The Marriage
Chapter 20: Epilogue
CC huffed, pouted and supported her wrists on the wheel of her parked BMW. She looked at her watch, impatiently, 'What the hell is keeping them?!'
The person on the backseat found her eyes in the review mirror and answered calmly, once she was used to the blonde's eventual bad mouth, 'I said we should go with them. We can't trust those people alone in a toy shop'.
'You're right. But I had no patience for shopping for fluffy things', CC nodded, 'And it is not like we could just say no. If we didn't stop to buy something for the twins, we would have a crisis on our hands.
'I know. There was no way out of this'. The girl lifted an eyebrow, 'I like this exchanging gifts tradition, but Jonah and Eve are not babies anymore. We could just all hang out together'.
'We already do that', CC said and then frowned. 'How old are they?'
Now the girl chuckled, 'They are two years younger than me'.
'Nine, then'. CC proudly said, satisfied in knowing exactly the age of the girl in the backseat. Then, she smiled fondly, 'Just the two of us to have the patience for all the sweet nonsense going on at these family gatherings'.
'Who would say that?', the girl sarcastically asked.
'Isn't it? The ironies of life'.
Both shrugged and exchanged a last mocking resigned smile. The girl was back to her cell phone, but CC kept looking at her through the review mirror.
She started remembering how things got developed until Fate brought that girl into their lives.
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The Sheffields and Brightmores moved to California in 1998 (soon after Niles and CC's wedding in England), bought two houses connected by a small path and settled for their new day to day routines.
The first year had been perfect: the TV series was a success, the twins were born, and five months later it was little Claire's time. She was a bit premature, but was born perfect and healthy, much to CC's and Niles' relief.
She still remembered how they had laughed when he suggested they called their daughter Claire, after CC's second name…
(What a beautiful name!, Niles had sincerely exclaimed when he heard her full name for the first time, from her lawyer, and for the first time in her life CC really liked it. She had no idea one day they would be seriously discussing if it was a good name for their child).
… CC answered she had thought of naming the little girl Marie, after his mother, and then he smirked and said, 'Well, we could always name her Marie Claire…'
(Happily for the girl, they settled for Claire Babcock Brightmore. No need for huge names around, and even less for magazine related ones).
Then, more two years of success and a good adaptation to their new lives: Niles kept the position as the Sheffields' butler and could supervise, well, help Fran in the caring for her babies, while being with Claire for the day.
The three children were growing together happily, with their parents close to them in a day to day basis. Sometimes the grown-ups educational methods would, obviously, clash, but the children seemed to find everything lots of fun.
(And Grace always mediated when someone had to remind people of how the mix of Maxwell, Fran, Niles and CC's role models had been successful in the past).
Then 2001 arrived, the Twin Towers happened, and CC started going to New York often, in order to help theater people to reorganize their shows and to divulge Broadway' reborn acts.
Every trip made her feel really refreshed, and notice how she missed New York and their previous life, there.
(In that same year, the cast of the TV series started making demands, and CC realized it had been a good idea not to sell the Sheffield residence and her penthouse, when they left. Maybe the business partners wouldn't have the patience for the West Coast types, and would be definitively back soon.)
Niles confessed he missed it, too, what was obvious after he insisted she would never go alone to the Big Apple. Their little family was obviously happy to travel together a lot, in 2002. Claire, at least, seemed to enjoy equally the mild Californian winter and the snowy New Yorker one.
In the beginning of the fifth year (2003), Maxwell asked Niles to go to New York for a week and get the mansion in working order. He took Claire with him on a Tuesday, and CC had planned to visit them in the first weekend, once the penthouse was habitable since the previous year, and had all the comfort they could want.
Of course, two days later she was arriving in the penthouse to stay with them for the week and reopen her channels into the Broadway community. It was a win-win situation: she got to be with her family again (she had missed them terribly), and she would have the official opportunity (Maxwell finally started to agree with her) for getting back to theater world.
