I placed her on the bed.
Naked. Exposed. Bare.
On her back. Spread eagled.
Arms wide, legs wide.
I restrained each wrist, pulling her arms tight.
Restrained each ankle. Firm and secure.
She lay there, spread bare to myself and the world.
Truly vulnerable.
She struggled within herself.
Struggled with being exposed.
Her eyes closed in shame of self.
Shame caused by incessant self doubt.
Shame caused by toxic actions of those in her past.
I looked at her and smiled.
She was so beautiful inside and out.
A beauty that shined at others, but she could never see herself.
It was time to break her cycle of self shame.
I could see that doubt eating into her.
See it grip hold of her, biting into her very core.
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.
A tear born from fear of being so vulnerable.
A tear born from lack of confidence.
A tear created from the heart felt hurt inside.
I leaned forward, knowing the moment was right.
I kissed the tear, gently caressing her skin with my lips.
Whispered in her ear to relax her.
Whispering to her and telling her how beautiful she was to me.
Asked her if she trusted me.
She nodded.
That was what she needed.
It changed right there and then.
I watched her relax.
The muscles that were taught against her restraints relaxed.
She still wouldn’t open her eyes.
She was still struggling with self.
She was scared.
Scared of looking into my eyes and seeing potential disappointment.
Scared of me seeing the real her.
The vulnerable her.
Scared of seeing me displeased.
Scared that I would think less of her.
I needed to teach her.
Teach her that the real her is what I desired.
The vulnerable her.
It made her so beautiful.
Breathtakingly beautiful.
It was time to make her see how beautiful she truly was.
She had looked at herself through her own condescending eyes for too long,
It was time to make her look through mine.....