Back to Part One of Fran's Plan

Fran's Plan

Will it work or fail?

Part Two

by

Caryn
(drescher_fine@yahoo.com)

Finally arriving at their destination...

As they enter the two-story beach house, Max had Niles rent, the kids all go to find their rooms to unpack, while Max and Fran open up the french doors that lead to the patio. Max grabs Fran’s hand and they walk hand in hand down the beach, each loving every moment of their closeness.

They both stop to watch the waves rise and fall against the rocks. Max positions himself behind Fran and wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her up against him. They remain in this way for quite sometime, until Max turns Fran around to face him. She looks in his eyes enjoying the view of his gorgeous face. Max looks back into her deep brown eyes and sees all the love that she has for him.

Fran breaks the silence and starts to speak slowly, "Max, I love you so much it scares me." Max’s face begins to show a little fear that maybe everything isn’t alright, but as Fran finishes he understands. "Words fail me, every time I try to tell you exactly how I feel. I love you with all my heart, body and soul." Fran runs her hands through his hair as she kisses his nose.

"Fran, everyday gets better just seeing your face and that smile of yours. You have taught me how to live and enjoy life again. Everything I am now, I owe to you. Oh Fran, how I love you!" Max strokes Fran’s back, holding her like his life depended on it, wanting to never let her go.

One hand on the back of her neck as the other is caressing her face, Max pulls Fran tightly against him as they kiss intensely forming a world of their own.

"Dad? Mom? Where are you?" Fran and Max break their kiss and turn towards the house with their foreheads touching one another. Seeing Maggie’s head pop out of the french doors, they hesitate, taking one long look at the other.

"Fran, I am so glad we had this talk. I never get tired, hearing how you feel about me." Max laughs slightly as Fran playfully punches his side.

"Yeah, well, I can honestly say that I have never had a guy who won my heart like you have and who I have given it so freely to." [beat] "Oh, and for the record, I never get tired of hearing you tell me that you love me without taking it back!"

"In that case, Fran, I love you!"

"And I love you!"

Max and Fran head up to the house, wondering what to do for the night. The children obviously wanting them, they race each other to the door. Max cheating by playfully pushing Fran.

The kids watching the display on the patio, begin laughing at them. They hold the door open for the two of them to step in. Everyone takes a seat around the bar in the dining area.

"Well, what go you all propose we do?" Max looks at each of the four people around him.

"Eat!!" Brighton yells.

"Yeah, dinner sounds good." Maggie chimes in. "How about seafood?"

"Do ya think? Oh, duh, we’re in Cape Cod, what do you think they serve." Brighton teases his sister.

"Shut up, Brighton. You are such a schmandrick!" Maggie quips back at Brighton.

"Oy, that’s enough! No more fighting and B, no more torturing your sister. Now look we’re gonna have fun, even if it kills ya, got it?" Fran gets up and grabs their wind breakers from a duffle back sitting in the floor. "Let’s go!"

"Yes, mom!" Brighton grins at Fran and takes his and Gracie’s jacket from Fran.

"Maggie, you can get your own." Brighton looks at Maggie and smiles innocently.

"Good, I didn’t want you germs on mine anyway." Maggie laughs as she passes by Brighton.

"This is going to be a fun night." Max whispers in Fran’s ear.

"Ya haven’t seen nothin’ yet!" She replies quietly enough only for Max to hear.

He laughs and smacks Fran in the tush, while grabbing his wind breaker from her and helping her with her own. She grabs his hand and guides him to the door, which the kids have already left through.

They decide to walk to a café down the street. The air here is so different than in New York, much more cleaner. Just then Gracie runs up and grabs Brighton’s cap of his head and takes off with it.

"Oy! Here we go again." Fran laughs at her kids, "B, ya better run faster or ya neva gonna get your hat back!" Fran yells to Brighton. Max takes his hand out of Fran’s and puts it around her waist to pull her closer to him.

"Do you realize we haven’t been altogether like this, in quite some time?" Max asks Fran as they walk to a beautiful little establishment called ‘Cape Cafe’.

"It’s great, isn’t it?" Fran flashes Max a giant smile.

"Yes, it is!" Max replies as he holds the door open to let Fran the kids in.

