Frost

by Elise Faber

  “Nothing,” she sniffed. “I just thought – I didn’t think this would happen to me. That someone like you would fall in love with me.”

  Feeling like a giant weight had lifted off my chest; I grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up for a kiss. The happy smile refused to be wiped off my face even when I kissed her senseless.

  “We’re such a pair, you and I. Here I was, thinking I would never have a chance to say those words to a woman… ever… in my life.” Scooping her under the legs, I carried her back to bed.

  Her fingers caressed my face in wonder when I leaned over her. “You love me. You… love… me.”

  Kissing her fingertips, I combed her hair away from her face. “Yes… I… do.”

  Sighing, she snuggled against me and gave a huge yawn. “I love you, too. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Another yawn. “I feel like we should be talking more… you know, like they do in the movies when couples say those words to one another…” she informed me sleepily.

  Tucking her gently against my body, I waved off the main lights, leaving just a dim light on in the bathroom. “Uh-huh…”

  “This is an epic moment… I think we should…”

  With a contented smile, I kissed the top of her head when I felt her succumb to slumber, then I closed my own eyes hoping to follow her in her dreams.

  “I know what to do for my second wish.”

  Those words hit me like a straight jab to the center of my chest by a heavy-weight prize fighter.

  Day five of loving Michele, we finally resurfaced back to the human world. After coming off the horse carriages, we were eating ice cream while we sat on the steps of the French Quarter Visitor Center, over-looking the majestic steeple of St. Louis Cathedral.

  Trying to appear calm, I licked my dripping vanilla-flavored ice cream. “Yeah?” I responded hoping Michele couldn’t hear my thundering heartbeat.

  You are such a stupid ass, Ambroise. I scolded myself. A week with a girl and you started dreaming you could live a normal life? Just because she said she loved you and shared her body so freely with you, doesn’t counter the fact that you are still her slave until she’s finished using up her three wishes!

  SHUT UP!

  “Huh?” Michele asked in confusion.

  “Oh, sorry. Was having an argument with myself.” I gave her a carefree smile as I threw away the rest of my ice cream, which had suddenly lost its taste. “What were you saying?”

  “Well,” she began looking a bit suspicious. “I was thinking, it’s Christmas tomorrow. I’d like to use up my second wish for Christmas.”

  Rubbing my hands together, I avoided her eyes, pretending to scout our surroundings. The afternoon sun was low in the horizon, but it was still quite hot in the day and people were in abundance as usual. “Sounds like a great plan.”

  When Michele remained silent, I forced myself to look at her. My heart swelled with love at the transformation of that sickly-looking girl who looked at me through the mirror of my prison, to this beautiful young woman who looked so healthy and full of life sitting beside me with mint-flavored ice cream melting in her hand.

  Love suits her.

  Leaning sideways, I lifted her hand up to my lips and licked ice cream off her fingers. The worry in her eyes melted only to be replaced with that special dreamy expression reserved for me. Even though I told her I loved her no matter how she looked, having hair suited her. She finally agreed with me that brown was her perfect hair color after we experimented with different colors.

  “Something’s bothering you,” she stated. “Tell me so we can sort it out.”

  Laughing, I shook my head. “It’s not that important. I’ll tell you later.” I promised dismissing it. “Come on, tell me what your second wish will be.”

  Michele still looked unconvinced then she sighed and finally replied, “When I was younger, I always wished I could see Santa Claus on Christmas, especially living in the orphanage or the times I was in hospital. I think that’s what I want to do for my second wish.”

  An ache settled in my chest seeing that younger image of orphan Michele in my mind. “So you want to pretend you’re Santa for those kids?”

  A cheerful grin stretched on her face. “Santa is a man, didn’t you know? I’m a female elf… so, guess who you will be?”

  Shaking my head, I had to laugh. “Just say the words, babe.”

  “I wish…”

  A man’s heart was simply not designed for all the heartache I went through fulfilling Michele’s second wish.

  I lied to Michele and said I had to do something back in my “room” but honestly I just needed to get away and deal with what happened several hours ago. So, while Michele went the bathroom to do her bedtime routine, I went up to the roof and just sat down on the concrete, staring up at the night sky.

  There were so many orphan houses in New Orleans. Michele had asked me to dress up in a Santa Claus suit, complete with white hair, beard, and big cuddly body. Deciding to go all out, I changed my form completely and was so glad I did when later on the kids kept patting me and stroking my facial hair to make sure they were real.

  We were greeted with pandemonium in each orphanage. Michele was the perfect elf who dragged a huge bag, which magically produced all the presents the kids at the orphanage asked for. Most of the children asked for toys and various gadgets, several asked for clothes and shoes.

  But what surprised me the most was that nobody asked for new parents. Even though I had no idea how I would manage to find all of them adoptive parents, I was expecting to be asked that before we entered each place. Then, to my astonishment, not one child asked me to be adopted. I wondered about it after the fourth house we visited and finally decided to ask Michele.

  Her reply was quite simple, “They were afraid to.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “These children have been longing to have families of their own but have stopped hoping for that wish to come true. They are afraid to ask for the impossible to avoid having their hearts broken once more. It’s easier to ask for simple things.”

