“Here, lad, give that to your dog. Just watch he doesn’t choke.”
“Mary, look at what Jack got. Thanks, Mr. Murphy, you is the best.”
Mary could see the old man was embarrassed by her brother’s outburst. He packed up his stall in record time.
“You children should get home now. Nasty storm coming, my bones are playing me up., always do when snow is on the way.”
“Thank you, Mr. Murphy, we will go inside now. Come on, Kenny. Ma will be waiting.”
“Will she be back? Do you think she went shopping, Mary?”
Mortified she had even mentioned their mother, Mary didn’t answer but hurried Kenny and his dog back in the direction of their home. Relieved to find her ma hadn’t come home yet, she warned Kenny not to mention buying soup for dinner. Then she gave his face another quick wash to stop the cut going bad and put him to bed.
She woke sometime later, the cold seeping into her bones. There was no sign of her ma. She risked putting some more wood on the fire. Her ma would be mad, but she was freezing. Then she climbed into bed, wishing the newspapers she used for bedding were real bedclothes. Shivering, she finally fell asleep.
Chapter 9
Next morning, she woke early, but there was still no sign of their ma. She would have to bring Kenny to work. Her boss would not be pleased, but she couldn’t leave him in their room all day alone.
The young boy moaned and whined the whole way to the factory where Mary worked. Once there, one of the seamstresses took pity on him and hid him in a store cupboard, giving him a sandwich and an apple. Kenny thought Christmas had come early.
Mary put her head down and started sewing. Where was her ma, and would she come back? Mary wasn’t at all sure she wanted her to and immediately felt guilty at even thinking that thought.
The final whistle blew, allowing Mary to go find Kenny. He was asleep in the corner of the store cupboard. Wiping his eyes, he came quietly, when she motioned him it was time to go home.
They trudged through the snow, thankful for once the smell of horse droppings and other rubbish had been masked by the snow. Kenny’s little hand was frozen. No doubt he had lost his gloves in the fight. She had knitted them from an old jumper of their dad’s. A lump appeared in her throat just thinking of their dad. He had been a big, handsome man, Black Jack Clark they had called him around here, on account of his being from Galway, Ireland. She remembered him laughing. He did that often, especially after a few drinks. He and Ma had been happy once, but that was before their da had lost his job in the crash. The fights had started soon after. She’d climb into Kenny’s bed and hold her little brother tight, as their ma and da got into yet another argument. Da hit ma, but then she hit him back just as hard. His head broke more than his fair share of cooking pots. Then baby Joseph had died, and that was that. Da went out one day and never came back. Nobody knew where he’d gone. Some said he’d gone back to Ireland, but they were just guessing. Ma had cried for weeks, but now she wouldn’t hear mention of their da again. She said he was dead to her and them.
Chapter 10
Monday morning dawned bright and early, a weak sun fighting to rise in the sky. Kathleen looked out the window at the picture perfect view. The snow was like a white blanket covering everything. It looked beautiful, but she knew it wouldn’t last. It would soon turn black, as people came and went. She spotted an ambulance making its way down the street outside, the poor horse looked frozen. She sent up a quick prayer for the passenger, before turning her attention on the day ahead.
She had spoken to Bridget briefly at mass the day before, and her sister had promised to be at the sanctuary early. Carl was going to stay at Lily’s house with Teddy and Laurie. Lily felt it was too cold for the twins to leave their home, but Kathleen guessed she was also a little worried they may catch a cold or worse from the crowd at the sanctuary. The children were getting excited, counting down the days until Santa would come to visit them.
As she stared out the window, she couldn’t help but think of the children on the streets. If only there was a way to give them a happy Christmas. Given the weather, they would be struggling to survive the cold, and food was likely to be scarce as people would stay indoors where possible. She should speak to Bridget about taking some food baskets to Mr. Fleming and other families in their old neighborhood. Feeling a bit chilly, she washed and dressed quickly before going downstairs to the kitchen where Cook was already working over the hot stove. Her cheeks were rosy red, as she turned to say good morning.
