Back to Fan Fictionby
Cathy
(Cathy84@web.de)
Monday: In the late morning: Fran enters the office where Max and C.C. are
working...
Fran: Mister Sheffield, can I see you a minute?
C.C.: Nanny Fine, we have work to do.
Fran: [to Max] It’s very important.
C.C.: You always say this and then you bore us with another freaking story
about your family or friends.
Fran: [to C.C.] Are you his speaker? Did he lose his voice?
Max: I’m sorry, Miss Fine. How can I help you?
Fran: Well, can we talk privately?
Max: Sure,.. C.C., would you leave us alone?
C.C.: But Maxwell,... (looks at him) Fine,... (leaves the room)
Max: (looks at her) Miss Fine, your eyes are red. Have you been crying?
Fran: Yeah, I.. (starts crying again)
Max: Come on, have a seat... (he leads her to his couch) What happened?
Fran: I got a call from the husband of my friend Judy.... Judy has to die...
Max: (takes her into his arms) Oh, Miss Fine, I’m so very sorry for you. How
can I help?
Fran: Well, Judy’s husband Jack asked me to care for their kids in Flushing.
The doctors said that she’ll die in three weeks and the two of them want to
spend their last trip to Europe on their own. They spend the last week
together with the kids... Please, Mister Sheffield, I want to have my two
weeks off earlier.
Max: Sure, I’ll give you the weeks off. Can I help you with anything else?
Do you need an apartment?
Fran: No, thanks. Jack said, I could live in theirs so that I’m close to the
kids... But there’s something you could do: Please, don’t tell the kids
about it. They know Judy and love her. I can’t cope with the fact of losing
her so the kids would be totally confused... I’ll tell them when the time’s
right, okay?
Max: Okay, Miss Fine. When will you leave?
Fran: I’ll go the day after tomorrow.
Max: I’ll tell the kids you’re on vacation, okay? If you need anything, just
say it...
Fran: Thank you very much, Mister Sheffield. (she leaves the room)
Wednesday comes fast... In the evening....
Max: Okay, kids, say goodbye to Miss Fine...
Maggie: Why can’t we go for the vacation together, as usual?
Fran: Well,...
Max: I think, Miss Fine needs some privacy... Next time we’ll go all
together, again...
Fran: Yeah... Okay, I see you in two weeks...
She leaves the house and drives to Flushing where Judy and her family are
already expecting her... After dinner, she talks to Jack about Judy’s
condition...
Fran: How is she?
Jack: Well, she’s strong in front of me and the kids but I hear her coughing
and throwing up at night... The doctors said she has metastases in her lungs
and liver. They can’t do anything for her but easing the pain with strong
medication...
Fran: I’m sorry for you and the kids. If I can do anything... just tell me!
Jack: You’re helping us a lot with the kids. Last time, Judy and I went to
Europe was on our honeymoon. This time it should be something special... I
wanna spend the time with her which I wasted at my work. I should have been
home more often..
Fran: (hugs him) Jack, don’t reproach yourself. It’s not your fault that she
got cancer and you know that.
Judy enters...
Judy: Fran’s right, Jack. It’s not your fault. These things happen...
Jack: But why to you? To us?
Judy: Ya know the expression "Bad Things Happen to Good People", don’t ya?
Never Mind. Please, go to bed already. I’ll come in a minute...
Jack: Okay, darling. I love you. (he leaves)
Fran: [to Judy] Are you okay?
Judy: Yes. I just feel kinda exhausted.
Fran: You’re looking very pale. Can I do something for you before going to
bed?
Judy: Yeah,... I didn’t want to say that in front of Jack or the kids,...
Fran you have to swear... (starts crying)
Fran: Everything, sweetie.
Judy: I know, you have your own life though I want you to help Jack finding
a new woman.
Fran: What?
Judy: Fran, I don’t want him to be alone. I know you have your own life with
looking for Mister Sheffield’s kids though you’ll don’t have the time. And
Amy needs a woman when she’s growing up... Please, it’s all I ask from you.
I want them to be happy.
Fran: Okay, honey. I’ll do my best. But give them some time to mourn for ya.
They shouldn’t forget you...
Judy: Thank you, Fran. I love you and I’ll never forget this... (starts
coughing)
Fran: I think, it’s better if you got to bed. I see you in the morning.
They give each other a long hug and say goodnight. Next day, Judy and Jack
leave for Europe. Fran has a lot of fun with the kids but she misses the
Sheffields...
During the two weeks she’s getting closer to Judy’s kids, feeling like a
close aunt to them... The eldest one, Amy, aged 11, is very close to Fran.
One week after Judy and Jack left for Europe: Fran and Amy sit at the
window, looking at the stars above....
Amy: Mom has to die, hasn’t she?
Fran: Yes, baby.
Amy: When?
Fran: Very soon...
Amy: Why is God so mean?
Fran: Why do you think God is mean?
Amy: Why does He create life when He’s taking it away again?
Fran: Amy, God isn’t mean. See it that way: He creates us because everyone
of us has a task to full fill. My task is being a nanny. I care for
children...
Amy: And mom?
Fran: Your mother had the task giving birth to you and your little brother -
having a wonderful life with the two of you and your father. In her job she
cared for the homeless and poor ones. That was her task... God doesn’t take
her away. She’ll be always with you. Not physical but spiritual. In your
hearts and your memories, she’ll be always with you. (starts crying)
Amy: She’s one of your best friends, isn’t she?
Fran: She is... and will ever be. Well, I think you should go to bed. Ya
have to go to school, tomorrow.
Amy: Can’t I stay here?
Fran: Honey, I know it’s very hard for ya and I understand your feelings but
you have to go to school. First, you shall learn something and second, you
get on other minds... Now, go...
