The Phone Call

by

Jafry
(Jafry D@aol.com)

"Yes, Val. I'm speaking from the office phone ... and yes, I programmed your number ... What ya think? Of course, I programmed it right after the rabbis." Ms Fine sat in Mr. Sheffield's green leather chair behind his desk already the whole evening, telephone-chatting and she was playing with the receiver cable. "Yeah, you're right. Technology is a great thing. I only have to push the button, the phone dials automatically, the rabbi will answer, I say my name and only half a hour later I'll could possibly stand in front of an altar." She snapped with her fingers. Val said something and Nanny Fine nodded in agreement: "I hope so" she sighed. "Make god it'll take not to much more time ..." She hung up. As the receiver hit the dial station Niles entered the office, carrying a silver tray and a coffee cover.

"Oh, Ms Fine." Niles was incensed. "You know, he doesn't like it, when the servants use the office phone. Besides he will be here in a minute."

"Niles, I know , as well as he, that you use this phone besides him most of all. Maybe for some x-rated things?"

"He knows? Where from?"

Ms Fine stood up casually and rounded the desk. "He asked me" she said innocently and stroke with her fingertips over the surface of the desk.

Niles was shocked. "What did you say?"

Nanny Fine smiled at him and let him wriggle like a fish. Niles impatience was growing . He put down the tray that it clinked. "Ms Fine!" he whined.

"Oh boy, calm down. You don't have to pay the phone bill."

"If you know ..." Niles chewed his lower lip.

"I said, that you only terrorize Ms Babcock in the middle of the night."

"And?" Niles asked, expecting the worst.

"And? What and? Do you hide anything for me, Niles?" she blinked mischievously.

"No, Ms Fine. I mean, how did he react?"

Ms Fine thought a moment about that, then she shook her head and said: "Nothing. He rolled his eyes and left me ... as always."

"Nothing new." Niles said in relief.

Nanny Fine slapped him playfully on his arm. "Hey, I could tell him some other stories about you and the phone."

"Don't you dare, Ms Fine!"

After this little chat Mr. Sheffield entered his office."Niles, thanks for the coffee. Good idea." He rounded the desk and sat down."Ms Fine" he greeted her. "May I do something for you?" Niles served him his coffee at once.

"Oh Mr. Sheffield, I only want to say thank you for this wonderful afternoon. It was really very nice." She looked heavenwards.

"Did I have a choice?" he joked.

She pressed her hands against her hips and gave him a look.

"No, no, Ms Fine. I really enjoyed this afternoon with you ... and all the other people" he stumbled awkwardly.

Niles chuckled. As the two of them had arrived this afternoon giggling about something unimportant like teenagers a blind man had saw that both were enjoying the time together very much.

"Would you excuse me now and leave the office? I have to make some very important phone calls."

"Who is leaving the other now?" Ms Fine murmured to Niles.

"Don't forget the eye-rolling" he said back as he left the office behind her.

Maxwell Sheffield could only look confused at them and shook his head. If he would understood the half of the chatting in this house, he would know more than the library of NYC. A second thought about that, remembered him: "If I would knew, I would have more than one apoplexy a week. Ignorance can be a wonderful relaxing thing" he was sighing to himself, took one sip of his coffee and started to work.

A while later, Niles was preparing a snack for Mr. Sheffield. He had missed the family dinner because of all his work. The intercom was beeping and his boss asked in a tired and stressful voice: "Niles, did you do something with the phone?"

Niles, alarmed, didn't want to say anything suspicious about his telephone activities briefly answered: "Noooo, Sir?!" He waited and was already searching for an excuse.

"O.k. then." Mr. Sheffield sighed. "The problem is, I've tried to call my lawyer but instead of Chandler I get always someone Gold-bla bla. I don't know. So, please check the phone."

"At once, sir. I'm still preparing your snack and then I will check it."

"Good, good ... You know what? I come over to the kitchen and eat there. I need a rest."

Niles heard Mr. Sheffield was standing up, then the intercom switched off.