The TV series was a bit better at the end of season 5, but Maxwell decided he wanted to close the plot arcs in season 6 and end it, so they all would be back to Broadway.
It was more or less around that year that Niles and CC realized they wanted more children and started thinking about adopting one.
(The realization startled them, but it was not something they could deny: the motivations were really strong.
First, they were always close to panicking when they thought of the possibility of something happening to Claire, and they knew it was not healthy. They knew they were lucky their baby was calm and smiley, but they feared things all the same, and had to make sure they did not put the responsibility on her tiny shoulders.
Second, Niles was a single child, and he wanted his daughter to have the experience of the companionship CC had with Noel, for example, or that the Sheffields' siblings have. Jonah and Eve were like Claire's brother and sister, but it would be great to have an even situation.
Third, they had a little talk and CC said sometimes she felt they had so much love to give that it was unfair not to have more children – what made Niles all mushy over her, saying those creepy You don't know how sweet you are things that never failed to disturb her at least a bit).
They visited some homes and interacted with babies for adoption, keeping it without hurry. It was like they were waiting for a signal, and were not worried with time.
Claire went with them most of the times. She turned 5 that year, and usually had fun and liked the babies, but never seemed really impressed by the experience. It seemed like an extended playtime, and at some extent as a great human experience, of getting in touch with a lot of different people. But nothing decisive happened.
And then one day, when CC couldn't go with them, Niles tried a new place and things… happened.
When the businesswoman arrived home, Niles greeted her with a fierce but quick kiss, took her by the hand and made her sit at the sofa of their living room. He breathed deeply and started, 'We have to talk. You won't believe what happened'.
(She was a bit frightened by that beginning. She must have known better than be impressed by her drama queen husband.)
He told her how he and Claire had gone to a place which had been recommended by one of the homes they already knew, and how he had been talking to a social worker about the politics of the place, while following Claire with his eyes. He saw when she approached a group of girls bigger than her, noticed how she asked something that made one of the girls look at her attentively and answer her, and they started a conversation.
Soon she was learning some dance steps from the girl, and Niles had an epiphany.
They had been, all the time, thinking of finding a baby brother or sister to Claire, when in fact their daughter seemed to have other ideas about what she wanted.
(CC remembered very well how Niles told her, grinning, that he had waited to see if the interaction went well. After some time, the other girls went away and that first girl stayed with Claire, chatting.
He approached the two girls and said, in what he hoped was his most respectful voice, I'm sorry to interrupt, girls. Who is your friend, Claire?, his daughter had introduced them, Mary Ann, this is Daddy, Daddy, this is Mary Ann, the girl looked at him, took his extended hand and said, You talk funny.
And he was absolutely in love with her since then).
CC and the girl hit it in the spot, too, when she got to meet her: the blonde loved the gracious stance the girl had, the air of royalty that seemed to emanate from her. She had a natural leadership and vocation to take care of others, and the socialite felt immediately drawn to the little girl, who was almost two years older than Claire.
They started visiting her accordingly to the schedules of the home, and soon the girl was spending the weekends with them, and soon she was sleeping over during the week, quickly adapted to their lifestyle.
And California was, at each passing day, more an annoyance than home.
One day CC arrived from work and saw the scene that sealed their destiny.
She stepped out of the elevator after a day full of business meetings, searching for her penthouse keys. She could hear the fainting sounds of laughing and music coming from their apartment.
Her immediate thought was I could live with this.
She had been thinking of the routine of her family in the last months: the coming and going between New York and LA (twice with Mary Ann, who had liked all the Sheffields, but especially Grace, what pleased CC to no end); the everyday discoveries with the two girls; the sad partings, because they felt whole when together…
When she opened the door, she saw Niles dancing with Claire in the middle of the room (the classic daughter with her feet on her daddy's feet kind of teaching lesson), while Mary Ann was in the sofa, pretending she was singing Ebony Eyes with a feather duster in her hand.
