Max stopped and turned to Brody. “Trust me, Nina’s got her.”
Then with Mindy in his arms, he used his hand to open the door and slid Mindy in the back. Without hesitation the moment Max stepped away, I climbed up next to her and pulled her into my arms. She didn’t put her arms around me but she cuddled closer.
I looked at Max and nodded. “We’re good.”
Max closed the door. Jeff slid in the front, turned the ignition and reversed down the narrow track so fast, all the hairs would have risen on my head if I wasn’t concentrating on Mindy.
“You with me, sweetheart?” I asked her but she didn’t respond.
Jeff found a clearing he could execute a three-point turn in and he did so then raced down the narrow, one-lane track.
“Mindy, darling, you with me?” I repeated.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
I snuggled her closer, moved my lips to her ear and there I promised on a whisper that was only for her, “You and me, we’ll find a way to make you feel clean. You and me. Yes? We’ll find a way.” My arms tightened around her and I finished. “Just not that way.”
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 fuckin’ 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.