In the candlelight, we sat in comfortable silence; Daphne's head on my chest. While outside, the rain fell in sheets, as though reminding me of the secluded haven I was sharing with the woman I so deeply loved-but had no idea of my love for her.
"Oh Dr. Crane, I don't mean to be burdening you with my problems." Daphne said. "You should be spending this evening with your wife. Where is Mrs. Crane anyway? Shouldn't she be here by now?"
Amazingly until that moment I realized that I'd forgotten all about Maris. Suddenly I couldn't wait to see her. As much as I relished this heavenly night with Daphne, I was determined to make amends with Maris, no matter what the cost.
"You miss her, don't you?" Daphne asked as though reading my mind.
I turned to her, knowing that I couldn't lie.
I do, actually." I said, suddenly worried about my wife. "It is strange that she hasn't called. I wonder what's keeping her. I hope she's not out in this horrible storm."
As if by eerie coincidence, the phone rang.
"Oh... that's probably your brother wondering what's keeping me so long." Daphne said. "He's bound to be furious."
"Nonsense. I'll take care of everything." I said, picking up the phone.
"Niles Crane."
I was filled with both relief and annoyance when I heard Maris on the other end, burst into an endless rant.
"Maris... Maris, slow down! What are you saying?"
I listened intently, seemingly unaware of the emotions that I was conjuring up.
"What do you mean you can't come home? I've been waiting for you for hours and... Maris I told you repeatedly that I was sorry about that! Well, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you in front of the upstairs maid, but I was only trying to-... No Maris, Frasier suggested that we try- Maris? Maris, please listen to me! I love you and-. Well the storm's not that bad and-."
A clap of thunder followed by lightening contradicted my statement and I pleaded with her to reconsider.
"I can have a car waiting for you at the airport and I'll be right by the door ready to escort you into the house and- Oh... I see... Well... all right, Maris. But I really am sorry. I love-."
The dial tone buzzed in my ear, resounding like an out of tune symphony.
Feeling defeated, I returned the phone to the base and sighed. But I refused to let Maris make me an emotional wreck.
It was then that I noticed that Daphne had risen from the sofa and was walking around the room, admiring the objects on our fireplace mantle.
"This is a beautiful clock!" She said.
Grateful for the distraction, I tried to smile.
"Oh, that... It's a glockenspiel. Maris and I bought it on our honeymoon in Zurich. It used to make beautiful music and now it doesn't. How's that for irony?"
When she looked at me, the smile on her face disappeared and was replaced with a look of genuine concern; a look that made me fall in love with her a million times over. I'd seen her give that look to Dad a hundred times before when he would complain about his hip.
I bowed my head, ashamed of feeling so depressed over something so trivial. But there was no denying that I was hurt by Maris' disregard for our marriage.