The minute CC came to work the next day, she immediately felt the heavy atmosphere in the air even before Maxwell told her about Jocelyn's disappearance. Everyone was quiet at the dinner table, even Niles, who often got an impish grin on his face had a solemn expression. Hearing Nany Fine tell the children to be on their best behavior as their grandmother was arriving in an hour, CC knew something was not right. Maxwell's mother was not the type to make a regular social call. When she came over, it meant something was amiss.
Upon hearing about Jocelyn's disappearance, CC was overcome with unease and worry, she reached out for the phone on Maxwell's desk and started calling every one of their common friends, and even past acquaintances from school, from the club, and the gym that Jocelyn frequently visited but none of them had seen nor heard from her the past four days.
The unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach was replaced by immense fear, Jocelyn would not disappear for days without telling anyone. She would call and brag if had gone to some exotic country for a vacation. If Jocelyn made a life-changing decision such as elopement, she would most certainly tell her. CC was afraid she might have been kidnapped or worse. She was glad to be alone in the office because her knees became too weak to support herself as incessant sobs began to rock her being. She had already lost one of her two best friends; she cannot lose the only one that's left too. She cannot lose her only precious friend left. Frightening violent thoughts started popping into her head, making her sobs louder.
Niles never thought he had a weakness. He had acknowledged for a while now that he had strong, romantic feelings for Ms. Babcock which he had deliberately and successfully kept hidden from everyone's eye, but the minute he stepped into the office and found Ms. Babcock leaning on the desk, sobbing uncontrollably, something inside him broke. He had never seen her cry like this except during Sarah's funeral. She had always been strong enough to keep her emotions intact but today he saw her vulnerable side and instinctively gathered her in his arms, pressing her head on his shoulders, kissing her head, and running his fingers in her hair to comfort her.
"Everything's going to be alright," he whispered.
It was apparently not enough for him. When her sobs would not subside, his lips descended on hers to soothe her cries. CC was too distraught to object. She let him lick her tears and calm her fears with his gentle kisses until her sobs gradually subsided.
Confused, and emotionally hysterical, she was only half aware that Niles was kissing her, all she knew was she felt safe, he felt like a sturdy wall she could lean on, and it felt wonderful.
He wanted to take away all her pain and sorrow, and just see her smile again. A voice inside him told him to stop but he couldn't pull away, couldn't stop kissing her, not even when her cries had completely halted, not even when he heard her gasping for breath having been fully aware that he was kissing her.
"CC, What is the meaning of this? This is an outrage!"
Niles pulled away from CC as though he was scalded, with guilt written all over his face, he walked as far away from her as possible. He didn't want to cause trouble for her.
"I was only comforting her Mrs. Sheffield. She was upset about Jocelyn," Niles managed to say as Maxwell entered the office.
CC was stunned at the livid stance and fuming anger in Mrs. Sheffield's voice. She remained rooted to the spot, quite bemused about the events that happened all too fast. She just wanted to find Jocelyn. Dear God let her be alright.
The hostility in the air that greeted him made him stared at Niles who was closest to him, his body language filled with dread and unease, then to CC who stood stunned by his desk, staring at his mother and his mother who was only a few feet from CC. Maxwell knew that look in his mother's eyes, horrified at the prospect, he rushed to protect CC from his mother's blow, but he was not quick enough.
Closing the distance between them, Mrs. Sheffield's hand lashed out at CC just as Maxwell's arms reached out protectively around her. His broad back large enough to soften the blow that reached the lower left side of her cheek.
"Mother! You have no right to hurt CC," he scolded, his body still shielding her from any further blow, touching her jaw with his fingers to ease the sting.
"Now I know who's been teaching Jocelyn to fraternize with the help!" cried Mrs. Sheffield.
"Don't go blaming CC for what you thought your daughter did. Oh for heaven's sake, how can she be responsible for Jocelyn's actions. Jocelyn's an adult, she knew very well what she was doing," said Maxwell.
"I caught that woman kissing your butler. Same way I caught Jocely kissing her chauffer."
