A Tender Touch

\.Only A Lover Would./

Monday, - June 19, 1989

I quietly closed the door belonging to the patient's room and yawned.It was just a lazy Monday again, without me feeling all motivated and well rested - and I was about to fall asleep any minute soon if I wouldn't drink a huge cup of coffee right now.I sighed, putting the documents under my arm as I made my way towards the big office.
"Mira!Heyy..."
Peggy, the probably nicest and most sweetest colleague you could ever wish for to work with, greeted me as I stepped in, pulling me into a warm hug.
"Peggy - how are you?"
I asked her, looking into her bright blue eyes as I realized how young and flawless her light skin looked, although she told me a couple of days ago that she was already 36.
"I'm great, thanks.And you?"
She smiled, turning around before walking to the small kitchen counter.
"I'm good."
I giggled, placing the documents along with the patient chart on the table as I sat down.
"Coffee?"
She asked, smirking as her head turned into my direction, her light blond hair loosely hanging down.
"Yes!Please...Otherwise I'm gonna fall asleep any second soon!"
We both started laughing as she poured the hot coffee into two cups, approaching me.She handed me one of them, sitting down on a chair next to me.
"Wow!Mira...that bracelet is beautiful."
She gasped, looking at my right wrist and the ruby bracelet Michael had given me when I left back in January.
"Oh, thank you.I...really love it a lot too."
"Yes, it's not so clunky and doesn't look that swanky, it's really sweet.Who's the lucky one?"
She took a sip from her coffee, playfully nudging me with her shoulder.
"No, I..."
I chuckled, running my fingers through my hair.
"There's no lucky one I guess."
"Oh come on, that's definitely something only a lover would give to a woman."
She smiled, looking into my eyes.
"Really?No, I..."
"Could you show it to me real quick?"
She politely asked as I carefully took it off, handing it to her.
"Here."
She nodded, taking a look at it as she brought the bracelet closer to her face.
"Honey, that is at least worth 700 dollars."
She looked up at me again, giggling.
"Trust me, a friend wouldn't make such an expensive gift.Did you know that I worked in a jewelry store when I was back in my early twenties?"
She asked, making me raise my eyebrows at her.
"No, I didn't.That's cool."
I smiled.
"Yes, it was a nice job but all those arrogant people walking in the shop everyday, that was just going on my nerves.They're all about twenty and all the money their parents shaving into their...behinds -"
I laughed at her use of words as she joined me quickly afterwards.
"well, they just spent it on very expensive stuff to push their image, that's not nice.Anyway, there have also been really sweet guys who looked for a cute gift for their girlfriends...and I've never seen a boy who came in and said Hey, I'm looking for a ruby bracelet with diamonds for at least 600 dollars for a quite good friend of mine - oh and...it has to be special, very unique."
She giggled, smirking at me.
"Yeah, there is something to this probably."
I sighed, putting the bracelet on again.
"I'm just very confused...I mean, is there a certain guide to realize when a man is attracted to you, or...?"
Peggy grinned, giving me a confused look.
"Have you never...been in a relationship befo-"
"Yes, of course!But - but this time it's just really..."
"So there is someone, am I right?"
Her eyes glistened at me, causing me to laugh.
"Yes."
I took a sip from my coffee.
"And what's his name?"
"Michael."
I immediately felt a huge smile building up on my face.
"Aww, sweetheart - you really love him, don't you?"
She gave me a warm smile, stroking my arm.
"Sure.I mean, of course I do - you know, I was in love before, a couple of times though...but - but now it's just -"
"Different?"
She completed my sentence as if she knew exactly what I was talking about.
"Yeah..."
I nodded my head in agreement.
"Very different,I feel like this is my first time falling in love...like a little teenager.I'm so nervous around him and just very excited."
She took a deep breath out, sighing.
"Yes, I know what you're talking about.I've experienced it too - but only once in my entire life."
I smiled.
"With your husband, am I ri-"
Suddenly the door was being opened and James took a step inside, looking at the two of us.
