Fran's Secret

by BinBagBrain

Fran has been keeping a secret and has been suffering all alone. Can Max get her to open up to him? *Total soap opera drama! Remember, none of this is real or even necessarily accurate! Have fun with the fantasy! This is a work in progress, so let me know if you want me to keep going!

35. Chapter 35

Max held Fran tightly to him in the darkness of the bedroom. She had finally managed to get to sleep after having to run to her old bedroom at least a dozen times. Max hated seeing her like that and for some reason it made him feel guilty. All of this was just another thing for her to have to deal with, and she was already dealing with so much. As she grew more pale during the evening, her energy dwindled. At this point, he was just thankful she didn't have a fever on top of it.

He found himself thinking of her surgery again. After a day where she was feeling much more sure of things, and a wonderful afternoon of lovemaking, here she was- suffering again. It hurt him, too. Thoughts of the what-ifs of her surgery washed over him. What if things were worse than they thought once the doctors were there- trying to remove her tumor? What if she had trouble with the anesthesia? What if there was some complication afterwards? Max gulped hard and tried to push the thoughts out of his head. He just wanted it over with, and to have her back home, where he could take care of her.

He focused on the rising and falling of her chest in his arms. Her breaths were a little more rapid than usual, which was probably something to be expected. She must be exhausted. He had an urge to stroke the skin of her forearm and kiss her forehead, but he didn't want to risk waking her. Instead, he just paid attention to the feel of her body against him, and the way she held onto him tightly, like she was making sure he didn't leave her side. So he decided he wouldn't. If she needed to lock on to him, and needed him to hold her close, then that's what he would do. He just hoped that her slumber wouldn't be interrupted by the need to make a run for the bathroom again. He tried to calm himself down, slow his breathing, and get as much sleep as he could.

Fran woke up early the next morning, curled up and spooning with Max. Then the sudden jolt of that familiar feeling made her get up quickly and she grabbed her robe and ran from the bedroom as fast as she could. She was pretty sure she woke Max up, but she couldn't stick around to find out. The house was still dark, but she could just see the grey light coming in from a few windows as she rushed into her old bedroom and closed the door behind her. As she rushed to the bathroom, she turned the lights on and tried to mentally prepare herself for what she was pretty sure was going to be a day of never ending discomfort.

Max was startled awake when Fran rushed out the door. He was disoriented at first, then realized it was early morning already, and Fran must be dealing with things again. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, then rolled over to turn on his bedside light. After clearing his head a bit and trying to wake himself up, he sat up in the bed, trying to figure out what to do. He looked around the room and noticed Fran's empty drink glasses from the night before. He decided that was the least he could do, to go get her a new round of the necessary drinks and stay with her as long as she needed him to. He ran his fingers through his hair and got up, put on his robe, then went to Fran's bedside table to get the tray of glasses, then headed out of the bedroom to go down to the kitchen.

Max elbowed the light switch to turn on the light in the kitchen and set the tray on the counter. He put the empty glasses in the sink, then grabbed three new ones from the cabinet and set them on the tray. He trudged to the fridge and pulled out all of the bottles and brought them back to the counter. He stared for a moment, still half asleep, at the empty glasses, then remembered what he was supposed to be doing and began pouring out the contents of each bottle into its own glass. As he was putting the bottles back in the fridge, he heard someone coming down the back stairs and turned around to see Niles there, already dressed for the day and looking wide awake.

"Oh, good morning, sir! I was just wondering if Ms. Fine might be needing a refresher sometime soon. How is she doing?" Niles asked.

"Well, she just jumped out of bed and raced off. I'm sure she's frustrated. She was starting to look a bit pale last night. She had trouble sleeping at first, but then I think she was so tired and weak she couldn't help but fall asleep. But it seems to have been the thing that woke her up early this morning."

"Oh, dear. How much more of that awful stuff does she have to drink?"

"There's another bottle in there, I think she is supposed to finish that by tonight. Poor thing is just going to wither away, Niles! Is there anything else we can do for her? Is there something she can have that might make her feel better, instead of having this all day?" Max gestured to the tray of drinks.

"Well, let's see… We still have that broth like she had last night. Oh! I completely forgot! I did get a bone broth for her, do you think she would like that? It's supposed to have more nutrition than a basic soup broth. Would you like me to look into that?"

"Sure! If it has more nutrition, that would be fantastic. Anything that might help with her energy, as long as it's a clear liquid, like what it says on that paper we brought from the doctor. Yes, let's do that for her."

"And I was also wondering, I still have some Jell-o in the pantry, I think that's alright for her to have. Maybe not the cherry flavor, but I also have orange and lemon. That might make her feel a little like she's actually eating something. I'd have to make it and let it chill in the refrigerator, so it wouldn't be ready for a good while. And there's also tea that she can have, hot or iced. I don't think she cares for black coffee, and that might be too much for her anyway, given the circumstances. And I don't have any decaf on hand."

"Tea… yes! Let's do that. She mentioned last night that she felt cold. Thank you, Niles! Some kind of hot tea, maybe with honey? And that bone broth. We'll see how she likes it and maybe she will want more. Well, let me get this up to her and see how she's doing." Max picked up the tray of drinks and headed for the stairs.

"Oh, sir? For your breakfast, might you be dining with the children this morning, or would you like for me to bring something up to you?"

Max thought a moment. "Let me try to come down and have it with the children. I don't think I want to eat in front of Fran, that's not really fair to her. As long as she's doing alright, I'll take my meals down here. Oh, and could you make an extra big pot of coffee this morning? I may need it."

"Yes, sir! Right away, sir!"

Fran finally came out of the bathroom in her old room and sat on the side of her old bed. Her stomach felt awful, and she was dying of thirst. Maybe she could ask Max to get her some cold water. Maybe that would make her feel better. She'd caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror when she turned the light on, and almost scared herself. She thought she looked like she was morphing into a corpse. She didn't want Max to see her like that. It wasn't her. When she felt she could make it back to the master bedroom without incident, she carefully got up from the bed, turned off the light, and walked slowly back through the halls. It was still quiet in the house and she didn't know what time it was, just that the sun was coming up, so she didn't want to disturb anyone. She saw the bedroom door was still open, but now there was a light coming from the doorway. She must have woken Max up. Now she felt bad. She peeked her head around the door and looked in. No Max. But he had definitely woken up and gotten out of bed. That's when she noticed that the tray and glasses were gone from her bedside table. Oh, good! She thought. He must be getting her more drinks. That made her feel more thirsty, and then made her stomach clench.

Fran decided to try to get in the shower before Max came back, so she grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a long sleeved cotton shirt, then underwear, a bra, and some thick socks. Today was definitely going to be an off day. She wasn't going anywhere. She hoped maybe the shower would help her feel better, and maybe bring back some color to her face. She hurried to the bathroom and shut the door, then got the water in the shower running. She saw the thermometer on the counter, and remembered that it would be best if she took her temperature before a hot shower, so she picked it up and stuck it under her tongue, then began getting undressed. Once the water was hot enough, she pulled out the thermometer to have a look. It was normal- even a bit low. Maybe that's why she felt cold. She rinsed off the thermometer and set it down, then hopped into the shower and let out a sigh as the hot water soaked her body.

Max carried the tray of drinks into the room and noticed that Fran wasn't there- then heard the sound of the shower and felt a wave of relief. He set the tray down on her table, then took off his robe as he walked back to his side of the bed and got back into the covers. He reached for the TV remote and turned on the television to wait for her.

As Fran wrapped up her shower and got out and dried off, she looked at herself in the mirror. She still looked thin, her ribs and hips showing more than they used to, but now she was seeing something in her face that she didn't like. Her eyes seemed to be sinking back in their sockets, making her look a bit like a skeleton. Maybe her cheekbones were a bit sharper, too. She would have to pay some extra attention to how she did her makeup until she could gain some weight back, and not be going through this awful regimen to prepare for surgery.

She got dressed quickly, then dried her hair with the towel as much as she could and combed it out straight, then pushed it back over both shoulders. She brushed her teeth and put on a bit of perfume, then gathered her pajamas. She shut off the light as she opened the door, and saw Max across the room on the bed, looking over at her. He gave her a smile and sat up. She noticed he had been watching the TV. She headed over towards him, then gave his foot a shake through the covers and smiled back at him. She tossed her pajamas in the hamper in the closet, then came back to Max, who was now sitting on the side of the bed, his legs hanging down. He reached out for her and pulled her in as he looked up at her. Her straight, damp hair hung down towards him and she scratched his shoulders back and forth. He had a look in his eyes that made her wonder.

"What?" She asked, eyebrow raised.

"Hmm?" Max responded. "Oh, I was just thinking… You're adorable with your hair like that- straight. You don't wear it like this very often. Hardly at all, really." He looked over her thick hair, that looked a little less so when it was damp like this.

"Yeah. But once it gets dry, it doesn't really look like this anymore. It gets wavy, and kinda bushier. I'd have to use that straightening iron on it to keep it this straight. But if there's any humidity outside, poof!" Max chuckled and she smiled at him, then ran the side of her thumb across the stubble on his cheek and jaw. Max noticed that she seemed a little subdued, and presumed it was because she must be drained of energy. He knew she didn't have a full night of sleep, and with her restricted diet, it looked like she was running on empty.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her softly.

"How am I feeling?" She thought a moment, then looked over at the tray of drinks on her bedside table. "I'm feeling like I don't want to drink anymore of that stuff. I'm tired. I'm a hundred percent sure I'm gonna need a nap today, if not two or three. If I can. But I have a feeling that might not happen." Her facial expression sank as she looked back at him, then rested her forehead against his. Max's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart! I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I hope it won't be like this tomorrow. You really need your rest before surgery. At least you should be done with that drink by tonight. Oh, and I talked to Niles. He has another broth you can try, he says he thinks it has more nutrition so maybe it will help you feel not quite so tired. And he offered to make you some tea as well. He thought you wouldn't want any black coffee, or that much caffeine, given the circumstances. So he should be bringing those up soon, if you want to leave the door open a little so he knows it's alright to knock."

"Oh! The broth! Yeah, that might make me feel better. Yeah, I think that would be good. And some tea, too." Fran managed to smile again at the thought of some sustenance.

"He's putting honey in the tea as well. Oh! He said he has some Jell-o, so he'll make that for you, too. But it probably won't be ready until this afternoon. So you can have that later if you feel up to it."

"Aw, that's sweet. Yeah, Jell-o might be good. Then I can try to pretend I'm eating!" They both chuckled, then Max hugged her tightly to him as she stood in front of him beside the bed.

"Well, I guess I should go get showered. And Fran, I'll go downstairs to have breakfast with the children before they leave. And make sure they have whatever they need. I don't want to be bringing food up here and make you feel any worse than you already do. That wouldn't be fair. Is that alright with you?" He looked back up at her and leaned back a little.

"Yeah, you should go have breakfast with them. That'll be fine. And probably dinner, too, later. I don't know how today's gonna turn out, so it's fine if you go downstairs to get something to eat. I might just stay in here today and see if I can get any rest. But I want you here, too, if you aren't busy. If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all, darling. And you don't have to run back to your old room every time you feel- you know- like you have to. I understand why, believe me, I do. But maybe- why not use the hall bathroom instead? We don't have any company staying in the house, and the children have their own bathrooms. That would save you having to run twice as far, if you aren't comfortable using this one. Could you do that, if it would be easier on you?" Fran thought a moment.

"I suppose I could. I'll try to remember that." She looked into his loving eyes, then stroked his stubble again. "And before you ask, my temperature is normal." Max smiled at her and rubbed his hands across her back.

"Good! That's wonderful! Now, let me get some clothes and I'll go grab a shower. And I know you don't want to, but please start on your drinks again, alright? And Niles should be up soon with the other things. Feel free to change the channel, that is if you want to watch anything." He turned around and set the remote in the middle of the bed where she would be able to reach it. Fran let go of him and squeezed his hand as he got up and headed to the closet. She climbed across the bed to her side, grabbed her thick socks and put them on, then picked up the glass with the awful drink and took a gulp, then a gulp of each of the other two drinks. Max headed for the bathroom and turned to look at her again and smiled.

"I'll put the big rollers in my hair today, and stick my face on. I know we aren't doing anything today, but I want to at least make an effort."

"Alright, darling. I'll be back out in a little bit."

"Okay." Fran slid off the bed and went to her dressing table and got out her large hair rollers, then sat down in the chair and picked up her comb. She combed her hair into sections and rolled each section up, and when she was finished, she began to put on her makeup. She sat near the partially open bedroom door and was sure she could smell something coming from the kitchen. It made her stomach growl, and she thought she might have to make a run for it but she managed to settle the feeling quickly. She got back to doing her makeup and thought about the day ahead, especially with what the kids would be up to. Fran really wanted to see them before they left. She rushed to finish her makeup, then got up and put on her robe. In her sock feet, she left the bedroom and hurried through the hall to the children's rooms, and heard soft voices coming from Maggie's room. Leaning her ear close to the door, she could make out Maggie and Gracie talking to each other. She knocked on the door, and Maggie's voice responded.

"Come in!" She said. Fran opened the door to find Maggie braiding Gracie's hair.

"Hi, Fran!" Gracie squealed.

"Good morning, angel! You almost ready to go?"

"Yeah, Maggie's just fixing my hair before we go downstairs. Brighton already went down."

"Oh, he did? I was hoping to see him before you left, but I already drank some of that drink so I need to be careful." Gracie made a face after Fran said that.

"Does that stuff make you feel sick?" Gracie asked.

"Well, kinda. Like when you eat something your tummy doesn't like. Only it keeps happening over and over again."

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Maggie asked, as she tied up the end of Gracie's braid.

"Not enough. But I can take a nap later if I need to. So Gracie, promise me you'll stay with Maggie all the time, okay? No wandering off in the shops or anything."

"I promise, don't worry."

"I'll make sure she's right with me. I'll hold on to her if I have to," Maggie said.

"Good. That makes me feel better. Oh, Mags, I was just thinking of something a while ago, and I'm not really sure what to do. After the surgery, where the incisions are- that might mean I can't wear pants or anything that comes right across my middle. I don't know if it would hurt, but that might be uncomfortable. I don't really have any nightgowns I think I would wear, and it seems weird to wear a dress or something like that if I have to be in bed during the day. So maybe, if you think about it, when you guys are out shopping, could you look for anything I might be able to wear? If you see something that won't cut across my middle."

"Oh, sure!" Maggie said. "You know, I still have that one piece- the pants with the sort of tank top. You can wear a shirt under it. You mean something like that?"

"Yeah! Something soft, like cotton. But yeah, then I could wear stuff like that around the house until I heal all the way. And maybe some kind of comfortable pajamas or like a long nightshirt or two. That would be a big help, Mags."

"No problem, we'll see if we can find some stuff. Oh, Fran?"

"Yeah?"

"On monday, when you go to the hospital, do you know what you're going to wear? Or what clothes you'll put on when they let you come home?"

"Oh, well I hadn't really thought that far yet. I can probably just wear sweats or something to the hospital. But when I leave- I don't know. Maybe if you find something when you're out. I might have to dig through all of my clothes to see what I have. I really don't like the thought of wearing anything with a waistband, though."

"Yeah, that seems like it might hurt. We'll at least try to find you something for when you leave the hospital, and maybe you could wear it around here, too. What are you going to do with your hair? And makeup?" Maggie asked, and Fran looked at her wide-eyed.

"Oh no! I didn't think about that, either!" Fran put her hand to her mouth and tried to think.

"You could do a braid like mine!" Gracie said, and Fran looked over her hair.

"I suppose I could. But it might be a while before I can wash it again. Would that be comfortable to lay on, do you think?" She asked Maggie.

"It might be okay, or you could do two braids? So it parts all the way down the middle, and you can have them to the sides? That might help for the surgery, too, so they don't have to stuff all of your hair in one of those hair bonnet things." They all laughed, imagining the nurses trying to wrangle Fran's hair. "I can help you do that if you need me to."

"I might take you up on that, but if I do it monday morning, that'll be really early. You sure you'd want to get up early?" Fran asked.

"That's no big deal. And I'd kinda like to be up to say goodbye when you guys leave anyways."

"So would I," Gracie added.

"Aw! You guys are so sweet! Well, if you want to get up that early, I can't stop you, but then you better go to bed early tomorrow night, okay? I don't want you guys falling asleep in class." They nodded their heads and smiled at her.

"Well, I better let you guys go get some breakfast. Niles is supposed to be bringing me some broth and tea, so maybe that will help me feel better. Your daddy's gonna have breakfast with you, too, okay? He doesn't want to eat in front of me, he thinks that would be mean to do."

"Is it?" Gracie asked.

"Well, it's not mean, but it might make me sad that I can't have any of it. But it's just temporary. I have to keep reminding myself of that. So, did you see Brighton this morning? Does he seem okay?"

"I think he's okay. He looks kind of like he's on a mission. A little serious. Making sure he has everything he needs. That sort of thing. He looked a little tired, but he's getting up early on a saturday, so it might be nothing."

"Yeah. But just keep an eye on him. Try to get some lunch together when you're out, if he finishes by then. Make sure he eats at some point, anyway. Oh, and make sure you have that cell phone with you. That way Brighton can call you when he's done, or you can call us if you need to."

"Okay, I will."

"Well, I'll let you guys go now. I think I might need to make a run for it here in a minute. That stuff kicks in pretty fast. So gimme a hug, and get on downstairs!" The girls hugged her quickly and she hurried from Maggie's room to the hall bathroom.

Max put on his aftershave and cologne, then picked up the hairdryer and hurriedly dried his hair. He ran a comb through it, then grabbed his pajamas and headed out of the bathroom. He was a little surprised to not find Fran in the room, and suspected she had to excuse herself. He tossed his things to the hamper and came back out to sit on the end of the bed to put his socks on, then slipped on some shoes. Just then, Fran came into the bedroom, her hand on her stomach.

"Everything alright, darling?" He asked, concerned.

"Oh, just the usual. That stuff is brutal." She gave him a frown and he hurried to her to give her a hug.

"My poor darling! We'll just take it a step at a time today, alright? An hour at a time, and we'll get you through it. At least you can finish that stuff off tonight and you won't have to drink it tomorrow." She looked up at him as she clutched at his waist. His eyes twinkled at her, making her smile, then he leaned down to kiss her. "I'll just be downstairs for breakfast, alright? Then I'll come back up here to hang out with you."

"Okay. Oh, I saw Maggie and Gracie, but Brighton had gone downstairs already. I told them to keep an eye in him, and make sure he eats some lunch when they're out. He sounds like he's ready to go do some work."

"Oh, well, good. I'll see how he looks. And I'll go see if Niles has your tea and broth ready for you, and have him bring it up. Will you be okay for a little while?"

"Yeah. I just need to dry my hair, then I'll get back to my drinks. And tell Niles thank you, especially for the Jell-o. I do want some when it's ready."

"I'll let him know. Well, I guess I better get down there. I'll bring the newspaper back up with me, so you can read the funnies."

"Aw, thank you!" She gave Max a firm kiss, and he patted her hips, then let go of her and headed for the door.

"I'll be back up after they've left. Just take it easy, if you can."

"I will. Go eat some for me, too." Max chuckled.

"I will." Max headed downstairs to join the children for breakfast, and Fran headed for the bathroom to use the hairdryer before she took the curlers out of her hair.

The children sat at the dining table, just beginning to dig into the food Niles had prepared. Max rushed in to the room and greeted everyone, then sat down to join them.

"So how is everyone this morning? Ready to head off on your adventure?" He asked, as he spread his napkin on his lap.

"Yes!" Gracie beamed. "It's gonna be fun shopping with Maggie. We have to find some clothes Fran can wear after the surgery."

"After the surgery?" Max asked, confused.

"Yeah," Maggie stepped in. "Because of where the incisions will be- if she has a waistband that comes across there, it might hurt her."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about that." He and Brighton glanced at each other, then he looked back at the girls. "Yes, that would be a nice thing to do, if you can find anything. Oh, Niles? Could you get that household credit card and give it to Maggie? That way you aren't spending so much of your own money, sweetheart."

"Yes, sir, I'll go grab it right away. And do you all have everything you need for a bit? I need to get that broth and tea together for Ms. Fine and get it upstairs."

"Yes, I think so," Max said, and the children all nodded and said yes.

"Very well! I'll be right back!" Niles rushed back to the kitchen, and Max and the children were left alone together. They all ate quietly, as they occasionally glanced back and forth at each other. Max got up to pour himself some coffee, then brought the cream and sugar back with him and sat down. As he stirred the cream and sugar into his coffee, he looked over at Brighton.

"So, Brighton- Fran wants the girls to make sure you get something to eat when you're out, okay? Whether you have lunch with the girls or if you stay longer at the library, make sure you go get a meal somewhere, alright?" Brighton nodded to his father, then looked over at his sisters.

"Yeah, Brighton. You can call the cell phone when you're done, or we can decide on a time to meet back at the library, if you want. We can wait to get lunch if you want to go with us."

"Okay, yeah. We can figure it out after we get to the library, once I know how to do everything there."

"And Brighton, if Fran doesn't come down- could you go say goodbye to her before you all leave? I think she'd appreciate that. I mean, unless she's otherwise occupied. She's already started with her drinks again this morning."

"Oh, okay. Sure, I can go look for her before we go." Brighton's eyes winced briefly in the twitch that he'd been trying to hide.

"So, daddy, are you just going to look after Fran today? You aren't working or anything?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, that's the plan. Whatever she needs, I'll help her with. I just want to help her get through all this preparation she has to do for the surgery. She may not be downstairs at all today, depending on how she feels. Oh, and when you all come back, just be mindful that she could be taking a nap, so please try to keep the noise level down when you're upstairs. I know you all might be excited if you find things for her when you're out shopping."

"Okay daddy," Gracie said, looking concerned.

"I can't wait until she's back to normal, and back to eating like she should. I haven't seen the refrigerator full of food for this long in ages!" Maggie said, and everyone laughed.

"Well, in all fairness, Sylvia hasn't been around much lately, either. But yes, Fran has lost too much weight. Hopefully that will change fairly soon after her surgery. Just a couple more days and that will all be past us." Max paused after he spoke and the children got quiet, too. Just a couple of days. They all stared at their plates and let that sink in. Maggie leaned back in her seat. Gracie pushed the remaining food on her plate with her fork. Brighton rubbed the corner of his eye with his finger and forced down another bite of scrambled eggs. Max cleared his throat and took a sip of coffee. "Well, you know what, children? Why don't you all get something for yourselves while you're out? You know- maybe a CD or two? Some magazines? Or Gracie, maybe you'll find a book you want. I know how difficult this has all been for you, too, and I know how much you love Fran. I really do appreciate how you all have helped lately, and I may need to ask for more help in the coming weeks, too. So I'd like for you all to find something while you're out that might brighten your day a bit. Maybe help take your mind off of things a little." Max looked around the table at the children, and they looked at each other, then turned back to him and nodded.