Definitively, I could live with this.
CC smiled at them, feeling energized and knowing they had found the missing part of their family: while Claire was funny in her own quieter way, as her father, a good observer, calm and collected most of the time, Mary Ann was a spitfire, hungry to experiment new things and shine, as…
And CC noticed she was ready to think, as her mother.
They had been bringing her to their house for almost three months, now, following with calmness the adoption program. The girls had developed a bonding of best friends, and the little girl seemed to be as attach to the couple as they were to her.
Niles kept fascinated by Mary Ann, impressed by how much the girl resembled CC in a lot of aspects. It was almost creepy how much she complemented their family – as he already had pointed out for his wife.
And as much as she had pointed out for him how much Mary Ann's impulsive gestures of affection made her think of Niles and Claire.
Maybe it is time to make it official…
She entered, closed the door and the three heads turned to her, greeting before she could say a word, 'Hello, hello!'
She laughed and picked Claire up, who left her father and went to give her mother a peck in the cheek.
When CC looked at Niles again, he was picking Mary Ann from the sofa (the girl had extended her awaiting arms to him). He brought her to CC, who pecked her on the cheek and turned her face to the girl, so she could do the same.
And she did, without thinking.
A second later, she had her eyes wide and hid her face on Niles neck, suddenly shy, clutching the feather duster to his chest.
Niles and CC greeted each other and he announced it was time to take 'the sleepy beasts' to bed.
(Being called 'beasts' made both girls giggle, what added to CC's level of sureness they already had an understanding among all of them).
CC followed Niles, while Claire, by her hand, was telling her mother what they had done in the afternoon, with small commentaries of an already recovered Mary Ann.
Arriving in the room (they already had two beds), CC tucked Claire in and the girl fell asleep quickly, as she used to, after still rambling a bit about how they had been singing and drawing and dancing, and how daddy told funny stories, and Mary Ann made puppet characters with her socks and how Daddy said Mommy knew how to act as a great witch.
(CC could melt just remembering the final of their dialogue.
'Will you stay home tomorrow, Mommy? Daddy said he will make a cake for us, and he said it will be one of your faves', the girl had asked, her eyes almost closed.
'Uhm, a cake? Of course, I'll stay, darling. Wouldn't miss it', CC smiled sweetly, and her answer was truthful.
Dear, she was lost…)
Her girl asleep, CC went to stand besides Niles, who had tucked Mary Ann and was now sitting besides her, in her bed. He had a pensive stance.
CC was a bit surprised to see the girl was holding Niles' finger in her tiny hands, while sleeping. It was clear the girl had trusted Niles since the first moment, enchanted by his acceptance without reserves. They had an easy bound, that CC thought was at least a bit related to the fascination he seemed to have for confident and fiery girls.
What was surprising in the present situation was that the girl usually was not clingy like she was being today. It was almost as if she felt something would happen.
CC put a hand on Niles' shoulder and sat behind him, on the bed, 'What's up?'
'She asked why we have been bringing her to stay with us for such a long time', he murmured.
She understood his serious tone. They knew the girl had lived in her own family for some time, but her mother had given her away and since then she was living in homes, never being adopted, because she was almost two when given, and couples generally preferred babies. The fact the girl never knew a real family made Niles' heart break, and CC herself could understand easily the feeling of not belonging. 'And what did you say?'
He turned his torso to look at her, making sure to not take his finger from the girl's reach, 'That we like her very much, and that we want her to like us too. And that… we wish she chooses to come and live with us and be part of our family'.
CC felt her heart beating faster, 'And what did she say to that?'
'She asked if we wanted to be her parents'.
'Uhm… And what did you say to that?'
He turned to look at the girl again, 'That she already had parents… But a person can have more than one set… And we want to be a set to her forever… Of course, if she wants to be our daughter'.
