Before The Nanny

Chapter Four

Max was standing behind a large crypt next to Sarah's grave. He'd stepped out of sight when he'd seen Fran's Jeep turn into the cemetery. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. He couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed. This wonderful woman, encouraging his children to remember their mother, while being able to provide her own form of mothering for them. And did he hear her right? She was falling in love with him? He watched her car turn out of the cemetery, and head down the street in the direction of the beaches.

"Sarah, didn't I tell you how wonderful she is? Was Margaret right? DID you send her to us? I'll always love you, my darling, but I'm also having strong feelings for Fran. Could I be falling in love with her, too? Maybe I am, and have just been fighting it because of my love for you, but I think I'm losing the fight. Help me know what to do, Sarah, my love."

He slowly walked back to his car. He had plenty of time to change for the beach and meet everyone for lunch. By the time he got to the beach, the fun was going at full steam. He saw his children playing Frisbee with Fran down near the water. He stood and watched for a while, watching how closely she watched them, not letting Grace too close to the water, and not letting Brighton wander out too deep. Brighton was starting a water fight, kicking water at Fran. "Not a good idea, Son, you're outnumbered!" Max laughed. Too late, the three girls had ganged up on Brighton, and he was soaked. Time to lend a hand', he thought. Max jogged down the beach and into the surf to protect his son from the girls. Maggie wasn't much of a threat, so they ganged up on Fran.

"Hey, no fair, I gotta watch Gracie!" She was met with a mouthful of water. "You are SO gonna pay for that mista!" She took Grace over to Maggie. "Here, Honey, hold on to your sister, Daddy is gettin' wet!" She dove under a wave and grabbed Max by the ankles, flipping him backwards. This sent the children into a hysterical fit of laughter. They laughed even harder when Fran didn't swim away quite fast enough. Max came up out of the water, holding her over his head. He tossed her further out into the waves.

"So, I'm going to pay, am I?" He looked around. Where was she? "Fran?" He hadn't seen her surface, and he was starting to panic. He reached for the children to get them up on the beach so he could try to dive under and find her. When he got them on shore, there, sitting on the blanket was Fran, calmly combing out her hair.

"What?"

"How did you...are you all right?" Max was out of breath.

"I grew up on this beach. I just swam around behind ya while you were gloating about almost drowning me!" She laughed. He wanted to pick her up and dunk her again. "You didn't scare the kids, did ya?"

Max was speechless. She had him. She'd paid him back without laying a finger on him.

"Who wants to make sand castles?" Fran was opening the mesh sack with all the beach toys.

"Cool! I do!" Brighton was grabbing buckets and running for the wet sand, with Maggie hot on his heels.

Fran opened a small towel for Grace to lie on. "Here Sweetie, let me put some more sunscreen on you, then you lie down and get some rest." Fran rubbed the lotion on the child and helped her lie down. She stuck the small umbrella she'd brought in the sand and adjusted it to cover the toddler.

"Brighton! Not so far out, remember?"

"Sorry, Fran!" He moved closer to shore.

She looked at Max. He was lying on his stomach next to her on the blanket, his wet hair curling up. Oh, did he look yummy! "Once they get settled down, we can eat some lunch, ya gettin' hungry?"

He looked into her eyes. "Very."

She reached into the ice chest and pulled out an apple. "Here, start with this."

He started to answer back, but the kids showed up at that second.

"Dad, help us build a castle!" Brighton was carrying two buckets of wet sand. Maggie had sand and water.

Fran pulled out some plastic juice bottles from the ice chest. "Here, kids, drink some juice while ya work. I'll start lunch."

"What's for lunch?" Max peered into the cooler.

"I'm not sure. I gave Niles some ideas, and he was gonna surprise me." She began digging through the cooler. "Mmmm, this is gonna be GOOD!" She pulled out some croissants, and a seafood salad. "This looks like shrimp, crab, and, ooh, is that..." She took a bite, "it IS Lobster! So, we're having seafood salad sandwiches and, um...vegetables and dip, and fresh fruit!"

"What, no chocolate?" Max was teasing her again.

She held up a small gold box, encased in a Ziploc bag. "Always, chocolate! Wanna bite?"

"Maybe after lunch. Do you need some help putting everything together?

"Sure, you put the veggies and fruit on the plates, and I'll make the sandwiches."

Fran quickly assembled the five sandwiches, and looked over at Max, neatly, carefully placing the items on the plates. She laughed. "Max, we aren't making works of art. We're feeding three hungry little kids! Finish, up, I'll take them to wash up. Come on, kids" She scooped up Grace and walked the kids over to the showers to wash their hands. When she got back, Max had all the plates ready. Niles couldn't have done a better job. "Oh, now THAT looks almost too good to eat!" She winked at him. "But I'm famished! These kids wear ya out!"

