7.29 First Steps

by

Delph
(dolphyns@free.fr)

Night.

Max lay awake, eyes wide opened. He sighed, closed his eyes, and turned on his side… Two minutes later, he turned on his other side… Two minutes later, he lay on his back again… He opened his eyes, folded back the blankets, and got up silently, trying not to awaken Fran who was peacefully sleeping. He put his robe on and exited the room silently.

Fran stirred in her sleep and ended up on her husband’s side. Not being used to feeling it empty, she opened her eyes drowsily, and called softly: "Max?" She waited a few seconds, but no reply came. She got up, and exited the room, in search of Max.

After touring the second floor (bathroom, twins’ room) and the kitchen, she finally found him in his office. He was staring into space, his mind visibly absorbed by something, and noticed she was here only when she was standing in front of him. He smiled and extended his arms as an invitation for her to come and sit on his lap.

"What’s troubling you sweetie?" Fran asked, now used to those Max expressions.

He sighed.

"We’re due to start the shooting of the final episode very soon, and we still don’t have a viable 22 minutes script… I don’t know what’s with the writers at the moment, but they are irritable, and out of good ideas, or so it seems… truth be told, the fact that the network’s decision about cancelling the show or not is not out yet, may be the cause of all this, and certainly adds to my own worries. Nevertheless, we have that final episode to shoot, and I don’t know how on Earth we’re going to do that without a script…"

Fran looked him in the eyes, then kissed him softly.

"And you think you’re gonna solve all your problems by not sleeping?"

He chuckled.

"Of course not, but as I couldn’t sleep with all these things in my mind, and I didn’t want to wake you up, I came downstairs to try to sort things out a little…"

"The result being that we’re both awake anyway…" She smiled. "Come on sweetie…" She stood up "Let’s go upstairs, I know a very good Jewish remedy to help you get some sleep…" She took his hand and led him out of the office.

"Which is?" Max said as he followed his wife up the stairs.

"Me…!" She smiled crookedly.

Max’ face fell. "Oh sweetheart… I’m really not in the mood you know, I…"

"All right all right!… but it doesn’t prevent you from hugging me in your strong arms, does it?" They had reached their room.

He smiled tenderly.

"Of course not my darling…" He murmured.

The next morning, Fran was in the kitchen fixing herself breakfast, Sylvia came in, with Yetta.

"Oh Hi Ma! Hi Yetta!" She stood up and went to kiss both women.

Sylvia sat down, grabbed Fran’s plate while she was pouring hot water in a tea-pot, and started munching the bagels Fran had roasted and buttered. When the latter returned with the full teapot and some cups, she found her plate empty…

"Ma!" She smacked her mother’s arm.

"Wha?… You hadn’t prepared that for your starving mother?" She looked at Fran with an innocent look.

"No, and you know it perfectly!"

"Oh I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t sleep all night, and I’m very hungry this morning…"

"Well nothing out of the ordinary for you Ma!" Fran turned around and fetched another bagel she sliced in two, and put in the toaster oven.

"Mind the bones Frannie, I lost all my teeth on a bagel once…"

"Yetta, you did not lose your teeth, you simply forgot to put your dentures on."

"Are you sure? When did you steal my teeth!" Yetta said, smacking Sylvia’s arm.

"Oy!" Said Sylvia, rolling her eyes.

Fran came to sit down with her breakfast, and sighed.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"Oy Ma. Max is so worried about his sitcom. I’ll tell you, I miss the time when he was producing Broadway shows. It was still stressful, but far less than here, and I had my ways to make him relax."

"You’re always complaining about your relationship with your husband, but you’re not listening to your mother’s advice… Oy! Why don’t you try what I tried with your Daddy?"

Fran scowled at the "never listening to your mother’s advice"… "What is it Ma?"

"Shiatsu massages… You know Wotan’s Paradise?"

"The Chinese shop just around the corner next to your place? Oh not again! Don’t you tell me you’re on those Feng Shui techniques again?!"

"Meanwhile I’ve never felt so inclined to follow up on my new diet, now that I’ve arranged my house according to these rules…"

"Diet? Ma, every time you get in here, you eat what one ordinarily eats in a week!"

"That’s my point exactly, your house is not arranged according to Feng Shui. Anyway, they also give Shiatsu classes, for the purification on the body and soul, and it made your father very healthy… If you see what I mean. No matter the state of tiredness he’s in…"

"Ma, watching TV all day long is not what I would call ‘tiring’."

"Watching TV, indeed."

