Page 45 of Kiren

“My shirt, Daddy. Duh.”

“Yes, it’s soaking wet. I told you it would be.”

“Can you see through it?”

Max smiled. “A little.”

My eyes filled to the brim with sudden tears. “Do you see it?”

“No, baby. I don’t see anything.”

“It’s sticking to me. It feels awful.”

“But you want your undershirt on, baby, right?”

I stopped making waves and splashes and thought about that question. I’d already answered it in my thoughts mere seconds ago. Things like scars shouldn’t be my concern. They were for Daddy to worry about.

“If you take my shirt, Daddy, will you still like me?”

Max leaned down, running his hands over my wet hair. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I’m not pwetty. Daddies want pwetty boys.”

He put his finger under my chin and tipped my head back until I met his eyes. “I want you.”

“I sad.” I tried to tilt my head away from him.

Max held my chin firmly now. “Because?”

“I got hurt. Now my body is ugly.”

“Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.”

I frowned, shaking my head. There were degrees of ugly. This was high. My back was a mess.

“I’m sorry you got hurt.”

I ran my hands through the water and bubbles, causing ripples in the clear spots. “It happens.”

Max moved back, leaning his elbows on the tub’s rim. “Yes, unfortunately.”

I sat still for a few seconds, not moving. My decision was made. I held up my arms to Max. “Can you please take the shirt off, Daddy?”

Max said nothing. He put his hands in the water, running them gently over my stomach, then took the hem and lifted it. The cotton came up off my chest and he popped it over my head. The rest fell away from my arms and back. Max wrung it out and set it aside.

“Shall we continue?”

“Look, Daddy.” I bent over and leaned forward, face an inch from the bubbles.

Max was silent.

I turned my head. “Aren’t you shocked?” My baby voice had faded.

“No. Yes.” He took a deep breath. “I’m shocked in the way that I can see you must’ve been hurt very badly. It hurts me deeply that you went through so much, but it also makes me proud.”

My head jerked up. “Proud?”

“You must be very brave.”

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