Chapter Fifty Two - Vicki's Hopes
Victoria had swallowed her pride this time and let Nicholas tie with her in their little race. He was most definitely not in shape.
After the race was completed, the four of them took Sharon sight seeing, as she has never been at this part of the ranch.
They moved deeper into the grounds, the weather was cold and the grounds were still covered in layers of ice, so they rode slowly.
Sharon blatantly refused to ride alone so she and Nick rode together for a while, chatting with Cole and Victoria.
Sharon was looking around in awe, amazed by the size of the ranch “Wow, I never realized it was all a part of the ranch, it’s so beautiful out here”
Cole, riding on their left said, “Yea, the ranch grounds are quite a sight when you first see it, you should wait for summer, it’s even prettier then”
Sharon asked Victoria who was riding on Nicholas’s right “Did you always lived here?”
Victoria, riding a little bit ahead slowed her pace “Yes, Dad owned the ranch from before he and mom got married”
Sharon asked with curiosity “So, who owns it now?”
Victoria asked, making a face “You mean legally? Mom got the main house on the divorce, but Dad still owns the grounds, Not that it matters much…” She said with a sly smile “Mom rides all the time and Dad still keep a copy of the key to the main house”
She looked at Nicholas that was very quiet and asked him “Nick, is everything okay, you’re so quiet”
Nicholas said, inhaling on the fresh air, it was cold outside but he didn’t mind it, after weeks of breathing the stifling air inside his cell “What? I’m fine Vic” He gave a little smile “Just enjoying my freedom”
Victoria looked at her little brother thoughtfully, it was if he has grown tremendously…all in one month. She felt like she didn’t know how to talk to him, or what to say to him, and she didn’t like feeling so distant from her brother.
Nicholas returned her look solemnly, he just suddenly felt very alone, even though he was surrounded with his family, it was a little hard for him to get back to the normal daily routine of what his life have been like before. Before the trial. Before the prison.
Sharon saw the way Victoria was looking at her brother and realized the two needed some time alone.
She asked Nicholas, running her hand on his stomach “Nick, I’m a little cold, If Cole doesn’t mind, I can ride with him back to the stables, I need to go home anyway, my mother was expecting me hours ago”
Nicholas protested “Baby, I can go back with you”
Sharon smiled “Nick, no, you probably want to play catch up with your sister, no need for you to go back”
Cole understood why Sharon was doing this, so he quickly said ”I have no problems taking her Nicholas, you and Vicki don’t have to head back just yet.
Vicki smiled at Cole; it was those moments she really loved him “Thanks Cole”
Nicholas helped Sharon off her horse and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her “I may come by later tonight, I’ll call you, okay?”
Sharon nodded, kissed him and with Nick’s help, got on behind Cole.
Cole leaned forward to kiss Vicki on the cheek and urged ‘Athena’ forward.
Vicki and Nick watched them riding away and then Nick said, “Lets just ride a little more for a while, okay?”
Victoria nodded quietly and they rode together until they reached the old foreman house, They tied their horses to the fence and got inside, it was considerably warmer.
They set down on the big bed that was still there and looked at each other
Vicki smiled tearfully “You know I missed you a lot”
Nicholas hugged his sister “I missed you too Vic”
Victoria looked at her little brother intensely “Was it very awful, prison, I mean?”
Nicholas stirred uncomfortably and didn’t reply.
Vicki asked softly “Nicholas?”
Nick replied quietly “I don’t know if I would have made it, Vic”
Vicki tried to reassure him “You would have been fine”
Nicholas shook his head no and stood up, walking away from her “No, No, I wouldn’t have.
I realized that the day Rocko lied to me about mom and dad being killed, It don’t have what it takes to survive in a place like that, the only thing that kept me going was knowing Dad was doing everything to get me out.”
Victoria said thoughtfully “It’s really sad, I can’t imagine you’re the only guy doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, and most people don’t have Victor Newman for a father”
Nicholas couldn’t help but give a little smile and turned to her “Dad’s been great”Victoria nodded and smiled back at him “Yea, he was…He really loves you a lot, he would have given everything he has to get you out”
Nicholas swallowed hard on the lump in his throat and said quietly “I know…and I love him too, I just wish I was getting to see more of him”
Victoria grinned “Trust me, if things continue as they are, you’ll be seeing quite a bit of him”
Nicholas asked, his expression curious “He was hanging around here a lot?”
Victoria raised her eyebrows toward him “Oh Yea, he spent the night once, too”
Nicholas was surprised “Spent the night? With mom?”
