ChapterForty One - Keeping The Secret
Cole leaned on the lintel with an amused expression as he looked at his in laws with a smile, he was standing in the door for a few moments before he let them know he was there, he was just too stunned to speak...
Victor and Nikki were very much caught of guard, Nikki slide down to the side of the bed and brushed her hair back nervously, she asked him, embarrassed “Gosh, Cole, what are you *doing* here!?”
Cole walked into the room cautiously “Well, hmmm, me and Vicki intended to come to visit you” He looked at Victor “And then Miguel said you were here too, Nikki...”
Victor looked at him with puzzlement “But it’s still rather early”
Nikki checked her watch “Hmm...not that early darling, it’s already after seven...”
Victor asked him “Is Victoria here too?”
Cole grinned at him “Don’t worry, she isn’t here yet, she went to get you something to eat, other then hospital food that is”
Nikki breath out a sigh of relief “Thank god...”
She shook her head and smiled at Victor “I told you it was a bad idea...”
Victor chuckled “You didn’t complain all that much before Cole walked in...” Nikki smiled into his eyes and said “Oh well... You were being ver...”
Cole turned away, as if he was leaving “Okay you two, I get the hint, should I get out?”
Nikki laughed “Don’t be ridicules, sit down for a moment, we really need to talk to you...”
Victor said seriously “Yes, that’s a good idea...”
Cole, looked at them, set on the sofa and putting his hands on his knees said with a smile “That was a very close call with Victoria, although come to think about it, she did mention a couple of times you weren’t too big on locking the doors back when she was a child...”
Victor laughed as the memory of a few times when their little daughter walked in on the wrong moments flashed through his mind and Nikki commented “So, some things never change, is that what you’re saying?”
Cole held his hands up in defensive gesture “Nope, that’s what you’re saying...”
He smiled at her “So, I take it some sort of congratulations are in order?...”
Victor looked at Nikki and said “I think you can assume that...”
Cole nodded, grinning “Well, I’m glad, it’s about time something good happens in this family”
Victor and Nikki looked at each other and smiled warmly.
Cole eyed them and said “You know, I suspected something is going on with you two”
Nikki frowned “Was I that obvious on Christmas?”
Cole said with a slight smile “Well, It wasn’t what you said, it was more... what you didn’t deny, Nikki”
Victor asked him “Did you tell Victoria?”
Cole shook his head “No I didn’t Victor, I had nothing but suspicions and Nikki asked me not to say anything...but I have to say, you keep this up and she’ll be on to you...”
Victor and Nikki looked at each other guiltily and Cole continued “...It *is* Victoria, she always wanted to see you two getting back together, I’m sure it’s not secret to either of you”
Nikki shook her head a little sadly, though the smile was still there “No, it’s not...”
Victor said to Cole “Cole, what we need is a favor, that you won’t tell Victoria about what you’ve seen”
Cole blinked and frowned “I’m not sure I understand why.”
Nikki said “Cole, we want to tell the kids, both of them, together, we know they always wanted to see us back together...”
She looked at Victor and back to Cole “Now that...now that we are...I want to throw a big party and tell Victoria and Nicholas, it would be...” She leaned her head against Victor’s shoulder “The most magical moment ever...” She said with a misty eyes expression...
Cole exchanged worried looks with Victor, he knew they were both thinking about the same thing.
Nikki looked from one man to the other and said “Look... I know it might not be possible, but if we find a way to get Nicholas out soon this is how I want to do it, if it can’t happen...” She closed her eyes in pain “Then...I don’t know what we’ll do, but I think it would be the least of our problems...if it comes to that”
Victor wrapped his arm around her, like her he too has hoped that Nicholas would be out soon, and they could do it the way Nikki described, he was just worried it wouldn’t happen this way.
Cole nodded sympathetically “Alright, Sure... I won’t tell anything to Vicki, but I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep it a secret from her...”
He smiled at them “And you might just given yourself away by coming here, Nikki, Vicki told me she asked you to come last night and you said you were going in the morning, and Miguel said you went last night... so I don’t know what she would make of it...”