While Amy’s at school, Fran makes some shopping with the youngest one, Ben.
The problem: They have to go to Manhattan where Maggie and Brighton see
them....
Brighton: Hey, Mags, isn’t that Fran over there?
Maggie: She’s on vacation. I think, you mean a hooker.
Brighton: A hooker with a little kid on her arms?
Maggie: What? Where?
Brighton: Right over there!
Maggie: Oh, my God. That’s Fran. What’s she doing here and what’s she doing
with that kid?
Brighton: Maggie, start thinking. Fran and Dad told us she’d go on vacation
so that it’d be easier for us coping with the fact that she leaves us...
Maggie: Yes, but she said she’d be back in two weeks.
Brighton: Have you ever been that stupid? They would tell us that her
vacation lasts longer until we stop asking and forget her.
They decide to confront Maxwell with that in the evening...
Maggie: Dad, did Fran already called from the Bermudas?
Max: Yes, in the afternoon. She has a lot of fun and sends greetings to you.
Brighton: I see and you’re sure she’s on vacation?
Max: What shall that question mean, Brighton?
Maggie: Dad, we saw her, today. She was shopping and hold a little boy on
her arms. What do you think who you are?
Max: Don’t be so smart, young lady!
Brighton: You lied to us!
Grace enters the living room...
Grace: Who lied?
Maggie: [to Grace] Do you know where Fran is?
Grace: She’s on vacation. Why?
Brighton: Wrong! She’s with another family!
Grace: She’d never do this without telling us. Right Daddy?
Max: Well, kids, I think, I have to tell you...
Maggie: She left us? How could she do this?
Max: Maggie, let me explain, there’s a good reason...
Maggie: Brighton, you were right!
Max: What does that mean?
Maggie: The both of you told us that Fran’s on vacation so that it’d be
easier for us letting her go.
Max: Maggie, that’s not true! Miss Fine has some very important things to
do!
Brighton: Without telling us? No!
The kids storm up into their rooms. Max calls Fran on the number she left if
he needs her. He ask her to come along to help him explaining the whole
situation to the children...
Next day’s afternoon.... The kids are in the living room when Fran arrives
with Amy and Ben.... Talking to Gracie, Maggie and Brighton is not easy
because they don’t say a word to Max and Fran because they’re very angry....
Fran: Just enter, Amy and Ben. [to Grace, Maggie and Brighton] Hi kids! (no
response) Okay... Niles!
Niles: Hello Miss Fine.
Fran: Could you take these two adorable kids with you and make them some
sandwiches?
Niles: Sure. I’ll tell Mister Sheffield that you’re here...(leaves with Amy
and Ben)
Fran: (goes to the kids) Okay, kids, I’m here because I wanna talk to you...
Brighton: But we don’t want to talk to you!!!
Fran: Fine, so you can listen.
Maggie: Go away, we hate you and we don’t want you to be our nanny anymore!
Fran: What?
Brighton: Yes, we don’t want to have someone as our nanny when she leaves us
for another family without telling us a shit!
The kids want to run away but Maxwell enters the room....
Max: Stop! Go back to the couch and sit down!
Grace: No!
Max: (yells) I TOLD YOU TO SIT DOWN! (the kids sit down) Miss Fine came for
telling you the whole story and I want you to listen to her! Do we have an
understanding?
Kids: Yes...
Max: Okay, Miss Fine, go ahead...
Fran: Thanks, Mister Sheffield. Kids, I know you’re very angry with me and
your father because we didn’t tell the truth. Fact is, I’m not gonna leave
you. If I would I’d tell you. The real reason why I did it... (tears come
into her eyes)
Max: Shall I go ahead?
Fran: No, it’s okay. It’d be better if they hear it from me... (she sits
down next to the kids and puts Grace on her lap) Do you remember Judy?
Maggie: The Judy we always go to after visiting your mom in Flushing?
Fran: (dries her tears) Yes, this Judy.
Grace: What’s wrong with her?
Fran: Well, Judy’s very ill. She.... (new tears are rolling down her face)
Brighton: What?
Fran: Well, Judy has to die...
Grace: Soon?
Fran: Yes, soon, baby.
Maggie: (with tears in her eyes) And the doctors can’t do anything?
Fran: You know, she’s got metastases in her lungs and her liver. They can’t
do anything but easing the pain with tablets... They gave her three weeks
though she and Jack asked me to care for the kids for two weeks while she
and Jack spend their last trip to Europe on their own...... They needed me
and I couldn’t say no... She’s one of my best friends...
Grace: I still don’t get why you didn’t tell us...
Max: Miss Fine wanted to tell you at the right time. She wanted to help her
friends, first. Helping them telling it to their kids. Just being there. You
know?
Grace: [to Max] Yes. Has someone been there for you when mommy died?
Max: (now, he’s getting tears into his eyes, too) No. There was no one but
Niles... You, kids, gave me strength to carry on... That’s what Miss Fine
does for Judy and Jack. Do you understand now? She just did a favor to a
friend...
Brighton: I’m sorry, Fran.
Maggie: Me, too.
Fran: I should have told you the truth right from the beginning. Please,
forgive me.
Grace: Already done.
Fran: I love you, kids. It’s already five o’clock, I have to return to
Flushing. Jack and Judy wanna call and tell me when their flight will arrive
at Flushing Airport...
Maggie: Can we visit Judy before she has to...
Fran: I’m sure she’d be very happy about that. I’ll ask her when she and
Jack arrive, tomorrow....
Fran says goodbye and returns with Amy and Ben to Flushing.
The Sheffield kids visited them three days later and the week after that
they came to Judy’s funeral...
The End
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