This is set place supposing that Daphne and Niles married in a church rather than eloping.
"Oh Roz, I've never been so nervous in my life." Daphne whispered as she adjusted the bodice of her wedding gown. She had stood on a footstool, admiring herself in a full-length mirror. She wore a simple, yet classic, ankle-length ivory dress.
"Well you look beautiful." Roz smiled as she handed her friend her veil. It was hard not to be jealous. Here her friend was in her second wedding gown and she'd never even come close to the altar. But Daphne's first trip down the aisle didn't count; she had run off to be with Niles. And now here were Daphne and Niles, on their own wedding day.
"You know, it's funny how this worked out. " Daphne kept adjusting the dress. "I spent months looking for the right dress. All the time I complained that I would never find it. Everything kept going wrong. I wound up right back where I started! Imagine that. It was right here in front of my very own nose and I couldn't spot it. I'm just lucky it was available. You know, this was the very first dress I looked at. I didn't think I cared for it that much. Once I went back and tried it on I knew it was the one for me. It's perfect, don't you think?" Daphne sighed.
"We're not talking about the dress anymore are we?"
"I guess we aren't. Oh dear, I think a bead fell off my necklace. What if this is a sign? What if this is some kind of cosmic payback?" Daphne stepped off the footstool. "Wait. I'm having a vision. Don't move. Oh dear. I've had this vision before. "
"Oh no, what is it?"
"Oh." She laughed. "Not to worry. It's a vision of my honeymoon. Did I tell you that Niles and I are going to Bora Bora?"
"Only about a hundred times. "No, really? How romantic!"
"How's it coming along in there girls?" Mrs. Moon knocked on the dressing room door and entered without waiting for a "come in".
"Just fine, Mum."
"What's taking you so long? It can't take someone your size but five minutes to dress anyways!"
"Mum!"
"Well it's true. You could stand to put on a pound or two. Men like a little meat on the bones.
Just ask your father. Why on our honeymoon..."
"Mum, please! I'm an hour away from being married!" Leave it to her mother to save something
So off the wall on her wedding day. No matter. Nothing was going to ruin this day. Not even her
Family.
"Hey sis. You don't mind if I brought some early refreshments do you? Oh hi Roz." Shouted Simon as he barged in.
"Simon! Do you mind? I am getting dressed!"
"Not to worry. You're decent. I heard you and Roz talking about your bloody dress. I mean lovely dress. "Simon hiccupped. "Miles is going to be one happy chap."
"That's Niles, you idiot."
Roz glared at her 'date' while Daphne sighed. "Believe it or not, he's on his best behavior."
"Nice view, Roz." Simon leered as Roz bent over to straighten out the bottom of Daphne's gown. "And I say that most sincerely."
"Mrs. Moon I'm glad you're in town. There may be a wedding and a funeral today." Roz glared at Simon.
"Oh goodness, Roz. Back in my day, a girl was flattered when a bloke noticed a girl's bum. And I think you've got yourself a bum man, Daphne. I've noticed his eye wandering to your backside quite a few times."
Daphne shook her head, laughing at the situation. "How on earth did we get to talking about beers and bums? If you don't mind can't we please talk about something else?"
"Speaking of beer, I hope you have a decent bar this time, Stilts. The last wedding you threw we were asked to vacate the bar. Talk about a bad hotel experience." Simon grumbled.
Oh yes. The hotel room. When Niles first told me that he loved me. When he kissed me for the first time. When he held me in his arms. When he told me that we shouldn't waste our life wondering about a chance we didn't take.
She looked around at the flowered wallpaper and the red carpet. She could hear her mother talking, but wasn't listening. It was hard to hear anything over the loudness of her own heartbeat. In less than an hour she would be Mrs. Niles Crane. Daphne Crane. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, swaying her dress and giggling like a schoolgirl. Suddenly she became lost in her own memories of her previous wedding attempt.
This isn't like before. The last time I was supposed to get married I was a basket case. I couldn't eat or sleep. There was so much pressure from everyone and everything. Everything that could go wrong did.
People that meant well drove her crazy. Friends had thrown her a bridal shower, which she didn't even want to think about. Then there was her family. She didn't even want to start to think about Simon. Even the acts of strangers could set her off. On one occasion a woman in the laundry room poured bleach on her then favorite dress. Daphne could remember clearly how angry she'd been, although she knew it wasn't the woman she was angry with.
No time for anger now. Just think about Niles. Think about how handsome he looked that day, standing there, telling her how he felt.
"I'm glad he told me, Daphne. Because I love you."
Chills ran down her spine.
"Lord knows I tried to deny it, I tried to pretend I'm over you. But not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you."
More chills.
"Daphne. Are you listening? Have you gone deaf?"
"I'm sorry Mum. " Blood rushed to Daphne's cheeks, turning her face the same shade of crimson as the carpet. She briefly touched her cheek.
"I'm sorry about all of that."
Niles had muttered something, I can't remember what. Maybe something about my loony family. Oh yes, my family. And so Niles and I slipped out onto the balcony.
Niles kept rambling. Something about the flowers. I was so nervous. I didn't know what to say. All I knew was that I hoped he would kiss me. And so we did. Our first kiss.
"Oh for God's sake, Dr. Crane."
The kiss. Followed by another.
"I think you can call me Niles now."
"Daphne! It's time." Roz gently placed her hand on her friends arm, bringing her back to reality.
"Oh yes, it is, isn't it." Daphne pulled herself away from the mirror after smoothing her dress one last time.
"Mum, tell Daddy I'm ready now."
Niles held Daphne's hand as they stood at the altar. As the minister spoke, the couple looked lovingly at each other.
"I, Daphne Moon, take thee, Niles Crane, as my husband. I promise you my fidelity, support, my laughter, and my tears, and my friendship, and my unending love. You are my best friend and my one true love."
"I, Niles Crane, take thee, Daphne Moon, as my wife. I promise my fidelity, support, my honor, my respect, honesty , and protection. I will forever treasure the journey that led us to this wonderous day. You are my best friend and my one true love. "
With Daphne's hands trembling, they exchanged rings. Niles never once took his eyes off of her.
Finally, the minister spoke the words they'd longed to hear.
"You may kiss the bride." This long awaited kiss was filled with every bit of love as their first kiss was.
"You can call me Niles now." She thought back to that moment. And now, she could call him her husband.
Daphne wasn't the only one who had been taking a stroll down memory lane.
Before they turned to walk back down the aisle, Niles whispered in his bride's ear.
"Fasten your seat belt, Daphne."
She grinned, took his hand, and whispered right back. "Fasten yours, Niles."
The End