Victoria’s expression darkened “No, in the guest room”
Nicholas rolled his eyes “Well, of course he did, Vicki…” He sighed deeply “I was in prison, I bet mom was pretty upset and he stayed here to support her”
Victoria argued “There has been a lot of crises in this family, and dad never spent the night here”
Nicholas pointed out to her “Well, one of them was always married…. Ohhh…” He sighed again,
Victoria asked, pouting “What?”
He shook his head at her “Vicki, when are you going to give up on them? They will never get back together”
Tears stood in Victoria’s eyes as she said, “I don’t understand how you can say that, you don’t know that, you should have seen how close they were through that month you were away, the crisis brought them closer together, they kissed at Christmas”
Nicholas said without any excitement “Let me guess, under a mistletoe”
Victoria didn’t say a word and Nicholas took her silence as a yes and continued “Plus, I bet it was your idea and they couldn’t say no ‘cause it’s tradition”
Victoria grumbled “What are you, psychic, or did Sharon tell you?”
Nicholas’s expression softened “Vicki, I want them to get back together too, I’m just being realistic, mom and dad had so many chances and they screwed it up *every* single time”
Victoria defended her parents “There had always been reason beyond their control, it wasn’t always their fault”
Nicholas disagreed “Dad married Hope, mom was single then, and they are both single now”
Victoria claimed “Dad isn’t divorced yet”
Nicholas was getting frustrated with her “Oh Victoria, like that would have stopped him”
Victoria set down on the edge of the bed, on the verge of crying, wiping away tears from her eyes.
There was nothing she wanted more than seeing her parents getting back together, she couldn’t tolerate the thought that it might never happen.
She knew in her heart how they felt toward each other, she could see it whenever she looked at them. Whenever they looked at each other.
Nicholas didn’t know what to say to her, he knew how much that meant to her, but it’s better for her to be hurt by him rather then their parents.
He walked toward her and pulled his sister into am embrace “Vicki…I just don’t want to see you get hurt again, I don’t want to see mom and dad getting hurt again either”
Victoria sniffed and said unconvincingly “I won’t…”
Nicholas told her “You already are! Whatever you think you saw between mom and dad…” He sighed, “Just don’t get your hopes up too high”
Victoria wearily nodded “Fine, fine…I promise” She looked up at him and said hopefully “They might surprise us Nicholas”
Nicholas nodded “Yes, maybe… but I won’t believe it until I see and hear it from them”
Victoria tried to smile “Fair enough”
Nicholas looked at her skeptically, unsure if she was even hearing him but knew that pressing the issue is pointless, he told her “I missed talking to you”
Victoria said with a smile “So did I, even though you’re depressing me”
Nicholas apologized, “Sorry…Wanna go back?”
Victoria nodded “Yea, I think it’s beginning to snow again…”
They got up on the horses and rode back home, reaching the stables, they saw Victor’s car was no longer at the drive way, Nick glanced at Vicki who threw him a silencing look, she didn’t want to hear his pessimistic point of view...
As they put their horses back into the stables, Nicholas said “I think I’m going to drive into town, I want to see a few people”
Victoria asked him “Who?”
Nicholas replied, putting his hands in the pockets of his coat “A few friends from school, and I want to stop by Newman enterprises and see Jack”
Victoria smiled “Yea, I’m sure he’d love that”
She stretched and yawned “I think I’m going to grab a few hours of sleep, and get back to the office later this afternoon, I’m beat”
Nicholas nodded “Okay, I’ll see you later, then...”
Victoria called after him “Don’t forget you need a tux for Catherine party...”
Nicholas groaned “I won’t, I’ll get one ordered, or something...” he went away mumbling “I hate those monkey suits”
Victoria grinned and then thought to herself “Gosh, I need a dress! I wonder what’s mom gonna wear...”
She decided to go visit her mother instead of going to sleep, maybe she would have ideas.
At Newman enterprises, Nicholas knocked on Jack’s office door.
From inside, Jack called out “Come in!”
His face lit up when he saw Nicholas standing at the door with a shy grin “Nicholas!!”
He went up to his former step son and hugged him tightly “Hey kid, how are you?”
Nicholas pulled back and grinned “Hey, I’m great, life are good, no doubt about it”
Jack looked at him and shook his head with a smile “I can only imagine, I had no idea the hearing was today, otherwise I would have been there”
Nicholas shrugged it off “It’s no big deal Jack”
Jack disagreed “Yes it is, you’re out of jail and back with your family, where you belong” He smiled at him “You have no idea how glad I am, how did it happen?”
