“I don’t need you to bathe me. Just stick aroundin caseI need your help.” I grabbed onto the rim of my wheels and started making my way to the bathroom. I paused when I realized that he wasn’t coming with me. “Relax, I don’t want you to see me naked any more than you want to see me naked.”
Instantly, my cheeks flushed. Which only embarrassed me more. Why did I have to say the wordnakedin front of Colten? And why did I react like this because of it?
I was going crazy.
This time, Colten followed after me. Either he didn’t want me to speak anymore—which I was okay with—or he just wanted to get this over with. Which I did too.
I had to wait as Colten started up the shower, so I grabbed my phone and texted Fiona. I asked if she’d be willing to come over to help me get ready. It wasn’t until Colten turned around and announced that the water was ready that she texted me back.
She said she could be here in two hours and asked if that worked for me. It wasn’t ideal, but if that was what she could give me, I’d take it.
Colten stood off to the side with his hands shoved into his pockets, looking like he didn’t belong. I shot Fiona a quick thumbs-up in response to her text and then set my phone down on the vanity. I turned to Colten, who was looking anywhere but at me.
“I think I can handle it from here,” I said.
He nodded, and at a speed I didn’t know he had, bolted from the room. Now alone, I slipped off my shirt and, with my best efforts at keeping weight off my leg, shimmied out of my shorts.
I praised Jackson for having Archer install handrails as I heaved my body into the shower. After I got situated on the seat, I relaxed as the warm water beat down on me. It felt amazing to wash my leg. The cast had begun to stink, and to clean that skin—to scratch it—felt amazing.
I took my time washing my hair and my body and shaving my legs. Being in the cast and in the wheelchair had stunted me in a way. I was stuck, and no matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t able to move forward. Sitting here, under the warm water and completely surrounded by the steam, I felt more like the old Naomi.
I felt like me.
Two knocks on the door startled me out of my thoughts. I had finished cleaning up and was just enjoying the feeling of sitting in a shower.
“Yeah?” I called out.
“Are you—” Colten’s voice drifted off, and I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“What?” I asked.
“—you—”
I was behind the shower curtain, so I was protected, and I was tired of playingWhat Did He Say?so I leaned forward and shouted, “You can come in.”
He didn’t respond. I waited for him to speak again, and when he didn’t, I began to relax. Maybe he just figured out for himself that I was fine.
“Are you okay?”
I yelped and instinctually covered my lady bits. I whipped around to make sure he wasn’t peeking into the shower. Relief flooded my body as I focused on the shadow he cast from the other side of the curtain.
“I’m fine,” I said as I reached forward and turned off the shower. “Can you hand me a towel?”
I watched as Colten’s shadow hesitated but then left, returning with a rectangular shape. He paused and then said, “I’m going to close my eyes as I hand it to you.”
I nodded and focused on the shower curtain as he pulled it back. His hand appeared, clutching a green towel. I took it, my hand brushing his fingers and leaving a trail of water.
“Sorry,” I muttered as his hand snapped back.
“It’s okay.” His shadow reached forward and wiped his hand on the towel hanging from the wall.
I began to dry off, but I couldn’t seem to pull my attention from Colten. It was as if I were mesmerized by his shadow.
“I’m going to go,” he said. His voice had dropped an octave. Or at least, that was how it seemed. Iwatched him turn and start making his way toward the door.
“Actually—” I blurted out before I could decide what I was going to say. I normally had Jackson help me, and he just kept his eyes shut as he helped me into my chair.
Could I ask the same of Colten?