Silence. CC caressed his hair and rested her chin on his shoulder, adjusting to see the girl, too, 'And then she fell asleep on you?'
He chuckled, 'I'm not that boring to young girls, Babcock', he turned serious, 'She said… I think I want'.
CC looked at the joined hands, reached out to cover them with one of hers and noticed, not for the first time, how beautiful the contrast was: her hand, pale and delicate; Niles', masculine and with the light tan he always had; and Mary Ann's, brown and smaller than theirs.
'Maybe she still doesn't know, but she is already ours', CC said.
Niles shook his head, 'Oh, witch, how can you be so gullible? We already have a child; you should've known better'.
'Oh, yes, you're right – we are already hers'.
'Exactly'.
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They had adopted Mary Ann, turned her into a Babcock Brightmore, Noel came to visit and had started wages about his nieces: he was sure Claire Brightmore would be a brilliant professor, writer or doctor, and Mary Ann Babcock would turn out to be an actress or lawyer.
(Niles and CC couldn't hide their proud grins at the thought of their girls shining like this, in their different ways. Even more when they took the girls to visit their grandparents in England and they spent half the time making cookies with Marie and the other half trekking with Peter and playing with the dogs.
Those two would not be predictable, and their parents loved that).
The Sheffields were back at the end of the TV series, at season 6, and they reestablished their lives in New York.
The Sheffield mansion was again full of people: Maggie and Brighton had gone away, but Grace stayed, and now they had Jonah, Eve, Mary Ann and Claire around, to start things all over again, every day.
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CC sighed and relaxed at the driver's seat. The memories always made her happy (to the point she had to control herself to not get emotional every time Nanny Fine put The Way We Were in the birthday parties. Now it was one of the multiple traditions the Jewish woman had created, but it never ceased to get to CC).
But obviously, her family was not free from the creepy factor, so, when the girls were 9 and 7, they had a strange conversation with Niles.
They were watching a movie in their living room, occupying the sofas (Niles and CC in one, the girls sharing the other), and CC excused herself to go to the bathroom.
The movie was paused, Nile stretched his arms and suddenly Mary Ann was sitting by his side, waiting for him to put down his arms. He did it, she supported her head on him and said, as if it was a warning, 'Claire had a dream last night'.
Niles got immediately worried, looking at the blonde girl who was approaching him, 'Oh, dear. Was it a nightmare?'
'No, daddy', Claire answered, coming to sit on his lap, 'I dreamed of a baby brother'.
Noticing he was surrounded by his girls, he enlaced Claire's waist and caressed Mary Ann's hair, smiling, 'Does it mean you two would like to have a baby brother?'
'Yes, we'd like', Mary Ann said, 'And we have already talked to mommy because, you know, it's on her if she wants to carry him in her tummy for so much time as babies take'.
'I see. And what did mommy say?'
Claire smiled, 'She said she would be ok'.
Niles smiled softly, 'Well, I'd like it too, but you must know it is very difficult…'
Mary Ann interrupted, 'Mommy told us her eggs are all crazy running around in her tummy, and that it is very difficult for you to hit them with your seed'.
Niles blushed deeply, 'She said that?'
'Yes', Claire nodded, 'But you're smart, daddy. It happened with me, and you can do it again'.
'And don't worry', Mary Ann added, 'We don't want to know how you did it. Mommy said it is something just for the adults to know'.
'That is why sometimes your door is closed and you have to be alone', Claire assured him, 'We got it. We can't help you two'.
Niles started laughing, and CC entered and squinted at him, 'What is it, Butler Boy?'
Claire giggled, but Mary Ann stayed serious and went to the point, 'Can he come or not? We think he wanted to ask, but he can't talk. He is a baby'.
'Oh, you were telling your father about the boy?', CC asked, coming to stand before them, 'Give him the thumbs up, if he come over again to pester any of you'.
'All right', both girls answered.
