She didn’t answer and I smoothed the wet hair away from her face, down her back, my other arm holding her tight.

We made it to the front of Max’s house at the same time the ATVs came into view, proving Jeff wasted no time getting us home. My door was pulled open and I jumped out, Jeff reached in and his arms went around Mindy but I didn’t watch.

I turned and ran to Mom who, with Cotton, Steve and Becca were running down the steps as Max and Brody both shut off their ATVs at the bottom.

“Thank God,” Becca breathed but my eyes were on my mother.

“Mom, run up to Max’s bathroom and run a warm bath, okay?” I asked, she nodded and ran into the house. I looked to Cotton. “You know a doctor who’ll come out here but won’t talk in town?”

“Yeah, darlin’,” Cotton replied, eyes glued to Jeff and Mindy.

“Call him,” I ordered and turned to Jeff. “Take her upstairs.”

Jeff was already nearing the door. I followed Jeff in the house and up the stairs and Max and Brody followed me.

Jeff set Mindy on her feet in the bathroom where Mom was on her knees beside the tub, her hand under the faucet, her other hand controlling the taps.

“Can you stand, honey?” Jeff asked gently and Mindy turned her head away but her legs buckled and Jeff’s arms went back around her.

“I got her,” Brody said, pushing forward.

The bathroom was not small. It had good space, a bathtub, separate shower, sink built into a marble-tiled vanity and a sauna.

Still, with Mom, me, Mindy and three hulking mountain men, it was a close fit.

“Boys, out,” Mom demanded before I could do it.

“She’s my sister and I don’t even know who you are,” Brody shot back and my eyes went to Max.

“Brody,” Max said low and came forward too.

I went to Mindy.

“That’s my Mom, Brody, and we have this, okay?” I asked, nodding to Jeff that I had Mindy when my arms went around her and she transferred her weight to me.

I had to brace my legs but I took on Mindy as Mom got to her feet and moved in our direction.

Brody stayed planted.

I looked to Max and said, “Max, darling, get Brody to give us some time and send Becca up here, please?”

Max nodded and put a hand on Brody that Brody shrugged off.

“She’s my sister!” he shouted and Mindy flinched in my arms.

“Brody, man, pull your shit together and think about the last twenty minutes. Nina’s f**kin’ got this. Yeah?” Max was still talking low.

Brody glared at him. Then he glared at me. Then, when Jeff silently moved out, Brody followed him.

Max’s eyes stayed on me until I nodded to him, he nodded back and then he followed Brody.

“Okay, Mindy, sweetie, I’m Nellie, Nina’s Mom and I’m going to help you, all right?” Mom said to Mindy. “Now, let’s get these wet clothes off, sweetheart. Can you help us?”

“It won’t work, I can’t get clean,” Mindy told Mom but she slowly lifted her arms, her wrists limp, hands dangling and I held her upright as Mom pulled off her sweater.

“Your problem, sweetheart, is you’re trying to get clean when you already are,” Mom informed her and then bent at her feet.

Becca came in and I could tell she had been crying and was currently on the verge of returning to her tears.

Feebly, Mindy’s eyes went to her friend.

“I’m sorry,” Mindy said.

“I’m sorry too, sorry I didn’t take better care of you,” Becca replied, keeping her emotions together, moving forward, dropping down to her knees to help Mom with Mindy’s shoes. “Let’s get you warmed up.”

They got off her boots, socks and jeans but when Mom moved to the tub and Becca moved to her undies, Mindy cried, “No!”

“We gotta get you warmed up,” Becca told her.

“No! I don’t take them off, just to change them. I shower in them,” Mindy said and at this horrifyingly sad news my eyes went to Becca to see hers were on me.

“Then in you go with your undies on,” Mom decreed, moving from the now filled bath to Mindy.

We helped her in and I said to Mom, “My shampoo and conditioner are in the shower stall, can you get them?”

“Sure thing, Neenee Bean,” Mom replied before scurrying off.

“I’m not strong like you,” Mindy mumbled and I looked from Mom to her and dropped down to my knees by the tub.

“What, darling?” I asked.

She was shivering in the tub, her arms crossed on her chest, fingers curled around her shoulders, eyes glued to her toes.

“You’re strong. I’m not.”

“Mins,” I whispered and her head twisted to look at me.

“You don’t let anyone walk all over you. I’ll never be that way.”

If she hadn’t already broken my heart, that would have done it.

“We’ll talk later,” I told her. “Let’s get you warm.”

Mom handed me my shampoo and conditioner. I set it on the side of the tub and I moved down the tub to grab the hand spray in order to get to work on Mindy’s hair.

“I’ll get this, you go get out of those wet clothes,” Mom said, bending toward me.

“I’m fine,” I replied. “Mins, lean your head forward for me, will you?”

Mindy did what I asked but Mom got closer.

“Sweetie, you’re soaked through and shivering, go change your clothes, you can come back to Mindy in a second.”

Mindy turned toward me and her eyes hit me but I smiled at her, realizing for the first time I was, indeed, shivering mostly because I was chilled straight through to the bone likely because I’d been in a snow melt rushing river and also because of all that had recently transpired. I also realized then that my clothes felt like they weighed a ton.

I ignored all of this.

“I’m fine,” I replied on a small, trembling smile to Mindy. “Head forward, my lovely.”

“Nina –” Mom started and I turned and locked eyes with her.

“Mom. I’m. Fine.”

Mom stared at me a second, straightened and I felt her presence move away. It took me a couple of tries to get the hand spray working because my own hands were trembling so much.

I distractedly heard Mom say, “Max,” but I was able to get the hand spray working so my concentration went to getting the water warm.