Chapter Thirty Four - To start the new year with a bang...
“Hey Jill, Is Ryan here? I need to talk to him?” Victoria said as she burst into Jill’s Abott’s office.
Jill, in the middle of a not so friendly spat with Jack turned around and said “Didn’t you ever hear of Knocking, Victoria?”
Victoria rolled her eyes in her direction as Jack said with a smile “Hey kiddo, happy new year”
Victoria muttered “Yes, I guess so...so, did you see Ryan by any chance, I want to ask him something regarding Brass and Sassy”
Jill, in a snit, said “And why would you want to do that? Ryan doesn’t work for the brass and sassy division or have you forgotten that Victoria?”
Victoria scowled “Just the fact you lured him away from our division doesn’t mean I can’t consult with him anymore, does it? I have a new marketing strategy I want to hear his opinion on”
Jill said proudly “You can ask me, I have far more experience then Ryan”
Vicki answered lightly “Yea, but you’re anything but the brass and sassy age group”
Jack snickered as Jill looked offended and at that moment, Ryan walked in “Hey everyone, what’s the party all about?”
Vicki turned to Ryan “Good, I was looking for you, I have something I want you to listen to”
Jill butt in “Ryan got enough to do in his own division and he doesn’t have enough time for yours...isn’t it so Ryan?”
Ryan looked from one woman to another and didn’t know what to say when Jack decided to light up the mood “So, how did you all spent new years eve?...well, I’m not asking you Jill, I know you spent it in the front of the T.V watching old movies”
Jill made a face and didn’t respond.
Ryan said, sitting down on a chair “I had a dinner date with my wife... what about you Vicki, you and Cole went out?”
Vicki answered “Yes, not that we agreed on what to go, or what to do...or when to come back home, and I spend the rest of the night worrying about my mom anyway”
Jack asked with concern “What do you mean?”
Vicki shrugged “She didn’t come home till like 2 AM, and I only know that through Miguel...she got me really worried, like I don’t have enough to worry about these days, and I didn’t get the chance to talk to her this morning”
Ryan suggested, hoping to cheer her up “ Who knows, She might have been with your Dad, your parents are dealing with a lot right now because of what is going on with Nicholas”
Victoria muttered “Yea, I wish, I don’t think Dad is back from wherever he took off to, I called his apartment all day long yesterday and no one answered”
Jill suggested “Well, Rumor is that Nikki was seeing Brad, she might have been there”
Victoria sent her a sharp look and said “Brad and my mother are history, so get the idea out of your head”
She turned her back to Jill and went to pour herself some coffee while Jill commented “Testy...”
Jack rolled his eyes and said “Well, I’m heading back to Newman enterprises but before...” He looked at his watch and then at Jill “Wasn’t the new jingle for the men line suppose to come out today?”
Jill’s eyes lit up “Yes, it was, gee Jack, nice to know you’re good for something, I almost forgot”
Ryan suggested “Hey, it’s a good jingle, turn on the radio”
Vicki said absentmindedly as she drank her coffee “I’m going to head back to the office, I have a lot to do” she smiled “unlike you slackers...”
Jack said “Ouch...”
Ryan added “Come on, hear the jingle, it was my idea for the men’s line”
Vicki didn’t smile “Go ahead and rub it in you’re working for HER now” jerked her thumb toward Jill.
Jack interfered “Hey, Hey, he’s working for Jabot, Brass and Sassy or the men’s line - it doesn’t matter”
Ryan looked grateful as he turned up the radio, the jingle cheerful song was heart and then...
“..We interrupt the regular broadcast to report about an automobile accident on Highway B, 421 Larkspur Trail...”
The room turned silent as Victoria stared at the radio and whispered, horrified “Oh my god... that’s my home ”
The report continued...
“Multimillionaire Victor Newman and his former wife, Nikki Newman Abbot were involved in the accident that happened in the drive way of the Newman ranch, it is unclear at this point if Victor Newman and Nikki Abbot were in opposites car or if there was a third car involved, this is yet another blow for the Newman family as Nicholas Newman was convicted with attempted murder only a few weeks ago, we will come back with following report... back to you David...”
