Same thing as always:
-love you all who are giving this story reviews, showing you are still with me!
-sorry for the delay! At least, big chapter! ;D
The marriage
Chapter 17: Roles redefined
Niles was lying on his back and supporting his head comfortably on his pillow, in the penthouse bed. He was reading the detailed guest list of the wedding, that his parents had sent from England for his and CC's approval and the additions they would want to make.
The Sheffields were already included, obviously; there was a space for the Fines; and there was an item reserved for the Babcocks.
(He made a mental note to talk to CC and ask if she wanted to invite anyone he still hasn't met).
It was not with surprise that Niles noticed there was, in fact, two guest lists: one, smaller, for the wedding; other, bigger, for the party. He had mentioned to his mother he would prefer distant cousins and the neighborhood not to be present in the small chapel they had chosen, and it seemed she had really got the idea, once the smaller list had just names of people who were really close to the couple.
Niles smiled to himself, thinking of how smoothly things were going: everything was organized and in time. They had still four full weeks, and it seemed they would not have a single problem with all of that, with the two competent fronts at work – his parents, with the most direct approach, in England, and Niles and CC themselves, in the United States, following the preparations closely and sending their word when necessary.
Even the California business seemed to be contributing, being at a standstill. His wife was calm enough to be by his side in the process of organizing their ceremony, and it was clear to him that she was having a lot of fun with the decisions she was called to make.
(Few things could cheer her up as much as teasing him over the details he insisted on consulting her about – she seemed to find it really amusing how much the little things mattered to him, and it was good to know she was enjoying this. Niles really wanted her to remember their last months in New York and their wedding as a happy period of their lives.)
The only thing that still worried him a bit was the Sheffields.
Maxwell was very excited about being a father again (after an initial reaction that made everybody think he would be against the idea), and Fran was on cloud nine (finally being able to hear her mother yelling to the heavens 'Now I can die in peace!' made her giddy), what was really great.
However, their way of being happy was getting in frantic activity, anxious about every little detail of the pregnancy, their own relationship, the children, the highly probable moving to the West Coast and everything that could come in their day to day routines…
(Sometimes Niles pondered if living with such people was healthy. He loved them, of course, and CC had started showing how much she cherished them, too, but when he witnessed Fran going crazy and hijacking Maxwell in the middle of a TV program to have sex and get pregnant, he couldn't help but think about the sanity of it all.)
He sighed and folded the lists neatly, smoothing any small wrinkles he could find. Noticing what he had just made, he knew exactly why he was worried.
Things were so peaceful and perfect for him and CC that he felt like he couldn't enjoy the tribulations the Sheffield/Fine clan seemed to be always going through. There was a time when he considered that spark of life that came with Fran, her family and her interactions with the children, a much needed and refreshing addition; nowadays, he still appreciated their schemes, but he preferred the lifestyle he had developed with his witch.
Niles had realized, long ago, that he needed the safety he felt with CC.
Who would have guessed this would be one of her most delightful qualities?
Before their marriage, he hadn't had the opportunity to rely on someone so heavily. He was not aware of how much he craved someone he could depend on – after all, he had been dependable all of his life, and it seemed natural to be the one people went after when things got messy, not the other way around.
He felt not just relieved, but absolutely enchanted by the prospect of counting on a partner.
And, as surprisingly as it was in the beginning, now he knew CC was the one that would always be there for him. More than that, she was the one who effortlessly appreciated his care and his tidiness, and this made him reconsider those things that he had thought as some of his most unattractive feats.
He had met a lot of women who preferred men who were all macho, imposing themselves by their physical power, or the playboy type, like Maxwell, with the air of nonchalance and superiority. Niles had never been like that: he was neat, he worried about order and schedule, he paid attention to detail, he knew how to do a lot of useful tasks and, more than anything, he was always ready to go out of his way to do things for other people.
(With time, he had felt confident enough to choose when doing so, and it seemed CC found endearing how through he could be when he really was into something.
Just the thought of how similar they were, in this aspect, was incredibly reassuring: since he had met her, he knew that when CC wanted something, she would do anything – and very well done, usually – to get it; to his luck, what she really wanted was them happy and together.)
He sighed and looked around, at their room, filled with things that pointed to a lovely life together: some photos, clothes and personal objects that showed clearly how entwined they were.
He felt warmth spreading on his chest and smiled. It was like, for the first time on his adult life, he had a person that shared his most heartfelt wishes with him, and would fight by his side to accomplish them; thus, both could enjoy the results of it.
Suddenly CC came out of the bathroom, and Niles turned his head to look at her, conscious of the goofy grin he must be sporting.
He felt even giddier to see she was in an obvious joyful mood.
The fact she was naked and stopped by the foot of the bed, hands on her hips, made him think something along the lines of She is purposely nude, and he tilted his head with a slight frown of confusion.
CC was delighted at his curious face, 'Would you please stop being so English?'
Niles took off his glasses, put the papers aside, joined his hands on his chest and glanced slowly up her body, stopping at her defying face, 'You mean the fact I'm wearing clothes?'
'Yeah', she wavered at him, 'Why are you wearing anything, anyway?'