Max took a bite of his sandwich and watched Fran with the kids. "I'd rather think you'd be used to the pace by now, you have been with them six months now."

"It has been that long, hasn't it? I just don't usually get them all day."

"There's a remedy for that."

Fran sighed. She really didn't want to get into this again. "Max, I told you, I can't work for you."

"Yes, but you never told me why."

She wanted to take him in her arms and scream 'because I'm falling in love with you, you blind, Brit'. Instead, she just sighed. "Well, we're friends, and you shouldn't work for friends."

"You work for Danny."

"Who said he was my friend?"

"You've known him for ten years, you've dated him, and you mean to tell me you are not friends?"

"Not anymore. If he was my friend, he wouldn't pull the mishegas he does."

"Mishegas?"

She leaned over and whispered, "It means crap!"

He laughed. "Oh!"

"So why do you still work there?"

"I don't know. Comfort? Like an old shoe you don't wanna throw out. And Val's there, I think he only keeps her around because I'm there. And I'm afraid of what he might do to her if I left, to get back at me."

"Do to her?"

Fran knew she'd already said too much. "Um, he can be a little mean sometimes." Understatement of the year.

"Not much of a reason to stay."

"I guess I just need a betta reason to leave." Her lunch was finished, and she pulled off her t-shirt, revealing her modest bikini. "Can you keep an eye on the kids for a few minutes? I wanna try to tan my stomach."

"Of course." He was glad she closed her eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was breathtaking. Max turned his attention to the children, who had finished their lunch and resumed making castles in the sand. After about 30 minutes, Max realized that Fran had fallen asleep, and she was starting to get a little pink.

"Fran," He rubbed her arm. "Fran, you need to turn over, you're getting pink."

She looked like she was still sleeping. "Thanks, Sweetie," she mumbled as she turned over.

"Do you want some lotion on your back, Honey?" That might get her attention.

"Uh, huh, thanks." If she noticed, she never let on. He opened the sunscreen and applied it to her back, then decided to take a chance, and rubbed some on her legs as well. He didn't want to stop when he reached her heels. He loved the way she felt in his hands. Yes, he definitely was losing the fight. He was falling for her.

Max sat and finished making the sand castles with Brighton and Maggie while Fran and Grace slept. After a while, he noticed the children were getting pink. "Let's wake the girls up, shall we, I think it's time to head home. You two are getting pink, and if I let you burn, Fran will never let me hear the end of it."

"You'd betta believe it!" He heard the nasal voice coming out from all that brunette hair.

"You're awake. I was just telling the children it was about time to go."

Fran looked at her watch. She couldn't believe she'd slept that long. "Oh, no, I'm probably burned!" She turned to look. No, she wasn't.

"You, uh, don't remember me rubbing the lotion on your back?"

She smiled. "I thought it was a dream." She looked over at Max and winked. She'd felt his hands on her back and legs. It did take him forever to apply that lotion. She tried to suppress a giggle.

"What?"

She busied herself collecting the sand toys, not looking at him. "Nothing. We need to get this stuff picked up and get home. I promised Niles we'd be home in time for dinner, and I know three little kids...and two big ones, that need to shower before dinner."

"How about I take Brighton with me, and you take the girls? We'll see who gets ready faster."

"Oh, yeah, that's fair. You have the sports car and two men. I have the clunky Jeep, and three girls, one of them a baby. Why don't YOU take Grace and Maggie and I'll take B.?"

"My car's a two seater, Fran. He winked at Brighton. Besides, we need some man time."

"Fine, you MEN can load up the Jeep, then. We'll be waiting! Ladies?" Fran picked up the blankets in one arm, Grace in the other and headed towards the Jeep, leaving the toys and cooler to Fran and Brighton.

By the time Max and Brighton brought the supplies to the Jeep, Fran had the girls strapped in with the top down. As soon as they put their load in the Jeep, Fran waved goodbye. "See you boys at home!" She took off and headed back towards the mansion. Max shook his head. She hated to lose. Unfortunately, Max drove faster, and was already in the shower when Fran and the girls got home.

"How'd he do that?" Fran asked Niles.

"He said you'd ask that. He had an enclosed sports car with one child. YOU had a Jeep with the top down, and a toddler. He knew you'd drive more carefully."

She laughed. "He's gettin' to know me pretty well. That's scary. Is the nanny back yet?"