"Ma!" She smacked the table.

"Wha?! You wanted the truth or not?!"

"Yetta’s here!"

"Don’t mind me, I’m trying to watch the weather broadcast, but it’s very difficult to figure out how these new sets are working…" She said, pushing the buttons of the oven.

"Yetta, try the one in the living room, it’s easier."

"You have one in the living room?! Okay…" She left the kitchen slowly.

Fran leaned over to her mother. "Are those massage techniques easy to learn Ma?"

"Easier than you could imagine sweetheart…"

"Coochi cooochi cooo!" C.C. said, tickling her daughter on the tummy, as she was changing her diaper. Emily smiled… C.C. did it again, and Emily smiled again.

Niles was watching the tender scene, his heart leaping in his chest, moved as he was each time he could see his wife making her first steps at motherhood. It had been several weeks now, since this little being had filled their lives with her charismatic presence. Her short blond hair was as bright as the sun in the summertime, and her eyes were definitely turning to deep blue, just like her parents’, but the contrary would have been rather intriguing according to genetics…

He almost forgot he had the bottle in his hand, and that it was cooling down. It broke his heart to interrupt, but he knew the little princess would soon transform into a real monster if she didn’t have something in her tiny stomach, so he coughed discreetly.

C.C. turned towards him, she was truly glowing.

"Oh look who we have here? Daddy and the bottle!" She lifted Emily delicately in her arms, and came over to her husband.

"Oh, do you think I should make another one for her? I brought it for you, so you don’t have to drink her blood." Niles smirked jokingly.

"Can it, Hazel." She retorted playfully.

"May I?" He asked, reaching to take Emily into his arms.

C.C. gave him the baby, and they both went in their living room, sat down, and Niles inserted the nipple into his daughter’s hungry mouth. It was C.C.’s turn to watch the tender scene unfolding under her eyes. She had witnessed such scenes with Maxwell’s children, but it was never her own, and at that time, she was still hiding behind all those inner walls she had created for herself.

"Look at how she’s looking at me C.C., it’s like she would want to absorb me in her eyes." Niles said, smiling broadly as Emily sucked on the bottle, watching her father with her eyes wide opened.

C.C. grinned too. "The doctor said that this is about the time a baby recognizes its father."

"Well it was easy for you to be recognized: who would forget your looks?" he replied.

C.C. was at a loss for words. "Niles are you sick? That was actually a nice thing you’ve just said!"

"Did I specify what looks I was talking about?" he winked. Then, turning his attention to his daughter again. "Oh my God, were you hungry little one!" He showed C.C. the empty bottle. "It definitely seems that a bottle is much better to her than breastfeeding. Well… I don’t blame her. Who would want to use thos…"

"NILES!" C.C. interrupted him, swatting his arm.

He winked, sticking his tongue out.

The bell from the Sheffield house rang at this time. Niles stood up, and gave Emily back to C.C. "You’ll have to burp her I’m afraid. Duty calls…"

"Yeah, always escaping when the tough job is starting. Meanwhile our dry cleaner’s bill increases as she spits on my suits almost all the time!"

"That’s because you don’t know how to burp her dear. Hold her on her right side, and then pat her back, and use a napkin underneath her mouth. She won’t spit milk that way, and your suit will be safe even if she does a little."

He showed her quickly how to perform the maneuver, and indeed, that way, Emily didn’t spit milk.

"See? All right, I’m off to work."

"I’ll follow right after you, Grace said she could baby-sit today, I’ll prepare a bag for her, and then I’m off to the studio: Maxwell and I have some brainstorming to do for this season’s final episode."

Max was pacing in his office at the studio, when C.C. entered.

"Ah C.C., thank God, you’re here."

Brighton was right behind her.

"Err… Dad, the director said he would be unreachable for the next two hours, and Charles needs to see you about that promotional trip to Paris."

"Great! Just what I needed now! And what about the writers?!"

"Most of them are on their way."

"I want them all here… call those who aren’t."

"What promotional trip?" C.C. asked.

"The execs have decided to send the cast on a promotional trip to Paris, because the show might be sold in France, and they think showing the main cast members could make it sell better. They’re leaving in three days…. and I STILL DON’T HAVE A BLOODY SCRIPT FOR THAT FINAL EPISODE!!!"

Brighton looked like he was thinking fast.

"Hey Dad, why don’t you take advantage of this trip?"

"What do you mean Brighton?"

"Well if I remember well, you were once in Paris with Fran, right?"

