Conflict of Interest

Chapter 22

 "Why didn't you tell me!" Dom stormed out of the bathroom apartment. He had just had a shower and his musky scent filled the room. His hair was wet and dripping water all over his naked broad shoulders. His eyes flashed like lightning bolts and Jackie could tell he was mad. He had found the pregnancy test stick in the rubbish bin of the bathroom. "When did you do the test?"

"Dom, please I didn't know how to tell you. I....."

"I thought we could tell each other anything. I thought we were the types of people that didn't keep secrets from each other."

"I wanted to wait until after the race today. I needed to be able to think about what all this means." Jackie's heart felt like it was about to split in two. This was their first fight and she hated the way it made her feel. She had a glimpse of Dom's father as he paced around the room and it scared her.

"What do you even need to think about. Is the child even mine?" Dom was walking around the room running his hands through his wet hair every two seconds.

"Dom! Of course it is. I have been completely faithful."

"But we have been so careful, always taking precautions. You have still been taking the pill haven't you?"

"Yes I have, But Dom please tell me you want this?"

"Children yes, But not right now Jackie. My racing career has just started to take off and things with my family..."

"So you want to get rid of it? Dom please I know the timing isn't right."

"Isn't right! It couldn't be worse timing. You know dad's going to think you've done this to trap me into marrying you. He warned me that this kind of thing can occur. I haven't even told my parents about the engagement yet. Oh Jackie." Dom sat down on the dining chair across the room from Jackie. His head was resting on his hands and his fingers were tangled through his hair.

She wanted to stand behind him with her arms around his shoulders and tell him everything would be okay, But she couldn't physically raise herself up off the sofa. She was fighting back the nausea again this morning and not even the smell of the ginger tea she was sipping was helping now. "I'm sorry Dom. I should have told you straight away."

"I, I can't deal with this right now. I need to get to the track."

"So you're going to run away and hope that this all disappears?" Jackie couldn't hold back any longer. She was trying to be sensible about all this. "But this is how you deal with things isn't it. You run away and put your head in the sand. You ran away to Otago to get away from your controlling father, then you ran away here to Sydney because he was still trying to control you. When are you going to learn that you are Exactly like him Dom. As much as you hate your father, you have become him and hate it when things are no longer under your control." Dom had dressed and was getting his things together to leave. "This isn't what I planned either Dom. And a little support would be nice but I guess all the Tyrell men are incapable of showing any kind of support."

Jackie knew she had overstepped the mark when Dom turned and stared at her. His eyes had narrowed and his face was almost purple.

"We'll talk about this later. For now I think it's best if you stay here."

Jackie's heart shattered as the door slammed shut behind him. She felt the tears overflow and her chest tighten and thought this is what dying of a broken heart feels like. The room still smelled like him and she knew she had to leave. She entered the bedroom and packed her bags. She was the one that needed to run away this time. She had completely messed things up.

***

Dom drove his body to the race track but his mind was still back with Jackie. He couldn't understand why she didn't just tell him about the baby. Why was she so afraid to let him know? He didn't believe that she didn't want to tell him until after the race. He wasn't sure she was going to tell him at all. It was his child for goodness sakes. He had a right to know straight away! Dom's heart was heavy as he parked the car and made his way to pit lane. He knew he had been a bit heavy with her. To find something like that would be a shock to anyone. He knew it was the worst timing in the world and that his father would think the worst. God Dom, here you go again! Who cares what your Dad thinks. Aren't you fed up with having to protect his precious image. Dom knew his subconscious was making sense. It was his life and he needed to do what he felt was right. And that was making things right for Jackie. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tried to call her.

As he walked up to the pit lane he had not been preparing his mind like he normally did, and he tried to focus on the momentous task ahead of him today. He knew he had to put Jackie and the baby aside for now and concentrate on the race. Maybe she was right to hold off. He was having a hard time focusing now.

"Dom, I was beginning to wonder where you were?"

"Hi Jake. Sorry. There was a bit of traffic this morning." Dom tried to sound like everything was normal.

"Where's Jackie? I thought she was going to be here today?"

"She's still not well. I think it's the flu." Dom lied. He was beginning to make a habit of that. "Now let's get this show on the road shall we."

***

"And in Third place is Dominick Tyrell!"

The crowd went wild as Dom stood up on the third place spot on the podium. The smile on his face belied the heaviness in his heart as he thought about how proud of him Jackie would've been if she had been at the track with him. He hoped that she was watching on the tv back at the apartment.

After all the festivities had ended and Dom felt comfortable that he had met all his commitments to the team, Dom tried to call Jackie again.

"Hello." A quiet voice answered her phone But it wasn't Jackie's.

"Who is this?"

"I am a paramedic sir,"

"A What!" Dom felt the panic freeze his insides.

"Can I ask what type of relationship you have with Jackie."

"I am her fiancé, Dominick Tyrell. What's Happened?"

"There has been a car accident sir. Jackie is stable but has sustained a head injury that needs to be monitored. We are taking her to Auckland Hospital."

"Auckland? Wait, I'm confused. She was here with me in Sydney this morning?" Dom's mind was numb. He couldn't fathom how she had managed to get to Auckland. He was confused and frightened and didn't know what he should do, other than get on the next plane back to New Zealand. "The baby, She's pregnant." He blurted out to the paramedic.

"Thank you for letting us know sir we will do everything we can for your fiance and the baby."

"Thank you. I will get there as soon as I can."

Dom had been pacing around the pit lane and the crew could see that something terrible had happened.

"Dom is everything okay?" Jake, the team manager asked.

"No. I need to get back to Auckland as soon as I can. Something's happened to Jackie."

"Jackie? I thought she was still here?"

"So did I," Dom's face was pale and he looked like he was about to faint. "I need to get to the airport."

"Leave it to me Dom. I'll see if we can get one of the helicopters to get you there. It'll be quicker."

"Thanks Jake."