Floodgates

by BinBagBrain

This takes place roughly in Season 3 beginning in Spring Break. Some of the storylines in the show are removed/ignored so there's less animosity between the characters of Fran and Max. Any wordiness is just to help create an image and provide some stage direction for the reader to help them visualize what is happening. Don't forget to read all the chapters! More chapters to come!

1. Chapter 1

"C.C., we've been through this before. I'm not going to that thing. I have no interest in going. You're welcome to go if you want to, but count me out," Max said.

"But Maxwell! I know they're boring old geezers, but they're loaded, and we need their money! If we don't show up to this party, they'll be put out and may not want to give us anything." C.C. paced back and forth in front of his desk.

"Don't believe that for a second, C.C. They're free to invest with us at any time, and there's so many people at those parties and they all get so drunk that nobody remembers who they even talked to or who was or wasn't there. I made that mistake once, and I have no interest in doing that again. You can go there and pretend I'm there if they ask, or don't, it won't matter. If someone asks if I'm there, tell them they just missed me, or I'm somewhere around. Do whatever you want. I'd prefer to just have a quiet night and get things ready for next week's meeting."

"But Max, it's friday! You don't need to be working. Go out, have some fun! Come on, we don't have to stay long, and maybe we can go have a late dinner somewhere…" C.C. said, trying to come on to Max. Max didn't notice and didn't respond. He handed her a fat envelope of papers.

"Can you please run this over to the lawyer right now? It's the last thing that needs to be done today, so you can take the rest of the day off afterwards."

"Oh, fine," she said, grabbing the envelope. "I'll check back in later, but I'm telling you, you should be there. It won't be as bad as you think." She turned back to look at Max as she picked up her purse, but he was already turned in his chair, reading through another set of papers. She turned and headed out the door in a huff, and Max waited until he heard her get her coat and leave through the front door.

"Finally!" He exclaimed to himself. He put the papers down on the desk and rubbed his hands over his eyes. He didn't feel like going through his notes and documents for his upcoming meeting the following week, a meeting with another batch of "old money" potential investors who were not making things easy on him. They had insisted on setting up the meeting for that week, the week the children had off for Spring Break, so it prevented him from scheduling a family vacation. And he desperately needed a vacation. He had Fran sort out something fun for the children to do, and they would be leaving not long after they got home from school to take a bus out of the city to Philadelphia. It would be really quiet around there without them, and without Niles. He had given Niles the week off, too. He hadn't yet worked up the courage to ask Fran what her plans were, but he didn't think she had planned a vacation for herself. He was pretty sure Val had to work, so Fran wasn't likely to venture away by herself. He wondered if she might go stay with her mother for a while.

Just then the office phone rang, and Max picked it up.

"Maxwell Sheffield," he said. He listened to the voice on the other end of the line, giving him news that made his face drain of color, then turn slightly red with aggravation. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Is there any time available to reschedule? I see. Well, if nothing can be done, nothing can be done. Yes. I understand. These things happen. Alright, then. Well, give them my regards, and let them know I hope they get well soon. Yes, alright. Thank you for calling. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and shook his head, then pounded a fist on the desk and growled in frustration. "Argh! I can't believe this! I can't bloody believe this!"

He got up from his chair and paced back and forth. He went back to the desk and picked up the phone and dialed C.C.'s cell phone number. There was no answer. He hung up the phone and rubbed his chin for a few minutes, then dialed the number again. He let it ring until her voicemail picked up.

"C.C., it's me. I just got word that the meeting next week is cancelled. All this work for nothing. Apparently a number of them got the flu or something and one was just sent to the hospital, so they are playing it safe and are cancelling everything until they're all well again. That's all we had planned for next week, so it looks like you might as well just take the week off, too. I guess I'll talk to you later." He hung up the phone, then walked around his desk and shut off the light and left, closing the door behind him. He walked slowly through the living room and headed for the kitchen to see if Niles or Fran were home.

He pushed open the kitchen door to find Niles preparing several things on the stove and counter.

"Oh, hello, sir. Can I get you anything?"

"Oh, no, no thank you Niles. I was just checking to see if you were home. What are you making?"

"I'm just preparing a few things for you in case you need them while I'm away. That way you don't have to go out or get take out or delivery if you don't feel like it. I've got a casserole about to go in the oven after I take out the baked chicken, and I'm making some salads for you as well."

"Oh, well, thank you very much Niles. You didn't have to go to all that effort, but thank you. Is Ms. Fine here?"

"I believe she went out jogging. Or at least, that's what she said she was going to do. It's really nice outside today, so maybe she wanted to make use of it after that cold weather we had."

"True. I hadn't even noticed the weather today, I was trying to finish up some things and get ready for the meeting next week, and C.C. was irritating me about some party tonight that I told her I don't want to go to. And then right after I send her out of here to go to the lawyer's office, I get this phone call, and you're never going to believe this."

Niles turned around from the stove to look at Max. "What is it? Did something happen?"

Max took a deep breath. "So, that meeting next week- the one that's been set for months, and that they wouldn't let me schedule for another time, the one that kept us from going on a family vacation for Spring Break- well they just bloody called me to tell me that they have to cancel it!"

"You're kidding! After all that? Why would they cancel it?" Niles' mouth was hanging open.

"Apparently a number of them got the flu, it sounded like they may have spread it amongst themselves. And the assistant who called me said one of them was just sent to the hospital today, so I guess it had to have been pretty severe. They're all past retirement age, so I guess I can't even blame anyone for all this. I'm just- I'm really frustrated right now. I want to be mad, but I feel like I'm not allowed to be. Is it too late to try to put together a family vacation?"

"Oh, sir, I- I don't know. It's just, well, I really think the children are looking forward to going to this camp Ms. Fine found for them. I've overheard them talking a few times, and it really sounded like they were excited about it."

"Really? Oh. Well, I don't want to ruin their fun, if they really want to go. I just- I thought I would be working the whole time, so I didn't want them being stuck here. But I'd hoped we all could go off somewhere. Maybe somewhere warm. Did Ms. Fine make any plans? I hadn't asked her if she had. I didn't want to bother her."

"Oh, sir, that's no bother. You can talk to her. I haven't heard of any plans. I got the impression that she would still be here, and maybe just visit with her family a bit. I think Val is working, so she couldn't take a vacation. I'm making enough food for both of you to share, but you'll still likely have to either go to the market or go get something from a restaurant. I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing some meals with you, sir."

Max almost felt a blush. "You think so? I don't want to interfere with her plans. I mean, she doesn't need to babysit me."

"Babysit you? Sir, if I may, it would not be like that at all. Neither of you would be working, right? It's perfectly acceptable for you two to be friends, to do things like friends would do. It's not like it's a chore for you two to spend time together."

"Oh, well, no, it isn't. I mean, it isn't for me, but I don't want to bore her or anything. I mean, well, I don't have plans to do anything. I didn't think I was going to have time to see her much. I just thought, maybe she- I don't know, maybe she and Val would spend time together, or she'd go see her mother or something. But now, well, I don't want to be in the way."

"I understand, sir. But give yourself a little credit- she does like to spend time with you. Just talk to her. Let her know what happened. You can even tell her you don't know what to do with yourself now."

Max nodded, but was still uncertain. He walked over to the fridge to get himself a drink, and then suddenly Fran burst through the door, startling them both.

"There you are!" Niles exclaimed. Fran flopped down in a chair at the table and tried to catch her breath. She was sweating through her jogging outfit around her neck and had strands of hair stuck to the sides of her face. She took off her small fanny pack and tossed it on the table. Max grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge and walked over to her, handing it to her.

"Oh, thank you so much! I overdid it today!" She took a sip from the bottle, then closed it and rolled the cold bottle across her cheeks and neck. Max watched her, then caught himself and looked away before either of them noticed.

"How far did you go?" Max asked.

"Oh my god, I'm not even sure exactly. I'm such a dope. So I get out there and I start walking first, just to the end of the block, then I start to jog, at a pretty slow pace. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to do, but figured I'd give it my best shot. So I cut over a block so I could go up that way, thinking there might be a little less traffic and people to get in the way. And I come up to the corner to wait for the light, and there are these two buff guys there already, jogging in place. So then I hear bits of their conversation, and it was getting really interesting, and the light changes, and they run across the street. Well, their stride was way bigger than mine, so to catch up with them I was really having to book it, you know? Oh, man, after the next block I was dying! I don't know how the hell they could carry on a conversation while they moved that fast. So I try to get into the zone, you know? Just push through it. I mean, hey, at least I had these two cute guys to look at while I was trying to get some exercise. So then, when I found my pace and we'd gone a few more blocks, we come up to another intersection where we have to wait for the light. Then what comes along on the other side of the street? Two more cute guys jogging together! And then you'll never guess what happens next!"

Max and Niles looked at each other, wondering. Max was already not real happy that Fran was essentially chasing two athletic men through the city.

"What happened?!" Niles exclaimed.

"So, those two guys are headed east while we were running north, and the guys with me- well, in front of me, I don't think they even noticed me at all. So the other guys run past before the light changes, the two guys in front of me look at each other and stop their conversation, then the light changes- and they go running after the other two guys! Can you believe it?! I'm jogging after two gay guys, trying to spy on their conversation, and then they get their own eye candy jogging by and so they change directions to go after them! So I made it about another block, because my guys were now not talking anymore, they were obviously fixated on the new boys. And I just slowed down to a stop and was like, what the hell am I doing? So I look at my watch and realize I had already jogged a full session, and I was really far from home, and now I was gonna miss my show if I didn't hurry up and run all the way back home. No way would I get back in time if I walked back. So, at least I had come back over a block, so I just waited for the light again, and then ran all the way straight back down here. I'm so dying! But I have to go grab a shower quick so I don't miss my show." She took another gulp of water and tried to get up out of the chair. "Oh, Niles, don't make lunch for me. I gotta run to go see Yetta for lunch so I can get back here before the kids get home from school. I need to make sure they finish getting packed and I want to see them off when they leave."

"Yes, ma'am. I was just telling Mr. Sheffield that I'm making you both a bunch of food here so you'll have some things you can eat at home while I'm gone if you need it."

"Oh, thank you, Niles! That's very sweet of you."

Niles looked at Max, like he was trying to push him to tell her, but Max seemed oblivious. "Um, sir, aren't you going to tell Ms. Fine the latest developments?"

Fran was nearly at the bottom of the back stairs, and she turned around to look at Max.

"Latest developments? What latest developments?" She asked Max.

