9. Jasmine

9

JASMINE

J asmine sat on a chair next to Ell-rom's bed and sipped her morning coffee while he ate breakfast. The tray held a modest assortment of foods that were easy to digest and provided proper nutrition but didn't look overly appetizing.

Where did Gertrude get that breakfast from?

Had she ordered a delivery? Or had she cooked it herself in the keep's kitchen?

The café didn't serve oatmeal or eggs, and given Ell-rom's expression, he wasn't overly enthusiastic about either of those items.

"You need to eat," she said.

He grimaced. "I don't like the smell of that yellow thing, and I don't like the texture either."

"Those are eggs, and they are very nutritious. If you refuse to eat, Bridget will feed you through a tube. You don't want that, right?"

He cast her a mock baleful look. "Of course I don't." He grimaced. "I'm just deliberating which of these delicacies I should try first."

She was discovering that her prince had a dry sense of humor, and it tickled her silly every time he deployed it.

The small bowl of oatmeal, which was topped with a few slices of banana and a light drizzle of honey, would have been Jasmine's choice, but maybe he preferred the clear vegetable broth, which he was already used to. The scrambled eggs looked a little greasy, and the two slices of wholegrain toast were a little burned, but they were buttered, so they should still be tasty. There was also a glass of apple juice.

"Do you want me to explain what is what?" she offered.

"Gertrude already did." He lifted a slice of toast. "I'm curious about this thing. I don't think I've ever tasted bread." He took a bite and chewed slowly.

"So? Is it good?"

Ell-rom nodded. "Not bad." He put the toast down and looked at the oatmeal. "What are those white round things floating on top?"

"Banana slices. Bananas are fruit."

That got a smile out of him. "I remember liking fruit. And what is that golden liquid thing on top?"

"It's honey. It's sweet."

He reached for the spoon and dipped it into the oatmeal, lifting it to his lips with a deliberate slowness. He tasted it, paused, and then took another spoonful.

Jasmine was relieved that he was eating. "I see that you like that."

When he nodded and took another spoonful, she decided to stop nagging him about every morsel he put in his mouth and leaned back in her chair. When Ell-rom had fallen asleep last night, she had fallen asleep with him, and she hadn't gone up to the penthouse to talk to Margo as she had promised.

It had been strange to wake up on the narrow hospital bed, wrapped up in Ell-rom's arms. Good, but strange.

Bridget hadn't commented on it, so maybe she hadn't known. Gertrude had been in charge of the night shift, and she had known for sure, but she might have decided not to tell the doctor, though Jasmine doubted that. The more likely scenario was that Bridget had pretended not to know so she wouldn't have to admonish her for compromising Ell-rom's comfort.

"We fell asleep before we had a chance to do a card reading last night," she said. "After the physical therapy, I'll get them, and we will do a reading." She smiled. "It will be your reward for all the hard work you are going to put in."

He put the spoon down and wiped his mouth with the napkin. "I was hoping for a different kind of reward." The glint in his eyes didn't leave room for interpretation.

"Then you can look forward to a double reward. A reading and a kiss." Jasmine grinned. "It's going to be a wonderful day."

Ell-rom lifted three fingers. "I need to ask for one more reward."

"Name it."

"I want to see my sister and sit by her side for a bit. Maybe she is not waking up because she has no one talking and singing to her. The sound of your voice pulled me out of the abyss, and it might do the same for her."

Jasmine swallowed the lump in her throat. "We will sit at your sister's side for as long as you want, and I will sing and talk until my voice gives out."

"Thank you, but I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I won't." She put the coffee cup on the side table and rose to her feet. "It was just an expression. I am a trained actress, and I can go for hours without my throat giving out."

Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about the prince misconstruing her words and turning them into sexual innuendo. Sometimes, it was good that things got lost in translation.

She leaned over Ell-rom and brushed a kiss on his forehead. "I'll go see if Bridget got the walker."

He caught her hand. "Can you eat the eggs for me? I don't think I can stomach them, and I don't want Bridget to put the tube in me again."

Jasmine laughed. "She won't. I was just teasing. Tell her that the eggs make you nauseous, and she will get you something else next time."

Ell-rom sighed in relief. "Thank the Mother of All Life. The smell alone upsets my stomach."