  Heavy with despair, I wondered how often little Michele’s heart had been broken. Or those of every little pair of eyes staring back at me in wonder as they waited to sit on my lap and whisper into my ears.

  If I thought that was bad enough, I was definitely not equipped to face the kids at the children’s hospital. It had been more difficult to get in there with all the hospital staff around, but someone with powers like mine, we managed to sneak in so only the children saw us, and we visited each one.

  Michele helped me grant gifts, which were appropriate to each child’s health condition, amazing me with her knowledge. Like the orphans, most kids wanted toys. But a few hit me with the hard ones.

  One little boy’s wish had been, “When I’m gone, please make sure my mommy laughs again.”

  Another one had whispered to me, “Can you ask God to turn me into an angel so I can watch over my mommy when I die?”

  The hardest one was, “Please give my daddy and mommy another baby to look after when I die, someone who won’t get sick like me.”

  Taking a few deep breaths, I squeezed my eyes shut and fought for control. I could still feel their tiny arms around my neck when they gave me hugs and kisses. Such brave souls in little bodies.

  “Ambroise?”

  Quickly blinking my eyes, I turned my head at the sound of her voice and saw Michele walking towards me. Her beautiful smile was all the medicine I needed to ease away all the aches in my chest.

  “Hi,” I greeted her not trusting my voice yet.

  “Floriza told me she saw you go up here.” Michele explained when she reached me, then just stood there for a minute drinking in the sight of the city from the rooftop. It was deep into the night, but since it was Christmas Eve, New Orleans was still awake. There was enough light I could see Michele but dark enough to be able to see the stars in the sky.

  “Floriza told you I was
here?” Was the witch keeping tabs on me?

  Nodding, Michele sat down beside me. “Yeah, she was on her way up to her room. Said she’s closed the hotel down for the night and instructed me to lock up behind us.”

  Loving the way her body curved naturally against mine, I draped my arm across her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Her sigh of contentment was like a balm over my heart.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Life,” I replied breathing out a heavy breath. “About how unfair life can be.” I waited for her to respond then carried on when she remained quiet. “I was just thinking about those children. How life never even gave them a chance.”

  Silence stretched between us, making me regret saying anything thinking I’d upset her by reminding her about her own childhood. I was about to apologize and urge her to go back to our room when Michele spoke up.

  “Having lived that kind of life, you get so you learn to live in the present. One day at a time. You learn not to think what tomorrow would bring you or hope for what may never come.”

  She was looking up to the stars reminding me of her moon and stars story she had told me once before. It all made sense now.

  “That way, you learn to appreciate what the gift of today has brought you. That’s why they say it’s called present.” She finished with a smile, looking at me. The stars were reflected in her eyes making them shine and sparkle.

  I caressed her soft cheek in the moonlight. “How can you be so young and be this wise?” Her lips were even softer when I touched them with mine.

  When I lifted my head away, she had a sad look on her face. “I’m so sorry I made you feel this way tonight. I didn’t think you’d be this affected. I should have known after you told me about Polly.”

  Giving her a sideways hug, I leaned my face on top of her head. “It’s ok. I needed to grow up,” I replied with a self-derogatory laugh. “Sometimes I forget there are lives being lived while I’m behind the mirror. I get selfish and self-absorbed.”

  That made her sit up straight bumping my head in the process. “You are not selfish, Ambroise. Don’t ever think that.”

  Smiling happily at her vehemence for my sake, I urged her to settle back down against me. “Well, ok. Maybe not now. But I know I was very selfish back then.”

  “I’ve told you I was a visitor like you, yes?” At her nod I continued. “My wishes were simple. One, be handsome and attractive.” I had to laugh when I felt her sigh happily against my chest. “Two, to be excellent with anything I do.”

  “Oh yes, you are.” She agreed, caressing my thigh stretched out next to hers, making me laugh even more.

  “Hey, be serious here!” I scolded in a mock, stern voice, to which she playfully planted a wet kiss on my cheek then sat primly beside me.

  “Then, my third wish was to live forever.”

  That sobered her up, laughter dying from her eyes. Feeling disgusted with myself I stood up and pulled her up with me. “Well, I got all my wishes all right.”

  Her fingers were gentle when they touched my cheek, “You had been so young, and had lived a very different life back then.”

  “But that doesn’t give me a right to be selfish. Unlike you, who could have anything in the world from your wishes, and both times you’ve chosen to use it for the benefit of others.”

  “Hey, I’m benefiting from the wishes otherwise they wouldn’t have worked. Rule number three from the restrictions you gave me, remember?”

  I gave her fingers an absent-minded kiss. “Somehow you were clever enough to twist the wishes to suit your plans.”

  “Well, I’ve got you now. I don’t need anything else.”

  Falling in love with her all over again, I claimed her lips in mine and poured all my love into the kiss, hoping she would feel the depth of my feelings for her. Just to be sure, I whispered the words against her lips and lifted her up in my arms.

