7.23 Slow Down, Step Back & Think

by

Caryn
(drescher_fine@yahoo.com)

***FlushingQueen has logged off.

Fran stares at the computer before her, wondering how to make the website more appealing to gain more and more support for Max’s show. Since she met so many people who love Max’s show, Fran has decided to build, with the help of Brighton, a web page devoted to it. She’s having Brighton hook-up a chat room to the page. That’s where she first found all those souls, and now fans can visit the page of their favorite sitcom and chat with new and old friends too.

She sighs, and starts pacing Max’s office wondering what to do. She steps on a block that Jonah and Eve have been playing with and moans in pain.

"Oy, what am I gonna do, guys? How do I make it better for Daddy?" Fran looks down at her two little babies as she settles on the floor to sit with them. A little while slips by as she notices the time. "Well, so much for another day of great ideas, something has got to come to me soon." Fran rises from her position and picks up the twins and heads to the kitchen.

"It’s take-out again. What shall we have tonight? Italian, Mexican, or Chinese?" Fran announces more to herself than to anyone in particular. Since CC had the baby, Niles hasn’t been able to be attentive to the Sheffield house, with his cooking duties, understandably, but that left Fran on her own. Brighton’s sitting on the stool flipping through a film magazine and Fran plops the twins into the playpen next to him.

"I say Chinese." A new voice enters the kitchen. Fran turns at the familiarity of it and a huge smile spreads across her face.

"Maggie, you’re home. How are ya, Honey. You feeling okay, nothing’s wrong is it?" Fran’s happiness turns to concern as she rattles off her twenty questions and goes to hug her daughter.

"I’m great, but why are you so surprised to see me? I phoned a couple of days ago and told ‘Brainless’ over there," Maggie points to Brighton, who is trying to sneak out of the room. "that Michael and I were coming to the States for the next few days. He has a shoot in Las Vegas, so I’m staying here. Michael doesn’t want me to be alone, expecting and all." As Maggie finishes, Fran grabs Brighton by the back of the shirt.

"Um, B, did you forget to give me a message?"

"Oh, yeah, Mom guess what? Maggie will be home on Monday night and she’s staying for a couple of days." Brighton looks at her and Maggie, who are staring at him, each rolling their eyes. "What?"

"Oy." Fran states as she shoves Brighton out of the kitchen as Maggie and her laugh.

"Nothing ever changes does it?" Maggie asks as she helps Fran decide on what to order for dinner. "So, who has good food in LA? I miss Mr. Lee’s in New York."

"Woo-Chin’s is good and they deliver. We’ll order now, so it’s here while we watch your dad’s show tonight. It’s the last show for February and with Ron Howard directing, it’s sure to ‘sweep’ the rest of the networks. Your father is so excited about it. He’ll be home by 7:00 and the show doesn’t starts until 8:00, so we have plenty of time to catch up." Fran puts her arm around Maggie and guides her to the kitchen table to dish.

She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens,
'Til her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes.
What was she to do? Where was she to go? She was out on her fanny...
So over the bridge from Flushing to the Sheffield's door.
She was there to sell make-up, but the father saw more.
She had style! She had flair! She was there.
That's how she became the Nanny!

Who would have guessed that the girl we've described,
Was just exactly what the doctor prescribed?
Now the father finds her beguiling (watch out C.C.!).
And the kids are actually smiling (such joie de vivre!).
She's the lady in red when everybody else is wearing tan...
The flashy girl from Flushing, the Nanny named Fran!

The following show has been brought to you by the Sheffield Family’s choice in flying. Cali-Airlines is proud to be flying American’s favorite family and looks forward to be flying yours as well.

Fran, wipes the tears of laughter from her eyes, she’s trying to stop laughing, but Max’s show, being based on their lives, reminds her of the things her and kids used to do. So, thinking of those things, makes her laugh even harder.

"Man, does Ron Howard know how to direct or what? That was one of the best I’ve seen." Grace states as she turns off the TV and sits back down on the floor. "Too bad Dad wasn’t here to see it."

Everyone hears Grace’s comment, except for the one person who as always is absent. Max missing out on irreplaceable moments in the life of his family, again. The kids know that Fran is angry with Max, so they decide not to mention another word about it.

Fran smiles at her kids, and how close they have all become. Maggie has opted to stay with her and Max while Michael is gone, which makes Gracie happy to see her older sister. Even Brighton is happy she’s here, but he won’t admit it, he’s been telling her all about film school and the job at the studio.

Fran’s ecstatic, watching her older kids attend to her youngest. Her face all aglow as she sits on the couch now laughing at them. Real life seems to turn out better than the sitcoms do.

Maggie, Brighton and Gracie are all on the floor with their little brother and sister. Maggie has Eve with her and Brighton and Grace have Jonah. They’re having the twins compete with the other crawling across the floor.

"Come on, Jonah, don’t let Eve beat you. Show her what us Sheffield men are made of." Brighton starts clapping his hands to get his little brother’s attention.

