With The Help Of An Angel

by

RitaJean McCraig
(jeannieskjerf1980@hotmail.com)

- Daddy? The little girl with long, blond, curly hair looked up at her father with blue eyes. She was five, but would turn six in two weeks. - Do you see the beautiful lady standing by the window?

Her father looked over to the window, but saw nothing. - No, sweety. I don’t see her. His face was just as pail as his daughter’s face. He had not slept for days.

- But she is there, Daddy, his daughter said stubborn. - She is wearing a long, wide dress. It’s all white, as her long hair. She smiles at me. You have to see her!

Once more did her father look over to the window. The doctor had told them not to upset her, so even though he still did not see anything or anyone, he smiled weakly to his daughter and said: - Yes, I see her now. She is very beautiful.

The little girl relaxed and smiled too. - It is so much light around her, Daddy. Why is that?

- I don’t know, sweety, her father answered as he put the palm of his cold hand on her warm forehead. - Maybe she is an angel?

- She nods, Daddy! She is an angel! The little girl stretched her small, thin arms towards the window. Her father started to get scared now. The doctor had told them that nothing seemed to make her temperature go down. Her life, his little girls life, was in God’s hands now. The doctor had also told them that she would hallucinate a lot because of the high temperature. Still, her father had a feeling this was no hallucination at all. Was his little girl seeing an angel? And was this angel here to take his little baby-girl away from him?

- Daddy, the angel says that you do not have to worry. Everything will be OK.

Her father looked down on her for a few minutes, thinking again. He had three children, but this one was the one he treasured the most. Oh, he knew he was not supposed to make one of his children his favourite, but the youngest had a special place in his heart. She would always have a special place there. He shook his head before he kissed his daughter on her forehead and left her room. His daughter looked from the closed door and to the angel by the window.

- Why did Daddy go? He said that he would stay to tea-time today.

- Your Daddy is a little sad right now, sweety. He will come back later, when you are asleep. She came over to the bed and sat down on it. - You see, your mum and dad are very scared for you. You are a very sick little girl, and they are scared that they will lose you.

- Mother doesn’t care, the girl said naturally, like she was talking about the weather. - She has not come to see me. Only Daddy and Noel has. And Bobo, of course.

- Mother is also afraid. Both of your parents are. They love you very much. But they do not know how to show it. Especially your mother. It has something to do with her childhood. Something that is a little difficult to explain. But I will try. The angel took the little girl’s left hand in hers. - You see, when your mother was little, about your age, she lost her mother. And no-one told her what happened. So she though that she had done something wrong and that because she loved her mother, God took her away from her. But God doesn’t do that. The angel smiled now, as she spoke God’s name. Her voice was filled with so much love that the little girl could only look at her with wide-open eyes. She had never seen anything like that before. - Sweety, your mother loves you, but she’s afraid to show it.

- Mother loves me? The girl looked at the angel with surprise written in her tired eyes. The angel had started to fade away. - Please, don’t go!

But Chastity Claire did forget that. Or at least she pretended she had forgot it. But it was always in the back of her head. Still, she hated her mother for never having the time for her or for always picking on her for not being married to a rich, well-known man like her sister D.D. was.

Her father was a different story. She had more or less lost contact with him after her parents’ divorce. But thanks to Nanny Fine, they had managed to restore the contact between them. And C.C. knew now that he cared for her, even though he had never said it.

- Look what we have here. It’s the wicked witch from the east. Where is your broom? Did you leave it outside?

C.C. stared at Niles with anger in her eyes. - Nooo, I didn’t. But I saw that you have dusted your coffin today. The poor roses outside was almost dead.

- Not mine. It was your coffin I cleaned, he shot back at her as he hung up her coat.

C.C. just gave him a glare before she walked pass him and headed for the office. Oh, I hate that man. Why on earth did Maxwell ever employ him? Oh, yeah! Because the job suited him. She smiled as she walked into the office where she expected to find Maxwell, but she froze dead to the floor and her smile died as she saw who was there.

- J… John? she stammered.

- Hello, C.C. Long time no see. How are you? The man walked towards her, but C.C. backed away. She looked quickly around the room. Where was Maxwell and Nanny Fine? Or that nosy butler?

- Better if you weren’t here. Keep away from me, John, she warned him. - I’ll hit you if you get near me. I’m no longer the young, naive nineteen year-old girl I was last time you saw me. She was still backing away from him. Was the door really that far away from her?

- C.C., I’m changed now. I won’t hurt you, I promise. John kept walking towards her. - Come on. Give me a hug. I haven’t seen you for years.

- NO! She was close to the door now. If she was quick enough, she could out-run him. She turned around and ran out of the office and through the doors into the living-room where she ran straight into Niles’ arms.

For a few seconds she was about to yell at him, but then she remembered the nightmare in the office. - Please, pretend that you are my boy-friend or anything like that, Niles, she whispered. - I’ll do anything, but please keep that man away from me.

Niles just had to look once at her face to understand that this was not the time to be mean to her. - I will, he nodded just as John came out of the office.

- C.C., I thought you would be happy to see me again, he said as he smiled evilly.

C.C. kept her arms around Niles’ waist. - Why should I be? she asked. - I haven’t even thought about you for years. After I met Niles, no-one else has been in my thoughts.

Niles stretched out his hand. - I’m Niles, C.C.’s husband, he said. John took his hand and shook it.

- I didn’t know you had got married, C.C. I haven’t heard anything about it at all. He smiled another evil smile. - What is your last-name? ‘Easy off’? It would at least be proper. You have after all married beneath your stand. To the maid.

