Friends and Lovers

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning, Niles and C.C. went all out preparing breakfast for the family. They made waffles, eggs, fresh fruit, home fries, bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Niles was impressed by her culinary skills; this woman was truly amazing. During breakfast, the family discussed the plans for the day, including wedding shopping, lunch and a movie.

"Cool, but the girls always ruin the movie because they get bored and start talking."

"That's why we're leaving the girls home with Uncle Niles and Aunt C.C today, My Darlings."

"Really? Niles never watches the little ones."

"Well, Aunt C.C. loves taking care of you children, so you go to your movie and shopping and let me take care of Niles."

"Thanks, C.C., we love our little sisters and everything, but sometimes they can be such a pain."

"My sister used to say that about me."

Fran laughed. "Nay used to say it about me. Wait, she still DOES say that!"

"Aunt Nay thinks you're a pain?"

"All big sisters thing their little sisters are a pain. Someday, Irene will even get on Grace's nerves."

"Yeah, like THAT'LL happen. Those two are like twins!"

"Oh, like you and Brighton aren't."

"Maggie, that's enough. This is supposed to be a fun day, let's not start it with a fight. Niles and C.C. got up early to make us this nice breakfast, let's not spoil it."

"C.C. didn't wake you up when she got up?"

"No, Honey, only you kids wake me up in the morning." She smiled and took a bite of waffle. "You made these, didn't you, Ceece?"

"What's wrong with them?"

She laughed. "Not a thing! They just taste different than the ones Niles usually makes."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Stop sounding so paranoid! Geesh, they taste great!"

"They certainly do, C.C., I normally don't eat waffles, and I'm on my second one."

"Well, we wanted to get you a good breakfast, since you'd be out running around all day."

"Such a mother hen you've become!"

"May we be excused?"

Fran looked at the boys plates. "Sure, go brush your teeth, and get your jackets."

"Me, too?"

"Sure, Maggie, same thing goes for you."

"More, please?"

"Irene Catherine Sheffield, you just never get full do you?" Max smiled at his daughter.

"Sheffield?"

"It's time she gets used to hearing it. I wanted to try it out, see how it sounds."

"And?"

"It sounds wonderful."

"Ree Sheffield." The toddler giggled. "Racy Sheffield"

"That's right, Baby, you are Ree and Racy Sheffield." Fran quickly wiped away the tears that formed in her eyes.

"Second thoughts?"

"No, never. It just sounds so perfect…so right."

"If you ask me, that's how it should have been in the first place. Yeah, I know, Sarah was my friend, but so are you and Fran. I'm still so angry at her for all this. BOTH those girls should have been YOURS."

"We're taking care of that, C.C., both girls ARE mine."

"You know what I mean, Maxwell."

"C.C., Grace is four, please be careful."

"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Fran. I didn't even think."

Fran reached over and hugged her friend. "It's O.K., really. Are you gonna be all right today?"

"I'll be just fine, don't worry. Go shopping, have fun. The girls and I will draw you some beautiful pictures while you're gone."

"If you're sure, Sweetie. I'm going to go get dressed, then. Honey, can you handle the girls?"

"I'll stay in here and help him, Frannie."

An hour later, they were at the mall, picking out a dress, and then found some perfect decorations. After a quick lunch, it was time for the movies. "I hope the girls are behaving for Niles and C.C., Honey."

"Francine, the girls are fine."

"I'm sure they are, I just miss them is all."

"Let's enjoy the afternoon with our three other children, shall we?"

She nodded and hugged him close as they entered the theater.

After putting the girls down for their naps, Niles and C.C. were cleaning up after lunch.

"What's that?"

"What's what?

"I think it's Irene, listen." They stopped what they were doing. "That's her, I'm going to go up and get her before she wakes Grace up." C.C. hurried up the back stairs and found Irene crying in bed.

"Want Daddy."

"Oh, Honey, Daddy isn't here."

"Want Mommy."

Oh, Dear God. "Honey, Mommy and Daddy are out shopping." She picked up the child who had started crying louder. "Come on, Baby, let's go downstairs and see what Niles is doing."

"Where the boys?"

"They're with Mommy and Daddy."

"Where Maggie?"

"She's with Mommy and Daddy, too, Angel."

"Ree wanna go, too."

"How about you and I color a pretty picture for Mommy?"

"Where Niyals?"

"He's in the kitchen; you want to go see him?" She carried the toddler into the kitchen. "Well, you're her fifth choice, but the good news, is I'm sixth."

"What's wrong, Ree?"

"Hurts." She pulled at her ear.

"All right, let me get your medicine." He pulled the bottle out and gave the child a dose of her pain medication. "Why don't you take her in and turn on the television. She can lie on the sofa until the medication kicks in."

"Want Fraggles."

"Niles, what are Fraggles, again?"

Fraggle Rock, it's on PBS. They're sort of like Muppets. I'm not sure if it's on right now, though."

"I'll see if I can find it." She shifted the child on her hip and carried her into the living room. Flipping the channels, she found PBS, and luckily, the Fraggles. Niles came in carrying a coloring book and a box of crayons.

"Here, let's try this. She can color and watch television, and hopefully fall back to sleep. I was hoping for a little nap myself." He moved the child to the table and helped her start to draw, then settled down on the sofa next to C.C.. He reached over, took her hand in his, and began playing with her fingers. He slowly ran his fingers up her arm, into her hair, curling it around his fingers, and then pulled her gently toward him, and began nuzzling her ear. She closed her eyes as he nibbled on her earlobe, and then caressed it with his tongue. She longed to feel his lips on hers again, and turned her head to meet his mouth. The kiss was soft and gentle. She looked down to see if Irene was paying attention to them or to the television.

"Where's the baby?" She looked around the room. "Niles, she's GONE!" She jumped from the sofa and ran to the front door. "The deadbolt is still locked, she didn't go outside."

"She went this way, C.C., toward the kitchen."

"The back door!" She ran to the sound of his voice and saw him staring at the wall.

"Do you have any idea how hard it will be to get that crayon off the walls?" She looked at the walls on both sides of the hallway. It looked like Irene had crayons in both hands, and ran them along the walls as she walked. Her balance must still be off, she moved from one side of the hall to the other.

"Do you have any idea how hard it will be to explain to Fran and Maxwell how we let their baby get out of the house? Is the deadbolt locked on the back door?" She hurried for the kitchen with Niles hot on her heels, still shaking his head at the amount of crayon on the walls. As she entered the kitchen, she came to a dead stop. Niles slammed into her as he ran into the kitchen. "I found her."

"I see that."

"Irene Catherine, what are you doing?"

"Ree Cat Sheffield hungry." She had pulled three drawers out and made stairs, then climbed up to where her mother stashed the Entemann's. She was sitting on the floor, shoving the coffee cake into her mouth with both hands.

"Honey, you know your mother doesn't like you to eat all that sugar! Give Auntie C.C. the cake."

"NO, REE cake!"

"Irene, give me the cake right now."

"Just take it C.C.."

"She'll scream, Niles."

"Then she'll scream, just take the damn cake from her." C.C. bent over and pulled the cake from the toddler.

"Noooooo! MIIIIINE!"

She looked at Niles. "Time out?" He nodded.

"That is quite enough out of you, young lady, it's time for your time out chair."

"No, Aunt C., I good girl. Want Racy."

"Grace is taking her nap, which is where YOU should be."

"Want Fraggles." C.C. looked at the clock. "Honey, you missed the Fraggles, you were too busy coloring on the walls."

"Make picture Mommy Daddy."

"Yes, Baby, let's go into the living room." She took the child by the hand and let her down the hall, where Niles was kneeling, still frowning at the colored walls.

