Chapter 44 Chatper 44: Her First Official Bath

Chapter 44 Chatper 44: Her First Official Bath
Sebastian Silverow's POV:

I was positioned there, just outside the large clawfoot bathtub in the guest bathroom suite, holding the young woman whom I found outside my terrace this morning. She had a really eventful day, and one that I never expected to experience in my line of work as a Special Unit Officer. That all included a rescue mission before she was brought back here.

"How's the water temperature feel?" I asked the lovely young Miss Ana.

"It's..." She started to say as I could feel her arm around the back of my neck loosen lightly. "It's nice."

"Very good then," I told her as I started to lower her backside down, officially breaking the surface of the water. "I will go as slow as you need. All you have to do is tighten your grip around my neck, and I will stop. Once you loosen it, I will start again."

I was pleased that she understood my instructions. Several times I attempted to lower her down into the water. She would lightly squeeze the back of my neck, and I would stop my motions as I was still leaning over the edge of the tub.

Finally, after a few moments, I could tell she was seated at the bottom of the tub. Then and only then did I remove my one arm from underneath her legs so that she could lower them deeper into the water. My other arm was still placed around her back.

"If you relax your arm," I spoke, my tone still just as soft. "I will be able to pull the bench closer, and I can take a seat on it so that you have... kompaniya, obespechivayushchaya zashchitu (protective company)."

"What was that you said?" She asked, as I wasn't exactly sure how she would be able to understand my former phrase.

"Some company," I spoke up instead. I didn't exactly know what words might trigger her, so I tried to choose a general phrase. "I told you I would leave you alone. Especially on your first time in the tub for your first official bath. Your first official bath as far as I'm concerned."

As I remained there, she finally relaxed her arm around the back of my neck, withdrawing it and allowing me to stand up fully. When I finally stood up, I raised my hands over my head, still wearing the department sweats they had brought me earlier at the hospital. I stretched, trying not to make much noise as I felt the muscles in my back finally stretch from that bent-over position.

I then turned to the side, ensuring my eyes remained closed. I reached down towards the bench that was set on the floor. I also knew where I had placed the small bottle I had pulled from the cabinet for her to wash herself. I grabbed that as well and held it in my hand as I positioned the bench underneath me and took a seat there beside the clawfoot bathtub.

I sat there in silence for a few moments, and I didn't so much as hear the water move around, as if she were to move about in the warmth of the water. I wasn't sure what to think.

"Are you all right?" I asked her, as I could tell she looked at me due to the slosh in the water at that particular moment, but she didn't say anything. "Miss Ana? Are you all right? Do you need help with something? I have the small bottle in my hands for you to use."

"Okay," she said in that moment, but she still didn't bother moving closer.

I wasn't sure what to think. I furrowed my eyebrows in that moment as I lowered my head so it was more directed at the edge of the tub, where one of my hands rested. With my other hand, I was still holding the bottle lightly, and my forearm was resting on my other knee.

"All you have to do is say you are ready," I tried to break the silence right then. "Are you ready to wash? Or... Is this the part where you need a little bit of assistance?"

She didn't say anything, even then. I slowly took in a deep breath as my brows were still furrowed, as I tried to figure out exactly what I would need to do to assist her. On the one hand, I knew she was nervous. Could it be the fact that she didn't exactly know how to ask? I know from everything, in my experience dealing with past trauma, that uncertainty is frequent.

"I have an idea," I said at that moment as I stood up to my feet slowly so that I wouldn't startle her. "I'm going to go and collect something. This is something that you can use that will make it easier instead of just pouring the liquid onto your hands for you to rub it on your skin."

"I don't understand," she finally spoke up as I turned back towards the cabinet where I had retrieved the bottle for her to wash with.

"I can comprehend that," I spoke as I slowly started to walk away.

"Are you..." I heard her ask as I took several steps, and that caused me to stop walking.

"No," I responded with no hesitation as I slowly turned my head to the side, showing her that my eyes were indeed still closed. "No, I'm not using this as an opportunity to turn back and look." I then turned my head back straight before I said, "I'm going to retrieve something that will help you. It might feel weird at first when you use it, but it will indeed help with the liquid that I have picked out for you."

I understood why she asked the question, or more of the fact that she attempted to ask. I made my way over to the cabinet and then stopped whenever I figured I was just about there. I reached up and was pleased to be at the proper location. Only when the cabinet door was open did I bring my head on the backside of the door, and I finally opened it for the first time.

I blinked several times, even adjusting my jaw, as using select senses can wear on you for a moment. It's nice when you're finally able to adjust all your senses and use all five instead of reverting back to one whenever I finally go back to where she's at.

I found the one loofah that I had intended to use. I held it in the same hand as the bottle, as I closed my eyes and enclosed the cabinet. I was trying to establish trust. Trust had to be earned in her sake. It was not easily won, considering her physical and mental state when I first saw her.

I slowly made my way back towards the clawfoot bathtub and again took my seat there on the small bench. I then held the items up in both hands for her to admire them.

"You see?" I asked with my eyes still closed. "I have brought this."