Heart Song Anthology by Carolyn Faulkner (summer reads txt) 📗

the suburbs of New York and worked all the overtime they would give her, but it was never enough. Finally, she was close to paying it all off. Another year and she would be free and clear.

Peanut crawled on her lap and Mindy petted her furry friend. She had never made many friends. She only had one. Sally, also a nurse, worked with her at the hospital. They were two of a kind and shared their secret wishes. She didn’t have the money or time for anything but dreams. She reached over for her other old friend, Pooky, her stuffed kitten. Her grams had given it to her when her parents died. She cuddled it before she put it back against her pillow.

She got up and warmed her dinner, then went to bed early. Exhaustion overtook her as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 2

Mindy looked at the handsome man before her. With the help of the shower chair, he had managed to take his own shower. Mindy had the barber in to cut his hair and give him a hot shave.

He’d loved every second of being pampered. He sat rubbing his smooth face. The cast that had been on his arm was gone. “I feel like a million bucks, little one. A new year, a new me.”

Her pussy clenched at the words “little one,” but she ignored it. “You clean up nice, Mr. Alcoa.”

“Call me Ike, little one.”

“Thank you, Ike. You look very nice; your friend will be impressed.”

His smile dazzled her. It was the first time he had really smiled. Getting off the pain meds helped, she thought to herself. She smiled back. “I will be in with lunch in an hour, Ike. Why don’t you relax?”

“I think I will take a short nap before lunch, but don’t bother with dinner tonight. I have ordered dinner for two from Gino’s down the block. Would you honor me with your company? As a reward for all the help you have been.”

Mindy thought for a moment before she answered, “I would love to, but I have to go home and feed my cat and change first. Would that be all right? I will need a quick shower and a quick change of clothes and can be back here at about six. How does that sound?” She didn’t tell him it was against the rules to fraternize with the patients while on duty.

He gave her a wink. “Sure, darlin’, but not a minute later. Don’t make me spank your cute little bottom for being late or standing me up, okay?”

Mindy stood with her mouth open. “What did you just say?” she stammered.

Ike smiled again at the beautiful blush that crept up her face. “I said don’t be late or stand me up or I will have to spank you.”

“That’s what I thought you said. I will be on time, Ike.” She hurried out of the room, embarrassed, to the sound of Ike’s laughter ringing in her ears as the door closed.

She was a Little if ever he saw one. He had been looking for years for a little one of his own.

When lunch arrived, Ike noticed Mindy hurried with her duties, not looking at him. She was still embarrassed.

“Come and sit by me a minute, Mindy.”

Mindy looked at him doubtfully, but slowly came to him and sat on the side of the bed, looking down at her fingers as they twisted the bottom of her cute scrubs top.

“Mindy, I am sorry I embarrassed you earlier today. I had no business talking to you that way.”

Mindy looked up at him. “It is all right, Ike. I understand.”

Ike smiled. “No, it’s not all right. I should have been a bit more patient. I am used to taking what I want, and I want you. I like your spunk and your determination. I can tell you are fighter. Hell, you put up with me at my meanest.” He held out his hand for her to shake. “Let’s start over, shall we? I would like to make it up to you. Please have dinner with me tonight. I would like a chance to get to know you better.”

Mindy smiled, taking his hand, and shaking it. “Deal! I would love to have dinner with you.”

Most of the rest of the shift went by in a blur, she was so excited about her dinner with Ike. She had planned out in her head the outfit she would wear. While she didn’t have many “going out clothes,” she did have a favorite: her halter dress that draped over her shoulders to tie behind her neck. It was a pretty deep blue that left her back exposed, with a full skirt that flared out when she twirled. She would wear her good coat that came to below her knees. Her knee-high boots would complete the outfit.

She hurried to complete her charting, smiling at everyone around her. Her only friend Sally laughed as she sat down next to her. She had the next shift.

“What has you in such a good mood?”

Mindy smiled at her. “Ike just asked me to come back and have dinner with him.” She put her hand over her mouth and giggled.

Sally laughed. “I know you have had a thing for him, Mindy, but his folks are rich. Don’t set yourself up for a fall.”

She held up her hand as Mindy began to deny it. “I see how you light up, Mindy. I will make sure he is all ready for your dinner.” She reached over and gave her friend a hug. “Just be careful. Promise me.”

Mindy’s face grew beet red. “Is it so obvious?”

Sally smiled. “Yes, but it is time you were happy, Mindy.”

Mindy bent over to whisper in her friend’s ear. “I think he is a daddy.”

Sally backed away looking deep into Mindy’s eyes, her mouth open in a perfect O. “Really, Mindy?”

Mindy nodded her head. “He said he would spank me if I was late.”

“Oh, my Lord, Mindy. You are so lucky.”

The girls