2022-04-26_who_else_loves_a_hot,_steamy_shower_... -

She turned the chrome handle until it clicked, listening to the pipes groan before the water finally roared to life. She waited, watching the glass door begin to cloud over. First, a thin veil of mist, then thick, opaque white. Stepping inside was like walking into a sanctuary.

She leaned her forehead against the cool tile, letting the torrent hit her shoulders. In the heat, her muscles finally stopped tightrope-walking. The scent of eucalyptus soap bloomed in the steam, thick and medicinal. For twenty minutes, there was no past or future—just the rhythmic drum of water against the floor and the heavy, comforting weight of the heat. 2022-04-26_Who_else_loves_a_hot,_steamy_shower_...

The tile floor was like ice against Elena’s feet, a jarring contrast to the heavy, humid air of the bathroom. It was one of those spring evenings where the rain hadn't stopped since dawn, leaving a damp chill in her bones that no sweater could touch. She turned the chrome handle until it clicked,