Page 221 of Assassin

“Are you decent?” Poe asked, waiting.

“Yeah, I am, Doctor.”

When he peeked in, Gamble was sitting on the edge of the bed in his pajama bottoms, and shirtless.

He was all ribs and bones.

It was startling to see, even though he’d seen it before when he’d helped him into the tub.

“I thought we could talk,” Poe said, coming into his room, a box of chocolates with him.

In his opinion, sweets were the doorway to open conversation.

After all, who didn’t like chocolate?

Sitting down, he opened the box for Gamble, and offered him some.

“Do you like chocolate?” he asked, trying to be friendly.

He stared at them, as if they might bite him.

“Yeah, I used to. As of late, I don’t like much of anything.”

At least there was a stark difference to when he first saw him that morning. At least he got some food in him.

Poe thought back to dinner.

And lunch.

And breakfast.

The man ate, and he ate a good amount. Was a sweet treat needed?

No.

But it was nice to have something that gave you pleasure when your world was hell.

This was just part of the process.

Feed his mind.

Feed his body.

Feed his soul.

“Try one. I pick them up when I head back to the UK on holiday. They are my weakness. I can’t pass up chocolate. I’m weak like that.”

Because he knew the man was just being friendly, Gamble picked one, and bit into it.

There was jelly inside, and it was fruity.

Poe explained.

“Those are one of my favorites. They are Turkish Delights, dipped in chocolate. My brother and I would steal them all from the boxes my mother would buy. It drove her bonkers, but we didn’t care.”

At the mention of his brother, Gamble stared at him.

“How long did it take you to get over your brother dying?” he asked, needing someone to help him see if there was an end in sight for him.

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