[ dramatic music ] >> Steffy: I came here to be
Thomas's witness. I never expected this.
>> Hope: You never expected my son to choose you
as his guardian? >> Steffy: He isn't
choosing me, Hope. >> Hope: He was supposed to--
to pick someone to live with, either his father or me.
You weren't supposed to be an option.
>> Steffy: I am just as shocked as you are.
But what do you want me to do? Do you want me to reject him?
>> Hope: Steffy, please. Mother to mother,
he's our child and we need him home with us.
His sister needs him. >> Steffy: Look, I understand
that you're upset, but my main focus is
the well-being of my nephew. ♪♪♪
>> Li: Kelly's still working on her big project.
>> Finn: The one she and Douglas are doing together?
>> Li: Mm-hmm. >> Finn: It's-- it's pretty
fun having all the kids here. I mean, when it's our time
with Kelly, I mean, she's-- she loves having
her cousin over. >> Li: Douglas is a sweet,
patient young man. >> Finn: Oh, and a good role
model. He and Kelly have gotten pretty close these
past few months. ♪♪♪
>> Katie: Oh God, Katie. Really?
All right. >> Carter: Oh, I didn't mean to.
[ Katie squealing] >> Katie: I-- I thought
I locked that door. >> Carter: You know,
I'll come back. I'll come back. >> Katie: No, no, no, no.
That's okay. I'm not shy. And besides, you know,
turnabout as fair play, how many times have I walked
in on you half-naked? >> Carter: You trying to be
like me now? >> Katie: Well, you're not
the only one who works out, you know?
>> Carter: Yeah, I can see that. So beautiful. Very beautiful.
♪♪♪
>> Carter: So how was your workout?
>> Katie: Not as good as that kiss. I got outta
the shower and I realized that I had left
my clothing here. I was really hoping that
an hour in the gym might clear my mind.
>> Carter: Yeah, there's been a lot going on lately.
All that Bill, Sheila drama. >> Katie: Yes. Well, not just
that. Brooke told me that Hope and Thomas are meeting
with the judge today. >> Carter: About Douglas'
guardianship? >> Katie: Mm-hmm. Apparently,
they are letting Douglas choose who he wants
to live with. >> Carter: That's huge.
>> Katie: Yeah. And I just hope for his sake that
he chooses to live with Hope and Liam.
>> Li: Of course, Douglas likes it here. He's got
the ocean. His cousins, Kelly and Hayes.
>> Finn: It's the greatest candy drawer in town.
Douglas is a special kid. >> Li: Mm.
>> Finn: I mean, he's just, he's gone through so much
with Caroline dying and Thomas being his father.
>> Li: Bet it makes you appreciate even more
the little sweet family you have with Steffy.
♪♪♪ >> Hope: You said you think
it's best if Douglas stays with you and Finn for a while.
Do you really believe that? >> Judge: All right, folks.
I have given you time to discuss, come to terms
with the decision, but I have a full DACA today.
So, this concludes our meeting. Douglas has made
his statement. >> Hope: But Your Honor--
>> Thomas: Yes, Steffy and Finn weren't even an option.
>> Judge: But you agreed upon this process that Douglas
has the final say. He clearly has chosen
to live with his Aunt Steffy. So, I trust you will figure
out how to make this work, or I will have to see you
all once again. Excuse me. >> Douglas: So, is it okay,
Aunt Steffy? Can I come live with you and Finn?
♪♪♪
>> Carter: Next time, we're going at it in the gym.
You and me. >> Katie: Carter! Bad!
>> Carter: I'm talking about working out.
>> Katie: Oh, well that would be great, but um, I think
it would be a miracle if our schedules
actually lined up. >> Carter: I've been known
to work miracles before. >> Katie: Have you?
>> Carter: Mm-hmm. >> Katie: Mm.
Oh, hopefully, we don't need a miracle today.
And Douglas will do the wise thing and stay with Hope.
>> Carter: I can't imagine him choosing anyone else.
>> Katie: I can't imagine it either. I have a feeling
this is gonna be a huge setback for Thomas.
>> Carter: Yeah. You're probably right.
