You can not take back love!

The magic is gone

Fran wakes up, blinking in disorientation. First, she doesn't know where she is. This was for sure not her hotel suite. She stretches and straightens up. She rubs the rest of the sleep out of her eyes. She is startled when she realizes where she is. She looks around and her eyes fall on Maxwell. He's still sleeping. Memories of the previous night floats into her consciousness. However, the intoxication is gone and the bubble did burst. She feels extremely shabby and rotten. She can't believe what she had done. She cheated on Nigel with his own brother. Fran's emotional state is in complete disarray. The night was incredible, a dream. Even looking at Maxwell now, she feels a deep love and affection for him. But at the same time, a horrible guilt keeps nagging at her.

Maxwell comes to his senses. He sees Fran sitting next to him. Her face buried deep in her hands. He feels awful, infinitely ashamed. Fran is Nigel's fiancée. Nigel, his baby brother, who he always tried to protect. He couldn't have done anything worse to him. Besides, it tortures him to witness Fran's despair. He had put her in a terrible position. The eyes of the two meet. Uncertainty and confusion can be read in all four eyes. All the lightness and magic of the night have vanished.

Fran swings herself out of bed and hastily puts on her underwear. She reaches for her blouse and skirt. Both are extremely wrinkled. Maxwell notices her scrutinizing both.
"You still have some clothes in your former room." are his first words to her.
"Ah, thank you!"
Fran gathers her things and disappears without another word. Maxwell also gets out of bed and goes to the bathroom.

Fran is stunned when she steps into her old room. Nothing has changed. Niles probably only cleaned it now and then and changed the sheets. But otherwise, it looks exactly as she left it. As if Maxwell and the children had always hoped she would come back one day. At the moment she can't think about it, she feels like she is about to cry. Hastily, she picks some new clothes and gets ready. She needs to hurry back to the hotel. Hopefully, Nigel is not back yet.

Maxwell is already ready when Fran comes down the stairs.
"Will you call me a cab?"
"Don't you at least want a coffee and something quick to eat?"
Fran shakes her head. While Maxwell is on the phone, she puts on her coat.
"Coming right up!"
"Thanks, I'll wait outside."

Maxwell gets the impression she literally is running away from him. He puts on a coat as well and waits with her. Silently, they stand side by side. Finally the cab comes. Maxwell holds the door open for her. For the first time that morning, they really look into each other's eyes.
"Bye!" brings Maxwell out at last.
"Bye!"
Fran shuts the door. As the car drives away, she turns around. She can still see him standing there. She feels a strong urge to turn around and rush into his arms, but that would be completely wrong.

Maxwell walks back into the house. Mechanically, he goes into his office and sits down at his desk. He tries to sort out his feelings and thoughts. His mind and morals are telling him he needs to forget about last night. It was an event that must never happen again. But he longs for Fran. His heart wishes she would sit on her spot right now and babble about the usual crazy stuff. He rummages in his drawer. He pulls out a picture. It shows him and Fran in Paris. If only he never hadn't taken back his declaration of love, Fran would never have left with Nigel.

Tears come to his eyes. But then he wipes them away vigorously. He packs the picture away and sits up straight.
"Come on, old boy, Fran is engaged with Nigel and that's it! They're a perfect couple and you're going to forget her!"
Determined, he reaches for a manuscript.

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