Chapter 19
Niles was at Café Nervosa drinking his coffee, just lost in thought when Frasier entered after his show. Niles turned, realizing his brother had joined him and was trying to get his attention.
"Oh, hello Frasier. Sorry, you'll have to repeat what you said."
"I said, what has you in such a good mood?"
Niles considered for a moment whether or not he should disclose what had transpired that weekend. He wanted to keep it to himself, savor it for a while. But he couldn't contain himself so much that he couldn't hint strongly at those events.
"I just spent the most wonderful weekend with Daphne."
"Well, I did notice she didn't seem to be around this weekend. I thought that might have been your doing."
"Yes we... finally consummated our relationship."
Frasier looked surprised.
"Oh. Well, congratulations, Niles, though I thought you would have done that months ago."
Niles raised an eyebrow.
"Why would you assume that?"
"Well, I just mean everyone thought that you had, so I guess-"
"Who's everyone?"
"No one. But, you've been together for three months, on multiple dates-"
"Daphne didn't want to rush into anything until things with Mel were finalized."
"Oh. Well, I guess that is understandable..." Frasier nodded, drinking his own coffee when he realized what Niles was saying. "So, are you saying you're finally free of Mel?"
Niles looked at his brother, somewhat triumphant.
"In a sense. I put my foot down, and signed the divorce papers. She would have received them last Friday."
"Oh Niles, I'm so pleased to hear that." Frasier raised his coffee cup towards Niles, who clinked his against it. "Here's to a speedy divorce."
"Thank you."
They sipped their coffees in silence for a moment. The goofy smile Niles had been wearing all day crept back onto his face. Frasier stared at his brother, curious.
"So... how was it?"
Niles turned back to Frasier, still smiling.
"A gentleman never tells, Frasier."
"Well, that's never stopped you before. You've always gloated."
"Well, I'm not now. Suffice to say, it was more than I could have ever imagined."
Niles looked away, grinning smugly, knowing that this was infuriating his brother. Frasier huffed, annoyed. Roz entered and, spotting the two brothers, joined them at the table. Roz turned straight to Niles, not even acknowledging Frasier was sitting there.
"Hi, Niles."
"Hello, Roz." Niles was a little confused by her sudden interest in him.
"Yes, hello Roz." Frasier greeted her, but Roz didn't respond. Frasier seemed put out by this. "Roz!"
"Oh, yeah. Hi." She turned from Frasier again before he could even say anything further. her attention back to fully on Niles.
Niles looked at Roz, unsure what warranted this attention.
"So, Niles. How's things? Been... busy lately?" Roz grinned at Niles, nudging him with her shoulder. Niles stared blankly, not quite understanding what Roz meant.
"Yes...?" He responded cautiously.
"I'm sure you heard that word a lot this weekend." Roz continued to grin suggestively at him. "A whole lot."
Niles and Frasier seemed to coin on to what she was implying at the same time.
"Oh, come on! Roz gets to hear about it, and I don't?" Frasier was outraged.
"Well, I didn't tell her!" Niles was equally outraged.
"Daphne did. She told me all about your 'dirty weekend'." Roz seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. "I must say, Niles, from what Daphne said, I'm impressed."
"You're impressed?" Frasier was incredulous. "What exactly happened this weekend?"
Roz opened her mouth to respond, when Niles interrupted.
"Oh, all right! Yes, Daphne and I spent the weekend together. I was hoping to savor this privately for a while longer before it became the latest topic of gossip, but here we are." He huffed, before continuing. "I've started divorce proceedings with Mel, so there is no more pretending that we are a happily married couple. Daphne and I then had a... discussion about some things related to our relationship now the divorce has commenced, and needless to say, we took that next step. It was... nirvana."
Niles sighed wistfully at the memory, the same grin from earlier reappearing. He noticed Frasier about to start asking him several new questions, which Niles didn't want to answer yet. He stood up.
"If you excuse me, I'm just going to use the facilities."
Niles headed to the bathroom before Frasier or Roz could say anything further for the moment. Not that Niles was against telling them anything, especially seeing as Daphne had no problem telling Roz. And he had in the past gossiped with Frasier about sex and the women they were seeing... although that was more often than not about the lack of sex, and the women they weren't seeing. But something about this was different, that Niles didn't want to tarnish by making more people aware.
Not yet, anyway. Maybe tomorrow.
As he returned, Niles noticed Roz and Frasier were deep in conversation. Roz was gesturing excitedly as she spoke, Frasier grinning smugly at the gossip. That was no surprise. He expected as much the second he left the table.
Let them talk.
Niles detoured to the counter, and ordered another coffee. He stood there waiting, to give his table companions a few more minutes to divulge before he had to go back and field the questions they were bound to have.
"Excuse me, Dr Niles Crane?"
Niles turned to the gentleman addressing him.
"Yes?"
"These are for you." The man handed Niles two identical envelopes of roughly similar size. Niles took them, unsure what they were.
"Thank you. What's this?"
"They're documents that I've been asked to serve on you. Have a nice day."