C.C. could feel how Niles reacted to that last remark. Of course, she used to call him that too, but no-one else was allowed to use that name on him but her. No-one! - I’m no longer the girl I was, John. I have changed a great deal. Whatever Niles do for a living does not mean anything to me. It’s not his job I married. It was him. Besides, we got married recently.

John just glared at them. - And why haven’t I heard about this?

- Why should you? Niles kissed C.C. softly on her forehead before he glared back at John. - We have decided not to proclaim it to the world yet.

Just then Maxwell and Fran came walking from the kitchen. - Ah, C.C. I see that you have met John McWolfe. He said he knew you from High School.

C.C. smiled as if nothing was wrong. - That’s right, Maxwell. He was in the class above me. But we almost never saw each other. We lost touch when he graduated.

Maxwell and Fran looked over at Niles who had moved a little away from C.C. as they came walking. They waited for one of his remarks, but he remained silent, as if he had not heard it at all.

- C.C., wasn’t it something you wanted to tell Fran and Maxwell? Niles smiled to her, but C.C. could see that his baby-blue eyes tried to tell her something.

- Tell us what? Fran asked.

C.C. then understood what Niles meant. She took Fran’s arm like they were the best of friends. - Maxwell, can I have a few minutes with you two? She took them with her into the office. She knew that Niles would ‘take care off’ John in the meanwhile.

- C.C., what is going on? Maxwell asked when the door was closed. - Why did Niles call you by your first-name?

C.C. started to pace back and forth in front of them. Fran had seated on the green leather couch while Maxwell was standing next to it. - I know John McWolfe from High School, but we were never friends, she started. - Mother wanted me to try and become friends with him because his family was just as rich and well-known as ours. But for reasons I don’t want to talk about, I don’t like him. Honestly, I hate him!

- Why? Fran looked at her face. C.C. knew that if she let her, Fran would read everything in her face. But she could not let anyone know.

- I said I didn’t want to talk about it. C.C. sat down in Maxwell’s chair. - Anyway, because of those reasons, we told John that… that…

- You and Niles told John… what? Maxwell asked.

C.C. took a deep breath: - We told him that we got married recently, she said quickly. - I had my reasons for doing so, and I more or less begged Niles to play along.

Now it was Maxwell’s time to pace back and forth. - Then we have a problem, C.C. John McWolfe has said yes to back up our new play, and I have asked him to stay here while he’s in town. And that would be for about two weeks. He stopped and glared at his business partner. - God, C.C.! How could you do this? Now what are we going to do?

- My reasons for doing this are all good, Maxwell. I swear! But they are my reasons alone. C.C. got up from the chair. - I’ll talk to Niles. Hopefully he will play along. She stopped and looked at them before she opened the door. - Please, just play along. You might not believe this, but my life might depends on it.

She left the office to find the butler. She found him in the living-room with John where they had left them a few minutes earlier. The two men were glaring at each other like they were sworn enemies.

- Niles, dear? May I see you in the kitchen? She did not wait for Niles to answer before she walked ahead to the kitchen.

- What is it, Babcock? Niles asked. - What did they say?

- John McWolfe is a very rich man and he is one of the bakers to our new show. And he is going to stay here for two weeks.

- Here?! In this house?! Niles looked like he was going to have another heart-attack. - No, way! I won’t, C.C.! Not for two whole weeks!

- Niles, please! I’ll do anything. You have to play my husband!

- Babcock, then we would have to share a room, and that is not something I want! I prefer Chester’s company to yours. At least, he knows when to shot up.

C.C. looked at him for a few seconds before she slapped him in the face. Her hand left a red mark on his left cheek. - I hate you, Niles. I really do, she said quietly before she left the kitchen. At the time Niles understood what had happened, C.C. had left the house.

C.C. had stormed out of the house without even looking at John who had looked surprised at her as she found her coat and left. Now she was close to her apartment. She looked around. It was getting darker every minute as the rain kept on falling, but she did not care. She had been walking for hours now. Still, she didn’t feel like going to her empty apartment. Not quiet yet. Not even though she was soaking wet. So she kept on walking.

He had really hurted her with that last remark. But no way she was going to show him that. But he did probably already know. Not that he cared about that. He was probably having a good time now, thinking about what he had said and how she had reacted.

Suddenly her cellular-phone started to ring. She found it and looked at it. It was Maxwell’s number. She turned the phone off. She could not handle a speech from him right now. All she wanted now, was to be alone. And she was. She always was. Just like Eponine in Les Misérable.

Slowly, she started to sing.

Without a home without a friend

Without a face to say hello to

Still I say, there’s a way for us

The river’s just a river

A world that’s full of happiness

Her voice faded away, slowly. She did not know it, but those who had heard her sing understood that she was madly in love. C.C. herself did not even think the thought. All she knew, was that today Niles had hurted her more than he had ever done before. For the first time in years, she really felt like crying. But that was a weakness she could not allow herself.

She looked around her. It was time to go back to her apartment. To her lonely apartment where all the company she had was the company of a small dog. Little Chester, who did not like her.

A few minutes later she walked into her own apartment, looking like a drowned cat. Chester barked at her as usual. C.C. just looked at him, sadly, instead of yelling to him as she usually did when she came home. Home? It was the closest she would ever get to a real home.

She walked over to the phone as she took her wet coat off. The red lamp was blinking, indicating that there were messages on her answering-machine. She pushed the button so that the tape was rewind. She sat down to listen to who had called, not caring whether or not her clothes were wet too.

C.C. pretended not to have heard her mother’s voice. All her mother was going to talk about that weekend was how well C.C.’s sister did and why C.C. was still unmarried. The next three messages were from people at the theatre. But when the next message came, C.C. jumped high in the air. It was Niles’ voice. And he sounded like he was really worried. And angry.

