Back to Part One of Oy!
by
Anakin
(anakin_skywallkr@hotmail.com)
Maxwell came back from the kitchen where he had brought down her tray after she had had dinner.
Fran finished brushing her teeth upside the small bucket she used and discreetly covered it for him to rinse it. He smiled and took it from her hands. He liked that "washing routine" that had settled between them. It allowed him to share particular moments with her. No words were required most of the time, he simply helped her as well as he could.
"You know Mr. Sheffield, if you don't mind, I'd like to go sit on the stool over there, so that you would help me wash my back a little. The nurse tried to help me this morning, but I'd like a more thorough job this evening..."
"Well, did you ask her about that?"
"Yes, actually, she couldn't carry me there, and I was not going to ask the physiotherapist..."
"Oh... Well... let's go then..."
He gently lifted her and deposited her carefully on the stool. She looked shyly at him.
"Thanks..."
"Now what?"
"Well... I cannot wipe my back myself..." she said giving him a wet towel. "So I guess it'll have to be you..."
Maxwell smiled a bit awkwardly, but took the towel.
She slowly took her tee shirt off, shyly clutching it to her breasts.
He came behind her, and started wiping gently her shoulders with the wet cloth. Fran sighed slightly. He went a bit further down, making slow circles on her skin. The gentle massage was doing much more to her senses than she would have wished. She couldn't prevent another sigh escape from her mouth, a bit more loudly this time.
Maxwell was fascinated by her white skin, softly glistening under the light of the room. All his will power was reduced to nothing, and he couldn't resist the temptation to touch it.
When his fingertips lightly touched her, Fran shivered.
"You're cold?" He asked softly.
"No..." she replied in a breath.
He smiled, and slowly bent towards her back, following his gentle caresses with his lips.
"Mr. Sheffield..." She said in a breath.
"Yes?" He responded, not stopping his assaults on her senses for a second.
"Mr. Sheffield... Stop torturing me like this..." She murmured, not wanting him to stop. "Mr. Sheffield... Please..."
He held her shoulders, kissing the back of her neck.
"Why? Don't you like it?" he murmured in her ear.
"I'm not the sexy brunette you used to know anymore Mr. Sheffield... I'm a helpless invalid with pins in her legs..." She said, a lump in her throat.
He straightened immediately, and faced her with a very serious look.
"Now Miss Fine, I want you to listen very carefully to what I have to say..."
She looked at him with sad eyes.
"Face the truth Mr. Sheffield... Look at my legs..."
"For Christ's sake, I don't care for your legs!" he said ragingly. "Fran you're back with all your mental abilities, all your charm, all your heart,... And that's far more important to me than your looks!... How many times will I have to tell to you?! A few weeks ago, the only sound I got from you was the sound the monitor was making next to your bed, and I could only watch your almost lifeless face which color matched that of the pillow underneath your head!... Fran!"
He looked at her, she had tears in her eyes. He shook his head, and held her tightly.
"Oh God Fran... Do you have any idea of what my life would be without you by my side?" he muttered, almost inaudibly. "Fran, you've captured my heart, and there's no way for it to escape the haven of peace it's trapped in..."
He looked into her eyes, full of questions and bewilderment at his latest words, and said with a very gentle voice:
"Fran, I never want you to leave my side... Don't you understand that?... I don't care you have pins in your legs today, it is so irrelevant compared to what you've done for me and my children... It will take the time it will take, they'll remove those pins, and with a little help, I'm sure you'll walk again soon, as normally as before... trust me..."
"Mr. Sheffield..."
"Oh, and stop with 'Mr. Sheffield' Fran, we're past that now... the name is Max..." He gently wiped the remnants of tears she had in her eyes, and softly kissed her mouth.
She shyly accepted the kiss, which deepened. He hugged her strongly, then delicately carried her back to her bed and sat next to her. She was still clutching her tee shirt to her chest. He slowly started to take it off from her hands, but she held it.
"... Max I don't think it's a good idea..."
"Shhhh...I just want to finish what I have started" he said, showing the wet towel. He took a deep breath. "Fran, I've thought long and hard, and once again, when I tried to see my future, you were always there. For some time already, our relationship has intensified, and I came to realize that you've always behaved more as a wife than a Nanny, towards me... I'm grateful you did, Fran, because you're the wife I need... If there's anything your accident taught me, it's that I want to protect you for the rest of my life."
