When her sobs ran down and she pulled away to blow her nose, I asked, “How about this? Let’s go into the living room and just have a nice chat. Here on the sofa? That looks like a great spot to sit and read. You get comfortable, and I’ll fill up a plate for us, okay? Do you have a favorite?”

She asked for roll-ups, so I made sure the plate had a few of those, along with a scattering of the table’s options, both sweet and savory. I also fetched two glasses of water from the kitchen and made sure Lindy ate and drank it all down.

“You know,” she said, staring at the empty glass, “I don’t think I’ve had a glass of water since . . . then.”

“Don’t move,” I said, jumping to my feet and hurrying to the kitchen. I found a pitcher, rinsed it out, and filled it with ice and water. Back in the living room, I refilled Lindy’s glass and topped mine off, too, before setting the pitcher on a napkin.

“There.” I plopped down on the upholstered chair opposite Lindy. “Now we can properly rehydrate ourselves.”

Though I hadn’t been trying to be funny, Lindy smiled anyway. “You’re a sweetie to let me cry all over you like that. I barely know you, and now you’re taking care of me?” She shook her head. “You’re too good to be real.”

I laughed. “Call my brother. He’ll be happy to tell you all my flaws.”

“There’s nothing like a brother, is there?” Lindy glanced at a photo on a side table. From where I was sitting it was a stretch for me to identify the faces, but with a little bit of squinting, I made out Lindy flanked by Bob and Brown.

“Did you have that picture out before?” I asked, because I couldn’t remember seeing it.

“No.” Lindy touched the corner of the frame. “I’d never seen it myself until Bob brought it by the other day. It’s from last year. We were all out taking a walk after Thanksgiving dinner, and Bob handed his phone to our oldest and asked her take a picture.”

Since I now had social license to look closer, I hitched forward. Lindy’s arms were around the waists of both Bernier brothers, who each had an arm across her shoulders.

“You look happy,” I said. “But didn’t you say that Bob and Brown hadn’t talked for years? Because of their mom and dad’s house?”

“Oh, they got over that a while back. Took some mediation on my part, but it worked out.” Lindy studied the photo. “It was a good Thanksgiving.”