“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.