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No infringement on the rights of anyone involved in its production is intended.

Hope you like this alternative ending to "An Affair To Dismember."

A Continuation of "An Affair To Dismember"

by

-brenda
(rtbp@msn.com)

"Were you meant to be on that ship, Ma’am?"

"No, I guess not," Fran sighed as she tossed the wilted roses into the water beneath the pier. The officer helped her gather her things and she sat down on the small bench to massage her throbbing ankle. ‘Great, he’s probably seen the letter by now. How am I gonna face him?’ She sat there looking out over the glassy water, quietly mulling over the last week and how different the two of them were. Despite the fact that she was intrigued and flattered by Nigel’s proposal, she knew deep down that her heart belonged to Maxwell, and that it always would. A faint, but familiar voice, coming from the neighboring pier, brought her mind back into focus.

"I bloody well know that it’s after midnight, but I need to get onto that ship!" He pointed to the massive cruise ship pulling out of the harbor. "Look, here’s… $800 dollars." He thrust a wad of $100 bills into the boatman’s hand. "Please, it’s important," he pleaded.

By this time, Fran was standing at the railing, straining to make out the dark figure shouting on the next dock. "Oh my God, I don’t believe it," she said to no one in particular. She started shouting and waving her arms to get his attention, but it was too late and she watched as the small speedboat sped off in pursuit of the QEII. ‘Oy, I’m in for it now… meanwhile, he actually came after me.’ She smiled, grabbed her things and slowly hobbled towards the other dock.

"I have a family emergency and I need to get one of your passengers off of the ship." Maxwell yelled into the radio as the powerful engine ran wide-open. "Yes, I understand that this is highly irregular, but it’s a matter of life and death… mine." After finally gaining permission to board, he handed the radio over to the boatman for instructions. Max ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out how to get Fran back without causing a major rift between himself and Nigel.

Nigel was absently sipping his cocktail at the bar, wishing that Fran was with him. He heard the page the first time, but he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He couldn’t dismiss it the second time.

"Will Miss Fran Fine please come to the Purser’s Office immediately."

Nigel hopped off the barstool and ran for the Purser’s Office. He burst through the door and found, not Fran, but Maxwell. He looked at his brother in shock. "Maxwell, what are you doing here? W…where’s Fran?"

"I can’t let you have her, Nigel… what do you mean, where’s Fran? I thought she was here with you… she left me a note saying that you proposed and that she was going with you to London."

"What!? She never showed up… and what do you mean ‘you can’t let me have her?’ You told me there was nothing between you two." Nigel thought back to their kiss in the kitchen and Fran’s reaction when Maxwell walked in. "She really was trying to hide our kiss when you walked in on us in the kitchen earlier today," he said softly.

"I’m sorry Nigel… I don’t know what I would do without her. I lost my first love to an accident, I can’t let the only other woman I’ve ever loved slip away because I couldn’t, wouldn’t, commit. I’d never forgive myself and neither would the children."

Nigel thought for a moment, then squeezed his brother’s shoulder in understanding. "I love her, Max, but not like you do. It’s obvious that it’s you she wants, and needs. But promise me one thing, Max… she’s a passionate woman, show her that side of yourself. I know it’s there and she needs to see it. Take good care of her, Max."

Max closed his eyes and let the light spray hit his face as they approached the dock. He felt a slight jolt as the boat slid into the dock and the boatman tied up and shut down the engine. He smiled to himself and climbed out of the boat. "Thank you, Tony. Thank you very much."

"No problem. I hope everything works out for ya. She must really be something special for you to go through all this trouble." A strange expression crossed Tony’s face as he looked past Maxwell. "Let me guess, she’s a gorgeous brunette with great legs?"

"How the bloody hell did you..." Max slowly turned around to see Fran standing about ten feet away under the light post. He cut the distance between them in three strides and enveloped her in his arms, kissing her passionately. Finally breaking away, he stroked her cheek. "Forgive me?"

"For what?"

"For letting it come to this… for not telling you that I love you and that I can’t live without you… for not being there for you…" His words trailed off as she touched her finger to his lips.

"I love you too, Max. I can’t believe you actually came after me!" She smiled briefly and then became more serious. "Is Nigel alright?"

"Yes, he’s fine… he said he understood and told me to take good care of you. I promised him I would." He lovingly ran the back of his hand down along her jaw, his eyes locked with hers. "It’s late, can I take you home?"

A mischievous glint flickered in her dark eyes. "You can take me anywhere you want, Max," she laughed at his reaction as she slipped her arm in his and let him help her back to the car.

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