The Damaged Hearts Bargain (Tetherington Hearts #2)

Chapter Twenty Four

W hat was she doing? Lucy was bending over a box and as much as Cal appreciated the view, she couldn’t help but feel a little… out of her depth perhaps.

She’d never done this before, never allowed herself to do this before. But she had to admit that she was falling for Lucy. The fact simultaneously delighted and terrified her. Okay, there were no commitments. Except she’d already practically agreed to double her normal limit to twelve weeks.

When she thought about it too hard she started to feel a little sick, a bit sweaty, like she was standing at the top of a mountain preparing to jump off.

But then Lucy would turn around and smile and that was all it took to leave Cal feeling at peace.

To be honest, she had zero idea what she was doing. But… but spending time with Lucy made her happy enough that for the most part she could forget about everything else.

She wasn’t promising to break all the rules. She didn’t know what she could have to offer someone like Lucy and she certainly wasn’t going to stick around to… She took a shuddery breath. To be dumped or left or anything else like that.

But for now, things were… nice.

“What about this?” Lucy said, turning around with a shoebox in her hands.

Cal pulled a face. “Oh god, don’t even open that.”

Lucy grinned and ripped the top off the box. “Oh my god,” she shrieked. A pile of photos and letters and mementos poured out of the box.

“That would be my memory box,” Cal said, cringing at the sight of it.

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.

“You were doing my job,” Cal said quietly. “I should have been doing it.” She felt Lucy reach out and take her hand. She was speaking the truth. Not that she could have done it, she couldn’t have come back. Still though, she had to recognize that Deb had stepped up.

Deb leaned back against the kitchen counter. “Families are complicated things,” she said calmly. “It’s not for me to judge anything and I don’t. Dementia is hard on everyone, and watching someone fade away piece by piece is… well, it’s something that a lot of people can’t watch. There’s no shame in it, Callan.”

Cal’s stomach twisted. That wasn’t exactly the situation, but she really didn’t want to go into specifics. Deb turned back and poured the tea.

“So, um, how exactly does this work?” Lucy said brightly. “I’ve never done it before.”

“Me neither,” Deb said, handing her a mug. “But it was a really kind thought, Cal. I was close to your mum, I’d like to have something to remember her by.” She handed Cal a mug of her own. “And actually, I do sort of have something in mind, if that would be alright? Feel free to say no, of course.”

“Anything,” Cal said.

“Might be easier if I showed you,” said Deb, picking up her tea and carrying it toward the stairs.

She came to a stop in Cal’s mother’s bedroom, looking down at the green jade box on the dressing table.

“It’s not real,” Cal said quickly.

Deb smiled. “It doesn’t matter, love. It’d be a nice memento, if you don’t mind.”

Cal’s stomach twisted again. That box. That stupid box. She’d be glad to get rid of it if nothing else. “I don’t mind in the slightest,” she said. “To be honest, I can’t wait to see the back of it.”

“It was always your mother’s special box,” Deb said, picking it up. “It’d mean a lot to have it.”

“Not a problem,” said Cal. She took a drink of her tea not sure what was supposed to happen next. She shot Lucy a look.

“How did you get into nursing?” Lucy asked, taking the reins of the conversation.

“Oh, it was years ago,” Deb began.

And Cal relaxed as Lucy took over the rest of the visit. It was nice, she thought, to have someone to rely on in these situations. Nice to have someone to… understand her perhaps.

Deb looked at her watch. “I’ve got to run,” she said. “Got an appointment to change some bandages in half an hour. Thanks for the tea.”

“I think we should be thanking you for that,” said Cal. She showed Deb out and then Lucy was wrapping an arm around her waist.

“That must have been tough,” Lucy said.

“A little,” agreed Cal. “I guess… I feel guilty about not being here. Even though I know I couldn’t have been here, if that makes sense? ”

“Not really,” Lucy said. “I mean, I don’t understand everything.” She paused, looking down at Cal. “But if you say you couldn’t be here, then I believe you.” She smiled a little. “That box was sweet, you really didn’t mind Deb taking it?”

“Mind?” Cal said, heart racing at the thought of it. “That box started everything.”

Lucy’s face creased into a frown. “What do you mean?”

It really was too much to get into. And Cal didn’t want to spoil the rest of the day. So she grinned. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Now, I believe we have a room to finish packing up. Or at least we do if you’re at all interested in that surprise I’ve promised you?”

“Mmmm… bribery, I like it,” Lucy said turning toward the stairs. “What’s the surprise?”

“Do you understand what the word surprise actually means?” Cal asked.

Lucy laughed as Cal followed her up the stairs.