"Niyals, ya O.K.?"

"Yes, child, I'm fine."

"Ya sure?"

He smiled. You simply could NOT stay angry with this child. "Yes, Baby Girl, I'm sure."

"Sorry, Niyals." She threw her arms around him. "Love you."

He hugged her tightly and stood up. "I love you, too, Reenie." He rocked her slowly as he carried her to the living room. She laid her head on his shoulder and allowed him to rock her to sleep. "She's out, I'm going to take her up and put her to bed now." He carried her upstairs and placed her in her bed, the gently covered her. He brushed her dark curls out of her face. How she looked like her mother. Max and the boys would have their hands full keeping the boys away from this one. He reached over and replaced the covers that Grace had kicked off, then closed the door and returned to the living room.

"What are we going to tell Maxwell?"

"I suppose the truth. The appraiser's supposed to be here tomorrow. I'd better figure out a way to get that crayon off before then."

"She had to draw on the wallpaper, didn't she? He sat next to her on the sofa.

"I suppose I asked for it. She's as mischievous as Brighton was at that age. I should never have taken my eyes off of her for a second."

"We're actually lucky she was hungry. I don't even want to THINK what could've happened if she'd gone out the door. You were great with her, you know. I can't believe you rocked her to sleep."

"I used to rock Maggie and Brighton to sleep when they were that age."

"What about Gracie?"

"Mrs. Sheffield was always very protective of that one. Then after she died, it was Miss Fine who took over mothering the children."

"It's amazing that it took them two years to find their way back to each other."

"Yes, it is, especially considering the fact that the children were still shuffled from one house to the other on a regular basis."

"They took care of the children's needs, but forgot about themselves."

"I suppose a lot of guilt was involved; guilt over their past relationship, guilt over their almost failed marriages, guilt over being the surviving spouse. Suppose it was Miss Fine who went to the market that day, and I took Mr. Sheffield instead of his wife."

"Maybe nothing would have happened. They would have stood in the store and chatted a bit, probably just long enough for that drunk driver to pass by, then they would have gone home and told their spouse about the accident they saw."

"That's exactly my point. If Miss Fine had gone to the store, she would have taken the baby. She would've taken longer to shop, since the baby was teething and extremely fussy that day. Mr. Sheffield would have wanted to see the baby, play with her, and try to make her feel better. Miss Fine's marriage was still rocky at the time of her husband's death; can you imagine what she went through?"

"She told me that she totally blamed herself. She hated her life, hated her marriage, was hurt that Maxwell had reconciled with Sarah, and had gone on with his life without her. Then, in the blink of an eye, the two barriers to her happiness are gone. Max went through the same thing. He missed Fran, but still loved Sarah. He saw Fran trying to make the best of her marriage, then saw her pregnant. He actually felt like she'd betrayed him. He never knew…sorry, Niles that's something that Fran doesn't want anyone else to know."

"I understand. I've actually overheard just enough to know what happened. If Mr. Sheffield had known about it at the time, I think he would have strangled Tony with his bare hands."

C.C. laid her head on Niles shoulder. "He would have had to stand in line. I can't believe she stayed married to that animal. I know she loves her kids more than anything, but sometimes they can be a curse as much as a blessing. Oh, don't look at me like that. O.K., look at Tony. He used those kids to keep Fran with him. She left with the boy, and he went after her and took his son away from her. She only went back so she could be with her child. Then after she had Reenie, she was totally trapped. I don't ever want to be in a relationship like that."

He put his arms around her and held her close. "Neither do I." He kissed her head. "You deserve someone who will care for you, respect you, be faithful to you, who thinks you are the most amazing woman he has ever seen in his life."

"You know someone like that?"

"You'd better believe it." He kissed her softly, and then the kiss became more demanding. He leaned back on the sofa and pulled her on top of him.

"Shut UP, Brighton!"

"But, Maggie…."

"You, too, Mikey. You both are such little trolls!"

"Roll onto the floor, quick, they're home." Niles moved quickly from under C.C., rolled onto the floor, and reached for the remote. He clicked on the television and flipped the channels.

"There, right there."

"You're kidding. An Affair to Remember?"

"Shh…this is the good part."

"All three of you up to your rooms, now. Not another word, you'll wake the girls."

Niles scrambled up to take their coats. "Rough day shopping, sir?"

"The shopping was fine; there are quite a few packages in the Rover to unload. It wasn't until the movie that the boys decided to start tormenting Maggie. By the time the movie was over, they were screaming at each other. I tell you, Niles, we'd have had less trouble with the little ones. They're still napping, aren't they?"

"Yes, sir. Miss Irene had a bad afternoon, though. She was complaining about her ear hurting. I gave her some medicine and let her draw for a while."

"Oh, let me see her art work."

"Oh, my GOD! Max, you'd better come look at this!"

"I think Miss Fine just found it, Sir."

Fran was standing in the hall with her hands pressed to her cheeks. Max walked over to look. "NILES!"

"We just turned our backs for a second, Sir. When we looked back, she was gone, and our first priority was to check the front door. In the meantime, she made her way into the kitchen and helped herself to Miss Fine's coffee cake."

"That was on a high shelf!"

"Yes, right above the drawers. Do you know that drawers make an excellent staircase?"

"Uh, yes!"

"Well, now so do we!"

"Frannie, I'm so sorry, we only turned our backs for a second. We were on the sofa, and she was right there with us."

"I know, C.C., she's really quick. She was probably sitting there just waiting for an opening."

"So, Niles, any ideas about fixing this before the appraisers see it?"

"Well, sir, I can try 409, but if it's not going to come off, I'll have to hire a contractor to replace the wallpaper."

"Was she punished?" Niles and C.C. looked at each other. "Well? Was she punished for writing on the walls and climbing the cabinets?"

"Not really, Maxwell, she fell asleep. I was taking her for a time out, and she stopped to apologize to Niles. He picked her up to hug her, and she fell asleep while he was carrying her into her room. Maxwell, she's only a baby."

"She's almost three years old, and she knows better than to draw on the walls." He looked over at Fran. "Do we do something when she wakes up?"

"Absolutely. Give her a wet cloth and make her try to clean it. You're right, she DOES know better. I don't know what's gotten into her lately. It must be a full moon or something; all the kids have been acting up."

"Why don't you go up and get into the Jacuzzi, Darling, you've had a long day."

"Mmm, that sounds wonderful." She winked at batted her eyes playfully at him. "Why don't I send the kids downstairs to watch a movie?"

"Maxwell, you look a bit tired yourself. Why don't you go upstairs and rest and I'll watch a movie with the kids while you relax?"

"Thank you, C.C., I could use a short nap myself." He took Fran by the hand and led her upstairs. "I'll run the bath, you send the children downstairs, and I'll meet you in the tub in five minutes."

"Oh, you're taking a bath WITH me, are you?" She ran her fingers up his arms to his shoulders.

He pulled her close. "Can you think of a better way to relax?"

"Not at the moment." She kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too, My Darling. Would you like a glass of wine with your bath?"

"I'd better not; I'd probably fall right asleep. Let me go chase the kids downstairs, you get that bath ready."

She hurried down the hall, gathered the three older children, and herded them down the back stairs. When she entered the master bedroom, the smell of lavender greeted her. "Mmm, when did we get this?"

"I picked it up this afternoon while you were looking at dresses with Maggie."

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises? Thanks, Honey, that was really thoughtful. You do know you're going to smell like lavender, too, don't you?"

"I figure it's worth it to be able to relax in the tub with my almost wife for a while. I can shower it off later." He stepped closer to her and began loosening her clothing, then removing it piece by piece. He carefully helped her into the tub, then undressed and slipped in behind her. She leaned back against him as he slowly began running the sponge along her body.