- C.C. Babcock, if you are there, pick up the phone right now. We need to talk. He waited a few minutes before he hung up. The next message was from him too. Now she could hear that he was more worried than angry. What was going on?

The tape automatically rewind and was deleted. C.C. just looked at the machine like it was something she had never seen before. It was Chester who brought her back to reality when he started to bark again, to get her attention. He was hungry.

- OK, Chester, C.C. said and walked into the kitchen. She gave him his meal and walked back to the living-room. She did not feel like going to bed yet, even though the clock was past midnight, but she had to get out of those wet clothes soon. Or she would get sick.

Two hours later, she finally went to bed. She was so tired that she fell asleep even before her head touched the pillow.

- C.C., where have you been? Niles took her in his arms and hugged her hard. - I worried sick for you last night. I tried to call your sister’s apartment, but all I got was her bloody answering-machine. What did you two do last night? Torment poor Chester?

- No, we didn’t, C.C. answered slowly. She looked him in the eyes, tried to figure out what was going on. - D.D.… She was interrupted by a voice she had hated for years.

- C.C., where did you go last night? John looked at them. - Niles told me that you had gone to visit your sister.

C.C. suddenly understood what Niles was up to. He was still playing her husband. - Yes, I was. She and her husband has just come home from Turkey. And it got so late that she wanted me to stay there over night.

Niles took his arms away so that she could get her coat off. He took it out of her hands and hung it up in the closet. - How was their trip? he asked. - Was it like they had expected it to be?

- Yes, D.D. was thrilled. She hoped they would go back next year. C.C. hoped that John was not aware of how the relationship between D.D. and herself really was. - She told me we should go there sometime.

- We’ll have to see about that. Niles took her arm and lead her to the dinning-room. - If I know you right, you haven’t eaten breakfast today, he smiled at her. - I have made you your favourite. Cold chicken. Thought you’d like that.

C.C. shivered. He loved to remind her about that evening in Maxwell’s office. Cluck like a chicken. She smiled by the memory. - You know me so well, dear Niles. Where is Maxwell and N… Fran? And the children?

- Maxwell is at the theatre, Fran is with Maggie in the park. They had something they had to talk about. And the two other children are at school. They missed you this morning. Niles placed a plate in front of her. C.C. looked down on it, and shivered again. - Are you cold, my pet? Niles asked worried.

- You look like you have seen a ghost, C.C., John said. He sat at the other end of the table. - Or maybe you have a bad conscience for not being home last night? he said evilly. And C.C. got even more pail at that statement. Not that it was true, but she did not like the feeling that someone believed that she could be with another man when she was married. That kind of accusation and the fact that she had almost not slept last night, made her feel real bad. She got up from the chair and ran to the bathroom. Safe behind the locked door, she felt a little better. If she only had staid in bed when she woke up this morning.

Wait a minute! She was a Babcock. She was strong. No-one else was better than she was. How dared he say something like that about her? C.C. sat down on the floor. Right now she did not care about what her mother had told her when she was little. Right now she wanted to be the little girl she had tried to put far back in her mind. The little girl who had been told that her parents loved her. She put her head on her knees to hid the tears, even though no-one was there to see her.

- Sweety, what is it? a voice suddenly asked. C.C. looked up, her eyes wide-open. The sight that met her was breathtaking. The angel from her childhood was standing in front of her. She looked exactly the same as last time C.C. had seen her.

- Angel? she asked.

- Yes, C.C. It’s me. Why are you sitting in here? Crying? She took one of C.C.’s hands in hers and helped her up. C.C. looked at her hand laying in the angel’s hand. Only once had she felt the love she felt was now surrounding her. And it was only that one touch from the angel in front of her that made her feel that. - C.C., there is a reason that John McWolfe is here in this house. I can not tell you why. You will understand why. The angel smiled. - Right now, Niles is on his way to see if you are OK. He will not be able to see me. All I want you to do, is to listen to your heart and follow what it tells you to do. She started to fade away, just like the last time. - I’ll be here, C.C. But this is something you have to find out on your own. I love you, C.C. And so does a lot of other people too.

C.C. looked at the spot where the angel had vanished. It was the second time she had an angel by her side. And just like last time, she was sad when she left. She once again sat down on the floor, only to jump up again when someone knocked at the door.

- C.C.? Are you OK? Niles voice was sounding so strange, like he really cared for her. - C.C.?

- I’m fine, Niles, she answered, her voice sounding a little hoarse. She quickly washed her face in cold water and put on new make-up to hid the trace after her tears before she unlocked the door and walked out. Niles was standing outside, looking at her with eyes searching for something they did not find. - I’m fine, I swear. Must have been something I eat last night. If I had only eaten anything then, she thought as she walked towards the office. She could feel more than see that Niles was following after her.

- What happened, C.C.? he asked as soon as the door was locked. C.C. had seated on the couch were she now was looking at some papers Maxwell had left for her to look over. - C.C., leave those papers be, just for a few minutes. We have to talk.

- Nothing happened, Niles. C.C. looked up at him. She saw that he did not believe her, but she did not want to tell him the truth. - What made you change your mind? And how are we going to solve this problem? You don’t want to share a room with me, remember. You prefer Chester. She started to cough a little.

- I’m sorry about that, C.C. He leaned against the desk while he looked at her until she stopped coughing. - I went way over the line with that one. I’m sorry. When I understood how much… He saw C.C.’s look and stopped in the middle of the sentence. - Anyway, I had a talk with Mr and Mrs Sheffield last night, after John had gone to his room. And we decided that we are going to play along. We have told the children, so they know too. Even Mrs Sheffields family has been told that we are married. He walked over to the French doors. - When it comes to where we are going to sleep… Mr Sheffield is letting us use one of the bigger guest-rooms. The one with the dressing-room.