"Oh, good afternoon, ladies."
He playfully bowed down a bit, smirking at Peggy as she gave him a warm smile.
"Ah, James - we need to go visit Anton again today, he told me that his stomach felt as if it was filled with rocks and..."
"Oh, that doesn't sound good.Well, it's probably the water inside that makes him complain.We go check on him later, just remind me - I'm not the youngest anymore."
He winked at me, heading towards the counter as he poured a bit of water into a glass.
"Honey, you're 38 - not 70!"
Peggy shook her head, causing James to turn around before sitting down across from us as well.
"Yeah, but you better tell that my bones and -"
"Oh come on, old man."
I teased him, making us all laugh.And then I noticed him staring into her eyes - she staring back.Giving her a warm smile, she quickly returned it as her eyes started to shine even more.Then he abruptly cleared his throat, looking back at me.
"So...uhh, we'll be meeting at his room in -"
He looked at his watch.
"let's say 10 minutes, is that alright?"
"Yeah, sure."
I quickly nodded my head, giving him a quick smile as he stood up again, making his way towards the door.
"I just need to talk to Sam for a second, then I'll be there."
He nodded his head, smiling at the two of us again and left the room.
"Sooo...when exactly did you experience that different feeling with him again?"
I blankly asked, giggling at the obvious attraction between them.
"I...there is no-"
She tried to explain, her cheeks turning into a bright red.
"Come on."
I encouraged her, taking a sip from my coffee.Peggy took a deep breath out, looking at me.
"Well...it was about maybe seven or eight years ago when we - were in a...in love.But he was still together with his wife and I had my boyfriend as well.But it was just so - it felt so right.Well and then he wanted to tell her that he'd be leaving her since she had been cheating on him many times.And he was aware of it, he just didn't talk about it, you know?"
I nodded.
"And...what happened then?"
"Oh, he...when he wanted to tell her, she already had a message for him, which was that she was suffering from...cancer.Stage three.He couldn't leave her - of course not."
I placed my hand on her shoulder, pressing my lips together.
"And then we just...it was all very rough as you can imagine.Especially for Elaine..."
"That's - awful!I feel so sorry."
She gave me a weak smile, placing her hand over mine.
"You don't have to, really.Over the last two years we've spent more time together again, at least more than nothing.And...and maybe we will find a way to be together as a couple again, somehow."
"I hope so, the both of you deserve to be happy - together...Now that I think about it, you're the perfect couple, Peggy."
She sighed, drinking the rest of her coffee and looked at me after placing the cup back down.
"Well, who knows?Maybe we'll make it."
Her face lightened up.
"But back to you."
Dear god, please don't ask for any more details.
"What did you say was his name again?"
She smirked at me.
"Michael."
"Michael and Mira.Sounds perfect to me.What's his surname though?"
She asked, slowly getting up from her chair as I tried to think of a name that was not called Jackson.
"Jason."
Wow honey!You had one freaking job...
I lightly slept my forehead for only her back was facing me and looked up at the ceiling.
"Jason?That's a - oh boy, Michael Jason sounds just like Michael J-"
"Jordan!Michael Jordan, right?I just knew his name reminded me of someone famous!"
I tried to change the topic.
"Oh yeah, Michael Jordan sounds familiar too."
She smiled, facing me again.
"And, will you tell him about your feelings?"
"Uhm...well, I - I don't know.I mean, I'd rather be sure that he loves me too before standing in front of him like a dumb fool."
"Hmm...And what if - what if he's already in love with you but just too shy to tell?"
I paused for a moment, thinking about the fact that what she just said fits perfectly when it comes to me...and since Michael and I have so much in common, why wouldn't the same go for him?
"You know, sometimes dreams come true when you least expect them to."
I nodded, giving her a small smile.
"Then I better stop expecting anything right now."
We both laughed, making our way out of the room as she closed the door behind us.
...