The Gamble

Back to the compressions.

Back to Mindy’s mouth.

Then back.

And again.

“Goddammit, Mindy,” I shouted when she lay there lifeless, no longer counting out loud with my compressions but doing them all the same. “Don’t let him beat you!”

Then I went to Mindy’s mouth.

Back to the compressions.

And back.

And again.

“Nina,” Max whispered, dropping down beside me in a squat, I felt his hand at my back.

I looked up to see Brody standing; his hands were both on the top of his head. He was staring down at Mindy and me, his expression ravaged.

I ignored Max and Brody and bent to Mindy’s mouth.

Then back to the compressions.

“Baby,” Max was still whispering.

“When’s Jeff getting here?” I snapped then went to Mindy’s mouth.

Then back to the compressions.

“Nina, honey,” Max whispered, my eyes went to him, I felt my heart in my throat, the tears in my eyes and I kept up the compressions.

Mindy choked.

My head jerked down and she was choke-coughing, the sound both heinous and beautiful, her hands lifting weakly before falling away and I moved her to her side as water flooded out her mouth.

“Get it out, darling,” I cooed, bending close to her, pulling the wet hair from her face and neck. “Get it all out.”

Liquid poured from her mouth and she kept choking, tipping her head forward, curling into herself after it was all gone.

“Mins,” Brody was now squatting and he pulled her torso into his arms when she was simply spluttering. “Babe,” he whispered, his hand cupping the back of her head, pressing it to his neck as his other arm held her close.

Jeff ran up to us. “Jesus, f**k, is she okay?”

Brody looked up at him. “Call an ambulance.”

“No,” Mindy whispered, her voice rough, “no.”

“Babe, Mins, we gotta –” Brody started.

“They all know about me,” Mindy said weakly into his neck. “They know everything. They all know. I don’t want them to know this.”

“The house,” Max ordered, squatted and put a hand under Mindy’s knees, an arm at her back and stood, pulling her out of Brody’s arms and lifting her, striding away, still talking. “Jeff, you drive her to the house, Nina will ride with her.”

“I’ll ride with her,” Brody declared as Max climbed the steep incline with Mindy in his arms as if he did it every day for his workout. Brody and Jeff managed it too. I slipped and slid but not as badly as I did coming down.

“You take the ATV back with me, Nina’s got her,” Max ordered as he made it to the top and marched to the police vehicle.

“Max –”

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 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.