The Little Sparrows (31 page)

Never in her life had Emma ever experienced such a moment as this. The loving Father had given back to them their precious daughter who had been all but lost to them. With a prayer of gratitude in her heart and tears in her eyes, she clung to Sam’s hand as they drew up to the side of the bed.

Emma’s eyes never left Jody’s face as Sam leaned close to his daughter and said softly, “Jody, darlin’. Mommy and Daddy are here.”

Jody’s eyelids fluttered briefly, then she opened her eyes and looked up at the faces of her parents. They saw that her eyes were clear and focused as a weak but brilliant smile crossed her features.
Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she raised her shaky arms toward them. “Mommy … Daddy …”

Sam took a step back to allow Emma to bend down and embrace Jody, then hurried around to the other side of the bed where he would have room to do so. Both of them bent down and kissed a sallow cheek, then took their daughter into their arms, which only yesterday had been so empty.

All three wept and clung to each other for better than a minute, then as the parents stood up, Jody said, “I … I was so surprised when I woke up and Dr. Traynor told me I had been in a coma for a month. He told me about my fall from Queenie, but I don’t remember it. I remember riding toward Eagle Rock with Betty, but that’s where it stops.”

Sam patted her hand. “It’ll come back to you, sweetie. It’ll just take time.”

“That’s what Dr. Traynor said.”

Emma wiped fresh tears that were spilling down her face. “The Lord has been so good, Jody. We thought we had lost you.”

Another weak smile graced Jody’s face. “Jesus wanted me to stay here with you. Is—is Queenie all right?”

“She’s fine, honey,” said Sam. “No injuries at all from the fall.”

“Is Betty all right? Dr. Traynor told me that she had been here many times to check on me.”

“She’s fine,” replied Emma. “She and her parents are out in the waiting room right now. So are Pastor and Mrs. Forbes. Dr. Traynor won’t let them come in and see you because he thinks it would be too much for you right now.”

Jody nodded slowly.

Sam smiled and leaned down close. “Honey, Dr. Traynor is going to keep you here till tomorrow. He wants to make sure everything is all right before he lets us take you home. When you
get home and settled down, everybody who wants to can come and see you.”

Jody smiled weakly again. “I want to see all of them too. But most of all I want to be with my mommy and daddy.”

Sam and Emma both choked up and wiped tears away from their faces. They talked to Jody for a few more minutes, then Sam looked at the clock on the wall. “Jody, darlin’, Dr. Traynor said we should only stay in here for ten minutes. Time’s up.”

The parents both kissed their daughter one more time. Saying they would see her tomorrow, they went to the door. Sam opened it, and they paused to look at God’s miracle one more time.

Jody smiled and gave a faint wave. “I love you.”

Both parents choked up again, squeaked out their “I love you’s”, and headed up the hall.

W
hen Sam and Emma Claiborne entered the office, their faces were beaming. Everyone gathered around, their eyes focused on the parents. Josie stood slightly aloof.

“What do you think?” asked Dr. Traynor.

“God has truly done a miracle,” Sam replied in a steady voice. “He has brought our little girl back from the very edge of death. Other than the loss of weight and the obvious weariness she is experiencing, she’s as normal as can be.”

Emma’s eyes were dancing with joy. “Oh, praise God! Praise His precious name!”

Sam grasped Traynor’s hand. “Thank you, Doctor, for the excellent care you gave Jody. God used you to save her life.”

“Oh yes!” said Emma. “Dr. Traynor, if you hadn’t massaged her heart when it stopped, she certainly would have died. Thank you.”

Traynor let a smile curve his lips. “It’s times like this when my line of work is really worth it.”

Sam turned to his pastor and shook his hand. “And thank
you
, Pastor, for never giving up. You had more faith than Emma and I did that Jody was going to live.”

“Yes!” Emma said. “You sure did. Thank you for not giving
up.” Then she looked around at Clara, Ed and Sarah, and the Houstons. “And thank each of you for praying for Jody.”

There was a smile on each face.

Sam drew a deep breath. “Well, we’d better get on out to the ranch so Josie can get settled in the room that she and Jody will share, and Ed and Sarah can unpack their luggage in the guest room.” Then to the doctor he said, “Emma and I will be back this evening to look in on Jody again. What time shall we plan on being here tomorrow to pick her up?”

