Holiday Party

Chapter XI
Holiday Party!

The local hospital was having it annual Holiday fest for the Children's wing. Madra and Max were one of the biggest supporters for this cause and brought the girls to join in the festivities and visit with Santa. The girls enjoyed the party and visiting with the children on the ward. They helped Max and Madra deliver gifts to all the children.

When they were through, Santa had a special present for the twins -- an adorable teddy bear. The girls were thrilled, but tired. Max had Brianne bring the girls home and put them to bed for the night.

There was a gala party afterwards for the adults to raise additional funds for the children's wing. Leila was one of the volunteers and was already working on preparations when Max and Madra arrived at the party.

When they entered the room, they spotted "Santa" with his "assistant" in the corner of the room. "Who is that, Max?" she said. "Oh, that's Sydney, one of the nurses on the children's floor. Looks like she's having fun tonight" he laughed. "Hymm...." said Madra, "looks like Ralph is having a better time than she is! But, I have to admit, he was a wonderful Santa for the children!"

As they entered the room, they spotted Leila engaged in conversation with a particularly handsome young doctor. "Who is that?" Madra asked Max, "I don't remember seeing him in the hospital before." "That's Michael Frain, he's a new doctor on staff -- specializes in pediatrics." said Max. "Very interesting," Madra replied, "he looks quite smitten with Leila, don't you think?" "Now, Madra, no matchmaking for tonight.." Max laughed. "Oh, Max, just a little....."

Dr. Frain was indeed smitten with Leila. From the minute he walked onto the children's ward earlier that evening and saw her interacting with the children, he could feel her steal his heart. Not only was she absolutely gorgeous, but she had a way with the children that made then forget their illnesses, even if just for a little while. He watched her as she held them, stroked their little heads, read to them, and finally kiss them goodnight and tuck them in. He had asked the nurses about her and discovered that she was a volunteer, and that she came in several times per week to visit with the children. The nurses told him that everytime she came in, she would bring in presents for all the children. All the nurses had loved her too, and the children certainly were eager to see her. She had a smile that could light up a room.

Mike wasted no time in introducing himself to her when he arrived in the ballroom for the adult fundraiser party. "Hello," he said, "I'm Mike Frain." She smiled up at him, extended her hand, and replied, "Leila Jameson." The spoke for quite a while as they were getting to know each other. Mike could feel himself losing himself in those gorgeous brown eyes of her, and that hair, he thought...that beautiful golden hair - like a halo framing her beautiful face. He was attracted to her from the moment he saw her with the children, and now, as he stood here talking with her, he couldn't help himself.

"Leila," he began, "I'd really like to get to know you better. May I take you to dinner tomorrow night?" A really strange look came over her face, and she replied, "Oh, Mike, I really don't know...... There are things about me, that you just don't know." He laughed at that -- "Now, what could be so bad that would prevent you from having a harmless little dinner with me?" he laughed! She tried to turn away, but he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Please, Leila, just give me a chance....that's all I'm asking for."

Leila looked up at him then and noticed how blue his eyes were. Oh, she thought, how much harm could one little dinner do? She remembered that Lauren was out of town for the holidays. She had gone home to visit family leaving Leila a little lonely and blue. "Well..." she began... Mike took this at his opportunity and said, "Great! I'll pick you up at 7! Now, how about a dance?"

As Max and Madra were leaving the party that evening, it had started to snow. "Oh, Max, what a magical evening!" Madra exclaimed. "Yes," said Max as he stared into his wife's beautiful eyes, "absolutely magical..."

Madra began to giggle and said "Max, be serious! I think the party was a total success!" "Yes," Max said, "I think we raised a lot of money for the children's wing tonight." "Oh, silly, that's not what I meant," she said, "I meant for the children, and how they seemed to enjoy themselves tonight. And, of course, Leila and Mike! I really like that young man!"

"Yes, I like Mike Frain -- he's a good man." said Max, "but, I think you should leave them to work that out for themselves," he laughed. He bent down and kissed her then. "I love you darling," he said. "Oh, Max, I love you, too!"
As they headed toward the car, Max stiffened a bit and seemed to stagger a little. Madra became alarmed -- "Max, Max, what's wrong, dear? Are you alright?" she exclaimed. Max saw the alarmed look on her face, managed a weak smile and said, "Of course, I'm alright, just a little indigestion -- that's all. I'll be fine once we get home."

Madra helped Max to the car and insisted that he lean on her. Max protested, but was too weak at that point to argue. He allowed his wife to help him into the car and settled against the leather seats while Madra climbed in next to him. It pained him to see the worried look on her face -- he never wanted to cause her a moment of worry or grief. "I'm fine, dear," he said, "really.....I'm fine."

