For The Love of Daphne by Patrick Councilor
Martin picked up the phone on the first ring. He had ahold of the receiver all night long. "Hello," he said with great eagerness.
"Marty, this is Frank."
"Frank, thank God. I've been talking to Bob all night long…"
"I know all about it. I would have called sooner, but I just got on duty and found out what was going on."
"Frank, is there anything you can do…"
"Marty, I've got some news. There was a report of a BMW rollover on the outskirts of town."
"Oh my God," Martin's voice dropped even lower. He noticed that Daphne had just walked into the room.
"We ran the plates. It is Niles' car. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and was rushed to the hospital."
Martin tried to keep his voice down and be discrete with Daphne in listening range. "Anything further?"
"Daphne's in the room, isn't she? All that I know is that he made it to the hospital." That was Frank's way of saying Niles was not a D.O.A. (Dead On Arrival). "He's at Virginia Mason."
"Thanks Frank. I'd better go."
"Hold on there. I'll come pick you up and drive you over. No one there is probably in any condition to drive."
"Right. Thanks Frank."
"You're at Niles' apartment right?"
"Right. We're at the Montana."
"I'll meet yous out front in ten minutes."
"Thanks Frank." He hung up and turned to find Daphne and Ronee eager to hear an update. "Brace yourselves."
Daphne hung onto Ronee for support.
"Niles has been in an accident."
Daphne started to bawl.
"He's at Virginia Mason Hospital and that's about all I know. Frank's going to drive us. He's going to meet us downstairs in ten minutes."
"I have to get David." Daphne started upstairs to David's room.
"I don't think that might be such a good idea Daph."
She stopped in her tracks. He turned to see Martins sobering look. "Oh my God." She ran into Martin's arms and broke right down. "Ronee will you…"
"Yes, I will take care of things here and watch David," she answered his question before he could get it out.
"And would you…"
"Yes, I will call Frasier."
He turned Daphne toward the front door. She went to push the elevator button as Ronee stopped Martin at the front door to give him a gentle kiss. "Call me when you find something out," Ronee told him.
Martin gave her a humble nod, turned and closed the door behind him.
Daphne lead the way into the hospital at a half-running pace. Martin couldn't keep up with her. Her eyes were swollen and her nose was red from all of the crying she had done. Martin and Frank caught up with her at the reception desk. She had waited for Martin to do the talking for fear of breaking down again.
"Excuse me miss, I'm Martin Crane. We're here to see a patient that just arrived: Niles Crane."
"One moment please." The nurse started to type into the computer.
Frank spoke up as he showed his badge, "He may be listed as a John Doe."
Daphne cringed at the thought of Niles being referred to as such.
Frank continued, "He's was in a motor vehicle accident and just arrived over a half hour ago."
The lady typed more into the computer. "There is a Doe that arrived without any identification."
Martin pulled out Niles' wallet and held it up.
She glanced back at the computer screen. "I'm showing that he is in the O.R. I'll note in the computer that you are waiting. Once one of his nurses or doctors is available, he or she will come to the waiting room to talk to you."
"Bloody hell, I've got to know if it's him or not!" Daphne said in a panic.
"Excuse me," a young man with sandy-blonde hair came walking down the hallway wearing an international orange jump-suit. "Are you inquiring about the John Doe that just arrived?"
"He's got a name!" Daphne snapped at him. "His name is Niles Crane! At least, if that's him in there!" She turned and started to walk toward the sofas in the waiting room.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You must be Daphne."
She turned to him in amazement. Her face flushed red and then it turned pale white. "How do you know my name?"
"I was the first EMT on the scene. Every time I asked the patient for his name, he kept telling me, 'I love Daphne'."