Sam chuckled as he glanced at Norm and Martin who were sharing a laugh and several beers.
"Would you look at those two? Carrying on like they were the best friends in the world!"
"It's nice to see Mr. Crane so happy."
At the broken voice, Sam turned around.
"Daphne! I didn't see you there."
"I-I'm sorry." She said quietly.
"Don't be sorry. I just-are you okay, Hon?"
"O-of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
When her voice broke again, she put her hand over her mouth and began to cry.
"I-I'm sorry." She said again.
He reached over and put his hand on her shoulder, surprised when she collapsed against his chest, sobbing.
"It's okay, Hon." He said rubbing her back while she cried. "It'll be all right. Whatever it is."
Seconds later she looked up, clearly embarrassed. "Oh God... I didn't mean-."
"It's all right. What's this about?"
Daphne looked around the crowded bar. "I-I really shouldn't be takin' you away from your customers."
"Woody? Tend the bar for me, would ya?" Sam yelled.
"Sure thing, Sam!" Woody yelled back.
When Sam put his hand on Daphne's back, she gasped in surprise.
"Sam, this is hardly the time to-."
"Let's go outside and talk."
She glanced around uneasily. "But what about-."
"It's quieter out there."
He grabbed his leather jacket and a sweater from the coat rack that stood by the door. "It's a little chilly, so you might need this."
Hesitantly, Daphne smiled as he draped the sweater over her shoulders.
"Thank you."
"No problem." Sam said, leading her out onto the landing of the stairs.
As soon as the front door closed, the soft drone of cars replaced the commotion going on in the bar.
"Much better." Sam said, smiling in an effort to cheer her up. "Now what's this all about?"
"It's Dr. Crane. I'm just... so worried about him!"
"Who? Niles? Frasier told me that he's going through a painful divorce. I know how tough that can be. But if he's anything like his brother, I think he'll be fine."
"It's not him." Daphne said tearfully. "It's Frasier."
"What's going on?"
"Oh Sam... Lilith heard him giving some advice to a child on his radio program and the child was badly hurt as a result."
"Are you serious? Lilith said something about that, but she didn't go into details. I had no idea she was talking about Frasier."
"She blamed him for what happened and now she's forbidden him to have any contact with Frederick. No phone calls, no letters..."
"So that's why Freddie kept talking about Fras. Damn. I wish I had known. How long has this been going on?"
"A few months, I'm afraid."
Sam's eyes widened. "Months? But surely-."
Daphne shook her head.
"You mean he hasn't seen Frederick since-."
"Yes." She whispered. "And even though he won't admit it, he's quite depressed. More than once I've seen him staring at a picture of Frederick in his room, crying. He
broke down on his show the other day and... Oh Sam it was awful! He barely eats and he's had quite a bit more wine than usual."
"Why didn't I see this coming? And here I was, going on and on about Frederick and Lilith. That had to hurt like hell! Some friend I am... I'm supposed to be there for
him and-."
She reached out and touched his arm. "It's all right. You didn't know."
"Yeah, but I should have. All that talk about Lilith and-."
"When I think of how much she's hurt him, I just-."
"Look, I'll talk to him and try to straighten this out."
Daphne smiled and took Sam's hand.
"Now I know why Dr. Crane is always telling us about what a great friend you are."
When she looked away a little too quickly, Sam put his hand on her shoulder, forcing her attention back onto him.
"Something else is bothering you."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well those tears in your eyes for starters. Look, Frasier will be just fine. I'll talk to him and we'll work it out."
There was a long pause before she spoke again. "It's not just Frasier. It's Niles."
"Sweetheart, look. Divorce is hard. Although I admit that from what Frasier's told me about Maris, I could never figure out what Niles saw in her. She is one scary
woman!"
She shook her head again.
"It's more than just his divorce. I've seen how painful this is for him, worrying about Frasier. When Niles came down to the station to check on Frasier, I could see how
badly he was hurting. But all I could think about was meself! What kind of friend does that make me? If one of me own brothers was going through something like this;
I-I don't know what I'd do."
Sam hugged Daphne warmly. "Everything will work out just fine. You'll see."
Daphne sighed and rested her head against his chest as her tears fell onto his leather jacket; unaware of Niles watching her through the window.