Jill said, shocked “Oh my god...”
Victoria, pale as a sheet put her hand over her mouth as she shook her head hysterically “No.... no... no....no, no it, it can’t be... a...it can’t be happening, oh my god...”
She started sobbing, Ryan put his hand around her in a feeble attempt to comfort her “Vicki, call the ranch!”
Victoria, shaking and sobbing turned toward the phone and dialed the ranch’s number...she mumbled “Oh.. come on... come on, Miguel, pick it up!!!!”
She waited a few moments and slammed the phone down and turned to the quiet from shock room with a tearful gaze “No one is answering me!” She cried out.
Jack tried to be rational and he took the phone away from her and dialed a number, Vicki asked him tearfully “Who are you calling?”
Jack replied “Your dad Cell phone”
He waited for a few minutes as a crying Victoria looked on, Jack looked at her and said “No answer” Vicki asked him “Try Mom’s!” Jack dialed a second number.... nothing again.
Vicki rose from her chair and walked around the room, hysterical “I can’t believe it... I can’t believe my parents were in an accident...why now???”
Ryan put a comforting hand on her back, she looked at him and then at Jack, who stood there looking worried, her breathes coming out so ragged she could hardly breath “Oh god... Why now? Why now??? Jack.... What if something terrible had happened... What if...What if... they were seriously injured or kil......”
Jack cut her off “Hey, Hey! Stop it, you can’t think that way, you don’t even know what happened!”
Victoria, stressed over the situation with her brother and tense because of her rift with Cole lost her composure completely and was close to hysterics as she sobbed “I CAN’T! Why are you asking me to think the best?! When has the best happened in my family lately?! My brother is in jail, and now... and now..”
She choked on her tears that threatened to suffocate her and sobbed “Why did they have to get into an accident with each other!? Oh god I can’t lose my parents...” She sank into a chair as her knees gave in.
Jack set next to her and said “Victoria, Victoria.... listen to me, I think that if the accident had been a serious one, they would be taken to memorial, it’s the nearest hospital, come, I’ll give you a ride...”
Victoria’s tear stained face looked up to Jack and she whispered “I’m really scared...”
Jack said reassuringly “Victoria, you are assuming the worst, I understand what you’re feeling, I’m worried too, but you won’t know anything for sure until we go to the hospital”
Jill said “Victoria, Jack is right, you need to go to the hospital”
Victoria looked at them with tear stained face and nodded shakily “Okay... “ through ragged breaths.
Suddenly the door opened widely and Nikki walked in, she was very pale, her blond her in a dishevel knot in the back of her neck, a bruise on her neck, her clothes torn and covered with blood stains and her arm heavily bandaged and in a sling... she cried out “Victoria!”
Jack let out a big sigh of relief.
Victoria turned around and stared at her mother tearfully and run to her direction “Mom!!!!!” she flung her arms around her mother neck, Nikki grimaced from the sharp pain in her right arm but hugged her daughter despite of it “Oh baby....”
Victoria buried her face in her mother’s neck and cried “Mom... oh Mom!”
Nikki held her daughter tightly and caressed her hair “Shhhh... it’s okay, I’m fine” She said tearfully “I heard the news in the radio, I knew how concerned you would be so I came here as soon as I could”
All Victoria could do was cry as she said “I heard about the accident, oh mom....I was afraid something terrible had happened”
Nikki took a deep breath and hugged her daughter tighter, and said in a soothing voice “Oh, I know baby... Shhh...come on, stop crying... I know, I’m so sorry about it”
Vicki pulled a little further and asked her mother “Mom what happened?”
Nikki caressed her daughter’s cheek and said “Hmm...well.. “ she stammered and then snapped, angry at herself “It was the most stupid accident in the world!I wasn’t looking when I pulled out of the drive way, I didn’t see the car and I just... I pressed the breaks but we collided anyway...”
She put her hand over her mouth “I can’t believe I wasn’t looking...I wasn’t expecting anyone...” she finished in a choked voice “..Much less your father”
Vicki’s eyes opened wide “So it was true? Dad was in the opposite car” Nikki nodded, tears in her eyes.