>> Katie: Maybe it's a good thing Steffy is there as his
witness. Because he might need his sister when Douglas
makes his decision. >> Finn: Our life is perfect
the way it is. I mean, I honestly wouldn't wanna
change a thing. >> Li: You found
the right balance. >> Finn: Yeah. Kelly and
Hayes, they're the driving force and they're the center
of all we do. I mean, every decision we make.
Nothing fills me up more than watching those two grow.
>> Li: This is what I've always hoped for.
To see my son happy and fulfilled.
>> Finn: Well, sometimes I just, I can't believe that
this is real. Like this is-- this is really my life.
I have everything that I would ever want.
>> Li: Yes. You do.
♪♪♪ >> Douglas: Can I come live
with you and your family, Aunt Steffy?
>> Thomas: Yeah, but that actually wasn't even
a part of the deal. >> Liam: Douglas, you--
you are not in trouble. We're-- we're all just
um, a little caught off guard. That's all.
>> Thomas: Okay, look, hey, bud.
I made some mistakes, you know, and I'm sorry that
I ever put you in this position. It wasn't cool.
But I'll tell you, I love you so much,
and I'm always gonna love you. You're gonna be my number one
guy forever. >> Hope: Your father loves
you, Douglas. So do Liam and I
and your Aunt Steffy. You have a whole extended
family that is going to be there for you no matter what.
Okay? We just wanna make sure that...
That you're okay with your decision, that you
understand that you would be growing up outside of our home.
And it's just that we, um... We-- we wanna be there
for you. And it won't be the same without you.
>> Liam: I think, um-- I think your mom's just tr--
She's just trying to say that we are really hoping
you choose to stay with us. That's all.
>> Steffy: Hey, Douglas, come here.
I am so honored that you chose Finn and me.
But there's a-- a lot we have to sort out.
It's a really complicated situation. And I know you're
feeling a lot of pressure right now, and you don't
wanna hurt anyone, but your mommy and daddy
love you, and they want what's best for you. So do I.
I'm not exactly sure what that looks like
right now, but um, know that you are always welcome
at my house. We adore having you over, especially Kelly.
>> Douglas: We're working on a big project. If I'm living
there, I can finish it even sooner.
>> Steffy: And you'll have plenty of time to work on
that solar system. But I think tonight,
maybe you should go home with your mommy and Liam
and we can, uh... We can discuss this later,
okay? Okay. Come here. I love you.
I love you so much. ♪♪♪
>> Carter: Now that you've worked up an appetite,
let me take you to dinner. >> Katie: Oh, that sounds
good. Yes, let's do that. >> Carter: Okay. Same Indian
place we went to last week. >> Katie: You are reading
my mind. >> Carter: I can picture
it now. You're ordering the chicken masala then
regretting it, then eating my entire plate of curry.
>> Katie: I did do that, didn't I?
>> Carter: You sure did. But I'd share my plate
of curry with you any day. >> Katie: Because you're
just that sweet. >> Carter: You're pretty
sweet yourself. The way you defend your family.
>> Katie: I don't know. All this worry doesn't seem
to do anyone any good. >> Carter: You care, Katie.
You really care. And that's what I admire most about you.
You'd do anything for the people that matter.
Even Bill. You're fighting against
Sheila for the sake of his relationship with your son.
>> Katie: Well, someone's gotta be the voice of reason
because he has lost his mind. It's like he's stuck in
this deep, deep depression. I mean, I don't know what
else to call it. And as long as he is in my life,
which will be forever because he's the father of my son,
I-- I have to keep fighting for him.
>> Carter: But not alone 'cause I got your back.
>> Katie: Feels good to have you by my side.
♪♪♪ >> Thomas: Oh, I'm glad
we all have a chance to speak privately.
>> Hope: Mom and Donna said they'd watched Douglas
as long as we need. >> Liam: Okay, great.
Well, how about we start here? Uh, letting Douglas choose
his own home is a record-setting bad idea.
>> Thomas: Okay. You think this is what I wanted?
I thought that my son was gonna be living with me,
not with my sister. >> Hope: What were we
thinking? Letting a child decide his guardianship?
>> Thomas: I honestly don't think it was that bad of
an idea. I mean, look, he-- he gets to choose who he wants
to live with. It's a 50/50 shot. Either his mother or his father.
>> Hope: Except now, it's neither one of us, Thomas.