She couldn't speak. Emotion kept her throat constricted, but her eyes told him much more. He smiled, and bent to kiss her in a way he had never kissed her. Then he straightened up a little, caressing her cheek with one finger.
"Better now?" He asked softly.
"I... I don't really know Max... things are all confused in my head..."
"I love you Fran... What about you?"
"Oh Max, how can you ever doubt it...?..."
"It's settled then... Nudity is something natural between a man and his wife, right?... So don't be shy, and let me help you wash..."
"But I'm not your wife..."
"Yet..." He interrupted, and he took her tee-shirt off her hands.
*****
Fran was finishing her training on the exercise bike, under the attentive eye of her physiotherapist. Maxwell came in, and closed the door, smiling at the display. Fran had that willing look on her face, that made her carry mountains, and he liked that.
Her physiotherapist told her to stop, and breathe, giving her a towel so that she could wipe her sweating brow and face. Then he came to Maxwell.
"Mr. Sheffield, I don't want to sound too optimistic, but Miss Fine has made tremendous progress in the past two weeks."
"Really?!"
"I'd wait for confirmation with the X-rays and the doctor's opinion, though, but I think she can really start walking again, not simply exercising. It's been about two months now, and with the help of the pins, her legs seem able to take up the challenge. I'd advise no extra effort though. I'll continue training her, of course, but according to what the doctor tells you, it might be less frequently... When do you see him?"
"We have an appointment tomorrow actually, that's what I was going to tell you."
"Well then, let me know... good bye Mr. Sheffield, good bye Fran..."
"Bye!" She said, smiling.
Once he was gone, Maxwell came next to her and gave her a little peck on the lips.
"Now what do you say we have a little washing session?"
Fran smiled warmly.
"Max, you naughty boy!" She winked. "Actually, Elsa, my nurse was going to help me take a bath..."
"Wrong answer...!" He said, obviously amused.
Fran looked at him questioningly.
"She said she'd come this afternoon instead... Now what?" He said roguishly...
"Err... I can wait until this afternoon..." She said, not convinced at all herself...
"Huh-huh... And you want to smell sweat and feel sticky till then?" He murmured sensuously in her ear.
She pushed him back a little, suddenly very serious.
"Max... I'm really not comfortable with you helping me take my bath..."
He raised an eyebrow, suddenly worried.
"You don't appreciate me taking care of you?"
"No! that's not it! Max, it's just... I know how you feel about me, and I really do feel the same about you, but... How can I put this?... I'm not comfortable with the idea of you seeing me when I'm not in my best shape..."
"Fran..."
"Max, we're not even officially engaged..."
He sighed.
"All right... Anyway, what do you say we go out to dinner tomorrow after seeing the doctor? Just the two of us, to celebrate your recovery..."
"Recovery?... We haven't even seen the doctor yet..."
"Oh for God's sake Fran!... When will you ever stop arguing to anything I say?!" He exclaimed, his fists against his hips.
She giggled.
"All right, I won't argue I promise, but you're outta my room mister, a few wipe towels and a water spray will do until Elsa comes, and that I can do it myself now..." She said, winking and slowly getting down from her bike.
Maxwell sighed, shaking his head, and exited her room mumbling something under his breath that she didn't quite catch.
*****
Niles brought C.C. her lunch. She was once again busy reading scripts, wearing black rimed glasses, and looking very serious. He cleared his throat.
"Miss Babcock, your lunch, like you ordered... Carpaccio with pesto, along with fresh pasta, and pear soup with mint and black chocolate for desert... I chose a light red wine to go with it."
C.C. rose her head dumbfounded.
"Niles, I never ordered such a thing, I never ordered any lunch for the matter!..."
Niles pouted.
"You don't want to taste it?"
"Niles, of course I want to taste it, but where's the trap?!"
"There is no trap. I actually prepared the same thing for Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine, I thought I could bring you some, now if you don't want it..." he said, reaching for the tray.
C.C. stopped him, putting her hand on his arm.
"Niles, stop..." she smiled, taking her glasses off. "Sorry to say that, but you're not usually that kind to me... As a matter of fact, I'm starving. Did you have lunch yourself?"
"No, I was about to have it in the kitchen."
"Then why don't you bring it there so we can chat a little... for once..."
Niles smiled.
"I'll be back in a minute..."
And he exited the office.
C.C. smiled for herself, and leaned onto the back of the green leather seat. Niles was a doll... And she realized that despite their usual banter, he had always been there when she really needed it, like a very faithful friend. Not even Maxwell had, up to this point at least...