“Cook, have we enough coal and wood to see us through?” Kathleen asked. “I meant to check with you before but got distracted.”
“Tommy and Mini Mike brought us loads, Miss Kathleen, so don’t you fret. We have enough to heat the whole of New York. Doesn’t it feel chilly this morning? I made hot cocoa for the children. Would you like some?”
Kathleen grinned. Cook knew her penchant for cocoa. She loved the rich taste and suspected Cook added her own special twist.
“Will Miss Bridget be here soon?” Cook asked, as she sat at the table, a steaming cup of tea in front of her.
“Yes, I am expecting her any minute. She said she would be around a lot over the next few weeks. Carl and she will be taking the children on the train in early January depending, of course, on good weather. We could be snowed in, judging by this lot.”
“Don’t be saying things like that, Miss Kathleen. I’ve had enough snow to last me a lifetime. I can’t wait for summer.”
“Don’t you like Christmas?” Kathleen asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She never asked Cook about her family, having been told it was something she didn’t like to talk about.
“I like Christmas day. I love going to mass and then seeing the children’s faces, as they open their presents, but it’s only one day. The rest of winter is miserable. I know we’re lucky here, as we have warm shelter and lots of good food, but it wasn’t always like that. I can remember going to bed cold, hungry, and terrified.”
“You were scared?” Kathleen couldn’t help asking. The idea of the kind, old woman being scared of anything didn’t seem right.
“I was, out of my wits. You see, where I lived back in Ireland was in the middle of the so-called rebel country. The English would raid our home over and over looking for people. They took my daddy away and then my brothers, didn’t care they were innocent. Daddy might have given the rebels shelter and the odd meal, but he wasn’t personally involved. But that didn’t help him at the trial. They didn’t care my brothers were underage either. They sent them all to prison in England.” Cook took out a large hanky and blew her nose noisily before continuing, “Mam had a brother in America, and he sent home money for our passage. She stayed in Ireland but sent my sister and me over here. My sister got married and went west, and I became a maid in a big house. I was lucky. The people were good to me, and the cook was a grand lady. She taught me everything I know, and so here I am.”
Cook seemed embarrassed to have been talking for so long. Kathleen was quick to reassure her.
“You lived an eventful life, Cook. And I am sorry for what happened to your father and brothers. But I am glad you ended up with us. I don’t know what we would do without you here in the sanctuary.”
“Ah, go on, Miss Kathleen. I don’t do anything special.”
“But you do, Cook. You make wonderful meals for us, sometimes out of very little, when supplies run low. You helped the children get better when they fell ill. Your chicken soup could cure a lot of people. Maybe you should can it and sell it?”
“Miss Kathleen, you get some wild ideas sometimes. Whoever heard of canned soup? Now I best get on. We are going to make sure our children have the best Christmas. Drink up that cocoa, before it gets cold.”
Cook stood and busied herself with her work, but Kathleen knew her comments had delighted the older woman. She should speak to Lily and Bridget to ask for their help in finding the perfect present for Cook. She wanted everyone to have something
under the tree waiting to be opened on Christmas day.
“Says here in the paper the President is going to have a tree with electric lights in the White House. Can you imagine that?” Kathleen asked.
“Electric lights?” Cook balked. “They are going to burn down that house and maybe take him with them. What sort of things goes through people’s heads?”
“I think it might be safer than candles, but who knows. We have to make sure the children know the lights get blown out every night. We can’t risk a fire at the sanctuary,” Kathleen mused aloud, as she continued reading the paper while drinking her cocoa.
Soon the excited murmurs of children’s voices alerted her to how much time had passed. She had more than a full day’s work ahead of her.
“Thank you, Cook. That was just what the doctor ordered.”
“Hmph. I hope that doctor of yours orders you something a lot nicer than a hot cocoa, Kathleen.”
Kathleen ran, wishing she hadn’t mentioned doctors. Now Cook would be teasing her as well.
Chapter 11
It had been a long day at the factory. The boss had made her work an extra hour unpaid. He said it was to pay for the shelter he provided for Kenny. Their ma hadn’t arrived back after the weekend, and she had no option but to take him to work with her again. She was so tired she could have fallen asleep on her feet.