"Wow, Dad, this is cool." Of course, Maggie is enjoying the surroundings of good looking guys that are sitting down and not the place itself.

"Margaret, that wouldn’t have anything to do with all those guys over there would it?" Brighton imitates his father’s voice. "Like ya have a chance!"

"I’ll have a better chance then you would with any girl in this room, even if you paid them, you little toad." Maggie throws back at him.

Max and Fran just laugh as a very cute waiter, definitely a college guy, seats them. "Hi, you must be tourists?"

"Vacationers for the weekend." Maggie finally gets out amongst her giggles.

"Oh, well, then, have you been here before?"

"No, this is our first time. We needed to get away from Manhattan."

"Ah, city girl. Do you have plans for tonight? There is this little gathering at the beach celebrating the sea and its beauty, which I have to say can’t compare to you. Oh, my name is Brad." He smiles shyly at Maggie and she smiles back.

"Brad, huh? Well, what do you think you are doing? Trying to pick up my daughter?" Max looks at him trying to be intimidating.

"Dad..." Maggie gets out at the same time Fran hits Max.

"Yes, something like that." Brad admits still looking at Maggie.

"I’m Maggie. That’s sounds nice, but I do have to ask my parents if it’s okay."

"Okay, I’ll be back in a minute, and to help influence your decision, Mr...."

"Sheffield" Brighton adds.

"Mr. Sheffield, your son can come with us." He turns to face Brighton and whispers, "There will be girls your age there too." and with that Brad leaves to get their drinks.

"Dad, can I go, please? We’re only here for the weekend and oh, Fran, talk to Dad." Maggie pleaded.

"Hey, Dad, I’ll go with her and make sure she behaves herself." Brighton adds to the conversation, of course, watching Maggie wasn’t his main objection, but to help Maggie is to help himself.

"Darling?" Max looks at Fran raising his eyebrows.

"Yes." Fran simply says.

"So, aren’t you going to corner me too?" Max awaits her verdict.

"Nope, you’re on your own. You’ll do what you think is right." Fran smiles at him.

Max thinks about her comment. ‘I hate it when she does this. She knows me too well, she is going to make me think she doesn’t care either way, but I know she does. Margaret is 18, how can I keep her from a life. Brighton will be there too.’ Max convinces himself and slowly starts to speak.

"Margaret, you can go, only if Brighton goes too. I trust you." Max looks at Fran and smiles, "We trust you. We’ll talk about this after we eat."

"Thanks Dad! Wait, is this a trick? You never say ‘yes’ and it scares me." Maggie looks at her father suspiciously. "You’re not going to take it back, are you?"

"Margaret, this is not a trick. You owe this one to Fran, she has this unique way of changing my mind without saying a word. I trust you and well, Brighton, I trust Margaret will keep an eye on you. Oh, and I’ll never make the mistake of taking anything back again." Everyone laughs at Max’s last comment except for Fran, who pretends to pout. Max leans over and kisses her lightly.

Brad just in time to hear the final answer, hands out the drinks. "Mr. Sheffield, Mrs. Sheffield, thank you for letting them go to the party. It will be fun for them to meet the younger culture here. Don’t worry I won’t keep them out too late either. Now, for dinner, what shall I get you?"

"Did ya hear what he called me?" Fran whispered into Max’s ear excitedly.

"Yes, Darling, and I can’t wait to have your name that permanently." Max winks at her.

An hour later, just finishing up their desserts as Brad comes over to their table again.

"Brighton, this Bridgette. Bridgette, this is Brighton. Are we ready to go?" Brad looks at Maggie and extends his hand. Brighton looks over the red haired girl and smiles approvingly.

"Can we go now, Dad?"

"Yes, but don’t be too late. Have a good time, but not too good of a time." Max looks at his two oldest kids and smiles.

"Have fun, sweeties." Fran says quickly before they are out the door.

"Well, its just me and my two girls now. What do you two want to do?" Max looks over to Grace and then to Fran.

"How about we walk back via the beach!" Gracie suggests excitedly.

"That’s sounds wonderful, Gracie." Fran agrees with her youngest.

Back at the Beach house hours later......

"Gracie’s all tucked in and now it’s just you and me." Fran sits down next to Max on the couch. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.

