Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud.
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Dr. Preston held up another card, a crisp green apple pictured inside the blue frame.
Apple, her mind whispered as she opened her mouth and tried to replicate the same sound verbally. A choked grunt came from the back of her throat, startling Ashlyn. Coughing into the back of her hand, she tried to clear the lump that pressed against her vocal cords.
"Good, Ashlyn. Now let's try again, and this time, I want you to focus on just getting that 'ah' sound, okay?" Dr. Preston's smile was warm as ever, his patience boundless. Ashlyn's, however, was waning as she massaged the sides of her throat.
What am I doing wrong? she asked, ignoring the card he held up. They'd been at this for an hour, and all she'd managed was that single grunt.
"Nothing at all. These things take time," Dr. Preston answered, his smile reassuring. "It's been twenty years, Ashlyn. We essentially have to teach you how to speak all over again. Your muscles are weak, practically non-existent due to all the years of neglect."
Chewing at the corner of her lip, Ashlyn took the stack of cards and spread them out in front of her, her fingers gliding over the pictures, tracing the letters printed below.
Truck. Yellow. Dog. Girl. Apple.
Words that had once seemed so simple upon her lips, now no more than a wisp within her mind.
"Why don't we try something a little different with this last half hour?" He asked, and Ashlyn nodded. She stacked the cards together and slipped them into their box, placing it on the yellow shelf behind her chair with the rest of the flashcards.
When she turned around, Dr. Preston's back was to her as he rummaged through one of the brightly colored cupboards. Everything about this room resembled a rainbow that had thrown up, from the alphabet posters to the colored throw pillows in the little reading corner he'd set up for the kids. It was the ultimate children's haven. And yet, Ashlyn still found herself feeling at ease amongst the toys and the bright posters, despite the adulthood which beckoned daily.
"Aha, here we go." He grinned, turning back to her with a triumphant grin, a plastic container filled with bright colored lumps in his hands. Placing the box between them, he removed the lid and handed her a red blob.
Squishing it between her fingers, Ashlyn grinned. Modeling clay.
"Who says learning to talk can't be fun, huh?" He winked, grabbing a yellow clump for himself. Giggling, Ashlyn flattened the clay against the table.
I haven't played with this since I was a child. Ashlyn smiled fondly, remembering the snake rolling contests she and Zion used to have.
"I don't get to pull this stuff out often, but I thought you could use a bit of a break from the schooling. Don't think that gets you off the hook, though." He pointed a stern finger in her direction. "I still expect you to practice your sounds, starting with the color of your clay."
