"How bad is it?"

I don't give voice to the question until I'm already inside. My hand finds her elbow, and though she is ostensibly meant to guide me, I pull her along instead. Her exhaustion is palpable, the pause in her reply as damning as a confession. Something's gone wrong and she was probably in the thick of it. She can take care of herself, but I do wonder if she hasn't been too distracted with those around her to bother.