"Evie, don’t listen to your mindless brother over there and don’t let Jonah beat you. Go little girl, go!!" Maggie exclaims to her.

But Eve has her own ideas, and crawls over to her brother and nudges Jonah a little making him fall over. Eve makes it over to Maggie just as Jonah finally gets himself up again to start on his way. Maggie scoops Eve in her arms and hi-fives her little hand.

"That’s my little sister. Good job, Eve, you showed the men that the Sheffield girls are better!" Maggie laughs as Gracie turns to Brighton and adds, "Sorry, B, but I’m with Maggie on this one."

Brighton pulls a face with Jonah in his arms, Jonah watches his brother intently and imitates him. This just makes everyone laugh harder, especially Fran.

Where’s Max?....

Max looks up and takes his glasses off his face. He rubs his eyes as he sinks against the back of this chair. His head is throbbing, he’s been through every angle of every episode, wondering if they did enough to win ‘sweeps month’. Hell, he’d by happy if just the ratings raised. February has become the bane of his existence and with every passing day not knowing whether the show is going to make it.

Max looks at his watch, half expecting to see 6:30 p.m., but as his eyes focus on the time, his heart drops, it’s 10:27 p.m.

‘Oh, my God, Fran is going to be so angry with me. I promised to be home at 7:00 tonight. How did time get away from me? With CC off on maternity leave, I have to pick up her end of this whole mess.’ Max scolds himself as he pushes back his chair and grabs his briefcase.

As he heads out of his office, Max pauses by the picture hanging on the wall by his desk. It’s his and Fran’s wedding portrait. He smiles at her reflection, ‘Oh Fran, I promise you this will get better.’ He runs his hand along her outline and starts out the door again.

Fran gathers the twins and heads upstairs to their room. She puts Eve down on the floor, trying to put Jonah in his crib.

"Come on, Jonah, be good for Mommy. Oh, sweetie, put your legs in that crib and stop kicking. Oy, baby, you are just like your Daddy, always trying to get out of things. Now, you have to go to bed." Fran lays down the law with him.

Fran successfully gets Jonah to lay down, of course not with out mishaps. He grabs at her shirt and pulls it, getting two buttons to pop off and then trying to eat them. She gets them away from him, but no sooner does he find his opportunity to try to get out of the crib again. Fran lays him back down and tucks him in. Jonah looks at his mommy with those big eyes full of innocence.

Little Eve coos in her very high-pitched whine, that she inherited, trying to get her mother’s attention. Eve feels that Fran is spending too much time with her brother and now its her turn. Eve makes it known that she is more important. She’s half way across the room, and now that she is crawling, it’s harder for Fran to catch her. Eve once she has her mind on it, can be very stubborn.

"Evie, come here. Where did this stubbornness come from?" Fran grabs her little girl and hugs her tightly. "Sweetie, what am I gonna do with you? You can be such a little angel and just as fast you can be a little devil." She tickles Eve and puts her into her crib.

"Wah!!" Now Jonah’s jealous and needs attention. So, Fran tucks Eve into her crib and goes over to tickle Jonah a little. He smiles up at her and Fran’s heart melts. He closes his eyes as content as could be.

"Jonah, Mommy loves you so much!" Fran kisses his little face and Jonah kisses her back with a big sloppy kiss.

Fran goes back over to Eve’s crib and looks at her. Eve looks up at her mother and coos. Fran rubs her belly and Eve just laughs a little. Fran bends down and gives her a kiss and just as Fran is starting to stand straight, Eve grabs her hair. She pulls her back down to her face, letting Fran know she didn’t kiss her enough.

"Oh, ya little rascal." Fran laughs giving into her daughter and kisses her again, this time though, Eve kisses her back so sweetly. "Evie, I love you so much!"

Fran walks over to the door and stops. She turns around and looks at them, sighing contentedly at least for the moment.

"Da!" Jonah yells at the top of his lungs. Max swears he trying to say Dada when he does that sound. Jonah’s outburst makes Fran think about Max and reality come rolling back to why she is so upset.

Of course now, he rivals his sister into a screaming fit.

"Wah!!" Eve joins in and Fran just raises her arms up in the air and lets them fall back to her sides.

"Oy! Sshh..." Fran goes back to the cribs and instantly both babies stop. She lays her hands on both of them and says once more. "Mommy loves you and if Daddy was here, he’d tell you that he loves you, too." Of course, Fran’s voice being laced with irritation thinking about her husband.

She walks away as both babies are back to their soft cooing, settling into sleep. She quietly closes the door and walks to her and Max’s room. She looks at the bed and gets more upset.

"Well, I’m not waiting for him. I could log in and chat....no, I won’t be able to think."

Fran gets an idea and quickly changes out of her ripped shirt and into her Hawaiian print bikini. She grabs the baby monitor and schleps to the pool. She tosses her towel on the lounge chair closes to her and sets the monitor at the edge of the pool, so she can hear it.

Fran jumps in and starts to swim, she soon becomes lost in thought. She doesn’t notice Max watching her. In just receiving the third degree from Brighton and Gracie, he decides to sit on the lounge chair, to wait for her.