"Daddy?" Gracie asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What about you? We should get you something. Because you're getting married, too, and you've been helping Fran more than anybody else has. Can we look for something for you? Something to make you happy?" Max was really touched by what she said.

"Oh, Gracie! What a wonderful thing to say! But really, you don't need to get me anything. Everything that really makes me happy is right here in this house. All I want is for everyone to be healthy and happy themselves, and that would make me happy." The children all smiled softly, and Maggie and Brighton glanced at each other with knowing looks. They were definitely going to try to find something for their father.

Everyone went back to their meals, trying to hurry so they could leave. Max got himself another cup of coffee to wake himself up. Niles pushed through the door from the kitchen, all smiles.

"Children! The driver will be here in a few minutes, so finish up and go get all of your things. I'll get your heavier coats so you're comfortable if you'll be outside for any long periods. And Miss Grace, keep your gloves on when you're outside! I don't want you catching a chill!" Niles warned.

"I'll make sure she does, Niles," Maggie said, then hurriedly scraped the last bite of food from her plate. Brighton swallowed the last of his orange juice and wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"I'm gonna go say goodbye to Fran real quick. I have my backpack with everything I need by the bottom of the stairs." He pushed his chair out and Gracie set her fork down.

"I want to go see Fran, too!" She cried.

"Easy, Gracie! Now did you get enough to eat?" Max asked.

"Yes! Can I go say goodbye to Fran?"

"Alright, go ahead. But knock first! Even if the door is open!" Max called after Gracie and Brighton as they ran from the room. Maggie stacked her plate with Brighton's and got up.

"I can get that for you," Niles said.

"No biggie," Maggie replied. She walked around the table and retrieved Gracie's plate, too. "I'll get these in the sink real quick, then I want to go say goodbye to Fran, too."

"Oh, well, alright," Niles acquiesced, stepping back to let Maggie pick up the plate. "Thank you for doing that."

"You're welcome." She hurried through the door to the kitchen and Niles and Max looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

"You know, I could get used to this!" Niles joked, and Max laughed.

"So could I! But don't get too used to it, I'm sure once things are back to normal they'll be back to their old ways." Max took a long sip of coffee and Niles' expression drooped.

"Will things ever be 'back to normal'? I feel like I'm already forgetting what that means." Max looked up at him, and his own expression deflated a bit, too.

"I know what you mean, Niles. Maybe- maybe whatever it is, it will be our new normal." Niles sighed and nodded, then remembered that there was a wedding coming up, and that perked him back up.

"Oh, yes! A New Normal- and a new bride!" He grinned, and Max grinned back, then Niles gathered up the glasses and napkins and hurried into the kitchen. Max went back to his breakfast, trying to finish up as quickly as he could so he could see the children off.

"Take it easy today, Fran. And when we get back, we'll come show you whatever we find for you, okay? And maybe we can help you get your bag packed for the hospital," Maggie said, and Fran squeezed her hand.

"Okay, Mags. You guys be safe, alright? If anything makes you not feel safe, go in a store and call the driver right away, okay?" Fran said.

"I will. But we'll be fine. Don't worry. We'll come check on you when we get back. Bye, Fran!" Maggie waved, as she hurried out the bedroom door.

"Bye, guys!" Fran slumped back against the pillows as she listened to the sound of the kids running down the stairs in the distance. She sighed deeply, then looked over at the glasses on the side table, then reached for them one at a time and took a large gulp from each. A tall thermos stood on the table behind them, full of the broth Niles brought for her. Fran reached for it, then rested it on her lap. The warmth of the thermos felt nice on her cold legs. She reached for the throw blanket and pulled it over her, then shook the thermos a little, unscrewed the top and breathed in the smell of the broth inside. It smelled wonderful! It even made her stomach growl. She poured some out into the cup that came with it, then carefully screwed the lid back on. She took several small sips of the hot broth, then heard footsteps in the hallway. Fran looked up and Max's face peeked around the bedroom door, and he smiled at her.

"Hello, darling!" He said, and came through the door, shutting it behind him. He had the newspaper tucked under one arm and a cup of coffee in the other.

"Hi, sweetie! The kids get out okay?"

"Yes, they're off on their adventure. They all seemed ready to go. I think Gracie was excited to go shopping with her big sister."

"Yeah," Fran smiled. "I think it's nice for the two of them to spend some time together like that." Max nodded and walked around the bed, set down his coffee on his bedside table, then climbed onto the bed to sit next to Fran. He noticed a large envelope sticking out from under the pillow next to her, and reached over to pull it out. It was the envelope of papers Fran had to bring back with her to the hospital before her surgery. Fran looked over at him, then at the envelope.

"Were you hiding this from the children?" He asked. Fran cleared her throat and nodded.

"Yeah. I was about to start going through it when I heard them coming. I didn't want to have to explain to them what it was." Fran's eyes lowered, and Max reached a hand over to caress her leg.

"It's alright, Fran. They don't really need to know about all of that, at least not right now. They've got plenty of other things on their minds. But it might be a good idea to get all of that dealt with sooner rather than later."

"Yeah," she said softly. She took another sip of her broth and Max opened the newspaper on his lap.

"Does that broth seem to help?" He asked, looking over at her.

"It does! It's really good. I just hope it stays in me long enough to get something out of it. But I have to keep drinking all that other stuff, too, so it all might just go right through me."

"My poor darling! Please let me know if I can do anything for you, won't you? Anything at all. Once you get through the rest of that drink, things should start to get better. I know you'll still be hungry, but hopefully all the other discomfort should stop. I'll do whatever I can to try to help you get through it. Just remember that it's only temporary. Soon you'll be past this, and past the surgery. And you'll be getting better and better every day after that, and we'll have a lot of things to look forward to." He looked at her lovingly and stroked the side of her leg through the blanket.

"We will, won't we? That'll be nice to think about. But yeah, I just want to read through all of this and sign whatever I have to sign and get it over with. I don't want any loose ends to have to deal with at the last minute. I feel like I might need a lot of quiet time before we go to the hospital, you know? Just to wrap my head around everything. And I want you to take it easy, too, okay? I don't want you getting yourself all worked up and not getting any rest. Maggie offered to help get a bag packed for the hospital, too. So maybe we can get that out of the way this afternoon. And maybe we should pack your things in it, too. A change of clothes, toothbrush, that sort of thing. That way we won't have to pack two bags. Is that okay with you?" Fran asked.

"Sure, darling. We can do that. And pack some things for us to read if we may need it. Things to keep us busy until they let you come home."

"Yeah." She took another sip of her broth to test the temperature, then drank the rest of the cupful down and set it on the bedside table. She looked at the glasses again and groaned, and Max watched as she took a large gulp of each one. He smiled as she turned back to him.

"You're handling things very well, darling. You really are. I'm really impressed with you." He leaned towards her and kissed her softly on the lips, then looked into her eyes. "And I mean it, if you need anything- anything at all- please tell me. I just want you to try to take it easy today, alright? I know you didn't get enough sleep last night, so if you need a nap, then go right ahead. I'll try to keep things quiet in the house for you so you can rest."

"Thank you, Max. I might need a nap later. But you should rest, too. I know you didn't get enough sleep, either."

"Well, maybe we can both get a nap later. I'll try my best to get some rest, but I can't promise anything." Fran laughed and patted his leg, then picked up the envelope and put it on her lap.

"Well, let's get our reading out of the way, then maybe we can find a movie or something to watch."

"Alright." Fran pulled the stack of papers out of the envelope, and Max turned his attention to the newspaper on his lap, and they both began reading with the low sound of the television in the background. As Max read over the headlines of the day and delved deeper into a few news articles, Fran read about the risks associated with her surgery and with the anesthesia. As she read about the risk of infection and the things she wouldn't be allowed to do after the surgery, Max went through the stock market results for the week. Things were becoming a blur for Fran, and a lot of what she was reading began to make less and less sense to her, until she got to the forms she needed to fill out for next of kin and what she wanted done in case of an emergency. She gulped hard and started thinking about what if something bad really did happen, how would she want things handled? Would she just leave everything to her parents to deal with, or did she want Max to be involved, too? Who was she kidding, of course she would want Max to be involved. But how could she do that to him, especially since he had gone through it before? And then she got a twinge in her stomach as she thought about the children. She wanted them to have things to remember her by. But how would anyone know what she wanted each of them to have? And what about Val, too?

Fran sat up straight on the bed, pushed the papers away, and grabbed her stomach. Max looked over at her, and knew things must be kicking in again. Fran slid carefully off the bed and stood up, then headed for the bedroom door.

"I'll be back in a minute!" She gasped, then rushed from the room and headed for the hall bathroom. Max dropped the newspaper to his lap and stared at the door. He swallowed hard, feeling guilty again and was unsure of what to do. He tried to go back to reading the paper, but ended up just flipping through the pages. He kept checking his watch, noting how many minutes were passing and Fran still hadn't come back yet. He folded the newspaper and tossed it to the end of the bed, then gathered Fran's medical papers and stacked them neatly on the large envelope. He noticed that the paper she had been reading talked about a "Living Will." He felt his own stomach clench at the thought of that and he pushed the papers away. He checked his watch again, then listened to see if he could hear her coming back to the bedroom yet. She wasn't. He glanced at the program on the television, then scratched his head, and finally looked over at all the drinks on her bedside table. The ice was melting in all of them and they were all less than half-full. Maybe he could go freshen them up again- especially the water and the glass with the Pedialyte. He didn't want her to get dehydrated or have any more problems to deal with. Max crawled across her side of the bed and got up, then sorted the tray with the glasses. He checked the large thermos full of broth and noted that it was still heavy and warm, so he left that and picked up the tray full of glasses. He headed into the hallway and stopped to listen and still didn't hear Fran. He wondered if maybe she had gone back to her old bedroom instead. Either way, he wanted to get to the kitchen and get back upstairs before she came back to their bedroom, so he hurried towards the back stairs as as quickly as he could.

Fran shut off the water after washing her hands. She was locked in the hall bathroom, leaning over the sink in discomfort. She glanced up at herself in the mirror and made a face. She was awfully pale and looked miserable. How could she possibly make herself look better for Max? She really didn't want him to see her looking like this. Her stomach was still bothering her, especially if she tried to stand up straight. Was it just from that awful drink she had to have, or could there be something else going on? She wasn't sure. She just knew that she really wanted it to stop. She made her way to the bathtub and sat down on the edge, trying to get her bearings before she made her way back to the bedroom to see Max again. Her insides churned and made noise here and there, and she clutched at her stomach with her hands to try to make it stop. As she ran her hands back and forth, she thought she felt something, and it startled her. She looked down at her right side and let her hand move over the area where the tumor was. Her thumb grazed over an area just below her waistline, and there it was. She was certain she could feel something there.

She reached for the wall to help her stand back up, then walked back to the sink so she could have a look in the mirror. She moved the waistband of her pants down a bit to see if she could see anything, but she couldn't. But she definitely felt it, and knew it had to be the tumor. As she ran a finger over the spot, she imagined the sight of a scar in its place. She moved her finger back and forth, trying to decide how long the incision might need to be now. Was the tumor growing faster? Or was it just because of the weight she knew she was still losing because she couldn't eat like normal? Maybe that's all it was. She did look very thin. Another wave of sweats and nausea washed over her, making her double over and have to rush for the toilet.

"Oh god!" She whimpered.

Max carefully carried the tray of full glasses up the narrow back stairwell and through the halls to the master bedroom. He hoped that Fran would be back there, but she wasn't, so he carried the tray to her bedside table and set it down. He checked his watch and began to get very concerned. He started to pace back and forth, then remembered his cup of coffee and walked over to his bedside, picked up the cup, and finished off the last of the coffee in one gulp. He walked over to the television and tried to pay attention to the show, but couldn't, so he headed back to the bed and sat down on the end of it.

There was a soft noise in the hallway, making him look over to see what it was. Fran appeared in the doorway, her arms crossed in front of her and a sad look on her face. She turned around to shut the door, then looked at Max as he stood up from the bed. The look on her face crushed him.

"Darling! Is everything alright? You were gone so long, I was starting to worry!" He wanted to run to her and lift her in his arms, but the way she looked told him to be more careful with her. She almost looked shaky, and she slowly reached her arms out towards him. "Oh, sweetheart!" He reached out his arms to her and gently took her in. She clutched him as tightly as she could and nuzzled her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"I hate this…" she whimpered into his shirt. It crushed him. He stroked her hair and did his best to try to soothe her some before he spoke. Carefully, he leaned back from her just enough to get her to turn her head towards him and look him in the eyes. She looked so sad- so worn out.

"My poor darling! You look like you don't feel well at all!"

"I don't. I hate that stuff! It makes me feel so sick when it hits me!" Fran buried her face against him again and he hugged her tightly and ran his hands over her back.

"I'm so sorry, Fran! I hate that you have to go through this! I really do! I wish I knew how I could help you through it. I don't know that there's anything I can say that will help. I know you probably don't want to drink anything, but I filled your glasses again. The water's nice and cold, and the Pedialyte. Would you be able to drink any of that? I think it might be good to take a little break from that other stuff for a little while. Do you feel like you could handle maybe some water?" Fran thought for a moment as she held onto him tightly, then turned her head to look over at the full glasses at the bedside.

"The water is cold? Maybe some water…"

Max eased his clutch on her and they stepped slowly towards the bedside table, and Fran reached for the glass of water. Max couldn't help but notice her shaky hand as she picked up the glass and took a few sips, then put it back down quickly.

"Sweetheart, do you need to lie down for a little while? You're looking a bit shaky. Here, let me move these pillows- make it more comfortable for you."

"I don't want to go to sleep. Just a rest, maybe. Just for a little while. I'll be okay." Max helped her onto the bed and let her lay back on a pillow. He pulled the blanket over her and tucked it around her, then sat down next to her.

"Fran? Is there anything you need to tell me? You were gone quite a while. I didn't know if I should go check on you or not." He rested a hand on her shin, then began squeezing and massaging her lower leg, working his way up and down the length of it. Fran covered her forehead with her hand and closed her eyes.

"Hmm… that feels good," she said softly. "I didn't mean to make you worry. I just wasn't sure it was safe to leave the bathroom yet. And then I had another wave hit me. But- I don't know… yeah, I guess it was different this time. Made my insides kind of hurt some. It was hard to stand up all the way, so I sat down on the side of the tub to wait it out." She opened her eyes and looked over at him as he lovingly massaged her leg, then he moved his hand to work on the other leg. She remembered running her hands over her stomach when she sat on the side of the tub, and got herself a little scared. "Max?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"Come here, I need to see if you can feel it, too." She gestured for him to move up closer, and he was confused at first, but then she pushed the blanket down, and lifted the side of her shirt up and moved her waistband out of the way.

"What-?" He asked. "You mean- you want me to see if I can feel it?" He looked at her bare abdomen, then back into her eyes.

"Yeah," her voice cracked. Max swallowed hard, then moved up closer and carefully reached out a hand and rested it on her bare skin.

"Where, exactly, do you-" he began.

"Just see if you feel anything anywhere."

Max gently ran his thumb over her skin, working it back and forth from her waist and then moving it lower, trying not to press too hard. He almost gasped. He did feel something. He looked at his hand, then back at Fran's eyes.

"You feel that, too, don't you?" She asked, then rested her hand on top of his. He could feel something in her- right where the tumor was supposed to be.

"My god, Fran…" he gulped. Had it already gotten larger? He carefully ran his thumb over the area again, then felt the blood draining from his own face.

"Sweetie- don't worry! It's probably nothing. I mean, not nothing, but you know what I mean. I think- maybe we can just feel it more because I lost more weight. Especially from that stupid drink. It might just be making it easier to find, that's all. I don't think it would be bigger already. Really. I just- it's just something new. I guess it scared me some."

"Does it hurt? Is it hurting you at all?" Max's heart was racing now. He kicked off his slippers and climbed over her onto the bed. He looked closely at her abdomen and could just barely see a raised area where the tumor was.

"It doesn't hurt, Max. I'm okay. Well, not really okay. I mean, that part doesn't hurt, really. It's all of my insides that hurt, when that drink kicks in. Kinda like food poisoning, you know? But in waves. I think I'm okay right now." Max looked down at her abdomen again and swallowed hard, then pulled her clothes back over it and pulled the blanket up over her. He couldn't think of what to say or do. His mind went blank, and he didn't even realize he was staring at her belly. Fran looked over at him as he stared at her, and couldn't help but worry about what he might be thinking. She was thinking it, too. Now she really knew exactly where the scar was going to be. What if it didn't heal right? What if they really did have to make the incision longer than their original plan? How badly was it going to ruin her body? And why did this all have to happen now, when they just started getting intimate with each other? She didn't mean to get herself upset, but the tears began anyway. And Max noticed. She hurriedly tried to wipe them away.

"Fran! Darling, what is it? Don't cry! Everything will be alright, I'm certain it will! What's the matter?" He rested down next to her and reached a hand out to her shoulder to try to comfort her.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it! I'm scared the incision's gonna be a lot bigger than they said. And I might have a huge scar there. It's gonna be awful, I just know it. I may never be able to wear a bikini again. And what if you don't like it? What if it turns you off and you don't want to be with me anymore? That's all you'll see- a big ugly scar!" Fran whimpered and cried even more, getting Max even more upset, too.

"Fran! Now you listen to me, Fran! I love you! I don't give a damn about what the scar looks like. I feel bad that all of this is happening to you, and that yes- it's going to leave its mark. But that will never stop me from loving you, or thinking you're beautiful!" Max moved up against her, but was careful not to lay on top of her. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her again and again. "How can I get it across to you how much I love you? I love you so much, Fran! I love you so deeply that I can't find the right words to make you understand how deeply! You're a part of me, Fran! I couldn't live without you, and I don't even want to imagine that. We're a pair, a couple… partners. I need you forever, and I don't want you to ever think anything like this would make me leave you- just for vanity. You'll be able to wear a bikini as much as you want to, and you'll look amazing in it, and I'll still get jealous if any other man looks at you. But then I'll remember that you're with me, Fran. Whether you're in a bikini or not. I'm the one who gets to smother you with kisses, and wrap my arms around you. I'm the one who gets to hold you all night… who gets to be with you. Yes, it makes me sad that you need to have surgery, and that it will leave you with a scar. But it will never affect my loving you, or being turned on by you. I mean, I know you only got a brief glimpse of my body before I had my surgery, but does my scar turn you off? Does it make you not want to be with me when you see it?"

"No! No, Max, no! It makes me want to take care of you. It makes me- it makes me upset with myself that I didn't take care of you back then. I wish I'd done more to help you. It just- I guess it makes me want to make it up to you- to take better care of you." Fran wiped her eyes and put her arms around Max's neck.

"I don't want you feeling upset with yourself that you didn't take care of me back then, sweetheart. We had a different dynamic going on then. Not that I wouldn't have liked it- having you help me with things, instead of Niles. But I appreciated that you were focused on the children, that's something I needed. I needed to know they would be fine, and I didn't have to worry about them. But why does seeing my scar make you feel like you need to make it up to me? To take care of me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because it's noticeable- I can see it. Maybe there's still something I can do to make it heal more. It's only been like a couple years, your skin is still healing. Maybe I can do something, find something, to make sure your skin keeps getting better, so it shows less and less. Because I love your body, Max! Even with your scar. But I guess when I see it, it makes me feel like I need to take better care of you."

Max smiled. "Well, then. That's not so bad, is it? That sounds pretty good to me. So maybe when we've both got our matching scars, I'm sure it'll make me want to take care of you, too. In fact, I know it will. Would that be alright with you? Maybe we both take care of each other's scars, and take care of each other, as much as we can. If you'll let me, I'll kiss it better every day for the rest of our lives. How does that sound?" He smiled, and Fran giggled.

"Yeah… that sounds good. You better kiss it better! I know that'll help. And I'll be coming after your scar, too!"

"See? And you thought you wouldn't turn me on anymore! That sounds pretty sexy, don't you think?!" They both laughed with each other, then Fran pulled him close for a kiss, then sighed.

"I'll never get over you, Maxwell Sheffield!" She whispered.

"Good! Because you've sure got me all tied up in knots over you. Good knots. And they'll never come undone! I love you, Fran." He kissed her softly, then smiled.

"I love you, Max. More than anything. And the first chance I get, I'm gonna start taking really good care of you. I mean it."

"I look forward to it, darling. But right now, I'm going to take care of you. I want you to relax for a bit, alright? Take a break from that awful drink, and have the others instead. And if you're up to it, try to get some more of that broth in you. I can have Niles warm it up if it's gotten cold. And why don't you take a break on those papers, too, okay? You can read the funnies and the horoscopes and all that for a while." Fran smiled up at him. He did know what she liked.

"Okay. I can do that. And maybe I'll try a nap after that, if I feel like I need it."

"Wonderful!" He smiled at her again, then kissed her firmly on the lips, and sat up on the bed beside her. He reached over for a tissue and handed it to her so she could wipe her eyes, then she sat up next to him and reached for her glass of water and chugged some down. She set the glass down and reached for the big thermos, grabbed it, and turned back to Max, who was gathering the newspaper and removing the section with the comics.

"I'm sorry I got so wimpy, Max. I guess I got overwhelmed. I probably can't promise that I won't do something like that again, but I'll try not to." Max turned to her and set the newspaper on her lap.

"No need to apologize, darling. We'll figure things out. I hope - and I expect- that this may be the worst thing we ever have to go through in our relationship. We'll get through it, and we'll be stronger for it. But we both need to realize we're still in the midst of it. You're still right in the middle of it. It's perfectly fine to get emotional. All I want though is for you to know- with absolute certainty- how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I don't want you ever having any doubt about that. Alright? There's enough uncertainty in the world to have to deal with, and I don't want that being a part of it."

"Thank you. I feel the same about you. You need to know that you're everything to me. I'm still trying to get used to telling you that, and telling you I love you. This is all still pretty new for us, but in a lot of ways it's not that new. I've loved you for a long time, and I'm glad I get to tell you that now."

"I'm glad, too. Very glad. And I'm beyond thrilled that you said yes to my proposal, too!" Fran grinned.

"I might be a wimp, but I ain't stupid!" They both laughed again and curled up next to each other. Fran opened the funnies on her lap, then opened the thermos and took a swig of the broth straight from it. "Mmm… still hot!" She smiled. Max grinned and looked her over.

