Max & Marla

by

Mary Ann
(maryanncleveland@prodigy.net)

"Oh, Fran" Val cried, "This dinner is just wonderful! Thank you so much for taking me to The Plaza for my birthday!"

"Val, a girl's 29th doesn't come along every year--just eight or nine times!" Fran laughed. "But, I really want to talk to you about something important. Mr. Sheffield's brother Nigel has asked me to sail tonight on the QE2 to marry him in London! I don't know what to do, I love Mr. Sheffield, but, I just don't think he is ever going to come around. Nigel claims to love me, and I am attracted to him--he's so much fun."

"He's younger and has no kids!" Val exclaimed. "Better!"

Fran ate the last bite of her dessert, and suddenly had a small epiphany. She looked up a Val and said "Val, I have just made a decision--I can't imagine the rest of my life without Max...Mr. Sheffield. I'm not going." She immediately felt a burden lifted from her shoulders. She pictured Max's handsome face, and couldn't believe she had even considered it. After all they'd been through together, she just couldn't throw it away so easily. "What in the world was I thinking, I love him, and always will."

"Val, believe it or not, I've been pretty faithful to Mr. Sheffield since I came to work for him three and a half years ago, and, ya know, I don't think he's been intimate with anyone else either!" Fran confided.

"Oh, yea!" Val said her eyes as wide as saucers looking over Fran's shoulder. "Well, turn around--I don't believe it!"

Fran turns to look in the lobby of the Plaza just in time to see Max and Marla Maples snuggling in the elevator. Max has Marla in his arms and is gently kissing her as the doors close.

"OH, Fran!" Val cries, hurting desperately for her life-long friend. "I'm so sorry--let's get you out of here!"

Fran throws a hundred dollar bill on the table, grabs her purse and runs out of the hotel.

"How could he do this to me, Val?" she wails on the way home. She is now crying inconsolably, Val has her arm around her as the taxi deposits them in front of the Sheffield mansion. They run up the stairs to Fran's room. Fran pulls her suitcases out of the closet and throws them on the bed.

"Valli, quick, help me pack--I'm leaving tonight. I'm going to marry Nigel--I know I will never be able to forgive Mr. Sheffield for this. What a fool I've been, thinking he loved me and just needed more time--saving myself for him--I am such a pathetic idiot!"

As Val was packing, Fran writes a note to Max, and four separate to Niles and the kids. She takes the four notes and puts them on Nigel's bed. She then returned to her room to help Val with the luggage.

"Hurry Val" she cries. "The ship sails in less than an hour!" Now that the shock has worn off, the anger in her heart is palpable. 'Oh, how I hate him now--I never thought it possible. How could I have misjudged him so badly! He's been leading me on for a year all the while he's been tomcatting around town with that tart! I can't get out of this house fast enough!'

Val and Fran carry her suitcases down the stairs. Fran takes her note to Mr. Sheffield's office and sets it on his desk, under the lamp. She takes one last look around the office, sighs and turns to leave. She walks through the empty living room, and out the door for the last time. Val has already hailed a cab.

"Bye, Val" Fran says, hugging her best friend tightly "I love you--please tell Niles and the kids that I'll call them from London! I'll send you a ticket to London to be my Maid of Honor when we make all the wedding arrangements! Please call my mom in Boca, and tell her what happened, and I'll call her from the ship tomorrow! Please tell the kids and Niles that I love them, and will call them as soon as possible!"

"Bye, Fran. I'll miss you! Good luck! But, you better hurry--you only have twenty minutes to get to the pier!" Val is in tears, her heart is breaking for her friend.

"New York Harbor, pier twenty seven, please driver" She tells the cabbie. "Could you please hurry, I'm really running late!"

"No, problem, ma'm" The driver says, pulling quickly away. Val wave till the cab turns the corner.

Unfortunately, traffic is snarled on the Washington Bridge because of an earlier accident. Fran looks nervously at her watch. The cab is at a standstill. When they finally reach the pier, Fran can only look dejectedly at the Queen Elizabeth II sailing into the night.

"Oh," she whispered. "I guess I just wasn't meant to be a Sheffield. Please take me home," she tells the cab driver. Now I have to go back to that house--I could go to my parents, but, damn, I forgot the key--well, maybe he'll be sleeping, I can sneak in a get the key--I can't stand the thought of spending a night in that house after what he did to me.