Max smiles and blows a little strand of hair out of Fran’s face. She turns to look at him and their eyes lock. "This was a great idea the kids had for us to go on a holiday, altogether. I just hope they’re having as much fun as we are."

Fran cuddles next to him. "Sweetie, I know they are having fun, I’m so glad we did this too, it makes our family stronger." She smiles in his chest. "What time is it?"

"Oh, its 10:30 p.m." Max starts kissing Fran’s neck but pulls back as he realizes what time he said it was. He just remembers that he has to call New York and talk to CC about what time and where to call for the backer’s meeting tomorrow. He looks at Fran, who is staring at him wondering what is wrong. "Oh, I just remembered that I forgot to call Niles with the phone number here in case he needs us for anything."

"Honey, can’t you do that later?" Fran bats her eyes at him, making Max feel guiltier by the second.

"No, Darling, what if Niles had a relapse with his heart and didn’t know how to get a hold of us." Now he is lying to her, ‘Oh, how did this get so complicated?" Max asks himself.

"Hurry up, I intend to spent time with you too, ya know." Fran yells over her shoulder as Max heads towards the den.

"I’ll be right back and we’ll pick up where I started."

Fran leans back and sighs, just as Maggie and Brighton come traipsing in.

"Hey, Fran, we had so much fun, even if the toad here, was with me." Maggie hits Brighton’s shoulder.

"Yeah, it was great! Maggie isn’t as stupid as she looks." Brighton laughs at his own little joke.

"That’s wonderful, you two. You look tired, do ya want to talk about it in the morning?"

"Okay, but Brighton and I were invited to go sailing tomorrow, if that’s okay with you and Dad?" Maggie smiles at Fran on her way to her bedroom.

"I’ll talk to him and let you two know later. Goodnight." Fran sits back down on the couch a little upset. ‘So much for family time again tomorrow.’ Fran sighs and closes her eyes to think. She had no intentions to fall asleep, but that is exactly what she did.

Max comes out of the den and starts speaking to Fran, not knowing she is sleeping. "Fran, everything is okay at home. Fran?" He looks over ana sees her closed eyes and picks her up and carries her to the bedroom.

"Um, what took you so long?" Fran mumbles through her sleep.

"Darling, its only been 10 minutes...." Max looks at his watch in horror–11:42 p.m. He realizes its been over an hour. "I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was this late. Are the kids all home now?"

"Um-hm" is all that can be heard from Fran as she falls back asleep.

Max lays down next to her, as Fran turns and cuddles up to him, completely unaware that Max is thinking of how to make that call to the backers tomorrow.

The next morning....

Max rolls over to kiss Fran good morning, but finds an empty spot that was once occupied by his beautiful fiancee’. Slowly he gets up and takes a shower. Fran is already in the kitchen trying her hardest to fix breakfast. She manages to save enough food, well, it sorta looks like food, to serve.

Max enters as Fran is passing everyone’s plates to them. He strides up behind her and kisses her cheek. "I’m sorry for last night." He whispers in her ear. She turns to face him and kisses him back.

"Dad, Brad invited me and Brighton to go sailing. He said Gracie can come too. His father owns his own sailboat and is taking it out this morning. Can we go? And I promise to watch Gracie the entire time. You guys don’t mind, do you?" Maggie pleads with her father looking rather excitedly about going.

Max thinks about it and eventually answers. "Yes, you can go, but you make sure you watch your sister, okay."

"Thanks, this is the best vacation ever!" All three declare at once as a horn blows and they’re gone.

"Either I should be upset or happy." Fran looks at Max and tries to smile but it just wouldn’t come.

"Darling, what are you talking about?" Max goes over and hugs her.

"Nothing, just there goes our family vacation." She shrugs, "Well at least you’re here with me and I know how you can make up for last night." Fran puts her arms around Max’s neck.

Max suggests they go lay out on the beach and swim. A day of complete relaxation. Besides, when he makes the phone call he needs to, she won’t notice that he’s missing. A couple of hours of swimming and playing with each other, they decide to just lay around and relax.

Max sneaks into the house and places the phone call through to New York. "CC, how is it going? Do they need to talk to me?" Max asks her scared of her answer.

