Just a quick cleansing shower

You step fully under the spray, tilting your head back just enough so the water runs over your shoulders and down your back, keeping your hair clear. The first hit of warmth makes you sigh quietly — that deep, instinctive release when the day hasn’t quite started yet.

You reach for your shower gel, flip the lid, and squeeze a small, pearly blob into your palm. It smells fresh and lightly floral, a scent you’ve bought for years without thinking. You work it between your hands until it foams, then start at your neck and collarbones, using firm, circular strokes.

You wash under your arms first, fingertips pressing into the skin, lifting your elbows so you don’t miss anywhere. You rinse quickly, then move on, gliding over your chest and down your stomach, following the natural lines of your body.

When you reach between your legs, you pour a little shower gel into your hand and wash slowly, carefully. Just the outside, avoiding anything that doesn’t need soap. The water is warm against the sensitive skin as you rinse, making sure nothing lingers.

You bend slightly to soap along your thighs and behind your knees, then lift each foot in turn, washing your ankles and between your toes. The floor is warm from the water pooling briefly before it disappears down the drain.

Turning around, you let the spray run down your back, over the curve of your bum, rinsing away the last traces of suds. It’s not a long shower, just enough to feel clean, fresh, and ready.