Monstrilio

by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

I gave her a bar of soap, which she lathered in her hands before pressing it on my body. Not even that first time did I need to give her instructions. Carmina washed me starting from my neck all the way down to my toes. Her touch was firm and purposeful. She took shampoo and washed my hair, her fingers strong like a masseuse. She stayed silent throughout, no moans, no touching herself. Somehow, she realized that what I wanted wasn’t explicitly sexual. She came out of the shower first and told me to stay inside. She toweled herself off, wrapped the towel around her, then spread a dry towel and wrapped me in it. She rubbed my hair dry, my body too, like a mother would dry her child. She took my hand and found my bedroom. My nakedness felt more pronounced outside the bathroom as her hand led mine. She asked for pajamas, and I pointed to a drawer where I kept loose pajama bottoms and T-shirts. She handed me pants and a T-shirt and watched me dress. “All set?” she asked. I said, “Yes,” satisfied in a way I’d never felt before and also rattled that this woman knew what I needed better than I did myself.