"Go on…"

"You could arrange something that is inspired by your adventure in Paris, and shoot a few scenes there. I think that could be a great season finale: "exotic", original, and funny… If I may give my opinion…"

"Actually Brighton, that’s not a bad idea!"

"Maxwell? They’re leaving in three days for Christ’s sake! How can we write a script in three days and start shooting in four?!" C.C. said, panicked.

"Then what are you waiting for?! We now have some layout for this script. As soon as the writers arrive, I want them in this office, working on this idea, and they’ll exit it when they have finished, and I’m satisfied with their work, even if they have to sleep here!"

"But Maxwell, now I have a baby to take care of!"

"I didn’t mean us C.C., plus, I’ll be the one supervising, and Brighton, if you have some more ideas, you’re welcome to share them with us."

"And what is my role in this game, if I may ask?!" She asked, indignantly.

"As always C.C., you get the be the one putting pressure on them… "

"Oh great… I always get the bad guy’s role! You know what? I rest my case!"

"C.C., motherhood has made you a softy!"

"Look who’s talking! Maxwell, I can still be sharper than a Japanese blade you know!"

"And that’s exactly what I need C.C.! "

"Well I don’t need that! Thank you Maxwell!" she replied, fuming.

"Don’t thank me C.C., thank Niles, he played that trick on me more than once, and always got to his point." He grinned innocently at C.C.

At a loss for words, C.C. scowled, then eventually smiled at Maxwell. "Okay, okay… you win… ‘want some coffee?"

"No thanks, I’m trying to avoid coffee these days. Fran thinks I’m too tense and nervous."

"And who’s the softy?!" She laughed as she exited.

Brighton looked at his father.

"So, Dad, what do I have to say to Charles?"

"Tell him to come in… and Brighton?"

"Yes?"

"I’m proud of you, son." he said with a broad grin, Brighton answered with one of his own.

The latter exited, and Charles came in…

"So if I understand this right, this oil must be used during the massage, to enhance its effects, right?"

"Yes Mrs. Sheffield, it’s capital if you want the massage to be really efficient for the body’s peace."

"Thank you Mr. Wotan. I’ll make good use of it." She shook his hand and exited the shop.

Back home she went to check on the twins.

Grace was in their room, reading some book for school, while the twins were babbling happily in their playpen, creeping around it chasing each other, and Emily seemed to be fast asleep in her crib.

Grace looked up when she heard her mother entering the room.

"Hi Fran…"

"Hi sweetie, so, how are these three doing?"

"There was a fight between the twins, but I finally managed to get them to stop. The most difficult was Emily, actually. She’s been moaning all afternoon. Until I gave her her bottle, she was impossible. Now she's asleep, thank God."

Fran leaned over Emily’s crib and smiled, admiring the little girl sleeping, then she looked back at Grace.

"Niles should be back from shopping very soon, then you’ll be released from your babysitting duty." She said softly.

"Oh I don’t mind keeping an eye on them… Well most of the time… As a matter of fact, I’m free tomorrow afternoon too if you need me to watch the twins."

"Oh great, then I can go shopping with Val. But are you sure?"

"Yes, if Emily’s not here to disturb me, I have plenty of books to read before the end of the year, and I’ve got all the peace I need here."

"Thank you very much angel. I guess I’ll give Niles the day off tomorrow, so he can watch his own daughter." She winked at Gracie.

"Err… Fran, I need you to do me a little favor…"

"What is it sweetie?"

"You know the people in my class have a big party at the end of the week, and I was wondering if you could talk Dad into allowing me to sleep at Bob’s… Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty other people, I mean his father is lending him the house for the week end, and there are plenty of rooms, I’ll be with Jenny, and Barbara, I promise there will be no boy in our room."

Fran smiled.

"Okay sweetie, I’ll talk to your daddy." She winked.

Grace smiled her ‘thank you’.

"Hey one more thing, I think the twins are about ready to walk. Jonah could stand alone gripping the bars of the playpen… until Eve wanted to imitate him, and made him fall… and that was the beginning of the fight."

"Oh really?!" She went over to her children and hugged them both in their playpen. "Oh my little pumpkins are growing too fast! It seemed like only yesterday you were in a crib like Emily!"

At that time, the latter started wailing.

Grace sighed, put her book down "And there we go again…"

"Well that’s what babies are sweetie, the cutest things in the world, but sometimes, they can also be a real pain in the neck."

Niles entered the room.

"Did I hear some baby crying?"

"Oh Niles, thank God… I don’t know what’s with Emily, but she hasn’t stopped crying."

