Behind The Glockenspiel
"You want the clock back?" he asked.
The color was returning to her face. "Niles, that clock saved your marriage."
"Well… yes, but I don't think that's anything to really celebrate about."
"Our marriage Niles. If that clock interrupted you about to kiss me, than it stopped what would have been a huge mistake."
"What? What do you mean? How did it save our marriage?" His eyes widened at such an accusation.
"If you would have kissed me, it could have ended your marriage. I couldn't live with that. If I was the cause of your marriage ending, I couldn't stand to have stolen somebody from their marriage."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that things happen for a reason. I think if you would have kissed me while you were married, we probably wouldn't be together today."
"Daphne!"
"Yes Niles."
"We've got to find that clock!" He started to get up, but she stopped him.
"There's something that I must tell you and I feel completely awful about it."
"Daphne what is it?" He knew something had been troubling her about the clock and this was it. What was she going to say?
"It's the reason I was fond of the clock."
"Yes Daphne, what is it?" What could it possibly be?
"I…"
"Yes?"
"On that stormy night, I wanted you to kiss me."
"WHAT?"
"I wanted you to kiss me."
It was time for Niles to lose all the color in his face as he fell back off his knee and onto his posterior. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Daphne."
"There was the candles and the fire in the fireplace. I was in that silk night gown."
"You wanted me to kiss you?"
"It was just a moment in our lives. I knew it was wrong. I was weak. I felt so guilty about it. Perhaps that's why I didn't see you were about to kiss me. I thought that it was just all in me head. And perhaps trying to push these feelings and ambitions out of me mind."
"You wanted me to kiss you?"
"I thought you could read the signs and I was so embarrassed about them."
"There were signs?"
"Niles dear, when a woman dressed in nothing but a silk gown lays down in front of a handsome man who's practically leaning over her and she closes her eyes, she expects to be kissed."
"Oh my God, Daphne." Niles started to hyperventilate.
"Niles, I'm so sorry. Take some deep breaths. I'm right here with you."
"Daphne… If I had… kissed you…"
She looked deep and longingly into his eyes. "I would have kissed you back. We probably would have made love right there where we were. Glimmering bodies by the light of the fireplace."
Niles started hyperventilating harder. "Daphne…" He gasped for breath. "You're not helping."
"Well, here's a show-stopper for you: by the time we got hot and heavy in a grab and a tickle, it's about the time Frasa would have been pounding on the back windows." She leaned over and kissed him longingly. When she pulled back, he signed heavily. "Is that better?"
"Why, you know, it is." He was no longer breathing heavy. He signed again, "You know that clock does have some wonderful memories behind it."
"Yes, especially the ones you just found out about."
"I love you so much Daphne. You make me so happy."
"And you make me happy Niles. I love you so." She kissed him again.
"So that's why you were so fond of the clock. It reminded you of when you wanted me to kiss you?"
"Yes, the first time I wanted you to kiss me."
"We've got to get that clock back." He jumped up.
"This antique store, is it still open this time of night?"
"We'd better go see."
"What about dinner?"
"Can you put it up for later?"
"I suppose so."
"I'm sorry, we just have no time to lose. We've got to get to that antique store."
"With all that talk, I was hoping we could have a little roll in the hay before we shoved off."
"Quickly..." Niles ran for the staircase. "Quickly."
Daphne scampered off right up behind him.