Orphan Train Christmas

by Rachel Wesson

  “Fine morning, isn’t it, Mary?”

  She liked Mr. Fleming, the man who greeted her. His wife had been very kind to both Kenny and her. She had been a lovely woman.

  “It is indeed, Mr. Fleming. How are your girls?”

  “Fine, thank you, love. Missing their ma but so aren’t we all. Best get going, love, as the whistle will blow any minute. Don’t want to be locked out, do we?”

  Mary hadn’t realized the time. She walked faster. The last thing she needed was to miss a day’s wages. She earned little enough as it was. She arrived just in time as the floor manager spotted her and held the gate.

  “You’re cutting it fine today, Mary.”

  “Sorry, sir, my ma wasn’t feeling too well this morning.”

  She didn’t wait for a reply. She headed to her desk intent on getting her work done. She had a bonus to reach and that meant getting more cuffs finished than she had done yesterday.

  “Mary, are you ready to go home? The final whistle blew five minutes ago.”

  Mary glanced up to see her friend Breda waiting for her.

  “Sorry, I was miles away. Just coming.” She tidied up around her desk and grabbed her shawl.

  “It’s brass-monkey weather out there. The snow will be six-feet deep, if it keeps up at this rate,” Breda said.

  “It’s snowing? Kenny will love that. He likes making snowmen,” Mary replied.

  “Boys will be boys. I can’t bear it meself. Never could. Ma says I was always to be found on top of the fire. She said I was lucky I didn’t get my backside fried.”

  Mary laughed despite her friend’s coarse words. Breda came from a large but loving family. She’d lost count how many brothers and sisters Breda had. She’d only met her ma once but had been left with a lasting impression of a lady with a nice, rounded face and big brown eyes full of laughter. She wondered if her own ma had ever laughed. Not for a long time, that was for sure.

  “You all right, Mary?”

  “Just thinking about what to make for dinner,” Mary lied quickly. She hated lying, but she wasn’t about to tell Breda she was wondering what state her ma would be in, when she got home. With any luck, she wouldn’t be raving about Mary’s da.

  Chapter 14

  When she got home, all was quiet. She peeped into granny’s but there was no sign of the old lady or Kenny. No sign of Jack either. She went upstairs and found her ma sitting by an unlit fire, staring into space.

  “Evening, Ma. It’s awful cold out. Do you want me to light the fire for ya?”

  No response.

  “Ma? Did you hear me?”

  Her ma turned on her, eyes wide with hatred, her red face turning purple, as her temper exploded.

  “Don’t you come in here acting all innocent. I know what you been up to my girl. You’re a harlot. Get out of my house. I never want to see you again. Do you hear me?”

  “Ma? What are you talking about? I don’t even know what that name means?” She didn’t either, although she knew it wasn’t a compliment.

  “I been hearing stories about you all day. They been telling me.”

  Scared now, Mary backed up toward the door. “Ma, there's nobody here. Who you been talking to?”

  “Them? Don’t you pretend you can’t see them? They are all around you. You can hear them, too. They is calling you names, Mary Ann Elizabeth Clark. They know what you is, a Jezebel. Well, I know what to do about you. I was told…”

  Too late Mary saw the poker in her ma’s hand. She held up her hands to defend herself, but her ma’s strength was overpowering. Over and over her ma hit her, the pain so excruciating, until, finally, she felt it no more.

  Chapter 15

  Kenny walked back and forth across Granny’s small hovel.

  “You’d wear a hole in the carpet if I had one. Mary will be here when she is ready. We just got to be patient.”

  “She should have been here long ago, Granny. She’s never been this late. Something happened to her. I know it.”

  “Shush child. You know nothin’. You need to take Jack out for a walk. Don’t want him messin’ up my floor again.”

  “He didn’t mean to do it, Granny. He’s just a puppy. He’s learnin’. You won’t beat him, will you? Promise me you won’t. You can hit me instead.”