"Maxwell, they are vicious." This time however, CC isn’t lying to him. The meeting isn’t going good at all. CC recaps the last little while to Max and they are both in fear of losing the entire play. "They’re asking questions, I can’t answer and I know this play is important to you. I’ll put you on speaker phone."

Max lays out the plan to the backers and answers all the questions they have for him; however, this takes longer than he has anticipated. A couple of hours later, he hasn’t made any head way. "Fine, tell them I’ll be there in two hours. I’ll have to catch a flight, then come back here." Max slams the phone down and tries to find Fran.

"You’re leaving aren’t you?" He turns to see Fran coming out of their room buttoning up her sun dress. "I made reservations for two, I guess it’s dinner for one now, huh?." She tries to hold her tears back.

"Fran, I’m sorry. They won’t listen to me over the phone."

Fran cuts him off, "You promised me no work, this was our weekend. Do you realize how long its been since we have had time to ourselves and to this family. The kids all took off, and now you. What does this say about me? I’m gonna be your wife, so what is this something that is always going to happen. Is work always going to be more important to you?"

"Fran, Darling, of course you and our family are more important than work, it’s just I left CC with a huge deal and she can’t handle it and she needs help. Our play is riding on this. I’ll be right back. You won’t even notice I’m gone."

"What about me, I’m your fiancee-I need you. What if I told you that our relationship is riding on this. What would you say?" Fran let her tears go.

"I’d say that you are overreacting. I need to do this, we can’t afford another flop and I’ll be back in your arms in no time. Can’t you understand that?" Max looks at her with a sullen face.

"Understand?" With that Fran turns on her heal and walks out the door, but stops suddenly and faces him, "Maxwell Sheffield, I lied to you, and I lied to our kids, this whole thing was my idea. I told the kids it was yours and I told you it was theirs. I wanted my family here together, but ya know maybe its just too late. Maybe I came in too late in everyone’s life to enjoy my turn as a wife and a mother–maybe I’m the one who is wrong." Fran’s sentence is barely audible through her tears. "I’m going to dinner. I do love you, Max, I just wish you understood."

Max stands there and watches her leave. He is half mad at himself and the other half is mad at her for not understanding his position.

He gets into the car and heads for the airport. This isn’t easy for him and how can she ask him to stay if it meant his career. But on the other hand, how can he leave if it meant his life with her and his happiness? Questions he couldn’t answer, but more he didn’t want to. He realizes though, that his sub-conscience taken him towards the ocean not the airport.

He sees the three people who can help him. Why didn’t he just stop her and tell her that he was wrong and that she was right. Pride, that was his answer. She was right, they hadn’t been attentive to her lately. He was so busy and the kids have been taking her for granted, just like him. ‘She is right about everything.’ Max states out loud and heads over to his children.

Fran is at the café sitting outside at a table by herself, several men have come up to offer their company, but she declines each one of them. She just stares at the ocean and cries. How she even thought that she could be someone’s wife and mother, is beyond her. He hurt her badly this time, somehow she knew if he went, she didn’t know how they could get pass this.

Fran didn’t notice the four people walking up behind her. She’s oblivious to anything except her heart breaking into pieces.

"Fran?" Max starts slowly.

"Max, you didn’t go?" Fran turns around and sees Max, Brighton, Maggie and Gracie all standing there together.

"No, I didn’t. I couldn’t." Max confesses to her.

"We’re sorry! We were never a close family, but you changed that and we took that for granted." Maggie starts the group out.

"It’s not like we don’t want to spend time with you. We do, we just thought you wanted more time with Dad then us." Brighton adds to the conversation.

"We love you so much. We’re sorry we hurt you. We never meant to. No one has ever gotten upset that we didn’t spend time with them and no one has ever loved us as much as you do. We already considered you as our mother, we never realized that you didn’t know that." Gracie runs over and hugs Fran hard. The other two do the same.

Fran looks at them and them up to Max. Her eyes questioning his, wondering....

"Fran, you were right. Work should never come before my family and never before you. I’m sorry the most. I was only thinking of myself and I want you to know that its not too late for your turn in our lives. I need you, we need you. I needed to understand before I could ask you to. Now, I’m standing in front of you telling you that I understand. I love you, Fran. I am so sorry. I want you to ask me your last question again."

