Part VI: Love Blooms
Jessie was doing her daily rounds in the hospital when she felt her phone vibrate. She had a text message from Russell. "YOU HAVE A VISITOR IN MY OFFICE. ATTEND TO IT ASAP." As she read the message, she had grown intrigued. Russell never took any of Jessie's visitors in his office.
"Who could that be?" Jessie thought as she made her way to Russell's office.
Katie was just sitting there waiting. She didn't have problems parking when she arrived at Swedish Covenant. But she had one problem; she didn't know where Jessie was. She looked for the name Jessica Sammler on the hospital directory. She then proceeded to the Pediatrics department. But still, it was huge place to look for someone. Katie saw one of the doctors who seemed to be shocked when he saw her. But he was still able to relay that he knew Dr. Sammler. He then took Katie to his office while he looked for Dr. Sammler. Now Katie was getting nervous.
"How do I ask her out? Would it be a date?" Katie thought.
She was lost in her thoughts when the door opened.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I had to finish a few patients, Russell said you were…"
Katie turned before the person finished what she was saying and was stunned when she looked straight in Katie's eyes.
"… looking for me." Jessie lamely finished her sentence.
"Hi." Katie said while she looked into Jessie's eyes.
"Uh… Hi." Jessie smiled in reply.
"Do you want coffee?" Jessie added.
She walked near Russell's coffee maker to see if there was something brewing.
"No thank you. Um… these are for you." Katie said.
She held the flowers in her hand.
"I forgot to drop by Saturday afternoon to properly thank you." Katie smiled as she handed the flowers to Jessie.
"Oh… You didn't have to really… I didn't do much…" Jessie smiled blushing.
She took the flowers from Katie and stared at them for a while.
"They're beautiful." Jessie thought.
She looked up to meet Katie's green eyes.
She smiled. And Katie was smiling too.
"So um… maybe we should go to my office. It's just down the hall. I wouldn't want to invade Russell's private space in case he comes back." Jessie smiled.
She tried to reach for the door knob.
"Let me get that for you." Katie reached for the door knob, barely brushing through Jessie's hand.
She smiled at the touch.
"After you." Katie said as she opened the door.
"Thanks." Jessie smiled
She walked out Russell's office.
Jessie's office was cozy enough to spend the day in. She also had a small fridge to accommodate a few colas and chocolates.
"So… what else brings you here…?" Jessie asked as she tried to look for a container to put the flowers on.
"Nothing really. I just wanted to see you… And thank you…" Katie answered.
"Really now…?" Jessie turned to look at Katie then looked away when she felt her cheeks blush.
"Really." Katie smiled.
"Ok, Singer just ask her to dinner. How hard could it be?" She thought to herself.
"So um… I was wondering if you had plans tonight." Katie asked.
She stared down at her shoes.
"Oh." Jessie replied.
"Oh?" Katie looked up to look at Jessie who seemed to stop moving.
"Oh… Oh! Nothing really. My brother is in town but no plans." Jessie answered smiling at Katie then turning away when she blushed.
"Oh. I uh… was wondering if you would want to have dinner with me… well… tonight…" Katie looked for something to stare at.
"Um… You're inviting me out?" Jessie stood there frozen not daring to look at Katie.
"She's asking me out? HELL YES I'LL GO!" Jessie thought as a smile crept to her face.
"Badly but yes…" Katie smiled.
She walked closer to Jessie whose back was still facing her.
Jessie held on to the flowers and she as she put them in the container…
"Um… sure… do we meet somewhere?" She turned to face Katie only to find her too close as she would have imagined.
Katie froze. Her lips would have touched Jessie's if she leaned.
"Um… I think it's just appropriate if I pick you up at home." Katie replied amazed that her heart wasn't jumping off her chest yet.
It was really pumping too fast.
"Uh… Yeah… Sure…" Jessie replied.
She stared at Katie's lips.
She blinked then slowly walked away from Katie.
"I'll just write down the address for you. I'll write my phone number too… case you get lost." Jessie smiled as she wrote on a piece of paper.
"Thanks… What time… do I pick you up?" Katie asked while she glanced at a few pictures on Jessie's desk.
"I'll be off by six. Eight would be alright." Jessie replied then handed the note to Katie.
"Eight it is." Katie said as she carefully put the note into her purse.
She made sure there was no way she'll lose it.
"I'll go now. I'm sure you still have a few people to attend to." Katie smiled as she walked and stood by Jessie's door.
