Chapter 75. Bruises, Ointment, and Tension

Calla stepped out of the glass shower and slipped into a robe, wrapping the lace around her body. The fluffy fabric hugged her warmly, like a small comfort she didn’t know she needed. She tied it securely around her waist.

A towel was wrapped tightly around her head, keeping her damp hair from dripping onto the floor. She had scrubbed her hair so hard, her fingers digging into her scalp, that she might have even hurt herself a little.

But the shower had made her feel better… lighter. She had let her tears mix with the running water, her cries hidden by the sound of it, and her pain trapped behind the glass walls.

She wasn’t sure if she had been completely quiet. Maybe the kind lady had heard her. The thought made her stomach turn. How awkward that would be?

Calla could only hope the bathroom was soundproof.

Her beautiful black dress lay on the counter beside her clutch, both still slightly damp, a reminder of the night that had gone so wrong.

She