More than a woman
Chapter 19: Nights on Broadway – Part 3
Niles had been bursting in happiness all night long.
The celebration was about the Sheffields, there were all sorts of absurd distractions going on, but all he had eyes for was Miss Babcock – the mesmerizing woman who was currently smiling to herself while dancing with him.
He always thought admitting publicly they were together would be the hardest step for her; however, she was acting as if she couldn't care less about it.
(Better saying, it seemed she cared a lot, and was enjoying every moment of being explicitaly happy, after years as the grouchy one.)
To add to her neverending list of nice surprises, the blonde decided to spend the whole time of the one anniversaire party by the butler's side.
Being the event such a familiar gathering and Niles knowing CC was not a fan of any of the families present – not a big fan of any family, in fact – he expected her to choose a corner and hide as much as possible, maybe trying to drag him with her. When she didn't blink an eye even when Niles was approached by Sheffields, Fines, Toriellos and whoever recognized him and wanted to chat, he wondered if she was plotting a murder just to free him and spoil the celebration.
At every waiter who passed by with champagne flutes, Niles was prepared for CC to walk away to wash down her annoyance with a drink.
However, she linked her arm to his and stayed to make adorable ambiguous sarcastic comments. Sometimes the comments hit the mark and shooed people away. Sometimes, they flew over people's heads and provoked a bounding humorous effect in the small group.
Niles was enchanted by CC deciding to be by his side and being brilliant like that.
It made him feel like they were ready for a life of being together, not just in their already solid intimacy, but like this, in social events.
Of course, things could never be so simple, and the butler had to go through what he wished was the last unexpected challenge to his hopes and dreams.
CC excused herself to go to the toilet, and Niles was left by himself for some minutes.
And that was the moment when cousin Sophie saw him and decided to come over.
Sophie, Fran's curvy cousin who had been one of the few actions strictly related to sexual desire he had had in decades.
Niles had been alone for most of his life, had lived like a monk for large periods of time, and had specially avoided investing in anyone who would take his focus from the mansion – especially after he admitted to himself that he wanted CC, even if he didn't have any hope it would happen. The results were bolts of low self-esteem, who drove him to buy self-assurance tapes, and the lack of what could be called an active sexual life.
(No, lonely nights fantasizing about having the guts to approach Babcock and getting intimate with his own hand don't count as an active sexual life.)
But, obviously, one party, a discreet corner of the mansion and some groping – and nothing else, because Niles was horny but didn't deal well with the fact that the woman couldn't get any of the jokes he made – was enough for Sophie to approach and rest a hand on his arm as if they had spoken regularly since then.
She asked how he was going.
While winking.
Niles gave an instinctive step behind to escape her hand and greeted her, 'Hi, Miss-'
She interrupted him, advancing again, 'It's Sophie, sweetie'.
At least she tried to advance, because CC appeared out of nowhere and shot her a murderous look, 'Who's that, Niles?'
He wondered if the woman was a witch, after all, and gulped, 'It's Sophie Fine, Mrs Sheffield cousin'.
The younger woman was happy to provide information, 'We met at a party. Not fancy like this one – it was in the mansion'.
'Four years ago', Niles pointed out hurriedly.
'Yeah', she agreed, winking at him again, 'That unforgettable!'
He paled and made a gesture towards CC, resuming the introductions, 'Well, this is...'
He was cut off again by the blonde, who extended a hand to Fran's cousin, 'I'm CC Babcock'.
The woman joyfully took the hand, 'Nice to meet you!'
Niles was wide eyed, imagining that his girlfriend would take the extended hand to devour it.
CC raised her chin and spoke coldly, 'I think you're making a mistake, here, honey'.
Sophie tilted her head in confusion, 'What?'
'You met Niles four years ago. Were you in contact since then?'
She shrugged, 'No, we never...'
'So, you must have the wrong idea about him, nowadays. He is not here to tend to any of your needs'.
The woman just blinked, still confused.