"This feels so good, Max."

"Lean forward so I can get your back." As she moved forward, he massaged the muscles in her back with one hand as he moved the sponge over her with the other. She moaned with pleasure as he felt the tension melting out of her body. He pulled her back against him and held her close.

"A girl could get used to this, ya know."

"Then it's a good thing the new place has three of these, isn't it?

"It sure is! I really hope we get that house; the kids will be really disappointed if we don't.

I'm sure we will, Darling. I made a generous enough offer, I'm sure they will accept it fairly quickly."

"So if they accept, how long until we move?"

"It depends on the escrow. It could be as short as a month, or as long as three months."

"I suppose I should start packing up the other house, then. It'll take me the two weeks we've got before the wedding to get everything over here."

"Just bring over what you and the children absolutely need. I think you should plan on staying here from now on. That way the children aren't being shuttled back and forth, and you can start closing up the other house and getting it on the market."

"I suppose you're right. It makes sense to be together while we're trying to arrange the wedding, and the children really need the stability. That might have been the problem today, it's Sunday, and they're anticipating being separated again."

"I'm so happy the children are so close. I'm also happy that they're looking forward to another addition to our family." He trailed kisses from her ear to her shoulder. "What do you say we work on that addition right now?"

She turned around and straddled his lap. "You read my mind." They made love in the tub, before moving into the bedroom for a second round. Afterwards, they held each other close, and listened to the sounds of their youngest waking up. "Oy, she sounds like she's in a good mood."

"Niles DID say her ear was bothering her."

"More like she knows she's in trouble for her art work and is trying to gain some sympathy!" She kissed him before getting out of bed and donning her robe.

"Where's your white one? The one with the colorful flowers?"

"I gave that one to C.C.. She was always borrowing it, so I let her have it."

"That was nice."

"If you'd seen what I saw today, you'd understand WHY I gave it to her. Nice had nothing to do with it." She giggled. "You'd better get dressed; you know what that child's first words are gonna be when I get her up."

"Daaaaadeeeeee"

"There ya go, I didn't even have to get her up. I'll be right back."

Max got up and pulled a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt on while Fran retrieved their youngest children. "Here ya go, Baby, here's your Daddy." She deposited Irene on the bed, and then helped Grace climb up on to the bed. Both girls immediately began jumping on Max and covering him with hugs and kisses.

"Irene Catherine Sheffield, did you color on the walls today?"

"Uh-huh. Ear hurts, Daddy."

"Why did you color on the walls?"

"Want Mommy cake. Hungry."

"You are going to help Niles clean your mess, Young Lady."

"I didn't do it, Daddy."

"I know you didn't, Gracie. Irene is our little artist."

"It happens."

"What happens?"

"Messes and stuff. Niles will clean it up."

"Unbelievable. Come downstairs with me, you two. I want you both to see this." He climbed out of bed, scooped up Irene, and took Grace by the hand. He took them both to the hallway and showed them how hard Niles was working to clean the crayon off the wall. "What do you have to say for yourself, Irene?"

"I don't believable, Daddy!"

Niles looked up and snickered. "What did she just say?"

Fran was behind them, stifling a giggle. "I think it was a cross between unbelievable and I don't believe it."

"You're not helping, Sweetheart."

"Sorry, Honey, it was just so precious."

Max turned his head to hide a grin. "It was, wasn't it? That's beside the point. Irene, you help Niles clean this mess."

"Ear hurts, Daddy." She started to cry and reached for Max.

"It was fine a minute ago when you were jumping on the bed. You pick up that rag and start helping right now."

"NO! Want Mommy!" She pulled away from Max and ran to her mother.

"Oh-ho-ho-NO you don't, Baby Sista. You suck in that lip and help Niles, NOW."

Irene looked at the stern faces of her parents. She walked over to Niles and hugged him, and then picked up the rag and started to wipe at the walls.

Fran looked at Grace who was now giggling at her sister. "All RIGHT, Little Sister, what's so funny?"

"Reenie's cleaning."

"Do you want to help her clean?"

"No, Mommy."

"Then you get your little touchas into the living room and watch television with your sister and your brothers."

"O.K., Mommy." She turned and headed out of the hall toward the living room. Her sister began to cry.

"No, Racy, don't go see boys."

"O.K., Reenie, I'll help you. You're a very bad baby to make a mess."

"Uh-huh. Love you, Racy." She hugged her sister.

"Love you more, Baby Sista. I'll help Reenie, Mommy. Don't cry, Reenie, I'll stay with you."

Fran put her arm around Max and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I think I'm gonna need to relax again later."

"I was thinking the same thing. It's a good thing it's a school night."

"Uh, Sweetie, I don't know how to tell you this, but tomorrow's a holiday."

"No! What holiday?"

"President's Day, Honey. Remember all the sales we found today because of the holiday weekend?"

"I think I'll be working at the theater all day tomorrow. I could use an assistant, care to come help?"

"What about the kids?"

"That's what we have a nanny for, Darling. Come to the theater with me, it'll do you good to get away from the kids for a day."

"All right, you've got yourself an assistant. What will I have to do?"

"Let's see, nap on my office sofa, make phone calls regarding our wedding, talk to the Realtors, nap on the sofa, take the boss to lunch, nap on the sofa, help the boss relax, nap on the sofa…"

"Gee, ya think maybe I'm over qualified?"

"I think you're the perfect woman for the position."

"Flatterer." She kissed him gently, and then moved toward the living room. "Let's go see what the other kids are up to. Yell if these two give you trouble, Niles. Irene, Grace, you listen to Niles."

"Kay, Mommy." Irene never looked up as she wiped the wall with the cloth.

They walked into the living room where the children were watching a movie. "Where's C.C.?"

"She's in the kitchen making us popcorn."

"It's a little close to dinner for that isn't it."

"Awww…Mom!"

"Michael James, I am NOT in the mood for an argument. I'll go see if I can stop the popcorn." She hurried into the kitchen to try to stop C.C., but the appetizing aroma of the popping corn met her as she hit the dining room.

"Is it too late to put that on hold till after dinner?"

"Ooh, is it too close to dinner for this? Sorry, Fran, I didn't even think about that."

"No problem, we can make more after dinner. Niles IS cooking dinner isn't he?"

"Mmm-hmm, his pot roast and vegetables are in the oven."

"I guess I can make a salad since he's busy scrubbing my little artist's work off the walls."

"Fran, I can't tell you how sorry I am. Not just about the walls, but for not paying attention to her. Niles was…well, distracting me a bit, and I closed my eyes for just a few seconds."

"She was probably waiting for a chance to make her break." Fran laughed. She's a very sneaky child."

"She wouldn't have gotten so far in here, but all I could think of was the front door. The time she almost got hit by that car flashed through my brain…I never considered she'd head for the kitchen."

"I'll just have to start hiding my coffee cake in a safer spot." She walked over to the refrigerator and started pulling out vegetables. She grinned at her friend. "We DO have salad dressing left don't we?"

"What is the statute of limitations on that one?"

"Oh, I'd say ten years or so…or until you catch ME in an embarrassing situation."

"Oh, right, you and Maxwell doing something embarrassing, now THAT'S a laugh."

Fran grabbed a bowl and started tossing in the lettuce while C.C. started chopping the vegetables. "What can I do to help with the wedding plans?"

"You can keep Maxwell out of the theater as it gets closer to the wedding. He's planning on hiding there tomorrow, and wants me there with him."

"Well, Denise can stay here with the kids, and you can make all your phone calls from the office."

"I guess so; I really feel guilty about deserting the kids, though."

"Frannie, you're planning your wedding, you're selling your home, you're buying a new house, and you're adopting three adorable children…anything else? You need some time away from this house."