'I usually wear clothes to bed. At least, when I come to bed, I do. Of course, there are plenty of situations when they don't last…', he shrugged, a bit distracted by the way her breasts moved when she lifted her arms to tread her fingers through her hair.
'Exactly! You should know by now that your wife often feels cozy'.
'Cozy?', he smiled at her easy-going smile, 'Oh, all right', he relented, sitting up and starting the process by taking off his t-shirt, 'I should have known, once you have been really attentive of me the last days'.
She licked her lips at the scene, 'I don't know what it is with me, lately. I can't take my hands off of you…'
He finished taking off his boxers, 'Just for the records, I'm not complaining'. Soon he was nude and lying down again, his head back to the comfort of his pillow. He opened his arms, motioning at her, 'Come here and choose the way you want to show me your coziness'.
She climbed on the bed happily, came over him and slapped lightly his thighs, signaling she wanted him to separate them. He obeyed, chuckling, and she settled her body over his, adjusting her legs between his and rubbing her breasts on his chest lightly. She went down a bit to rest her head on his chest and let out a long satisfied sigh when finally found a position to better enjoy the peaceful moment.
Niles closed his eyes at the feeling of skin to skin and started caressing her back in soothing moves.
Both just savored it for a while, relaxed and at ease with one another. It was like they fitted together so easily it was enough to be like this for them to feel happy.
Niles had this sensation that they relaxed into each other, even if they felt somewhat charged when they touched.
CC enjoyed specially the feeling of his scent enveloping her, when he held her like that: he had something clean and spicy and deep in his scent that she could not explain, but made her feel at home.
(Sometimes she would take his apron or a coat and put it to her nose just to feel his scent when he was not near her).
Maybe it had to do with the fact she had associated him with cooking, cleaning products and tea half of her life, and now it seemed all of these things were impregnated in the way she sensed him; although, they were not enough to really describe him, because he was what he had shown her for almost fifteen years, and a lot more…
The fact was she felt protected and cocooned and, each time she sighed, it brought her even closer to him.
It was like her breathing could bring a part of him to her insides and maintain it there, keeping her company and warming her all over.
The simply thought of him inside her, warming her, made her quickly wet, and CC thought again of how the last days had really been of arousing and a kind of uncontrolled need for his body. She didn't remember feeling like that so often since the first months of their marriage, and had no idea from where that almost continuous desire was coming.
She was a realistic person, so she looked at it objectively: it existed and there was little she could do about it, and it was not a problem, once Niles was always glad to satisfy her whenever she showed him she wanted it.
(And CC herself was used to her hormones playing tricks on her, so she had decided not to worry about it at all. It must be just a phase.)
The feeling of him so close to her, and knowing for sure how much he wanted her to be happy – no matter what it required – was a reassuring thought. There was a time when she would feel guilty for letting sex to be the main thing between them, but now she trusted him so strongly she was sure he would understand.
'Sometimes I can't believe it', she murmured, almost talking to herself. It was not necessary to keep any secrets, after all.
'What?'
CC put her chin on his chest, now, to look at him. He noticed the gesture, opened his eyes and looked at her.
For a moment she forgot what they were talking about (or what she meant to talk about), went forward and started giving feathering kisses on his jaw, just to taste his skin.
He smiled and brought one of his hands to her hair, 'Hey… Uhmmm… This is good…'
Her voice went down an octave, 'Glad to know you like it… because I really like it…'
'This is quite unbelievable…'
'What, baby? My lips on your skin?', and she licked him briefly to stress her point.
'That, too. But I was referring to you being so delicate… I like it when you scratch me, but this soft thing is great, too'.
Now she nipped at his skin, 'You have seen me purring a lot of times. You should know I'm good at being soft'.
He made an overacted sensual voice, 'Your softness does something quite the opposite to me, darling'.
Both started laughing at the obvious joke, and she rested her head on his chest again when they calmed down, enjoying the beat of his heart, 'Oh, can it, Niles! You can be a softie, too. Just when it is appropriated, thank God!'
They spent some time in silence, the smiles still on their faces. Suddenly, CC announced, 'I remembered what I was saying that I can't believe'.
'Oh, yes. What is it?'
'Everything!', she felt him chuckling, 'Stop laughing at me, you fool!', she kissed his chest soundly, and he circled her waist with his arms. She knew her kisses could always arise his tenderness for her, 'I mean being with you as something so easy and so wonderful. I thought we could get along, but I'd have never guessed we were capable of building together a life like this'.
Niles was silent for some moments, and then said quietly, 'I think this marriage is the most fulfilling experience I have ever had', the caress on her hair came back, 'And, in some way, I can't think of it with anyone else. Maybe it is this good because it is us'.
'It makes sense…', she agreed.
'Everything I say makes sense', he pretended to admonish her.
'Oh, please. I could mention a lot of circumstances when you said things that made no sense at all'.
He squirmed a bit, 'Yes, and I'm glad now you know I never meant them'.
'What…? Oh, you mean the zingers… I was not talking about them'.
'You were not?'
'No, I was talking about some things you say during sex…'
'Oh'.
