Chapter Twenty-One

Home at Last!

Several ladies had gathered on the platform to visit. Manda Rush wasn’t among them. She stood tight-lipped off to the side, beside an unhappy-looking Frances.

“We ought to ask Manda to join us,” the minister’s wife suggested. “I don’t want her to think we’re talking about her.”

“Well, we are,” Edith Watkins pointed out. “If she was standing here, we wouldn’t be. You’re right. We should ask her.”

No one, however, made a move to go over to where the Rushes were standing. Hannah Boncoeur watched Manda with interest. “Why has she come for a child if she doesn’t really want one, I wonder?”

“They lost a little boy,” Edith told her. “I think the girl wanted one to take his place.”

“Then she ought to look happy. I hope the boy is too little to know that they haven’t counted the days until he got here, like we have.” Hannah smiled with delight as she thought of the child she and Carl would take home with them. “I know that Carl would like a boy to work with him. A girl would be lots of company for me, but I guess I’d feel easier about a boy riding back and forth to school alone. So whatever the Lord sends, I’m going to be happy!”

Louisa Finch, the schoolteacher, smiled at her. “Your new child will be too. Children know when they’re wanted. I don’t know how old they all are, but I should have some of them in school by fall.”

The stationmaster’s wife spoke up. “Don’t think you’ll have the Rushes’ boy, no matter how old he is. Sam says they’re—”

A distant train whistle sounded, and all eyes turned toward the track. Everyone surged to the edge of the platform and watched as puffs of black smoke appeared on the horizon.

The first chug of the engine could be heard, and Hannah ran over to clutch Carl’s arm. Carl grinned broadly and waved his arms. Then they waited breathlessly as the huge locomotive steamed up to the station house, and the two Orphan Train cars ground to a stop in front of them.

Agent Charles Glover stepped off the train to greet the waiting folk of Willow Creek, Nebraska. Matron following him carrying Will and holding Alice by the hand. Behind her, Ethan and Bert jumped down, pulling Simon between them.

“There’s five,” someone whispered.

“And only one girl. I wonder who will get her!”

“I’m sure that littlest one goes to Chad Rush.”

They stood back and waited for Agent Glover to speak.

“Good afternoon.” Charles paused and looked around. “Is Mr. Rush here?”

A man stepped forward. “I am.”

Charles smiled confidently. “Here’s your family, sir.”

Mr. Rush didn’t smile. “There are five children here.”

Charles put his hand on Bert’s shoulder. “This boy isn’t one of them. The other four are the Coopers.”

Mr. Rush glanced at them, then nodded. “All right. Come on.”

Edith Watkins gasped. “You mean they’re taking all of them? There’s only one boy left!”

“Yes, ma’am. That’s the arrangement that was made at the request of the Cooper family and the Home. The children have to stay together.”

Ethan studied the man who was to be his father. Alice and Simon looked in confusion from one grown-up to the other. At that moment Ethan decided he’d wait until Mr. Glover told them to go before he left the safety of Matron and Bert.

A handsome, happy-looking man came to the front. “Has anyone spoken for this young man?” he asked and put his arm around Bert’s shoulder. To Bert he said softly, “I’m Carl Boncoeur. Nice to meet you.” A woman moved toward them. “And that’s my wife, Hannah. We’ve been waiting for you.”

“We expect to get an orphan,” a frowning woman said. “We heard there were plenty to go around.”

“Ed Swartz come for one too, Edith,” someone said. “But most of us has children at home, and we can do without if they’re all taken care of.”

Mrs. Boncoeur now stood on the other side of Bert, and she put her arm around him protectively. “Who is going to get him, sir?” she asked Agent Glover.

The crowd waited for Mr. Glover to speak.

He looked at Mrs. Watkins, then at the Boncoeurs and Bert. “I believe this is a case where the boy should make a choice. Bert?”

Bert looked at Ethan and grinned. “Someone already made the best choice for me.” Bert shook hands politely with Mrs. Watkins. “Thank you, ma’am, for wanting me. But these here are my folks.” He beamed at the Boncoeurs.

Tears ran down Mrs. Boncoeur’s cheeks as she hugged him. Then, to the boys’ great delight, Mr. Boncoeur leaped into the air, waved his hat, and shouted, “Whoopee!”

It was all Ethan could dream of for his best friend.

In the background, another man wiped his face with a big red handkerchief and sighed as if he was relieved.

Ethan pounded Bert on the back. “You got a pa who will dance a jig on the platform, Bert! Good for you!”

“Well,” Mrs. Watkins said, “there’ll be other trains by, I’m sure. The next one may have our child. I’m glad to see everyone so happy.”

Matron hugged each child in turn, and as Mr. Rush waited with an impatient look on his face, Ethan said good-bye to Bert. With a promise from Mr. and Mrs. Boncoeur that the boys would see each other soon, Ethan’s heart lifted a bit.

Mr. Rush spoke. “Well, are you ready to go?”

Ethan turned and grasped Will and Simon by the hand. “Yes, sir. Come on, Alice.”

Matron’s heart grieved as the Cooper children followed Mr. Rush to the buggy, where his wife, Manda, and their daughter, Frances, were already seated. Mother and daughter hadn’t even stepped up to greet the children.

Matron watched a moment, then hurried to take Alice’s hand and walk with them. “Mrs. Rush? I’m Matron Daly from Briarlane. These are good children. I hope you’ll be happy together.”

“Thank you, Matron,” Mrs. Rush answered stiffly. “They will have everything they need.”

Everything but love, Matron thought. God will have to provide that. She waved and smiled for the children’s benefit as the buggy pulled away. But as she walked back to join Charles at the station, a weight of sadness settled over her.

“Ethan is strong, Matron,” Charles assured her. “They won’t break his spirit. I expect great things of that boy.”

In the buggy, Ethan thrust his hand deep into his pocket and felt Bert’s key. He smiled as Simon asked, “Are we going to our new home, Ethan?”

“Yes, we are, Simon. We’re going home.”