It took a moment for CC to get back her bearings upon waking up. Her head was throbbing from having too much of a good time with Niles. Niles! Everything came flooding back so clearly in her head, every detail of the previous day; the way they spent the day until he brought her home and tucked her in bed.
She gasped, remembering how he carried her to the bed, undressed her with tenderness, and clothed her with her niece's cotton Mickey Mouse nightgown. She could feel his fingers grazing the side of her breasts, her legs and buttocks but she was too intoxicated, her body felt too heavy, she could neither move nor protest, and though his hands had left her body she could feel his penetrating gaze. Her heart pounded fast, that was the reason she had never gotten drunk outside the safety of her home, she was afraid someone would take advantage of her drunken stupor, and though she trusted Niles, he was still a man. She felt his raging arousal brushed against her hip and it startled her.
With all her might, she opened her eyes and was astonished to find Niles watching her with a look of adoration and tenderness. No one has ever looked at her that way. She wanted to hold his gaze, but her eyes felt heavy she had to close them again.
She shouldn't have indulged in too many cocktail drinks! She promised herself never to do that again. The feeling of helplessness was not something she enjoyed.
She looked at the left side of her bed and found it empty and unslept on that it crossed h rind that she might have dreamt the whole thing but Mickey Mouse's huge grin on the night dress she wore told her it was not.
She got out of bed and stumble out of her bedroom, her Mickey Mouse nightdress barely covering her thigh.
"Niles!" she called out but found herself alone in her living room.
She reached the dining table and found a nicely laid breakfast for her, and freshly brewed drip coffee on the coffee maker. Her head still swimming a bit, she started her breakfast, hoping that aa good meal and a cup of coffee would soon make her feel better.
Niles must have spent the night since he was able to make her a good, warm breakfast. She checked the guest room and found it empty, but the bedding had been changed and one of the guest robes and towels were now in the hamper.
Why would Niles run off so early? To her horror, glancing at the wall clock, she saw it was now almost 10am and she was supposed to be at work by 9:00am. Did she have a schedule this morning? To her relief, she had no meeting nor anything scheduled that morning. Good thing she overslept today rather than tomorrow when Jocelyn was set to arrive. She'd be upset if CC was not around to welcome her. They have been sorority sisters, together with Sara, back in college. She had lots of things to talk about with Jocelyn…except Niles. She wouldn't understand. That was something CC was certain of. Hurriedly, CC went to shower and prepared for work.
Fran could not sleep. She tossed and turned all night, waiting for Niles to come home. She managed to catch a few hours and was awakened by some movement down in the kitchen, thinking it was Niles, she hurriedly went down only to find Brighton making some hot cocoa.
"Do you know where Niles is?" asked Brighton.
"I don't think he's in his room," he continued.
Looking up at the kitchen clock, Fran saw it was almost 3:00am. Where could Niles be?
"It's his day off. He's just probably late in coming home but he will be here soon," reassured Fran.
"I hope," she muttered under her breath and went back in her room.
By 5:00 am Niles still had not returned and a sense of guilt was gnawing at her. She should not have broken their Sunday date. They could still have fun even if she did not reciprocate his romantic feelings. Fran knew Niles had not called Mr. Sheffield yet, otherwise Mr. Sheffield would have told her to make breakfast as Niles wouldn't be back in time for breakfast.
Somehow, to make it up to her friend Niles, she got up and started making breakfast. She couldn't make anything fancy but at least Mr. Sheffield and the kids would have something to eat. She didn't want Mr. Sheffield to be angry with Niles for being amiss in his duties.
Fran was half-way through setting the table when she heard Mr. Sheffield calling for Niles. Panic shot through Fran, she didn't want Niles to be busted.
"He's out back, Mr. Sheffield. I'll let him know when he gets in," she yelled.
Where was Niles? It was almost 8:00 and the kids were coming down to eat.
Thirty minutes later, she and the children were almost done eating but Mr. Sheffield was still not at the breakfast table d just when she was eating the last morsel of her bacon, she heard Mr. Sheffield yell, as he came in the dining room.
"Ms. Fine! Where the hell is Niles? Didn't you tell him I was looking for him?" he yelled as he took his seat at the table.
"Oh… Oh.. Oh.." she was groping for an excuse when Niles came through the swinging doors from the kitchen.
As though there was nothing amiss, he spoke calmly, "You called for me, sir?"
He looked at Niles and his facial expression was quite surprised that he wasn't in a suit. He couldn't remember a time he was not wearing a suit in the house.
"Niles, Jocelyn is suddenly coming today instead of tomorrow. Just like my sister to inform me an hour before she arrives… Have you got the guest room ready? I'm sorry if you need to rush."
"I've already taken care of it, sir. You don't have to worry even if she comes a day ahead, all is ready," replied Niles.
Mr. Sheffield took a bite of his bacon and was quite displeased.
"Niles, old man, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Your bacon is a bit burnt and so is the toast," said Mr. Sheffield.
"I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
Fran eyed Niles from head to toe. He was calm and there was an air of happiness about him, and if she didn't know him better, she'd say he got lucky. Oh yeah… she almost forgot; he didn't come home last night ad might have gotten lucky. Wait a minute, wasn't he in love with her? Why would he want to sleep with someone else? Then maybe the smile at the corner of his mouth and that little twinkle in his eyes were something else.
He didn't look like someone who was in rush a to come home. He wasn't even trying to catch his breath. It only meant he wasn't running or rushing.
