8.
"Niles, could you get me something for my back? I feel like I've been run over by a double-decker bus!"
Maxwell sat in his office, moaning and complaining about his present back problems that needed some consideration.
"That bad sir?"
Max gave a gruff snort in response.
The butler left the room and then returned promptly to present his boss with an Icy/Hot pack to ease his pain. Max had not informed Niles of the fact that he had woken up on the floor, so Niles just figured it was strained muscles or something—after all, Maxwell did in fact have a lot of tension and stress from work.
"Thanks old man," said Maxwell weakly and appreciatively.
"No problem sir," replied Niles.
Maxwell accepted the Icy/Hot pack and placed it behind him on the chair. He then continued sipping a little of Nile's horrible Hangover tonic and in response to it's not so tasteful flavor, gave a thoroughly disgusted look. An attractive pewter grey vest and trouser combo clothed him. Under the vest, a striped button-down shirt peaked out, which was fancily accessorized with bands on the sleeves.
It was around 3:00 p.m. when C.C. breezed into the office.
"Maxwell, I have fabulous news!" called out C.C.
Niles on cue, swiftly stopped pledge-ing the bookcase and turned toward the wicked blonde woman.
"You found another job and you're putting in your two weeks notice?!" said Niles, pretending to get overjoyed and excited. "I could just dance and swing off a few lamp posts!"
Niles just had to crack one at her. He punched the air and then roughly pulled his fisted arm back towards him in a "YES!" motion.
"No," replied C.C. sourly, glaring at him.
She then turned to Maxwell excitedly, far too busy to deal with the butler's banter. "Mr. Montgomery's willing to back us! He made it all up to his wife by buying her a Mercedes, so now we have nothing to worry about!"
Max wiped the remains of the gross drink he was consuming from his lips with the back of his hand and sat the almost empty glass onto the end of his desk, apparently glad to be rid of it.
"That's excellent! However, I do think you and I owe Miss Fine an apology for yesterday," responded Maxwell, getting up, walking to the front of his desk, and then leaning against it.
"Me? Apologize to Nanny Fine?" asked C.C., gesturing towards herself by placing her hand on the middle of her chest atop a cream-colored blouse. "What sick, alternative universe are you living in Maxwell? I meant everything I said yesterday. She's a tramp! You can't apologize for the obvious!"
"Yeah, just like you can't apologize to anyone for being unsightly revolting!" teased Niles.
Maxwell even had to chuckle at this one.
Here we go again... thought Maxwell to himself. It just wouldn't be a usual day without C.C. and Niles bickering.
"Well I may look like vomit, but at least I don't have to clean it up," played back C.C., referring to last week when Maggie was sick.
Niles made an "Oh no you didn't" face.
"I'm surprised you even do anything considering the last time you had someone come over; it was just the plumber making a service call."
"Plumber? That man was my date, thank you very much!" exclaimed C.C.
Niles was told to deliver C.C. a vital document from Maxwell that day and had seen her, and this man, personally outside her apartment.
"Well it just so happens I was right there and he was so not your date. C'mon, the plunger he was holding was a dead giveaway," corrected Niles.
"Just—just can it Bellhop!"
"On any other occasion I would gladly, but it seems the trash is needed inside the office."
C.C. shot Niles a death glare and in retort, he stuck out his tongue at her and continued shining up the wood bookcase with furniture polish. He wanted to shut up for the time being so that he could hear about what exactly happened at the restaurant yesterday, because Miss Fine just had to be oh so vague about it. Even if it meant being civil with Babcock, which was very hard for him to do.
"No seriously C.C., we really upset Miss Fine yesterday and it wasn't even her that we should have blamed."
"What are you talking about? It was her sex appeal that drove Winston Montgomery wild!" yelled C.C.
"Ooo, this sounds good…" whispered Niles to himself, now giving his full attention to Sheffield, Miss Babcock, and the little quarrel between them.
He knocked several books off the shelf and let them fall to the floor as an excuse to keep tidying up if Mr. Sheffield was to ask him to leave the room.
C.C. and Max both turned around toward the noise in surprise. Maxwell briefly paused to give Niles a nasty expression and then the arguing continued.
"C.C., let's not get into this again… please be reasonable. Now look, I refuse to work with you today unless you give Miss Fine an admirable apology!"
"No way Maxwell!"
"C.C…" said Max, sternly.
C.C. finally caved after seeing her boss' not-so-pleased-with-her face.
"Fine," grunted C.C., starting to exit in search of her not-so-favorite floozy.
Niles walked out and stopped C.C. by sticking his arm out in front of her.
"She's not here."
C.C. rolled her eyes as she walked back in following Niles, and Max instantly stood up straight.
"Well, then where did she go?"
Ooo somebody is a bit curious and protective of his nanny… contemplated Niles.
Why did Maxwell suddenly have this abrupt concern with Miss Fine's whereabouts?
"She went shopping with Miss Margaret sir."
"Oooh, guess I'll just have to apologize to Nanny Fine later," replied C.C., acting like she was terribly disappointed and then topped the whole little display of hers off by snapping her fingers on one of her hands.
"That's the second time in a row she's kept me in the dark about her plans! Niles! When Miss Fine comes in, please inform her that I wish to see her in my office!"
Not the only time she's kept you in the dark…
"Niles, did you hear me?"
Max's loud voice pulled Niles away from his musing.
"Of course sir. I'll make sure she knows right away—as soon as she gets in!"
"Good, see that you do."
"Maxwell, I'll be off to the theatre now to check on the cast. I'm sure they're angry as hell about having to come in on a Sunday to rehearse and I'd like to make sure they haven't destroyed the entire set yet," relayed C.C., grabbing up her things.
"Yes, yes... very well, I shall join you there later," responded Maxwell, reviewing some papers he just removed from a manila folder.
As soon as C.C. walked out of the office, Niles followed her out into the hallway.
C.C. could sense someone behind her.
"What is it broom boy?" asked C.C., turning around to face the butler. "Lost your duster? So sorry—can't help you."
"Be nice Babcock, or I won't dish."
"You think I care if you don't wash the plates from lunch? You'll be jeopardizing your own job, not mine."
Niles rolled his eyes, but had to breathily laugh at that one. Sometimes Babcock was just unbelievable.
"I mean dish as in tell! I have a juicy secret up my sleeve," clarified Niles.
"Okay, then what?" questioned C.C., curious.
Then Niles said in a sing-song voice and a dance that was more of him just jutting side to side, "I know something you don't know and you're not gonna like it!"
"What?"
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"It's about Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine," he whispered.
"Yeah, so what about 'em?" said C.C., pretending to be careless.
"Let's just say… last night they had a close encounter."
C.C.'s eyes widened the size of saucers, but she quickly returned to normal.
"I really don't give a hoot Miss Amelia Bedelia!" snapped C.C. at Niles, mocking the popular children's book.
She was obviously quite troubled by this, but did a fairly good job at disguising it.
"Well, if you're gonna be like that, then never mind!" declared Niles.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Okay!"
"I'll tell you later…" said Niles, unexpectedly.
"All right!" agreed C.C., turning around and brashly nodding her head to him, and then turning back again and finally leaving.