My dad kept making me take cold showers, insisting, “You smell horrible — use this soap.” I trusted him, even though something felt off, and ended up showering five times a day. My mom said nothing.
One day, my boyfriend Jake saw the soap and froze. “This isn’t regular soap! It’s used to sterilize skin before surgery!”
I’d been scrubbing myself with antiseptic wash for days. Confused and angry, I realized I needed answers.
Jake reminded me: even with people you trust, it’s okay — and necessary — to question things that don’t feel right.
