Chapter 15
Niles slammed the door shut and carelessly tossed his keys in the side table in the parlour as he heaved a tired sigh. The day had been exhausting – working for Maxwell and then having a last minute meeting with the wedding planner wasn't probably the best of ideas – not to mention that the latest play of Sheffield productions was premiering that night, which had not only meant more work at the mansion, but also Maxwell had been annoyingly restless throughout the day.
He'd almost cancelled the meeting with the wedding planner…
But the wedding was drawing near, and they needed to be ready. He'd only regretted having had to attend the meeting alone; C.C. had told him she had a previous engagement she had told attend to, so he'd had to go alone.
"I'm home!" Niles announced as he took off his jacket and hung it inside the parlour closet.
Strangely enough, there was no answer.
Niles' brow furrowed. The unusual lack of noise in the house was odd, to say the least... Had C.C. and Amelia gone out? And if that was the case, where could his daughter and fiancée be?
Niles quickly covered the distance between the entrance hall and the kitchen; C.C. and Amelia sometimes spent the afternoon there if Amelia needed help with her homework. But as he discovered when he stepped a foot inside it, the kitchen was empty...
Empty… except for a manila envelope lying on top of the kitchen counter. It had his name written on it, so he took it in his hands and opened it. Inside this envelope, there was a picture of him and Amelia – the first picture of him and Amelia, in fact. He turned it around in his hand and found an inscription on the other side. It read:
"Remember when and where this was taken? We do! The next clue is hidden in the room where this picture was taken!"
Niles smirked. He remembered that picture to this day...
It was a photo of them that C.C. had taken on their first Christmas morning together! He remembered he'd helped Amelia open her many gifts sat on the…
His smirk quickly widened, giving way to a satisfied smile – he had to go to the living room! More specifically, to Amelia's favourite sofa.
So, feeling both amused and oddly excited about the little treasure hunt his family clearly had planned, he made his way to the living room. It didn't take long for him to spot the envelope, propped up against the back cushion of the sofa. He tore into it excitedly, finding another photograph.
Amelia's birthday party; a photo of the little table they'd set up outside for her and her friends to eat their food from. He turned the photo around, and read the clue.
"Your next clue where the game that stumped you was pinned."
He thought back to himself, going over that whole day, and then he began to laugh out loud. He rushed outside, and sure enough, pinned to the nearest tree was the next envelope. Right where the Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey game had taken place. C.C. had insisted on spinning him quite hard and a number of times, and he'd made a perfect fool of himself by not even getting the tail anywhere near its intended mark.
Well, the children had laughed, at least...
That had been the entire point of the day. And he hadn't been too bruised afterwards, so he continued to laugh to himself as he took the envelope from the tree and opened it to read.
"Visit the room where you promised a certain Little One that you'd stay."
Niles grimaced – he had to go to the study.
There, after a fight that he'd feared would be their last, he'd promised Amelia he'd never leave them. It had been the first time that he'd actually told Amelia just how much he loved her, and it had been the moment when he'd refused to let his family slip through his fingers, like sand would do. He was glad he'd chosen to do so, really…
And so, he took off for the study, where he found yet another manila envelope which contained his last clue. In it, he actually found a rather recent picture – it depicted him and Amelia, snuggled under the covers while he was reading her a bedtime story. He hadn't realised C.C. had taken that picture! They looked so… content in it. So at home…
Well, he was! Amelia was his little girl, after all.
He didn't even need to turn it around and read the inscription to know he was supposed to go to Amelia's room, though. And indeed, when he opened the door, he found a seemingly empty room, but right on top of Amelia's bed lay one last envelope. It was a bit bigger than the other ones…
What could it be?
Taking steady – if nervous – steps, he got to it and took it in his trembling hands. For some reason he just knew that this envelope held something important – it was also heavier than the rest, and the first thing he saw as he opened it was a letter.
A handwritten letter from Amelia...
"Daddy," it read, "we chose to give you this extraordinary surprise in an extraordinary day, because you are the most extraordinary man! We love you!"
He smiled as he tucked the letter back inside the envelope, and pulled out a... stack of papers?
What was that?
And suddenly, only moments after he'd started browsing the document in his hands, Niles breath caught in his throat and his eyes welled up. The papers... the papers were...
Oh God...
Amelia's adoption papers! He was actually holding Amelia´s adoption papers!