Vicki asked fearfully “Well... where is he? Is he okay? Is he badly injured??? Oh god mom please tell me!”
Nikki, trying to cover up on the sob that threatened to escape her throat as she remembered the few moments after the accident...
*Everything was black for a few moments but she didn’t think she blacked out or anything, but was stunned for a while and was sure her arm was broken as the pain was so intense, it took her a while to get out of the car and she remembered how scared she was to go near the rolls, that was crushed and she was so, so scared to see what happened to Victor.
She was so relieved then she was when she saw the door of the car opening slowly... she raced toward it and gasped in horror when she saw Victor, he was covered with blood from a gash in his head.
Migeul was out of the house in seconds and helped her to get him away from the car, Victor weakly claimed he was fine but he couldn’t sit down and standing was out of the question.... luckily the Ambulance arrived in the matter of seconds...*
Nikki didn’t want to tell all that to her daughter...
“Well... the Ambulance arrived... It arrived real fast, and then they wheeled him in another room, they wouldn’t let me go in there till they bandaged my arm”
She touched her daughter’s cheek “Okay, before you panic...He is not in any life danger, but he fractured a few ribs and suffers from a concussion... I left to tell you what happened but he had to stay in the hospital”
Vicki asked tearfully, her hands on her mouth “Was he conscious?”
Nikki said, biting her quivering lip “He sort of when in and out, the nurse kicked me out of there and then I heard the message in the radio, I just had to find you”
Jack asked her with concern “Is your arm broken?”
Nikki shook her head, touching her arm “No, no, it’s not... I dislocated it but they put it back... I banged it real good on the steering wheel”Jill looked at Nikki and said pleasantly “Nice to see you’re alright Nikki”
Nikki smiled weakly “Thanks...”
Jill looked at her watch “Ryan, if I’m not mistaken we have a meeting to go to”
Ryan looked at the still frightened Vicki but gave in and walked away with Jill, sending a smile to Victoria.
Vicki turned to her mother and asked “Does it hurt a lot?” Nikki replied “No, not too bad, but they gave me something for the pain though”
Vicki pleaded with her mother “Mom, I want to go to the hospital and see Dad”
Nikki nodded “Okay, sure... But..I can’t drive and I don’t think you should either”
Vicki, a little more relaxed now after she found out neither of her parents were in any life danger wiped her tears “I’m fine”
Nikki looked up at Jack who shook his head, and she said to her daughter “No, you’re not, you’re shaking like a leaf..”
Victoria snapped at her “Can you blame me!?? You two should have your license revoked or something! For a moment there I thought you got yourselves killed!” She started to cry again “I don’t know what I would have done if that had happened...”
Nikki with a pained expression put her arms around her daughter again, she wasn’t used to see her falling apart like that and she could guess it had more then just the accident , she held Victoria close to her.
Suddenly the phone rang and Jack picked it up “Yes, oh...hello Doctor Tanita.... yes, fine, I’ll be there”
He looked distressed when he put down the phone and said to Nikki who looked at him questioningly “Nikki, I have to go, take care of yourself” And went out the door...
Nikki looked up in surprise but he was already gone, she shrugged and put her hand over Victoria’s hair and whispered “Come on, lets go and visit your father, okay?”
Vicki nodded and they broke apart when suddenly, Brad rushed through the door, looking pale and frightened, he breath out a huge sign of relief “Nikki! Thank god!”
He ran to her and hugged her as Vicki was too tired to do more than shoot daggers into his direction,
Nikki had a good excuse to pull out of his embrace as she, a little embarrassed said “Brad... I can’t, my arm..”
Brad pulled back instantly “Sorry, are you okay?”
Nikki managed a smile “I’m fine”
Brad still looked shaken as he sent a hand to touch her cheek “Nikki, You really scared me! I didn’t know what to think when I heard the message in the radio”
Nikki said in a reassuring voice “I know, but I’m fine really, I’m so sorry we scared everyone...”
