Chapter Eight - Just Another Day
“Mr. Carlton” Miguel called out “I didn't expect to see you here”
Brad smiled at Miguel “Well, I came to see The Lady of the house, of course”
Miguel said “She is not here right now”
Brad said “Oh? Did she receive my messages?”
Miguel was insulted “Yes, in fact, She did”
Brad smiled “Well, than she would not be surprised to see me”and he let himself in and turned to
Miguel “So, where is she?”Miguel replied “Christmas Shopping”
Brad grimaced “It’s going to be a difficult holiday on her”
Miguel nodded and said “I have no idea when she’d be back”
Brad said “That’s alright, I can wait” and set down on the sofa.
Miguel walked away, not offering Brad a thing to drink or eat, he didn’t like him very much at all.
5 moments later, Nikki walked into the door, carrying a load of gifts.
She dropped it all in the entrance and walked tiredly into the house, taking her shoes off and then she
notice Brad “Brad!”She called out Brad approached her and kissed her on the cheek “Hello Nikki”
Nikki was shocked, she wasn’t ready to deal with him at all “What are you doing here?”
Brad smiled to her “I came to see how you are doing”
Nikki smiled to him tiredly “I’m fine”
Brad said ”You don’t look fine”
Nikki sat on the couch “My son is in jail, how can I be fine... How can any of us be fine?”
Brad asked “The family taking it hard?”
Nikki just nodded, Brad said “I’m so sorry Nikki, You know I do”
Nikki smiled at him “I know you do”
Brad asked her “Why didn’t you return any of my messages? Miguel said he told you I called”.
Nikki looked at him, doesn’t really sure what to do “Brad, you have to understand, everything was in such chaos around here, I’m sorry”
Brad said “I would have been here for you, you know how I feel about you, I want to help you through
it”Nikki got up and walked toward the fireplace, not looking at him “Bradley, the timing is all wrong, no one knows about us”
Brad got up and said “Look, Nikki, I know your family is going through a lot, but if the meaning of them not knowing about us means that I can’t give you the support you need - we need to tell them, and beside, Victoria already knows about us, and Nicholas... well, Right now He can’t find out about us and I am not going to hide from your ex for the rest of our lives”.
Nikki flashed back to Victor and the look in his eyes before he left last night, as unsure as she was about what might or might not happen between Victor and her - she couldn't’ continue with this relationship with Bradley, it wasn’t fair for either one of them.
She had to take that chance with Victor... otherwise she might regret it forever, She had to tell him - something, she just didn’t know what, and tell him the truth was not even an option while everything was so unclear.
She looked and Brad and said “Brad, We need... We need to talk”
Brad looked at her with curiosity, something was up with her, he couldn't’ put his finger on it, but she wasn’t as responsive to him as she had been, and he was beginning to wonder if it was more than Just Nicholas.
He sat down and said “I’m listening”
Nikki looked at him and said quietly “We need to put our relationship on hold, at least for a while”
Brad was shocked “What?! Why?!”
Nikki told him “It’s just the way things are, that all”
Brad asked her “What, don’t you care for me anymore?!”
Nikki looked at him regretfully and touched his hand gently “No, No, god, No... that’s not that at all, I care for you a lot but... Brad, I can’t handle a relationship with you right now, there is so much going on with my life”
Brad looked at her angrily and asked her “What’s Victor’s part in it?”
Nikki played with her hair in obvious embarrassment and said nothing.
Brad said “Oh I see, You don’t want to tell him because you are afraid from the way he’ll react”
Nikki said “Brad, it’s not just that, it’s just that this family is going through enough right now and
telling Victor now it a bad idea”.Brad said in frustration “Come on Nikki, it was a bad idea 5 months ago, and it’s a bad idea now, it would never be the right time”
Nikki said pointedly “Well, it sure isn't the right time now”.
Brad said “Nikki, You are a grown woman - you can date WHOEVER you want to, and Victor is your ex and have no right to dictate your life”
Nikki was getting upset, he wasn’t listening to her “Brad, Brad, it’s not just about Victor, it’s about me too, about us”.
Brad said “So, you think we are wrong for each other? You didn’t feel that way a few weeks ago, when we made love...”