- Why are you doing this, Niles? C.C. had put the papers down. - You are scaring me here. You are actually being nice to me.

Niles turned around. - Mr Sheffield told me your life might depend on it. What did he mean about that, C.C.? What is it with this man that scares you so much?

- Scares me? C.C. forced herself to laugh, but it ended with a terrible cough. - Nothing scares me, Niles. You of all people should know that. You have known me for so long, she managed to tell him between her coughing-fits.

- Yes, I have, Babcock. And that is why I know that he scares you to hell. Don’t worry, I won’t make you tell me unless you want to. Are you OK? Niles walked over to her and kneeled in front of her.

C.C. nodded. - Yes, I’m OK, she coughed. - I just got something in my throat. I’ll be fine soon.

Niles nodded. - OK, if you say so, he said, but he did not believe her. - Well, anyway. Now we just have to stay friends for two weeks. I won’t be mean to you and you won’t be mean to me. Deal? He held his hand in front of her. She looked up at him for a few seconds before she took his hand in hers.

- Deal, she said with a last cough.

- OK, here is your wedding-ring and the engagement-ring. He gave her two rings. One simple gold-ring and one with several diamonds on it. - It’s been in the families keeping for centuries, so don’t lose it. I’m supposed to give them to my wife-to-be some day.

C.C. understood that he was testing her with that last remark. So she just smiled sweetly to him and put the rings on her ring-fingers. - I think they look nice, Niles. Thank you for letting me borrow them. I’ll take good care of them for you. She had bowed her head so Niles could not see what she was thinking.

A knock on the door made them both jump. - I had forgotten about him, she said truthfully.

- Me too, said Niles as he went to open the door. John walked in and looked from C.C. to Niles and back to C.C. again.

- I hope I didn’t disturb you? he said. - Are you feeling better, C.C.? You aren’t as pail as you were earlier.

- No, you didn’t disturb us, John. And thank you, I am feeling better. It must have been something I ate. If you’ll excuse me, both of you, I have to get some work done before Maxwell comes back.

The two men nodded and left her alone. C.C. forced all the unwanted thoughts far back in her head and concentrated only about the papers in front of her.

It was almost eleven o’clock. Both Brighton and Gracie had gone to their rooms. Only C.C., Niles, John, Fran and Maxwell were still sitting in the living-room, watching TV.

C.C. looked over at Fran who was trying to hid a big yawn. She knew that both Maxwell and Fran were still up just because of John. It was time to put their plan into action. She met Niles’ eyes. He nodded almost unnoticeably before he rose from the couch. - I think it’s time to go to bed, honey, he said and took C.C.’s arm. - Goodnight, they said as they walked up the stairs. They got a unison ‘Goodnight’ back.

C.C., who had been tense as a violin bow, relaxed as soon as they were out of sight from the others. She had always hated to play in plays they had put up in school when she was young. And she hated it even more now. But she loved to direct plays. That was what she desired. She only hoped that John would leave earlier than planed. Yeah, right! Like she would be that lucky! She shook her head and tried to think about something else.

Niles could feel how she started to relax beside him as they walked down the hall. She had been so tens all evening. Ever since she came out of the office. He looked over at her. Her cheeks were red, and he could see that she was shivering. - C.C., are you OK? he asked after he had locked the door to their ‘home’. C.C. turned to face him, and he could see that her blue eyes were feverish. - No, you’re not, he answered for her. C.C. just looked at him before she turned away and walked slowly over to the only bed in the room. She sat down on it.

- I hope it is OK with you if you sleep in the dressing-room, she said slowly as if she had to concentrate very hard to find the right words. Niles walked over to her.

- Of course, C.C. Now I’ll help you over to the bathroom and wait for you outside so that you will get to bed as soon as possible. She just nodded and let him help her. She was so tired and so warm.

- Thank you, Niles, she whispered when she was laying under the sheets. She was so fuddled that she could not tell what was up and what was down. - Goodnight.

- Goodnight, C.C. Sleep well, he answered and kissed her forehead gently. C.C. barely noticed he was there. She had already drifted of to wonderland. Niles stood by her bed for a few minutes. She looked so peaceful while she was sleeping. Not like the C.C. Babcock that he knew. Or thought he knew. She was so different now from C.C. Babcock - business woman.

He smiles weakly and let his hand gently touch her blond hair. It felt like soft silk. So did her skin. C.C. moaned in her sleep and turned towards him. Niles moved away from her bed, afraid he had woken her up. But she did not awake. He looked at her for a few more seconds before he went to the bathroom to make himself ready for bed.

Niles woke up early the next morning, as always. At first he was a little disoriented, but then he remembered everything. John, C.C., marriage etc. He got up from his bed. It was time to make breakfast to the family. Maybe he should put some poison in John’s breakfast? Or maybe not. That would be too obvious. Everyone would understand that the butler did it. Niles smiled as he got dressed. No-one would ever believe him if he said that he had shared a room with the Ice-Princess herself, C.C. Babcock.

He walked into the master bedroom where C.C. was still sound asleep. Well, more or less anyway. She was tossing around in bed, making the sheets fall down on the floor. Her blond hair was a big mess, her face red and wet. Niles walked over to her and touched her forehead. She was burning up. He could feel how he started to get scared. Had she been like this the whole night? And he had not been there to get the fever to go down.

Niles jumped around, but he could not see anyone. And it could not have been C.C. who talked. But he did as the voice had told him to do. He filled the glass on her nightstand with water and helped her up so that he could let her drink.

