Daphne stepped off the elevator on the nineteenth floor, her arm still linked in Dr. Crane's. It seemed as if the Ball had gone by in a blur. But it was the most fun night she could remember in a very long time. For a while, she'd been able to forget that she was just a poor girl from Manchester. And she knew who she had to thank for that. When they stood just outside the other Dr. Crane's apartment, she turned to the handsome man next to her. "I had a lovely time, Dr. Crane. Thank you for walking me to the door."
"It was my pleasure, Daphne." Niles couldn't ignore the pain in his heart when she went back to calling him "Dr. Crane." It was one more reminder that she hadn't believed his words on the dance floor were true.
"Right," Daphne said. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you again for everything." She leaned over and gently kissed his cheek.
Niles' heart involuntarily skipped a beat when her lips brushed his cheek. He sighed, wishing the moment would never end. But he heard her slip her key into the lock, and knew it was over. "Goodnight, Daphne. Sleep well."
Daphne smiled as she watched him turn towards the elevator. She opened the door to Dr. Crane's apartment. Though the dance had been fun, truthfully, she was glad to be back home. The apartment was dark, and Daphne was grateful for it. All she wanted to do was change into her pajamas and fall into bed. But when she turned on a light so she could see, she found that she wasn't alone. "Mr. Crane. What are you doing sitting here in the dark?"
"I told you I'd wait up for you, didn't I?"
"Well, yes, but I didn't think you meant it!" Daphne laughed.
"I just wanted to make sure nothing happened tonight."
Daphne looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean? Dr. Crane was a perfect gentleman!"
Martin looked at the ground. This was going to be an awkward conversation. "Did Niles say anything to you about...anything?"
Once again, Daphne had no idea what he was talking about. "Did he say anything about what? You're not making much sense, I'm afraid."
"Well, I just thought Niles might've told you how he feels." As Martin spoke the words, he couldn't look at her. This secret wasn't his to tell. He'd been hoping Daphne would've figured it out.
For a few more moments, Daphne continued to stare at him, trying to figure out what on earth he was going on about, but then she remembered the tango..."Oh, my God. He...meant that, didn't he?"
Martin had no clue what she was referring to, but he felt pretty safe in saying the answer was yes. "I tried to warn him, Daph. I really did."
Daphne felt her heart racing as the meaning of it all sank in. "I told him not to hold back, to let it all out. And he said he adored me. I thought he was just trying to impress his friends, so I played along. It never occurred to me that he might have meant it!"
"Well, he did. I'm sorry, Daphne. I know this is a shock. And if you don't feel the same about him, that's fine with me. Just let him down easy, OK? Because I've been in Niles' shoes, and rejection hurts like hell. I'm going to bed. Unless you want to talk?"
For a moment, Daphne didn't even realize he'd asked her a question. "No, that's all right, Mr. Crane. I think I'll just sit here for a while."
Martin nodded at her. "Night, Daph." He headed off to his room.
In a daze, Daphne sat down on the couch. She was almost lightheaded from the shock of what she'd heard. Mr. Crane had waited up because he'd expected Dr. Crane to tell her something tonight. Which could only mean that those beautiful words, about her being a goddess and a vision, were all from his heart. How could she not have seen it? For the past week, they'd danced together every night. He had complimented her grace with each step. And he never seemed to want to let go of her when the song ended. Daphne had always assumed he was just nervous. After all, dancing was so far outside his comfort zone. But now, it all made sense.
Dr. Crane had always been so sweet to her, even before she'd heard of the Snow Ball. He'd made her laugh countless times, and his compliments never failed to warm her heart. And when he finally offered his heart to her, how had she reacted? The thought of it made her sick, the idea that she had hurt him that way. Suddenly, even though it was almost midnight, Daphne knew what she needed to do. She put her coat back on and found her car keys. She had no idea what she could possibly say, but she knew she had to talk to Dr. Crane as soon as possible.