“I don’t want to be a burden…” Naomi began, but the older woman cut her off.
“You won’t be. I don’t know if Liam or the others have told you about what went on recently with the caracals in Morocco?”
“A little, yes. It sounds horrific.”
“It was horrific.” Maroulla’s voice was stern, with anger edging her words. She mellowed a little, giving Naomi a faint smile. “We have had to arrange for teachers for all the women from Morocco, as well as the older children, and a couple of young men who were not willing participants in what went on there. Our shifter community stepped up magnificently to help out, and it won’t be so much a matter of finding you a tutor, as choosing one from the many volunteers who have stepped forward. The tutoring sessions will be held on Zoom, and recorded and sent to you, so you can refer back to them if you need.”
Naomi blinked. She had no idea what to say. It was far more than she had expected.
“Th-thank you,” she stammered.
“We’re a community,” Liam said, coming into the lounge just then. “We pull together and support one another. If there’s a need, someone steps up to fill it.”
Maroulla nodded in agreement. “Well said, Liam. Naomi, have you had the chance to think about your plans?”
“Well, first I have to get my car and identification and bank card, and the rest of my things. They’re all packed in my car, so that’s no problem. I thought I’d take the train into the city, then Uber from there to the storage unit. I had memorized the entrance code, and the lock combination for the lock on my unit. Beyond that, I don’t really know. I mean, I need to get a job, of course. Once I’ve got that, then I have to find an apartment, shop for furniture, that kind of thing.”
“Ah! That reminds me,” Maroulla said, digging into the large handbag she’d brought. She produced a prepaid debit card, handing it to Naomi, along with a few twenty dollar bills. “I understand from Liam that you have money of your own, but until you retrieve your car and your purse, you don’t have access to it, and you’ll need money to get to the city for that.”
Naomi felt her cheeks flush as she accepted the card. “Thank you,” she stammered. “I’ll repay you.”
Maroulla waved her thanks away. “You’ll find that we shifters take care of our own. You can… what is the term they use? pay it forward… later on when you find a shifter in need. Or, indeed, anyone.”
“I’ll do that,” Naomi vowed, tucking the card and cash into her pocket.
“It’s a good thing you have a car, you’ll need it here,” Maroulla observed. “But why have one when you were living in Long Island? Most people get around by subway, or bus, or cab.”
“Oh, I did,” Naomi assured her. “I bought the car when I was in Miami, and drove it up. It cost me a fortune to store it, but…” she gnawed on her lower lip in remembered anxiety. “I didn’t want to sell it, and be stuck if they came after me and I needed a way to get out of the city fast.”
“Well, you won’t need to worry about that now,” Maroulla told her. “So get your car as soon as you can.”
“I can take you into the city,” Liam offered. “I have to work tomorrow, but I could take you the next day.”
She waved away the offer. “I can do it tomorrow.” She rolled her eyes as he opened his mouth to protest. “Sheesh, I’m a grown woman, Liam. I’ve been on my own awhile. I think I can manage a train ride and then an Uber to my storage unit.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay. Still, I can drop you off at the train station on the way to work in the morning. But your car’s been there awhile, it’s very possible the battery will have drained.”
Naomi shrugged. “I thought of that. I have my phone.” She held it up as proof. “I have a Triple A membership, the card’s in my purse, so I can call for a jump if I need to.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it covered,” he approved. “Do you have GPS in your car, to get back here?”
“No, but I can grab a brochure for the inn at the front desk before I leave, so I can find my way back here, no problem. But I definitely need my laptop to apply for jobs. Technically all I need is the phone, but it’s a lot more convenient on the laptop.”
“You’re a librarian, Liam told me?” Maroulla asked.
“Yes. Once I’m back from getting my things, I’ll update my resume and begin sending it out to libraries in the nearby towns. Even if you didn’t want me to stay close to here, I wouldn’t want to go back to Manhattan. Too big, too many people. Too… everything.”
Liam agreed. “I get that. This here is the perfect location. It’s a reasonably short drive to the city, or an even shorter train trip, so we have access to all the amenities and none of the drawbacks.” He stepped back. “I’ll leave you ladies to your discussion.”
“You can stay.” Maroulla told him, looking at her watch. “I’m having lunch with my granddaughter and grandson, along with their Chosens, shortly. I’m staying over at Katerina’s and Troy’s for a couple days, so I’ll be in touch. Do see about getting your car and laptop as quickly as possible, Naomi, so we can set up your tutoring sessions. That’s vitally important that you know more about shapeshifters, and the Council.”
She rose from her chair, gathering up her purse.
Naomi stood up also. “It’s lovely to have met you. And thank you so much. Everyone has been wonderful, it feels like more than I deserve. Now I feel so stupid for giving up like that, going into the zoo.”
“It’s just as well you did, dear,” Maroulla told her. “We might not have found you otherwise.”
“All’s well that ends well,” agreed Liam.