"No, she's not."

Fran sighed. That woman was useless. Maybe she SHOULD just move in and help with the kids. Max offered to help her financially. NO, she wouldn't, unless it was a last resort. She'd been with Danny all those years and never moved in with him, she'd only known Maxwell 6 months, although she'd have her own room here. Oh, how did she get herself into these messes? She ran Grace's bath and put her in the warm water with some toys while she brushed out the tangles in her hair. Then she bathed and shampooed the child. Oh, the smell was wonderful. She loved the smell of a baby, even if this baby was almost three! When she was done, Fran wrapped her in a large bath towel and went to find her some clothes to put on. Maggie came in, fresh from her shower. "Can I help, Fran?"

"Yes, you can watch your sister so I can take my shower. Nanny Evans isn't back yet. Gracie, can you be a good girl for Maggie while I take a bath?" Grace nodded and hugged her. "I won't be long. Daddy ought to be done soon, too. If you need me, I'll leave my door unlocked. Thanks, Maggie." She hurried across the hall to get ready for dinner. She quickly showered and shampooed, and was blow-drying her hair when she heard the door open.

"Maggie?" She stepped out wrapped in her towel, and was face to face with Max.

"Oh, uh, I was, uh, looking for the children." Max was blushing a deep crimson.

"I left them in Grace's room. Maggie's watching her for me." She adjusted her towel.

"Sorry, I'll go check there." He slowly backed out of the room, never taking his eyes off her.

She smiled as she blew her hair dry and pulled it up. She put on a pair of comfortable cotton pants and a cropped t-shirt. She checked out her reflection in the mirror. OK, this does not scream 'here I am, I want you'. She did not want to push anything he wasn't ready for, but he was certainly sending her signals. Maybe it was just that he was particularly vulnerable this week. She had a feeling they were on a road to a relationship, and she was determined to let him set the pace. She put on a touch of makeup and a dab of perfume and headed out to find the children. She heard them downstairs, laughing with their father. This was good. Maybe he was turning the corner. She went down to find them watching a video of the family when Sarah was alive. She didn't want to intrude on this moment, but Max saw her.

"Come join us! The children wanted to watch the videos before you taught them the candle ceremony." He patted the sofa next to him. She sat down, and Grace climbed up in her lap. Max reached over and held her hand, as a tear ran down her face. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I just hurt for what all of you are missing, what she's missing."

He kissed the top of her head. "I know."

They finished watching the video, and Fran got up and pulled the Yahrzeit candle off the shelf. She helped Brighton read the prayer, and they lit the candle for their mother. Fran put it on a high shelf so it wouldn't be accidentally put out. The five of them joined in a group hug. Finally, Brighton broke the silence. "We do this every year now, right, Fran?"

"Yes, Honey. Every year on her anniversary" Fran looked at Max.

"Fran will remind us to light the candle, Son." He smiled at her. She was already so much a part of the family. No matter what happened, she would be in the children's lives.

Niles entered the room and witnessed the family moment. "Sir, Miss Fine, dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Niles." He offered Fran his arm. "Shall we?" Niles stared at his boss. Could it be that he was finding happiness again? Fran had certainly worked miracles on the children, now it seemed she was doing the same with Max.

The next morning Fran got up and put on her day uniform. It was a hot day, and she loved the cool, summery feel of the skirt and tank top. She knew Danny had picked these uniforms, not for the comfort of the waitresses, but for how they looked in them. The first time Danny's hand snaked up her short skirt, she sewed a pair of shorts into it. That fixed him! Some of the girls didn't mind, especially Heather. She got extra tips by wearing her thong under her skirt, and always finding a reason to bend over. Fran shook her head. "Not me!" She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and bounded down the stairs.

"I thought you were getting ready for work." Max was in the living room watching her.

"I am. Oh, that's right, you've never seen the day uniform. It's much cooler. It's like an oven in there by noon!"

"I don't like the idea of you parading around Danny half dressed." He was frowning now. So was Fran.

"What do ya mean YOU don't like it?" What right did he have to tell her how to dress! Wait, was he actually, could he be jealous? "You didn't seem to mind yesterday on the beach. There were plenty of men watching me there, and I had less on than I do now!"

What was he thinking? He had no right to tell her how to dress. No, he didn't mind the way she was almost dressed yesterday. But today, she wasn't going to be by his side, she'd be at work with that, what did she call him? Schmuck! "You're right, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking"

She walked over and took his hand. "Maxwell Sheffield, you almost act like you're jealous!" The look in his eyes told her she was right. "Come have lunch with me today, and you can see that you have NOTHING to be jealous of."

