Back to Fan Fiction“Previously on The Nanny…” Niles and C.C.’s love remains strong over the years but fate keeps them apart. The situation becomes unbearable. However, the whole relationship is about to change with the arrival of a very special lady.
Part Three of a Series
by
Malu
(myfanfic.mail@gmail.com)
Niles and Fran had to use Mr. Sheffield’s and Miss Babcock’s names to get the production of the play done. Fran had decided to help her friend when she found out - completely in shock - that he really had strong feelings for his nemesis and none of them involved hatred.
The ironic result though was that the project was a success.
Deep inside Mr. Sheffield was amazed by how the Butler could sniff success out of such amateur material. The man had vision. Actually he had to recognize, they both had natural talents. They were able to transform a raw script into something rather impressive. On the other hand he was too upset to publicly admit it. Despite great creativity, they almost left his own company a quarter of a million dollars poorer for some bad city violations that Max himself had to fix.
At the opening night party C.C. and Niles watched each other furtively and barely smiled when their gazes met. He was right, after that evening in the kitchen; Miss Babcock was avoiding his presence as much as she could. She definitely took it all wrong. She started hitting on Max again especially in front of him and that was killing the Butler. She was also pestering Fran more than usual and indirectly choosing the most hurtful words to dart on him. She was out of control in her personal role. A few days before, using Fran to actually needle him, she implied to everyone near that the Nanny had snatched her boyfriend and that those kids she was expecting were supposed to be hers; C.C.. To make things worse for her, Mr. Sheffield came into the kitchen in that very moment and listened to all the nonsense. That made him lose his temper and almost dissolve their partnership on the spot.
Minutes later, when she decided to pay the kids to put in a good word for her with Max, she came to realize that she was far more pathetic than her ‘usual size.’ She would have to quit that ridiculous play sooner or later. Fran was too sensitive due to her pregnancy and actually C.C. was getting really tired of all that crap herself.
The Blonde came back from her reverie feeling completely embarrassed. Niles had offered her the co-production of the play after his boss said he was not going to ‘embrace the project’ and she laughed at him. What she didn’t know was that her attitude gave him extra motivation to do what he did, and he did far too well for her taste; she later had to recognize. She actually had no intention to go to that opening night but she was so sure it would be a fiasco, that she went ready to have some fun at their expense. As the curtain fell and she heard the applause, however, she had to admit to herself that the audience around wasn’t alone at enjoying that experience. It was a low-budget play, no doubt, but incredibly well produced.
Fran met the Butler standing before a table, drinking champagne with a distant look. She still couldn't believe how a man like him could fall in love with such a “self-centered, cold-hearted witch.” At the same time, she didn’t know that the same witch loved her friend in return with every fiber of her body. She also ignored that this passion had lasted half of their lives and the same friend was partially responsible for the Blonde’s behavior. Nevertheless, one thing was for sure, Fran was eternally grateful for what he had done for her since she first arrived at their house and she wanted to pay back the favor. She knew he was the only man capable of restraining that hydrogen bomb and firmly expected that he could find a way to transform all that energy of hers for civilian purposes only. Concerned about his hesitation, though, she approached. -“Niles-Niles?”
-“Mm?”
-“You’re a successful producer and you are standing over here.”
-“MmHm?”
-“There is Miss Babcock, the woman that you love over there. Not good! Go ahead!”
-“Oh-oh, I don’t know what to say? I-I’m as giddy as a school girl.”
-“Yeah, but don’t open with that.” Said the brunette never quite getting his irony. -“Niles, listen to me…” She went on. -“…I’m your friend and I love you. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering; Carpe Diem.”
Niles took a deep breath, drained his flute of champagne and went over to C.C.. -“Miss Babcock?”
She turned around. -“Well, I’ve got to admit, you surprised me tonight. You finally pulled off something bigger than your shorts.” She said laughing.
For the first time in centuries he felt strapped for words. All he could say was… -“Oh yeah? But you…You’re a…You walk like a…Marry me.”
She was paralyzed. With her eyes wide open, it took a couple of seconds before she stuttered. -“Niles, I’m-I’m…I’m not in a good mood.”
-“When are you exactly?”
-“You-…”
-“If I had to wait for you to be in a “good mood” I would end up buried in cobwebs! God, there is no pleasing you!”
She sighed, blinked nervously, and rushed away confused. She had waited twenty years for that and now that he deliberately had proposed she was completely out of action. Her legs were weak. She knew he had some drinks and was terrified by the idea that he could be playing with her feelings again. Some weeks earlier she was so sure that he was going to throw in the towel but then he restarted insulting her. Again the other day she could swear she heard him saying what she longed years to hear…She met him in the kitchen and clearly heard him mumble, “I love you,” but when she asked, “What?” the answer was simply, “Nothing.” It was terrible not trusting a man under such conditions. Her emotions became even more turbulent when she saw him coming after her again with a very serious semblance.
-“Hey, I’m sorry if Fran stole your boyfriend but maybe it’s time to move on. Isn’t there anything left for me?” He said getting back from a visit to Sarcasticville.
She snarled lowly.
-“Listen Babcock, for how long are you going to deny that you still want me?”
-“Listen you, Stain Devil; I’m up to here with your self-conceit! Stop bugging me! Okay, you won a big one after I said you wouldn’t, but I said that because of the flop you were in that ridiculous Grammar School play.”
-“Aw, if you only knew.”
-“Knew what?”
-“Never mind.”
-“Look, how was I to imagine that you were really capable of pulling this off?” She breathed deeply.
-“Do you realize that knowing that I had no chance as an actor and knowing that it was just a ‘silly Grammar School play’, as you said it, I could be just playing goofy back then? Just perhaps to embarrass you?”
-“Get out of here.” She shook her head.
-“After all, you were the director.”
-“You?! The proudest human being I know?! Yeah, right.”
-“Sometimes my hate for you is stronger than my pride.” He said in a stern tone.
She shot him a glare.
-“But you are right, even though I knew it was just a school theater I regretted later. Especially for Miss Grace and of course for some lousy flyers that were printed with pretty bad lines about me. It backfired; too bad.”
She stared at him distrustfully. -“You play such tasteless jokes and then expect me to buy that ‘marry me’ thing?”
He suddenly couldn’t believe that she thought he was joking about that proposal. -“Miss Babcock, I-...”
-“Forget that I exist, Niles.”
He was desperately trying to put his cards on the table but she wouldn’t let him. He got really upset when she nearly ran over him darting, “Look, all I have to say is: I know when I lost it, and I did. How about that?”
He was fed up with being interrupted. -“I don't know. You tell me. Where was it, in the back seat of a car?”
With flames in her eyes, she turned on her heels and walked away but Niles grasped her by one arm. -“C.C. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be so rude, but you made me. Please, forgive me.”
She loved to hear him calling her “C.C.” but she was too hurt with his attitude to fully enjoy it. He was really making things worse with his insistent behavior. -“You’re the lowest of the low, you know that?” She said pulling her arm from his grasp and running away from him this time.
Niles kept walking around like a zombie. Ironically he noticed that he was the one drinking this time and not the other way around as usual. By walking away without hearing him out C.C. made him hit the ceiling. He was tired of having her putting him down, but he was not about to give up. He was pretty sure that she still wanted him.
She was very sad in a corner and moaned when she saw him.
He walked to her and again used the wrong approach. -“Come on, Babcock. What’s the angle, huh? I just asked you to marry me and you took it as a joke? Whatever happened to all that desire that you had for me?” He hit sarcastically. -“To all those sleepless nights in your bed praying for me to appear, in your dreams at least?”
She gave him a swift sharp look from under her remarkable lashes then looked away from him. If he knew how much of that was true, but at the same time, how did he dare to speak to her that way?
He put his hand on her arm but she jerked away. -“Niles, would you take that nasty proboscis of yours off my butt, you-you repulsive Anopheles!” She said darkly.
He grunted, spent from playing cat and mouse. She thought he would strike her then and there; his fists opened and closed repeatedly.
She fled to the ladies room where she hoped she would find some peace of mind. Niles went looking for Fran so he could complain about his terrible ordeal.
In the restroom C.C. met Yetta. Deep inside, she liked the old lady. Among all that senility she always found some pretty good advice from the wise lady.
-“Hi Yetta? What are you doing without your shirt?”
-“Hi! I’m waiting for the saleswoman to bring me a blouse and some shoes that could match this purse. Ooh, what a beautiful outfit!” Yetta pointed to C.C.. -“Do you think it comes in my size as well?”
-‘Aw, she’s on the dark side of the moon again. It will be too much, even for me.’ The Blonde thought making a straight trip to one of the toilet cubicles. -“Sad to say but I think this outfit in your size will be only available at Toys R Us, Yetta!”
-“Oh, nice tip.”
