My Brother Dr. Reese

Sing

Mindy's POV

A week later, I'm released from the hospital, a follow-up scheduled with Dr. Wood, my family's primary care. Chad's supposed to help me keep the grafts healthy and clean and keep me on my pain meds. Mom's coming down tomorrow, and Cadence is on her way here now. We're going to the mall, but Chad said the only reason he's not making me rest is to distract me from the inevitable pain.

I'm at the kitchen counter next to Chad and eating breakfast when the front door slams open, then shut, followed by Cadence yelling.

My head jerks up. Finally. Chad looks over, worried, then relaxes.

Cady comes through the living room and into the kitchen, giving me a crushing backwards hug that burns the grafts a little. But it's good to feel again, they kept me so heavily medicated in the hospital it was always foggy.

"Hey, Minty. I missed you, girl. How's the back?"

I give a choked, half-hearted laugh. "Fine, if you count cutting skin from my legs to tape onto my back fine."

Chad frowns a teeny bit and hands me a pill. "You're due for another dose."

I pout. "I don't wanna take it. It makes me sleepy and I had enough of that in the hospital. And I want to have fun at the mall with Cady."

Cadence puts on her authoritative mom-voice. "You had us worried sick in the hospital. I don't want you to be hurting, and we'll get coffees so you're not so sleepy."

She makes a good argument. And I miss coffee. They wouldn't let me have any in the hospital. I sigh and accept the medicine.

When I finish my breakfast, I head upstairs to get dressed, but make sure to stay quiet. They're going to talk about me like they did in the hospital. They did every chance they got, whenever they thought I was asleep.

"Cadence?"

Here we go.

"You're aware I'm doing a no-cost family/friend exam and treatment week, right?"

So not me, then. I still have to stifle a groan. I was just there, I don't want to go back.

"Yeah . . . "

"I'd like to see you there, all right?"

Silence.

"Cady, you're like a sister to me. I want to be sure you're healthy, stop any problems before they can progress. You can bring anyone willing for support."

"Mindy?"

"If you can convince her,"

Footsteps on the stairs. I duck into the closet and continue dressing.

"Min? Will you come?"

How does she know I heard?

I swallow hard and crack the door open, meaning to ask her to hand me my peach blouse, but she grabs my wrist and pulls me out.

"Please? I . . . I'm scared," she says quietly.

I rummage through my drawers, pull out the blouse, and put it on, letting a smile find its way onto my face. "Only if you sing for me."

Her voice is strained. "Really? I don't have all that great of a voice, you know that."

"You and I both know that's not true, I would pay to hear you sing,"

She inhales, blush flooding her cheeks, then starts to sing.

I'm a goner

Somebody catch my breath