"You forgot waiting for the lab tests for Grace, and going to the doctor for this nausea and fatigue."

"You're just under a lot of stress. After the wedding, you'll be just fine." She tossed the vegetables into the bowl.

"I hope you're right." Fran sighed deeply. The last time she felt like this was just over three years ago…when she became pregnant with Irene. She made a mental note to get to the doctor after the wedding. The timer on the stove snapped her back to the present. "I guess dinner's ready. I'll go let Niles know." She walked back into the hallway where Niles and the girls were still scrubbing the artwork off the walls. "The timer went off on the stove; is there anything special I need to do?"

"There are some rolls in the refrigerator that need to go into the oven when the roast comes out. I'll come get that; I could really use a break from this wall. Your daughter can really draw. She had to pick red and blue, didn't she? If she'd picked yellow, I could have blended it into the wallpaper."

"Sorry, Niles. Why don't you just rest a few minutes? C.C. and I made a salad, and I'm sure I can figure out how to put rolls in the oven. I'll have C.C. bring you a nice cup of tea, how's that?"

"That would actually be very nice. I don't think Mr. Sheffield would appreciate it, though."

"You go into the living room and relax. You tell Maxwell that I sent you."

"Yes, Ma'am." He patted the girls on the head as he made his way into the living room.

"Ree, Gracie, come with Mommy into the kitchen. We'll make Niles some tea." The girls followed her into the kitchen. She pulled out a box of crayons and some paper from the drawer. "Draw on the paper ONLY, Baby Sis. Grace, you show her how to do it."

"O.K., Mommy"

Fran went to the stove and turned on the flame under the teapot, and then reached for the potholders. "I'm making Niles some tea; I told him you'd take it to him in the living room."

"I'm waiting on your butler?"

Fran smiled sweetly. "No, Honey, you're waiting on your boyfriend."

Grace giggled at the table. "Niles is Aunt C.'s boyfriend."

"Oh, thank you very much, Fran."

"Wha?" She laughed. "We DO have honey, don't we?"

"Oh, would you just stop it." She laughed and tossed a dishtowel at her friend.

Fran tossed it back and grinned. "Well? Do we?"

"I guess so. I didn't think about the honey. I'll have to remember that next time."

"Next time, use your own house, ugh. I don't know about you two."

"Oh, this coming from the chocolate Hagen Dasz queen."

"Shh." She pointed at the table.

"Mommy, I have chocolate?"

"No, Ree, we're having dinner in a minute. I just have to heat up these rolls for Niles." She put the tray of rolls into the oven as the teapot began to whistle. She prepared the tea and handed it to her friend. "Here ya go, it's just like he likes it."

"You know, Maxwell is going to want a cup, too."

"Tell him I'll make him some after dinner. Could you do me one more favor?"

"Oh, now what? You want me to dust, vacuum? What?"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic, you sound like my mother." She laughed. "Could you please tell Max that dinner's ready? That way he can get the kids washed up and at the table by the time these rolls are done. You ARE joining us, aren't you?"

"I thought maybe I'd wait and eat with Niles, if that's all right."

"It's fine with me, Sweetie."

"I'll let Maxwell know about dinner." She smiled as she left the room.

The next two weeks passed quickly. The family was busy with the wedding plans, and the boys were busy arranging the rehearsals for the school pageant. When Fran woke on her wedding day, she realized that Maxwell had been in her room and turned off her alarm clock. The children were already at school, and Denise had taken the girls to Discovery Zone to play. She pulled on her robe and stepped into her slippers before making her way down the back stairs. Her coffee cup was sitting next to a pot of fresh coffee, so she poured herself a cup and went in search of her future husband. She found him in his office on the phone. She sat on the sofa to wait for him to finish his call. When he hung up, he joined her on the sofa and kissed her softly. "Good morning, Darling." He took the coffee cup from her hand and set it on the table next to them. "Guess who that was on the phone?"

Fran yawned. "Barbra? She's coming to sing at our wedding?"

Max laughed. "No, better than that."

"Honey, what could be better than Barbra singing at our wedding?"

"Moving into our new home in less than a month."

"We got the house?"

"We got the house. We also got an incredibly short escrow. The owners need to re locate as soon as possible, and our taking possession quickly will be in their best interest. We take ownership on the fifteenth, and can start moving right after the pageant."

"Two weeks? Oh, Max, that's wonderful! When do we have to sign the papers?"

I told the Realtor we'd come out tomorrow, how does that sound?"

She threw her arms around him. "It sounds absolutely wonderful. It's the best wedding present in the world!"

"Have you seen the living room yet?"

"No, I grabbed my coffee and came in here looking for you."

"Come look, Denise took the girls to Discovery Zone, so C.C. and Val could help Niles decorate." He took her by the hand and led her into the living room. It looked like something out of Bride's Magazine.

"Oh, this is so beautiful! This is nothing like we talked about!"

"I know. C.C. and I thought we'd like to surprise you. You deserve something extra special."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so lucky to have such great friends." They were interrupted by the phone ringing again. Niles stepped off his ladder to answer it.

"Miss Fine, it's for you, the doctor's office."

C.C. grinned and winked at Fran, but the look on Niles face told her this was not her gynecologist calling with the positive pregnancy results she was hoping for.

"I see. You're absolutely sure?" Tears started falling down her cheeks. C.C. moved over and put her arms around her. "Yes, thank you doctor, I will. Good bye." She dropped the phone on the sofa without even hanging it up. C.C. picked it up and clicked the button to end the call as Fran's knees started to buckle. "It's not fair, it's just not fair. I knew this was possible, but I just hoped it wasn't true."

"The test was positive, wasn't it?" C.C. held Fran close and looked over at Max, who was frozen to the spot. "Maxwell, I'm so sorry."

"What's goin' on?" Val saw how devastated her friend was, and had no idea what to do to help.

Maxwell moved over to Fran's side and pulled her into his arms. "It changes nothing. We continue with the adoptions as planned, she's still my child."

"Of course she is, Maxwell. I just can't believe that bitch could do that to you!"

"Who?" Val stood and watched helplessly as her best friend sobbed in Max's arms.

"Sarah, Val. We didn't want to say anything until we had definite confirmation. Sarah had an affair with Tony while Fran and I were in London. We had Irene and Grace tested, and the tests confirmed that they are biologically related."

"Yeah, they're gonna be stepsisters."

Fran looked up and wiped her eyes. "No, Val, not STEP sisters, they are HALF sisters. Tony is Grace's father."

"Tony? Oh, my GOD, Frannie! What are you gonna do?"

"Well, it's too late for a divorce." Max kissed her on the top of her head. Even at a time like this, she could make him smile. "When Tony died, he had a clause in his will that gave me full custody of all his children. This meant that since Sarah was also dead, this was the only custody in place…, which means Grace is my daughter, legally. Max is in the process of adopting Grace, Ree and Michael, and I'm adopting Brighton and Maggie."

"So everything worked out."

"Not really, Val. When Fran and I were in London, we fell in love. She was in the process of divorcing Tony, and I was planning to divorce Sarah. I only went back to Sarah because of the pregnancy. She led me to believe that Grace was my daughter. Fran went back and lived with Tony, for their son."

"I remember how unhappy you were when you came back. Now I understand why. I never told you this, Fran, but Tony hit on me a few times."

"I'm sorry, Val."

"It's O.K.; he stopped when I threatened to tell his mother."

"I'm tempted to tell his mother a thing or two about her precious baby boy. Four years, Max!"

"I know, Sweetheart, we can't get them back, though. All we can do is move forward. Fran and I DO have some good news to share with you. Do you want to tell them, Darling?"

