“Yes, yours was worse than mine, yet I hesitate to say you are the lucky one of us.”

“If only I’d grabbed more of those packets in his safe. I got enough to confirm some of our suspicions, but nothing that comes close to proof. If only—”

“Hush.” Win’s hand came up. “I’m doing the same thing, so don’t get me started. ‘If only, if only, if only.’ The truth is, Molly, we both did the best we could. You certainly more than me.”

“Your father was, I’m very much afraid, getting ready to say something all wrong to me when you and Kevin came in.” Molly rubbed her arm again. “The kind of thing that would’ve forced me to leave right then and there. So I’m just torturing myself by wishing I’d had more time. There was no more time.”

Molly suddenly rounded the bed and pulled Win to her feet. She wrapped both arms around her new sister. “I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my life as when you and Kevin came to visit.”

Win hesitated, then her arms came around Molly. “And I have a family, after a whole lifetime of feeling like an outcast. Avoiding my pa, scared to death he killed my ma. Afraid to say anything.” Win’s voice broke, and her arms tightened.

There were similarities in Molly’s deep secret and Win’s. For a moment, Molly teetered on opening her mouth and spilling all her ugly secrets on poor Win.

She might’ve even done it. She thought Win would understand. But Wyatt had to be first.

The hug lasted longer than any in Molly’s life. She whispered, “I’ve always wanted a sister. Brothers can get to be a bother sometimes.”

For some reason, that set Win to giggling. She pulled back, and Molly saw tears on her face while she fought down the laughter.

Molly joined in. No tears, she wasn’t prone to them. But a hug and laughter. There’d been too little of both in her life for a long time.

They got a hold of themselves and turned to look at their sleeping patient.

“Why won’t she wake up?” Win straightened Rachel’s blanket.

“I don’t know, and for all the broth and water we’ve forced on her, she’s losing weight. I don’t know how long she can go on like this.” Molly felt her throat swell a bit, almost like she could shed a tear. Instead, she cleared her throat and rounded the bed to pick up the small glass pitcher that stood empty.

“I’m going to go check on supper. Call if you need anything.” Molly wondered if she’d ever get a chance to talk to Wyatt.