-“My pleasure.” C.C. rolled her eyes from inside one of the cubicles.
-“You know, my Sammy told me that that was the place where Sammy Davis Jr. used to buy his suits. He heard that from Jerry Lewis at one of his shows in Vegas.”
C.C. smiled at the idea of the tiny singer buying his clothes in a toy store.
Suddenly the toilet turned quiet…
-‘Silence at last.’ The Blonde thought.
It didn’t last long, though. Two minutes later, an even more inquisitive pain in the neck got into the room. Fran invaded her privacy talking away. She was interested in what the Blonde and the Butler had chattered. Convinced that she wouldn’t have any rest in that building, she came out of the stall and decided to go home. However, the big yenta insisted so much that she condensed the whole thought in a sentence. -“I was just proposed to, by the most bloated-pathetic-domestic excuse for a man.”
With a feigned grin Fran inquired again. -“Oh, and what did you say?”
Annoyed with her insistence after she had just used such ‘delicate’ names to qualify her best friend she concluded. -“Well, it’s always been a dream of mine to give up my Park Avenue penthouse and move into his room.”
Fran was shocked. How could a woman be so cold? Okay, she didn't have to love him but any woman would be flattered to have a man like Niles at her feet, why not her?
C.C. was playing tough but truly inside she was in huge turmoil. She desperately wanted to put an end to that story, jump into his arms and start getting a life. Yet, it just didn't seem to be the right moment. Would it ever? She felt it was time to run home before Mrs. Sheffield convinced her to give him another chance. She had to put her own feelings in order. Using some silly excuse like needing to find Yetta to tell the senile woman about his proposal over and over again, she got rid of Fran. Mrs. Sheffield just stood there, dumbfounded.
The Blonde fled the room like a tornado and bumped into Niles who was looking for Fran. Their eyes met for a split second, his were unreadable. He didn’t say a word and neither did she. It was all too fast, too hurtful. Lowering her gaze she ran away from him, leaving the theater immediately afterwards. He stood there, leaning on the doorframe and waiting for Fran to come out; fuming due to another painful encounter. His semblance looked just like a character popped out of a Russian tragedy.
Later that evening, C.C. became one of his smallest problems. At the end of the celebration the owner of the theater appeared from out of the blue with some lousy demands in order for them to keep the play running. Niles, who was in a very bad mood with all the previous events involving Miss Babcock, simply blew up and hit the man square in the face. He almost went to jail if wasn't for an attorney - one of his friend's wife - who helped him. Tired with the avalanche that came down on him, the Butler gave up the play since nothing had worked as he planned. C.C. didn’t seem to care. The dream of becoming a successful producer began and ended in the same night.
* * * * * * *
The next morning Niles woke up with a terrible migraine. He barely could sleep and his temple was throbbing. He felt like dying. He served breakfast, the kids went about their affairs, and Max went to his office. For the first time in his life he had the impulse to quit. Moments later, Fran got into the kitchen when he was loading the dishwasher.
-“Niles, you barely spoke two words with me at the table.”
-“Why would that be?” He mumbled deadpan.
-“Jeesh, what a grumpy mood! You know, you should watch more of those margarine commercials.”
He narrowed his eyes in a questioning look.
-“Haven't you noticed how those people always wake up in a perfect mood?”
He puffed impatiently.
-“It's true!”
-“Believe me, they die young.”
-“Ugh, I tell ya, when you are depressed you are the second greatest pain in the tokhis I know.”
-“Dare I ask you, who's the first?”
-“You, when not depressed.”
He chuckled. -“Good one.”
-“Attaboy. Gray skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face.” She sang and danced Broadway-like.
He feigned a smile.
-“You know, I'm quite a fan of that smile of yours but lately you seem to have forgotten how to use it.”
-“I wonder why.” He darted sarcastically.
-“Oh, forget last night.”
-“It’s not just about last night. It’s about the whole past week that, yes, culminated with that useless rag dumping me, and I having to give up our play thanks to an unscrupulous S.O.B.. To make things worse, I couldn’t sleep a wink.”
-“I was so disappointed when you decided to close down our play. Even Max said you were precipitated.”
-“No kidding?”
-“I'm serious. But I understand sweetie; you did what you had to do. All those problems with Miss Babcock and then that son of a brooder demanding a fortune to rent that flea-bitten place for two miserable weekends, oy! I would blow that chazer’s nose if it wasn't for my condition.” She pointed to her stomach. (*)
He bitter smiled. -“You know, in England I once met a gypsy palm reader who told me: “You will be poor and unhappy until you are forty”.”
-“And then what?”
-“That’s what I asked her.”
-“And?”
-“Pff, nothing. She said: “By that time you’ll be used to it”.”
-“Aw, sweetie.” She realized he was joking. -“And you’re not unhappy.”
-“Aren’t I?”
Ignoring him. -“And you’re certainly not poor. You’re just not...”
-“Rich?”
-“There you go. Ahh, if people could hire people to die for them, the poor would sure make a nice living but they can’t.”
Niles had printed in his face that he had no idea what she was talking about.
-“Sorry I’m Jewish remember?”
He chuckled.
-“Meanwhile, you gotta be more optimistic.”
He yawned soundly. -“Goody, I'm sorry.”
-“Niles, you really didn't get any sleep?”
-“Not one Z.”
-“Did you try counting sheep?”
-“No.” He sounded annoyed again.
-“Why not?”
-“Because I'm allergic to wool.” He bit out not in the mood for chitchat.
-“Well, next time try to count the Osmond family members. They're cuter than whitecap.”
-“Hmm, but are faster than bunnies.” He moaned.
-“But are antiallergenic!” She nudged him.
He smiled bitterly.
She was worried about his pain. -“Augh honey, I'm so sorry.”
-“Well, life is a flight; destination unknown. But I'll survive.” He stopped for a split second. -“I hope.”
-“I think you shouldn't give up yet. I may be wrong but somehow…”
-“Somehow?”
-“Somehow, I think she has feelings for you too.”
Niles knew C.C. still wanted him. But wanted, how? Allure, enticement, passion, infatuation? He knew he was in love but what about her? For the first time he realized they never admitted any deeper feeling than just attraction. Since the first minute they had been together he knew she was as attracted to him as he was attracted to her but they never exchanged “I love you’s.” That came over him as a vault in a TV cartoon.
-“Houston calling.” Fran whined snapping her fingers.
-“Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. I was wondering about...” He kept staring at her. -‘How can she be so sure about C.C. having feelings for me? How can she tell?’ He thought.
-“What?” She asked puzzled with his stare.
No response.
-“I'm telling you, Mister, you shouldn't give up so soon!”
-“Oh, just shoot me.”
-“You were - by Cupid - both of you - straight through your hearts.”
-“Both of us? Is it that evident? Pu-lease.”
-“Neon lights… Both foreheads… Blinking: “Hate is an excuse! Hate is an excuse!”…”
-“Oh brother! You've been watching too many tacky soaps, Fran.”
-“Niles, it’s just that you can’t talk “forever” with her; not yet. She’s from showbiz. Forever could mean a week.”
-“Your husband is in showbiz.”
-“Oh...Yeah...Right...Bad example. Moving on...”
He shook his head.
-“Anyway, you have to be more caring. Talk about love. You’re too wild sometimes. That scares women. Even Miss Babcock, you know.”
-“O powerful love! That in some respects, makes a beast a man, in other, a man a beast.”
-“Niiiles! See? That’s what I mean! You’re such a mensch when you want? Let me guess, Young and The Restless?”
-“No.”
-“Days of Our Lives?”
-“The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
-“Nah, never watch those British shows; can’t follow their jokes.”
-“That was Shakespeare, Mrs. Sheffield.”
-“The old Bill, huh?”
-“Yes.”
-“Never followed him either.” She added under her breath. -“Meanwhile…”
The doorbell startled both.
-“Aww…” Niles moaned.
-“Don't worry, honey. I'm leaving for Dr. Reynolds. I'll let Miss Babcock in.”
-“Thanks.”
-“But you know, you can't hide forever.”
-“I think I'll make a quick trip to China.” Picking up a spoon and pointing to the back yard.
She waved and went out smiling.
-‘Fran is right. I can't hide forever. I knew I would pay for playing with her feelings the other day, but…Damn, couldn't she be that open when I almost proposed to her in the hall? Why do we have to be so out of sync?’
He wondered.
One minute later and Fran showed up again. -“Niles, I just came to let you know that it wasn't Miss Babcock at the door. It was just the delivery boy. Miss Babcock actually called Max on his cell phone and told him that she's not feeling well and that she’ll come around two pm today.”
Jumpy. -“Is she okay?”
-“Calm down. Probably just as tired as you are.”
He sighed relieved.
-“I'll be back in an hour or so. We'll talk, okay?”
He nodded.