Max swallowed hard. She could see right through him. "Lunch? Yes, I'd love to have lunch with you. What time?"

"Between one and two. I'll make us salads to go and we can take a walk and talk a little." She looked at her watch. "I'd better run, I've got to pick up Val today. Her car is back in the shop." She realized she still had his hand, and he tightened his grip on her, pulling her back gently. "I'll see you at one!" She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. It was just a brush, but it left her knees weak. It was all she could do to make it to the door. Once outside she sat on the stoop for a minute to collect herself.

Max watched her walk out the door and sat down. His feet were glued to the floor. That slight kiss had sent his mind reeling. It was something he'd thought about for months, what her lips would feel like against his. He knew he had to have more. Then he thought about Sarah, and the guilt hit him again. He'd asked her for a sign that it was all right to move on, but he didn't think that kiss was it.

"Daddy, do you love Fran?" Brighton was standing behind him, playing with his game boy.

"Why do you ask that, Son?" Where on earth did that question come from?

"It's OK, Dad, we love her, too. She's really helped us since Mom died." Now Maggie was in the room. "We saw you kiss her. So, do you love her?"

"Oh, that, she was just saying goodbye, that's all." The kids looked at each other. Yeah, right, they thought.

"Well, we love her, Dad. We HATE it when she goes back to her mom's house. She belongs here with us!"

"Brighton, she has her own home, her own family, and a job. You can't expect her to be here all the time."

"She LOVES us, Dad! She tells us so all the time! So why can't she stay here and be our mom?"

"Yeah, Dad, mom would want us to be happy, and Fran makes us happy! She makes you happy, too, I know she does. You smile when she's around, and when she goes home, you hide in your office. DO something, Dad. We don't want to lose her!"

Max hugged his oldest children. This had to have been the sign he was looking for. "Well, actually, Fran and I have, well almost a date, this afternoon. I'm going to have lunch with her."

"Cool, Dad!" Brighton gave Max a high five and headed upstairs. Maggie gave her dad another hug.

"Thanks, Dad. I'm glad you're giving Fran a chance. She's been such a good friend, and she talks to us like a mom, without trying to BE mom, you know what I mean?"

"Yes, Sweetheart, I know exactly what you mean." He couldn't wait until lunch.

Fran pulled up in front of Val's apartment, and her friend met her at the door. "You're so early! You're NEVER early, what gives?"

"Oh, Val, I kissed him! I don't know what came over me! We were arguing, and then I realized he was just being jealous, we were holding hands, he didn't want me to leave, and I just kissed him!"

"Who did you kiss? Danny? He said you two were gettin' back together, that's so cool!"

"Val, what're you stoned? We are SO not gettin' back together! Max! I kissed Max!"

"You kissed Max? What'd he do?"

"He just stood there with a shocked look on his face. Val, I could hardly walk. I just barely kissed him, and I couldn't make it to my car! I hope I didn't scare him off! OH, and I gotta see him at lunch! He's coming to have lunch with me, we're supposed to take a walk and talk some. Oh, what am I gonna do?"

"Well, he didn't cancel lunch. Maybe he was as floored as you were. Danny always said you were a good kisser!"

"Would ya g'nug with Danny already? I'm so sick of hearing about him. That's what the fight was about this morning. Max had never seen these uniforms. He didn't like the idea of me being around Danny "half dressed", she put quotation marks around 'half dressed' quoting Max. "He sure didn't mind at the beach yesterday when I was in my bikini around him!"

"He went to the beach with you?"

"Yeah, me and the kids. No, Val, I didn't wear the thong. I had the kids there!"

They were interrupted by the phone ringing. Val came back after a couple of minutes with a shocked look on her face. "Why didn't you tell me? I'm your best friend, and I gotta hear it from Rachel!"

"Hear what?

"That you're sleeping with Max, and you've moved into his house!"

"What? Where did Rachel hear THAT?"

"From Heather, who got it from Nancy, Max's nanny!"

"Val, there's nothing goin' on! I leave a few things in the guest room, the GUEST ROOM, Val! And I've never slept with Max! Why would I be so excited about a little kiss if I'd slept with him? I knew that nanny was trouble! Well, now I don't have to worry about what to talk to Max about at lunch!" She looked at the wall clock. "We'd better go, I don't wanna be late. Danny's been enough of a schmuck lately without givin' him a reason!"

