As I made my way into the kitchen to make breakfast my gaze fell upon a note on the dinner table.
'Taken Mr Crane and Eddie out for breakfast.
P.S. I'm a physical therapist, not a housekeeper. Clean up your own bloody mess. Please.
-Daphne.'
I turned to face the coffee table with a sigh. There I found two wineglasses, an empty bottle, two coffee mugs and a juice glass. Remnant's from my evening with Lilith and Frederick.
Last night was one of those nights you know will stay with you forever, even though nothing generally considered amazing happened. But I found it amazing.
It had been the perfect family evening. Until Lilith and Frederick had to leave that is. She informed me that their flight left early the next morning and so it was easier to take him with her for the night instead of collecting him from my place at an ungodly hour.
Up until this point in the evening I had almost forgotten that the divorce had ever taken place. Lilith and I discussed our latest projects for work, I had forgotten how much she understood me and and my way of working. Yes, I had always had Niles around to discuss psychiatric dilemmas and theories, but I had missed Lilith's point of view and flare for knowing my decision before I'd even made it.
Frederick played quietly with his jig-saw puzzle on the floor in front of us, every so often enlisting Lilith and I to look for a piece of purple space-ship or stars.
Lilith and Frederick seemed to find it hilarious when I spent 5 minutes looking for a piece of sky. Until Lilith peeled it off of my forearm, where it attached itself and I realised what was so funny. Her laugh was intoxicating after going so long without hearing it. Looking into her eyes felt like coming home.
Lilith had developed some sniffles during the course of the evening. I offered her a brandy or hot lemon to ease the symptoms, but she insisted that she was fine. That's Lilith, ever independent.
After I had cleared the glasses and finished my breakfast I stepped into the shower. Just as I was about to belt out my favourite aria from La Boheme I could swear I heard a distant knocking… "The door!"
I proceeded to wrap a towel around my lower half as I got out of the shower and sauntered to the door.
Anther knock. "I'm coming!"
Daphne had probably forgotten her keys again.
I opened the door. My eye-line set at Daphne's level and found myself having to lower my gaze. The brown eye's that met mine were puffy and bloodshot.
"Lilith! What are you doing here?"
She sneezed. "I think I have the flu, Frasier. Frederick and I went to the airport anyway but they wouldn't let me fly. Y'know, re-circulated air and all that."
"Yes, I understand. I told you you should've let me take care of you last night."
"Yes, well. It seems I won't be able to fly until I'm better. So I thought I'd drop Frederick off with you. It's not fair of me to keep him cooped up in a hotel room with me like this." Another sneeze.
Freddie smiled up at me from his place at his mother's side. I looked back into Lilith's eye's. "Don't be silly Lilith. You can stay here with me and Frederick." I motioned for my ex-wife and son to come in and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Old reflex, I guess. She looked so sweet and helpless.
"Frasier, You're wet."
"Oh! I'm sorry. You and Freddie make yourselves at home while I go and dry off.
"Thank you, Frasier." Her cherry lips formed a sweet smile.
"You're welcome." I smiled back and exited into the bathroom.
'Taken Mr Crane and Eddie out for breakfast.
P.S. I'm a physical therapist, not a housekeeper. Clean up your own bloody mess. Please.
-Daphne.'
I turned to face the coffee table with a sigh. There I found two wineglasses, an empty bottle, two coffee mugs and a juice glass. Remnant's from my evening with Lilith and Frederick.
Last night was one of those nights you know will stay with you forever, even though nothing generally considered amazing happened. But I found it amazing.
It had been the perfect family evening. Until Lilith and Frederick had to leave that is. She informed me that their flight left early the next morning and so it was easier to take him with her for the night instead of collecting him from my place at an ungodly hour.
Up until this point in the evening I had almost forgotten that the divorce had ever taken place. Lilith and I discussed our latest projects for work, I had forgotten how much she understood me and and my way of working. Yes, I had always had Niles around to discuss psychiatric dilemmas and theories, but I had missed Lilith's point of view and flare for knowing my decision before I'd even made it.
Frederick played quietly with his jig-saw puzzle on the floor in front of us, every so often enlisting Lilith and I to look for a piece of purple space-ship or stars.
Lilith and Frederick seemed to find it hilarious when I spent 5 minutes looking for a piece of sky. Until Lilith peeled it off of my forearm, where it attached itself and I realised what was so funny. Her laugh was intoxicating after going so long without hearing it. Looking into her eyes felt like coming home.
Lilith had developed some sniffles during the course of the evening. I offered her a brandy or hot lemon to ease the symptoms, but she insisted that she was fine. That's Lilith, ever independent.
After I had cleared the glasses and finished my breakfast I stepped into the shower. Just as I was about to belt out my favourite aria from La Boheme I could swear I heard a distant knocking… "The door!"
I proceeded to wrap a towel around my lower half as I got out of the shower and sauntered to the door.
Anther knock. "I'm coming!"
Daphne had probably forgotten her keys again.
I opened the door. My eye-line set at Daphne's level and found myself having to lower my gaze. The brown eye's that met mine were puffy and bloodshot.
"Lilith! What are you doing here?"
She sneezed. "I think I have the flu, Frasier. Frederick and I went to the airport anyway but they wouldn't let me fly. Y'know, re-circulated air and all that."
"Yes, I understand. I told you you should've let me take care of you last night."
"Yes, well. It seems I won't be able to fly until I'm better. So I thought I'd drop Frederick off with you. It's not fair of me to keep him cooped up in a hotel room with me like this." Another sneeze.
Freddie smiled up at me from his place at his mother's side. I looked back into Lilith's eye's. "Don't be silly Lilith. You can stay here with me and Frederick." I motioned for my ex-wife and son to come in and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Old reflex, I guess. She looked so sweet and helpless.
"Frasier, You're wet."
"Oh! I'm sorry. You and Freddie make yourselves at home while I go and dry off.
"Thank you, Frasier." Her cherry lips formed a sweet smile.
"You're welcome." I smiled back and exited into the bathroom.