Nikki was silent, she didn't’ know what to say to him, how could she explain her feelings for Victor to Brad.
She told him she was over that. she knew she was lying to herself even then but she really thought she could get over her feelings for Victor, and make a life with Brad... But those last few weeks ever since Victor’s divorce and the crisis with Nicholas - she couldn’t remember her heart so full with love...She looked away, and muttered “I can’t explain that to you...so please... don’t ask that of me”
Brad said “I can tell Victor if you don’t want to do that yourself”Nikki got up and demanded “No Brad, Don’t! I have my reasons for not telling Victor and don’t want you to tell him”
Brad got up and looked at her “Fine, fine, if that’s how you feel, fine, I’ll go, but I want you in my life and I am not going to give you up because you have an ex husband who would have a bad reaction to us seeing each other, because I believe you care for me Nikki - just as much as I care for you.
You have obligations to your family, and I understand that, but you have an obligation to yourself as well, to be happy, and I believe I can make you happy”.He leaned down, kissed her lightly and stormed out.
Nikki called after him but he wouldn't listen, she went back inside and slammed the door, not really knowing what to feel, or think - she said to herself it was the only right thing to do - for all of them.
Getting into his car, Brad muttered to himself “Victor, Victor is what getting in the way of our relationship Nikki, well, as of tonight - that no longer be a problem, if you can’t tell Victor that we want a future together - I will!” And drove away.
Victor Newman walked into the prison and demanded to see his son, the guard told him that Nicholas wouldn’t see him but Victor insisted to talk to his son, they got Nicholas on the phone, and the scared young man who actually needed to see his father very much couldn’t resist.
Victor walked into the visitation room and was horrified to see his son, he was banged up pretty badly, and lost weight, Victor didn’t want to let in on his concern so he just approached his son and hugged him “Good to see you myboy”.
Nicholas breath deeply to mask his emotions “Good to see you too Dad”.
They sat down and were silent for a few moments, Victor asked “How are you?”
Nicholas said bravely “Could be worse”
Victor eyed his son and said “If anyone is giving you any troubles....”
Nicholas was upset “Dad, I’m the son of the richest man in GC and I am sitting in jail with those people who never had an extra buck in their life, how do you think they are treating me?! There is nothing I can do about it, and there is nothing you can do about it either!”.
Victor’s heart pounded in pain, the one thing he dreaded more than any other is that something will happen to Nicholas because he was Victor Newman son but said firmly “You just watch me, it’s bad enough I couldn’t prevent you from getting in here, I’m not going to let anything happen to you”.
Nicholas couldn’t help but smile at his father, his concern touched him deeply, they have grown so close together in that past year, he felt like for the first time he was actually getting to know his father and he liked it.
He told his father “Dad, you did everything you could do, okay? That’s just the way it is”.
Victor looked into his son’s eyes “Nicholas, Trust me, I am doing whatever I can to get you out of here as soon as possible, alright? You will not be here for long”
Nicholas looked at his father and managed to say “I hope so dad, because... because I don’t know how long I can deal with that”.
Victor told his son “You just hang in there for a little while longer, okay?”
Nicholas nodded and asked “How’s the rest of the family? Mom and Sharon and Vick?”
Victor told his son “The fact you won’t see them isn’t helping any of them, I wish you would reconsider!”
Nicholas was upset “No! I don’t want any of them to see me this way!”
Victor tried to convince them “At least talk with them, alright?”
Nicholas said “No, I can’t! Sharon has been writing me letters and it’s bad enough as it is, I can’t talk
to Vicky, and I sure as hell can’t talk to mom... I know her, she’ll get all weepy on me and I can’t... I’ve caused everyone enough pain”Victor tried again “She’s your mother, she loves you, she wants to talk to you - it’s hard on her”.
Nicholas said firmly “Forget it Dad, okay? just forget it...tell Mom and Vicky that I am thinking of
them and that I love them, but I can’t talk to them right now, okay?.”Victor, not wanting to upset his son any further decided to let the subject rest and nodded “Alright my boy, I will”
Nicholas looked at his father and noticed how bad he looked, tired and not like himself “Hey Dad?”
Victor looked up at his son and smiled at him “What?”
Nick asked him “Is everything alright with you?”
