Magic Touch

Chapter 37 - Loose Ends

When Kate made it to the hospital she was anxious to see if Rose had kept her promise.

She paid attention to people's chatter as she passed by them and even lingered by the drinking fountain to see if anyone would bring up gossip relating to the issue. While there was plenty of gossip, it only related to who was in a relationship with who, and whether one nurse's mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer or whether it was colon cancer after all. Kate shook her head at them and moved on. Some people simply were way too curious about matters that didn't affect them personally.

Next, she was scheduled for several cases in operating room four. When she had donned her protective gear and walked in she was half expecting to see Rose. It was a welcome relief to see only her colleagues, especially Mari who gave her a big grin and a thumbs up.

The case passed uneventfully, as did the next one. And the case after that. And the last case on her list for that day. She returned to her office to do paperwork, and Rose didn't disturb her there either.

It all felt a little strange, like a dream too good to be true. Even as Kate got back on doing the types of high-risk cases she was know for she was waiting for something to come along and pop her bubble.

It didn't.

Over the next several days, the hot topic in gossip circles was Rose's departure. Theories as to why she had come to the hospital to observe not once, but twice, were exchanged. Kate's interactions with her hadn't gone unnoticed, and neither had Mari's. The most popular story that was circulating, Kate would later learn from Mari who in turn learned it from another colleague, was that Kate and Mari had both been vying for Rose's attention. It had, so the story went anyway, involved lots of jealousy, sabotage, and culminated in a huge fight that caused Rose to leave for good. Though Kate found it embarrassing to be the subject of such a story she supposed it was a lot better than the truth of the matter.

About a week passed and Kate found a letter in her mailbox when she returned home for the day. She expected a bill or a notice from her bank. Instead she found the letter to be from Rose. Kate hurried inside where she placed the envelope on her living room table and drew a sharp breath. After several minutes of staring at it in a mixture of confusion, surprise and anxiety, she decided to open it and face whatever was inside.

Her fingers trembled as she tore open the envelope. The letter was written on regular lined paper, nothing fancy. Though it was handwritten, in an age where most people would opt for typed. A deliberate choice on Rose's part, or just a meaningless preference? Better not to read too much into it, she decided.

Kate steeled herself and started reading.

"Dear Kate,

I apologize for looking up your home address, but I wanted to properly explain myself to you. After careful deliberation I came to the conclusion that this would be easier in writing.

I never intended any harm and I'm terribly sorry for assuming that the magic was your doing. I apologize for causing you undue distress. It was not fair of me to ask you about magic as a part of dating you - seeking to find the truth in relation to myself is no excuse - but I do want you to know that I truly enjoyed spending time with you and wish things had not ended the way they did. Even so, I fully understand if you are unable to forgive me.

Regards,

Rose Forster"

Conflicting urges washed over Kate. She simultaneously wanted to crumple, burn, and clutch the letter to her chest. She couldn't help noticing that it carried Rose's scent. Memories of their brief time together flashed before her eyes.

The first time she ran into Rose in the hospital cafeteria, thinking she might be a new employee. For some reason she remembered her having salad that day. It was a good choice, healthy. The sensation of heat in her face when Rose suddenly hit on her.

Her attempt to push away those feelings when she returned home. Subsequently running into Rose at the grocery store. Showing her around. Taking her hand before she even realized what she was doing. Even more flirting, and the excitement she had felt at that.

She tensed up as she recalled the moment where Rose revealed her purpose. The knot in her stomach as she tried to convince her otherwise, failed, and had to make up excuse after excuse. Stress mounting. Her confused decision to kiss Rose in order to distract her - or possibly more than just that? The glimmer in Rose's eyes as Kate showed up for their date, which hadn't been too bad if one ignored the catastrophic ending.

Then, Rose's sincere request for a second chance, to which Kate had responded with delay after delay. Rose redoubling her efforts, not because Kate was that important to her research but because she wanted to confirm the existence of magic.

Magic. The thing that set off their ridiculous game of chase. What would their interactions have looked like if not for that fact? Surely, Kate would have opted for a second date. Possibly a third as well.

The issue was, the game had endangered lives and possibly cost some as well. Did she really want a repeat now that she was finally off the hook? She knew that she wouldn't abandon her future patients for a life where she dated Rose and never used magic again. If that was even possible at this point, given how frequently she used magic subconsciously in her home. But to let Rose know and then date her? Rose didn't seem to have a problem with witches. On the other hand, would that still be the case if they ever broke up? Wasn't that the same thing as giving up on all her future patients?

Her thoughts kept racing, to the point where everything blurred together.

Kate forced herself to put the letter back in the envelope and let two days pass, reasoning that she would have calmed down by that time.