Page 34 of The Soul Never Forgets

“You’re able to move everything all right?”

She rolls her neck and shoulders. “As far as I can tell but I’ll be sore tomorrow.”

“Turn around so I can have a better look.”

She spins around and pulls her hair over her shoulder, fully exposing her back. Her spine is covered in an enormous deep-red mark that will be dark purple by morning.

“I want to kill him.” And I will if he ever puts his hands on her again. I stopped because he is her father, but I won’t back down a second time.

“I’m all right, Frank.”

No, nothing about this is all right.

“How does your back feel?” My voice cracks on the last word.

“Like I’ve taken a tumble down several flights of stairs.”

I can only imagine.

“The hot water should help.”

She lowers herself into the tub and slides down until the water covers the tops of her shoulders.

“You’ll probably want to soak a couple of times a day to ease the soreness.”

“I will.”

“There’s shampoo. I’ll wash your hair.”

“I can do it.”

“You’ve been through hell tonight. Let your husband take care of you, please.” The only way I’m able.

“All right.”

She smiles and submerges her head beneath the water, saturating her hair. I pour a generous amount of shampoo into my hand and massage it into her hair and scalp. “I’ve never washed a woman’s hair before.”

She giggles. “I would have a lot of questions for you if you had.”

“You know that all of my firsts belong to you.”

“Mostof your firsts. Not all,” she corrects.

“All the ones that matter.”

“I wasn’t your first kiss.”

“You gave me the first kiss that meant anything to me. And you’ll always be my last kiss.”

She smiles. “That’s a very good response.”

“Done,” I say, wringing out the suds. “Rinse.”

She slides down into the water and shakes her hair with her fingers. From this angle, she looks like a mermaid beneath the ocean’s surface.

She comes up and pushes her hair away from her face, wringing out the water.

“We need to talk about what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

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