- Niles? C.C. barley opened her eyes to look at him.

- It’s me, C.C. Please, drink this. He held her head steady so she could drink the water.

- Now I think it’s best that you call the doctor, Niles, the voice said. - Tell him that she was out in the rain for three hours the other night.

Niles looked around. But he could still not see anyone.

- Angel? It that you? C.C. asked with a childish voice. Niles was about to answer her when the voice did.

Niles looked to the place where he heard this special voice. And suddenly he could see that the room was lighted up and a lovely woman appeared in front of him. She looked at C.C. with so much love in her eyes. Niles could just stare.

- Niles, call the doctor now. Quickly, the woman said. Her voice remained low and loving, like she did not want to scare either C.C. or himself. And funny enough, Niles did not get scared. He slowly laid C.C. down on the bed again and called the Sheffield family-doctor.

- Doctor Farland, it’s Niles. No, it’s not one of the Sheffields. It’s C.C. Babcock, Mr Sheffields business partner. She is running a fever. Niles looked at the woman who was now holding C.C.’s hand in hers.

- Tell him that she walked around in the rain the other night, and that she did not take the wet clothes off as soon as she came home, Niles, the woman said to him.

And Niles did so. How she knew that, he did not know, but she seemed to know most things. A few minutes later he hung up the phone. - He will be here in twenty-five minutes, he promised. Niles looked at C.C. and at the woman. - Who are you? he asked. - It seems like C.C. knows you.

- I was turning six two weeks later, so I was six, C.C. mumbled. Still while she was sick, she could argue. Niles smiled.

- I know, sweety. You were almost six. Angel smiled again. - And yes, Niles, I know everything there is to know about you two.

C.C. opened her eyes at that one. They were still glossy because of her high fever, but she looked at Angel nevertheless. - Then you can tell me what his last-name is, she said hoarsely. - Because he has never told me that himself.

- That is because I know what you are going to say if you find out what my last-name is, Niles smiled. - But now I have to get down-stairs. I know I should not leave you, but I have to. The doctor is coming soon, and I have to be there to open the door for him before he wakes up the entire house. He bent down and kissed C.C. quickly on the forehead before he left. C.C. turned her head and looked at the locked door.

- Why do I feel like I just lost my only friend right now, Angel? she asked, her voice almost gone.

- I can’t tell you that, honey. That is something you have to find out on your own. Angel stroke her blond hair gently. - As soon as Niles comes back with the doctor, I have to go. Trust your heart, C.C.

- How?

- Oh, C.C.! If only you had… Angel stopped in time. - Trust Niles, and you will know how. Now Niles is coming with the doctor. Tell him I said bye. I love you, sweety. Then she faded away again. C.C. looked at the place where she had seen Angel just a few minutes ago before she closed her eyes. She was so tired and so warm. All she wanted was to sleep. And soon she did too.

Angel had just vanished when Niles came in the door. He looked around the room before he looked at C.C. She was laying with her eyes closed.

- C.C.? he said quietly as he followed the doctor over to her bed. She did not move. Niles was just about to say her name again when the doctor stopped him.

- Let her sleep. She will need it, he said as he slowly sat down on her bed to take her pulse. As he started to examine her more properly, Niles decided he would better live them alone.

- I’ll be down-stairs, in the kitchen, Farland, he said and left the room.

- Well, Niles. She has got influenza. The doctor looked at Niles who was making breakfast for the rest of the house. - She should stay in bed for the next three or four days.

- That’s easier said than done, doctor, Niles said as he was walking into the dinning-room with the last plate of cheese. - You see, doctor, C.C. Babcock is a woman you can’t argue with. She does what she wants to do. Even if she is ill. But I will try to keep her in that bed.

The doctor smiled. - And make her drink as much as possible. Her temperature is quiet high. I would have preferred to have her in a hospital, but I guess she would prefer to stay here?

Niles nodded.

- OK. Just make sure she drinks a lot. And not alcohol. Preferably water.

- I will make sure she drinks that, doctor. And if her temperature won’t go down, I’ll call you again. Thank you for answering as quickly as you did.

- You’re welcome, Niles. Say hello to Maxwell for me, will you? I can find the way out myself. Take good care of her.

- I will. Bye. Niles sat down at the kitchen-table. So, C.C. Babcock had walked out in the rain and got wet, and now she had got influenza. And now she was in his hands. This could get fun. He shook his head. No, you made a deal, remember? You are not supposed to be mean to her before John McWolfe has left this house. - Shoot!

- Niles?

Niles looked up and saw Fran standing in the doorway into the dinning-room. - Oh, I’m sorry, Mrs Sheffield. I did not see you. Has Mr Sheffield come down yet? He was about to get up from the chair, but Fran made he sit down again.

- Maxwell is still up-stairs. She sat down next to him in her funny robe. - What is wrong, Niles? It seemed you were a little upset when I came in here a few minutes ago.

- It’s Miss Babcock. She has got influenza. And we made a deal not to be mean to each other while you-know-who is here.

- And you’d like to be really mean to her now, don’t you? Fran asked, knowing her best friend too well. - Well, I guess you just have to pull yourself together and be nice to her, Niles. After all, she is your wife now. Fran smiled at him. - And now you have to be very nice to her because of that.

- Like she cares, Niles said as he rose from the chair. - I’d better go and see how she is, anyway. Maybe she is awake and wants some breakfast. You tell Mr Sheffield I will be back as soon as possible.

Fran nodded and looked at Niles as he left the kitchen, using the back stairs. She had seen something in his eyes she had never thought she would ever see there. And that was because of… Hmm… Her mind started to create a great idea that she knew would not fail. Not this time. And with some help from the kids and Maxwell, she was sure to make Niles a married man.

