Over the next few days, Niles took advantage of his much lighter schedule by spending some time at home taking care of David. This allowed Daphne to get some much-needed rest. And Niles was painfully aware that these moments with his son were precious, for David would only be this age for so long. He also called Frasier regularly, to ask for advice about his radio show, as well as just to chat, as they used to before Frasier moved away. Just knowing his brother was back in his life did wonders for Niles' outlook. It was as if everything in his life were perfect.
Daphne enjoyed having her husband at home also. Not only was she glad to have a break from taking care of David, but she liked having him there in general. She understood perfectly why Niles went to work every day. His work meant a lot to him, and she would never ask him to give it up. But sometimes when he was gone, she missed him more than she ever thought possible.
Niles' days of being home with his family ended all too quickly. Soon it was time for his last show on KACL. Over breakfast that morning, Daphne smiled across the table at her husband. "I'm sure everything will be just fine."
"I just hope you're right," Niles replied. "I guess I never realized how attached people were to Frasier. But Seattle's a big city, and someone must need advice today." He tried to smile, but it wasn't very convincing.
"Try to think positive," Daphne said, reaching out to hold his hand. "Whatever happens, David and I will be very proud of you." At the sound of his name, David smiled. When he saw that he'd gotten his parents' attention, he began to giggle. The sound was like music to Niles' ears, making it even more difficult to leave. But he took a deep breath and stood up. "Goodbye, David," he said, bending down to kiss his son's cheek.
Daphne came over and put her arms around her husband. "I think you'll do a wonderful job today," she said, kissing him. "David and I will be listening. He just loves hearing his Daddy's voice on the radio. Don't you, sweetheart?" Daphne turned to her son, picking him up from his highchair. David began to fuss, making it clear he was ready for a nap. Niles took that as his cue to leave so Daphne could take care of him.
When he arrived at Frasier's old booth, he found Roz sitting in her usual chair, staring blankly into space. "Roz, are you all right?" he asked, going through the door that led into her side of the room.
"Yeah," Roz replied. "I just didn't think about what it would feel like to be here again."
Niles understood only too well the way she was feeling. "You miss him, too, don't you?"
Roz nodded. "It's not so bad during the day. I'm usually so busy, trying to do a million things at once. But then I go home, and I put Alice to bed, and then..."
Niles put a hand on her shoulder. "You've got a lot on your plate right now, with Alice, this job, and Frasier being gone. I know Daphne and I have been pretty busy ourselves, with David. But you and Alice are welcome to visit any time. I know for a fact that Daphne would love to see you!"
"Thanks, Niles," Roz said, standing up to hug him. "I really appreciate that."
"Don't mention it," Niles said, pulling out of the embrace. All at once, it hit him. He'd just hugged Roz, the person who used to annoy him to no end. But now, he realized just how much they had in common. They were both parents, and both missed Frasier terribly. Suddenly, he was grateful for Roz's prescence in the booth today. Not only for her expertise at handling callers, but also for the security of knowing that, for once, they were both on the same team.