* * * * * * *
The rest of the morning would be more quiet if wasn’t for Fran. She got back from the doctor with the firm purpose to convince Niles to invite C.C. out for dinner. She mounted a small sketch and put Brighton and Grace to play the role of the Butler and the Blonde. She wanted to make him understand that he had to talk about his feelings with the ‘witch’ before asking her to marry him. What she didn't know was that Niles had already gotten to that conclusion and found himself between a rock and a hard place. He dealt very easily with his attraction for her. Proposing was not that hard either. But admitting his love was beyond boundaries, especially when he recalled how much pain he put her into and how easily she could despise him now if he opened up his heart. Besides, against his pride, he had already broken that pledge. Why did he have to be the one to admit ‘love’ first?
Niles found the little play very cute but was tired to his bones of having people telling him what to do. Fran became very worried because she didn't hear the Butler say that he agreed to take the Blonde out. Grace earlier commented with her that she was positive that C.C. hated the man and Fran started thinking that the girl could be right. The Ice Princess vehemently said ‘no’ when Fran went to check if she would accept an invitation from him. The Matchmaker was confused. Even though she was rarely wrong when the subject was love, there was always a first time.
Later that noon, Miss Babcock went after some coffee in the kitchen. Niles was out. A few weeks before, she had promised him that he was going to suffer the consequences for what he did to her in that very room and he was paying now, with accrued interest. To make things worse for both, she was making such a big drama out of her love life. Sipping her coffee she recalled days before when she found out that Sylvia was having an affair. Crying out for the entire family to hear, ‘You mean she’s having sex and I am NOT?’ she then walked to the stove, opened the door to the oven, and stuck her head right inside it. Niles watched incredulously. Maxwell was all disturbed and began stuttering some excuse as if his kids had never heard the word ‘sex’ before. Fran on the contrary made a move to help the Blonde when Niles stopped her by saying out loud: “Everybody out! I have some chicken in the oven that I have to take care of.” Nobody would dare to contradict the man in that situation except for Fran. But she too thought it would be best if she left that to an expert and went out with the others.
Niles simply clapped his hands. -“Beautiful! Bravo! If you look carefully you’re gonna see Sir Anthony Hopkins in the first row taking acting notes.”
She came out furiously. -“Shut up! As if you cared! Why didn’t you go out as they all did?”
-“Because I care, C.C..”
-“So why are you mocking me?”
-“Admit it Babcock, this scene was way too much, even for you. You outdid yourself.”
-“Stop Niles, I’m warning you.”
-“Oo, I’m shaking in my shoes. Why so worried about sex when you know exactly where to get it.”
-“What, from you?” She said in disdain.
-“No, in any public men’s room. You love them, don’t you? Admit it, sometimes you wanted to be a man.”
-“So did you, huh?”
He groaned. -“Don't start with me.”
-“I'm not.”
-“Yes, you are. It’s an old trick of yours. You feel guilty or frustrated about something; you turn your fire on everybody else.”
-“You started.” She was so ashamed and depressed that she started crying.
-“Oh, stop it. Crying won't do any good. It won't change things any.”
-“I said shut up!” She raised her hand to slap his face. He grabbed her wrist. -“Don’t even think about it.” His stare was really threatening. -“You tried that on me twenty years ago and I almost responded with the same move. You tried to hit me again a few years ago and I was not that patient. Do you need another free sample, lady?”
She was sobbing out of control. -“I'll never forgive you for spanking me.”
-“C.C., you were ready to shatter my skull in a thousand pieces with that baseball bat! A few slaps on your butt weren’t really a spanking nor were nearly what you really deserved.”
-“You…” Fighting his grasp.
-“Come on, I did even worse things to you and you never complained.”
-“They weren't half as humiliating!”
-“Nobody saw us.”
She puffed.
-“Listen, if you don't stop behaving like a child you’ll see what humiliating really means.” He pushed her away from him and walked up the stairs.
-“Niles, when did you start walking erect?” She raised her voice.
-“Several million years after your species ceased to exist.” He disappeared.
She cursed some unintelligible words then slammed the back door on her way out.
The loud noise of the slamming doors echoing in her mind brought her back from her reverie. C.C.’s eyes closed as her hands went to her face. -“Aw, he’s right! I outdid myself!” The thoughts of her scene in that very place the other day mortified her. Her head was confused. She wanted the man but remembrances like that made all the difference in the world. -“He's playing with my head again. I know.” She let it out sitting at the table absently. A sentence kept repeating in her brain: “What would compel him to propose to her like that”? It made no sense at all. The man had been every pebble and stone from the Chinese Wall in her shoes for ages. She had waited for another step from him for so long that now it just seemed surreal. She acted like she didn't deserve it. Her love for him had grown strong but so had the fear of being hurt. She knew he wanted her physically, as badly as she wanted him. She could tell that since the first time she dropped her eyes on his and now, nearly 21 years later she almost could swear the flame wasn't extinguished. Nevertheless, she wanted more from him. She knew she was in love from the day he kissed her in that hospital room but he never admitted the same feeling for her. That was scary. She was far in her thoughts, sipping her coffee when he burst in through the back door. She stood up in reflex; her heart beating faster. Also disturbed, he closed his eyes and shook his head in silence.
-“God Niles, you almost scared me to death!”
-“...“Almost” doesn't count.”
-“Oh, here we go again. I'm out of here.”
-“Don’t worry, Miss Babcock. I won’t be around pestering you for much longer.”
A chill went up her spine and her voice came out weakly. -“What do you mean?”
-“You’ll know.” He answered dryly.
Despite the apparent anger in his words his voice remained calm. She on the other hand was very worried with the thought that those lines could mean that he was leaving the house. She was staring at him.
-“What, is my nose dirty?” His headache was still irritating.
-“Niles, do you think harshness is always necessary in confrontations?”
He got inches to her face. -“Between us? I would say, inevitable.”
The scent from him was quite arousing. She found herself wanting to stare at him, to talk to him, and most of all share passion with him. She loved his smile but his strong serious features sometimes were even more appealing. She struggled to ignore all that, but his pull was too powerful.
-“What's wrong?” He asked sensing her disturbance.
-“Wrong?” She whispered almost out of breath. -“Wrong, yeah, that's the word. What went wrong between us, Niles?”
He gave her a hurtful smile. He didn't want to start all that argument again. -“Do you mind if we put off that discussion to another occasion?”
Getting a thought, her eyes flew wide open. -“How about tonight? How about if you took me out for dinner?”
His eyes on the contrary narrowed. -“Why?”
-“Let's talk. We need to talk without some big-hair-matchmaker interference!”
-“She has good intentions, Babcock.”
-“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Niles. She is driving me crazy trying to push us two together.”
-“Driving you crazy? More than usual, you mean?” He crooked smiled.
-“Niles, stop!”
-“All right, I have to admit. She is annoying me too.”
-“And I have to admit that deep inside perhaps she is not a bad person.” She mumbled.
Niles looked up as if waiting for something.
-“What is it now?”
-“I thought I heard a thunder. Oh Lord, I hope Noah is ready to fill up his ark again!”
-“What?” She insisted puzzled.
-“A word of courtesy from C.C. Babcock? Oo, baby, bring your raincoat, gum boots, umbrella, and a kayak. We'll have a storm tonight!”
-“Niles, one more word and you'll be dining on popcorn with ‘Friends’.”
-“I might rather be.”
-“That's it. I ain't going out with you!” She pointed with her forefinger up.
-“Yeah-yeah.” He said mimicking her.
-“I’m serious.”
-“I’m having a déjà vu here.” Ignoring her comment. -“Pick you up at eight, wear something.” He walked up the stairs leaving her, this time, in a silent curse.
* * * * * * *
Eight o'clock sharp, her intercom buzzed. She invited Niles up because she was expecting an urgent E-mail. She was regretting that date already. She was dying to go out with him, especially to find out what he meant by, “I won't be around pestering you for much longer.” But she was too nervous to face him and realized that she was using that E-mail as an excuse to herself to somehow postpone that dinner. She simply didn't want to hear about any 'wedding' again, before she had his love proven. She wanted to live a day at a time. She was certain about her feelings, but was totally puzzled about his and that fact was driving her nuts. She needed time to think and again this encounter seemed precipitated. She opened the door and found him incredibly attractive. Coats and scarves always accented his European look. She liked him in a sportive wear but he was smashing in that outfit.
-“Woa, you're all dressed up! What is the big occasion?” She jested.
-“I came to defrost your icebox.” He answered with a mischievous grin.
She gave him a hard look. Pretending not to understand his double-talk. -“It’s right over there. You can start already.”
-“Not without you.” Deadpan.
She ignored his remark. -“Niles, I have a problem.”
-“Let me guess, you “see dead people”?” He whispered.
-“Stop it! That boy scares me!”
He chuckled.
