CHAPTER 16
When CC returned to the office, Niles had already served Maxwell his coffee and left.
"Ah! CC, did you ring Damon McMann?" Maxwell asked.
"What for?" She questioned.
"He called here looking for you earlier. Didn't Niles inform you? You know that butler of mine could ruin countless business prospects if he keeps this up! Niiiiileeees!" He shouted.
Niles sauntered in. "Did you remember to tell Miss Babcock that Mr. McMann rang for her?" He said with annoyance dripping from his clenched teeth.
Niles turned to CC. "Oh, that reminds me, Miss Babcock! A demon?... rang for you. You really should take your family calls at home."
She eyeballed him.
"What did he want, Maxwell?" CC asked.
"He said something about having a second meeting." Maxwell said.
"What? Your date went so terribly that he's calling for business reasons?" Niles said, attempting to gain her attention... And a little information.
CC laughed. "Actually, its not business at all. It's a private joke between Damon and I."
Niles snorted. "Oh, well, great job on your choice of code words," He said sarcastically. "...Second meeting." he laughed.
"Everyone who has actually had a date this month, raise your hand!" CC said smugly and raised her own.
Niles pursed his lips, beaten, and so did Maxwell until Fran waddled in.
CC smiled triumphantly and sipped on her coffee.
Niles returned to the dining room to clear the mess left by that morning's breakfast.
As he packed away the dinnerware in the shelves next to the alcohol cabinet, he spotted the empty bottle of brandy from the night before. He had hastily stashed before Mr. Sheffield had come downstairs for a midnight snack. He removed the bottle from the cabinet to throw it out. He placed it on the dining room table as he straightened the table cloth and then crawled under the table to reach for a fork which Gracie had dropped during breakfast.
Meanwhile, CC had excused herself from the office to make a call to Damon. She dialled his number on her cellular phone as she strolled around the house, looking for privacy. When she found herself in the dining room, she spotted the empty brandy bottle on the table and smiled to herself, taking a seat at the table and fingering the bottle as she waited for Damon to answer.