"No, on second thought, could you please just drive around for awhile." she said. I want to be sure everyone is asleep before I go back, I can't face anyone tonight. She thinks.

"Yes, ma'm, sorry." he looks at her sympathetically. What a fool this guy she's in love with must be--letting a gorgeous woman like her go!

Max, in the meantime, has come home--he has missed seeing Fran leave by only five minutes. He shakes his head as he walks through his living room towards the office.

Memories of their frequent kisses, their 'dance on the water,' on the cruise last month, Paris, and that fateful flight home when he declared his love struck him. Then the memory of his taking it back the next day--to his undying shame--jolted him. How he had hurt her, because of his inane fears. Bloody selfish fool. He thought. A sickening feeling of guilt sweeps through him. What the hell was I thinking? Taking Marla to a hotel room--I am in love with Fran. -Coward, tell her, she won't wait forever, you idiot!

Max sits heavily behind his desk and immediately notices the envelope written in Fran's

hand. A cloud of guilt shrouds him, and when he spots the envelope a feeling of cold trepidation hits the pit of his stomach--he is terrified to read it.He opens it with slightly trembling fingers.

Maxwell stared down at the piece of paper in his hand, not believing what he had just read. "Oh my god." he whispered. "What have I done?" The letter drops from his trembling hands to the floor.

He looked at his Movado watch. 12:45. The ship has sailed--he can't even go after her. Dazed, and in a state of shock, he rose and walked numbly to the living room.

He sat on the couch in front of the crackling fireplace, head in his hands, he runs his fingers through his thick hair. Then this stiff and proper Englishman did something he hadn't since Sara died. He let out a wail, tears streamed down his face. "Oh, Fran, FRAN!" He cried. "What did I do to you, my love!?"

Max collapses on the couch, defeated. In his state of shock, a restless sleep quickly takes him over.

"Fran--darling, you made it!" Nigel cried. "When they announced all ashore, and you weren't here, I gave up hope!" He kissed her passionately. "I have booked the Royal Suite for us, let me take you bag!" He said, leading her up the gangplank.

"Oh, Nigel, let's get married right here on the ship--I don't want to wait for London. In fact, let's have the captain marry us tonight, then, I will be all yours!" Fran said, holding him closely. They disappear into their suite and close the door in each other's arms.

"NO!!" Max wakes up with a jolt, sweat and tears running down his face, his body shuddering. Oh, god, it was a dream! Trying to gain his composure, he sits for an hour, staring into the fire, not seeing anything. I can't believe she's gone with my brother, yet. I do remember them flirting in London, but, being the Jackass that I am, I ignored it. Then I threw her into his arms this week. She even tried to get me to tell her I wanted her here with me tonight, but did I see it--NO! Well, I bloody well see it now, for all the good it does me. Fresh tears form.

He brightened slightly at the thought that he still had a chance--somehow, he would make things right with her. He went to pick up the phone, just as the front door slowly opened.

He looked up and couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, soaking wet, setting her bags quietly in the entry.

"FRAN! Oh, god, Fran!" He cried, running over to her.

"Oh, Mr. Sheffield" oh, no, I was hoping he would be sleeping--I can't stand the thought of facing him tonight..."you're awake, um...did you go into your office?" She said, startled at his emotional outbreak.

"Fran, Fran..." he went to take her in his arms, but she pushed him away--disgusted by his mere touch. He was stunned at the rebuff--she had never refused his touch before, in fact, she had always been so receptive to him. He stood there in shock staring at her.

"Don't touch me, eva again, Mr. Sheffield," She hissed. "I wouldn't even be here if I hadn't missed the ship. My parents are in Boca, and I left their apartment key here. I just came back to pick it up. I'll be leaving immediately. Hopefully, I can fly to Greenland the day after tomorrow, the ships first stop and meet up with Nigel there, if he'll still have me."

Maxwell was now sobbing uncontrollably and Fran was stunned to see such raw emotion from him. The only time he had been emotional was the frequent times he yelled at her. She couldn't help but be slightly touched, but then the memory of the Plaza came rushing back to her.