She nodded. "We got the house! We take possession on the fifteenth!"

"So we're moving to the country. It will be a long schlep for meetings, Maxwell."

"Well, C.C., the estate comes with two guest houses. Fran and I want to offer you one of them, and we'll use the second house as our office."

"I'll be renting a house from you?"

"No, C.C., you'll own a home on our estate. Maxwell and I are giving you the house."

"The stables are large enough that you can bring your horses, and there are tennis courts, the lake, we think you'll find it very relaxing out there."

"Please say 'yes', Ceece. Val will still be in the city, and so will my parents. I need at least one friend close by."

"You are so hard to say 'no' to, you know that, don't you?"

"Sure she does." Niles was grinning from across the room. "You did say there was a maid's quarter's right?"

"Yes, Niles, we'll hire a maid to help with the housework."

"Oh, then I'm definitely moving onto the estate. I remember what happened the last time you had a housekeeper living with you." C.C. winked at Niles.

"Oh, that was years ago. You aren't going to let me forget that, are you?"

"I might be persuaded to forget, if I was properly motivated." She looked at her watch. "We'd better get this done, it's almost eleven, and the wedding is in five hours!" She looked at her friend and giggled. "It'll take Frannie that long to get dressed."

"Wha? I can't wear my robe? You know, I'd actually wanted to wear my white Wedding Cake robe…but I gave it away."

"Yes, you did, and you are NOT getting it back." She grinned at Niles. "I'm told it looks better on me, anyway. Come on, Val, let's get the bride upstairs and start getting her ready."

"Can I eat first?" She put her had to her stomach, fighting off a wave of nausea.

"Gee, I don't know, can you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just pre-wedding jitters, I guess. I'm also not used to waking up and not seeing my children."

"Darling, you've been so tired lately, I wanted to let you sleep, and I thought if we could get the girls out of the house, we could get a lot more work done."

"But, Max…"

"Today you take full advantage of having a nanny, is that understood?"

"Yes, Honey."

"I've got my girl from Elizabeth Arden coming over in about an hour, Fran. She's going to do your nails, your makeup, and your hair, anything you want."

"C.C., that's so sweet. Thanks."

"I've got everything else you need for the wedding. Let's see, for something old, Max suggested the locket he gave you that belonged to his grandmother. He has the something new for you, too. The something borrowed is my gold bracelet, and my mom sent over a blue handkerchief."

"That's perfect, Val. What would I do without you two? Wait a minute, what do you mean he's got something new for me?" She turned and looked at her fiancé.

"Well, Darling, I wasn't sure if Val would be able to find something blue, so I thought I'd combine your blue with your new." He pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Happy Wedding Day, Darling."

She opened the box and began to cry. Inside there was a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings. "Oh, Honey, they're beautiful!"

"Wow, that sure beats my mom's old handkerchief!"

"Oh, don't worry, Val, I'm sure I'll need that, too!" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Max. I'll cherish these forever." He wrapped her snugly in his arms. "I love you so much."

"I love you, My Darling. Now, go eat a nosh and start getting ready. I don't want to have to wait one minute longer than necessary for you to be my wife." He kissed her softly, and then watched her head into the kitchen with her friends.

"Niles, just think, by dinner time, Fran will be my wife. Who would have thought we'd ever find our way back to each other?"

"I did, Sir. I always knew you two belonged together, even when you were in London. You looked so lost when you came back without her."

"I was, Niles. I loved Sarah, but I also loved Fran. It almost killed me when she went back to that…that…Cretin."

"I'm sure she felt the same way when you returned to Mrs. Sheffield."

"Oh, I know she did, Niles. I saw it in her eyes. I think Tony did, as well.

Well, that's all behind us now. Fran and I are building a new life, and putting the unpleasantness of the past behind us."

"Are Tony's parents coming to the wedding? Miss Fine said she invited them."

"Yes, she did, but she's not sure if they'll show up. They're a bit upset about changing our son's name, and me adopting the children."

"Any word from YOUR mother, Sir?"

"No, not a word. Nigel said she was planning a visit, but he was going to try to hold her off until the pageant. I completely forgot to call Nigel back and tell him about the change in plans."

"You forgot. Mmm-hmmm."

"Oh, honestly, Niles, can you picture the wedding if my mother were to show up? You think Fran is nervous NOW, just toss my mother into the mix."

"No, not a good idea. Well, if she does show, we can always put her in charge of Miss Irene." He chuckled as he continued to decorate.

Max snickered quietly. "Nigel promised to give me a day's warning, so I'm sure she won't be here for the wedding. I'm rather hoping she holds off until the pageant."

"That will be interesting, with the move and all, Sir. I wonder how she'll react when she finds out you're selling the house."

"Probably the same way Fran's parents reacted when we told them she was selling HER place. You haven't said much about it, how do you feel about the move?"

"I think the extra room will be just what the children need. They can all have their own rooms; they'll be able to play outside without the fear of traffic. The drive into town will be a bit inconvenient, but if you're able to work at home most of the time, that shouldn't be a problem. Having C…Having Miss Babcock living on the estate will help out quite a bit as well."

"Yes, it'll be good for everyone having C.C. living there. Fran will love having her close, the children adore her, and I understand the two of you are getting quite close."

"This house is just filled with yentas, isn't it?"

"Well, Niles, she's been here how many days now? Come on, Old Man, you can admit you care for the woman."

"Oh, this from the man that took two years to reclaim the love of his life." He caught the look on his employer's face and knew he'd better change THAT subject quickly. "All right, I have feelings for her, is that what you want to hear? As a matter of fact, I've been in love with her for quite some time, but she never gave me a chance to show her until Fran came into her life."

"So what do you plan to do about it?"

"I plan to spend time earning her trust, and proving to her just how much I DO care for her."

"Yes, C.C. does have a hard time trusting. I'm sure that came from her family life."

"Oh, I'm sure of that as well. The poor dear was left to raise herself, while her parents were out seeing the world. Her nanny was her only friend, the only person she could count on. I'm so glad that she and Miss Fine have become such good friends. She even seems to enjoy spending time with Val. You know, I followed them the other night when the three of them went out together. They shopped a bit, then sat in that restaurant and drank margaritas and giggled like three school girls." The sound of adult laughter drifted down the staircase. "You see, when those three are together, Miss…C.C. seems to forget her high class breeding and simply has a good time."

"She's definitely due a few of those." He looked around the room at all the decorations. "Niles, thank you very much for everything you're doing for Fran and me. It's going to be a beautiful wedding."

"I can't take all the credit, Sir. Mrs. Cooperman called and wanted to surprise her sister by donating the food." The doorbell rang and he looked at his watch. That should be her now." He opened the door and two small figures raced past him. They stopped in the living room and looked around.

"Where's Grace and Reenie?"

Max smiled at the girls. "They went to Discovery Zone with their nanny."

Nadine smiled at them as she carried a tray into the room. "Now, girls, I told you, when you get here, you have to take your naps, remember? I thought it would be so much easier if I laid them down while we got everything ready. Won't your girls be napping when they get home?"

Max took the tray from her. "Let me take this to the kitchen for you, Nadine. Yes, the girls are eating lunch out, and then they will have to take naps as soon as they get home. Niles, why don't you show them to Maggie's room? She's got the bigger bed."

"Thanks, Max. I'll be right down to get the rest of the trays from the van. Is Frannie up in her room?"

"She's in the guest room. Her room is the master bedroom." Max smiled at his future sister in law.

"Not for another few hours it isn't." She laughed and led her daughters upstairs for their naps. A few seconds later, he heard the squeals of the children as they found their aunt. The doorbell rang again, and it was Barry, still in his work clothes.

"Hey, Max, today's the big day, huh?"