CC looked at Niles and it was written Really? all over her face.
She had understood the situation – she had heard rumors about Niles and an unknown Fine relative, a long time ago, and had briefly wondered why the story never went on.
Now she knew why. Dumb women didn't stand a chance with him.
'What I mean is that he is not working, tonight', CC explained, patiently, then added, lowering her voice, 'Nor doing anything for anyone but me'.
She spoke and held his hand in front of them, showing it off.
Sophie looked at their body language and finally realized what was going on.
And her reaction was typically Fine.
She put her hands on her waist and yelled happily, 'Uhmmmmm, congratulations! You go, baby!'
The couple started saying some surprised thank yous, but suddenly she was very excited, giving small jumps and looking at something in the other corner of the room.
Sophie excused herself, 'They have brought more shrimp! See you!'
Niles followed the woman with his eyes while she attacked the buffet table, then looked back at CC, who had been staring at the same thing.
She seemed intrigued.
'What is it, Blondie?', he asked, standing in front of her and pressing her hand slightly to get her attention. He was prepared to offer any explanation she demanded, even if the thing with Sophie had been so brief, old and superficial he guessed it didn't qualify as a reason for CC to be jealous.
The blonde looked at him, 'How is it she saw the shrimp over there? Is it something in their genes?', she frowned and dismissed the thought, 'Just forget it. Let's dance'.
Niles felt, one more time, that he had found his perfect match in that amazing problem-solving oriented woman, and that he had to make sure she stayed with him forever.
They danced and had a great time, with small breaks to eat something or just to sit down, observe the party-goers and exchange their ideas over them.
(What meant they often had to disguise the fact they were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.)
When Morty's surprisingly good singing but almost unbearable corny moves took place, Niles and CC went out to breathe some fresh air in an open area of the building; however, they were back to the dancing floor again before the number was over, in a generous decision of not hurting anyone's feelings.
And, one more time, Niles was hit by that sensation of having found the one.
Before they were together, he wondered if their similar sense of humor and incredibly alike tastes meant they were to be a couple. Their relationship showed that yes, they worked very well as partners, and that one of the things that could prove to be a problem – the fact that Niles dedicated a lot of time to the Sheffields' affairs – was being assessed by CC in a very helpful way: she understood his habit of serving and his need of being loyal to them, but she pulled him away every time the opportunity presented itself, making sure he didn't get too caught in business that were not his.
He almost misses a step when he realizes it means she is working her way to occupy the space in his life that was the Sheffields'.
And that space was of a family.
His heart is beating loudly and he is sure he has the most foolish face ever.
They are swaying in each others' arms, and Niles breathes deeply to try to calm down and not get too emotional.
However, every time he looks at CC – and he can't help but looking a lot – he gets lost in memories: her contented smile, that appears every time he does something she finds sweet; her pleasured face, who mirrors the one she has when he does something she really approves of, in bed; her smirk at Sheffields, Fines, Toriellos and their foolish shenanigans, showing how proud of herself she is when someone reacts predictably to something she does to tease them.
Yes, CC Babcock has magical powers, and Niles is falling for her charms with no resistance at all.
It's getting difficult not to show his affections every time they menace to overwhelm him.
(He does not do it because it would probably bother her if he hugged her tightly and told her he loves her and wants her forever every time he feels like doing it.
Just this morning he had been cutting vegetables to start lunch in the mansion's kitchen when she entered and walked to him.
He stopped what he was doing, a smile immediately reaching his face at the sight of her.
She came to a halt at his side and rested a hand on his shoulder, smiling back.
He felt the heat of her skin through the linen of his white shirt and it felt like the warmth went straight to his heart.
She tilted her head and approached for a kiss.
It was not chaste, in the sense that it involved tongues and lasted a lot more than a chaste kiss would last; however, it was not the mind-blowing thing that would lead them to throw everything away and lock up in a room for a quickie, either.
It was a moment for savoring their joining and feeling fulfilled just because the other was there.