He watches her intently, and notices the tears streaming down her face, he sees them even through the water. His heart breaks as he watches his wife, the love of his love, cry, ‘I broke our promise, how could I do that to her?’

Fran, obviously still thinking, tries to blink back her tears, but she can’t help but think about this morning. Max and her made a promise.

Since things were going so astray at the studio and at home, everything overloading them both, they decided to spent time together as a family. It was their promise to each other, since Fran has been so busy with the twins and home, and then she brought on more work that a normal person couldn’t have handled. She hated to see Max suffer with the stress of whether the show was going to make it or not, so she started the Internet campaign to help save her husband’s show.

Since CC went on maternity leave, Max has been picking up the extra stuff of her’s on his own, besides trying to get the February shows to sweep the rest of the networks. That’s why this promise was so important, they needed this. Max sighs, he can’t stand it anymore. He has to talk to Fran, he gets up and walks over to the end of the pool. He stares at her, for God’s sake she’s in a bikini. Fran looks as beautiful today as the day he met her. How could he be working and not realize what was waiting for him at home?

Fran goes back to her swimming, but soon gives up. It’s not making her feel any better. Her eyes are burning from the water and her crying, so she didn’t notice Max until he hands her, her towel.

Max tries first, "Darling, I’m so sorry, I don’t have any reason for not being here."

Fran looks at him and shakes her head, "Max, you’re right, you don’t have any reason that I want to hear. You promised me that you’d be here, but ya weren’t, I was. I was here waiting. Why is it that I’m always waiting for you, huh? Why does it feel like we’ve lost something in our relationship?" Fran turns from him and starts to cry softly again.

Max turns Fran around to face him. "Fran, we haven’t lost anything, maybe just misplaced our way a little, okay, maybe I have. What do you want me to do?"

"Dammit, Max, if ya have to ask, then that’s your problem." Fran states getting upset. "You broke a promise, and that’s something that I don’t understand."

"What Fran, do you want me to quit? I have so much pressure on me, with the studio and the sweeps, and CC’s on leave. You tell me what I’m supposed to do." Max starting to get agitated, starts to walk away.

"Fine, Maxwell, just walk away. You’re not the only one suffering here, I am too and so are your kids. Did you know that your two youngest called out for you and all I could do was say, ‘Daddy’s at work.’ When’s the last time you spent the whole day with them, huh? I had all the kids home for once, even Maggie, and for what? The one person who means the most to me and what does he do, he doesn’t come home, he would rather spend time at the studio."

"One more thing, Max, you know why else I made us make that promise? I did it because I don’t want to lose you. I know you have a lot of pressure on you, that’s why I wanted you to relax. Why do ya think I decided to do the internet thing, huh? To help you and the show, which I thought would put less stress on you. I don’t want to have a call at 1:00 in the morning, saying ‘Mrs. Sheffield, your husband had a heart attack.’ I won’t lose you like that, I’ll kill ya, myself."

"Darling, that isn’t going to happen."

Fran cuts him off, "Really? I wouldn’t know, I neva see ya anymore. Honey, I know this show is hard, but unless you take a step back, ya gonna lose your family."

"Fran, what does that mean?" Max questions her.

"Nothing, I’m just saying that ya need to look at everything and figure out what is more important. I’ll be damned if our kids grow up the way you did. I want them to know their father." Fran storms off to their room, angrily.

Max watches Fran, she is completely right. How could he be so blind and so stupid. He’s becoming his father, someone who only did what he wanted, and was at work more than at home with his family. Max shudders at the thought.

Max takes off after her and catches her changing in their room for bed. He grabs her in his arms and turns her around.

"Fran you’re right. How could have I not seen that."

"Max, I don’t want to fight, I just want you.....Whaat? Did you just say I’m right?" Fran asks incredibly.

"Yes, Darling, I did. You are so right. I haven’t been around lately, and when I am, it’s always late. What’s the point in working, if you don’t have a family to work for? Fran, I’m sorry. I haven’t been here for you and I haven’t been here for our children." He sits on the bed and runs his hands through his hair.

Fran walks over and sits next to him. "Max, why don’t we change it then?" She grabs his hand and continues, "Why don’t we take tomorrow to step back and figure this out. I’ve missed ya, besides you have a lot to make up for." She smiles at him and he hugs her tightly.

"How did I get so lucky to be married to the most wonderful, beautiful woman ever?" He tucks a strand of wet hair behind her ear.

"It wasn’t luck, mister, it was fate!" [beat] "Fate and a little Niles and I’m sure the short skirts helped a little, or maybe it was your heart telling you to get your tuchaus in gear and make a move, otherwise, a 5" spiked heel would’ve been permanently stuck there." Fran laughs as she teases her husband. "Whatever!"

"Fran, I love you."

"Max, I love you t...." Her words are cut off as Max covers her mouth with his, kissing her with everything he has to offer.

