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Part One: In Need of Psychiatric Assistance
Max sat in his armchair in his room, wearing his wine-colored pajamas
and black robe. The lights were dimmed, and he was writing in a leather-bound
book.
| Dear Journal:
I've written my feelings down in you about Fran for four years, but now I'm going to try to sum everything up, and maybe I can find a way to solve this mess before I go mad. |
| Here goes, old friend: the list of everything
that is stopping me and everything that is pushing me. You see, the gentleman
in me says "Don't you dare touch her. If you insist on pursuing her, get
a bloody ring and marry her, you twit!" But the widower side says "You
love Sarah; what you're feeling for Miss Fine stems from loneliness and
depression. You can't dishonor your wife. Love is a once-in-a-lifetime
thing, and so is marriage. Now go to Sarah's grave, remember her, and forget
Fran." Then my heart tugs at me, and goes "You LOVE her. Every fiber in
your being knows it. When has love ever made sense? Go to her and tell
her, so you don't wake up one day and find out you're a bitter old man."
After they quiet down, more voices start to speak up. The child in me whines "Look what happened to your parents! Do you want to be like your father? Besides, do you really want people to think of her as a gold- digger? On the other hand, she is HOT!" Now, my conscience joins the party, by saying "You know she really loves you; if you are too scared to love her back, you have to let her go. Don't let go of something you need, and don't keep something you can't hold on to." After hearing that argument, another voice adds its two cents: "Fran's hot! She's a goddess! She's a Heaven sent angel with a sinful streak! Go for it! It's been eight LONG years, and when's the last time someone made your blood boil like she can by just walking in the room?" I don't think I can take much more of this; I'm going to become a schizophrenic. |
| More to the point, is the fact that everyone knows what the bloody Hell is going on between us anyway. Niles has told me many times, very creatively, might I add, that I should marry Fran. I simply play dumb, but that routine is wearing. I must admit, however, my best friend has yet to lose his style with words. |
| C.C., on the other hand, is still clinging to
the hope that I will lose Fran and be so depressed I will end up marrying
her. The attention is mildly amusing, but C.C. is a friend; that's all.
In all honesty, I would have to be REALLY depressed and just a little drunk,
to go after her. Not that they admit it, but C.C. and Niles belong together,
and I'm not going to get involved there.
As for the children, I don't think they would mind my sights being set on Miss Fine. If they haven't seen the signs by now, I would be very surprised. Grace has even said things that insinuate she would very much appreciate it. But then my guilty side goes "She means everything to them. They will hate you forever if you mess this up and drive her away." My family is another matter entirely, so I'll be brief. My mother hates her, my father and his wife love her, Nigel likes her (maybe even a little too much). Memo: next time he visits, watch them carefully. My sister and her husband simply adore her for getting them together, and my grandmother... we-ell, you never do know what that woman is thinking, but she's so proper, it can't be good. Of course, then my professional side would go right along with the prim-&-proper of my family in saying "Miss Fine is your nanny. If you insist on keeping her for the children's sake, you must keep her as the nanny and nothing more." Finally, there's the beautiful Miss Fran Fine. She's got her own unique style, and she's got that special flair. She's my nanny! Fran is definitely in love with me, even if she hasn't said it. She wants me in the worst way, and based on her actions, she's getting just a teensy bit impatient. Well, now I've covered everything, and I'm just as confused as when I started. I suppose love is a very confusing creature, but in truth I do love her and I don't want to lose her. |
| I have a choice: I can become to quote Niles
"a bitter, lonely old Englishman", or I could be a happy old coot living
in Florida, watching the ocean roll in with a cocktail in one hand and
a Victoria's Secret catalog in the other, pretending I'm deaf so Fran can't
muscle me into paying for the millionth plastic surgery or getting a membership
to the Hair Club for Men. And I thought my life was hard enough!
In closing, old friend, wish me luck, for I have finally come to my wit's end, and, fortunately, to a conclusion. |
| Sincerely,
Maxwell B. Sheffield |
Confused Yet:
Part 2: Keeping Eye Contact
Fran was on the couch in her robe watching a romantic movie on cable. Max stopped at the last step to look at her. 'She is breathtaking', he thought.
Fran turned her head and saw him staring at her.
"Oh, Mr. Sheffield, you startled me! You ok?" Fran had obviously noticed the strange look in his eyes.
"Fran... can I talk to you?" Max moved to sit on the coffee table. At the use of her first name, Fran smiled and tried to catch his gaze.
"Of course, what about?" She turned off the TV to give him her full attention.
"Well, since Niles has been in the hospital, we haven't really discussed what happened there, and I have been wrestling with the problem all week". Fran look down, a little worried, that Thing II was about to be taken back.
