Amnesia
by
Cathy
(Cathy84@web.de)
In the night: Fran wakes up and recognizes that Max isn't in bed though she goes downstairs where he's sitting on the couch and watching a movie on television.... She hugs him from the back and starts kissing his neck...
Max: Grace isn't at home, yet and it's about 1.30am.
Fran: Sweetie, she's nearly eighteen years old. Old enough for being out longer.
Max: Not if we don't know where she is and whom she's hanging out with.
Fran: Maxwell, she's old enough. Trust her, she knows what she's doing. Now shut off the television and come back into bed. It's so cold without you in there. (gives him a kiss on his cheek)
Just in this moment a car stops in front of the mansion. It's Grace...
Grace: Hi. Why are you still awake?
Max: Where have you been, young lady? Do you know how late it already is?
Grace: What? I was out with Rachel, Joy, Cheryl and Daisy. Where's the problem?
Max: I was worried to death because I didn't knew where you've been and with whom you've been hanging out with! You have house arrest!
Grace: Dad, I'm old enough to make my own decisions and I'm.... Mom!
Fran: Calm down, Max. She's finally here.
Max: Grace, go up in your room. We finish this in the morning!
Grace: But dad, I...
Fran: Just go. [whispers] I'll talk to him.
Grace: Dad, you're so mean! (runs into her room)
Fran tries Maxwell to calm down, it works a bit. They agree to finish it in the morning. Before going to bed Fran goes into Grace's room for looking after her.... She opens the door, goes to her bed and gives her a kiss on her forehead and when she wants to leave...
Grace: Why doesn't daddy get that I'm grown up?
Fran: Angel, he got it already. He just wants to protect you. Try to understand him. He's afraid of loosing you or any other of you guys.
Grace: When he loves us so much, why is he so mean? House arrest. I can't believe it. Why can't he be more just like you. You're so much cooler in those things.
Fran: Maybe. But being cooler means not that I don't worry about you. I agree with your father that you've done something wrong. Couldn't you have just called to say where you are? Whatever, we finish this in the morning. Now, sleep.
In the morning, Max is so upset like he was the night before. He screamed into Grace's face and gave her house arrest for two weeks after what she stormed into her room and was not coming out of it the whole day....
In the evening: Fran's preparing dinner. Gracie calmed down and helps her...
The phone rings...
Fran: Gracie, could you get it? I have to look after the lasagna.
Grace: Sure... Hello? Mom, for you. An Officer Newmiller.
Fran: Oh? Did you do anything wrong, last night? (Grace shakes her head) Hello? Oh, my god. Yes, yes. I'm coming. Thank you. (hangs in)
Grace: What happened?
Fran: Your father got mugged and hospitalized. Could you look after Eve and Jonah? They're playing in the living room. I have to go to the hospital. The officer didn't want to tell me something about his condition on the phone.
Grace: Just go. I'll bring the twins into bed in a few minutes.
Fran: Okay. Thanks...
Fran drives into hospital where she's told that Maxwell suffers from amnesia and has to stay overnight before he can leave....
Fran: Can I see him, doctor?
Doc: Yes, but only a few minutes.
Fran: And he can't remember anything?
Doc: Just a bit. Only his name, his business and today's date.
Fran: What shall I tell him?
Doc: First, tell him who you are and something about your family. Maybe he'll remember. I'd say his memory will come back in less than one week. Maybe he'll remember who the muggers were...
Fran: Okay,... Well, I think, I better go to him. Thank you, doctor.
Doc: It's okay. Just call if you need anything.
Fran goes into the room where Max lies. She doesn't know how to act....
Fran: Hello. How are you?
Max: Besides the fact I don't know anything, fine, thanks. And,... who are you?
Fran: (tears come into her eyes but she dries them quickly) My name's Fran. Fran Sheffield.
Max: Sheffield? Are we...
Fran: Married? Yes. Since 6 years.
Max: And are we happy?
Fran: Yes, very happy.
Max: How did we got to know each other?
Fran: Well, you hired me for caring for your children. I've worked five years for you when you proposed.
Max: Children?
Fran: Yes. (shows him some pics) Maggie, Brighton, Gracie, Jonah and Eve.
Max: Five children. That's a lot. (smiles)
Fran: Well, Maggie, Brighton and Gracie are from your first marriage to Sara.
Max: I got divorced?
Fran: No, she died. You also can't remember?
Max: No. (looks at the pics again)
Fran: The twins are the kids we have together. They are four years old, now.
Max: Wow...
Fran: What?
Max: I've waited five years for proposing? (Fran smiles)
The doc comes in...
Doc: Sorry, but you have to leave. He needs his peace. You can pick him up in the early afternoon, tomorrow.
Fran: Okay, thank you, doctor. [to Max] Do you need anything?
Max: (tries a joke) Yes, my memory. (looks in Fran's worried face) Maybe some clothes...
