A/N: This was originally supposed to be a continuation of the wonderful story "A Valentine's Day Surprise" by Genevieve Thibeault, but it turned out to be much longer than I intended. In my attempt to create a bit of back story, I have in a sense rewritten her story in my own words so that it would flow a little better. Since I wasn't able to contact the author for "permission" to use her story, I highly recommend her story and reviewing. And as always, thanks for reading and for your comments!
As I held Niles in my arms, I couldn't help but smile at his astounded look. I admit that I'd been pretty bold in planning such an elaborate surprise, asking him to meet me at Le Cigar Volante, but I simply had to make my feelings for him known.
I was never any good at that sort of thing. But I'd never really had that much practice. Usually it was the man who confessed first. I'd never known a man who loved me but was afraid to tell me, and the mere thought that someone would be so afraid to express their feelings was beyond me.
But then again, I'd never known a man like Niles Crane, and I doubted that I ever would. He was the most perfect, wonderful man and I loved him so much.
Sure he was particular, snobbish and his tastes for wine, opera and caviar were worlds away from my preferences for English tea and Billy Joel. But there was something about him that made my heart melt whenever I thought about him.
Perhaps it was the way he looked at me or how he was always noticing things about me that others don't. Like my hair or my clothes or my perfume. God knows that Donny never noticed those things and I'm starting to think that he never would.
So why was I so attracted to such a workaholic, uninteresting man? Maybe I liked the idea of being in love with someone knowing that he was in love with me.
Donny was sweet, there was no denying that. He was a complete gentleman and knew how to treat me with respect.
That is, until his cell phone rang. It seems that people who were potential divorce cases demanded more attention than fiancés did.
What an ironic thought.
But sadly it was all too true. I can't even begin to count the number of times Donny has left me alone in favor of some extremely important case.
Boy, am I glad he's gone! I can't say that I was upset when he tore into me that night. I'd never seen him quite so angry. You'd think that he'd be used to hearing stories about how women yelled out the name of another man while making love to their husband-or in this case, fiancé.
I guess Donny just never expected it to happen to him, nor that I would be the one who was guilty of that crime. And I'm almost positive that he never expected the name to be that of his former client, Niles Crane.
As relived as I am that Donny is no longer in my life, I can't help but cringe, thinking of how many hurtful things he said to me that night as he lifted his body from mine.
I watched in confusion while my soon-to-be ex-fiancé grabbed his robe cinching the belt around his waist as he stood beside the bed, yelling "I knew it! I knew it!"
At first I had no idea why he was so angry, nor did I realize what I had done.
"Donny, what's gotten into you?"
"Are you kidding me?" He yelled, along with a few choice words that are too explicit to mention here. And even if I could mention them, it hurts to even think them. But I still hadn't a clue what he was talking about.
I was determined to find out why he'd ended our lovemaking so abruptly but the best way to do that was to remain as calm as possible.
I'd heard the elder Dr. Crane tell his radio patients over and over to approach problems calmly and rationally instead of initiating a big blow-up fight. However, I'm quite sure that his patient's problems didn't even come close to ours.
Clutching the edge of the sheet, I took a deep breath and spoke as calmly as possible.
"I'm not kidding, Donny. I don't understand why you're so bloody upset all of a sudden!"
"YOU DON'T, HUH?" He yelled, startling me with the harsh outburst
He was quiet for a moment before he began pacing the room.
"I knew it." He muttered again.
"Knew what?"
He turned to me with a look of anger and the fire in his eyes was so great that I actually recoiled.
"YOU WANT NILES? YOU'VE GOT HIM! I've known it all along! I've seen the way you look at him, the way he looks at you! The... flirty looks and the bedroom eyes!"
I sat up straighter, unable to believe what I was hearing.
"What? Donny, that's ridiculous! Dr. Crane and I never-."
"SAVE IT, DAPHNE!" He yelled, causing me to flinch. "Do you think I'm blind or something? I was hoping you would have the guts to tell me before the wedding but I never thought you'd do it this way. Yelling out the man's name while we're IN BED?"
I gasped in horror as the memory came back to me.
Oh God had I really...
The truth was that I had.
It sounds silly but I couldn't help myself. I thought about Niles all the time. No matter what I was doing, he was there; his handsome face invading my work, my dreams, my daily routines, and now even my most intimate moments.
And in those intimate moments, it's Niles that I'm with, not Donny.
Sadly, thinking of Niles is the only way I can cope. I couldn't tell Donny-the man I was supposed to love-that he wasn't pleasing me in bed. But that problem took care of itself in one rather humiliating moment.
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. What could I possibly have said?
"Donny, I-."
"Just get out, Daphne!"
"What?"
"GET OUT! I wish I had never taken that jackass Niles Crane's divorce case! He should have been left to suffer the rest of his life with that shrew of a wife of his!"
His harsh words about the man I loved made me angry, but anything I would have said would have made me even guiltier.
"Donny!"
"If I hadn't taken Niles' case I wouldn't have ever met you and now I'm sorry I ever did! So pack your things and GET OUT!"
I swallowed hard, the hot tears stinging my eyes. I could feel my entire body trembling as rattled. It couldn't have been coincidence when our engagement photo fell from the wall and onto the hardwood floor, shattering into a million pieces.
Alone in the bedroom, I finally climbed out of bed and pulled on my robe. Donny's harsh words still hung heavy in the air as I jumped into the shower.
The warm water did little to soothe me, and I scrubbed my body as hard as I could, as though doing so would erase every trace of Donny from my skin.
And in doing so I was hoping to erase him from my life.