"Max... have you come to any conclusions?" Fran was very cautious and very quiet, when using his first name, but seeing his nervous, timid smile relaxed her.
"Of a sort, we definitely have to define this relationship, what with Niles coming home tomorrow and all."
Max took a deep breath. 'Ok, here goes, just say it and keep eye contact.'
"Fran... I love you and I know you love me, but I don't think we should just rush into marriage, so what if we just date for awhile and see what happens", he had spoken fast but clear.
"Do we have to keep it a secret?" Fran was trying to hold back her excitement, but it wasn't working.
"Why don't we invite your parents and C.C. over for dinner, tomorrow and not only celebrate Niles return, but us becoming an item?" Max slide next to her on the couch and added, seeing Fran was still questioning his meaning, "Look, if you realllly want to, we'll go up to the top of the Empire State Building and I'll use a megaphone, ok?" Fran giggled and hugged him.
"Ok, not a word of this until dinner though, so it can be a surprise", Fran could picture C.C.'s reaction to the news and she almost burst out laughing.
"As for the Empire State Building, you don't have to...." She snuggled him a little tighter," ...until after dinner."
It was Max's turn to laugh. Then he pulled away just enough to lock eyes with her.
"I really love you", Max gazed at her.
Fran smiled, "Well you'd better, because I love you, too." Then they kissed, without speed, without worry or regret, they kissed and kissed again, only pulling away to make sure the other was really there.
Finally, Fran spoke, "Max?" She said breathlessly.
"Huh?" Max mindlessly replied, obviously having his complete attention on the task of working his way down her neck.
"We'd better stop, while we can, I mean, we just decided to date and you said we shouldn't rush into anything". Fran was making a lot of progress with him tonight, but had no intention to push it. She, reluctantly, stood up, as Max got to his feet and fixed his robe.
"You're right", Max agreed, "Goodnight, Miss... Goodnight Fran". He
kissed her sweetly on the lips, took one last long look at her eyes, and
headed upstairs to bed.
Confused Yet:
Part 3: The Return of Niles
In the morning, Max and Fran got up early. Max, who had turned out to be a great chef made breakfast, while Fran got the kids around for school. Neither of them let on that anything had changed, however, they were acting extremely happy noted the kids. After the children left for school, Fran helped Max clear the table and clean the kitchen.
"When is Miss Babcock supposed to be here? She is coming with us, isn't she?" Fran asked.
"Yes, C.C.'s coming with us. She'll be here in a few minutes". Max checked his watch, as he wiped down the counters. Fran finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and turned to watch him a moment.
He was consumed in his cleaning and didn't notice her watching him. Max was wearing his black turtleneck and black pants with a tan director's jacket. Fran walked over to him and slid her arms around his sides from behind him. Max stopped dead and then began to breath slowly.
"Max, are you sure its going to be a few minutes, before Miss Babcock gets here?" Fran inquired.
"Yes", Max replied in a strangely nervous tone. He put the cloth away, forcing Fran to let go. Then, he walked back around the counter and looked rather questioningly at her. Fran chose that moment to slide up to him and start fixing his collar. Max glanced uncertainly at the kitchen door, but decided not to worry.
C.C. was walking through the living room, when she heard a tremendous crash, that sounded like it was coming from the kitchen.
"Maxwell!" she yelled and went running towards the source of the noise. C.C. reached the kitchen to find Fran holding a plastic bag, while Max put the broken pieces of the cookie jar in it.
"Maxwell?" C.C. said in bewilderment. Max and Fran both looked up with the fakest smiles in the world.
"Hi!" they said in union, then quickly became engrossed in the present activity.
"What happened?" C.C. said flinching with uncertainty.
Max started, "Oh, well... you see, um... I was cleaning the counter..." he looked to Fran for help.
"And I was... uh... taking care of... things... when..." Fran continued.
"The thing was... well the cookie jar..." Max said floundering.
"Was in the center of the counter cause... uh..." Fran tossed it to Max.
"The children... the children didn't put it away and..." Max catches and fumbles.
"I..I... bumped him," Fran smiled, knowing this could sell, "and he slid... which knocked it off... Yeah."
"That's what happened..." Max looked at C.C., "...just a little accident".
C.C. still looking very confused backed up to the door, "Oh...ok... I'll just be in the car", and she was gone.
"We'll be right there", Max shouted to her.
Fran finished tying the bag up and went to the door, seeing she was gone, "Do you think she bought it?"
"Why wouldn't she", Max nodded and fixed his cufflink, "we were so cool and convincing".
"You're right", Fran agreed. Max started to walk out the kitchen.