Fran: Okay, till tomorrow then. (passes his hand and leaves)
Max: [to Doc] Wow, she's wonderful.
Doc: Yes, she is. Now, sleep. I'll give you some tranquilizer.
Fran returns home where Grace who alarmed the whole family is waiting...
Sylvia: Finally you're home. How is he? When can we see him?
Fran: Hi, Ma. Well, he suffers from amnesia. He can't remember anything but his name and his job. Where are the twins?
Grace: I brought them to bed.
Fran: Thanks. Maggie, could you take them with you tomorrow? I don't want them to see their father in this condition. I'll get him home in the afternoon.
Maggie: Sure, I will come in the late morning, though you have some privacy before you drive to the hospital.
Grace: Brighton called from college. He couldn't come. He has to write his final exam but he'll be here for the weekend.
Fran: That's wonderful. Gracie, could you get me some water? I have to sit down a moment.
Sylvia: Fran, you look so exhausted. Go and have a bath and then go to bed. Max needs you. I'll take Gracie for the next days though Max is alone with you. Maybe his memory comes back if he's in his usual environment.
Fran: Oh, Ma. You're so wise, I love you.
Maggie: Okay, I have to leave, now. I see you in the morning. (they hug Fran and Sylvia)
Fran: Bye, sweetie.
An hour after Maggie left, Sylvia and Gracie are leaving, too. Before having a bath Fran looks after the twins and kisses them softly on their cheeks.
In the morning, in the kitchen...
Maggie: Morning.
Fran: Morning.
Maggie: [to Jonah] Hey, sweetie. Ready to go? Where's Eve?
Fran: She can't decide which dress her doll should wear. (smiles)
Maggie: I'll help her. (goes upstairs into the twins' room)
Jonah: Mommy, why do we have to go to Maggie? Why can't we stay at home with you and daddy?
Fran: Oh, angel, I already told ya. Daddy is very ill and needs his peace to get healthy again. It's just for two days. Now, be a good boy and go with your sisters. I love you. (gives him a kiss)
Jonah: I love you, too, mommy. (he hugs her)
Tears come into Frans eyes. Maggie comes down and looks at Fran...
Maggie: Everything okay?
Fran: Yes, yes... Just go, okay? [to the twins] Be good kids. I see you in two days. [to Maggie] Bye Maggie, and thank you so very much.
Maggie: Done with pleasure and good luck with daddy.
They leave and Fran can't no longer hold the tears away. She sits down at the
kitchen table and starts crying non-stop. After realizing it doesn't help just sitting and crying she cleans the house, does some food shopping, and then drives to the hospital....
Fran: Hi. How do you do?
Max: Better. My headache stopped.
Fran: I brought you some fresh clothes.
She gives him the bag and he goes into the bathroom for dressing.
Max: (dressed) The nurse said my personal things are in the closet over there...
Fran: Yeah, I already found. Ready to go?
Max: I think, yes.
Fran: Okay,...
They leave the hospital. On the way back home, Max asks Fran a lot about their marriage. All those wonderful times they had together, all those times that should never be forgotten...
At home...
Fran: Just walk in.
Max: Nobody seems to be here.
Fran: I gave the twins to Maggie and Gracie to my mother. Brighton's in college till the weekend. I wanted you to have your peace for recovering. Just for the first days. Do you wanna eat something?
Max: No, thanks. I'm tired.
Fran: Oh, yes, sure. I'll show you the way to the bedroom.
In the bedroom...
Fran: Well, I put everything you need on the bed. Just put on your pajama and I'll get you a glass of water for your medicine, all right?
Max: Thanks.
While Max gets ready for bed, Fran gets the medicine. When she comes back she sees Maxwell standing in front of all the photos that stand on the table. Photos from their wedding, from the kids and their friends...
Fran: Don't worry. Everything will be okay, again.
Max: You know, it's all so weird. I seem to have a wonderful life but now all this seems to be taken away from me. I can't remember anything and I'm so afraid I never will again.
Fran: (hugs him) You heard what the doc said. Give it some time. Now, go to bed, take your medicine and try to sleep a bit. If you need anything, I'm downstairs, Okay?
Max: You must be a great wife and mother.
She smiles, closes the door and goes into the kitchen where she starts to prepare the dinner. Afterwards she's watching TV while talking to Sylvia on the phone. Max comes down...
Fran: Ma, it's all so weird. I'm feeling so very helpless. I don't know what to do, what to say. The man I love is so close but so far away. What shall I do? (Sylvia answers) Okay, Ma. Thank you. Please, give daddy and Gracie a hug from me. I love you. Bye!
Max: Hi.
Fran: Oh, hi. I didn't heard you coming. I was talking to my mother. Are you hungry? I prepared some food for dinner.
Max: Yes, okay. Can I help you?