"Max, I’m still mad at ya. You can’t think that a kiss will make up for your broken promise, do ya?"

"What about this?" Max asks her between kisses, "or this?"

"I’ve missed ya, Honey!" Fran quietly moans as her husband manipulates her body with his hands.

"God, Fran, I’ve missed you too." Max lays Fran down on the bed, continuing to caress and kiss every inch of her body.

"Awe, Max.....ohhhh....ahhhh...." Fran moans with complete pleasure as she reaches around to her night stand and flips the lights out. "Ohhh, Max....honey!" Is the only thing, Fran can utter as giggles begin erupting from her.

The next morning.....

Max rolls over to feel for Fran, but instead a little hand reaches over and connects with his. Max opens his eyes and sees the sweetest scene ever imaginable, there sits his beautiful wife and in her arms are his two little ones. All three of them stare at him with huge smiles across their faces.

Max pushes himself into a sitting position and brings his hands over towards Fran, but Eve holds her arms up for him to take her. Max does just that. He kisses his little girl and Eve giggles watching her daddy intently. Next thing Max knows, Jonah wants his daddy too. So, Jonah climbs out of his mommy’s arms and into his daddy’s awaiting ones.

Fran leans back against the head of the bed as Max leans against her. Fran places her arms over his, watching and laughing with their kids, who at the moment are each playing with Max’s face. Jonah pulling at his hair and Eve pulling his ears.

"Ow! Where did you two get so tough? Oh, I know your mommy!" Max laughs as Fran playfully hits him in the shoulder. "No, really Fran, when did they get so big? Have I really missed this much of them?" Max sadly asks her.

Jonah and Eve are giggling through the whole conversation, oblivious to anything but having both of their parents with them right now.

"Sweetie, this is what I want you to see. Do you realize that this is what’s important? When I married you, I said for richer or poorer, so whether or not we have money, we will always have each other and our kids. That is what makes us rich." She runs her hand through his hair, now that Jonah has given up. Eve reaches up and grabs her mommy’s hand and places her little face on it.

"Darling, you are right, and I have lost sight of that. It’s not the money, it’s more the thought of failure, that has plagued me. But I know now that success is who we are in life and not what we do. Hey, Jonah and Eve, do you two know how lucky you are to have the mother you do?"

"They know, just like us." Comes Maggie’s voice. Fran and Max turn to see Maggie, Brighton and Grace all standing in the doorway of their room. Neither Max nor Fran notices Brighton’s camcorder being placed on their dresser.

"Just like we have a wonderful father, that is when we get to see him." Maggie continues as she walks over to the bed and sits down.

"Margaret, you’re here. Welcome home." Max balances both babies on his lap to briefly pats Maggie’s arm, "That’s true, but that’s going to change. I can’t keep being a part-time father and husband, its not fair to all of you or me. I’ve been obsessed with this show, the irony of the whole thing is that the show is based on our lives, so how can I produce a show about us, if I’m not here to know what is going on?" Max takes a hold of Fran’s hand and squeezes it.

"Dad, I’m glad you can admit that, it takes a big man." Brighton goes and sits next to Fran, while Grace joins them at the foot of the bed.

"Look at this, all my babies are here." Fran’s face is beaming with pride. The twins are both giggling and cooing in the whole happy scene.

"Okay, okay, this is getting too mushy for me, besides being nice to Maggie is killing me. I don’t know how much I can take." Brighton jokes as he hits Maggie in the arm, but she’s ready and hits him back in the forehead.

"Shut-up, Brighton. You’re such a schmandrick." Maggie and Gracie high-five each other.

Just then the Jonah decides to grab Gracie’s hair and yanks..

"Ow!! Brighton, did you teach him to do that?" Gracie yells.

"Why blame me? Just because I’ve been helping my little brother to defend himself in a house full of women. All I can say, is go, Jonah!" Brighton grabs Jonah and hugs him.

"Oy, don’t you guys ever stop? No more fighting, got it?" Fran chastises everyone.

"Yeah, Gracie, Maggie and Eve, got that?" Brighton has to make one more joke.

"B, I mean you the most!" Fran throws back at him.

"Gesh, alright. Come on, big boy. Mom’s siding with the girls again." Brighton whispers in Jonah’s ear, and as if he knew what Brighton said, Jonah starts laughing.

Eve still in her father’s arms, reaches out and grabs Brighton’s nose.

"Well, I guess Eve knows how to play in this family too." Max laughs at the scene unfolding before him. He hugs her which makes her smile, then he kisses her and she gives her daddy a wet sloppy kiss back.

"Well, she kisses like her mother!" Max joins in the family fun, but Fran pretends to pout and slaps Max lightly on the arm.

"Good one, dad!" Brighton states as he tickles Jonah.

"Maxwell, you are just as bad as your kids. Maggie take Jonah from B, and Gracie, you take Eve from your father." Fran turns to look at Max and Brighton, "and if you two can’t behave you’re getting punished."

"Dad, I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy your punishment, meanwhile, I’m outta here. Come on twerps, let eat!" Brighton calls out trying to be the head of the group; however, his sisters are already out the door.

