Another shiver shook her, this one unrelated to the cool, damp wind pressing at her back. Most parents would want to see their kids on a holiday, but Dad wasn’t like most parents. Not anymore. Not since Mom died.
His so-called greeting rang in her memory. “Well, look what the cat dragged in. I guess you do know where your old man lives.” No teasing smile, no warmth in his tone, only sarcasm. She’d stayed all of half an hour before escaping. She’d hoped, given the fact that yesterday was Easter and it’d been weeks since they’d seen each other, he’d be happy to find her on his doorstep. She should’ve known better. All the wishing in the world would never change him because it couldn’t bring Mom back. At least Kenzie had been available to console her after her dismal encounter with Dad. Who needed family when she had great friends?
The lock finally clicked, and she blew out a relieved breath. She grabbed the rolled rug and pan of Kenzie-baked brownies she’d set aside and then bustled into the foyer. She bumped the door closed with her hip and sighed again, grateful for the building’s warmth. Then she gave an internal start. Should it be this warm at seven o’clock on Monday morning? Jim had told her all the thermostats were preset for best energy efficiency, which meant when no one was on duty, the temperature would be cooler on cold days and warmer on hot days. As cold as it was outside, shouldn’t it be cold in here?
She hurried up the hallway to the closet Jim jokingly called the operations room and checked the thermostats. She let out a huff. Someone had overridden the control for the hallway, the row of Sunday school classrooms, and the pastor’s office. Jim’s lecture about keeping the electricity bill manageable echoed in her ears. She hadn’t adjusted the system, so who had?
“Lori?”
Lori squealed and nearly threw the pan of brownies over her head. She spun toward the sound.
Sister Kraft stood in the doorway, her brow pinched in puzzlement. “What are you doing here so early?”
Lori stumbled from the closet. “I’m supposed to be here. Cleaning. Remember?”
Sister Kraft released a little laugh. “Of course I remember. But Jim never came in before nine. I expected to be by myself for another hour at least. I probably would’ve finished by then.”
Lori’s pulse was returning to normal. “I’m on duty at the fabric shop at one. I wouldn’t be able to get everything done here if I waited until nine to start.” She finally noticed Sister Kraft’s clothes. Baggy sweatpants, a stretched-out T-shirt, and—were those slipper socks on her feet? Lori’d never seen the minister’s wife in such sloppy clothes. Was this her usual Monday attire? She zipped her gaze to the woman’s face. “What’re you doing here?”
“Painting.” She turned and padded up the hall in the direction of the offices.
Understanding clicked in Lori’s brain. She hurried after Sister Kraft. “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to paint today? I could’ve helped.” She turned sideways and edged past the shelves, desk, and other items that had been in Brother Jase’s office.
Sister Kraft paused at the room’s threshold. “It’s a small space, Lori. When I use the roller on its longest handle, I have to be careful not to bump another wall. There’s not enough moving-around room for more than one painter. I’d hoped to be done before you got here.”
“But I really wanted to have a hand in it.” Lori hadn’t intended to sound so woebegone, and she cringed at her own tone.
“You will.” Sister Kraft spoke crisply, almost impatiently. “When this paint is dry to the touch, which—according to the information on the can—will be early afternoon, you’ll help carry in the furniture, hang pictures, and otherwise get the room in order so it’ll be ready for Jase’s use tomorrow morning.”
“I won’t be able to this afternoon.” The rug started to slide from her grasp, and Lori tightened her grip. “I’ll be at the fabric shop.”
“Well, then, I’ll get Merlin or Jase himself to help me.”
Lori glanced at the metal desk and shelves. “Isn’t he getting new furniture?”
“Eventually, yes. People are gathering items. But for now, these things will have to go back in or he won’t have any furnishings at all.” Sister Kraft wrinkled her nose. “I wish there was a window in here to let the fumes out. Could you find a fan? It’ll at least blow the smell into