Chapter Twenty four - unwelcome guest
“Oh god, what are YOU doing here?” asked Victoria in disgust as she opened the door and saw Bradley standing there...
Brad smiled sarcastically at her “It’s good to see you too Victoria...”
Victoria rolled her eyes as Nikki walked toward the door and was shocked to see Brad there “Bradley..."
Brad smiled at her “Merry Christmas Nikki...”Nikki stuttered “..You...You too”
Inside the house Victor recognized immediately the other man’s voice “What the hell is he doing here?” He thought with clenched teeth.
Cole glanced at him, slightly concerned.
Sharon looked at things with interest, she recall hearing Victoria saying something a few weeks ago about her mother seeing another man, other from Victoria's father, that is.
She had forbidden her to tell Nicholas because she didn’t want him to get upset in the time of his trail, she had never seen him though “I take that is him...” She thought...
She had heard they had split up from Victoria, who was ecstatic “So, if they had broken up, what was he doing there, bearing gifts?” She wondered.
Nikki reluctantly invited Brad in, pausing at the door, not really wanting to deal with the situation.
Brad said as he got in “I figured there won’t be much of a Christmas here this year so I thought I could come and keep you comp...”
He stopped cold as his eyes lied on Victor, who stood in the middle of the room, with a stoic expression.
The two man glared at each other for a long moment, Vicki stopped next to her mother and looked at her worriedly, Nikki sensed her daughter’s eyes on her but couldn’t really give a reassuring look back.
Brad asked out of shock “Victor, what...are you doing here?” Victor was annoyed by the question “I’m Spending the holidays with *my* family, Bradley”
Brad regretted asking, it was obvious why Victor was there, and one look on Nikki’s distressed face told him he better not pick up a fight, no matter how much he wanted to take that possessive tone out of Victor’s voice, "I have a right to visit Nikki ... even if it is on Christmas eve, the Newman’s most sacred holiday" He thought, annoyed.
He ignored Victor, turned to Nikki and said softly “I’m apologize, Nikki... I just assumed there won’t be any Christmas celebration today, because of the situation with Nicholas, I didn’t mean to intrude, if I had known...”
Victoria interfered as she muttered “You’d have probably showed up anyway, if only to stir the pot”
Brad glared at her “Merry Christmas for you to Victoria”
Victoria snorted and said rudely “My Christmas was just fine till you showed up, you really don’t know how to take a hint do you?”
Nikki pleaded with her daughter, afraid from the situation escalating “Victoria, please..”
Victoria muttered “Fine, Fine...”
She went to her husband side while shooting daggers at Brad “Damn it” she thought “Everything was going so well!”
Brad turned to Nikki and told her softly “As I said, I just wanted to touch base... to check up on you, it had been a while”
Nikki smiled at him warmly “Yes it has, I appreciate it Brad”
Unlike most times, Nikki’s smile pierced Victor’s heart as it was directed to Brad, it was a genuine smile, “She seemed happy to see him” Victor thought to himself as he was trying very hard to control his temper.
Vicki looked at her father, she could see Brad was getting his nerves, she couldn’t really blame him, that guy had some nerve!”
Sharon, feeling out of place felt like this would be a good time to leave and said “Well, I need to get going..”
Cole distracted said “Right...”
He looked around the room and said “Goodnight everyone”
He shook hands with Victor “Victor...”
Victor smiled at his son in law “Goodnight Cole...”
He smiled at Nikki “Nikki, take care...”
Nikki smiled at him “Thank you, Cole” She looked at Sharon and said “Well, goodbye Sharon” Sharon smiled at her and said “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Abbott”
Victor smiled warmly at Sharon and said “Goodnight Sharon, and give your mother my regards” Sharon smiled as Victor kissed her on the cheek “I sure will”
Victoria walked Cole out but paused at the door and whispered “I’m staying here..”
Cole said with a note of warning “Vicki...”
Vicki told him urgently “Cole, I’m not leaving mom alone with Brad and Dad, god only knows what might happen”
Cole whispered back “Just don’t go and stir up troubles, you might just make things worse...”
Vicki rolled her eyes and marched back into the house, Brad commented “I thought you were going with Cole to drop off Sharon..”
Vicki smiled to him sweetly, standing next to her father, who stood there, trying to keep his cool “I was just walking my husband out Brad”
Brad replied sarcastically “Sure..”
Nikki, feeling very awkward as she felt Victor’s eyes resting at her asked Brad “Would you like something to drink? Eat?”
Brad smiled “No, thank you, I’ve already eaten.. actually, I came by to give you your present...and to let you know I thought of you”
He sent a look toward Victor as he said the last sentence, and watched in pleasure as he noticed him seethe...
Nikki didn’t miss Victor’s reaction either, she could see his jealousy in his body language, the tense shoulders, the glaring eyes... she wasn’t surprised by it, she did noticed Brad was saying this to get to him, she didn’t know if to be flattered it did get to him or get mad he was still so jealous...
