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"Okay?"

"I was considering telling the kids tonight Do you want to be here when I do? I’ for thes required less thinking than others

We hung up, and I sed the lump that had formed in my throat I didn’t dare say to her what I wanted I’d held in the hope that once she was back we could really start to work on rong This time, I would promise not to push too hard or ripped the phone with both hands and held it to ether and not ruin it this ti your oorst enele I had always lived by my emotions, and those close to me experienced the blowback They saw the pressure build and the discharge, even if it only lasted for a few seconds in the forrown or iveness came less easily for Falyn, and I couldn’t blame her

"You off the phone?" Jubal asked I liftedoff my face "The commander wants a word"

I wipeda deep breath MyThe co with the other shift commanders, the chief, and the city council--all about me

"Taylor?" Jubal said as I passed him

"Yeah?" I turned around to face him, annoyed He’d interrupted o down in the commander’s office

"You need to take that te in there You’re in enough trouble as it is You’re definitely not going to get her back without a job"

"It doesn’t ht for me since she left"

Jubal made a face, uni so ht free up your head and your heart to think of a solution"

I thought about his words and nodded, taking a deep breath Jubal was right, as usual

The commander was on the phone when I knocked and caer, and then directed e chairs positioned in front of his desk

I did as he instructed, lacingedfrom the walls and tacks on various corkboards held inforave away the building’s age, as did the stained carpet and worn furniture The only things different were a fra on the other side of it, and the na?" I asked when he hung up the phone on its cradle I grabbed the picture of us with Dad, all standing side by side, our arms around each other and happy Thoer, lighter hair, and hazel green eyes as opposed to shit brown like the rest of us