You can not take back love!

Just like old times!

The mood at the dinner is cheerful. The first few minutes, everyone was still quite tense and anxious. But after the ice was broken, everyone started chatting and laughing like in the old times.

Fran is most excited. She enjoys it so much being with 'her family' again. She asks the kids about everything that goes on in their lives and wants to know every detail. The kids, on the other hand, are curious about her  life in Paris. Fran tells them some funny anecdotes about different mishaps that had happened to her.

Once, when she took a cab home, the driver didn't understand her when she told him the address. They drove around the city for hours and it turned into a true odyssey.

"If Nigel wouldn't be a millionaire, we would have lived on bread and water for the rest of the month." She laughs and everyone joins in. Then she recounts how they were once invited to have brunch with Nigel's friends and everyone stared at her, horrified as she sliced her baguettes with her knife.

"They made faces like I had pimples all over my face." Maxwell and the kids grin; they all know what a mortal sin this was in France.

Finally, Maxwell dares to ask Fran the question that is bothering him all eve.

"And how are you and Nigel? Is my little brother behaving well?"

He asks as impartially as he can. Fran is taken off guard at first, she stutters.

"Ahm sure... It's wonderful with him! Nigel really knows every insider tip in Paris and I met so many exciting and interesting people. Nigel is full of crazy ideas and constantly surprises me with a new romantic adventure..."
Suddenly, Maxwell rises from the table.
"You'll excuse me for a moment!"

Fran looks after him irritated and slightly worried. What is going on with him? He seemed to run away. Did she say something wrong? She thinks about it. Could it be that he is jealous? Couldn't he stand it when she gushes about Nigel? Fran is confused but somewhere deep inside, she feels a pleasant warm feeling about the fact that he obviously is jealous. She gets a little bit ashamed of her praise of Nigel, it wasn't her intention to hurt him and perhaps she also exaggerated a bit.

Maxwell, on the other hand, stands in the bathroom in front of the mirror, cooling his burning face with ice-cold water. He feels sick. He hadn't been able to stand her enthusiasm about Nigel any longer. It hurts him deeply to see her happiness. He should be happy for her, but he couldn't. He just feels jealousy and a sense of emptiness. He did secretly watching her all evening. How beautiful she was. Her face, her eyes, and everything about her were shining.
"Pull yourself together! She's your brother's fiancée!" he says to himself. He heads back to Fran and his children.

"Sorry I rushed away, but something got stuck in my throat."
Fran stares at him. She suspects this was just an excuse, but she lets drop it. She just smiles at him with sympathy. He looks helpless and sad. She would like to hug him, but that was impossible. In any case, she wants to cheer him up.
"I read the review for "The Widower. The play is being celebrated all over the place, isn't it?"
Maxwell's eyes starts to beam.
"Yes! It was really worth the effort. I'm sure I'll get more Tonys this time than Andrew Loyd Webber." Fran watches in fascination how proud and happy he seems as he tells her of his new play. Now he looks so strong, masculine and sexy. Fran can't help it but glances at him rapturously.

The rest of the evening continues in a relaxed manner. No one wants to go home. But then first Gracie and then Fran and Maggie fight more and more with their fatigue. When they say their goodbyes, Gracie hugs Fran once more.
"Will you and Nigel join us tomorrow afternoon to wave us off? We're flying to London tomorrow night to visit our grandparents for a few days."
"Of course we'll be there!"
Not only Gracie but the others two beam as well.

On the way home it's very quiet in the Sheffield limousine. Gracie has fallen asleep snuggled up to her father and Brighton and Maggie are too tired to talk. Maxwell is lost in his own thoughts, looking forward to seeing Fran again tomorrow.

Fran is also sitting in her cab, thinking about their evening. The dinner with Maxwell and the kids had been so nice. Just like old times. She had enjoyed it immensely to be together with them again. It had been hard for her to say goodbye. Secretly, she wishes she could have go home with them to the Sheffield Mansion instead of an empty hotel room.