One More Try

Opening Night

Jean had invited Cissy to her house for a cup of tea. She wondered what she wanted to talk about, but she was looking forward to seeing her friend. She also had very good news from the private investigator that she wanted to tell Cissy in person.
Cissy was right on time, as always, a quality Jean appreciated very much. They hugged and it seemed to last a little longer than usual. Jean was concerned.
"Is everything okay?" She asked.
"Yes. I'm just glad to see you."
"I am happy to see you too." And she was. Seeing Cissy always made her happy. They were so different, but that didn't matter. She made tea, which she served in her piano room, together with some pastries and sandwiches.
"I have very good news." She started when they were both sitting. "Well, good for you, not for the owners of practically every pub or club or bar in London. Wilf hasn't been out drinking ever since the two of you got together. No drinks, no parties, nothing. Half of them are going to be out of business by February." Jean joked and Cissy laughed. Those were very good news because his excessive alcohol consumption had worried her.
"And no children. The guy has a completely clean record." Cissy looked relieved.
"Were you really that worried about me?" She asked her friend. It meant a lot to her, but did she of all people really deserve that someone cared about her that much?
"Yes, of course. You're family to me." Jean replied. That opened the floodgates and Cissy started crying, not just quietly but actual sobbing.
"Cissy? Did I say something wrong? Oh my god. Please stop crying." Jean panicked a little, upsetting her friend had been the last thing on her mind, so she tried to calm her down and succeeded eventually.
"I'm sorry. It's just... That's why I wanted to talk to you. About our friendship. Because... Nobody ever looked out for me like that. I have three elder brothers, they don't care about me. I was surprise for my parents, probably a rather unpleasant one . Money-wise, I never lacked anything. But nobody looked out for me the way you do. I wanted to thank you, you're really special."
"I'm not..." Jean protested. She was just being a friend and most of the time a rather bad one, she didn't deserve Cissy's love.
"Yes, yes you are. From the moment we first met, you were helping me. Remember Sleeping Beauty? I was promoted to one of the fairies. It was my first day, I was terrified of you because you were a star and then Anne Langley was giving me a hard time and you didn't just defend me, you asked me to share your dressing room, so I wouldn't have to share with her. You wanted to be friends with me and I never quite understood why. But I am glad it happened." Jean looked at her and took her hands.
"I can tell you why." She said quietly. "Anne Langley has been an evil cow ever since I met her at drama school. She hated me, I hated her. She tried to bully me, and sabotage my career but didn't succeed. And then, years later, I was still alone because everyone who wanted to be friends with me just wanted my fame and connections, they didn't bother meeting the real me. And there was Anne, still being a bully, now she was being mean to you. And you had these kind eyes and I just... It clicked. I wanted to be friends with the girl with the kind eyes, more than I ever wanted to be friends with anyone else. I wanted to show Anne that she couldn't make you an outcast. I was right. You liked me for me. You never once asked me for a recommendation, a role, the number of a producer. You just asked if I was doing okay when I was quiet." Cissy was just quietly crying now and Jean hugged her. "Cissy, you're the only friend I ever had, please, I don't want to see you this upset."
"Why did my family never care about me that way." She sobbed and Jean stroked her back.
"Shhh... They don't deserve you. I'm your family now. Remember, You and Ophelia and I, we're a great team. We were a family, before the guys came back and now too. You're part of our special family. Please stop crying, it's okay." But she didn't stop crying.
"And Wilf... He adores me even if I look the way I do. He wants to marry me. Me, can you imagine that? He wants to live a boring, normal life with me, he even stopped drinking..." Cissy had a little breakdown that afternoon. All the repressed feelings from her childhood had come up and now there was no stopping the big feelings. Jean listened and comforted her as well as she could, but when it was over, she felt much better.
"Would you like me to book you an appointment with the counselor I was seeing after my divorce? She's really good." Jean offered.
"Please." Cissy said quietly.
"I'll take care of it. Sweetie, you should take some time off after our current project, you've been working so much." She was really worried that things were getting too much for her friend.
"I know, I know, but I can't afford to pause, it will ruin my career." Cissy lamented.
"I'll make sure it doesn't happen." This really wouldn't be a problem, Jean couldn't believe she even worried about that.
"Jean, I thought you liked me for not asking that kind of favour."
"Where were you asking? You supported me through a secret pregnancy and raising a child on my own, I think that's the least I can do. You need to heal. Because I need you in this world and so does Wilf." Jean was very determined to get her friend to take a break. Cissy smiled weakly.
"Alright. I'll do it." Jean hugged her.
"Good girl. By the way, my investigator found some tax evasion dirt on Anne, I might have reported her." She grinned and Cissy gasped.
"Oh no, you didn't. She's going to be furious." She whispered. She feared Anne's wrath and felt like Jean should too.
"I sure did." Jean didn't care if it made Anne angry, she deserved a little trouble.
"Jean.." Cissy just shook her head in disbelief.
"Will you do me a favour and let Wilf know? Maybe he won't be as mad about the fact that I spied on him then." She grinned, she knew that this could have gone wrong and she was grateful that it hadn't.
"He was surprisingly relaxed when I mentioned it, he was more surprised that you are so protective of me" Cissy explained.
"I admit, it's not usually what I do."
"I like it. And I care about you too, you're my best friend."
"That means a lot to me. And now no more tears, you can come and pick up Ophelia with me, she complains that she never sees her aunty anymore."
"I'd love that." They went to pick up Ophelia and spent the afternoon together, just like they had before.