The days flue by as a hurricane. Niles was right, C.C. hated to stay in bed. But she had listen to him for once. And Niles had tried to keep her busy with a lot of things so that the time would go faster. And C.C. had appreciated that. Just as she appreciated that he was there for her during the nights when she could not sleep. He had talked about everything and nothing until she fell asleep.

Now the fifth day was come and she did not need to stay in bed anymore. She had seated at the breakfast-table next to… to… Maxwell’s youngest girl, and Niles had served her Belgian waffles, her other favourite. She had told him that the second night she had trouble sleeping. It was funny how good it had felt to be friends with him again. Only once before had they been really good friends. That time when Fran had wanted to go to the Niagara Falls, and Niles had got angry with her. C.C. knew she would miss the friendly Niles when John left the next week. She had somehow started to think of them as a married couple. If only…

Niles had spent the four last nights next to C.C.’s bed. Even after she had fallen asleep. He had slept in the chair next to her all night. He had woken up early enough so that he could go to his own bed before she woke up in the morning. He was going to miss that. Miss the chance to look at her peaceful and beautiful face when she was sleeping, unaware of that he was studying her.

The morning she was allowed to come down to have dinner with the rest of the house, he made her favourite. He saw that that touched her. She had smiled at him. Oh, it had been a weak smile, but yet a smile he would treasure for the rest of his life. He knew now that the rings she was wearing, the ones he was supposed to give to the woman he was going to marry, would never be worn by anyone else than her. And that meant that when the curtains fell in the end of the coming week, the rings would be back in Mr Sheffields office-safe until his bother, Miles, was to marry his woman. Niles would never need them. Because the woman he wanted to wear them, could never be his.

During the last week of John McWolfe’s stay, Maxwell, Fran, Gracie, Brighton and even John could see that there were something hanging between C.C. and Niles. They were together almost every free minute they had, but still they were not. There were always something keeping them apart. Until the last day of John’s visit.

It was Friday morning. John was leaving New York the next day. C.C. was in the office, alone since Maxwell and John were at the theatre. The children were at school and Niles was in the kitchen. C.C. looked at the papers Maxwell had given her before he left. Oh, how she just wanted to take some time off right now. To get away from New York and Niles. She rose from the couch and walked over to the French doors. For years she had tried to find the right man. The man that would please her mother. And she had never found him. But she had found the man she wanted. But she could never have him. Never.

- So, this is the place were you are spending the day? John’s voice broke through into her thoughts. C.C. turned slowly to face him, her worst enemy. She had had nightmares about him ever since she was nineteen.

- Yes, this is my office, she answered, her voice sounding as natural as she wanted it to sound with John there. Oh, Niles! It’s time for you to come in here with the tea! - Where is Maxwell?

- Oh, he had to finish something at the theatre. He will be here in an hour. That gives us plenty of time to get to know each other again. He walked towards her. C.C. tried to open the French doors, but she could not find the door-handle. She looked at John. She knew he could see the fear in her eyes. The fear she was taught to hid from she was a little girl. But she could not hid it. Even though she knew Niles was just a few seconds away, she could not call out for him. She was too scared.

- Maybe we could finish what we started all those years ago? I know I’d love to do that, C.C. But now that you are married to Niles, I guess that is out of the question. But then again, I don’t really care about that at all. I had you first.

- You never had me, John. Never! If Headmaster MacKenzie hadn’t come when he did that time you would have had me. But thanks to MacKenzie, you didn’t. And you won’t now either. The only one who will ever have me, is Niles. No-one else!

- Oh, yes. Good, old Niles. By the way, C.C. What is your last name? John had an evil grin on his face. He standing close up to her now. C.C. could feel his breath on her neck, and his arms that was on their way around her. She tried to push him away, but he was too strong. - Come on, C.C. I know you want it as bad as I do. He started to kiss her face while C.C. tried to avoid his kisses. - You know, C.C., I don’t believe that you are married to that guy. He is not the man for you.

C.C. could hear that someone was entering the office. It had to be Niles. - John, get away from me! Niles is my husband! And he will be even if you say he isn’t. Suddenly she gasped before she kicked him with her right knee. John fell on the floor as his face turned red and he was holding around his family jewels. - Never touch me ever again, John McWolfe. She looked from the man on the floor to the man standing just inside the door. He looked at her, his eyes amazed and somehow sad at the same time. C.C. walked towards him, her body starting to shiver. Niles quickly collected her in his arms and carried her into the living-room. He sat down in the couch there with her in his lap.

- C.C., what was that all about? Why are you shivering? Niles gave her his handkerchief when he saw that she was crying. - C.C.?

- I really don’t wanna talk about it, Niles, she whispered. - Maybe later, but not now. Please, she asked when she stood up, - I need to be alone. With that she run up to the guest-room that had been more of a home to her while she was playing House with Niles. Tomorrow it would all be over. She would again become C.C. Babcock, Business partner of Maxwell Sheffield and Niles’ enemy.

She looked out of the bedroom window, not noticing that Niles entered the room behind her. He did not move towards her. He just stood there, right inside the door, looking at the beautiful woman in front of him. He knew that John had something to do with her past, something she was hiding. Not only from him and the Sheffields, but also from herself. One day he was going to find out what John McWolfe had done to her. He promised himself that before he left her alone.

C.C. knew that he was there for a few minutes, and she felt awfully alone when he left. When she needed him the most, he left her. It had always been like that. Not only with Niles, but anyone else she knew. As soon as she needed someone, they left her alone.