She noticed how his heart got agitated under her ear. It was still a rough subject for him. 'I know you didn't mean a good part of those remarks, Niles, and I won't tease you about them anymore'.
'Sometimes I wonder how you could forgive me for some of the things I've said and done…'
'Forget it. Now that I know you were just insanely jealous and trying to make me notice you without exposing your feelings, everything is all right'.
The heartbeat accelerated, and she knew he was struggling with the idea of contradicting her, because she had described exactly how things were and, for some reason, it still made him uncomfortable. After some moments, he made up his mind and cleared his throat, 'That's what I meant by this thing being unbelievable, love. If we look back to the point where we started of, it's almost magical what we accomplished…'
She smiled, 'Well, you chose a witch, I chose a man so old he must have cheated the devil – what could we expect?'
'Not this blessed life', he murmured, kissing the top of her head.
CC caressed his side, 'And we are not even mentioning the wedding', she quickly raised her head to face him, 'Just one month!'
He smiled when she made a body shake to indicate her excitement, 'It's almost too good to be true, isn't it?'
'Yeah…', she grinned at him, 'This is really cliché, you know?'
'How so?'
'This thing of being in love and feeling like you have found home. I really feel like… in a nest'.
He shook his head, 'You amaze me'.
She went up to be face to face with him, 'Why?'
'I was just here, reading peacefully, ready to a quiet early night; you came demanding things and trying to crush my body with your weight; I thought I was going to be abused, but you just wanted to be together like this; and now, you bring the romanticism on. It's like… a rollercoaster of feelings'.
CC tilted her head and brought a hand to caress his face. He seemed confused and enchanted by her as a whole, and she felt aroused by the kind of fragility he sometimes showed around her. 'In a way, you are being abused', she decided to answer lightly, and gave him the first deep kiss since she came to the bedroom.
He kissed her back and moaned when she started rubbing her body against his with a bit more of force.
It was getting difficult to maintain a conversation, but CC decided to make a point about something that still made her uncomfortable, 'And I'm not romantic'.
'Of course not', he drily commented, his hands going from her back to cup her ass and eliciting a moan from her, 'You should just admit you're romantic and sexy. I know that when you mix the two things, like now, I'm in heaven'.
'Uhmmmm… Another cliché…', she smiled and kissed him leisurely, enjoying the slow pace and the new place his hands had found, trying to control some of her urge to simply have him right now; so, she opted for open-mouthed, wet kisses and invading tongues.
'Cheek to cheek is not cliché', he protested when they parted for air, moving his left leg, so his inner thigh was rubbing against her hip, and his length was moving against her thigh.
'Dear God, you're really old', she said, but her voice denounced the thrill of arousal, 'I thought you were referencing Brian Adams'.
'The theme song for the Robin Hood movie?', he asked, his hands taking her hair delicately away and his lips reaching her earlobe.
'No, that was another song', she answered, her hands clenching on the sheets to refrain from moaning too loud.
'Are you sure?', he insisted, keeping the grazing of lips at her sensitive skin.
'Yeah… I loved the movie…', the clenching on the sheets got harder, because her hips were moving against her will, up and down on him.
She could feel his lips curving into a smirk, 'I would have never guessed that Middle Age references brought good memories to you, witch'.
It was getting more and more difficult to concentrate, and CC found it arousing and infuriating he was still that articulated, so she brought her hands to his hair and slowly forced his head away, shutting her eyes forcefully and stilling her hips, 'Don't come all historian on me, Methuselah'.
Her moves intended to create some distance between them and help her to calm down, but her breast brushed on his chest, and she had to suppress a shiver.
Her breathing was ragged and her fingers grabbed his hair.
Niles knew she was already consumed by desire – he had seen it enough times to recognize it, and the last days had been eventful in this field of action. He felt the need to make her surrender, so he put a hand on her neck, caressing it, and resumed talking, 'You should thank me for being so old. That way I could be there saving you from the fire every time they found out your wicked schemes'.
'Oh, my hero', she tried to mock, but the effect was lost when she realized she had rested her head on him to feel the skin of his shoulder under her moving lips, and that her pelvis had started that instinctive moves again.
Their making out was getting more and more intense by the second and CC supported her weight on her arms enough to lift her body and make him close his legs; she opened hers and straddled him, the hand that was on his hair going to his nape to position him for a deep kiss.
She could feel his hardness pressing against her core, twitching in response to their tongues, and she felt desperate. When they parted for air she rested her forehead in his, 'Fuck!'
He frowned at her not so rare but a bit out of context dirty word, 'Is it a request?'
She chuckled through her labored breath, 'It could be. I need help. All I can think lately is your cock inside me…'
Niles grinned, 'Oh, love, don't worry about this nymphomaniac phase. I'm here for you'.
She shook her head, 'For someone who is not a romantic, I'm really worried about your feelings in this'.
'Let's stick to nymphomania, then. No need to discuss what is what'.
She smiled and pecked his lips, 'Said you were a softie'.
He winked, 'Everything I do, I do it for you'.
Her eyes went wide for a second, 'You knew the song, you fool!'
'Yes, I did, but I thought you would have fun thinking you knew something better than myself'.
