Read Online Once Found: The Pocket Watch Chronicles by Ceci Giltenan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ceci Giltenan
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short hair. Elizabeth had an ample bosom, a slightly rounded tummy, and curvy hips. Elsie smiled, thinking her body very attractive—at least men in her own time would find it so. Her face, on the other hand, was a bit of a mess. There was a scrape above her left eye and some ugly bruises, but they would go away with time.
Just after Elsie had awakened that morning, to her surprise, a breakfast tray was delivered. If she ate at all, her morning meal consisted of bread or a bannock and either broth or cheese. This tray had some foods she recognized. There were two pancakes, which were like bannocks but very soft and in the twenty-first century, eaten drenched in syrup. There was also bacon, cooked until it was crispy. She had never eaten bacon in the morning before. She seemed to amuse Gabe with her questions about everything else.
The large, curved, yellow thing was a fruit called a banana . “Try it, but don’t be surprised if you don’t like that one,” said Gabe. “It is a little green, and you like very ripe bananas.”
She tasted it and made a face. “You’re right. I don’t like it. How did you know?”
He chuckled. “Because I like them green. You used to buy bananas, and I’d irritate you by eating them before they got ripe enough for your tastes.”
She smiled, “You can have this one. And please eat one of these pancakes, I can’t manage them both.”
He gave her a warm smile. “We’ve done this before. You like pancakes, but you’d only ever eat one and they are usually served in a stack of two or three or more. I have never minded finishing your pancakes.”
The tray also held a container of milk that was nothing like the milk in her time, and a container of orange juice . It was very tasty. But the thing that surprised her most was the cup of hot black liquid Gabe called coffee . The aroma was wonderful. She started to take a sip, but Gabe stopped her.
“You like milk or cream in your coffee.” He poured some of the milk in.
She tasted it in awe. “This is…this is…delicious.”
Gabe laughed. “You’ve loved coffee as long as I’ve known you. It sustained you through medical school.”
“Is it very good for you? Does one drink it instead of eating?”
“You don’t drink it instead of eating—or you shouldn’t—that isn’t what I meant by sustain. Coffee has something in it called caffeine. It is a stimulant.” At her frown he said, “Having a cup of coffee when you’re tired perks you up for a while. In medical school, we had a lot to do and didn’t get as much sleep as we should have. We drank a lot of coffee.”
“Do you want some of this?”
“No, thank you. You enjoy it and I’ll get a cup later.”
After breakfast, a nurse checked her vitals. Gabe had explained what they were yesterday. The nurse also removed the little tube in her arm that had been capped yesterday.
“I’m going to wrap that splint and have a nursing assistant help you shower.”
“Shower?”
“Wash up,” the nurse said by way of explanation. “Dr. Soldani, you can take a break for a while.”
Elsie started to protest, but Gabe said, “You’ll want privacy. I won’t be gone long. I think I’ll have a shower, too.” She frowned, but he added, “There’s a coffee shop in the lobby that makes a great mocha. It’s a flavored coffee that you love. I’ll bring you one.”
“Okay.” She was still worried that her parents might return before Gabe did, but she was determined to be brave.
The hot shower was one of the most wonderful things Elsie had ever experienced. She never could have imagined how heavenly it would feel to have delightfully warm water sluicing over her body. It soothed her aches. The blow dryer was marvelous, too. Her hair was completely dry and fluffy in a few minutes.
Finally, dressed in a fresh gown , she returned to bed. The head of the bed was raised so that she was in a semi-sitting position. She closed her eyes and dozed a little. The whole
Just after Elsie had awakened that morning, to her surprise, a breakfast tray was delivered. If she ate at all, her morning meal consisted of bread or a bannock and either broth or cheese. This tray had some foods she recognized. There were two pancakes, which were like bannocks but very soft and in the twenty-first century, eaten drenched in syrup. There was also bacon, cooked until it was crispy. She had never eaten bacon in the morning before. She seemed to amuse Gabe with her questions about everything else.
The large, curved, yellow thing was a fruit called a banana . “Try it, but don’t be surprised if you don’t like that one,” said Gabe. “It is a little green, and you like very ripe bananas.”
She tasted it and made a face. “You’re right. I don’t like it. How did you know?”
He chuckled. “Because I like them green. You used to buy bananas, and I’d irritate you by eating them before they got ripe enough for your tastes.”
She smiled, “You can have this one. And please eat one of these pancakes, I can’t manage them both.”
He gave her a warm smile. “We’ve done this before. You like pancakes, but you’d only ever eat one and they are usually served in a stack of two or three or more. I have never minded finishing your pancakes.”
The tray also held a container of milk that was nothing like the milk in her time, and a container of orange juice . It was very tasty. But the thing that surprised her most was the cup of hot black liquid Gabe called coffee . The aroma was wonderful. She started to take a sip, but Gabe stopped her.
“You like milk or cream in your coffee.” He poured some of the milk in.
She tasted it in awe. “This is…this is…delicious.”
Gabe laughed. “You’ve loved coffee as long as I’ve known you. It sustained you through medical school.”
“Is it very good for you? Does one drink it instead of eating?”
“You don’t drink it instead of eating—or you shouldn’t—that isn’t what I meant by sustain. Coffee has something in it called caffeine. It is a stimulant.” At her frown he said, “Having a cup of coffee when you’re tired perks you up for a while. In medical school, we had a lot to do and didn’t get as much sleep as we should have. We drank a lot of coffee.”
“Do you want some of this?”
“No, thank you. You enjoy it and I’ll get a cup later.”
After breakfast, a nurse checked her vitals. Gabe had explained what they were yesterday. The nurse also removed the little tube in her arm that had been capped yesterday.
“I’m going to wrap that splint and have a nursing assistant help you shower.”
“Shower?”
“Wash up,” the nurse said by way of explanation. “Dr. Soldani, you can take a break for a while.”
Elsie started to protest, but Gabe said, “You’ll want privacy. I won’t be gone long. I think I’ll have a shower, too.” She frowned, but he added, “There’s a coffee shop in the lobby that makes a great mocha. It’s a flavored coffee that you love. I’ll bring you one.”
“Okay.” She was still worried that her parents might return before Gabe did, but she was determined to be brave.
The hot shower was one of the most wonderful things Elsie had ever experienced. She never could have imagined how heavenly it would feel to have delightfully warm water sluicing over her body. It soothed her aches. The blow dryer was marvelous, too. Her hair was completely dry and fluffy in a few minutes.
Finally, dressed in a fresh gown , she returned to bed. The head of the bed was raised so that she was in a semi-sitting position. She closed her eyes and dozed a little. The whole
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