Café Nervosa (present day)
Now, Niles sat and watched people drift in and out of the café, grateful that he was being ignored. He sipped his black coffee, which seemed to be the only drink the
barista was capable of making correctly, and sighed. He could barely taste it anyway.
His heart ached...
How could he have been so stupid?
Once again his mind drifted back to the horrible conclusion to such a horrible night...
He'd woken that morning, certain that Daphne would have forgotten all about the misunderstanding and forgiven him. The thought made him smile. They'd had fights
before; many in fact. And the best part of fighting was making up, No matter whose fault it was.
"Oh Sweetheart... Daphne, my love..." He sang, his heart beating rapidly at the thought of seeing her as he ran down the hallway to the guest room. "I love you more
than anything and I hope you're ready to make up..."
But when he opened the guest room door, she was gone.
Dear God...
In a panic he returned to his bedroom, hoping to find her; perhaps in the shower, waiting for him.
"Daphne!" he yelled, praying that he'd find her.
But the bathroom was empty... And to his horror, so were the drawers and the closet.
He sunk down on the bed as the shattering realization hit him. She was gone.
This had to be a cruel nightmare.
He closed his eyes, hoping to see her beautiful form when he opened them again. Instead he saw something that crushed his soul. It was her engagement ring, sitting
on his dresser. And beside it, a note:
Niles,
Here is your bloody ring back! Take it... Because I don't want it. I don't love you anymore, and I'm certainly not going to marry you.
Goodbye forever,
Daphne.
Daphne, no... This can't be happening...
When he picked up the ring, all he could think of was the glorious night he'd proposed...
And suddenly the man who said he never cried was sobbing into his hands, not caring what the Café Nervosa patrons-or anyone-thought of him. For his world had
truly ended and his life was no longer worth living... He had no career, no friends, no family... and worst of all...
No Daphne...