Fran looks at Max not understanding. "What? You mean what would you say if I told you that our relationship is riding on this?"

Max walks straight and bends down before her on both knees. "I would say that you are more important to me than anything and if you didn’t want me to go, I will stay. That’s what I should have said to begin with. I love you," He grabs her hand with his, "and to show you how much, we have a little surprise for you."

Max and the kids, pull Fran up and guide her down to the beach. The sun is just setting behind the horizon, and a little bonfire has been started where they stop. A chuppah has been set up in front of the ocean and Rabbi stands under it waiting.

"Fran, I can’t wait any longer to get married. I want you to know how much you mean to me. So, what do you say we get married right here?" Max is holding her hand tightly.

Silence....

"Fran, please. I know your family isn’t here..."

"No, Maxwell, my family is here. You and the kids are all I need. I’ll marry you right now, but under one condition." She stares at him seriously.

"Anything, my love."

"Promise me that you will never hurt me again." Fran simply states her one request.

"Oh, Fran, I promise."

"Maxwell, don’t you ever break that. Remember you told me forever and I told you that I was never going to let you out of it. I mean it."

"Fran, I’ll never let you go and I will never break my promise to you. My life has been forever changed by you. We have a love that most people never find, and we have taught each other so much about life and love. I love you so much it scares me, but never have I doubted for one second, that you were, who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I promise you my life, my heart and most of all my love. I promise to trust you, honor you, and love you for the rest of our lives. I promise to be there for the good and bad times, through sickness and health, in richer or poorer. But mostly I promise you forever." Max wipes the little tear that escapes Fran’s eye.

"Max, I don’t want you to ever let me go and I never want to lose you. I want to experience life with you. For as long as I can remember, I wished for us to be like this, and sometimes I feel that we’re going to wake up and this will all be a dream, but then I feel your arms around me and I know this is for real. I have never loved anyone this much before and I have never had anyone love me back just as much. You are my life and I can never imagine it without you!" Fran brings her hands up and runs them through his hair as Max holds her tightly.

"I promise to trust you, honor you but most of all love you. I give you my heart, my soul, my life and my love. I promise to be with you through the good and the bad, through sickness and health and in richer or poorer. And I promise you forever."

"Do you two realize you just did?"

"Huh?" Max trying to make out with the Rabbi just said, not taking his eyes off Fran.

"You’re married!"

Fran is the first to break the gaze. "Wha..."

"You just said your vows in front of witnesses and you just pledged your life and love to each other, which is commonly called ‘MARRIAGE’-all I need now is two rings and a glass to break."

"Here’s the rings!" Gracie yells.

"Wait, here’s a glass from the café, I don’t think they’ll mind, and I wrapped it in a napkin." Brighton adds in.

"Well alrighty then." Fran becoming giddier by the seconds, looks at Max and smiles nervously, "Max, you did all this for us?" Then she teases him and playfully hits him in the arm. "Now, why can’t you be like this all the time?"

"You won’t be calling me predictable anymore, will you?" Max kisses her nose and crosses over to take the rings from Gracie.

"We ready to continue?" The Rabbi asks.

Fran looks at Max and they both nod, nervously, but anxious to finally tie the knot.

"Max, Fran, you have already done the hard part, the only question I have for you is this: Maxwell, do you take Francine to be your wife?"

"I Do!" Max states as he gazes at Fran, not taking his eyes off her, he places her wedding band on her finger surrounding her engagement ring.

"Do you Francine take Maxwell to be your husband?" It’s Fran’s turn.

"Yes, I Do! And it’s about time!!" Everyone laughs and claps at the same time. Fran places Maxwell’s wedding band on his left finger and gazes just as intently on his face that he has on hers.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!" The Rabbi puts the glass down on the beach and Max stomps on it, in a traditional Jewish ceremony.

The next few moments Max and Fran create a world of love and peace around them. Max grabs Fran and kisses her so passionately that Fran loses all strength in her legs and has to lean against Max to stay up. He holds her tightly to himself not ever wanting to ever let go. The applause of their kids, draws their attention back to reality, forgetting for a moment they aren’t alone.

