The Nurse's Love (BWWM Romance) by Tyra Brown, BWWM Crew Page A

for a moment before she said anything.
     
    “My childhood was nothing special, Cooper, I’d rather not discuss it but you can tell me about yours.” She was fighting now and he knew he had touched on a subject she was uncomfortable with. Perhaps it was the key to why she didn’t believe in love but did believe in God.
     
    “I’ll make you a deal, Faith, I’ll tell you about mine but only after you promise to share yours with me when I’m done?” He smiled at her. Negotiation with Faith Parks was something he liked to do. There were always sparks there. He watched the emotions play out on her face.
     
    “Fine, I agree, but we can ask questions and we have to answer.” Faith set about getting comfortable in her chair and settling in to listen intently to Cooper discuss his childhood. He told her about the fun he had with friends and girls, which he skipped over entirely. He told her about music and how important it was to him growing up. He talked about business and his mother.
     
    “She is quite wonderful, really.” Faith spoke about Mrs. Robinson.
     
    “She is, but she meddles so much.” Cooper ran a hand through his hair. “She means well though.”
     
    “What about your father...?” she asked timidly. She knew this was a sore area.
     
    “What about him, Faith?” He was scowling now but she wanted to talk about it.
     
    “I know but I am asking so share with me, I want to help.” She touched his hand lightly. He flinched and looked over at her. Faith was surprised to see the pain in his eyes.
     
    Cooper started to tell her the story about his father, and how important he had been to him growing up.
     
    “Now you.” He said it simply. “Your turn, Faith.”
     
    “Well you know my parents both died when I was young.” She left it at that.
     
    “Oh no you don’t, Faith, spill.” He rolled over slightly to take in her whole face as she spoke.
     
    “Ok, I lived with my nana for a bit before she died. She was old. She was my very favorite person, she collected cat statues. She said it was less work than the real thing.” Faith smiled as she thought about it.“When she died, I went to live with my aunt and cousin.” Faith took a deep breath and swallowed hard. She glanced over to see him watching her.
     
    “It wasn’t a pleasant experience.” Cooper reached out and took her hand in his.
     
    “Tell me.”
     
    “They were mean, not in the traditional sense. They found an old army cot in the trash one day and propped it up in the laundry room. That is where I slept. It rained a lot. I think it did anyways. There was a hole in the ceiling right above my head.” She laughed a little.
     
    “They made sure I was there to do whatever they wanted. I cooked and cleaned and if I wasn’t, I was in the laundry room on my cot. I remember I found a doll one day after school and I took it home. It was missing an eye and an arm but I cleaned it up and held on to it tight. It comforted me.” She sighed and kept going. “One day they found it and threw it away, I didn’t even know, I just saw that it was gone one day. Then my cousin asked me where my doll was one day, and I knew. I would be allowed to eat whatever scraps they left for me and they didn’t want themselves. Occasionally I would lick the bowl if I was cooking something good, but if I were caught my aunt wouldn’t hesitate to take a wooden spoon to my knuckles.” She rolled onto her side now and looked back at Cooper who looked at her sadly.
     
    “Did you believe in love when you were a child?” he asked, barely a whisper.
     
    “Yes, when I was very young I wanted a family and a life and a handsome husband who would love me. My parents fought so much that over time I just knew it wasn’t real. They stayed together to keep face but they didn’t love each other. Then my aunt would have men around...all the time they would hit her and she would tell them she loved them and they would always try to touch me. I knew