Friends

It was noon by the time Jasmine emerged from her room with Blake hovering behind her. As much as she wanted to laze around and do nothing with Blake, it was time to get some food into her body.

She went down the hall to the room that her grandmother, the nun Dai Tu Liem was in and knocked but no one was in the room.

Next door was her Great Uncle's room and she knocked there too, but it was the same. No one answered the door.

Blake frowned and stuck his head in through the door to take a peek. No one was in the room.

He went to the old nun's room and did the same.

"Stop peeking into people's rooms. You don't know if they're doing something private."

Blake pulled his head out of the old nun's door.

"She's a nun. What could she possibly do other than sit around and chant? And he's so old I don't think his pecker even works any more."

At Jasmine's distasteful face, Blake grinned.

"I was just making sure they hadn't fallen and couldn't get up to open the door for us. They are rather old you know."

Jasmine nodded with dubiety and took the stairs down to the ground floor, with Blake following along beside her.

The hotel had a small cafe on the first floor that served a few simple food items.

Lunch was bánh mì made from freshly baked baguettes with all the fixings along with cafe au lait made in the drip carafe. Jasmine placed her order and then found a table by the window and sat down.

Blake occupied the chair opposite from her and watched her as she watched the throng of people walking around outside.

"What are your plans now?"

Jasmine shook her head. "I don't know. My Great Uncle called me here for a reason, but I haven't had a chance to even talk to him yet. And Aunt Dai Tien Ha…"

"Your grandmother and your great uncle know of her passing."

"How do you know that?"

"I talked with the old man before going to look for you. He pointed me the way and then left me there to help you dig the gravesite while he went off to do whatever the heck it is that old men do."

Jasmine sighed and wiped away tears that escaped from her eyes.

"My poor aunt. She didn't even leave anything behind for me to bury."

"Consider her ashes having been spread into the air and the ground of the land that she loved. It was her choice. There was nothing you could have done to stop this from happening."

Jasmine nodded. "It's strange to think of her as my sister. She's always been my aunt, although we're only separated by about five years."

"I'm sure the next time you meet her, you'll be another family member of hers. That's how it works. Your family continue to be your family, lifetime after lifetime."

"What about you?" Jasmine gazed at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

"What about me?"

"Well, the last lifetime I met you was seven-hundred years ago, and I accidentally died as soon as we connected."

"That you know of."

"Pardon?"

"The last lifetime THAT YOU KNOW OF. It could be that we've met quite a few times between then and now. We just don't remember those times."

"Fair enough," she laughed. "But we'll never know, will we?"

"But Jasmine, don't you get the feeling that you and I are strongly connected?"

Jasmine sipped her coffee. "Yes. Actually I do. It's super sad that every time we meet, one of us dies almost immediately. It's like we're never given the chance to hang out and, you know."

"Live together?"

"Or at least live within the same timeframe so we can hang out and get to know each other better."

"Aren't we doing that now?" Blake gave her a gentle look. "Hanging out and getting to know each other better?"

"Yeah, but we're not really interacting in the usual sense. I mean," she gave a nervous laughter. "I'm a living person and you're a spirit being. We can't do much more than just talk."

"Are you sure about that?" He reached out and touched her hand.

Jasmine gasped and pulled back.

"I'm sorry." Blake sighed. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm. I'm not scared. You've held me up and supported me through times when I couldn't even stand on my own. I was just—not expecting that."

"I'm really sorry." Blake whispered.

Jasmine reached out and touched him. Her hand went right through his.

"I—I can't touch you but you can touch me." She gave a small surprised laugh.

Blake pushed a tiny dribble of energy into his hand and suddenly, Jasmine's hand was on top of his.

"Just let me know when and where you want to touch me and I'll make sure you can feel me."

"Anywhere?" She grinned.

Blake blushed and nodded.

"Hmmmm. Now I'm thinking about things I shouldn't." Jasmine teased.

"Listen to me Jasmine. I want for there to be nothing that you can't or shouldn't think when you're with me. I want to be your…"

Blake stopped.

What did he want to be? Her ghoul?

He choked on his words and looked away. It was too funny to even contemplate. She had real living men who would be more than happy to be with her.

He could see how Adam Stuart treated her back in LA. He could see the way the Overlord Anh Hai aka Vincent looked at her when he thought nobody was watching.

And who could blame them?

She was a raven haired beauty with warm brown eyes and pale perfect porcelain skin. She had a voice that always turned his insides to mush every time he listened to her sing, and she was kind and generous to a fault.

"My what?"

He shook his head. He was just an unworthy ghoul. There was nothing he could give her that she would want.

Jasmine tilted her head as she gazed at him.

"You could be my friend."

Blake looked at her with surprise.

Friend.

Yes.

He would like that very much. This unworthy ghoul was given a chance to be a friend to the beautiful, talented, amazing woman named Jasmine Love.

"I would very much love to be your friend. Thank you."