Page 15 of Mistress A-0002

“A…story….Yes…Main Master.”

“Perfect. Now, close your eyes. The darkness around you is your friend.Imagineit as a blanket, hugging you. Comforting you. You can feel it, soft and even slightly fuzzy under your fingertips. Can you see it?”

“Yes, Main Master.”

“What color is your blanket?”

A few seconds went by before Braddock answered.

“It’s blue.”

“Blue is a nice color.Imaginethe sky. You’re lying in the grass, and you’re looking up at the blue. You’re outside of a house, but I don’t want you to focus on that right now. Let your blanket calm you. Keep looking into the sky. Tell me what you see. Are there clouds?”

“…yes.”

“What else?”

“…Tree limbs. Leaves. Pears.”

I smiled as the smallest amount of relief fluttered in.

“Pears. I knew you were still here. I know exactly where you are. I went there to visit you. You’re at your grandfather’s plantation in Virginia:Pierce Hall. You spent your youth there.”

“I was…nine.”

Melissa’s head jerked to me, and her eyes went wide. My smile grew but didn’t quite last. Something in her expression only added to the walls I had around me.

“Very good, Brad. We were young, and we had so much fun running through the gardens.”

“…I…”

“Don’timaginethat yet. Only focus on what you see. Do you see those pears? I want you to stand and pick one for me. Can you do that?”

Braddock’s leg bumped into Allison’s through the hesitation. The blank slate glanced at him, but she still stared up at me.

“I like pears.”

“Do you have one?”

“Yes.”

“Imagineyou’re taking a bite. Tell me how it tastes.”

His finger twitched. One tap against his leg. Two. My brows narrowed at the rhythm that started. I knew that tap.

“It’s good. Really good.”

“Hold to the pear,” I continued, watching his fingers. “When you feel ready, take another bite. While you do so, walk around and tell me what you see.”

A low sound left Braddock.

“I’m at the entrance to my grandfather’s gardens. There’s…no one here. Just me.”

“Perfect. That’s good. You’re holding your blanket.Imagineputting it over your shoulders. Hug it to you as you walk around and eat your pear.You’re safe.You’ve never felt so at home. Can you feel it? See it?”

“Yes.”

Again, I looked at Melissa. She had to see he was still here. He wasn’t too far gone. With one memory, we could work on fixing him. On rebuilding. How had she not tried taking this path? Or did she just not want to?

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