"I'll say!" Fran swatted him and they both laughed, then got back to reading and watching television.

After Fran read the funnies and the horoscopes and advice columns, she set the paper aside and put the thermos of broth back on the side table. She slid down into the blanket and curled up beside Max to rest. It wasn't long before she fell asleep. Max picked up the section of newspaper and put it back with the rest, then moved it all to the end of the bed. He looked over at the stack of medical papers, then at Fran, who was sleeping soundly- already exhausted from her morning. He looked back at the papers, then reached for them. Maybe he should read through them, too, in case there were any complicated legal terms he might need to go over with her. He settled himself back against the pillows and shut off the television, then set the remote on his bedside table and began to read through everything. Most of it was boilerplate privacy notices, things to avoid post-surgery, and then the risks that could be associated with her surgery. As he read through the list of potential complications, his mind swirled. He felt like he was in a bubble, separated from the world, with all of the worst thoughts about what could happen to Fran almost consuming him. He tried to read through the words as fast as he could, but he didn't want to overlook anything that might be really important, either. He knew there could be risks, but he also knew the chances of them happening were low, so he had to focus on that. He flipped through the papers as quickly as he could read them, and came to the ones that seemed to stop Fran in her tracks. He read the words and looked at the lines that needed to be filled in. Next of kin… responsible party… power of attorney… living will… It made Max sick to his stomach, too. Those were the last of the papers in the stack. He reached down to the end of the bed to retrieve the envelope, and slid the papers back into it, then put the envelope down. He didn't want to see them anymore. How would Fran want to handle all of that? Was it mandatory that she fill all of that out? Max knew that he and Fran would have to talk about it, and it might be best to talk about it when the children weren't there. It made him feel sick thinking about it. But he knew it had to be done.

He looked at Fran, asleep next to him. She was curled in an almost fetal position and her hand clutched the blanket against her neck. She looked so peaceful, so lovely. He watched her as she breathed in and out, and noticed that it looked like she was breathing heavier than usual. He supposed that maybe that was to be expected, her body was under a bit of duress, after all. Not just from the tumor, but from the lack of food and the drink she had to get through by the end of the day. He didn't envy her over that at all. He sure wished she didn't have to have that added burden. She was going through enough as it was.

Max looked down at the watch on his wrist and noticed that it was getting closer to lunchtime. He thought he should take advantage of her nap and head downstairs to get some food before she woke up. Then maybe they could have the talk about the paperwork. He carefully slid off the bed, trying not to wake her, and picked up his empty coffee cup and the newspaper. He headed around to her side of the bed to retrieve his slippers, and then out of the room to the kitchen.

"Oh, Mr. Sheffield! Can I get you anything? Are you ready for lunch?" Niles asked, jumping up from his chair at the kitchen table. He was watching the little TV set and had a magazine spread out in front of him.

"Oh, thank you, Niles. Yes, I think I could probably have my lunch now. Fran's fallen asleep, so I thought I'd let her have some peace and quiet, so now's a good time. But not a lot. I'm not extremely hungry." Niles looked over at him, curiously.

"Are you feeling alright, sir? Is it something to do with Ms. Fine?"

"Oh, no- well, I don't know. Maybe. Maybe a little. She was having a bit of a difficult time for a while there. But I think she's alright for the moment, if she was able to fall asleep. And then-" Max stopped himself, almost not wanting to tell Niles what else was bothering him, but then remembered everyone's pact about not having any secrets.

"Then what, sir?"

"Well, I don't know if you knew about those papers we brought back from the doctor? All of the papers that have to be read and signed and brought back before the surgery." Niles thought a moment.

"Oh. Well, sure…"

"She was reading through them, and then I read through them, too. It just adds to everything, I suppose. Makes it all that much more real. Knowing about all the risks, and then making the preparations for if anything was to happen…" Max's expression sank and he looked away from Niles. Niles went briefly wide-eyed, then felt the same fear Max had.

"Oh…" was all Niles could think to say. Niles headed to the fridge to look for something to make for lunch. He felt like he might be losing his appetite, too. "Would something like a sandwich be alright with you? Or do you want something else?"

"Sandwich is fine, thank you, Niles." Max tapped his knuckles on the end of the counter, then looked around the kitchen and over at the program on the television set. He walked over to the table and sat down, and looked at the TV but couldn't focus on the show. "Um, Niles?" He asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"I was just thinking earlier, you know how Valentine's Day is coming up, and how Fran will have to stay here, recovering…"

"Oh, yes. Yes, that's a shame you two can't get out to do something special."

"Yes, that's what I was thinking about. I'd still like to do something special for her here, but I'm not sure just what I might be able to do. She'll still have a restricted diet, I'm sure. And I do know that I want to get her some flowers. Which reminds me, I better call the florist to make sure I can get her something nice. But… there's got to be something more I can do. If you might have any ideas?" Max looked sheepishly over at Niles, as he was setting down everything he had taken from the fridge.

"Well, I'll see if I can think of something. But I can't promise. You know, my mind's a bit preoccupied with everything, too."

"Oh, sure, of course. I know it is, Niles. We're all out of sorts. I just- I just want to do something, you know? It's our first real Valentine's Day together, and being engaged, too. Maybe I can run out and get her something after she's back home. Maybe when Val or Sylvia is here with her while I get some work done. Yes, maybe I can do that. Oh, and Niles? I want to do something nice for the children, too. And you, as well. Maybe a night off for you, so you don't have to cook. We can let the children order some food, and maybe get a movie for them to watch? You know, as long as their schoolwork is done. And you can order some food too, or even go out to a restaurant if you'd like. Whatever you'd like to do. I think we all should have a nice, relaxing evening by then. Take a break from all that's happened."

"Yes, sir, that sounds like a nice idea. We can work on that. Would you like any gifts for the children?"

"Maybe. Let me think about it a little. If I'm not able to get away to shop for things, would it be alright with you if I asked you for some help?"

"Of course, sir! Absolutely! And if I see anything when I run out to the shops, I'll let you know. We'll make sure everyone has a nice time."

"Thank you, Niles. Thank you very much, for everything."

"Not a problem, sir. That's what I'm here for." As Niles hurried through the motions of making sandwiches for the both of them, Max got up from his chair to get himself a glass of water. He was pretty sure he'd had his fill of caffeine for the day. Niles cut the sandwiches in half and brought them on plates to the table, then hurried back to grab napkins. "Potato chips on the side, sir?"

"Sure," Max replied. "I see you've got the Jell-o setting up in the fridge. I think Fran's really looking forward to that."

"Oh, good! It should be ready soon. Speaking of which- has she been doing well with the broth? Would she want more of that, or I can get her one of the others if she's tired of it."

"I'll ask her when she wakes up. But she said she did like that broth. It's just- that drink she has to have, it's sure giving her a hard time. She said it was making her feel like she had food poisoning."

"Oh dear! Poor thing!"

"She's so thin, too. But at least it's not that much longer before she can start to eat properly again. At least I hope so."

"Yes, sir! It won't be much longer. And just think of how happy she'll be! We might have to hold her back from eating all the things she'll be wanting to eat!" They both laughed, and it made Max feel a little better- better enough to be able to eat his sandwich.

Max and Niles came back to the master bedroom together, and Max first peeked in the door to see if Fran was still sleeping. She was still out cold. Max motioned to Niles to remain in the hallway and stay quiet, and then tiptoed into the room to get the thermos of broth and the tray of drinks. He carried them back to Niles and handed him the tray and they nodded at each other. Niles headed back to the kitchen and Max quietly closed the bedroom door. He tiptoed around to his side of the bed and carefully sat down, then lifted his legs onto the bed and scooted closer to Fran. He watched her sleeping for a few minutes, and thought about how much he loved her, and how he wished all of this stress would just go away. As her surgery kept creeping closer, it got harder and harder to get through each hour, especially when he felt like he should be doing more for her. But he didn't know what else he could do.

Fran shifted a little in her sleep and exhaled, then slid a hand up under her pillow. Max thought he heard her stomach make a noise. He smiled at first, just thinking she might be hungry, but then remembered the drink she had to consume to prepare for the surgery, and his smile flattened and brow creased. He couldn't help but reach his arm over to her, then began to stroke her hair gently. Her stomach made another noise, and she pulled her legs up closer to herself in response. She made a little face, then reached for her stomach and groaned.

"Darling?" Max whispered. "Are you waking up?" He stroked her hair again.

"Mmm…" she groaned. Fran took a deep breath and exhaled, then opened her eyes briefly to look at Max before she closed them again.

"Are you feeling alright? Your stomach's been making noises," he said softly.

"Mmm… yeah… sorry. I dunno…" she pulled her arm out from under the pillow and reached for Max, resting her hand on his hip.

"Niles will be bringing some things up for you soon- some more broth. Maybe even the Jell-o if it's ready." He smiled at her as she opened her eyes again.

"That sounds pretty good. Maybe I am hungry." She rolled over part way and yawned, but kept her legs pulled up closely to her. Max noticed.

"How's your stomach doing?"

Fran thought a moment. "Empty. Mostly empty. Maybe a little sore from cramping up." Max moved some stray hairs away from her face, then stroked her forehead.

"Do you want to keep resting? I can have Niles hold off on your lunch if you'd like."

"No, no. I'm awake. I'm awake. I don't want to sleep any more, I was having weird dreams." Max looked over at her as she tried to push herself up to a seated position. Once she was up, she crossed her legs in front of her and slouched over, then rubbed at her stomach.

"What kind of weird dreams?" He asked. Fran turned to look at him, then made a face.

"Uncomfortable, weird dreams." She thought for a bit as Max rubbed her back, concerned. "I don't remember everything, it was more the feeling it gave me. Kind of lost, I guess. Stuck." She turned to look at Max and saw the expression on his face. "Aw, Max! It's okay! It was just a dream!" She leaned towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "It was just a dream, sweetie! I don't feel lost, not with all of you guys here for me, helping me. It was just a weird dream, that's all." She kissed his cheek several times, then looked him in the eyes.

"I know, I know. Just a dream. But if you dreamed that because there's something on your mind, maybe we should talk about it. Even if it might be something you didn't know was weighing on you." Fran looked over his face a little, then looked away, thinking about what he said. She curled up in his arms and he held her close.

"I don't think there's anything on my mind. Not really. We've talked about a lot of stuff. I know there's still that uncertainty, but we can't really do anything about that. There's only so much we can know going into it, you know?" She looked back into his eyes and he nodded, then kissed her softly on the lips.

"Yes, I know. I'm sure that uncertainty can still affect your dreams, though, right? It probably affects mine, too." Fran gave him a frown and lovingly ran her fingers through his hair.

"I don't want it to affect your dreams, too, Max! I don't. Maybe we need to talk more about it, either between the two of us, or with everyone. Maybe that's part of it, that we need to make sure everybody's getting the chance to ask their questions and get some answers. We can at least do that, right? Maybe tomorrow, we'll all get together to talk again, before I have to go to the hospital."

"Alright, we could do that. Maybe that's a good idea. One last chance for everyone to just talk a bit." She smiled at him, then kissed him several times.

"There is one thing I definitely need to get out of the way and off my mind though, and it's those hospital papers. I need to get them all signed and put away." They both looked at the envelope of papers at the end of the bed, then back at each other.

"Yes, that would be a relief. I hope you don't mind, but I read through them, and there were some things in there that I was wondering about. I mean, how you wanted to handle some things."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I know the hospital doesn't need to know all that, but yeah. I need to be responsible and make sure I put some stuff in writing, just in case anything happens." Max pulled her close again, then kissed her on the temple.

"I don't like thinking about that either, but yes, please write down whatever you think you need to. I can get you a notebook, or paper, or whatever you need. And after the surgery, when you're back here and everything's fine, you can chuck it all in the fireplace, if you want." Fran gave him a laugh, then caressed his cheek and pulled him close for another kiss.

"Okay, maybe we can do that together, and get past all this mess. Because planning that wedding is gonna take all my focus after this!" They laughed and Max smiled from ear to ear. He loved it when Fran was happy like this.

There was a knock at the door, making Fran perk up even more.

"Come in!" She yelled, knowing it was Niles. The bedroom door opened and Niles appeared with the tray of things for Fran- a glass of water and a glass of her much-hated drink, a large bowl of steaming hot broth, a cup of hot tea with lemon, and a bowl full of cubes of orange and yellow Jell-o. Fran's eyes lit up when she saw it.

"Oh, yea!" She cheered, and Niles brought the tray over to her bedside table.

"Here, Ms. Fine, let me get these drinks off the tray, then you can put this on your lap so you can have your lunch. How does that sound?"

"Perfect! Thank you, Niles!" Fran got herself comfortable on the bed as Niles sorted out the tray, then he carefully set it on her lap.

"Will you be needing anything else for a while?" Niles asked.

"I think we're good for a while, Niles, if you have things you need to do. I can fetch any drinks or anything we might need, and it shouldn't be all that long before the children come back."

"Alright then, I'll leave you to it. Oh, Ms. Fine- with that drink you have to finish by tonight, if you have another glass every three hours you should be through it on time this evening. That means you need to finish this one before three o'clock when you will need another glass full, and then again at six o'clock, and so on. Hopefully that will space things out enough that it won't be overly harsh on you."

"Oh, Niles! You're such a good guy! Thank you for that. I'll make sure I stick to the schedule. I'll sure be glad when I finish it and get that part over with."

"Yes, thank you, Niles. I'll try to help keep an eye on the clock. And let the children know they can come up when they're back. Just ask them to knock first."

"Yeah, in case I'm not in here. I don't think I'll be taking any more naps, but who knows. I just hope I don't spend the rest of the day in the hall bathroom!" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, and Niles gave a sympathetic look.

"Yes, I'll let them know. I need to figure out what to make for dinner, as well. Speaking of which, Ms. Fine- do you want a different broth for your dinner? Just to switch things up a little?"

"Sure! Chicken!" She exclaimed, as she dunked her soup spoon into her bowl of broth.

"Very well! And there's plenty more Jell-o in the fridge if you want more."

"I love you, Niles! Thank you!"

"Yes, thank you, Niles!" Max said, and Niles headed out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Max looked back at Fran and watched her enthusiastically consume spoonful after spoonful of broth. He got up from the bed to find her a notebook and a pen, then came back, grabbed the envelope of papers and took them out, and sat next to her on the bed.

"Okay, find me an easy one and I'll get it signed real quick," Fran said, and Max flipped through the pages and handed her one to sign. Fran paused her meal and reached for the paper, pen, and notebook Max handed her. She looked over the document quickly, to refresh her memory, then signed it and handed it back to Max, who put it back in the envelope. He handed her all of the easy documents, and she signed them one by one, until he stopped at the two sets of papers that were a bit more serious. She gave him a look, then took the papers from his hands.

"You can write some things in that notebook, if you need to," he said. "And I think you should read back through them both again. It might remind you of things you should write down." Fran nodded, then went back to her broth as she read through the first set of papers. When she was through, she sat them down next to her and opened the note book, then jotted down a few things. She turned away from Max as she wrote, and Max didn't try to lean over to see what she was writing. He didn't want to know.

The last set of papers, Fran spent more time on. She read through them as she finished her broth, then read through them again as she started on her cubes of Jell-o. She set the papers down beside her, and Max helped her with the tray. He brought the tray back to her bedside table and offered her a drink. She scrunched her face up at the Glass of Evil and took the glass of water instead. After several sips, she gave in and reached for the other glass. Max smiled at her as she drank. He took the glass from her and set it down, then Fran crawled over closer to him, hanging her legs down the side of the bed. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

"Max?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"This last batch- it's the one with Next of Kin and all of that."

"Yes."

"Well, you know I'm putting you first, right? And then my parents. And if something happened, if you had to make a decision… I want all three of you to decide, okay? And listen to the kids if they have any input. But in the end- well, you know what I mean, that's just a figure of speech! I mean, listen to everybody's input, but then you three need to decide, okay? Can I count on you for that?" Fran looked up at Max with such a serious expression, it made him nod without question.

"Yes, of course, darling! But are you sure? I mean, we haven't gotten married yet, so I really don't have any legal say… and I know your parents would consider everything…"

"Max, I'm making it legal, because the decision is mine, right? So I need you to be responsible for that, just like if we were married, okay? And then, after my surgery, we can talk to your lawyer about writing up official papers. We just don't have time to do that right now."

"Alright, darling. Whatever you want. But we won't have to worry about any of that, right, because it's all going to be fine, and we'll get you back here quickly so I can take care of you. And you know something?"

"What?"

"If I'd thought of it sooner, and if you were up for it-"

"Up for what?" Fran asked.

"I know you want a big wedding, with everyone there… all of that. But if you wanted to, and if we were able, I would have been happy to run down to the courthouse and get married by the judge. Then we could have been married before… before the surgery. And we could still plan a big wedding down the line. And we wouldn't even have to tell people we'd gotten married at the courthouse. I just- I just need you to know that I would do that in a heartbeat if you wanted. So we could be married." Fran grinned at him as her eyes began to tear up. She hugged him around the middle as tightly as she could.

"I would marry you in a heartbeat, too, Max! I mean it! That could have been fun- like eloping. But that's okay, Max. Not that I wouldn't mind marrying you again and again, I just kind of want to put all that into a single wedding, you know? Where it's all official, all at once. I want everyone to be there and see it happen. But you know, once we do have the big wedding, we can always go find somebody to marry us again and again. I wouldn't mind that at all!" Max laughed and caressed her cheek.

"Alright, it's a date. After we get married, we'll look for more chances to get married again. Maybe on vacation, or maybe we rent a boat to take us out far enough, and then the captain can marry us. That would be a good excuse to get you some more rings!" He smiled.

"Oh, you don't have to get me more rings! But you know, maybe that would be nice to do, too- we can look for more wedding bands. We could do that, and get married again… and have lots more memories to make."

"That's a wonderful idea, darling! I think I'd like that very much. And we still need to go out and look for our first set of wedding bands…" Max smiled at her.

"Yes, we do!" Fran climbed up on her knees on the bed and wrapped her arms around Max's neck. "I can't wait until we can do that!" She kissed Max on the lips and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Mmmm…" he sighed. "Neither can I, sweetheart. You'll have to show me everything you find that you like. We'll find us a nice pair that looks good together. Maybe a matching set." He nuzzled the tip of Fran's nose, then she suddenly clenched the back of his shirt.

"Oh, I think I jumped up too fast!" She gasped, then clutched at her stomach. Max grabbed hold of her and helped her sit back down against the pillows.

"Darling! Are you okay?" Max asked.

"Oof, yeah, I think so. I just need to sit. I'm okay, Max. I'm okay," she reassured him. He climbed over her on the bed and sat next to her on the other side.

"What happened?" He took her hand and rubbed it in both of his.

"I just had a pain, that's all. It's probably nothing. I'm okay, sweetie. It feels better to sit down." Max had to wait a moment before she would look back into his eyes, but when she did, he realized that she meant what she said. Maybe it was nothing, and she had just filled her stomach, after all. She was probably right. It was probably nothing. But he worried just the same.

Fran gave his hand a squeeze, then reached over and got the papers and began filling out the information on them. Max was now her primary next-of-kin, and her parents were secondary. She was certain that no matter what, Max would make the right decisions for her. When she finished filling it out and signing it, she handed it to Max, and he slid it back into the envelope with the other papers, then closed the envelope. Fran curled up against him and opened the notebook again, then began writing out her wishes as Max reached for the television remote to find something on TV to consume his attention. If Fran wanted him to see what she was writing, she could show him later.

Fran dragged herself back to the bedroom after yet another trip to the bathroom. She was feeling even more weak than before and the discomfort in her stomach wasn't going away. She tried to put on a brave face, but every time she came back into the bedroom, the look on Max's face made her melt, and she hurried to him for comfort.

"Sweetheart, come here! Come rest!" Fran crawled up onto the bed and curled next to him. Max reached for her and caressed her shoulder. "My poor darling! You aren't looking so good, Fran! Can I do something? Can I get you some broth, or Jell-o? Maybe some tea?"

"Yeah. Something. Can I have iced tea instead of water? With some lemon? But no caffeine, if Niles has decaf," Fran requested, then closed her eyes as she clutched his arm.

"Absolutely, darling. You stay here and relax if you can, and I'll run downstairs and get everything. Don't move a muscle if you can help it."

"Okay. I'll try." Fran nuzzled her head into her pillow and watched Max jump up from the bed, gather her empty glasses from the bedside, set them on the tray, then hurry from the room. She reached for her stomach and winced. She wasn't feeling well at all.

A few minutes after Max left, Fran heard a commotion downstairs, and was sure she heard Gracie squeal. The children were home. Fran smiled and tried to sit herself up on the bed, hoping they would come to see her. She really hoped she didn't look as awful as she felt.

"Knock knock- Fran?" Maggie said.

"Come in, you guys! Come here!" Fran smiled. Maggie and Gracie entered the bedroom, all smiles, and their arms full of shopping bags. Brighton followed them in, but stayed near the door.

"Fran! We found so much stuff! I wish you could have come with us, it was so much fun!" Gracie squealed, then she hopped up on the bed.

"Gracie, careful! Fran might not be feeling so great right now," Maggie warned.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Fran! I didn't mean to- are you okay?" Gracie asked.

"I'm okay, Gracie, don't worry. I've been better, I've probably been worse. But it's temporary. So, how was your day? You had fun shopping? What about you, Brighton? Did you find what you were looking for?" Fran asked. Brighton set his backpack down for a moment before responding.

"Uh, yeah, I think so. I got copies of a lot of stuff, so I have a lot of reading to do."

"Well, good, I guess. I'm glad you could find so much. But you didn't stay in the library all that time, did you? Did you at least get some lunch?"

"Oh, yeah, they came back to meet me and we went to get lunch. Then we went to Tower Records. Spent a lot of time in there."

"Good! Good! I'm glad you guys had a productive day." Fran felt like she was rapidly losing her sudden burst of energy, but tried as hard as she could not to show it. Maggie looked over at her, and realized that Fran didn't really look like herself.

"We found you some pajamas, Fran. And some outfits, and magazines and stuff for you to look at when you're at the hospital," Maggie said calmly, so she wouldn't get Fran too worked up.

"You did? Thank you! That's so great!" Fran smiled. She looked over at Brighton and noticed his twitch, then her happy expression turned to one of concern.

"Um, I'm gonna take all this back to my room," Brighton said. "Gotta get it all sorted out."

"Oh, Brighton! Don't forget your book!" Gracie squealed.

"Gracie! My gosh, settle down some, okay?" Maggie scolded.

"I'm sorry! I just didn't want to forget to give that to him."

