Sub Rosa
Chapter 1 (Frasier Crane's Day Off)
Daphne rolled her eyes as she walked out of Doctor Crane's room, carrying a tray with his empty glass, complete with bendy straw. "Rose petals," she muttered to herself. "Tissue with the lotion in it! Toast with the crusts off! What a whiny fusspot."
She set the tray down in the kitchen, then turned the radio up, listening to Doctor Crane's brother filling in for him. He'd certainly started out slow, going on about some famous psychiatrist or another, but once he got into it he was really quite good. She'd cheered when he had gotten that struggling couple to say "I love you" to each other, and it was wonderful hearing him sound so animated and in-charge for a change. He usually seemed a bit downtrodden.
As she tidied up the kitchen, she listened to his next caller, a man named Kevin. "Well, Doctor Crane," Kevin was saying, "it's my marriage. My heart's just not in it anymore."
"Why is that?" Daphne could picture the look on the younger Doctor Crane's face, that focused, intent expression that made you feel as if you had his complete attention.
"There's no spark, no excitement," Kevin replied. "We've settled into this routine and it feels like we're roommates instead of husband and wife. We're even sleeping in separate bedrooms."
"That's not unusual at all, lots of married couples do that," Doctor Crane replied. "How long have you been together?"
"Ten years."
"Any children?"
"No," Kevin said, sighing. "I want to, but she's not ready. We're not getting any younger, either."
"What you're going through is very common," Doctor Crane told him. "I've been married eleven years myself, and I know exactly what you mean. But that's what happens over time in a relationship. You stick with it because you made a commitment and even if you're tempted…" He paused, and cleared his throat. "I'm going to recommend couples therapy for you, Kevin. Please stay on the line and Roz will have some phone numbers for you."
Daphne raised her eyebrows, wondering just how much Kevin and Doctor Crane had in common in their marriages. She had heard him mention how he slept down the hall from Mrs. Crane before, but she'd assumed it was because they'd had some kind of fight. Like sleeping on the couch, except she guessed when you lived in a mansion with lots of rooms you didn't really have to sleep on the couch.
Her train of thought was interrupted when she heard Doctor Crane's voice down the hall, hollering bloody murder. Exasperated, she stomped back toward his room and threw the door open.
"What is it this time!" she snapped, stalking into the room.
Doctor Crane was a mess, disheveled and glassy-eyed, sitting on the bed in a tangled nest of blankets. "I had a dream, I had a dream!" he said, his voice flat and scratchy. "They're all plotting against me!"
"Oh now, now Doctor Crane, I thought we went over this already," Daphne said, putting a hand out to calm him. "It's just your fever talking!"
He regarded her with deep suspicion. "That's just what you want me to think," he said, and shook a finger at her. "You're probably in league with Niles! I know about the two of you! Oh, you pretend not to know, but you know."
Daphne shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Now you just lie back down…"
"You're not fooling anyone," Frasier said, struggling to get out of bed. "Like you can't see the way he looks at you. You know, you've got to know…" He swayed, and then flopped back on the bed again, groaning.
Daphne pressed her hands over her stomach, trying to quell the sudden nervous flutter. "Doctor Crane! Your brother is a married man! I'll thank you not to make such ridiculous accusations. He would never think of doing such a thing!"
"Ha!" Frasier said, flat on his back but waving one hand wildly to emphasize his point. "He thinks about it every day!" Then he dropped his arm and was out again, mumbling nonsense to himself.
She stood there frozen for several seconds, and then shook her head. It was the fever talking, it had been 103 last time she checked it and he was clearly still very sick. Thinking his brother was out to steal his show! And worse, thinking that he was… well. That was just silly. Daphne moved about the room, gathering tissues off the floor and checking the water level in the vaporizer. She pulled the blankets neatly over Doctor Crane and left.
The radio was still playing in the kitchen and she turned it off quickly. She braced her hands against the counter and stared across the room, trying to think. It was daft to let this get to her. To even entertain the notion! Why, it hadn't been that long ago that she'd been over at Doctor Crane's beautiful mansion, that night of the storm after Eric had broken up with her. Hadn't he told her then how much he loved his wife?
But then again, he had also seemed rather flustered to see her in that white nightie. And the way he'd leaned over her while they lay there talking, it had seemed as if he was trying to kiss her. But then that lovely clock had started ringing and he'd talked about Mrs. Crane and she'd just figured it was her imagination, conjuring up romance to make her feel better about being dumped.
"Hey, Daph," Mr. Crane said, walking into the kitchen.
She jumped, then turned to the sink, scrubbing the already clean surface with a sponge. "Nothing, I wasn't doing anything," she said. "Just tidying up."
He looked at her strangely when she glanced up, and she realized he hadn't asked what she was doing. "Okay," he said, drawing the word out. "You're not coming down with whatever Frasier's got, are you?"
Daphne laughed, but it sounded forced. "No, not at all, and I certainly hope he gets better soon. I've had patients on their deathbeds who whined less than he does!"
Mr. Crane nodded, making a face. "Yeah, thanks for putting up with him. I sure as hell wouldn't."
"Well I am a healthcare worker," she replied. "Comes with the territory. He's lucky his brother was able to fill in for him on his show."
"Niles turned out to be pretty good, didn't he?"
"Yes," she agreed. "Well, I should go to the store, His Nibs wants the tissues with lotion in them."
Mr. Crane laughed rolled his eyes. "Of course he does."