"That’s because you don’t know how to talk to her Miss Grace." He went over to the crib, and lifted Emily in his arms. "So what, Miss Rugrats?"

Emily stopped wailing almost immediately.

"Now that’s better, we wouldn’t want you to misbehave with our friends, you little pink worm."

Emily started giggling. Niles turned to Fran and Grace who were staring at him, open mouthed. "Just like her mother, there’s nothing better for her than insults."

"Niles, she’s a baby! How could she understand insults?!"

"Oh she does… somehow… From me at least, it seems to make her laugh."

"Oy! Talk about a family!"

Niles smiled "Okay, if you don’t need me anymore, I’ll go prepare for Darth Vader’s return."

Emily giggled again. Niles looked at his friends nodding. "See? Dinner is ready, you just have to warm the ragout up, and I made a sorbet for desert, it’s in the freezer. I’m off."

"All right Niles, thank you… Oh Niles?"

The latter stopped in his tracks and turned to Fran.

"Yes?"

"Take the day off tomorrow. Max will be at the studio all day long, I’ll be shopping, and we’ll go to the restaurant in the evening."

Niles chuckled. "Okay, thanks Fran."

When Max came home that evening, he found his wife waiting for him, and smiling, despite the late hour.

"Sweetheart, I’m sorry I’m home late, but it’ll soon be over, and we can take a small vacation together in some romantic place, I promise."

"It’s okay Honey, I can understand that. Brighton told me you finally had a story to start shooting?"

"Indeed yes, but that hasn’t made my task any easier, unfortunately. The writers will be staying at the studio until midnight, and I have to be there tomorrow at eight. We have to finish the script before Thursday. They’re leaving for Paris on Friday, and start shooting there on Saturday."

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I had a sandwich at the studio. What I’d need now is a hot relaxing bath."

"I have something better for you sweetie." She said, coming close to him, and putting a hand behind his neck, smiling seductively.

"Oh Darling, I’m sorry again, but it’s not better than yesterday."

"I was not talking about that. I’ve learned to perform Shiatsu massages today, and they’re very useful to ease the tenseness."

"Really?"

"Ma’s been using it on Daddy for weeks now, and she said it’s very efficient. "

"Well I’m not very keen on your mother’s sound advice, if I may say so, Fran, but I guess I could give it a try. My back is killing me anyway, so anything to ease that pain is welcome."

"Then come on sweetie. Let’s move upstairs…" She said, giving him a peck on the lips.

They ascended the stairway.

After having refreshed themselves a little, Max put his pajamas pants, and went to lie face down, on the towel Fran had spread on the bed covers. Fran put some oil on her hands, and some on Max’ back, and started to work all the muscles of her husband’s tensed shoulders, eliciting painful groans from him. After she had done the shoulders, she went downwards, and used the same method on his back, and the lumbar region. The more she went down, the less Max’ groans were painful, and he actually seemed to relax a lot…

"Oh Darling, that’s actually amazing."

"Wait, I haven’t finished."

She took a book, a small sack of herbs, and put some pinches at five different spots on his back, according to a scheme she had in the book, then lit a match, and set fire to the herbs.

"Fran what are you doing?!" Max panicked.

"Relax Max, it’s the end of the massage… just tell me when you feel the heat."

"Ow! Now!"

"Okay…" she took a wet towel, and spread it on Max’ back, extinguishing the herbs, and cleaning his back at the same time. "Finished, mister! Better?"

Max rolled on his side and sat on the edge of the bed, trying to listen to his body’s reactions.

"Actually darling, much better. How did you learn such things sweetheart? You’re amazing, really! I feel like if I had slept 24 hours, and run a 100 yards."

Fran smiled. "Who said my mother gave bad advice?"

"Not me!"

Fran eyed him, scowling "Huh-huh?"

Max grabbed her arm, and pulled her to him.

"Now come on pretty face, give me a hug."

Fran pushed him on the bed, and gave him a tender kiss. Max wrapped his arms around her, and whispered: "You know what Darling, you look incredibly sexy in that nightgown…"

Fran grinned crookedly. "Oh, oh… Seems like the big boy is noticing the girls again?"

"What are you saying Darling?" He rolled her over, and started tracing soft kisses on her neck. "I’ve never stopped noticing the girls, and especially, and ONLY you," he mumbled.

"Nice of you to add only, Maxwell Sheffield!"

"Shhh… we’ll talk afterwards."

He switched off the light...