Nikki said worriedly “Oh, I haven’t thought about it...”
Victor asked her “Why *didn’t* you call her when you came over?”
Nikki said “Well, for starters it was already late, and second of all - you were suppose to be asleep, remember? I didn’t think you’ll wake up, I just wanted to be here...” She said, looking into his eyes...
Victor said quietly “And I’m very glad you did...”
Cole rolled his eyes good naturally, and thought it is going to be impossible for them to keep their feelings hidden.
Suddenly they heard Vicki’s voice from outside the room, talking to the nurse as for Cole’s whereabouts...Victor and Nikki looked at each other and Nikki quickly got out of the bed, straightening her shirt and trying to make her hair lie flat...she set on the edge of the bed and looked toward the door, waiting for her daughter’s entrance..
Vicki walked into the room, carrying two little bags on a trey and smiled to her parents “Hey, You’re awake!”
Victor smiled lovingly to his daughter “Well, of course we are...Do you know how long I’ve been asleep?”
Vicki put the trey next to the bed and kissed both of her parents hello and looked at them with inquisitive eyes “Well, both of you look much better...”
Victor said “I think both of us *feel* a lot better, after a good rest”
Vicki let out a smile “I heard you didn’t want to stay in the first place”
Nikki smiled and said “Now that’s an understatement...”
Victor cleared his throat “Well...A very wise lady convinced me that it would be a good idea....”
Nikki rolled her eyes and said to Victoria “That very wise lady had to twist his arm, he means”
Victor looked at her and smiled “Well, of course”
Nikki commented “Didn’t expect anything else...”
Vicki looked at them with a quiet smile, they both looked better, and not just physically, she was especailly worried about her mother last night, and she looked so much better today...she was actually smiling and the color was back to her face “I bet it’s because of something Dad said, or did...” she thought...her father was one of the very few who could get to her mother when she was feeling sad, and vise versa...
She asked her mother “Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were coming here last night?”
Nikki answered “Hmmm...I didn’t know I was coming her sweetheart, I really couldn’t fall asleep, and it was pointless of me to stay home and pace, so I ended up here, it was too late to call you, honestly, or I would have”
Victoria looked at her mother with concerned “You didn’t come here because you were feeling badly, were you? Because you had me worried last night...”
Nikki caressed her daughter’s cheek “No angel, nothing like it, but I was a little bit in pain and I couldn’t sleep so decided to see how your father is, and he was asleep... and I ended up falling asleep on the couch anyway...” She ended the sentence not looking on either Victor or Vicki, and hoping she wasn’t getting too flustered...
Vicki snickered “Well, you look it, your hair is all messy...”
Nikki touched her hair in an extravagant gesture and said “Well, my beauty sleep *was* somewhat lacking last night...”
Her smile quickly changed into a pained expression as she made a the wrong movement with her arm, she gasped in pain and very slowly folded her arm again “Ouch...damn it”
Victor put a comforting hand on her back “Are you okay?”
Nikki nodded “Yes, yes, yes... I’m just keep doing the *same* sort of movement with it and it *hurts* and I never learn” she snapped, still holding her arm.
Victor told her gently “Well, I don’t think you can help doing moving it...not while you’re out of bed and waking around...”
Victoria, concerned, looked toward her father and asked him “Did she tell you she wasn’t taking the pain killers the doctor prescribed?”
Nikki cried out, in a scolding tone of voice “Victoria!”
Victor said “Yes, she did...” He sent a look toward Nikki “I really wish you would reconsider, though, the doctor did disagree with you”
Nikki sent Victor a tired look “We’re not going to rehash it, are we?” she sighed and continued “I think I made my position on the matter clear enough” She turned to Victoria “And regardless of whether or not I told your father, *you* shouldn’t have”
Vicki sighed and said “Mom, I’m only doing it because I care and I don’t like seeing you in pain”
Nikki’s gaze soften and she said “I know you do, I’ll talk to the doctor again and then decide, but...”
She looked toward both Victor and Victoria “It would be my desicion to make, and I don’t want to fight with either one of you”
Neither Vicki nor Victor looked like they were about to agree with her, but Nikki decided to ignore it.