"Give what to me? What book?" Brighton asked, confused. Maggie searched for a bag and handed it to Brighton. He opened the bag and pulled out an oncology textbook. "Oh. You found this?"

"Yeah," Maggie replied. "They had it at the university bookstore. We thought that maybe it would help explain things better, so you know what some of those articles are talking about."

"Thank you. Yeah, that probably will be helpful. Thank you guys. Well, I'll come by later, Fran, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie. And thank you, B. Thank you for doing all of that."

"You're welcome, no biggie. I'll uh, if I find something, I'll make sure I show it to you guys."

"Yes- please do. And yeah, come by later. But don't miss dinner, okay? Make sure you take a break by then."

"I will." Brighton headed out of the bedroom, the weight of his backpack making him stumble a bit. Maggie and Gracie looked back at Fran, then at all of the shopping bags.

"Oh! Fran! The pajamas, and the outfits! See if you like them, and if you think they'll fit. We can take them back if they don't work for you," Maggie said, as she dug around for the right shopping bags. "Here! Here they are." She handed a bag across the bed to Fran, and Gracie helped her pull everything out of the bag.

"Oh! These are cute!" Fran went through everything and nodded. "Yeah, these should work. They're great, you two! Thank you so much!" Fran gave them brief hugs, then tried to hide a wince.

"You okay?" Maggie asked softly. Gracie looked over at them both.

"Oh, it's okay. It's just that drink- that awful drink I have to have. It's pretty awful." Fran rubbed her stomach, and the girls glanced at each other.

"Fran, we can pack your bag for you, if you want. The one for the hospital. We can get stuff ready for you so you can take it easy," Gracie said, reaching for Fran's arm.

"Yeah, Fran. You shouldn't need that much stuff, you won't be there long. We can help you pack."

"Aw, you guys! I'm okay, really. I don't want you all worrying so much. And I'll be done with the drink tonight, so tomorrow should be better. A lot better. But yeah, sure, you guys can help me pack for the hospital. That would be nice. And be sure to put one of these jump suit things in there! I like it, and it doesn't look like it'll be tight at all. I can wear this when I leave the hospital!" Fran smiled, holding up the outfit in front of her.

"Do you have a bag somewhere that you want to use? What about daddy? Is he taking a separate bag for his things?" Maggie asked.

"I think we might just take one bag. If you go in my old room- under the bed inside the big suitcase there's a smaller suitcase. If you can bring that one in here, we can start putting stuff in it."

"Okay! Gracie, let's go find it!" Maggie and Gracie jumped off the bed, and as they hurried out the door they nearly ran into their father.

"Whoa, girls!" Max said, moving the fresh tray of drinks out of their way as they flew past.

"Sorry, daddy! We'll be right back!" The girls ran around the corner and Max entered the bedroom and saw Fran on the bed, looking through some clothing.

"Alright, darling! I have a fresh thermos of broth here, Niles heated up the chicken broth, so I hope that's alright. And your glass of iced tea, and a glass of that other one we won't name."

"Chicken broth! Yeah, maybe that will help. Oh! And Jell-o! Thank you, Max!" Max handed her the glass of iced tea and she took several large sips, then handed it back.

"So, don't tell me all these bags are from their shopping spree?"

"Yeah! They found me some pajamas and clothes. They just ran to get the suitcase I want to take to the hospital. Oh, are you okay with putting your stuff in with mine? So we only have to take one bag?"

"Sure, darling. We won't need to take too much, and one bag is easier to deal with. Can we fit a few magazines in it, too?"

"Yep, the outside pockets are pretty substantial." Max glanced at her, noticing that she looked like she was struggling to stay sitting up. He unscrewed the top of the thermos and poured out some hot broth for her into the cup, then handed it over to her.

"Darling, here, work on this first. You look like you're running on empty."

"I am. Running on fumes. Thank you, sweetie. Maybe that'll help." She took the cup from him and checked the temperature before taking a sip. Max walked around the bed and got back into his spot, then the girls came thundering back through the hallway and screeched to a stop before calmly walking back into the bedroom.

"We got your bag, Fran. Where should we set it?" Maggie asked.

"Oh, um, maybe on my new chair, just for now. Can you put this outfit in there? And I just need to find a long sleeved shirt to go with it. Max, can you help them find a few things for me? Like a couple of pairs of warm socks, that sort of thing. And the shirt. Oh! Maybe a robe, too! I don't know if they have robes at the hospital. Maybe some slippers?"

"Alright." Max got up from the bed and headed to the closet. "Come here, girls. I'll hand you a few things. And I need to figure out what I might need, too. At least one pair of clothes. Maybe I'll bring some extra things just in case. And we can get our toiletries together tomorrow I suppose." Maggie helped her father look for a shirt for Fran to wear with her new outfit for when she left the hospital, and then gathered socks and underwear and brought them to the suitcase. Max made a stack of his own things and brought them out and set them in the suitcase with the rest.

"Daddy, are you gonna need pajamas for the hospital?" Gracie asked. Max smiled at her and put an arm around her shoulders.

"No, sweetheart, I don't think that would be appropriate. I'll just wear comfortable things that I might be able to sleep in, if I can sleep. I'm not sure how the space will be, if it will be good for sleeping. But that's alright, I'll make do. And they've got a shower there, so maybe I can get a shower at some point, and that should help."

"What kinds of things do you want to take, like magazines and stuff, so you don't get bored?" Maggie asked.

"Oh, I won't need much. I might bring the newspaper, or see if the new issue of Variety is out. They have a television in the room, too." Maggie nodded, already knowing she and Gracie had gotten him some things at Tower Records. Maggie zipped up the suitcase and set it next to the chair.

"Fran?" She asked. "Can I try your chair? Just for a couple minutes?"

"Yeah!" Gracie burst out. "Me too!" Fran laughed.

"Sure. Take turns. It has different settings on it you can try." Maggie gleefully sat down in the massage chair and turned it on, then played with a few settings as Gracie watched. Fran sipped at her broth and Max sat back down next to her.

"Are you comfortable? Do you need me to fix the pillows?" He asked.

"Um, yeah. I want to lean back a little, but not too far. I still want to be able to drink the broth without spilling it."

"Alright." Max tended to the pillows and got Fran comfortable. "Where is Brighton?" He asked.

"He went to his room. I guess he got a lot of stuff at the library and he wanted to get it all sorted out. And the girls found him a textbook, too."

"A textbook?" Max asked, a little confused.

"Oncology. It might help him learn about all this stuff."

"Oh." Max got quiet, and looked over at the girls trying to squeeze together into the chair.

"And speaking of Brighton," Fran whispered. "I noticed his twitch again. Right before he left. I think it was because he saw me have some pain, and I guess I didn't hide it well enough."

"Oh, dear. The poor fellow! I'll check on him, talk to him, and see how he's doing. I might need to insist he change subjects after dinner, maybe play some video games or watch television or something. I don't want him going down a rabbit hole. Especially if it's affecting his stress level."

"Yeah," Fran sighed.

"And I don't want you trying to hide how you feel, either, darling. I know you're a tough woman, and you're going through a lot. If you aren't feeling well, I want to know about it. And I'm sure the children would want to do whatever they could to help."

"You are helping, Max. Just by being here, taking care of me. But there's only so much you guys can do. I just need to get through this weekend, and get back to being myself. And it makes me sad when you guys worry."

"Well, it makes us sad when you don't feel well. It makes us want to help you. But I understand. I really do. I'll talk with him. And maybe you should, too, if you can."

"Okay."

Maggie got up from the massage chair to let Gracie try it out, and headed back to Fran's side of the bed. She overheard part of their conversation, but didn't think Gracie did. She moved some of the shopping bags and sat down.

"Uh, I was trying to keep an eye on Brighton, like you wanted. Mostly he seems okay, he's just really quiet compared to how he usually is. It's kinda weird. But I'm sure he'll be a lot better once you're out of surgery, and out of the hospital. He seemed better after we had lunch, and I made sure we walked around some places where he could take pictures with the camera, and I think that helped. And he looked at a lot of stuff at Tower Records, too, and got some things. I think he's okay, but he'll be a lot better once you're home and getting better."

"Aw, thanks, Mags! That's good to know. Poor guy! Thank you for looking out for him, and Gracie. I'm glad you two got to spend some time together. She needs time with her big sister."

"Yeah, it was nice. I've been pretty busy lately, with school, and my friends, and all that. It's been a long time since we got to hang out together." Maggie turned to look at Gracie, who was still playing with the chair while she watched the television. "It was kinda cute- she kept asking me if you would like this and that, and should we go in this store, and how you would love this other store. She couldn't stop talking about you. So I tried to talk to her some, too, about everything going on, and make sure she wasn't feeling scared or anything." Fran and Max looked over in Gracie's direction, then at each other. "She might be a little hyper, like she gets when there's a lot going on. Hopefully all that walking today will help. Maybe she'll crash early tonight."

"Thank you, Maggie. It really was a big help having you look after them today," Max said.

"Yeah, you guys would have been bored to death here. And it really did help, you finding those clothes for me." Fran reached for Maggie's arm and gave it a squeeze.

"You're welcome. Oh, speaking of all that shopping, let me get these magazines and put them in your suitcase. There should be enough for both of you, but if you need more, just let us know. We can find a way to get it to you."

"I'm sure what you got will be enough, sweetheart, thank you. That really helps," Max smiled at her.

"Oh, I grabbed a copy of the London Times for you, too, daddy. But it's a couple days old, is that okay?"

"Oh, that's fine, Margaret. That's very nice of you." Maggie smiled, then took out the stack of magazines and the newspaper from the shopping bags, brought them over to the suitcase, unzipped the outer pocket, and put them all inside. Fran gulped down the broth that remained in her cup, then set the cup on the bedside table. Her quick movement triggered sudden abdominal pain and discomfort and she grabbed her stomach.

"Oh!" She gasped. Max and Maggie looked over at her.

"Darling?" Max asked, reaching for her.

"I'm okay, I just gotta-" Fran slowly moved her legs to the side of the bed, and Maggie rushed over to help. She reached out her arms and helped Fran get off the bed, then watched as Fran ran from the room in desperation to get to the hall bathroom. Max and Maggie looked at each other with concern, and Gracie leaned around the side of the chair, wondering what was going on.

"Is Fran okay?" She asked, then shut off the massager on the chair.

"Uh, I think that drink just kicked in again, that's all. She'll be okay, Gracie. How about you help me get all these bags out of here, okay? So Fran has room to rest when she comes back." Maggie waved Gracie over to the bed and gathered some of the shopping bags. "Why don't you come to my room and we can look at the things we got today. You want to do that?"

"Yeah!" Gracie squealed. Max smiled at her, and was feeling grateful that Maggie was helping so much. Gracie hopped out of the chair and went to her father to give him a hug. Max hugged her back, tightly. "You gonna be okay, daddy? Fran will be back in a minute, but we can wait with you, if you want."

"That's alright, darling. You go have some fun with Maggie and get your shopping bags sorted out before dinner. I'll see you both at dinnertime, alright? And I want to hear everything about your day, okay?"

"Okay, daddy." Gracie hugged him tight around the neck and Max kissed her cheek, then let go of her. Maggie handed her several shopping bags, and Max got up from the bed to give Maggie a hug, too.

"Thank you, Margaret, for everything. I mean it. I'll keep an eye on Fran until dinnertime, then I'll come down to eat with you all."

"Okay. But let me know if you need help, okay? Niles will be busy making dinner soon, so if you guys need anything, even just water or something, come get me. That way you can stay with Fran in case she needs you." Gracie looked up at the both of them with a worried expression, and Max noticed.

"I will. I'm sure we'll both be fine for a while, but thank you. Okay, you two, go have a good time until dinner's ready, and I'll see you then!" Max let go of Maggie and patted Grace on the shoulder. Maggie grabbed her hand and they hurried from the room and headed down the hallway.

"Hey, Gracie- you know what we should do for Fran? For when she's in the hospital?"

"What?"

"We should make her a mix tape. They can take my Walkman, and we can make sure she has some tapes to listen to, and maybe daddy, too. Maybe we make them both a tape."

"Yeah! Let's do that! We can put their favorite songs on them, and some that tell them how much we love them! That'll be a surprise for them!"

"That's a great idea, Gracie! Let's do that! We should talk to Brighton, too, and see what songs he might want to add."

"Cool!" Gracie squealed, and the girls ran down the hallways the rest of the way to Maggie's bedroom.

Max paced the floor, waiting for Fran to come back. He checked his watch again and again, trying to decide how long was too long. Ten minutes had passed and she still wasn't back yet, so he decided to go check on her in the hall bathroom. He rushed from the bedroom and made it down the hallway of the guest bathroom, but when he got there, he noticed the door was partly open and the lights were off. His heart started to race.

"Fran?" He called out. He turned the lights on in the bathroom- she wasn't there. Where would she have gone? He quickly shut off the lights and hurried back through the hallways to her old bedroom, trying not to let the children hear him. He rounded the corner and immediately saw that the door was shut. He ran to it and quietly knocked, then opened the door and peeked in. The light was on, and he found Fran lying down on the bed, curled up in the fetal position. "Fran! Darling! Are you alright?" He called to her as he shut the door behind him. He knelt next to the bed and wrapped his arm over her.

"I'm sorry, Max. I was just gonna grab some more clothes, some sweats and stuff. Something to wear tomorrow. But- I don't feel so good. I don't know if it's that drink or what. I thought I was gonna be sick."

"Oh! My poor darling! What can I do? Is there anything I can do for you? Do you want to stay here for a bit? Do you need a blanket?" Max stroked her cheek and her arm. She was curled up with both arms clenching her stomach, and she didn't open her eyes.

"I don't want to move. Not yet. I don't think I need a blanket."

"Alright. I'll stay here with you, okay? Until we can get you back to the other room. Just take your time. Try to relax. Can you tell me what happened? Did you have more pain when you ran off the way you did?" He talked to her quietly as he stroked her shoulder with his thumb.

"Yeah. When I put the cup down. I guess I turned the wrong way or something. It hurt, and then that feeling kicked in, and I knew what that meant so I had to hurry. I don't want any more of that drink, Max! I hate this! There's nothing left in me. I can't take it anymore! I don't have any strength left. I thought I would just grab some clothes in here real quick and go back to you, and lay down. I just wanted to lay down. I could feel it before I got here- I thought I was going to be sick. So I shut the door and laid down as fast as I could, to see if it would pass. I feel like if I sit up, I'm gonna be sick." A frown spread across her lips, and even with her eyes closed, Max could tell she was holding back tears. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then ran the backs of his fingers over her cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Fran! I don't want you feeling like this! You don't think it was the broth that triggered anything, do you? Or the tea? Or lemon maybe?"

"I dunno. I don't think so. It feels like it's all from that drink. But I don't see why I need to have all of it, it's done it's job. I don't want any more of it!" Fran whimpered, and it crushed him. His heart was breaking for her and he didn't know how he could fix it.

"Sweetheart! I'm so sorry! I wish I knew what to do. Do you need anything? A sip of water or something?"

"No, not yet. I don't want anything. I just have to stay still until it goes away." She reached up to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, then took a steady, slow breath to try to settle herself down. It was enough to bring tears to Max's eyes, too. He rested his forehead down on the bed and tried to think. He had to do something to help her.

"Fran," he raised his head back up. "What about the doctor? Do you want me to call the doctor and ask them if you can stop that drink? Maybe if there's something you can take to settle your stomach, and make that nausea stop?" He took hold of one of her hands and held it tightly. Fran was quiet for a moment.

"I don't know. I don't want to make a big deal of it, I might sound like a big baby. I know I don't have much more of it to drink. I don't know. I don't know. If it's all just from the drink, then it should stop after I finish it, right?"

"Well, I suppose. Once it's all out of your system, I would think the worst of it should stop. But I hate seeing you like this, Fran! Maybe they gave you too much."

"Well, what do you think I'd have to take to at least stop the nausea? That might be the hardest part. Knock on wood." Max smiled at her attempt at humor and stroked her forehead.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if there's a home remedy you'd be allowed to have. Or if you would need a prescription. Or even if an anti-nausea pill would help. And I don't want to fill you full of things that might make it worse. What about when you were a child, what would your mother do if you felt like this?"

"Hmmm… well, she'd probably give me crackers and ginger ale, if I felt like I could keep it down. I can't have the crackers. I don't know about ginger ale. I don't think I want anything carbonated. Not if my stomach hurts."

"Is your stomach still hurting?"

"Kinda. Yeah. I don't want to make any sudden moves, like I did before." Max kissed her forehead again, then continued to stroke it. It seemed like that may be helping Fran relax a little.

"What if we shook up the ginger ale, and got rid of the bubbles? Do you think you could drink that?" Fran was quiet for a moment as she paid attention to her insides, to see if the thought of flat ginger ale might make her vomit.

"Possibly. I could try, if it doesn't taste gross. But not until I can sit up at least." She rested a moment and clutched Max's hand. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"In the dresser over there- that bottom left drawer. All my sweat pants and shirts are in there. I was gonna bring them with me, but I didn't get that far. Can you get them out, and bring them back with us once I can move again?" Fran gestured towards the dresser, and Max got up to go get everything out of the drawer. He brought it all back to the bed and set it down near her feet.

"Alright. We'll take all that back with us." He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed her back with his hand. "Is it alright if I do this? Does it bother you?"

"No. It's good. It helps. Thank you, Max. Thank you for staying here with me."

"Anytime. I just want you to feel better."

"Max?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"Are you okay?" Fran briefly opened her eyes to look up at him, then closed them again. She knew the answer, but still needed to ask.

"Well," Max began. He carefully considered his words before speaking. "I got worried. I mean, I know you need a bit of time to deal with things, but I don't know how much time is too much. The more time that passes, the more my stomach starts to turn. I went to the hall bathroom to check on you, and you weren't there."

"I'm sorry, sweetie! I didn't mean to scare you! I should have gone straight back to you instead of coming in here. I guess I just thought, with the girls packing that suitcase- I thought maybe I should put something else in there in case I needed it, or at least grab something for tomorrow, then head back to you. I didn't know I was about to feel like I was gonna be sick. By then, I couldn't turn around. I had to lay down, that's all I could think of. I wish I had a way to tell you- to call you or something." Fran tried to laugh briefly, then stopped.

"What? What is it?" Max asked.

"Mmm… I was just thinking that we could borrow Brighton's old walkie-talkies. But that seems kinda silly."

"Silly or not, it's not out of the question. Unless you'd rather I follow you all over the house so I know you're okay." Fran smiled, but kept her eyes closed.

"Well, at least you can be sure I'm not far away. But maybe… if you remember, maybe ask him at dinner if he still has them somewhere. Maybe we can test them out, and keep them around just in case."

"Alright. I can do that." He continued to rub her back slowly, and they stayed quiet for a while. Fran tried several slow, deep breaths, and eventually opened her eyes, then tried to roll back onto her back. Max kept a hand on her so she wouldn't roll too fast. She slowly stretched out her legs, stared up at the ceiling, then closed her eyes again. She took a long breath, then exhaled, and her body began to relax.

"Ohhh…" she sighed.

"Is it better?" He asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think that pain stopped." She opened her eyes, then looked over at Max and tried a smile. "I can open my eyes and not feel like I'm gonna hurl, too."

"Oh, wonderful, darling! That's wonderful! But let's take it easy, okay? No rush to get up. But let me help you sit up when you're ready."

"Okay." Fran turned her head and stared back up at the ceiling again, making sure she really did feel better. She took several more steady, intentional breaths and exhaled slowly, trying to relax all of her muscles- especially the ones in her gut. "Okay, I wanna try. Let's see if I can sit up." She reached her arms out to Max and he leaned over to let her clasp her hands behind his neck. He slid his hands under her back and helped lift her up to a seated position, then gathered several pillows and put them behind her.

"Can you rest back against these? Are you doing okay?" He asked.

"I think so. Just lean me back some, I don't want to hold onto you too tight."

"Alright. Here you are, easy… easy… okay, is that good?"

"Yeah. So far, so good. Knock on wood." They smiled at each other and Max looked her over. She was so pale, and her eyes were beginning to look hollow and sunken.

"Take it easy for a moment, then I'll help you move your legs over here to the side of the bed. We'll take as long as you need, alright? A little at a time. Standing up might be the hardest, I don't want you fainting or anything, or triggering any ill feelings. Let's be careful."

"Yeah, I will. I don't want any of that coming back. God, I'm so drained! I'm tired. I feel like I need another nap."

"Well, you can have one, once we get you back to the bed. Unless we can't get that far. It's alright for you to lay back down right here if necessary."

"No, I don't want to sleep here. I want to be back in the other bedroom with you. I like it there."

"I like having you there, with me. So even if I have to carry you, we'll get you back there. But only if you aren't feeling sick. Deal?"

"Deal. And something else, Max…"

"What is it?"

"I know before, when I had to start the drink, that the thought of dealing with all that unpleasantness- you know what I mean, that I didn't want to use your bathroom…"

"Our bathroom, darling," Max smiled and stroked her hair back from her cheek.

"Okay, our bathroom. But now- if things keep up like this, I'm worried I can't make it to the hall bathroom, and especially not here. Especially if I feel like I'm gonna… like, like I'm gonna heave my guts out…"

"If you feel that way, sweetheart, you can't try to rundown the hall. Use our bathroom, please! Don't be so modest. I appreciate that you want to be, and I think it's really sweet, but you aren't well, and I want you to be comfortable. As comfortable as possible, and for everything you need to be right nearby. And don't forget- we're a couple now. We're partners. Good and bad, I want all of it. In sickness and in health. Okay?" Fran got choked up, she couldn't help it. She reached for him and collapsed into his arms. The feel of his arms tightening around her made her feel so safe. No matter what happened the rest of that day, she knew she would be okay, because he was there to take care of her. She was getting tired of trying to be strong all the time. She needed a rest, a rest in Max's arms.

"I'm ready to try to get up now, Max. I wanna go back, and stay there. Can we try?"

"Sure, darling. If you're certain. Here, let me get up so we can move your legs over. Are you ready?"

"Yeah." They both slowly slid her legs to the side of the bed and he helped her scoot over to the edge. They looked into each other's eyes, and she nodded. Max leaned down and let her wrap her arms around his neck, then he slowly pulled her up off the bed and into a standing position. He held onto her as she dropped her arms from his neck and wrapped them around his waist and closed her eyes a moment to get her bearings.

"You good?" He whispered.

"I think so. I think so. Just give me a second." They held each other tight as Max waited for her to steady herself and open her eyes again. When she did, he loosened his clutch on her and grabbed the stack of clothes from the end of the bed and tucked them under his arm, then put his other arm over her shoulders. She held onto his waist and they walked slowly from the room. Fran shut off the light as they made it through the doorway.

