Russian Roulette: Family secrets [2021 version]

Ch. 51: It's a package from Gareth!

"She needs rest. She can't stress more, or she'll break. If she goes into that comatose state like with her mother..."

"What can we do? We need her."

"I understand that, and I know we do. But she's not worth anything if we don't get her straightened out first. Rest, food..."

"Shower?"

Muffled laughter sounded.

She registered the words through her fogged-up mind. Who said what was anybody's guess. She did not know where she was, only that she was on a bed or soft couch. People were close to her, but who, she could not figure out.

"I'll leave these pills for her. She needs to eat and then take the pills. They'll help her sleep. They're mild, so she won't be groggy when she wakes, but they will let her relax."

"Ok. I'll help her bathe. She and I have a sort of understanding when it comes to that."

"Guess I won the talk with room service about the food."

"Get her something fatty, salty, and sweet. She needs all bases covered. And fluids."

"Find some clothes for her and lay it out. I'll get it when I'm done in the bathroom."

Again, the words made sense. She just had no idea who it was. It could be one person saying it all, or it could be five.

She did not know.

Nor did she care.

Strong arms lifted her from where she was, and she felt herself being carried into a brightly lit room. Even through her closed eyelids, the lights bothered her. She wished she had the energy to say or do something. To help and take care of herself. Her body simply did not want to, and her mind had no desire to force the issue.

Accepting what happened around her gave her a sense of freedom from guilt, obligation, and hurt.

The hurt was ever-present. Her heart hurt in a way that was unfamiliar and overpowering. It numbed her completely. A welcomed numbness compared to the searing pain her mind had put her in earlier. On some level, she remembered what happened. On another, she suppressed it enough to kill the worst attempts at destroying her sanity.

The sound of water running and the ruffling of clothes made it into her brain. A calm, soothing voice flowed to her from behind.

"It's just me, Cupcake. I'm going to help you bathe. We've done it before. You know I'm not a threat to you."

If she nodded or responded in any way, she was not sure. The voice just talked to her in the same soothing way.

"I'm going to take your clothes off now. You are completely safe with me."

The buttons of her shirt were slowly unbuttoned, and the shirt was removed. Her skirt opened and slid down her legs, along with her panties. The bra got unclasped and fell off her shoulders and down her arms. Where her shoes had gone, she left up to her imagination. All she knew was she was not wearing any.

"Do you need to use the toilet?" The calm voice was back.

Did she?

She could not feel her body. Did not know what it needed. She felt warm hands on her arms guiding her to the toilet, where she got seated. The sounds of running water echoed off the walls.

Apparently, she did not need the toilet, because, after a while, the gentle hands helped her up and lifted her against a warm naked chest. The skin felt soft and smooth. There were muscles there. They did not feel like Gareth. She knew Gareth's body, and how he felt and smelled. Even the sound of his heartbeat differed from whoever held her.