In the meantime Ms Fine examined her new clothes which she bought with Mr. Sheffield this early afternoon. The phone rang. She picked it up but didn't get a chance to say more than "Fran Fine", because her mother spoke without break right from the beginning. "Ma. Ma! Maybe you stop to breath sometimes! ... What are ya talking about? ... Yes, I wanted to call ya ... What? Why should I call ya 15 min earlier? What does it matter? ... Rabbi Goldstern had called ya? ... A wonderful man? What man? ... Ma! Ma? ... Hello?" Ms Fine looked at the receiver in disbelief. "She hung up."

That was confusing. Her mother was very excited. She babbled something about the wedding of the century and that she has waited for so long ... babbel babbel. She decided to call Val. Maybe she knows what was going on.

"Hey, Mrs. Toriello. I'm looking for Val ... Oh, she's on her way?! Thanks, Mrs. T." Before Ms Fine hung up the phone she gazed at the receiver again."Congratulations, what for?"

She shook her head, grabbed a magazine and headed down the hallway to the living-room. Her thoughts went a few hours earlier. Mr. Sheffield had joined her as she went shopping for Gracie after she had decided that he has to make a break. There had been no chance for him to contradict. "If he doesn't look at himself, I have to do it." So difficult it would be, she loved it and she was for sure he liked it, too.

Just then the doorbell rang. "I'll get it" she shouted and went to open the front door. Val stood outside, jumping up and down. Brief after Sylvia Fine arrived with Yetta. As they met, they are hugging each other delightful. Fran opened the door. "O.k. ladies. Why are ya so happy, hm?"

"Oh Frannie, Frannie, Frannie. You make me so ... happy is not the right word. Maybe ecstatic." was all what her mother said before the three woman rushed into the Sheffield Residence and were embracing an absolutely surprised Fran.

The Sheffield children were interested in the loud and happy voices downstairs. So they headed down to hear what has happened. As they reached the jumping, laughing and singing group with Fran in their middle, they were embraced at once, as well. They still didn't know what happened, because everyone were shouting at the same time. They plainly decided to join the party. Same as Niles as he rounds the corner and the enthusiastic group caught him. Sylvia hugged him first and gave him a big kiss on his cheek.

"Without you, it would have happen in the next century."

Niles was confused and could only react with a puzzled look.

The door was still open and so Rabbi Goldstern arrived and entered without ringing the bell. "May I join your celebrating?" he asked with a big grin on his face.

"Yes, of course" Sylvia answered broadly smiling. "You're one of the important persons!"

With the rabbis arrival the voices had calm down a bit. Everyone was still jumping around Fran and her mother was holding her right hand like the treasure from silver-lake.

As Nanny Fine was confused as her folks arrived, she was out of the world as rabbi Goldstern had done it. She had seen her mother had been kissing Niles but as she had looked at him and he had answered her with a puzzled look it was too much to take. Not even Niles seemed to know what was going on.

She needed to know what's going on and decided to find out. She tried to wound off her mothers grip. The best Information pool seemed to be the rabbi, everyone else was too excited. But the rabbi asked first and after that, everything else was unimportant.

"Can I ask you if you would introduce your soon-husband-to-be to me? I want to know the lucky man before I announce you as Mrs. Sheffield."

"Yes, where is the third of the VIP's, here?" Yetta joined in.Fran felt like she had been hit by a hammer. Everyone of the Sheffield-clan, including Niles, stood openmouthed, shocked.

"Mrs. Sheffield?!" They said in unison.

In the meantime the last VIP, he didn't even know it, left the kitchen and headed through the living-room to his office. He had noticed the happy celebrating group but didn't want to interrupt. It wasn't his business - he thought - and he was too tired to bear the woman's apocalypse. All what he wanted was to settle some things and then go to bed. He has been stopped at his tracks by the loud shouting of Val:"There he is!"

Faster as he could thought there was Sylvia Fine giving him a great hug. "My favorite son-in-law." And a big kiss on his forehead.