-“Anyway, I'm serious.”
-“I'm sorry. What is it?”
-“I'm expecting a business mail.”
-“How long do you think it’s going to take?”
-“I have no idea.” She said with a guilty face. -“You see, the play that we planned for the 49th Street Theater…”
-“I'm sorry but that won't be possible.” He cut her not the bit interested at that moment. -“First off, I made reservations for the best table in a great restaurant in half an hour.”
-“But…”
-“And second, I'm ravenous!”
-“Oh, you can live off your fat for a few more minutes.” She played.
-“C.C. if you want to cancel our date it’s okay with me, but I won't stand for hours waiting for a table just because you needed to get a business E-mail after the usual 9 to 5.”
-“I'm not a timecard worker, Niles.”
-“Perhaps you should try.”
She sighed impatiently.
-“It's eight o'clock, Babcock. I'm positive that you won't get that E-mail until tomorrow morning.”
-“Why, just because you say so?”
-“Just because I'm using my reason.”
-“You are selfish.”
-“By the way, here.” He said giving her a beautiful box of chocolates.
-“Is this for me?”
-“No, for Chester. But if you want to keep them.”
-“It's lovely.” She said ignoring his remark. -“What is it?”
-“Godiva.”
-“Oh, I love them!” She crushed the box against her bosom.
-“I thought you did. It's nougat.”
-“Aw…How…ni-ce.” Her smile faded.
-“What, no good?”
-“NO-no! It's, it’s marvelous.” She said not quite capable of hiding her disappointment.
-“Good. Now hurry up, we have to go.”
She left the box on the coffee table. -“Just a second, my Mac is out of sound. May I check it one more time?”
-“All right, but hurry up, will you.”
-“Okay. If you want a drink help yourself.”
-“Mm, I think I could use one. What about you?”
-“No thanks.”
He was surprised.
Meanwhile, she observed the box of chocolate from the corner of her eyes. It was unusually wrapped in a beautiful golden paper and she wondered why. She logged in.
He swallowed his drink.
-“Damn, nothing.” She complained to herself.
He wanted to throw a zinger but refrained. -“Anything?” He politely asked.
-“Nope, not a note.” She said turning her eyes from the screen and locking up with his. He was studying her in a manner that disturbed her.
-“So, shall we leave.” He demanded leaving his empty glass on a sideboard table filled with portraits.
Collecting her wits she turned the computer off and went to the closet. He helped her with her coat. A heat crawled over her body when his knuckles slightly touched her arms. Being alone with him was always intimidating.
-“Niles, stop staring at me that way.”
-“When a man sees a gorgeous woman like you, he will naturally stare a minute or two. At your age, I would think you'd be used to it.” He added sounding more like an insult than a compliment.
Her blue eyes blazed with fury.
Grinning, he sweetly clasped her hand in his. -“Come on, Babcock, let’s fight on our way to the restaurant.”
The trip was almost quiet except for something Niles recalled. -“Miss Babcock, remember one time when Fran asked you if you ever dated older guys?”
She grinned. -“Kind of…You mean when she went out with a boy and I provoked you with that enthusiastic speech about much younger guys?”
-“Oh, so all that blabber was a provocation?” He asked mischievously.
She cleared her throat. -“Yes. Especially after your remark about the world being flat when I was a teenager.”
The cab driver smiled. She didn't see the man's reaction, luckily for him.
-“I suppose to be called “decrepit old man” must sound very pleasant to you?”
-“But you are.”
-“That from a woman that didn't see the Deluge but got stuck in the mud right afterwards?”
-“You are abominable.” She said dryly but half-grinned. -“I never forgave you for those strong coffees and that fake herbal tea.”
-“Don't change the subject.”
-“What subject?”
-“Were you thinking about us when you made that “older guys” comment?”
-“Niles, I meant older guys, not ancient.”
-“Red Wood.”
-“Stonehenge.”
-“Bugga-Bugga-Bugga.”
-“Stop Bugga-Bugging me.” She grinned again. -“…and of course I had us in mind.”
-“You had?”
She blinked sheepishly with her eyelashes.
Niles looked at her very deeply, feeling tension within him.
The tight hold of his gaze made C.C. uncomfortable. It was almost as if they were communicating on a mental level. It just seemed natural to tantalize each other that way but that always made her uneasy.
-“You are so beautiful.”
She was losing her strength and that scared her to death. -“Look I…”
-“…and have a perfect body.” He added checking her out.
-“Have not!” She childishly denied.
-“C.C., do you have any looking-glasses in that chamber of horrors of yours?”
-“No, I broke them twenty years ago. See the bad luck that came over me?” Pointing at him.
-“Oh, silly me. I forgot the real reason.”
-“What “real” reason?”
-“Vampires can't see their reflections.”
-“Good one, Peter Vincent.” She added in disdain.
He breathed loudly. -“Miss Babcock, I'm really getting tired of this.”
-“Join the club.”
No further words were shared until they reached their destination.
They got to the restaurant in the right time. The table was waiting but Niles wasn't comfortable anymore. He felt as if her head was some place else but with him. He was wrong, though. In spite of her coldness she was beginning to enjoy the ambiance and the company. She was just afraid of where that encounter would lead them later that night.
-“I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.” She said looking at him waiting for a contemptible comment that would at least break his silence.
No response.
The menu was brought. Niles ordered two scotches while they were choosing. The waiter left as two ladies approached the table.
-“Niles?”
-“Oh Lindsay, what a coincidence! How was your day?”
-“The same I ask of you?”
-“Well, considering the fact that I didn’t sleep a wink last night.” He grinned.
The woman chortled. -“I don’t blame you.”
C.C. misinterpreted every word and stared at them in shock.
-“I believe I know you.” Lindsay stuck out her hand seconds later. -“C.C. Babcock, Broadway producer, right?”
-“You know who I am, which puts you a square ahead.” The Blonde darted blinded with jealousy.
-“Oh, how rude am I?” Niles interrupted them. -“Miss Babcock, this is Lindsay Bacon, a friend. Lindsay, Miss Babcock…a…a friend.”
-“How do you do?” Both women shook hands.
-“Mm, a friend treated by ‘Miss’? Odd!” The other lady pointed out.
Lindsay cut her. -“Oh, I'm sorry. This is Carrie Michael. She is a casting director from Canada.”
-“Hello, Miss Michael.” Niles stood briefly, and shook her hand.
Miss Michael had a couple of drinks and was feeling very ‘cozy’ toward Niles. -“Oh darling, you can call me Carrie.”
-“Aw God, full material for a third sequel.” C.C. mumbled.
Niles heard her barb and felt embarrassed for both.
Carrie had become terribly inconvenient. -“Oh, I love a man who knows what he wants. A man…aggressive.” She purred the last word.
C.C. was visibly fuming.
-“I told her about last night.” Lindsay caught C.C.’s flaming stare and amended. -“Carrie means the fact that you broke that horrible man's nose last night.”
C.C. relaxed for a split sec and then tensed again for a different reason. -“Wow-wow… Wait a minute! What nose? I mean, what man?” C.C. asked confused, realizing that she had missed a hell of a lot for leaving the party early.
-“When the play was acclaimed by the audience, Alan Zuckor decided that he wanted at least twenty thousand dollars more than what was in the contract for two miserable weekends in his theater.” Lindsay let out revolted.
-“WH-at?! For that lousy place?” C.C asked. -“That’s preposterous! Was that the reason why the play was closed?”
-“Yes.” Niles answered dryly with a low gaze. He wanted to say “part of the reason” but choke on the words.
-“Niles, you should have called the police. That man is a leech! You should have done something!” C.C. said annoyed.
The waiter brought the drinks and Niles gulped at his in apparent indifference.
-“Oh, he did. That's what Carrie meant. He literally broke the man's nose with a blow.” Said Lindsay.
-“You punched the man on the nose?” She asked distrustfully.
-“You heard well.” Niles mumbled then took his scotch again and downed it.
-“All the showbiz community despises the man. Wow! I wish I had seen that.” C.C. grinned proudly, then picked up her micro-cassette from her purse and recorded. -“First thing in the morning, check all Alan Zuckor's records…”
Carrie leaned on the table and whispered something in Niles’ ear; she was dominating his attention with her “no-bra” look.
C.C.’s smile faded as she watched the scene. -“…I want to crush the man.” Meaning perhaps somebody else.
Lindsay heard that. -“You can count on me. I was trying to convince him to sue the scum but he didn't let me. Here is my business-card.”
-“Oo...” C.C. let her cassette drop carelessly on the table. -“And let me give you mine.” She handed hers over to Lindsay. -“We'll talk about it.” She didn't exactly like the woman but “business was business.”
Niles’ head was now following their dialogue like a tennis fan watching an important match when Carrie made her business card slip into his chest pocket. -“And here is mine, my daring producer. Just in case you want to discuss any ‘biz’ with me.”
