It had been three days since the argument with Frederick and Nora had stayed in bed for all of them. Everyone had tried to get her out of bed. Diane and Cliff even tried to annoy and bore her to the point that she wanted to leave. Nora kept staring at a photograph on the wall by her side of the bed. It was the photo taken the day that Frasier proposed. Frasier and Frederick were both down on one knee. Frasier had asked Nora to be his wife and Frederick had asked her to be his mama. She always wore that opal pinky ring he gave her.

"Nora, you have to eat something," Dorothy told her daughter.

"I'm not hungry."

"Nora, I understand that you are hurt by what Frederick said, but you have to eat." Nora was silent. "Don't make me get Rose in here to tell a St. Olaf story," still nothing. Dorothy left the room defeated. She walked downstairs to the kitchen where Frasier was, "we have to do something."

"She didn't eat, again?"

"No, and now she isn't talking. I even threatened to have Rose tell a St. Olaf story and she was still quiet."

"Damn, she is depressed. Well, I made her an appointment just now. I'm going to get her ready."

"Thank you, Frasier. I'm grateful she has you."

Frasier smiled and went upstairs to his room. "Darling," Frasier walked into the room and saw what his wife was looking at. "You have a doctor's appointment today. We should start getting you ready." Nora allowed Frasier to get her ready and carry her to the car. Nora hadn't really been eating the past three days, so she was too weak and unsteady to walk.

Frasier wheeled his wife into the exam room and the two waited for the doctor. The doctor walked in and greeted the couple before getting down to business.

"Nora, you've lost some weight since the last time I saw you," the doctor pointed out.

"I haven't had much of an appetite."

"Are you depressed?"

"My step-son and I had a fight, so I am a little."

"Unfortunately, I can't help you with that, but you do need to eat. If you don't start eating, you will have to be hospitalized and probably need a feeding tube. I can give your husband some ideas that are light and give you the nutrients you need." Nora nodded her head and the doctor wrote down and explained things to Frasier.

Once they were home, Frasier went to make Nora one of the protein smoothies the doctor had suggested.

"Here darling," Frasier placed the glass on the table in front of her, "there's more, but I figured you'd want to start small."

"Thank you," Nora took a small sip, "it's good."

"You know you can always talk to me? I won't shrink you."

Nora smiled, "I know and I'm sorry I've been such a mess lately."

"You don't have to apologize. I'm sure you would have reacted the same way before your stroke. It's just more harmful now than it would have been then."

Dorothy walked into the kitchen, "how was the appointment?"

"It went really well," Frasier said with a smile, "he threatened her with a feeding tube."

"Good," Dorothy said.

"He gave Frasier a bunch of ideas to help me get nutrients and my appetite back."

"I'll leave them in here so that you can use them too," Frasier said.

"Well, I better go and meet Frederick," Dorothy said and left.

"I feel like in twenty years, you're going to pay me back for all of these hospital visits."

Frasier smiled, "I would, except that would mean that I would have to stay in the hospital, and I don't want to."

Nora laughed and Frederick walked into the room, "Hi," he said solemnly. Frederick stood there unsure, "dad, can I talk to mama alone for a little bit?"

Frasier looked at his wife, who nodded, "I'll be...somewhere that isn't here if you need me."

Frederick took a seat across from Nora, "I'm really sorry that I hurt your feelings. I'm sorry that I feel that way. I keep trying to get rid of these feelings."

"Frederick, do you remember the first time you came to stay with me and your dad?" Frederick nodded, "you asked me if you could say 'I love you'. Do you remember what I said?"

"You told me if that's what I was feeling then I could say it."

"I've always told you to say what you are feeling because if you keep it bottled up it will do more harm than good. Sometimes those feelings may hurt someone else. I can understand your feelings. I just wished you had said something sooner because you kept them bottled up."

"And they did more harm than good."

"Look, I couldn't love you more if you were my flesh and blood. Next time just come and talk to me. I knew you felt bad because I saw the look on your face whenever I asked about school."

Frederick got up and ran to hug Nora, "I love you, mama."

"I love you too sweetheart," when Frederick pulled back, Nora cupped his face and kissed his cheek, "feel better?"

"Much, thank you."

"Anytime, now can you go find your dad so he can take me to the living room?"

"I can do it." Frederick stood there as Nora stared at him, "I can and I'll get dad to help you move to the couch. I want to help."

Nora smiled, "oh, alright."

Frasier was in the living room and smiled when he saw his son wheeling Nora into the room. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're good," Frederick said, "right?"

Nora laughed, "yeah, we're good."

Frederick locked Nora's chair and Frasier took her hands to pull her up and over to the couch. "Mama, dad can show you the flyer for the science fair. I honestly can't remember the date. Maybe you can help me with my project?"

"I'd love to, but what's the project? Science really isn't my specialty," Nora chuckled.

"I haven't really decided yet. It's a project for my science class to be demonstrated and shown at the fair. That's how they do it this year." Frederick stared at Nora while he thought, "I've got it! I'll make a model of a pumping heart."

"You figure out how to do that and I'll help," Nora smiled. Frederick turned and ran towards the computer, excited.

"Darling," Frasier said, "the fair is in a month. Maybe you'll be more steady then."

Nora looked at her husband and smiled, "maybe," She turned to look towards where Frederick had run off, "you better find my cane because I'm determined to be using it by then."

"That's my girl," Frasier smiled as he gave Nora a side hug.

Over the next three weeks, Nora helped Frederick with his science project and Frederick helped Nora with her physical therapy.

"Mama, no," Frederick pulled the walker away from her before she could use it to help her up. Frederick was good at making sure Nora didn't overdo it. "I can get you whatever you need."

"I need to go to the bathroom," Nora smiled.

Frederick pushed the walker back towards her, "sorry I can't help with that. Well, I can help you move around, but..."

"That's okay, I knew what you meant."

"Do you need me?"

Nora pulled herself up, "thank you sweetheart, but I'm good."

After Nora walked out, Sophia walked in, "Hey Freddy, how's it going."

"Good, grandma," he said, "what about you?"

"I'm still alive and at my age, that's the best news you can get."

Frederick laughed at his great-grandmother, "do you need help with dinner?"

"Nah, but you can help."

"Okay, when mama and I are finished for the day. We should be soon."

Dorothy walked into the kitchen, "ma, what are you doing?"

"Playing strip poker," she bit back, "what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Ma, I told you that I would cook. You shouldn't be on your feet so much."

"Please, I could outstand you any day."

Nora returned to the kitchen, "are you two bickering again?"

"You wanna tell someone to get off their feet, tell your daughter who just had a stroke and heart surgery."

"Thanks, grandma," Nora said sarcastically. The woman sat and helped Frederick finish their work for the day. When Frederick took his things upstairs, Nora decided to ask her grandmother something that had been on her mind. "Grandma, how did you do it?"

"How did I do what?"

"Get through this."

Sophia walked over and took a seat next to her granddaughter, "I know this won't be the answer you're looking for, but I just did. Not one person allowed me to give up. Everyone was encouraging and nurturing. Except at Shady Pines of course." Sophia looked at Nora for a moment, "what's going on?"

"I'm just upset that I can't do the things with my children that I did before the stroke. I know that one day I might, but I feel as if I'm missing out on so much."

"I can understand that. I mean I wasn't as young as you when I had my stroke, but I've always been self-sufficient. It was hard to let others do everything for me while I recovered. You're going great and I have no doubt that pretty soon you'll be running after those babies of yours."

"Thanks, grandma," Nora smiled.

"Anytime, now, are we done here?" Nora laughed and nodded, "good because I have to make dinner for the small army you call a family."