"Well! Niles! It's good to see you!" Frasier said a little too cheerfully as he opened the door for his brother. He rushed to the bar and poured Niles a drink.
"Thank you. I'm glad one of us is excited by my presence." Niles said, taking the glass from Frasier.
Frasier sighed. "Maris again?"
"I tell you, Frasier, this time she's really gone too far! She was overjoyed with the prospect of her new found freedom. She has a date for tonight."
As much as Frasier disliked Maris, his heart ached for his brother. Niles had been nothing but tolerable of his estranged wife.
Frasier chose his words carefully. "Well, I'm sure that must have been rather awkward for you; knowing that she was out with another man."
Niles nodded. "Tell me about it. Not only did she introduce me to the chap, but she told him that I was the butler!"
Anger boiled inside of Frasier. "Niles, I was going to keep quiet, but I must speak my mind! How dare that woman treat you like some kind of..." he searched for the right word. "... second-hand rain coat!"
"Well, Frasier, I..."
"Really, Niles! When you told me that you'd found the woman of your dreams, I was happy for you. But once I met her. Well..."
"Well, what?" Niles asked oblivious to Frasier's point.
"Niles... Marriage is a beautiful thing, and-."
The door opened and then closed, causing Niles to whirl around to face the visitor.
"And speaking of beautiful things... Hello Daphne!"
Daphne's cheeks colored fiercely. "Oh, Dr. Crane, you flatter me! And I must admit, you're quite good at over exaggeration as well!"
"No exaggeration, only the truth." He said, unable to take his eyes off of her.
"Well, if you think I look good in me jeans and this horrid pink sweater, you should see me in the dress I bought for Cynthia's weddin'. The most gorgeous thing you've ever seen... A light blue silk that I can barely move in. I swear if it was any tighter-."
The glass Niles was holding dropped to the floor and shattered, bringing him out of his mesmerized state.
"Niles! Look what you've done!" Frasier said in horror.
"Oh dear God, how clumsy of me!" Niles exclaimed, dropping to his knees to clean up the mess.
"Nonsense. I do things like that all the time." Daphne said.
"I can't imagine." Niles said, smiling when Daphne headed for the kitchen and returned seconds later with a broom and a wet cloth.
"It's true." She said as she began to clean up the mess. Niles took the cloth from her and wiped the floor of the sticky drink, shivering when his hand brushed against hers.
"There! I think that should do it." Daphne smiled at her cleanup efforts.
"Why it shines like the sun!" Niles said, ignoring Frasier's rolling eyes.
"Well, if I don't get dinner started, your father and brother are likely to starve to death. I don't know about your father, but your brother will sail right on out of here in a gust of wind if he loses anymore weight."
Niles laughed a little too enthusiastically at Daphne's comment.
"So Niles, as I was saying..." Frasier said, desperate to take his brother's mind (and eyes) off of his housekeeper and father's therapist. "Marriage is a beautiful thing and shouldn't be taken for granted."
Niles swallowed hard. "Why not? You did."
Frasier laughed, resisting the urge to strangle his brother. "That's what I love about you, Niles! Your witty sense of sarcasm and mockery."
Amazingly, Niles's face brightened. "Why thank you, Frasier. I believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
Daphne looked at Niles and Frasier in horror. "Dr. Crane, surely you aren't serious!"
"Well of course he's not serious!" Frasier said, trying to hide his irritation. "I was merely stating that..."
But Daphne ignored him, her attention focused directly on Niles. "Dr. Crane, Mrs. Crane is the luckiest woman in the world to have a man like you!"
Niles looked at Frasier, finding it nearly impossible not to smile.
"Why Dr. Crane!" Daphne said with a smile. "You're very handsome when you're blushin!"
Feeling faint, Niles picked up a copy of Seattle Magazine that was lying on the coffee table, and fanned himself profusely. "It's rather warm in here, isn't it Frasier?"
Frasier grinned, obviously enjoying his brother's discomfort. "I feel just fine. Don't you Daphne?"
"Well, actually I was going to raise the heat a bit. I'm feelin a chill about now."
"Tell me about it." Niles mumbled.
"Did you say something, Dr. Crane?" Daphne asked.
"Um... Well... I.. I should probably get going. Maris will be livid if I don't help her weed the garden."
"In this weather?" Daphne asked, glancing out the window at the grey clouds.
"Well, you know Maris... come rain or... whatever. Goodbye Daphne. Goodbye Frasier."
"Goodbye Niles." Frasier said, pushing his brother out into the hallway and closing the door mere seconds before before Daphne blew a kiss in Niles' direction.