The man left, not waiting for any further questions. Niles frowned. Taking the coffee which had arrived during that exchange, he headed back to the table. Frasier and Roz looked ready to continue interrogating Niles, but noticed his face and the envelopes in his hand as he sat down.
"What's that?" Roz pointed to the envelopes, as if it wasn't clear what she was referring to.
"Are they from Mel?" Frasier was equally curious.
"I assume so. They were just served on me." Niles set down his coffee, and started to open the first envelope. "I can't imagine what they could possibly be - the divorce papers would just need to go back to my lawyers once signed."
"That's if Mel isn't trying something to draw this out more." Frasier seemed suspicious.
Niles sighed, pulling out the divorce papers he had signed and had served to Mel on Friday.
"She has no reason to do so. Her friends spotted Daphne and me at the opera Thursday night. They know Mel and I are separated now." He thumbed through the documents. "They're unsigned."
"I knew it." Roz seemed to be eating the drama up. "Mel is such a bitch. What's in the other envelope?"
Niles opened it.
"Looks like some sort of financial agreement." He skimmed over them, taking more time than with the original ones, his face growing grim as he read. "They outline completely different terms. Mel wants a totally different financial settlement. I... I don't see how she can possibly think this is reasonable."
Frasier and Roz had been reading over Niles' shoulder as he went through the documents. They shot each other knowing looks, as Niles stared at the papers, flabbergasted. Frasier broached the subject gently.
"Niles, Mel isn't one to take these things lying down. Perhaps this might be her way of punishing you for revealing her charade before she wanted you to?"
"Perhaps..." Niles was distracted as he continued to read. "I had liked to believe Mel was above that."
"Clearly she's not. And, she had these served directly to you to prove a point, right?" Roz tried to be equally tactful. "As you said, they just needed to go back to your lawyers."
Niles didn't respond. He seemed to be looking at something, completely numb.
"Niles?" Frasier looked at him, concerned.
Niles didn't answer his brother either. Instead, he just put the papers down on the table in front of him, open to the page he was staring at.
"What on earth is wrong, Niles?" Frasier picked up the documents, and skimmed, before seeing what his brother had spotted. "Oh. Oh, dear."
Roz glanced at Frasier, before looking over his shoulder to see what he was reading. It took her a moment, but then she saw it. Listed under the lawyer representing Mel. Donald R. Douglas.
Donny.
They sat there and chatted about it for a while longer. Roz was sympathetic, Frasier outraged. Niles seemed to be coping better than he usually did, but it was unclear how much of that was just because it hadn't sunk in yet.
"Can Donny even do that? Isn't that, like, a conflict of interest?" Roz asked.
Niles shrugged.
"I would assume he couldn't, but I'll have to check with my lawyers. I'm going to call Mel and-"
"No!" Both Roz and Frasier practically yelled at Niles at the same time.
Niles stared at them, startled, almost dropping his phone as he pulled it out of his jacket. Frasier glanced at Roz, before continuing.
"What Roz and I mean, is that's the worst possible thing you can do at this moment. Just-just talk to your lawyers. There's no reasoning with that woman."
Roz nodded her agreement. Niles sighed and put his phone away.
"Oh, all right. To be honest, I didn't want to speak to Mel again, anyway." Niles glanced at his watch. "It's late, so I'll have to call my lawyers tomorrow. Uh, I'm going to head home now. Thanks for the support, and advice."
Niles stood up, and said goodbye as he left, trying not to let the panic and anxiety clawing at the edges of his thoughts take over. Not yet, at least. He reached his car, and decided to completely disregard his brother's advice.
Niles tried calling Mel. Her home number rang out. So did her cell phone. Niles left a voicemail, trying to sound like he wasn't slowing spiraling into despair and panic. He then gave her office a call. The phone rang a few times, before reception answered.
"Hello, is Dr Karnofsky available?"
"I'm sorry, Dr Karnofsky is out of state for the next week or two I'm afraid, due to a family emergency. I can take a message for one of her colleagues to return your call if it's urgent. Otherwise you'll have to wait for her to return."
Niles declined the offer, before hanging up. Out of state. He wondered if that meant California with the Devereauxs. That damn trip she wanted Niles to go on. It was a little earlier than she was originally planning to go, but being intentionally unavailable right now would be very convenient if this was a power play.
Who am I kidding. Of course it is.
Niles drove home, feeling numb. He needed a drink - or several. And preferably something to crawl under.
Pity I don't own a piano.
Daphne was dusting, in a pretty good mood when Frasier returned home.
"Oh, hello Dr Crane."
"Hi, Daphne." He seemed to look at her curiously.
"I've got dinner cooking - it won't be too much longer. I've made you and your father's favorites tonight."
Martin glanced up from his chair, clearly pleased at how Daphne's cheerful demeanor was benefitting him.
"Thanks again, Daph. You know, you seem to be in a good mood today."
"Yes, well, I had such a lovely time with Niles this weekend." She sighed happily as she put away the cleaning supplies.
"Well, maybe you should spend next weekend with Niles too." Martin was less than subtle with his comment.
"You know, I think I will. But don't think I don't see that you've got an ulterior motive, old man." She chuckled a little. "I'm just going to go freshen up before dinner."
