Sheltered, gentle, and fragile ever since the death of their parents, Mandy was Jason’s responsibility. She had never recovered after the boating accident fifteen years ago. Repeated doctors had said that the trauma had been too much for her. Her mind had shut down in such a way so that she could cope. She lived in a self-created world with no hate, no fear, no sadness, and no harsh reality. Mandy laughed, she played, and she lived life as if she were still a child. Facing the world as an adult was too much, so Jason had no choice but to face it for her. As she heard Jason walk in, Mandy looked up from the velvet poster she liked to spend hours coloring with her markers. Her tiny body seemed dwarfed by the huge oak table she sat at. "Hi, brother!" He sat down in the old, wooden chair across from her. He smiled at her angelic appearance. Dressed in a white, summer dress with her blond hair resting on her shoulders, she seemed so soft. As much as her mental condition could frustrate him, he almost envied her pure joy in the simple things.