When they parted, she licked her lips and looked fondly at him.
Niles reddened and had to clear his throat to be able to speak, 'Well, that was interesting'.
'You can say so', she caressed his cheek and said, before turning and walking to the swinging door, 'Thank you for the fix'.)
He needs this woman with him forever.
He has never felt anything like this.
He knows he is staring, but he can't help it.
She is adorable.
He wants to worship her and...
'Niles, isn't life strange?'
He was so lost in his musings it takes him by surprise when she speaks.
'For twenty years we've despised each other. I mean, every time I've looked into those revolting eyes, I've wanted to retch, sweetie'.
He squints at her.
He knows exactly what she is doing.
She noticed he was lost in his own enamored thoughts, and is teasing him about it.
She probably wants to find out if he will lose control and take her lips for the deep kiss they didn't share in public, yet, once they decided not to provide any displays of deep affection in front of such yentas, in order to not expose themselves.
So, Babcock realized Niles was failing at the task of not being so obviously in love with her, and decided it would be funny to tease him about it.
Well, two can play this game.
He looks at her, very serious,'Dip me'.
Her reaction is one of delighted surprise.
He had just invited her to do one of those switched-genders things that may be funny and intriguing to outsiders, but just make real sense to the two of them.
And she does just that: she dips him in the middle of the dance floor, a happy grin on her face at his playful mood.
Both couldn't be happier at sharing such a secret under the noses of everybody.
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Fran had seen her share of bizarre things in life – so much, in fact, that she often ponders if the world is really about being normal or a lot more about being an acceptable kind of bizarre.
And, even with her open mind and warm heart, the former nanny was finding it difficult to deal with the reality of Niles and CC being an item.
It was not that she was adverse to the idea of them: they made a pretty couple, what she had noticed before, in a subconscious level, when they insisted on standing side by side as often as they could, even when they claimed to hate each other; and as she has been seeing tonight, once they were spending the whole time of her and Maxwell's one year anniversary party clinging to each other, looking into each other's eyes as if there was no one else in the room, sharing laughs over jokes just between them and dancing as if they didn't wish to be anywhere else in the world.
Besides that, they had the same tastes and kind of humor, and were obviously in love with each other. It was good enough to start a healthy relationship.
(And, considering their track record, it was a lot more than anyone could expect from them.)
What troubled Fran was that things seemed to be changing really quickly and out of her sight – and she could not follow the plot, anymore.
First, Niles confessed his love for CC to Fran, that producer's fiasco happened, and next thing the brunette knew, they were fighting in the stairway and both decided to leave, as if facing each other after Niles admitted his real feelings was an unbearable prospect.
Then Fran convinced Maxwell to speak to Niles about his decision, and they found out the two fighters had reconciled and were sharing a bed.
She had naturally expected them to assess the situation in the next morning, but they acted as if nothing had happened, everybody played along and so did Fran, but she couldn't deny she was a bit upset over her best friend not sharing such a huge thing with her.
(Miss Babcock was waltzing happily through the house, Fran was nine months pregnant and Maxwell seemed lost at the crazed women around him. Did Niles think Fran was Wonder Woman to be able to keep Yenta Central running all by herself?!)
And then there was the Beverly Hills' incident.
Something had changed in that trip. Fran was not sure what it had been – and she couldn't extract valuable information from any of the people involved, even if she had really tried – but things had taken a new turn.
She was now used to entering the kitchen and having to ask clearly if she needed anything, because Niles' focus was switching more and more to Miss Babcock – for teasing, staring or plain general pampering.
There was one day when Fran stopped by the kitchen swinging door and heard Miss Babcock's authoritative voice, Yes, we're working out together. No, that pouting will not change my mind. Don't even start with me, Mister French! She pushed the door and was gifted with the sight of Niles' immense grin while he said You win, witch!, enlaced CC's waist and pulled her to his arms for a warm kiss.
