DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters from "The Nanny."
[A/N: This was inspired by a recent mini-vacation of my own, but sadly, a hunky butler did not accompany me. Please R&R, even if you hate it! But please don't hate it.]
8 Days
Monday
CC Babcock leaned against the back of her green loveseat, legs crossed and her Manolo mule dangling precariously from the tips of her toes. She took no notice of this as she read through the script of the play they were currently producing for what felt like the tw0-hundredth time. The part of her brain that could never quite keep quiet applauded her for being able to read when the office was full of white noise.
The white noise, in fact, included Fran, Maggie, Niles, and Maxwell. While the butler wasn't participating in what could only be called the family argument, he was, as usual, not helping matters. In some part of her brain, CC dimly knew that Fran and the children were upset about their vacation plans falling through. As a small smirk played on the corners of her lips, CC thought that Niles must be upset as well, given that he usually did his best impression of a sloth when the family took a vacation.
The trill of her cell phone yanked her out of her concentration on the play and, annoyed, she fished in her bag and pulled out the tiny contraption. Her movements halted when she realized that her father was calling her.
"Hello, Daddy," CC greeted.
Daddy? Niles mouthed to her silently. Rolling her eyes, she pivoted away from the butler and felt her mule slide off of her foot completely.
"I'm fine…oh really? That's interesting…In the Hamptons?" CC asked. At this word, CC unknowingly gained the full attention of Fran and Maggie and, by default, Maxwell. "Definitely a lucrative market…Sagaponack? I can't believe there's an opening…I'd have to see about taking some time off work but I'm sure I could pop in and take a look around." At Fran's gasp, CC glanced over and started slightly when she saw the undivided attention of the white noise. "Yes, I-I'll get back to you…Love and kisses, yes, yes…Goodbye."
As CC slid her phone back into her bag, Fran's self-control could be upheld no longer. "Are you going to the Hamptons?" she asked excitedly.
"You held that in for all of fifteen seconds, Nanny Fine. Well done," CC congratulated. Fran gave her a mock-curtsy. "I could possibly be going, if Maxwell will grant me some time off."
"Well, we were just discussing the possibility of a vacation," Maxwell began. "As I was going to take some time off, you are, of course, allowed to do the same."
"My father's interested in some rental property in Sagaponack," CC explained. "But as he's in Sacramento, it's harder for him to get there right now and it's likely to sell quickly."
"Why is he in Sacramento?" Maxwell asked.
"What sort of property? Beachfront?" Fran queried at the same time.
"He's likely doing the same thing in Sacramento, and I don't know what sort of property," CC responded without pause.
"I didn't know your father had ventured into real estate," Max said.
CC nodded. "He feels that Babcock, Inc., has dominated the financial sector and figures he'd like to deal with the real estate one next."
"It's probably on a beach," Fran mused as though there wasn't another conversation going on.
"Seems like a wise investment. Real estate is doing quite well, especially in the Hamptons," Max said.
"Babcock, Inc.?" Niles repeated incredulously. "You have a corporation?"
CC ignored the nanny, nodded at her business partner, and looked coolly at Niles. "Where do you think my money came from? I was supposed to take over my father's seat on the Board until I decided to work here." Niles continued to look at her with a strange look upon his face but she had no time to decipher this, as Nanny Fine plowed on.
"When are you going?" she asked in an abrupt manner, very unlike her usual tone.
"As soon as possible. Father—"
"Daddy," Niles muttered.
"—doesn't want to miss out on the house," CC finished, unfazed.
"Well," Fran said with a tone of finality in her voice as she turned to Maxwell, "when are we going?"
"What?" Maxwell asked, startled.
"We?" CC repeated incredulously.
"Our plans for the Bahamas fell through and, wouldn't you know it, new plans for the Hamptons just came up!" Fran said cheerfully. "Miss Babcock can go check out the property, and we can lounge on the beach and shop in town!"
To CC's horror, Maxwell actually appeared to be considering the possibility and didn't look put-off by it. Unseen by the family, Niles pointed and laughed at CC silently.
"What do you say, old man?" Maxwell asked, peering around Fran and glancing at his butler.
"What?" The usually stoic butler displayed shock on his face.
"Well, it isn't as though CC's checking out a resort. We'll need someone to cook for us in Sagaponack," Maxwell reasoned. Niles looked from person to person in the office as though appealing for help and finally landed on CC, who pointed and laughed at him while Fran and Maggie looked at each other gleefully.
"What say you, CC? These are, after all, your vacation plans," Maxwell said, considerately thinking of his business partner.
Loath though she might be to vacationing with Nanny Fine and the nemesis butler, CC figured it would be better than staying for a few days in the Hamptons by herself. She might even get Maxwell's opinion on the property, knowing he had a different eye for things than she did.
CC shrugged and ignored the sagging shoulders of Niles. "I'm fine with it as long as he," she responded, pointing to the butler, "stays away from me."