She walked over to the bed where she laid down. She was tired of always hiding her feelings. And she was tired of always arguing with Niles about things that did not even matter. Oh, she was so sick and tired of life itself. At least the life she lived now. She closed her eyes and her thoughts flue back to the year that changed her whole life.

The nineteen year-old C.C. Babcock was walking over the school-yard after school. She was on her way to the Limousine who was always picking her up after school in the end of the week. Her father had made sure she never had to walk or take the bus.

Just as she was almost by the end of the school-yard, someone suddenly walked in front of her. She looked up at the person and saw straight at John McWolfe, the most popular boy on the entire school. But C.C. had never liked him, though. There was something about him that made her fear him. But she never showed people that.

- Excuse me, she said and tried to walk around him. He just kept on blocking her. What ever she did, he did the same.

- I have to talk to you, Miss Babcock, he said, his voice was low and husky. She hated it right away. Just like she hated the eyes that was looking at her like she was some kind of thing. - I have been watching you all week, Miss Babcock. And I was wondering if you would like to go to the party that Eric McGregory is holding this Saturday?

- No, thank you, Mr McWolfe, she answered and held her bag close to her chest. - I’m going home for the weekend. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to go now.

- No, I won’t excuse you. I want you to go with me to that party. His voice was suddenly changed. And C.C. did not like the tone he used at her. He grabbed her by the arm and forced her into an ally between two of the school’s buildings.

- Let me go! I told you I don’t want to go with you to that party! She tried to hit him, but he just collected her hands in one of his own and forced her up against the wall.

- Now we are going to have a little fun, just you and me. And if you scream, I will make you regret that you ever did. He started to work with her school-uniform, to get off her skirt. C.C. tried to make him stop, but nothing seemed to help. Her blond hair was in her eyes, making it hard for her to see what was happening, but she could feel it. She hated everything about it. And she hated John McWolfe for doing this to her. If she had only been a little stronger…

- What is going on over there? someone suddenly asked. C.C. recognised the voice of Headmaster MacKenzie. If she had been brought up differently, she would have embraced him for rescuing her from what John McWolfe had planed to do with her. But she did not. Instead she was brought to the Headmaster’s office, where she waited for her parents to collect her. Only her father came. He drover her home in silence. He did not even comment on what had happened.

When C.C. was back home in her own room, she had crawled up in one corner of her bed. She had taken her school-clothes off and tossed them in the dustbin. She would never wear them again. Never!

She had hoped and wished that her mother or father would come and talk to her, comfort her, to tell her that everything would be all right again. But they did not. For hours she was sitting there, waiting for something that would never come. Thirty minutes before dinner-time, her phone rang. She slowly picked it up. - Hello?

- C.C., if you tell anyone it was me, I will make your life a living hell. Understood?

When C.C. heard John McWolfe voice again, telling her to shut up about what happened, she knew that no-one else than John, the Headmaster and herself knew about it. And that was why no-one was coming to comfort her.

- I won’t, Mr McWolfe. But I will never forget either. She hung up the phone and unplugged it. She did not want to talk to anyone. She looked around the room. For nineteen years she had lived her. For nineteen years she had been the little rich child of Stewart Babcock. But she had no life. Not a life of her own. She was living through her parents, doing what they wanted her to do.

She walked down to the kitchen, and without the cook seeing it, she took one of the kitchen tools. Soon there would not be any more of C.C. Babcock. Like anyone would notice if she was gone.

Back in her room, she sat down by her bed, on the floor. She looked at the object in her hand, touched it gently, like she was caressing it. It was her enemy. Still, she was not scared of it. She laid it gently on her wrist, knew what she wanted to do. Knew that this was inevitable. Quickly she cute herself with the knife. She feel a little pain just for a few seconds before she could not feel anything more. Everything was turning black. The last thing she remembered was hearing her fathers voice yelling something to someone.

- C.C., wake up! It’s just a bad dream! Niles’ voice was finally getting through to her. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him, like she was surprised to find him there. That was maybe not so strange, Niles thought as he sat down next to her in bed. After all, she had slept for hours. When he had come back to see if she wanted dinner, she had been asleep. He had not had the heart to wake her up. And when he came up later that evening, when he was going to bed, she was still asleep. After an hour of sleep, he woke up hearing C.C. crying. He had hurried in to her. She had been tossing around in bed, her hair was full of trangles, and her face was wet with tears.

- Niles? she whispered.

- Yes, C.C. It’s me. He dried away her tears with his fingers. - Wanna talk about it?

C.C. shook her head. - Not really. Just some bad memories.

- Made by John McWolfe, Niles stated as he held her closer as if he tried to shelter her. - Oh, I just feel like strangling the guy.

- So did I once too. C.C. leaned against Niles chest. She felt so safe in his arms. And then it suddenly hit her; she loved him. She could almost not breath for a few seconds. And when she gasped for air, Niles looked at her in surprise.

- Something wrong?

- No, nothing. I’m fine. Really. She looked anywhere else than at him, and this puzzled Niles a little. He knew she was hiding something from him, and he wanted to find out what it was.

- OK, if you say so. He rose slowly from the bed. - I think I’d better go back to my own bed. Goodnight, C.C. It’s been great to be your husband.

- And to be your wife, she smiled softly. When he had gone back to his ‘room’, she once again felt like he left her for good. And in one way he did. It was their last night ‘together’. After tomorrow he once again would be her enemy. Only she did not think she would be able to go back to the way they once were before all of this started. Never.

She went to the bathroom to get ready for the night, the last night she would feel like someone was loving her for who she was. If she dared to do what she really wanted to do.

After she had closed the bathroom-door, she walked slowly towards the dressing-room. What would Niles do when she came to him? Would he tell her to leave? Or to stay? She knocked at the open door between their rooms. - Niles, are you asleep?