When they arrived at work, Fran was met by stares from the other waitresses. Well, the word was definitely all over the diner. "Well, surprised you showed up, now that you have a rich boyfriend. What's Danny gonna say?" She ignored them. Oh, hurry lunchtime! Mercifully, Danny was on the later shift, she wouldn't have to deal with him for long. At 12:45, she saw the red sports car pull up out front. She rushed into the kitchen to get their salads. "Val, tell him I'll be out in just a minute!" She saw him walk in from the kitchen. So did every female in the place. Blue shorts, blue and white striped polo shirt, those tanned legs. She looked up and smiled at him. 'Please smile back, please smile back'. She got her wish. As soon as he saw her, he smiled broadly and waved. She finished putting their lunch together and hurried out.

"Val, I'm out for an hour, finish my tables, will ya. You can keep the tips."

Max slid his arm around her waist as they walked out the door. "Feeling generous today?"

"She won't think I'm so generous when she sees the tips they leave. Those guys make me run back and forth into the kitchen, and usually leave a whole dollar!"

"I can't blame them. It's the way you look in that skirt." Max opened the car door. "I thought we'd drive to the park and eat there, so much nicer than walking in this neighborhood".

She got in and smiled. "So now you like the skirt?"

He loved the way she teased him. "I never said I didn't like it". He got in and sped away to the park.

Once they'd gotten comfortable and eaten their lunch, Fran decided it was time to fill him in on his nanny's latest stunt. "Max, we need to talk about Nanny Evans. There's a problem."

"What, has she done something to hurt the children?"

"Besides calling them spoiled brats? Not that I know of, well, not directly, but this might hurt them if they hear it." She took a deep breath. "Val got a phone call from Rachel at the diner this morning. Apparently, Heather and Nanny Evans have gotten to be friends, and she told Heather that you and I were, well, um. She said that when I stay over, it's NOT in the guest room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Val was pretty upset about it, well, only that I didn't tell her about it myself. But there's nothing to tell!" Fran now had tears in her eyes. "How could she say such a thing? How could she think that I could, while you were...?"

Max took her in his arms while she sobbed. "Well, then, maybe it's time we defined our relationship. You know what's been happening, don't you?" Fran left her head on his shoulder and nodded. She was still crying too hard to speak.

"We've been slowly drifting together over the last few months, and I think we've both been fighting it. Maybe it's time we stopped fighting and see where we end up."

Fran composed herself a bit. "It just makes me so mad that people would think that you would, especially now, and in front of the kids!"

"Don't you worry about me, they're saying the same thing about you."

"Oh, yeah, waitress having affair with rich Broadway producer. In my neighborhood, it's a goal, in your neighborhood, it's a scandal."

He kissed her forehead. "You're still fighting it."

"I've had lots of practice."

"How long?"

OK, time to come clean with him. "Not long after I fell in love with the kids. I tried so hard to fight it. You were no way ready to even think about anyone else, so I settled on being friends. I figured if nothing else, we could always be good friends."

"Which is why you never wanted to work for me. How could I have been so stupid! I thought it was because you didn't want to leave Danny!"

"I told you that wasn't the reason."

"You did. I suppose you were right this morning. I was jealous. You have a past with him."

"And that's what it is...past. I haven't loved him for a long time, we tried to stay friends, but he even messed THAT up. Yet, he insists that we're getting back together!"

"And that's why I don't like you working there. He doesn't seem to know how to take 'no' for an answer."

"He's just not used to hearing it from me. I used to do anything he said when I was younger. Then I started noticing that his 'rules' only applied to me." She looked up and saw his frown. "I'll be OK, really." She ran her fingers gently through his hair. "Such a face! You look like Grace when I tell her no cookies!" They both laughed. She looked at her watch. "I hate to say it, but I gotta get back."

"If you'd just quit, we'd have all afternoon to sit and talk."

He just didn't give up, did he? "We'll talk about that later. Right now, I have to get back so the other girls can eat!"

"All right, I'll take you back. We'll see you tonight for dinner".

"We?" She climbed into the car.

"I'll bring the kids. They miss you when you're not at the house. We all miss you."

He pulled up the car in front on the diner. They could see Danny pacing in the kitchen.

"Damn, either I'm late, or he's early." She looked at her watch. "No, he's early."

"Do you want me to come inside?"

"No, I'll see you at dinner." He opened her door. "I'll be fine, honestly!"

"See you around five." He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I'll reserve your table." He was still blocking her way. "Max, I gotta go inside."

"I..." he couldn't find the words.

"I know, me too." Neither could she, but they both knew. Fran rubbed his arm and slipped past him. "Drive safely!" She disappeared into the crowded diner. Max jumped back into his car and sped off towards Manhattan. Three hours. He didn't know if he could last three hours without seeing her again.