Nicholas asked puzzled “You don’t know?”
Jack shook his head “No, the last thing I heard is that your father was still looking for evidence and a way to get that girl Amy to talk, is that how it happened?”
Nicholas nodded with a darkening expression “Yea, more or less...” He paused and asked “Jack, do you mind if we won’t talk about it right now? I just want to put it behind me”
Jack nodded with understanding, his eyes full with compassion. He set down back in his chair “Sure, Sure...So, what’s now?”
Nicholas sighed leaning against the table “I have no idea...I think I just want to lean back and enjoy life for a little while, take Sharon somewhere, she’s never been to Europe before... I thought of taking her skiing...”
Jack grinned “That’s sound like fun, and you really should enjoy life a little bit. By the way, I heard there’s a party at Cathrine tomorrow, in honor of your release”
Nick said “Yea, that was really nice of her, only minus is that I need to get a tux, know any good stores?”
Jack laughed “Yea, actually, there’s one here in this building, 17 floor, I think your father get his from there too”
Nicholas snapped his fingers “Right, Right... I think he mentioned it once, so, you’re gonna be there tomorrow?”
Jack grinned “Yup, sure would”
Nick asked “With your wife? I don’t think I ever got the chance to meet her”
Jack’s mood clouded and he said distractedly “Well, that depends, she has been recuperating from a flu, I don’t know if she would be up for this”
Nicholas looked at him baffled “Jack, is everything okay?”
Jack waved his hand, shrugging Nick’s concern off “Yea, Yea, it’s fine...I just have a lot of my mind, I think I’ll be glad to have your father back here, I’m swamped with work”
Nicholas chuckled “Just don’t let my father hear that, right?”
Jack grinned “Better not, do you know if he will stop by today?”
Nicholas shrugged “I have no clue, he was at the ranch before, and me and Vicki went for a ride, and when we got back he was already gone, so I don’t know what his plans are. I hope I’ll get to see him later today, though”
Jack said “I’m sure you will”
Nicholas didn’t hear his reply, he was deep in thoughts.
Jack asked him, narrowing his eyes “Nick? Something on your mind?”
Nick ran his fingers through his hair irritably “No... well... Yea, I was thinking about Vicki”
Jack had a feeling where this was going so he cautiously asked “What about her?”
Nicholas rolled his eyes “Well, she got all her hopes up about mom and dad, *again*!” He shook his head “I just don’t think it’s ever going to turn out the way she wants it to end, we all becoming a family again, living together happily ever after...” He sighed and shook his head.
Jack had to think quickly, he didn’t want to agree with him, after all, he knew Victoria was right on the mark, but he couldn’t really tell him anything, so he decided to go for the middle road...
“You know Nicholas, you can’t know that, they might surprise you”
Nicholas made a feeble attempt to smile “Yea, that’s what Vicki said, I just don’t want to see her getting hurt again” He groaned “Whenever dad or mom has a surprise, it’s usually a bad one”
Jack couldn’t control his smile and then said reassuringly “You know, I think your parents can look after themselves, as for your sister goes...” He shook his head “I don’t think you can change her, Nicholas, not at this point, she’s always going to want your parents back together, she’s been this way ever since I know her”
Nicholas sighed “You’re right, I know you’re right...I just had enough turmoil to last me for the rest of my life! I just think I rather mom and dad to stay friends and not together, then see them making another attempt to get back to each other, only for it not work the last minute, and cause this huge rift between them”
Jack looked at him going on and on and thought that he is heading for a huge surprise.
Nick looked up at him and apologized “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take it out on you, beside, I can’t imagine my parents are your favorite discussion topic”
Jack dismissed it “your mother and I are way past that stage in our relationship when I get jealous because of what she tells me about your father”
He realized he had made a mistake when he saw Nicholas giving him a puzzled look “You’re saying mom talked to you? About dad?”
Jack stared for a moment, but then pulled himself together and replied “Well, the subject of your father comes up from time to time when your mother and I talk, your mother will always care for him Nicholas”
Nicholas sighed, unsuspicious “Yea, I know...”
He said to Jack “Well, didn’t mean to take up all of your time, I better get going, I need to get that suit”
They hugged again and Jack said “I’ll see you tomorrow”
Nick smiled “Right... later...”
And sauntered out of the room.
Jack looked after him with an amused grin.