- No, C.C. I’m not. Is something wrong? Niles looked up at her. She looked so lost where she was standing.

- No, I couldn’t sleep. She started to walk slowly towards him. - Can I sleep next to you, she asked shyly.

As an answer to her question, Niles lifted on his sheets so that she could lay down next to him. The bed was small, so they were laying so close to each other that C.C. could feel his heart beat against her back. And his left arm was laying around her waist.

- Are you sure this is such a good idea, C.C.? he asked a little later. Neither of them was able to sleep. C.C. turned around to face him. She looked at his face as if she would never see it again. And maybe she was right. After tomorrow he would never look at her the way he did now. Like she was the only woman in the world. She moved her head closer, saw that he knew what she was going to do. Still, he did not move. Instead he put both his arms around her and pulled her closer. They both knew what was going to happen, and they both wanted it to happen. So when he made her his woman, she gave him her heart.

When C.C. woke up the next morning, Niles was gone and she was laying in her own bed. He had carried her while she was asleep. She smiled. He had been so good to her. She had never thought that a man could ever be that kind and gentle as Niles had been to her last night. She would treasure it for the rest of her life, hid it in her heart that was no longer a heart of ice.

She got out of bed, went to the bathroom to make herself ready for breakfast and to move back to her apartment. Something she really did not want to do. But how could she avoid it?

The Sheffields and John were all seated around the breakfast-table when C.C. came down. She seated next to Gracie as usually. Niles looked at her and smiled. She had surprised him last night, but it had been a wonderful surprise.

- So, John, said Maxwell. - When are you leaving?

- I’m sorry to say right after breakfast, Maxwell. I have some business I have to look at in Seattle. So I have to thank you for letting me stay here in your beautiful house.

- You’re welcome, John.

After that everyone started to talk about what they were going to do. C.C. looked at Niles while he was serving Maxwell his breakfast, and she suddenly lost her appetite. She excused herself and walked out of the room and into the office. She had just seated at the couch when Niles came in and locked the door.

- C.C., there is something I have to ask you, he said as he took her hands and made her stand. - Do you love me?

C.C. looked at him for a few seconds, surprised. Then she turned away from him. - No, I don’t, Niles. What made you think that?

- Something you said and did last night, maybe. He looked at her tense back. She was so tense that her body was shaking.

- Then you must have misunderstood something. If you’ll excuse me, I want to be alone now, she said and left. When she came back to her room, she sat down on the bed with her head in her hands. Why had she lied? Why had she told him she did not love him when she did just the opposite? She loved him so damn much!

All the confusing feelings made her think of a song she once had hear, a song one of Maxwell girls had listen to. She could still remember the lyrics. And just as she did two weeks ago, she started to sing.

Than mislead you with a lie

Suddenly she hear Niles start to sing the next vers. She stood up, scared and not scared at the same time.

C.C. started to sing along with him as he started to sing the chorus. She loved to hear him sing. She always had.

Then Niles continued alone while C.C. walked away from the bed, towards the window. She listen to the lyrics and to his voice.

C.C. took automatically over, while Niles listened to her. He had never heard her sing before, and he liked it so much. She was a good singer. Why was she hiding that from people?

A hesitant prize fighter

Still searching for a friend

A brother or a sister

Niles walked slowly over to her as the song ended. He put his arms around her, held her close. - I know you lied, C.C. Babcock. I know you love me. Just as much as I love you. He let her turn around and look at him, let her read the answer to her question in his eyes. He could see that her baby-blue eyes were filled with tears, but he knew they were happy tears. He kissed them away, gently as he lead her over to the bed and sat down. - Will you be my wife, C.C.?

C.C. moved away then. When Niles tried to take her back in his arms, she refused to sit close to him. - Niles, I have to tell you something. Something about my past. She got up from the bed and walked back to the window before she started to tell her story. - If Daddy hadn’t come to my room when he did, she said, - I wouldn’t have been here now. I would have been dead. I tried to take my own life that day. After that last sentence, she started to cry.

Niles got up and put his arms around her. - But you did not die. I guess somehow Angel saved you that day. She knew you would find me. He kissed her forehead as so many time before. - And now you have to forget all that has happened in your past. From now on you are starting a new life, with me. And I’m not taking No as an answer.

C.C. smiled at him through her tears. Thank you, Angel, she thought as she followed Niles down to meet the others and to see John McWolfe leaving them. Hopefully for the rest of their life.

- C.C., darling! Come here! You got to see this!

A very pregnant C.C. Huntington came into the living-room where her husband was watching the news. - What is it, Niles, she asked as she seated next to him. Then she became quiet. For on the TV-screen she saw John McWolfe’s well-known face.

- Did she say…

- Yes, she did, honey. Niles put his arm around her. - He won’t bother us ever again.

C.C. looked at the now black TV-screen. - I can’t stop thinking that maybe if I had said something that time ago, this poor girl would now be alive. If I had…

- C.C., this is not your fault, so forget it. You had no prove that time. The headmaster at your school pretended that it had never happened, that he had never seen that John tried to rape you. You wouldn’t have won anyway. Come here. Let me hold around you.

C.C. laid her head against his shoulder. But suddenly she sat up. - Eh… Niles? She looked up at him.

- Yes, my love?

- I think it’s time you get the car. Our son would like to be born now. C.C. could see the panic that flue over Niles face before he got to his feet.

- Your water just broke? he asked. - No need to get panic, he mumbled to himself as he helped her to the care and drove her to the hospital. Two hours later, C.C. gave birth to a perfect little son. When she told Fran, who had been a great friend, about the birth some days later, she also told her how Niles had fainted right after his son was born. She never let him forget that.

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