The voice came from down the hall. “I’m in a meeting, it’ll be just a sec.”

I take my coat and shoes off and lean against a nearby wall, making sure my scrub looks nice and clean. Before long, I hear her exchange formal goodbyes and the sound of Teams shutting down.

“I’m so sorry, this meeting dragged and dragged along. Come in, please. I’m in the office, first door on the left.”

I walk through the doorway just as she pivots her motorized chair towards me. “Hi, I’m Pierce. Nice to meet you.”

Her jaw extended forward, she jolts her chair towards me a few feet before sitting back again. “Nice to meet you too! Thanks for filling in so quickly, by the way. Nancy couldn’t make it back for lunch, unfortunately. She’s got a bad stomach and sometimes it just turns on her.”

“It’s no problem at all, don’t mention it. It’s what I do, being on call 24/7. It pays really well, not gonna lie.”

“Oh yeah, I would guess so.” She smiles at me, showing a set of perfect teeth. She had them braced, I'd bet on it. She cocks her head slightly, crumpling a dangling sleeve of her creamy white shirt. “I’m Amberlynn. But please, call me Amber.”

“Amber, good." I drop my supply bag just outside the room. “What can I do for you today Amber?”

“I would love to get out of this sweater.” Her left shoulder rises, poking against the wool. “It was fine this morning but with all this sunlight I’m getting really sweaty.”

“Sure! Maybe I can freshen you up with a warm washcloth as well?”

She throws her head back and groans. “It’s like you’re reading my mind!” She motions to my left with her chin. “Let’s go to my room, I’m right behind you.”

I lead the way into a brightly lit space where a mattress has been set on the ground. The bed looks freshly made, and two decorative pillows frame the stone-colored headrest. There is an open space wide enough around it to allow her wheelchair to move freely and the rest of the room has been dressed with very good taste. The electrical whirring catches my attention and I turn around. Albeit a bit slowly, she’s driving with a lot of precision, the white spherical controls pinched between her lips. She parks at the foot of the bed and looks up at me.

“Would you pick something from the closet for me, please? Something pale and sleeveless would be nice.”

I take a few seconds looking for something that matches her description and present it to her. “Something like this?”

“Something like this indeed.” She smiles again, her glasses glinting in the warm sunlight. “Oh, grab these gray shorts, too… Yes, exactly.”

“Good. Do I have permission to remove your belt and shirt?”

“Yes you have, thanks a lot for asking!” As I unclip the belt around her waist, she leans forwards to free her back while I unbutton her sweater. “You are very professional, Pierce. Remind me to put in a good review after your visit.”

“That would be very kind of you, Amber. And if I’m being honest, you look very professional yourself. Can I ask what you do for a living?”

“Of course! I work as a recruiter for a talent company, so it’s mostly human resources. Interviews, employee management, that sort of stuff.”

“That’s pretty neat. Do you always work from home?” I tug her shirt out of her leather pants and peel it off her armless shoulders, revealing a sober black bra underneath. “I’m guessing the pandemic must’ve helped you in that regard.”

She pauses for a second and smiles again, but wider this time. “Now you’re really getting inside my head. I had been working in telemarketing for a while from home already, but getting this job right after Covid hit… Let’s say between a global pandemic and my disability, it was an easy sell.” She pivots on her left hip. “Let’s get me on the bed.”

Perhaps unconsciously, she shrugs her shoulders as I grab her waist and delicately set her on the mattress. Curling forwards, she lets herself fall on her back, lifting her hips almost imperceptively. I reach for them with implied consent and remove the leather cul-de-sac she wore as shorts. As I’m about to leave the room, she inhales through her teeth, clicking her tongue.

“You know what, I could use the bathroom, too. Let’s do everything at once while my clothes are off.”

“Absolutely.” I secure her in my arms and walk us over to the bathroom. There’s no throne inside. Instead, a narrow ceramic seat has been fitted directly on the floor, with support bars at its sides for security. Only a narrow slit leads into the actual bowl. “That’s clever engineering.”

“It was pretty expensive, but insurance pays for most of my stuff.” I hesitate for a moment, taking in the rest of the room. “You can take off my panties and set me directly on the toilet. Thank you so much.”

I take a step back and pull the curtain to allow her some privacy while I run her some hot water. After a quick look inside the cabinet, I throw a few washcloths in the sink, making sure the temperature is just right. I put one aside, still dry.

“I’m done.” Her voice shows no impatience, ill intent, or embarrassment. Like she was stating a fact, as if she had just finished eating her plate.

I kneel before her, carefully cleaning her up. Then, I set her on top of her panties and easily stretch them around her narrow hips, adjusting their positions until Amber awarded me with a confirmation nod. “Do you want to do your breasts, too?”

“No thank you, just a quick wash, that's all.”

“Sure thing.”

I push the straps of her bra aside while I freshen her up, first rubbing her back and chest before moving to her neck and shoulders. The empty articulations are flexible beneath my hand, narrower than they looked from underneath her shirt. I reposition her straps and wipe down her sides, up to where her arms are missing, and take a clean one to rub at the back of her neck. Finally, I grab a big purple towel and wrap her inside it to carry her back to her bedroom. I carefully take her glasses off and dress her back up, a lot more casually than before, before setting them back on.

“Thank you so much, Pierce.”

“You are most welcome. What can I do for you next?”

“There are apples in the kitchen, if you could cut one for me that'd be great.”

“Of course. Should I carry you over as well?”

Still on her back, she pouts and frowns, thinking. “I didn't get a lot of exercise done this morning. Just put me beside my bed and I'll meet you there, okay?”

“Sure!” Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her towards me and sit her down, her back against the mattress. I hover around her shoulders as she rounds her back forward to balance on her hips. “All good?”

She swings her body to one side to bring her hips with it, twisting and stepping ever so slightly forwards. “Yes, thank you.” Another step, from the other side this time. She shuffles sideways to secure herself against the wall. “Go ahead, I'll catch up.” She smiles and winks at me.