"We’ll, be down in a minute." Fran calls out to the kids.

"That is after I receive my punishment." Max whispers in Fran’s ear as he lays back down, grabbing Fran, pulling her down next to him.

Max starts kissing Fran but they are interrupted by a knock on the door. "What!" Max yells irritably.

Brighton peeks his head in the door, "Sorry to intrude, but I need this back now," Brighton grabs his camcorder, "unless you two need it for anything." He jokes as he starts out the door again.

"Ah, B, that isn’t recording, is it?" Fran asks her son, knowing the answer before it came.

"Yeah, why? You two agreed to be in my film when I eventually do one, so I thought that I would practice. Besides, Dad, I’ve seen you act, lets just say, that unrehearsed scenes are the better way to go for you." Brighton laughs as he shuts the door.

"Well, there went the privacy factor in this house." Max pushes himself out of bed to get ready for breakfast. "And did you hear what he said about my acting?"

"Honey, privacy went out he door, when Niles first started working. How do you think, he knows everything? And, Sweetie, B just doesn’t know how great of a performer you are, but I do." Fran lowers her voice in her seductive whisper as she gets up and hugs Max.

"Brighton, shouldn’t you be at work or something?" Maggie asks him as sits down as Brighton starts connecting the camcorder to the entertainment center. Maggie flips the TV on, trying to find something to watch.

Looking at the television, she sees her and Brighton’s reflections staring back at her with record in the upper left corner. She waves and hits him with a pillow.

"Nah, since Dad took the day off, production becomes slower for the week. They really didn’t need me. Mostly the cast is going over new scripts today, tomorrow is rehearsal and re-write day, Thursday is dress rehearsal and re-writes again if they need it, and Friday is tape day. So if they need me it will be in the next three days." Brighton smiles as he thinks of himself being important at the studio.

"Oh I understand, so if they need their personal pooper-scooper for their pets or they’re out of tampons, they call for you." Maggie laughs but Brighton doesn’t find it funny.

"Margaret, be nice to your brother. He does a lot for the cast and they wouldn’t know what to do without him." Max informs Maggie as he enters the living room with Eve.

"Fine, only because you asked. Where’s Mom?" Maggie asks her father.

"She’s washing Jonah’s face and hands, she’ll be right in. What are you two doing?" Max asks them motioning towards the T.V.

"Nothing much, just watching what I filmed this week." Brighton stands up, taking the remote to stop the tape, but on seeing his mother decides to leave it on.

Fran walks in with Jonah in one arm and the phone in the other. She sits next to Max on the couch.

"Yeah, Ma. No, Ma, we didn’t forget to invite ya on purpose. Ma, would ya stop. Oy, what was I thinking moving you here with us. No, Ma, I didn’t mean that. Yes, the kids all love ya. Sure, you can talk to them." She hands the phone to Maggie, "Here, Sweetie talk to her, would ya."

"Fran, no, she’ll never shut up." Maggie complains to her, but Fran shoves the phone into her hand. "Hi, Sylvia. I’m sorry, Hi Nanna. No you didn’t tell me that, really a spot that big on your back." Maggie’s face contorts into a disgusted look. "Um, yes, ah huh, no not really..." Maggie goes on just rattling words as she holds the phone out not listening.

"I wonder were she picked that up?" Max asks Fran, knowing exactly where Maggie, or better who, Maggie got it from.

"Why don’t you just come over." Maggie says on the phone and in the background, Fran and Max are waving their hands no.

"Okay, thanks, I think I will." Comes Sylvia’s voice as she walks in the front door, "since my own daughter won’t invite me."

"Oy, Ma, hang up. What are ya doing here?"

"What, can’t I visit my daughter and her family?" Fran looks at her mother and rolls her eyes. "How are my little grandkids?" Sylvia walks up and grabs Jonah from Fran.

"Ma, don’t bounce him, he just ate, so unless ya want his food all over you, then hand Jonah back to me. Ma, now!" Fran looks at Max and whispers to him, "Meanwhile, she probably won’t mind if he throw up on her, just extra protein, is what she’d say." Max laughs but stops as Sylvia gives him an evil look as she hands Jonah back to Fran.

Just then Yetta walks up to Fran, "Frannie, I thought you just had the babies, how did they get so big?" She points to Brighton and Maggie with such a confused look on her face, obviously not seeing the twins in her and Max’s laps.

"Yetta, that’s Maggie and B. Oy, Max and I have the twins right here." Fran looks at Max, he tries so hard not to laugh, but it escapes uncontrollably, until Fran hits him in the arm.

"Ma, how can ya think that they were that big already?" Sylvia asks Yetta, while eating a Snicker’s bar hidden beneath a granola wrapper.

"Well, you came out just about their size, when you were born." Yetta answers Sylvia. Everyone gets a mental picture, hoping the conversation soon stops.

"Okay, Ma, what do ya want?" Fran asks her mother once again.