"Oh, yes, uh, well… I got a phone call a little while ago. That big meeting I'm supposed to have next week- it's been called off."

"What?" Fran's jaw hung open. "What happened? And after they ruin your vacation by making you have it next week when the kids are out of school?"

"Yes, I know. I'd be a lot more angry except that apparently a number of them got sick with the flu, pretty severely it sounds like. They're all older, so it may take a while for them to recover. So, yes, I'll be here twiddling my thumbs instead of preparing for that meeting."

"Well, hell. We'll find something to do, don't you worry. Just relax. Why don't you go change out of that suit and into something more casual? It sounds like your vacation is starting now. I gotta run and get a shower so I don't miss my show, but I'll see you before I gotta run to Queens, okay?"

"Oh, alright. Okay."

Fran gave him a quick smile and then ran up the back stairs to her room. Max watched her run up the stairs and smiled. Then he looked at Niles who was smiling at him as he watched Fran run up the stairs.

"What?" Max asked.

"Told you so!" Niles grinned, and turned back around to tend to a pot on the stove. Max felt his face flush and he cleared his throat, then went to get a mug to make himself some coffee. He didn't like it when Niles teased him about Fran. It wasn't even easy for him to admit to himself that he was fond of her. And now they would have the house to themselves for a week. Alone. Part of him found that news exciting, wondering if they would really spend time together. The other part of himself was nervous that maybe she had already made plans- maybe she wouldn't have time for him. And it was pretty presumptuous of him to think that she might want to spend her vacation with him. Now he was really nervous. He decided that to save his stomach, he better lower his expectations and just prepare to spend the week alone.

"Niles, did we get a newspaper today?" He asked, stirring his coffee.

"Yes, sir," Niles turned to him. "It's out on the entry table. It was a little late this morning."

"Oh. Alright. You know, maybe I will go change my clothes. Then I'll go sit down in front of the television and read the paper. Put my feet up and all that. Proper lazy."

"That sounds wonderful, sir! Would you like a snack, or do you want to hold off until lunch?"

"I suppose I can wait until lunch. I don't need to start my vacation pigging out just yet. I'll leave my coffee here a few minutes while I run up to get changed. What time will you be leaving this afternoon?"

"Oh, I've got to get out of here right after lunch. I've already got my things packed, so once I get your lunch sorted, I'll be heading out."

"Okay. Oh, don't worry about cleaning up after lunch. I can at least take care of that much."

"Oh, I wasn't planning to!" Niles smiled from ear to ear. Max squinted his eyes at him, but then grinned, too, and headed for the back stairs to go change his clothes.

Max peered over the newspaper at the television to see what the commotion was on The Mary Tyler Moore show that played in the background. He got caught up in the banter and found himself laughing.

"What's so funny?" Fran asked, coming up behind him and startling him. "Oh, you're watching Mary! Aw, that's a good episode, too!" She watched the TV as she walked around the couch and stood in front of the coffee table. Max lowered the newspaper and folded it, then set it next to him on the couch. Fran set her purse down and began putting on her coat.

"You about to head out?" Max asked.

"Yeah. Man, I wish I hadn't promised Yetta I'd go to lunch with her today, I wish I could stay here and watch this with you."

Max stifled a gulp, surprised that she would say that. "Well, if it's on right now, maybe it's on the same time next week. Maybe you could catch up then."

Fran looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah, maybe it is. But I don't want to watch it by myself…" she hinted.

Max smiled. "Well, I don't have any plans. I'll probably still be here."

Fran gave him a look. "Everything okay? You look a little- I don't know, a little… thrown off? Did that meeting being cancelled mess up your- state of mind or something?"

Max was startled again. Did he have some expression that revealed his state of uncertainty? "Um, I, I don't know. Maybe it did. I guess I just- don't know what to do with myself. I changed my clothes, though. And I thought I would read the paper, watch a little TV. Be a little lazy."

"Well, good! You've earned it! And I won't be gone that long. I'll be back before the kids get here, so take it easy for a while. When does Niles leave?"

"After lunch. He may be gone when you get back. How are you getting to Yetta's?"

"I was just going to take the subway. No need to spend so much on a cab. Oh, do you want me to bring anything back from the deli? That's where we're going for lunch."

"I don't need anything specific, but if you see something- you can use that credit card to get it."

"Aw, are you sure? That's sweet. I'll have a look and what they've got that's easy to carry. I don't want to risk losing it on the subway or anything."

"Go ahead and take the car, why don't you? I won't be needing it. That'll help you get Yetta around, and be a lot less stressful than trying to take the subway."

"Are you sure? That would be helpful. Well, if you insist. But if I take the car, then I'm definitely bringing something back from the deli!"

Max smiled. "Um, Ms. Fine? May I ask- ah, may I ask if you have any plans for the week?"

"Yes, you may ask, and no, I don't. Do you?"

"Not anymore. I just- I wasn't sure if you and Val might be doing anything, or… whatever…"

Fran liked the bashful way he was talking to her. She didn't want to scare him off, especially when it seemed like he was genuinely struggling trying to talk to her like this. He stood up from the couch and faced her.

"I haven't made any plans, except for lunch with Yetta. And Val is busy with work, and I didn't want to make any more plans for next week with Ma and have her show up here when I might want some peace and quiet, and I kind of thought if you were busy with work that you probably wouldn't want anyone coming over. I figured I'd take it easy for a couple days, then see what I might feel like doing. Are you going to make any plans?"

"Um, I don't know. I mean, the quiet might be nice. Or it might drive me crazy. I don't know."

"Well, how about this- after I get back, and after we get the kids off on their trip, why don't we have dinner together and see if there's anything we both might want to do? How does that sound?"

Max smiled and nodded. "Alright. We can do that. Yes, alright."

Fran grabbed her purse and patted his arm. "Good! Well, I'll go say goodbye to Niles and call for the car, and I'll see you after lunchtime. Oh, and one other thing…"

"What's that?" He asked.

"We're both off duty this week. We should use first names." She smiled and hurried out of the living room and rushed to the kitchen to say goodbye to Niles and use the phone to call for the car.

Max was grinning. He looked back at the television and the newspaper, then sat back down on the couch. Well, that conversation sure made him feel better! He picked up the paper and opened it back up, found the article he was reading, and started reading it again. What a weird day! he thought to himself.

Fran hurried in to the kitchen.

"Niles! Is the phone in here? I need to call the driver to take me up to Queens. And I need to say goodbye to you now in case you aren't here when I get back." She hurried over to hug him around the arms after he shut the oven door.

"Oh, thank you, Ms. Fine! Yes, I'd hoped to see you before I left. Are you off to see Yetta?" He reached over to the counter next to the stove to retrieve the cordless phone and handed it to her.

"Thank you. Yeah. We're going to the deli for lunch. Do you want me to grab anything for you when I'm there? I mean, I know you'll be gone for a week, too, but anything that won't spoil?"

"Well, let me think… Are you taking the car back, or the subway?"

"Car. So I can carry stuff back. I might bring something back for Max and me. I mean Mr. Sheffield." She grinned.

Niles raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, stop! I told him we're off duty this week, so we should use first names."

"Mmm hmm…"

"Hey, don't tease. He's really thrown off from this meeting being cancelled. Give him a light touch for a while. He's trying to switch over to vacation mode, and that's hard for him to do if he's still at home. Here, lemme call the driver real quick. That run got me hungry. I might eat a side of beef by the time we get to the deli." She dialed the number for the driver to request a pickup and ride to Queens and back, then hung up and set the phone on the kitchen table.

"So, any requests?"

"Deli pickles and if they have any of that wonderful spicy mustard- you know the one?"

"Oh! Yes, that is pretty good. I'd grab some fresh bagels at the bakery, too, if you guys were still going to be here. Maybe next weekend."

"Yes, well, thank you for doing that. So, got any plans for your vacation?"

"Nope. I think we might just… hang out, you know. See what we can come up with to do, or not do."

"'We'?" Niles asked.

"You're doing it again, Niles. Me and him can hang out, can't we?"

"Of course you can, and you should. I'm just being nosy, because I know enough to know that you two alone in the house, for a week… well, I know enough to know…"

"Geez, Niles. But really, I mean it. Don't tease him or anything. It'll be nice to hang out with him, maybe this will be good for both of us. Some peace and quiet, so maybe we can talk. And I don't want to leave him alone, especially when he doesn't have any work to do. You know how lonely he gets."

"I do. And I don't mean to upset you by teasing. You know I just want what's best for you both, and I think you know what I think that is. It just makes me happy when you two spend time together. It really does. And to know that you want to be on a first name basis, too. Well, I think that's wonderful. I think you both should make the most of this time together. Be friends, get to know each other better. Do things you wouldn't normally do, go out, see the town. Be casual, dress up. Whatever. Most of all, be friends. Really be friends." He smiled sincerely at her.

"Thank you, Niles. That's what I'm hoping for." She went to the back door and looked out to see if the car was there yet.

"So, is that what you're going to do with him? Be careful?"

"Well, sure. I mean, I'll be myself, too. I just don't want him mad at me or anything. I don't want to do anything stupid. Hopefully, since it'll be quiet here, maybe we can really talk, you know? Do things a little better."

"That's good. But you know, when he's mad at you, he's not really mad at you. Frustrated with you, maybe. He just has a knee jerk reaction when things go differently than he was expecting. Look at how he was just from having that meeting cancelled, just completely deflated and unsure of what to do. But you already got him to change out of his suit, and it isn't even lunch yet."

Fran smiled shyly. "Yeah. He was in the living room reading the paper and laughing at the Mary Tyler Moore Show. How cute is that? I kind of wish I hadn't made plans with Yetta so I could sit there and watch TV with him."

"I'm sure he understands. And you won't be there all day, will you?"

"Oh no, just for lunch. I need to be back here before the kids get home so I can help them get packed and get ready to go. Then, well, maybe me and him can think of some things to do this week."

"I think that will be wonderful for the both of you. Find some fun things to do, things he might not think of doing. Something out of the ordinary."

"Okay. I'll see what I can think of. Oh, car's here! Gotta go Niles! You have a nice time on your vacation, too, okay? And I'll see you when you get back!" She hugged him quickly.

"You too, see you in a week!"

She rushed out the back door to the waiting car and headed off to Queens.

