Page 59 of The Damaged Hearts Bargain

Lucy collapsed onto the bed and started going through things. “Are all of these things from girls?” she asked. She looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you were a popular kid.”

“I did alright,” Cal shrugged. She didn’t think about her childhood often. She’d been happy, uncomplicated. But then everything that had happened after had sort of tainted what had gone before.

“You look happy,” Lucy said, looking up. “Like it was nice growing up here.”

“It was,” Cal said, going to sit next to her on the bed.

Lucy bit her lip and Cal suddenly realized that whatever might have come later, her happy childhood was something that Lucy had never had. And it occurred to her now that maybe that lack of stability might be why Lucy came off as wanting a relationship so badly.

It wasn’t necessarily that she was dying to get married, it was that she wanted security. Cal put her arm around Lucy’s shoulders holding her closer. She might not be able to do forever, but she could definitely be the rock that Lucy was looking for, even if they didn’t end up together.

Look at her and Syd, the woman practically called her every day. A relationship didn’t have to be a love relationship, did it? If things ended well, if communication was good, they could always have each other, even just as friends.

Now Lucy was looking at her, biting her lip a little again and Cal’s insides were turning warm and then Lucy was cupping her face and her lips were coming closer. And Cal thought that loving relationships weren’t so bad, not when Lucy’s hands were creeping up her shirt and then… the doorbell rang.

“Shit,” swore Cal practically falling off the bed.

“Huh, not the first time you’ve been busted with a girl in your childhood bedroom, I’m thinking,” Lucy laughed.

“Who the hell could that be?” Cal said, trying to collect herself.

“You’ll only find out by answering the door,” said Lucy. She stood up and grabbed Cal’s hands, pulling her in and then deliberately nibbling at her neck as she pushed her hips against Cal’s.

“Hey, no fair,” Cal groaned as Lucy pulled away again.

“At least there are no uncomfortable erections to hide,” said Lucy, looking innocent.

Cal growled at her. “If anyone could give me one, it’d be you,” she said as she stomped toward the stairs.

Lucy was still laughing as she followed her.

Cal opened the door to find a woman standing there. It took her a second to place her, and then she remembered that she’d asked Deb Manning, her mother’s nurse, to come around and choose a memento.

“Am I early?” Deb said, smiling cheerfully. “If I am, I don’t mind helping pack a box or two, feel free to put me to work.”

Something about her relaxed Cal. She seemed efficient, friendly, just the sort of person that should be a nurse. “Something tells me that you’ve done enough work in this house,” she said. “You’re not early at all. Fancy a cup of tea?”

“In this heat?” Deb laughed. “Still, I suppose they drink it in India, don’t they? Go on then.”

Cal stepped aside to let Deb through, explaining to Lucy quietly what was going on.

“Should I leave?” Lucy asked.

Cal thought about it. Thought about Deb nursing her mother. Thought about how complicated things might get, how feelings might get in the way of conversations, and shook her head. “I’d like it if you stayed,” she said. “Anyway, I’ve got a surprise for later, if you’re interested?”

Lucy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Anything to do with that erecti—”

“Hush!” hissed Cal. “We’ve got guests.”

Lucy giggled and followed her into the kitchen where Deb was already boiling the kettle. She stopped when she saw Cal and Lucy, flushing slightly. “God, I’m sorry, I’m just making myself at home here and I’ve really no right to anymore, do I? Force of habit, I’m afraid.”

Cal smiled to put her at ease. “As long as you’re making tea for everyone, I don’t mind,” she said. She cleared her throat. “I suppose you spent a lot of time here.”

Deb nodded, taking tea bags out of the cupboard. “A fair amount over the last three years or so. Before that your mum had carers that came for set times during the day. Then things got serious enough that she needed someone here full time. After that, of course, toward the end, she went into hospital.” She cocked her head at Cal. “I still visited her in there though. Not that she always knew who I was.”

“That was kind,” Cal said, feeling tightness in her chest. “I, uh, I owe you a lot.”

“Not at all. Just doing my job,” said Deb.

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