CC pecked his lips again, and caressed his face. She seemed to have calmed down and studied him for a while, 'You're so considerate of me… Why?'
He got serious, 'What do you mean?'
'Sometimes I wonder… I may have changed a bit, but I'm still the demanding person everybody fears. I could… I don't know… oppress you…'
He blinked, as if the thought unsettled him, 'I never feared you'.
'No, but you feared rejection from me', she noticed the deer in the headlights look and decided not to dwell in this aspect for the time being, 'It worries me that you could be paying so much attention because you are afraid I can go crazy on you'.
Niles was silent for some moments, his eyes on hers. He had tensed in a way neither of them expected. He gulped, 'I pay attention because I love you'.
'I know, Butler Boy', she answered, smiling, 'And, still, I'm sure you'd do anything to not provoke my wrath'.
He was still serious, 'It is part of making you happy…'
'Uhum', she agreed and kissed his lips tenderly. 'I just want you to know I notice what you do. Even if sometimes I deny it just for sport, deep inside I feel loved in each little thing you do for me'. She smiled, 'And it won't change, even if we incidentally disagree on something and I go crazy on you'.
It seemed to be the right thing to say, because he relaxed and his hands went down her back, while he made a fake pout, 'I'm glad you appreciate me. After these last days, I would be really offended if you hadn't noticed how available I've been'.
'And creative, and lasting', she said, nibbling at his lower lip, once it was offering itself to her, 'I always knew your stamina was not natural. You are related to the Devil'.
'I became when I married you, in fact', they kissed some more, things got quickly heated again and he added, 'Thinking better, you're the one who could have stolen my soul'.
CC stopped the making out and pointed a finger at his face, 'A-ha! Confess it was long before the marriage!'
'What?', he was genuinely confused.
'Confess you have given me your soul long before the marriage'.
Getting the idea, Niles raised an eyebrow, 'I never gave you my soul'.
CC made a face, curled her pointing finger and lowered her hand to his chest, 'Hey, you're spoiling the game!'
'Shush…', he took her hand and kissed it, 'Listen carefully: what I meant is that knowing your kind needs blood, I thought better. That is why, long ago, I gave you not my soul, but my heart'.
'Oh', she blinked at the answer, surprised. It seemed he was giving a step into the direction of admitting unabashedly his feelings for her at the old times. She felt like melting when he showed he wanted to open up for her like this.
At a lack of words, CC started kissing him tenderly, and then with a bit more of intensity, and then back to their clash of lips and tongues from previously, and then she parted from him, looked into his eyes, and opened her mouth to say something…
Riiiiiiing
Both groaned and looked at the phone on the bedside table.
CC moved to take it.
'No-no-no', Niles hold her, 'Let it ring… It has an answering machine'.
'I know, but it's so annoying…'
Riiiiiiing
CC smiled at Niles, 'Say it again?'
'What?'
'Answering machine', she tried to imitate him, 'I find it so sexy in your accent…'
Riiiiiiing
CC huffed.
'Maybe they will give up', Niles said, hopefully, and soon after he gasped, because she found it would be amusing if she chose that moment to tease his nipples.
Riiiiiiing
'Maybe not', she shrugged, resigned to the annoying people and to the message they would probable leave, and started making a trail of kisses down Niles' chest and belly. The idea of taking him in her mouth while someone was calling them started to seem very attractive to her aroused mind.
The machine clicked, her recorded voice sounded in the room, there was a short pause, the well known beep.
'Good night, CC, Niles. It's Maxwell'.
The couple in the bed groaned again, and this time not from arousal.
'I tried to talk to you before you were gone for the night, but with all the commotion around Fran's cravings of the day I was not able to'.
They looked at each other. They had, in fact, come home earlier, sneaking out when the strongest wave of the commotion started.
'I was thinking that we should… celebrate the great moment we're living, and I thought about inviting you two to a dinner, tomorrow night…'
CC was out of the bed and taking the phone before he could react, 'Hello, Maxwell. Sorry, we just arrived home. You were saying?'
Niles missed her body the moment she escaped him, but worse than feeling suddenly left alone was the fact that his arousal, that was nestled between the intimacy of their joined bodies, was now proudly showing itself.
He was not ashamed of himself or his reactions to her, but it seemed somehow wrong to be all hard while CC talked to a friend over the phone.
Specially because the friend was Maxwell.
There was no way he wanted his wife seeing him like that while talking to her business partner on the phone; Niles was not that jealous anymore, but there was no need to mix things in her head.
As the easiest solution at hand, he took CC's pillow and covered himself with it, preparing to not calm down while watching his wife dealing with Maxwell and putting him in place.
That was something he could deal with and even enjoy: the turn on of seeing CC realize again how that man was boring and a bit slow when important matters were at stake.
In fact, he was glad she had flown from the bed to take the phone for just this reason: she would try to block any Sheffield/Fine ideas that could give Niles more work to do. A dinner for the four of them probably meant his catering, and he could be sure she would turn the tables soon.
CC sat on the bed, the phone on her ear, looked at Niles and smirked, 'Just a moment, Maxwell'. She put a hand on the receiver, 'Finally showing what your French half can do?' At his confused expression she clarified, pointing at the pillow, 'Can barely wait to smell you in it'.