He responded with a feigned smile, which completely faded when he saw C.C.’s face. For her the night was over.
In complete embarrassment, Lindsay grabbed Carrie's arm and bade farewell to both.
-“Niles, why didn't you go with them?” She said agitatedly watching the two women leave.
-“C.C…” He tried to draw her eyes to his. -“Lindsay is married to Arthur, the author of my play. You met him there. She is a doll and prevented yours truly from going to jail after yours truly hit that man last night.”
She grabbed the menu and started looking for what she wanted. -“Oh, really? And what about the other one giving you the goo-goo eye?” She mumbled.
-“The other one?” He sneered -“I don’t even know the woman. Besides, you just saw her...” He snatched the calling card from his pocket. -“She’s so drunk that I hope that sweater she's wearing is not wool-made or she might blow into pieces when attempting to pull that off.” He ripped the thing and left it on the table.
She lifted the menu briefly to hide a smile. She was relieved with that gesture but pretended not to hear a single word he was saying. -“No, this is too fat. This is…No, not that.”
-“Come on, I came to this place because-…”
-“Mm, this sounds delicious.”
-“Miss Babcock-…?”
-“I'll have Chicken Piccata.”
-“…will you marry me..?”
She paused for a second, disturbed with another proposal, then at last raised her eyes from the list. -“What will you have?”
His eyes were dark gray. That shade always frightened her and she knew he was about to burst.
She looked at the menu again, this time just to avoid his threatening gaze.
He called the waiter, ordered two chickens and then without even excusing himself, he pushed away from the table and went to the man’s room.
The night was definitely over, and now for both of them. She felt so vulnerable. She had to recognize that she overreacted about the two women, but now it was too late. She reached for her glass and took a long swig when she spotted her micro-cassette on the table. She had left it on, confused by that Carrie hitting on Niles. Something suddenly clicked in her brain. -‘Oh my God, ‘the proposal’! I must have recorded ‘the proposal’.’ She thought and rewound the tape a little. -“…Chicken Piccata…Will you marry me..?” She heard the cassette play.
-‘Marry him?’ She wondered. -‘I wish I could give my dream a chance but if our relationship doesn't work out right I'll have lost more than the time it takes to dine together and I don't think I will survive the pain. Damn indecision! And what if he takes it back?’ The thought came with a chill. -‘No, I have the right to live my own life the way I feel comfortable... numbed at least.’
Niles came back and his face was hard. He saw the cassette in her hands but had no clue of what she had done. Recalling something that had happened between them a few years earlier he asked in sarcasm. -“Are you going to send me to the airport after Pavarotti again?”
-“No.” She pressed her lips together.
-“By the way, I never asked you this. How did you manage to tape that message from Mr. Sheffield?”
-“Who said it was a recording? He helped me.”
-“He what?”
-“Never mind.”
He sighed loudly.
She sucked at her teeth than decided to tease him a little longer. -“When I got that message in my answering machine, “I'd love to see you dressed like a clown,” I realized that it was a practical joke from you. Max would never leave that type of message. So, I went to the mansion and got into his room in a black night gown and a red nose.”
His face skeptical.
-“Yep. I pretended to think that it was his idea. When he asked me what was going on I played him the message in this. He was so embarrassed and pissed that he decided to outsmart you.”
-“You were there with him?”
-“Yes.” She answered in a low sexy voice.
-“What happened after I left?”
-“Oh, you really wanna know?”
-“I'm not sure…Yes, damned!”
-“It was so great! He… me. Oh, he-he…”
-“HE WHAT?” He raised his voice.
The waiter arrived with their plates.
Niles cleared his throat and insisted lower this time. -“What happened?”
-“Oh, he just went downstairs and I went to the guest room; that’s what happened.”
Niles watched C.C.. She had started eating but he didn't want his food anymore. -“You went too happy and P.D.Q. to the Regency Hotel that day, didn't you?”
-“Yes. I admit I went.”
-“Why?”
-“You would never believe.”
-“Try me.”
-“Nope.”
-“Come on.”
She rested her knife on her dish impatiently. -“NO-o!”
-“Marry me..?” He insisted, this time in a sarcastic tone.
Her face froze in a cold stare. She tried to control herself but failed. Her fork followed the knife. -“Stop asking me! I won't marry you! I don't like you! And call the waiter, my breasts are dry!”
Niles’ turn to press his lips tight for not spitting out a perfect comeback.
Twenty minutes later they were in a cab all the way back to her penthouse. There was a thick silence between them. Both were tense. It could have been a perfect night but she ruined it and he somehow helped.
When the taxi stopped in front of her building C.C. was inert inside the car. -“I acted like a fool, didn’t I?”
-“Denis Rodman would be more sedate.”
-“I'm sorry Niles. We can make it work at another opportunity.”
-“Miss Babcock, I don’t think that we will have another chance.”
-“Is that what you meant by “I won’t be around pestering you around for much longer”?”
-“Yes. I think I'll be quitting.”
-“QUI-tting?! You mean, leaving us?”
-“I’m afraid so.” He sighed deeply.
-“But you can’t! Maxwell can’t live without you. The kids adore you. Fran depends on you!”
-“And you?”
-“Me?”
-“Yes, you?”
-“I-I-I…” She tried to summon up courage to say it but failed. Again she was sensing the odd mingling of powerful attraction and necessary rejection.
He knew she wouldn't say it, at least not there, and neither would he. He had to ignore her, resist her pull, forget her. But could he?
She kept staring at him, the words - the perfect words - screaming at her brain and heart. But they simply wouldn’t come out.
He gave up. -“Miss Babcock, I'm tired and you’ll probably have that business E-mail to respond to.” He let out sarcastically through a feigned yawn. -“Anyway, do you want me to escort you to your door?”
-“No, I know how to take care of myself, especially from men like you.” She had that tape in her mind.
-“Very well, then…” He hopped off the car and opened the other door for her.
That man had the power to infuriate her. He had the patience of a saint not to say of a vulture. That veneer of indifference made her explode. -“And let me tell you one more thing. You want to marry me? You think you know everything about me, don't you? So learn one more thing. I hate, did you hear? I HATE nougat! Next time you buy me Godiva, try Demitasses! Solids are my favorite.”
-“Just like your brain?”
-“Repeat that you-...”
-“I never heard we had to have Ph.D. in one's profile to marry him or her, Miss Babcock.” He hopped back in the cab and signaled the driver to depart. -“You don't have to worry, there will be no 'next time'!” He said through the window just before the car drove away.
-“Why?” Her eyes glistened. -“Marry me? Marry me?! I LOVE YOU is all I want to hear, you-you…!” She stood on the curb, irresolute for a moment. -“Just…just ‘I love you’.” She repeated absently in a low, sad tone.
P.S.: She didn't get that e-mail that night.
* * * * * * *
Niles arrived home very nervous. He went to talk to Fran and explained in a couple of lines what happened. Very distressed he announced before he left the room. -“I can tell you this much…I can no longer stay under the same roof with that woman, it’s just too humiliating. Now, I tried to take your advice. I tried to do what you told me to do and it just didn't work. So now I'm gonna have to QUIT!” He left the room ignoring Maxwell who was standing at the door and had just heard everything in shock.
He got to his own room and flopped on top of his bed. He regretted all the years that he had “neglected” her, that he “despised” her. All an act, but an act performed by a master of insincere behavior. He was now cropping what he had planted. His head started hurting again and he just remembered that he had been awake for more than twenty-four hours. That did it. He would pack the strictly necessary and would leave the house as soon as possible. On the first weekend free of her presence he would come back and take the rest of his things.
Totally spent, he finally fell asleep.
The Day After…
C.C. woke up drowned in guilt. All the fights before had been almost banal in comparison to the one they had the night before. That was serious. Not many words traded, but between them they were not necessary. Why was he acting that way? The man had been as subtle as a bull in a China store in the past weeks and suddenly he wanted to marry her?! The method Niles used to break in over the years was potent but left her always expecting rejection. She got off her bed going to her living room completely mixed up and talking to herself. -“Could he still be sincerely interested in me? A-a-after all these years?! And what makes him imagine that I will be a good wife? In a couple of weeks he will be tired of me and I will be all-alone. He will be the big guy and I'll be the big clown. I just became a convenience for him. Probably something he decided to conquer at any price.” She sighed almost in a weep. -“No, that man doesn’t love me. He sent me to that-…” She swallowed hard, thinking of the clinic she spent some days and that she usually called ‘The Place.’ Furiously she made her ‘hate’ for him emerge as she always did when facing her real feelings was too painful. Watching the box of chocolate on the coffee table still wrapped, she stood up and kicked it madly. It landed under a chair. Chester was startled by her attitude. -“Rot there!” She cursed. -“That man doesn't know anything about me! Nougat! Can you believe it?” Taking the micro-cassette from out of her purse she heard again. -“Will you marry me?” She grinned. -“I know he won't have the guts to quit and this will be my safety pass. Every time he comes pestering me I’ll rub this in his face and bingo!” She laughed an unconvincingly throaty laugh then recognizing who was the real loser in that situation, she fell into a sad silence again.
