She could feel him watching her as she walked to the foyer and picked up her shopping bags.
"Let me help you with that." He said, rising to his feet.
"It's all right. You've been so kind already. Just make yourself comfortable."
He smiled and then sat down. "All right, if you're sure. But if you need help, I'm here for you, Daphne. Always."
Her heart warmed at his thoughtfulness and she returned to his side taking his hand in hers. "I'll be right back."
Quickly she retreated to her room and set the shopping bags on the bed, carefully removing each item. When the price tags were removed, she searched the room and found a gift bag, along with some tissue paper, remnants from a long ago birthday gift. It wasn't perfect or even fancy, certainly not for the recipient, but at the moment it would have to do.
She arranged the royal blue silk tie with tiny gold lines and yellow dots in its box, taking one last glance at it before slipping it into the bag. After that came the box containing the cologne and finally the silver pen. And with her heart racing in anticipation, she returned the living room.
She smiled when she saw him, sitting on the sofa a pot of tea on the coffee table. "What's this?"
Always the gentleman, he stood as she entered the room. "You must be cold, having been out there in that dreadful weather. I noticed that you haven't taken off your coat."
She looked down, amazed that she could have forgotten such a silly thing and before she could even begin to remove it, he was right there beside her, helping her.
She sighed smiling through her tears, unable to resist kissing him. "Thank you, Niles."
"My pleasure. Now why don't you have a seat and relax? You've had a traumatic night, and I can't even imagine what you've been through."
"It was horrible, and I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me… giving up your party, and-."
He smiled and brushed a tear from her cheek. "You're worth more than any party, Daphne."
She kissed him again, even more tenderly than before, and she let her hand rest on his cheek. "I need to thank you properly, Dr. Crane."
"Daphne, no. What I did was-."
"Absolutely wonderful. If you hadn't been there, I..."
"Come here…" He said engulfing her in his arms.
"Thank you…" She whispered.
He held her for a long movement and then she suddenly drew back. "Oh, I almost forgot." With a smile on her face she reached for the gift bag at her feet. "I bought this… for you."
"Daphne you didn't have to…"He took the bag from her and reached inside, gasping when he opened the box containing the silk tie. "Daphne this is beautiful, but I don't deserve-."
"There's more." She said, unable to stop smiling.
He reached into the bag, removing the box containing the cologne and returned his gaze to hers. "My favorite, but how did you know?"
But she simply smiled. "It smells so wonderful, that I had to know what kind it was. So I asked at your favorite clothing store."
He leaned to kiss her but she smiled and put her fingers to his lips. "There's still more."
"More gifts? But Daphne I can't possibly accept…" He gasped in surprise when he removed the silver pen.
"Do you like them?"
He stared into her eyes, and she could have sworn she saw the onset of tears. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Daphne. This is truly wonderful; much more than I could ever deserve. You have the most generous, loving and kind heart of anyone I know and I love you so much. "
She gasped at his unexpected words. "You what?"
"I…"
"Oh Niles…"
Her lips met his in a series of kisses that left them both breathless. But a sudden revelation hit her and she drew back in surprise. "Oh no…"
"What is it?"
"I've given you your Christmas presents much too early! I'll have to go shopping again as soon as possible. What was I thinking?"
"You don't have to buy me anything more. I don't expect anything."
"But-."
He kissed her once more and drew her close to him, as she laid her cheek against his. "Daphne, holding you in my arms like this, being able to kiss you and knowing that our relationship will continue to grow, is the best present I could ever receive. Nothing else comes close."
She sighed taking a moment to kiss him once more. Perhaps they should rethink the name Black Friday. For it wasn't dark at all. It was filled with the colors of love.
THE END