Author's Note: I'm the worst. So sorry for the delay. Lesson learned: I'm only uploading stories when they're very close to being finished. Anyway, this chapter wasn't in my original outline, but Sydney Sheffield totally counts as one of the Sheffield children, right? RIGHT?
Chapter 4 – Sydney
She knows she should feel bad, watching the little boy walk away with twenty bucks instead of the promised fifty, but he's a child actor and he has to learn eventually. If you don't deliver what the producers want, you'll be paid accordingly. Besides, she didn't sign any contracts with him!
He makes it to the front door, his little head slumped in defeat, before he turns around meekly.
"What?" CC asks impatiently as she pours herself a drink and sits down in the chair, anxious for the kid to get out of there before Niles comes back.
"Do I really have to wait outside for my mom to get me?"
"Oh, crap," she forgot she had promised the kid's mom she'd watch him until the movie was over, "yeah, sure, come in. Sit down. Just…just don't be a nuisance or anything, got it?"
The boy nods and sits down across from her on the couch. She stares at him, unsure of what she's supposed to do with him until the movie is over. The little boy does nothing except stare back, keeping his word that he won't be a pain in the ass. Well, he may not have a knack for memorizing lines just yet, but CC is sure he has a promising future as an extra.
After what CC can only assume is the longest staring contest in the history of the world, they are interrupted by Niles storming back into the living room. She doesn't even need to look up to feel the tension and anger radiating off of him. She smiles smugly to herself. Serves him right.
"How long?" Niles asks through gritted teeth.
"His mother is going to come get him when the movie is over," She answers innocently.
"No, no, not that," Niles sighs exasperatedly, "How long did you know I was…" he cuts himself off, realizing his mistake in wording.
"How long did I know you were messing with me? Well, let's see, Niles, we've known each other what? 15? 16 years? I'd say I've known about that long."
He sighs again, "So you knew the whole time that there was no Sydney Sheffield?"
The feeling of satisfaction at finally beating Niles at his own game fades fast, and CC feels the irritation beginning to build.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. You're even dumber than I thought you were if you think I don't know how many children my best friend had."
He looks at her incredulously, "I'M dumb? You crawled around a movie theatre tonight pretending to look for a nonexistent child just to trick me!"
"I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't been an idiot in the first place and tried to get me to believe there was a fourth Sheffield kid!"
"I…that's…you…" Niles sputters and CC smirks triumphantly.
"Well I wouldn't have felt the need to trick you if you weren't so desperate for Mr. Sheffield's attention!" CC's smile promptly vanishes as she takes in the arrogant look on his stupid face. God, she wants to strangle him. And she just might.
She slams her drink down, stands up, and faces off with Niles, nose to nose, both panting heavily. If she weren't so incensed she would swear she's turned on.
"You have no idea—"
A giggle interrupts their feud, and both heads turn to the couch, both forgetting that the kid is still in their presence.
"Crap," CC mutters.
"You guys are funny," Sydney says through peals of laughter.
"Funny? Funny? Kid, we hate each other. We're fighting. When grown ups don't get along, this is what they do," CC explains slowly and deliberately, sounding very much like a nursery school teacher, save for her lesson plan.
Niles gives her a slow clap, "Another job well done, Mother Grey Goose."
"My mommy and daddy fight like that sometimes, but then they always make up. They say sometimes you have to fight in order to make up, so you know how much you love each other," Sydney explains, mimicking CC's earlier patient tone. CC's secretly impressed. Perhaps the kid has a future in acting after all.
She hides the fact that she's impressed by quickly clearing her throat, "Well, that's just bullsh—"
"What Miss Babcock is trying to say," Niles quickly cuts her off, "is that sometimes grownups just don't get along. It doesn't mean they secretly love each other."
"If you say so," the little boy smirks knowingly, leaning back into the couch and putting his hands behind his head.
"I have half a mind—" CC starts.
"At last, she admits it," Niles exclaims to no one in particular.
CC glares at him, then turns her attention back to the child, "As I was saying, I have half a mind to take your twenty bucks back, Sydney."
"Babcock, I know this is a foreign concept to you, but for crying out loud, woman, have a heart," Niles pleads.
"Why should I? He's pissing me off!" She exclaims, crossing her arms and glaring at the kid.
"He's a child! That's what they do!" Niles mimics her post, though glaring at her instead of the boy.
"I'm hungry," Sydney proclaims, evidently over their discussion on the meaning of love. CC can't tell if she's annoyed he forgot his previous promise to not be a pain in the ass and sit there quietly, or if she's relieved the discussion is over.
Relieved. Definitely relieved.
