The glass of sherry fell from his hand and Niles felt himself begin to hyperventilate. He heard the glass shatter and the red liquid splashed onto the carpet and the furniture. But he sat in shock, making no attempt to clean up the mess.
Eric...
The sound of the man's name on his whispered lips hurt deeply. He hadn't thought about the man in years, but Daphne must have kept in regular contact with him. Of course she did; she was a customer of Café Nervosa, thanks to their enjoyment of their specialty blends over a leisurely breakfast.
It was a ritual that he looked foreword to and even on the darkest nights, he knew that he would wake up to find his wife's lovely face smiling at him over the breakfast table.
She was always buying coffee for Frasier, when he was still living at the Elliot Bay Towers. And now that his brother was in San Francisco, she still frequented the beloved coffee shop. She and Roz often met there for coffee, just as he and Frasier had done for so many years.
Or at least she said she was meeting Roz for coffee. It seemed strange that their coffee dates always took place during times when Niles was at work.
Damn... He hated this feeling. How could he think for one moment that Daphne would ever... was capable of...
The more he willed the thought away, the more it returned to haunt him. And the ache in his chest grew and grew.
He hadn't heard the man's name mentioned in years, but he remembered him vividly; slicked back red hair, broad shoulders, a smile that would make the perfect image were Café Nervosa to start advertising on billboards.
The mere image made him sick.
And then he thought about that night... that horrible, blissful night when Daphne agreed to help him make dinner for his ungrateful wife.
How could she possibly associate with him after what that man had done? Humiliating her by breaking up with her because of his music? He'd never seen his angel so distraught. She looked so beautiful wearing Maris' silk robe and nightgown. If things had gone differently that night...
But that was many years ago, and Eric had been employed by Café Nervosa for a long time. Daphne was a frequent customer, so it was only natural that she'd run into him. He was most likely a different person now, with different goals and dreams.
Dare he think that this... community college barista actually managed to finish school and do something with his life?
No, it was completely impossible.
So why... Why now? Why now when everything was so wonderful? They had their son, a happy life...
Or so he thought.
Now he wasn't so sure.
Never in his life did he dream that things would take this turn. It was like his first marriage all over again. Daphne was an angel and was so dedicated to their son and to their lives.
She always said that family was the most important thing, which is why, even after Niles assured her that she didn't need to work-that he would give his heart and soul to be able to provide for his wife and son.
Had he really been that terrible of a husband that she felt the need to...?
He couldn't think it. Refused to think it. But even so, the feeling was still there, pounding at his emotions.
And suddenly the hidden tears that had threatened to fall unleashed themselves amid a sea of pain.
Never in his life had he been so grateful to be alone with his feelings of sadness and despair. But the feeling of being alone was nothing compared to loneliness. For that was the worst feeling of all.