  “Hush child. I ain’t beating anyone, not you or your pet. You poor unfortunate boy, to believe I could do that to a fine boy like yourself. Why, if I was only forty years younger, I would pack Mary and you up and run off with ye. Away from that bowser you call a mother. She isn’t fit to have ye. Do you hear me?”

  “You’s shoutin,’ Granny. You’re scaring Jack.” In reality, Jack seemed just fine sitting at Granny’s feet in front of the fire, but Kenny was terrified. Granny hated his ma. That wasn’t really a shock. Nobody he knew liked his ma, but she was still his mother. She was all he had, apart from Mary. Mary was grand for a big sister. A bit bossy and she had a way of knowing what he was up to and when he was lying, but she was a good sort. But he didn’t want nobody taking him away from his ma. They were his family.

  “Granny, maybe I should go up and check with Ma to see if she has seen Mary?” Kenny asked.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, pet. Mary will come down when she can.”

  “But it’s been hours, and I can’t go to sleep until I knows she is okay. Maybe she got stuck in the snow.”

  “Hardly child. There’s barely enough out there to build a snowman. Not like the blizzard of ‘88. That was something else, believe me. The stories I could tell ya…”

  And Granny was off. He found her stories interesting now that he wasn’t afraid of her no more, but he didn’t want to listen to them now. He wanted to see his ma and Mary. He missed them, both of them. Maybe Granny would nod off, and he could sneak upstairs. That’s what he would do. He would pretend to listen to her stories and then sneak out when her eyes closed.

  He lay down to listen, as Granny told him about the blizzard bringing snow so deep it covered right up to the church roof.

  Chapter 16

  He woke to Jack sniffing and licking his face, making a funny crying sound. “What’s the matter, boy?”

  Jack kept moving toward the door and coming back to him. “You want me to come outside? Now? It's freezing. You got to go? Man do you pick your times.”

  Kenny grumbled, as he stood up. Granny was snoring softly by the fire. He tiptoed past her and opened the door, but, instead of going downstairs, Jack bolted upstairs.

  “Where are you going? Come back here, you bad dog. You is going to get me into trouble. Knew I shouldn’t have shown you where we lived. If Ma catches you, you will be made into sausages. Come back, I tell you, come back.”

  The dog didn’t listen but instead stopped just briefly at the door and pushed it open. Ma hadn’t locked it. He followed inside, as Jack began to bark. His barks were loud enough to wake the dead. Kenny pushed the door open farther, as it was dark. Where were the matches? He didn't like the dark. It scared him. The fire wasn’t lit, but he fumbled around until he found a match. Then he lit a candle, even though he knew he would be in trouble for that, too. Still, if his ma didn’t kill him for having a dog in her house, she wasn’t going to worry about the candle, was she?

  He turned back, and what he saw nearly scared him out of his wits. Mary was lying on the floor, a puddle of something wet beside her.

  “Ma, come quick. Mary’s hurt. Mary, wake up, it’s Kenny. Mary, please wake up. Mary.” But Mary wouldn’t wake up. She didn’t move. Jack whined and kept pawing at her face, but her eyes didn’t open. Kenny tried to move her face, but it was all wet.

  “Jack, get Granny. Fetch Granny.” He didn’t know if the dog knew what he meant, but Jack ran off, leaving him alone. He held the candle up to check his ma’s bed, but it was empty. She wasn’t there. Where was she?

  Water. He had to get water to wash Mary’s face. He picked the candle up and walked over to the jug. The candle cast funny shadows on the wall. It
was creepy, and he wished someone would come. He didn't like it just being the two of them, not when Mary was so silent.

  “Kenny Clark, your dog will be the—Oh, Mary mother of Jesus, what happened here? Go fetch Mr. Fleming, lad. Now. Go on.”

  Chapter 17

  Granny almost pushed him out of the door. He knew where the Flemings lived. Mrs. Fleming had fed him cakes sometimes. She’d been a nice lady before she died. He ran down two flights of stairs and found their door. Banging heavily, he shouted for Mr. Fleming to come quick. Some neighbors opened their doors to curse at him, but he didn't pay any attention. The Flemings’ door opened. Mr. Fleming coming out, as he pulled up his suspenders.

