Vick says: all storys have an ending, even those with no name.
The Story With No Name
Chapter Four
Revelations
Daphne stood in the hallway of the Montana apartment building. She shivered, pulling her coat tighter, as she remembered what had happened the last time she was here. Or rather, dreamed about being here.
Or God, how would she ever begin this conversation?
She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She heard soft footsteps and the sound of Niles' voice say "Coming!".
The door opened and for a moment neither moved. They just stared at each other.
Niles broke the silence. "Daphne. What a...pleasant surprise..."
She noticed he was dressed in a suit and was also wearing his overcoat. "Oh, Dr. Crane, I'm sorry to bother you. I see you're on your way out, so I'll just..." She turned to leave.
Niles stopped her. "No, no Daphne, wait. I was going out but it can wait. Please, come in."
She took a step inside. "If you're sure it's no trouble..." She looked around, praying that Mel wouldn't appear on the stairway.
Niles smiled, putting her more at ease. "Not at all. Here, let me take your coat." He slipped it off her and hung it on the rack, following with his own. Before he turned away he was startled by something he noticed.
Under the collar of Daphne's coat was a light blue scarf.
Niles blinked twice and then turned to attend to his visitor.
"Daphne," he said, nervously, "You're never any trouble. I always have time for...a good friend. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." She returned the smile and sat on the couch.
"Can I get you something? Tea, perhaps?"
"No, thank you, I'm fine."
"Oh,... all right." He sat next to her, keeping a polite distance. He was dying to know why she was here. Whatever the reason, his declaration to Frasier on the phone a while ago might have to be retracted. Unless his brother had been right...
"So, Daphne..."
"Yes?"
"Is there something I can help you with? Have you been having more visions, perhaps?"
Daphne cleared her throat and entwined her fingers. Just then Niles suppressed a gasp.
She wasn't wearing her engagement ring.
She started hesitantly. "No, no, not visions this time, Dr. Crane. But something similar, you might say. You see, I...had this... dream."
The hairs on Niles' neck stood up. My, God, she had one, too?
"Um, dream, you say? About what?"
Daphne kept fidgeting, her gaze on her lap, searching her mind for a way to talk about it. "Well, it was all very confusing, as are most dreams, I guess. I was married to Donny and trying to be happy. But I couldn't be. There was...another man I missed badly, a..." She looked up at him. "Someone who'd been...a good friend."
Niles gulped. He stared at her, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach.
"Anyway," she continued. "Everyone was mad at me because I'd hurt this...friend. And I couldn't figure out how I could have hurt him; what could I have done? Everywhere I went people scolded me or glared at me. And Donny just kept acting like everything was normal, which drove me crazy. But I knew I had to find this man, it...oh, it hurt so much not tobe able to see him. And... then there was this... girl who kept popping up, urging me on; she kept saying I just had to find him. She was so real, Dr, Crane. She was about... twelve, with large brown eyes and blonde hair. And she was always wearing a black raincoat."
Niles stared off into space.
"Parka."
"I beg your pardon?"
"It was a parka, a loosely fitting rain garment. With a hood".
Daphne's jaw dropped. "How...how did you know that?"
Niles turned and looked at her. His voice was shaky.
"Daphne, was the girl's name...Hester?"
Daphne turned visibly pale. Her voice was barely audible. "Yes."
They just stared at each other for a moment.
Daphne spoke next. "Dr. Crane," she started. "What....how...?
Niles took her hand. "She was in my dream, too."
"Your dream?"
"I...I had a vivid dream myself last night," he said. "Also about a...close friend. She had recently been married, and she was someone...I...was in love with. But I'd never had the courage to tell her. And everyone was mad at me, too, only for being...such a wimp." He chuckled nervously. "Frasier even hit me. And the girl, Hester, kept appearing to me, too. She kept telling me...to find her and... tell her." Niles realized he was still holding Daphne's hand, and clumsily released it. They stared at each other, both looking like they were seeing ghosts.
Daphne looked down at her hand, where the ring had been. She was trembling. "Dr. Crane," she said timidly. "There's something I...think you should know. I came here... from Donny's. I...I broke off my engagement."
Niles breath quickened. "Well...that is a coincidence, because, um, Mel...is gone. She... stormed out a few minutes ago because I....told her I...couldn't see her anymore."
Their eyes locked. Tentatively, Niles slid over next to her. His hands in his lap, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She returned it, eyes closed.