They chuckled, rested their foreheads on each other and stayed there, together, in their own world, whispering things Fran could not get.
Maxwell, who sometimes went through difficulties to get his butler to engage in real work, now had to call Miss Babcock to the office, too, because the woman seemed too satisfied while being close to her boyfriend to have the will to go back to business by her own volition.
They were both happier than ever, and they seemed not to mind updating the rest of the household about their affairs.
Of course Fran knew there were things happening just between those two since forever. While she lived her main plots, that involved Mister Sheffield, the children, her family, Val and whatever was the motif of the week, she had glimpses of Niles and CC being part of them but, at the same time, having their own games going on. The butler would tell Fran about his victories and mope around when he was pranked; Miss Babcock would brag about her good ones, when they happened, and hiss when she fell for his schemes. It felt like everybody was on the same boat.
Very early in her life in the Sheffields, Fran had seen Niles burning one of Miss Babcock's blazers in the fireplace. She noticed he couldn't focus on anything else when he was doing something related to CC, but never really believed it could be more than contempt. She now was forced to reevaluate things, and it was clear that even the most hurtful zingers and borderline violent pranks Niles planned for CC were his way of coping with his need of thinking and talking about her all the time. The same way, CC permitted him to bring her to the center of affairs she was obviously not interested in, answered in kind every time she managed to and did her own teasing, what was proof they were willing participants in the game they had going on.
Lately, Fran had to accept people were living their own lives, and it was being hard on her: Maggie had married and left the mansion, Brighton was leaving soon for his studies, Gracie was staying but with big plans, and now Niles and CC were having the life-changing experience of finally finding love and it seemed they had decided to not share it with what was left of the household.
Maybe she was being overdramatic, and getting married and pregnant had turned Fran into the traditional Jewish mother, but lately she had fought urges of crying until the blonds sat with her and told her all that was going on.
She wanted to know what CC had done to her Niles.
(Yes, Fran knows he is not hers, anymore, and that she will have to adapt to this new configuration, once she has no intention of fighting for his attentions but can't help but feeling a bit neglected.)
It has been three weeks since California.
Three weeks of the most disturbing non-explained things happening.
Three weeks of Niles and CC looking at each other with an adoration that went way beyond the synchrony they had before, or the desire they failed to be discreet about soon after they got together.
Three weeks of whispering things and talking about subjects just between them.
Three weeks of disappearing in the middle of the day and reappearing disheveled, smiling shyly and tidying each other's clothes (what Fran supposed was related to sex).
Three weeks of disappearing and reappearing hand in hand with foolish smiles and loving stares (what Fran supposed was related to romance).
Three weeks of no CC in the office when Maxwell needed her.
Three weeks with no Niles in any room of the mansion where Fran needed him to be.
They were left trying to guess what those two had been doing.
(In fact, Maxwell didn't really want to think of it.)
The huge amount of sex was obvious, but was there more?
Were they strolling in the park? Were they exchanging kisses and confessions? How were they dealing with the class differences? Were they planning a life together out of the Sheffields' when they moved to California? Had they exchanged I love yous? Why did he still call her by her business name? Does he do it all the time? Does he call her that in bed?
(Those were all equally acceptable questions, to Fran.)
She hoped she had the time and disposition to deal with them before they all moved.
Unfortunately, tonight she would not find any time to chat with them, with so much going on.
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CC was rolling her eyes at Maxwell using such a gigantic prop to pay homage to his wife when Niles felt the right time to propose had come.
He was sure the contrast would play to his favor: proposing now, just between the two of them and in a quieter way than any thing the producer considered proper, would show Babcock that he had learned his lesson and wouldn't think of imitating Maxwell.
He prepares himself and starts the lines he rehearsed, 'Miss, Babcock, I was thinking: I know I shouldn't have asked you to marry me when I did. We weren't ready'.
