The flow of the hotel continued on despite the lack of Lisle’s presence over the following days. The hotel proprietor finally found the strength to sit up a bit without passing out. His fever lowered but he was far from being on the mend. He did muster the energy to head to his bedroom and bathe, to shave his scruff and clean his face, and he felt better than he had. But his husband quickly ushered him back to bed. Grant rarely left his side and Ellis was required to spend the nights in the infirmary under strict supervision. It was awkward, but his sleepwalking ceased.

Grant could only assume it was the new environment, the large size of the suite he was assigned, and uncertainty of it all causing his brain to overwork itself. Having another body present helped ease the silence and reassured him he was safe. Ellis seemed to have more energy during the day because of it. He was eager to help Luisa with the hotel maintenance and happily took over the vacuuming and dusting duties of the common areas. He was figuring out the hotel’s layout more and more with each day, and had found himself in the library and the pool upon the completion of his tasks almost nightly.

The newcomer kept crossing paths with the quiet Emma Prescott, they exchanged pleasantries and nothing more, but he found himself stuck in long conversations with Sydney and James about a plethora of topics. He had yet to see the mysterious writer, Dean, since dinner the first night when his presence was requested to learn the rules of the hotel. He was curious about him.

All in all, Ellis had fallen into a good rhythm with his work and schedule, and he was growing a bit more comfortable with asking for foods he wanted to eat.

Lisle gave him a crash course of the convenience store’s inventory system and asked him to do a quick check of everything in stock since he was bed bound for the foreseeable future. Ellis picked it up quickly with his experience working at the coffee shop, and managed to keep a daily list for the hotel proprietor’s peace of mind.

Ellis stopped by the infirmary in the early afternoon on January 5th with a small yawn after finishing his vacuuming duties in the lounge. He poked his head inside and saw Doctor Fontenot asleep in the armchair beside Lisle who was working on a laptop. Biscuit was curled up atop Lisle’s feet, his oversized shirt had slipped off his shoulder and a bead of sweat rolled down his jaw. The hotel owner turned his pale eyes to Ellis and smiled.

“Hi,” he said quietly.

“Hi, are you feeling better today?” Ellis asked.

“Yes, a bit. Are you well?”

“Oh, yes! Janine wanted me to come by and see if you and Doctor Fontenot wanted dinner brought in after she gets the dining room prepared. She’s making phở and pozole, she also made baguettes for sandwiches so there’s a variety of options.”

Lisle shut his laptop. He pulled his glasses from his face and rubbed his eyes, it was obvious he was exhausted and had trouble processing the question.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Mr. Hawthorne?” Ellis asked.

“Could you get me a glass of ice water? I’m sorry to impose but I’m so hot, these water bottles aren’t cutting it,” Lisle requested quietly.

“Of course, I’ll be right back.”

Ellis turned and walked back out into the hall. He pushed up the much too long sleeves of his sweater and slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He looked around the lounge, mostly to double check that he hadn’t missed any spots on the carpet while vacuuming. The tables were spotless and the fireplace in the center of the cozy area flickered softly. He loved the smell of the burning wood, loved the way the embers danced against the glass.

He found himself sitting in the lounge by the fire most nights before bed. He picked out a few books from the library on the second floor to read and had been enjoying the silence. In the mornings, before breakfast, he tried to spend as much time as he could in the pool per Grant’s orders. The light activity was beneficial for his health—both physical and mental—and he’d discovered that his muscles felt less tense because of it.

He had to admit that, even though the days that he had been living at the hotel had been a bit hectic, he felt much healthier.

He stopped to look at his reflection in the fireplace and gasped when he saw Masoud grinning at him from the other side of the panes.

“Good evening, Ellis, how are you?” Masoud inquired as he walked around the fireplace.

“Oh, hello, Masoud! I’m well,” Ellis replied.

“You looked deep in thought.”

“I need a haircut,” Ellis said with a laugh. “I didn’t realize how shaggy I looked.”

“I’d be more than happy to give you one if you’d like.”

“Would you? Oh, I need to get Mr. Hawthorne some ice water first, but yes, I’d appreciate that.”

“How about after dinner? We can get you cleaned up. Go get Lisle his water.”

Ellis nodded, “Thank you.”

He scurried off down the curved corridor, bypassing the convenience store and the kitchen’s freezer. He waved to Janine as he walked inside the kitchen, she was already deep into dinner prep and focused on her task. Still, she waved back and greeted the new hire.