Fran was seated at the kitchen table with a dreamy look. Val came in.

"Hi Fran!"

"Hi Val." She answered, with the same dreamy look on her face.

Val looked at her friend quizzically.

"Hey?" She waved a hand before her face. "Fran?"

Fran seemed to be shaken out of her dream, and came back to reality. "Yes Val?"

"You feel OK?"

"Huh? Sure! Why?"

"Well you looked like you were in a world of your own."

"I am," Fran said, grinning dreamily, as she stood up to prepare some tea.

"Come on, dish."

Fran filled the kettle, and put it on the stove.

"Oy, Val… for once, Ma did give me a very good advice."

"What is it?"

"You know Max is all tense because of the season’s finale and so on? And well… of course our-err… Intimate life has not been on top because of that. Ma suggested I learned Shiatsu massage techniques and…"

"And?"

"He’s become insatiable! It’s even better than during our honeymoon, Val!"

"WOW! Hey Fran, can you give me a little course? Fred hasn’t been very active in that department lately: probably due to the same problems."

"Val, Fred is a gofer, not a producer, and he doesn’t know half of what’s actually happening on the set."

"Oh yes he knows, he told me Connie Velour had a sore throat yesterday, Charles had a pulled muscle because he’d played soccer with his girls, and Dana Nozak had a big headache."

Fran sighed and shook her head.

"Val knowing the cast’s medical records, is not what I would call ‘knowing what’s happening on the set’… Oy!"

"Meanwhile Fred was very handy with his pharmacy case. You know he could build his own store there."

"Val, that’s called ‘illegal practice of medicine’."

"Not as long as he doesn’t get paid!"

"Even if he doesn’t get paid."

"Oh well… He doesn’t do it all the time. Now, back to those Shiatsu massages, he sure could use a bit of them."

"Well, I can give you a bit of the oils and herbs, but if you want to learn the techniques, go to Wotan’s Paradise, and buy the book, or take the express course. I can’t teach you exactly how to do it… and precision is very important."

"All right, gimme the oil & herbs, and I’ll do the rest."

The kettle started to whistle. Fran stood up and stopped the stove, then poured hot matter in two mugs she brought to the table.

"They really do seem to do you good, you look incredible Fran"

"Val, I don’t use them on me, but on Max."

"Yes, but you’re obviously the one who profits from them too!"

Fran winked. "Definitely!"

"OK, while you’re drinking your tea, I’m gonna check on the twins and Grace, I’ll bring some samples down, and then we can go shopping."

"Okay."

A little while later, both women were shopping downtown Los Angeles.

Niles looked around cautiously, tiptoed silently to the couch, and sat very slowly. He stopped, waited expectantly, then smiled, and lied down on the couch. Grabbing his paper, he started flipping through the pages, and no sooner had he done that, than a powerful wail was heard coming from the baby’s room. Niles sighed defeated, put his paper down, and went to his daughter’s room sulking.

Grace yawned. That book on young children’s psychology was absolutely fascinating, but it was also rather difficult to follow sometimes. She looked over her book to cast an eye on the twins, and opened them wide as saucers.

Niles took his wailing daughter from her crib, and started speaking to her softly, his voice rumbling in low waves. Emily calmed down. He put her down in her crib, but the little girl did not agree to that predicament at all, and as soon as she felt her body being lowered down, she wailed again. Niles sighed again, and held her against his chest gently.

"All right all right, you little tyrant," he murmured, "you’ll come with daddy on the couch OK."

Emily seemed to calm down. Niles went back to the living room, and sat on the couch, trying to grab his paper. Emily Rose, again, was not satisfied with the arrangement.

Niles sighed.

"What now?!" He checked his watch. "It’s not the time to eat, you had your bottle 45 minutes ago! Unless you want to get as large as your mother!"

Emily Rose’s wails increased tenfold.

"Niles lifted her butt to his nose and smiled. "Ah, now I see your problem… Well… smell would be truer."

He stood up, and went back to his daughter’s room, to the changing table.

The twins were smiling to Grace, holding the bars of their playpen, and standing.

Grace grinned from ear to ear. "Look at that! Oh, you big boy and big girl now!"

Jonah giggled, turned, and threw one hesitant foot ahead of him… then a second… a third… Until Eve did the same in his direction, and made him fall… the adventure ending in a burst of cries…

Grace took them out of the play pen, sat down, and took them both in her arms, cajoling them. "There, there, my little Indiana Jones… Life is about experiences, and you’ve just tried the toughest of them all: walking on those two legs we have!"