"Niles, be a dear and do something useful for once in your life and fetch Sydney a snack," She bats her eyelashes at her foe.
"Fine, but only because I'm certain you'd find a way to 'accidentally' poison him if I left it up to you," Niles grumbles as he leaves the room.
CC returns to her previous staring contest with the kid, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously.
"What?" Sydney asks, feigning innocence. Dammit, his future is totally filled with Academy Awards. Little brat.
"Nothing," She replies dumbly.
"You like him," He grins knowingly.
"Niles isn't here to save you from me, you know," She reminds him.
"Niles and Miss Babcock sitting in a tree," Sydney singsongs. CC wonders how many years she'd get for manslaughter. Second degree murder, tops.
"You've got a lot of nerve, kid." She mutters lamely.
"He likes you, too, ya know," He adds quietly.
"That's it! I want my money back, you ungrateful little…" She trails off, realization dawning on her, "Wait what? What did you just say?"
"Yep," Sydney nods and folds his hands together nefariously.
She's spared from having to form a coherent reply when Niles returns, placing a tray of milk and cookies in front of the boy, who digs in ravenously.
"You couldn't have let the boy eat dinner at the theatre before you kidnapped him?" Niles asks, and CC swears she hears a trace of humor in his voice.
"HIRED him, not kidnapped," She corrects. "And anyway, what does a small child want with a lobster dinner anyway? What a waste."
Niles shakes his head, chuckling to himself, actually amused by her instead of getting ready to set her up for an insult. CC eyes him.
"What?" Niles asks.
"What?" CC answers.
They stare at each other a few beats longer than necessary, when a car horn breaks the spell.
"That's my mom!" Sydney announces.
CC shakes her head as if to banish the previous moment with Niles from her mind, quickly gathering up the boy's things, shoving everything, including the cookies, into his backpack.
"Okay! Time for you to go on home! Tell your mom thanks! See you at future auditions, probably! Okay goodbye!" She scurries the kid to the door. He hands her the glass of milk, but she again shakes her head and gently nudges him out the door. No time for that. Besides, it's not like it's Maxwell's good china.
"Bye, Sydney!" Niles calls.
"Bye! By the way, my name isn't really Sydney. It's-"
CC slams the door and wipes her hands on her dress.
"Well, I think we can both agree that a valuable lesson was learned tonight," Niles starts.
"Yep, we sure can," CC agrees. "Never hire a child actor off the street. Always get an audition first. Even better if they have an agent."
Niles sighs. She's fully ready for him to roll his eyes and berate her for the stunt she's pulled, but instead he laughs.
"What? Did you double dip in your blood pressure meds tonight or something?" She asks warily.
"Do you think the boy was onto something? With us, I mean?" Niles asks suddenly.
CC eyes him carefully. His face is perfectly neutral, and he sets to work cleaning up the tray of crumbs left behind from the little monster.
"I…Niles, he's a wannabe child actor. He was probably trying to wrangle a few more bucks out of us," She explains.
He nods, turning his back to her as he dusts crumbs off the couch, "Yes, yes of course. You're right."
CC nods, and then remembers he can't see her, "Besides, the idea of us together? It's ludicrous, right?" She throws in an awkward, fake laugh for good measure.
There's a pause that lasts 5 seconds or 50 seconds, she doesn't know. She just knows the tension in the room is clawing at her throat, making it difficult to breathe.
"Absolutely," Niles answers.
She pretends she doesn't notice his shoulders droop or his head bend. She'll deny hearing any trace of regret in his voice. She'll ignore the pit of dread that forms in her stomach telling her that she's wrong, so wrong, that the idea of them together isn't so bad after all…
"Anyway! I should get going!" She quickly gathers up her belongings and heads for the door.
"Hey, Babcock?" Niles calls and she turns around, not expecting him to be facing her but pleased to see the familiar twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes?" She asks, cursing herself for the trace of hopefulness she can hear in her voice.
"I remind you I'm a heart patient…maybe let's try to keep the fake kidnappings down to once per decade?" He winks.
CC smiles, "Fine, but for the record tonight's barely even counts. The kid couldn't follow any of my directions!"
Niles shakes his head good-naturedly, "Good night, Miss Babcock."
"Good night," She calls over her shoulder as she quickly exits the Sheffield mansion and shuts the door. She glances back, seeing Niles exit the living room, presumably to wash the tray that housed the cookies. Turning around, she leans her back into the cool glass of the door, sighing as she wonders what the hell happened tonight.
"Stupid Sydney," she mutters as she collects herself and marches down the steps to locate her car, trying to decide if the 20 bucks she paid him was the worst money she's ever spent, or the best.