Cole asked Victor “So, do you think they would let you out of here?”
Victor said “Well, I sure hope so Cole, but I don’t see any reason why not, I feel much better and...” He sighed and said with determination “There is a lot to be done”
Vicki said “Well, I got you breakfast, I imagine you two are starved...”
Victor inhaled deeply “Yes, it smell delicious, thank you darling”
Vicki smiled “I’m just glad I can help”
Victor said “You are my darling, just by being here...”
Vicki hugged her father as Nikki looked on with a content smile...
Vicki looked at her watch “Oh shoot, I forgot I have an early meeting with Neil...” She looked at her parents uncertainly “I can call and reschedule, I’m sure Neil won...”
Victor cut her off “No, don’t you do that, you have a meeting, you go to it, don’t miss it on our account”
Nikki smiled “You’re father’s right, we will be okay...”
Vicki looked at her mother with a curious smile “Don’t you want a ride back home?” she looked from her mother to her father with a small smile “Or are you staying here...with dad?”
Nikki paused, it just seem so natural for her to stay with Victor... “Well...hmmm” she stuttered...
Victor interfered quickly “Your mother still need to talk to doctor Cameron anyway...about her arm”
Nikki said hurriedly “Yes, sweetheart, I do, and then I think I’m going with your father to see Amy’s psychiatrist...”
She looked at Victor and shrugged “Well, we need to go by the ranch and apartment to change anyway...”
Vicki opened her mouth “Oh! I don’t believe I forgot... I got you both stuff to wear!... I think I left it on the chair outside...just a second”
She hurried outside and came back with two suits and lied it down on the bed and grinned to her mother “ “Don’t worry, I kept it simple, no buttons you need to struggle with...or, not struggle with...” and shot a look toward her father, not even trying cover up on the smile...
Victor had a hard time not to chuckle as Nikki rolled her eyes “Ha, ha...very funny Victoria...”
Vicki smiled and leaned down to plant a kiss on her mother’s cheek “Well, I’m off, let me know how it went with the shrink, okay?”
Victor nodded “Sure sweetheart, and thank you for the clothes...it saved us time...”
Vicki smiled “My pleasure... you two enjoy your breakfast...”
Cole got up and smiled to them “Yes, and take care...” he shot one look toward them before he left and took off with a smile...
Victor and Nikki looked at each other and Victor asked her “You think she suspects?”
Nikki shrugged “Oh Victor...I think she always suspects...can you blame her, given our history?”
Victor smiled “Not really...but I don’t think she knows anything...”
Nikki shook her head “Neither do I, but I’m not really sure, somehow I always thought she knew exactly what I was thinking of when it comes to my feelings for you”
Victor said “Well, lets just hope she wouldn’t this time...” He looked at her and said “Well, do you want to come back in here?”
Nikki looked at him, definitely tempted and said “Just a sec, let me see if she left.....”
She skidded from the edge of the bed and peeked through the door, seeing the coast is clear she heads toward the bed and told Victor as she got comfortable inside the covers, sitting opposite to him “No one at sight...”
Victor nods and asks her “Want to eat?”
Nikki nodded eagerly “Yes! I just thank god it’s not hospital food”
Victor chuckled “Hmmm... so do I...hmmm...what do we have here?’
He opens the bag Victoria left to discover two plates, cutlery and pancakes...”
Nikki giggled as she sees Victor fiddling with the different syrups bottles “How very healthy...”
Victor smiled at her “Well, I love pancakes...you know that...I just haven’t had any for years...”
Nikki smiles knowingly “Well, you love sweets, that’s for sure...”
Victor place the trey between them and arrange the food on it and pours the orange juice inside the glasses.
He looked up at Nikki and saw struggling with cutting her pancake with one hand, as she held her injured one close to her body, he touched her hand tenderly and said “Let me do it”
Nikki with a displeased sigh pulled back and let Victor cut the pancakes for her, she muttered angrily “I feel like an invalid...”
