Chapter Ten
Frasier was the first one to wake up the next morning. After Niles had left, Frasier just sat with Lilith on the couch. They barely said anything to each other, but he never left her side. He stayed with her, comforting her, until she eventually fell asleep. Then he carried her upstairs to her bed and tucked her in. She was still asleep as was Frederick.
Frasier decided it was best if he prepared some breakfast for the three of them. Without a doubt, Frederick would be waking up soon. He was unsure if his son had an alarm clock or if Lilith woke him up. A small part of that angered him, but he did not press it. He would find out soon enough. Until then, he would start cooking some scrambled eggs, bacon, bagels, and whatever else he could prepare with what Lilith had lying around.
As Frasier cracked several eggs over the frying pan, he swore he heard knocking at the door. He glanced over towards the window and sure enough there was Niles. Frasier rolled his eyes, but he did walk over and open the door slowly. "What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly.
"Is Lilith awake yet?" Niles asked softly.
Frasier shook his head.
"Good," Niles said. "I'm not sure I can face her yet. God, Frasier, I was an idiot last night."
"I'm not going to disagree with you," Frasier said as he opened the door a little bit and allowed his brother to come in.
Niles walked over and sat down at the kitchen table. "She just took me by surprise," he started. "I mean, I just had no idea. I always thought of that night as just two people, however misguided, rediscovering their ids together. We were reaffirming our worth, not making a baby." He sighed heavily. "Of course, the timing could not be more wrong. I just know Maris' lawyers are going to try and twist this into something cynical. And the Daphne thing."
Frasier rolled his eyes as he continued preparing the eggs. "What Daphne thing, Niles?" he asked skeptically.
"Well, I was planning on telling her how I felt about her," Niles began.
"No, you weren't," Frasier interrupted. "You always say you are, but you never do. You always chicken out. Now can you think of how this affects someone besides yourself for once?"
"Like whom?" Niles shot back in an almost sarcastic tone. "You? Oh, poor Frasier. His brother got his ex-wife pregnant. You heard what she said. We're not responsible to you. We don't owe you anything."
"I was going to say Lilith," Frasier informed Niles as he put a few more eggs in the pan. "And do keep your voice down. Freddy and Lilith are still sleeping."
Niles sighed. "You're right," he admitted. "She's the one with the child." He shook his head slightly and sighed again. "Alone with the child," he amended. "She's not expecting me to propose or anything, is she?"
Frasier shook his head. "I highly doubt that. She can barely tolerate you as it is." He turned down the stove and walked to the counter to start cutting the bagels in half. "But you do have to do something that will show you can support her. At the very least, you have to talk to her."
"I-I can't do that," Niles protested. "I mean, I know I have to, but I doubt she'll even listen to me. Frasier, I was a jackass last night."
"Believe me, I know," Frasier said dryly as he placed several half bagels on a pan. He then walked over and placed the pan in the oven.
Niles frowned. "I thought you were asleep," he said. "Lilith distinctly told me that you were asleep."
"Well, that was a lie," Frasier said. "I was in the other room. I was going to come in and intervene if things got too out of hand, but you left too quickly."
"I see," Niles said as he once again stood up. "Was anything else a lie? Why don't we just get it out in the open? Is there anything else you're hiding from me?" His face was flushing with anger again. "Well, is there?" he demanded.
Frasier shook his head. "No, the baby thing was pretty much it," he said.
"Pretty much?" Niles repeated in an angry but skeptical tone. "What do you mean 'pretty much'?"
"Uncle Niles!" came the excited greeting from Frederick as he came into the kitchen. "Are you here for the same conference as my dad?"
From behind Frederick, Frasier was eagerly nodding his head yes. "No," Niles answered plainly. "I'm here for a seminar, and I'm late, so I better be going." He stood up from the table and handed Frasier a small piece of paper. "That's the number of the hotel at which I'll be staying if you or Lilith should feel the need to contact me."
"Niles," Frasier warned. "You are going to speak to her, am I right?"
Niles was silent, but he did give a small nod. "After my seminar," he said. "I'll stop by." He turned to Frederick. "It was nice to see you, and I'll be back later, I promise."
"Ok," Frederick said before he turned to Frasier. "What's for breakfast?" he asked. "And where's Mom?"
"I'm right here," Lilith announced as she slowly walked into the kitchen. She was still wearing the same outfit she had been wearing the previous day. The only difference was that now it was slightly wrinkled from her sleeping in it for several hours. Her hair was down, Frasier immediately noticed.
Frasier walked over to her and embraced her. "How do you feel?" he whispered as he tucked a bit of her hair back behind her ear.
Frederick's ears perked up as he looked over at his mother with concern. "You're not feeling well?" he asked in alarm. "Should I call someone?"
Lilith shook her head as Frasier eased her into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She gave him a look of gratitude before turning back to Frederick. Her son's face was still filled with alarm and panic. "That's not necessary," she told him. "But I think we should talk. Here, sit down."
Frederick eyed her suspiciously as he pulled up the seat next to hers. "What is it?"
"Frederick, do you remember when I talked to you about whether or not you would like a brother or sister?" Lilith asked. Her tone was serious, but there were the smallest hints of a smile on her face.
Frasier glanced at her curiously. He had no idea that she still thought about having more children. She had mentioned it on several occasions when they were still married, but he thought those feelings disappeared with the divorce.
"Yes, I remember," Frederick answered his mother seriously. "I still think it would be kind of cool to have someone else around."
Lilith smiled at him and took his hand. She held it tightly between her hands as she spoke. "I hope you still think it's cool when it happens," she told him. "You're getting a brother or sister."
"Neat," Frederick exclaimed. "Can I teach it how to play piano and use a computer?" he asked excitedly.
Lilith smiled again. At least there was one person who did not get angry with her for telling them the news. Then again, Frederick was a lot younger than Frasier and Niles. He probably did not know entirely how babies were formed. "I promise you can when he or she is old enough," Lilith stated. She looked up at Frasier. "Now let's eat this nice breakfast your father prepared," she added.
"Ok," Frederick agreed as he handed everyone a napkin.
Frasier smiled at the two of them as he brought over the plate of bacon and bowl of eggs. He quickly pulled the bagels from the oven then placed those on the table as well. "Careful," he warned. "The pan's a little hot." He then smiled and handed out plates. He was about to sit down at the end of the table next to Frederick, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Lilith shaking her head slightly.
"Sit here," she said softly as she pushed out the other chair that was next to her. "I'd like you to," she added.
Frasier smiled warmly as he sat down next to her. She smiled back, and for a moment the two of them sat there gazing into each other's eyes.