"Drive safely… I'll see you later." Jessie smiled at Katie.
"I will. Later." Katie waved at Jessie then closed the door.
"Do you know who Jess' date is?" Eli whispered to Grace as they wait for Jessie to climb down from her room.
"No. She didn't mention." Grace replied while pretending to read the latest edition of Newsweek.
"Is it a guy or a girl?" Eli looked at Grace.
"No idea."
Just then the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Eli shouted.
"If it's her, tell her I'll be right down." Jessie shouted from her room.
"Did she just say HER?" Grace asked Eli.
Eli just shrugged and opened the door.
"Hi. You must be Jessie's brother. I'm Katie Singer." Katie smiled as she shook Eli's hand.
Katie was wearing casual slacks and a white blouse. Too simple for a very sophisticated person, but was still presentable.
"Ms. Singer?" Graced asked wide eyed.
"Grace? I didn't know you knew Jessica Sammler." Katie said with slight confusion.
"She's my stepsister." Grace replied as she stood up.
"Sit down. Make yourself at home. She'll be right down." Eli said nervously as he closed the door behind him.
"Uh… I'll go get Jessie." Grace said then took the stairs.
Jessie was gently combing her hair when Grace barged in her room.
"What's wrong?" Jessie asked.
"You're dating my boss! Katie Singer! THE Katie Singer!" Grace tried to say that without screaming.
"I'm not DATING her. I'm just going out to dinner with her." Jessie said in reply as she continued to comb her hair.
"Isn't that considered a date?" Grace asked.
"No. Because we didn't acknowledge that it was." Jessie replied.
She stood up.
"How do I look?"
Jessie wore a blue dress which reaches below her knees. Simple yet stunning. Grace smiled.
"Only one way to find out." Grace said as she took Jessie's hand heading downstairs.
Katie and Eli were discussing about the post season games of the NBA when they heard steps. They stopped to look and when they saw Jessie… both their jaws dropped.
"Jess?" Eli wasn't sure if he was looking at his baby sister.
"You betcha!" Grace replied going pass Jessie.
Katie just slowly stood there, not daring to stray her attention off Jessie.
"Am I dreaming?" Katie asked herself.
"Hey…" Jessie said to Katie with one of her sweetest smiles.
Katie felt she was going to faint. But tried really hard not to.
"Shall we go?" Jessie continued as she reached her left hand to Katie.
Katie took it.
"Of course." She smiled as they went out the door, holding hands.
"That's your car?" Eli screamed with excitement.
"Um… Yes…" Katie answered.
"We're going now…" Jessie said.
She dragged Katie down the steps.
"Be home before midnight!" Grace said giggling.
"Yes MOM!" Jessie replied shaking her head.
And Jessie and Katie were off to Ray's.
"You think it's a date?" Eli asked as they went back to the apartment.
"Who knows?" Grace replied.
They had dinner and the chance to get to know a little bit about each other. They talked about high school, college, work, and family. But they did manage to avoid touching the subject of their love lives. They thought to themselves it was really early to talk about love. Especially with the way they knew they were feeling.
Katie just had her last bite of steak when the mood changed. The songs played were no longer fast. The DJ began to play slow songs. Couples were starting to fill the dance floor up.
Jessie tried to stay calm. She didn't really have a date before, a dinner with someone other than her family and friends. She was thinking of ways not to look like an ass or even act like one. She took slow deep breaths.
"She's nervous." Katie thought.
"Cute." Katie smiled then started to stand up.
"Where are you going?" Jessie asked surprised.
"I was going to ask you to dance with me." Katie smiled giving her right hand to Jessie.
Jessie smiled and took Katie's hand and they walked to the dance floor.
A song began to play…
----
Never been in love
Cause a girl like me
Never had someone to care for
Never thought there could be
Someone special for me
And now I'm all in love
Cause a girl like me
Waited patiently for someone
Someone to care for me
And there will never be
----
Katie took Jessie's right hand and put it in her shoulder. Then she put her left hand on Jessie's hips. Their other hands were together, fingers locked as they waltz to the dance floor. Constantly staring at each other's eyes…
----
No more lonely, no more just me
I've been there before
Ain't goin no more
And now that you're here I
Never wanna say goodbye love
Never wanna be without you
No more cryin, no denyin'
I'm in love with you
And now that you're here I
I never wanna say goodbye love
----
"I uh… hope you enjoyed dinner…" Katie said.