He is being truthful: he really understands, now, how stupid it was proposing when they hadn't even had a sincere conversation. Not it's crystal clear that he was the one making things out of order, thanks to his difficulties to deal with feelings and relationships in a mature way, trusting a magical force that would make his nemesis see through the maze of pranks and zingers into his real feelings and motivations.
'That's why I laughed in your face, lover'.
YES!
She is agreeing with him. She is feeling the same.
Confident the moment is perfect, he takes the box with the ring from his pocket and opens it to her, 'But I think we're ready now. Will you marry me?'
He looks into her face and sees the utter shock.
Niles understands CC's surprise, and waits for it to settle, so she can give him the answer he had been waiting for.
He is curious to discover if she is going to do it discreetly or pulling him for that kiss she had tried to get from him, earlier.
Any way will be great. He just wants to have her acceptance.
But History repeats itself.
She looks at the ring, into his face, and flees.
Fran and Maxwell come along (obviously) and Niles has to push aside the pain of being rejected again to explain his reasoning.
He even mentions the blimp, saying the moment was perfect because of it. Fortunately, he wisely doesn't mention it should serve to remind her of the kind of corniness she had escaped when choosing the butler over the producer.
He really intends on going after CC to find out what is happening, but Fran goes first, and he realizes he doesn't have the strength needed to fend off the former-nanny to reach the woman he loves more than anything but seems not to be so sure about being with him.
He is not comfortable with seating at a table with Maxwell and waiting, once this is very similar to the recurring theme of accepting Fran's meddling in his and Babcock's affairs, but he knows he has been more and more absent from the family, and guilty convinces him to leave the matters in the brunette's hands.
Niles is worried: he and CC had come such a long way, he had been so sure they were meant to be together and that she was as convinced as himself that they were now ready.
But it seemed he was wrong, again. She didn't feel like marrying him.
She didn't believe in them.
Or maybe she believed, but not enough to trust him and accept his proposal.
What was so terrifying about marrying him, after all?!
The distraction provided by the woman selling roses was at least welcomed: pretending he was hurt at Maxwell denying they were partners was too funny to let it pass, and gave Niles some relief.
His blonde would be proud of him.
His blonde.
He hoped she still wanted to be his in anyway.
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CC ran away in a panic, with no idea of what to do of Niles proposing again.
She needed time to breathe deeply, calm down and put some order in her thoughts and feelings.
Weren't they happy? Weren't things already great? Why did he have to change it? Why did he insist on proposing?
Didn't he know marriage ruins everything?
Why the hell did he think it is a good idea to marry her?!
A wave of nausea hit her, and CC entered the elevator in hopes to hide and have some moments of peace.
She had been dealing with bolts of nausea, lately, and she even considered mentioning them to Niles as a joke – thus that retch comment on the dancing floor. However, he was so cute with that Dip me answer she forgot what she was going to say and just played along.
So much for peace: a lot of things happened inside that lift.
To her utter dismay, Nanny Fine entered the damn place and stayed with CC, wanting to share her thoughts on Niles.
And for sharing thoughts she meant telling CC he was wonderful, as if she didn't know it already.
The stupid The man irons rags line was really offensive: in regards to Niles, because it suggested CC should consider him mainly for his abilities as a household servant, a mistake the blonde would not make, having been introduced to the many things the man could do really well.
And in regards to CC herself, once saying Niles is great because he irons rags is like saying he is great for caring even for non-essential things, and it was an attack to CC's sense of importance, once he had chosen to be with her.
Obviously, things had to get worse, the lift came to a halt and they discovered they were stuck together.
Obviously, things had to get even worse, and the brunette stopped trying to meddle in her affairs and forced CC to meddle into hers through getting into labor.
It gave them plenty of time together, and the nausea plus the stress made the businesswoman confess her deepest fear, 'How do I know Niles is the one? How do I know I'm not making a mistake?'
The pregnant woman's answer was related to not knowing but hating to live with never trying, what brought back Niles' concerns in that fateful night when he threw at CC's face she would be wondering what could have been if she refused to do something about them.