He was flanked immediately by Yetta and a over-her-whole-face-grinning proud Sylvia Fine. In his confusion he had been led to a still shocked Nanny Fine without resistance.

Rabbi Goldstern introduced himself. He shook hands with a paralyzed Maxwell and said: "My name is Ignaz Goldstern. You phoned me not quite an hour ago to make a date for a meeting. It is my honor to guide you two through the wedding ceremony."

The kids were looking at each other in disbelief. Niles had to sit down. He chooses the steps right behind him. He couldn't manage to walk one single step. Could it be truth? His deeply in love employer for years had finally made his move and phoned the rabbi?!

Ms Fine had heard the rabbi's words, too. Her hands were moving to her mouth in surprise. Her eyes were growing larger and she was unable to speak. After all these years the man she was lost in love called her rabbi right after their romantic afternoon trip. If she had known that a shopping trip would make him finally proposing, she had burdened his credit card years ago. "Oh, Mr. Sheffield!" finding her voice, she threw her arms around his neck.

Maxwell Sheffield stood there in shock surrounded by very excited folks. He couldn't breath nor move. He didn't trust his ears. Did this man, this rabbi in front of him said, that he had made a date for a wedding with his Nanny, Fran Fine?

As his newly fiancé threw her arms around him he entered the reality back again. He could manage to move his hand to his temple. He closed his eyes for better concentrating. With self-conscious he asked: "What have I done?" He could hear his voice trembling. No answer. He repeated his question more energetically: "What have I just done?"

Rabbi Goldstern looked at him quizzically. "You phoned me to make a date for your wedding!" he said every word very slowly and for itself.

Maxwell Sheffield had heard right. He tipped with two fingers against his forehead like it would help thinking. With almost closed eyes he asked: "Excuse me, rabbi. Your name is Gold-bla bla?"

"Goldstern. Yes, Sir." He confirmed.

Maxwell began to understand. He groaned, so like Niles. "Oh, bloody hell. In which way I shall explain that?"

Ms Fine had snuggled against Mr. Sheffield's chest but as she heard his last remark, she looked up at him. She couldn't see his eyes because of his hand which was massaging his eye lids. But she noticed without problems that today wouldn't be the day she was waiting for her whole life. "Explain what?" she asked him for sure.

"Ms Fine, please listen to me ...!" he begged and felt very uncomfortable.

These few words were enough to loose her embrace. "You don't want to marry me?" she asked looking him straight in his eyes. She read there guilty, regret and sorrow.

"Ms Fine ..." he began.

She didn't want to hear the answer. She rushed up the stairs as fast as she could and headed to her room.

He clenched his hands to fists. "Damn!" turned on his heels looked at Niles: "This time it wasn't my fault." Shoved through his kids and followed his Nanny. "Ms Fine."

No one at the staircase said something, everyone looked behind the 'couple of the century'. As they had disappeared up the first floor. Sylvia Fine immediately burst out into tears. "Why he won't marry my little Frannie?" she sobbed.

"Yeah, everyone knows he's madly in love with her" said little Gracie.

Sylvia looked up: "See, even the youngest of us noticed it" Sylvia sniffed. "Why doesn't he?"

Yetta comforted her ruined daughter. "Not everyone has so much luck like you, that the man realize his love after a cheese-cream gateau."

Niles sat on the first steps of the staircase, his head in his hands."Why on earth couldn't he take it for destiny?! The two are made for together."

Brighton laid his hand on the butler's shoulder. "Yes, Niles." His thumb and index finger gestured a half centimeter. "You was so short before you would have reached the aim of your life."

"It has to be a sign, that his phone only dials the number of the rabbi instead of his lawyer."

Until this moment rabbi Goldstern had only watched the strange scene. Now he asked: "What do you mean? He didn't actually want to talk to me?!"

"No. He wanted to talk to his lawyer. But instead of his office number the phone dials another. He asked me to check the phone."

"Oh-oooooh!"

