"So Roz, who is our next caller?" Frasier asked as the first show of the week was winding down.
"We have Jill on line one." Roz's voice sounded strained as she patched through the call.
"Go ahead Jill, I'm listening," Frasier said as he turned to observe Roz, worried as she plopped her head on the desk, obviously drained and upset. He could barely pay attention to the caller over his concern.
"No Jill, I don't think your husbands obsession with constantly wearing bunny slippers is healthy, if you'll stay on the line our producer will give you a list of recommended psychiatrists in the area. And that's all the time we have for today.." Frasier hastily ended the show to see what was troubling Roz.
She had just gotten off the phone when he made it into the booth. "How was the weekend Roz, you look exhausted." His tone was sympathetic.
"Oh it was terrible Frasier," Roz launched herself into his arms, needing to feel his warm comforting hug. "Mr. and Mrs. Sunshine decided they just adored little Alice so much that they begged to keep her all weekend. What could I say, he hasn't seen her for 2 years, but it was so hard being without my baby."
"There there.... you have her back now though." Frasier tried to comfort her.
"I have her back now, but I started thinking, what if they.... if they try to take her away from me. They couldn't do that could they?" Her eyes searched Frasiers face begging him to assure her that she was jumping to wild conclusions.
"Of course they wouldn't, this is probably just a passing phase." Frasier tried to soothe her, but he had to admit to himself that the same niggling doubt had also been lurking in the back of his mind since the incident at the Cafe. He just prayed it wasn't true, because he knew as well as anyone that Roz adored her daughter and would never be able to give her up.
"Thank you Frasier, you're always there for me when I need a friend." Roz thanked him as she composed herself and pulled away. "I think I'm going to go home early today if that's OK."
"Sure, would you like some company, if you need to talk that is." He offered.
"No, that's OK, I think I'll take Alice to the park this afternoon." Roz smiled as she gathered her things to leave.
"Well you know you can always call me if you need me." Frasier called out after her, surprised when she stopped and turned instead of continuing out the door like she usually did without acknowledging his farewells.
"Yes Frasier, I do... and thank you." She smiled sincerely for a split second before continuing on her way to spend time with her daughter.
"I sure hope she's worrying about nothing." Frasier thought to himself as he to got ready to head home.
LATER
"Dad, I want you to get that hideous lamp out of this living room now." Frasier exclaimed as soon as he saw the new decoration Martin Crane had brought in. It was an absolute monstrosity in his opinion, whoever heard of a lamp with deer antlers?
"You have no appreciation for art son. Besides this was a gift from one of my old hunting buddies." Martin Crane defended himself as Eddie looked on, turning his head back and forth between the two men as they talked.
"Art? This is not art, this is an insult to good taste. Art is Monet, Picasso..... Alice's fingerpainting would qualify as art next to this." Frasier boomed.
"Well excuse me for living here," Martin picked up the lamp, and headed to his room.
"Dad... I'm sorry...." Frasier called after his father but was met only with the sound of the bedroom door slamming. "Gee, I overeacted, I can't believe I'm so on edge, it must be this stuff with Rick's reappearance. I'll have to get Dad something to make up for this, maybe season tickets to some sports team around here, I must remember to ask bulldog what sport teams there are around Seattle." Frasier mused as he sat on the couch deep in thought, interrupted by the ringing of the phone.
"Hello, Crane residence.."
"Donny, what a surprise...."
"Yes..... yes..... you're kidding?"
"Thanks for calling, I owe you one..."
"Yes I'm still sorry about what I did about Niles and Daphne....."
"Yes.."
"Look Donny, if you'd like to rake me over the coals later fine, but
after what you just told me I must get to Roz, goodbye." Frasier
hastily hung up the phone and ran to the door.