Fran was over by the fire as Max came back inside from clearing the snow again. The sky was darkening outside, and the snow was still coming down, but much lighter now. Max took off his boots by the door and was hanging his coat on the bannister when Fran launched a Nerf dart across the room at him.

"Hey!" Max laughed, turning around. Fran was laughing and peeked over at him from near the piano. He ran over to her as she shot a couple darts at him, then grabbed her around the waist as she squealed. He got hold of the Nerf gun and she let him take it from her. "Let me guess, you shot all the darts?"

"Yes!" He dropped the Nerf gun to the floor and picked her up, her arms around his neck, then he tucked his cold face into her neck and she squealed again. "Okay, okay! I give up! I'll make it up to you! Here, come over to the fire and warm up with me."

"Mmmm…" he kissed her neck and her cheek several times, then looked into her eyes. "Okay. But I'll get you back, when you least expect it…"

"Uh oh! Now I gotta watch out for you, all the time…"

"Okay!" He grinned and kissed her on the lips, then set her down. She laughed and pulled him by the hands over to the loveseat. She had turned it to face the fireplace and had the footstool pulled out already.

"Come here, baby, I'll get you warmed up good. How was it outside?" They both sat down on the love seat and got comfortable together.

"I think the snow is tapering off, so that's good. Maybe it'll be warm enough tomorrow to melt it off."

"Did any of the neighbors do any shoveling?"

"Looks like most of it got done. Not too bad out there. But hey, I was wondering- if it's not too bad out there tomorrow, you want to go shopping for party clothes?"

"Really? Do I ever! You mean for your tux, and maybe a gown?"

"Yes. Would you like to do that? Maybe go through the department stores, then we could have lunch together somewhere. A lunch date," he smiled. "Or whatever stores you think might have the nicest things. I'd really like a newer style tuxedo, and someplace that would have a lot of really nice gowns for you to look at. And maybe try on…" he grinned at her.

"Oh yeah! I know lots of places we can go to. But let me think about it a little while, I'll plan a route. And see if I can think of a place where we can have lunch, too. Oh, it's gonna be so much fun!"

Max put his arm over her shoulders and she leaned in to him, then looked up at him and reached for his cheek, gently caressing it to warm it up. Then she grazed his other cheek with the back of her fingers. He reached for her hand and held it to his cheek, then kissed it.

"You warming up a little?" She asked.

"Mmm hmm…" They leaned their foreheads together and closed their eyes. "How are you doing?"

"Good. You make me feel really good, you know? Safe, and comforted," she said.

"Really? I'm glad. You make me feel that way, too. It's really nice to be in love with my best friend."

Fran looked into his eyes and smiled. The reflection of the flames from the fireplace flickered in his eyes. They almost glowed. "It is nice, isn't it? You know, as much as you get me wound up, you can sure make me relax, too. It's nice. Really nice." They kissed each other softly on the lips, slowly, several times. They hugged each other close and watched the flames in the fireplace. Max held her close and kissed the side of her forehead.

"Are you feeling better about what we talked about earlier? Is there anything that might still be bothering you?" Fran thought about it for a moment and took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

"Well, mostly I'm okay. I guess I was still wondering about her, about Ronnie, if things got better for her. I really hope she's okay now. And I was still thinking a bit about how all of that affected me. I know I kind of felt like I had to be tough, and protective. And we all had to figure out how to help her, because she couldn't do it herself. I was remembering how mad I was about it all. And it was making me mad again. I didn't like that. Feeling that. And I'm sure I must have tried putting myself in her shoes, you know? I must have wondered how I would have handled all of that. Part of me thinks that I would have figured it out a lot sooner, that there was something off about him. But then I wonder, he really played her. He knew what to say and do with her so she fell for it. What would somebody have to say and do with me to make me fall the same way?"

"But it didn't happen with you, darling. You're a very good judge of character."