"Yes, it is. You just missed Nadine and the girls. She took them upstairs for their naps."

"They aren't asleep yet, are they? I promised Nay I'd get here before they went to sleep. Frannie's been tellin' her how you read and snuggle YOUR kids before their naps, so now I gotta do the same to mine. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my little girls, but I work outside of the house. Do you come home from the theater to tuck them in for their naps?"

"No, I can't say that I do, not normally. I let Fran or the nanny handle that."

"Thank GOD! Would you mind telling that to your meshugana sister in law? She's got me coming home every day to help her with the girls. Today, I don't mind, because I took the afternoon off. Frannie said it would be all right if I showered here, that's not a problem, is it?"

"None whatsoever, it's her home, too. Let me show you where the girls are, and then I'll show you to a guest bathroom."

"Great, Nay was supposed to bring my suit."

"She left a lot of things in the van, maybe it's out there. She only brought in food."

"That's my Nay. She might forget my suit, or the kids, but she'll never leave one tray of food behind." The men laughed as they headed up stairs. By the time Max returned to the living room, Denise was arriving home with his girls.

"Daddy!" Both girls ran to hug him. "Where Mommy?" Irene looked around for her mother. "Oooooh, pretty!"

"Look at all the pretty flowers!"

"Niles has it all decorated for our wedding. Mommy and Daddy are getting married today."

"Oh, Daddy, you're already married, don't be silly."

"Yes, Gracie, it feels like it, doesn't it."

"Is this so Mommy can sleep in your room? She said she had to promise God first."

Max chuckled. "Yes, Sweetheart, today we make the promise to God, and then Mommy can sleep in my room." Apparently, Fran had tried to explain to them why she slept in the guest room.

"Are you two ready for your naps?" Denise picked up Irene and reached for Grace's hand.

"No! Want Daddy!"

"I'll take them up, Miss Spencer. Their cousins are already sleeping, hopefully, in Maggie's room, I don't want the girls crying and waking them up."

"What can I do to help?" She handed the crying child to her father.

"You can find Niles or Nadine and see what they need. I'm betting they're both in the kitchen."

"No problem."

Max looked down at Gracie, who was holding tightly to his leg. "So, are you two ready to go up and see Mommy and take a nap?" Grace nodded and pulled him in the direction of the stairs; while Irene laid her head on his shoulder and put her thumb in her mouth. "Reenie, Honey, please don't suck your thumb."

"'K., Daddy." She began to play with his tie as he carried her up the stairs.

He knocked softly on the guest room door, and Val opened it. "You can't come in here, it's bad luck to see Fran before the wedding."

"I've already seen her today, Val. The girls are getting ready to take their naps, and want to see their mother first."

"Let me take them in to her. Come on, Ree, Sweetie." She pulled the toddler from her father's arms and carried her into the bedroom. She looked back at the door where Grace was standing. "Come, Gracie, come see Mommy." Grace ran into the room and jumped into Fran's arms. She balanced her on one leg, while Val put Irene on her other leg.

"Are you two all ready for your naps?" The girls nodded and lay against their mother. "I love you two, you have sweet sleep, and I'll see you when you wake up."

"Read, Mommy."

"Honey, I think Daddy is going to read to you this afternoon. Mommy needs to get ready."

"Wanna get ready, too!"

Fran laughed. "You ARE getting ready, Baby. You need a good nap so you don't cry through the ceremony. Denise will put your pretty new dresses on when you wake up. Now, go with Auntie Val, she'll take you to Daddy. Tell Daddy I love him."

"'K., Mommy." As soon as Irene saw her father, she relayed the message. "Mommy loves Daddy!"

Val laughed. "I'm sure he knows that, Baby. Well, Fran DID ask them to tell you she loves you."

Max smiled and picked up his daughters. "Well, please tell her that I love her very much too."

Val watched him as he carried the girls down the hall to their room and disappeared in side. She thought back to when she and Fran were young, and Fran would tell her what her life would be like when she grew up. She'd have a handsome husband, wonderful children and a big house. Fran's fairy tale had certainly come true. Val's eyes filled with happy tears for her friend, then she sighed deeply and went back to help her prepare for her wedding.

By the time Max returned downstairs, Morty and Barry were setting up the chairs, and the smell of food was sneaking out of the kitchen.

"Ah, there's the man that put the sparkle back in my little girl's eyes." Morty walked over and hugged Max. "You know, Max, I don't think I've ever seen her this happy." He hugged him again.

"I don't think I've been this happy for a long time, Morty. I love your daughter very much. I just wish we'd done this a long time ago."

"The important thing is that you're doing it now. You can't change the past, Max, just learn from it and move forward."

"You're right, Morty, you're absolutely right." Max started arranging the chairs, and was stopped by his future father in law.

"Why don't you go upstairs and relax, start getting ready. We can handle things down here, right, Barry?"

"Absolutely. We've got Nay and Niles in the kitchen if we need anything, everything's under control with Frannie. I don't think they could fit one more woman into that bedroom." He chuckled and shrugged his shoulder. "How many women does it take to dress one little girl?"

Max laughed. "You haven't seen us try to get Irene dressed. I bought her some new pajamas with the Fraggles on them. That tiny little child grows about six more arms and legs when you try to get those off of her and put her clothes on."

"Frannie was like that when she was little. If she was comfortable, forget it, no way was she getting' dressed. Now, if Syl bought her a new dress, that kid was out of her pajamas and into that new outfit in a heartbeat. Nadine was just the opposite; she'd thrown on anything she found in her closet."

"I guess that's why Frannie's the model and Nadine's the caterer, huh?" Barry chuckled and nudged his father in law.

"I heard that BAR!" Nadine smiled at her husband. "Frannie's the model because she looks better in her underwear than I do, and she can't cook as well."

Max reddened and cleared his throat at the mention of his fiancé in her underwear. He'd hated that modeling contract; every man in London could see her on their way to work, spread out on billboards all over town.

"Sorry, Max, I forgot you didn't like those ads."

"It's not that I didn't LIKE them, I just didn't like every man in London knowing what the woman I love looks like almost naked."

"So how'd you get to her stop working, Max? Tony tried, she basically told him to go to hell."

"I didn't tell her to stop. The children want her home with them, so I let her make the choice herself. She can still accept jobs, but she said if she did, they'd be day shoots so she could be home with the family."

"Yeah, if ya don't bully Frannie, you get a lot more out of her. That was Tony's problem, Oy, what am I talkin' about that schmuck for? Sorry, Max. Now, what I came in here for…I need a taste tester in the kitchen, and I knew that Daddy and Barry would love to volunteer."

The two men set the chairs down and hurried off to the kitchen. "Go take a rest, Max, we've got everything under control, relax!"

"I think I WILL go up and take a short nap. Ask Niles to wake me in an hour, would you?"

"That's a good boy. I'll make sure he wakes you up."

"Thank you, Nadine."

She watched him ascend the stairs. Why was her sister the lucky one? First, she had Tony, who was gorgeous. Now she has Maxwell Sheffield, not only gorgeous, but also classy, sweet, and rich. At least the family knew Max wasn't after Fran for her money

An hour later, Niles was rousing Max out of bed. "I've laid the mail on your dresser, Sir. There's an envelope from the Clerk of Court addressed to Miss Fine, should I leave it, or take it down to her?"

"Maybe you'd better leave it, Niles. I'm sure it's Grace's birth certificate, and that can wait until later. I don't want her having any reminders of that whole mess before the wedding. Have you seen her, Niles? Is she doing better? She was such a bundle of nerves this morning."

"She's fine, Sir. She's had a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, she's had her hair done; C.C. has really outdone herself."