Niles pulled away slightly. Daphne opened her eyes and blinked.
"Dr. Crane..."
"I think you can call me Niles now." He threw both arms around her and she entwined hers around his neck. This kiss was deeper, truly passionate.
When it finally broke he guided her head to his shoulder and put his arm around her. They sat there together in silence.
Niles caressed her shoulder. Daphne raised her head to look at him.
"Dr. ...I mean... Niles," she smiled. "I ... I have...no idea what to say next."
He smiled back at her. "I do. I love you, Daphne. Like... I never thought possible."
With that she grabbed him and pulled him to her in a smothering hug.
And promptly burst into tears.
"Oh, Niles, I...I love you, too!" She sobbed into his shoulder and he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Shhh, hon, shhh, it's ok," he soothed.
"Oh, God, Niles! Niles, I was so scared!!"
He chuckled. "Oh, God, you were scared!? When...when I woke up from that dream I thought I was losing my mind! And... that I had... lost you." He kissed her on the head.
She looked up at him, still sniffling. He drew a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to her.
She smiled. "Thank you."
While drying her eyes something dawned on her. She examined the handkerchief.
In the corner were the initials.
N.C.
Of course.
Niles took her hand and guided her up from the couch. "Come on, love. Why don't we make that tea, after all? I'm guessing we'll be here for a while."
She smiled. "All right."
They walked arm in arm into the kitchen.
Niles filled the kettle while Daphne sat down at the table. She looked at him lovingly as he placed it on the stove.
Then she suddenly stared off into space. And had her last vision.
She saw Hester, standing on the stairway, here in this apartment. Only the child was not wearing the black parka anymore. And her lovely young face was beaming with joy.
Niles noticed Daphne's faraway look and sunk into a chair next to her, taking her hand.
"Daphne... is something wrong?"
She returned from the vision and smiled sweetly at him. "No. No, nothing is wrong. Not anymore," she said. She slipped her hand around his neck and drew him to her, and kissed him tenderly.
The End
Please send us feedback ...we'd love to know what you all think....send feedback to [1]Moxie and [2]Vick
References
1. mailto:Moxierick@aol.com
2. mailto:Vickpena@yahoo.com.mx
The Story With No Name
Chapter Four
Revelations
Daphne stood in the hallway of the Montana apartment building. She shivered, pulling her coat tighter, as she remembered what had happened the last time she was here. Or rather, dreamed about being here.
Or God, how would she ever begin this conversation?
She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She heard soft footsteps and the sound of Niles' voice say "Coming!".
The door opened and for a moment neither moved. They just stared at each other.
Niles broke the silence. "Daphne. What a...pleasant surprise..."
She noticed he was dressed in a suit and was also wearing his overcoat. "Oh, Dr. Crane, I'm sorry to bother you. I see you're on your way out, so I'll just..." She turned to leave.
Niles stopped her. "No, no Daphne, wait. I was going out but it can wait. Please, come in."
She took a step inside. "If you're sure it's no trouble..." She looked around, praying that Mel wouldn't appear on the stairway.
Niles smiled, putting her more at ease. "Not at all. Here, let me take your coat." He slipped it off her and hung it on the rack, following with his own. Before he turned away he was startled by something he noticed.
Under the collar of Daphne's coat was a light blue scarf.
Niles blinked twice and then turned to attend to his visitor.
"Daphne," he said, nervously, "You're never any trouble. I always have time for...a good friend. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." She returned the smile and sat on the couch.
"Can I get you something? Tea, perhaps?"
"No, thank you, I'm fine."
"Oh,... all right." He sat next to her, keeping a polite distance. He was dying to know why she was here. Whatever the reason, his declaration to Frasier on the phone a while ago might have to be retracted. Unless his brother had been right...
"So, Daphne..."
"Yes?"
"Is there something I can help you with? Have you been having more visions, perhaps?"
Daphne cleared her throat and entwined her fingers. Just then Niles suppressed a gasp.
She wasn't wearing her engagement ring.
She started hesitantly. "No, no, not visions this time, Dr. Crane. But something similar, you might say. You see, I...had this... dream."
The hairs on Niles' neck stood up. My, God, she had one, too?
"Um, dream, you say? About what?"
