I took a deep breath and everything was crystal clear and diamond sharp. The shower head over me was going at full blast. I cried out, it was so hot. I tried to move around, my body was almost completely submerged in water. But when I tried to shift out of the way of the shower head, something held me back. I cried out again and twisted my head around.
Him. He was here. "Tate." I whispered. He looked terrified but pulled me closer.
"I'm here. I'm here, you're safe." He whispered into my wet hair like a prayer.
Everything was so confused. What had I done? I couldn't help it, I began to cry.
"Vi?"
I couldn't answer. I could barely move. I wanted to get out of the tub. I couldn't even remember getting in in the first place.
"Vi? We have to get you back upstairs, come on." Tate lifted me up by my underarms and brought me to a standing position. I stood, swaying slightly on my feet. Tate let the water out of the tub and the sucking noise was suddenly too loud in the silence of the basement.
"I-" My throat hurt. I tried again, but no words came out.
"We need to get you out of those wet clothes." Tate lifted me out of the tub like I was weighed ten pounds instead of a hundred and went to retrieve a towel. I stood there, dripping and weighed down with the layers of clothes soaking wet and much too large. I couldn't stand it. I shed the dress and sweater and shoes and pushed them out of my sight. I stood there in a tank top and boy shorts shivering, but no longer drowning in my clothes. Better, I decided, much better.
Tate returned within a few moments. He had towel from my bathroom upstairs thrown over his shoulder.
"Oh, Vi. Vi, come here." He wrapped me up in the towel and held me tight. He made me safe. I felt safe and warm with him. How had resisted before? Why was I so scared of him? He was wonderful. He was the light.