"Well, C.C. had also talked about the girls sipping champagne while they got her ready. I'm sure that helped Fran's mood immensely."

"Actually, they decided against the champagne. C.C. had me make them drinks with juice and club soda. She said Miss Fine wanted a clear head when she became Mrs. Sheffield."

"Fran turned down champagne. Now there's a first." He laughed and headed for the bathroom. "I'll get my shower and be ready in a few minutes. I want to be downstairs when the children come home. Do you know where Miss Spencer is?"

"Yes, Sir, she's in the kitchen helping out. We have the intercom on in the girls' room in case they wake up."

"Wonderful. Can you ask her to make sure the children bathe and are changed as soon as they come home? I think Fran already laid out the boys' suits and Maggie's dress."

"Have you seen the girls' dresses? I overheard Nadine and Denise discussing them. The little ones are to be dressed like twins, and Maggie's got the big sister dress that matches it."

"I've only heard about them. I'm sure they'll look like angels."

"I'm sure they will. I'll be downstairs if you need me, Sir."

"Thank you, Niles." Max stepped into the shower and the let the warm water cascade over his body. Only an hour and a half to go and Fran would finally be his wife; no more hiding out at the other house, no more guest room, no more introducing her as his girlfriend. He finished bathing, stepped out of the shower stall and toweled himself dry. When he returned to the bedroom, he saw that Niles had laid out his tuxedo for him. He got dressed, taking extra care with his hair. He wanted to look perfect for his bride. Once he was satisfied with his appearance, he stepped into the hallway. He could hear the sounds of his children in their rooms. The twins must be up; he could hear Maggie laughing with them. It wouldn't be long before his youngest children would be awake and wanting to get up and join the fun. He walked slowly down the hall, taking in every giggle, every laugh. He stopped outside the guest room door, then took a deep breath and knocked.

"Fran, it's me."

"Don't you dare come in here, Son."

"I won't, Sylvia. I just wanted to tell Fran that I love her, and I'll see her in a few minutes downstairs."

"I love you, too, Honey. A few minutes? Are we getting that close?"

"It's twenty after three, Darling. I'm going downstairs now; I'll send Miss Spencer up to wake the girls."

"O.K., Honey. I love you."

"I love you, Miss Fine."

She giggled. "Not for long."

He continued down the hall and descended the back stairs. "Wow, don't you look GREAT!" Nadine stopped transferring meatballs to the platter to admire him.

"Thank you, Nadine. Miss Spencer, if Nadine can spare you, could you go up, wake the girls, and get them dressed? If you dress Grace first, Ree shouldn't be too much trouble."

'Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't notice the time. I'll go right up." She brushed past him heading up the stairs. "And Nadine is right, you DO look wonderful. I can't wait to see Fran."

Max walked through the kitchen and into the dining room and was met by Niles. "Sir, the Bergmans are here."

"Yes, I knew Fran invited them, we just weren't sure if they would show up. Hopefully there won't be any trouble."

"I'll keep my eyes open, Sir. I'm sure Miss Fine's parents and sister will watch them as well. They DID bring a large envelope with them."

"Great. Don't let them near Fran unless I'm with her. I do NOT want her upset today." He walked into the living room to greet the handful of guests. While he was discussing the ceremony with the Rabbi, Denise came down the stairs with the five Sheffield children and the Cooperman twins. Irene and Grace looked more like twins than their cousins did. They ran to Max and climbed up in his lap.

"Daddy, you look pretty."

"Handsome, Ree, men are handsome."

"'K. Racy. Daddy han some."

"You girls look absolutely beautiful." He looked at the boys in their matching suits. "Look at you. Your mother certainly knows how to dress her children."

"She sure does. Hello, children."

"Hi, Grandma. You haven't met Brighton or Maggie yet, have you? This is Brighton, we call him B., and this is Maggie, but her real name is Margaret, we don't call her that unless she's in trouble."

"She doesn't look like she gets into trouble, Anthony."

Maggie looked up at this woman and felt instant dislike. "His name is Michael. We call him Mike or Mikey, but we NEVER call him Anthony anymore."

"Margaret…"

"Well, Dad, it's true. I'm sorry I was rude, uh, Grandma, but he really is Michael now."

"Yes, I remember Fran telling me that. I'm sorry, Michael."

"It's O.K., Grandma; it takes a little while to get used to it. Dad, what time is Mom coming down?"

"She'll come down as the ceremony starts, Son."

"Cool, I can't wait to see her. Hey, isn't Grandpa going to come and see us?"

"Maybe later, you can go see him. He's a little emotional today."

"You'll still be part of our family, even after Dad adopts Mike and Ree. You'll always be their grandparents."

"Yes, My Dear, we will." She looked over at her husband, who motioned for her to come over and sit with him.

"Bubby!" The children ran to greet Sylvia, who was just coming down the stairs.

"Hello, My Darlings, look at you! You all look wonderful! Your mom is about ready, so we need to go sit down." She scooped up the youngest and herded the rest of the children to their seats.

"Daddy, come sit!"

"Shh, Reenie, Daddy needs to stand up there to be with Mommy, you need to be very quiet."

"'K., Bubby"

The guests found their seats, and the music signaled the start of the ceremony. A hush fell over the Sheffield living room as Fran appeared at the top of the stairs. Max still couldn't see her, but he could see the looks on the faces of the family and friends. With the help of Val and C.C., Fran started down the stairs. She broke into a grin when she heard a small voice from the front of the room. "Look, Bubby, Mommy han some." Sylvia was able to quiet her granddaughter while Fran made her way to the aisle that was made just for her entrance. As she turned the corner from the foyer to the living room, Max finally saw her. She was a vision of loveliness. She wore a cream colored gown covered with crystal beads and pale pink embroidery. Her hair was pulled up and adorned with a pearl and crystal tiara. She seemed to float across the floor to him. Niles never noticed her. He couldn't take his eyes off of the blonde in the pale pink gown. Fran had chosen the dresses with C.C. in mind. His eyes followed her as she led the way down the aisle. As she took her position, her eyes met his. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo. She'd seen him dressed like that before, but never with this look in his eyes. Fran's parents stood up to escort her to Max. Sylvia was followed by two small shadows, who remained very quiet, sensing the seriousness of the event. The Rabbi and the minister performed a short but beautiful ceremony. Then they declared, "By the power invested in us, we now pronounce you husband and wife."

Irene looked at her grandmother. "No, band wife. Mommy and Daddy." This elicited laughs from all the guests. After Max kissed his bride, they hugged and kissed their children before starting the recession. Fran smiled brightly. She was Mrs. Maxwell Sheffield. She was finally where she belonged. Niles held out his arm to C.C. to escort her back down the aisle. A photographer snapped their picture as they walked arm in arm. C.C. made a mental note to make sure she got a copy of that one. They spent the rest of the afternoon mingling with their family and friends, cuddling their children, and enjoying all the tasty treats Nadine had prepared for her sister.

Max noticed the Bergmans still clutching the manila envelope, and he was sure they would try to present it to Fran before the day was out. "Darling, there's an envelope for you in our bedroom from the Clerk of Court."

"Is it Grace's new birth certificate?"

"Probably, I don't know, it was addressed to you."

"You could have opened it, she's YOUR daughter."

"No, Darling, she's OUR daughter." He kissed her softly, then saw Tony Bergman standing behind her, and knew his worst fears were being realized. He was going to upset his wife on their wedding day.

"Hi, Tony. I'm so glad you and Meredith could make it." She reached out to hug him, and he handed her the envelope. "What's this?"

"Our grand daughter's birth certificate and the blood tests proving she's a Bergman."

