by Raine Hughes
“I’m running out of grain,” Noah said as he watched Jasmine pet the rooster. Never in his life had he seen anyone pet a free-roaming farm rooster. The cock enjoyed the attention every bit as much as a dog, arching and leaning towards her. She definitely had a way with the animals.
She had a way with him. too, if he let himself think about how much he’d changed since she’d come into his life barely a month ago. In some ways he was more relaxed despite being constantly on guard against his physical reactions to her. He had finally admitted to himself that he’d been utterly miserable alone.
Jasmine voiced no complaints on the simple life they led, not that it was so simple anymore, not with Jasmine always ready to zap anything they desired into existence. Her mishaps continued to occur and he took them in stride, lessening her distress.
“What kind of grain do you wish, Noah?” Jasmine stood and folded her arms.
Noah read her intention, especially with the use of her favorite word, wish. “I’ll take a trip into town for supplies. There are lots of things I need. Want to come along?”
Her disappointment dissolved and she flung her arms up. “Oh, yes, please!”
He returned her enthusiastic grin, pleased that she hadn’t insisted on using her magic. He simply had to deflect her intent to look at his every suggestion as a wish.
He hated to tell her that the nearest town wasn’t anything like a big bustling metropolis. “While our small community is growing into a popular resort, Mystery Lake is still just a couple of feed stores, a few shops, a grocery store, and the usual small cafés.”
She’d be disappointed with the farming-come-resort town, he was sure. There was nothing grand about it though inhabitants were working to transform it into something more to attract tourists, adding a couple of motels, high caliber campgrounds, and a recreation complex.
Jasmine wrinkled her nose cutely. “I will see everything. And I have never been in a store just for livestock feed. It will be fascinating!”
Noah laughed warily. It took little to gain Jasmine’s utmost attention and her full enthusiasm. As Jasmine was royalty, her experiences most certainly wouldn’t have been so lowly that they’d include such visitations.
“I have an old Sears catalogue you can look at so you’ll know roughly what people wear to go shopping—out here, anyway,” Noah said as he guided her into the house, recalling what happened the last time he’d suggested she wear something more appropriate.
“What is this Sears catalogue?”
He’d forgotten she wouldn’t have any idea what he was talking about. He explained catalogue shopping while they returned to the house. “It comes in handy for shoppers who don’t want to visit a store or in places where there are few shops to supply customer needs. Mystery Lake doesn’t have much in the line of clothing stores.”
“How do you know you will like clothes that you buy from a book?”
Noah shrugged. “I’ve never particularly worried. If the clothes fit decent, I wear them.” When Jasmine cocked her head in dismay, he grinned and told her about a few bad buys that he had insisted on wearing anyway. He didn’t admit that he’d done that mostly because it irritated Carol who had insisted on only the best for herself, and that definitely never included catalogue shopping.
Soon Jasmine was engrossed in the outdated tattered old book, much to Noah’s amusement, given he was the one being entranced by a Djinni.
Much later he approved of her choice of a deep purple pantsuit as she pirouetted before him. She looked fabulous in everything, bright colors especially. Of course she couldn’t resist adding her own personal touch to the outfit. A series of delicate golden chains appeared at her throat while around her waist was a heavier gold chain. A richly colored purple thread wove its way through the topknot of her hair then cascaded down her back along with her abundant and always tangle-free hair. Her lips took on a darker hue; the coloring seemed to be a natural part of her complexion that changed readily to match whatever she wore.
Her personality was as colorful as her wardrobe, cheery and gay. Maybe that was the secret to her enthusiastic and bubbly personality. Maybe he should try to brighten his own drab character with more color. He did tend to dress in the same olive green workwear day after day. He had a closet full of the boring matching shirts and pants. Maybe he’d pick up an ever-popular flannel checkered work shirt in town.
