Now That They've Fled . . .


Frasier's Apartment. The front door.

[A key turns the lock, and NILES enters, followed by DAPHNE.
They are both still in their wedding clothes, but DAPHNE has removed
her veil and let her hair down. NILES lets out a sigh of relief and
leans against the door.]

NILES: Oh, thank God we made it! I don't know how people drive
those tanks!

DAPHNE: You did fine, Niles. Well, if you don't count those trees
you clipped back there. And the near miss with the lamppost . . .

NILES: Thank you for grabbing the wheel . . .

DAPHNE: It's all right, we got here in one piece. Now, I have got
to get out of this dress! I'm so glad I didn't move my things out before.

NILES: Wait, Daphne . . .come here, please. [She slides into his arms]
Let me look at you. God, you look beautiful in that! But, then, you look beautiful in everything. [They kiss tenderly]

DAPHNE:[Pulling back] Oh, Niles, I'm sorry but this bloody thing ITCHES!

NILES: [Releasing her] Oh, then, by all means, go and change.
I'll pour us some wine.

[DAPHNE gathers up her skirt and hurries into her bedroom. NILES lets
out a trembly sigh. He then goes to the kitchen. He takes
a bottle of white wine out of the refrigerator, inspects the label,
uncorks the wine, gathers glasses, and carries these into the
living room. He is setting them on the coffee table when DAPHNE
enters from her room. She is in a sleek casual dress, with the back
zipper open.]

DAPHNE: OK, Cyrano, my zip needs doing. But, watch your tie, we don't
have anyone here to get us out of it this time. [She smiles teasingly]

NILES:[Zipping expertly] Done! [Coy] But, I wouldn't have minded if
you'd had to step out of it . . . of course, I wouldn't have minded
the last time, either . . .

DAPHNE:[She giggles and playfully smacks his shoulder. They then embrace
and kiss again, a bit longer and deeper. She breaks it gently]
You know, it seems it might be time for us to have a chat. God knows
I didn't dare speak to you much in the camper, with both our lives
at stake! I . . . would imagine that we both have, well, . . .
a few questions for each other.

NILES:[Looking at her lovingly] I know I do. [Takes her hands, pulls
her down to the sofa. He then pours each a glass of wine and
hands her one. They clink glasses and take a sip]

DAPHNE: You seem to need to go first.

NILES: OK. [Deep breath] Maybe obvious, but . . what made you change
your mind? After you left me last night?

DAPHNE: [Sliding back on the sofa cushion, looking slightly more relaxed]
Well . . . after I went inside, I was, needless to say, completely
confused. My leaping to kiss you took me as much by surprise as it
did you. But, more than confused, I was totally exhausted. I knew
I had to think about all this, but my mind simply shut down.
I just needed to sleep. That was not about to happen naturally,
though, as tense as I was. I went back to the hotel room, and was,
oh, so relieved to see that Donny was already asleep. [A bit embarrassed]
I poured a rather large glass of brandy from the mini bar and drank
it down like . . [Smiling at him] Orangina! [He smiles] My final thought
before I, well, passed out, was [Starting to snicker] thank God this
room has twin beds! [NILES looks startled and puts his hand
over his mouth]
This morning I got up early, gratefully not at all affected by my nightcap. I told Donny that I needed to take a long bath, and he said
he would keep the hordes at bay. That's where I thought all this through.
By this time, I knew one thing for sure: I did not want to go through
with this wedding. Of course, the pangs of guilt started to creep in,
and . . . I suddenly got really angry! I thought, to hell with the
bloody lot of them! [NILES looks quite startled] All my life
I've done everything that other people wanted. My brothers, parents,
your father and brother. I never minded it before, but now, damn it,
it was time to do what I wanted, especially since it was something
so important. And what you said about regretting not . . .
taking a chance came back to me, and, well, that settled it.
I had to let us take that chance. I was not going to marry Donny,
today or any day.

NILES: Then why did you . . .put on the dress?

DAPHNE: Oh, I can think "to hell with them", but I could never say it.
I had to go along with everything until I could figure a way out.
I knew if I told everyone, they'd try and talk me out of it,
telling me it was jitters, not to be silly, all that. I had to find
a way out. [Jokingly] Like asking your brother to object during
the ceremony or something.[NILES smiles.] Then I thought
that if I could find you, we might just be able to get out of there.
[Composing breath]
So. Everyone was very busy and I suddenly found myself alone.
I went looking for you. I left the garden and went through a grove
of trees toward the parking lot, and saw . . .
your father and brother coming out of the Winnebago with a tray
of wine glasses. Then I saw you in the driver's seat, and from your
expression I guessed you wouldn't be unhappy to see me. I waited to make
sure they were gone, and . . . then I knocked.

