That story should take place some time after "One false mole and you're dead"...
by
Anakin
(anakin_skywallkr@hotmail.com)
He couldn't tell how long he had been sitting there, a gentle breeze gently playing with his dark curls. He squatted and arranged the flowers the wind had spread, his hand resting on the stone, as if to retrieve comfort from its contact. He shook his head, still unsure of what he had to do, but somehow convinced that whatever it was he did, it would be the right thing.
Maxwell Sheffield slowly rose from his squatting position, and looked one last time at the name engraved in the granite "Sara Sheffield, beloved wife and mother" "Love you Sara..." He whispered before heading for his car.
"Niles, do you know where Mr. Sheffield is?"
"He said he had some important things to fix, but didn't say more, I'm sorry Miss Fine..."
"Oh..." She said a little bit disappointed.
"You wanted to ask him something?"
"Well... Oh I guess I could as well tell you: I thought I could schmooze him into accompanying me to that reunion on Saturday..."
Niles chuckled.
"You know how much he likes that kind of evening!... Good luck!"
Fran scowled.
"Niles, you're not helping."
"I truly wish you manage actually: I don't know what's with him, but I've found him to be rather distracted and melancholic lately..." He added with a concerned look.
"Well you know what they say Niles, I won't get anything if I don't try..."
Just then Maxwell entered the kitchen through the back door.
"... And there's the man himself!" she went on putting up her best smile.
Maxwell didn't seem to notice though.
"Mr. Sheffield?"
"Yes Miss Fine?"
"I was thinking... I have that reunion on Saturday evening..."
"No..."
"But...!"
"No... It's a rather difficult time for me now, and frankly, I don't feel like going to a reunion, even with you and for you..."
Fran scowled.
He came next to her, and put a hand around her waist. The familiarity of his gesture made her start.
"But what do you think of a dinner in a nice restaurant?" He said softly next to her ear.
"Whaa?... huh... Yeah, sure!... I hate reunions anyway..."
He smiled, gave her a peck on the cheek, his hand resting a few long seconds on her shoulder, and headed for his office.
Fran looked at Niles with a puzzled look.
"What do you think it meant?..."
Niles smirked.
"That you're going to get lucky..."
"Oh Niles stop that... Last time I managed to make him propose to me, it was out of guilt, I refused, and spent the following weeks miserable. I've decided not to go there by myself now."
"Well anyway our little boy has been quite lost in his thoughts since that proposal..."
"Yeah well... there's no point wondering anyway... When the kids come home, tell them I'm upstairs, I have to choose what I'm gonna wear on that evening, right?" She winked, and headed for the stairs.
Niles prepared the tray, and carried it to the office. He knocked, and entered. Maxwell was leafing through his mail. He set it down on his desk and smiled at his butler.
"Niles; shut the door and take a seat."
Niles gladly sat down. Maxwell stood up and served the tea. He gave a cup to Niles, then leant on his desk, sipping his.
"Niles I have a favor to ask you... Would you mind keeping an eye on the children for a week?..."
"When?"
"Oh don't worry, they'll be at school, so basically, you'll only have to see to it that they do their homework, and go pick them up and drive them to their various activities."
Niles sighed.
"You'll owe me big deal..." He winked.
"More than that old man... More than that..."
***
"Miss Fine, hurry up!" Maxwell said impatiently, as he was pacing along the stairs, trying to calm his nervousness, but checking his watch every 15 seconds.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She trotted down the stairs.
Maxwell stopped and looked at her. Her hair was artistically pulled up, her black dress was absolutely beautiful, and her bare shoulders sent tremors inside of him he had troubles containing.
While he observed her open mouthed, she looked at him. Not that she had never had any opportunity to see her handsome boss in a tuxedo, but she was always rejoicing at that spectacle, and the fact she could put him in a trance every time she wanted to...
She finally reached the last step, pulling him out of his reverie. He came and took her extended hand, to brush his lips against the top of it. "Shall we go?" He said softly, and smiling.
"Yes."
He helped her put her coat and led the way to the limo.
Dinner was excellent and the evening much enjoyable. They danced, talked a lot, Maxwell enjoying hearing her lively retorts, and passionate discussions. The more he observed her, the more he became sure that what he was about to do was the right thing.
