Fran, wearing a fluffy yellow robe, flounced to the kitchen table. Her diamond sparkled in the light and reflected on the metal spoon. "Oh Niles," she crooned as she down in front of a white bowl filled with chocolate ice cream, "can you believe I'm finally getting married?" She dug the silver spoon into the frozen dessert as she searched for her reflection in the diamond ring.
Niles chuckled as the water from the faucet poured onto a white plate with bits of lasagna still attached onto the surface. "I just can't believe it took this long," he countered attempting to be excited for the couple, but it wasn't the same unless he had CC Babcock to torture. He placed the rinsed dish into the bottom rack of the dishwasher and another lasagna encrusted plate under the faucet. As he turned the plate around, water splashed onto his blue apron.
"Anyways, how long do you think Miss Babcock will be gone?" Fran asked before scooping another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
"I haven't the slightest idea," he responded as the water began to drip from the sink. He pushed in the bottom rack of the dishwasher and closed the dishwasher door. He hung up his blue apron on the rack and released a heavy sigh. "However, Dr. Bort wants me to go...there tommorow unless those demonic thoughts killed all the doctors in there." He gave a soft smile before taking a seat next to Fran.
"Wanna' know something kinda funny?" Fran asked earning Niles's full attention. His pale blue eyes met her soft brown as if he knew she was going to say something earth shattering. "Miss Babcock was constantly by your side when you had the heart attack, and you're doin' the same thing for her. It's kinda' sweet. Goodnight, Niles." She stifled a presumably large yawn before rising out of her chair. Like a giant yellow bird, she flew upstairs leaving Niles alone with his thought and an empty bowl of ice cream.
Niles sat in a plastic blue chair in an empty room. There were no paintings on the white walls but a large white board with a few colored dry erase markers. There was a large window seperating him from the man with disheveled black hair in a hospital gown taking medication in a small plastic cup from a frightened nurse. He sighed wondering when Dr. Bort was going to arrive. He glanced at the red plastic chair in front of him then at the stacks of colorful plastic chairs in the corner. He felt as if he was going mad by being in the room.
Finally, Dr. Bort, with her black three inch binder in hand, entered the room. Her grey vest and skirt almost seemed black from the poor lighting. "Thank you for coming," she said sitting down in the red plastic chair. She pulled out a yellow notepad and a black pen from one of the pocket of the binder. She flipped through the yellow lined pages of the notepad. "Anyways, I was going over my notes of my therapy sessions with Miss Babcock, and there is not much written down about Maxwell Sheffield."
Niles furrowed his brow in confusion. He couldn't pinpoint why, but he felt a small twinge of pleasure that Maxwell's name wasn't in the pages of the notepad; however, he failed to see why that was significant. "Well, that's good. She doesn't need two men torturing her," Niles smirked although the zinger on his tongue failed to leave his mouth. He realized nothing nice about him could be said in those pages either which made the victory hollow.
"Niles, you don't understand, "Dr. Bort said patting the notepad, "I've been her therapist for years, and she's only mentioned him as an credit-stealing business partner." She noticed the butler's fist clench and his jaw tighten. "Don't you think if she loved him and was upset about his engagement for love, his name would have been mentioned a lot more?"
"What about Miss Fine?" Niles asked curious to see if CC Babcock really loathed the nasally brunette's existence.
"Well, yes, she has gone into depths about why she detests the woman, but not any reason involving Mr. Sheffield; therefore, I believe the engagement triggered a mental breakdown for other reasons," Dr. Bort explained calmly noticing Nile's blue eyes flickering. She flipped to a blank page and clicked the top of her pen.
"So why did you ask me here?" he asked his eyes narrowing.
"I also believe that there are many conflicting ideas in her head," Dr. Bort replied casually skimming through the yellow pad , "that leave her in a stalemate when making a decision. Unable to come to terms with her emotions and desires, she bottles everything up which caused her mental breakdown. Somehow, you are a key player in her treatment."
Niles scowled as he reflected on the complicated relationship he and Miss Babcock shared. They had both vocalized their hatred for one another. He even left her in a malfunctioned wheelchair. Most of her physical injuries was caused by him. All their fights and insults were traced with cherished memories. He missed watching Spanish soap operas when they should've been working, and he missed the lingering aroma of Chanel #5 when she left the room. "I've never been any help to her before," he said pensively.
"Because I have extensive notes of how you affect her," she mused patting the notepad. "Clearly, you have some power over her mental health. You could use this power for the greater good."
Niles scoffed. No wonder, CC was in this place. Her therapist was a loon herself. He stood up ignoring how dry his throat felt, "Look, I would only be a disturbance to her sanity, and she would agree with me if she were in this room. I'm sorry, but I can't help you." His chest heaved as he balled his hands into fists while Dr. Bort stared at him expectantly.
"Niles," she said calmly, "do you really believe she would blame you, or are you feeling guilty for the way you have been treating her?" Niles's jaw was slack although his gaze was heavy. Dr. Bort scribbled something onto her notepad as if she was observing him.
"She would blame me," he replied callously. He decided that the therapist knew nothing of their relationship. Just like he blamed CC for his heart attack, she would justiably blame him for her visit to the mental institution.
Niles,prepared to get away from the psychologist, walked over to the door. His hand lightly touched the door handle on the wooden door. "Wait!" he heard Dr. Bort call. He looked over his shoulder at the tall woman still sitting in the small red chair.
"What is it?" he asked impatiently, "I have dinner to make."
"I was going to suggest you pay Miss Babcock a visit. Her room is down the hall, room 317," Dr. Bort replied with a soft knowing smile. Niles nodded as he slipped through the door.
He walked down the long narrow hall. His eyes locked on the doors on the left. With each passing door, he felt the urge to turn back. It wasn't as if CC would know. "Stop being a coward," he told himself knowing very well he was not in an environment where he should be talking to himself. 313...315...finally, he arrived at CC's door. The large door was closed, and he was terrified to discover what was on the other side of the door.
CC's room was simple and practically bare except for the two bed, a bedside table, and two sets of drawers. There were bars covering the windows and a dent in the white walls. Even the crisp linen sheets seemd invisible on the neatly made empty bed. His eyes landed on CC's sleeping figure on the bed near the window. Her loose blonde hair was sprawled over her face. She had kicked the sheets and the pale blue blankets on the floor. Niles's heart began to pound when he saw tiny red marks on her arms. He bent down beside her and hoped that she wouldn't wake up while he was present.
"Listen, CC 'Godzilla' Babcock. You're an incredibly strong woman, you've got to beat this...this...thing," he said under his breath as he wished he could see the spark in her eyes from their banter. "I guess it was bound to happen. You needed a straightjacket to feel a man's arms around you," he said with a sympathetic smile although he automatically regretted his words. "I miss you."
When the crouched figure finally stood up, he noticed Dr. Bort leaning against the door frame. "Fine, I'll do it," he said keeping his eyes on CC's sleeping figure.
"Excellent," she answered, "be here next week same time, same place." He nodded curtfully before he hesistantly left CC's side. He closed the door behind him with a hope that he made the right decision.