The Edge Walker by Patrick Councilor
David parked in a parking lot a few short blocks from Café Nervosa. He went over to open Danielle's door for her.
When she stepped out, she faced him directly. "David, what is troubling you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm your girl. I know when something is troubling you."
David put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "It's nothing. Really."
"Can I ask you another question?"
"Sure, you can ask me anything."
"Does it bother you that we haven't taken our relationship to the next level?"
He stopped walking to turn to her. His heart sank a little. "You mean sleeping together? No. Not at all. Danielle… I love you and… I love us, if that makes any sense. I'm completely content with that."
She nodded followed by a quick kiss. "I love you David."
"And I love you."
After embracing, they started walking again hand in hand.
"Don't forget that we're going to that company banquet Saturday night. We're celebrating the big account we just landed," David mentioned.
"Do Rachel and Lainie have dates?"
"Yes, I don't know who Lainie's bringing, but Rocky's bringing Nathaniel."
"And let me guess, Jonathan will be taking Janice."
David laughed. "You got that right. They still deny any romance between them."
Danielle shook her head. "They're inseparable."
They walked up the block to Café Nervosa where they found everyone waiting for them. Each one of them greeted them with a hug and a smile.
"Dad was just telling us a funny story about the time Uncle Frasier had taken over his patients and was dealing with a patient that had an imaginary friend," Lynda said.
"Well, we could use a laugh," David said as he dusted off Danielle's chair with his handkerchief and then pulled it out for her.
Martin and Ronee were there as well as Niles and Daphne, Abigail, Rozalynda "Lynda", Dave (Rozalynda's boyfriend), as well as Roz.
"Well first, what will you two have?" Niles asked. "Let's get that order in." He motioned for service and the server came right over.
"Hon?" David asked.
"I'll have one of those white chocolate mochas," Danielle said.
"And you son?"
He wiped down his seat and sat down. "I'll have a black coffee."
"Hey, that's my grandson," Martin said with a smile that could be seen from across the room.
Danielle shot David a look. He never drinks his coffee black. Something was troubling him, but she wouldn't pry. He would tell her on his terms.
The server went to make the coffees.
"Alright," Niles scooted his chair up to tell his fascinating story. "I had a new patient that came in with an imaginary friend. The reason he was there was because he believed that his imaginary friend didn't believe that he was real."
Everyone laughed. Even those who had heard the story before. David chuckled a little. Abigail had picked up on it. David was staring at the center of the table and hadn't heard a single word his father had said. He merely responded to everyone else's laughter.
Abigail and David were close. That was her big brother and she loved him so. She could pick up on things about him that most couldn't.
"So, Frasier had taken over my patients. I felt so bad for Frasier when he told me that this patient came in telling Frasier that his imaginary friend had lost his wallet. Well, working with patients at so many different levels, one cannot force mental healing, so we're inclined to play along with some of their idiosyncrasies until reaching the level of realization. So Frasier played along and helped this guy look for an imaginary wallet for the patient's imaginary friend. Every so often, Frasier was pretend to hold a wallet up and announce that he found it, but the patient would always remark, 'no that's not it'. Frasier commented on how many imaginary wallets did the patient think could have been lost in the office."
Martin was laughing so hard that he was wiping tears from his face.
Roz was tearing up too, but more so because she so missed Frasier.
"When the 'found' the imaginary wallet, the patient insisted that $20 was missing from it."
More laughter broke out.
The server brought the two ordered coffees.
"Alright, we're all here and we all have settled in," Niles announced. He turned to his youngest. "Now why are we here?"
Abigail stood up. "Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma… my wonderful family. Roz, your family too. And Danielle and Dave, I am proud to call you family as well. I've just found out that I've been accepted into Yale University." She looked over to see her father's expression.
Niles teared up and went over to give her a hug. He had been a Phi Beta Kappa there so long ago.
Everyone congratulated her.
"You will make a great doctor," Lynda added.
Niles took Daphne's hand and brought her to her feet to stand beside him. "This is fantastic news. We are so very proud of you dear. Tomorrow night, we will celebrate at our place. Dinner and drinks. Until we can properly toast with champagne…" He lifted his coffee. "To Abby. The world is gaining a wonderful doctor and we couldn't be more proud of you."
Everyone toasted with their coffees.
Danielle leaned over to David. "Tell everyone about the big account you just won."
"No chance. I don't want to steal the lime-light from my sister."
"Oh right."
"I'll tell them later. As for us, we can celebrate tonight."
She smiled and brought her lips to his. "That sounds great."