"Stop anytime you need to, alright? We'll just take it slow and steady." They continued through the hallways a step at a time, and Fran was so relieved that she didn't feel like she was going to be sick. They made it back to their bedroom without incident, and Max helped her get back onto the bed and settled against the pillows.

"Thank you, Max!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" He sat down on the side of the bed next to her and pulled the blanket over her legs.

"Much better than I was. I mean, overall I still don't feel so great, but I think the pain and nausea stopped, at least for now. I just want to be careful I don't do anything to make that happen again."

"Of course. Yes. You take it easy. You sure you don't want to lie down?"

"Yeah, not yet. Could I maybe try some ginger ale? Before I have anything else. Maybe that will help settle my stomach before I have more broth or anything else. Even that awful drink. I have to get through that glass by dinnertime."

"Oh, true. Yes. Oh, you know what- let me run and ask Maggie. Maybe she and Gracie can help with that. I'll be right back, darling! Don't move unless you absolutely have to."

"I won't." Max got up and hurried from the room to go ask for the girls' help. Fran shifted around on the bed carefully, and grabbed another pillow to put behind her, then leaned back to rest and wait for Max to come back.

"Maggie?" Max said, as he knocked on her door.

"Come in!" Max opened the door to see the girls with shopping bags emptied out and things spread over Maggie's bed.

"Sweetheart, can I ask you a favor? Could you perhaps run downstairs and see if we have some ginger ale for Fran? She'd like to see if that might help her stomach."

"Sure, daddy! I'll take care of it, don't worry!" Maggie jumped up from the bed and headed towards him.

"Oh, and can you try to get all the bubbles out first? She thinks the bubbles might bother her."

"Sure. Is she okay? I know she wasn't feeling good before, you could tell."

"Well, it's not getting easier for her, that's for sure. I just hope it gets better after that drink is gone. It's kind of upsetting her that she still has to keep drinking it, and I don't blame her. She's having some nausea now, so we're just trying to think of a way to settle that down, so she doesn't feel like she's going to be sick."

"Poor Fran! Don't worry, I'll go get it now. Should I skip the ice?" Maggie asked.

"Um, yes. We'll try it without the ice for now, just to see if she can tolerate it. Thank you so much, Maggie."

"No problem, I'm glad to help. Gracie, do you want to come with me?"

"Yes!" Max stepped away from the door and let the girls rush past him to hurry downstairs, then he turned and headed back to the bedroom to stay with Fran.

When he got back to the bedroom, Fran was resting against the pillows on her side, the blanket pulled up over her waist. She opened her eyes when she heard him come in, and tried to muster a smile. He joined her on the bed and put his arm around her as she rested.

"Hanging in there?" He asked softly.

"Yeah."

"The girls just went downstairs, they should be back here in a few minutes with the ginger ale."

"Okay, thank you, Max." She closed her eyes again and clutched the pillow as Max stroked her shoulder. He looked down at her lying beside him. She was so frail. She looked so worn out, like she could barely lift her head up. He wished he could do something to make her feel better, but he also understood that there was probably not much he could do. This prep for surgery was a necessary evil- it was something that had to be done, and they knew it wasn't going to be pleasant. He just had to help her through the rest of the day. Somehow, he would get her through this. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers, then rested his hand on her shoulder.

A short time later, Maggie knocked on the door and came in, with a small glass of ginger ale in her hand.

"Hi, I got the ginger ale," she said quietly, and Fran opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Maggie. Max helped her sit up, and Maggie came over to give her the glass. "I figured you probably didn't want a whole can, so this is half of one. The rest is in the fridge if you need it. I think most of the bubbles are out of it, but I brought the spoon in case you want to stir it more. I hope it helps." Fran took the glass from her and took a small sip.

"Thank you, Mags. I hope it helps, too." Maggie sat at the end of the bed for a moment, and she and her father watched Fran take several more small sips. Gracie appeared at the door and came in, her favorite big teddy bear in her arms. Fran looked over at her and smiled. Gracie came over to the bed and stood next to it, not sure exactly what to say.

"Why do you have your bear, Gracie?" Maggie asked. Gracie looked into the bear's face, then over to Fran. She held out the bear to Fran.

"I want you to keep him for a while, Fran. He always makes me felt better when I'm sick. You can cuddle him if you take a nap." Maggie smiled and Fran stuck out her bottom lip. She was really moved that Gracie was trying to find a way to help her. Fran reached a hand out and took the bear from her.

"Aw, Gracie! That's so sweet of you! Are you sure you want me to hang on to him?"

"Yeah, you need him more than I do right now. And he's like a nice squishy pillow, he feels good to cuddle with."

"That's very sweet of you, angel. How about I hang onto him until your bedtime? Then maybe it would be best for you to keep him tonight. If tomorrow gets rough, maybe you can bring him back in here. How does that sound?" Gracie seemed relieved that she wouldn't be without her best bear for the night.

"Okay! I'll come get him before I go to bed. But if you need him tonight, it's okay. He really does help."

"I believe you. But if I can sleep tonight, I might need to cuddle your daddy. He's been worrying about me a lot." Gracie and Maggie looked over at their father, and he looked over at Fran, who was trying to hold her self up to take another sip of ginger ale.

"I can't help it. Here, let me hold that glass for you, and let's get you comfortable again." Max took the glass from her and fussed with the pillows so she could lean back again. Maggie reached for Gracie's hand and got up from the bed.

"Come on, Gracie. Let's let her rest some more. Fran, if that ginger ale helps, just let us know if you need more and we'll get it. Do you think you'll want more broth at dinnertime?"

"Oh, I'm not sure. I think I'm just gonna wing it for a while and see what my stomach wants. Maybe I'll feel better by then. I'll let you know, okay?"

"Okay. We'll come by later and see if you're awake."

"Okay. Thank you for the drink. I think it's helping."

"Good! We'll let you rest. Daddy, come get me if you need anything, okay?"

"Will do. Thank you girls very much, that was very helpful!"

"You're welcome!" They said in unison, then headed for the door and shut it behind them. Max looked over at Fran again.

"Does it really feel like it's helping?"

"I think so. But ask me again in a half hour or so. I still have to face the rest of that other glass."

"Yes, and I'm sorry about that. Do you need some distraction? You want the TV on?"

"Yeah, and turn up the volume so I don't fall asleep, even if I need to lay down a while. I want to stay awake if I can."

"Alright. And let me set your drink on my side, so I can get it for you easier." Fran took another sip and then handed the glass to Max. He set it on his bedside table, then grabbed the TV remote and turned on the television. He found an old movie that was just starting, and turned the volume up a bit as Fran requested. She pulled the blanket over her and leaned against Max, and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Oh, Fran! Sweetheart! What can I do?" Max said, as he helped Fran hold her hair back while she dry heaved repeatedly after vomiting in the toilet. Fran's body was shaking, and she didn't know what anybody could do for her. She just wanted it to stop. Max rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her as best as he could. As the dry heaves settled down and stopped, Fran slumped to the floor and leaned against the bathroom cabinets. She closed her eyes and whimpered as she shivered, and Max knelt down next to her. "My poor darling! Are you okay? Can I get you anything?" He asked, uncertain of what he could do for her. She attempted to take a deep breath and groaned.

"I don't know…" she frowned, her voice barely a whisper. Max stroked her shoulder and her back gently, letting her get her bearings.

"I don't like this, Fran. This is too much for you, it really is. Maybe we should call the doctor? Maybe they'll let you stop drinking that stuff." Fran shrugged her shoulders, then stifled a pout. Max turned to the side and flushed the toilet, then closed the lid and helped Fran up so she could sit on it. She wiped the tears from her eyes and hung her head down. They heard a knocking at the bedroom door, and then Maggie's voice calling.

"Knock knock! Can I come in?" She asked. Max looked at Fran and she nodded, then he got up from beside her and called to Maggie.

"Come in, Maggie, we're in here."

Maggie opened the bedroom door and saw her father leaning out of the bathroom door.

"What's going on, daddy? Is Fran okay?" Maggie's eyes went wide as she came into the bedroom and shut the door behind her.

"No, she's not okay. I think I might need to call the doctor. Now she's vomiting. I just don't know what to do to help." Maggie rushed to the bathroom door and past her father to find Fran hunched over on the toilet.

"Fran! Are you okay?" Maggie knelt next to her and held onto her arms.

"Maggie, it's okay. I'll be okay. Just give me a minute…" she mumbled. Maggie looked up at her father and it just crushed her seeing the look on his face.

"Do you want to stay in here, or do you think you want to go back to the bed and lay down?" Fran shrugged her shoulders. "How about this- can you stand up? Maybe come over to the sink. If you can't brush your teeth, then at least maybe try to rinse your mouth out with some water? Do you think toothpaste might make you sick?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. I think it stopped for now." Maggie and Max helped her up and over to the sink, and she propped herself up on her arms as they held onto her.

"Fran, why don't you let daddy call the doctor- at least to see what they say. Even if you have to still take that stuff, maybe there's a chance they'll say you can stop. Wouldn't that make it worth calling?" Maggie asked, stroking Fran's hair back over her shoulders. Fran cleared her throat, then nodded her head. "Okay, good," Maggie was relieved. "Daddy, I was just going to tell you that Niles has dinner just about ready. Why don't you call the doctor's office and I'll help with Fran, then you should go get some dinner. I can stay with her while you go downstairs."

"Oh, I don't know, Maggie. I don't really want to leave her like this."

"It's okay, Max. I'll be okay. You need to see the kids for a little bit, anyway. Get something to eat. I'm not going anywhere. But let's call the doctor. I don't know how much more of this I can take, maybe they'll let me stop." Max looked from her, then at Maggie.

"Okay. I'll call right now. Maggie, can you stay with her? I'll just be in the other room, I'll see if I can get someone on the phone."

"Yeah, I'll stay with her. Go call!" Max ran from the bathroom to get the phone and find the number to call, and Maggie helped Fran get a cup of water.

"I want to brush my teeth, Mags. So I can go lay down."

"Okay, here, let me help you. Are you okay standing?"

"Yeah, I think so." Maggie helped get Fran's toothbrush ready and handed it to her. As she started to brush her teeth slowly, Maggie pulled her hair back for her.

"You know, Fran, I should do something with your hair, just in case. Let me go grab some of your hair ties and I'll be right back, okay? Will you be okay for a second?" Fran nodded as she looked at Maggie in the mirror. What a great kid, she thought. Maggie hurried from the bathroom and came back a moment later with two hair bands in her hand. She let Fran finish brushing her teeth, and when she finished, Maggie gently separated Fran's hair in back, then quickly made two braids, one on each side, and tied them off with a band. She ran a hand over the back, making sure it wasn't too bulky, so Fran would be comfortable laying down on the braids.

"Thank you, Mags. Thank you for doing that," Fran said, then she took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Hey, I've been there. It sucks. And you have so much more hair than I do. I just want you to be as comfortable as you can be. Are you ready to go back to the bed? We can see if daddy got a hold of someone." Fran nodded, and Maggie wrapped an arm around her, and they left the bathroom to make their way back to the bed. Max watched them as he waited on hold on the phone, tapping a small notepad and pencil against his hip as he paced back and forth.

"Yes! Hello! This is Maxwell Sheffield, Fran Fine is right here. She's been very sick, and we just want to know if she can stop that drink, it's just too much for her. She's started vomiting on top of everything, and she's weak. She still has two more full glasses to go before she's done with it, and I just think that's too much. She said she's got nothing left in her, and she doesn't understand why she'd have to keep drinking it." Maggie and Fran looked over as Max talked, and Maggie got Fran settled under the covers and resting back on a pillow. Max looked over at her as he listened to the nurse on the other end of the line.

"Fran?" Maggie whispered. "Can I get you anything? Some water?"

"Not yet, but thank you. I think I just want to stay still a while." Maggie nodded, and they both looked back at Max. He turned and set the notepad down, then began writing frantically on it as he listened."

"Yes, alright. Will that really help? Okay. Four hours? Alright, yes. We may have some here in the house, or we'll go get it. What was that? Alright, I don't think she'd want any right now, anyways, so that's fine. Yes, I know it's near the end, but it feels like forever, even more so for her. I've never seen her so sick, and she's so thin. And- well, can you let the doctors know one other thing? It's, uh… her tumor. I think it's just because she's gotten so thin, and what that drink has done to her… well, we can, ah, we can feel the tumor now. Fairly easily. And she is having pain, but she said it's probably more abdominal pain, and maybe not from the tumor. She's right here, she's just laid backdown on the bed. Let me ask her-" Max covered the mouthpiece and looked at Fran. "Fran, would you be able to speak with the nurse? Just for a minute? I think she wants to hear it from you." Fran nodded her head and reached her hand out for the phone. Max hurried over to her. "Yes, she says she can talk to you. Here she is…" Max handed the phone to Fran and she began to speak softly.

"This is Fran. No, not doing so good. It has to be that drink, is there a chance they got the amount wrong? I haven't been eating all that much lately, can that be part of it? It's killing me. I think it's already done it's job, and now it's just making me so sick. My insides are so cramped up, and I hurt all over. I need a break." Maggie squeezed Fran's hand as she talked, and Max rested a hand on Maggie's shoulder. He knew how hard this was for Maggie, too, and he appreciated her help. "Can that really help? Sure, I'll try it. But what if I get sick again- if I can't keep it down? Oh, okay. Yeah, maybe that will work. Okay. Oh, yeah. I noticed it earlier today. I'm sure it's just because of the weight loss and everything. I mean, I can see my ribs, and my hips are pretty boney looking, too. It just scared me a little, you know. Just thinking that what if it grew more already, you know?" Fran was quiet for a little while as the nurse talked. "Hey- I gotta…I gotta hand you back to Max. I'm not feeling so good. I gotta…" Fran gave Max the phone and they both got out of the way as she slid off the bed and ran for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Max and Maggie both went pale as they looked back at each other.

"Hello- sorry about that, she's had to run for the bathroom again, so I need to get off the phone. We'll try what you said and see if that helps, but please let the doctors know. It's just so hard seeing her like this, and right before her surgery, too. She needs to be able to rest before that, and right now she can't. I understand. Alright. Thank you. Yes, we'll call back if it doesn't work. Thank you. Goodbye." Max pressed the button on the phone and hung up, then took Maggie's hand.

"What is it, daddy? What did they say?"

"Ah, do we have any dramamine in the house by any chance? I know we had some for Gracie at one point."

"Dramamine? I don't know. Let me run and check the bathrooms and I'll be right back. Go check your medicine cabinet and check on Fran. I'll check her old bathroom, too. Go!" Maggie gave her father a push and she ran out the bedroom door. Max hurried to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Fran? Are you alright? May I come in?"

"Ohhhh…!" Fran groaned. "No! Not yet! Don't come in yet!" Max stepped away from the bathroom door to give her some space, and went back to the notepad he had written the nurse's instructions on. He read through it several times, then heard the toilet flush. He looked back at the bathroom door, waiting for a sign from Fran. He could just hear her gasps of discomfort and it upset him so much that he couldn't stop all of this for her. He couldn't stand seeing her feel so bad.

Maggie came back into the bedroom and met her father's eyes, then shook her head.

"No dramamine anywhere. You wouldn't have any either, would you?"

"Probably not. If we had some for Gracie, it would probably be in with Fran's things."

"Well, daddy, if they said for her to take that, then we need to get her some fast. Let me stay with her, and you go ask Niles. If he doesn't have any, then have him go get some, okay? Right now. She needs it now, daddy."

"Yes, yes she does. Are you sure you're okay staying with her?"

"Yes, daddy, it's fine. And she might not want you having to deal with some of this, okay? It might embarrass her. Go down and talk to Niles, and get your dinner, then we can trade places, okay? Wait until everybody eats something before you tell them what's going on, but make sure you tell them, okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'll tell them. Oh- and the nurse said nothing but water and that drink. Just in case the broth or anything else might trigger the nausea, she said to hold off on it the rest of the night. Speaking of which, I'll grab those things and get them out of here." He walked over to the bathroom door and tapped on it. "Fran, sweetheart? Maggie's here, okay? Let her in when you can. We don't have any dramamine so I'm going to have Niles go get some for you, alright? And I'll grab a quick dinner with the children and be back up here as fast as I can. Please let Maggie know if you need anything. Fran? Are you alright?"

"Go, Max. I'll be okay. I'll be okay. Just ask him to hurry, okay?" Fran's voice gasped. Max looked at Maggie, second guessing his decision to leave her.

"Daddy, go! Go tell Niles! And don't come back up here until he brings the dramamine back, okay?" Maggie pulled her father away from the bathroom. He set the notepad down and headed for the bedside to retrieve the thermos of broth and extra glasses. He looked back at Maggie and gulped hard before he headed through the door, then rushed as fast as he could to the kitchen to find Niles. Maggie stepped back to the bathroom door and heard the toilet flush, then the sound of what must have been Fran trying to get to the sink.

"Fran? Can I come in?"

"Yeah…" Fran's voice was so weak, it made Maggie nervous. She turned the knob on the door and slowly opened it. Fran was washing her hands at the sink, hunched over it and leaning on her elbows.

"Aw, Fran!" Maggie hurried to her side to help her. "Let me help you. Where do you want to go? Back to bed?"

"No, it might kick in again. I need to sit down."

"On the toilet? You want me to put the lid down?"

"No… right here. Just… sit here…" Fran held onto the counter and slid herself down to sit on the cold tile floor. She rested against the cabinet doors. "Maggie?"

"Yes?"

"Can you get me a washcloth? A cold one? This nausea gives me the sweats…" Fran rested her cheek against the cool cabinet door and and Maggie jumped up to get her a washcloth. She soaked the washcloth in cold water then wrung it out and sat down next to Fran on the floor. Fran took the washcloth from her and pressed it on her neck, then her forehead.

"Is that helping?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, a little. I just need a rest, then I'll try to go back to bed."

"Okay, take your time. We'll do whatever we have to do to try to stop the nausea from happening, okay? Niles will go get some dramamine for you. Maybe that will help. And daddy said you can't have any more broth or other stuff okay? Just water and that drink, I guess. Did the nurse really say you have to keep drinking it?"

"Yeah…" Fran whined. Maggie put her hand on Fran's shoulder in sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Fran. But try to remember- you're getting through this, right? It won't be much longer. And pretty soon, you'll forget about all this and won't have to go through it again, right?"

"Yeah. Well, until I'm old enough for a colonoscopy." Fran tried to laugh, making Maggie smile, then Fran's expression changed and she grabbed her stomach.

"Okay, Fran, no jokes. We'll laugh later, when you're feeling better." Fran nodded, then covered her face in the cold washcloth. "Here, let me soak that again." Maggie took the washcloth and got up, soaked it under the cold water, then wrung it out again and handed it to Fran.

"Thank you," Fran whispered. She wrapped the washcloth over the back of her neck and they sat there on the bathroom floor for a few minutes, then Fran grabbed her stomach again. "Oh… Mags! Can you go in the bedroom a minute?"

"Do you need something?"

"No, I'm gonna be sick. Please, I don't want you to-" Fran tossed the washcloth and crawled to the toilet, then vomited almost nothing into it. She continued dry heaving, again and again, as Maggie stayed nearby, not sure what she could do to help.

"Fran! Hey, try to get control of it- mind over matter, okay? See if you can do that. Take a deep breath if you can, okay?" Maggie gently patted Fran's back, trying to settle her down. "Try a deep breath, and let it out slow. Mind over matter, okay?" Fran tried to listen to her, and tried to take a deep breath. It took several tries, but finally she was able to take several deep breaths without a dry heave kicking in. She took another deep breath and groaned, then sat back on the floor in front of the toilet. Maggie grabbed the washcloth and got up to give it another soak in cold water, wrung it out, then joined Fran back on the floor and offered it to her.

"Thank you," Fran whispered. She took the washcloth and put it on her forehead, then her neck, then her face, and took another deep breath. "Sorry about that."

"Fran, don't apologize. You can't help it. That's why I'm here, to help you. I just wish it wasn't happening to you. I really hope that dramamine will make it stop, so just hang on a little longer, okay?"

"I hope it helps, too." Maggie rubbed Fran's back for a minute.

"Hey, Fran? Let me bring a chair in here so you aren't sitting on the floor. I know you're tired. I'll be right back." Maggie went to the bedroom and got the chair from Fran's dressing table, then carried it back into the bathroom. She set it down next to the sink. "Can you get up yet? Or are you still feeling sick?"

"I think I can, let me try." Fran scooted on the floor slowly to the chair, then Maggie helped her get up to sit down on it. Fran stretched her arm over the counter and rested her head down, letting her cheek press against the cold marble. Maggie flushed the toilet with her foot, then hopped up on the counter to sit next to Fran. "I think I just wanna stay here for a while, okay? This counter feels nice."

"Okay, Fran, whatever you want to do. I can get your toothbrush ready too, if you want to brush your teeth again."

"Okay." Fran closed her eyes and didn't move for a while. Maggie felt awful for her, and was realizing the best thing she could do was just be nearby, just in case. Fran seemed to need some quiet for a while, and a little rest.

Maggie thought about Fran and her father, and about the looks on her father's face that he couldn't hide. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, and was proud of how strong he was trying to be for Fran. She knew he was hurting, and that he was scared, and it was probably taking everything he had in him to help Fran get through this. He probably wasn't expecting Fran to get sick this way, and then again she was pretty sure no one did. Maggie looked back down at Fran resting next to her, her hair a little frazzled and her eye makeup smeared.

"Hey Fran?" She asked softly.

"Mm?"

"Do you want to get ready for bed? Maybe change clothes? Or get your makeup off? That way, when you're able to, you can just go right to sleep. I can go grab you pajamas or whatever, and your cold cream."

"Hmmm…" she groaned. "Maybe a different shirt. This one's too hot when it kicks in. And yeah, I bet my makeup's a mess, isn't it? Might as well take it off."

"Okay, I'll grab another shirt for you, and your cold cream. Just sit tight a minute."

"Mmm, kay…"

Max sat at the dining room table with Brighton and Gracie as they quietly finished their dinners. The children knew something was going on, and also picked up on their father's tension, but thought it best to wait for him to say what was going on.

"Brighton? I was thinking… I know you've been quite busy with things this week, and today. I think it would be a good idea for you to take a break the rest of the evening. Take it easy, play some video games, or watch television. Take your mind off of things, alright? And Gracie, if you need to do that as well, maybe we can find you a movie to watch or something? Or maybe you and Maggie might like to spend some time more time together? It sounded like you both had a nice time out today."