That thought hit her like a revelation, and left her agape... Niles was her truest friend!... Her friend... She suddenly considered the butler under a new light... A butler, and a heiress... friendship didn't have any social frontier, friendship didn't need social standards, as well as... Love?... She was like a child discovering a whole new world. She had never seen things that way, and frankly, it was damn easier to do so!...
Niles came in, bringing in his own lunch, and her thoughts were interrupted, but she promised herself to think about it longer...
*****
Max pushed Fran's wheelchair through the corridors of the hospital, till the X-Rays waiting room, and sat on a bench next to her. A little while later, a nurse came to wheel Fran away to the examination room...
The doctor was leafing through a few reports, checking the X-Rays at the same time.
Fran & Maxwell were silently waiting. Fran was holding Maxwell's hand tightly, obviously a little anxious.
The Doctor finally put the contents of her file down on his desk and looked at them, slightly nodding, and raising his eyebrows. He crossed his hands in front of him.
"Miss Fine, I must admit you are a surprising young woman... Not only did you recover 100% from your coma, but calcification is doing really well, and I think that if you don't do silly things, you might as well start walking again..."
Fran's face suddenly beamed.
"Oh course, Mr. Sheffield, I'm counting on you to watch her, and stop her if she overdoes it..."
Maxwell smiled.
"Of course, Doctor... Err... Just how far can she go?"
"Well, no running, nor jumping for one thing. I'll write a note to her physiotherapist so that he adapts her exercises, but otherwise, she can do almost everything. But Miss Fine, you have to learn how to listen to your body's signals. If you feel tired, even if it's only very slightly, then stop what you're doing, and take a seat, or lie down to rest, OK? Freedom is at this price. You've done really well so far, let's go on that line." He concluded, smiling.
"And... Doctor... how long will I keep those pins?"
"Well that's another problem, but if your recovery continues that way, I think it's highly possible that we remove them in two months, maybe less... but that also means a lot of re-education afterwards, starting what you've just achieved from point zero or almost... You have to understand that although your bones will probably be consolidated, there will be holes where the pins were, and you'll have to consolidate that first..."
"Yes, I understand, but it will probably be less psychologically demanding without..."
The doctor smiled.
"Definitely... Don't you worry Miss Fine, you're on the good path, I'm really positive about you..."
Maxwell turned towards her, lightly squeezing her hand, and helped her get up from her wheel chair, as the doctor got round his desk.
"I don't think you'll be needing this now, right Doctor?"
The Doctor nodded, smiling. He shook both their hands, and they headed back home.
*****
Maxwell helped her out of the Limo, and offered her his elbow, although she had a stick. They walked through the entrance of the classy restaurant, and were immediately welcomed by a groom who led them to a secluded booth, were they would get all the privacy they needed.
They started dinner chatting happily about many subjects; and although he had waited a long time for her to allow him in his room and carry her downstairs tonight, Maxwell could only admire her beauty. She had put on make up again, something she hadn't done in a very long time, and her face was truly beaming for the first time in weeks. He spent all his meal staring at her, his mind and soul completely absorbed by her.
As their desert was brought to them, he asked for a bottle of Champagne, poured the sparkling golden liquid in two cups, gave one to her, and cleared his throat, producing a small box from his pocket.
He put it next to her, clinging his glass with hers.
"To your full recovery Fran, and to our future together..."
She looked at him shyly, her hands slowly reaching for the box. She opened it, her hands trembling a little, and pulled out a diamond ring. He reached for it, took her left hand, and slipped it on her ring finger.
"Now it's official Fran... Will you marry me?" He said gently, beaming from ear to ear.
To which she could only nod...
He quickly wiped the tears that had formed in her beautiful eyes with his thumbs, smiling.
"I love you Fran..."
She held one of his hands to her cheek, and kissed the inside of his palm.
*****
When Maxwell and Nanny Fine went out, C.C. started to relax. Actually, she had almost finished all the work Maxwell had given her, and she could allow herself a little time to think some things over.
She heard a soft knock on the office door.
"Come in?"
Niles came in with a tray on which were several sandwiches, and small crackers.
"I didn't know how much time you would remain there, and I brought your food.... Yap?" He said jokingly, holding the bowl with the small crackers inside of it, as if it were some pet food.
C.C. looked skywards scowling.
"Don't you ever come up with something new Niles?"
He chuckled.
"When it is related to an old rag, it's difficult to come up with something new..."
"An old rag?... Is that really what you think of me Niles?..." C.C. looked at him sadly.
