44. Ell-rom

44

ELL-ROM

A s Ell-rom stirred awake, it took him mere seconds to become aware of Jasmine's absence. The realization sent a pang of disappointment through his chest, but he quickly shoved it aside. He couldn't expect her to just sit there all day long. Not when he was no longer on the verge of death, and she didn't fear that he would slip away when she wasn't there.

As sleep further faded away, his bladder awakened as well and signaled that it needed to be emptied, and Ell-rom no longer needed to wait for anyone to assist him to the bathroom.

The walker was parked next to the wall, a few steps away from his bed, but he believed he could reach it by holding on to the bed for stability.

When his objective was achieved, and his hands gripped the handles, it felt like another step on his journey of recovery had been traversed.

Turning the walker around, he started toward the bathroom, but a knock on the door halted his progress.

Bridget entered. "Good evening, Ell-rom. I see that you are feeling good, given that you are up and about."

He was glad that she wasn't reprimanding him for taking the initiative.

"Yes, thank you. I was just on my way to the bathroom."

"Then I won't delay you. Julian asked me to tell you that Jasmine is with Frankie at the café and that she wants to be called as soon as you wake up. Do you want me to let her know that you are awake?"

He shook his head. "I want her to enjoy her time with her friends. I can manage without her for a little while." He smiled. "Not for too long, though."

Bridget gave him a knowing look. "I know precisely what you are talking about. That's what happens when you find your one and only. It's hard to be without them." She waved a hand. "We will talk about it later. I don't want to keep you." She opened the door. "Don't forget that the Clan Mother will be here in a little over an hour."

"Thank you. I hadn't forgotten, but thank you for reminding me."

He was excited to see Annani again but also a little nervous. She was just such a big personality. His newfound sister was intimidating not because she was aggressive or hostile but because she exuded power. It was mitigated by her loving character, charm, and humor, but she was still a lot to handle.

Ell-rom had already showered, but he wanted to get dressed for the occasion—something nicer than the clothes the medics probably wore when they handled wounds, because he hadn't seen Bridget or Julian wearing them. Usually, they had a white coat over their regular clothes, and in Bridget's case, it was mainly to store items in its big pockets.

After taking care of his bladder, he walked over to the sink without relying on the walker and washed his hands. He brushed his teeth and then spent a moment examining his reflection in the mirror. His cheeks were hollow, but his skin looked better, and the dark fuzz on his head indicated that his hair was growing. He didn't look bad bald, but he would have preferred to have his hair back.

The clothes Jasmine had bought him were stored in a tall, narrow cabinet in the bathroom. She'd called it a thing that was locked, but it wasn't. It was open, and he pulled out the nice pants and shirt she'd gotten him. He also took out the shiny black shoes and a pair of black socks.

Ell-rom took his time getting dressed, occasionally pausing to catch his breath, and left the socks and shoes for last because it required sitting down, and he wanted to finish what he had to do standing up first.

It was odd how he didn't even have to pause to think about keeping his movements economical to preserve his energy. It had become second nature to him in the short time since he was awakened, but it would have probably been difficult for his old, healthy self to accept or even fathom.

Still, he would take today over yesterday any time. In his previous life, he had been lonely and had to be covered from head to toe at all times so he wouldn't be recognized for what he was.

Returning to the mirror, he leaned against the vanity as he tackled the small buttons on the shirt, and when he had them all done, he tucked the shirt into the pants the way he'd seen Kian's.

As a finishing touch, he reached for the cologne Jasmine had bought. He applied it sparingly, not wanting to overwhelm himself or anyone else with the scent. The fragrance was pleasant, crisp, and clean, with hints of citrus and wood.

Now it was time for the socks and shoes. Closing the lid on the toilet, he sat on it and wondered whether he should try to lift his foot to his hand or bend down to put the sock on. There was also a third option of not wearing socks and just pushing his bare feet into the shoes.

That was the easiest, but Ell-rom didn't want to make things easy for himself. He wanted to do them right. By the time he managed to pull the socks on, he was out of breath and sweaty and regretted his decision, but it was done.

He pushed his sock-covered feet into the shoes, put his hand on the grab bar, and hoisted himself up. Feeling dizzy, he had to take a moment to steady himself before reaching for the walker.