Author's Note: As soon as I read leighann415's "A Memorable Mother's Day," I knew it had to be continued. I was stuck for a while, but then I had a few ideas. It turned out longer than I meant (it was going to be a one-shot!), but I'm happy with the results. I hope this lives up to her amazing work!
Daphne found that she couldn't stop staring at the sparkling red heart on her wrist. Niles and David had presented her with the charm a week ago. She didn't have to guess why they had chosen that particular charm. It reminded her of the unforgettable Snow Ball, and the dress she'd worn.
"I'm so glad you liked that charm so much," Niles said one night when Daphne was admiring it before bed.
"Thank you again," Daphne said, smiling at him. "I've seen these bracelets advertised before, but I never thought much about getting one. You know I'm not really that impressed by expensive jewelery."
"My love, I've told you countless times before, you deserve all the gold and jewels I can afford to give you. Even the simplest ring or bracelet looks stunning next to you."
Daphne kissed him. "Thank you, darling. I've been thinking that this one heart looks awfully lonely there on me wrist. I think perhaps I should get a few more, don't you?"
Niles nodded. "Just tell me which ones you like, and I'll order them. No matter what the price."
"That's awfully sweet of you, but I think I'd rather go into the store and see what they have in person."
"As you wish, my angel." Once again, Niles kissed her. He knew he'd never tire of kissing her, or buying her presents.
The next day, Daphne found herself walking into the very same jewelry store Niles had taken David to.
A saleswoman smiled at her as she entered. "You must be Mrs. Crane."
Daphne was startled. "Yes, I am. How on earth did you know my name?"
"Your husband and your little boy were in here last week. Your husband really loves you."
Immediately, Daphne felt her heart warm. She knew she'd never get tired of hearing that. "Yes. It took me years to figure that out, but I can only thank me lucky stars that things worked out in the end."
The saleswoman smiled. "Well, what can I help you with today?"
Daphne placed her wrist on the counter. "I'd like to look at some more charms for me bracelet."
"Right this way, ma'am." Daphne was led to the same counter where Niles had placed David. "Any of these should fit just fine. I'll let you look them over, and you can just let me know if you have any questions."
"Thank you," Daphne said. The woman walked away, and Daphne began looking over the selection. She'd never seen so many different choices in one place before. It was hard to even know what to pick. There were many that were clearly romantic; the type of thing Niles would buy her in a heartbeat. But it would be strange to buy such a thing for herself.
She had all but given up on finding one she liked, before seeing a small charm in the corner. It was easy to miss, but when she squinted down into the case, she could see several smiling faces on the charm, along with the word family engraved on it. Perfect, she thought. For it wasn't only Niles who'd given her this gift, but also David. Her family, including Martin and Frasier, were the most important people in her life. She couldn't help smiling as she remembered how excited David had been to give her his Mother's Day present. She quickly got the saleswoman's attention.
"Well, did you see anything you liked?" the woman asked, walking over to her.
"Yes, I'd like that one, please." She pointed to the charm she'd found.
"Good choice." The saleswoman removed the charm from the case and placed it in a bag for her. "Here you go. Did you find any others?"
Daphne shook her head. She was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of charms on display. And this was likely only a fraction of what was available online.
"Feel free to keep looking if you like."
"No, that's all right," Daphne replied. "I guess I'm still not really used to picking things like this out for meself. Before Niles and I got married, I was a poor healthcare worker living with his brother."
The saleswoman smiled. "That's understandable. You can always come back if you change your mind. Is there anything else I could help you with?"
For a second, Daphne was tempted to say no, and simply leave with her bag. But then she thought of Niles, and his sophisticated tastes. "Do you by any chance sell cufflinks here?" She knew it was a long shot. Niles usually bought his cufflinks at the same store where he bought his expensive suits.
"As a matter of fact, we do." The woman led Daphne over to another display case. There weren't as many choices as there were for the charms, but she was surprised to see any of them. Knowing Niles' style, Daphne knew she had to choose something simple. She chose a pair of gold cufflinks. She knew they would look perfect with any of her husband's suits. He wouldn't be expecting a gift in return, but it was the least she could do for all he'd given her over the years. She quickly had her second purchase added to the bag she was carrying, and she paid for both of them. It was still strange to not have to wonder how she would afford all of this. It was all the more reason to be grateful for Niles.
As she walked out of the mall, she passed by a card store. She didn't pay much attention at first, but she saw out of the corner of her eye a small teddy bear in the window. The bear wore a small t-shirt, with the words Mommy loves me! Written on it. Within minutes, she'd bought the animal. She could never miss a chance to tell David how much she loved him.
Daphne smiled as she drove home. It was always wonderful to see Niles and David, no matter if she'd been away all day, or just a few minutes. Plus, she could hardly wait to see their reactions to the gifts she'd bought.