She was still looking at Jessie.
"I did. Thank you…" Jessie smiled.
They moved in closer, closing the gap between them. It eased some tension…
----
Now it's time for me
To find out what the first time love could mean
Little scared but its cool
Cause it's worth it
Now I finally fell in love
And I know that it
Got to be for real (So real)
It's the way that I feel
So come share my world with me
So there will never be
----
"Can I ask you something?" Jessie tried to memorize Katie's face which was millimeters apart from her.
"Yes you can… Anything…" Katie answered.
"Why did you ask me out? You barely even know me…" Jessie asked.
She stopped dancing waiting for Katie's reply.
Katie smiled. She looked directly into Jessie's eyes…
----
No more lonely, no more just me
I've been there before
Ain't goin no more
And now that you're here I
Never wanna say goodbye love
Never wanna be without you
No more cryin, no denyin'
I'm in love with you
And now that you're here I
I never wanna say goodbye love
----
Katie held Jessie closer. Jessie just stared at her eyes.
"If I didn't…" Katie started to talk as she took Jessie's hand placing it where her heart was.
"…I wouldn't know why this keeps on beating this way every time you came into my mind…"
Katie rested her forehead against Jessie's. They were both smiling, looking at each others eyes. Then they started to dance again…
----
So I'm standin here
Arms open wide
Ready to give my heart
I'm sure this time
Love's gonna last for life
Baby I know things change
And there might be some rain
But the clouds are gonna clear
And the sun is gonna shine again
Shine light on our love baby
So let's make it last forever
----
Jessie bit her lower lip.
Katie on the other hand couldn't take the distance anymore. She started to close the gap between her lips and Jessie's.
Jessie's heart started to pound. But since there was no more room separating her from Katie, she felt Katie's heart pounding too. She smiled. But she wanted Katie to decide…
----
No more lonely, no more just me
I've been there before
Ain't goin no more
And now that you're here I
Never wanna say goodbye love
Never wanna be without you
No more cryin, no denyin'
I'm in love with you
And now that you're here I
I never wanna say goodbye love
----
"This is it. Is it? I'm falling in love… really fast… and I don't even know why…" Katie thought to herself as she stopped dancing.
Jessie just stared at Katie. She already knew what she was feeling. But she wanted to know what Katie was feeling too.
Katie placed her right palm on Jessie's cheek. She looked at Jessie lovingly… longingly…
Jessie smiled and closed her eyes.
Katie closed her eyes and brought their lips together; sharing an intimate, sweet, first kiss. They separated and opened their eyes, smiles where etched across their faces…
----
Da da da da da
Oh
----
The song ended but they swayed till the next song was played, their eyes still locked. And it didn't matter if time was passing quickly, they would have stayed that way forever.
"They're here!" Grace whispered as she shook Eli who fell asleep on the couch.
They were waiting for Jessie and Katie. It's Jessie's first date. We could understand their giddiness do we?
"Well, we're here." Katie said, she turned to glance at Jessie.
"I had a great time." Jessie looked at Katie… lovingly.
Katie felt she would melt.
"Will I see you again?" Katie asked even though she was sure she was lost for words.
"Only if you wanted to..." Jessie replied slowly taking her seatbelt off.
"I would want to… everyday…" Katie said softly as she locked eyes with Jessie.
Jessie was speechless, but she smiled.
"Is tomorrow too soon? Because if it is…" Katie started to babble but was silenced by Jessie's fingers.
"It's too far away…" Jessie smiled and gave Katie a tender kiss on the lips.
"Call me when you get home." Jessie said as she opened Katie's car door.
"I will. I promise." Katie replied as she watched Jessie go out her car.
"Bye." Jessie smiled and closed the car's door.
"Bye." Katie said softly then went on her way home.
Jessie hummed the love song she and Katie danced to. Of course, it was entertainment for the people at home. So when Jessie opened her apartment door, a very excited Grace and Eli tickled her till she lost balance.
"Come on you guys knock it out!" Jessie screamed.
"Not until you tell us every detail Jessica Sammler!" Grace retorted.
"God please stop! ALRIGHT! STOP PLEASE!" Jessie squealed she couldn't take the tickles anymore.
"Wait till I tell mom!" Eli exclaimed.
"Oh please no… no… no…" Jessie was furiously shaking her head. She was going to be the topic of every conversation in the family for weeks…