"Fran, please, let me explain" he sobbed. "Please sit with me for a minute. Oh, my darling, I am so sorry--I realized tonight how much I love you."

"Yea, she snorted "You proved it in that elevator." She said, turning to head up the stairs.

It had been quite an emotional night, and something in Max snapped. "Miss Fine," he said. "You will listen to me!" Maxwell suddenly grabbed her and carried her to the couch. She was stunned, and slightly afraid by the wild look in his eyes. He sat her down and kneeled in front of her, holding her down as she tried to struggle away. She was no match for his strength, but had no desire to be touched by him ever again.

The more she struggled, the tighter he held on to her, as if for dear life. "Mr. Sheffield, you're hurting me--let me go!" She cried. "All I eva did was love you, and you just kept hurting me, over and over!"

He looked deep into her eyes, mortally wounded. Her words destroyed him, for he knew they were true. It was exactly what he had been thinking these last few hours. The guilt and fear that he had truly lost her forever was driving him slightly crazy.

To keep her from getting away, Max had to practically lie on top of her, his face inches from hers. "I said you are going to listen to me, please stop struggling--you can't get away." He saw a slight look of fear in her eyes and felt guilty--but damn it, she had to know the whole truth! In his emotional fervor, he was actually starting to get aroused by their proximity and the passion he had felt all evening. He wanted to kiss her and make everything right between them again.

Fran started to weep, more from the betrayal than from fear. "How could you do that to me--all these years I have stayed faithful to you--I never let another man have me, because all I could do was think of you whenever things heated up. DID YOU KNOW THAT, MR. SHEFFIELD?!" she cried.

He couldn't take it anymore, and kissed her passionately. "No, NO" she cried, but stopped struggling. Oh, how did he have this power over her, still? She thought she hated him, but her body was responding to his kiss and her feeling as he pressed his obvious and insistent arousal against her.

Maxwell was ready to take her right there, but he suddenly he started to come to his senses and with all the control he had he stopped kissing and groping her. What are you doing, you maniac--you're practically raping her! Have you gone bloody mad! He thought wildly. He got off her and took her in his arms, apologizing repeatedly.

"Fran, oh, Fran...please listen to me, my darling." He sobbed. "You are right, I did take Miss Maples up to that hotel room, with every intention of making love to her. She had been flirting with me for weeks, and I always resisted, even though I didn't really know why. When I came to the realization that I wasn't married, and had every right to be with her, I said "what the hell" and off we went." He looked at her to see if she was listening. She was looking up at him, tears flowing freely. It broke his heart to see in those beautiful brown eyes the look of hurt and betrayal.

He continued.

"We got to the room and she started kissing me." He said softly. Fran turned her head away; she didn't want to hear this. "Fran, darling, I couldn't do anything--I felt nothing. That's when I came to the realization that I belonged to YOU. I apologized to Marla, and left--it was really quite embarrassing--the famous Maxwell Sheffield not being able to perform in the bedroom," He said ruefully. "But, the hell with that! It was then I realized that it's been you all the time. I love you and, even though I don't deserve it, want to spend the rest of my life with you!" He looked down anxiously at her, praying she believed him.

Fran slowly turned her head to look him in the eyes. She could see he was telling the truth--he was a terrible liar, after all. "How am I supposed to believe you?" She whispered. "You'll just take it back tomorrow." Oh, god...he does love me--is this really happening? She hadn't even been aware that she was holding her breath, and suddenly exhaled. All the love she had felt for him came rushing back with a vengeance.

Max took her in his arms and kissed her with a passion he had never experienced. A soft moan escaped her when his tongue parted her lips and intertwined with her own. "Please, darling, let me prove to you right now." He begged. Fran looked him in the eyes and gently nodded.

Overjoyed, Max picked her up, never letting their lips part, and carried her to his room. He lay her gently on his bed and gently put her under the covers. He quickly removed his clothes and lay on top of her, kissing her with a passion he had never felt. She responded eagerly--he was so gentle. I have never felt this desire before, she thought Oh, he's a marvelous lover.

"Fran, my sweet, sweet baby, I love you so much. I was such a bloody fool--my life would be empty without you." "You're mine--you belong to me, and I'll never let you go again!"