Max finished reading the newspaper and sorted it all back out, then folded it up. He checked his watch and noticed it was getting close to lunchtime. He suddenly felt pretty hungry, and wondered what Niles was making for lunch. The house was full of nice aromas from all the cooking he was doing, but most of that was for future meals. Max picked up the remote and turned off the television, then grabbed the newspaper and his coffee mug, got up from the couch, and headed for the kitchen. When he pushed through the door into the kitchen from the dining room, he found Niles stacking up a number of containers of the food he had made.

"Hello, sir! Lunch will be ready in just a few minutes. I'm just getting these ready to go in the refrigerator for you two to have when you want them. But they will take a while to cool off, I don't want them going in the fridge while they're this warm. Would you be able to put them in the fridge if I haven't done that before I leave?"

"Sure, Niles. I'm sure that won't be a problem."

"Fantastic. Now, if you'd like to sort out what you want to drink, I'll get our lunch finished up so we can eat."

Max set the newspaper on the kitchen table and set his mug on the counter, then went to the fridge to see what else they may have to drink. He found a bottle of strawberry tea and took it out then went to grab a tall glass out of the cabinet, came back and filled it with ice, then poured the tea into it.

Niles had the flat grill heated up and several sandwiches prepared on a plate next to him. He also had a pot of soup heating up on the stove. He opened the grill and set two sandwiches down on it, and as they began to sizzle, he set the second slices of bread down on them and then closed the grill over them. They sizzled as the weight of the grill pressed them down. He took out two plates and hurried over to the refrigerator, took out a container, then went to the silverware drawer to grab forks and spoons. He set everything on the counter beside the sink and went to check on the sandwiches. They were almost ready. He got two soup bowls and set them next to the stove.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Niles?" Max asked.

"Well, would you mind grabbing some napkins, and I suppose you can grab this silverware to set the places."

Max did as he said, and Niles checked the sandwiches in the grill. They were perfect. He grabbed the spatula and set one sandwich on each plate, then cut them in half diagonally. He set the last remaining sandwich in the grill and closed it, then opened the container he got from the fridge and scooped out some salad onto each plate. He set the plates on the table, then ladled out some soup into the soup bowls and set those next to the plates.

"Go ahead, sir, have it while it's hot, I just need to get this other one off the grill when it's ready."

Max sat down in the chair to a wonderful bacon grilled cheese sandwich, chopped salad, and a bowl of piping hot vegetable soup. He smiled as he picked up half of the sandwich and the melted cheese stretched across.

"Oh, Niles! This looks fantastic!" He dipped the corner of his sandwich into the soup and took a bite, and smiled.

"I'm glad you like it, and it wasn't too difficult to put together." Once Niles had taken the extra sandwich out of the grill, he shut it off and turned off the stove, then joined Max at the table. He looked over at him and was proud to see the happy expression on Max's face. "Oh, I asked Ms. Fine to see if the deli had any jars of pickles and some of that nice spicy mustard. She mentioned that she would stop by the bakery for fresh bagels if everyone was going to be here, but said maybe she could do that next weekend instead."

"Oh, yes that would have been nice with that mustard, maybe with a sandwich. Oh, I bet a fresh bagel would be great done with this bacon and cheese! And maybe that mustard, too! But would you just have to heat it in the oven?"

"Yes, open faced, and then you can just add a smear of the mustard to the top half of the bagel, maybe even add some lettuce, too."

"Oh, that does sound good! Maybe that's lunch for next weekend!"

They ate in silence for a while, thoroughly enjoying their meal.

"So, uh, I take it Fran got the driver to take her to Queens okay?"

Niles smiled at him.

"I mean, um, Ms. Fine."

"Oh, that's quite alright, sir. She did the same thing when she talked about you. And yes, the driver got here fairly quickly. She shouldn't be gone all that long, unless Yetta holds her up for some reason. She seemed fairly anxious to get back here and get ready to help the children pack for their trip. Have you thought of anything you two might do now that you won't need to be working next week?" Niles got up from the table, grabbed a mug from the cabinet, and went to pour himself some coffee. He set the mug on the table and went to grab the cream from the fridge.

"Well, no. Other than maybe grabbing a meal somewhere if we need to. I think it might be good to focus on relaxing a bit, but I don't want to bore her, either."

"Oh, sir, I'm sure you won't bore her," Niles said, as he sat back down with the cream, sugar, and a spoon. He put both in his mug of coffee and stirred it, then picked up his sandwich again. "Is there anything you think you both might have fun doing?"

Max took another spoonful of soup. "Well, I'm not sure. I know she likes dancing, and trying to get into clubs. But I don't really feel like that would be good to do. I'm not sure that she would want to go see a show."

"Well, if I might- maybe do something where you aren't focused on a screen or on a stage. Maybe think of some things where you'd be able to talk to each other. I'd agree that a club would probably not be a good idea. Maybe try something neither of you have done together before, even if it might seem silly. Maybe that would make it fun for both of you."

"Silly? What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe like acting like kids. What do kids do these days when they go out with their friends?"

"Well, aside from movies or maybe concerts, um, well, Brighton goes to arcades sometimes with his friends, or they play video games at someone's house. I don't know what Margaret might do. Maybe look at magazines and listen to music, and talk about boys. That might be fine for her, but I don't think I'd want to do that!" They both laughed.

"Well, playing games might not be a bad start. Maybe keep that in mind and see if you can think of something related to that. You both can get competitive sometimes. And you know, she always loves to go shopping. She'll shop for just about anything. And she loves travel. I mean, I know you wouldn't take off to some place far away. But maybe a day trip somehow? A boat ride? Maybe you could bring that up and see if she has any ideas, too."

Max was quiet for a while, and continued eating his lunch. Niles glanced at him occasionally, wondering what was going on in his mind. His demeanor was different, and he was pretty sure it wasn't just because his big meeting had been cancelled. He was beginning to realize what it was.

"Sir, may I ask you something? Off the record," Niles said.

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"Well, it's not so much what's on my mind, it's about what seems to be on yours."

Max was a little taken aback, wondering what Niles was getting at. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"I've just been noticing your demeanor. I know that having that meeting cancelled seemed to really throw you off, but it seems like just a brief conversation with Ms. Fine, and you've shifted gears. It's almost like you're looking forward a lot more to the coming week than you were before."

Max wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Well, I suppose I am. That meeting- there was just an awful lot of work to do to prepare for it. I mean, these potential backers were wanting a lot of information. We've had to do a lot of work. And on top of that, having it interfere with being able to take the family on vacation, I wasn't happy about that. I at least wanted to make sure the children could still have a fun time while they were out of school. I figured I would make it up to them this summer, and be able to get this meeting taken care of as well. I could be a little frustrated that they wouldn't let me schedule the meeting for a different time, but I can't really be angry with the reason they had to cancel it. And maybe now I have the advantage, if they feel bad for cancelling, maybe now I can tell them when I'd be available. So maybe it has taken quite a bit of stress off my shoulders for the moment."

Niles paused for a moment. "That wasn't really the part I was talking about." Max looked over at him.

"What were you talking about?"

"The part where your demeanor changed after you talked to Ms. Fine. She seems to be aware of it, too."

"What?" Max gulped. He had finished his lunch, so he wiped his hands on his napkin and leaned back in his chair. He felt nervous at the direction Niles seemed to be headed in.

Niles was trying to be careful with his words, like Fran had warned him to be. He didn't want to tease, but he felt Max might need a little nudge. "I just think it will be a nice time for you and Ms. Fine to spend together. It'll be a chance for you to work on your friendship, without the outside world interfering. It just seems like the only time you two get to do that is on family vacations, and then there's always interference from the children to contend with. But family vacations are too few and far between for you both to really be able to do the work you need to do."

Max felt like he had just jumped into a therapy session, and he didn't know what to say or do. He felt himself wanting to hear more from Niles.

Niles checked his watch. "I need to go get ready to leave in a minute, but I just feel that I need to say something, in all sincerity. You've got to know that the two of you are my closest friends, and coming from the position of a sort of a third wheel, having to watch the two of you doing this seemingly never ending dance with each other- maybe it started as a perfectly legitimate thing to do, you didn't want to be seen as taking advantage, and she didn't want to be seen- maybe the same way. But you've known each other long enough now, and your feelings haven't changed. You should both know by now that it isn't just a passing fancy. She loves your children, and they love her. They'll have a relationship for the rest of their lives, regardless of whatever the two of you may choose to do or not do. So separate from all that, separate from any other societal concerns you may cling to, what are you left with?"

Max turned his nearly empty glass of tea in circles in his hands.

"A wonderful, kind woman. She's become part of the family. You've become a big part of hers. It's been obvious from the beginning that you both have feelings for each other. Now don't get me wrong, I do think it was good that you've been cautious. It's too important to take lightly. But here you both are, with a set of circumstances that might make all the difference."

Max took a deep breath, then cleared his throat. "When you said that you saw a change in my demeanor, after talking to Fran… I think I felt it, too. I still feel it. I'm just- I'm not sure of anything. What to do, what not to do."

"Don't overthink it. Ms. Fine will help. But don't talk around the subject, don't dodge any topics. Start dealing with everything. I've known you a long time, I know you can get nervous about bringing certain things up- you get nervous that you might not like the answers. But you know Ms. Fine pretty well. You probably already know what her answers would be. And maybe her answers would be even more comforting than you could have imagined. She cares about you. She won't lie to you."

"I think part of me knows that." He drank the last bit of his tea.

"I think you might be a bit nervous about how fast things will probably go once you two make a decision about your relationship. There's only so much time you can hold back for. The floodgates will come. So right now, get ready for that. Use this time to talk about everything you both can possibly think of. And have fun with each other. You both need that. A lot. Get rid of all that formality of a working relationship and just be friends. Act like kids, just having innocent fun. But then when it's quiet, ask each other questions. Get all those what-ifs out of the way. Start trusting each other a lot more. Watch what happens."

Max looked down at his hands, thinking about what Niles said. His stomach was tight. Niles got up from the table and brought his dishes to the sink.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Niles. I'll clean up everything from lunch. You can go do what you need to do so you can leave on time."

"Oh, alright. If you're sure," he said. Max got up from his chair and nodded. He brought his dishes to the sink. "Will everything be alright?" Niles wanted to make sure their conversation wasn't in vain.

Max looked at him and nervously scratched behind his ear. "Everything is good, Niles. Don't worry."

Niles nodded and turned to head up the back stairs to his room, so he could finish packing and get ready to leave for his own vacation.

