Daphne rang Roz's doorbell, trying her best to calm her nerves. She knew it was silly to be so anxious, but she couldn't help herself. Her friend opened the door immediately, pulling Daphne into a hug at once.
"Don't freak out," Roz said when she let Daphne go. "You know how much Niles loves you, and anything you wear will be just fine!"
"I know," Daphne admitted. "But he's been waiting for seven years to take me on a date! And after everything with Donny and Mel, I just want this date to be perfect. It was all me own fault, getting involved with Donny. If I hadn't done that, Niles never would've gone for Mel, and we both could've saved ourselves an awful lot of trouble!"
Roz gave Daphne her typical "Oh please" look. "You can't beat yourself up over that. What's done is done. But you and Niles can still have a wonderful future together."
Daphne smiled at her friend, grateful. "I hope so," she said, her voice small.
"You will," Roz said insistently. "Now, let's take a look in my closet. I'm sure I've got something you can wear. I promise, not all my dresses are slutty."
"Oh, Roz," Daphne said in mock annoyance. "No one thinks you're a slut."
Once again, Roz gave Daphne a look of disbelief. "Have you checked with your boyfriend lately?"
"I know that Niles teases you, but he cares for you, deep down."
"Whatever," Roz said dismissively. "Come on, let's see what we can find for you."
Daphne nodded, following Roz back to her bedroom. On the way, she passed by Alice's room, noting that the little girl wasn't there.
"Alice is at a playdate," Roz explained, seemingly reading Daphne's mind. "I love my daughter, but sometimes, I'm so glad when I can get a day to myself, you know?"
Although she had no children, Daphne could certainly understand Roz's feelings. She remembered her own mother often complaining that Daphne and her brothers were in the way. But, a second later, she thought about the day when she and Niles would have one of their own. Right now, a baby seemed like an unbelievable blessing, not an annoyance.
"Well, anyway, here we are," Roz said, gesturing to her closet. Clothes were haphazardly stuffed inside. Organization was obviously not a priority in her life. Daphne hardly knew what to say or think. "Oh, sorry, let me make this easier for you," Roz said, grabbing a large pile of T-shirts and other informal wear and throwing them on the floor. "These are my dresses." Roz gestured at the clothes which hung in the closet, although not particularly neatly.
Niles would have a fit if he ever saw this, Daphne thought. Not only did Niles have a closet far larger than Daphne's, but his suits were meticulously arranged by color. But Daphne knew she needed to focus on the task at hand. She looked at all of Roz's dresses, not finding any that she liked. Suddenly, she gasped, seeing a bright red, sequined gown. Daphne took it out of the closet, hardly believing it was real.
"I bought that for the Seabees one year," Roz explained. "But then of course I got pregnant, and I couldn't wear it." She rolled her eyes, remembering how big she'd been back then.
"This dress is so beautiful," Daphne said, barely able to take her eyes off it. "It's just like the one I wore to the Snow Ball a few years ago. I felt just like Cinderella that night." She smiled at the memory. But her smile faded as she recalled how the evening had ended. "Until I ruined it by calling him a good actor. I have to make up for that tonight."
Roz could see that her friend was near tears. "You will, Daphne. Niles is probably looking forward to this as much as you are."
Daphne couldn't have been more grateful to have a girlfriend like Roz. "Is it all right if I wear this?" she asked, holding the dress near her body, picturing how it would look.
"No problem," Roz said.
"Thank you. I'll go put it on. I told Niles to come pick me up here so we don't disturb Dr. Crane and his father."
Suddenly, Roz realized that she no longer had to wonder which Dr. Crane Daphne was referring to. She used to call both brothers "Dr," but the subtle change in the way she now addressed Niles spoke volumes about what she thought of him. When she realized that Daphne was staring at her oddly, she quickly recovered. "How about I make this complete by helping with your hair and makeup?" Roz offered. Daphne usually had no trouble in those areas, but if she wanted to be perfect, it couldn't hurt to have extra help.
"Thank you, Roz. That's very sweet of you," Daphne said, smiling gratefully at her friend as she headed toward the bathroom.
In half an hour, they had done all they could to make Daphne beautiful. Roz couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. Niles was nothing at all like the men she'd been out with. Usually, guys only wanted one thing, and when they found out Roz was a single mother, they bolted as fast as they could.
Daphne saw her friend's expression and knew immediately what was on her mind. "I can't thank you enough," she said, hugging Roz tightly. "I know it doesn't seem possible right now, but I bet you'll find a man who loves you one day. I never thought it would happen to me, until the day Dr. Crane told me his brother was in love with me. You just never know what could happen."
"Thanks," Roz said, knowing Daphne was just being nice. Not everyone got a fairytale ending like that. She was about to say something when the doorbell rang.
Daphne felt a rush of nervousness as she heard the sound. She hoped he would like her choice of dress. Roz opened the door, and there stood Niles, as expected. He wore a tux, looking like the perfect gentleman. "Hi, Roz," Niles said, foregoing the usual insult in honor of this occasion. "Is Daphne ready?"
Roz stepped aside so Niles could see her.
"Wow," Niles said, nearly feeling himself grow faint at the sight. "Daphne, you look…...Well, even with my extensive vocabulary, I'm literally at a loss for words right now."
Daphne blushed. "Thank you. You look very handsome, too." She felt like a teenager, about to go out with a boy for the very first time.
Even Roz could see how in love the two were, no matter if this was their first official date. "Have a good time you two," she said, knowing there was no doubt they would.
Daphne nodded at her friend, and slipped her arm around Niles'. Once again, she felt just like a princess. Only, unlike the Snow Ball, tonight would have a very happy ending.
The End