Page 39 of Cooper

“I am not theone to speak to regarding employment.” Cooper was dazed at thethings she had just thrown at him.

“I tried totalk to Dr. Campbell, but she was dealing with several patientssimultaneously.”

“I will seewhat I can do. In the meantime, how about I examine you?”

Gloria nodded. “Iam clean. I take baths as much as I am allowed, and I don’t dodrugs or anything like that.”

“Good to know.Let me get the nurse, and I will do the checkup.”

*****

“Do you have aminute?”

“No.” Shesaid without looking up from the file she was updating.

“Too damnbad. You are just going to have to take the time.”

She looked up then,eyes flashing, and he felt the familiar ache starting inside him.Damn her for making him feel so needy.

“What is it? Ifyou are here to continue the conversation of the other night-”

“It’sabout a patient.” He spat out, feeling the urge to haul herfrom the chair and shake her until her teeth rattle.

“Go ahead.”Sitting back in the chair, she waved a hand at him.

Shoving his handsinto the pockets of his top, he glared at her for a few secondsbefore telling her about the conversation with Gloria.

“Is shepregnant?”

“Yes.”

“And she wantsto keep the baby.”

“For the manwho raped her.” Brooke shook her head. “That’scompletely weird.”

“Not entirely.She is a lonely woman approaching middle age and sees this baby asher chance at a better life and someone to love. We all need that,even if we tell ourselves we don’t.”

They stared at eachother briefly, the air fraught with tension. Brooke knew he washinting at their conversation the other night and ignored it. “Shewants a job here?”

“Yes. Sheis willing to do whatever is required, and I think you should hireher.”

Her tapered browslifted. “Is that so? You realize we run a free clinic and donot take in any money. Miranda and I do the cleaning up whenever wehave the chance-”

“I will payher salary.”

She gave him ameasured glance. “Why would you do that?”

“Because thiswoman needs the chance, and everyone deserves that.”

“Or you arejust trying to salve your conscience by offering her a pittance.”

His anger rushedquickly to the fore, and he had to tamp it down as he stared at her.“It’s a damn good thing I don’t give a shit whatyou think of me. I have been here for three weeks and have startedcaring about what happens to these people.

Do you think that youhave a monopoly on caring, Brooke? Or are you so selfish that youwant to be the only one to lend a helping hand?”

“How dare you!”

“I want tohelp, and if you are too egotistical and stubborn to accept the help,then you are not the woman I thought you were.”

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