Max set all of the dishes in the sink, then went to look for a container to put the rest of the soup in. He went about cleaning up the lunch mess in a bit of a daze. Everything Niles said to him rolled back and forth through his mind. He found himself realizing that he was missing Fran. He knew that it wouldn't be long before she came back, and he felt a little nervous about how he should approach her. He stopped himself from getting worked up and told himself, just let it happen, it will be fine. He rinsed off the dishes and put them in the dish washer, then put all of the food Niles had prepared into the the fridge. He shut off the lights in the kitchen and headed for the living room.

As Max came out by the staircase, he met up with Niles coming down the staircase with his bags.

"You have everything, Niles?" Max asked.

"Yes, sir, I believe I do. The cab is on it's way." Niles opened the closet and took out his overcoat, then looked out the front door for the cab. They stood there in silence as Niles put on his coat.

"Um, Niles?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Thank you, you know, for all that. Before."

"Yes, sir. Just remember to have a nice vacation. Both of you."

Max nodded. "We will. Oh, is that your cab?"

Niles turned and looked out the door. "Oh, yes! Well, I guess I'm on my way, then. Say goodbye to the children and Ms. Fine for me. And I'll see you when I get back." Niles picked up his bags and Max opened the front door for him.

"Have a good vacation, Niles. And thank you again," Max said. He reached out to shake Niles' hand, and then Niles headed for the taxi, hopped in the back, and was off. Max came back inside and closed the door, then walked slowly over to the couch and sat down. He checked his watch. Fran should be home fairly soon. Then the children not long after that. He picked up the remote, turned on the TV, kicked off his shoes, and laid back on the couch.

Fran gathered up her bags as the car neared the back of the mansion. When the car came to a stop, she hopped out before the driver could come around and open the door for her. She thanked him and waved and ran for the back door to the kitchen with her bags full of goodies from the deli in Queens. She was careful to enter the kitchen quietly, she wanted to surprise Max. She turned on the light and set the bags on the counter and took everything out, including the pickles and mustard for Niles. She also picked up some pastrami, brisket with barbecue sauce, potato hash, and a box of apple fritters from the bakery. She put the meat and potatoes in the fridge then got out two napkins and a knife, and cut one of the apple fritters in half, then put each half on a napkin. She picked up the apple fritters in the napkins, then tiptoed quietly out of the kitchen to head for the living room to look for Max.

Max was stretched out on the couch watching a rerun of an episode of The Newlywed Game from the early seventies. Occasionally he chuckled at the embarrassing questions and answers the contestants gave.

Fran peeked around the corner and saw that the television was on. She realized what program it was and almost had to stop herself from laughing. She heard Max laugh out loud at one woman's response, and the audience on the show laughed along with him. Fran loved hearing Max laugh- it just filled her heart up. She could tell he was lying down on the couch so she decided to sneak up on him and peek over the back of the couch. She tiptoed softly up to the couch and crouched down, then reached an apple fritter over the back and whispered.

"I'm baaaaaack!"

Max jolted up and grabbed his chest. "Oh my god, you about gave me a heart attack!" Fran grinned and rested on her elbows over the back of the couch.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Well, I didn't mean to give you a heart attack, that is! I come bearing goodies. Here- I stopped at the bakery after the deli. Yetta wanted to take a babka back to the home, and they had some apple fritters right next to the babka, so I had to get some. I got enough for breakfast tomorrow, too, in case you want some." She handed Max a half of a fritter as she stood up and walked around the couch. Max sat up and made room for her, and she stepped around his legs and sat next to him.

Max took a bite of the fritter. "Mmm, that's a real apple fritter! Thank you!"

Fran took a bite. It really was good. "Oh, that is good, isn't it? I almost had one on the drive back, but I behaved myself. I'm glad I got them, that apple is really good!"

"It is! So how was your lunch with Yetta?"

"Good. I got a turkey BLT that was really good. Oh my god, you know what Yetta ordered?" She elbowed Max. "She ordered a full muffaletta, barely ate a quarter of it, and wanted a box to take the rest back home with her. She said tonight is meatloaf night and their meatloaf is disgusting- like bricks. I was gonna scold her for ordering so much and not eating it, but then I felt bad. I gotta talk to Ma about checking in with Yetta if they're serving food she won't eat. Yetta won't always say anything about that, and she doesn't need to be skipping meals."

"No, she doesn't. Can she cook something for herself in her room?"

"Well, she has a microwave, but I don't think she really knows how to use it. They can't have stoves or ovens in their rooms because of safety issues. I guess too many people set their robes on fire trying to boil water or something. So they have a common kitchen people can use, but I guess she doesn't use that. She has a fridge, too, so she can keep cold things, maybe make a sandwich if she wants."

"Ah. Well that's no fun if she's doing that every day. I hope it's not often that she doesn't like the food there. But yes, talk to your mother about that. See what she knows." They both took another bite of their fritters and savored it.

"So what did you do for lunch?" Fran asked, then took another bite.

"Oh, Niles made these great bacon grilled cheese sandwiches. We had them with vegetable soup and a chopped salad. It was really good. Oh, there's an extra sandwich and some leftover soup in there, too, if you get hungry later. And we were talking about how that might be good on a fresh bagel- maybe even with some of that deli mustard and some lettuce. He said he could make that open-faced in the oven instead of on the flat griddle. I said maybe we could have that next weekend." He looked over at Fran and grinned.

"Oh, that does sound good. I got some of that mustard at the deli, too, and a jar of deli pickles. That would go nicely with it, too. Mmm! I'm getting fat and full just thinking about it!"

Max laughed and took another bite of the fritter, and they turned to watch more of the Newlywed Game on the TV. He thought about how he had been nervous about approaching her when she came home, but she took care of that for him, and he didn't feel nervous anymore. He enjoyed sitting with her on the couch, watching a silly show, and eating apple fritters. He hoped to have more times like this with her.

"So have the children packed their things at all yet for their trip?"

"I don't think they packed any clothes, but they stacked up all the extras they want to take. Gracie's got like three or four novels, and Maggie had a pile of magazines. I think Brighton wants to take his GameBoy and his Walkman. I noticed that Niles got all of their suitcases out and put them on their beds, so it shouldn't take long for them to pack. I'll check on it all before they close up their bags, just to make sure they have extras of everything, and that they have their toothbrushes and all of that. The car is picking them up at four to take them over to the buses. I asked if they wanted me to go with them and see them off, but they didn't want me to bother. I think they are kind of getting a kick out of having their own little vacation together, away from us."

Max smiled. "I really hope they have a good time. And a safe time. I still feel bad that we couldn't have a family vacation this Spring Break. I kind of feel like I never should have agreed to meet with that group next week, and should have gotten them to meet on my terms. Then if they had, maybe the meeting wouldn't have been cancelled."

"Hey, you did it because it seemed pretty important at the time. And the kids understand. They know you'd try to make it up to them. Sometimes opportunities come along that mean you need to change your plans. And hey- maybe the opportunity wasn't having a meeting with them, maybe it was having a quiet vacation at home. You rarely get to do that."

"True. What about you? Do you regret that we didn't all go away somewhere?"

"Well, I'll admit I like traveling with you guys. We always go to such great places. But since I met you guys, I've been on more trips than I ever went on the entire rest of my life. I know we'll go on more, so I'm okay with that. And this semester has been a bit of a beast for the kids, it might be good for them to get away from us. I'm sure they're tired of me breathing down their necks, making sure they're getting all their work done. And I don't mind hanging out with you, if you don't mind hanging out with me." She glanced over at him, and then quickly looked away.

"I don't mind hanging out with you. I like hanging out with you," he said. "Eating apple fritters and watching the Newlywed Game."

Fran laughed and elbowed him. "Well, we probably shouldn't spend our whole vacation doing that, or we'll be big, fat couch potatoes by the time everyone gets back. Have you thought at all about anything you might want to do?"

"Well, funny you should say that. Niles and I were talking about that at lunch."

"Yeah? Did you come up with anything?"

Max tried to think of how to say what Niles had said. "Well, nothing specific. But, um, well, Niles… he, um, seems to think that we should, uh, do something fun like kids would do. You know, like something silly, or you know, just have some innocent fun. Act like kids. I don't really know what that would entail, though, do you?"

"Niles wants us to go act like kids? That's hilarious! But, you know, it's not that bad of an idea. I mean, you know, when we hang out we usually do fairly grown up things. Like when we're on vacation, we might dress up and have a nice meal, or go watch a jazz band- things like that. We don't usually act like kids. What kind of kid stuff would you be willing to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. We talked about what the children might do when they hang out with their friends."

"Well, I don't know if Gracie would count, she still likes to play with Barbies and go to the playground. Maggie- probably the usual things like going to the movies or going shopping, or just hanging out, talking about boys or school gossip, looking at magazines. Sometimes parties. And Brighton- he goes to movies with his friends, too. And of course he loves playing video games. And we went to the batting cages. Oh! I almost forgot! I can't believe I didn't think of this- Yetta was just telling me at lunch that some people in the home were trying to get a group together to go to Coney Island. She said it's open on weekends now, and friday nights, too, as long as the weather is good. Would something like that count?"

"Coney Island? Well, yes, that would probably count. Kids love that sort of thing. When was the last time you went? I know they have rides and things like that there, but do they have anything else?"

"You mean, you've never been to Coney Island?" Max shook his head. "Oh, now we have to go! I haven't been in years and years! They have all the typical rides, like roller coasters and the Ferris wheel and all of that, but there's like a shooting gallery- like where you can win all the prizes, and a big arcade- not like a video game arcade, but like with skee ball, that sort of thing. And then there's all the food, lots of junk food, but they have some street food too, and hot dogs, and hamburgers. Oh, now that I'm thinking about it, that sounds like so much fun! We've never done anything like that! Do you want to do that? Maybe?" Fran's eyes were lighting up, and Max was getting caught up in the idea of it.

"Well, it does sound like it matches the criteria. And it's something kids would love to do. Let's do it! They're open tonight? Would you want to go tonight? Maybe after the children leave? Oh, will it be too cold after dark?"

"No, it should be fine, as long as we have our coats. And the arcade thing is indoors. And they'll probably be cooking so much food there that it might warm up some areas. And it's gotten warmer lately, that's probably why they opened it up now, to cash in on the nicer weather. You want to go tonight?" Max nodded. "Let's do it! But let's keep it to ourselves for now, see how it goes. I don't want the kids getting jealous that we're going and they aren't. Once we tell them we went, they might beg us to take them."

"True. Okay, we won't let the children know before they leave. Are you sure you won't be too tired? I mean, after your long run this morning? How are you feeling after that?"

