There were times when Daphne adored being a mother. This was not one of those days. Suddenly, despite his dozens of toys, David had been complaining all afternoon about being "bored." He repeatedly begged Daphne to play with him, but she had laundry to do, dishes to wash, etc. So, by the time she began to prepare dinner, she was on edge. She began to chop vegetables, taking some of her frustrations out on the helpless celery and carrots.
She nearly jumped when she heard a sound near the kitchen doorway. But Niles merely smiled at her. "Heart and soul, I fell in love with you," he sang softly.
Daphne looked at him in confusion for a second. Heart and Soul had always been "their song," but at first she couldn't make the connection between that and this moment. When she did, she forgot all of her annoyance from earlier and kissed her husband. "I don't know how you remembered that!"
"How could I ever forget it? It's just one of the many moments with you that I'll treasure forever." Niles gently caressed her cheek, mesmerized as always by her beauty.
Daphne blushed. "Well, I'm sure it was a bit of a disappointment when you realized I thought you had a date with someone else!"
Niles shook his head. "What I remember about that night is that I got to have dinner with you. I might not have been able to tell you my feelings then, but it gave me hope. I always knew that being with you would be worth it, no matter what." Niles' comment led to them sharing a series of kisses, which made Daphne forget all about the food.
When she finally came up for air, Daphne remembered. "We'd better stop this, or I'm going to ruin your dinner!"
Niles was about to say he didn't mind, and that he could always take her out, but he knew Daphne must have worked hard on the meal. So, instead, he sighed and let her go. Daphne returned her attention to the stove, and Niles gladly helped. Every so often, they would catch one another's eye, and they both knew that they were remembering another night from long ago.
When the meal was ready and Daphne began to set the table, Niles called David downstairs. A few minutes later, their son appeared. "Finally! I thought I was going to starve!"
"Well, I'm glad we caught you before you wasted away," Daphne said, unable to resist smiling.
David rolled his eyes he took his seat at the table.
Daphne took a deep breath, feeling her earlier anger returning. But she calmed herself. She didn't want anything to ruin the mood. After all, Niles didn't often get to spend much time with his son during the week. There was no use in wasting this precious time with arguments.
Niles could tell by his wife's expression that David was trying her patience. He decided she needed a break. "Hey, Dave, how about after dinner, I help you with your homework?"
"I'd rather play video games!" He smiled, desperately hoping this would work.
"Homework first. Then video games," Daphne said.
David sighed reluctantly. "OK!"
Daphne gave her husband a grateful smile. Niles nodded. Sometimes, it seemed as if they barely needed words at all.
Niles made small talk with David about his school day and the assignments he had. Daphne marveled at the kind of father he was, never too busy or stressed to take time for his son. Somehow, Niles even managed to get David to help clear the table.
Before Daphne knew what was happening, David hugged her quickly. "Thanks for dinner, Mom!" She was in disbelief. What happened to the boy who, not an hour ago, had been doing everything he could to drive her out of her mind? She decided it didn't matter. She held him tightly for a moment. Times like this were a miracle, a sign that one day, he would be a man that she'd be proud of. She took a deep breath, trying to freeze this in her memory. Being a mother might not always be easy, but it was definitely worth it.
The End
