Chapter Three
Early Friday afternoon, CC returned to the mansion with a black garment bag draped over her arm. Fran hopped down the stairs and stood next to CC.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" CC asked uncertainly.
"What? Having dinner at an expensive restaurant with a gorgeous attorney?" Fran said.
"Well…yes."
"Wow. Gentiles really are different," Fran muttered. She hooked her arm into CC's and began leading her upstairs gently. "What's the problem, Miss Babcock?"
CC carefully gnawed her lip and didn't answer as Fran led her into her room where she had already set up a salon-like array of hair products, styling tools, makeup, and perfumes. She wasn't sure what her reservations were about going on a date with Tom. Something was holding her back, something vague and unidentifiable like an invisible force drawing her off course.
"Is it the clothes? You've looked great all week," Fran said, motioning for CC to sit on a stool in front of the large mirror.
"No," CC replied. That wasn't a lie; CC enjoyed wearing slightly sexier clothes. She'd always indulged herself throughout the years by purchasing luxurious, sensual clothes that she knew she'd never wear. It was fun, therefore, to find a happy medium between the two, to find something that carefully highlighted that which she'd always kept hidden.
"I don't see the problem," Fran told her breezily. She pulled out foundation and began artfully applying it to CC's face.
No, CC reasoned silently, Fran wouldn't see the problem. She'd always been comfortable with herself, at least as long as CC had known her. Whatever slight insecurities Fran had about her body, she made up for in a certain centeredness of self, that graceful way in which she completely accepted herself that ultimately lured men in and left women like CC woefully incomplete. Fran wouldn't know what it was like to live without that and so she couldn't possibly understand why CC felt so strange living in her own skin that she was suddenly displaying with sexy clothes.
It wasn't about the clothes. It was about the woman beneath them, and the fact that Fran had instructed her to change that was possibly the most troubling thing about the entire ordeal. The nanny had so easily told CC to stop being sarcastic and ambitious and angry that she obviously didn't understand that it was that in particular that made up CC Babcock. Admittedly, sometimes she used her inherent resentment and sarcasm to hold people at bay but more often than not, it was how she chose to relate with the world. Only she didn't anymore.
And no one seemed to be bothered by the difference. In fact, she was being praised for it; men were taking a vested interest and Maxwell kept bleating on and on about how pleasant it was to work with her.
"Miss Babcock, don't be worried," Fran told her while sweeping blush across the apples of her cheeks.
"What do you mean?" CC asked, looking up at Fran hopefully. Had someone noticed? Was Fran about to tell her that the ruse was up and she could go back to being the CC Babcock with whom she was most comfortable and proud?
"Tom will love you!" Fran said with a wide grin. "Oy, can you imagine? A Broadway producer and an attorney. A mother could kvell."
CC's eyes cast downward and she forced a smile. At least she was getting better at faking her smiles; she no longer looked like she needed to add more fiber to her diet when she did it. "You're right, Nanny Fine. I'll have a lovely time."
When CC was curled, made up, and dressed, Fran bounded down the stairs before her and watched with a wistful smile as CC made her way down the stairs as well.
"All right, he's going to pick you up at your place in an hour," Fran said, glancing at her watch. "Do you want me to come with you?"
"Why would I want that?" CC asked as she pulled her jacket from the closet.
Fran paused. "Good question. Help get rid of any first-date jitters?"
"I have a shot of whiskey waiting for just that purpose," CC replied. Neither woman noticed Niles walk into the foyer from the hall leading to the kitchen. He paused near the bathroom door to listen to their conversation.
"Miss Babcock!" Fran exclaimed. "You shouldn't have a shot of whiskey to calm yourself down! A spoonful of Ben & Jerry's, a piece of Godiva, sure. Not whiskey."
Niles smiled to himself, waiting for CC's response.
"Oh. You're right," CC said. Niles' eyes widened.
"So, good luck, and I'll call ya later tonight to see how it went!" Fran told her excitedly, giving CC a quick hug before traipsing back up the stairs. CC pulled open the front door and as she pivoted to shut it, she saw Niles rolling his eyes and walking into the living room. She paused for a moment and felt a strange urge to go back inside and hear his opinion before remembering he was her nemesis and his opinion didn't matter anyway.