He was reluctant to ask Jasmine to make something up for him, wary of her flamboyant flair for color and design. Besides, he hated being told what he should wear and when he should wear it. He almost didn’t recognize this bit of resistance for what it was—rebellion for all the times Carol picked his dressier clothes out for him or insisted he wear something to her liking, regardless of his preferences.
He went to change and managed to find a pair of nearly new bluejeans that were worn enough to be comfortable. He added a striped turtleneck sweater that just happened to have the same royal purple color in it as Jasmine’s pantsuit.
Jasmine noticed. Her gaze wandered over him with delight before he donned his parka. He tried to deny the fact that subconsciously, he had dressed for Jasmine’s approval. He was amused to discover that she donned a parka exactly like his. He laughed, landed a quick kiss on her moist lips, and dismissed the thoughts bombarding him on what people would think of their matching outfits. Oh, yes, tongues were going to be wagging and for once, it wouldn’t bother him.
Not yet anyway.
When they arrived at the feed store, there were many customers inside, most of them male. He could feel the stares and grins of amusement as he ushered Jasmine along and explained to her what everything was.
“Howdy, Noah,” the proprietor said as Noah left Jasmine looking over everything while he attended to business. The man, who was chatting with a group, flashed a grin Jasmine’s way. “Brought a new lady friend along today, did you?”
Noah nodded solemnly, aware that the store owner, along with everyone else in the establishment, was eyeing Jasmine with speculative looks. He could practically read their minds: poor fool’s going to get taken for a ride again! He pushed on to the service counter and a new salesman who was thankfully more interested in business than speculation.
While he waited for his order, Noah’s gaze found Jasmine and he watched her explore the various items on the shelves and floor. She smiled to herself as though pleased with what she saw. Carol hadn’t been interested in knowing what was in the store, only in the people she could impress. When Jasmine smiled and chatted enthusiastically with the staff and customers that materialized around her as she made her way to his side, he could see they were warming to her in a way that they never had with Carol.
Still, he was relieved to usher her off into the one-and-only clothing store in Mystery Lake. “Pick out something you like and I’ll purchase it,” Noah said as they walked down the aisles. It was a good shop as far as a small place was concerned. There was an amazing variety of merchandise packed into its limited space and they utilized high wall shelves and even ceiling racks.
“You do not have to buy me anything. I can make whatever I want,” Jasmine whispered back since he’d spoken quietly.
“This will be something I can give you. Pick something warm. I’ll be up front.”
* * *
Jasmine found herself staring incredulously at a white flannel garment featuring a large black and white animated mouse wearing a dress. The figurine sported an emerald green bow on its head and large high-heeled green shoes. A matching bracelet adorned one limb.
It was hanging on a ceiling rod. Jasmine saw that no one was looking before she used her powers to bring it down. Then she held the unusual dress up and studied herself in a full-length mirror. Her favorite colors. She loved it! She would wear it to the Christmas dinner at the senior D’Arks’.
Removing the garment from the hanger, she turned to locate Noah and discovered him chatting with two store clerks. “I like this, Noah,” she said as she got near and held it proudl
y against her body for approval.
Jasmine watched the color drain from his face. It returned with a rush of heightened intensity as Noah finally spoke. “I guess I’ll get a Mouse Guy tee-shirt for myself!”
“A perfect pair!” one of the startled clerks said, then both broke into fits of laughter, leaving Jasmine wondering what they meant.
“A pair of every critter for my ark,” Noah quipped, apparently recovered from whatever had caused him to pale. They traded banter as the two garments—hers long, his short—were bought and bagged. “You all might as well know I’m going ahead with my tourist attraction, with my special friend’s help. This is Jasmine.”
The clerks looked Jasmine over with a smile and a practiced eye that she did not find distasteful, given that each woman kept nodding as if with approval. That erased some of her tension, that and the fact that the teasing continued as Noah paid for the purchases. He did not seem upset now. Finally, he took her elbow to guide her from the store.