"Why do ya assume I want something? Fran, that’s not very nice."

"Meanwhile, ya still haven’t answered my question." Fran interrogates her mother trying to make a point.

"I was just wondering if you ate yet, have ya?"

"Why, Ma, are you taking Max, me and the kids out, for a turn?" Fran laughs at her own joke, as she turns to smile at Sylvia.

"No, Mrs. Now-that-I’m-married-with-my-own-family-I’ll-forget-my-own-mother. I’m not taking you out, that’s why ya married him." Sylvia points to Max who is trying to act invisible by playing with the twins. "I just came over for some mother-daughter time, it’s not like I’ve seen ya a lot lately, and ya neva know when my number is gonna come up."

"Ma, I know what ya trying to do, so stop with the guilt, it doesn’t work on me anymore. You were just over here, yesterday with me. Besides,Max took the day off, so today is our day." Fran innocently looks at Max. He smiles at her knowing what she’s thinking.

Grabbing Yetta’s arm, Sylvia starts for the door. "Fine, c’mon, Ma, let’s go, I know when I’m not wanted." Throwing over her shoulder, she yells to Fran, "Meanwhile, I have to pick your father up from the barber shop, he lit his hair on fire again. Who knew that barbeques can blow up like that?"

Fran just rolls her eyes and lifts up Jonah in the air, "Your grandma is insane, don’t ever listen to her. How anyone can be so over-dramatic, is beyond me."

"Haahaa!" Max busts out laughing, but stops as Fran hits him across the arm again. "What?" He smiles at her, "Oh, Darling, I was just kidding, but you do have to admit that you are a little over-dramatic sometimes."

"Max, I am not." Brighton and Maggie give Fran a ‘yeah right’ look, "Meanwhile, if I am, it’s because of you. I mean if ya never would have taken back "the thing" in the first place, then I wouldn’t have suffered so much." She says directly to Max, teasing him.

Brighton turns the stereo on, and Gina G’s song "Oh, Ah" comes blaring through:

"This song reminds me of you, Sweetheart." Max whispers in Fran’s ear, sandwiching the twins in between them, winking at her.

"Why is that? Is it the ‘oh ah’ or the ‘little bit more’?" She asks him, making Max blush a little. She gives him a peck on the lips. "That’s how we got these two." Motioning towards the twins, who at the moment are cooing loudly, each trying to out do the other.

Max is about to say something back, but just then Grace comes walking in the front door, looking completely lost in thought, not noticing the six pair of eyes on her.

"Looks like someone has something on her mind." Fran states getting up off the couch, handing Jonah to Max. She heads over to hug Grace and walks back to the couch, while Grace sits on the overstuffed chair next to Brighton and Maggie.

"What?" Grace says after she snaps out of la-la land.

"Relax, Gidget. No one’s giving you the third degree, what did some guy talk to you or kiss you?" Brighton laughs at the thought of the last time Grace kissed someone, Fran was a little upset to catch her.

Gracie looks at Fran and smiles slightly knowing what Brighton is getting at. " No, I was just wondering about something."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Max asks her hoping it isn’t anything bad.

"How often do men think about sex?" Gracie rattles through the sentences trying to be nonchalant about it.

"Okay, my strong, sensitive husband, take it away." Fran quietly says to Max, as Maggie and Brighton laugh hysterically.

At the same time, Brighton puts his two cents in, "Ask Maggie, she’s the pregnant one, meanwhile if it was up to me...."

"Brighton!" Max yells cutting him off and turns to Fran, "Fran, you’re her mother, you answer it." Aside to Fran, "Besides it’s not a fair question, I don’t think they should hear my answer."

Fran glares at Max, but when he finishes, Fran couldn’t be happier, "Everyone’s not married to the most beautiful sexiest woman in the universe, I am. So, thinking of anything but making love to you, is just wasted time. Basically, it’s a constant thought for me." He smiles broadly at his answer, knowing he made bonus points with Fran. Not to mention it gets him out of answering the question.

"Gracie, we’ll talk about it later, okay? With B in here, there’s no way, it’s gonna be a serious conversation." Fran tells her daughter trying not to laugh herself.

Brighton leans over to Maggie, "I got this all on tape!!" He laughs harder than he did before.

"Fran, so far this day has been absolutely wonderful!" Max smiles broadly as him and Fran are sitting on the couch facing each other. "Why haven’t we done this more often?"

"Maxwell Sheffield, you’re not really asking me that, are ya? Because if you are, be prepared for a whole argument from me." Fran shakes her head in amazement at her husband’s question.

"Darling, I mean how is it that I have not done this more often. I realize it’s my fault for all the working nights, and you were here by yourself raising our kids. I should have been here, you know I missed a lot of Margaret, Brighton and Grace, I didn’t want to with Jonah and Eve." He stares at Fran with sad eyes, but she grabs his hand reassuringly. "This show is important to me but not as important as you and our family."

"Max, answer me this, what time does the rest of the crew go home?"

"I don’t know I guess after their job for the day is done. Why?"

