“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.
“Cover Mindy,” I heard Max’s gravelly voice say from not too far but not too close.
“Gotcha,” I heard Mom reply and then she was for some reason holding up a towel lengthwise beside the tub, getting right in my space.
“Mom, you’re in my way,” I told her.
“Hand me the spray, Nina,” Becca said, coming in behind me.
“But –” I started, Becca reached in, pulled the spray out of my hand and then I was going up.
I twisted my neck to see I was in Max’s arms. “Max! I’m washing Mindy’s hair.”
“You can do it after you change,” Max replied, walking out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.