“You make sure you bring her back in, Noah,” one clerk called after them, at which he flung a hand up and waved back at them.
“I have made a bungle, but I know not what,” Jasmine stated once they were outside. She had no idea of what Noah and the store staff had been talking about as they kept exclaiming over the reputation of two characters named Mouse Guy and Mouse Gal.
Noah shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it. They liked you. That’s the most important thing.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. He declined to remove his arm and turned her attention to the sights as they continued their tour of the lakeside resort.
It was the grocery store that amazed Jasmine the most. Besides row after row of packaged foodstuffs, paper goods and the like, there was a tiny flower shop and even a selection of cotton shirts that proclaimed, I Have Tested The Waters Of Mystery Lake.
“A tee-shirt would be perfect for you,” Noah said, seeing her close perusal. “You could wear it under your snowsuit to keep warmer when outside.” He held several up under her chin. “I’m growing fond of bright colors,” he said, suggesting a neon green one. “You’ll look fabulous in this at any time, Jasmine.”
His eyes held a smoldering heat that prompted her flushed response. If he kept looking at her like this, she would not need any such extra clothing. Disregarding that, it was a gift from Noah. He always thought of her comfort. She smiled because he insisted on paying for something she could have magically produced, now that she had seen it. He still saw a request as a command, and he obviously did not like issuing commands.
By the time they stopped for lunch at Paulette’s Café, Jasmine discovered that she had become a lunch counter hot topic. Many patrons approached them, eager to meet her. Jasmine realized they thought her unintentional verbal blunders were deliberate and entertaining. With a chuckle after a fourth such encounter, Noah guided her to a table.
“You’re a hit, Jasmine,” he whispered, before sitting down himself.
“Hit?”
“That means they like you.” He winked at her before picking up the menu and handing it to her. “Chose anything you want.”
Jasmine frowned at the choices: franks and beans, clubhouse, kraut and pork, and more. There was a mind-boggling array of foods to pick and not one of them she recognized, aside from the word hamburger, so she chose that and was surprised to receive a flat chunk of meat in a bun slathered with tomato sauce and onions. But it was good and she enjoyed every morsel, along with the thin square-cut strips of deep-fried potatoes she learned were called fries. She noted that many of the other café patrons also gave the same order.
She was enjoying herself and Noah did not appear to be upset with the attention they were gaining. In fact, a broad grin encompassed his face for the most part. She was surprised at how different he was in that regard, compared to previous masters. None of them had viewed anything she ever did as amusing. But then, their relationship was nothing like she had ever been a part of before, either.
Back home, Noah declined help in unloading the feed. “Go inside, warm up. I’ll leave most of this to unload tomorrow. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Darkness had fallen and a wind had picked up, adding a considerable wind chill to the frigid temperatures. Would she ever get used to the cold? She hurried inside.
In minutes she had a fire blazing hotly on top of the stove. The room would warm up much faster with the tall, leaping flames exuding heat all around. A cup of hot shaye would warm her from the inside. She reached for the teapot, set high on a shelf then a packet of tea, as it was called here. She was too chilled to nod it into instant existence. Behind her, she heard Noah enter the porch.
* * *
Noah found himself whistling as he entered the porch. Normally he shirked town visits, finding them either boring or filled with tension, certainly not enjoyable. Admittedly, he’d felt unsettled when he’d ushered Jasmine into the feed store. In short order Jasmine herself had changed the day because everyone who met her was completely taken with her bubbly personality, her sincerity, and her apparent wit.
He chuckled to himself, recalling one misinterpretation especially. For a while there, when she’d proudly held up the article of clothing as her selection of a warm dress, he had nearly swallowed his tongue. Of course, it took only an instant to realize she didn’t know that the garment she had chosen was for sleeping in. He’d had to think fast when he’d thought to buy a similar tee-shirt. The clerks had taken it in stride and he could see they were quite impressed with his newfound female friend.