"Oh, I think I'll be fine. I bet I'll be tired tomorrow, or maybe sore and stiff, but we'll see. I'm fine right now. And we don't have to be up early in the morning."

"Oh, you're right! We won't need to set any alarms at all if we don't want to. That will be pretty fantastic, don't you think?"

"Yeah, especially if we're out late all the time acting like kids! We can stay out past our curfew and not get in trouble!"

Max laughed with her. He was really feeling good about it. "You want to grab dinner there? Or will we get ourselves sick on the rides if we eat all that food?"

"Oh, there's a strategy you have to follow. Whatever crazy rides you want to go on, like roller coasters, or things that spin, or even if you have a fear of heights and go on the Ferris wheel, you should do all of that first and get it out of your system, then as you come down from all the excitement, you get whatever food you think you can still eat. After that, then you can hit the arcade and shooting galleries and all that, so if you win any prizes, then you don't have to carry them on the rides with you. And after that, you should be exhausted and ready to go home, and if you still want anything else to eat, like something sweet, then you can get that on the way out."

"Oh, that does sound like a good strategy. What should I wear?"

"Wear whatever's comfortable, what you have on is fine. There's always a risk of spilling something on yourself, or sitting in something sticky, so don't wear anything you wouldn't want to ruin. And we should wear more casual coats, not a fancy overcoat or anything, for the same reasons. And you might want to wear sneakers, because we could be on our feet most of the time, waiting in lines, walking around."

"Okay, got it." They both got quiet and smiled, then looked at each other and laughed. "I can't believe we're doing this! It does kind of make me feel like a kid, going out for some fun on a friday night."

"It does, doesn't it? We're gonna have so much fun! Pretending like we're kids, not having to worry about all these adult responsibilities… it'll be like we're pretending to be other people for a night."

"Yeah…" Max said, then he thought for a moment. "Hey, that's an idea, though. Pretending to be other people."

"What?" She looked at him. "You're serious, aren't you? Do you want to act like we're- other people?"

"Well, maybe? I mean, maybe that might be- fun? Like when kids try to pretend they're older, and they change their names. Maybe we can pretend we're younger."

"And change our names?"

"Maybe?" He raised his eyebrows. Maybe that could be part of their plan, to have innocent fun and act like kids.

Fran leaned back on the couch to think about it. "So, like a little make-believe? Would we act like we just met, or that we're best friends or something?"

"Either, both? I don't know. Maybe best friends, then we would know something about each other, it would be easier to have fun and not be hung up on all that newness." Max leaned back on the couch next to her. He glanced over at her and waited to see what she wanted to do.

"Let's do it. If it gets too silly, or weird, or anything, we can stop. And we don't have to be totally weird about it, like calling each other fake names so much. Maybe, if somebody asked us, or introduced themselves, we could make up a story, make up our names. That would actually be kind of hilarious! Don't you think?"

"It would. And we'd have to keep a straight face. It's like we'd be acting, and doing improv. Oh, I bet you'd be so good at that!"

"You do? Well, I guess I do have some experience at that- lying to strangers and pretending I'm something I'm not…" they both laughed. They sat quietly, smiling, and only half-paying attention to what was on TV. Max thought about their future adventure a little more. He nudged Fran's arm with his elbow.

"So, who's your character going to be?" He grinned, wondering what she might say.

"My character? Hmmm… well, she'd probably still have to be from New York. I don't think I could fake another accent. Oh, I know- maybe a student? Unless we're actually pretending to be kids, but that might be creepy. I don't think we should go back to teenagers even, unless maybe it's like kids out of high school. Or in college. Maybe I could be from Long Island, going to a fashion school in the city. And my parents- maybe my father is, I don't know- maybe like a jeweler? Something that would give him money, but not like in banking or the stock market or anything. And maybe he and my mother went to fancy parties with rich people, but maybe I'm a bit of a rebel. Like a punk, but not quite a punk. But maybe the clothes I design look a little bit like that. Edgy. So maybe I have an attitude? Or I quote writers like that. Or, I would if I actually knew any quotes!" She laughed. "But let's say I have that in me, and I could quote somebody if I wanted to."

"So, you'd maybe be a little tough, or assertive? No nonsense, maybe a bit edgy, a rebel. So, if you were a fashion designer, you might give your friends makeovers and things like that? Or at least tell them they dress horribly, and do something to fix their looks?"

Fran laughed. "Maybe," she smiled.

"What would your name be?"

She had to think about that one. "Hmm… well, if it was going to be on a label, it should sound kind of cool. Maybe a 'Liz'? No, Liz Claiborne already took that. Liza? No, that sounds like Liza Minelli. Oh! E-liza. Eliza something. What goes good with that?" She asked Max.

"Well, what kind of a last name do you want it to be? Do you still want to use a Jewish name? Or maybe Italian? You could pass for Italian."

"Hmm. I suppose I could stick with something that sounds Jewish. You know, in case somebody asked me where my Italian family was from!" They both laughed. "Let me see, what Jewish last name do I like? Maybe Dreyfus? Eliza Dreyfus? No, that's no good. And nothing with a 'berg' in it. That doesn't sound fashionable. Maybe something with a 'man' in it…"

"Are there any names that mean like a profession? Like the way English has names like Taylor, Sawyer, even Smith?"

"What does Sawyer mean?"

"They use a saw. Literally, somebody who saws."

"Oh! Duh! I guess that does make sense. Well, I don't think there's a surname for fashionista. I can't remember what a tailor name is. Oh, you know what? I wanted to be a singer when I was a kid. A 'cantor' is a singer, maybe that would work? 'Eliza Cantor'? That's not so bad. Let's use that for now, unless I think of something better. Now what about you? Who are you gonna be?" She looked at him and smiled.

"'Eliza Cantor,' that does sound like a fancy line of clothes. I guess I need to be the guy that can keep up with Eliza Cantor. That won't be easy," Max said.

"Oh, it won't be so hard. But you'll have to be okay with me telling you what to wear." She grinned.

"My own stylist? That doesn't sound so bad. As long as Eliza has good taste, which I think she does, that would be alright with me. But I guess, if I'm Eliza's best friend, I'd probably be a student, too. And I don't think I could pretend to be anything but English. So, maybe I came over to New York to go to school, and let's say I met you at a party or something. Because I don't think I would be going to a fashion school. Maybe to another kind of creative school, like art school or something? That might be interesting."

"Would you be an artist? Like a painter or something, or would you be doing like art history maybe?"

"Maybe a little bit of everything, but maybe I'd be working on being a gallery owner, or something with an art museum."

"I could see you doing that. But what about your parents? Would they be different?"

"Oh, absolutely. They would be kind and loving. Maybe they would run a business together, that might be nice."

"What kind of business? Because it would have to make enough money to send you to art school in New York City."

"True. Well, it would probably be something creative, if I was creative enough to be in art school. A creative business. Maybe they would have some kind of creative business in London, like art dealers, or designers, architects?"

"Yeah! Maybe interior designers or something, and maybe they did remodeling, too. For all those people who want to update the old houses and apartments. That could be decent money."

"Yes, let's do that, then. They own a London design firm. I like the sound of that."

Fran smiled at him and clutched his arm. "So, best friend, what's your name, then?"

Max looked over at her, and didn't feel nervous, even though he liked that she was holding his arm. "Hmm, my name… well, the surname is probably English, unless maybe it was a little Scottish. Because if you are staying Jewish, then maybe I would stay Catholic, so a Scottish name would be alright. Or even Irish. And if I was into painting, and hanging out with an edgy, punky fashion designer, I might sign my paintings with just a single same, to try to be cool and all. So at least one of my names should sound cool, don't you think?"

"Oh, I think both of your names would be cool. If you signed with your last name, I would still call you by your first name. So your first name should probably be pretty straightforward, easy to say. Maybe not more than two syllables."

"Hmm. Okay. So a syllable or two, something cool, but not pretentious. Oh, and I bet the surname might be the name of my parents' business, too. What sounds good next to 'Eliza'?" He thought a moment. "What about something like 'Jack'? If Eliza has two syllables, then maybe I should only have one. Eliza and Jack. Eliza Cantor and Jack Something-or-other. Jack… maybe we should do three syllables this time, mix it up a little. Three syllables."

"Is there a name that sounds like a fancy booze or something? Like a Scotch, or Irish whiskey? Then 'Jack' might go good with that."

"A whiskey? Like Jack Daniels? No, no. I get it, but not an American kind of whiskey. Maybe a little softer since 'Jack' is kind of a punch, the way it sounds. You know, there's a small distillery I've heard of, on the Eastern coast of Ireland somewhere. Oh, what was it's name?" He covered his eyes, trying to think. "I think it starts with an 'H.' Ah… Oh! Hennessey! That's what it is! Hennessey. Jack Hennessey? Eliza Cantor and Jack Hennessey. What do you think about that?"

"Jack Hennessey… Hennessey… I can see that as a signature on a painting, can't you? Like the way you write all caps? That would flow together well. Eliza would like that."

Max smiled at her. "Well, then, it's settled. Eliza Cantor and Jack Hennessey are going to Coney Island tonight!"

"Yea! They're gonna have a good time, too!" She squeezed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. He was feeling really good.

"I can't believe we're really doing this! So, do we go all in, like everything we say and do has to be what young students would say and do?"

"We can do whatever we want, ease your way into it and see what happens. It's totally silly, but I think Niles would get a kick out of it. I bet he'd like that we're giving it a try."

"Yes, I bet he would. And we can tell him about it when he gets back." They laughed quietly for a moment, then sat and watched the television for a little while. "So, Eliza, are these clothes okay for Coney Island?" He asked. She turned and looked him over.

"Yeah, I think they'll do just fine. I'll find you some shoes later. And a coat."

"That sounds good," he smiled. "So, are you going to do your hair up in a mohawk?"

Fran laughed out loud, and so did he. "You want me to make a mohawk?"

"No," he shook his head from side to side, and she laughed again. "I'll see what clothes I have up there, maybe I'll find something punky."

Max grinned.

The children came bursting in the front door all at once, pushing each other out of the way to be the first to rush upstairs.

"Hey, kids, slow down!" Fran yelled, turning around from her seat on the couch next to Max. "You've got plenty of time to pack."

