9781422288177

13

Awake

slid her toe through the waiting bath to check the water temperature (nice and hot), then lowered herself into the tub. The water rose around her and enveloped her in its warmth. She pictured the imag- inary metal in her bones softening, and her muscles began to relax. These baths were Kayla’s morning ritual, a way to wash away the pain and stiffness that had gathered in her body overnight. As the pain drained from her body and mind, Kayla began tak- ing note of other things. An oil slick covered the surface of the wa- ter in a rainbow of tiny bubbles, and a flowery scent assaulted her nostrils. Kayla wrinkled her nose. Her mother was always experi- menting with new relaxation and pain-reduction techniques. This week it was aromatherapy and bath oils. Kayla sighed. She knew her mother meant well, and everything certainly smelled nice, but it was going to take a lot more than oil and water to fix what was caus- ing her pain. Kayla’s joints felt looser and her muscles more supple after her bath. Moving faster now, she dressed in the black pants and blue sweater her mother had set out on the rocking chair. Normally, she would have hated having her mother pick out her clothes, but in the last few months it had become something of a relief. Kayla had to admit that, though her mom had funny ideas about some things, she did have good fashion sense. Even better, she always picked clothing that was comfortable to wear and free of the little buttons that made Kayla’s stiff fingers fumble. When every step of the morn- ing was a struggle, Kayla didn’t want to worry about what to wear or how to put it on. Kayla rubbed the fog from the mirror and leaned toward the glass to inspect her reflection. Although she fully expected it, her heart still sank to see that the rash was still there, running across the bridge of her nose and spreading like huge butterfly wings across her cheeks. She reached for the tubes of makeup sitting before her on the counter. It was special makeup, thick and opaque, the type that actors and models used to cover things like scars and tattoos. Kayla’s mother had ordered it through the mail. It was supposed to cover up the rash, but no matter how hard she tried, Kayla couldn’t get the