Niles smiled at his sleeping wife and the tiny baby who was asleep in her arms. Never in his life had he ever imagined he'd be seeing such angelic faces. Nor did he dream that these two angels would be his. After years of heartache, longing, waiting and hoping, he'd finally realized his dream of becoming a father and a husband.
The baby squirmed in Daphne's arms and Niles longed to pick up his son. But he couldn't do it. He knew how important it was for a mother and child to bond in the first few hours after birth. However, he couldn't resist reaching out to stroke the baby's soft cheek. The baby squirmed and began to cry softly. To Niles' dismay the once woke Daphne and he felt instantly guilty when she began to stir and opened her eyes, looking around in confusion.
"Niles…"
He smiled and kissed her lips." I'm sorry I woke you my love. I didn't mean to disturb you."
Daphne kissed the baby's cheek. "It will be nice when we can take him home, won't it?"
"Soon, my love." Niles whispered. "It's just for a few days and then we'll be able to spend as much time as we want with…" He froze, unable to believe that he'd almost forgotten. But his surprised expression caused his wife undue stress, which in turn, made him feel guilty yet again. This certainly wasn't how he wanted to start his new life with his family.
"Daphne, I'm so sorry, I-."
"What is it? What's wrong?"
He smiled and touched her cheek. "Nothing. I'm sorry I frightened you. I was just thinking that we haven't yet picked out a name for this little guy. I think he deserves one, don't you?"
"David." She said softly.
"What?"
"I want to name our son David. David Martin Crane."
Niles eyebrows rose in surprise, but in doing so, Daphne began to cry.
"You don't like it." She said flatly. "Oh Niles, I know that David is a common name, and so is Martin, but-..."
Almost simultaneously the baby began to cry as well and this time Niles didn't hesitate before kneeling down to gather his wife and son into his arms. The gentle touch seemed to work wonders, for within minutes, both Daphne and their son's sobs had calmed considerably. But it did little to calm Niles' own growing anxieties.
With Daphne and the baby close to his chest, he kissed them both and spoke as quietly as possible. "I'm so sorry." He said yet again, feeling like a broken record.
"David is a wonderful name. I was just surprised that you suggested it."
Daphne sighed deeply. "It's all right. We'll pick another name; a better name. How about Cornelius or Sebastian?"
Niles cringed at the formal names. And when he looked at the cherubic face of his son, only one name came to mind.
"No." He said more firmly than he intended.
As Daphne's eyes filled with tears for a second time, he sighed deeply. Her escalated emotions weren't, as he was all too aware, merely the result of her postpartum symptoms. He'd hurt her feelings yet again.
The happiest day of his life was turning out to be a complete disaster and it was entirely his fault.
Feeling like a failure of a husband and father, he kissed his son and wife once more and walked out of the hospital room, painfully aware of his aching heart.
Out in the hallway he blinked back tears. He shouldn't be feeling like this, not when his wife and son needed him most. But the more he tried to will the feeling away, the more it haunted him. And he wondered if it was a sign of things to come.
He wasn't sure how long he stood alone willing away tears that he would be appalled for Daphne or the baby to see. But he also knew that by being away from them, he was reverting back to his cowardly ways, not to mention wasting precious moments that he would never get back. And he knew that he would regret those lost moments for the rest of his life.
With yet another deep sigh, he pushed the door open, his heart sank as he saw her turn her head. He could barely meet her gaze, but he knew that he had to get through this difficult time.
"Hello, Daphne." He said nervously as he entered the room. He could hear his son's babbles and Daphne's soft whispers of comfort as she cradled the baby closer to her chest.
"Where were you?"
Her voice was broken and he didn't have to see her face to know that she'd been crying. The thought that he'd hurt her so deeply, on this, what should be the happiest day of their lives, wounded him. He swallowed his tears, willing them away yet again. And when he was all but certain that they wouldn't come, he went to her and sat down in the chair beside her.
"Daphne, I'm so sorry. I know I keep saying that but I can't say it enough. I've ruined what should be a day that you'll always cherish... that we'll always cherish. I'm sorry you weren't able to give birth in the hospital the way we'd planned. I'm sorry that Eddie swallowed those damn wedding rings, and I'm sorry that I passed out. I missed the birth of our son, Daphne. Our first born. I'll never get that moment back. I-."