"Oh Fran! There you are!" Maggie dropped her bag and ran over to the couch as Brighton and Gracie waited on the stairs. "I found out that the Baker kids are going, too, and Lindsey's mom said they can take us to the buses if you say it's okay. They have a big van, and her parents are going to pick up their big camper with it because they're going camping during break. Can we go with them? They can pick us up by 4."

"The Bakers? Oh, Lindsey Baker, yeah, I know her. They want to take all three of you? How many kids do they have going?"

"Lindsey and her brother, he's Brighton's age but he goes to a different school. But Brighton's met him before."

"Yeah, I see him around a bunch. He seems pretty cool. Can we go with them, Fran? Instead of the driver taking us?" Brighton asked.

Fran looked over at Max.

"Well, if you know her. I think I'd feel better about somebody's parents signing the children over to someone, rather than just the driver dropping them off. But I do want to meet them if they come over here to pick them up," Max said to her.

"I'd feel better, too. And now we know the kids will have some other kids they know to hang out with." She turned back to Maggie. "Okay, you guys. We'll let you go with them, but we need to see them and talk to them when they get here, alright? And you guys will need to thank them a bunch when they drop you at the buses, okay? Now go change out of your uniforms and start packing, and I'll be up there in a minute to check on you."

"Okay! Thank you, Fran! Thank you daddy!" Maggie exclaimed, and ran back to grab her bag and the kids all ran upstairs to their rooms.

"Well!" Fran said. "I guess the mad rush is on!" They laughed. "Hey, would you mind calling the driver so he knows not to come at four? Maybe set up a time for him to get us to go to Coney Island instead! And I'll run upstairs and make sure the kids pack everything they need."

"Alright, I can do that. Oh! Speaking of which!" Max reached into his back pocket for his wallet and took out some cash. "Can you give this to Maggie to hold onto, just in case they need it for anything. Are they stopping for dinner tonight on the way there?"

"They're supposed to go get it when they arrive. They'll stop at a restaurant, I think, right near the hotel."

"Oh, okay, that's good."

Fran patted his knee and got up. "I'll be back down in a bit." She hurried to the stairs and jogged up.

Max smiled. This break was turning out much better than he pictured. He was going to get to spend time alone with Fran, and he was really glad that the children were so excited about their trip. And he also didn't have to worry about Niles hovering around being nosy. He got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen to look for the cordless phone to call the driver and reschedule.

Fran went to Maggie's room first, and found her stacking her clothes neatly in her suitcase.

"Hey, Mags! You got everything you need? Don't forget your toothbrush and deodorant and all of your bathroom stuff. You can never be certain what they might have or not have wherever you go. Oh, here- your father wants you to hold onto this in case any of you need it while you're gone, but just be sure to give back whatever you don't use, okay? He'll appreciate that."

"Oh, good! Yeah, I wasn't sure how they were handling dinner tonight- if we were supposed to pay for that. Or maybe they pay for certain things and then we pay for anything extra we want."

"Either way, that should help, or if there's a chance to get any souvenirs or something. But don't go crazy with it, consider it more like emergency money, and bring your own money if you want to use it on other things."

"Yeah, I've got some of my own, too, just in case. Oh, Fran, thank you for setting this up for us! It's gonna be so much fun! But what are you gonna do during break? Are you and Val doing anything?

"We haven't planned anything, she has to work a lot. Oh yeah, you didn't hear your father's news. That big meeting he was supposed to have next week got cancelled, so now he has the week off."

"Oh no! Poor daddy! I know he was kind of stressed about that. What's he going to do now?"

"Oh, he'll be fine. I'll make sure of that. We're gonna hang out and do a bunch of stuff together."

Maggie stopped packing for a moment and looked at Fran, and noticed her smiling. "You and daddy? Really?" Fran nodded. "That's awesome, Fran. I know you both will have a good time. You guys need some quiet time together, without all us around. Did Niles go already?"

"Yeah, he left after lunchtime. I was out with Yetta so I had to say goodbye to him before I left. I think he was looking forward to his trip, too."

"Well, good! Then it all worked out for everybody, and daddy doesn't need to worry about anything. What are you guys gonna do while we're gone? Or do I not want to ask?"

"Mags! We're just gonna try to find some fun things, some silly things to do that we haven't done before. I guess Niles told your father that we should act like kids, find some things like kids would like to do. And speaking of which, I could use some ideas if you have any. Not like movies or concerts, either."

Maggie thought a little as she went to her closet to retrieve a couple pairs of shoes and some sweaters, then came back to stuff them into the suitcase. "Well, aside from maybe trying some restaurants and cafés, all my friends and I like to go shopping, even if it's just window shopping. You could go to the Village, or SoHo. Um, oh, do they have those rowboats out at the park yet? That might be something to do. There might be a bunch of different things you could do at the park. Maybe the newspaper will have something in it? I don't know if you'd want to do anything like playing tennis, I know some kids go to the driving range but I don't know how they find that fun. Hey- you could borrow Brighton's Nintendo and challenge daddy to some games. You kick Brighton's butt all the time, so maybe you could beat daddy at a few games, too!" They both laughed.

"Thank you, I'll have to ask him if any of that sounds good to him. Hey, I need to go check on the others and make sure they pack enough. Are you good? You making sure you have enough socks and underwear, and extras?"

"Yeah, I'm good. And I'm gonna double check everything before I close my suitcase."

"Okay, great. I'll see you in a bit."

Fran headed to Brighton's room next. He was going through his games for his GameBoy. "Hi, Fran! He said as she stepped in his doorway.

"Hey, B. You know, it might be better to pack the clothes first. Worry about the toys after," she reminded him.

"Oh, the clothes are easy. I'm just taking jeans, so I count all the days out, take them out of the drawer and they go straight to one side of the suitcase, then I count out pajamas, that goes on the other side, then I count out my long sleeve shirts, and stack those on the PJs, then underwear and socks fill in around that. And I have my case for all my bathroom stuff, and mini bottles of shampoo and conditioner and soap, all that. And what else?"

"Extra shoes in case one pair gets soaked or anything. Extra underwear and socks. Worse comes to worse, you can rewear something if you have to, just try not to do that with underwear. So what are you taking in that backpack?"

"GameBoy and games, Walkman and tapes, uh- a book and a magazine if I want to read. Oh, and Maggie wanted me to keep the little camera in there in case we want to take pictures. She has some film, too."

"Okay, and don't forget your wallet and any money you might want to bring for snacks or souvenirs in case you get to do that. And Maggie has some emergency money if you need it for meals or anything unexpected."

"Okay, cool."

"Hey, can I ask your advice on something? Your father's big meeting got cancelled next week, so I want to get him out to relax and do some fun things. What kinds of things do you know of might be fun? Not like movies and stuff, but I don't know, what do kids do when they go out with their friends?"

"Uh, well, sometimes me and my friends go to the park and rollerblade, or ride bikes, maybe play frisbee or catch. Um, we go to the arcade, we might go to the comic book store. Or we just walk around inside in the stores. Maybe go to a music store. That sort of thing. A lot of the other things we might want to do, well we'd have to have our parents or somebody take us, because they'd be further out of the city. Like if we wanted to go ride go carts, or go to an amusement park or something. Nothing super exciting, we mostly just like the hanging out part. Oh, and eating pizza or burgers or ice cream or something. That sort of thing."

"Oh, that helps, thank you. Now, make sure you guys really thank Lindsey's parents, okay? Because I really was going to come with you guys in the car even though you said you didn't need me to. And now that your father's not busy, I'd probably drag him along, too."

"I'm glad Maggie found out her friend was going, and I guess her mom was there after they got out of school. So when she told me and Gracie, that was so awesome! Have you met Lindsey? She's really pretty. And her brother seems cool. It's too bad they don't have a little sister for Gracie to hang out with, but Maggie always watches out for her. And I bet Gracie will meet lots of kids anyway. So it should be really fun."

"Well, I hope you kids have a wonderful time, I really do. I better go check on Gracie and see how she's packing her stuff. Get started on your clothes now, okay? And double check everything when you're done. Bring it all downstairs when it's ready, alright?"

"Okay, Fran. I will."

Fran headed for Gracie's room and found her neatly stacking her clothes into her suitcase.

"Hi, sweetie! You doing okay with your packing?"

"Yes! But how do I pack my dresses? They'll get all squished," Gracie said.

"Aw, sweetie, for this trip it might be a good idea to leave the dresses at home. You guys are gonna be really busy doing all kinds of stuff, and if you wear a dress, then you have to deal with the tights and the shoes and all that. This is more of a jeans and comfortable shoes kind of vacation."

"It is? Oh. I didn't know." She sounded almost disappointed. Fran sat next to her on the bed and gave her a hug.

"You'll get to go to museums, and historical places, and maybe even shopping if you're lucky. That's a lot of walking. Remember that time I dragged you all over the city and then out to New Jersey to shop? Remember how we both had blisters after that?"

"I sure do! Ow! Okay, I get it. I need to be more practical. But what if my sneakers give me blisters?"

"Well, you can bring a box of bandaids just to be safe. Do you want me to grab you some?"

"Yes, please! Thank you, Fran!"

"Okay, baby, I'll be right back. Hey, do you want to borrow one of my toiletry bags to put your bathroom stuff in?"

"Sure! Can I?"

"Absolutely, baby! I'll go grab one for you." Fran hurried out of her room to run back to her own bedroom and retrieve a box of bandaids and a toiletry bag for Gracie. Once she found everything, she hurried back to Gracie, who was now lining up her pairs of cotton socks on the bed so she could coordinate her shirts with them.

"So Fran, how many extras do I need to bring. I have eight of everything."

"Um, for underwear and socks, bring two extras. And I don't think you will get anything too grubby, so I wouldn't worry too much about clothes because you could wear them again if you absolutely had to. But if that bothers you, then bring one extra shirt and pants. But I don't think your suitcase can hold more than that." Gracie ran back to grab more socks and underwear and Fran started tucking things into the spaces of her suitcase. "Here, sweetie, take this and get your bathroom stuff in here, and we'll see if we can stuff it into your suitcase. Oh, you remembered pajamas, didn't you?"

"Yep! They don't take up as much space as jeans. Do I need my robe?"

"No, you'll be staying with Maggie, and you won't be wandering around at night, so as long as your PJs are warm enough for you, I wouldn't worry about it."

"Okay."

"Are you taking your backpack?"

"Yep! It's right there, I put my books and stuff in it already." Gracie ran to the bathroom to fill the toiletry bag and Fran reached down to the backpack and looked through it to see what Gracie filled it with. Gracie ran back in with the bag and handed it to Fran to check.

