"Milk and honey," she says. "It makes your skin soft."
"Nothing else?" I ask.
She glances back at the water. "Some rose petals. Are you allergic to anything?"
I shake my head. I don't know how to explain to someone that my mother has been poisoning my mind and body in creative ways since the day I was born.
I undress and step into the bath.
The hot water feels so good, instantly sucking the heaviness out of my bones.
"May I?" she asks, lifting a loofah.
I give her my arm and watch as she starts scrubbing. They already waxed me from the neck down two days ago, painfully removing every single strand of hair from my body. I had multiple facials and hair treatments done yesterday as well, all so I can look my best for the auction.
The heaviness in my heart won't budge.
"Where are you from?” I ask.
"It's better not to think of the past," she says.
"Don't you miss your family?" I ask.
Unexpected rage flashes through her eyes. "My family is the reason I'm here."
"They sold you?"
"It was a rough winter, and they had too many mouths to feed."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she says. "I've made my peace with it."
There's so much more to life, though.
I grew up in a mansion, but it was a house of horrors. The walls were tainted with fear and blood. It wasn't until I left everything I knew that I realized just how beautiful life could be.
I'm not one to overshare, but I feel the need to open up to Sarah. I want her to know that nothing tastes sweeter than freedom.
"I ran away from home a few months ago," I tell her. "I never thought I would have the courage to do it, but I had to leave. And it was the happiest few weeks of my life."
"Where did you go?" she asks.
"California." I smile at the memory. "I hitchhiked across the country. It wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but at least I was free. And that was enough."
"Were you alone?"
I nod.
"How do you know who you can trust?"
"I had to go with my intuition," I say. "But most of the time, it was just a risk I had to take. Remaining the same was killing me slowly."
She watches me for a moment.
"I think this place is killing me slowly," she whispers. "I don't feel anything anymore."
I take a deep breath.