Martin laughed along with Daphne as she left to her room. Frasier glanced over at his father.
"Dad. I saw Niles today, and-"
"Was he in as good a mood as Daphne? I don't want to pry with that kind of stuff you know, but clearly they had some weekend together."
"Yes. Niles said they finally consummated their relationship."
Martin pulled a face
"Ah geez. I didn't need to know that." He suddenly frowned, confused. "But, I thought they already-"
"Yes, and so did everyone else. But anyway, I saw Niles today-"
Martin interrupted Frasier, not even listening.
"You know, I hope it continues. Not only did I get out of doing my exercises this weekend, Daphne came home this morning in a great mood. Made me lunch, now my favorite for dinner. She hasn't even said anything about me eating pickles straight from the jar."
Frasier glanced at the pickle jar, half empty and sitting open on the side table.
"Well, Daphne might not have said anything, but I will." He snatched up the jar, and headed to the kitchen, replacing the lid and putting it back into the fridge. "You know my rules about eating food straight from their containers-"
"Yeah, yeah." Martin grumbled under his breath.
Frasier returned to the living room, and attempted to recommence the previous conversation.
"Anyway. I saw Niles today. Yes - he was in a good mood, but-"
"You know, you should take a page from his book, Fras. Go out, have some fun. Lighten up a little." Martin smirked, poking at his son. "Find a woman."
"Will you listen, Dad! Niles was served divorce papers today, from Mel. And... she's got Donny as her lawyer."
"Donny?" Martin looked concerned. "You mean, that Donny?"
"Yes, that Donny."
Martin sat for a moment, thinking.
"That's not good, huh?"
"No, I would say that it's not."
Daphne was in her room, humming to herself as she brushed her hair and freshened up. As Martin had pointed out, she had been in a good mood all day. She couldn't help it. Whenever she thought about Niles, and their weekend together, she found herself grinning like an idiot.
I wonder if Niles has been doing the same thing today?
Roz had come over just before lunch, and the two of them had gossiped. Daphne had disclosed a fair bit about their weekend, but she couldn't help it. They talked about that kind of thing together all the time. Well, Roz was usually the one doing all the talking while Daphne listened. And besides having something to gossip about, Daphne enjoyed changing Roz's perception of Niles. Roz had previously hinted, several times, that she thought Niles would be bad in bed. So when Daphne reported that it was the complete opposite, it was quite amusing to see the confusion on Roz's face as she tried to process that new information.
"Niles? Frasier's brother Niles?"
Daphne nodded, chuckling.
"Really?" Roz still didn't seem to believe it.
"Would I lie about this to you?"
"No. I mean, maybe? It's just... Niles?"
Later, Daphne wondered if she should have been more discreet, but then she remembered the times she had overheard Frasier and Niles discussing their various trysts with each other. Or rather, lack of said trysts. There were even times the three or four of them had traded stories of different sexual escapades.
Although, she realized with a smile, whenever I was the one sharing, Niles was glued to the edge of his seat, listening.
And besides, Daphne wasn't that overt with the details. Just enough to make Roz suitably jealous. Which was a very fun thing to watch. There wasn't much left that could make Roz jealous. Still, if Niles was mad, Daphne figured she'd make it up to him later. She was sure that he would forgive her. And it might make for another fun story to tell Roz.
Daphne came back out to the living room, and saw Frasier and Martin looking worried.
"What's wrong?"
Frasier glanced at Martin.
"Uh, I don't know if-"
"She has a right to know, Frasier."
"Know what?" Daphne was curious now, and a tad worried.
Frasier shrugged helplessly.
"I just meant that maybe Niles should-"
"Niles should what? What's wrong?" Now Daphne was concerned. What did Niles tell his brother, that Frasier couldn't tell her?
Did I misread this entire weekend? Is he going to break up with me? Did something happen? What-
"It's about Mel."
That calmed Daphne, but only for a moment. Then she was concerned for several other reasons.
"What about Mel?"
"Well, Niles served her divorce papers last Friday-"
"I know that already." Daphne was frustrated that Frasier was rehashing old news now.
"Yes. Well, she sent them back unsigned, and with a new set. With less forgiving terms."
Oh, no.
"That's not good. How did Niles take it?"
"Well, he's... coping I guess."
Daphne nodded.
"I'll go and see him a bit later tonight, if that's okay. I want to make sure he's doing all right."
"Yes, of course, Daphne."
Daphne turned to head into the kitchen, when Martin spoke.
"Daph, Frasier left something out."
Daphne turned back, and noticed Frasier gesturing wildly to his father to shut up. Martin ignored him and continued.
"Donny is Mel's lawyer."
Daphne froze.
Donny? Mel's lawyer? Why? How?
"Dad! We agreed to let Niles tell her that!"
"No, we didn't! And she has a right to know!"
Daphne turned around and headed to grab her coat and bag, ignoring the bickering between Frasier and Martin.
"Your dinner should be nearly done, you'll have to serve yourselves. I've got to go."
"Daph-"
She had already walked out, the door closing on Frasier mid sentence.
This was very confusing. Daphne didn't know what to think or do, and she imagined Niles must be feeling the exact same way.
