Cindy Elavsky, Contributor 
Schae Harrison
AFTER ALMOST two decades on The Bold and the Beautiful, Schae Harrison (Darla Forrester) has bid the soap adieu. The much-beloved character succumbed to her injuries from a freak hit-and-run accident (with the car driven by Darla's friend Taylor, no less) on Tuesday, July 18, 2006.
"I am so proud of everyone involved," Schae recalled of her final days on the B&B set. "In the shows leading up to Darla's demise, I am telling all the characters how happy I am, what a great family I have. During Alexandria's birthday party, I have this wonderful speech where I am addressing each character, and for me, it's really Schae saying goodbye to what is basically my family."
Regarding the accident that takes Darla's life, Schae was amazed at the great job everyone did. "The makeup artists did a fabulous job. I told them, 'I want it to be real. If I am going out, then I'm going out with a bang!'"
GOOD HUMOUR
Schae recalled the foreshadowing that her character expressed when "she tells everyone who's leaving the party, 'Drive carefully!' Then, when Phoebe calls to tell her she has a flat tire on the Pacific Coast Highway, Darla thinks nothing of jumping in her car to help her."
Schae then added in good humour, "But, I mean, really, can't the Forresters afford AAA?"
Then, in an ironic twist of events, Taylor comes ambling around the corner in her car, after having quite a few drinks at the party, and just as Darla is putting the last lug nut on the tire, Taylor runs right into her. "There is a great moment where I am flung up on her windshield, and Taylor and I lock eyes. Taylor knows what she has done and who she hit."
The hospital scenes where Darla was in a coma before she passed away were some of the hardest scenes Schae has ever had to shoot. "The stage was so quiet that you literally could hear a pin drop. It was really strange. My co-stars really rose to the occasion. It was especially hard not to react when Thorne (Winsor Harmon) was talking to Darla."
ELEMENT OF EXCITEMENT
"Darlene (Conley, Sally Spectra) and I couldn't even talk about my departure. We'd get tears in our eyes every time we looked at each other."
However, with Darla's death comes a "big element of excitement. What excites me most is the unknown. I'll take a little time off, regroup and come up with a plan. For now, I'm itching for a tropical beach; I'm thinking a Hawaiian getaway."
If she goes anywhere, Schae will be taking her number one man, her 2-1/2-year-old son, Haven, with her. "He is my best friend and the light of my life." Both Schae and Haven are animal and nature lovers, with a menagerie of animals at home, but Schae feels ready for a new addition. "I want another dog. We rescue boxers; I'd love to get another boxer for us."
Although Schae is sad to be leaving her B&B family, she is so happy to have had this job. "Change is good. Nothing lasts forever. How many people can say they have loved going to work every day for the past 18 years? I was very fortunate. Plus, I got a great story line to go out on. I hope it touched our fans as much as it touched us."