The Jewish woman had no idea what she was really saying and, as always happened, she hit the mark all the same: CC was afraid of marrying Niles because she had no way of being sure their relationship would last forever, and she really wanted it to.
She couldn't stop thinking that marriage was the quickest way of discovering they had been deluding themselves and couldn't make it, no matter how much they adored each other.
But the possibility of not even trying was equally terrifying.
Fran's yells were torture to CC, who had a lot on her mind and really didn't need anything else to disturb her thoughts. However, it had at least the power to attract a small crowd to the elevator doors for their rescue.
Including Niles.
Her Niles.
By the tone of his Miss Babcock?, he was deadly worried about her.
She was relieved to hear his concerned voice, but not surprised.
If there was someone who she knew would always be there for her, it was him.
If there was someone she really wanted by her side for everything, it was him.
I'm already saying wedding vows.
Oh.
She touched the doors that separated them, 'Niles?'
There was a pause, and then he spoke, 'Yes, it's Niles'.
CC's face contorted in a myriad of emotions: she could almost see him pouting, making an effort to not show how he cared, trying to play hard to get because she had run away from him, desperately struggling to deal with his deep affection for her and his fear of being publicly humiliated one more time.
He had gone running to her, even while fighting his fear of being rejected by her again.
A rejection that he had no way of understanding and that, if she knew her Niles, must have thrown him in the depths of self doubt and anxiety.
Well, if there was someone worth her effort to leave behind her lack of faith in commitments, it was him.
Niles, the guy who had forged his presence in CC's life through whatever twisted way he could, realizing very early in their relationship she would not let him in if it depended solely on her.
Niles, the man who had created a web around her, in hopes of keeping CC close enough until she understood she had to stop fighting blindly and really look at him.
Well, when she decided to be back for one last conversation, she had finally looked.
And she liked what she saw.
Who am I kidding? I loved what I saw.
I love him.
'I have an answer to your question'.
CC realized she had never given him a clear answer, before. She had told him to stop, had ignored his proposals, had pretended she hadn't heard them, had walked away.
But she had never said no – maybe because she was not able to say no.
He must be having kittens over it.
She speaks as clearly as she can, being the emotional moment it is, 'I thought long and hard about it and my answer is...'
Fran yelled over her declaration, and Niles let out a barely controlled Oh, crap that told CC of how nervous he really was.
She gulped down her annoyance over Fran's ill timing and tried again, 'What I said was...'
This time Maxwell interrupted them, asking if his wife was all right.
And, to CC's delight, Niles finally stopped stepping aside for the Sheffields and focused on them, 'Of course she's fine! Miss Babcock, could you say it one more time?'
He was bravely putting the Sheffields on their place and making sure CC had her turn to speak to him.
She knew how much it meant to him.
She found it one of the most beautiful things he had ever done for her.
'Niles, I would love to marry you'.
'YES! Out of my way!'
She was still amazed that she had not just said yes but used the L-word in front of everybody she had been cautious until now, when she realized Niles was opening the elevator doors with his bare hands.
(Who said CC Babcock would never have her romantic scene?)
When the doors opened he extended a hand to her, pulling her to stand outside and spinning her around, 'Oh, Miss Babcock, I love you!'
Their lips met, and CC was sure she had taken the right decision.
They parted, and she decided to tease him, 'Call me CC'.
He chuckled (This sound!), moved, and hugged her tightly.
Their relationship had reached a new level, with him saying he loved her in front of everyone and her asking him to drop the business-name thing: their bonding would still be as strong as ever even with the changes a marriage would bring, and both knew the other understood it perfectly.
CC, who never thought she would have real friends, realized she was going to marry her best one.
The children and Maxwell congratulated them enthusiastically, but soon Fran made herself heard and everybody went running around to do something for her.
CC couldn't get why so much hurry now that her own situation was solved, but she felt fully energized and enjoyed putting things in motion, so she let herself be included in the hurricane.