Fran: No, no. Everything is already done. Just sit down. I just have to find the candles we bought last week...
Max: They are in the dining room in the bureau.
Fran: What?
Max: In the dining...
Fran: I heard what you said. Max, you remember?
Max: Yes. But I believe that's all.
Fran: But that's fabulous. Step by step. It is a good sign. Don't worry.
You'll be okay.
They have their dinner. Fran tells him stories about the children to get him laughing. They spend a nice evening together. For Fran it seems to be like in former times but when Maxwell asks her again things about her and the family she gets back into the nightmare.
Fran sleeps on the couch for giving Max some privacy.
The next morning, she gets woken up by a loud sound out from the kitchen...
Fran: Max, what happened?
Max: I wanted to have a glass of milk but suddenly I got a headache, again. The glass fell on the floor and broke into pieces. I'm so very sorry.
Fran: It's okay. I'll clean it. Come here, sit down, I'll give you a glass of milk. (gets the milk out of the fridge and a seat towards to him) Here you are. Everything okay?
Max: Yes, thanks. Last night, I had a remembrance, again. I just saw misty pictures. I saw us on a deserted island. You were nursing me - just like in this situation. Was it a dream?
Fran: (starts smiling; she also remembers) That was our honeymoon. Ya know, I fell overboard and you also jumped into water for rescuing me but we couldn't get back on board though we landed on that island. When we were about feeling comfortable you were bitten by a poisonous insect and you were about getting unconscious. But we went through this together and in the end, it was a very nice honeymoon.
Max: I'm sure it was. Would you mind taking a walk after breakfast? I'd like to see the ocean. I can't stay in this house doing nothing. Maybe there's something that helps me remembering... Maybe I just have to be around people...
Fran: But only if you're fit....
After having their breakfast, Fran and Max are walking down to the beach. Suddenly Max sees a man that reminds him of the man who mugged him....
Fran: Do you want to have a Hot Dog?
Max: Fran, do you see that man over there?
Fran: Which man? The Hot Dog seller? Yes...
Max: Oww...
Fran: Max, what's up with you?
Max: I have that headache, again... I feels like someone would punch my head with a hammer.
Fran: That's it. We go home, you're not fit.
Max: I meant the man next to the public phone! He was one of the muggers!
Fran: What?
Max: Fran, I can remember! I can remember everything!
Fran: Oh, Maxwell, is that true?
Max: Yes, I remember!
Fran: (hugs him) Oh, sweetie, I was so scared you'll never get your memory back. I love you so very much.
Max: I love you, too. But now, excuse me, I have to follow him. Go, and call the police!
Fran: Max, no. Wait until the police is here! It's too dangerous!
Max: Darling, please. I have to follow him or I never see the things again that they have taken away from me. Especially my wedding ring....
Fran: Maxwell, please, wait till the police comes. It's too dangerous.
Max: I have to do this. If we wait for the police we'll never get him.
You know I have to do that. I love you. Go and call the police.
Fran: Please, be careful..
They give each other a hug before Max runs after the mugger. Fran goes to the public phone for calling the police and when they arrive Max comes back, the mugger caught.
He confesses the mug on Max and gives the names of his "mugger-friends" to the officers. He also gives all things back he and his friends have stolen from Max.
Fran told the whole story to her mother. Now, she's talking to Maggie while lying on the bed, next to Max...
Fran: [speaking into the phone] Yes, everything is all right. The doc said, he's totally healthy again. And Maggie, thanks for taking the twins. I hope you and Michael haven't had much trouble with them...
Maggie: Oh, no, they were adorable. They're really looking forward to come home... They missed you and daddy. Especially Eve...
Fran: Well, if you bring them tomorrow afternoon, please come to the beach with them and Michael. Your father and I want to make a huge family picnic at the beach celebrating his health.
Maggie: Sure. I'm really looking forward to it. Oh, here are two little sweethearts who want to say goodnight to mommy and daddy...
Fran: Hello, my angels. Sleep well, I love you. I see you tomorrow...
Jonah&Eve: Night mommy!
Fran: [to Max] The twins wanna say goodnight to you.
Max: Goodnight, my sweethearts. I love you.
Jonah&Eve: Night daddy!
Max: Now, go to bed so that you're fit for tomorrows picnic. (Maggie's back on the phone) Thanks, sweetie. And say thanks to Michael from me.
Maggie: Done with pleasure. And daddy...
Max: Yes?
Maggie: Nice to have you back.
Max: I love you.
Maggie: I love you, too. Bye.
Max hangs in.
Fran: (lays her head on his chest and passes her hand over his stomach) Oh, Max, I'm so glad that you're okay again.
Max: I'm glad to have you on my side. I was lost but now I'm found.
Fran: I felt so helpless.
Max: But now, everything is all right, again... I love you, my darling.
Fran: I love you more...
The End
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