>> Thomas: Why would I ever have predicted that?
>> Hope: What does that say about us as parents?
♪♪♪ >> Finn: I'm happy you're
home. My mom says hi, by the way. She left a little
while ago. And the kids are watching a movie.
So, what happened? How'd it go with the judge?
I mean, that had to be uncomfortable for you.
This whole process is unusual, am I right?
>> Steffy: Yeah. Unusual. That's an accurate description.
>> Finn: Yeah. It's just Douglas, he's so young
to be choosing who raises him. And I know this was Thomas'
idea, but he's been happily living with Liam and Hope
and this... What's up? You're being quiet.
Douglas didn't choose Thomas, did he?
>> Steffy: No, he didn't. ♪♪♪
>> Thomas: Well, obviously Douglas doesn't want to be
around any of us. >> Liam: You know, at this
point, I don't blame him. I mean, because of you,
we put the kid in an impossible situation,
right? He chooses you, he hurts us. He chooses us,
he hurts you. It's a lose-lose for him.
>> Thomas: So he writes Steffy's name down.
>> Liam: Yeah, he writes Steffy's name down because
she was there and because she's actually kinda neutral
in all of this. >> Thomas: I don't know.
I wouldn't exactly call her neutral. She is his aunt.
>> Hope: Steffy understands what's at stake.
Douglas' wellbeing and happiness.
>> Thomas: Yeah. But Steffy and I-- I mean, even though
we've had our issues, she is-- She's my sister.
You know, I'm her brother. >> Liam: Okay. And?
>> Thomas: I'm just saying, I-- I-- You know,
maybe this isn't the worst thing for me.
>> Hope: What is that supposed to mean?
>> Thomas: I know how important family is to Steffy.
She's not gonna keep me from seeing my son.
>> Liam: What-- what is-- what's the implication there?
That Hope has kept you from seeing your son?
Like, dude, if there's a rift between you and Douglas,
that is on you. They were your lies.
They were your actions. They were your choices.
>> Hope: Okay. You know what? Stop, stop. I don't--
I don't wanna do this. I don't. Our son just
rejected all of us, and he chose to go live
with Steffy because clearly, he isn't happy here.
>> Liam: That-- Hope, that is not true.
>> Hope: Isn't it? Because I love him as if
I carried him myself. [ voice breaks ] So obviously
I must have failed him somewhere along the way.
>> Liam: That's-- that-- that is-- that does not
mean that. You haven't done anything wrong.
You've done everything right. >> Hope: Obviously not!
So, I need to figure out where I went wrong
and why he chose to go live with Steffy.
♪♪♪ >> Finn: I know this is hard
for you. Again, you and your brother aren't on great terms
right now. And he's been a challenge for a lot
of your life, but... he's your brother
and you care about him. It had to be really difficult
watching Douglas choose. >> Steffy: Yeah.
Everyone was, uh... really surprised.
>> Finn: Really? I mean, it shouldn't have been too
surprising. Douglas has been living with Hope all this
time, and they've been a little unit for years.
And considering all the problems that Thomas has
brought on, and the way Douglas gets caught up in it,
is it really that crazy he chose to stay with Hope
and not Thomas? >> Steffy: Douglas didn't
choose to stay with Hope. >> Finn: You just said he didn't
ask to be with his dad. >> Steffy: Right. Right.
>> Finn: So what? He just-- He didn't pick anyone?
>> Steffy: No, no. That's not-- that's not what I'm saying.
>> Finn: What are you-- what are you saying?
I'm confused. What's going on? >> Steffy: Um, so we were inside
the judge's chambers. The papers were signed
and sealed with Hope and Thomas's signatures.
And all they needed was Douglas to write down
who he wanted as his guardian. And when the judge went
to go read it, she was-- she was shocked.
And then Hope and Thomas read it, and yeah, they were--
they were stunned too. >> Finn: Who did he write?
Who does he wanna be his legal guardian?
>> Steffy: Me. >> Finn: You?
>> Steffy: Yes. He, um-- He wrote down my name.
Finn, he looked at me with those sweet, innocent eyes
and he said he wanted to live with me.
He wanted to live with us. Douglas wants to be part
of our family, Finn. ♪♪♪
Captioned by Los Angeles Distribution and Broadcasting, Inc.