She expected Frasier to scream. To yell, rant and rave and then demand that she pack her bags and leave the moment they arrived home. But he only nodded.
She brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Say something, please!"
"Well, Daphne…"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for any of this to happen! Any of it!" She was rambling on and on but she found that she couldn't stop. "I-I was mad at Sherry and I just had to get out of the house and the only place I could think of to go was to Niles. When I got there I was so upset and he was so sweet to me. I left and came back home but after that he was the only thing I could think about. I felt terrible about Sherry leaving and about what happened between she and your father, like it was my fault."
"Daphne, don't blame yourself for that. Dad and Sherry-."
"Let me finish!" she cried.
"I'm sorry. Go ahead."
"Well, somehow after that first night, I couldn't stop thinking about him and I started having thoughts that I shouldn't be having. But I couldn't help myself. So I got up in the middle of the night and wrote you that note. And then I went over to Niles."
"I see. And then what happened?"
"Well he was surprised to see me of course and he immediately thought that Sherry and I had gotten into another row. In fact, he was so angry at the thought that he was about to pick up the phone and call you, but I stopped him." She took a deep breath and then swallowed hard. Niles and Frasier had always told her that it was good to let out things that she'd been keeping inside. But now she only felt worse.
"Daphne-."
She knew that Frasier wanted to tell her something, to offer advice perhaps, but she had to go on.
"That's when it happened. I-I seduced him! He had no idea, Dr. Crane! It was all my doing, not his! I-I tore off his clothes and coaxed him upstairs and the next thing I knew we were in his bed… making love."
"All right, Daphne… well…"
She stared dreamily into space. "I never imagined that making love to someone-much less your brother-would be so wonderful. He made me feel things that… He was so gentle and sweet and made me feel…"
"Daphne, do you love Niles?"
She whirled around, unable to believe what she was hearing. "What?"
"Do you love Niles?"
Suddenly it hit her. "Oh God… You must absolutely hate me!"
"Daphne, no. Of course not. I just-."
"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane! I didn't mean for anything to happen! I couldn't help myself!" She knew that she was rambling yet again, but the words came pouring out of her like a faucet. And then the dam broke.
Frasier was holding her yet again, his hand moving up and down her back, but she pulled away.
"I-I don't know what I 'm going to do! I-."
"Daphne, you have to tell him."
"NO! I can't!"
"You must! It's the only moral, legal and ethical thing to do!"
"I know, but-."
"Look, if you want I'll go with you."
"No! I just-he's going to hate me! He must absolutely hate me for what I've done!"
"Daphne, I know for a fact that Niles could never hate you and neither would I or Dad. We love you. Please don't ever think that-."
"But your brother-."
"Talk to him, Daphne. Tell him the truth."
"But-."
"No one will hate you. Look, you and Niles are both adults."
She paced the parking lot. "If I'm such an adult then how could I have let this happen? I didn't think about protection for either of us, not at all. Oh, I should have known that this would happen!"
"Daphne, don't blame yourself. It happens every day. And you must care for Niles a great deal to seek out his company not once but twice in your time of need."
She sniffled. "I do."
"Do you love him?"
"I don't know! I don't! I-." But she knew that she was lying to herself. And the way he was smiling at her told her that he already knew the answer. "All right, fine. I do love your brother. I love him very much!" "Then you have to tell him. If not that you love him then at least about the baby. You owe him that much."
She sighed. "You're right. And I will. But I'm scared, Dr. Crane! I'm so scared!"
He smiled and kissed her cheek. "You're not alone. But we'll be here for you, myself, Dad and Niles."
"I love you, Dr. Crane."
"I love you too, Daphne."