* * * * * * *
Niles woke up early. His body was aching. He had slept that night but it didn’t seem enough. He would only be able to recover from all that stress when he got far from that house that reminded him of her in every detail and that hurt him so very deeply. Maxwell promised him, if he could wait until they moved to California, that he would lease an office any place else. However, the Butler declined alleging that every now and then they would still meet accidentally and that it would be too painful for him.
The breakfast was dreary. The family was desolate. Max barely touched his food. Fran and the kids were silent.
After lunch, things got worse. Niles wanted to stay in his room to avoid meeting C.C.. Miserably he found the need for one more suitcase and went to ask the kids in the exact moment the Blonde had arrived. To make things even more hurtful, for some silly pet quarrel between them, Miss Babcock rubbed the tape right in his face. He was furious when he found out about the tape but pretended to ignore her. That drove her crazy. She simply hated to be ignored and he knew that and used that very well. Like a mulish child, in retaliation, she showed that cassette to everyone else in the house, including Val.
Later that noon he was finishing packing after Maggie brought him another bag when he heard a voice at the door.
-“Excuse me, Niles?”
-“Master Brighton? Miss Grace?”
-“May we have a word with you?” Grace politely asked.
-“Please, do come in.”
-“Niles, we don't want you to go!” Brighton said. -“I know we are a pain sometimes but we love you.”
Niles stared at the boy in happy surprise. He knew the boy was almost as bad about exposing his emotions as his father. What he just said was probably very hard for him to say.
-“Brighton is right, you're our second father.” Grace said trying to swallow the tears that were already rolling down her face.
-“Forget that iceberg and stay with us, Niles!” The boy raised his voice.
-“Fran did a great job with you, children.” He patted Brighton’s head. -“I wish I could stay but-…” He paused. -“I just hope you never feel as hurt as I'm feeling now. Master Brighton, I don't know how to tell you this but-…” He hesitated again. -“But Miss Babcock is not as bad as she makes herself to be.”
-“Not as bad? I tell you, drawing a pentagram on the floor and summoning the demon's name three times would still bring you better luck, Niles.”
-“No.” He chuckled. -“She pretends to be a pest but she's not.”
-“Oh great! Now, what do we use in a case like this, sis?” B. asked Grace since she was the ‘expert’ there.
-“Well, I would say shock treatment, insulin, a lobotomy perhaps.” The girl smiled.
Niles bitter smiled. He wanted, he needed, to share his deepest feelings with someone else. In an impulse he risked.
-“Okay, you are both grown enough to hear what I have to say. It might be useful just in case you want to do in the future the same idiotic thing I did in the past.”
-“Sounds serious.” Grace let it escape.
-“And it is. It’s a secret between Miss Babcock and me.” He paused again. -“Fight for your dreams kids and never-never give up on someone you love.”
-“Is this the secret? And by the way, quote, “giving up on someone you love,” unquote, isn’t exactly what you are doing, Niles?” Grace asked sheepishly.
-“It’s not what I'm doing but what I did, twenty-years ago.”
-“I'm confused.” Brighton said.
-“Me too.” Niles ended with a laugh.
-“Come on, Niles. I'm lost here.” Miss Grace added.
-“Children, all these years that we fought, Miss Babcock and I, it was like-like-like a play.”
-“What?” Grace asked disturbed.
-“Promise me you'll never tell this to any other living soul. Especially-…” He hesitated.
-“We know.” Both in unison.
-“Keep it dark, all right? Nobody knows our story.” Niles requested again as a condition.
-“All right, now dish.” B. said impatiently.
-“It’s going to be hard for you to believe but-…” He sat on the edge of his bed summoning some courage. -“...but C.C. and I fell in love way before you children were born. At least I think it was love. From me at least, it always was, and it still is.” He sighed loudly. -“And it will always be.”
-“Oy.” Muttered Brighton.
-“It was love at first sight. She thought I was someone else and when she found out that I was just a Butler, it was too late. Anyway, it’s a very long story. The case is, she was too young and I was too proud. We broke up cursing each other and that’s how we became enemies.”
-“Enemies?” Grace asked signing quote marks with her fingers.
-“Yes, sort of.” He nodded with a grin.
-“Say, is this by any chance Mad Cow disease?” Brighton jested.
-“It depends on what cow you are talking about.” Niles snapped.
The kids laughed.
Suddenly realization flooded Grace’s face. -“You know Brighton that would explain lots of things.”
-“Spell it out for me.”
-“Number one, just in case you haven't noticed, she hits on daddy especially when Niles is around, or at least when there are witnesses. It’s as if she’s expecting that someone will immediately run and tell what she just did to somebody else. Only, now I realize who this somebody else is; Niles. Of course, she knows that she’s not the most beloved person on the block and that the number one conversation topic most of us would have in common with Niles would be our mutual disapproval of her.”
-“Oh…” Brighton nodded in agreement.
-“But the excuses are so lame. For instance, the other day in my play-…”
Niles moaned.
-“Yes, that fastidious play.”
-“Listen, I’m sorry about that-…”
-“Niles, don’t blame yourself. I have no idea what got into you. Besides, the boy who was portraying Caesar was a lot worse!”
Niles and Brighton chuckled.
-“Anyway, my point is, Miss Babcock is always looking for some silly excuse to say she’s emotionally attached to daddy. But it always sounds so phony. Do you know what she told me?”
-“What?” Niles questioned.
-“She told me that she accepted to direct my play before she knew Fran was pregnant and that she thought she still had a chance with daddy, but he-llo!”
-“Not even I would buy that.” B. said.
-“And she knew about the babies already because she was the second person to know in this house after Niles. She directed that play for some other reason.”
-“Could it be because she likes you and would never admit it?” Niles asked.
Grace and Brighton simultaneously. -“Nah.”
-“But again, Niles, what she said about hoping to have another chance with daddy, that didn’t work for me.”
Niles narrowed his eyes amazed by the little girl's perspicuity.
-“Every woman in love, when not corresponded, tends to use other guys they’re seeing to make the object of their love jealous.”
-“I guess.” Niles nodded. -“Most of them, I’d say. Men too.”
-“Yes, but she never tells dad that she has a date or a boyfriend with the same enthusiasm that she tells you, Niles. It’s as if she is trying to poke you, to hurt you. You know what I mean?”
Niles arched his brow and pondered.
-“Boy, I never noticed that.” B. added.
-“I wonder why.” Grace mumbled. -“I thought it was because she hated you but if her intentions were to make you jealous, now it makes a lot more sense.”
-“With that I agree.” Brighton let out supportive.
-“Anyway, she says she’d been chasing daddy since way before mommy died.”
-“Everybody knows that!” B. said.
-“Yes but as far as I’ve heard she never got anywhere near him with second intentions when mother was alive. She lies about that. Am I right, Niles?”
-“Oh, absolutely, Miss Grace. It’s part of her act. She even pretends to forget her name but your mother was her best friend. Miss Babcock was devastated when she passed away. She always respected Mrs. Sheffield very-very much.”
-“How stupid. Why would she lie about that?” Brighton wondered.
-“I guess it’s like a parallel universe. She created and now lives in it.” Grace complemented. -“Like a character.”
-“She started doing that from one day to another. It seems as if she wanted to punish me for something that I did but she never told me what it was.”
-“Ha!” Brighton exclaimed.
-“What?” The girl asked.
-“Remember your Ray Ban sun glasses, Niles? Those I borrowed from you so I could hide my black eye, the ones that I lost at the Mall?”
-“Sure, I nearly gave you another black eye after that.” Niles chuckled. -“But now that you mentioned, she gave me another very similar pair on my last birthday.”
-“The very same, right?” Brighton added. -“Olympian.”
-“Right. But I don’t think I get your point.” Niles inquired.
-“She came to me and asked if I had any idea of what you would like as a birthday gift. I thought she was joking at first but when I said “a pair of RB sun glasses because I lost his” she jumped at it and ran out shopping.”
-“But what is so especial about that?” Grace questioned.
-“He-llo? She knew the model in every perfect detail: RB 3119. I’ll never forget because I was researching myself so I could replace the pair I lost. The one pair that Niles had was very hard to find, though. I have no idea how she got that exact model and I bet she paid a fortune for it!”
-“Mm, I never thought of that.” Niles mumbled.
-“I mean, so much trouble for pleasing someone you ‘hate’? Yeah, right.” B. jested.