"Yeah, we did. But I wish Fran could have gone with us," Gracie said, and the table got quiet. Max reached for her hand and took it.

"I know, darling. I know. But you know what, it won't be that long before she'll be able to do things again, and take you places, and read books with you. She's just having a really hard time right now, and we're trying to find a way to help her."

"What's going on with her? Why did Niles have to run out?" Brighton asked. Max swallowed hard.

"She's not feeling well. It's that drink she has to take. It's making her sick. Really sick. I was a bit worried about her, so I called the doctor. The nurse said to try some of that dramamine. You know, Gracie? Like what you take when we go on trips? And maybe that would settle things down enough for her to get through the rest of the drink."

"Oh. You mean she's-"

"Yes," Max nodded. "Pretty badly, I'm afraid. Maggie's helping her while I have my dinner, and she'll come back down once Niles is back. So tonight, I want Fran to be able to have some quiet so she can rest. I don't know how rough her night will be, but her day wasn't easy for her. She's trying to be brave, but it's been really hard on her. And hard on all of us, too." He looked over at Brighton, who leaned his head on his fist and looked away.

"Can we see her tonight?" Gracie asked.

"I don't know, maybe. Once she gets that medicine, we'll see if it settles things down. I'm sure she'd love to see you both, but she's also Fran- she's uncomfortable having people see her suffering. So just be mindful of that, alright?" The children nodded.

"Oh, Brighton? You know those old walkie talkies you used to have? Do you still have them?" Max asked.

"The walkie talkies? I think so. They're probably up in the attic. Why?"

"Oh, Fran and I were just wondering if they might help us keep in touch, like if we might need help from someone. Maybe we could keep one in our room, and one with Maggie or Niles. That way I wouldn't have to leave her to get help if we needed it."

"I'll see if I can find them and see if they still work," Brighton said.

"Thank you." Gracie wiped her mouth with her napkin and put it on the table, then got up from her seat to give her father a hug.

"Thank you for taking care of Fran, daddy," she said.

"Aw, Gracie, darling! We're all taking care of her, aren't we? But thank you for saying that. It means a lot. We need to get her all better again, as quickly as we can. We need this house to be happy again, and laughing again." Max hugged Gracie tightly, and even Brighton couldn't hold back a bit of a smile.

Niles burst through into the dining room from the hallway, trying to take off his coat as he shook a paper bag in his hand. Max's eyes went wide and he let go of Gracie.

"You got it?" He asked.

"Yes! It took three shops but I found it!"

"Excuse me, Gracie, but I've got to get that medicine to Fran. You two finish up your dinner, alright? And I'll let you know what's going on with Fran a bit later, okay?"

"Okay, daddy! Hurry!" Gracie called after him, and he chased after Niles through the door to the kitchen.

"Sir, grab a small glass, will you? These have to be dissolved in water, sort of like Alka Seltzer. I got this kind in case she still has trouble keeping things down, so she won't lose a whole pill," Niles said, half out of breath. Max ran for the cabinet and grabbed a glass, then came back to the refrigerator to fill it with water.

"Did you run?" Max asked, looking over at Niles, who had just thrown his coat across the kitchen table and was frantically trying to remove the packaging from the bottle of tablets as he gasped for breath.

"Well, yes! After the pharmacy didn't have any," Max raised his eyebrows at him. "Well, it's urgent! I had to run!"

"I'm just teasing you, old man," Max slapped him on the shoulder several times. "I do appreciate it, I can't thank you enough. And I know Fran thanks you, too."

"Well, you're both very welcome. Now, get a spoon and let me get these tablets in the water!" Max did as he was told and grabbed a spoon from the drawer as Niles dropped two tablets into the glass. "Here, stir this, and let me find a straw for you, that might make it easier for her to sip it. Now, you said she can only have her drink and water the rest of the night?"

"Yes," Max replied.

"Alright, I'll get those drinks sorted out, and you go get this up to her. Let Miss Margaret know if you need anything else from me, and have her get down here for her dinner."

"Yes, alright, Niles. And thank you again! Thank you very much!" Niles stuck a straw in the glass as Max turned and hurried up the back stairs.

"Fran?" Max called as he came into the bedroom. She wasn't on the bed, so he knew where she had to be. Maggie stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hi, daddy, she's in here. Did Niles get the dramamine?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, I've got it here. It dissolves in the water. Is she alright?" Max pushed the bedroom door most of the way shut behind him and walked towards the bathroom.

"No, not really. She hasn't been able to come back out of the bathroom yet, her stomach still hurts her." Maggie led Max back into the bathroom, and Fran raised her head from the counter.

"Hey, you," she tried to smile. "Did he get it?"

"Yes, right here, darling. It dissolves in the water so you just need to drink this. There's a straw here to make it easier, just a sip at a time, alright? We don't want to trigger anything. Niles thought this might be better than you trying to take a pill, and potentially not being able to keep it down."

"Good idea." Fran pushed herself up to a seated position in the chair and took the glass Max handed her, then took a sip from the straw.

"You changed your shirt?" He asked. Fran nodded.

"She said it was too hot, when the nausea kicks in it makes her sweat," Maggie said.

"And Maggie got me my cold cream, to get my makeup off. So if I can settle my stomach some, I'll be able to go right to bed."

"Thank you Margaret. Thank you for helping her. And Niles said for you to get downstairs and get your dinner. Oh, and speaking of settling your stomach, Fran, he said he would get your drinks sorted out, so he should be bringing those up soon. But right now, this is all you get, for the next thirty minutes or so." Max knelt down next to her and gave her knee a squeeze.

"Do you guys need anything else? Daddy, are you good for a while? I can come back to help after I eat."

"I don't think we need anything, Maggie. Thank you. Oh, would you mind keeping an eye on the others tonight? Especially Gracie. Maybe hang out with her, keep her company. Or find a movie or something to watch. And they want to come see Fran when she's able- if this medicine helps her feel better. Would that be alright with you Fran? They're worried about you."

"Yeah, I want to see them, too. As long as nothing's going on with me. Maybe one at a time, in a little while."

"Alright. They'll be very happy to see you. Now, do you still think you need to stay in here, or do you want to try to get back to the bed?" Max asked, as he took her hand and held it. She thought for a moment and closed her eyes, then opened them again.

"I guess I can try. But slow. My tummy's all cramped up."

"Here, let me take your glass, Fran, so daddy can help you." Maggie picked up the glass from the counter and stepped out of the way, letting her father help Fran stand up. They slowly walked from the bathroom back to the bed, then Max sat her down.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I think so." As she scooted back onto the bed, Max helped lift her legs up, and then tucked them under the covers. Once she was comfortable, Maggie handed her father the glass, and he held it for Fran to take another sip from the straw.

"Okay, I'm gonna head downstairs, but I'll check on you later, okay Fran? And see if you're doing better. Just remember to take it easy, mind over matter, remember?"

"Yeah, thank you, Mags. You helped me a lot. Thank you."

"Yes, Margaret. You've been a big help. Thank you very much. We'll cross our fingers that this dramamine helps."

"I'll be downstairs for a while if you need me."

"Okay. Love you, Maggie."

"Love you, too, Fran, and daddy. Take it easy for a bit okay?" Maggie smiled at them and headed for the door.

"Love you, too, Maggie, thank you again," Max said, and Maggie shut the door behind her. Max looked back at Fran and rested his hand on her thigh. "My poor darling! How were things when I was gone? You look positively wiped out."

"Eh, you know. Not great. I felt bad about Maggie seeing me like that, but she was great. I got sick again after you left, and she was trying to help me get a handle on it, to try to get the dry heaves to stop. I think it kind of worked, too."

"Is that why she said 'mind over matter'?"

"Yeah." Fran took another sip from the straw, and Max rubbed her leg through the covers. "Hey, can you come up here- sit next to me. I want to lean against you so I don't have to hold myself up."

"Oh, certainly, darling! Anything you need!" Max got up and rushed around to the other side of the bed and got in next to her, then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and took her in. "Let's get you nice and comfortable so you can finish that. How is it, by the way? Not too off-putting, I hope?" Fran stirred the water with the spoon and took another sip.

"It's not great, tastes like an aspirin or something mixed in the water. But that's okay, as long as it does its job."

"Yes, that's true. Now, do you need any kind of distraction?"

"Normally I'd say yes, but I'm not really in a state for messing around." She poked Max in the ribs and he laughed.

"Good to see you can still make a joke, my dear!"

"Well, it wasn't really a joke. But sure, find something on the TV so I don't have to think."

"Alright, sweetheart." He reached for the remote, then kissed her forehead before he started changing the channels, trying to find something for them to watch. Fran sipped on her drink a bit at a time, trying not to fill up too fast and potentially trigger a need to run back to the bathroom. She was so grateful to have Max and the kids, and Niles. She didn't know what she would do without them. They were all really taking great care of her. Now she just had to get through the rest of the evening and maybe the worst of it would be over. She was so tired, she just wanted to sleep, but she couldn't. She knew she had more of the awful drink to get through, so she was putting all her faith in the dramamine cocktail she really hoped would work.

"Gracie? Do you want to go see how Fran's doing?" Maggie asked. Gracie turned from Maggie's television to look over at her and smiled.

"Of course I do! But is it okay?" Gracie asked.

"Yeah, if she's feeling better, it is. She said she wanted to see you guys tonight."

"Can we go now?"

"Sure! But let me knock first to check, okay? I think you guys need to go in one at a time, though. And just for a couple minutes, okay? We need to let daddy take care of her tonight, and not bother them for too long."

"Okay."

"I'll go knock on their door and see if it's okay." The girls got up from Maggie's bed and Gracie waited briefly in the hallway. Maggie headed down the hall to the master bedroom, and before she got there, Gracie ran and caught up with her. Maggie reached for her hand, giving her a look to settle down, and then knocked on the door.

"Come in!" They heard their father's voice call. Maggie turned the knob and pushed the door open and peeked in.

"You up for having visitors?" Maggie asked. Fran tried a smile and and waved her in. Fran was wrapped in the covers, cuddling Gracie's teddy bear, with Max's arm lovingly holding her close. She had finished her dramamine drink and was waiting for Niles to bring her a fresh glass of agony. Maggie pulled Gracie in front of her and showed her into the room, and when she saw Fran, she smiled from ear to ear and rushed over to the side of the bed.

"Come here, angel!" Fran said, holding her arms out to Gracie. Gracie carefully got up on the bed and sat next to her.

"I'll go see if Brighton's busy and see if he wants to come see you, too." Maggie left the room and Fran put her arm around Gracie.

"I've got your teddy right here, Gracie. He's been helping me out. Do you want to take him back with you?" Fran asked, the weariness showing in her voice, and in her face.

"Well, I want you to have him, as long as you need him."

"As long as I need him?"

"Yeah. I think maybe you should keep him tonight, to make you feel better. I know you've been really sick. He always make me feel better when I'm sick. He's a very good bear." Gracie reached over and squeezed her teddy bear's paw.

"You sure you want me to have him? I know how much he means to you."

"Yeah, you need him more than I do right now."

"How about we make a deal? I'll keep an eye on him tonight, okay? And I'll give him back to you tomorrow. I think it would be good for you to have him tomorrow, because I'll be busy trying to get ready to go to the hospital. Does that sound good to you?" Fran smiled at her and raised her eyebrows.

"Okay. You can give him back to me tomorrow. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a little bit. I think that medicine is helping. Thank you for worrying, baby."

"I can't help it. I don't want you to be sick anymore, Fran."

"I don't want to be sick anymore, either, sweetie. Once I get back from the hospital, I can start getting better, okay? And you guys can help me. And before you know it, we'll be past all this, and then we get to have a vacation together- remember? That's gonna be fun, won't it?" Fran rubbed Gracie's arm and smiled, making her cheer up.

"I forgot about that! Yeah, that's gonna be good!"

Maggie appeared back at the door and motioned to Gracie.

"Hey, Gracie, let's let Brighton have a turn, okay? Say goodnight to them and we can go back and watch TV."

"Aw! Oh, okay. Goodnight, Fran, and daddy. I'll see you tomorrow. And I hope you don't get sick anymore, at all, okay?" Fran hugged her and Max leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Gracie darling. Have a nice time with your sister, but don't stay up late, alright?" Max warned. "Maggie, make sure she goes to bed on time, won't you?"

"I will, daddy."

"Sweet dreams, Gracie. And start thinking about what books we can read together once I'm back home, okay? I miss that."

"I miss it, too, Fran." Gracie gave her teddy bear one last look, then smiled at Fran and hopped off the bed and joined Maggie at the door. The girls left, and Brighton stepped into the room, walkie talkie in hand.

"I, uh, found the walkie talkies. I put fresh batteries in them. I gave the other one to Niles. I figured you could just yell for Maggie if you really had to, but Niles would be further away. We tested them already and he can pick it up downstairs." Brighton walked sheepishly toward the bed, and Fran waved him over.

"You can come over here, B, I'm doing better than I was before. It's okay." Brighton walked to the bed and sat down at the end of it. He handed his father the walkie talkie.

"Oh, you just push that button on the side to talk. The other one is on, so he'll hear it if you try to use it."

"Alright, thank you for finding those," Max smiled, then leaned back and set the walkie talkie on the bedside table.

"So B, are you taking a break from all this stuff?" Fran asked. She knew what the answer was even before she asked the question.

"Well… um, not really. I have a lot to read, and things to look up. I might not have that much time during the week to do that, with all my classes."

"I figured as much. Have you found anything interesting?"

"Kinda, but I don't think you want me telling you about it."

"Why?" Fran asked.

"It's kinda gross. I was reading in that textbook they got me, and one part talks about things like preparing slides, and- and-" Brighton stopped himself.

"And what?"

"Oh!" Max exclaimed. "You probably don't want to know, Fran. At least, not now. Maybe later." He looked over at her and gave her a look. She thought a moment, then realized what he probably meant by "gross."

"Oh, ew, yeah, okay. Nevermind about that part. But what about the articles you found?"

"Well, some are about how they've figured out how tumors start, and some about how different treatments are supposed to work. There are some about things they think might trigger them to form…" Brighton stopped talking then, and it made Fran wonder.

"What kinds of things?" She asked.

"I haven't read all the stuff, but you know, the usual things, like environment, or genetics. Things like smoking, or if you lived someplace and were exposed to something. Stuff like that."

"Smoking?" Fran asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, yeah. But you quit, so that's a good thing. But… do you have any relatives that had a tumor, or a kind of cancer?"

"My grandfather. He was sick for a long time before he passed. I'm pretty sure it was lung cancer, that's what the said, but I don't know if there are different types of that cancer. But you know, now that I think about it- I don't think he smoked that much. I remember him smoking a cigar once in a while, but not very often. I never really thought about it that much. But you know, he was a mechanic and probably breathed in a lot of leaded gas fumes, and diesel. I wonder if that might have added to it."

"Maybe. There's a lot they're still learning about."

"But Fran, you don't have a lung issue, so I don't think you need to worry about that," Max said, rubbing her arm.

"Well-" Brighton said, accidentally. Max and Fran looked over at him.

"What?" Fran asked.

"It's just, well, nothing really, nevermind. I haven't read all of it yet." He looked away, worried he shouldn't have brought it up. Max wasn't sure if he wanted Brighton to continue.

"Well, now you gotta tell us, B! It's okay, what did you learn about?" Brighton looked back and forth between them, then took a breath.

"There's some studies going on about what kinds of things can happen from stuff like smoking, and other things. Not just like lung cancer, which you would expect. But, well, even what it can do to the immune system, other diseases it can cause. And possibly other kinds of cancers. But Fran, that doesn't mean that you got this because you smoked. We don't know anything right now. And we might never know. I didn't mean to bring it up, I don't want you thinking it's all because of that, I mean- I just- it's just something I was reading about, and I didn't know about- that it can have such a big effect…I didn't mean…" Brighton was twitching now, and getting upset. He felt like he was scaring Fran and making her think she did something to cause her tumor.

"Oh, B! Come here! Don't get upset! It's okay! I didn't mean to make you think you shouldn't have said that, it's okay!" She reached out her arms, wanting to hug him, and he reluctantly got off the end of the bed and walked to her side and leaned over to hug her. It was all he could do to hold in his emotions. Max watched as Fran comforted him, and probably comforted herself, too. He had seen Brighton's eyes twitching, and new how much Fran meant to him.

"Brighton, you're doing a wonderful thing with all this research, remember that," Max said, reaching out a hand to pat Brighton's shoulder. "It's not easy, I know it's not. You're doing a tremendous thing, Brighton. Don't hold anything back, okay? Let us know what you're learning about, even if it's difficult. It's alright, son." Max patted him a few more times, and Fran gave him one last hard squeeze, then let him go. She looked him in the eyes and took him by the shoulders.

"B, if we can find answers, then I want to find them. I need to. We'll look as far as we can, okay? And maybe me going through this will help people in the future, right? Maybe it will keep somebody else from going through it. That's why I quit smoking, because I knew it was bad for me. That's why you kids better not do it, either, you got me?" She raised an eyebrow at Brighton and he couldn't help but smile.

"I won't, I promise. Thank you, Fran. I'll do my best to help you figure it out."

"I know you will. Now, why don't you get out of here and go read some more, but don't stay up late, alright? Or I'll sic Maggie on you." Brighton grinned and got up from the bed, and Max chuckled.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, Fran."

"I love you more!" Fran said. Brighton headed for the bedroom door to leave, then stopped and turned around.

"Uh, dad?" He asked.

"Yes?" Brighton glanced at Fran, then looked back at his father.

"Um, can you check Fran's temperature?" Max looked confused, then he and Fran looked at each other.

"Her temperature? Oh, yes, we probably should do that. I'll get the thermometer."

"Okay, 'night."

"Goodnight, Brighton," Max said, and Brighton left the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Max looked at Fran, then put his wrist on her forehead. The look on his face turned to concern.

"Oh no, don't tell me-" Fran sat up and reached for her neck.

"Do you feel like you have a fever?" Max asked, as he touched her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Well, I thought it was from getting sick. I thought- I thought that's why I was sweating. That's why I changed my shirt…" Max jumped off the bed and hurried to the bathroom to get the thermometer. He rushed back to Fran and handed it to her, and she put it under her tongue. Max sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her and they waited.

The walkie talkie on Max's bedside table suddenly made a loud beep, startling them both. Max reached for it and pressed the button.

"Niles?" He asked.

"Oh! Yes, sir, sorry! I pressed the wrong button! I was just going to let you know that I had the drinks ready for Ms. Fine, if you want me to bring them up?"

"Yes, please, thank you, Niles." He set the walkie talkie back down on the table, and turned his attention back to Fran. Her mood had shifted, and so had his. He kissed her on the forehead, and he could feel that it did, indeed, seem warmer than it should be. A moment later there was a knock at the door, and Max told Niles to come in.

"I've got your drinks for you right-" Niles stopped in his tracks when he came in the door. He saw the thermometer in Fran's mouth. "Oh, pardon me, are you just doing your regular check-" he stopped talking as Max shook his head, letting Niles know that Fran may have a fever again. "Oh dear…" He brought the tray over to Fran's bedside. "Ah, well, Ms. Fine, I found the children's old cups here- they have screw-on lids and straws- I thought that might help you be able to keep it close and not have to keep reaching over for all the glasses. Oh, and I watered down the drinks, too, so maybe it won't be so harsh on you. Once you finish these two cups, you'll be all done. And I can get you more water, too, if you need it." Fran nodded to him.

"Thank you Niles, that should be very helpful, thank you," Max said. Niles hesitated before he left, worried about what the thermometer would show. Max checked his watch, then reached for the thermometer and looked it over. His face sank, then Fran's and Niles' faces sank, too. Fran took the thermometer from him and looked at it, squinting her eyes a little.

"Dammit," she huffed. "Looks like ninety-nine point five." Niles and Max looked at each other, then at Fran. "What do we do, Max? Is it okay if I take one of those pills? Do you know if I'm allowed to? I still have to get those two drinks down, and what if that dramamine stops working?" Max hugged her to him.

"It's alright, sweetheart! We'll figure it out. Let's call the doctor's number again, and make sure you can take it. We'll see what the nurse says, alright?" Max tried to comfort her.

"Yeah, okay." Max got up to get the phone and the phone number, and Niles looked over at Fran.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Ms. Fine?"

"I dunno, Niles. I dunno. Maybe- let's see what they say first. If I have to take one of those big pills, I might need some water." Max dialed the number for Fran, then handed her the phone and sat down with her again. Fran spoke with the nurse for several minutes, then waited on hold for several more. Fran picked up Gracie's teddy bear and held it close, and Niles stood nearby, waiting to see if he would be needed.

"Yes, I'm still here," Fran said into the phone. "Okay. Yeah, we will. Alright. Thank you. We'll let you know. Okay, goodbye." Fran pressed the button on the receiver to hang up the phone, then looked at Niles, then at Max. "Well, the nurse said to take the pill, but Niles- she said I should try it crushed up and mixed in with a glass of water. She doesn't want me taking a whole pill at once, like with that dramamine. That way, if I do get sick from this next round of drinks, then maybe I'll still get enough in me to help. And Max, we need to call them back in the morning. They want to keep track of things just to be safe." Max nodded.

"Alright, dear. We can do that. Niles? The pills are in that bottle on her bedside table. Do you have a way to-"

"Oh, yes, sir! I've got a mortar and pestle that will work just fine! So, um, how much water do you think-"

"Like you did with the dramamine. Hopefully that's enough. And I still have to take more dramamine later, too." Fran gave Niles a frown.

"Well, let me run and get that for you. I'll be back as fast as I can, don't you worry!" Niles grabbed the bottle of pills and ran from the bedroom, and Max turned Fran in his arms so he could look into her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Fran! I'm so sorry! But we have a plan, okay? The dramamine helped, didn't it? And this will, too. It will. And I'll be right here for you, okay? For whatever you need." Fran tried to smile and hugged him, but the tears were already forming in her eyes, and it just crushed him.

Niles sorted out Fran's medication in the kitchen as fast as he could, then rushed back upstairs with it. He tapped on the partially open door before coming in, then quietly walked over to Fran and handed her the drink.

"I couldn't find any other cups like those, but I think you might need to keep stirring it with this spoon before you drink it. That way it won't settle at the bottom," Niles said.

"Thank you, Niles. Thank you a bunch," Fran said, carefully taking the glass from him so she wouldn't spill it. She stirred it a little, then took a drink, and made a face. "Ew!" Max and Niles smiled in sympathy.

"Poor thing!" Max said, as he rubbed her shoulder. "You've got to be so waterlogged by now!" Fran nodded.