Max breaks the kiss and looks lovingly at Fran who is trying to recover from her husband’s kiss. "Wow, marriage agrees with you!" Fran finally spits out.

"Darling, you agree with me." Max nuzzles her face and the kids run over and the five hug in a tight embrace filled with love.

"Congratulations, Mom and Dad!!" All three kids smile proudly at their new family. "We knew it would happen eventually."

Tears of joy spilling down Fran’s face as she finally comprehends what just transpired. "I can’t believe I’m finally married. I mean it’s just like a dream."

"Believe it, Sweetheart. There is no way either one of us is getting out of this marriage, we are stuck with each other until death, and I have a feeling that not even that can keep us apart." Fran kisses Max with all her love she has for him.

"So, what does everyone say about the rest of the time here, its totally family time, just the five of us?" Max asks them all.

"That’s all I want!" Fran answers for them all. "That’s all I intended for this weekend." Fran grabs Max’s hand in her left and Maggie’s in her right. Brighton puts his hand in Maggie’s other as Gracie puts her’s in her father’s left, they walk happily to the beach house to celebrate.

Brighton has a thought, "Wait a minute, two men, three women, Dad, this isn’t fair, we need Niles here, do you realize we are outranked."

"Brighton, get used to it." Fran slaps Max lightly on his tush. "Maybe we can add a little schlomo to the clan, what do you think?" Max whispers in Fran’s ear.

"Awe, Max! I’m sure we’ll need lots and lots of practice. I know first hand how great you are and believe me, I’m a very willing participant." She whispers back in a very seductive voice, winking at her husband.

A few hours later, everyone retiring to their rooms, Max and Fran alone at last to embark on their new status of husband and wife. Max unbuttons Fran’s dress and it slowly falls to the floor as Fran turns around and undresses Max. They start Kissing passionately not being about to think of anything but the other. Both knowing the other’s body intimately, Max looks at Fran and smiles as he lowers her to the bed and begins making love to her.

Hands and kisses travel up and down each other as bodies sway in the same motion. Fitting perfect into the other, Fran and Max finding over and over pure perfect love. They have the deepest connection two people could have, neither one wanting more than to please the other.

Making love as husband and wife, changes the experience for them, it becomes a more intense bond than before, because now they are truly one.

They fall asleep tightly clasped in each other’s arms for the first time as husband and wife.

The weekend coming to an end....

The next day is spent on the beach with the family playing games, swimming, relaxing, and just having family fun. Max is in the water with Brighton and Grace throwing a frisbee back and forth, while Fran and Maggie sit down to relax.

"Well, I can’t wait to get home and tell Seth that I met someone and rub it in." Maggie turns towards Fran and laughs.

"Brad wasn’t upset that you didn’t do anything with him last night and today, was he?" Fran looking concerned as she sits on a lounge chair opposite Maggie.

"Not at all, I told him that my mom needed me and I would always be there for her no matter what. He understood that and told me that I was very special to break a date to be with my family." Maggie gets up and sits with Fran.

"He’s right sweetie, you are very special and ya know he’s smart too. Did ya notice that he understood you, unlike the jerk back home. Did ya get his address?" Fran hugs Maggie and fixes her hair.

"Yeah, I even got Brighton, Bridgette’s address for him. Don’t tell him, I want to make him suffer." Maggie laughs thinking of how to torture her brother.

Maggie gets up and sees Gracie waving for her to come back into the water. Fran lays down on the lounge and relaxes, not noticing Max coming up besides her. He bends down and kisses her softly on the lips.

"Hello, Mrs. Sheffield!" Max strokes her bare skin exposed by her tiny bikini that she’s wearing.

"Hello, Mr. Sheffield!" Fran looks up at his face and brings her hands up to caress his cheek. Max drops to his knees and kisses her very thoroughly. Fran’s hands are now moving up and down his bare back.

Max joins Fran on her lounge chair, holding each other tight looking out at the ocean watching their three kids having fun.

"They’re having a ball, aren’t they? I can’t believe how much they have grown up over the last little while. I owe that all to you." Max gazes at Fran and pulls her closer to him.

