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It's just a backers evening. She's done them many times before, and she'll do them many times more. The production they're working on has reached that stage, and now it's time to get some money from rich people who need tax write-offs.
She shouldn't be anxious. This is what she does best. Schmooze with her kind of people. Fake a laugh, ask about their family, business, vacation home or whatever else was on their mind and get that check. She knows she looks stunning because, despite her feelings about it, she understands a beautiful woman helps loosen those purse strings.
But she is nervous. When she arrived, Maxwell casually mentioned he had invited Chandler. It made sense, of course. He owned several theaters on and off Broadway, and keeping him close was good for business. But he had dumped her not two months before.
The fling with Chandler was never going to lead anywhere, she knew that. She didn't want it to. But with all the talk between the three women of staying single and not needing a partner, CC had gotten cold feet. Maybe it wasn't so much about not needing a partner as it was about her not being relationship material. She wanted to... prove? Know? If she could do it, if she could have a relationship. Any relationship. So when Chandler asked her out, she said yes.
She never liked the man; he was too handsy and full of himself. She would never play second fiddle to anyone, especially not someone she'd share her life with, but maybe that was the problem all along. Perhaps she was too much. Maybe she should be less. So she tried. She tried to follow his lead. Tried to support him despite him never even asking how she was doing.
And yet, it wasn't enough. Or it was too much. It wasn't right, anyway. Still, she failed. He humiliated her by returning her key to the Sheffield mansion and leaving her hanging for the awards ceremony. Niles had graciously stepped in and saved the evening, but everyone had known she was meant to be with Chandler.
She glanced around the room. It was still early, the guests hadn't started arriving yet. The room looked perfect. Fran was putting out the last fresh flowers and CC knew Niles was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the hors d'oeuvres and instructing the wait staff. Maxwell was standing at the door, fiddling with his cufflinks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Everything was prepared. She knew her speech. She knew all the guests. She was ready.
The guests started arriving, and Maxwell and CC greeted them all. A handshake, a personal welcome with a little reference to make sure the guests knew they were known, and on to the next. Chandler hadn't arrived yet, and CC started to hope maybe he wouldn’t come at all.
She stood on the side of the room to make sure everything was going according to plan. Niles was ever the professional. At these events they had a sort of truce. He was overseeing the staff, alerting them to the needs of the guests if they were missed, and keeping track of the time to make sure all the food and drinks went out at the right moments. Fran had made a place for herself too at these events, dealing with the aesthetics and the mood. She was making sure the pianist was playing the right type of music at the right times, filling any lull in conversations and enticing people to have a little go on the improvised dance floor in the middle of the room. She had taken care of the flowers, giving the room a soft and cozy ambiance. CC would never had expected, when she had met Fran at that first backers event years ago, that she’d turn out to be such an integral part of the Sheffield-Babcock machine.
Finally CC started to relax. The evening was going well. As Maxwell liked to say, the food was exquisite, the music divine, and the guests obscenely wealthy. She had discussed the play with some of the guests, and their initial responses were good, helping CC relax even more.
She had gone into the kitchen for a minute to get a glass of her own brandy. When she returned, Niles was just handing a coat to one of the waiters, apparently having just let in a late arriving guest. She scanned the room and froze when she saw Chandler talking to a group of other guests. He grinned when he saw her but continued the conversation. The guests he was talking to turned to take a look at her, so she was sure he was talking about her.
She felt the evening slipping from her control. Why had he smiled at her like that? They hadn’t been in contact since he broke up with her, Maxwell had handled all communication about his theaters. She had no idea how he felt about her. What was he saying about her? She couldn’t show her insecurity now, not while she was trying to project professionalism to all these people in order to get their money.
Her breaths grew shallow. Quick. She needed to calm down. She had to… she didn’t know what to do. She was frozen in place. Maxwell was oblivious, talking to one of the guests who loved Kaye Ballard as much as he did, and had worked with her on a production of Funny Girl. CC could see Fran’s ears perking up at the mention of Funny Girl, but she didn’t let herself get dragged into the conversation. Fran looked around the room and caught CC’s eye. Fran raised her eyebrow in silent inquiry, asking, 'Are you okay?'. CC dismissed Fran’s concern with a shake of her head. She was fine. Just fine. Fran nodded and moved to a different group of guests, joking and smiling with them. Niles, meanwhile, directed a waiter to attend to an older guest by the fireplace who seemed neglected. After the waiter had moved on Niles observed the rest of the room until his eyes landed on CC. He narrowed his eyes, trying to find out what was going on. Again CC shook her head to let him know that she was fine.
Chandler was moving around the room, talking to different groups of guests he encountered. And any group he talked to turned to look at her. Panic crept in as she felt her grip on the evening slipping away. Maxwell hadn’t noticed, but Niles and Fran had. CC saw them whispering in the corner, periodically looking at Chandler. She closed her eyes, wanting to be anywhere but here. She should have handled the Chandler situation better. Should have told Maxwell. Talked to Chandler to make sure they could continue to have a professional connection, and if not, keep him out of their business. Now he was here, doing whatever and ruining their evening.
Sensing someone behind her, she felt a finger loop around hers. "Do you care about future business with him?" They whispered in her ear. CC had to take a moment to realize what they meant.
"Uhm. No," she said, shaking her head to emphasize the point. "We don’t need him."
"Do you want him gone from this evening?" They asked her, quietly.
CC nodded. She wanted nothing more. They must have given a silent signal, because one of the waiters asked to have a word with Maxwell, who listened and nodded. Maxwell walked to Chandler, took his shoulder as if to share something confidential. Chandler looked up and nodded, then followed Maxwell to the kitchen. CC relaxed. She felt the stress leave her body.
They squeezed her finger. CC looked at them and they smiled reassuringly. "I’ve got you. Let's handle the situation. Are you ready?" CC closed her eyes for a second, just to gather her thoughts. This was not what she had expected at all.
CC knew she wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. She never did social relationships very well, and had a short temper. Chandler had proven to her she just wasn’t relationship material. And even them… CC had given them shit on so many occasions. She was so sure they hated her. Maybe not hate, but at least barely tolerate her. And she’d been okay with that. Well, not okay, but she hadn’t known how to change it so she had no choice but to accept it.
She did wish things were different. That they were closer. She liked them. A lot. But she felt that her actions in the past had shut the door to any sort of relationship forever. And even if it hadn’t been closed, she would fuck it up anyway. So she didn’t try.
This… unexpected support, seemingly without needing anything, not even an explanation, in return, surprised her. Surprised and strengthened her. Maybe the door wasn’t closed as firmly as she had imagined. Maybe CC was just a bit blind to the possibilities. Because that finger hold, that was more than just support. That finger hold, that blew that door wide open. That made CC very happy.
CC smiled. "Yes. Let’s see what the slime has been spreading."
They smiled even brighter in return, reaching out to touch CC’s cheek gently. CC was taken surprised to notice she leaned into their touch. Their smile softened as they planted a tender kiss on her cheek before stepping away. CC’s heart raced, but in a strangely pleasant manner. A very pleasant manner.
CC righted herself, showing the confidence she wasn’t sure she really felt. But with them behind her, she knew things would be okay. Maybe even better than okay. Because she had a feeling tomorrow would bring a whole set of new possibilities.