Niles rolled his eyes at her when she winked at him. He put an arm behind his head to support it higher and relaxed again, maintaining one of his hands on the pillow over his middle.
For some reason, the scene made CC's mouth go dry. It probably had to do with her mind conjuring images of Niles using her pillow not just to feel her scent when he missed her, but rubbing against it until he came and her scent was impregnated in his cock…
A noise in her ear made her remember she was on the phone, 'Yes, Maxwell, I'm here. What were the plans? Yes, I think it would be great to have dinner out. Yes, out. Sounds good. Maybe we should have the afternoon off, so we could come home and get prepared? Sure', she licked her lips. Niles had let the pillow loose for a moment, to stretch the muscles of his shoulders, and she couldn't think straight after what she saw, and even more after what she almost saw, 'Thinking better, we should have all the day off, once the ball of negotiations with California is on their court', she registered Maxwell agreeing and talked quickly, 'Eight is great, thank you, see you tomorrow night. Bye'.
She put the phone down and turned to him, her eyes on her pillow. He looked at her, curious, 'What was it?'
'Dinner tomorrow night at a fancy restaurant to celebrate life and bla bla bla'.
Niles observed while her hand rested on his left thigh and went slowly until it reached the pillow and took hold of the edge of it, as if to take it away. He put his own hand firmly set on the middle of the pillow, to call her attention, 'They want something from us'.
'Who?', she couldn't take her eyes from his hand and the object that was between her and what she wanted. It was difficult to think of following a conversation.
'Maxwell and Fran'.
'She was not on the phone'.
'The fact she was silent doesn't tell you anything?'
She looked at his face, realizing he had a point, 'Oh, you're probably right', her eyes came down from his face to his chest, belly, and were back to the pillow. Her hand rested on his, 'But I can't think about it now'.
He pretended not to understand her and turned his hand to hold hers, 'What are you thinking of, then?'
She moved their joined hands aside and came to lay down on him, as they were before. This time, the pillow separated their middles.
They were face to face, and CC supported her hands on the mattress, by his sides, 'I want you, but it seems you're shielding yourself', she looked into his eyes seriously, 'You already did it for a good part of your life. Don't have to do it anymore'.
He was surprised by her approach, 'I didn't intend to…'
'Yes, you did', she interrupted him with her lips pressing firmly on his. 'Say it'.
Taken off guard by her demanding tone, he obeyed, 'Yes, I did'.
'Good boy', she approved, her hands gripping on his shoulders, 'Sometimes you still shield from me, as you used to do before we got together. Even if I have proven myself to you, over and over again…', she used her better leverage to escape his lips and move away, so she would get closer enough to tease, but not to touch.
The contrast of her face not close enough and her hands possessively griping at him made Niles moan, 'I try not to…'
'I know, baby, I really do', she smirked, 'That's why tonight, even if I am a witch and have the power to take your shield away… I want you to do it'.
Niles gulped, aroused at his limit, 'I'll do it…'
'What, servant? What will you do?', she asked, her eyes gazing deeply into his and her hands coming up to the sides of his face.
'Anything…'
She licked her lips, 'Concentrate, Niles. I want to hear about the shield'.
'Yeah… I'll… I'll take the shield away. I'll be yours. You'll do whatever you wish with me'.
'So, you trust me?'
'Completely, miss Babcock'.
Wow. CC gulped. It still made her crazy. 'You take the damn thing and I'll ride you all night long'.
Niles kept looking into her eyes. The situation was not light: it was immersed in lust, but their way of relating to each other seemed to be at stake.
He nodded.
CC elevated her hips enough for him to take the pillow away and in the same motion repositioned herself to put him inside her.
When the initial electric bolt was a bit under control, he sighed, 'I knew you would end up abusing me… exactly as I like it…'
ncncncncnc
Maxwell Sheffield couldn't quite feel at ease for a good part of the next day.
He had agreed with the day off for Niles and CC, and he didn't exactly regret it, but it would be great just to make sure he had heard her opinion on some details the West Coast people had thrown their way that morning.
Of course, they could wait for an answer, but Maxwell was excited about the news and just wanted to call his partner.
He first tried the penthouse number around 10 am. Nobody got it.
(He didn't know it, but Niles' hands were tied to the bedpost. Even if they had not unplugged the phone at some point of the previous night, he would not be able to take it. And CC was too engrossed in the task at hand to care).
He tried again at 2 pm, because he guessed they would be back from a lunch out, for example, at that time. But again, he had no answer.
(Still he didn't know the phone was unplugged, but it didn't matter, anyway. Niles had gone to the kitchen to make them a light lunch, CC got up when he called her, they ate and at the dessert – whipped cream – she was bending on the table, her legs apart while he pounded on her).
Maxwell, still hopeful, called them at 5 pm. Being a good old Englishman, Niles would probably have tea with his wife at home, and no better time than the most traditional one.
(They still hadn't thought of putting the phone to work again, because CC started talking of cancelling the dinner to stay at home and it was Niles' turn to tie her to the bed and punish her for even considering such an ungraceful gesture).
