Happy 50th Maxwell

A/N: Timothy is C.C and Niles' son and he is 2 and half years old

Maxwell and his children were sitting in the dining room while Niles served up breakfast, the room was relatively quite except for the occasional clink of dishes hitting each other. Maxwell had been a little worried by the talk, or lack there of, about his 50th birthday. It's not like he wanted a party or for his family to make a big deal about this event but it just wasn't like his wife not to exaggerate things like this, Fran should be charging a big unnecessary party to his Visa right about now, but she has been strangely quiet lately.

"Good morning, honey" Fran said lovingly, kissing Maxwell just before she and the twins took their places next at the table.

"Good morning, darling. I really hate to leave right as you are coming down but I really do have a ton of paperwork that need attending to in the office. I'm sorry. He said with a slight pout. This made Fran smile.

"Oh, okay I understand Max, but I completely expect you to make this up to me.' She joked as Max stood up from the table and made his was down the hall to his office and shut the door. Fran stood and ran to the doorway and peaked around the corner to make sure Max was in his office, out of hearing distance.

"You kids haven't mentioned anything to your father about the surprise party Friday, have you? She asked as she slowly walked back to her chair to finish her breakfast with the children.

"Of course not Fran, not a word" Grace reassured, while the other children nodded.

"Okay good, Jonah, Eve now you know that you can't tell daddy about the party or it won't be fun, right? She asked her children, who were now 3 years old. They both nodded "Good" he finished and took a bite of the toast on her plate.

"Mrs. Sheffield exactly how many people will be attending Friday? Niles asked with his back to her, fixing himself a quick plate of food.

"Well, me, you, C.C, the children, my mother, Yetta and Val so 11. Why?" she replied.

"Well if I'm going to be cooking id like to know how much to make" He answered.

"No, no Niles I will not have you cooking at this party, I'm giving you the day off to enjoy the festivities, and I will have my sister cater the party." She told him.

"Oh. Well thank you Mrs. Sheffield" He smiled, than left the room

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In Maxwell's office he was still wondering what had gotten into his wife, she usually gave him a harder time about how much he worked, he shook his head of the thought and continued working, she's fine, I'm sure of it he thought.

"Hello, hello" C.C said letting her presence be know.

"Good Morning C.C how is Timothy?' Max asked, slightly distracted.

"He is good; he and Niles are at…" She stopped talking noticing that he was a million miles away. "Maxwell is everything okay? You seem a little distracted."

"What? Oh, yes C.C, I'm fine, just… never mind it's not important."

"What's wrong Max, you can tell me"

"Well" he started "Has Fran mentioned anything to you or Niles about my Birthday Friday?

"No, why do you ask?

"Well it's not like her not be so… calm, you know?

"Isn't it obvious Max? She's going through the change, all women in their 40's do"

"You speak from experience"

"Maxwell!" Max quietly laughed and changed the subject.

"I just don't know what to think"

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, your just imagining things" she reassured and left the room to go find Niles and Fran.

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In the kitchen, Fran was sitting at the table with Val discussing party plans when they heard footsteps and quickly gathered the papers that were flung across the wooden table.

"Yeah, Val I can't believe how much weight your mothers lost either…" Fran said changing the subject quickly but after seeing C.C appear in the doorway instead of Max she relaxed and put the papers back on the table.

Relax Fran, it's just me" C.C said laughing slightly

"It's not funny C.C, we can't let Max find out about this or he will do anything he can to stop it."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that"

What are you saying C.C?"

"All I'm saying is Maxwell is already starting to ask questions"

"WHAT DID HE SAY?" Fran asked jumping up from her chair.

"He asked if you had said anything about any birthday plans to me or Niles and I told him that I haven't heard anything about any plans he said it wasn't like you not to make a big deal about things like this." C.C informed

"Okay, we can Handle this, uhm where's Gracie? Fran stood up from her chair and walked over to the stairs "GRACIE!" Fran made her way back to the table as Gracie emerged from the upstairs,

"Yeah Fran, what do you need?" Gracie asked

"Your father is starting to ask questions about his birthday so go in to his office and distract him, okay sweetie?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Ask for help on some homework, or better yet ask him to tell you about how he got started on Broadway"

"Okay Fran, ill tell you how it goes" Gracie Fran out of the kitchen, off to her dads office.

"I love that kid" Fran said as she sat back down.

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Gracie was standing outside her dad's office, she doesn't usually go into the office, she has always tried not to bother him while he worked, but since Fran asked her to she would do whatever it took, even if it meant listening to how he got started in Broadway… again. She knocked softly on the slightly opened door and let herself in.

"Hey dad, what's up? Gracie asked as she entered farther into the office.

"Oh, hey Gracie, what do you need?" Max asked

"Cant a girl just come talk to her father?"

That girl has really been around Niles and Fran too much he thought to himself.

"Of course you can, what's on you mind sweetheart?"

It was the moment of truth, she had to come up with something to say, and fast.

"I was actually just wondering how exactly you got started in Broadway?

Max looked up from his work and looked at his daughter, a little confused by her question.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Just curious, it seemed like it would be an amazing story"

"Okay, well, When I was just a little boy, maybe about 11 or 12, I went with my father on business to New York where he took me to a play on Broadway and I was hooked from then on and that did not please my father, I remember when I was 17 and I was producing my schools production of "The sound of music" and he refused to attend."

She had heard this story so many times she could tell it in her sleep.

"Wow daddy, that's amazing, I can't believe Grandpa wouldn't come support you"

Yes she could, her grandfather was a horrible man, never seemed to care about anyone but himself, she had learned that at a very young age.

"Yes. Well, let's not talk about him"

"Okay, well thanks for telling me daddy, I got homework to do, I love you." She walked over to her dad and kissed him on the top of the head than left the office to go tell Fran that the deed was done.