"Well, I'm not so sure about that. It made me wonder if Danny was kind of doing the same things. Telling me what I wanted to hear. Making promises. Leading me on. And making excuses."

"Well, Fran, I don't think that was the same kind of situation. I don't think Danny's a sociopath- he's just a- a…"

"An idiot?"

"I wasn't sure if I should say that."

"Well, sure he's an idiot. But why didn't I stand up to him? Why did I stay, and not just cut my losses and leave so much sooner?" Max was quiet, wondering the same things.

"I don't know. Maybe you were too scared to. You would have lost everything. You'd have to start over. It's one thing to be thrown into that situation, but to voluntarily put yourself in it- that has to be pretty scary, too. You know, I could have lost everything after Sarah died. I was pretty emotionally crippled back then. If Niles and C.C. hadn't been here to cover for me, and scold me enough to get me to get up, get back to work, and provide for the children… I hate to think of what could have happened. That wasn't a situation I would have voluntarily put myself in."

Fran looked at him, then rested her head against his chest. "I'm sorry you went through that. Maybe you're right. I guess a lot of women go through that, having to figure out how they can get out of a bad situation and still be able to take care of themselves. I guess I never really had a plan- a way out. Even if I knew I could go home to my parents, I really didn't want to do that. But you know, now that I think about it, I had my own bank account back then. I really was trying to save some money, but I figured it would be for buying things for an apartment or something, you know? Helping to get us set up in a real home. For a real future. But every time it seemed like I got a little bundle saved, where I might actually be able to use it for something, then Danny would come asking for money. Something happened with the store, or something happened with the van, or paying the bills. He'd bring up how we were a couple and we help each other out. But he wouldn't promise to pay me back unless I made him promise. But he would never pay me back. So I'd start over again, try to save more money. I'm sorry, I don't mean to bring him up so much. It's just- I have this feeling there's something to it, you know? There's a bigger reason why I just caved in all the time. Why I didn't think enough of myself to leave. Something happened to all that self esteem I had before him. I feel like there's something I'm missing. Something else I'm not remembering. And maybe it isn't even him. What if it isn't him?"

Max stroked her shoulders. "I don't know. I suppose you could be right, but darling, you wouldn't be the first woman or girl to be taken advantage of by a male. And maybe you were still in a high school mode with him, and you were ready to grow up, but he never did. He kept acting like a hormonal teenage boy, always keeping an eye out if there was something else he could go after, and not acknowledging how good he already had it. Never satisfied, you know? If it wasn't you he treated that way, it would be somebody else. Women are objects to him- placeholders until he finds the next one, someone gullible but who he might think is better, in whatever way."

"Better?" Fran asked. Something in what he said seemed to stir something in her.

"I don't mean they were actually better, dear, not at all. I just mean, in his mind he thought he should keep looking. Either for his ego, or hormones, or whatever stupid reason it was. Like you said before, he wasn't invested in your relationship the way you were. Maybe it wasn't always like that, but it turned into that. So maybe he just kept going along with things until he ran into that gullible bimbo he could replace you with. And I'm sure he doesn't care any more about her than he did about you."

Fran's thoughts were stewing. Max was probably right. She was a placeholder. Just there until Danny found something better. Better how? Why wasn't she good enough?

"Fran? Are you alright?" Max asked.

"I'm sorry- I was just thinking. Something you said- it's reminding me of something and I'm just trying to figure it out. The self esteem thing- like what might have been making me feel like I wasn't good enough, so I let things go. I didn't give him an ultimatum. I was trying to remember when all the dumb stuff with him started happening. It wasn't right away. We started going out my Senior year. I felt like I was more in charge, you know? I decided where we went and what we did. I was still kind of tough then, still had that group of friends that were kind of tough, so it was a constant reminder to behave like that. But after high school, a lot of people kind of scattered. If they went to college, or found a job somewhere else, or just wanted to get away from their parents or Queens, or both. So it was just me and Val, and Danny. Danny worked at different jobs, and so did I, and I still lived at home, until Danny inherited his uncle's store. His uncle had the same name, so they didn't have to change anything. And nobody else in his family wanted the store. I convinced Danny to take it, that it would be the best way we could get started and make real money, and get out of our parents' houses. Geez- it was my idea! He didn't like the whole bridal thing. But I told him I could handle all that, all the sales stuff out front. I was good at that. He could do the paperwork and orders and deliveries, all that stuff. I thought we were really headed in the right direction. In a great direction."