Maxwell thought about trying to contact them through their cell phones, but Fran saw him making the attempt and hinted him about the possibility of him… intruding.
(When he told her how he had already called the penthouse with no answer at all, Fran was sure he had a still smaller chance of success through those cell phones…)
ncncncncnc
The four entered the fancy restaurant: Maxwell and Fran leading, his hand on the small of her back; Niles and CC following them, hand in hand.
The maitre showed them to their reserved table and soon they were choosing what they wanted to eat and drink.
The beginning of the conversation was about the restaurant itself, that had a wonderful staff and served very classy dishes. The fact it had a small dancing floor gave it a romantic air that the four of them appreciated immensely.
CC was the first to point directly what everybody was thinking, 'It is a stunning place, really, Maxwell. The kind of place I'll miss when we go to California'.
'We'll all miss New York, Miss Babcock', Fran was moved, 'I still can't believe we're going away! I lived all of my life, here. So many memories…', she said and grinned at her husband.
'And all of them wonderful, darling', Maxwell answered, patting her hand.
'You're not going to be like this all night, will you? I get nauseous', CC warned, sipping at her water.
'I would love to see you puking on Mrs Sheffield dress', Niles told her with fake adoration. 'I still need a good last Christmas Card from this city'.
The blonds laughed, and Fran looked at Maxwell, 'Oy! It will be a looong night'.
CC put a hand over her mouth and looked at the brunettes, 'No, no, I'm sorry, we'll behave!'
Niles added, smiling sweetly at them, 'We are really honored by your invitation for this dinner. It means a lot to us'.
Fran whined, happy; CC blushed in embarrassment at her own happiness; and Maxwell beamed at his friend, 'Well, we…'
He was interrupted by the arrival of their orders and they started eating.
The conversation was resumed when Fran commented over the excellent food, comparing it to a occasion when Niles had prepared something she thought was similar.
They spent a lot of time enjoying (and discussing) the food and remembering things: backer parties for past productions, famous guests they had received in the mansion and some funny Fine schemes to meet them, some of the most memorable things that had happened to the children…
When they realized, they were exchanging expectations over California, the kind of parties they would hold there, the type of people they would meet, the changes in the life style of everyone in the family…
The conversation flowed easily, and Maxwell seized a comfortable silence over dessert and cleared his throat, 'I was going to say something earlier… and I think now it is time'.
Fran was aware of what he was going to say and seemed excited, beaming at the blond couple. Niles and CC looked at each other and waited.
'We, me and Fran, are extremely happy with all of this that life has given to us: we are all healthy, together, with the prospects of a brilliant future and, to top it all, my Franny is pregnant. You two are a big part of it, so we decided to share with you the most precious thing we have in our lives, now. We want you to be our child's godparents'.
'Oh, Sir', Niles said, before he could contain himself, 'This is an immense honour!' He quickly noticed CC's silence and looked at her, 'I mean, if it is all right with you'.
Her eyes went wide. She looked at him and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came.
Maxwell got nervous, 'I know, CC, that you don't like children, but…'
'She likes children', Niles pointed out, a bit snidely, 'She is just… overwhelmed', he turned to her and took her hand, 'Is it, love?'
She gulped, squeezed his hand back and finally found the words, 'Yes, I… I don't know what to say. I almost feel like it is too much for me'.
'What do you mean?', Fran was visibly anxious.
'I have no experience with children… And it is such a great responsibility to be a godparent… It's like being parents, with all the care and the gifts and role-model thing going on, just without the DNA…'
She looked nervously at Niles, and relaxed a bit when she saw the adoring look he was giving her. Somehow she knew he understood her worries and found them… endearing?
Fran's voice cut through the moment, 'Oh, Miss Babcock, I'm sure you will do well! You have been closer to the children, already! They really like you, nowadays!'
Maxwell smiled, 'And who said you and Niles won't soon have one of your own to learn how to do it?'
CC's eyes, which had gone from nervous to happy, turned sad and went down at Maxwell's words. 'Of course. Who says?' She breathed deeply and managed a smile, for Niles' sake, when she looked up again, 'Anyway, I accept and feel honored by your choice. Thank you, Maxwell, Nanny… Fran'.
Suddenly, Niles jumped from his chair, 'This is so wonderful I think we should all celebrate! Dance with me, Babcock! I love this song!'
CC took the hand he hurriedly stretched out for her and followed him to the dance floor. When they started moving to the ballad, both recognized it and CC got closer to him to muffle her laugh on his shoulder. 'Really, Niles? You love this song?'
'Tale as old as time is a great song…', he pouted.
'Oh, yes, it is', she made an effort to calm down, 'People are probably wondering who is the Beauty and who is the Beast…'
'I think it could really be our theme song, once each one of us is both', he smiled charmingly at her.
'All right, lover. You win', she pecked his lips and they just danced in silence for a while.
Niles then saw Maxwell and Fran coming to the dance floor, 'They're dancing, too. I thought they would be scared to follow us'.
'Well', CC made a face, 'You were not very subtle, running from the table like that…'
He answered quietly, 'I did the only thing that occurred to me'.