She stopped talking, looking a bit embarrassed.
"I'm sorry to bother you with my stories..."
"You're not bothering me at all Miss Fine... In fact, I find your conversation really interesting..." He pulled up a bottle of Champagne from underneath the table. 'forgive me for this Miss Fine...' he thought, as he poured two glasses. "To you Miss Fine... To your smile, and your energy, to your love... Huh... towards my children that is..." He said sheepishly.
She smiled at his awkwardness. They clang their glasses, and Fran drank hers in one gulp, Maxwell observing her smiling.
"Aren't you going to drink yours?" She said.
"Huh?... Oh!... Yes of course!..." He touched his glass with his lips but she frowned, putting her hand on her head.
"Miss Fine, are you alright?" He said concerned, putting his glass down.
"Oy... I don't know what it is I... I feel dizzy all of a sudden."
He stood up.
"Actually, I think you look rather tired, maybe we should head back home..."
"No, no I... I'm fine..."
But another wave of dizziness hit her and if it weren't for Maxwell, she'd have fallen off her chair.
"Come on Miss Fine... that was a wonderful evening, but I really do think we should go home now."
"Oy... Oh maybe you're right... I don't know what's happening..."
They took their coats and went back to the limo, Maxwell almost carrying her to the car. She lied, more than she sat, and he closed the door behind them. A tad worried, he checked on her, tapping her cheek lightly.
"Miss Fine?... Miss Fine?..."
He helped her sitting up straight and tapped the glass to the chauffeur.
"Alright, she's asleep... Drive us to La Guardia..."
"Yes Sir."
***
Fran stretched lazily. She hadn't slept that well in a long long time. She yawned and opened her eyes. She was in a room she recognized instantly was not hers. All the furniture was wooden country style, and the walls were covered by wooden panelling. She frowned. She looked at what she was wearing. She had still her underwear from the previous night on, but her dress was gone, and she was wearing a large thick tee-shirt instead. She got up and looked once more at her room. It was a large room with a king sized bed, and nobody in sight. She found one of her robes at the foot of the bed, and she put it on.
The mystery was getting thicker and thicker...
She opened the door of the room and stepped into a larger one. A fire was crackling in a large fireplace facing a sofa. Someone was reading the paper.
More and more intrigued, Fran stepped forward, her bare foot making no noise on the tiled floor. Her heart leapt:
The dark curls, the gray streak... "Mr. Sheffield!!!"
He put his paper down and turned, standing up and smiling.
"Oh Miss Fine!... Did you sleep well?"
"What happened?! Where are we?! Where are the kids?!" She was too disoriented to think straight.
He chuckled softly. "Come sit next to the fire Miss Fine, I owe you an explanation."
She came to sit next to him. He looked at her, and took one of her hands in his two.
"Miss Fine, as you know, it was Sara's birthday not long ago... Like I'm used to doing every year, I went to her grave with the children, but I went again alone... I had some things to sort out, and I thought maybe there was the perfect place for me to find the answers to some questions... Miss Fine, you've been working for me for almost five years now, and I guess we both know friendship is not the only thing between us. I tried to deny this as long as I could but... I guess I've finally come to terms with my feelings... I decided to tell you, but I wanted it to be special... So I concocted this whole plan... You once said I was too predictable, I bet I surprised you this time... When we went out yesterday, I put sleeping pills in the Champagne. You fell asleep almost instantly, it was easy then. The limo took us to the airport, I had hired a private jet to take us here, in Colorado..."
"Wow!..." She was still too surprised to say anything coherent.
"... I haven't finished with you yet Miss Fine..."
He pulled out a small velvet box. Fran felt her heart beat faster.
"Miss Fine... Fran... I told you I had come to terms with my feelings, but I haven't told you exactly what... I think you know I love you, and I would like you to give me the chance to prove you so for the years to come... Fran... Will you marry me?"
She felt a wave suddenly crushing her insides, tears flooded her eyes, she had no control over them. She heard herself saying yes through an incomprehensible grumbling coming out of her throat. She saw him smile broadly, slip the beautiful diamond ring at her left finger, and the next minute, he was giving her the tenderest and sweetest kiss she had ever been given...