'Now, you two', CC said, pointing to the children on the sofa, 'this boy is mine. You two scoot over'.
They clang to their father and defied her, 'No!'
What followed was a battle of tickling (one of CC's most feared witchy powers, nowadays), until the girls gave up, still giggling at the way CC seated on Niles' lap, forcing them out.
Adjusting the afghan in their own sofa and preparing to resume the movie, Mary Ann spoke, 'When he comes, we have to name him Calvin'.
Niles had the control on his hand, but didn't press play. He had to ask, 'Why? Did he bring a stuffed tiger with him?'
'No, Daddy', Claire explained, 'He had spiked blond hair'.
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CC was startled of her reverie by Mary Ann's voice from the backseat, 'There they come!'
Both looked fondly at the small group who was approaching: Niles, with the blonde nine (almost ten!) years old Claire by his hand, and two years old Calvin on his hip.
They entered the car (Claire helping her spike blond haired brother to his seat on the back, while he showed Mary Ann the stuffed tiger their sister had chosen for him), and after some fussing, Niles finally came to the passenger seat besides CC.
While the siblings commented the packages that were brought, the couple looked at each other and kissed as a greeting. They got a bit carried on (sometimes it still happened), until they heard the gagging noises from the back seat.
They separated, making mocking faces at the giggling children. Niles started buckling himself, while talking to CC, 'I'm sorry for the delay, but we couldn't decide what to get'.
'Jonah and Eve would love anything we gave them', Mary Ann interjected.
'My thoughts exactly', CC agreed. 'We always take a lot of time choosing, and it is always the same: Ooooh, how pretty!'
'What do you mean we?', Niles asked, fighting a grin at her impersonation of Fran's nasal voice, 'You usually don't pick anything!'
'You didn't even want us to go to the shop, this time', Claire added.
'We are a clan', Mary Ann said, 'Everybody is responsible for what the others do, no matter who does. We didn't have to go'.
'Yeah! The girl is right! Stop whining, you two. We have enough of it from Nanny… from Fran'.
(CC was trying not to call the woman Nanny Fine, because Calvin had, obviously, thought it was her real name and kept calling her so. Even if it was incredibly funny, CC didn't need to provoke Maxwell to that extent).
'Very good, witch', Niles praised.
'Stop it, Niles. One of these days Calvin will call me witch, and you'll have a problem'.
'Me? This is your secret identity'.
'Calvin is not that dumb', Mary Ann said. 'He knows witch is just a title'.
Niles snickered until he heard Claire, 'But he is a boy'.
'Hey', Niles protested, 'You're supposed to stand by me in the internal affairs'.
'You're too old to follow the dynamics, Hazel', CC chimed in, grinning.
'Referencing Hazel makes you older than a lot of things on Earth, dear', he easily threw back.
They heard gagging noises again, and both turned to the backseat, 'What is it?'
'We'll be late', Mary Ann pointed out.
'Oh', CC said and started the car. When they were already on the way, she tossed at Niles, 'See what you did? Now we're going to hear from Nanny… from Fran that we are late to whatever Jewish holiday we are going to'.
'Me? You started the argument!'
'Oh, please', Claire rolled her eyes, 'Which argument?'
Niles crossed his arms and pouted, 'It was an argument. You didn't notice because your mother has you under a spell'.
'And how is it you are not under the same spell, daddy?', Mary Ann asked, smirking.
Niles uncrossed his arms, 'Oh, well… I am'. He smiled at his wife, 'I've been under her spell for almost twenty-five years, now'.
CC smiled back at him and the girls went Awwww (in which they were imitated by an excited Calvin, who didn't get exactly what was going on, but enjoyed the good natured banter all the same).
At the next traffic lights, the children were back to their own things in the back seat; CC put a hand on Niles' thigh and mouthed, Corny.
He grinned and put his hand over hers, squeezed it and didn't answer.
Words were not necessary. They had an agreement.