He leaned on the nightstand to prevent his legs from giving out. He couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes.
She wanted...they wanted...one swift move of a pen, and he'd be...
"You like your gift, Daddy?"
The little voice made him gasp, and he spun to look to the doorway. Amelia was there, stood in the doorway waiting for him. C.C. was stood just behind her, a beaming smile all over her face and tears in her eyes, too.
"Like it?" he coughed out, turning back to the papers once more to make sure he had read them correctly. "I love it...!"
"Are you gonna sign them?" Amelia's face was becoming a grin, but it was holding back, like she was waiting for his answer before committing herself.
With a laugh, Niles fell to his knees and opened his arms for her to come to him, "In a moment, sweetheart, once I've had a hug from my daughter!"
And so Amelia ran to him, her little arms wide open, too. They held each other tightly, almost as if never wanting to let go of her for all eternity...
She wanted him to be her father! She had chosen him and now, after he'd given one swift stroke of the pen, she'd be legally his. She'd be his child in every sense of the word, and he was honoured...
He'd been in her life for years now – years that, although at times they'd felt like an eternity, had flown past him in the blink of an eye. He'd seen and helped her grow; he'd grown to adore her and love her as his own, and now… now they'd become a family.
A family that would be made official with his signature.
But even before this, Amelia was his daughter... truly and really! Biology be damned! These papers were a mere formality to make official what their hearts had known all along – that Amelia was his daughter, and would be so for as long as he lived.
"I love you, Daddy," Amelia choked out, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. "I love you... and I choose you. I will always choose you!"
Niles couldn't help the choked sob that emerged from deep within him. He was absolutely elated... and happy, and overwhelmed, and excited, and a thousand other emotions! Amelia was his child and she had chosen him over everyone else...
She had chosen him, for now and for always.
He was so caught up, he didn't register C.C. coming into the room. All he heard was her voice, when she was about two feet away.
"Can I come and join in on this at all?" her voice was thick with tears.
He didn't even reply, he just took Amelia into his arms and stood up, pulling C.C. into the hug with them. He held them tight, and breathed them in. The scent of his family.
His fiancée, and their daughter. Officially, forever.
"Thank you," his voice was a whimper, but he didn't care. He kissed the both of them on their heads, and rocked them from side to side. "Thank you so much..."
"No," C.C. replied softly, pulling them together as tightly as she could. "Thank you. For wanting us."
He had nothing to say to that – he knew he could argue forever and a day about how he was the fortunate one to be allowed into this family, but he also knew that C.C. could argue that they were the fortunate ones to have him. So he just decided that they should just agree that they were both fortunate, and enjoy the moment for all it was worth.
And it was worth a lot.
None of them knew how long they held each other, just enjoying the feeling of being a family in each other's arms, but eventually something occurred to C.C., and with laughter on her lips and tears still in her eyes, she pulled away, gesturing towards the papers that Niles still had gripped tightly in his hand.
"Well, we can't just stand here in the midst of a cry-fest all evening!" she cried. "Sign the papers, Butler Boy!"
Amelia giggled at him too, "Yeah, sign the papers, Daddy."
Niles nodded enthusiastically, and kissed her cheek soundly, before setting her back on the ground.
"Absolutely! Right away! No more hesitation!"
He crossed to the nearest flat surface – the nightstand by Amelia's bed – put the papers on it, and signed his name. He hoped his hand wasn't shaking too much for it to be read as his signature, but he couldn't help the adrenaline coursing right through him.
At last. At long last, he could call Amelia his daughter in every sense of the word. And no one could take it away from him, because she wouldn't allow it and neither would he.
He stared at the paper in wonderment – it was a mere formality, in a sense, because Amelia was his with or without papers. But it was nice to actually be her father legally speaking – to actually be able to give her his surname.
He brushed his fingers over the section where it read that henceforth Amelia's surname would be Brightmore instead of Bbacock... It almost felt like a wonderful dream, but the best part about it was that it was a reality – his reality.
He had a family; a beautiful wife-to-be and beautiful child who he could love and adore for the rest of his days! He glanced back at them, not being able (nor wanting) to stop the tears leaking from his eyes and slowly running down his cheeks.
"I love you both so much..." he choked out, covering the short distance between them and holding them close to him in a tight embrace. "Thank you so much..."
