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“Sure,” Laura said, placing her belongings next to Cade’s. “Whatever you need.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep because I won’t forget them.” Mrs. Collins winked then chuckled. “But for now, if you could help me carry all these boxes into the kitchen, I’d be eternally grateful.”
“Not a problem.” Laura scooped up a box filled with leafy greens and followed Mrs. Collins into the kitchen.
Light spilled through the lone window above the sink. But even the golden beams couldn’t chase the gloom from the small space. The limited counters were cluttered with boxes and canned foods, so Laura placed her cargo on a rectangular island on wheels in the middle of the room. “Is there enough space in here to fit everything?”
“Absolutely not. That’s what he’s for.” Mrs. Collins tilted her head in Cade’s direction. “I need a bigger kitchen to accomplish all the things simmering around in this head of mine.”
Cade set his stash of apples on the ground then turned around to grab more.
Intrigued, Laura leaned against the counter. “What do you have planned?”
Mrs. Collins blew out an exaggerated breath that pushed her bangs up in the air. “For starters, I’d love a bigger refrigerator to fit all these donations, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I need more counter space, more storage, more cabinets. I want to open the pantry up for more than merely a place to grab some canned goods. I want to make this a community. A place for a free meal or a table to sit at with peers. I want a sanctuary. A haven for everyone who needs it.”
The idea took hold of Laura with such force, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. She’d needed a lifeline like Mrs. Collins described so many times. Needed a community to offer support and encouragement—to let her know she wasn’t alone.
Even now that she’d left Isaac and struck out on her own, she struggled to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Struggled to earn enough money to pay for both rent and a meal. And that was with having people lending a hand or offering her a way to help herself. There had to be so many other people out there in similar situations who needed exactly what Mrs. Collins described.
“Oh, honey. What’s wrong?” Mrs. Collins engulfed her in a hug and held her close.
Laura held on tight, soaking up all the warmth the older woman offered. “Nothing. Everything. I don’t know.”
“You just let it all out.”
She sniffed back her tears and pulled herself together. “What you said was so beautiful. You want to give back to people you don’t even know. What you’re providing—what you plan to provide—is such a huge gift.”
Mrs. Collins tucked her thumb under Laura’s chin and stared into her eyes. “That’s the best thing about gifts. We all have them, and we can all give them. Which is why I now have a surplus of produce that’ll probably go bad before I can give it away.”
The door swung open again, and Cade backed into the kitchen balancing three more boxes.
“Maybe we can figure out how to get the food out to the community before it spoils,” Laura said. She eyed the produce, inwardly cringing at throwing away any food.
“How do you propose we do that?” Mrs. Collins fisted a hand on her hip. “I hate the stigma surrounding the people who come here for help. In small town like this, perception is everything. Some people don’t want to be gossiped about or are concerned with what others might think if they seek help.”
Now Laura cringed on the outside. That’s why she hadn’t been to the food pantry even though her cabinets were often bare, and she’d gone to bed more than one night hungry. “Then we make something delicious with this food and we take it out into the community. We spend the day spreading your kindness and your vision then hope they take root and grow until this place is bursting with more than donations.”
Mrs. Collins clapped her hands like an excited child. “I love that idea.”
Laura glanced at Cade’s frown and winced. “Is that okay? Sorry, I know I’m working for you today.”
He shrugged, his mouth hitching up on one side. “We wanted to ask Mrs. Collins if you could work here instead of the office. What you do while you’re here is up to you. Besides, I don’t have much for you today anyway. And you can get a better idea of how we can improve the kitchen if you’re working in it.”
“Wait,” Mrs. Collins said. “I’m thrilled to have you, but why don’t you want to work from the office?”
“There was a break-in last night. I’m a little uneasy about spending the day there.”
“Then you’ll stay right here with me as long as you need.” Mrs. Collins draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.
Warmth spread through her at the pure sincerity pouring from Mrs. Collins, but she needed to make sure the other woman understood she might be putting herself in the line of fire. “Are you sure? I don’t want to bring danger to your doorstep.”
A hard glint sparked in Mrs. Collins’ gray eyes. “Bring it on. I’m tougher than I look and would kill to protect those I care about.”
The ferocity of her words calmed Laura’s anxiousness. Mrs. Collins might be pushing seventy, but Laura didn’t doubt she was a tough bird. Someone who would do whatever it took to stand for those who needed her.
Someone with a past that must have turned her into the woman she was today.
“Do you have a place I can set up my computer?” Laura asked. “I promise to stay out of the way.”