He had sneaking suspicion, even though he hasn’t spoken with Nikki for a few days, that by the time of the party tomorrow, all secrets would be out.
He was glad, this was carrying on for too long, and he hated keeping secrets, he was no good at it...
Keeping the secret about Luan’s illness was getting harder as well, he knew that sooner or later, he would have to tell that to someone as well.
Before he explodes.
Victoria went up the stairs “Mom, are you here?” She called out?
“In here sweetheart!” Nikki muffled voice was heard from the closet room.
Victoria walked into the huge room that stored all of her mother’s different outfits, dresses, shoes.
Her mother was standing in front of the mirror in a one part lacy teddy, holding two dresses in her hand...
“Mom” Victoria called out with a smile “What are you *doing*?”
Nikki said with a look of deep concentration, as she checked the way ivory colored dress clashed with her complexion “I’m trying to decide what to wear tomorrow... Victoria, does this dress makes me look pale?”
Victoria looked her mother up and down “You’re going to have to try it on before I can decide, but I always loved you in more colorful dresses”
Nikki wrinkled her nose “Hmmm... you’re probably right...I don’t have too much to choose from, I can’t wear anything sleeveless, my shoulder is still so black and blue...”
Victoria approached her and checked her out “Oh, it’s not that bad anymore, just don’t wear spaghetti straps...”
Suddenly Victoria noticed a gown deeper inside the closet “Ohhhh, mom, what about that one? I’ve never seen you wearing that”
Victoria pulled out a beautiful, off shoulder burgundy colored silk dress off the rack.
The dress had a long sleeve on one side, and it continued into a diagonal line across the bust. Nikki tried it on and her eyes lit up “Oh, it’s perfect, the sleeve is long just on the right side and I never had the chance to wear it yet...”She turned to Victoria with a huge grin, now that the question of outfit was settled “So, what are you going to wear?”
Victoria made a face “I was coming here to ask you to help me choose, do you mind coming to the tackhouse and look at a few dresses?”
Nikki smiled “No, not at all”
Victoria smiled at her mother “Gosh, you look happy”
Nikki grin widen as she undressed and wore her previous outfit “Well, can you blame me? your brother is out of jail, we’re all going to a party tomorrow, plus...” She added cheerfully “I finally found a dress, why shouldn’t I be happy”
Victoria’s smile weakened “I don’t know, I was kind of hoping you won’t be all that happy”
Nikki was taken aback “What?”
Victoria apologized “It came out wrong, I didn’t mean it this way”
Nikki asked with a frown “What did you mean, then?”
Victoria shook her head and said with a rueful expression “Mom, I’m sorry, just forget about it”
She turned to leave but Nikki grabbed her arm and turned her around “Victoria! You can’t wish I’ll be unhappy and not explain me why!” she looked at her daughter with tears filled eyes, unable to understand why she would say this kind of thing to her.
Victoria regretted she ever said anything, she could see how much her mother was hurt, so she tried to explain “Mom, I don’t wish you to be unhappy, it’s the last thing I want... I want you to be happy, more than anything.... but I want you to be happy with dad and now it looks as if you’re already happy without him. I know I shouldn’t wish you’d still love him if he’s not returning those feelings the way you want him to, but I can’t help it...” She wiped her tears away “I mean, as long as I know you still cared about him this way I always believed there’s hope, but if you’re happy and content without him...”
Her voice faltered on the last few words, she really couldn’t go on talking about it, she buried her face in her hands and tried to control her tears, she knew she shouldn’t be feeling this way, she was a grown, married woman who shouldn’t care so much about what he parents are doing, but she did, she couldn’t help it.
Nikki looked at her daughter in pain, she always knew Victoria wanted to see her and Victor back together, but she never grasped just how important it was for her, one voice in her yelled “Tell her now, tell her now”
But the other voice reminded her that the time of the announcement is only a day away, that Victor would be disappointed if she robes him of the chance of seeing the expression of her face and that the only reasons they waited was so Nicholas would also be there.
So she just took her daughter into her arms and hugged her tightly, whispering “Victoria, I would always love your father, don’t ever, ever doubt that”
Victoria pulled back and looked at her “So, what exactly are you saying?”
Nikki looked deeply into her daughter’s eyes and said “Just don’t give up on us just yet”
Victoria’s eyes were one big question mark and she opened her mouth to say something but Nikki shushed her with a smile “Come on, enough, I’m not talking about it anymore, lets go find you a dress, okay?”
That sealed off the discussion as Nikki led her very confused daughter outside...