He couldn't continue talking, for he was overwhelmed; instead he held his two girls tighter and just allowed himself to cry with utter joy.
"Daddy?" Amelia said timidly. "I have another surprise for you..."
Niles pulled away, his eyes red and puffy from crying, but shining and elated at the same time. "Really? Another surprise? What is it?"
"A letter..." the girl said, blushing, "I... I wrote it for you. Well… Mommy helped me a bit, but still…"
And so, Amelia opened the folded piece of paper that she'd been holding in her hand. She was rather nervous, but her Mommy had said it would be okay… She truly hoped it was! This was, after all, the first Father's Day she had a father to celebrate it with!
Before Niles had become part of their family, they'd never celebrated Father's Day for obvious reasons, but now everything had changed…
Unluckily enough, however, that year's Father's Day had gone past before he had become Amelia's father, but this was some kind of belated Father's Day gift.
Mia cleared her throat and she began,
"Daddy,
You came into our lives by chance, and I couldn't be more thankful for it! You may not have my smile or my hair, but from the very first moment you had my heart. So I want to thank you. I want to thank you for the laughs, the fun, the hugs and kisses; but mainly, I want to thank you for loving me.
Happy belated Father's Day,
Amelia."
He couldn't help it. That was all far too much. His sobs grew louder, and he hugged his family even tighter. He'd keep that letter forever. He knew that as much. He'd treasure it, and look at it whenever he wanted to remind himself just exactly what it was that he had.
When they weren't there, of course. When they were, he'd be doing exactly what he was doing right then – relishing in the moment.
He shook his head at his – his! – little girl, "You don't have to thank me for loving you. What kind of father couldn't love his daughter?"
Amelia buried her face in his shoulder, "I love you, Daddy."
He rested his head against hers in reply, "I love you too, Mia. My Mia."
C.C., overcome by the amount of love in the room, kissed them both – Niles on his lips and Amelia on the top of her head. She could feel her heart bursting with joy, and pride, and love, and so many other things...!
She had never imagined this would all go so well. The love of her life, the man she was supposed to marry, getting along perfectly with the daughter she never thought she'd have. That would have been enough for most. But to see them adoring each other completely, not even thinking twice about referring to each other as "Daddy" and "daughter"...that was something else entirely!
It was something to be celebrated.
"Why don't we all get out of here," she began to suggest, cuddling up against her fiancé and their daughter, "go out, and have a nice family dinner somewhere?"
"That sounds like a plan!" Niles said, pecking his fiancée's lips.
But before any of them had made a move, a lightbulb ignited inside his head. He remembered Maxwell saying he'd be going to the theatre that night! It was the opening of one of his plays, after all, and as usual, they'd been invited.
Granted, C.C. had refrained from attending Broadway premieres since having Amelia – after all, the press didn't really know about the once feared Bitch of Broadway having had a daughter with an unknown man, and she'd wanted to keep it that way – but seeing as the girl was older and that this was a special occasion, she might cave in.
"Actually, I have a suggestion to make," Niles said, smiling. "Remember that Mr Sheffield is attending a premiere today?" he waited until both C.C. and Amelia had nodded before he continued, "Well, he told me we were invited, too! So what do you say if we go to the theatre tonight, hm? We just have to call him and tell him we are coming! Afterwards, we could come home and I'll prepare you both a homemade meal!"
"That would be so cool!" Amelia shrieked, happiness practically bursting from her chest. She turned to her mother and wrapped her arms around her neck as she gave her a pleading look. "Mommy, can we go see a play? Please?"
C.C. pursed her lips, unsure. A premiere? On Broadway? She didn't know...
Going back to her old world had been something that she had refused to do – both due to Amelia and due to her mental stability. Now that she was a mother she simply didn't want to deal with the stress of being a producer – and specially a producer with her reputation...
But as she looked between Amelia and Niles, both giving her pleading looks, she began to relent. Eight years had gone past since she'd been in the media spotlight, so could it really be that bad to go back for just one night?
It would be nice to go out, and have a relaxing time watching a show. And they'd be with their friends, laughing and having a good time...
The Sheffields wouldn't let anything horrendously bad happen. And besides, she had survived far worse! She'd grown as a person, so perhaps it was time to prove it. Amelia had asked as well, after all. And she seemed to want to go more than anything!
One night wouldn't hurt. It couldn't.