"I am. I just gotta make it till like eleven or so, then I'll be done. I know I can do it, but I just don't want that stupid fever on top of everything else. This sucks!" Fran pouted. Max and Niles were quiet for a moment.

"Oh! But Ms. Fine! Remember, the announcement will be in the morning paper! That's something to look forward to, right?" Niles perked up.

"Oh! How could I forget about that part? Oh, my gosh, Max! I can't wait to see it! For everybody to see it!" Fran smiled again, and it made Max and Niles smile, too.

"It'll be wonderful, darling! Oh, speaking of which, Niles? Were you going to get extra copies of the paper tomorrow?" Max asked.

"Yes, sir! As early as I can. Which is something I needed to ask you- would it be alright if I retire early this evening? So I can get out early? I can get you the water for her next dramamine dose before I go to bed. And then, maybe, if it's alright with you both, maybe I could give that walkie talkie to Miss Margaret, in case you might need something later tonight? Or anything at all? And she can always come and get me, too, if necessary."

"Oh, yes, of course, Niles! Yes, you should be able to go to bed early, so you can get the papers in the morning. Yes, why don't you do that? When you bring up the water, bring the walkie talkie to Margaret. Oh, and if you don't mind- would you be so kind and update her on what's going on- you know, with Fran's fever? Maybe Brighton as well, but if Gracie's gone to bed by then, we shouldn't disturb her. We can let her know in the morning, and hopefully it will be gone by then."

"Yes, sir. Will do. Will you two be alright until I come back up later?"

"Yes, Niles. And thank you again."

"Yeah, thank you a bunch, Niles!" Fran added.

"Well, you're very welcome. And I hope your evening goes much better than earlier, and that all the medications work for you. Well, I'll have that walkie talkie if you need me in the meantime. I'll get out of your way now." Fran waved to him and he left the room and shut the door behind him. Fran took another sip from the glass and scrunched her face up.

"Bleah! Here, let me get started on this evil one, too. At least it doesn't taste so gross." She grabbed the tall cup with the straw in the lid and took a swig of it, paused, then another. Max reached over and took the glass from her to help her hold it.

"Well, darling, we'll see if the television can distract you enough, and we need to keep an eye on the time, alright? Try to keep a steady pace, and take regular bathroom breaks to see if you can fend off any of those episodes. Maybe try to stay ahead of them. You think that could help?"

"I dunno, but it's worth trying. At this point, I'll try anything."

"Alright. Well, let's see if we can find a good show for you." Max changed the channel and Fran leaned against him, preparing for the next round.

"Fran, darling! What can I do? Do you need maybe an ice pack or something? What do you think might help?" Max asked, as he knelt next to her in the bathroom. She was sitting on the chair from her dressing table, soaking the washcloth in cold water.

"I think this is okay for now. Just the water. Just trying… mind over matter… like Maggie said. I just- my stomach still hurts. I don't want to move." Max helped her wring out the washcloth and put it against her neck.

"Mind over matter, eh? Alright. Try to relax a bit if you can. We need to take your temperature again, too, maybe when you're ready to go back to bed. You're doing well, darling! You're getting closer to being done. Things will be so much better tomorrow, alright? Try to remember that. The announcement in the paper- that'll be wonderful, won't it?"

"Yeah," Fran's voice was raspy, and she rested her cheek on the counter again and moved the washcloth to the back of her neck. Max stroked her arm, trying to help soothe her. "I think that dramamine stopped working. I'm not feeling so good. I don't know if I can keep from-"

"Deep breath, Fran, remember? Mind over matter, like Maggie said. Take a deep breath if you can. You don't have to talk, especially if it might make you feel worse. Nice, slow, deep breaths. Alright? Focus on that," Max encouraged. He stroked her arm some more, uncertain of what else he could do. Fran was looking so weak again, and he even thought she might be shaking a little. "There's only one more drink after this one, remember? You're almost there. You're almost there, sweetheart." Fran nodded, but kept her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, then moaned and clutched her stomach. Her other hand holding the wash cloth on her neck shook a little. Max's heart was breaking. He took the washcloth from her and soaked it again, wrung it out, then put it to her forehead. It seemed to help her for a moment.

"Max?" She whispered.

"Mm hmm?"

"Can you get the cup? I need to keep drinking it. I want to get this over with… and not drag it out any more…" Fran tried to take another deep breath.

"Alright, I'll get it for you," he pushed a lock of hair away from her forehead, then held her shoulder for a moment. He got up from kneeling on the floor and rubbed her back gently. "I'll be right back, sweetheart. Remember, mind over matter…" Fran nodded, and he went back into the bedroom to retrieve her drink. He checked his watch. It felt like time was really dragging now, like she would never get through these blasted drinks. He grabbed her tall cup from the bedside table, seeing the one remaining full cup still sitting there. She had been able to get through the smaller glass with her medication fairly well, but not ten minutes after starting on the horrible drink again, it started to affect her. Max was worried she might not be able to keep the medication down, and that her fever might get worse. He worried what that could mean for her surgery, if they weren't able to bring her temperature down. Would they still be able to do the surgery?

He went back into the bathroom and handed the drink to Fran.

"Are you sure you can handle more of this?" He asked.

"I have to. I just want it over with, as fast as I can." Fran opened her eyes and put the straw to her lips, and took a long swig from the cup, then swallowed. "How much longer until I can take the next dramamine?" She asked, looking up at Max.

"Over an hour, I'm afraid. Does it really feel like it's wearing off?" Max asked. Fran nodded, then took another draw from the straw. She set the cup on the counter and turned the cold water back on to soak the washcloth. This time, she didn't wring it out. She leaned over the sink and pressed the dripping cloth to her face. "Fran, darling, let me get an ice pack or something for you, won't you? If the cold helps you, maybe that would help you get back to the bed. I can let Niles know to bring one up with him when he brings your water if you'd like. Or bring one up right away. Can we do that? At least see if it helps?" Fran sighed.

"Okay. Go ahead. I think my fever might be up more. I feel really hot." She lifted her head and looked at him again with weary eyes.

"Can I check your back? And see how hot you feel?" He knelt down next to her again.

"Yeah." Max lifted the back of her shirt and rested the back of his hand against her skin, then turned his hand over to rest his wrist against her.

"You might be right, Fran. But you need to take a break from drinking anything before we take your temperature again, alright? We need to try to get as accurate a reading as possible." Fran nodded again, then looked at the cup and shook it. She had less than half of it to go, but she felt like the level wasn't decreasing at all. She took a deep breath and drank as much of it as she could get down, then stopped to catch her breath.

"Okay, I'll stop drinking it for a little bit so we can take my temperature. But I wanna change my clothes. I want pajamas or something, something cooler than this. I'm too hot."

"Sure, we can do that. Are you able to get up, to go to the closet, or do you want be to find you something?"

"I'll go. I want to look for something. But give me a minute. I need to see if I can get up." Max didn't rush her, but stayed by her side as she tried to get a handle on her discomfort. He could clearly see that her nausea was coming back- she wiped her face with the washcloth, then set it down next to the sink. She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, and grabbed onto the counter with both hands. With another deep breath, Max helped her to her feet. Fran hunched over against him, grabbing his shirt. She wouldn't let go of the counter with her other hand.

"Are you alright, Fran?" Max exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her.

"Oh! No, it hurts!"

"Do you feel like you're going to be sick?"

"Not exactly… oh! Can you go get me some clothes? I need you to go-" Fran pushed him away, confusing him, then he realized what she meant. She needed privacy.

"Oh! Yes, alright. Be careful, darling! Don't lock the door," he pleaded, as he left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He stared at the door as he heard her frantically shuffling around in the bathroom, then he turned and walked to the closet to find her a pair of pajamas.

Max felt his own stomach churning. Why was Fran having so much pain now? Should they be concerned? Did the fever have something to do with it? He was getting himself scared, and he needed to stay strong for her, to help her get through this. Maybe things would get better after she finished the drink. He looked aimlessly around her side of the closet, trying to remember what he was supposed to be getting for her. His eyes landed on the bank of drawers, so he pulled them open one at a time. On the third drawer, he found a stack of pajamas, and looked through them to find a set with a pair of shorts. Once he found a pair, he grabbed them and stepped back out into the bedroom. The television still played in the background, but otherwise, the room felt eerily quiet. He didn't want to barge in on Fran, but he was really worried about her. What could he do to help? He looked around the room and spotted the walkie talkie and remembered. He picked it up and pressed the button.

"Niles?" He waited a moment for a response.

"Yes, sir? Yes, sir, I'm here! Do you need something?" Niles' voice crackled.

"Um, yes. Can you bring some of those cold packs up here? And may as well go ahead and bring the water and the dramamine as well."

"Yes, sir! Right away! Is- is, ah, everything alright?" Niles asked, carefully.

"Not really, no. I just want to see if we might be able to help the fever, is all. Can't do much else."

"I'm sorry, sir. I'll get everything together and be right up."

"Thank you, Niles." Max set the walkie talkie down and heard the sound of the toilet flushing. He waited a moment, then slowly approached the bathroom door. "Fran? I have you some pajamas here. Is it alright if I-" he was cut off by the sound of Fran vomiting violently into the toilet, followed by the sounds of her whimpering. He couldn't help but clutch his fist to the side of his head. "Fran! Darling! Can I please come in? Can I help you?" He grabbed the door frame and pressed his ear to the door.

"No… no… I'll be okay… I'll be okay…" she gasped, then cried and vomited again.

"Fran, please!" He heard the toilet flush again, but Fran was quiet. He couldn't take it anymore, so he grabbed the door handle and turned the knob. "I'm coming in." He opened the door and found Fran on the floor by the toilet, leaning over on her hands to steady herself. "Oh, Fran! What can I do? I have your clothes here, when you're ready for them. Do you need some water?" Fran shook her head and began whispering to herself as she rocked back and forth slightly.

"Mind over matter… mind over matter…" her voice rasped.

"Yes, that's right, Fran. Deep breath, alright? Remember what Maggie said." Max knelt on the floor near her, waiting to see if she might let him touch her. He could tell it was all she could do to hold back the urge to be sick again. She moved back closer to the toilet, as if she might, then started to moan.

"I'll be okay…I'll be okay… Oh!" Fran cried, then she dry heaved, and her hands began to shake. Max was frozen in place. "Oh!" She winced.

"Can you take a deep breath? Slowly? As deep as you're comfortable with. Mind over matter. Try to relax your stomach, okay? I'm right here with you, if you need me." Fran nodded, then moaned softly and tried to take a long breath. He watched as she struggled for several minutes to get control of the nausea. Soon, she was finally able to sit back on the floor, but she didn't want to look at Max. She still didn't like that he was seeing her like this. She took a deep breath and reached a hand out.

"Chair," she croaked. Max helped her get up and back to the chair and turned the cold water on for her. There was a knock at their bedroom door.

"Oh- that's Niles! Will you be okay for a minute?" He asked, stroking her shoulders. She nodded, and filled her hand with cold water and brought it to her mouth. Max hurried out of the bathroom and ran to let Niles in. He opened the bedroom door and Niles stood there with a tray in his hands and cold packs tucked under his arms. "Here- let me help you with all this," Max said, and took the tray from him. They both walked over to the side of the bed, and Niles glanced over at the closed bathroom door.

"Is she-?" Niles gestured towards the bathroom.

"Yes. She's having a rough patch at the moment. Really rough." Niles' eyes went wide.

"I'm so sorry. Are you sure you won't need me to keep an ear out for the walkie talkie?"

"No, you get to bed, Niles. If anything comes up, we can get you. I'm hoping this will all stop when she finishes the drink. She still has that other cup to go, plus a little more of the last one. But I'm concerned that she's having pain. Nausea, I understand, but the pain worries me." Max glanced at Niles, then took the cold packs from him.

"Don't hesitate to talk to the nurse again, sir, if you really get that worried. Maybe it will stop after the drink, but if she's suffering- it won't hurt to ask them. Was she able to keep the other medication down long enough?"

"I think so, but I don't know how much she got in her system. She's still really hot, it's like she never took it. I'm sure that doesn't help." Niles nodded, and they both looked back towards the bathroom.

"Well, sir, I brought you a pitcher of water and a glass for you, too, if you need something to drink. At ten o'clock you can make her the glass of dramamine, and hopefully that will help her and give her a break while she finishes the last drink. Give her the cold packs after you get her temperature. And I'll go speak with the children- I'll give Miss Margaret the walkie talkie and let her know what's going on. And in the morning I'll be out first thing to get as many newspapers as I can carry! Then I can get breakfast going. And Ms. Fine can have the broth again, if she's up to it. But only water after six p.m. tomorrow. Make sure she gets as much sleep as she can before the surgery."

"Yes, I'll try. Thank you, Niles. I should go check on her, and get her temperature. But you try to get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow. I want to call the nurse early, so I'm not sure what time I'll be down. But that feels so far away right now, I don't want to think about it. I just need to get her through the rest of this."

"Yes, sir! Go- help her. Try to get her back to bed if you can. I'll go see the children, then I'll be off to bed. But, tell her I hope she feels better soon. Once she gets the dramamine in it really should help, remind her of that."

"Yes, I will. Thank you, Niles. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir. I'll check on things tomorrow."

"Alright." Niles left the bedroom and shut the door quietly behind him, and headed to Maggie's room to give her the walkie talkie. Max went back to the bathroom and opened the door, then joined Fran at the sink.

"Darling? Do you think you could do the thermometer right now? We might need to keep it in longer to make sure we get the right reading," Max asked, and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay," she whispered. Max picked up the thermometer and shook it out, then caressed her cheek as he slipped it under her tongue.

"Niles said to remember that when you take the dramamine, that should help you with this- all this nausea. Hopefully you'll get a break then, alright? Just need to make it until ten, and then I'll get that drink ready for you. But I'm concerned about this pain you're having, sweetheart. I understand the rest, but you shouldn't have pain. That has to be from the tumor, like the fever is, and that concerns me." Fran nodded. "If that doesn't settle down once you finish these drinks, then I'm calling the nurse, alright? We need to be safe about all this." Fran sighed and nodded again. Max knelt next to her again and rubbed her knee. He picked up the bundle of pajamas from the floor. "Are you able to change clothes? I can help you, if you need me to." Fran looked at the pajamas and thought about it, then used the washcloth to wipe the sweat from her neck. She began to pull off her shirt, and Max got the pajama shirt ready for her. She handed him her shirt, then removed her bra and put on the pajama shirt quickly. He helped her lift herself up from the chair briefly to remove her sweatpants, then slipped the shorts on her and helped her pull them up. She gave his hand a squeeze, then rested her head down on her arm on the counter. He patted her leg and left to put the clothes in the hamper.

Max returned and sat down next to her on the bathroom floor. He reached for her hand and took it, and massaged each one of her fingers, then looked at the rings on her finger. He couldn't help but smile. And they really were beautiful rings. He kissed the backs of her finger and pressed her hand to his cheek. He wondered if enough time had passed to check the thermometer yet. He looked up at her as she rested on her arm, her eyes closed and thermometer sticking out of her mouth. He noticed the pulse in her neck, again, too.

"Fran?" He whispered. "Do you think it's enough time?" Fran raised her exhausted head and opened her eyes, then looked at him. She took out the thermometer and squinted her eyes as she looked at it, then handed it to him and laid back down. He turned the thermometer in his fingers and looked at it. 101.5. "Dammit!" He said out loud. He started clenching his jaw as he tried to think of what to do. Fran rested her hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to go back to bed, sweetheart?"

"No…" she whispered. "I want to stay here until I can have the dramamine. I'll finish my drink. And can you bring me the other one, too?" Max stroked her leg next to him.

"Yes, I can do that. And I'll bring those cold packs in here, too. Do you need a blanket or anything?"

"No. Too hot. Thank you, though." Max pushed himself up off the floor, then washed off the thermometer and set it in the sink.

"Can we check your temperature again before the dramamine?" He asked, as he touched her shoulder.

"Mm hmm."

"Alright. Be right back." Max went into the bedroom, and Fran shook the bottle of what was left of her drink, then took another sip from the straw. Max came back in with several cold packs and a glass of water he poured for himself. He set the glass on the counter and handed her a small old pack, and she immediately held it to her forehead.

"Thank you, Max," she said softly.

"You need a towel or something around it?"

"No, no… this is good…" Max smiled, and didn't push it. He remembered something,then hurried back into the bedroom, and came back with a small footstool. He set it next to Fran, grabbed his glass of water, then sat down on it near her legs. Fran reached for the other small cold pack and rested it on the back of her neck as she moved the first one around her face.

"You doing alright, sweetheart?" Max asked.

"At the moment. I give it about ten minutes, though." She picked up her cup again and took several draws from the straw."

"Are you sure that's not too much, dear?"

"It's all going to the same place. I just want it over with already. Gotta power through."

"But sweetheart, that timeline thing isn't written in stone. I don't want you ending up in more pain. I'm worried about you, especially with the pain and fever." Max clutched her warm calf.

"I know. Okay. One sip at a time. I won't chug it. I don't want you worrying any more, baby. We're almost there. Almost."

"Yeah. How much is left in this cup?" He asked. Fran shook it for him. "Do you want to finish that and take a breather, and I'll get it out of here so you don't have to look at it anymore." Fran tried to crack a smile for him, then lifted her head up a little. She took a deep breath and exhaled, then finished off the cup. Max smiled and got up from the stool, then kissed her on the forehead. "Last one, darling! Last one! Slow and steady, and soon you can take a break and have that dramamine. That should help you finish the rest off, okay? And you're done!"

"Yea…!" Fran tried to cheer, raising her arm in the air, then flopping back down and resting her head on a cold pack. Max gave her shoulder a squeeze, then took the cup out of the room and took it back to the tray on the bedside table. He turned up the volume on the television set. An episode of Carol Burnett was playing. He rejoined her in the bathroom and sat back down on the stool with his glass of water.

"I wish I could move that television in here for you. Does that help, being able to hear it?"

"Yeah, actually. I kind of remember this episode. Gives me something to focus on. Thank you."

"You're welcome, my dear." They sat like that in the bathroom for a while, Fran moving the cold packs back and forth on her face as she listened to the television and took sips of her drink, and Max sitting beside her, drinking his glass of water. Soon, Fran began acting restless, moving her legs, and then reaching for her stomach. Max reached for her and tried to soothe her.

"Unnnn…" she groaned softly.

"Kicking in again?" Max asked.

"Mmm hmm." She lifted her head up and grabbed the edge of the counter. Max heard her insides make noise, and he got up from his stool.

"Poor darling! Ah, do you- need me to leave?"

"Please. I'm sorry, Max… I'll be okay…"

"I know, sweetheart! Alright, can you get up? I'll be right outside the door." She took hold of his hand and pulled herself up, then Max left the bathroom with his glass of water and shut the door behind him. He paced back and forth through the bedroom then set his glass of water on his bedside table, and began pacing again. The loud TV drowned out the sounds of Fran in the bathroom, and it was making him feel helpless again. He knew there was only so much he could do when she was going through it, and it tore him apart to know how much she was suffering. He paced back towards the bathroom door, then away, then back again and listened at the door. Once he heard a flush, he went and tapped on the door. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Yeah," Fran responded. He opened the door and she was just sitting back down on the chair, then washed her hands and stuck the washcloth in the cold water again. Max almost asked her if she needed anything, but he already knew what she needed. She needed for it to be over with. That's all she needed. He walked over to her and stood next to her, then softly stroked her back for a moment. He checked his watch.

"Hey, Fran, look," he said, and showed her the time in his watch. "Thirty more minutes until dramamine. If you're able, you can get back in bed then, too. And watch the television instead of listening to it." Fran nodded, and reached for his hand.

"I can do it. I can get there."

"You bet you can! There's my girl!" Max smiled. Fran squeezed his hand.

"Max? I want to stand up for a minute. I need to stand up."

"Alright, come here, hold onto me if you need to." Max stepped in front of her and helped her stand, and let her wrap her arms around his waist. Her hair around her face was still wet from the washcloth, but he didn't mind. He let her bury her face against him and he held her close. He could still feel the heat from her fever through her pajama shirt, so he reached down to pick up the large cold pack from the counter, then gently held it against her back.

"Thank you," she whispered. "That feels kinda good." She picked up her cup as he held onto her, and she sipped at her drink a little at a time.

"Soon," he whispered, and kissed her on the top of her head. "Soon, I'll take you back in there and you can rest. Every minute, you're getting so much closer, Fran."

"Mmm hmm…"

Max began to rock from side to side with her. He held the cold pack on her back, and she sipped her drink again and again. The minutes passed, and Max thought for a moment, maybe she was doing better. Maybe she was getting used to the drink? And as soon as he thought it, Fran groaned and grabbed her stomach. She till had another twenty minutes before she could have the dramamine.

"Oh! Max, I'm gonna be sick! Oh god!" Max dropped the cold pack to the counter and grabbed her cup from her. She dove towards the toilet and immediately began to vomit violently. Max was just glad she didn't have much in her to vomit. He set her cup down on the counter and knelt next to her.

"It's okay, Fran, take a breath, you'll be okay!" He put a hand on her lower back, trying carefully to not make her feel worse. But she started crying anyway. He could see her struggle to try to stop the vomiting, then another wave would take her. It made Max want to cry, too. "I'm so sorry! My poor darling! I'm so sorry!" Max rubbed her back as she shivered over the toilet, grabbing hold of the seat to hold herself up. She didn't have to say a word, Max already knew how much she was suffering. She had to huff for a minute before she could sit back on her legs, and then she clutched around her stomach with her right arm. "Are you hurting, Fran?" He whispered.

"Yeah…" she gasped. Max's face crumbled.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Is there anything I can do?" She shook her head, then went into another wave of dry heaves. He could see her forehead breaking into a sweat, so he got up for the washcloth and soaked it in cold water, then wrung it out. He dropped down next to her and held it to her forehead for her. It seemed to help just enough for her to be able to drop back down and sit on her legs, then she took it from him and covered her face.

"Mind over matter, mind over matter…" she mumbled into the washcloth. Max grabbed a cold pack and and brought it to her, then gently placed it on the back of her neck. She seemed to approve, and leaned her head over.

"Keep trying whatever works for you, sweetheart. If it stops working, we try something else. I'll follow your lead." Max sat there with her for a few minutes as she waited for her stomach to settle, then helped her back to the chair. He flushed the toilet, then came back to her.

"Darling, it's not much longer before the dramamine. Do you want to slow down on the drink, maybe see if you can brush your teeth? If you're too tired to make it back into the bedroom, I'll carry you, if you want me to."

"You don't have to carry me," Fran's voice whispered.

"I know I don't have to. But I will. If you want to go back to bed, I'll carry you there, if you're too weak to get there yourself."