Brad put his hands on her shoulders “Well, you sure managed to scare me”
Nikki smiled “I managed to scare myself, I think”
At that moment, Victor slowly stepped in, he did not look well, his head was bandaged and he barely walked in, Nikki drew away from Brad the second she saw him and Brad turned around sharply and frowned, Nikki called out shocked “Victor!”
Victoria raced to her father “Dad!”
Victor smiled lovingly to his daughter but stopped her a moment before she hugged him "Just be careful, alright? I don’t think my ribs can take anymore abuse...”
Victoria tearfully smiled at him and put her arms around him lightly, he caressed his daughter’s cheek “Good to see you sweetheart”
Vicki sniffed “Oh, it’s *really* good to see you dad...You and mom almost gave me a heart attack when I heard the announcement in the radio....but, what are you doing here? Mom said you were still in the hospital”
Nikki moved away from Brad and eyed Victor with obvious concern “Yes, I would like to know that too”
Victor sent her a long look and their eyes met, and for a moment they were the only two people in the room....he recalled the moments of the accidents...
*He didn’t see her till the very last minute and he was horrified when he realized they were about to crash, he tried to change the direction of the car but it was too late... he could see her frightened expression as they crashed, and the last thing he saw before the world turned dark is that she was wearing her seat belt... he recalled the air bag blowing up as they cars hit.
He was out of it for a few seconds, maybe... before he woke up with intense pain in his ribs, but he didn’t even notice he was bleeding till he saw the expression on Nikki’s face when he saw her running to the door...He was so relived to see she got out of the car on her own...and that she looked like she wasn’t seriously hurt.
He must have looked bad because she looked like she was about to faint when she saw him... the ambulance arrived shortly afterwards....and they were taken into different rooms once they reached the hospital...*
He didn’t get a chance to talk to her in the hospital for more then a few moments before they wheeled him in, she looked okay, she was bruised but he was glad to see her arm was not in a cast, he ignored her question and asked her “It’s not broken?”
Nikki slowly shook her head “No, no... I just dislocated it, it’s fine....I’m fine...Victor, what are you doing here?”
Victor said “I wouldn’t stay there a moment longer then I needed, you know what I need to be here for”
Nikki approached him and looked at him with inquiring eyes and asked with a frown “Wait a minute, does Doctor Camron agrees with you?, please tell me you didn’t leave before you were released, I thought they were waiting for your cat scan results”
Brad added his two cents “Yea Victor, you don’t look too good, maybe you should return to the hospital, between me and Jacko here, we’ve got it covered...”
He sent a meaningful look toward Nikki who was looking at Victor worriedly and didn’t notice, Victor - on the other hand, did.
He answered sharply “When I want your opinion, Brad, I’ll be sure to ask for it”
Brad answered “I was merely trying to help”
Victor answered coldly “Spare me, and don’t you have a meeting you should have been in right about now?!”
He tried very hard not to grimace as he felt the sting of a sharp pain in his ribs.
Brad commented “Well, I heard about the accident and I was concerned about Nikki”
Nikki had to smile to him but said “There’s no need, you can see I’m fine”
Brad touched her hand gently “Yea, but I didn’t know that and I panicked, sorry - I guess I still worry about you”
Nikki had no idea what to say to that, he was obviously very concerned about her, there was nothing she could do to change that so she replied gently “I’m appreciate it”
Brad responded warmly “There’s no need, as long as you’re okay...”
He looked at her and said “Well, as Victor was kind enough to remind me, I am needed in a meeting, Nikki - if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call”
Nikki answered quickly “I’m sure I’ll be fine... thanks..” Brad leaned down and gave her a peck in the cheek and left the office.
Vicki, Nikki and Victor were left alone in the room,
Nikki looked at Victor wordlessly, he returned her sad gaze with a tired look.
Vicki, still very distressed looked at them and shook her head in disbelief “I don’t believe it happened, what else can go wrong this year in this family???!!!”
Victor and Nikki exchanged sad looks and Nikki wearily muttered “It’s not the old year baby... it’s the brand new one...”
