Page 82 of Dark Awakening: New World

Ell-rom sat by Morelle's bedside, his eyes fixed on her still form, her hand clasped in his. Her body was slowly becoming restored, and he had to believe her mind was just taking longer and would eventually do the same.

The chief medic had assured him Morelle would recover. The brain scans showed low-frequency waves interspersed with moments of higher-frequency activity, which Bridget claimed hinted at preserved brain function.

Ell-rom had no idea what the medic was talking about except the last part about brain function.

Bridget also said that the scans she'd done on Morelle's brain revealed activity in various regions, with most functional connectivity still intact. He understood that and the part about Morelle's pupils responding to stimuli. Her heart rate and respiratory patterns were stable, reflecting her body's resilience.

Those were all positive indicators, and Ell-rom took comfort in these assurances, holding on to hope that his sister would soon awaken, but he still couldn't shake the worry gnawing at his insides.

"Come on, Morelle. You need to wake up."

As the room remained silent, Ell-rom sighed, and his shoulders sagged. For days, he'd been hearing the same reassurances that Morelle was improving and that her body was healing, but without seeing her eyes open and hearing her speak coherently, it was becoming harder to believe.

With a grunt of effort, Ell-rom pushed himself to his feet, using the bed for support. His stiff body protested the movement, but he didn't care. He'd been pushing himself hard, and he wasn't about to quit. He was tired of being restricted in so many ways.

He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Morelle's forehead. Her skin felt cool beneath his lips, but he reminded himself that it was likely due to the room's air conditioning. Bridget had repeatedly assured him that all of Morelle's vitals were stable and improving.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning," he promised. "Please, try to wake up for me."

If only he could glimpse the future and know for sure that his sister would be returning to him.

Maybe he could. Hadn't Jasmine promised him to do a reading on Morelle?

She had promised to read Morelle's future using the tarot cards that had helped her find him. Somehow, they had never gotten around to it, but tonight, he would ask her to do that.

He was tired, but because of how worried he was, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep.

Entering his room, Ell-rom was surprised to find it empty. He had half-expected Jasmine to be there, waiting for him with the tea she had gone to make.

Maybe she had met one of her friends in the kitchen or called someone on the phone. She had a life that she had put on hold for him, and he could not expect her to be there for him every second of the day.

Ell-rom had no doubt that she would be back, though. Those fears were finally gone.

Eyeing the distance from where he stood to the bathroom, he contemplated leaving the walker by the door and attempting to make it across without relying on the thing, but in the end, common sense prevailed, and he decided not to take chances.

If he fell and broke something, his recovery would take even longer. He needed to build muscle and get stronger.

Once in the bathroom, he carefully removed the nice clothes he'd worn for the meeting and hung them neatly in the closet.

Next, he reached for the sleep clothes Jasmine had bought for him. The soft fabric felt soothing against his skin, and as he pulled on the shirt, a wave of emotion washed over him. It was such a simple thing, just some comfortable sleepwear, and yet it meant so much to him because it represented Jasmine's thoughtfulness, her kindness, and the way she took care of him.

After brushing his teeth, Ell-rom stepped out of the bathroom, and as he made his way to the bed, the door opened, and Jasmine entered, balancing a tray with two steaming cups of tea and some sort of baked dessert.

"Sorry it took so long," she said, setting the tray down on the small table by the window. "I got caught up talking with Margo."

Ell-rom settled into one of the chairs and reached for one of the cups, cradling it in his hands. "How is Margo doing?"

Jasmine's smile seemed a touch forced as she replied, "She's fine. Just busy with training for her new job."

Ell-rom sensed there was something she wasn't telling him, but he pushed the thought aside. He hadn't earned the right to be privy to all her secrets yet.

One day, he would, though.

Instead, he focused on the matter that had been weighing on his mind. "Do you remember when you promised to do a tarot reading for Morelle? I was wondering if we could do that tonight."

Jasmine's eyes widened. "I forgot about that. I'll get right to it." She pushed to her feet and pulled out the bag that she was hiding under his bed.

"You know that there is plenty of room in the closet in the bathroom, right? And everyone knows that you are staying with me all night. You don't need to keep your things under my bed."

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