He’d spun around grasping at his shirt collar, his expression like she’d walked in on him naked in the shower. And then he’d fled with his work half finished. Again.
Grass trimmings had clung to Pastor Thomas’s suit pants and polished loafers as he coaxed the old mower Harvey had abandoned in the middle of the churchyard. Mild mannered as the pastor was, he kicked the blade guard when the motor stalled the fifth time and refused to crank. Miriam probably had kittens when he got home with scuffed shoes and green pant legs.
When Pastor Thomas arrived this morning, he exited his black sedan and stepped around the fallen limb in front of the steps, walking into the church with a resolute set to his shoulders. Did Harvey understand he was out of chances? Pearl took a sip of her sugared coffee and closed her eyes.
Lord, I know you see Harvey right where he’s at. Help me to help him. Open the way so he’ll let me in. Use me any way you see fit to serve this man—to show him your love and that there’s more for him than this life he lives.
She lifted her head. The glow of the new sunrise spilled a pink filter over the landscape. Southbound geese honked as they passed over. The nip in the air bit the tip of her nose. The season was about to change.
Pearl left her cup sitting on the yellow table by her front door and shuffled to the church to get into place before Harvey arrived. Hopefully Thomas was already in his office or absorbed in his morning prayer.
She’d told Thomas she wasn’t a nosy church lady and that she was there for him if he ever needed to talk. She knew what it was like to be the pastoral family. People who’ve lived their entire adult lives in a fishbowl know better than to throw stones.
This morning’s reconnaissance mission would tarnish her pristine reputation, and she’d prefer Pastor Thomas not know. She kept her tread light on the creaky hardwood as she wound through the hallways to the church classrooms and down to the nursery.
The nursery provided the best view of Harvey’s gully hideaway. She turned the worn glider toward the window and settled in with the crossword she had tucked into the oversized pocket of her husband’s old fisherman cardigan.
Now all that was left was the wait.
Harvey groaned. Today was going to be a bad day. If Pearl had walked up on him a moment earlier yesterday . . .
He shook his head. And then he’d taken off like a moron instead of playing it cool.
Ever since he lost his parents, he’d taken up the habit of running whenever he found himself in a tight spot. His mother and father couldn’t help the way they left him, but he learned the one who did the leaving had it easier than the one left behind. Harvey fled from foster parents, social workers, and other children before his escape from the system at sixteen—his pièce de résistance.
As he walked to the church, he kept his eyes focused on his boots. Pearl’s son’s boots. His stomach twisted. He owed her an explanation for his rudeness, but what could he say? Give up the fact that he harbored an undocumented child? It didn’t matter that he was all Ivy knew. Unless there was a piece of paper proving she was his, she’d be ripped away. And he’d bleed out.
He hugged his arms around the bulk at his middle, his baby girl curled in sleep. Surely there was a way to get through the workday without seeing Pearl, to delay the confrontation as long as possible. He groaned. Work . . .
The image of the mower abandoned in the half-mowed grass flashed in his mind. This was definitely going to be a bad day. Pastor Thomas was a patient man, but just like love, patience was a limited resource.
The church steps loomed over him. He scrubbed his hands over his freshly shaven face, blew out a long breath, and went to face what he had coming.
Pastor Thomas was pacing in the foyer. The creak of the ancient hardwood stilled as Harvey closed the door behind him. “Harvey, we need to talk. In my office.” He turned on his heel, not waiting for a response.
Harvey trailed behind, feeling like a puppy who’d peed on the rug. His first job had lasted twenty-four days. A miracle, all things considered.
“Come on in.” The pastor motioned him through the door, his voice more heavy than harsh. “Have a seat.”
Harvey cleared the tightness in his throat as he sat, willing Ivy to sleep soundly. He was usually only around the man long enough to say good morning and receive his daily tasks. In the tomb-silent office, even her sleepy sighs would echo off the walls. Hopefully Pastor Thomas would get to the point and fire him before he found out about her too.
“I’m sorry about the mow—”
Thomas held up a hand. “Listen. We have a problem. If it were up to me, I could give you time to adjust to this position, if that’s what it took. But it isn’t up to me.”
Harvey picked at his ragged nails.
“You see . . . the thing is . . . you aren’t officially on the payroll. I’ve been personally funding your salary. A board member noticed you around the church and started asking questions.”
A knot twisted in Harvey’s gut. They’d seen him with Ivy.
“And I don’t know if you know much about church boards, but at this church they approve new hires, and I don’t know how to put this delicately other than to say you don’t exactly fit the bill of a job candidate.”
Harvey let out a held breath. This was only because he was the odd shoe of the universe. He rose from the chair. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused a problem. I’ll just—”
“Harvey, sit down. I’m not firing you. I need you to know that if you really want this job, you have to get more work done. You can’t leave without notice. I need to be able to justify selecting you when I bring my decision before the board. I’m new around here—an outsider in this tight-knit world. I’ll do what I can to make this happen, but you’ve got to meet me there in the effort department.”
Harvey nodded, but his heart weighed heavy. He didn’t want to let this man down. Especially not when he’d gone to such great lengths, far overpaying him out of his own pocket for his measly accomplishments. But there was nothing to be done. Ivy couldn’t be convinced to hold out on her feedings.
Thomas slapped his thighs and stood. “Okay, great. I know we can make this work. So for today, I need you to get up on the roof and check the shingles and move the branches stuck up there. I’m sure you noticed the big limb in front of the church. It hit the roof and then slid off from the winds last night. After you check for damages, I’d like you to rake and clean up the churchyard, do your regular cleaning inside, and then meet up with me at the end of the day. We’ll go over what you finished and strategies to increase your efficiency if you’re struggling.”
Harvey nodded and offered a tight smile, though his heart fell out of his chest. It must have been beating against the floor, because he was still alive.
He couldn’t take Ivy on the roof. But what excuse could he give?
“I’ll let you get to it.” Thomas showed him out. “By the way, I like the new look.” He patted his own clean-shaven chin.
“Oh yeah, thanks.” Harvey heaved a sigh and then went to the basement. How was he going to pull this off? No way Ivy was going on the roof with him. But losing this job wasn’t an option.
Outside the church, he leaned the ladder against the building and then stared at where it rested against the church. He paced a circle and ran his hand over the cool aluminum rung as if a genie would pop out and grant his dearest wish and whisk him and Ivy away.