His heavy outerwear removed, tune finished, Noah pushed open the inside door, his sights briefly on Jasmine’s shapely behind as she stretched to reach the specialty tea at the top of the high cupboard. The next instant his gaze was drawn to the chilling sight of flames.
“Not again!” he roared, flinging the door fully open with a crash.
Jasmine whirled with a yelp.
“Get out!” Noah roughly thrust her into the next room and slammed the door unceremoniously behind her to create a temporary fireguard.
He plunked a handy pot into the sink and turned the tap on full bore before turning to do a hasty evaluation. There were no curtains nearby. The walls and ceiling hadn’t caught fire since the flames weren’t licking at the wood. The fire blazed hotly as he lifted the lid on the kitchen range. Using the poker he maneuvered the burning wood into the firebox without mishap and replaced the heavy cast iron top.
His legs were shaky as he turned the tap off, with no need to take the next step of actually using the water. No telling when the walls and ceiling would have caught fire if he hadn’t come in when he did. The house was old, the wood tinder dry.
What was Jasmine’s problem? This was serious!
She must have been cold. She probably tried to get the fire going and with her powers uncontrollable as she shivered, it had ended up on top of the stove. He was surprised that she hadn’t noticed, but he supposed she must have turned away before realizing it. Would she have been able to right it or would her powers have gotten jumbled with panic?
There was no sign of scorching or soot on the ceiling. The white walls weren’t singed either. He tentatively touched the wall nearest to the stove; it should at least be hot but it wasn’t. The room felt cozy warm though, or was he just heated due to his panic?
Slowly it dawned on him that things weren’t what they had seemed. The smoke detector hadn’t gone off, signaling that this fire had been smokeless. He sagged against the cupboard. Jasmine must have been in control of the fire. Clever trick. He sucked in a breath and whooshed it back out. She’d scared the life out of him. They had to talk about this.
As soon as he entered the living room, he was aware of the disquiet around him. The walls seemed agitated, almost trembling; there was no appeasing music. Noah hurried through, anxious to escape their unrest. Of course, the walls of her bedroom were just as agitated. It was impossible to block their tension. She sat cross-legged on the bed.
“Jasm
ine. I’m sorry I yelled at you.” She appeared unaware of him as she sat trance-like, eyes unfocused. A depressing dark aura hovered about her person. Now he realized he’d yelled before forcibly pushing her through the door, out of harm’s way. He’d put that cloud there, dampening her spirit, squelching her warm personality.
He crawled onto the high bed, discovering for the first time that it was a waterbed and recalling the sound of softly lapping water when he had been in the room previously. He’d thought it had come from the sound system. That was the day his mother had dropped in for a visit. He’d been so anxious about that meeting that his brain hadn’t been registering anything.
“Jasmine. Look at me.” She stared straight ahead, her eyes wide, her spine rigid. Could she actually tune him out like this? Her aura was growing darker as he watched. Would he be able to bring her out of her deepening depression?
Well, kissing her had worked last time; he leaned forward and slanted his mouth across hers. She pulled back with a sharp intake of breath. Noah followed her mouth until he was stretched out over top of her, prone on the bouncing bed.
Now he had her attention! He wasn’t ready to release her lips just yet. He should, but couldn’t for the life of him relinquish the sweetness of her mouth. When she struggled under him, he realized it was most likely due to the fact that he was crushing her with his weight. Placing his hands on either side of her shoulders, he lifted himself off.
“Jasmine,” he moaned, forehead against hers as he tried to collect his thoughts. He had to tell her… What? Oh, yes, he had to explain why he was here before the reason evaded him. He spoke without removing himself to a more prudent position. “Jasmine, I’m not angry with you. The fire, it scared me. I was just afraid for your safety.”
“You do not wish me gone from thee?” Jasmine’s breathy words fanned his lips. “Thee tell me to get out. I think thy mean—”