He needed some air.
He went downstairs and left a scribbled note by her plate on the table.
Daphne,
I've gone into town to run some errands. I won't be long.
And he signed it;
Love, Niles
He took Daphne with him on the drive into town. She was always with him in his thoughts; in his heart. He tried to will the dark thoughts of her away, but the clear blue sky did little to clear his mind. He remembered the way she called out Donny's name. The way she had looked lying in his bed. Oh, what a beautiful sight it had been, watching her sleep. It had been a long time since he'd had such an opportunity and he realized how much he'd missed it.
He thought of her tear-stained cheeks. The way her silky hair felt beneath his fingertips. He'd lost count of how many times he'd told her that he would always be there for her. And each time he'd truly and honestly meant it. He would always be there for her, no matter what.
"I won't be long, Daphne." He said to the emptiness of his car. "I promise."
He stopped for groceries in a town called Symphony and he smiled at the irony. Who knew that Washington State had a city named after one of his favorite pastimes? And how was it possible that he knew nothing of its existence until now? He made a mental note to tell Frasier about his discovery. He was certain that his older brother would find it just as ironic.
The grocery bags in hand; he thanked the friendly woman behind the counter at the Symphony Market and was pleased when she told him a little about the area.
"It's a wonderful place." he said with all honesty. "I'll be back soon." He promised. Suddenly he was glad that he'd bypassed his usual store in Alamede and chosen to drive through Bear's Creek as well. Until he looked at a map that hung on the store wall (With the town of Symphony circled proudly in red marker), he hadn't realized how far out of town he had ventured. But he found that he enjoyed the change of scenery. For a man who rarely liked change, the thought surprised him. Perhaps the impromptu trip to the cabin had changed him in ways that he hadn't realized.
On his way out of town, he stopped at a roadside produce stand, pleased to find fresh blueberries and strawberries for sale. He pushed them immediately along with some homemade cider. They would be perfect for breakfast.
When he was halfway back to the cabin, he stopped at another local market; this one he knew well. The owners were good friends of his and were all too happy to provide him with a large container of homemade pumpkin soup and a warm loaf of made-from-scratch bread. He could almost taste the bread and soup and his stomach rumbled, reminding him of how long it had been since he'd last eaten. He could hardly wait to share his meal with Daphne.
Soon he was pulling into the driveway of the cabin. But as he parked the car, he didn't get out right away. Instead he rolled down the window and sat back against the car seat, enjoying what was left of the daylight.
His wedding band lay quietly at the bottom of his pocket. For the first time he had no urge to feel the smoothness of it against his fingertips. The fact was that he had all but forgotten about its existence. He hoped that his painful memories of Mel would fade just as quickly.
Suddenly, he was hit with a different reality. Daphne might have been in mourning over Donny, but instead of being at Frasier's, drawing in her sorrows, she had chosen to accompany Niles to the cabin. That in itself spoke volumes.
He was putting away the groceries when he discovered the note; a different note this time, one that was written in Daphne's handwriting. For the first time he noticed that the table was clean, decorated with fresh placemats, bowls and linen napkins. He picked up the note and glanced at it.
Dr. Crane,
I've gone for a walk. Thank you for lunch.
It was signed;
Love, Daphne.
His heart warmed at the sentiment, but then he read her note again. "I've gone for a walk…"
His eyes widened and his heart rate increased. Cue the panic attack.