  “Kenny, what is it? Do you know what time it is?”

  “Sorry, Mr. Fleming. Granny sent me to get ya. Ma is gone, and Mary, she’s asleep on the floor. Only she won’t wake up. She spilled something too, as it’s all over the floor. See?” he held up his hand, only then seeing it was red. The floor moved quickly, as he staggered. His hand had blood on it. It had to be...

  “Lad. Stay here with my girls. Jessica, watch over him. There’s something wrong at home. Keep him here. And wash his hands, for goodness sake.”

  Kenny didn’t argue. He seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Jessica wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and he didn’t shrug it off, even though she was an annoying girl. He let her lead him into their house, as her father ran back up the stairs. Jessica washed his hands and his face. It was then he remembered Jack. He had to find his dog, as he would be frightened. He asked Jessica for a drink of water, and, as soon as she was distracted, he bolted out of the door and ran all the way to his place. He stopped at the door at the sight in front of him. There was plenty of light now. He could see Mary lying on his ma’s bed, her face paler than the pillow. There was a man there who was looking at her head. Granny, Mr. Fleming, and some other people were huddled in one corner, but it was the policeman holding his dog he recognized. Jack jumped out of the man’s arms, as soon as he spotted Kenny. What was Inspector Griffith doing here? He never came to the tenements, not in the middle of the night, but was it still nighttime, when all these people were still around?

  Chapter 18

  Wheels rattled over the cobblestones outside. Children screamed, and mothers ranted, but there wasn’t a sound in the room. Everyone seemed to be staring at him. He bent down to pick Jack up. The dog licked his face, as he held it even closer.

  “Mary?” he said.

  “Child, you shouldn’t be here. Didn’t Mr. Fleming tell you to stay with his Jessica?”

  “Yes, Granny, but I had to come and find Jack, Mary, and Ma. They is my family.”

  “They were, son, that they were. God loves you now, more than ever.” Granny crossed herself, as she spoke.

  Kenny didn’t know why God would love him now more than before. He hadn’t done anything particularly nice. If anything, he should be in trouble, as he had hidden Jack from his ma. That wasn’t a good thing to do, as he had disobeyed her. The priest would give him penance in confession, if he went.

  “Who is that man with Mary, and why is Inspector Griffin here?” he asked.

  “You know Inspector Griffin?” Granny asked, her eyebrows raised.

  “Yes, he came to our school. He was talking about gangs. Least I think he was talking about them. I wasn’t really paying attention. He had a big, black dog with him, he said it was a police dog. He let me play with it.”

  “That I did, lad, and you were wonderful with Duke. He’s a grand, old dog. Retired now. So, Kenny, tell me where you think your ma is?”

  “Ma? Isn’t she here? She should be here. It’s nearly morning time. She don’t stay out all night. Not often.”

  He saw the adults look at each other, but he didn’t know what that look meant. He glanced toward Mary, but the man wasn’t looking at his sister anymore. He was looking at Kenny. He didn’t like them all looking at him.

  “Why are you all staring at me. When is Mary going to wake up? She'll be in trouble, if she is late for work. They don’t like that. She told me.”

  “Listen, lad, I got something to tell you. You know Mary had an accident—”

  Kenny interrupted the policeman, “Accident?”

  Kenny pulled Jack tighter to his chest. Granny had moved closer and put her arm around his shoulders, she was sniffing, as if she were crying.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Kenny, you will have to be brave,” Granny said. “Mary was hurt last night, and, well son, I am afraid she isn’t going to wake up.”

  “Mary? Who’d hurt Mary?” he asked. Everyone liked Mary. She was sweet and kind and funny. Even if she was bossy, but that was only cause she loved him.

  “Why can’t you make Mary wake up? Throw some water in her face. We used to do that to Ma sometimes, but you have to stand back, or she will hit you.”

  “Oh, Kenny. The things you have seen, and you is not yet six-years-old.” Granny held him tighter. It was hard to breathe, not just because she was squeezing him, but she didn’t smell too good.

