Don't Touch Me! - 25

 

Brent reached for him, quickly pulling his hand back. "Why the sudden change in attitude?"

Cody shrugged. "I think you offered because you feel sorry for me and, as I said a few days ago, you see this as just another puzzle you want to try to solve."

"If you remember, I admitted that was part of it. I also told you we're going to find out why you suddenly became touch phobic."

"I. Don't. Know," Cody replied, emphasizing each word.

"Of course you don't, or you'd have told me. So, my first question is, how did you find out you were?"

"I… One morning I had to go grocery shopping. It was just like any other day, as far as I was concerned. I got in the car, drove to the store. It was maybe ten a.m. When I parked and got out, I saw one of our neighbors and went over to say hello. She asked about Mother, and, because it was the way she is, she put her hand on my arm. I think she does that so the person she's talking to won't ignore her. Anyway, the second she touched me I froze, then began shaking. My heart raced. I could barely breathe. I was sure I was having a heart attack or something. She grabbed my arm and I started hyperventilating. I pulled away, screaming at her to leave me alone." Cody shuddered. "I made a total fool of myself. People gathered around. A guy clutched my shoulder, I suppose to keep me from falling, and things got even worse. It was a full-blown panic attack. I collapsed against her car. There was a doctor there, thank God. He told everyone to back away. Then he started talking to me, trying to get me to calm down."

"Did you?"

Cody nodded. "It took a while, but yeah. The doctor suggested, rather firmly, that I should consult a psychiatrist, if I hadn't already. Since it was the first time it had ever happened to me… Well, I said I would, managed to make it back to my car, and spent the next however long just sitting there, trying to figure out what the hell had happened."

"And went home, I presume."

"No. The neighbor woman I told you about… She finished her shopping, saw I was still there, and came over to the car. She really was sweet, apologizing all over the place. Then she offered to do my shopping for me, if I had a list." Cody smiled dryly. "Being me, I did. I gave it to her. She was careful not to touch me. Said she didn't want me going off again. Thankfully I didn't need all that much stuff. She came back a few minutes later, put the bags in the back seat, apologized again, asked if I was okay enough to drive home. I was, and I did, but the whole time I was scared out of my mind it would happen again. I mean, I didn't know what was going on other than she touched me and…and…"

"How did you figure out that was what caused it?"

"The other person touching me. Then the doctor saying he'd heard about people reacting as badly as I did, though I was the first one he'd ever met. I didn't believe it, despite everything, especially when I got home. I sort of tried to avoid Mother touching me, just in case, but it's hard to do when it's a parent. She did and nothing happened."

"But it must have again, for you to be sure that's what set you off."