  The heavens opened up and poured warm rain down but we didn’t move, allowing the water to wash away all the sorrow of the world around us.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Christmas Day.

  “I shouldn’t have let you get wet in the rain last night.” I grumbled for the fifth time handing Michele yet another tissue after she sneezed several times and blew her nose.

  Trying to smile my concern away, she tossed the used tissue in the make-shift trash bin I gave her. “Don’t be silly. It’s just a cold. I get them all the time.”

  Feeling inexplicably worried, I watched her reach for the remote control for the television and start flicking through the channels. Her nose was red from sneezing all morning, her eyes were tearing up and her skin looked flushed.

  She did look like she had caught a cold, but people used to die with common cold in my time, and because I’ve never been ill since becoming a Jinn, having a cold sounded deadly to me. Maybe I should take her to the hospital.

  Catching my worried expression, Michele started laughing, “Ambroise, it’s fine. I’m ok. Stop worrying, and come sit with me. I want to watch this movie.”

  Giving in, I climbed in bed with her and pulled her against my chest. As soon as she’d begun sneezing earlier, I declared we were staying in so she could rest. We’ve decorated the room with fairy lights to celebrate Christmas. I created a small feast for her knowing how much she hated wasting food. Both of us were even wearing our matching elves pajamas – well, Michele was wearing her pajama top while I just had my bottoms on, although we both had started the morning fully clothed in the festive attire.

  At lunch time, she received a phone call from a friend of hers who wished her Merry Christmas. That was the first time anybody had called her, so I gave her a bit of privacy and carried on decorating our room by myself while she took her cellphone to the veranda to chat with her friend. When she finished the call, Michele was even sweeter to me than before and told me I was the best Christmas present she had ever received. That was the time when we lost the other halves of our pajamas then decided to just keep a few pieces of clothing on afterwards.

  Almost a week of making love with Michele, I still couldn’t get enough of her, and craved her touch if we were apart for more than half an hour. In time, I was sure our frenzy for one another would settle to a more reasonable one but not just yet. Maybe in the next decade or so.

  Curving her body against mine, I stroked her lower abdomen while she giggled at the antics of an animated snowman on the television. I wondered what it would be like to create a baby with her. We had definitely been practicing enough for it the last few days. And I certainly didn’t use any protection, and Michele didn’t ask me about it.

  Was I capable of fathering a child?

  My bodily functions were that of a human every time I crossed over to this side of the world. It was only when I go back to my prison that my human tendencies were suppressed.

  Having not seen the numerous women I had bedded throughout the years, I can’t say if I ever fathered any offspring. It had never crossed my mind… until now. The image of a precious little baby girl with brown eyes growing inside of Michele filled me with longing. My body hardened in need to implant that seed right now. My wandering hand moved down her navel and stroked the heated flesh it found nestling below there.

  Michele’s thighs parted to give me more access as she tilted her face up to me whispering sweetly, “Again?”

  A tender smile touched my lips imagining that baby in her arms. “I need to practice.”

  An answering smile brightened up her face, “Well, don’t let it be said that I didn’t help you practice. As people say, ‘practice makes perfect.’”

  A nasty cough developed by the time we ate our dinner. When we settled back in bed, Michele had a temperature. Her fever was burning so high alarm bells were ringing in my ears.

  Why was her cold progressing so quickly?

  Against her will, I changed her clothes, bundled her up and took us to the nea
rest hospital. One look at her and the nurses and doctors whizzed her away from me and pumped her veins with medication.

  Forcing my magical will against any medical staff that came near us, I managed to return to her side and stayed there as they ran several tests on her. The nurses took some blood samples, sent her away for an x-ray of her chest, and other medical things to figure out what was happening to her.

  Throughout it all, Michele remained silent. Quietly answering all the questions asked of her and accepting everything they sprang on her without so much as a wince of protest.

  It was in the early of the morning when a doctor shook me awake from my slumped position beside a sleeping Michele, who had finally succumbed to exhaustion just an hour ago.

  The young female doctor who had been attending to us beckoned me to follow her away from Michele, motioning me to be quiet. After making sure she was still sleeping, I left Michele’s side and followed the doctor out of the room and along the corridor.

  “So, I managed to pull up Michele’s medical records from Wyoming Medical Center, and her oncologists told me that he had warned her that this was coming. She’s prone to succumb to pneumonia at this stage of the disease.” The doctor informed me.

  Frowning at the unfamiliar words being thrown at me, I glanced down at the nameplate pinned on the lapel of the doctor’s hospital uniform. Sandra Burke.

  “Hold on, Dr. Burke. What do you mean? What – what are you talking about?” I interrupted.

  A flush appeared on the doctor’s cheeks. “Please call me Sandy. Um, Michele has pneumonia. It’s ah… quite a common illness for people suffering from leukemia to acquire rapidly, especially when they are at the end stage.”

  That feeling of dread, which had been hanging over my head since yesterday, just went into hyper-drive. “What are you saying?”

  Sandy touched my arm, “Michele is dying. We will do everything in our power to treat her symptoms and keep her comfortable. So far, her temperature–“