She tried to smile at Brad “Well, that’s very sweet of you, considering...”
She said the last word hoping both man would change their attitudes, Victor - for the better and Brad... well... just to remind him where things stand.
Brad responded “Well, it had been my pleasure..I wanted to ask you, did Nicholas called?”
Nikki smile widen “Yes, he has, we even spoke”
Brad smiled “Good, I know how much it was important for you..”
Nikki said "It was... it was wonderful to hear from him, to talk to him"
Brad smiled,"I know it was"
He pulled out a small box and gave it to her, she took it from him with a small nod and a smile, she looked at him with a question, hoping he would say no “Should I open it now?”
Brad said “Sure, that’s why I’m here..”
Nikki opened the box carefully to reveal a pair of diamond earrings with small rubies all around them, she smiled and said “Bradley, they are lovely, thank you...”
She sent a look at Victor, and turned her head right back, not wanting to look too obvious.
Victor and Victoria both watched the scene with disapproval, Victor felt his blood boiling, it was so difficult for him to watch it, but he had no way out, and there was nothing he could say to Bradley that won’t reveal his jealousy in a very obvious way, he took a deep breath.
Victoria watched her father, She was upset and annoyed but she still enjoyed his reaction, he was so clearly jealous, she could see how much it was getting to him, she didn’t know if to take it as a good thing or a bad thing...
Brad said to Nikki “Well, I glad you like it...took me quite a while to choose it, it very hard to find jewelry that could actually shine on a beautiful woman like you”
Nikki managed to laugh, but it wasn't a real laugh, she could see Victor was very close of saying something, and it would just make matters worse “Well, I think you managed just fine...”
Victoria looked at the scene with disgust “Does he ever gives up??” she thought as she rolled her eyes.
Victor turned his back to the scene as he went by the fire place , trying to compose himself, he felt a lot like punching that sarcastic SOB out, he was so clearly flirting with her and she wasn’t telling him off, that what upset him the most.
Nikki closed the box and said “Well, I appreciate you thinking of me...”
Brad said “I’m always thinking of you”
Nikki looked at him helplessly, she didn’t want to tell him off, but she could see Victor getting angrier and angrier, she couldn’t really hold that against him.... but she still felt trapped...and out of air.
Brad was thinking he has a right to fight for her, and as far as he knew , she was single.
Victor was waiting for her to tell Brad to get lost, and she didn't want to hurt him this way, and she couldnt' really tell him why she didn't want him in her life anymore, especially not in the presence of Victoria.
She went to put the box in the drawer but carelessly knocked a small box fell from it, Brad bent down to pick it up, beating her to it, he looked at Nikki with surprise “It had my name on it...”
Victor turned around sharply as Nikki’s voice faltered “Well, yes... I... I bought it for you... a while ago...”
Brad asked her “May I?”
Nikki nodded slowly, Brad opened the wrapping, inside it was a card and a jewelry box, he opened it to discover a set of cuff links, gold and blue...”
He smiled at her “They are beautiful, thank you”
He leaned down to kiss her cheek, Nikki closed her eyes as Brad's lips touched her cheek, trying hard to ignore Vicki’s almost panicked look and the way she felt Victor’s eyes resting on her...
Brad misread her reaction as a positive sign and smiled at her... He looked at Victor and asked sarcastically, showing him the cufflinks “Don’t you agree, Victor?”
Victor commented curtly “She has great taste, you should consider yourself lucky, Bradley”
Nikki looked away, she wanted to be anywhere else but there... her feeling of helplessness changed into something more like despair as Brad asked “So, should I read the card?”
Nikki recalled exactly what was written in the card and took a deep breath, and trying to talk him out of it “Brad, I wrote it a while back.. I’m not sure I even finished writing it...”
Brad smiled “That’s okay, I would love to read it anyway”
Wordlessly, she handed him the card, he read it quietly and said to her, quietly but loud enough so Victor would hear “I’m glad you feel that way Nikki, I feel the same, you *too* had filled the void in my life with love...”
Nikki stood there, unable to speak, glued to the spot, she bit her lip, and tried to say something that would make him understand “Hmm.. Brad..I...”
Brad put his finger on her lip “Sh... don’t say a word...I heard all I needed to know...knowing I still got my fighting chance is all I needed”
Nikki opened her mouth but nothing came out of it...She couldn’t even look toward Victor’s direction who was standing in the remote corner of the room...
Brad kissed her on the cheek again and said “Again, Merry Christmas sweetheart, I’ll be going now... I’ll walk myself out...”
And at those words, he walked out...
Nikki turned around with gigantic efforts toward Victor and Victoria, Victoria looked like she had eaten something bad while Victor was standing near the fireplace, not looking at her....