To his surprise, she reached for his hand and squeezed gently. "There's nothing to be sorry for." She said quietly. "It wasn't your fault; any of it. But it doesn't matter.
We have this precious bundle of joy that I couldn't love any more if I tried." She began to cry again and kissed the baby's head, resting her tear-stained cheek against his soft blonde hair.
Niles should have been euphoric, watching his wife, the woman he'd loved for so many years, bond with their son… the son he never dreamed he'd have.
"Daphne about that. Um… I mean him… our son. David is a perfect name and I know that Dad will be touched beyond belief when he learns that we gave David his middle name. The reason I reacted the way I did wasn't because of dislike for the name you chose. I absolutely love it and I can't think of a more perfect name. But when you suggested it, I remembered something. Perhaps you remember it too."
When she smiled, he continued.
"Years ago you and I ran into each other right here in this very hospital. You were visiting your friend who had just given birth and I had accompanied Frasier to visit Clarence."
Daphne sighed deeply. "Sheryl."
"What?"
"Me girlfriend. That's who I was visiting. I'll never forget it. She named her daughter Elizabeth after me Grammy Moon. I fell in love with that sweet little baby the moment I laid eyes on her. I miss them both so much."
"What happened to them?"
"I don't know. Somehow we lost touch, when they moved away years ago. I remember how much I cried when they left. We wrote letters but I guess our friendship wasn't meant to be."
She brushed away tears, causing Niles to fall deeper and deeper into despair. It seemed that everything he did or said caused Daphne some kind of pain. But mentioning her find and the new baby wasn't at all what he had intended to do. He took her hand and kissed it tenderly.
"Daphne, I didn't mean to upset you… again by bringing up your friend. And actually I was thinking of another memory of that day that I will always cherish, when you found me, looking through the window at the babies."
To his relief she smiled. "Yes, I remember."
"Do you remember my asking you what you would name a child if you had one? You said you'd name a boy David."
She gasped in surprise. "Oh…"
"It was fate." Niles said, kissing her cheek. "Well, I'll let you rest. Would you like me to call the nurse and have them take David to the nursery?"
"No. Why don't you hold him for a while, Niles? After all, he wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."
This time it was Niles who was surprised. He'd held his son, of course, just hours before when the midwife handed the baby to him after Daphne gave birth at the veterinary clinic. But now all of the insecurities came rushing back. He tried not to let them show, but as always Daphne could sense his apprehension.
Before he could say anything she placed David into his arms. The baby snuggled against Niles and sighed.
"You look wonderful, holding our son." Daphne said with a smile. "And I do remember that day we met at the hospital. Very clearly in fact. I was disappointed that I didn't get to see you hold a baby, but I knew-." She stopped and regarded him carefully for a moment. '"You're still worried, aren't you? You're thinking about Arlene's baby, Nathan and how she said that you hurt him. Well, don't be worried. You're a wonderful husband I happen to know that you'll be a wonderful father. You already are. You're sweet, loving, kind and compassionate. And seeing you holding David now… It was well worth the wait. I love you so much Niles and I know that you always say that you regret not having told me sooner how you feel about me. But think about what might have happened if things had been different. We might not have our beautiful son."
Niles could no longer hold back his tears nor did he want to. "I love you, my angel. Both of you. And I promise to give you all the love in the world for the rest of our lives."
Still holding David in his arms, he leaned forward and kissed his wife passionately. And when the kiss ended, he smiled at the way Daphne closed her eyes and settled against the mound of pillows arranged on the bed.
"Sleep well my love." He whispered.
He looked at his son who was now sleeping soundly in his father's arms and he considered calling the nurse to take David to the nursery. He was certain that David would be much more comfortable there. But the longer he stared at the beautiful child, the more he realized that he couldn't bear to be away from his son, not just yet.
He covered Daphne with the blanket and kissed her cheek once more, amazed at how beautiful she looked when she was sleeping. And then, ever so quietly, he carried David over to the plush chair that sat in the corner of the room and sank into it. He kissed his son's soft cheek, wondering how it was possible to love someone so much.
As he thought about that fateful day at the hospital that happened so long ago, he realized that he'd had no idea how much his life would change and how wonderful it would become. His son smiled at him, making him realize that his fears were unfounded and then David laughed as if to let Niles know that everything would be just fine.
And Niles was certain that the moment was written in the stars.
THE END