They remained hugging for a few minutes, then she looked at him with a mischievous eye. "What shall we do now Mr. Sheffield?"
He chuckled.
"I know what you're thinking, and believe me, I want this as much as you do, but I'm a gentleman, and it won't happen until I've made an honest woman out of you..."
Fran scowled.
He smiled and kissed her thoroughly. "This is just for the road... Now get dressed, I put something in one of the wooden cupboards in the bedroom for you. I'm not sure you'll like it... It's rather long compared to what you're used to wearing, but... Well... Put it on, and then we'll decide... I have to change myself, but I'll use the bathroom, you can go to the bedroom and see what I chose for you ..."
He stood up, and headed for the bathroom.
Fran shook her head, still unable to realize fully what had happened there. Then she stood up, and went to the bedroom at a light pace.
Maxwell counted... "3... 2... 1..."
A scream was heard coming from the bedroom.
Maxwell smiled, and finished putting on his cufflinks.
"Mr. Sheffield!!!" Fran rushed out of her room while he came out of the bathroom. She stopped in her tracks. There he was, standing right in front of her, wearing black tails, a bow tie, and more elegant than she ever had seen him.
She didn't know whether to burst out laughing or crying.
He smiled, amused.
"I don't think you want to be married in a tee-shirt Fran..." He joked.
"Ma... Ma..."
"You said yes, remember?" He continued smiling.
"Oh Mr. Sheffield!"
She threw her arms around his neck, and burst out sobbing.
"Max... the name's Maxwell..." He gently murmured in her ear... "Come on Fran... The Rabbi and the Priest should be here any minute now... you'd better go and get dressed..."
"Oh Mister.. Maxwell... that's so romantic!... I love the dress!"
He kissed her on the lips... "And by the way... 'bathroom is free now...!"
She smiled and headed for the bathroom. "Wanna come help me?" she asked winking.
He chuckled. "Fran, don't tempt me... this could get out of hand pretty quickly..."
"Hey why do you think I asked?!" She giggled, and shut the door of the bathroom.
About 30 minutes later - which was SHORT for Fran - she emerged from the bedroom. Her hair once again pulled up in an artistic bun. She was wearing little make up, but it made her face shining. The dress he had chosen for her looked absolutely perfect on her, and he was not unhappy with his final choice. It was a very simple, Ivory silk dress, that put her curvaceous forms to their advantage. She looked like a Princess, a beautiful Jewish Princess he thought, as he extended his arm to welcome her at the improvised altar...
Fran lived the next hour in a dream. She barely heard the Rabbi ask her if she promised to love and cherish Maxwell in sickness and in Health as long as they both shall live, and barely realized she said "I do"...
The next thing she knew was that he was kissing her very thoroughly. She was lying on top of him, and they were both feverishly undressing each other. In an instant, they were both naked under the sheets, and discovering the other one's body with their fingers, and their lips.
It all happened so fast, but so tenderly. Soon, they were both moaning as they tried to please the other one. Two complementary parts of the same puzzle finally came together. Fran and Maxwell Sheffield made love for the first time, but it was like they had known each other for a very long time. Their bodies moving one with the other, in a perfect harmony, both instinctively knowing where to caress, or where to kiss...
Some time later, they were lying awake, tightly hugged, and trying to realize at last what had just happened.
"So Mrs. Sheffield... How did you like it?"
She chuckled "You were great Mr. Sheffield..."
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I was not talking about that darling..."
"Oh... Well... I'd say that eloping was not how I envisioned the whole thing, but it's definitely a good way to do things!" She kissed him tenderly. "It took you five years, but when you finally committed, you did it so fast I didn't even realize you were doing it until now!..." She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose.
"You regret how I did it?" He asked a bit concerned.
"Absolutely not Max... It was the most romantic proposal I could ever dream of."
"Really?"
"Yes..." She kissed him softly. "Now what?" She murmured against his lips.
He turned to face her, both his arms encircling her waist.
"Now we have one week here as a honeymoon. Niles knows where we are, and I bet he has an inkling about what we are here for, but I haven't told him I was going to marry you right on the spot, nor the children." He kissed the tip of her nose.