  Chapter 19

  “Kenny, did you see your ma yesterday? It’s very important to tell me the truth.” Inspector Griffin had his cross face on. Kenny kicked at the floor. Should he lie? Or should he tell the policeman he had come up looking for his ma during the day when Granny was asleep? He wasn’t supposed to, but he had wanted to see her. Only she’d been in bed fast asleep. She hadn’t even woken up when Jack had barked, trying to say hello. He had been so scared thinking she was going to jump out of the bed and throw Jack out the window, but she hadn’t even moved.

  “Kenny, tell me. Did you see her yesterday?”

  Kenny nodded.

  “When lad? You are not in trouble. We know you haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “I came up yesterday, when Granny fell asleep. I wanted to see her. I missed her. I know she shouts a lot and hits Mary and me, but she’s my ma. I love her. So, I crept up to see her and brought Jack. He barked, but she didn't wake up, not properly. She turned around in the bed and made this sound.” He snorted for the policeman, thinking he had done a good job of imitating his mother. But Inspector Griffin didn’t laugh.

  “I ran back down to Granny’s. I didn’t want her to know I had gone out without asking, and I didn't want Ma to wake up. Mary wasn’t home then, as it wasn’t late.”

  “How did you know to come up and find Mary?”

  “I didn’t. I was going to sneak out again, but Granny started telling me stories about the blizzard, and I guess I fell asleep. She did, too, as she was snoring when I woke up. Jack licked my face and then ran to the door. I thought he needed to…you know...go.” Kenny mumbled, embarrassed, as all the adults continued to stare at him.

  “What happened then?”

  “Jack came running up here. I thought he was going to wake Ma, and I ran after him to stop him. The door was open, and he came in and started licking Mary’s face, but she wouldn’t wake up. I knelt down beside her. The ground was wet. But I couldn’t wake her either, and ma’s bed was empty. Then Jack went for Granny, and…,well, I guess you know the rest.”

  Kenny fought to keep the tears back, as his voice got all croaky. He couldn’t cry. His ma always said real men didn’t cry, and he was a man, wasn’t he? He held Jack so tight the dog whimpered and licked his face. He buried his face into the dog, not wanting anyone to see his tears.

  “Kenny lad, you come with me now. I am going to get you some breakfast and some new clothes. Inspector Griffin, I will have him until you find someone.”

  “Thanks, Granny Belbin. I will be back later today. I best get the wagon over here and let the priest know. Were they part of Father Nelson’s church, do you know? I can’t remember seeing them at mass.”

  “They didn’t go often, I don’t think. Mary tried, but the poor girl was run ragged having to look after her ma and the boy.”

  “Father Nelson is nice. He came to school one time. But Father Drayton is our pri
est. He scares me. Mary didn’t like him either. Said he made her feel funny. You won’t leave her alone with him, will you? She’ll be scared. She didn’t like being alone.”

  “No, son, I won’t. Now you don’t worry about a thing. Go with Granny.”

  “But, Inspector?”

  “Yes, son?”

  “What about my ma? Where is she? I want to see her,” Kenny said.

  “I don’t know where she is, son, I will do my best to find her.”

  “Will you bring her home when you do. She’s all I got...now Mary won’t wake up.”

  “Come on Kenny lad,” Granny said, taking his hand in hers. “Let’s get Jack some breakfast. He looks hungry.”

  Kenny wasn’t hungry, his tummy felt funny, and he didn’t know how the adults could talk about food, but maybe Jack was. He didn’t think dogs would get the same feelings in their bellies. Would they?

  Chapter 20

  Kathleen looked up from her ledger when the door to the office opened. She was in the process of updating the cards the children would carry with them when they left on the next orphan train. Thanks to Bridget’s and Carl’s suggestions, each child now carried a card telling their new families their real names, last known address in New York, and the details of any siblings or other family members they might have. The hope was it would prevent children from getting lost in the system, like what had happened to Carl’s sister Hope.