"Alright," she nodded, smiling at her family. "We'll go to the play!"
"Yes!" Amelia cheered, reaching forward and using one of her arms to hug her mother. "Thank you, Mommy!"
C.C. hugged her daughter in reply, laughing softly, "That's okay, sweetie! Now, come on; if we're going to a big Broadway show, we're gonna have to dress right!"
She lifted the little girl out of Niles' arms and lowered her onto the floor. If they were going to do this, they were going to go the whole way.
After all, the opening night of a new show on Broadway required something special.
"What's say you and I leave Daddy to get himself ready, and I help you pick out a pretty dress for the night, hm?"
"Sure!" Amelia then grabbed Niles hand and practically dragged him out of the room, babbling about him having to call the Sheffields and having to hurry up and put on his suit. He could only let her, of course, and he gave C.C. a wink before both father and daughter disappeared down the hallway.
C.C. chuckled softly as she walked to Amelia's closet and began browsing through it. Her little girl had numerous dresses – each more expensive than the next one – but she knew exactly what dress she wanted. It was a beautiful midnight-blue Gucci frock that her mother had gifted Amelia for her last birthday.
Seeing as it was an outrageously expensive garment, C.C. had wanted to find a special occasion for Amelia to wear it. And this, she supposed, counted as an important occasion indeed.
She'd found and taken it out of her closet by the time Amelia returned to the room, and she quickly helped her child get dressed, combining the frock with a white blazer, a white pantyhose and a pair of blue ballerina flats. She then did her hair and allowed her to put on the diamond pendant Stewart had gifted her last Christmas.
She looked gorgeous!
C.C. took a step back to admire her handiwork with pride, "There. And you look absolutely beautiful, sweetie."
"Thank you, Mommy," Amelia grinned as she twirled back and forth in her little dress. But then she seemed to remember something, and began to bounce up and down in her excitement. "But now it's your turn! You have to go and get your pretty dress!"
"That it is," a voice from the door agreed, and both mother and daughter looked up.
Niles looked rather distinguished, C.C. thought, in his black tie suit. He seemed to know it, as well, from the way he straightened his tie with a smirk.
She wandered over to help him with it, "You don't think I can pull off going in just like this?"
"You can try," Niles replied jokingly. "But if you get stopped by security, Amelia and I won't wait and miss the play."
"Yeah we will!" Amelia began laughing again, coming over to take her Daddy's hand. "We wouldn't leave Mommy behind!"
Niles looked between them for a few seconds, apparently considering, and then he smiled.
"No, I suppose not," he pretended to relent, and squeezed his daughter's hand. "And you look exactly like the pretty princess you are, Mia!"
"But now it's the queen's turn to put on her outfit," Amelia said, causing both parents to smile down at her adoringly. She was such a sweet little girl...
"Indeed!" Niles said. "Do you want to help Mommy out?"
"Mh-hm!" Amelia shook her head yes. "Just like she helped me!"
"Very well, sweetie! Let's go to my room then," C.C. took Amelia's hand and both mother and daughter quickly scurried into Niles and C.C.'s room, whispering about the possible dressed that C.C. could wear.
It was almost half an hour until the door reopened and a giggling Amelia ran out of it in search of her father. The latter had taken the time to phone the Sheffields and tell them they were coming; Maxwell had been truly pleased when he'd heard about C.C. finally taking on one of his invitations!
"She's ready!" Amelia called from the top of the staircase as she made her way downstairs.
Trailing a little behind her, came a tall, curvaceous figure – Niles simply couldn't help but gape when his eyes drank on his fiancée's beauty...
Just like their daughter, she'd chosen to wear a midnight-blue Alexander McQueen gown which was cut to the waist, had a bateau neckline and reached the floor. He could see the tip of her Chanel heels peering out from underneath the fabric of her dress, and her long neck was decorated with a gorgeous pendant in white gold with a simple Akoya cultured pearl and a round brilliant diamond. She was also wearing a white wrap to protect herself from the cold.
She was absolutely stunning.
"I'd ask how I looked, but I think that expression says it all," C.C. grinned, still making her way down the stairs.
"You know me too well," Niles took his fiancée's hand as she made her way towards him.
"And lucky for you that I do," she smirked in return, squeezing his hand as she came to stand by the front door, taking a matching purse from a hook on the wall and slinging the strap over her shoulder. "So, are we all set and ready to go?"