Niles finished buttoning the studs of Emily’s rompers. "Now there's my little rosebud, thorny just like her mom."

Emily giggled. Niles smiled, and blew on her tummy. Emily giggled again.

"Ok, now that you’re all settled, maybe I can leave you and start reading my morning paper?"

He put her down in her crib, but Emily moaned.

Niles sighed.

"And what would you say if I sang a lullaby to you, huh?"

Emily stopped moaning.

Niles began:

"Hush, little baby don't you cry,
You're almost as big as your Mommy's thigh…"

Emily seemed to calm down, and started dozing. Niles went on…

"…Stop your tantrums and wind on down,
Your face is red like a circus clown…"

Emily seemed to be sleeping peacefully at last.

Niles smiled, and whispered "Just like Babcock," he shook his head slightly, and tip-toed out of the room, to the living room.

"Fran darling? I’m home!" Maxwell shouted, closing the door behind him. Hearing nothing, he tried again. "Fran?"

Grace appeared at the top of the stairs, excited. "She’s not home Daddy, oh, come up here, you’ve got to see the twins!!!"

A shiver went down Max’ spine. "What?!" He said a bit concerned, climbing the stairs hurriedly.

"Nothing wrong Dad, don’t worry: I saw them, they walked!!!"

Max grinned widely.

"Oh my God! They’re growing so fast!"

They entered the twins’ room. They were playing together in their playpen.

"Wait a second dad, you’ll see."

Grace bent, took Jonah, and put him on his feet.

The little boy grinned at his big sister, stood up about two seconds, and then fell heavily on his butt. Then he crawled towards the bars of the playpen to tease Eve.

Grace scowled. "Come on Jonah, show Daddy how you walked!"

Jonah looked at Grace, gave her a smile, and giggled.

Grace frowned. "Oh OK, then maybe Eve will be more cooperative."

She lifted Eve out of the playpen, and did the same she had done with Jonah… And Eve, also fell heavily on her butt.

Max shook his head, grinning. "All right, I knew they were too young for that kind of thing." He started towards the door.

"But Dad, I saw them, and they did it more than once, maybe they’re tired or something."

"You may have witnessed something that looked like walking but it was not, Grace. When’s Fran due home?"

"Daddy," she sighed. "I don’t know, I guess she shouldn’t be long now, she went out with Val. And Dad, the twins walked."

"Sweetheart, don’t get mad, they will probably walk soon, but from what I saw, they don’t yet."

At that precise moment, the front door shut, and Fran’s unmistakable voice was heard.

Max’ face lit up in a huge smile. "See you at dinner sweetheart, Fran’s home!" And he disappeared in the hallway.

As he walked down the stairs, Fran spotted her husband, and a huge grin drew itself on her face.

"Hi sweetie! Back so soon?!"

"Hi Darling, hi Val" He gave Fran a quick kiss, and murmured "The script is finished. Besides, I came home sooner for my massage." He winked.

Fran looked at him with a knowing smile. "Val was leaving anyway… Right Val?"

"Well I could go for that cup of tea you offered me."

"RIGHT VAL?"

"Err… Sure! See you Fran, and thanks for the samples."

"Yeah, bye sweetie."

Val exited. Fran turned to Max, and said:

"Why don’t you go get ready while I check on Gracie and the twins?"

"Good idea." He climbed up the stairs at a light pace, while Fran headed for the twins’ room.

Gracie finally managed to get Jonah and Eve to walk. "Dad! Fran!"

Fran entered the room at that precise moment. "What is it sweetie?"

Grace turned towards her mother. The twins let themselves fall on their butt.

"They are walking! Look!" she turned towards the twins, and frowned. "But…"

Fran smiled. "Oh sweetie, they’re still a bit too young to walk." She went to the twins and planted a big kiss on their cheeks.

"Hello my darling children!"

"Fran I swear they walked about 30 seconds ago."

"Nah sweetie, you just told me they could stand up, but walking is a totally different thing! Anyway, thanks for watching them, can you take care of them a half an hour more? I have to massage your poor Daddy’s back."

Grace looked at her dumbfounded. "Half an hour?!"

"Yeah, you’re right, make it an hour." And she exited the room.

Grace shook her head in discouragement, and looked at her siblings. "You!"

The twins looked at Grace and giggled. "Gie!" they said in unison.

