Author's Note: This is what happens when I go looking for story ideas. As soon as I re-read Melinda (carylfan10)'s "A Night to Remember," I realized how incomplete it was. And so, I took the liberty of filling in the rest of the story. I sincerely hope that this lives up to the original!
Niles knew he could no longer afford to be a coward. During the Snow Ball, he had somehow found the courage to let Daphne know that he loved her. To his utter delight, she said that she returned those feelings. But they both knew the reality. Maris was still his wife. At least, she was for practical purposes.
But it was time once and for all to end the so-called marriage. How could he stay with Maris when he could have his heart's desire? All it would take is one confrontation with his soon-to-be ex-wife. So, after his first session, Niles ordered Mrs. Woodson to hold all his calls until further notice. Then he picked up the phone and dialed his mansion. "Hello, Marta? This is Dr. Crane. Yes, I know that Mrs. Crane is meditating, but this is rather urgent. I would appreciate it if you'd get her on the phone. Yes, I'll hold."
For several moments, Niles waited. His heart pounded. His resolve faltered. This was going to be a disaster. He really should hang up right now. But then he remembered the way it had felt to hold Daphne in his arms at the Ball. A moment later, his wife's shrill voice could be heard over the phone. "Yes, Maris, I realize that your meditation time is sacred. But this is an urgent matter which simply cannot wait." Maris tried her best to interrupt, but Niles held his ground. "I WANT A DIVORCE." He hadn't meant to yell, but it was the only way to get her attention. "Yes, I realize this might jeopardize my standing in certain social circles. But I no longer care. You've pushed me around for too long as it is, and I'm getting tired of it!" Niles sighed. Arguing with her was giving him a headache. "I know that I've never spoken to you like that before. That was rather the point. You can have anything you want. All I care about is getting this matter resolved quickly." Once again he sighed. "It doesn't matter what my reasons are. I've just decided that this marriage is clearly not working, and there's no sense in trying to fix it." He looked at his watch. "Look, Maris, I've got a busy schedule, so I'd like to cut to the chase. Are you going to give me a divorce, or not?" After several moments of silence, during which Niles hardly dared to breathe, he had his answer. "All right. Let me know what you and your lawyers decide."
With that, he hung up the phone. For once, Niles didn't regret standing up to Maris. There could only be one explanation: that his love for Daphne was stronger than his fear of his wife. For the rest of the day, Niles saw his patients as usual. He tried to help them as best he could, but his mind was only half there. When his last session was finished, he said goodbye to Mrs. Woodson and headed home.
When Niles arrived at his tiny bachelor apartment, he was surprised to find a package in front of his door. It was a thick manilla envelope. Niles' heart pounded as he opened it. The keys to his freedom were inside it. He was so nervous, he could barely make out the words in front of him. He didn't understand all of the legal mumbo-jumbo, but it appeared to be a standard divorce decree. He wouldn't have quite the same level of wealth he'd had before, but it seemed Maris had decided not to completely destroy him, either. But Niles wouldn't have cared even if she had tried to punish him. What mattered now was his freedom.