He immediately became serious, and put the tray on the desk. "Actually no Miss Babcock..."
For a moment, they stared at each other without a word, icy blue eyes into clear blue eyes. Niles sighed and went to sit on the love seat.
"We've been getting at each other's throats for so long that I can't actually remember when was the first time I realized I was attracted to you like a magnet to a refrigerator. What I do remember, is that I hated that power you had on me, and that's why I started that game with you, this banter. It increased with the pain I felt when you seemed to only notice Mr. Sheffield because he was a wealthy widower, not because you loved him. Actually, it tore my guts apart when I saw you wasting your time with him. Not because I was jealous, but because I knew you deceived yourself. Besides, he really couldn't care less about you, except as a business partner then... At first it was because he was too much grieving over the death of his beloved wife, then because Miss Fine entered his world, and nothing counted more to him than this extraordinary woman. It tore my guts apart to see you imagine there could be anything more than friendship between you and him. And even that friendship would be solid, but somewhat distant. I don't know where he took it from, given the parents he has, but Mr. Sheffield is a warm hearted man, he does not calculate when it comes to human relationships, he just feels. And maybe that's why he chose theater rather than the film industry, and why he met success there... So I was watching you try to attract him by whatever mean you had at your disposal, when he was not the least interested, and I knew perfectly well I would never match your standards, so it made me even more bitter and angry at you, and it increased my bantering tenfold. But you were a good sparring partner..." He concluded smiling for himself.
"You know Niles, I've always wondered why you always found the most perfect thing to make me feel or act ridiculous, how you knew me so well... Now I understand..." She sighed, got up, and went to stand by the French doors.
"Nanny Fine has done much more to this house than just charm Maxwell and stick his family together, Niles... That damn woman has also had some effect on me. I was really worried when she had that accident. I realized I cared for her far more than I thought, and suddenly, all my carefully erected social walls went all down to pieces. What you said is true. I guess I never actually loved Maxwell, but for his social standards, and indeed I have wasted a lot of time waiting for him to even notice me..."
"... I did..."
"I know... But it was not reciprocal..."
"Was?" Niles asked, a bit surprised.
"Yes, was... Niles... Now that Maxwell and Nanny Fine are on the path to happiness, why don't we try that too?" She asked, not really realizing what her mouth had just articulated.
"What did you say?" he asked, incredulous, standing up.
She looked him in the eyes.
"Why don't we try to know each other better and see what happens Niles?"
He opened his mouth, not wanting to believe what she had just said, and frowning.
"The C.C. Babcock I know would never ask that to a simple butler..."
She sighed.
"Not the one you know, but maybe she has changed?... So Niles, what do you say?"
He smiled, extending his hand.
"Deal...!" He said with a low voice.
She took his hand smiling and shook it.
"Now how about those sandwiches I brought?"
"As a matter of fact I AM hungry now!" She winked.
He chuckled and gave her a plate with a sandwich before taking one for himself, both intensely staring at each other.
*****
Fran and Maxwell reached home, all had gone to bed, and the house was silent. Gallantly, Maxwell took Fran's coat, and helped her climb up the stairs to her bedroom.
As she was reaching for the door knob, he bent and slowly kissed her, encircling her waist with his arms, and gently caressing her sides. Fran responded sensuously, her hand leaving the door knob, entwining her fingers with his dark curls, her other hand resting for support on her stick.
He ended the kiss and looked at her intently.
"May I help you take a bath tonight Fran?..." he asked softly.
Fran looked back at him, and despite the darkness, he could clearly see her eyes sparkling.
"... We're officially engaged now..." he said knowingly, a little smile playing along his lips.
Fran stared at him one moment, her chest heaved, and she murmured:
"Yes, I'll be glad for your help..."
She opened her door, and stepped in, Maxwell gently holding her from behind.
Once inside, he switched on her bedside lamp, giving the room a soft light. Fran turned towards him, and their eyes locked. For a minute, they remained staring at each other, hardly able to bear the tension between them, then Fran slowly turned her back to him, allowing him to reach for the opening of her dress.
He casually threw his jacket on an armchair, got rid of his bow-tie, and undid the first studs of his shirt, taking off his cufflinks, and pulling up his sleeves. He stepped forward, brushing his hand gently along her back, before pulling down her zipper. Then he caressed her shoulders with his fingertips, sliding them under the straps of her dress, and made it fall on the floor.
Fran slowly stepped out of the satin pool, shyly crossing her arms over her breasts, and went to her bathroom where he followed her.
She stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself, hesitating. She was about to grab a bathrobe when he came behind her and encircled her waist with one arm, catching her extended arm with the other gently. He stepped closer and lay gentle kisses on the back of her neck, caressing her sides with his hands.
Fran shivered and sighed softly, slowly abandoning herself to the attentions Maxwell gave her body. He made her gently turn around, and slowly unfolded her arms, revealing her front, bending to kiss her softly, and descending down her throat to her collarbone. She bent her head the other way to give him better access, and sighed audibly this time. He stopped, his hands softly resting on her waist, and looked at her intently.
"I want to make love to you Fran..." He simply said.
Fran looked back a bit worried. He understood without her saying a word.
"Don't worry about it Fran... I'll be very gentle..." he murmured, caressing her face with one finger, his nose touching hers.
At her nod, he cautiously lifted her up and carried her to her bed. While she hesitantly entered the sheets, he got rid of his shirt, and pants, and followed her.
She cuddled up to him instantly, like a frightened child cuddles to his parents after a storm. He held her tightly, kissing her forehead.
It felt so right, so good to feel her bare skin upon his, to feel her warmth, to feel her simply seeking shelter and security in his arms. His love for her suddenly increased tenfold.
"Max, what's going to happen?"
He looked at her, raising her chin with his forefinger.
"Happen when? To what? To whom?..." He said gently.
"... If I remain like this forever..."
He sighed softly, kissing her on the lips briefly.
"Oh my darling..." He said, rocking her gently "... Didn't you hear what the doctor said? I don't think you have anything to worry about regarding this... Fran, you'll never be the same again, somehow... but you'll always be my Fran, the woman I love, the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with... I love you Fran, and it's not because you wear tight skirts - OK, maybe a little" he added chuckling "I love you because you put warmth in my life again, you put hope, and you put love... Despite what people might think or might say, I don't want you to believe I'm marrying you because you have a nice body. Indeed you do have a nice body, but I'm not marrying you for it. I'm marrying you because we have an understanding that goes far beyond words, because you make me laugh, because you brighten my day with your smile and the small talks we have, because I can't imagine how my children would be if you hadn't been there for them when they needed it... I love you because you're not superficial, Fran... And the Fran I know would never be that insecure about herself..." he added with a smile.
Fran hugged him tightly, mumbling upon his chest:
"Max, I love you so much!"
He kissed her lovingly.
"Better now my darling?"
"Make love to me Max..." She breathed. "I need to feel your love, I need to feel I am a woman again ..."
He smiled and kissed her soundly, his hands starting to explore her warm skin...
For the next moments, Fran experienced a level of commitment she never had before. As he had promised, Maxwell was very gentle, very attentive to her, his sweet torments on her body seemed to be lasting an eternity, but slowly and steadily, he brought her to a place she had never been, a height she had never reached. She experienced love at its simplest expression, for five years she had worked for that man, lived with that man, without suspecting one second his level of tenderness and sensuality. As he was truly making love to her, she realized he had managed to make her forget all about her present disability, and she finally started to understand and acknowledge what he had been telling her all this time.
She didn't even notice she had reached the point of utter consummation. So it was a mere surprise to her when she felt the wave crushing inside of her, and invading all her being. She clung to him, breathless, until she could suck air in again, and kissed him to try to give him back a millionth of what he had just made her feel. He responded eagerly, and was overthrown in his turn, murmuring her name over and over...
They cuddled up to each other, speechless, waiting for their breath to come back, and slowly drifted to sleep, their bodies tightly entwined.
*****
Grace was up early, she wanted to know what the doctor had said to her Nanny, so she took a quick shower, dressed, and ran to Fran's door.
She knocked, waited a few seconds, then entered the room. What she saw made her smile from ear to ear. She closed the door back, and ran up to her sister's and brother's rooms.
Brighton rushed out of his room only wearing his pajamas bottom, and Maggie was barely dressed, Gracie dragging her towards Fran's door. She knocked, but once again heard nothing in return, so all three Sheffield children entered the room, and stopped dead in their tracks, beaming.
They could see their father and Nanny peacefully asleep in the arms one of the other.
"You know, I've dreamed of finding them like this a hundred times!" Brighton murmured, half chuckling.
"Well I had a similar dream, except I was never intruding on their privacy when they had obviously... Hugh...!" Maggie added, hesitating a little between aversion and cheer happiness.
"Wait! Look at Fran's left hand!" Gracie exclaimed, a little too loud.