That came from the women group, more precise from Val. Everyone turned his head to her. "I didn't do something. Fran reprogrammed the phone with new numbers."

A big understanding "Ahhhhh" filled the room. Maggie's word called everyone's attention: "Shall we explain this thing for them?"

Yetta said the words everyone was thinking: "No, missy. They'll work it out and if not, maybe we can celebrate a wedding nevertheless."

After a brief moment of inactive silence Niles stood up and asked the room: "Anyone hungry?" More a rhetorical question.

Fran rushed up the stairs. She couldn't hardly see through the flowing tears but managed to reach her room without stumbling. As she entered she closed the door right away. She didn't want to see anyone. She stood in the middle of her room and didn't know what to do. She wiped her tears away and sobbed a last time. She took a look around the room and saw the wonderful clothes they bought this afternoon. She felt again his arm, he had slipped absentmindedly around her waist as they had watched one skirt in a shopping window. She had noticed it at once, but as he, he awkwardly had put his hands in his pockets and looked to the ground. She had snarled sexy at him. He blushed and tried to guide her attention to the next window. She had giggled and took slyly his arm to go on shopping.

Maxwell knew before he reached her closed door that this was a very critical moment. He tried to turn the doorknob but as he expected she had locked the door. It was one of these moments he dreamt in his nightmares, where he loses her. He realized his hands were sweaty and shaking. A indescribable fear crawled up his throat. He could hardly speak."Ms Fine?!" He cleared his throat and tried to swallow down the knot in it. "Ms Fine." It was more a whining.

His soft knocking at the door brought her back to reality. She knew it was him, she could feel him. Slowly she walked to her cosmetic desk, sat down and wiped the cosmetic mess from her face away.

Outside Max was waiting and waiting and waiting. "Ms Fine." His words were begging.

After an eternity, it seemed, he heard the door were unlocked. O.K., that was the first step, he thought and wiped off his sweaty hands on his pants. It didn't work.

The door swung open and he lifted up his head to look directly in her face. Immediately he was trapped by her beauty, her warmth and the fire in her eyes. Oh my god, he thought. You lost your soul and everything else to this - goddess!

She noticed his dreamy look and the light smile around his lips as he watched her. She looked back in his eyes and was caught by the feelings they showed. Respect, gratitude, warmth, care, life - true love. But also fear, guilty, vulnerability and ... loneliness.

She didn't want to be the one who breaks the silence but he seemed too far away. "Why, for heavens sake you don't want to marry me?"

That was like a shock and he was a bit taken back. It was not the question he expected. He couldn't put a finger on what to expect but nothing so directly. The question was clear and simple but he couldn't afford to answer it.

"I am not good enough for you, right?"

His jaw dropped. What had she just said?

Still one look at his quite shocked face, then she turned on her heels and went back in her room, maybe to hide before the answer.

He followed her on his tracks, grabbed her by her arm and turned her around. "How could you think that?" he said in a depressed disappointed voice. He lightly shook her. "Don't say this ever again!"

"Why not? You came from a wealthy high-class family. You were raised up for such thinking by your parents."

"Actually Niles parents raised me up, Ms Fine. And later till today even Niles. I didn't think in these ways, I don't and never will!"

"But ..." tried Fran.

"No buts!" he shook her one last time, then calmed down a bit. He caressed her cheek, put his hand under her chin and lifted up her head to look directly in her eyes. "The reason for my ..." He closed his eyes, searching for the right words.

After a deep breathing he opened them again.

She looked straight up in his eyes and realized the shadow that flew by.

"I know, we never talked about ... Sarah's death and ... and the three years

after, till you stormed in our lifes. I don't know, what ... what Niles or the kids have told you. But as Sarah has just died, I died with her." He fought with his trembling voice. "Niles was the one ..." He waved one hand around. "... who held this family or the rest of it together. And C.C. caught me by all the work in business. They held me physically alive. But in the whole time I made one of the biggest mistakes a man, a father can ever make ... I neglected the kids badly and that is never to forgive." His voice was a mirror of the pain in his heart and his face was a mask of shame. He lowered his forehead to touch hers and he whispered: "I am terribly sorry for every time I hurt you and I won't do it ever again. I know it's been a long time and I know everyone, especially Sarah, want me to go on. I am trying hard but I still need a little more time." He searched in her eyes for a sign of understanding and discovered a lot more than that.

