"Thanks. I'll grab the stuff in the back."
He nodded his head, because he figured arguing with her was pointless. But she could've come in and he would've gotten it gladly.
He figured she probably knew that, but what she said about wanting to be able to do things herself echoed in his mind. That wasn't necessarily biblical. Of course God wanted people to do their very best, but he also wanted people to allow others to help when they needed it. After all, if everyone was doing everything for themselves, there would be no need for anyone to help anyone. And sometimes when a person helped people, it grew on them. Of course, sometimes when they accepted help, it grew them as well. Maybe even more, especially for someone who was used to being able to do everything themselves.
But that was a lesson he could learn as well, because he liked to be the one taking care of others, not the one who had to be taken care of. So he could definitely understand Olivia's position.
"My goodness, it's cold," Olivia said, stomping her feet on the floor as she came in, the wind blowing in behind her.
He reached over and helped her shut the door, then took the box of candles from her arms.
"I'll show you how those work in a minute, but I don't want to hold you up."
"I would like to get around and see if there's anyone else who needs a ride to the church. I know that Noah and Ben are helping to gather people up, but I want to do my part as well."
"That's fine. I won't light the candles until you're able to look at them."
"No. If you think that they'll work, you go right ahead."
"I just thought that if the lights were dim, and people needed a little bit of a welcoming glow, the candles would give it."
"I trust you. You be in charge of that."
She smiled when he said he trusted her, and their eyes met again. He wanted to reach out, to touch her shoulder, or run his finger down her cheek. But he didn't. Instead, he let his look speak all the words he couldn't, before he turned around and walked back out into the storm.
Chapter 12
"You can put that over here on the table," Marjorie McBride said, as she directed her son, Roland, as he carried a great big pot of what Olivia was guessing to be soup in his hands.
"Olivia, grab some bowls from the kitchen and some spoons while you're at it."
Olivia nodded, noticing that Marjorie kept her voice pitched low, because some of the people who had come in were lying on the floor sleeping. Aiden and Ethan thankfully had gone back to sleep, cuddled in a corner that Olivia had set up for the three of them, although she hadn't laid down herself.
She had been busy with the candles until Marjorie came in, and now it looked like she was going to help hand out soup.
"That smells delicious," she said as Roland set the big pot down and Marjorie lifted the lid.
"I hope it's good. When I realized how bad the storm was going to be, I went to work making soup and I whipped up a few batches of my chocolate orange bread and butter pudding.” She nodded at the pan of delicious-smelling bread and butter pudding on the table.
“Oh, I love your chocolate orange bread and butter pudding!” It was always the most popular dish at church dinners and Olivia always grabbed a bit the first time she went through the line because if she waited, it was often gone.
Marjorie smiled with pleasure. “If only we had homemade bread."
"If I get some time, I can put some together." Making homemade bread had been one of her favorite things to do beforeCam died and she had to put all of her time and effort into the candle shop and making a living.
"I'll try to make sure you get time, because I think that would go just as far toward making people feel calm and comfortable."
Olivia nodded, and then walked on into the kitchen, not sure where the disposable bowls that Marjorie was talking about were kept. But she wasn't afraid to look and started opening up cupboard doors. The fourth one she opened was the jackpot, and she grabbed a big stack of disposable bowls. It wasn't hard to find the spoons, and she was back out while Marjorie was still bustling around, directing her boys to set another big pot of stew down and what looked like a vegetable tray.
"You and Pastor Mark should've coordinated. He's got vegetables as well. As well as fruit."
"Well, good. I figure as long as we keep people's bellies full, they'll be less likely to be irritated with each other."
Olivia nodded, never having considered that people might get irritated with each other. But Marjorie was probably right, and her foresight born of experience. After all, people almost always found things to squabble over, and in a place like this where they couldn't get away from each other for possibly days on end, there were bound to be short tempers.
"We want to make sure we keep the bathrooms tidy and clean as well. I think food and bathrooms are probably going to be our biggest concerns. Although, keeping people from getting bored might be a problem." She seemed like she was thinking to herself. Then she seemed to shake herself out of it, and she said, "How about you come around here and use this ladle to dip vegetable soup out. I'll use this ladle for the chicken noodle soup."
"All right," Olivia said.