“Let’s make it exactly twenty-four hours from now. Two o’clock.”

“All right. Two o’clock it is.”

Josie was still slightly in the background.

To the others, Traynor said, “When you go to the
Circle C
to visit Jody, try not to stay too long the first time or two. She’ll tire out easily.”

Moments later, with Sam and Ed on the driver’s seat and the women in the rear seat, the buggy headed northward out of town. There was indescribable joy in the hearts of Jody’s parents and her aunt and uncle. Josie sat between Emma and Sarah, a smile on her face, but a measure of fear in her heart.

Ed turned about on the seat. “Sarah and I will stay a week or so if it’s all right.”

Sam chuckled. “You can stay a year or so, if you want to!”

“Or even longer!” Emma said with a lilt in her voice.

Ed matched his brother’s chuckle. “We wouldn’t want to wear out our welcome.”

Emma laughed. “You could
never
do that!”

Josie tried to show that she was also happy over Jody’s recovery, and joined them in their laughter, but in her heart lay the
fear that she might possibly have already worn out her welcome. She pictured herself boarding the next orphan train heading west and trying once again to find someone who would take her in.

Soon the buggy was moving down the lane on the Claiborne ranch, and when they drove up to the front of the house, Josie’s fear grew stronger.
What a lovely place
. The white ranch house was trimmed in dark green and nestled in row after row of jewel-toned flowers on three sides. The front porch was wide and wrapped around three sides. A porch swing and several chairs seemed to be just waiting for occupation. Sheer lace curtains rustled in the breeze from the windows both upstairs and downstairs.

Josie bit her lips.
This is so different than where I lived before, but I could have been so happy here
. She followed the adults up on to the porch and paused to take in the rolling prairie all around her, then lifted her eyes to the seemingly endless blue sky.

Emma took hold of Josie’s arm. “Come on, honey. Let’s go inside.”

Josie obediently followed as she went inside and they walked up the stairs together. Emma was chatting happily about Jody’s remarkable recovery all the way.

Sam helped Ed carry the luggage upstairs while Sarah followed them to the guest room where they had stayed before. Leaving them to unpack and get settled, Sam hurried down the hall to join Emma and Josie in Jody’s room.

Josie had stopped at the door while Emma had proceeded into the room, still chatting. From where Josie stood, she observed the pretty room. Everything from wallpaper to the bedspreads was done in various shades of pink with white trimming. A colorful rag rug covered much of the floor space, and sheer pink-and-white lace curtains framed the two large windows.

While Emma was pointing to the spare bed, saying it was
now Josie’s, she turned to find her standing just inside the doorway, her face a picture of dejection. Josie’s eyes were misty.

Emma had no idea what could be wrong on such a glorious day. She hurried to Josie and took her hands in her own. “What is it, dear? You seem upset.”

At that moment, Sam drew up and stepped through the doorway. He noted the concerned look on Emma’s features, then turned and saw Josie’s sad countenance. “Hey, gals, what’s wrong?”

“I was just asking Josie that question,” said Emma. “Something’s troubling her.”

“Josie, what is it?”

Josie’s lips trembled, and the mist in her eyes grew thicker. She was fighting to keep tears from forming. “Mr. and Mrs. Claiborne, I’m so glad that Jody has come out of the coma and is going to be all right. I—I—well, now that Jody is coming home, you probably won’t want me.” While the Claibornes were exchanging perplexed glances, Josie went on. “I—I want you to know that I understand. You thought your daughter was going to die. If I could just stay here till the next orphan train comes through—”

“Oh no, sweet Josie!” Emma said. “It isn’t like that at all. Papa and I know the Lord put it in our hearts to take you into our home, and when He did it, He already knew that He was going to spare Jody’s life. We want you to stay.”

“Yes, we do, sweetie,” said Sam. “The thought of sending you away when we received the incredible news about Jody never entered our minds.”

Emma squeezed Josie’s hands. “Papa and I know you are a gift from God. He put a love in our hearts the moment we laid eyes on you at the depot. You are a part of this family now. This is your home until you marry someday and have a home of your own.”

At these words, Josie lost the battle with the mist in her eyes.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks. “Really? You actually still want me even though Jody is going to be all right?”