“Did you get their orders, Ellis?” Janine inquired.

“No, ma’am, Mr. Hawthorne asked for ice water. He’s a bit foggy and Dr. Fontenot is asleep,” he replied.

Janine opened up one of the cabinets above her workstation and grabbed an oversized glass. She handed it to him with a smile and pointed to the ice machine in the corner.

Ellis smiled. He scooped up some ice and moved to the fridge. He filled the cup to the top and walked back over to Janine. He looked at the spread of colorful vegetables, the rich hues of the broths in the pots on the burners, and inhaled the aroma of warm soup. Since he arrived, he had seen such a wide variety of dishes and, though he was a bit hesitant to try some of them, he was excited that the prospect was there. That he wasn’t going to be ridiculed or shamed for sampling dishes.

“Did you decide what you’d like for dinner?” she asked.

“I’m not sure, I haven’t had either of the options before. I’ve had ramen, but phở has shellfish in the broth, right?” Ellis inquired.

“It can, but I make it without.”

“Would you like to try some?” Janine asked.

“Can I?”

Janine nodded. She grabbed two spoons from the drawer and handed them over before she pointed to the large stockpot of broth on the far burner, nothing that it was phở broth. Ellis scooped up a bit and sampled it. He had never tasted anything so rich and warming before, he liked the abundances of herbs that were present even in the small bite he took. Then, he moved onto the pozole. It was delicious, a bit spicy and full of vegetables.

“They’re both really good! I liked the pozole, can I have some?” Ellis inquired.

“Of course, would you like a quesadilla with it?”

“Yes, I would. Thank you.”

“I’ll make it extra large, just for you.”

Ellis smiled and quickly put the dirtied spoons in the dishwasher. He said his goodbyes to Janine and headed off before the ice could melt too much in the warm kitchen. The smell of peppers and cilantro lingered in the stitching of his clothes, and he was excited about dinner now that he knew such a delicious option awaited him. It was, as always, a good day for soup. He wasn’t sure he could get used to the permanent snow, the bitter cold, and the long stretches of daylight, but he hoped he could. He quite liked the Lonely Planet, and he was feeling more and more at ease with each passing day.

He had nothing to return home to, so the prospect of making this a permanent residence was enticing. He had never felt so de-stressed, so warm and full, and the people he lived with were all so nice. He could see why so many opted to stay.

As Ellis returned to the infirmary, he poked his head inside and made eye contact with Lisle as to not startle him before he entered. He walked inside and handed the glass to his boss and nodded at Grant who was slowly waking from his nap.

“Thank you,” Lisle said quietly.

“Good evening, Mr. Hughes,” Grant said between yawns.

“It’s actually the afternoon, Dr. Fontenot. Did you rest well?” Ellis asked.

“I did. Lisle said you stopped by asking for dinner preferences but couldn’t remember what you said,” Grant noted with a smirk. Ellis’ innocence was growing on him.

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit foggy,” Lisle apologized.

“It’s fine, Mr. Hawthorne. Janine made phở and pozole, she also made fresh baguettes for sandwiches and wanted me to let you know she could make ramen, too,” he replied.

“What are you having?” Grant inquired.

“Pozole, with a quesadilla. I tried some and it was delicious. I’m also going to get a haircut after dinner,” he explained.

“Good. I’ll take the pozole, then. Let’s get phở for Lisle, light on the noodles. Thank you for doing this, Ellis. I appreciate it.”

“Of course, Dr. Fontenot, is there anything else I can do for you before dinner?”

“No, I appreciate it. Go enjoy your afternoon.”

Ellis nodded. He turned his eyes to Lisle who was sleepily sipping the water. He looked like he needed to go back to sleep, so he hoped his employer would. He wanted Lisle to get better, it was hard watching someone who showed him so much kindness struggling so heavily.

The hotel proprietor turned his soft eyes to Ellis and smiled, “I’m alright, Ellis.”

“I hope so, Mr. Hawthorne,” Ellis replied gently as he turned to walk away.

Lisle sipped his water and scooted back down in the bed. Grant set his hand on his husband’s cheek. His flesh was warm to the touch, but not as heated as it had been over the last few days. The brain fog worried him, but Lisle was known for his anxious mind and it wasn’t uncommon for his fight or flight to cloud his ability to think—especially during bouts of heavily illness. He’d often struggle to focus in an attempt to keep himself from panicking, a safety switch that forced him to rest.