"You know what I bet, Gracie? I'll bet that you hardly get any reading done because you'll be so busy talking with all the new kids you meet! You know what you should do? Bring a notebook so maybe you can swap addresses with kids and be penpals, or if they live here you could talk to them on the phone."

Grace's eyes lit up and she ran to her desk to get a fresh notebook and her pencil case, then rushed over and put them in her bag.

"You know what else you might like to do? Keep a journal and write down the things you did each day. Even if it's just a sentence or two. That can help you remember all the kids' names, too."

"That'll be good!"

"So, we done here? You have everything?" Fran asked.

"I think so. Yeah. Let's take it all downstairs!" Gracie zipped up her backpack and Fran picked up the suitcase. As they stepped out of the door and turned out the light, Max was standing right there in front of them.

"Hello, there, ladies! You ready, Grace? I can take your suitcase for you if you're ready to take it downstairs." Fran handed the suitcase to him.

"I need to check the other two, can you get her downstairs? Oh! She needs a different coat, can you get her other winter coat out of the hall closet? The white one. See if it still fits her. If it does, she can take that one. I'll get these two downstairs, and we need to get them drinks and snacks to take with them, too."

"Okay!" Gracie ran with her backpack around the corner to look for the coat, and Fran squeezed Max's arm.

"We'll be down in just a minute," she smiled.

"Okay, I'll get Grace down there and find some snacks."

"Okay, but the apple fritters are for us!"

"Okay," Max grinned. He turned to follow Grace and was relieved that Fran didn't seem to have realized that he was listening in to their conversation before they came out of the bedroom, and it warmed his heart.

Fran went back to Brighton's room and he was mashing the sides in to get his suitcase zipped.

"You got everything in there?" She asked.

"Yeah, I better have. I can't fit anything else!" Fran smiled at him.

"Can you get all this downstairs? Your father's with Gracie, looking for snacks and drinks. I want to see if Maggie's ready, too."

"Yeah, it's just my backpack and this. Oh, I need to pick a coat to bring, too."

"Yes, you do. If you don't have one downstairs, check that hall closet and see if there's another one in there. And don't forget your wallet. Keep it in the inside pocket of your coat."

"Okay."

"Okay, see you in a minute, gonna see if Maggie's ready."

Fran headed over to Maggie's room and she was pulling her suitcase off the bed, and set it on the floor.

"Ready?"

"I think so. There's only so much you can take, right?"

"Oh, I know it! But don't worry, you guys are gonna be so busy, you won't miss anything. And the other kids will have stuff they brought, too. Maybe you can switch out and keep yourselves busy if you happen to get bored at night. Just make sure you keep an eye on Gracie, but let her work on venturing out on her own, too."

"Okay. She'll be fine though, I'm sure."

Fran looked around Maggie's room, and realized that she had some edgy, even punky, posters and things. "Um, Mags?"

"Yeah?"

"By any chance, do you have any clothes that might be a little- oh, I don't know, punk? You know, kind of edgy like that? But not too crazy?"

"Punk? Are you thinking of rebelling, Fran?" Maggie smiled.

"No, no. Not really. Well, it sort of has to do with that challenge Niles gave your father and me. You know, to kind of be like kids."

"Oh. Well, just please tell me daddy's not gonna dress up like a punk, is he?"

"No, no! I'll make sure he looks good. I was just looking for maybe a few things that might jazz up an outfit. Something a little unexpected, maybe."

"Well, I do have a belt I only wore once, on Halloween. You want to see it?"

"Sure!"

Maggie led Fran over to her closet and opened the door. She turned on the light and reached over to where her belts were hanging, and took down a black leather studded belt, then handed it to Fran.

"Maggie Mae! You've been holding out on me! Ooh! That could work!"

"Well go ahead, then, I only wore it that one time. So how far are you going to go with your outfit? Like a torn t-shirt and a pair of Doc Martens kind of punk?"

"No, no, that would totally freak your father out. I just want to try a direction I haven't tried before. But you know, if you had a cool motorcycle jacket or something, that could work, too."

"Well, I don't have one of those. I only have that one black leather jacket that you've seen before. Are you gonna wear boots or something?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far. I might need something more comfortable, just in case we're on our feet for a while, walking around and all that."

"Walking around? Well, I might have something you'd like, but you can't tell daddy that they're mine…"

"Mags, what did you do… and why didn't you take me with you to do it?" They both laughed.

Maggie knelt down and reached behind her shoes and pulled out a shoebox, then stood up and held it in front of her.

"Now, the reason I've hid them is because I bought them one time when I wasn't supposed to, because I was in trouble and I was supposed to be grounded. But I had to get them, Fran! Or they would have been gone." She looked down at the box and slowly removed the lid, and Fran's eyes went wide.

"Oh, Maggie! You diva! They're adorable!" She reached for the box and took it from Maggie. "Oh! They look just like the ones Olivia Newton John wore in that movie with John Travolta…"

"Grease? I don't remember her wearing those in Grease."

"Not Grease, that other movie from the 80s, the one nobody watched. Well, except for me and Val. Oh, can I borrow them, Mags? I'll be really careful with them."

"Sure. I've been too scared to wear them. But you can't tell daddy they're mine. Then if I finally wear them, I can say I borrowed them from you."

"Thank you so much, Mags! I think these will be perfect! And the belt, too. And I won't get you in trouble, I promise. Now, can you get your stuff downstairs? I need to run and put this stuff in my room."

"Yeah, I got it, thanks. And your gonna have to show me the outfit you put together with this stuff."

"Oh, I will! Thanks again! You're the best!" Maggie smiled as Fran rushed from the room, then picked up her bag and suit case and left her room.

Brighton and Maggie joined Gracie and Max in the kitchen and looked around for snacks and drinks to take with them. Max leaned against the counter next to the sink and watched them all, so excited for the trip they would be going on. He smiled as he watched them.

Fran came down the back stairs into the kitchen to join the chaos, and walked over behind Max! And patted him on the lower back.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think these kids were really excited to be going on this trip or something!" Fran said, grinning up at Max. He returned the grin.

"Yep! Can we take more than one drink with us?" Brighton asked.

"Well, put it this way- if you drink both of them before you get there, then you may definitely have to use the bathroom on the bus. Is that something you want to risk?" Fran said. Max started laughing, and Brighton thought about it. He put a can back in the fridge.

"Okay, you guys, it's getting close to four, we need to get out there and get your coats on. Is everybody absolutely certain they have everything they need?" Fran started filing everyone out of the kitchen, through the dining room, and back towards the front door where their bags sat in piles. All the children chimed in that they were certain they had everything.

"Now, if you don't want to use the toilet on the bus, make sure you go now before you leave," Max said, and Brighton scrambled to be the first in the downstairs bathroom.

"Aw, Brighton! You better not leave the seat up!" Grace yelled. Fran walked over to the front door and looked out.

"Hey, Mags, these people know where we live, right? I mean, you made sure to tell them?"

"Yes, and Lindsey knows, too, in case they get confused." She walked over to Fran and looked out the door with her.

"Do you know what their van looks like?"

"Uh, no, I don't. I don't think they drive it much unless they're going on a road trip or something. But I guess it's big enough to hold five kids in the back, plus luggage, and then be strong enough to tow a camper." Maggie looked at her watch to check the time, then Brighton came out of the bathroom and Gracie ran in after him.

"So, Brighton, best behavior. If you don't know this boy that well, then make sure you set a good example, and if he might be a troublemaker, don't follow him. You can always find some other kids to hang out with." Max told him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I know. But I don't think he's that kind of kid, I haven't gotten that impression, anyway."

"Hey, Mags," Fran said, "That goes for you, too. It's fine to meet new people, even boys, but don't let anybody talk you into anything stupid. No sneaking out of your room, or anything like that. I want you to be responsible for watching Gracie when she's not busy with her group, and making sure Brighton's doing okay, too. Alright?"

"Yes, Fran. I don't think there will be any problems. We're just excited to be able to do this, we don't want to mess it up." Fran hugged her, and it made Max smile again. Maggie stepped down from the front door and yelled out to Gracie.

"Gracie, hurry, I need it too! And they'll be here any minute!"

Gracie's muffled voice yelled back out to her, and a short time later she hurried out of the bathroom. Maggie rushed over for her turn.

Fran reached her hand out for Grace and Gracie ran over to her.

"You excited, sweetie?" Fran asked.

"Yes! It's going to be so much fun! And we don't have to go on an airplane either!" Fran laughed and patted her cheek.

"Oh, speaking of which, we better be on the safe side because that's a long drive- why don't you run into the kitchen and grab a big ziplock baggie just in case you get any motion sickness on the bus, okay? Even though they have a bathroom on it, it might be occupied and you might not want to go in there at all if you feel sick."

"Oh, okay. I'll go grab one!" Grace ran off to the kitchen, and Fran caught Max smiling at her, so she gave him a smile. It was giving her butterflies seeing him look so genuinely happy. Brighton ran to the doors to watch outside for any signs of a van pulling up.

Maggie came out of the bathroom right as Gracie ran back in with her baggie. She stuffed it into the side pocket of her backpack.

"Okay, kids! Jackets on! Everybody have their wallets? Drinks and snacks? Brighton, do you need batteries?"

"I got extra batteries, and the cord for my GameBoy. I'm good. Hey! Is that them? It's a van!"

Maggie ran to the door. "Yes! There's Lindsey! Come on, you guys!"

The kids all ran for their bags, and Fran opened the front door. Maggie was out first with her suitcase, followed by Brighton, and Max picked up Gracie's suitcase. Fran took Gracie's hand and went outside with her, followed by Max. Mrs. Baker got out and introduced herself, and then her husband got out and hurried around the car to introduce himself. Fran shook their hands first, and then Max followed. Mr. Baker hurried to the back of the van and opened the doors and put their suitcases in. Maggie was busy squealing with Lindsey, and Lindsey showed her where she and Gracie could sit, and Lindsey's brother leaned over from inside the van and waved to Brighton. Once the suitcases were in, and the kids had sorted out the seating and had eagerly piled in the back, Fran and Max talked with the parents for a few minutes before they had to leave.

"Will they be able to reach you guys if there's an emergency? If you're going camping, I'm a little worried about cell service. But Maggie can call us, we'll still be here, just in case," Fran told Mrs. Baker.

"Oh, that would be fantastic! We should have service, or at least a phone somewhere. I think they should still be able to leave a message, and we can check for messages every day. But yes, if there are any problems, that would be fantastic if they could use you as a contact. Here, let me give you a card with our cell number, just in case."

