For The Love of Daphne by Patrick Councilor
Niles sat in his wheel chair at the end of the hospital's hallway staring out of the window. He didn't have a view at all while sitting in his wheelchair. He was worried about Becky's well-being and he was filled with guilt about it. The bandage on his head was much smaller now; just two wraps around his head. He knew all too well how patients block accidents out of their conscious and sometimes never do recover that lost memories. He was ready to accept that. He looked down at his cast and smiled. When he had fallen asleep, Daphne had written something on it: "You truly are the love of my life ~ D."
"Well, look who's up and about." It was Daphne's voice.
Niles looked over to see Daphne holding David. She was wearing a Royal Blue Maxi Dress. It was a sleeveless dress with a cut off center high in the front and low in the back, revealing her beautiful left leg. She wore a thin leather black belt which accentuated her incredible frame. He was completely taken in by her beauty. "Daphne… you look stunning."
"David wanted to stop by, so I just threw something on." She smiled at him.
"David," Niles turned his wheel chair around and held his arms out.
Daphne walked over to him, placing David in his arms and stealing a sensuous kiss from her husband in the process. "The doctor said you can come home today."
"Yes, I am so glad to be able to go home, you have no idea." He gave David a kiss. He looked back at her and couldn't take his eyes off of her. "You do look incredible. Let me just look at you. Let my heart catch up to my eyes."
She spun around once to let him drink the view in.
He took in a deep, deep breath and slowly let it out in a heavy sigh that make Daphne laugh. He swallowed. "Daphne, I am so sorry I put you through this."
She squatted down by his chair. "I'm just so thankful that you're okay. I love you."
He stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. "I love you too."
"How are you doing with all of this?"
He shook his head. "I don't know. Dad gave me Becky's last name. I know her. She's a patient of mine."
"So that explains everything. She called you for help and you probably went to go help her that night."
He started to tear up. "I don't know. But she was a patient of mine and I almost killed her."
Daphne stood and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "Everything's going to be alright."
"Is it?" he asked. "If the city, Becky or her family press charges, I can't diverge any information. It's doctor/patience confidentiality. So even if I could remember that night, it wouldn't help me."
"Was Frasier able to help you?" She brushed his hair across his forehead back how he normally wears it.
"We've tried a few things. He even hypnotized me, but the only 'break through' we had was 'a can of cat food'. So, no. That went nowhere… unless I was avoiding a can of cat food in the road which caused me to swerve off the road."
She hugged him. "Give it time Niles." Hugging him while wearing that dress was a lethal combination. He took a deep breath of her perfume and started to get light headed; intoxicated with everything about her.
He reached up and gently pulled her in for a kiss. "Let's go home and bust this cast off," he suggested.
"Ease up there tiger. You need to walk before you can run."
"My plans had nothing to do with walking or running."
She smiled at him. "I know." She stood up. "Frasier and Martin insist on getting you the best lawyer in Seattle."
"Oh… you mean…"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."
"The Piranha."
"Yes, Donny Douglas. That is, unless you have a problem with it."
He shook his head. "No, I don't have a problem with it. Do you? You almost married the guy."
"I'm fine and don't remind me. Not that I could forget breaking his heart at the ceremony. Frasier will make the call. I told Frasier to have him come over to the apartment tomorrow night. That way your first night home won't be under interrogation."
"That's fine. Just don't wear that dress tomorrow night. No sense in torturing the man."
Daphne gave him a playful slap on the arm.