Grace jumped in surprise and amazement "Oh my God! And they talk too!" she rushed to the door. "Fran! Da…" She stopped dead in her tracks, and looked at the twins who were watching her mischievously. "Oh-oh… No way I’m gonna fall for that again, Laurel and Hardy. They’ll discover it soon enough." She put them back in their playpen, and took back her book.

"C.C., if I’m not going, you’ll have to go."

"Maxwell!!! Why don’t you want to go?"

"I don’t want to leave Fran alone in this big house for a week while I’m be in Paris, and there’s no way the twins and Fran would come with us since I’d be very busy. Besides, I’m awfully tired, and the doctor said I should relax a little, and stop stressing my nerves further…"

"What doctor?! The queen of Shiatsu?!" C.C. said with a mocking tone.

Maxwell frowned, and cocked his eyebrows.

"C.C., you’re speaking of my wife… And I must admit that since she started giving me those massages, I have never felt so relaxed…" He finished with a dreamy look on his face.

"And what about me?! How can you be so inconsiderate! I’ve just had a baby, and I’d like to be more of a mother to her than my mother ever was to me!"

"OK, fine! Then who do you suggest should go?"

"Can’t the director be on his own?"

"No."

"Why?!"

"Because I want to get a hold on all this. It’s the season’s finale, and I want it to be one of our best shows! The director doesn’t know Paris, and neither do any of the crew members. We’re running out of time for the spotting, and we’ve gone through the script together, for that purpose. We only have one day of spotting, two days of shooting in Paris, and then, they’re back to the studio to shoot the indoor scenes, and edit…"

At that moment, Brighton entered, holding a pile of freshly bounded scripts. "Dad, they just dropped this. I’ve already given theirs to the actors, these are the ones remaining for the crew."

"Thanks Brighton, leave them here."

C.C. suddenly looked like she had just had a bright idea. "Maxwell!"

Brighton started towards the door.

"Freeze!" C.C. shouted.

Brighton stopped, and looked at her dumbfounded.

"What is it C.C.?"

"Maxwell, the boy knows Paris, right?"

"C.C., I don’t think it’s a good…"

"What do you want to know about Paris?" Brighton’s interest was piqued.

"How well do you know it?"

"Well I lived there three months, that’s enough for a guy to know the best places in Paris. Above all when the same guy has to find a way to live there…"

"See?! He probably knows Paris better than I do!"

Maxwell sighed.

"All right C.C., you win. Maybe it’s time I give Brighton a bit more responsibility He was the first one to think about this Paris thing anyway."

Now Brighton was all ears.

"What, Dad?"

"Brighton, we need someone who knows Paris quite well to help spotting and shooting, and of course, we need someone we have confidence in."

"Oh Dad, are you… are you thinking about me?!"

"Yes. So here’s the offer. You go to Paris, primarily as the first assistant to the director, and help in the making of great shots of Paris for our final episode. You have 3 days… you think you can manage that?"

"Where do I sign?! Dad, this is terrific!"

"C.C. will tell you what spots we have already thought of, but I give you the freedom to find different, or more appropriate ones."

"I’m gonna work on this right away Dad!"

"Good, because you’re leaving tomorrow."

"WOW! Well then I’ll also work in the plane!"

Brighton took one of the scripts he had just brought, and opened the door of his father’s office. Upon leaving the room, he turned, smiled to his father, and said.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Don’t thank me. If I’m not happy with the result, you will have a Hell of a time, mister, and I mean it. Remember it’s the season’s finale…"

Brighton chuckled.

"I would have guessed so!"

He exited, C.C. in tow, and shut the door.

Fran looked at her reflection in the mirror, and liked what she saw: these Shiatsu massages were actually really good for her skin too!

Max’ bare-chested reflection appeared in the mirror behind her. Fran smiled, and turned to find herself enclosed in his two powerful arms. He lay a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Hello Darling…" he said softly.

"Hello…"

"What do you say we return to bed and enjoy this morning a little more together?"

"Again?! WOW! I wouldn’t want you to get too tired for the Studio!"

Max started nibbling the lobe of her ear.

"Mmmm… they’re in Paris with Brighton, and my presence at the studio won’t be necessary for another two hours…"

"Oy… Mmm… Max…"

"Yes darling?"

"What are you waiting for?!"

He chuckled softly, scooped her in his arms, and carried her to the bed…

A little while later, they finally made it to the kitchen, where Max had a quick coffee, and shoved a fresh bagel into his mouth, before heading to the studio.

"Bye Darling, I’ll try to be home early!" He gave her a kiss on top of the head.

Fran prepared some tea for herself, and sat down at the table.

