654. Tingly

Mauve opened her eyes to see herself wrapped around Jael's arms. She must have dozed off. She couldn't guess how long she had been asleep, but it must not have been that long. The first thing she noticed was that she had been wiped down. She was still naked, and Jael only had his shirt on.

"You're awake," he said and raised his head so he could get a proper look at her face. He lightly touched her on the cheek as he assessed her and got out of bed without waiting for a response.

Mauve watched him walk to the edge and pull on the string to call Mill. He didn't return to the bed; instead, he walked straight to the door of his room. His room? Mauve pushed herself upright. When did she get here?

She heard a knock just as Jael pulled the door open. Using his frame to block the space the door created, he accepted the food and shut the door. He walked back to the bed and placed the food on it.

"You should eat now," he said, "before you get another wave."