Page 27 of Cole's Joy
“I can help with that,” Naomi volunteered. “Clark asked me just this morning if we could make a cherry pie soon. I told him I had to go grocery shopping for the cherries first.” She laughed with Lois.
“I have an idea,” Lois said excitedly. “I have to go to town to get apples, why don’t I pick up what you need.”
“That would be wonderful, but I overheard several others say this morning that they needed to find the time to get to the store. I love the idea of the community pantry, but it’s going to be at least a year before it’s up and running and someone will still have to get groceries. Not only for everyday living, but also to stock up.” She sighed heavily, and Lois made a quick decision as she looked at her watch, noting that it wasn’t even eight o’clock in the morning.
“I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“Can you send a group text, without involving Cole, to tell them about the birthday BBQ, and then say that I will be willing to make a grocery run. However, they need to get me their lists by ten this morning. They can pay me when I get back. I think if I had a list from everyone, then I can have them rung up separately, or if I do it all as one, then we can go over the receipt when I return.” She looked at Naomi with a grin. “I’ll come back to the cabins.”
“You’re sure? I don’t want to put any pressure on you.”
“I think it will be fun.” She laughed and shook her head. “Besides, I know all about the community pantry, and I don’t know if you know this, but Erin’s asked me to be in charge of the community garden. I don’t see why I can’t be in charge of the pantry. I’ll do this grocery run today to see if I think I can handle it.”
“You’ll be gone for hours.”
“I figured that.” Lois laughed and wiggled her fingers at her. “Get texting. I’ll run home, get my own list together, along with Laurie and Lorissa’s, and I’ll be back here in an hour.” She jumped to her feet and heard Naomi laughing behind her when she left the office.
Several hours later,Lois looked up from one of her lists and smiled at the man standing there. “Tom, what are you doing here?”
“When I called Lor on my lunch break, she told me what you were doing. The clinic is running smoothly, and I don’t have any emergency calls, so I thought I’d come over and help you.”He looked into the cart and nodded. “It looks like you have everything under control.”
Lois laughed and shook her head. “Thank you, but I have three carts waiting for me up at the service desk. Apparently, people at Broken put off grocery shopping until the last minute.” She handed him a list with at least fifty items on it, and laughed at his expression. “I don’t know if it’s because we’re so far out, or that people just don’t like to shop, but after today, I’m liking the idea of the community pantry more and more. I also realize that what I plant in the garden will save a lot on groceries, but it won’t be able to take care of everything.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll still have to purchase the staples. You know, flour, sugar, stuff like that. Do you know of any stores around here that sell in bulk?”
“Like?”
“Fifty-pound bags of flour, sugar, oatmeal.”
“Ah, yes, I do. It’s a drive from here, but I can show you later if you like?”
“I would like, but not today.” She automatically handed him a list and he used the cart he had been pushing and started putting items in it. It took the two of them three more hours to get everything purchased, and Lois sighed in relief when he helped her load her SUV. Thankfully, they had put the seats down, leaving the entire back open for all the bags of groceries. Before she climbed in behind the wheel, she looked at him with a smile.
“Did you get the message about Cole’s birthday party on Sunday?”
“Yes. I’m on call that day, so I’ll be in the office in the morning catching up on the paperwork. Since it’s not until five in the afternoon, I’ll be there.”
“Great, I ordered a cake in my name.” She shook her head and held up a hand. “Naomi told me that Cole didn’t like cake,that he only ate apple pie, but I thought with everyone, a cake would be more practical than making pies for everyone.”
“I think that was a smart move, Lois.” Tom nodded. “I can’t speak for the others, but for me, I associate pie with Thanksgiving. That’s the only time I eat it. This is just my personal observation, but having a pie is like a treat.”
“I never thought of it that way, but I can understand that. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll have pies there, but I thought the cake would come in handy too.” They parted ways, and before she left the parking lot, Lois sent a text to Naomi saying she was leaving the store then and should be home in an hour.
When she arrived at the cabins, she didn’t know whether she was shocked or not when all the men were waiting for her. She parked, hopped out, and held them off when they started to open the doors. “Wait,” she said, and they looked at her with raised brows. “I have everything organized. Tom found me in the store, and I shopped per list. Then we put them in the truck by order.” She went to the back and started handing out bags. “Perry, these are yours.” She let him get his out, then went down the list. Thankfully, the women had joined her, and there was a golf cart they could use to take their goods home. By the time it was all done, and she was paid, she arrived at her own home, exhausted.
“Lois?” Duane asked as he approached the car. “Laurie sent me over to help you with your groceries.”
“Thank you,” she sighed in relief, then allowed him to carry them inside. She didn’t know whether it was right or not, but since moving to Colorado, she never locked her doors any more, and she turned the knob and walked in ahead of Duane and instructed him to set the bags on the counter.
“You know, you should lock your doors.”
“I know, but the only people around are you, Tom, and my girls.”
“True, but you never know.”