"Oh, wait a minute Mr. Sheffield. You have lipstick on your neck", Fran proceeded to wipe it off.
"Thank you... Shall we go?" Max gestured with his hand.
With that, they left for the hospital.
At the hospital, Max spoke with the nurse on duty.
"Is Niles ready to go?" Max looked towards the room, but couldn't see in.
"Oh, boy is he, in fact, he got up early to get dressed and is just finishing packing now". She smiled at him, noticing his good looks.
"Fran, C.C. could you handle any paper work? I want to talk to Niles, alone", Max had already entered the room, before the ladies could utter a word of mild annoyance at him.
However, when Max hit the inside of the doorway, he stopped. A wave of relief brought a smile to his face. There was Niles, there was his old loyal friend, perfectly fine and definitely alive.
"Hello, old man", Max walked towards Niles. Niles turned equally glad to see Max and greeted him.
"Good morning, sir", Niles held out his hand to shake Max's hand, but instead Max hugged Niles and patted him on the back. After a second, he let go and moved past Niles avoiding any questioning looks.
"How are you feeling, Niles?", Max asked moving quickly to the window and staring at the city. Niles stood, staring at Max, very confused. The only people Maxwell Sheffield had ever hugged were his family, and Fran (which Niles hoped was becoming more frequent) and besides the British in him kept expressions of worry, anger, and fear very much in check. 'How worried were you, anyway?' Niles wondered.
"I'm feeling more like my old self. Actually, since Miss Fine and you first visited, I have been in high spirits", Niles was being very cruel, but as always he was digging for information. Max turned and laughed despite annoyance. 'Ok, ok, you knew he was going to ask, just stick to the plan.'
"You know, I really would rather you stopped that, its none of your business", Max was trying to act almost angry.
"Well, sir. I'd rather Miss Babcock lost her voice, but neither of us are going to get everything we want". Niles smirked.
"Touché, its still none of your business", Max stalled.
"You really messed up, huh?" Niles inquired, keying on Max's movements and tones.
"Yeah, pretty much". Max was glad Niles was buying this.
"What did you do?" Niles wanted to know what was going on, before he walked into the minefield, but just as Max was about to think on his feet, Fran walked in, so he held his tongue.
"If you're ready we can go, Niles?" Fran greeted him with a quick hug. However, when she glanced at Max, he glared at her, which was the sign.
"Well, here you are. I can't believe, you couldn't take five minutes and do the paper work, but then you've always been good at running away", she glared back at him.
"You should talk, you've been running from time, since you were twenty-five", Max gave her a once over trying his best to look critically at the tight outfit and makeup she had on.
"Huh, how dare you... you..." Fran stuttered.
"What... What... come on give me your best shot", Max advanced with venom.
"Jerk!", she yelled in his face and stormed out of the room, past C.C., who stood shocked in the doorway.
Max was fast on her heels and still in the earshot of Niles and C.C., "That was pathetic, if you insist on insulting me at least make me feel it". Niles moved next to C.C. to watch the two move down the hallway.
"You want to feel it", Fran screeched and slapped Max across the face, "There... could you feel that! You British cold fish".
C.C. and Niles stared at the display as Max threw Fran's coat off the waiting room chair and over her head, which only served to aggravate the situation. As they reached the elevator, Max looked back, Niles and C.C. were nowhere in sight.
"You didn't have to hit me so hard", Max rubbed his cheek.
"I wanted to make it look real", Fran complained.
"It was real, believe me", Max shook his head.
"Oh, did I hurt you, sweety?" She giggled and glanced over her shoulder. 'Good we're still alone.' Max was just about to respond to her sarcasm, when she leaned up and kissed him on the lips. When they let go of each other, he shook his head again in disapproval.
"Just have to have the last word, don't you? It is always the same thing with you". Max couldn't help smirking through his supposed stern face.
Back in Niles room, C.C. had helped him close his suitcase and they both managed not to speak a word, until they were in the hall.
"Did you see that?" C.C. exclaimed taking his hand.
"Didn't you know they were fighting?" Niles looked confused at the hallway where the brown haired Angora and the British short hair had fought each other.
"No, this morning, they seemed fine... except... well when I came over, they were cleaning up a mess. I asked how the cookie jar had broken, they had some flimsy story about the children and cleaning... Ohhh, do you think that Nanny Fine threw it at Maxwell", C.C. was shocked, but always looking for a way to get Fran fired.
"I don't know, Dracula's sister, maybe we should team up and do some major snooping to find out". Niles squeezed her hand.
Trying not to admit that she had missed his game of coming up with a
new pet name for her every five minutes, responded, "All right, Renfield,
you have a deal".
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