"And what are your plans for our stay?"
"My plans are yours Fran... This is my apology for having taken so much time to come to terms with my feelings."
A shadow passed in her eyes.
"... But this is most of all because I love you more than I can ever be able to express... This is your wedding gift Fran, I'm all yours, we'll do what YOU want to do..."
She sighed contentedly.
"Right now, I can think of nothing else but lying in bed with you... And making up for lost time..." She smiled mischievously.
"Good..." He said, giving her a peck on the lips."... Because that's exactly what I have in mind... and you will see that I'm not that British cold fish you accused me to be so many times!..." He kissed her thoroughly, his hands once again exploring her body...
***
One week later, they both stepped inside their house, still feeling exhilarated about the week they had just lived. The children were still at school and Niles was the only one to greet them. He waited until one of them spoke, watching them closely: seeing his boss with a wedding band was not unusual, but he thought he had noticed an unusual glow at Fran's left hand.
Maxwell shook his head smiling.
"All right Niles... We have eloped..."
Niles' face lit up in a huge smile, and he rushed to embrace them both.
Maxwell felt at first a tad embarrassed, but then again, he considered his butler more as a friend than as a servant, and he knew how much the latter had wished he made his move towards Fran, so he hugged him back.
"Hey old man... I owe you real big, remember?..."
"What for?" Asked a still smiling Niles.
"Keeping an eye on the children for us..." he winked.
"Oh Sir, that's all right... I am rewarded a hundred times!... Since you have eloped, I won't have to hold a big reception here..." he winked too.
"Oh there will be a big reception..." Maxwell interrupted.
Niles scowled.
"... But it will be held at the Marriott Marquee, and you're invited... As my best man... I will proclaim my love for Fran in front of everyone... And I hope this will stand for shouting it from the roof tops." He added looking tenderly at his new wife, and giving her a peck on the lips.
"It sure will..." She murmured smiling.
Niles couldn't help marvelling at the way she was just glimmering. There was a new light about her, something indescribable, and when he looked at his employer, he saw the same light. A light that had entered this house almost five years ago...
Suddenly, the entrance door burst opened to reveal the three Sheffield children.
"Dad! Fran!... You're home!!!!!!!" Grace rushed to embrace both of them and soon, happy chatter filled the room, Grace, Margaret, and Brighton wanting to talk all at once.
But they quieted down when they realized their father and Nanny were unusually calm, and most of all: that their father's arm was tightly wrapped around their Nanny's waist. Margaret was the first to speak again.
"Daddy?... Fran?..."
Maxwell looked amorously to Fran. "You might want to call Fran 'Mom' Margaret... She's my wife now..."
And there was an explosion of happiness around them, each of the children wanting to hug them, or see the wedding band along with the engagement ring.
A "pop" was heard, which interrupted everybody, as Niles started serving Champagne. "With your permission Sir, I took this bottle in your wine cellar, but this is on me..."
Some time after everyone had gone to bed, Fran and Max went upstairs, hand in hand. Upon entering his room, Max swept Fran into his arms and pushed the door with his foot.
"Welcome to your room Mrs. Sheffield..."
He shut the door and carried her to his bed, to THEIR bed. He lay next to her, and simply looked at her. She smiled, her eyes full of love. He stroke her cheek softly.
"I love you" She said.
He kissed her lightly.
"I love you Fran Sheffield" He lay on his back and pulled her atop him, before kissing her as if his life depended on that.
They slowly disrobed each other, and like a film in slow motion, started making love in a most tender way. There was no raw passion nor lust in any of their actions, but genuine love and utter trust in each other. The world could have collapsed around them, they wouldn't have noticed it, the shell the two lovers created around them protecting them.
They could never have enough of each other, and made love over and over, only finding relief in fulfilling the other one's desire.
They finally slowly drifted to sleep, tightly clutched one to the other.
In a few hours Maxwell would proclaim his love for her to the rest of the world, and this would be for the best. Fran had waited almost five long years, but what slowly unfolded before her, promised to be even longer, on the path she and the man she loved would share for the many years to come...
The End
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