Max stayed quiet, letting her try to work things out in her mind.

"Sorry, there's a timeline here. Some kind of timeline for when I stopped feeling so tough. It was after he got the store. What happened? That should have made me feel stronger, more confident… but… but…" her face became strained, along with her thoughts. "Bimbos!" She blurted out, then turned to look at Max. "Those bimbos!"

"What? Bimbos?"

"Yeah!" Fran tried to put her thoughts together. "Well, see, back then- the store wasn't so good. Crappy, cheap dresses. And no bridesmaids' dresses. We had to wait a long time until his uncle's estate was settled and some of the debts got paid off, so we kinda had to scramble to find a way to make some sales. So, I made some contacts, made a lot of trades. We had to do a ton of stuff in the store- cleaning, and painting. Val helped me with putting up window displays. Little by little, those first couple of months, we made enough to barely get by. I had some good connections starting. Danny was kind of useless in that department. But- well, we needed better stuff. But not expensive, you know? I mean, we had a wholesaler in Jersey we could get dresses from, the regular stuff, but we needed the nicer dresses, more current. So I made up some business cards and put on my best outfit, and I'd go into the city and see if I could work out any deals with other bridal shops. I had a stack of polaroids of the dresses we had, and I guess I just acted like I knew what I was doing.

"Most of the time, the places weren't interested in doing trades, or selling wholesale, at least not when I first met with them. But sometimes it worked, and it felt so great, you know? So every Monday, when the store was closed, I'd head back in to the city for the next place on the list. Well, it got a lot harder to do. I knew it was just a matter of time, once I had the contacts and could just talk to them on the phone. But, you know, the nicer the shop, sometimes the ruder the people. I couldn't hide where I was from. I'd get those looks, the comments. But I stayed as professional as I could, because I had to."

"People were mean to you? The salespeople?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes the managers. But not so much that I couldn't handle it. I'd just write in my book that they were rude and I might not leave a business card with them, and wait until maybe they got a new manager or something before I went back. But I remember one time I went to this one shop, I think it was on Lexington, or right off of it. It was a really nice shop. Lots of modern looks. Some of the stuff was pretty expensive. So I go in and asked to see the manager, and while I was waiting and looking around, there were these two girls there. Total bimbos. They looked like they were trying too hard to look like Madonna or something. They kept looking over at me, then giggling. Not super obvious, but it made me feel a little awkward, and nervous. Did you ever see Pretty Woman?" She asked. Max nodded. "It was like when she went into those stores, and the saleslady was rude to her. She wasn't good enough to be in there. It was making me feel like that. But I had to be tough and be professional and not let it get to me. So, when I was waiting, one of the girls comes over to me and starts asking questions, like was I getting married, what was I doing there, where was I from. I thought maybe they were salesgirls. But then the first girl I talked to came back out with the manager, and I realized those other girls were just customers. I mean, at least the manager was a nice woman. So I made my pitches, and I kinda embellished things a bit, of course. My business card didn't say I worked for Danny's shop, I said I was a buyer, that I had potential customers in all five boroughs, and that my warehouse space was in Queens. I said things like the bulk wholesaling was already in place, but that we were interested in moving the nicer pieces too, at all ranges of prices. Slightly older styles might not move so fast in the rich part of the city, but they would be snatched up further away from the city if the price was right. So if we could work out some deals, I could free up some space in their shops and get the inventory moving, and everybody would be making a profit.

"Wow. You did all that yourself? I'm impressed, Fran!"