She looked at Max for support. "I'll be right back, Sweetheart." He took the stairs two at a time and retrieved the document from his dresser, then hurried back to his wife. THIS is the birth certificate that we will be using for now, until the adoption is final." He ripped open the envelope and pulled out the document. He read it over quickly, and then showed it to the Bergmans. "Our daughter's name is Grace Mary Sheffield. After the adoption, the parents will read Fran Fine Sheffield and Maxwell Sheffield."

Fran led them to the hallway out of earshot of the other guests. "I've told Meredith, and in case she didn't tell you, I'm going to tell you now. Do NOT fight us on this, or you will not see Irene and Michael again. These five kids are OUR kids. What Tony and Sarah did was reprehensible, but there is so much more about your precious Tony that you have no idea about. I mean it; you do anything that hurts ANY of my kids, and the name Tony Bergman won't mean a thing. Why do you think I stopped using his name? Why do you think our SON stopped using his name? Now you have two choices. You can accept the fact that Maxwell and I are happy, our kids are happy, and that we are raising all five kids as our own. You just gained new grandchildren, most people would be happy. You will not treat ANY of the kids any differently. As far as anyone is concerned, Maxwell and I are the biological parents. Your other choice is that you can fight us, not accept ALL of my children, and then you will have NO grandchildren. It's your choice. I will NOT have my children hurt. We've told MY parents; even SARAH'S parents understand this. Now, for today, I think it's best that you say your goodbyes to the kids and go home and think about this, because right now, I'm too angry to be civil. How DARE you pull this TODAY!"

"Frannie, is everything all right, Darling?"

"Yeah, Ma. Tony and Meredith were just leaving. Can you find the kids so they can say goodbye? I need to return to my guests." She took a deep breath and grabbed Maxwell's arm for support. Her nausea was back with a vengeance. Maybe she just needed to eat something. C.C. was right; she needed to get to the doctor first thing next week.

"Sweetheart, have you eaten since breakfast?" Max put his arm around her waist to steady his wife.

"Niles brought us a little nosh while we were getting ready, but, no, I haven't really eaten anything substantial."

Max turned his attention to the Bergmans. "If you'll excuse us, I'm going to get my wife a plate of food. Sylvia, would you mind showing them out after they've seen their grandchildren?"

Sylvia put her hands on her hips and glared at Tony and Meredith. "Certainly, Son, take care of your wife." After Max led Fran into the dining room, Sylvia took a step toward the living room, where the children were playing with their nanny. "You know, you're lucky my Frannie is such a sweet, loving person. You don't know half the crap your son put her through. If I were her, I wouldn't let you put one foot in my house, and you would NEVER see my kids. Frannie doesn't get that angry very often, and when she does, it usually involves her kids. I wouldn't test her on this. She is very serious about treating these kids equally. They've been through enough, and she's not going to let them be hurt any more than they already have."

"We don't know these other two children."

"Well, you'd better get to know them. They are Grace's brother and sister, just like Irene and Michael, and they are such great kids."

"It's just so hard to see Fran with anyone but Tony, Sylvia."

"Oh, stop making excuses. You didn't have any problem seeing Tony with other women while he was being unfaithful to my daughter! I'm sure you know that Sarah Sheffield wasn't his FIRST infidelity. Frannie knew it; why do you think she ran off to London? Listen, today is my baby's wedding day. She asked you to leave her home, so please, just go. This can all be discussed another day. Let them have their long overdue happiness." She motioned to Denise to send the children into the foyer. All five children came running and hugged their grandmother. "Your grandparents have to leave, kids, everyone give them hugs and tell them 'goodbye'." The boys were first, hugging both grandparents tightly. Grace held back a bit, until she saw Maggie and Irene hug them. She moved toward them slowly, then smiled and hugged her grandmother. She stiffened when her grandfather picked her up.

"Bubby!"

"It's O.K., Gracie, Honey. Give your grandpa a hug and kiss." The child wrapped her arms around Tony and planted a wet kiss on his cheek.

"Come back soon!" She smiled and wiggled out of his arms, then moved behind Maggie's legs.

"You won't forget the pageant, will you? It's on the sixteenth at our school. Mom and Dad are gonna sing, it'll be so cool. We've even got a special surprise guest singer, but we're not allowed to tell people." Michael winked at his brother.

"We can tell our grandparents, Mikey." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Mom got Billy Joel to come! She's gonna get him to be in one of Dad's shows."

"That's wonderful, Brighton. No, we won't forget the pageant. I understand you boys have really worked hard on it."

Brighton beamed. "Yes, Ma'am, we really have. This is a special project for us, because it's what made Mom and Dad remember that they really loved each other."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, kids. We'll see you soon. I'll call your parents about having you all over to the house for dinner."

"Bye! We love you!" Gracie poked her head from around her sister and smiled at her grandparents.

Tears appeared in Meredith's eyes. How could you NOT love these children? "We love you, too."

Sylvia stood with the children until they were out of the house. "What do you say we go find Mommy and Daddy and see what they're up to?" She picked up Irene and led the children to the dining room, where the couple was sitting and talking to several of their guests.

"Mommy!" Grace ran and climbed up in her lap. "You OK?"

"Yes, Baby, Mommy's fine."

Irene was attempting to wiggle out of her grandmother's arms and join her sister in her mother's lap. "You sure?"

"Yes, Reenie, I'm sure. Did you girls eat?"

"Dee gave us snacks, and Bubby gave us dinner." Grace was eying the wedding cake.

Fran laughed at the children. "Well, then, how about if Mommy gives you cake?" She reached around for two plates of wedding cake and handed them to the girls. "Try not to make a mess, My Darlings."

Irene shoveled a large forkful of cake into her mouth. "'Kay, Mommy!"

"Irene Catherine, please don't talk with your mouth full."

She swallowed and laughed. "'Kay, Daddy!"

What seemed like decades later, all the guests had gone home and Denise had bathed the children and settled them in their beds. Fran and Max went up and tucked in Maggie and the boys, then cuddled and read to the little ones, before finally making their way to their own bedroom. Fran hurried to the bathroom and changed into the outfit she had bought for this occasion. It was finally their wedding night; no more sneaking in and out of bedrooms or moving from house to house. She looked in the mirror and took her hair down. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled some of the curls out, letting them fall around her shoulders. She was home. This was finally THEIR home, if only for two weeks. As much as she'd miss her town house, she was glad they were moving into a home with no memories of their first marriages and no ghosts of Tony or Sarah waiting around every corner. She emerged from the bathroom and saw her husband sitting on the corner of the bed in red silk pajamas.

"My God, Fran, you look so beautiful." He stood up and walked to meet her. "I love you, Mrs. Sheffield." He took her in his arms and held her close.

She laid her head on his chest. "I love you, Mr. Sheffield. I can't believe it; finally we don't have to sneak around." She giggled softly.

"I just wish we were in our new house tonight, it would be a perfect way to start our marriage."

"We could have waited…"

He scooped her up in his arms and moved toward the bed. "Darling, I couldn't have waited another minute to be your husband." He deposited her on the bed and climbed in beside her.

Fran awoke to the sound of her youngest daughter crying. They had decided to sleep in and let the nanny handle the children, since their first night as husband and wife was spent lovemaking instead of sleeping. She turned over, found her way back into her husband's arms, and snuggled against his chest. The crying grew more insistent. It now sounded like Grace had joined her sister in the tear fest. She began to slowly pull from Max's embrace to go to her children.

"Don't you move."

"But, Max…"

"But nothing. We have a wonderful nanny who is more than capable of handling Irene's tantrums."

"Honey, this sounds like more than a tantrum, listen." She grew quiet and listen to the crying.

"You're right, Darling, her tantrums are always much louder." He threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. After donning his pajamas, he tossed Fran her robe. "I'll be right back."