Victor stuck the fork in the pancake, dipped it in the syrup and held it out for her to bite on...
Nikki couldn’t help but smile, he was being so sweet... she ate the pancake and closed her eyes with a sigh “Hmmm, perfect...”.
She took the fork from him and started eating, using her left arm....Victor ate quietly but kept glancing up at her, worriedly...
When they were done eating Victor put the trey away and reached out to caresses Nikki’s arm very gently, she looked up at him and smiled “Don’t look so worried, as long as I got you to cut up my food for me I'm fine” she tried to be funny..
Victor looked at her seriously “Sweetheart, you really need to talk to the doctor...I mean, I can see how pain you’re in with every small movement, take what he prescribed you, please”
Nikki shook her head, tears in her eyes “I... I... I don’t know...it scares me, you just can’t understand...”
Victor wrapped his arms around her comfortingly....
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, Nikki pulled back and turned around as doctor Cameron walked in “Good Morning...”
Nikki wiped her tears away “Good morning” She said with a smile as got out of the bed...
Doctor Cameron smiled “I trust you two had a good night sleep?”
Victor looked from Nikki to the doctor and said “Most definitely...”
Doctor Cameron smiled and approached Victor to take his blood pressure, he asked him “How are you feeling Victor”
Victor said “Much better”
Doctor Cameron asked him “How’s Your head”
Victor said “Stopped hurting...”
The doctor nodded “Yes, I imagined a good rest would change that...what about your ribs?”
Victor inhaled deeply and then said “Better as well...although I’m not my old self again” He looked up at the doctor “Does all your questions means you are letting me out of here?”
Doctor Cameron sighed “Well, I am definitely considering it, your ribs, despite the fact they are not healed yet, worried me last night a lot less then your head concussion, but your tests came back normal, you look much better...” He paused and said “I think I may be able to release you today...”
Victor expression turned victorious and the doctor quickly added “But I don’t want you staining yourself, your ribs are still hurt and it would take a while to heal, don’t do anything that you feel is damaging for you, and take it easy for a while, it may take a while before they would stop bothering you”
Victor nodded and said “I promise you doctor, I wouldn’t over do”
Doctor Cameron looked at Nikki “I trust you to make sure of that”
Nikki nodded with a smile “Of course...”
Doctor Cameron eyes her carefully “Now tell me, how is your arm?”
Nikki was about to lie but under Victor’s gaze she admitted reluctantly “It does kinda...hurts...”
Doctor Cameron shook his head sadly “Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you much if you refuse the medication, but I tell you this, it is important you move it, if you’re in pain and avoid moving it - it may cause problems for you later on”
Victor interfered “Doctor, is there any risk of her taking the pain medications, in light of her medical history?”
Nikki looked at him questioningly.
Doctor Cameron said “Well, I wasn’t your doctor at the time, so I called Doctor Noah, who was your doctor and we discussed the matter, and we both agree it’s quiet safe, the medication are much less strong than what was prescribed to you at the time, you will not take them for a long period and what’s most important, they are not being taken with Alcohol. Nikki, it is your desicion, but after talking to doctor Noah I don’t think you’ll have any problems. Furthermore, immobility to your arm might cause more damage then anything else”
Victor looked at Nikki, awaiting a response and she nodded “Fine, fine... I will....”
Victor let out a sigh of relief, he was afraid she would insist...he was glad to see she didn’t.
Nikki, still grim looking, asked the doctor “So, does that means Victor would be released today?”
Doctor Cameron smiled warmly “Yes, it does, I will go and handle the release form”
He turned to Victor “Once again I must stress that neither of you should over do, especailly you Victor, you don’t want to further damage your ribs...”
Victor nodded and said “I’ll be careful...”
The Doctor smiled “I hope so, I don’t want to see either of you back here for a while”
Nikki managed a smile “We will do out best”
Doctor Cameron left the room and Nikki buried her face in her hand, fighting her fears and doubts about her desicion, Victor gently turned her to him, she buried her face on his shoulders and murmured “Don’t say anything... just...hold me... please...”
Wordlessly Victor took her in his arms...
