Victoria stared at Brad at utter shock and disdain as the other man entered the room “Where are everyone?”

Jack commented “Meeting’s over golden boy, everyone’s gone”

Brad smiled “Well, that’s too bad, I really wanted to hear Victoria’s presentation”

Victoria approached Brad and said “You are a disgusting jerk, you know that?”

Brad was taken of guard “Excuse me?”

Victoria was livid “I don't believe you told my father you and mom were seeing each other!”

Jack tried to calm her down “Victoria, if you scream this loud the entire building will hear you, you don't want that and I am sure your mother would appreciate it too”

Victoria sent a look to Jack and glared at Brad and shook her head in disgust.

Brad said “Victoria, I felt like he should know”

Victoria said “Hello?! Mom dumped you, this morning!!! What purpose does it serve for you to tell
Dad now? Aside of upsetting me, that is”

Brad glared at the young woman who stood there, flames flaring from her eyes and said

condescendingly “Believe it or not, Victoria, not everything I do is about you, I told your father because the fact he didn’t know was getting in the way of your mother and mine’s relationship”

Jack interfered “What relationship? You no longer have any!”

Brad rolled his eyes “Jack , you stay out of it, it is none of your business”

Jack got upset “Nikki is my friend, I know her for a longer time than you have and probably ever will and I don't want to see *you* creating problems for her”

Brad asked “Oh, is that what you think I’m doing?”

Victoria said “My family is in enough turmoil right now, in enough pain and confusion without YOU
blabbing you mouth of to Dad! I bet Mom doesn’t even know you did it”

Brad said “Not exactly”

Vicki called out “You mean not at all! Don't you think she didn’t want him to know for a reason?”

Brad said “Yes, because she knew it would upset your father, and didn't want that, but I am not going
to let that get in the way of what me and Nikki share”

Victoria said in disgust “Please, spare me, you’re gonna make me sick!”

Brad said “Look, your mother told me she wanted a break because of the situation with Nicholas and because she thought it would upset Victor if he knew”

Victoria said “But you went ahead and told him anyway!”

Brad said “Your mother has a right to her own life, and I know you like to forget that Victoria, but your parents are divorced, they have been for years and your mother is allowed to date whoever she pleases”

Victoria said “Don't you think you owe it to my mother to respect her decisions and not to tell my dad if she asks you not to?!”

Brad said “If your mother would have a problem with what I did, I am sure I would hear about it, personally, I think she would be relieved that he knows and that we can continue where we stopped”

Victoria said “You know my mom a lot less than you would like to believe Brad, and you know nothing about my family, Christmas is less than a week away and I don't think my parents are talking to each other”

Brad said “Well, I am terribly sorry if your father is having problems to accept the fact that your mother is starting a new life....but that’s his problem”

Jack stood at the side listening to the argument commented “Actually, since he still pays your salary,
that’s kinda your problem, too. You made a huge mistake Golden boy”

Brad said angrily “Well, we would have to see about that!”

Victoria jeered in a calm voice “What You fail to realize that you don’t stand a prayer against my dad,
and you never will...”

Brad approached her and said “And what you fail to realize is that I will not let your father interfere with the relationship between your mother and me, and I am sure as hell not going to let a snotty brat like you do it either”

Victoria was livid but said calmly “Don’t mess with me, and don't underestimate me...you don’t want that, I can cause a lot of problems for you...”

She paused and said with a smile “In fact, I won’t have to, cause when mom hears that you told dad she will never take you back”

Brad looked at her and said smugly “I’m not worried”

Vicki said “Just get out of my face before I do something I’ll regret”

Brad looked at her, and at Jack and walked out without another word.

Victoria threw her hands in disgust and said “I really hate him”

Jack couldn't help but grin to her “I'm just glad I never got any of that temper while I was with your mother”

Victoria smiled at Jack ”Well, that was different, First of all, I liked you, and I knew you wouldn't hurt Mom, Brad would bring her nothing but pain...”

She paused and grinned “And just maybe the fact you saved me from drowning had something to do with that”

Jack smiled “It had been my pleasure kiddo” He looked at his watch and said “I gotta go, Victoria, do me a favor, go home and check up on your mom”

Victoria looked at him suspiciously “Why, because she had a fight with Dad?”

Jack nodded “Yes, that too”

Victoria didn't understand “That too?”

Jack didn't say a thing and Victoria said “There is more going on here than you’re telling me isn’t it?”

Jack avoided the question and said “Just go home, and check up on your father too”

Victoria eyes him with obvious surprise “You’re concerned about my Father? Now that is strange, you worried about mom - fine, I get it, but Dad?! ”

She crossed her hands across her chest and looked at Jack worriedly “Is there something going on here other than dad turning into the green eyed monster because he found out about Brad?”

Jack faltered and said “I can’t answer that Victoria”

Victoria asked sharply “Why not?!” and than looked at him, grimaced and said “Because someone asked you not to... Is that is?” J

ack looked at her silently, Victoria rolled her eyes “Mom confided in you haven’t she?”

Jack smiled and said decisively “Goodbye Victoria” and walked out the door.

Victoria looked after him and rolled her eyes, something was definitely going on and she was determinated to find out what it was.
 
 

Nikki, stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her, and sat on the bed, trying to control the angry tears that came out of her eyes, she took a deep breath... and took the hair out of her face, Why did it always end up at this?! Them accusing each other, angry and hurt?!

She thought they would be above it all at that point, but she was wrong, again.

As usual, she did it all backwards, making a move based on her emotions and heart instead of her mind, “When will I ever learn?” she pondered out loud.

