Grumbling in frustration, he descended to the kitchen where he found both his parents having tea on the dining table. They both gave him a pleasant smile but said nothing, waiting for him to broach the subject. He kissed them and gave them an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry to impose. I thought I'd bring CC along, but it slipped my mind to let you know in advance," said Niles.
He stirred the sauce of the Pasta Bolognese his mother had cooked for them. He tasted it and added a little pepper.
"You know it's not an imposition. This is your home. You are always welcome. Any guest of your is a guest of ours," said her mother.
"This looks ready. Are you sure there is no possibility that a sage had found its way in the pasta and in the salad?"
Her mother made his favorite muffins, and they were fresh out of the oven, helping himself with one, he laid the rest nicely on a serving plate.
"I'm absolutely certain, dear," said his mother.
"Tastes heavenly, You're still the best cook, mum," said Niles.
"Thank you. I'm glad to hear I'm still the best for you."
His eye caught the bottle of sage on the spice rock and discarded it in the bin.
"What's this sudden aversion to sage?"
"CC is allergic to sage. I don't want to risk any possibility of it getting into her food," said Niles nonchalantly.
His parents looked at each other and smiled.
"This CC, you like her, don't you," asked his father.
Niles looked at his father in horror. "Oh, god no! She's insufferable."
His father gave him that look that said he didn't believe him.
"It's true. I just don't want to be questioned in the event something happened to her," added Niles.
"She's very beautiful," pointed his father.
"Then I better bring you to an Opthalmologist," said Niles.
His father laughed. "You doth protest too much, son. Your mother thinks she's beautiful too."
Niles didn't say anything as he took his mother's blueberry pie from the oven. He helped set the table as he ate another muffin.
"Why don't you taste the blueberry pie," said his mother.
"I'll let CC have the first slice. She loves blueberry pie."
His parents stared at each other once again, giving each other a knowing look.
"She's going to make Kate very jealous," said his father.
At the mention of her name, Niles stiffened. If only his parents would get it into their heads, he was not interested in Kate. She had been a long-time friend, but he was never interested in her romantically. Kate would always be around whenever he came to visit, spending time with him, showing him around. He never did anything to encourage her, but she never grew tired of letting him know she was interested and available. It was getting pathetic sometimes, but she was a family friend. She would even visit her parents even if Niles was not around.
"How did Kate get into the picture? I'm neither interested in Kate nor in CC," said Niles.
Before his parents could say anything, CC's voice pierced the air, calling out Niles' name.
"Niles!" she yelled all the way from the bedroom.
"First of all, I didn't mention the exact day we were arriving because I don't want Kate to know. I want to spend a quiet time without her during the holidays."
"Niles!" CC's voice yelled again.
"Your princess is calling," teased her father.
"I don't want to hear Kate's name."
Niles sighed, putting an end to his conversation with his parents before heading up to the room to see what CC wanted.
As Niles entered the bedroom, he heard the shower was till in full blast, realizing CC was still inside.
Worried that she might have gotten into an accident in the bathroom, he hurriedly burst in without knocking.
His heart skipped a beat as he found her eyes closed, avoiding any shampoo to drip in her eyes, her hair filled with shampoo slowly dripping down her body that was barely being covered by the bubbles from her shower puff, her hands groping for the towel on the glass shower door that seemed to be out of her reach.
Words were caught in his throat. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. Just for a few seconds he let his eyes have his fill. He would always call her a brunette and not once had she rebuffed his accusation but now, he had proven to himself she was a natural blond.
CC felt a presence but was uncertain.
"Niles? Are you there?"
She desperately searched for the towel to cover what little modesty she had left, finally finding the towel she pulled it over her body unmindful that the shower was getting it wet.
"CC! Are you alright? What's the matter?" he asked, finding his voice, pretending he did not see what he had just seen. For the second time that day, he found his arousal straining his trousers.
"The water is freezing!" she complained.
He finally understood what the commotion was about and why she was not under the shower.
"You have used up all the hot water. You've got to wait a little. It's going to heat up again," explained Niles.
"Oh, that sucks! I'm getting cold," said CC, still clutching her towel with her eyes closed.
Niles pushed the shower door open. Unbuttoning his shirt, perhaps a little kiss wouldn't hurt, he thought, eyeing CC's sultry body, and a little touch… but before he could take another step that would put him directly under the shower and directly before CC, he heard his father call out for him.
"Niles! Come down a minute."
He cursed under his breath.
"Niles? Are you inside the shower stall?" asked CC, sensing Niles had come closer.
It was like a douse of cold water. Why was he behaving so unreasonably neanderthal?
"I was just checking the temperature. Look, the water is heating up. Hurry up so we can get some supper," said Niles.
Niles hurriedly went down the steps to check what his father wanted, and the minute he reached the living room, a woman in a short, tight dress, a size trifle smaller than what was appropriate, flung herself in his arms.
"Kate is here," said his father, his tone a little uneasily.
Niles stared at the dirty blond-haired woman and gave a forced smile. Couldn't she have waited another day to visit. Her head fell just at the crook of his neck, and she had to tip her toe a little to give him a peck on the cheek.
"Oh Niles, I have missed you. You did not come home six months ago. You've been a bad boy," accused the woman.
"How have you been, Kate? I'm sorry I had been occupied with many things," explained Niles, prying her arms around his neck.
Just then CC appeared, dressed in her long yellow dress that emphasized her slim waist and the curve of her breasts. She came strutting down the stairs like she was walking on a runway.
"Niles, what are we having for supper? I'm starving," cried CC.
She stopped dead on her tracks upon seeing a woman with her arms around Niles' neck.
Her left eyebrow lifted in distaste. Who the hell is this woman?
Kate saw CC as she reached the foot of the stairs. Both women gave each other a once over.
Kate smirked, her arms still around Niles' neck, "I see what's keeping you busy."