"They have grown up, haven’t they? To give up their plans and dates for us. I know that’s what I planned, but for them to do it because they love us, well it’s a feeling I can’t explain. And this feeling I have for you, there are no words to tell you how I feel, except that I love you, Maxwell Beverly Sheffield with all my heart! Have I told you in the last five minutes how happy I am? I’m your wife and you, the love of my life, is now my husband." Fran lays on top of Max to get better access of his lips.

"I love you, Francine Joy Sheffield, with more love than I knew existed within myself. Happy, you happy, I didn’t notice." Max teases Fran as he tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. "I am so fortunate to have you in my life and blest that you became my wife after everything I have done. I have found my other half in you and now that you are my wife, I am truly whole." Max kisses Fran again this time with a little more passion then before.

The kids choose that moment to dump a pail of water of them to cool them off. Fran screams in surprise but Max just lays there laughing.

"That’s it, you guys are gonna pay for that!" Fran gets up and grabs Max’s hand to help up. They look for the kids and run after them, well Fran runs after them and Max runs after Fran. All five end up in the water, splashing and pushing one another under.

The family all piles onto the couch for the last night of their trip.

"Fran, thanks for this weekend, who knew we would leave New York and four days later return as a complete family." Brighton admits to everyone.

"I love you all so much and I wouldn’t have had our wedding," she looks at Max, "any other way. It was perfect because you guys planned it."

Back at the Sheffield mansion, home sweet home...

Max, Fran and the kids walk in the front door, only to be ambushed by CC.

"Maxwell, what happened, you never showed up and I had to lie to the backers that you couldn’t get a flight. No thanks to you, they gave up the fight and we got the money." CC is angry with Max.

"CC, calm down, do you realize what you just said. You did it all by yourself, you should be happy." Max turns the conversation around trying to make CC think about her accomplishment.

"Yes, I mean, I did it!" CC states back not realizing Max just turn the tables on her.

"Welcome back, thank God, you’re home, sir. Miss Babcock has been torturing me for days." Niles grabs the bags from Max and Fran and whispers to Fran, "Well, did it work?"

"Niles, you knew what Fran was up to. Why doesn’t that surprise me? Well, the answer to your question is YES!" To make his point he grabs Fran’s hand and shows Niles. "Yes ol’ man it worked so well, I married her!"

Niles grabs both of their hands and sees the matching wedding bands. "Oh sir, Miss Fine, oops, I guess it’s Mrs. Sheffield, congratulations!!!" Niles hugs them both.

"Congratulations for what, butler boy?" CC asks coming up behind them.

"Grab your shorts for this one, Ca-Ca." Niles says under his breath.

"CC, Fran and I got married on Saturday." Max gathers Fran in his arms and kisses her right in front of everyone. Fran shoves her hand out behind Max’s back and shows CC her wedding ring.

The only thing heard is a loud thud–CC hitting the floor.

"She took that better than I expected." Is the only thing Max could say, "Kids, do you mind helping Fran move her stuff into our room."

"Okay!" They all shout at once while going up the stairs to unpack.

"Wow, not only do I get to sleep with you, now I get to wake up with you." Fran whispers in his ear. "The benefits of marriage."

"I’m sure there are more to come." Max kisses her once more and then pulls back to look at her. "What do you say, I finish this play business and then we go on a proper honeymoon."

"I’d say ya got yourself a deal, Mr. Sheffield!" Fran runs her hand down his back pulling his body closer to hers.

"Okay, it’s a deal, Mrs. Sheffield." He holds her tight and kisses her gently finally letting go to head to his office. "I love you, Fran."

"And I love you." Fran exclaims back to him.

Fran sighs watching him go, ‘Wow, and all I wanted was a family vacation and ended up with a husband and the love of three kids who mean the world to me. I can’t believe Max and I are married. I knew we were going to soon, but this was the greatest surprise ever. I am Mrs. Maxwell Sheffield. Well, if ever I have another plan....’ Fran couldn’t help but giggle all the way up the stairs to their room.

Maxwell Sheffield sits behind his desk in his office, thoughts of the one person who has made him happier than he thought he was a week ago. He finally made the right choice. No doubts, no regrets, just perfect peace with his life and the life he is going to have with his wife. ‘My wife, Fran Sheffield. God, does that sound good.’ Thoughts keep evading his mind, no work is going to get done, at least not today.

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