"Well, it wasn't easy. Not at all. I'd usually puff it all up like that, and then would say if they would just like to try moving one dress, and if I had something they might be interested in, then we could work out a deal. If I noticed a certain material or style in their collection, then I'd show them the polaroids I had of dresses that were a little similar. So, I remember this place had some sleek, simple dresses that looked like they had some embellishments added to them, like the trains, or something around the waist or bodice. So I showed her a few we had, and pointed out the ones she had on display. I guess she was impressed that I figured out they were embellished. It was something they did themselves, in the shop. They could tailor those things to what the customer wanted. I was pretty good at coming up with ideas on the spot, so I mentioned a few to her. We actually talked for a while, but those other girls were still there, still giving me looks. I wondered if I had toilet paper on my heel, or a horn growing out of my head or something. I thought I looked good, and the manager didn't treat me rudely. So we made a deal, two of her dresses in sizes that I needed, they were two that weren't selling- for three of our sleeker, basic dresses that they could embellish, in sizes that she needed. We picked out the two I was taking and worked out all the paperwork and invoices, and I gave her my card. I was so pumped up and excited! I gave her ideas and possible future business, and she gave me a few leads. And the salesgirl went to get a garment bag to put the dresses in, and I shook the manager's hand and thanked her, and was gonna have Danny deliver the dresses to her. So she goes back to her office, and when I was waiting for the salesgirl to come back out, the girls come back over and they get worse, asking about Queens and why was I in the city, why would I be doing business with that shop, or even trying to. Maybe they should take their business elsewhere if I was pawning inferior products there, and how I should stick to doing business in Queens because I'd never make it in the city. It was humiliating, and I couldn't say anything. I just stood there and smiled, and tried to look them over the same way they did to me. Their outfits weren't so great. If they had said that to me in my neighborhood, I would have torn them to shreds. But I just had to take it, and try to ignore it. But I was already so nervous from everything. It was my biggest success so far, and I was sure I was gonna be doing more business with that shop. So the girls get all snippy and condescending, then they left the same time the salesgirl comes back. I think she knew something was up, maybe they were rude to her, too, or maybe she heard something. But she helps me with the dresses, and I was as nice to her as I could be. So except for those rude bimbos, everything seemed to go fantastically. But I was so drained! I was supposed to go to another shop, too, but I couldn't. And I had to take the subway and two buses all the way back, with these two gorgeous dresses I had to carry with me. I couldn't afford to take a cab."

"My goodness, Fran. So what happened? Did you get back alright?"

"Eventually. I think that was the worst subway ride I ever had. I should have felt fantastic, but I was terrified. I felt like a fraud holding those dresses, and after being humiliated like that… I thought that if anybody messed with me on the way back, I might lose it and lash out. But I didn't. I was scared. It was like being responsible for thousands of dollars of somebody else's money- and I had to get it through public transportation! I mean, we didn't pay full price for them, because part of it was based on a trade. But if we sold them and made what they were worth, that would be the biggest sale the shop ever made. It scared Danny, too, when I showed him. And I wouldn't let him deliver the other dresses with the shop van, I made him borrow his brother's new panel van, and made him go first thing in the morning. I even made him wear a delivery uniform, white pants and a white jacket. I wanted to make the best impression we could. God, that was scary!"

Max smiled at her, proud of her even though it was something that happened a long time ago. "I'm scared to ask- were you able to sell the dresses?" He asked. Fran smiled and nodded.

"I was so stressed out until we did. I wasn't sure I wanted to go through that again. Or go back into the city to do that again."

"So those women, they really got to you, didn't they?"