Brighton's and Maggie's eyes grew wide, and the three high-fived, jumping up and down, not realizing the two lovebirds had woken up.
"Children! What are you doing in Miss Fine's room!" Maxwell exclaimed, in a rather vain attempt to cover Fran with his arms.
Brighton smiled crookedly at his father, and replied.
"Well, the question is Dad, what are YOU doing in Fran's room..."
Upon witnessing the embarrassed look of their father, the three Sheffield children exited the room giggling.
Maxwell sighed heavily. Fran giggled.
"Well... They knew for some time already, didn't they?"
"NOT that we had more going on than flirting and..."
Fran looked at him sadly.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant...!" He immediately corrected. "... God I was so embarrassed!..."
Fran caressed his chest smiling upon it, and kissing it lightly.
"Max, they would have known anyway, they're smart you know..."
He sighed again, a looked at her, smiling...
"Thanks to who?... " He surrendered.
"Not me... at least not entirely!... They're smart, period!"
They kissed lightly and hugged, enjoying waking up together, and feeling free with it.
"Max, what you gave me last night made me the happiest woman in the world..."
"I almost doubted it Fran..."
She contemplated her ring shining in the bright light of the sun through her partially opened curtains.
"Max, I feel confident with you by my side... Thanks..."
"You are most welcome my Darling" He kissed her. "Now what do you say I help you take that bath?"
She smiled.
"Don't get any ideas Mr. Sheffield, because it's rather complicated since my legs must remain out of the water!"
He looked at her with a fake innocent face "What ideas are you talking about?!... I didn't have any!" He winked, then stood up, and lifted her to carry her to her bathroom.
*****
"I don't understand why you don't want to set a date now!"
"Because I told you I want to do it when I'm in my best shape, and that's not now!"
"Oh come on! We've been engaged 1 month and a half now! Aren't you sure by now about my feeling for you?"
"I am, but that's not the problem... I feel and I look horrible!"
He came to encircle her shoulders from behind, smiling.
"Come on Darling, you're the most beautiful woman in my eyes... What's a cold, anyway?"
She sniffed and blew her nose.
"... A debilitating feeling..." She sneezed. "Niles, we won't set a date for our wedding, end of discussion... Beside, I'd like to wait until Nanny Fine has undergone her surgery. I don't think Maxwell will be thrilled at the prospect of organizing his butler and business associate's wedding when his fiancée is being in the hospital..."
"We can still set a date now?!"
"No... Please Niles, I thought Nanny Fine was your friend before mine!"
"She is my very trusted friend, but I am in love with a sexy blonde, and I can't wait to marry her and show her how I really feel about her..." He said seductively.
She smiled mischievously.
"... that can always be arranged butler boy..." She winked.
"Oooh You ARE a naughty girl!" He said smiling knowingly.
"'Want proof for that?..." She said daringly.
Niles eyes grew wide, his face turned a nice crimson, and he quickly got out of the room before doing something he couldn't control, C.C.'s laugh resonating in his ears.
*****
Maxwell sighed, checking the time for the hundredth time.
He looked at her relaxed face surrounded by the beeps of the monitors next to the beds.
The doctor put his hand on his shoulder, indicating him to follow him with a silent nod. Maxwell left her hand with regret, stood up, and went with the doctor while she was wheeled away. He entered the doctor's office and shut the door behind him...
Some time later, he left the doctor's office with a preoccupied face, and walked straight to a door in the corridor. He entered the room.
Fran opened her eyelids drowsily.
He beamed from ear to ear and came next to her in a few strides.
"Welcome back my darling... How do you feel?"
"Like I've just been operated to tell you the truth..."
"Do you want to hear the good news?"
"You could still give it a try..."
"Those horrible pins were entirely removed..." He gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Really?..." She replied sleepily.
"Yes... And you know what that means?"
"Can you remind me?... You know, the anesthesia..."
"That when you leave the hospital, you get to move into my room Mrs. Sheffield..." He whispered in her ear, making her smile tenderly, and kissing her lightly on the lips.
"... I hadn't realized that Mr. Sheffield... this is getting better and better...!" She said yawning.
"And by the way... Niles and C.C. are getting married too..."
"Good, I've always thought these two belonged together." She said drowsily, before drifting to sleep.
Maxwell caressed her brow tenderly, smiling. Life could sometimes be full of surprises. Good or bad, no matter what, but retrieving all the positive sides from them certainly led to interesting new perspectives...
The End
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