He breathed once more deeply: "What I try to say is ... I am not sure that I deserve such a wonderful and adorable woman like you. You woke up the father in me again and raised me up to care about my kids. You captured and light up my heart and soul in a way, I didn't dare to hope. But there is still a dead place in my heart and I can't stand it, that you would suffer due that." A single tear escaped his eyes. In wonder he wiped it away and gazed at his wet fingertip. "It's been a long time since I've cried" he whispered.

She took his hand in hers and guided it to her lips to place a sweet kiss on his fingertips. "The cold blooded English fish poured out his heart and soul to me and finally showed his feelings" she whispered, then looked in his face. "I'm honoured" she smirked and squeezed his hand. "I think for such a man I can wait a little longer."

He sighed in relief. "I hope you know, that you're the most wonderful woman of the entire world" he smiled at her with sparkle of joy in his eyes.

"Of course I am. Fine family tradition" she assured.

He took her hands in his and entwined them. "Besides, I believe we would be a lot further on, if you don't make me feel like a little school-boy" he confessed.

She, surprised: "So it's my fault?!"

"As always" he joked.

"I would prefer to make you feel like a grown-up man" she snarled sexy in a very low voice.

Maxwell blushed. She chuckled about his embarrassment and gave him a peck on the lips. "Fine family tradition, too!"

They smiled brightly and turned to left the room to meet the family downstairs. They slowly walked side by side through the hallway. Before they reached the top of the staircase he hesitated in his walk, took her arm and turned her around. She looked quizzically at him. His look was locked in her beautiful brown eyes. To her surprise he took one more step and encircled her waist. He lowered his head to touch her forehead. "I love you" he simply whispered.

Fran's heart made a jump. She slipped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes and gave him a deep passionate kiss. He embraced her more and responded the kiss in the same passion though gentle way, deepened it every coming second. Fran was surprised by his intense response. She never expected such a passion and ... well, talent.

As they broke apart, their eyes still closed, they were totally relaxed in the others arms. The kiss they just shared moments ago has echated and rescued every part of their souls. They opened their eyes and were enjoying the sense of the other one, while they were plainly embracing each other.

Exciting voices came from the living-room and remembered the prevented couple, that they had some duties to do. Maxwell throw a torment look downstairs and unconsciously strained.

Fran smiled. "We explain the thing together!"

His eyes expression turned into relieve.

"Poor boy" she added jokingly.

He joined her chuckling. She wanted to start downstairs but he stopped her again.

"What?"

He took her hand in his and entwined it. "May I ?"

She smiled. "Anytime" and squeezed his. They walked down the steps hand in hand.

As the folks downstairs realised the arrival of the hand in hand couple, Sylvia began to mmh the wedding-hymn. Maxwell stopped in his tracks, ready to disappear the next second in every convenient dark corner of the house. But the special voice of his favourite nanny cut her mother mid-sound.

"Ma, stop it!" Fran went on downstairs by a still unsure Max. They reached the waiting and keen family. The silence was unbearable and everyone's look seemed to perforate Max' brain. He cleared his throat: "We have handled the situation."

"Yes, wedding." Niles celebrated and high-fives with Brighton.

But Sylvia was still sceptical ... and was right.

"No, I'm sorry. No wedding but ..." Max was lacking on words.

"... we made a great step forward" Fran helped and stroke for encourage over

Max back.

"What, no wedding?" Yetta got excited.

"How did he took back that thing?"

Max head felt on his chest and he hopeless but playfully collapsed. Fran could only laugh. "Fine family tradition!" she whispered with amusement in his ear.

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