“Hey,” I whisper to Bernie, gently laying her on my bed.

Simone stays back and stares, but Sarah hurries over to pull back the covers.

“She’s trembling.”

“I know,” I rasp, torn up inside. Smoothing sweat-matted hair from Bernie’s forehead I lean down to meet her drifting eyes.

“Help me,” she breathes, unable to focus.

Justin walks over with angry strides, holding out the blue bowl. I glance to it and he reads my mind. “Yes, I washed it.” He hands me a rag and I take them both, dipping the soft cloth into lightly steaming water. My kitchen sink gets really hot, which I normally hate. You have to be careful not to burn yourself. But now I’m grateful for it. He takes the bowl from my hand. I squeeze some excess water from the cloth into it and turn to wipe Bernie’s pale face.

“Call 911,” Simone mutters.

“Not yet. She’s already been to jail once for this. Let me just…” I trail off, washing the face of the woman I once loved. Next I wash her right arm and nearly start crying. I have to turn my face.

Simone grumbles, “This is fucking ridiculous. Who is she?”

I snap, “Keep your voice down.”

She storms off. I hear Justin follow her. Good, let him explain. I can’t deal with her bullshit right now.

Sweeping the blood away with slow, gentle strokes, I stare at Bernadette Lancaster.

She used to just do coke.

Now heroin?

Fuck, I hate the spiral of addiction. That it’s inevitable until they hit rock bottom, and everyone’s is different.

When’s she going to hit hers?

When’s it going to end?

Sarah kneels at the side of my bed, gazing at Bernie with sadness and compassion. She must have taken the bowl from Justin because it’s in her hands now, and she holds it for me. I keep my eyes averted and mutter, “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem.”

Wringing out the cloth again, I nod and Sarah sets it on the floor while I clean the other wrecked arm.

Sarah whispers, “Can you hear us?”

“Her name’s Bernie,” I choke.

She glances to me and nods, turning back to my ex and touching her cheek. “Bernie, can you hear us?”

Bernie moans. Sarah feels her forehead and then touches two fingers to her throat, checking her pulse like it’s not the first time she’s done this. After a good minute she meets my eyes. “She’s high but she’s not overdosing. Her heartbeat is strong. We have to check this jacket for drugs to make sure she can’t add more to the mix.”

Careful of stabbing myself with a hidden needle, I check all of Bernie’s pockets and shake my head. “The stuff probably belonged to a john.”

Sarah’s auburn eyebrows knit together, but then comprehension waves over her as she realizes I’m saying Bernie hooks. I’m grateful there’s no judgment on her face as she turns back and whispers, “Do you remember your name?”

“Bernadette,” comes the moaning answer. “Bernie…”

“Good. That’s very good. And you found your way to Jason’s. You’re safe now, Bernie,” Sarah whispers. “Jason is here with you. I’m a friend of his and you’re safe with me, too. Jason’s going to get you out of this dress, okay?”

Bernie blinks twice. Sarah rises to give us privacy. She touches my shoulder on her way out. “The clothes reek of heroin. Wash her off and put her in your sweats. Want me to get them?”

Grateful and calmed by her help, I motion to my dresser with my chin. “Go for it.”

My gaze dances between Bernie and Sarah as she pulls her curly hair up and ties it into a knot on the top of her head — time to work. She shuffles through my drawers and pulls out my softest t-shirt after feeling all the others. Same with the sweatpants. Turning back to me she meets my eyes.

“You have someone…?” I ask her, because she’s way too knowledgeable about what to do.

Her lips purse and she gives a little nod. “My brother.”

I watch her place the clothes by me. She touches my shoulder again and I cover her hand with mine for a moment. “Thank you.”

She nods and slips her hand away to join the others. Bernadette’s body is skinnier than I’ve ever seen it. She allows me to change her without a fight. Not that I’d expect one after all we’ve been through.

She’s dead weight as I lift her arms from her jacket and hold her off the bed to fully remove it. Her dress, shoes, bra and panties all come off with equal care on my part.

She murmurs, “Thank you,” several times with a voice so blurry I can hardly hear her.

But it’s enough to tell me that Sarah’s right.

She’s not overdosing.

She’ll come around.

But it’s going to be a nightmare withdrawal.

She used to happily sing that fucking Amy Winehouse song to my face as if it were her mantra. “They try to make me go to rehab. I say no, no, no.”

And look what happened to Amy Winehouse…joined the Twenty-Seven Club, the roster of musicians who’ve all died at that exact age.

Hendrix. Joplin. Morrison. Cobain.

Fucking waste of amazing talent.

Bernie’s in her thirties, the same age as Drew.

They went to school together.

Wait…I should call Drew.

Oh shit, she’s got the flu.

I can’t burden her with this.

Especially after how much Jake hates Bernie for what she did to them and that dangerous situation she put Drew in.

No, she came to me. I’ll handle this on my own.

With her tucked in, I pick up her clothes and carry them out to join the others. The conversation has been sparse from what I’ve heard. The music was turned off a while ago.

Simone’s not happy. Her eyebrows arch up. “Like blondes, I see.”

“Simone, not now.”

Rolling her eyes she gets up. “C’mon Sarah.”

I can tell she doesn’t want to leave.

Justin stands. “Sarah can’t drive. I’ll take you home.”

Simone glances to him, then to me. “Fine. Goodbye Jason.”

I jerk my chin in response, and turn to get a plastic bag to put these rank clothes in.

My brother says, “Sarah, you should stay.”

“What?” Simone snaps.

“She has experience with this.” To Sarah he explains, “I overheard what you said to Jason. About your brother. Can you stay here with him to help?”

Simone’s eyes lower. “I forgot about Nathan. You should stay.”

Sarah glances to me. “Do you want me to?”

“Yes,” I rasp on an exhale. “Please stay.”

Simone waves without emotion and heads for her bag while Justin gathers his suit jacket.

He winks at me and I just shake my head.

“You three have fun now,” he smirks on his way out. “Sarah.” He tips an invisible hat and vanishes.