As they neared their home, they heard their ma screaming. She was fighting with one of the new neighbors. Mary thought the family was Italian, but she wasn’t sure. It was unusual for a non-Irish family to move into their tenements, but she guessed the new families couldn’t afford to be choosy. Kenny shrank back closer to her. She took his hand and pulled him under the long streamers of garments fluttering from the fire escapes. Despite the cold, frosty weather, some of the women insisted on hanging out their laundry. They waited to see if the argument would stop but her ma seemed to be getting more heated by the minute. Mary’s eyes darted around looking for an escape. She spotted Granny Belbin who motioned for them to come closer.
“Come in here, dearie, and bring the little fella with you. I have some warm tea in the pot. Can’t give you nuffink for your bellies but at least you won’t be stood out in the cold.”
“Thank you, Granny Belbin,” Mary responded, dragging Kenny in behind her. Her brother, like most of the children from the tenement, was scared of Granny Belbin. She was really old and looked like one of the characters in the Macy’s Christmas-store window. She was a stern, old lady who didn’t stand much nonsense, but Mary knew her gruff exterior hid a warm heart. Granny Belbin had sheltered Mary more than once, when one of her ma’s male friends had taken an interest in her.
“Come on, Kenny, Granny Belbin won’t bite ya,” Mary said.
“I might, but I don’t have me teeth,” Granny teased, making Kenny blanch. He was now almost glued to Mary’s side, still clutching his precious bundle.
“What you got there, young Kenny?” Granny Belbin asked, as they made themselves comfortable in her little room. Although it was small, it was spotless or at least as close to spotless, as any of the tenement hovels could be.
“Nuffink,” Kenny answered, not looking up from the floor.
“Well, the nuffink sure is wriggling. Maybe he or she wants to get down to the floor.” Granny winked at Mary. “Do you have a black cat under there? I can’t find Myrtle. She ran away a week ago now and still hasn’t come home. I got to have my black cat, or my spells don’t work.”
Mary hid a smile, as Kenny stared at Granny, his mouth hanging open. The child had completely forgotten the scene outside with their ma.
“You really are a witch?” Kenny asked, slowly.
“Na lad, I is just an old lady. Now put down your bundle and get some hot tea into ya. You look like you were in the wars.”
“Kenny was fighting last week,” Mary’s explanation was interrupted by her brother.
“I had to save Jack. They was going to kill him. I couldn’t let them do that, although Ma is going to kill him, when she sees him.”
“She’d be lucky to see her own feet the state she’s in today. Sorry, Mary, I shouldn’t say bad things about your ma, but the state of her. She’s been mouthin’ off all afternoon. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t had the coppers down here.”
“What upset her this time? Do you know?”
“No idea, love. She accused the new widow, a nice young lady with beautiful manners, of stealing something. Sure, what would Rosa Italian want with anything belonging to your ma?”
“Is that her name? I saw her a couple of times over the weekend. She is so beautiful, isn’t she? And her baby, he is so handsome with his big, brown eyes.”
Chapter 12
Granny laughed, as she handed Kenny a cookie. His eyes widened, but, before he took a bite, he broke the cookie into four pieces. He gave one to Mary, handed one to Granny, and then shared the other two between Jack and himself.
“Her name’s not Rosa. I have no idea what she is called or why she is here, as she hasn’t spoken to any of us. I don’t think she can speak English, but maybe that’s a good thing. She won’t last long around here. She needs to move up to her own people in the Italian quarter.”
“Why does it have to be like that, Granny? Irish here, Italians there, and someone else over the river?”
“Just the way it is girl. Helps stop trouble.”
As if their ma heard Granny, her screams escalated. Granny exchanged a look with Mary, before they both laughed. Kenny looked bewildered.
“Your mam’s been hitting the liquor hard all day, Mary,” Granny whispered to her, as Kenny lay on the floor playing with Jack. “I think its best if you both stayed here tonight.”