Daphne kept fidgeting, her gaze on her lap, searching her mind for a way to talk about it. "Well, it was all very confusing, as are most dreams, I guess. I was married to Donny and trying to be happy. But I couldn't be. There was...another man I missed badly, a..." She looked up at him. "Someone who'd been...a good friend."
Niles gulped. He stared at her, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach.
"Anyway," she continued. "Everyone was mad at me because I'd hurt this...friend. And I couldn't figure out how I could have hurt him; what could I have done? Everywhere I went people scolded me or glared at me. And Donny just kept acting like everything was normal, which drove me crazy. But I knew I had to find this man, it...oh, it hurt so much not tobe able to see him. And... then there was this... girl who kept popping up, urging me on; she kept saying I just had to find him. She was so real, Dr, Crane. She was about... twelve, with large brown eyes and blonde hair. And she was always wearing a black raincoat."
Niles stared off into space.
"Parka."
"I beg your pardon?"
"It was a parka, a loosely fitting rain garment. With a hood".
Daphne's jaw dropped. "How...how did you know that?"
Niles turned and looked at her. His voice was shaky.
"Daphne, was the girl's name...Hester?"
Daphne turned visibly pale. Her voice was barely audible. "Yes."
They just stared at each other for a moment.
Daphne spoke next. "Dr. Crane," she started. "What....how...?
Niles took her hand. "She was in my dream, too."
"Your dream?"
"I...I had a vivid dream myself last night," he said. "Also about a...close friend. She had recently been married, and she was someone...I...was in love with. But I'd never had the courage to tell her. And everyone was mad at me, too, only for being...such a wimp." He chuckled nervously. "Frasier even hit me. And the girl, Hester, kept appearing to me, too. She kept telling me...to find her and... tell her." Niles realized he was still holding Daphne's hand, and clumsily released it. They stared at each other, both looking like they were seeing ghosts.
Daphne looked down at her hand, where the ring had been. She was trembling. "Dr. Crane," she said timidly. "There's something I...think you should know. I came here... from Donny's. I...I broke off my engagement."
Niles breath quickened. "Well...that is a coincidence, because, um, Mel...is gone. She... stormed out a few minutes ago because I....told her I...couldn't see her anymore."
Their eyes locked. Tentatively, Niles slid over next to her. His hands in his lap, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She returned it, eyes closed.
Niles pulled away slightly. Daphne opened her eyes and blinked.
"Dr. Crane..."
"I think you can call me Niles now." He threw both arms around her and she entwined hers around his neck. This kiss was deeper, truly passionate.
When it finally broke he guided her head to his shoulder and put his arm around her. They sat there together in silence.
Niles caressed her shoulder. Daphne raised her head to look at him.
"Dr. ...I mean... Niles," she smiled. "I ... I have...no idea what to say next."
He smiled back at her. "I do. I love you, Daphne. Like... I never thought possible."
With that she grabbed him and pulled him to her in a smothering hug.
And promptly burst into tears.
"Oh, Niles, I...I love you, too!" She sobbed into his shoulder and he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Shhh, hon, shhh, it's ok," he soothed.
"Oh, God, Niles! Niles, I was so scared!!"
He chuckled. "Oh, God, you were scared!? When...when I woke up from that dream I thought I was losing my mind! And... that I had... lost you." He kissed her on the head.
She looked up at him, still sniffling. He drew a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to her.
She smiled. "Thank you."
While drying her eyes something dawned on her. She examined the handkerchief.
In the corner were the initials.
N.C.
Of course.
Niles took her hand and guided her up from the couch. "Come on, love. Why don't we make that tea, after all? I'm guessing we'll be here for a while."
She smiled. "All right."
They walked arm in arm into the kitchen.
Niles filled the kettle while Daphne sat down at the table. She looked at him lovingly as he placed it on the stove.
Then she suddenly stared off into space. And had her last vision.
She saw Hester, standing on the stairway, here in this apartment. Only the child was not wearing the black parka anymore. And her lovely young face was beaming with joy.
Niles noticed Daphne's faraway look and sunk into a chair next to her, taking her hand.
"Daphne... is something wrong?"
She returned from the vision and smiled sweetly at him. "No. No, nothing is wrong. Not anymore," she said. She slipped her hand around his neck and drew him to her, and kissed him tenderly.
The End
Please send us feedback ...we'd love to know what you all think....send feedback to [1]Moxie and [2]Vick
References
1. mailto:Moxierick@aol.com
2. mailto:Vickpena@yahoo.com.mx