Niles barged in.

"Oh thank God, you’re here!"

"What? "

"I’d rather your whines than the little brat’s…"

Fran scowled.

"Thanks!"

"I’m sorry, but she’s been impossible. Just like her mother during the worst moments of her pregnancy."

He sat down on a chair, grabbed Fran’s tea, and started sipping it.

"Niles, I…" She sighed, and slapped the table. "Oh well, I might as well prepare another one for me…"

She stood up, and went to the kettle again.

"I’m grateful I have the entire house to dust actually," Niles went on. "C.C.’s in charge today. thanks for the tea." He stood up, and went in search for his feather duster.

Fran sat down again, with an amused look, shaking her head.

Val came in.

"Hi sweetie!"

"Oh Fran!"

Val sat down with a terrible look. She grabbed Fran’s tea, and drank it all in one gulp, frowning.

"My God Fran, this is hot!"

"Yeah, I had just prepared it FOR ME when you took it."

"I’m sorry Fran, I’m just so upset…"

Fran sighed, stood up, and went to prepare tea for the third time.

"What is it, Val?"

"You remember those samples you gave me, and the book I bought?"

"Yes?"

"Well they definitely did not have the same effects on Fred than those they obviously had on your husband!"

"Really?!"

"Yes, Fred is insatiable…"

"So what? That’s what you wanted, right?"

"Fran, he can’t stop EATING! I’m desperate, what am I going to do?!"

"Have you stopped using them?"

"No, I thought it was just some side effect… but it increased tenfold!"

"Val!!!"

"What?!"

"Stop it, now!"

"You think I should?!"

"Oy!"

"OK, OK, don’t get mad…"

"Did you use the book?"

"Yeah, I brought it with me in case you wanted to check…"

Val produced a red book from her purse, and gave it to Fran who started flipping through the pages. After 15 seconds doing so, she closed the book, and almost hit Val on the head with it.

"Val!!! These are Chinese RECIPES!!!"

"But… They use the same oils and herbs!"

"Maybe they use the same, but of course it doesn’t have the same effects, Val! Oy!!!"

"So what do you suggest?"

"Vaaal!!!"

"Yes?"

"STOP, NOW!"

"Ok Fran, but don’t be surprised if your husbands starts eating like an elephant, I warned you."

Fran rolled her eyes but preferred not to answer her puzzled friend.

A horn was heard. Grace jumped out of the armchair she was sitting in, and grabbed her bag, walking towards the door.

"Bye Fran, bye Dad, and thanks for letting me go out Dad!"

"On the absolute condition that you be very careful with boys sweetheart!"

"Sure!"

And she exited.

Max enveloped Fran’s shoulders in his arms, and lay a soft kiss on her neck.

The twins were alone in their room, and sat one in front of the other in their playpen.

"Ee!"

"Onah!"

The twins giggled, and went on.

"Onah!"

"Ee!

Their giggles doubled.

Jonah grabbed one of the bars of the playpen, and stood up. Eve imitated him …

Fran and Max heard some noise coming from the twins room. They tiptoed to it, and pushed the door slightly ajar. Their children were walking hesitantly in their playpen, giggling, and calling each other in their own, inarticulate language.

Surprise drew itself on both parents’ faces, and they stepped into the room.

The twins looked at them in surprise. "Oops!" And immediately fell on their bottom with a guilty look plastered on their faces.

Fran and Max didn’t know whether to laugh, or play "offended" by the twins’ attitude. Fran put her fists on her hips, and scowled. "So Gracie was right! You little rascals!"

The twins bent their heads pouting.

Fran & Max burst out laughing.

Jonah and Eve looked up hesitantly, and were instantly reassured as they saw both their parents bending, Max grabbing Jonah, and Fran grabbing Eve, who planted a dribbling kiss on her mother’s cheek.

"Ma!" She said triumphantly.

Jonah hugged Max, and said "Pa!"

Fran and Max looked at each other smiling… Those two probably had their load of even bigger surprises waiting for them…

Many thanks to Nelda Hacker, and Debbie Nute, who were kind enough to read my 'in the works' story, and helped me through it.

Some of the sweet insults Niles says to his daughter, as well as the Lullaby, were Nelda's…

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

7.30 My Baby By My Side by Aimee When Fran devises a scheme for Niles to make some money at roulette using CC as his lucky charm, gambling fever strikes the Sheffield family.

Back to The Virtual Seventh Main Page

Back to Fan Fiction

Back to The Really Unofficial Nanny Home Page