Victor opened his mouth to reply but then the guard walked toward them and signaled Nicholas that
time is up, Nick said “Dad, I gotta go”Victor looked at his son “Right now?”
Nick nodded and got up, and hugged his dad “Take care Dad, and try to keep everyone sane at home alright?”
Victor smiled at his son and tried to control his tears “I will, take care and don’t do anything foolish before I can get you out of here”
Nick smiled, patted his father’s back and left...
Victor looked after his son with worried eyes and swore to himself he will get him out of there, no matter what he will have to do.
Victoria Newman walked into the ranch once she saw Brad’s car driving off, the last thing she wanted to do was to run into him, ever since he got involved with mother she had nothing but disdain for the man, he came into her mother’s life in the worst time ever, their family was in such turmoil and the last thing she needed is that her father finds out about her mother and Brad.
Her parents were getting so close again and she loved to see them that way, every time she have seen there in each other’s arms she felt this warm fuzzy feeling inside.
She believed in all of her heart that in the entire world there were no two people more suited for each other than her parents, there was nothing she wished and hoped for more than the two of them reuniting, She knew how her mother felt for her father, and sometimes she caught her father looking at her mother with a look she couldn’t explain.
Ever since her father and Hope started having problems she hoped that her parents would get back together, and then her mother started seeing Brad....The thought of that made her blood boil.
But until she saw Brad there she wasn’t worried, she didn't even see him around ever since the trail started, and she wanted things to stay that way, “What the hell was he doing here now?!” She wondered and walked into the ranch...
Brad walked angrily into Victor’s office only to find it empty, he slammed a file against the desk “Dammit Victor, where are you?”
Jack walked into Victor’s office “Bradley? What are you doing here?”
Brad looked at Jack - another person who didn’t approve of his and Nikki’s relationship - with annoyance “None of you business Jack?”
Jack walked in “You seem upset”
Brad said “I am”
Jack looked at him with growing concern “With Victor?”
Brad sneered “No, with the janitor downstairs, of course with Victor”
Jack closed the door behind him “You know, now is not the best time to pick a fight with Victor, the man is trying to free his son - don’t you think whatever you have to say can wait?”
Brad said pointedly “No, It can’t, and if you don't mind Jack, I rather wait for Victor alone”
Jack looked at him and asked “Does this concern Nikki?”
Brad replied “For the matter of fact, it is”
Jack said “Oh, does Victor knows you are seeing her?”
Brad poured himself a drink “No, but he is going to now!”
Jack looked at him, worried “And what does Nik feels about it? you have talked about it with Nikki, haven’t you?”
Brad said, angry “She wasn’t happy”
Jack came closer to him and said “She told you not to tell him, didn’t she?”
Brad said “She is worried about his reaction, I can deal with that”
Jack told him, upset and concerned “Did it ever occur to you that maybe she can’t?”
Brad told him sternly “Look, Nikki and I have been seeing each there for a while now, and the only reason our relationship isn’t going anywhere, is because the great man doesn’t know, and I understand why Nikki might have difficulty in telling him, they were married for a long time, two children, family in crisis and all that, Trust me, I am hearing it from Victoria on a daily basis!
BUT, I will not sacrifice my relationship with her because *Victor* won’t let go of the past, Nikki have! It’s time he do the same”.Jack had no idea what to do, He couldn't tell Bradley what happened between Victor and Nikki, but the thought of him telling Victor now,
Jack shuddered at the thought, Victor was likely to have a bad reaction to it even if he hadn’t slept with Nikki a few days before, and he didn’t want to think what it would do to Nikki, he tried to talk Brad out of it “Bradley, listen to me, the last thing Nikki would want is for you to tell Victor, she just might give you the boot for going behind her back”
Brad said quietly “She already have”
Jack was even more shocked “What?! She dumped you and you are still going to tell Victor? What purpose would that serve?”
Brad got defensive “She said she wanted to 'put our relationship on hold' because of what’s going on with the family.
I know that a big part of that is that Victor doesn’t know and she doesn’t want to tell him, well, maybe when that’s out of the way - we will have a chance, but that won’t happen as long as the fact Victor doesn’t know is standing between us!”At that moment, Victor walked into the office and was surprised at the scene before him, he asked “What is happening here?!”