Once both Niles and Amelia had affirmed that they were ready, the little family made their way out to the car.
Niles drove, and C.C. couldn't help but keep looking in the interior mirror at their little girl, bouncing in her seat. She was so excited for this evening, and C.C. couldn't really blame her. A Broadway show on its own would be thrilling, but an opening night...it took her back to the days when she was still working with Maxwell...
And that brought along a kind of familiar dread. The press would no doubt be there, and they'd have so many questions...
Where had she gone for all that time? Why had she gone? Was she planning on coming back? Who was the little girl with her? Who was the gentleman with her? What about that very obvious engagement ring on her finger?
She bit the inside of her lip. What would she say in reply? She was still, to many, the Bitch of Broadway. But she wasn't sure she felt like that person anymore...
Well, if she was being completely honest with herself, she knew for a fact that she wasn't that person anymore. Motherhood, for better or for worse, had changed her, and it had especially changed her priorities.
Before Amelia, C.C. hadn't cared about the consequences of chugging three glasses of whiskey in the space of thirty minutes, nor had she cared about working to the point of exhaustion. Her daughter had changed the structure of her life – she had become the centre of it, and now her work was merely a way to provide for he family.
Basically, her axis had shifted – before her mental breakdown, her life had been based in being addicted to a string of different vices and having her work as her reason of being.
But not anymore...
The only thing she cared about, was her child's happiness. Her family had truly become her everything, and it had all been thanks to Amelia.
She still remembered the shock of her positive pregnancy test – she had been terrified! She hadn't believed herself to be capable of being a good mother, especially when she hadn't had a husband to share the responsibility with, and she remembered the brief consideration she had given to aborting Amelia.
She didn't exactly know why she'd changed her mind, but she was glad she had. Actually, it was more than glad – she was thankful. Her child had grounded her; she had given balance to her life... C.C. simply couldn't imagine her life without her baby girl.
The former producer took a deep breath as she carefully traced her daughter's features with her eyes – she was gorgeous... and so alike her! Granted, there were a few things here and there (such as Amelia's eyes) that clearly weren't hers, but overall her little girl was a miniature version of her.
The press would no doubt deduce who and what Amelia was, and C.C. came to the conclusion she'd just have to bite the proverbial bullet and answer their questions as best she could.
For Amelia...
So immersed was C.C. in her musings, that she barely registered Niles' stopping the car. He'd actually found a parking space relatively near the theatre.
"Ready to go?" Niles asked, discretely reaching out for C.C.'s hand and squeezing it. He knew she needed reassurance...
She nodded, "I think I am, yeah."
For the sake of everything, she knew she'd have to be. But she'd handled the press before, and she could do it again. She just had to reach back a little, that was all. Find a little of the resolve that was still in there, somewhere.
And she had Niles there to back her up, as well as the Sheffields. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, she knew the answer was "anything and everything", but she chose to ignore that. It was more than likely nothing bad would happen, really, apart from a few invasive questions. She just had to be brave, that was all.
And if being a mother by herself had taught her one thing, it was how to be really and truly brave.
She turned back to smile at her daughter, "Are you ready, sweetie?"
Amelia almost jumped out of her seat right then and there, "Yeah! Let's go!"
C.C. chuckled, "Alright, then, we'll get going."
She undid her seatbelt, and climbed out of the car to attend to her little girl. It was early evening, and the air had a slight chill, but it was bearable.
Amelia held both her parents' hands on the way to the theatre, clearly eager to get there. She loved all forms of art as much as they did, and a night like this one was no doubt a highlight in her young life.
C.C. was scanning the crowds ahead, seeing the camera flashes go off. But she couldn't see the Sheffields just yet...
She didn't know if that was a blessing or not. Perhaps, if she was lucky, she'd be able to slip into the theatre without being noticed by the press, whereas making an entrance with the Sheffields would surely entail unwanted attention from the press...
"It's going to be okay, love," Niles murmured as he stroked her back. "I'm here for you."
C.C. tried smiling at her husband-to-be. She truly appreciated him attempting to cheer her up in times like this and it did make her feel less afraid. Whatever happened, they would face it as a family, form then onwards.
"Thank you," C.C. replied just as softly and she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
The couple shared a small private smile before continuing their way towards the crowded theatre. They actually spotted Maxwell standing right in front of the entrance door, giving an interview and allowed some pictures of him and his family to be taken.
