Author's Note: This came to me after trying to speak to my niece on the phone. It sort of snowballed on me, hehe. I wish I had a better title for it, but hopefully nobody cares, hehe. Please do R&R!
Daphne loved these quiet evenings with David. He seemed content with his toys, which was good, because Daphne didn't really feel like entertaining him. Before she could collapse onto the couch, the phone rang. "Crane residence."
"Ah, my favorite sister-in-law," Frasier said on the other end.
"Frasier! How are you?" Her brother-in-law called Niles frequently, but Daphne hadn't heard from him in months. Only then did she realize how much she'd missed him.
"Just fine," Frasier replied. "Charlotte and I couldn't be happier."
"That's wonderful," Daphne said. For so many years, Frasier had been looking for the right woman, and he'd finally found her. She smiled as she took the phone away from her ear for a moment. "David, come say hello to your Uncle Frasier!"
The boy looked up at the sound of his name. But after that, he shrugged and returned his attention once more to his toy cars.
"Sorry, Frasier. I guess David's not really in a talking mood." Daphne sighed. David was only two, but he could certainly be a chatterbox when he wanted to be. Unfortunately, now wasn't one of those times.
"That's all right, Daphne," Frasier said with a chuckle. "I haven't seen David since he was a baby. He can't be expected to know who I am."
"How can David not know you? You're the whole reason Niles and I are together. Without you, we wouldn't even have David. It's ridiculous!"
"That may be true, but David still isn't going to remember me yet. It's perfectly fine that he has no idea who I am. When Freddy was this age, he didn't even know I had family in Seattle!" Even as he said the words, Frasier could hardly believe it was possible there was once a time when he went years without speaking to his only brother. Times had certainly changed.
"But I feel like such a horrible mum. I mean, David should know that story, shouldn't he? I suppose in between chasing after him, and your father, I just haven't gotten around to telling him yet."
"Daphne, relax," Frasier said. "He doesn't need to know the story right now. He wouldn't understand it all now anyway. All that matters is that he has you and Niles there. I'm sure no one in this world could take better care of him than you two."
"I suppose you're right," Daphne said, letting out a sigh. "I let meself get carried away. It's just harder than I ever thought it would be, raising a toddler. I know I'm luckier than a lot of women. I mean, I get to spend all day with him while Niles works, but still!"
"I know, Daphne. Motherhood isn't easy. But I have no doubt that you are doing a wonderful job of it. I know it's tempting to worry about anything that could possibly be harming his development, but I'm sure David's just fine. Don't forget, one of the reasons my brother fell in love with you in the first place is the way you care about others. He's always had faith in you."
Daphne smiled at Frasier's words. It was true. Niles loved Daphne in a way she still didn't understand. "You're right, Frasier. I just look at David, and I can't believe he's ours. I've never done this before, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right!"
"I'm sure you are," Frasier said reassuringly. He could recall days when Lilith had called him, frantic over something Freddy did or didn't do, which she was sure indicated something was wrong. Luckily, he was used to being the calm voice of reason.
Daphne was about to say something more, when she caught a glimpse of a nearby clock. She'd had no idea it was so late. "Bloody hell," she whispered.
"Something wrong?" Frasier asked.
"I just looked at the time. I need to put David down for a nap before Niles gets home. Otherwise we won't get any time to ourselves."
"Say no more," Frasier replied knowingly. "Just tell Niles to call me tomorrow, all right? Take good care of that little boy for me. And give yourself a break, too."
"I will, Frasier. Thank you so much. I love you."
Frasier's heart warmed at her words. He still couldn't get over the fact she'd come into his life as his father's healthcare worker, and now she was a permanent part of his family. It was something he never would've thought possible. "I love you, too, Daphne." He hung up the phone, thinking it might be time to pay his little brother a long-overdue visit.
Daphne hung up the phone and walked over to the place on the floor where David sat. "It's time to stop playing. Are you ready for a nap?" David responded with a nod, and he allowed Daphne to pick him up. Daphne loved the way it felt to hold him, the way his arms reached around her neck. David really was such a miracle. As she carried him upstairs, she remembered all the years she'd known Niles, how he'd loved her for so long, until Frasier accidentally told her how he felt. Everything after that had let to what her life was today. It was a remarkable story, and somehow, Daphne had managed to forget about it, until Frasier's phone call. She carefully carried David into his room and placed the tired boy into his crib. "Goodnight, David," Daphne whispered as she kissed his forehead. "I love you and your daddy so much. I'll tell you some other time all about how I fell in love with him. It's quite a story. But right now, you need your sleep. Your daddy will be home soon, and I think I need to thank him again for everything he's done."
As she spoke, Daphne began mentally preparing a romantic evening for the two of them. She put out the light in David's room, feeling a new sense of excitement at the idea of seeing her husband.
The End