The front bell rang, and Niles rushed out to open the door. Upon his return he had announced that Jocelyn had arrived. Fran had never seen Mr. Sheffield's sister before and was surprised that she was blond, unlike him. Jocelyn had shoulder-length dirty blond hair that was as straight and elegantly blow dried as a shampoo commercial model. She was tall and slim and dressed to the nines like Ms. Babcock.
"Hello, darling, Maxwell," she greeted and kissed him on both cheeks. Her accent was as aristocratic as Mr. Sheffield's.
She was followed close behind by her chauffer Lester who was carrying her bags.
"Come, Lester. Let me show you to Ms. Jocelyn's room," said Niles, leading the chauffer up the stairs.
Fran noted that he looked quite good-looking with his broad shoulders, strong physique and dark brown hair.
"I see Lester is still working for you," noted Mr. Sheffield, sipping his coffee.
"Well, so is Niles for you," replied Jocelyn.
"Well, Niles is pretty loyal. Have a seat and have breakfast with me," said Maxwell.
Jocelyn complied and waited for Niles to pour her a cup of coffee. He had just gotten back from showing Lester to Jocelyn's room.
"So is Lester," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Thank you, Niles," taking the cup of coffee from him.
"Oh, where the bloody hell is CC? She should be here to welcome me. I have something very important to show her," said Jocelyn with a big grin, and a sparkle in her eyes.
"I don't know. She should have been here two hours ago. It's not like her to be late," said Maxwell.
"You should be marrying CC that way she'd never be out of your sight, nor out of this house when you need her," pointed out Jocelyn.
Fran choked on her orange juice at Jocelyn's words, and Jocelyn gave her a once over. Niles wasn't too pleased either but in his job he always knew how to put on a poker face, especially where CC Babcock was concerned.
"No bloody manners on the table," she muttered then ignored Fran.
"Are you alright, Ms. Fine?" asked Maxwell.
Fran nodded and smiled. "It just came out the wrong way."
"Jocelyn, I don't need to marry CC just to keep her here and to continue our business. She's bloody here every single day, and our business is flourishing just fine," explained Maxwell.
"I'm telling you CC is a good catch. It's hard to find someone like me and Sara who's got the beauty and the brains… this bacon is burnt."
"It's absolutely ridiculous! Marrying CC is like marrying my sister- physically and figuratively."
"Hello! Hello!" greeted CC as she entered the dining room.
Niles noted that she was once again impeccably dressed in her black power suit and Burberry Trench, her hair up in a French twist, looking like a million bucks-beautiful, strong and fierce. If only he could kiss her…
"Well, it's about time you show up," said Jocelyn, standing up and giving CC a big hug.
"Jocelyn! I thought you weren't coming till tomorrow," said CC, returning her embrace.
They hadn't seen each other in months but things never changed between them, and Maxwell was looking at them with a displeased expression on his face. CC thought it was because she was late. Unaware that it was his conversation with Jocelyn that was displeasing him.
"Sorry, Maxwell. I just couldn't get out of bed this morning," she explained.
To deal with the overwhelming desire to kiss her, he dealt with it, the best way he knew how.
"Oh, someone put a rock on your coffin again, Ms. Babcock," teased Niles as he poured her a cup of coffee.
CC was surprised to find Niles was at it again, giving her another zinger. Well, let's see who had the last laugh.
"As a matter of fact, yes, and probably the person who put that rock on my coffin was the same one who undressed me in my drunken stupor and almost made love to me," said CC in an accusatory tone.
Niles dropped the plate he was holding, breaking it on the dining room floor.
"CC! That's absolutely scandalously divine!" said Jocelyn.
"Niles! Are you alright?" asked Fran, bending down to help him pick up the broken China.
"Niles, what's the matter with you? You burned the toast and the bacon and now the plate slipped in your hands. You've never broken anything the past ten years."
CC noted Niles was still wearing the same clothes he had worn yesterday. He must have had no time to change clothes. She was beginning to think that it had all been a dream. How can Niles say he loves her when he was always making fun of her.
Niles was saved from explaining himself when Jocelyn suddenly held her left hand out to CC to show off her gorgeous five karat engagement ring. She was smiling like a cheshire cat as she showed off her ring to CC.
"Oh Jocelyn, It's exquisite! Who proposed?" asked CC.
"The Duke of Salisbury" she announced proudly.
"Jocelyn! You're engaged and you haven't told me!" scolded Maxwell.
"I'm telling you now. I just wanted to show CC my ring first," said Jocelyn.
"You're just a show-off, come on, let's head over to the office. Your brother's gonna kill me if I don't start planning the investors party."
The two blond women headed off to the office, giggling and whispering secrets on their way out the dining room.
"Will you look at them. All chummy and gossiping. Niles. I'm telling you all women are the same, regardless of social status. It's just like me and Val only with a more expensive wardrobe," laughed Ms. Fine.
"I think I better go check on them and get more information about this guy my sister's planning on marrying."
Mr. Sheffield left the dining room, leaving Fran and Niles alone.
"Is that true, Niles? Mr. Sheffield's ex-wife was just like them?" asked Fran curiously.
"Well, they are friends. You know the adage… birds of a feather. Just the way Jocelyn put it, beauty and brains with a high-class pedigree."
"Was she mean and stuck up like Ms. Babcock?"
"You know how popular girls are… individually they are fine but together they feel invincible…Ms. Babcock isn't so bad when you get to know her."
"She can be as nice and sweet as Sara just as Sara had her own similar traits to her sorority sisters."
Fran looked at Niles with raised eyebrows.
"And just how do you know so much about M. Babcock?"