Sam laid a hand on her shoulder. “Of course we do, sweetie. God gave us two very special blessings today, and we’re not giving either one of them back. You can rest assured of that.”

A grin split Josie’s pretty face from ear to ear, then disappeared as fast as it had come.

Emma frowned. “What is it, Josie? What’s troubling you now?”

“Did you tell Jody about me?”

“No, we didn’t. Since we had such a short time with her, we didn’t think we should. We didn’t even tell her about her aunt and uncle being here. We plan on telling her tomorrow on the way home, then you girls can meet as soon as we arrive home.”

Josie wiped tears from her cheek and drew a shuddering breath.

Sam frowned. “What is it, Josie?”

“Wh-what if Jody doesn’t want me invading her home? She has been an only child all of her life. Maybe she won’t want to share her parents with someone else.”

While Sam was trying to find the proper words to put Josie’s fears to rest, Emma said, “You’re right, honey. Jody has been an only child for all of her twelve years, but let me tell you something. When she was no more than five years old, she began saying that she wanted a sister. By the time she was seven, she always asked God to give her a sister. You are the answer to those prayers, and I know she will love you as we do. You’ll have to take my word for it now, but you’ll see it for yourself tomorrow.”

Josie threw her arms around Emma. “Oh, Mama, I’m so happy!” She squeezed hard, kissed Emma’s cheek, then let go and opened her arms to Sam, who folded her to his chest.

She rose up on her tiptoes, and he bent down so she could
kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Papa!”

Sam chuckled around the lump in his throat. “That’s better! No more of this Mr. and Mrs. Claiborne stuff. From now on, it’s Mama and Papa, understand?”

She nodded, smiling through her tears. “I understand, Papa!”

Emma moved close, and the three of them used their arms to make a circle of love. Josie said joyfully, “This has been one of the happiest days of my life!”

“Mine too! It’s been a long, emotional day for all of us,” Emma said. “Let’s get your bag unpacked and put your things away. I’ll free up a drawer for you in the dresser.”

Sam said to Emma, “I’ll go see if Ed and Sarah are settled in.”

While Josie was opening the small canvas bag, Emma moved some of Jody’s things from one drawer to another. “There you go, sweetie. There should be plenty of room for you.”

Josie put her personal items in the drawer, then slid it closed.

“Thank you, Mama.”

Emma hugged her again and held her at arm’s length. “Tell you what. I’ll head for the kitchen, but you stay here and acquaint yourself with the room for a while. There’s a washroom a little further down the hall. Wash up and come on down whenever you want. You can help me with supper. Is that okay with you?”

“It’s more than okay, Mama. It’s absolutely perfect!”

It was just past 11:00
P.M.
when the orphan train chugged into the Rawlins, Wyoming, railroad station. Most of the children were fast asleep, and only a few stirred when the train ground to a halt.

While a few people alighted from the coaches ahead of those that carried the orphans, Gifford and Laura Stanfield stood on
the rear platform of the girls’ coach, making plans for the lineup that would take place in the depot at nine o’clock the next morning.

Inside the girls’ coach, Rachel Wolford moved up the aisle toward the front, making sure every girl was comfortable. When she reached the front of the coach, she sat down on the seat beside Tabitha Conlan and sighed.

By the dim light from the few low-burning lanterns, Tabitha looked at Rachel and said, “Tired?”

“A little bit.”

Tabitha frowned. “Something’s bothering you. It’s more than just being tired. Want to talk about it?”

Rachel sighed again, but before she could speak, Tabitha said, “I know. It’s Josie Holden, isn’t it?”

Rachel nodded. “Mm-hmm. I try not to let myself get attached to the children on these trips, and for the most part I do all right. But it seems like on every trip west, there’s at least one that manages to crawl down into my heart. On this trip, it was Josie. My attachment to her started out special because of the way the Lord brought us together at the cemetery. Here was that little twelve-year-old girl weeping over her father’s grave. And I just … well, I just—”

Tears spilled from Rachel’s eyes.

Tabitha took hold of her hand. “You just have such a tender heart, Rachel. You couldn’t let that little girl weep without trying to comfort her.”

Rachel brushed the tears from her cheeks. “My relationship with Josie started out in a heart-wrenching moment, but what made it so very, very special was that I had the joy of leading her to Jesus. Oh, what a blessing!”