-“You’re right.” She said with a smile. -“Only someone in love would put so much attention and effort to buy a present like that. Good one Brighton.”
-“Thank you.” He said blowing and polishing at his nails.
-“And you know what, Niles? When you had your heart attack I went to the hospital with Maggie later that day. She wanted to check on you, since daddy and Fran weren't in New York yet. We met C.C. in the emergency hallway in tears. I was too little but something caught my attention. The fact that she kept repeating: “He can't die! He can't die!” She was crushed and I till this very day never understood why. Hum, if you know what I mean.”
-“Somehow I do, Miss Grace. But still, I never knew she'd suffered so much.”
-“I swear. One of the nurses had to give her a sedative.”
-“My goodness.” He whispered.
-“Oh, and you'll never believe what Fran told me later that week.”
-“What?”
-“Daddy and Fran had just arrived at the hospital and Miss Babcock was telling them how everything happened.”
-“About my heart stroke?”
-“Yes.”
-“Go ahead.”
-“Well, she was so out of control that she made a huge scene there. You see, there was this man in the same room with you, who passed away.”
-“Oh my…”
-“Yeah, that was pretty bad. Anyway, C.C. was in the hallway telling daddy and Fran the details when the man was carted out.”
-“Poor man.”
-“Poor man and poor C.C..”
-“Why?” He frowned.
-“She thought he was you. She jumped on top of the stretcher screaming her lungs out: “Don't leave me! Don't leave me!” Can you picture it?”
He chuckled. -“She didn’t!”
-“She did too!”
-“She didn’t?!”
-“Did too, I swear.”
He laughed.
-“The best comes now. The man's wife thought she was a lover and almost sent C.C. to her last journey with the guy. She spanked her with her purse almost all the way down to the morgue.”
-“Are you serious?” Niles burst into laughter.
-“I cross my heart.” B. added as his sister agreed by nodding.
-“Aw, now I know that if I die at least someone will be watching “over” me.” He dried his glistening eyes with his thumbs. -“Oh, boy! God, forgive me! I’m sitting here and laughing at a thing that was actually very sad. But, there you go; oh, brother!”
-“And wanna hear another one? When we went to Boston and our car went off the road…”
-“MmHm?”
-“She let slip that she missed you a couple of times.”
-“Get out of here!”
-“Well, not openly admitted but I swear!”
-“In that subtle way of hers?” Niles jested.
-“Exactly. She had the guts to tell me to play outside in the snow, implying that she wanted to be left alone with daddy. But it was so ridiculously obvious that she had her brains on you. I even confronted her.”
-“I'm shocked.” He said gladly.
-“Hey-hey-hey! I got another one!” The boy added. -“Another thing makes sense to me now!”
-“Shoot!” Niles said apprehensively. He was enjoying the cooperation and extra juice he was getting there.
-“Some years ago C.C. started writing me E-mails under the nick name Good&Bold, if I remember right.”
-“Plenty.” Niles fixed.
-“What?” B. asked confused.
-“Soft and chewy?”
Brighton grimaced.
Niles chuckled. -“Her screen name was Good&Plenty. Remember the candy?”
-“Oh yeah, that’s right? So that’s where she took that name from?”
-“Yes, it is a candy.” Niles choked a big laughter.
-“Anyways, she gave me rope and I was enjoying it. I obviously had no clue that it was her.”
-“I tell you Brighton, you fell for that trick like a Pavlov’s dog!”
-“Who’s this guy?”
-“Never mind.” Niles winked at Miss Grace not to waste her time. -“And?”
-“And she contacted me...”
-“Yes, she likes younger guys.” Niles played.
-“Really?!” B. asked distrustful.
-“Yes. She had a boyfriend once. One day she got back home and he was packing. He said he was leaving her because he heard she was a pedophile.”
-“What?” Grace asked in shock.
-“That's nonsense!” Brighton agreed.
-“Well, as far as I know, all she said to him was: “Me a pedophile? No way! And what a big word for a ten-year-old to say, don’t you think?!”
-“Niles!” B. exclaimed looking at his sister.
-“That was cruel, Niles! How do you expect her admitting her love for you if you keep treating her that way?” Grace added unhappily. -“I bet she didn’t know it was Brighton.”
-“I'm sorry, children. Old habits…”
Brighton shook his head, deep inside him, he loved Niles’ jokes.
-“Anyway, what about those E-mails?”
-“Where was I?”
-“She gave you rope…” Grace added.
-“Oh, yes! But when I found out that ‘Good and…”
-“Plenty!” Niles and Grace helped in unison.
-“Yes, “Plenty” was actually her, I freaked. She later told me the truth. She didn't know anybody that would answer that game so easily so she used my address. All she wanted was to print those e-mails to make somebody else jealous but apparently something went wrong and she gave up the idea.”
-“Rather interesting.” Niles said raising an eyebrow.
-“Hey, I don't remember but…Were you around when she told that out loud to Fran and I accidentally overheard them?” Brighton asked anticipating a conclusion. -“I remember there was somebody else there with them.”
-“If I was? I rolled on the floor laughing for a week!”
-“So that's it.”
-“That’s what?”
-“Don’t you see? She gave up the little game because you found out. You were probably her target.”
-“Aw, I don’t think so. A few days later - I remember as if it was today - she got a boyfriend by the name of Chandler. If there was a target probably the target was him.”
-“But it didn’t last, Niles.” Brighton smartly commented. -“And maybe this Chandler wasn’t even a real boyfriend; he was a hoax too!”
-“And to say I really thought she hated you.” Grace said.
-“...and perhaps she does.” Niles added with a hurtful semblance. -“She spent so many years exercising her loathing for me that she might have convinced herself. I just don’t know what else to think.”
-“Couldn’t you just pretend she doesn’t exist?”
-“It’s not that simple Miss Grace. I have loved that woman for half of my life.” His eyes were lost.
-“Oh brother! It’s more than I have of living!” Brighton exclaimed.
-“That would give a great book.” Grace romantically added.
-“Niles?”
-“Yes, Master Brighton?”
-“Changing the subject a little. Do you have relatives in France?”
-“An uncle, an aunt and a couple of cousins, why?”
-“Nothing. Just something I have in mind but I'll tell you later. You’ll keep in touch, right?”
Niles nodded.
Giving Niles a big hug Grace asked. -“Will you come to visit us in California?”
-“Naturally.”
-“As soon as you get your new address, tell us.”
-“I promise.” Niles said holding her back.
-“I love you Niles.”
-“I love you, children.” He said when Brighton came and hugged both together.
-“You're not leaving today, are you?” Grace asked holding the door opened.
-“No, but very early tomorrow.”
-"Niles!" He heard Mr. Sheffield calling from downstairs.
-“Uh-oh, your father needs me.”
-“We'll still see you tonight then.” She said.
-“Absolutely.” He winked.
The kids went to their bedrooms. Niles sighed deeply. He was afraid that Maxwell’s call had something to do with Miss Babcock. Coming down the stairs she was the first "thing" he saw.
-“Oh GOD!” He complained rushing up again.
-“Niles, get back down here; now!” Maxwell demanded. He was tired of that nonsense. He just had no clue it was all way more profound and serious than either overgrown-up kids would admit.
Max made C.C. promise she would apologize.
She started. -“Niles, I'm sorry this whole thing happened. Let's just put the past in the past. So you proposed to me four times.”
-“FOUR?!” Max and Fran in unison.
-“Forget it! I've been humiliated enough.” Niles made his way to the couch.
-“C.C...C.C.!” Max pushed her to fix it.
-“Niles, I'm trying to say something nice.” She grabbed Fran's arm. -“Help me, nanny Fine!”
-“What she’s trying to say is that she knows she'd be DAMN lucky to have you but... She's a lesbian.”
C.C. stepped hard on the floor. -“I-AM-NOT!” Pulling her out of the way she sat on the center table face to face with the Butler. Breathing deeply she tried. -“Look, what happened, happened. But it’s just between the four of us. Nobody else ever has to know, I promise. I will never tell another soul.” Saying that, she pushed the play button of her tape recorder pretending she didn't mean it. They all heard loud and clear for the millionth time a British male voice asking. -“Will you marry me?”
The Butler was fuming.
-“I'm sorry!” C.C. said nervously. -“I'm sorry! I pressed it by accident.”
-“That’s it. I am out of here! She’s never going to let this go. An elephant never forgets.” He said to Fran making his way out of the room when C.C. came after him.
-“Oh pu-lease! You used that pathetic line on me three years ago!”
-“See?!”
Realizing she should have kept her mouth shut she darted. -“Maxwell, I cannot do this!” Following him she went on. -“Niles, I'm sorry you're quitting but I'm sure you have a career to fall back on, you know, in case this dream didn't pan out!”
That did it. He realized that it was a futile fight. With a piercing glare he bit out. -“Well, whatever I have to fall back on, isn’t half as big as what you have to fall back on.”