Maxwell looked searchingly at Niles but his mask had conveniently went up, his expression unreadable.
"Sir, Ms. Babcock was most upset about Ms. Josely, and I was merely pacifying her," he said.
It wasn't entirely a lie, that was his intention.
"I want you to fire him. He will ruin your future wife," exclaimed his mother.
Maxwell rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Mother, we can't just fire Niles for your speculations. He's been with our family for thirty years and for the nth time I am not going to marry CC. We are strictly business partners."
CC looked at Mrs. Sheffield with blazing eyes. How dare that woman! She wanted to throttle her as much as she wanted to throttle her own mother sometimes. She grew up having her like a second mother as she and Jocelyn had been best friends since college, and she would often spend a few weeks of vacation in their house, albeit Mrs. Sheffield treated her no more than the way her own mother treated her, she had given her equal respect as she would her own mother.
Growing up with Jocelyn, Mrs. Sheffield had special fondness for her, paying her constant compliments when she would see her in their house and treated her very much like he treated Jocelyn, whether it was good or bad.
Maxwell could sense the tension in CC's body and having her so close he could see the seething anger in her eyes.
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off, CC. We both can't work anyhow, worrying about Jocelyn…"
He touched the pink spot near her jaw where his mother had slapped her. He walked her to the office door, his arm still around her, speaking in a low voice, begging for her forgiveness.
"I'm sorry about the way my mother behaved… I know there's no excuse in her abominable behavior… I hope you won't let this come between u…uhm…"
CC looked into his eyes, he was staring at her so intently, she was getting intoxicated by their dark, warm pools. She had a crush on him for so long, and she all but kept it to herself but he never treated her any more than a sister.
"…between Jocelyn and me? Of course not, we both have equally horrible mothers."
"That's what bonded us in the first place," said CC.
She gave a little laugh to dispel the air of awkwardness between them. There had never been any awkwardness between them, none since day one when he picked up his sister from college in his brand-new convertible and Jocelyn brought her along. CC automatically sat beside Maxwell while Jocelyn sat at the back.
"You don't mind me seating up front, do you?" she asked, flashing her most charming smile.
"A gorgeous woman is always welcome to seat up front with me," replied Maxwell with a wink.
And that's how it had always been with them, she would flirt with him occasionally and he would take it graciously without encouraging her, but despite that neither of them held it against the other. There had always been comfort and familiarity between them in all their interaction, even after Maxwell started dating CC's other best friend Sarah.
But the look he was giving her now as he walked her out the door, away from his mother's sharp tongue and dangerous claws was something unusual, even she would think she had imagined it, if not for the daunting look Niles was shooting him.
A deep sense of foreboding had engulfed his senses. He may either kill nor be killed when it comes to CC Babcock.
In all the years Niles had witnessed their interaction not once had he caught Mr. Sheffield looking at CC the way he did now, like he was actually seeing her for the first time, and boy did he like what he was seeing. Niles wanted to hit him to have his eyes closed again from seeing what a great and beautiful woman she was. He had never been afraid of other men who showed interest in her, perhaps he knew she wouldn't even give most of them a second look, but Mr. Sheffield was different, if there was one man whom CC would give her world to, it was Maxwell Sheffield.
"I'm glad to hear that this is not going to change things between us…"
She looked at him solemnly. "Your mother's bad behavior has nothing to do with our business relationship. If it did not set your wife running, why would it set me?"
Maxwell gave her a squeeze and kissing her forehead as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Why don't you take a rest CC. I'll see you tomorrow. Please let me know if you hear from Jocelyn. I'm sure if there's someone she'll call, it will be you. I'll tell Niles to drive you."
"Thank you, Maxwell," said CC, before disappearing outside the door.
"Are you truly an idiot, Maxwell. You're pushing CC to your butler," scolded her mother.
"That's preposterous, mother. Niles had no designs whatsoever on CC."
"Fine! If you are certain that you don't want CC, then by all means let her ruin herself by cavorting with your butler, but do not go crying to me when you have changed your mind."