C.C. wasn't sure if she'd stay for pictures – she was rather certain that she wouldn't, actually. The less time they spent in contact with the press, the better.
And indeed, just as she had suspected, the moment the press actually recognised her, a wave of shock briefly rendered them speechless before they charged at her with their questions.
"Miss Babcock! Are you here to support your former business partner Maxwell Sheffield? Does this mean that Sheffield-Babcock Productions is back together?"
"Miss Babcock, where have you been for these past seven years? Is it true that your absence was as the result of a very serious bout of mental illness?"
"Miss Babcock, I can't help but notice that ring on your finger! Is the gentleman you're with tonight the lucky man?"
"Miss Babcock, might we be able to take a picture with you and your little girl? She is quite clearly her mother's daughter!"
They didn't even wait for C.C.'s answer before taking a photo anyway, and Niles pulled them both away from that particular journalist and her picture-snapping lackey, before they tried anything else. A newspaper or magazine that didn't even wait for parental consent to take photos of a child was not one they really wanted to be associated with.
The door seemed so close, and yet so far. Maxwell and Fran had spotted them, and were waving, but it felt like such a distance to get through!
Especially with the media circus going on in between.
"Remember," said a low voice in her ear. "I'm right here, and you don't have to talk to them if it's all too much."
She gave Niles' hand another appreciative squeeze, nodded, and took Amelia by the hand again to stop her wandering off.
It was time to walk through, head held high. Just like she would have done eight years ago, but never forgetting the new addition to her life. This was Amelia's first contact with the press, and the girl already appeared upset by the amount of attention they were getting – perhaps it was the screamed questions, or the camera flashes, or perhaps it was both, but C.C. just knew the girl didn't really want to be there for longer than necessary.
"Come on, sweetie," C.C. finally said, lifting Amelia in her arms as she strode towards the entrance door. "We have nothing to say!"
She said that last part loud enough for the rest of the journalists to hear, although that didn't discourage them from firing question after question, and taking picture after picture of them. C.C. actually tried to cover Amelia's little face as best she could, and Niles aided her by putting himself in between Amelia and the press.
"Miss Babcock, how is your little girl called?"
"Miss Babcock, is she the reason why you kept a low profile all this years?"
"Miss Babcock, might we be allowed to know who your child's father is?"
And for some reason that upset C.C. greatly. How could they? How could they have the nerve to ask such a thing?! She wasn't telling them – she knew their games, and she wasn't going to take part in any of them anymore.
She wasn't telling anything about Amelia's origins, but she'd make a point – a statement against their constant meddling in her own life.
She handed Amelia to Niles, who understood what she was doing and backed off a little so that they could start to head for the entrance to the theatre, whilst she took care of the vultures circling behind them.
"No you may not!" she shouted, loud enough for all to hear. "My child is not your business – she does not exist to sell papers, she is here to have a good time. Nothing about her, from her name, to who her father is, is going to be printed by any single magazine or newspaper here tonight! If it happens, and if I find out about it, you will be very sorry indeed. Find someone else's life to interfere with, because you've had your fun with mine, but you will not touch my daughter's!"
She then turned on her heel and joined her fiancé and their daughter, who were almost where the Sheffields were waiting.
Niles slipped an arm around her waist as she got close, "That was absolutely brilliant!"
"You think so?" C.C. didn't feel entirely so sure, even if the journalists had gone back to bothering the rest of the people coming to watch the performance that evening.
"Of course I do," Niles squeezed her hip, and they began to wander over to meet with Maxwell and Fran. "You showed them that you weren't about to be cowed by their questions. No matter what's changed in these past few years, that's still the C.C. Babcock I know."
C.C. mustered a half smile. Part of her didn't feel like the same woman – she wasn't the same woman. This – Broadway and the media circus it entailed – wasn't her world anymore. It was her past. A past she had no desire to go back to.
She was merely there to watch a play as a celebration of Amelia's adoption and because her daughter had asked to go. Nothing more.
"Thanks," C.C. muttered, resting against her fiancé's side. "Let's go inside, okay?"
"Alright. We are almost there love..."
After they had greeted the Sheffields (and after C.C. had refused to pose for a picture with Maxwell) the two families moved inside. Niles and Fran went to buy some treats for the children whilst Maxwell and C.C. got them settled in their seats.