“I can’t, Granny. If you can, keep Kenny, please, but I got to check on Ma. She’s all we got.”
Granny didn’t reply, but her pursed lips said everything. Mary knew she was taking a risk going upstairs to their home, but she wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt, if her ma hurt herself. She had hit her head one time, and another she had been ill and not woken up. She needed her.
“Mary, I want to stay with you. I don’t want to be alone.” Kenny scooped Jack up in his arms and inched closer to Mary.
“You won’t be alone, Kenny. Granny will look after you,” Mary said firmly, despite the begging look on her brother’s face. He was not safe with her ma. When drunk, she blamed the boy for her husband leaving, as if Dad had left because of his son.
“Kenny, you and Jack make a bed over there by the fire. You will be warm,” Granny insisted. “Mary will be back before you know it.”
Mary gave Granny a grateful look, before giving Kenny a hug. “You behave for Granny now, and I will see you first thing in the morning.”
“You really mean it? You will let Jack stay here?” Kenny asked Granny.
“You need to take him out for a walk and make sure he does his business. If he makes a mess in here, you will clean it up, but I like dogs. Not that he is much to look at, not at the moment, but he will grow into a fine ratter I guess. Won’t you, Jack?”
Mary grinned, as the dog wagged its tail. Somebody knew which side of his bread was buttered.
She left the little group and headed slowly up the stairs. The screeching had stopped, which only meant one thing. Her ma had passed out. She felt in her pocket for her key, not that she ever had to use it. Ma always left the door open.
She pushed inside, relieved to see her ma had managed to make it onto the bed. She wouldn’t have to pick her up. She crept closer and saw her ma appeared to be sleeping. As she turned away, a hand grabbed her leg, scaring the daylights out of her.
“Mary is that you?”
“Yes, Ma.”
“Youse late. What took you so long? Wha’ his name?”
“Who Ma?”
Her ma staggered up to a sitting position and glared at her. “Don’t you back answer me girl. I know what’s you be up to. The whole neighborhood has been talkin’ about ya.”
&nb
sp; “Ma, I haven’t been doing anything. I went to work, and I came home. Are you hungry? Do you want me to cook your dinner?”
“You mark my words, Mary. He don’t want you for nuthin' but his wicked way. You’ll see.”
“Ma, lie down and let me make you something to eat, please.”
Her ma lay back down without argument. She was so surprised, she stared at her mother for a few minutes before turning away. Then she heard the sobs.
“Ma, what is it? Why are you crying?” Seeing her mother so upset was unnerving. She could handle it when her ma was screaming or throwing punches, but crying? Her ma never cried.
“I saw him today, so I did. Your da. There he was, bold as brass with that Italian hussy from across the hall. She thinks she can hide him from me. Me own husband. So, help me, God, but I is still married to the old sod.”
“Ma, shush. Don’t cry. You can’t have seen Da, he left months ago. Remember?”
“No, Mary, he’s come back. He’s here, I’m telling ya.” Her ma became more agitated, as she struggled to sit upright.
“Okay, Ma. Why don’t you try to rest now, and, when you wake up, we can go find him together?”
“You’re a good girl, Mary. Do you know that?”
Mary didn’t reply, as her ma’s eyes closed. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, she prayed, her ma had lost her reason. What was she going to do now?
Chapter 13
Her ma had a fitful night’s sleep, but thankfully she didn’t start ranting or raving again. She was snoring heavily when Mary let herself out to work. She brought some breakfast down to Granny and Kenny. She wasn’t sure what the old lady did for money, but nobody could afford to be feeding someone else’s child for long. Not these days. Granny accepted the oatmeal gratefully, promised Kenny could stay with her all day, and she would see Mary later. Mary didn’t want to leave her brother, but she had to get to work. There were plenty of girls willing and able to step into her shoes at the cuff and collar factory, where she worked six and a half days a week. Her nose tingled by the time she got to work, and her fingers were numb. It was awful cold but thankfully not yet snowing. And the sun was out, which brought a smile to at least a few people’s faces.
Orphan Train Christmas Page 3