He had his skis off and his arm around her within seconds, guiding her through the door. “We’re her aunt and uncle,” he said to the nurse who met them. “What can we do?”

She thrust a clipboard in their direction. “Sign for authorization to treat her.”

Lucy took the clipboard and signed where directed, her hand shaking so hard, she could barely hold the pen.

“What’s the plan?” Colton asked.

“The doctor would like to do what’s called a reduction. We'll need to take some X-rays and she’ll be mildly sedated.”

“Wh-what’s a reduction?” Lucy asked.

“They’re going to snap the bone back into place,” Colton said. “Which hurts like a mother-effer. That’s why they want to sedate her.”

“We do them almost every day around here,” the nurse assured her.

Lucy’s vision began to swim, and she was overly warm all of a sudden.

“Lucy,” Colton said, giving her a little shake. “Breathe.”

“Would you like to be in with her when they do it?” the nurse asked.

“I will,” Colton said. To Lucy, he said, “Go sit and keep breathing. I’ll be in there with her, and she’ll be fine. I promise.” He kissed her forehead and directed her to the waiting area. Then he took off with the nurse.

Feeling like a total wimp, she landed in a chair and dropped her head between her knees the way she’d seen done on TV medical shows. Breathe, Lucy. Breathe. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of her precious Simone in such terrible pain. Emma. I need to find Emma. She took a chance and tried her sister’s cell phone, but the call went directly to voice mail, which meant Emma was somewhere in Butler without service. After leaving a message for Emma to call her, Lucy stood on her shaky legs and walked to the reception desk. “Is there a phone I could use?”

“Of course. Come around the counter.”

Lucy did as directed and tried to summon the number to the Abbott home from a memory that had gone blank. She closed her eyes, took a couple of deep breaths and tried to concentrate. Simone needs you, Lucy. This is no time to go stupid. She was about to ask for a phonebook when the number came to her. Her hands were still shaking as she punched in the numbers.

Molly answered on the third ring.

“Hi, it’s Lucy.”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“So, um, Simone fell while skiing and dislocated her elbow.”

“Oh no! The poor thing! That’s so painful.”

“Yes, it is. I’m looking for Emma. Is she there?”

“No, honey, she went off somewhere with Grayson a couple of hours ago. I have no idea where they are, but I’ll call my sister to see if she knows.”

“If you’re able to find her, we’re at the clinic on the mountain.”