"Thank you. Um, yeah, I need to brush my teeth again. But a little water first." Max turned on the faucet and she filled her hands with water, then swished it in her mouth and spit it out. Max got the toothpaste and put a dab on her toothbrush, then she slowly and methodically brushed her teeth. She felt if she did anything too fast, it might trigger another wave of nausea. While she brushed her teeth, Max picked up the cold packs and her cup and took them back to her bedside. He got the bed ready for her and pulled the covers down in case they were too hot for her. He piled up the pillows so she could sit up against them, then he went back to the bathroom to get her. She finished brushing, then rinsed of the tooth brush and put it down. He reached out his arms to her and she let him pick her up, then he carried her carefully to the bed and set her down.

"Okay?" He asked.

"Okay," she replied. He helped her get settled against the pillows, the handed her a cold pack.

"Do you want the big one behind you? On your back?"

"Maybe later. I think I'm okay. I'm kinda getting a chill, but I'm still hot. All I can think about is sleep, but I can't sleep yet. Is it time for the medicine?"

"Just about. Here, let's put the sheet over your legs and see if that helps the chill. I just don't want you getting too hot, alright?" Fran nodded and helped him pull she sheet up. He poured out a glass of water from the pitcher Niles brought up, then took out two tablets from the bottle of dramamine and dropped them in the glass. He grabbed the spoon and stirred it around to speed up the dissolving. Fran watched his every move, almost desperate for the glass. Anything to calm her stomach, even for a little while. When it was ready, Max handed her the glass and ran around to his side of the bed, sat down next to her, then turned down the volume of the television a little. He held the glass for Fran off and on as she got tired, then reminded her to take another sip as she got lost in the next episode of Carol Burnett that came on. Max tried to relax, too, but couldn't. Every time he did, something else happened, so he wanted to keep his guard up.

As each minute went by without Fran getting sick, Max began remembering that she still had most of a tall cup of her other drink to get through, too. How much would this medicine help? Would it just keep her from vomiting? They would take whatever they could get from it. Max chugged down half of his own glass of water before he spoke to Fran.

"Fran?" He touched her forehead, and still felt the heat coming off of her.

"Hmm?" She turned to look at him.

"Can you drink both at the same time? Or would that be too much?" She thought a moment, then turned her head to look at the tall cup with the straw sitting at her bedside.

"I don't know. How long do you think it will take to finish it?" He hated to tell her.

"A while."

"Here, hold this a second," Fran said, and handed him the glass. She turned to pick up the cup from the table and set it between them. "Small sips of this, big sips of dramamine. We'll see what happens." Max looked over the drinks, then agreed. He handed the glass back to her.

"Alright. You're in the home stretch now, sweetheart." She tried a smile for him, then looked down at the drinks. She took a sip from the straw, then a drink from the glass, then waited a few minutes before doing it again. Max curled up beside her and tried to watch the show, but found himself looking at his watch as he counted her sips, just waiting for something to happen.

As they tried to relax, Fran began to get sleepy. She rested her head against Max's shoulder, and she started to lose her grip on the glass in her hand. He had to take the glass from her so she didn't spill it.

"Sorry. I'm sleepy. Don't let me fall asleep," Fran begged.

"I won't. How about this- why don't you get up and move around a bit? Maybe the bathroom, too. Head it off before it hits you again."

"Okay, yeah. I should probably do that. Here, can you hold this, too?" She nudged the tall cup towards him, then got up from the bed and slowly headed to the bathroom. Max checked the cold packs, and they weren't so cold anymore. He needed to keep Fran cooled off and not let her fever rise. He checked the time on his watch, then reached for the walkie talkie and pressed the button.

"Maggie?" After a moment, he heard a crackle on the other end.

"I'm here. Do you need me?" She asked.

"Ah, yes. I'm afraid we need some bags of ice. These cold packs aren't cold anymore. Could you come by here to get them, and maybe swap them out with some baggies of ice?"

"Sure, daddy! Be right there!" Max put the walkie talkie back and gathered up the cold packs. He got up from the bed and headed for the door, and opened it just as Maggie was running down the hall towards him. He stepped out and handed them to her.

"Sweetheart, can you make maybe three of them? And put these back in the freezer to get cold again. Hopefully that will be enough for a little while," he said to her.

"How is she doing? Niles told me she had a fever again."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I do think that dramamine helps to stop the vomiting for a while, but it doesn't last long enough. But she's on her last drink. We just need to get her through that, and hope that the fever comes down on its own. She can't take any more medication after this."

"Sheesh! Poor Fran! Well, I'll get these back in the freezer and I'll be right back up." Max handed her the cold packs and she ran down the hallway in her robe and slippers. Max went into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Fran still hadn't come back out of the bathroom, and he couldn't help himself- he had to worry. He stepped closer to the bathroom to listen, but didn't hear anything.

"Darling? You doing alright? I've just sent Maggie to get some ice from the kitchen- some bags of ice. Those darned cold packs aren't cold anymore." He paused and listened for a response.

"Mm… okay," she mumbled. He stepped closer.

"I'm sorry to be a pest, Fran, I just- is everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah, just give me a minute. Or two."

"Oh… alright." Max paced for a moment, then headed back to the bed and sat down on the end. Soon, he heard the familiar flush, then a minute later, Fran opened the door. He jumped up and headed to her, to help her back to the bed. "You're still burning up, Fran. How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm burning up. But I didn't get sick. So that's good, I guess. My guts still hurt, though. And I really want to sleep. I'm so tired! I need to finish that stupid drink so I can go to bed."

"Yes, well, it won't be long, darling. It won't. Do you feel up for drinking more of it? You don't have to speed up on the dramamine, just the other drink. Maybe the dramamine will keep helping. And then I can send you back to the bathroom every ten minutes. That should keep you awake."

"Maggie's bringing ice? Is that what you said?"

"Yes, she'll be here any second." Fran thought a moment.

"Then yeah. If I can cool off some, that should help. Yeah, let me try to drink more. Just elbow me when it's time for me to go, because I have no idea what time it is. I can barely think straight."

"Here, let's get you situated again, darling. Can you hold onto the big cup? I can hold the glass if you want."

"Yeah, okay." Max gave her the tall cup, and she took two swigs from the straw right away. She shifted back and forth, trying to push the pillows into a shape that would hold her up. Maggie tapped on the door, and Max got up to open it.

"Can I see her?" She asked. Max let her in, and Maggie smiled at Fran, then brought the bags of ice over to her. "Hey, Fran. Are you doing okay?"

"I've been better, but, you know. Too many things to juggle right now."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Here- I grabbed some of the tea towels in the kitchen to wrap these in, so they won't be so cold, and in case they leak. And daddy? I made extra ones if you need them, they're in the drawer with the cold packs. I'd use those next in case the cold packs aren't ready yet. And you can call me to go get them for you if you need me to, okay? I have the walkie talkie right by my bed."

"Oh, well, thank you, sweetheart! That should be very helpful, thank you. She's almost there. Once this drink is gone, then we can focus on the fever and letting her get some sleep."

"Yeah, Fran, you look exhausted. Sleep as much as you can, don't worry about tomorrow. You need the rest. So, daddy? How often are you taking her temperature?"

"I figured maybe we should take it every hour, unless it doesn't change at all. We've taken it twice, and it went up from the first time. After she's finished the dramamine, maybe before eleven, we can check again."

"Okay. So, Fran, where do you want to put these?" Maggie held out two of the ice packs wrapped in tea towels.

"Oh, on my neck, please! My neck feels like an oven." Maggie helped her tuck the bags of ice against her neck, sitting them on her shoulders. "Is it weird to stick that other one down the back of my shirt?" She looked over at Max, and Maggie handed him the remaining bag. Max reached behind her and slid the bag in the neck of her pajama shirt as she leaned forward a bit. She leaned back against the pillows and sighed.

"Better?" Maggie asked.

"Mmm hmm. That feels good. Now where's Gracie's teddy? And my dramamine?" Max smiled and handed her Gracie's teddy bear, which she squeezed in her arms, then retrieved her glass and handed it to her. Once she took a sip of it, he took the glass back from her.

"Ten minutes, darling, alright?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Okay, I'll get out of here. Goodnight Fran, and daddy. And please let me know if you need me. I mean it!"

"We will," Max said. "And thank you very much for the ice, it really helps."

"Night, Mags!" Fran's tired voice rasped, and she waved her fingers at her. Maggie shut the bedroom door behind her and the room was quiet again, except for the sound from the television. Max nudged the tall cup towards Fran.

"Two sips, darling. Big ones, if you can." Fran sighed and took two sips from the cup, and Max looked at his watch. "I'll keep an eye on the time, you watch your show, and keep sipping. Let's get rid of that drink, alright?"

"Yes, please!" Fran said, and took two more big sips. Max handed her the glass, and she took another drink from that, too. Please let this keep working! Max thought to himself. Please don't let her get sick anymore! Part of him wanted Fran to gulp it all down quickly, and part of him knew that would be a huge risk to take, and could possibly make her violently ill. Just be patient, it won't be long now. Just be patient!

As the clock crept to eleven, Max got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to get the thermometer. He shook it out as he came back to the bed and sat down next to Fran. He put the thermometer under her tongue, then kissed her on the cheek. They were both so worn out, they didn't have anything left to say to each other. They both knew what needed to be done, and Fran knew when she got a nudge from him, that she either needed to keep drinking, or that it was time to get to the bathroom to avoid an episode. It seemed to be working pretty well so far. But now, she had finished the dramamine, and she still had just under half of the cup to finish. They leaned against each other as they passed the time until they could check the thermometer. When the clock hit eleven, the show on the television changed. Max gave Fran the remote so she could find something else to watch. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open, so she tried to find something with more action in it. Or at least a good looking leading man. Max gave the thermometer an extra minute before he reached for it and took it from Fran's lips.

"Dammit!" He couldn't stop himself from saying it out loud.

"What does it say?" Fran asked. Max handed it to her.

"I think it's just under a hundred and two. Does it look like that to you?" Fran squinted her tired eyes and rolled the thermometer back and forth.

"Yeah. That's what it looks like. So it went up some more?" She handed it back to him, and he nodded.

"The ice might not be enough. Well, let's focus on this drink, okay? Keep a pace you're comfortable with, but just remember there's still a chance you could get sick from it. Let's try to keep to the every ten minute thing, okay? Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah. I think that helps a lot, too, so I don't have things kick in all of a sudden." She lifted the cup and shook it, trying to see through it to see how much was left. She lowered it back down and took three long sips this time. Max got up from the bed, grabbed his glass, and walked around to Fran's side to refill it from the pitcher. He took several big gulps, then topped it off, and went back to his side of the bed. He sat there, turned away from Fran for a few moments, thinking about everything. He set his glass down and climbed back on the bed next to her.

"Fran, after this drink, if you're able, I want you to try to get some sleep. I'll stay up and keep an eye on you, okay? I'll watch your fever. I might need to tuck the thermometer under your tongue, so that might wake you, but otherwise, please try to sleep. You can't take any more medication for this fever, so we need to be careful. If it comes down to it, you might have to go in the shower to cool off some. We can't let this fever get any higher, or I'll have to call them again, and call them sooner than the morning. That worries me. Not to mention the pain you have. Are you still having it?"

"Um, l'il bit, yeah. But it's not as bad as it was, like when I was heaving my guts out, or other stuff. Doing this ten minute thing, I think that really helps it. Like you said, heading it off. That was a good idea. I'm still hoping that works until I'm done. Right now, I'm thinking more about the fever, too. It's hard to stay awake, but feels kinda hard to let myself sleep, too. It's not comfortable." Max took her hand and kissed it, then picked up her cup to see what was left. He shifted himself back up next to her and let her rest her head against him.

Fran's brief reprieve lasted for another half an hour, then the nausea came back with a vengeance. Max sat with her next to the toilet after she vomited everything she had in her, and she was now caught in a cycle of dry heaves that felt like they would never stop. Fran whimpered between breaths.

"Try to catch your breath, darling…" was all Max could think of to say to her. She whimpered, then the dry heaves kicked in again. Max was in anguish, he felt so helpless. It was bad enough for her to be sick so severely, but to have the fever on top of it was just too much. It was more than enough just to be dealing with her tumor and mentally preparing for the surgery, and with everything together- he didn't know how she was getting through it, because he felt like he was going to lose his mind. He found himself crying right along with her, and wiping the tears from his eyes before she saw them. He barely touched her back, trying to stroke it softly to provide her a little comfort. He didn't think it was helping much, though, but he didn't know what else to do.

Fran reached for the handle and flushed the toilet, then slumped back down and waited for another round. As she struggled to hold in a dry heave, Max got up and got the washcloth from the sink, soaked it, and wrung it out. He knelt back next to Fran and folded the washcloth, then rested it over the back of her neck and held it there.

"Can you get a deep breath in, sweetheart? Try to take as big a breath as you can, if you think you're able."

Fran's arms were shaking as they tried to hold her up over the toilet. She appreciated Max's attention, and was glad she wasn't by herself. When he put the washcloth on her neck, it did feel good. She tried to focus on that, and on trying to breathe like Max said. Slow, deeper breaths. She had to stop the heaving- she didn't think she could take much more. Her ribs and her belly ached. She was completely exhausted. She just wanted everything to stop. Max flipped the washcloth over, and she tried to focus on the cold against her skin. She took another breath, but it caught in her throat as she felt another heave work it's way back and it made her cry again.

"Fran! Try again, alright? Don't let yourself hyperventilate, try to not let it start again, alright? If you have to hold your breath a moment, that's fine, do it. Slow, and deep. Try it again, sweetheart! I really think you can do it! Don't let it come back. A strong, slow breath. Fill your lungs. That's it! Slow. Breathe in. See if you can get yourself upright. Nice and slow. Good, Fran! You're doing it! You're done with that drink, remember? This is just temporary. You're getting through it. Breathe in… good! That's good. You've got it now. Can you feel it? You've got control of it now. Stay still and just keep breathing like that, you're doing great. Let me get this wet again… hold on for just a moment." Max scurried back to the sink and got the washcloth wet with cold water again, then wrung it out most of the way. He knelt close to Fran. "Sweetheart- can I put this on your forehead? Do you want to put it on your face?"

"Mm hm," her voice barely made a sound. She took the cloth and pressed it on her face, then took another deep breath. Max rubbed her back softly and watched her closely, trying to see if her urge to be sick had settled down completely or not. She was still very hot- he could feel her fever through the fabric of her shirt.

"Stay just like that a moment, Fran. I'll be right back. Stay right there." He got up again and went into the bedroom and back to the bed. He found one of the bags of melting ice and took it out of its towel, then hurried back to Fran. "Here, sweetheart, let's put this ice in the washcloth. That'll keep it colder. Maybe that will feel better." She handed him the washcloth and he wrapped it over the bag of ice, and handed it back to her. She pressed it on her cheek and sat back on her legs, then took another deep breath. Max watched her closely, and started to feel a bit of relief, but he was afraid to ask her how she was feeling, in case it triggered anything again. They sat there in silence together and let a few minutes pass, then Fran turned towards him. He gave her a smile to try to keep himself from crying, and from the look in her eyes, it seemed like she was trying not to as well. She moved the washcloth to the other side of her face, then gestured to the chair- wanting Max to help her get up from the floor and onto it. He scrambled up and lifted her under the arms and sat her down on the chair. She rested her face down on the bag of ice on the counter and closed her eyes. Max gently gave her knee a squeeze.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her voice was so weak. Max wasn't used to seeing Fran so beat up and knocked down, and for so long. He took her hand and kissed it, then held it to his cheek.

"You're so strong, Fran. You really are. You amaze me. You made it through. No more drinks! No more. Rest for a bit, okay? When you're ready, if you want, I'll help you with your toothbrush and whatever else you need. Then I'll carry you back to the bed so you can rest. Let me worry about your fever, alright? I'll try to keep you cool, and you just try to get some sleep. How does that sound?" Fran squeezed his hand and gave him a little nod, then rested again. "That's my girl. I'm so proud of you, Fran. I know this was hard. Really hard. I'll do whatever you need me to do so you can finally relax." Fran lifted her head and turned the washcloth and bag of ice over, then pressed it to her forehead. She was still trying to keep her breathing steady, worried that any minute she could have another episode.

"What about the shower?" She whispered.

"The shower? Do you want to take a shower?"

"Maybe it could help. Help cool me off some. It might feel good."

"Are you sure? I know you're exhausted, darling. And I don't want you getting a chill."

"Not that cold of one. And I can sit. Just long enough to cool down a little." She paused and took a deep breath. Maybe- get that fan, can use that fan…"

"Maybe. If you want to try. Are you sure? I don't want to take any chances."

"I know. I don't either. But- just a short shower, to cool down, then I'll go to bed. If it works, then you can sleep, too." Max thought about it for a little while. Maybe she was right. Maybe it would cool her down some, and help her sleep. And he could put the fan on her, to help while she slept.

"Well, alright. We can try. But you have to stay sitting down, and let me help you, alright? I don't want to take any chances that you might fall or something. Do you want to change clothes?"

"Yeah. That would feel good."

"Alright. I'll grab you some more clothes. Here, let me get your toothbrush ready for you. And I can sort out the bedroom when you're in the shower, and get those cups out of there so we don't have to look at them anymore. But darling, please take your time with everything. We'll go slow, with everything, alright?"

"Mm hmm."

Max got her toothbrush ready for her, then went to gather her another pair of pajamas and underwear. He brought them back to the bathroom and prepared the shower for her while she brushed her teeth.

"Are you going to wash your hair, anything like that?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah. I kinda want to. In case I sleep all day tomorrow. I think I want to do that, too."

"Of course, I understand. That'll be fine. Let me help you take your hair down, darling." Fran rinsed her toothbrush and set it down, and Max stood behind her and unfastened her braids, then ran his fingers through her hair to unravel them. "Alright, let's get that water going. Do you need help undressing, or-?"

"I got it. But maybe just getting up."

"Alright." Max got the water started in the shower and checked the temperature, then helped Fran get into it and sat her down. "There you are darling. Will you be alright for a few minutes? I want to go sort things out in there, so you can go right to bed."

"I'm okay. Go. I'm not going anywhere."

"Alright. I'll be quick." Max left Fran to tend to her shower and went back into the bedroom. He stopped at the foot of the bed and looked over everything. The covers on the bed were pushed all over, the throw blanket hung off the side, the pillows were a mess. There were the glasses and cups and the pitcher of water. Those blasted cups. He was pretty sure he never wanted to see them again, and knew for certain that Fran didn't. He checked the time on his watch, then removed it from his wrist. Midnight. He took a deep breath to settle himself, then set the watch on his bedside table and picked up his empty glass. He walked around to Fran's side of the bed and set everything on the tray, then picked up the tray and headed for the bedroom door. He managed to fumble with the knob and get the door open, then set the tray on the floor outside of it and shut the door again. He came back to the bed and straightened everything out, and picked up the now-melted bags of ice. He wondered if he should go downstairs and get more, but decided to wait and see how Fran was doing. He set the fan back up at Fran's bedside and aimed it towards the bed, then turned it on. He took the ice bags to the bathroom and emptied the water into the sink. He stole a glance at Fran, who was using the shower wand to rinse out her hair. She seemed to be doing alright, so he gave her her privacy and decided to go put his own pajamas on, though he didn't expect to get much sleep that night.

After he had changed his clothes in the closet, he went back to check on Fran. She had used her bodywash on herself and was beginning to rinse the suds off when he came in. Normally, that should turn him on, but she was so drained and exhausted, it looked like a chore to her. Max just wanted to take her in his arms and get her to the bed quickly so she could rest. He grabbed his own toothbrush and hurriedly brushed his teeth, then got a large towel for Fran and waited by the shower door for her. She shut off the water and squeezed the water from her hair, then stood up from the seat. Max opened the shower door and took her in his arms, wrapping the big, fluffy towel around her. When she was steady, he helped her out of the shower and onto the bath mat. She closed her eyes as he held her there, and he pushed the hair away from her face. He put the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Still warm. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. I really wanna go to bed. In a weird way I feel like I accomplished something, but that's kinda dumb."

"No it isn't, Fran. You did accomplish something, and it wasn't easy at all. You made it through that prep, and it was really hard on you. That was like a milestone, wasn't it? I'd give you a trophy if I had one!" He smiled and she looked up at him. What a wonderful man this was! And she loved him so much.

"Thank you, Max. Thank you for everything you've been doing for me. I love you so much!" Max cradled her in his arms and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, too, my darling. I need you to get better. It really hurts to see you like this. Here, let's get you dry and dressed and back to bed. And we'll need a towel for your hair, too." He let go of Fran and let her hold on to the back of the chair. She began to dry herself off as Max went through the linen closet to get her a towel for her hair. He helped her on with her clothes, then took the towel and let her comb out her hair before watching her carefully wrap it up in the towel.

"One last thing, darling-" he picked up the thermometer and shook it several times checked it, then placed it under her tongue. "Can I carry you to the bed?" Fran nodded, and Max stepped over to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up, and they left the bathroom. He carried her across the bedroom and gently sat her on the bed, then lifted her legs up, put them under the covers, then helped her get comfortable. He pulled the bed sheet up over her and sat down next to her. "Do you need anything? I can get you some water if you might-" Fran shook her head sternly, making Max smile. "Yes, I imagine you've had enough of that for a while. Here, lie back and get settled. Is the fan in a good place?" Fran nodded, then slid further under the sheet and rested her head back on the pillow. Max turned off her bedside light, handed her Gracie's teddy bear, then sat back and looked her over. She had already closed her eyes. She had nothing left in her and desperately needed some rest. He checked everything over one last time to make sure she would be comfortable, then got up and went to his side of the bed and got into the covers, careful to not shake the bed too much. He waited several minutes as the television flickered in the background, then carefully reached over and removed the thermometer from Fran's lips. She didn't even bother to open her eyes to find out what it said, and he didn't want to bother her with it, either. He sat up and leaned towards his bedside light to get a better look. He rolled it slightly in his fingers and squinted to make sure he read it right. 101.7. He shook his head, but then remembered- Well, he thought, that's better than a hundred and two. He set the thermometer down on the bedside table, then moved over closer to Fran. He propped himself up on the pillows and looked down at her beside him. She looked like she was sound asleep already, and Max felt a little relief come over him. It was okay for her to sleep now, he was certain of it. He would watch her fever for her. He ran his hands over his face as he took a deep breath, then he exhaled and pushed his fingers back through his hair. He looked back at Fran, and the tears started to flow. He couldn't stop them, and at this point, he didn't care to. She was asleep now, she wouldn't see. He turned back to the flickering television and stared at it, and just cried.