Grant leaned over and kissed his temple, “I’m going to get you another IV, you’re still dehydrated. Your skin feels sallow.”

“I’m so thirsty,” Lisle mumbled.

“It’s the fever. Thankfully, I think it’s going down, you don’t feel as warm as you have so let’s keep you bundled up and hydrated, hopefully it will break by tomorrow.”

Lisle nodded and continued to drink his water.

Ellis returned to the kitchen and knocked on the door gently. Janine lifted her eyes from a large wok and smiled.

“Yes, Ellis?” she asked.

“Dr. Fontenot wants pozole, Mr. Hawthorne would like the phở, light on the noodles, please,” he replied.

“Did you come all the way back here just to tell me that?”

“Um… no?”

Janine laughed, “Are you hungry? Would you like a snack?”

“No, I’m okay… do you need help? Not that… I can help but I’d like to?” Ellis rambled.

“Would you like me to teach you?”

“Yes.”

Janine waved him in and urged him to go wash his hands, “Good, because I could use the help making these rice noodles.”

“Thank you. I want to find what I’m good at so I can be useful and I haven’t ever cooked before. The most I’ve done is make sugary lattes,” Ellis noted.

“Cooking is easy once you get the hang of it. I’ve been doing it for most of my life and I’m still learning new things, it’s an endless art form.”

“Did you always want to be a chef, then?”

Janine nodded and handed Ellis an apron. He slid it on over his head and tied it around his back while Janine filled the wok with the necessary items to prepare the noodles.

“Yes, cooking was a major affair in my family. We’d all gather in the kitchen and spend hours making meals together. Once I came of age, I left Jamaica and headed to France to study and broaden my horizons. I had a childish dream of learning every recipe from every corner of the planet, so I had a desperate desire to see the world. Learn about cultures and meet a broad range of people,” Janine explained.

“Did you get to visit a lot of places, then?” Ellis asked.

“No, I quickly realized that traveling required funds, which was something I did not have,” Janine laughed, “ I ended up cooking in Spain, Italy, and the UK, where I stayed in London for a few years. I met Masoud and the former proprietor of the Lonely Planet at the restaurant I worked at there. They were in the process of setting up the hotel and asked me if I wanted a job. How could I say no?”

“How long have you and Masoud been here, then?”

“Masoud, Ove, and I have been here since the beginning so…” she thought about it for a moment as she turned up the heat on the wok, “Eighteen years.”

“Wow! So, it’s been the three of you for that long?”

“The three of us have been here since the beginning yes. Luisa joined us seven years ago, while Grant and Lisle became permanent residents about twelve years ago after Lisle fell in love with the facility during his stay as a patient. He was an administrator until he inherited the hotel a few years later when the owner moved onto a new project. There have been a few others who didn’t last, for various reasons, but many of them return as guests quite often. It’s been the six of us for a long time, and it’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve curated a lovely collection of recipes, got to know some amazing people, and met the love of my life in the process.”

“Oh?”

“Masoud can be quite a charmer.”

Ellis smiled. He watched as Janine dumped a bowl filled with a paste-looking substance into the wok to start cooking the noodles.

“I may not have traveled the world like I wanted, but one of my favorite parts of this job is getting a recipe from everyone who walks through the door. That’s where my collection comes from. I always ask every guest, and employee, for their favorite dish. Even something as simple as a sandwich. It’s a way to learn, to discover new cultures and hear amazing stories, and I have a  beautiful cookbook in the making that I can’t wait to compile,” Janine continued.

“I wish I had one to give you,” Ellis said sadly.

“Did your parents not cook much?”

Ellis turned his eyes down. He shook his head gently. Janine noticed his discomfort.

“Well, that means we have to create a recipe that’s uniquely yours, won’t we? Figure out the things you like to eat and experiment a little,” Janine offered.

Ellis perked up, “Can we?”

“Of course, that’s my speciality and, like you said, we need to find what you’re good at. Maybe you’ll be a prodigy in the kitchen and I can take a night off,” Janine teased.

Ellis chuckled, “I may give everyone food poisoning.”

“Then I’ll get two nights off, and wouldn’t that be something?”

Ellis and Janine laughed. She handed him a cutting board.

“Ready to make some noodles?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am!”