NILES: [Leaning back and pulling her to him. She rests her head on
his shoulder] And I am SO glad you did. [Pause]

DAPHNE: OK, my turn. [Head up, looks at him, deep breath] Have you
really been in love with me for six years?

NILES: Well, not exactly in . . .wait a minute. Who told you that?
In fact, who told you about my feelings anyway?

DAPHNE: [Smug smile] I'm going to save that one for later. Besides,
it's still my turn.

NILES: [Small smile] Oh, all right, but I'll get you to tell me.
[Composing his thoughts] Here goes.
Daphne, when I first met you, I thought you were the most amazing
breath of fresh air. You were so calm, and seemed so comfortable
with yourself and everyone around you. And, yes, it was a physical
attraction, I mean, what else is there when you just meet someone.
And, I was still very married. I really thought I loved Maris.
Maybe I did, it's hard to tell now. But, I was drawn to you,
acted stupidly much of the time. Frasier was always sniping at me to
control myself. You never seemed to notice, and when I would snap
out of it, I'd be grateful for that. It wasn't until my marriage
fell apart that I began to have deeper feelings for you. By then we'd
become friends, spending time together, sharing the life of my brother's
household. It kept growing, and, well, . . . now here I am.
Hopelessly in love. [By now she is sitting forward, looking at him
with similar emotion]

DAPHNE: Niles. I asked you this last night, and didn't understand
your answer. There was a lot of time when we were both unattached.
Why didn't you ever talk to me about it?

NILES: [Now slightly nervous] Oh, Daphne, there were . . .
so many reasons. [Gets up and paces] Much of the time I just lacked the confidence. I've never been much good with women, never at ease
with playing the suitor. I tried to tell you a few times,
but something always stopped me. Most of the time, I felt that having
you reject me would have been worse than not knowing . . .
[Stops, looks at her]
And you did make the comment once that you wouldn't want a man who
was in the middle of a divorce. But I was sure that I would get my
courage up once my divorce became final. But . . . by then . . .

DAPHNE: [Gets up, crosses to him, takes his hands] Oh, dear.
Now I see. Oh, I'm so sorry.

NILES: [Stroking her arm] None of it was your fault.
You have no reason to be sorry. [Small smile] You do know,
don't you, that you're Phyllis?

DAPHNE: Phyllis? Oh, the woman you said you were so in love . . .
oh, Niles! When you were telling your brother in the kitchen you
were completely in love with someone. . . you were talking about . . .

NILES: You, of course.

DAPHNE: [Blushing] Wow. [Smiles. They cross to the couch and sit]
Well, I did wind up your dinner date that evening . . .

NILES: A most charming one.

DAPHNE: [Blushing] Thank you. [More composed] Well, here we are.
The question now is, where do we go from here?

NILES: Well, I guess we just take one step at . . .

DAPHNE: No. I mean, yes, that too, but . . . we can't stay here.
[Gestures that she means Frasier's apartment] They'll be back
at some point soon . . . we need a plan.

NILES: Oh, yes. Well, [Taking her hands] I was thinking about that
during the drive back. You remember my lakefront cottage.
I was thinking it might be good for us to spend some time alone
together, before we have to face everyone, and, it's so peaceful
and isolated there and, well . . .we could go up there for a
couple of days. That is, if you think you're ready to . . .
um . . .well, I mean, we don't have to . . .

DAPHNE: You mean sleep together? [NILES blushes. DAPHNE teases.]
Well, let's consider that possibility. Am I ready? Let's see . . .
First, we have been friends for some time now. Know each
other quite well, I expect. Second . . . I just left a groom at the
altar to be with you, that's no big thing, and . . .
[He is now feeling like the butt of a joke] oh, dear, what am I
forgetting? Uummm. OH, yes. We seem to be quite in love with each other.
[They both get up] Maybe a psychiatrist like you would know.
Is that ready enough? [She puts her arms around him]

NILES:[They kiss, then break] Wench! OK, I'll call my caretaker
to open the place up and deliver some groceries. Why don't you go
pack some clothes and meet me back here. I'll leave Dad and Frasier
a note, so they won't worry. Oh, and we'll have to take your car . .

DAPHNE: And I'll drive. [Starts toward her room, then turns. Asking very innocently] Oh, wait, Niles, . . .I'll need clothes?

[NILES throws a couch pillow at her as he takes out his cell phone.
She exits toward her room, laughing]

END SCENE