"Mommy?" Amelia spoke softly when C.C. sat down in the seat next to hers.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Why were all those people taking pictures of us? Do you know them? And why did they ask about me?"
The girl was sensible enough to whisper the string of questions loudly enough so that only her mother would hear. It wouldn't do them any good if someone else did, and despite her short age Amelia was perfectly aware of this.
C.C. frowned. She had been hoping to keep all of this as far away from Amelia as possible. She had left her old life behind, and she didn't want her daughter exposed to it. She didn't want her daughter thinking about the kind of person she used to be. She herself didn't want to think about the kind of person she used to be. Niles might have been proud of her for displaying the same strength as before, but...she just didn't know. It felt different, like it was a different, more protective kind of strength.
It was the kind of protection which was going to make this hard to explain.
"Those...were newspaper people, sweetie," she began gently with a sigh. "And yes, in a way I do know them."
"Really?" Amelia's eyes were wide. C.C. could see them in the dark.
C.C. nodded, looking away. She suddenly felt embarrassed, even though she knew she had to continue.
"Yes. When...I worked with Uncle Maxwell, I came across people who worked for magazines and newspapers a lot," she explained. "They all knew me, and wanted interviews and my time. I was very well known in New York. But I when I went away, I gave it all up. I didn't really enjoy their attention. They'd ask me questions all the time, and not let me have any peace. I felt better without them in my life."
She did feel better without all of it. She felt better knowing that her daughter was never going to be hounded, like she was. Better that Amelia grow up having her own life, instead of everything that could possibly be thrown across the front cover of a newspaper.
She had to make her understand that, too, in case she asked more questions.
"And I still feel better. I feel better with our family just the way it is. No attention that we don't want from newspaper people," she said, before pausing. "You like our family the way it is, right? Nobody asking us questions all the time."
Amelia nodded as her little feet dangled from the edge of her seat. She felt oddly uncomfortable talking about this – maybe she shouldn't have asked about it! Her Mommy didn't like talking about it, and she hadn't wanted to upset her.
"Yeah..." the little girl mumbled, casting her eyes down. "I like it better this way."
C.C. frowned. Amelia was upset; she could easily tell so. Her girl knew she didn't like talking about the past and she was probably feeling guilty for having asked her to do just that. She couldn't allow that something like this ruined the night for them! Amelia had just been adopted! It was a time for celebration and happiness; she'd be damned if the night was marred due to the journalistic equivalent of leeches.
C.C. got back to her feet and hoisted Amelia in her arms. She then gave her a kiss on the cheek and allowed her girl to wrap her arms around her neck.
"I like it this way too," C.C. said softly and used one of her hands to stroke her daughter's back. "Now, what do you say if we sit down and you stay in my lap for a little while, hm? If you want you can go to Daddy's lap when he comes back, or stay in mine or go back to your seat! Whatever you like the most."
C.C. sat back down on her seat and snuggled Amelia close to her. The girl tucked her head in the crook of her neck and C.C. kept lovingly stroking her little back.
"Does that sound okay, Mia?"
"Yeah," Mia mumbled again from somewhere down below her.
C.C. kissed her head. She really and truly hoped she hadn't sounded too harsh. She had only been asking a question, after all. And Amelia wasn't to know that the reporters were the entire reason C.C. had been upset.
She was only a little girl, how could she? She wasn't around when C.C. had been in the spotlight properly. It was a good thing, too. Otherwise she would probably have heard a lot of language that her mother would otherwise keep out of earshot.
"I love you, sweetie," she whispered, hugging her daughter tighter, hoping she hadn't ruined the entire evening with a little comment that she hadn't really even meant to say. She'd just been so annoyed by the journalists...
"I love you too, Mommy," came the reply. Amelia didn't sound very sad, even though there was something in her tone which made C.C. think she was put out.
C.C. sighed, hoping Niles would reappear soon. If anyone could get their little girl to smile again and to cheer up, it would be him. He was a fantastic father, even though he'd only been given the title a short time ago. He could help them regain some sense of joy from the evening.
He had always been their saving grace, and C.C. couldn't be more thankful. Being a single mother hadn't been easy, and Niles becoming part of their lives had been a blessing – a miracle that she'd once thought impossible.