'You didn't need to take me away from them. I can stand the subject of having or nor having children. And it is not their fault it put my mood a bit down'.
'I know, but I still think you didn't need to stay there if the subject was unsettling you'.
'All right, I see there is no point in discussing this with you'. She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled, 'I wish you could see your face when Maxwell told the news'.
'Why?'
'It was illuminated. You were really happy'.
'Yes, I was', he thought about it for a moment, 'I am, in fact. Should I be sorry for that?'
'No, of course not. I find it beautiful, even if in a creepy way, how you love this family and all. Sometimes I almost wish I could be as selfless as you'.
'You are'.
'Oh, please. The way I reacted showed how happy for them I got to be. All I could do was worry about myself'.
'Exactly. You were worried because you know you'll love this child as it was your own'.
She said something that was muffled.
'What was it?', he asked.
'Our own', she repeated. 'I will love this child almost as if it was the child we can't have'. She looked at him shyly, 'It kinda scares me how it matters, sometimes'.
Niles looked at her and she saw he had misty eyes, 'You have no idea what a wonderful person you are'.
'Oh, damn Prozac!', she joked.
They chuckled, kissed tenderly and embraced, dancing slowly.
After some time in silence, she resumed the conversation, 'I still think he could be a bit more considerate of you'.
'Uhm?'
'It's always the same, with Maxwell: he should have chosen you to be his Best Man, but no, he had to invite that baby brother of his – and it almost cost him his wedding. You should have been the children's godfather, Niles. You have been a second father to them all of their lives…'
'Maybe he has taken me for granted, but I can understand. Why should he choose a godfather who already took care of the children?'
'To show you he cares, that's why', she was a bit annoyed, 'It seems he just see you as a person now that you have married'.
'Well, I just have a life out of the Sheffield mansion now. It may have made a difference'.
She groaned something in response, showing how much she disagreed with the notion.
Niles grinned, 'You're absolutely adorable when you defend my honor like that'.
CC rolled her eyes and sighed, 'I must really love you, then…'
ncncncncnc
The dinner was an amazing idea, after all: Maxwell, Fran, Niles and CC really enjoyed their time together, chatting, dancing and simply hanging out. In fact, they needed that opportunity to enjoy their time in New York together, before things changed completely.
When they reached the mansion, everybody was in a great mood.
'I'll prepare some coffee for us', Niles offered, once they reached the living room. He was already going to the kitchen.
'I'll go with you!', Maxwell blurted out.
The butler stopped and turned, surprised. Maxwell was standing in the middle of the room, with a deer in the headlights look.
'There's no need, Sir', he said politely, making sure the man would not feel obliged to help him just because they had a good time as friends.
Fran poked her husband not very subtly, Maxwell cleared his throat and said, 'No Sir, tonight, Niles. It is still Max! And I insist'.
Now he was sure something was going on. Unfortunately, CC was already sitting at the armchair, stretching her legs, and he would have to mess with the heads by himself. 'Why?'
'Well… I… ahn…', a new poke from Fran, and the man found what to say, 'We have so little time to enjoy this house… Why not?'
Now CC's head perked up, 'What is happening? Why aren't you making the coffee, Hazel?'
Niles smirked at her, 'Mister Sheffield is insisting on coming with me to make it'.
CC turned and frowned at Maxwell, interested and waiting for an explanation.
Fran jumped into action, 'Yes, he is insisting!', she pushed both men towards the dining room, 'I don't get you, Niles! You're always saying no one pays attention to your work, now the man wants to watch, and you keep asking questions and saying things! When a man insists in watching other man doing his show, well, there is something to be said…'
Maxwell was somewhat relieved when the kitchen door separated them from the women – he didn't know what was worst to face: his talkative wife or the knowing look of his business partner.
Niles looked at him and spoke calmly, 'Well, Sir… I mean, Max, I'll start coffee while you decide when you are ready to talk'.
'Oh… Thank you, Old Man'.
Maxwell was not surprised that Niles knew he had something to say. The man was clever, and seemed to be always one step ahead of him. All the same, he started pacing with his hands on his pockets, nervously.
Niles kept observing his boss and friend discretely, while dealing with the coffee machine and preparing a tray. It must be a serious matter, because the man was all nerves.
When there was nothing more he could do to even pretend he was busy, the butler turned to the dark haired man, rested his hands on the island and kept looking at him, waiting.
Maxwell noticed and stopped the pacing, 'Well, Niles… First of all, I want you to know that this dinner was… a way that I and Fran chose to express our gratitude to all you and CC have been representing on our lives. We really cherish our friendship and…'
'The coffee won't take this long, Sir'.
Maxwell had his mouth hanging open for a moment, and then resumed, 'The truth is… Fran had problems with her first pregnancy, and we are being really careful with this one'.
Niles just nodded. He has been following their care, and being a much demanded part of it, in fact.
'Until now, things are all right, even with the mood swings and cravings and all…'
The coffeemaker made a noise that indicated it was halfway in its work, and Maxwell started wringing his hands at Niles' pressing expression.
