Chapter 20

Step was very troubled.  He knew he should be happy for his friends but he felt his whole world was turning upside down.  Sad had visited the orphanage for one day to say he had testified in court and put the bad man back in gaol. Not only that but he was back home with his parents and would be starting a new school next year.  Tear went out for the day with her mother and it looked as though she too might be leaving the orphanage.  To top all that off the Zipporah Magillacuddy Childrens’ Home was to be sold and all remaining orphans were to go to Foster Parents or Group Homes.

Step held little hope that his father’s ship would come in, whatever that meant.  His Step Mother had not wanted him and said that they didn’t have enough money to look after three people so he had to go.  He didn’t want to live in the same house as her anyway as she was cruel to him behind his father’s back.

At least Tom was now friendly and was doing so well at school he was moved out of the class of rowdy children into a much quieter one where he was able to concentrate on his work.

Tear came back from her second outing with her mother bearing some exciting news.

“My mother is having a baby and wants me to come and live with her to help look after it.  Her new husband only just found out about me and said he would never have turned me away if he had known I existed.  I’m moving out next week, as soon as they have my room ready.”

Step forced a smile and wished Tear all the best.  With Sad gone and now Tear about to leave he felt unsure and insecure.  All too soon the school term ended and the remaining orphans stood in the hallway of the Zipporah Magillacuddy Childrens’ Home, small suitcases in hands, ready for the great unknown.  Matron and Nurse Smiley, usually so informative, had told them only that they were going to a Group House.  Maybe even they didn’t know what lay ahead for their young charges.

There were only five orphans left.  All the others had gone to Foster Homes or, in the case of Tear and Sad, to live with their parents. Step and Tom, Rose and Wattle and 15 year old Peter were the children nobody wanted.

Nurse Smiley called them outside to board a minibus.  They travelled away from the sunny coast, past outer suburban blocks until they reached narrow inner-city streets where the houses were joined together in uniform rows.  Each had an upstairs balcony of fancy lacework and a tiny garden in front of an equally tiny verandah.  The minibus stopped outside one of the houses and Nurse Smiley indicated they were to go inside along a dark corridor until they reached a large, brightly lit kitchen with a long dining table in the centre.  Here they all sat down around the table with Nurse Smiley and a strange man.

“May I introduce Doctor Goodheart,” Nurse Smiley began.  “As you know, I was recently married and this is my husband.  He works at the big hospital near here so that is why we have bought a house in this area.  It had to be a big house because…”. She paused and looked around at the orphans with a smile. “While I wanted to keep working as a nurse, we know that married women are expected to be at home.  I certainly didn’t want to just do housework and cook meals every day so we thought if we fostered the remaining orphans it would give me something worthwhile to do and solve the problem of where you will live.  We have three bedrooms upstairs and will turn the downstairs dining room into a bedroom for Peter.  The girls will share and so will Step and Tom.  What do you all think?”

The relief felt by all the orphans was so great that some started crying.  It looked as though everything was going to be all right.

END OF CHAPTER 20