“I like bath time.” Sammy marched upstairs, the loss of the board game long forgotten.
Providence helped Sammy take off her clothing. While Providence ran the bath water, Sammy went to the bathroom.
Once the tub had been filled, Providence tested it, then added a little more cold water. Then, she pulled Sammy’s hair into a ponytail before she stepped in and sat down. Providence sudsed the washcloth and began to clean her small body.
“AAHHHHHH!” Sammy’s scream reverberated off the marble walls.
Providence startled. “What’s wrong?”
Sammy pointed. “Spider.”
A small spider had crawled into the corner of the ceiling. “Oh, my goodness, you scared me.”
“Can you kill it?”
“Kill it? Spiders are good.”
Sammy shrieked again and started to get up.
“Whoa, where are you going?”
“I’m afraid.”
“Sammy.” Sammy’s attention was glued to the spider. “Samantha, look at me, please.” Sammy did. “I promise you I will not let that spider hurt you. I will put it outside as soon as we’re done.”
“No, you do it now and I’ll wait here.”
“I’m not leaving you alone. Show me with your finger how big that spider is.”
Sammy showed her.
“Good job. And how big are you?”
She widened her arms as far as they could reach.
“I’m guessing that spider is way more afraid of you than you are of her.”
“That’s a girl spider?”
“Oh, sure, it’s girls-only night. That’s gotta be a girl spider.” While talking, Providence kept washing her.
The spider started crawling across the ceiling and Sammy clutched Providence’s arm. “Guess what?” Providence asked. “You did an awesome job. We are all done, young lady.”
She helped Sammy stand, wrapped her in a towel, and lifted her out of the tub. She loved giving her a bath, loved spending time with her despite the attack of the arachnid.
They went into Sammy’s bedroom and Providence helped her into her jammies. After Providence lovingly brushed her long hair, she kissed the top of her head. “You are clean, but more importantly, you are very, very brave. I’m sure your daddy and Mrs. Morris will be so proud of you.”
“How will you get the spider?”
They went into the kitchen and Providence collected a glass and a small piece of cardboard from the back of a pad of paper. She left Sammy with Miranda and returned to the bathroom, captured the little guy in the glass and returned to show it to them both.
“Where do you put her?” Sammy asked.
“I’m setting her free in a bush, outside.”
As Providence relocated the spider, she spotted a black sedan parked out front. After closing and locking the front door, she made a mental note to ask Miranda about the vehicle once Sammy was in bed.
“I heard screaming during bath time,” Miranda said. “What happened, Sammy?”