'I'm going to the point, then', the producer put his hands on his pockets and puffed his chest, 'Fran's doctor said the next two weeks are ideal for her to travel by plane without any risks to our child. So, we would like to ask you to change the date of your wedding, in order to permit we could be there and back inside this timeframe…'
Niles immediately put a hand on his chest and with the other, started looking for something in his trouser pocket. He took a small bottle and, while he opened it and put two small pills in is mouth, he said, panting, 'You know, I went to the doctors, too, and you're lucky they gave me these things…'
Maxwell got annoyed, 'Oh, stop it! I know it's a bloody Tic-Tac!'
Damn. It was fun while it lasted. 'All right, Sir. I'm not having a heart attack', Niles put the bottle on his pocket again. 'But I'm sure something equally horrifying is going to happen soon'.
'What do you mean?'
At that moment, CC entered the kitchen with furious strides, Fran in tow. The blonde was yelling with fury, 'Are you crazy?!'
The Jewish woman was begging, 'Please, Miss Babcock! Think of the babies! The babies!'
CC turned to her and glared as if she believed looks could kill, and Fran went to hide behind her husband. CC breathed deeply, standing in the middle of the kitchen, and pointed a finger at the brunette, 'Nanny Fine, I'll say something that must come to you as a shock, but someone must tell you that, so here it is: you are not the main character in this story!'
Fran opened her mouth to talk, but before things got out of control, Maxwell interfered, 'Instead of going to England in two weeks, as previously planned, you can go in one. I'm sure you could manage to organize everything'.
CC put her hands on her hips, 'Maxwell! Think of all the things we would have to change! Think just about the invitations!'
'Or the possibility of the chapel being out of other available dates', Niles chimed in from his position behind the island.
CC looked at him, turning her back to the Sheffields, and was ready to say that was not a likely problem, once the chapel was not a first choice for many couples, but she saw the meaningful look on his face and stopped. A slow smirk formed on her own face, she squared her shoulders, went serious again and turned to Maxwell and Fran, who were standing close to the door, as if in fear. 'Not mentioning the catering firm we hired, and the decorations' one', she crossed her arms, 'Have you thought about Niles' parents, who have been helping us with all of that for months? What will we say to them?'
Fran recognized the guilt trip being built at first sight, but decided not to warn her husband, once she noticed the blonds were up to something that could lead to a negotiation. She looked at Maxwell, 'Darling?'
The man was now under a lot of pressure, so he said what seemed the most undeniable offer that occurred to him, 'You could go tomorrow and try to settle the weeding to two weeks from now'.
CC turned to look at Niles, calling him silently. He saw the sparkle of victory in her eyes, contained his own giddiness and came to her side, slowly, to ponder over the offer, 'I don't know. Do you think we could make it?'
She took his hand and he found her fake apprehension adorable, 'I'm more worried about your mother. Won't she be devastated?'
Fran felt Maxwell flinch by her side, and had to hide her own admiration for the socialite. She was good at it!
Niles shrugged, 'I'm sure she will understand. It's not like we can let the Sheffields out of it'.
Both smiled at each other and turned to the couple who was waiting for their decision.
'So…?', Maxwell asked, 'You agree?'
CC made a long-suffering gesture, 'If there is no other way, we do. We're family, after all'.
There was a palpable wave of relief in the room, and the four people exchanged smiles and words of happiness.
'I'll serve the coffee', Niles announced, intending to break the emotional moment and going back to the machine in the island, 'Do you want to go back to the living room?'
'I think it would be a good idea', Maxwell answered. He needed the change of scenario to calm down.
The women agreed and Fran went to the swinging door. Maxwell started to follow her, but CC, who had not moved from her spot in the middle of the kitchen, called, 'Maxwell… just one more thing'.
He turned to her, expectantly. Would it never be over?
'Do we still have the fifteen days vacation for the honeymoon?'
The Broadway producer looked at his partner as if he was not understanding a word she was saying. How could she demand a one-month vacation when they had so much to decide with the Californian people? Wasn't it enough he had given her two weeks from tomorrow on?!
Niles looked darkly at his boss, 'What is more important? A once in a lifetime event as the wedding of people who mean that much to you… or business?'
CC made a very dramatic and resigned face, 'No, Niles, wait. Business is business… Even if the wedding was a dream coming true for us, we must understand Maxwell's side'.
Maxwell felt a new poke from Fran and woke up from his reverie, 'Yes, of course you still have the two weeks after the ceremony'.
Niles chimed in nonchalantly, 'It was already planned, and I'm sure it will cost a fortune to change things with the travel agency, if they let us do it…'
'I'll pay for the new expenses, for God' sake!', the producer said between gritted teeth, starting to realize he was in a game he had no chance to win.
'Thank you, Sir', Niles grinned broadly.
'Let's go, Darling. It's too much for you!', Fran took her husband away from the blonds. When Maxwell disappeared through the swinging door, she stayed behind to warn, 'And stay away from us for some minutes, you wicked people!'
She noticed the quick guilty expressions they produced just to humor her (it was hard not to notice how overjoyed they were). So, she blew them a kiss and disappeared too.
Both couples needed some time alone, now, even if for completely different reasons.
