah, you can't change the past, but you know what? There are things you can do now.

Steve: You're tough, aren't you?

Stephanie: You don’t know the half of it.

Steve: I'm not so sure I want to. I'm kidding. I like strong women.

Stephanie: That's why you fell in love with Mom.

Steve: Oh, man. Like a dog with a bone.

Stephanie: Please, Daddy, just give it a chance with Mom.

Steve: I'm sorry, baby. I can’t.

Stephanie: Why?

Steve: I've tried, you know? I just can't make things work with Kayla if I don’t feel -- if I don’t feel what I'm supposed to feel for her.

Stephanie: But you do feel something.

Steve: I don’t remember her.

Stephanie: I know, but you feel something, okay? Maybe it's not love, maybe not even attraction, but you feel something or you would have stayed in Cincinnati.

Steve: You're a race car driver, not a shrink.

Stephanie: Why do you do that?

Steve: What do I do?

Stephanie: Change the subject every time I get close to the truth.

Kayla: You know, for two people to be in a relationship together, they both have to want to. Steve doesn't want to.

Billie: What do you want, Kayla?

Kayla: I want to not be having this conversation with you.

Billie: Okay, then I'll tell you what I want. I want you to fight for Steve.

Steve: Hey, Stephanie, let me ask you something. Now, even though I can't be with Kayla right now, you know, I'd like for us to --

Stephanie: Try the father-daughter thing?

Steve: Yeah. It'd really mean a lot to me. So, what do you think? Can we do that without me being with your mom?

Stephanie: Yeah, we can try, at least.

Steve: That's good. All right, well, you're gonna have to help me out a little bit because I really don’t know how this whole thing works.

Stephanie: Okay, well, you'll play the part of the dad.

Steve: Okay, little miss wiseacre.

Stephanie: And I think you give me a big allowance and spoil me rotten.

Steve: I'm gonna need a job before I can do that. I thought I was supposed to do things like keep the bums away from you.

Stephanie: Yeah, I don’t think that's gonna be a problem.

Steve: Oh, come on, you must have dozens of guys chasing you around that track.

Stephanie: Well, there's only one I care about, and he hasn't exactly been around.

Steve: Max Brady? Hey, the dude was real concerned about you. He didn't want to leave the hospital after the accident. Kayla's old man had to drag him out of here.

Stephanie: Have you seen him since then?

Steve: No.

Stephanie: Yeah, me neither.

Steve: Well, he's probably taking care of business. His car was real messed up. The cops were involved. He'll be back.

Kayla: You want me to fight for Steve?

Billie: I told you before. If Steve wants his old life back, I'm not gonna stand in your way.

Kayla: Are you trying to tell me that we're on the same side? Forgive me, Billie, really, but you know what? I don’t believe you.

Billie: I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Kayla: No, no, no. You don’t want yourself to get hurt, just like you got hurt when you came between Bo and Hope.

Billie: Okay, that's not exactly how things happened, but I can understand how you might see things that way. I have a lot to make up to your family. I realize that.

Kayla: This is a heck of a way to go about it.

Billie: Listen, you have this great family. You have a wonderful support system. Steve has no one.

Kayla: He has no one?

Billie: No, he has no one. He doesn't feel like he can come to you for support. He feels like there will be strings attached, and he feels judged.

Kayla: He told you that?

Billie: No, but he didn't have to because I know what it's like to feel judged in this town. And it stinks. Steve is my friend. I will not abandon my friend.

Kayla: You know what, Billie? I'm not asking you to do that. I believe that you care about him -- I mean, who you think he is. But I love the man that I know he is more than I could ever tell you.

[Cellphone rings]

Billie: Excuse me. What?!

Kayla: What is it?

Billie: Oh, my God. It's a problem with my daughter. Will you please tell Steve I'll see him later?

Kayla: Sure.

Steve: So, what do you think? Should I beat this boy down a little bit, this Max?

Stephanie: No, no. But it's kind of sweet that you want to.

Steve: So, am I getting the hang of this daddy thing, then?

Stephanie: I think it's kind of a trial-and-error deal.

Steve: Yeah, well, get ready for lots of error.

Stephanie: You'll be fine.

Steve: You always this confident?

Stephanie: No. But I am sure of one thing. My whole life, I dreamed of having a dad, and now you're here. And it's exactly what I thought it would be and nothing like I thought it would be.

Steve: Yeah, it feels kind of the same for me.

Stephanie: It's just gonna get better. [Knock on door]

Steve: Okay.

Kayla: Hi.

Stephanie: Mom.

Kayla: Hi, dolly girl.

Stephanie: Hi.

Kayla: I brought your favorite magazines. I brought you fashion, gossip, and two racing.

Stephanie: You're the best.

Kayla: Well, she definitely didn't feel that way between the ages of 13 and 18.

Steve: She sure loves her mama now.

Kayla: Speaking of mothers, Billie had to leave to go see Chelsea. She wanted me to tell you.

Steve: Okay. Hey, how would you like a big, juicy cheeseburger from Buddy's?

Stephanie: Mmm. With the works?

Steve: Is there any other way?

Stephanie: That sounds too good to be true. You'll never get it past the nurse.

Kayla: Well, he will if I distract her.

Steve: Right on. Teamwork. You run interference, and I'll do the end run..

Stephanie: Then I say it's cheeseburgers all around. Come on. The family that breaks rules together eats together.

Steve: Yeah, who said that, Tony Soprano?

Stephanie: No. Me.

Steve: She's hard to say no to.

Kayla: Tell me about it.

Steve: Okay, cheeseburgers for everybody. You're on lookout.

Kayla: Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, I'll cover you.

Steve: 20 minutes tops.

Stephanie: It's happening, Mom.

Kayla: It's a cheeseburger.

Stephanie: It's the beginning.