Author's Note: Thanks to Melinda (carylfan10) for writing "The Family That Love Built," which somehow led me to think of doing this story. I've never written post-series TN before, so I hope people like this! :)
This was one of Fran's favorite parts of her day, putting the twins to bed. They were now five, and they were certainly a handful! Both Jonah and Eve had inherited Fran's rambunctious energy. But Fran didn't mind chasing after them; she said it was better than any diet she'd ever been on.
Though their mansion in California was much larger than the place Fran and Max had lived in back in Manhattan, the twins insisted on sharing a room. Max had suggested they split up, but they wouldn't have it. They were best friends, even if they sometimes got on each other's nerves. Fran was glad the kids were close. Maggie, Brighton and Grace all adored their little siblings. They were definitely being spoiled by the entire extended Fine/Sheffield family.
Once Jonah and Eve were safely tucked into their twin beds, Fran sat on the end of Eve's bed, where she could see both of them. They were both big talkers, another aspect of the Fine family they'd inherited. And they were masters in the art of delaying bedtime. "Tell us a story, Mommy," Eve said.
"What story?" Fran asked, pretending that they didn't ask to hear this same story at least once a week.
"About how you and daddy met!" Jonah said.
"Yeah, did Maggie really kiss a boy?!" Eve looked over at her brother and made a face. Jonah rolled his eyes in response.
Fran laughed. All these years later, she could still recall that fateful night. "Yes. Your dad wasn't too happy about that!"
"Tell us from the beginning," Jonah said. "I wanna hear about your re-zoom-ie in lipstick!"
"You mean 'resume,'" Fran said, trying not to laugh. "Well, a long, long time ago, back when I was twenty-nine -"
"Mommy, you couldn't have been twenty-nine! I heard you telling Aunt Val yesterday that your twenty-ninth birthday wasn't till next month!"
Unfortunately, the twins had both gotten their father's intelligence. Eve was still too young to understand her mother's "creative" math when it came to her age. "OK, I was twenty-nine-ish," Fran conceded. "Anyway, I was selling Shades of the Orient cosmetics from door to door. And I knocked on your father's door back in Manhattan. Your uncle Niles answered the door, and he thought I was the new nanny!" Fran laughed at the memory. If only she'd known...
"How come Uncle Niles didn't want to be the nanny?" Eve asked.
"Uncle Niles had a lot on his plate back then. Your daddy was sad, and your sisters and brother needed someone who could be there for them more than your father." Nowadays, Max was a far more involved father than he'd ever been when Brighton and Grace were little. "So, when I found out your daddy needed a nanny, I decided I'd better apply! His place wasn't nearly as big as this house, but it was definitely bigger than Grandma Sylvia's apartment in Queens. While Uncle Niles was getting your father, I took out my lipstick, and made out my 're-zoom-ie' right on the spot! The next thing I knew, your brother was lying on the floor in front of me, with a fake knife wound in his chest. That was when I knew your daddy really needed help!"
"Yeah, 'cause Gracie was going to therapy every day!" Eve said. These days, Grace went by 'Dr. Sheffield,' which was, of course, a source of pride for Fran. All her years of therapy made her a natural as a child psychologist.
Fran nodded. "Your poor daddy was in way over his head. He may have had his big fancy-schmancy education, but I definitely knew more about kids! Your daddy didn't want to hire me at first, but your brother had already scared off every available nanny in New York City. I'm glad your uncle Niles was a yenta, telling your father that the kids needed me. And so did he!"
"Yuck, mushy girl stuff!" Jonah whined.
"Jo-nah!" Eve whined back.
Fran was quick to stop the squabbling before Jonah could stick his tongue out at his sister. "You two had better cut that out, or you're going straight to bed!"
"But we're already in bed," Eve pointed out.
Fran ignored her daughter's valid point. "Even though Brighton and your sisters weren't perfect, I loved them right away. Your daddy didn't want to admit that he couldn't handle everything on his own, but even he had to agree that the children were better off." Fran knew she couldn't tell them the entire story tonight. "Your daddy was afraid to make a commitment to me, but your uncle Niles and I finally got through to him. We fell in love, got married, and then had you guys."
"We're glad you had us," Eve said, smiling.
Fran felt tears start to form in her eyes. She suddenly remembered that night, right after the twins had come home from the hospital, when Max had told her the twins would bond them for life. She hadn't fully understood it then. But now, as she looked at her two kids, with their mix of Fine and Sheffield family traits, she saw what he meant. "I'm glad I had you, too," Fran said.
Though it was true that she'd always loved the other three children as her own, the bond with these two was different. They were her flesh and blood. Fran got up to kiss each of them goodnight one more time. As she did, she made sure to freeze every detail in her memory. Because if there was one thing she'd noticed the first time around, it was that kids grew up quickly. Fran stood in the doorway for a long moment, just watching them sleep. "I love you guys," she whispered.
Maybe she and Max hadn't gotten together as quickly as they would've liked, but boy, was it worth it in the end.
The End