Part 32 (1/2)
”You each sacrificed for the other, so you both get what you wanted. It's cla.s.sic. I'm so glad I got to be part of this!”
Jasper felt a bubble of hope rise in his chest. ”So . . . is she going to let me in?”
”No.”
”Why not?”
”Dorcas told her that under the terms of her contract, any contact would result in you turning into a cat again.”
Stunned, Jasper tried to process that information.
”Personally,” Julie said, ”I think that part's null and void. If each of you sacrificed for the other, I think you lifted the spell. I mean, neither of the provisions of the contract came true, right? You're still a guy and she has her magic. So I can't believe that she'd turn you into a cat just by looking at you, but she's very scared about that.”
Certainty flooded him with warmth. ”I'm not scared. I want to see her.”
”Then we have to strategize.”
”I won't lie to her, Julie. I did that once before and that's how we ended up in this mess.”
Julie looked disappointed. ”I thought we could cook up a plan that would get her to open the door, and then you'd just step up and there you'd be, looking at each other.”
”Nope. I'm going to try the truth and see how that works.” He walked to the door and rapped on it softly. ”Anica, can you hear me?”
”Yes, but I wish you'd leave.”
His heart beat faster. So close and yet so far. ”Let's think logically. We each signed a contract giving up what was most precious-your magic and my human form.”
”And I couldn't be with you.”
”And I told myself I couldn't be with you, either, because I wasn't a worthy partner when I was half cat and half man. But guess what? You have your magic and I didn't change back into a cat at six this morning. So those contract clauses didn't come into play, right?”
”No, but maybe we're not supposed to be together. Maybe that's the price we're supposed to pay.”
Jasper leaned his forehead against the door. ”I don't believe that. I don't believe that the kind of love that allowed each of us to make that sacrifice is supposed to be tossed aside. If I can't be with you, I might as well be turned into a cat again. But I refuse to believe that will happen.”
”I don't know, Jasper.”
”How can you doubt the power of our love? Look at what happened because of it. You're magic again and I'm a man again. Don't let fear keep us apart.”
”But-”
”Trust that our love is good, and we're meant to be together. I think that's what we're supposed to learn. Open the door. Please.” He closed his eyes and concentrated on sending all the love he had through that door.
When the lock clicked open, the sound was more beautiful than a symphony. Slowly the door opened. She stood there with no makeup, her hair mussed from sleep, and her eyes wide with fear. She was so frightened she was quivering, but she stood there.
She was so beautiful and he longed to go to her, but he stayed very quiet, not moving at all. As sure as he was that this would work out, he was no expert in magic. There had to be some risk.
Gradually her eyes grew bright with joy. ”You're not changing.”
”No.”
She launched herself into his arms. ”You're not changing!”
”No.” He began to laugh. He'd never been so happy in his whole d.a.m.ned life.
”I was so scared. Jasper, I love you, love you, love you!”
”I love you, too, Anica. I couldn't imagine a life without you.” He took time to breathe. ”It was torture thinking that I would never see you again.”
She smiled at him. ”For me, too. But now . . .”
”Yes, now.” Then he had no need for words, because his kisses said more than his words ever could.
”I'll just be going,” Julie said.
He should thank Julie. He knew he should, but he'd have to take care of that later. He backed Anica into the apartment. Much later.
Epilogue.
Around ten on a sunny morning in April, Dorcas brewed a cup of tea in her kitchen and headed down the hallway of the renovated Victorian toward her office at the front of the house. At the same moment her black cat, Sabrina, trotted out of the parlor and sat facing the front door, whiskers twitching.
”Ah, the mail must be coming.” Dorcas paused, and sure enough, several letters and a gardening catalog whizzed through the mail slot and plopped onto the hardwood floor.
Sabrina waited while Dorcas scooped up the mail and started toward the office. Tail high, the cat followed and leaped to the desk.
Dorcas set her mug on a coaster and located her gla.s.ses. ”All right, all right. Honestly, Sabrina, I think you have a fetish.” Flipping through the mail, Dorcas plucked out an envelope decorated with stars. She slit the flap with a jewel-encrusted letter opener and pulled out the card.
”Yes!” She pumped her fist in triumph. ”An engagement party for Anica and Jasper. Ambrose will be so pleased. I'm so pleased!”
Sabrina b.u.mped her head against Dorcas's hand and meowed.
”Oh, for Hera's sake. You are a strange cat. But I agree, it's the perfect envelope.” Dorcas took scissors out of her desk drawer. A few snips here and there and she'd created a paper crown out of the envelope. She placed it carefully on Sabrina's head. ”I crown thee Queen Sabrina of Big k.n.o.b. Happy now?”
The cat perched on the desk in regal splendor, purring loudly.
Ambrose strolled into the room. ”I see the mail came and Sabrina has another crown.”
”And we're invited to an engagement party for Anica and Jasper!” Dorcas beamed as she thrust the invitation at him.
”Excellent. I had serious doubts about those contracts, even with the a.s.surances of the Wizard Council, but it all worked out.”
”It wouldn't have if they each hadn't chosen to sacrifice for the other,” Dorcas said. ”We had to go on faith that their love was strong enough to make those unselfish choices. That was one of the scariest weekends of my life.”
”Mine, too. So where's the party? The Bubbling Cauldron, I'll bet.” Ambrose held the invitation at arm's length and squinted at it.
”Ambrose, for Hera's sake, when are you going to admit you need gla.s.ses? One of these days you'll . . .” She paused. ”Hold on. There's a note written on the back of the invitation.”