"Oh, Max, we should give them our number too. Do you have a card or something on you?" Fran turned to him and asked.

"Yes! In my wallet, here, let me get one." He pulled out his wallet and took out a business card. "This doesn't have the house phone on it though, does anyone have a pen or something?" He asked.

"Here daddy! I have one!" Gracie yelled from inside the van. She reached her arm out to him and handed him a pen.

"Oh, thank you, darling!" He quickly wrote on the back of the card and handed it to Mrs. Baker. Fran noticed that he had written "Fran and Max" on the card with the phone number.

"Maggie! One more thing-" Maggie stopped in mid-conversation to turn back to Fran. "If you have an emergency and for any reason you can't get a hold of us, call my mother, okay? Even if she can't come get you, she can keep calling us if you can't, or can come over and find us. Okay? You remember her number?"

"Yes, I know it. Okay, if we can't find you, we'll call her. But now you guys still need to have a vacation, too! Don't worry about us, okay?"

"We will. You guys be on your best behavior, and have fun, and learn new things, and make new friends. And look out for my baby! Gracie, you mind Maggie okay? Go to her if you have a problem, okay?" Fran said, reaching for Gracie and giving her a hug.

"I will. We'll see you in a week!"

Fran reached for Brighton and gave his arm a squeeze. "Have a great time you guys. We'll miss you, but I know you'll have a great time!" She said. Maggie reached over to squeeze her hand.

"You, too, Fran! And Daddy, too! Have a good time, and relax, okay?"

"Yes, Maggie, we will," Max said, squeezing her hand, too. He leaned over to Gracie and she kissed him on the cheek, then he kissed her cheek. He reached over and shook Brighton's hand and smacked him on the arm. "Have a good time, alright? And be safe. Oh, I didn't get your name?" Max asked Lindsey's brother.

"Oh, dad, this is Joey," Brighton said. Joey waved a hand at Max and Fran.

"Hello, nice to meet you," Max said.

"Hi, Joey. Keep an eye on this one, and no chasing girls, okay?" Fran said, and she poked at Brighton. Brighton blushed and Joey laughed.

"Okay, you all, we better let you get going so you don't miss the buses! Be good, and we'll pick you up next saturday, okay?" Max said.

They kids chimed in with their goodbyes and Fran waved, then Max helped them slide the door shut. They said their goodbyes and thank you's to the parents, and then waved as the van drove away with the kids. Fran was feeling sad until she felt Max's hand on her shoulder. He had put an arm around her to comfort her, and remind her that their vacation was just beginning.

When the van faded from sight, she turned to look up at Max. He squeezed her shoulder and smiled.

"So, is Eliza ready for Coney Island?" They laughed and turned to head back into the house.

"When is the car coming to get us?" She asked, as Max closed the front door behind them."

"At five."

"Oh! Then I better go get Eliza ready! Hey, come up with me and let me find Jack some shoes!" She pulled him by the hand and they hurried up the stairs.

After Max put on the dark sneakers Fran recommended, he went to look in the hall closet for some kind of a dark coat he could wear as part of his "Jack" persona. Fran had hurried back to her room to get ready, and Max was really curious about what she was going to look like when she was done. He was really getting a kick out of their little game of acting like they were young again, young and other people. He found an old bomber jacket in the closet he forgot he had- a nice, worn, brown leather jacket. It should be perfect for the chilly night they might face, wandering around Coney Island. He took it out of the closet and brought it downstairs with him.

He hung it over the bannister at the bottom of the stairs, and headed for the couch to sit down for a while as he waited for Fran to finish getting ready. He checked his watch- they still had time before the car would arrive. He turned on the television and tried to find something that might put him in the right mindset- the mindset of a young college student in art school, whose parents were loving and kind and owned a London design firm. The only thing he could find on the TV was MTV, so he left it there and hoped they might play something he was familiar with, or that at least had an interesting video to it.

Fran was touching up her makeup after she changed her clothes for her "Eliza" persona for the outing to Coney Island. She had found a relatively fashionable pair of green khaki coveralls she forgot she had. They weren't technically coveralls, but was a one-piece outfit that buttoned up in front. She added a long-sleeved white cotton shirt and a pair of longjohns under it, then Maggie's black leather studded belt and her tall lace-up canvas high tops. She got out her shiny black waistcoat and tried it on in front of her mirror. She dug the look. Max was gonna flip! And she was lucky that the coat was lined with a thick, soft cotton quilting, so she probably wouldn't have to worry about getting too cold. She opened one of her dresser drawers and dug out a pair of gloves to bring with her, and stuck them in the pockets of her coat. She took off the coat and set it on her bed, then changed out her purse to one that matched her jacket and had a silver chain link as a strap that matched the silver studs on the belt. Lastly, she found a necklace with large red wooden beads on it and put it on. She checked the mirror and grinned, then laughed.

"Oh, Eliza, you devil! Why didn't I ever dress like this before?!" With one last check of her hair, which was pulled back into a French twist, she gathered her purse and coat, shut off her light, and headed downstairs.

She came down the stairs quietly because she heard music playing, and found Max on the couch, watching music videos on TV. He was leaning his elbows onto his knees, either because he was enjoying what he was watching, or he was confused and was trying to figure it out. He must be trying to get into character, she thought. Either way, it was cute. She found his bomber jacket at the bottom of the stairs and picked it up, looking it over.

"You never told me you had a bomber jacket!" She exclaimed, almost startling him and making him get up off the couch. "If I had known, I probably would have swiped it from you!" She set it back down on the bannister, along with her coat and purse, and walked over to him. He was eyeballing her up and down, apparently impressed with her outfit.

"Wow, you look amazing!" He said.

"Thank you! You're not so bad yourself. And I bet you'll be that much better with that bomber jacket on!" He kept looking at her. "What is it? Too much?"

"No, no, not at all. Where did you get this outfit? It's fantastic!"

"Well, it's amazing what you can find if you just dig around for a little while." She turned in a circle so he could see the whole thing. "Oh, my coat is a part of it, too. I thought that finished things off nicely."

Max glanced over at the coats hanging over the bannister. "I'm sure it does. So, uh, Eliza… you might have to let Fran borrow this outfit sometime…"

"Well, now I don't know if I'm talking to Max or to Jack!" She grinned.

"Uh, Jack is speaking up for Max because Max is a bit gobsmacked."

"Well, Max is too old for me so he better watch out!" Max realized what he had said.

"I mean, uh, Max is imagining what Fran would look like in that outfit, which is why he is gobsmacked. And wants Eliza to let her borrow it sometime."

"Well, then, Eliza will take that into consideration," she reached for his arm and they sat down on the couch to wait for the car. "So, Jack, whatcha watchin'?" She elbowed him playfully.

"Uh, oh, I just thought I'd leave it on this. You know, in case they played anything good. Or cool, you know. Something more artistic."

Fran raised her eyebrows and nodded, seeing how he was trying to play the game.

"So, uh, Eliza- this Coney Island thing- I might have to follow your lead since I haven't been there before. What part of it do you want to do first?"

"Well, why don't we do the three biggest things first, and then see if we feel like eating yet after that? I don't think they put any new rides in lately, so that might be like a couple roller coasters, maybe something spinny and fast. Now, we don't have to go on everything, okay? This is supposed to be a fun time, so I don't want either of us hurling at any time, alright?"

Max laughed. "Absolutely! And I think I'm okay with the roller coasters, but anything fast and spinny, I'm not so sure. I might have to watch for a minute or two to make up my mind. But if I chicken out and don't want to go on it, you can still go if you're braver than me. I don't want you missing out on any fun on account of me."

"Well, I feel the same way. If they have some crazy ride that scares the bejeezus out of me, but you think it looks awesome, then you should go on it. And I'll watch it from the safety of outside the fence." They both laughed.

"So how late do you want to stay out?"

"Well, just until we feel like we're done. We don't have to do everything, especially if it's crowded and hard to get on the rides. We can just remember the ones we didn't get to go on, and we can do that the next time we go."

"Cool." Max nodded, and smiled.

They both turned back to watch the videos on the television for a while until they thought they heard a honk outside. They looked at each other, and then jumped off the couch. Max turned off the TV and they hurried over to look out the door. Max waved at the driver and went to grab their coats.

"Oh! I wanted to grab a roll of mints, hang on, I'll be right back!"

"Okay!"

Fran grabbed her jacket and purse and ran to the kitchen to look for a roll of mints, and Max picked up his jacket and began to put it on. Just then, there was a knock on the front door and C.C. pushed it open. "What the devil are you doing here?" Max asked.

"Maxwell! You can't wear that to the party! It's a formal affair! You better hurry up and get changed!" C.C. scolded, putting her hands on her hips.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, now if you don't mind, I'm headed out, so you need to go."

"Maxwell!"

Fran came running back into the room, putting her arm through the sleeve of her coat. She found it much easier to run in Maggie's lace-ups than her usual heels.

"Oh, hey, what are you doing here?" She asked C.C.

"Maxwell and I have a party to go to. What on earth is going on?!" She squealed. Max grabbed Fran's hand, turned off the light, and used Fran to help him shoo C.C. back out the door. Max shut the door behind them and locked it, and they continued bulldozing C.C. out the vestibule door, then shut that.

"Goodbye!" Max yelled, and grabbed Fran's hand again. The driver had the door open for them and they jumped in.

"Have fun at your party!" Fran yelled and waved, then they slammed the car door shut.

"Maxwell! Maxwell!" C.C. yelled after them.

Fran looked out the back window of the towncar and started laughing.

"Oh, she is flipping out! Her jaw is hanging wide open!" Fran said.

"I don't know who the hell that was! Who'd want to go to some party with some old geezer?!" They both laughed.

"Oh, I almost feel bad, poor thing. She's gotta go to some fancy party all by herself. I wonder who this Maxwell person was she was crying about," Fran grinned as she clutched on to Max's arm.

"Some poor old sod, probably told her he didn't want to go to some dumb party but she wouldn't take a hint." They both laughed out loud.

The car headed away from their part of the city, and towards Coney Island as the sky got dark. Fran leaned against Max and he held her hand tightly. They were both excited for their evening out, and neither one was feeling any nervousness at all. Being able to role-play with the characters they had created seemed to have removed all the barriers that may have prevented them from having this kind of a fun night out. And now that they were on their way, neither one wanted to do anything to mess it up. They knew they were going to have a fantastic time together.