Page 24 of Shelter for Morgan

There were just too many people depending on him to do anything else.

CHAPTER FIVE

MORGAN

That night after work, Morgan didn't have any interest in going home to an empty apartment. When she started driving, she recognized a few street names that sounded vaguely familiar from the map she'd studied, so she took a chance and found herself at Station Seven.

She slowed down as she neared the entrance to the parking lot and looked for the truck that Palmer was assigned to.

It wasn't in the fire station.

Just as she was about to head on home, a woman came out onto the apron of Station Seven and waved at her.

Unsure of what to do, Morgan waved back.

The other woman waved again, but this time it was a 'COME HERE' gesture.

Another woman stepped into view from the station house.

Deciding she was more curious than hesitant, Morgan turned her car into the parking lot and found an open spot.

Before she was even out of her car, one of the two women was already walking up to her.

"Hey! I bet you're Morgan!"

Wow. Okay.

"Yeah, is it written on my forehead?"

The other woman laughed out loud and gestured to the car. "This car is pretty unique."

Morgan got out, bringing her bag out with her, before she gave the roof of her car a pat. "This is Claude." She saw the other woman smile. "And Claude, this is..."

"Kylie." She touched her hand to her chest. "Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself and should have started with introducing myself."

Morgan closed her door and locked it with her key while she talked. "I forget to do that all the time and start asking questions. It makes it a little awkward sometimes." Her lips pursed a little before she spoke again. "That's probably why I can talk to high school kids. I think I'm as scattered as they are."

Kylie started walking toward the firehouse. "I teach at the community college. Most of the ki- I mean, students, there are so eager to prove what adults they are it's sometimes hard to get them to talk about anything without direct questions or prompting them over and over."

"Oh," Morgan felt some of her worries bleed away, "I guess I didn't expect to see another teacher at the firehouse."

Kylie's face blushed prettily. "I'm married to Peace." She paused and then sighed. "I'm probably speaking gibberish considering that you just got here a few days ago. Word is that you stopped here first and then went to Rhett's place."

"I'm not sure about gibberish," she laughed, "but I feel like you're speaking in code and the only thing I understood was Rhett, since that's what he's called around here."

Kylie reached out and opened the door into the station. "So you call him Palmer?"

She held the door for Morgan and Morgan murmured her thanks before stepping inside.

The heat of the sun was gone in an instant and Morgan closed her eyes to take in a deep breath of air-conditioned air. "It's so nice in here. My classroom's air conditioning was a little touchy at first, but a couple of the guys at the back of the class adjusted it for me. I'm not sure where they learned how to fix it and boost the cool air, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I haven't heard that phrase in a long time."

Morgan opened her eyes and saw the other woman who'd waved at her. "Hi." She moved closer, lowering her voice when she saw that there were two little ones in the room. The toddler was busy with a texture book on a blanket and the baby was focused on the bottle that mom was holding.

"Sorry. I didn't know that there were babies here."

Kylie sat down on one of the sofas and gestured at the other woman.

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