Quaranteam - North West Ch. 15

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"Hey, Mary," I said, picking up my phone. "Erica's with me. We were just thinking of doing a grocery run, you need anything?"

"Hey, Harri," she said. "Am I on speaker?"

I thumbed the button and held the phone up. "You are now," I said.

"Hey, Mary," Erica said. We'd just climbed into the truck after finishing a run to the pharmacy picking up items for the Valkyrie Falls women. Erica had been delighted to have a project to work on and keep her busy, and it had only taken a day for her to make a list of stops we needed to make. We'd already phoned in a big order with Fuller at the butcher, and would grab the groceries tomorrow before heading up, with a pit stop at home to wash and change to reduce any risk we'd bring something to the athletic compound.

"Hey, Erica. So, I'm glad I caught both of you, and I'd love it if you could pass this on to the others. I amso thankful to you guys for everything you've been doing for me and the kids, especially the other night with the looters, but I'm not going to need it anymore. I've been invited to join a safe, quarantined community that will be a better spot for me and the kids while all this is happening."

I blinked, surprised at this coming out of the blue. "Oh," I said.

"Are you sure, Mary?" Erica asked. "We're really very happy to keep helping out."

"No, I know. And that's why I'm so thankful, but this place is sort of- It's like a commune, which sounds silly because I sound like I'm becoming a hippy. But that's what it is, and there are other kids there, and I'll actually have something I can do and feel needed other than just being Mom 24/7."

"I- Mary, if you aren't feeling great about where you're at, we could try to figure something out if you want to come live with us," I said. "Ivy would love to help with the kids, and I'm sure Dani would as well."

"Me too," Erica cut in.

"No, no," Mary sighed. "I'd love to spend more time with you all, you've been wonderful friends, but a construction site doesn't sound right for the kids. And, based on the... activities you girls have hinted at I don't think it would be fair for us or you."

I gave Erica a look, and she sighed and shook her head. Mary was probably right, even if we didn't like it.

"OK, Mary. Just promise me that if you need anything at all, even just to chat and catch up, you'll call," I said.

"I'll remember that, I promise," Mary said. "Thank you again for everything. I'll find a way to pay you guys back eventually."

"Don't you even dare try," Erica said. "We love youand the kids, girl."

"Thanks," she said. "Now, I need to go. We're getting picked up soon and I need to pack some more and get the kids ready."

"OK," I said. "Bye, Mary. Talk soon."

"Bye guys," she said and hung up.

We were quiet for a long moment.

"I don't like it," Erica said.

"Neither do I," I said. "But she isn't wrong."

"I know she isn't," Erica sighed. "But the whole thing gives me a weird feeling. She's joining a commune? How did she even get in contact with them?"

"I don't know," I said.

We sat for another long moment.

"I feel like we should call her back," Erica said.

I took in a deep breath and blew it out. "She's her own woman, Erica," I said. "We can't make decisions for her, and she sounded pretty set on this. I get her reasoning, even if I don't agree with it."

"Fine," Erica grunted. "Fine."

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Thanks for reading! Votes are appreciated, and comments are even better.

Quaranteam: North West is an ongoing series that will continue to see updates moving forward. If you have enjoyed the series so far, definitely make sure to check out CorruptingPower's main series and other spinoffs. For similar Harem-y themes, you might want to check out my other series currently releasing.

Cheers!

~Break.

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