She shouldn’t have given into to the passion and make love to Victor while she was still with Brad, she should have told Brad about the feelings she still had for Victor before, she should have told Victor herself about the relationship with Brad, she shouldn’t have made love to Victor at all!

Not like this, they needed to talk about it before, they made so many mistakes in the past - and deep down, she was still hurt because of that, and she was sure it wasn’t as different for him.

But again, they started out wrong, and now they were both hurt and angry.

“That’s just great” Nikki thought, “Victor feeling betrayed and lied to, and I feel insulted... that’s a great way to start a relationship”

And she was hurt. “How could Victor accuse me of playing them both? He should know how I feel toward him by now, that I could never, ever love any other man the way I love him”. It was this simple.

Or this complicated.

She shook her head in sadness and anger, she really hoped that one time he would be able to sit and listen to her, instead of getting his male ego all involved, and if there is one thing Victor certainly does has -a male ego is that.

She let out a short bitter laugh, she wasn’t any better, she knew she could be as stubborn as he sometimes was.

Nikki had to admit to herself that she might not have reacted all that better if things were opposites, she was as jealous of him as she was of her. And that was exactly their problem, always have and apparently always will be.

And once again they are angry, and upset and disappointed with each other.

She thought back to her fight with Victor, and her heart sank, she didn't’ really want to feel sad, she wanted to feel angry at, but she couldn’t.

Victor looked more than jealous, he looked upset and hurt - and she didn't’ want to hurt him, god...... that was the last thing she ever wanted to do, she couldn’t handle with the hurt expression on his face, no matter how, misguided it was.

But still, She *was* mad, he was so...indignant and for him to accuse her of sleeping with Brad behind his back wasn’t fair.

She let her body fall onto the bed, She knew one thing, they would have to talk, a long talk, about the past, and present and future. But she really didn’t feel like doing it, “If Victor wants to talk to her, he should make the first move this time”...
 
 

Victoria called The ranch, Miguel answered the phone “Newman residence”

Victoria said “Miguel, it’s Me, can you please put mom on?”

Miguel said “I don't think it’s a very good idea now”

Victoria moaned “Is she that upset?”

Miguel said “I would say that” Victoria sighed and said “Okay....Look, I’m going to come home soon so I’ll talk to her then, I’ll see you soon”

Miguel said “Alright, good bye Victoria”

Vicki hung up when suddenly the phone rang, she answered “Hello”.

A loved voice from the other side said “Hey sis” Victoria let out a cry of delight “Nicholas!”

Nicholas smiled as he heard his sister’s voice “Yea, it’s me”

Victoria sniffed “I’m so glad you called”

Nicholas said “I’m glad too, how are things?”

Victoria cried “Who cares how are things here, I want to know what’s going on with you, are you okay? Why won’t you see us?”

Nick tried to sustain his tears, he loved and admired his older sister dearly, and he knew how much she loved him “Hey, I’m fine, more or less, I take it one day at a time”

Victoria said firmly “Dad is doing everything he can to free you, and he will succeed, Nicholas, we will get you out of there”

Nick whispered “I sure hope so”

Victoria asked “Can I see you? Can Mom see you? We both really need to see you”.

Nick shook his head “No, I don't want you and mom to see me this way, locked up”

Victoria tried to reason with him and pleaded “Nick...”

Nick snapped “Vicki, no! it’s hard enough as it is”

Victoria nodded tearfully “Okay, Okay....I’m really glad you called though”

Nick noticed his sister’s tone and asked “Hey, what’s going on”

Vicki tried to cover “What do you mean?”

Nick asked “Are you feeling well?, you don't sound too good”

Vicki said “I just miss you that all”

Nick said “I miss you too, all of you... look, the reason I’m calling, I want you to invite Sharon for Christmas - I only get that one phone call that day and I want to talk to you all at once”

Victoria panicked, she didn't’ know what to say to him, Her parents were not speaking to each other, and Nikki didn’t like Sharon all that much, so if Sharon would come anywhere, it most likely be the apartment.... and then what would she do??!! And how she would explain that to Nicholas without telling him about their parents, the last thing she wanted to do was to worry him.

She stammered “Hmm... Ahh... I don't know about Christmas Nick, I don't even know if we have one thing year, when you are in prison”

Nick was shocked “No, you can’t do that, I want you to celebrate, even without me, it would make me feel good to know you are all together”

Victoria tried to excuse “Nick, I might agree with you but I am not sure Mom and Dad can have Christmas without you”

Nick said “Well, tell them I asked that of them, I know they would”

Victoria was silent, Nick asked, suspicious “Vicki, are you sure it’s about that, and not about Mom and Sharon”

Victoria rubbed her forehead, stressed “No, No... it’s not that...It’s just that... well, Dad would invite Sharon and her mom, but I am not sure it would be to the ranch... I...”

She breath deeply and said “I’m not sure mom and dad are talking to each other right now”

Nick said shocked “What?! Why not?!” Victoria decided to tell half truth “I don’t know! I only found
out about it 10 minutes ago!”

Nick asked “Then how do you know they are not talking to each other?!”

Victoria sighed “Because the way dad was behaving... look Nick you don’t have to worry yourself about that now”

Nick yelled “How do you want me not to worry, it’s not enough I’m in jail now I find out from you the family might not have Christmas together, that’s just great, Vic, I get ONE phone call - ONE - how exactly I'll choose who to call? You have got to get them to talk to each other, you’re good at that”

Victoria moaned “I maybe good, I’m not a magician”

Nick pleaded “Vicki, at least try okay?.... look, I gotta hang up, I’ll call tomorrow, let me know how it went okay?”

And hung up.

Victoria closed her cell and closed her eyes, she could feel a huge headache coming her way.