"I guess so. Yeah. The bimbos. You know, I don't think it was so much what they said to me that got to me, I mean- maybe it did, a little, but maybe it was more that situation- I was trying to earn a living, and they were publicly humiliating me. I know nobody seemed to be there to hear it, but what if somebody did? And all of that other stuff, it just made me feel like a real fraud. Almost like I was stealing those dresses, and lying to people. I was sort of lying. Embellishing. A lot. I guess I kind of felt like maybe I should just go back to Queens, and stay there. I couldn't handle the pressure of the city. Who did I think I was, trying to make something of myself?" Max hugged her and rested his head against her.

"You were just doing what you were good at, darling. And you were really good at it, too. You are good at it. That sort of perseverance and business acumen has been going on for centuries. You did what you had to do to save that business. You do realize that you did save it, don't you? When you were faced with a scary situation, something really important, all of your skills and wherewithal, and resilience, it all kicked in to get the job done. It happened with Ronnie, it happened with the bridal shop. And it's what got you here, sweetheart. You belong here. And you belong anywhere you want to be. Don't ever let anybody try to convince you otherwise. That kind of prejudice has more to do with them than it has to do with you." Fran got tears in her eyes and hugged him. "And darling," he touched her chin and turned her face towards his. "I'm incredibly sorry for behaving that way towards you myself, even if I didn't realize I was doing it. I was raised in that kind of environment, and I never intended to be that way. I know that you challenged me a lot, and maybe I saw that that sort of thing might keep you at a distance, which was what I felt I needed to do- to keep you at a distance. It was immature of me, and hurtful to you. If my behaving that way added to you feeling insecure, I'm sorry. I'm incredibly sorry. I don't ever want to do that again. Not to you, not to anyone. You're a wonderful woman, Fran. An incredible woman. I don't want you to feel insecure. Look at all you've accomplished. Not the least of which was saving this family, and becoming a part of it. You can do anything you set your mind to. And I have no doubt that you've barely scratched the surface of what you'll accomplish in your life. I just want to be there with you to see it all."

Now Fran really was crying. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her close, comforting her.

"People sure can be mean sometimes, but you're wonderful, darling. And you're loved. So much. By an awful lot of people, including me. And I'd do anything for you. I really would. I love you, Fran." He wiped a few tears from her cheek and kissed her.

"I love you, Max! I love you and the kids so much!" She kissed his cheek and his lips again and again and they nuzzled into each other, not letting each other go. Max stroked her back and closed his eyes. He felt so much emotion for her that he thought he might get teary-eyed, too. She slid her arms down and wrapped them around his waist, rested her head against his chest, and they settled deep into the loveseat, holding on to each other tightly.

Max kissed her hair and let her tears soak into his shirt. He felt her sobs settle down and she wiped the last of her tears from her cheek. He kissed her forehead and ran his hand back and forth over her shoulders.

"You alright?" He asked softly.

"Mmm hmm. Sorry, I didn't know I had all that in me- that I'd been carrying all that for so long and didn't even know it."

"Don't be sorry, sweetheart. Does it feel better talking about it all?"

"Well, I guess it does. Yeah. Maybe I really did need to deal with all of that. I knew I had some issues, but I didn't think they were that big of a deal. It seems so silly, being bothered by what other people thought of me. People I didn't even know. But I suppose we've all talked about other people like that, not being very nice. I just hope I never hurt anybody's feelings that way, you know, in a way that maybe might have set them on a bad path."