Maxwell disturbingly said to Fran. -“I don’t think this is going very well.”
-“No, no honey, this is going great. This is their natural habitat. We're the strangers. Just don't use the flash. It startles them. They could charge.” She said backing off and pulling her husband with her.
Avoiding Niles’ gaze C.C. insisted laughing. -“Me marry you?! Please! You're a pathetic excuse for a man.”
-“Ditto!” He fired approaching inches to her face. His thoughts were all confused. He realized he wasn't losing her because he never had her in the first place. Maybe all she wanted was a rich husband to show to her friends after all. But wouldn't she understand that the number one in line was now married? Then he decided to spit out all he had stuck in his throat. -“But at least I know when it’s time to move on. You’re going to spend the rest of your life pining for a man who doesn't love you and who married a woman half your age.”
Flattered with his absurd comparison and trying to put an end to that fight Fran jumped into the conversation. -“Oh Niles, please don't go!”
Not paying any attention Niles continued. -“Look around you, they’re married. They’re starting a family. Where are you going to be ten, twenty years from now? You're going to be saying Merry Christmas to your friends in rehab and wondering what might have been.” Staring at her for a few seconds he waited for a reaction; no feedback except a lost gaze. He gave up nodding unhappily. -“I'll be leaving first thing in the morning, sir.”
C.C. waited until he was gone. Her head was a million rotations per second. Why hadn’t he shaken her and shouted out loud “I love you”? Why did he have to use Max and Fran as an excuse?! Anyway, she had to conclude somehow and defeated she ended. -“Oh my God, he's right! The best years of my life are gone, and they sucked. I have always stayed too long at the fair. Well, not this time. I have to move on. Maxwell, my resignation will be on your desk in the morning.” She dryly said picking up her purse, stepping slowly towards the door and leaving a pair of puzzled faces behind.
* * * * * * *
Niles groaned flopping into a chair in his bedroom. He was exhausted of fighting.
There was no return from his decision this time. Unaware of C.C.’s equal resolution he was already finding it hard to believe that at this hour the next day, he would have to face his life without her…forever. For the first time he almost hated her, but for loving her so much. Lost in his train of thoughts he dozed off.
* * * * * * *
C.C. got home destroyed. She played with fire and got her fingers burned. She knew Niles had a short fuse sometimes but she never imagined he was really planning to quit. Her latest attitudes just served to push him farther.
She threw her purse on the couch – as her usual demonstration of frustration – then saw the LED of her answering machine blinking. There was only one message registered on the counter and for a moment she prayed it would be him shouting at her some contemptible comment or calling her some ugly names but at least speaking with her again, however…
-“Hello, Miss Babcock? I'm sorry to call you at home but I tried to reach you everywhere without success. Your cell phone is off but this is very important, I couldn't wait. I'm Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's secretary. He would like to rent the 49th Street Theatre. He was informed that Mr. Sheffield might no longer be interested. Could you call us as soon as possible, please? Thank you.”
-“Who cares?” She let out sourly, deleting the message immediately after. She felt a pang in her chest when she realized it wasn’t the Butler and that he would never call again. She was desperate to hear his voice even if only for one last time. She looked for her cassette and recalled that she might have forgotten it at the mansion. Suddenly, part of his words started panting in her brain. -‘The world will go on right past me, but I'll stay here and will dry up wondering “what might have been”.’ She spent her life bottling up her feelings waiting for him to make another move. Now that he did she just didn’t know what to do. Silently crying, she grabbed a cushion and lied on the couch. Exhausted she also fell asleep.
Hours later she awoke with Chester at her feet. With a pale smile she held him. -“Yeah little fellow, from now on it will be you and me.”
He barked lowly.
-“I know you love him too but things just didn't work out for us. We waited too long. Did you hear him saying that he loved me?”
He barked again.
-“Neither did I. He proposed without even saying he loved me.” She looked up to Heaven. -“I know I haven’t done this since I was a little girl, but, if at least I could have a sign from you, a sign from him. A sign that he really cares, that he's not only waiting for me to accept his proposal to shout ‘gotcha’ in my ears!” She sighed loudly. -“Yes, I know I’m asking too much.”
Chester suddenly jumped off her lap and ran to where the chocolate box was left. This time he was yapping insistently.
-“What is it?” She asked picturing the wrapped box. -“Nah doggy, you can't have that. Nanny Fine spoils you more than enough with those candies. Don't count on me. You're too fat already. I will give that box away, sorry!” She said closing her eyes and trying to sleep again. But the dog kept barking.
-“Will you SHUT-...” She stopped in the middle of the sentence when her eyes landed on that box again. It was annoying. And why was that damn thing was wrapped that way when most of the time they just came with a fancy ribbon!? Suddenly something hit home. She narrowed her eyes as if trying to see through the paper. -“Oh my G-D! It can't be! He wouldn't do that to me. Oh no, Jesus Mary and Joseph tell me he didn't play another joke on me.” She walked towards the box afraid of what it could reveal. -“It can't be. It can't be.” She knelt before it and ripped off the paper. With one eye, she peeked what was inside the box. The color of her face ebbed when she found herself holding a huge box of solid assortment; her favorites. She almost fainted. -“Oh, I did it again!” She said almost out of voice. -“I could have kept my mouth shut but I had to hurt him again, hadn’t I? I DID IT AGAIN!! Brother, is there anything in this world that that man doesn't know about me?! How could I?” She was shaking; her lips livid. -“Okay.” She looked up with a wink. -“This was more than a sign to me. And thanks for your help, buddy.” She patted the dog then stood up. -“I’ll have to talk to him again and it has to be tonight. Aw, he’ll never forgive me!” She added running to her room. -“I know, he will never forgive me.”
* * * * * * *
At the Sheffield's the dinner was eaten the most part in silence. Niles sure had diversified the culinary options as a last goodbye, but it seemed to make little difference. They all munched away without any appetite, scarcely noticing what they were putting in their mouths. After the meal the family dispersed and went to their bedrooms early but not before making the Butler promise that he would only leave the house after they were all up the next morning.
Hours later, Niles went downstairs to make a snack. He was not hungry but recalled that he served but didn't have any of his own dinner.
-“Fran? I thought you were asleep already.”
-“No sweetie, Max and I couldn't sleep because of you guys. We were watching a movie on TV.”
-“Did you try to count the members of the Osmond family?” He returned her silly suggestion.
-“A-haah, even in pain my scarecrow will never miss his cue, will he?” She said holding him. -“Boy, I'll miss you.”
-“I’ll miss you too.” He said holding her back.
-“I wish I could do something.” She said releasing him. -“But what would that be?”
He went to the subzero. -“Make that cow fall in love with me.” He said raising the milk jar from inside the fridge, as if in a toast.
She smiled. -“Oh, that reminds me. Listen to this. Val told me this one today. Do you know how cows do their Math?”
-“I haven’t the foggiest.”
-“With their cowculators! A-haa!”
Niles chuckled but not too long.
-“Aw sweetie, I bet she does love you.” She sighed. -“Or else she wouldn't be quitting now that you won't be here.” She mumbled.
-“She's doing WHAT?”
She was startled. -“Shh…! Didn't Max tell you?! What were you guys talking in the study after dinner?”
-“Told me what? No, he didn't tell me anything of the sort! What the devil are you talking about?!” Niles inquired confused.
Whispering she added. -“Oy, I have no idea if I'm supposed to tell you this but… What the hell… C.C. went home devastated after your fight. She said her resignation will be on Max's desk in the morning.”
-“Holly sh…” Sitting at the table puzzled. -“Is that woman hard to understand or what?”
-“Do you think you can talk to her?”
-“I'm sorry Fran but I couldn’t bear meeting her again!”
-“I understand.”
-“And frankly I don’t think I care.”
-“You know you do, sweetie. Look at you, you’re all shaken.”
Niles rubbed his temples nervously.
-“All you need is a good night’s sleep. I'll try to catch some ‘Zs’ myself. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?” She said kissing his head.
-“Okay. Sleep well.”
-“You know, maybe she can sleep with angels and dream of you. Perhaps she can change her mind.” She said grabbing two bagels, both of her rubber babies and going upstairs.
-“I rather pray for her to ‘dream of angels and sleep with me’.” He mumbled resting his elbows on the table and his head between his hands, unaware of what Mighty One had reserved for him.
* * * * * * *
-“I want him, I love him. Please, let it be all right. Whatever happens afterward just let him forgive me this last time. One last time.” The Blonde prayed with her eyes blankly watching the streets that would lead her to her fate.
To be continued.
Goys & Shiksas’ Guide:
(*) chazer – Pig. Literally the animal and figuratively someone who is selfish, or who eats a lot.
Back to Fan FictionBack to The Really Unofficial Nanny Home Page