"Think about it, your job is never done. When we were in New York, you had your share of long days and nights. The difference is you don’t have any breaks in between, like you did with your plays. This show, has a different theme from one day to the next. You have to read scripts for a 32 week sitcom. You don’t just pick them, you now have writers scrawling a new plot or theme for the next week and the week after that. So, your hands are tied."

Staring intently on Max’s face, she continues, "Honey, if the show is gonna make it, its gonna be because people will see your vision, not on what the network brass views it as. You have poured your heart and soul into it, that does mean something, whether or not you notice it, but we do and so will others. I realize there are gonna be long nights for you, but I don’t expect it every single night. You have to set a limit for yourself for each day. All I’m asking is to enjoy life with my husband."

"Fran, that’s what I’m going to work on. From now on, I’m going to try to be home at a decent time. I can’t promise every night, but I can promise to try harder. February is a bad month, especially with ‘sweeps’. I think it would have been different if CC could have been there full time and if we knew the show is going to make it or not. Still none of it, gives me an excuse to overlook my family." Max kisses Fran and hugs her tightly.

Fran gets up off the couch and extends her hand out to Max, "Help me feed the twins."

"It will be my pleasure." He grabs her hand and lets her guide him.

"Niles, ol’ man, what are you doing over here?" Max slaps him on the arm as Niles walks in the back door.

"I thought I would take a break. CC told me I was a little too protective of little Emily, so she sent me away. Of course, where else shall I seek shelter but over here. How’s the show, sir? Has the rating came out yet?" Niles looking tired until he sees Fran and the family. "Miss the old maid yet, let me know and you can have her back." Niles laughs thinking about what CC would have said back to him.

"The shows going, and yes, I was about the check for the ratings, but how are you and CC dealing with being parents?" Max quickly changes the subject after noticing Fran’s look of desperation of work being mentioned, of course, she’s anxious to find out too.

"We’re good, just a little tired. But now that Emily, my little Babs, is here and she’s mine, I don’t know what to do. With Miss Margaret, Master Brighton, Miss Grace and then with Master Jonah and Miss Eve, it was natural, I only had to assist. But now, its different I feel helpless and CC thinks I’m nitpicking everything. She made me leave the room and find something to do other than hover over her." Niles sighs as he sits at the kitchen table.

"Niles, it’s only been a week, give it time. Remember, CC’s never had this kind of experience before. She doesn’t know what to expect." Fran gives him a reassuring smile.

"Neither did you, but look how great you are at it." Niles smiles back at Fran.

"Yeah, well I’ve spent my life willing to love and give all of myself," Fran looks at Max, who is standing beside her and places his hands on her shoulders. "CC, hasn’t. She doesn’t know how to share her feelings. You should know that."

"I do, thanks. It feel so blest having great friends around who understand." Niles gets up to start a pot of tea on the stove.

"Niles, we’ll always be here for you. I forget sometimes myself, how important the little things are." Max look lovingly at Fran.

"So, what do you do when she kicks you out of the room?" Fran wonders as she gets up to obtain three cups out of the cupboard.

"Oh, just surfing the web. Did you know, now that was a stupid question of course Fran you would know–you are ‘Mrs. Surfer’ herself!" Niles laughs and Max glares at Fran not really wanting to know how much time she spends on the internet, especially when he is repeatedly telling her to gain control of how long she’s on it. "Sorry, Fran, but I couldn’t resist it. Anyway, there is this virtual cooking site that you can watch the best chef’s in the world cook step by step, but the best thing is that you can try it and they help you out. It’s not a ‘here’s the recipe and try to make it by the picture’ kind of site, its unique."

Fran gets a look on her face and squeals with joy. Max and Niles look at each other and then to Fran. "Niles, what did you just say?" Fran asks him getting a picture in her mind.

"I said that this site is unique."

"No, before that, about the site having cooking scenes right on it." Fran urges him to finish her thought.

"Yeah, they show you what they do and then you can do it too." Niles is bewildered by Fran.

"Niles, you are a genius!" Fran jumps up and down, giving Niles a hug. "Honey, I got it, I now how to make the site to work for your show." She turns to face Max.

"Darling, what are you talking about?" Max asks her not understanding a word.

"Max, think about it. Your show is based on our lives. So, why don’t we bring the viewers into the minds of the actual players of the show. Not just the actors who portray us, but the real people–us! B, taped us all day today, why don’t we show them what’s going on and off stage. Give them stills and clips of past and present shows and the same with us, comparing the two."

Fran takes a breath, and then continues, "We can have them rate how well they liked it, get their opinions and thoughts." Fran’s face is lit up so brightly, that Max can’t help but to effected by it himself. "The more the audience feels important and appreciated, the more you win them over. We can post the web site address during the credits in the beginning and again at the end. Wait, not just post it, have an announcer say something about a live chat after the show, and we can have the actors once in awhile host it, that is if they agree to. What do ya think?"

"I don’t know Fran, it sounds like a lot to do."