"I know. I feel the same way. And I know you can be sensitive at times, and tough, too. You like to be a part of things, for people to like you, and to be able to help them. When somebody comes at you like that, for no reason, and acts like they have the right to dictate what you should do in your life, or not do, or that you aren't good enough, just because they think where you're from is 'less than,' well, that person is pretty horrible. And they have way more issues than you ever could. And you know something else- you really took a huge step by doing all of that, taking such a risk, trying something really brave. And you were successful at it. That day- and maybe you had others like that, too- where you were at both ends of the spectrum, having a big success and then almost a crippling fear, or even having both happiness and humiliation- it affected you. Maybe the two extremes were too much for you to keep going through, so you backed off a little bit. If the business was doing well enough, you didn't have to go into the city so much, or at all. I'm sure you must have even turned some things over to Danny to handle. But I'm assuming you never got the credit you deserved for what you did. He kept the business in his name, right?" Fran nodded. "But still, you had a job, a place to live, a relationship. Those were the things we're all taught are the things to strive for. I know you more than hinted at him for a commitment, and a real commitment from him would have meant that you would have shared in the credit and the profit from the business. Maybe he knew that much. I'm sure he did. But you both weren't on the same page. You wanted some certainty. You needed it. You needed to know where you stood. But maybe something in you knew that if you rocked the boat, all of that would end. If you asked the question, then you'd get the answer you didn't want. Like investing all that time in the business, and investing all that time in the relationship, you expect it to succeed. But sometimes it doesn't. But at the same time, you were actually investing in yourself- seeing what you could do, seeing what you were capable of. So when all of that was over- what did you do? You picked yourself up, brought yourself all the way to Park Avenue, and took a job you had no way of knowing even existed beforehand. And we had no way of knowing you even existed. And now you're ours. And I truly hope you've finally found what you wanted all along, right here, with us. With me."

Fran smiled and reached up to caress his cheek. "I sure did, sweetie! I sure did!" They kissed each other softly, then more deeply. They gave each other their tongues, and wrapped their arms tightly around each other. Their deep kiss tapered into soft, loving kisses, back and forth across each other's lips, then they rested their foreheads together. "I love you, baby… I love you so much!" She whispered.

"I love you, my darling. And I'm so in love with you, I think my heart might burst…" he clutched the side of her face and kissed her softly again.

"Baby! Don't let that happen! I'm so in love with you, too! So in love!" She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose, then each cheek, his chin, then his lips again

"Mmmm…" he sighed. "Then would it be alright if I asked you to stay with me tonight, Fran?" They looked into each other's eyes, and Fran saw the reflection of the flames from the fireplace flickering in his eyes again. There was such a happiness in his eyes, and love, like she'd never seen before. She couldn't get enough of it. She nodded her head and smiled.

"I'd love to stay with you tonight, Max." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, and he kissed hers, and buried his face into her neck. He felt like he couldn't hug her tight enough. He stroked her hair and pressed his lips against her neck.

"Mmmmm…" he sighed. "You make me so happy, Fran."

"God, Max, you make me so happy, too! Truly happy. Genuinely happy. And it's all real, not some fantasy I'm making up in my head."

"It is real, Fran. I want you with me. With us. From now on. I'll keep doing whatever I can to keep you happy. I love seeing you smile, and laugh. And be silly with me, playing around. You're so much fun, Fran. You really are. And that's exactly what we need here. What I need. I know it's just the beginning of all the good times we're going to have together."

"Yeah… we're gonna have some really good times together. I just know it!" They both leaned away from each other and looked into each other's eyes. Fran caressed his cheek and they kissed again. "Oh, my gosh, I must be a mess! All this crying and everything!"

"You're beautiful, darling! Don't worry about that."

"Oh Max, just humor me for a little bit. I'm still self conscious in front of you. I need to go upstairs and fix myself."

"Well, hey, why don't we both go up there? I can dig out that dart board. Maybe we can make some space in the attic to put it up, play a few games before we decide on dinner and movies?"

Fran wiped her cheeks and below her eyes. "The dartboard? Sure. Yeah, we can do that. Yes, let's go up and do that! And maybe we can check the videos the kids have and see if they have something we could watch. Brighton has a lot of comedies on his shelf."

"Alright. That sounds good. Oh, and does he still have those darts you mentioned before?" Max grinned, and Fran laughed.

"He probably does, but we should be careful where we go looking for them."

"Oh. True. Well, I'm sure we'll find some somewhere. Here, let me help you up, and we can move this loveseat back." Max got up and pushed the footstool under the loveseat, then took Fran's hands and pulled her up. They moved the loveseat back out of the way, then wrapped their arms around each other as they headed for the stairs.