Free Lead the Way by K.L. Prince

he’s not supposed to.
    She sits next to him on the bed.  She takes the photo album from him and opens it.  “Oh my gosh, I haven’t looked at these in so long,” she says, looking closer at a picture of herself in on a swing set.
    “You were a cute kid,” he says, happy to see a smile on her face.
    “I suppose I was,” she replies, flipping through the pages.  “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen a picture of my grandmother in so long!”
    “You look like her,” Gabriel says, bending down to take a closer look at the picture.
    “I wish that she was still here.  There are so many things I would love to say to her.”  Eva runs her fingers over her grandmother’s picture.
    “What do you think that you’re grandma would say about your life now?”
    Eva turns and looks at him.  “Honestly, I think that she would be very upset to see what my life has turned out like.”
    “Eva, what would it take for you to step out of this apartment again?”
    “I really don’t know.  If I ever step out of this apartment again, I will need to feel completely safe.”
    “What if I can provide you with a feeling of safety?”
    “And how are you going to do that?”
    “Look at me, Eva.  I was a Navy Seal.  I was trained to be one of the toughest men on the planet.  What if, you decide to take a step out of this apartment, I was there, right by your side.  What if I was there to protect you?”
    “Gabriel, I don’t know.  I don’t know if having you there would be enough.”
    “Well, you won’t know if you don’t try.”
    “So, what you’re saying is that, if I’m willing, you’ll help me take steps out of the apartment?”
    “Absolutely.  Have you ever watched those shows where people are afraid of something, and then once slowly exposed to their fear, they overcome it.”
    “Gabriel, you’re forgetting that I’ve gone through therapy.  I’ve tried almost everything with a psychiatrist at some point in time.”
    “When you were with your therapist, did you feel safe?  Did you feel protected?”
    “Absolutely not.”
    “I’m offering you something different.  I’m offering you safety, Eva.  I can and I will protect you.  If you step out of this apartment, I promise that I won’t let anything hurt you.”
    “I believe you, Gabriel.  I just don’t know.  It’s something I have to think about.  It sounds simple, but it’s not.”
    “Just think about it, Eva.  At least allow yourself to try something.  Don’t settle for this life.  Remember what you told me earlier?  You said that you used to be willing to try something at least once.  Well give this a try, Eva.”
    “Thank you for the offer.  I promise I will think about it.”
    “Good.  That’s all I ask.”
    “You know what, it’s been a long day.  You can go home now.”
    “Sure.  I just have to put some of the cleaning supplies away and then I will be out of your hair.”
    Gabriel leaves Eva sitting on the bed, looking at the photo album.  He has a good feeling about their conversation.  Eva seemed softer.  He wonders what has changed.  He thinks that it has something to do with her grandmother.  He thinks that he may have gotten through to her somehow.  He really hopes so.  He hates to see someone so beautiful and young be so locked up in such chains.  He thinks it would be extraordinary if he were able to help set her free.
     
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
     
    Eva listens as Gabriel leaves.  She stares at the picture of her grandmother.  “I miss you so much,” she says out loud, hoping that her grandmother can hear her, wherever she is.  She takes one final glance at the picture, before putting the photo album back on the dresser.
    She thinks about the things that Gabriel said to her.  She hasn’t even stuck a toe outside her apartment in five years.  She has no idea how she will react if she simply went out into the hallway.  The last time she did, she had such a severe panic attack that she passed out