"Sweetie, I 've already talked to B about helping me on the website, he’s agreed. He can do everything we’re looking for, besides being the ‘gopher’ doesn’t demand him constantly. It’s nothing you’ll have to do, so why not try something that just might help?" Fran smiles at Max trying to make him so her point.

"Fine, let’s talk about it tomorrow. Why don’t you go with me to the studio for a little while and we’ll make plans for it, that is if you can behave yourself there." Max teases his wife. "Margaret can watch the twins for us. Tomorrow, okay? Besides, you made me promise no work today, so I’m not letting you do any either."

"Well, alrighty then. That’s a deal, mister!" Fran brushes her lips lightly against Max’s. It’s a tender moment for them until the phone rings. "Niles, can you get that?"

"Oh, sure, sir. I’m just resting here, but don’t worry I’ll answer your phone." Niles retorts back to Max.

"Thanks, I knew you won’t mind." Max absently replies, not getting Niles’ sarcasms.

"Sheffield residence." Niles answers as he picks up the phone. "Yes, Mr. Sheffield is here. Whom may I say is calling? Oh, okay." Niles turns to Max, "Sir, I’m sorry but I believe your non-work day is about to end. Mr. Sherry, is on the phone." He hands the phone to Max.

"Maxwell Sheffield here." Max doesn’t take his eyes off Fran as he speaks into the phone. "Really, that’s wonderful. Yes, I’ll be in tomorrow and make sure you have the entire Network Execs in that meeting to hear all of this, would you. Oh, and one more thing, my wife will be accompanying me tomorrow, so be sure to be available to hear her ideas. Thank you, goodbye." Max hands back the phone while still standing face to face with Fran.

"Sweetie? What was that all about?" Fran asks her husband.

"The show seems to be doing a little better, just a glimpse better, but hey that’s all we can hope for. The ratings are up a tad, nothing to get us out of the woods."

"Max, I knew its not the news you want to hear, but Honey, it is wonderful news. "

"Niles, we need to tell CC...."

"On my way sir, maybe this will get me back in the room with her and little Em. Anyway, I’ll have her call you tomorrow at the studio." Niles runs out the back door to the guest house to tell his wife.

"Fran, maybe our hard work will pay off. I know that there is still a long way to go, but maybe this will help the network see how good this show really is and all the possibilities." Max is pretends to see the silver lining of it all, deep down he knows if he starts to really think about it, he’ll want to go to work. That’s something he doesn’t want to do right now. "So, Darling, now that both of our curiosities have been satisfied, why don’t we go find the children." Max wraps his arm around Fran’s waist guiding her towards the door.

"You mean you’re not the least bit anxious to get back to work, after hearing all that?" Fran questions her husband hoping she knew his answer.

Max couldn’t believe, well, yes he could, believe how well she knew him. "Fran, if I went to work now, then what was today all about? I need you more than I need a job. You’ve been right all along when you have been hounding me about working too much. Look at the family time we had today, of course I could’ve done without your mother’s visit. Just kidding. Fran, do you know what I noticed today? A lot of little things like Eve has your bright eyes...."

"Sweetie, Jonah has your laugh...." Fran adds in.

"Maggie has your charm...."

"Gracie has your creativeness..."

"And Brighton has your sense of humor. I owe everything to you. Fran you have taught me so much." Max grabs Fran and kisses her. "Today, I learned to finally slow down and to step back, and most of all to think about what’s important. Thank you, Fran." Max caresses Fran’s cheeks with both his hands, staring deeply into her eyes.

"Max, you never have to thank me, that’s what marriage is all about. I love you!" Fran looks back at Max and simply states the well-known fact.

"Fran, I love you more!" They walk out and then Max stops and looks at Fran once more. "Let’s go spend some more time with the children, and then why don’t I take my beautiful wife up to our room and make passionate love to her! How does that sound?"

"Like a promise you’d better keep, otherwise there will be hell to pay." Fran hugs him tight as she kisses him thoroughly. "Honey, see the benefits of being home early!" Fran teases her husband one last time as they go find the kids.

Only if everyday could be like this, but they both know that life isn’t that simple, and tomorrow will bring new surprises. So, for now, they’ll live in the moment, seizing and savoring it, confident in the love they have for each other, knowing that it will conquer anything life dares to throw at them!!

This story is dedicated to two of my friends. The first to Jenn, who convinced me to try writing a V7 story. Then second to a great friend, Steffi, who encouraged me every step of the way. Thanks guys, you're the greatest!!!! And to all Nanny fans, "Carpa Diem", that's what Fran Drescher always says and it's the best advice you'll ever get.

So wha'd ya think? Any good? Be sure
to post your two cents worth on the

7.24 Look Who's Talking Now by Jenn S. The twins are almost 10 months old now and their distinct personalities are emerging. Is Eve a little Fran and is Jonah more Max or have the youngest Sheffields also picked up a few personality traits from certain other friends and family along the way ? They don't actually talk yet but you'll be able to find out what the twins are really thinking as they share their thoughts and try to influence what's going on around them.

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