Daphne was annoyed to find that someone was ringing her doorbell. She was even more annoyed to find that it was her mother and her brother, Simon.
"Stilts!"
"Good Lord mother, what in the world were you thinking?" Daphne asked, obviously annoyed.
"I was bringing your favorite brother here to comfort you, what does it look like?" Gertrude replied.
"Why does everyone assume that Simon's my favorite when Steven's been my favorite for years?"
"Come now, sis, I'm not all that bad. And besides Steven's busy. His girlfriend's having a baby any day. He can't be all that good if his girlfriend's knocked up," Simon chimed in.
"Simon watch it. That's my good son you're talking about. You'd do well to take some lessons off of him. Anyways Daphne what's done is done. I flew all the way back to Manchester so the least you could do is show some appreciation."
"My husband's just passed and I'm all alone in this great big home so you'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like showing anything," Daphne snapped. This was the last thing she needed in her condition.
"Come on now sis, you won't be alone. You'll have me and Mum to keep you company," Simon declared.
"Why can't you both stay at her place?"
"And leave you all alone?" Gertrude asked rhetorically. "Why we wouldn't dream of it. Come on now Simon. Be a dear and carry some bags in for an old woman."
Daphne shook her head. Could this nightmare get any worse?
00000
"Frasier, I'm sorry to barge in on you but I had to get away from my family," Daphne said as she closed the door to Frasier's office. He was working as a therapist on the side apart from his radio show and right now he was grateful for it. Anything to get his mind off of his grief.
"Daphne…you know you're welcome here any time. I can't say that I blame you for getting away from your family. I suppose I would too if I were in your shoes," Frasier laughed halfheartedly. He wondered if he would ever find anything funny again.
"I know you don't like my family but they are my family."
"I know Daphne. I was just joking."
"Frasier will I ever laugh again?"
"I was just thinking the same thing. We will, in time. We will find humor in something and we will laugh."
"When?" Daphne looked at him.
"It is hard to say when. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. It could be…"
"Months….that's what you were thinking. Go ahead and say it. I don't know if I can ever laugh again. Niles always made me laugh. He was the funniest person I knew. He did the oddest things. He always made me laugh by smelling my hair. Or the way he would always wipe down the chairs before he sat down. Or the way he would order his coffees… I miss him Frasier…." Daphne said sadly.
"I do too, Daphne." Frasier looked at her, knowing he was feeling the same way. "I do too."