To be Continued.......

	The local hospital was having it annual Holiday fest for the Children's wing. Madra and Max were one of the biggest supporters for this cause and brought the girls to join in the festivities and visit with Santa. The girls enjoyed the party and visiting with the children on the ward. They helped Max and Madra deliver gifts to all the children. When they were through, Santa had a special present for the twins -- an adorable teddy bear. The girls were thrilled, but tired. Max had Brianne bring the girls home and put them to bed for the night. There was a gala party afterwards for the adults to raise additional funds for the children's wing. Leila was one of the volunteers and was already working on preparations when Max and Madra arrived at the party.
When they entered the room, they spotted "Santa" with his "assistant" in the corner of the room. "Who is that, Max?" she said. "Oh, that's Sydney, one of the nurses on the children's floor. Looks like she's having fun tonight" he laughed. "Hymm...." said Madra, "looks like Ralph is having a better time than she is! But, I have to admit, he was a wonderful Santa for the children!"
	As they entered the room, they spotted Leila engaged in conversation with a particularly handsome young doctor. "Who is that?" Madra asked Max, "I don't remember seeing him in the hospital before." "That's Michael Frain, he's a new doctor on staff -- specializes in pediatrics." said Max. "Very interesting," Madra replied, "he looks quite smitten with Leila, don't you think?" "Now, Madra, no matchmaking for tonight.." Max laughed. "Oh, Max, just a little....." Dr. Frain was indeed smitten with Leila. From the minute he walked onto the children's ward earlier that evening and saw her interacting with the children, he could feel her steal his heart. Not only was she absolutely gorgeous, but she had a way with the children that made then forget their illnesses, even if just for a little while. He watched her as she held them, stroked their little heads, read to them, and finally kiss them goodnight and tuck them in. He had asked the nurses about her and discovered that she was a volunteer, and that she came in several times per week to visit with the children. The nurses told him that everytime she came in, she would bring in presents for all the children. All the nurses had loved her too, and the children certainly were eager to see her. She had a smile that could light up a room.
Mike wasted no time in introducing himself to her when he arrived in the ballroom for the adult fundraiser party. "Hello," he said, "I'm Mike Frain." She smiled up at him, extended her hand, and replied, "Leila Jameson." The spoke for quite a while as they were getting to know each other. Mike could feel himself losing himself in those gorgeous brown eyes of her, and that hair, he thought...that beautiful golden hair - like a halo framing her beautiful face. He was attracted to her from the moment he saw her with the children, and now, as he stood here talking with her, he couldn't help himself. "Leila," he began, "I'd really like to get to know you better. May I take you to dinner tomorrow night?" A really strange look came over her face, and she replied, "Oh, Mike, I really don't know...... There are things about me, that you just don't know." He laughed at that -- "Now, what could be so bad that would prevent you from having a harmless little dinner with me?" he laughed! She tried to turn away, but he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Please, Leila, just give me a chance....that's all I'm asking for." Leila looked up at him then and noticed how blue his eyes were. Oh, she thought, how much harm could one little dinner do? She remembered that Lauren was out of town for the holidays. She had gone home to visit family leaving Leila a little lonely and blue. "Well..." she began... Mike took this at his opportunity and said, "Great! I'll pick you up at 7! Now, how about a dance?"
	As Max and Madra were leaving the party that evening, it had started to snow. "Oh, Max, what a magical evening!" Madra exclaimed. "Yes," said Max as he stared into his wife's beautiful eyes, "absolutely magical..." Madra began to giggle and said "Max, be serious! I think the party was a total success!" "Yes," Max said, "I think we raised a lot of money for the children's wing tonight." "Oh, silly, that's not what I meant," she said, "I meant for the children, and how they seemed to enjoy themselves tonight. And, of course, Leila and Mike! I really like that young man!" "Yes, I like Mike Frain -- he's a good man." said Max, "but, I think you should leave them to work that out for themselves," he laughed. He bent down and kissed her then. "I love you darling," he said. "Oh, Max, I love you, too!" As they headed toward the car, Max stiffened a bit and seemed to stagger a little. Madra became alarmed -- "Max, Max, what's wrong, dear? Are you alright?" she exclaimed. Max saw the alarmed look on her face, managed a weak smile and said, "Of course, I'm alright, just a little indigestion -- that's all. I'll be fine once we get home." Madra helped Max to the car and insisted that he lean on her. Max protested, but was too weak at that point to argue. He allowed his wife to help him into the car and settled against the leather seats while Madra climbed in next to him. It pained him to see the worried look on her face -- he never wanted to cause her a moment of worry or grief. "I'm fine, dear," he said, "really.....I'm fine."