Amelia had been the reason why she had changed her life around, and Niles had only added to that. Both he and Amelia were what kept her going, and she only wanted the best for them.
C.C. could already hear the orchestra tuning up, and soon enough she spotted two figures – one broad-shouldered, blond man and a svelte brunette – walking towards their seats as they balanced all the treats they had bought in their arms.
Fran was the first to get to them, and she proceeded to hand their drinks to the children. C.C. settled Amelia's diet coke in the cup holder as Niles made his way to his assigned seat as he held the packet of M&M's that Amelia had asked for.
He immediately noticed the forlorn mood that seemed to inhabit his fiancée and his child. What had happened?
"I brought your treat, sweetheart," Niles said, smiling at his child. "Is everything alright, Mia?"
The girl immediately shook her head yes and reached out for her candy. "Yeah..."
Niles frowned. Something wasn't quite right here...
"Are you sure?" he asked again, this time looking at C.C. instead of at Mia.
C.C. pulled a face at him, to let him know that something had happened, even if Amelia wouldn't say so. She was hoping her little girl would come through and tell the truth herself, but she never knew. She was too like her in that respect. She kept so many things to herself if she thought the consequences would be bad otherwise...
Mia nodded again, busying herself with opening the packet of M&Ms.
"You know you can tell us anything that's bothering you, right?" Niles asked. "We...are your parents. We love you, and we're here to make things better when it doesn't seem like they can be."
He really was the best father in the world, C.C. thought. And they were going to talk this all over as a family, because she decided that if Amelia didn't speak up, then she would.
She'd have to. They couldn't let things sit. That had almost cost her Niles. Almost cost them both.
Amelia stared down at her M&Ms, not making a move to eat them, even though she'd opened the packet and had specifically asked for them when Niles had offered to go and get things to eat.
"I just...shouldn't have talked about all those people outside. The newspaper people," she admitted, after a long silence. "I didn't mean to make Mommy unhappy..."
"You didn't make me unhappy!" C.C. practically cried out, drawing some curious looks to them. She sighed and tightened the grip on her child. "Seeing them made me upset, sweetie, not you."
Niles nodded as he wrapped an arm around C.C.'s shoulders and used his other free hand to stroke Amelia's hair. "Exactly. Those people are people your Mommy has never liked, and she just got a little nervous. Especially since we wanted to make this a beautiful night for you."
The girl remained silent for a few moments. She tossed a few M&M's into her mouth and slowly looked up at her father. "For me?" she asked meekly.
"Yes, for you, sweetheart!" Niles said, leaning over and moving Amelia from C.C.'s lap to his own. He bounced her on his legs a bit, and the child couldn't help a small giggle from leaving her lips. "This night is all about you."
"That's right," C.C. joined in. "This night is all about you, sweetie! Don't worry about those people; I am not upset anymore, and even when I was you weren't the reason why I was angry."
"Oh..." Amelia hadn't really thought about how maybe it was the newspaper people who'd made her mother upset. She was just so used to seeing her mother happy, that any change in that behaviour was unprecedented, and frightening.
But she felt relieved, if the anger hadn't been directed at her. She wouldn't be able to stand it if her mother was upset or angry at her, for any reason.
But she wasn't, and she was trying her hardest to make sure everyone was happy.
"Is everything okay now?" C.C. asked, her voice giving away how much she hoped it was.
"Yeah," Amelia tucked into her chocolate some more. "Everything's okay."
C.C. felt a weight lifted from her heart. She couldn't stand her daughter thinking something was wrong, or her fault.
Niles smiled softly, "Alright, then. How about we all relax, and watch the play now?"
Amelia's nodding seemed a little more excited and happy this time, eating her chocolate quite contentedly. A small smile gracing her features, C.C. moved as far over in her seat as she could, and cuddled against her fiancé, who wrapped one arm around her, using the other to secure Mia in place as the house lights went down.
The show was about to begin, and the last thing any of them wanted to do was miss it.
AN: Well, to the guest reader that always reviews (you are great, by the way, and we are so glad you like the story! Your reviews make us really happy ¡, too) you got it right! Adoption papers were the gift :) There is a lot more coming, so worry not!
We only wanted to warn you that, seeing as H is going home, it might take us a bit longer than usual to upload a new chapter!
Anyway, we hope you liked this chaptwe, and we'll bee uploading more!
Thanks for reading and we appreciate your reviews.
H&L