Page 34 of Release Me

“Got it,” I lift my eye brow with attitude. “Well, if you don’t mind. It’s been a long day and we’d like to get situated.”

I steer Mrs. Gottwald, who looks thoroughly offended by my dismissal, out of the room before closing and locking the door behind her. Turning my attention to Gabriella, I smile. One that isn’t returned.

“So, I don’t know if you had someone help you bathe at the institute or not. Do you know how to shower by yourself?” I question.

Her only answer is a blink.

“Come with me.”

I gently link my arm with hers and guide her into the bathroom. Pointing at the shower, I speak again.

“Shower.”

Her eyes meet mine.

“Can you clean yourself?”

I make motions like I’m soaping my body and shampooing my hair, but again get no response.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Turning her toward the other side of the bathroom, I walk her over and sit her on the closed toilet.

“I’ll help you bathe tonight, but I want you to try to do it yourself starting tomorrow. Okay?”

I nod my head up and down and say, “Yes, Gabriella. Say ‘yes’.”

She begins to mimic my nodding.

“Yyy—es,” she says, trying hard to pronounce the word.

“Good.” I smile at her. “I’m going to turn on the water. Can you get undressed? Take off your clothes?”

I lift my shirt over my head to show her what I mean. Standing in my sweats and bra, I toss my shirt onto the ground next to the tub.

“Can you do that?”

She stands and begins to undress. After reading what happened to her in her file, I don’t know how open she is to undressing in front of a stranger.

What if she’s like you doesn’t believe she has the ability to say no.

“Wait.”

She stops what she’s doing and looks at me.

“Are you okay with this? With me bathing you? Cleaning you? If you don’t want my help, you can say ‘no.’”

I make sure to look her in the eyes so I have her full attention. Even if she doesn’t understand what I’m saying, I want her to get used to hearing it.

“Your body, your choice, Gabriella. Do you understand what I’m saying? No one should touch you unless you give them permission, okay?”

I know she has a hard time with her speech, but I wonder how much she actually understands of what is being said around her.

“Y—yes,” she nods.

I smile, hoping she means it, and turn back to the tub and get the water going. Once the temperature is right, I add soap I found on the ledge of the bathtub, and let it fill while I go in search of shampoo and conditioner. Finding it in a slim cabinet next to the sink, I grab the two bottles as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste. I place the latter two items on the sink for later and take the shampoo and conditioner to the bathtub.

Gabriella doesn’t have a lot of hair. It’s grown quite a bit since the first time I saw her at Meadowlake, but it’s still only down to her ears. The poor girl really needs it styled differently. Right now she looks like a teenage boy with a nineties bowl cut. When I look at her again, she’s completely nude, standing next to the bathtub.

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