The Orphanage
It seemed only fitting that Adelaide, Nellie, and Edward should go to their parents' funeral, although little Eddie might not understand.
After the funeral, the children were escorted to Coldrock House for Orphaned Children by Dr. Miller and Rose's father, Mr. Stevens. Rose and Addy made a pact that they would one day see each other again. Adelaide squeezed Rosie's hand and started to descend off the buggy. But Rose was determined not to let go of her best friend.
"Rosaline Stevens!" her papa's voice echoed off the city's skyscrapers. "Let's go. Say goodbye, now."
"Yes, Papa. Goodbye, Addy," Rose said reluctantly.
"Goodbye, Rosie," Addy sighed.
As Dr. Miller held Edward and Nellie, he made his way up the ancient steps to register the Shultz family. Adelaide gasped as a pale, young girl about her own age yanked open the big wooden door. Adelaide had expected rags to be on this girl and all the rest of the children. Instead, this girl had a pin-straight black gown with a black hair bow resting on her long brown curls.
That looks very uncomfortable, thought Adelaide worriedly.
As Dr. Miller led them into the orphanage, a very thin, older woman with a pin-straight black gown and bleached, white petticoats scurried up to the group.
"Tut, tut. What do we have here? Miss Samantha, here, told me that you have some poor orphans for me," she plastered on a fake smile and strictly pointed to the girl that had opened the door.
"I do, Mrs.-" the doctor responded.
"That would be 'Miss,' sir," she interrupted. "Miss Prudence."
"Oh, do accept my apologies. But, I have three young children that were orphaned recently. Here is Miss Adelaide Shultz, age six, Miss Nellie Shultz, age three, and Master Edward Shultz, who is one year old," Dr. Miller said.
"Hmm. I see. Well, come along, then. Sir, I need you to sign some registration forms. My sister," she pointed to a heavy-set woman in the shadows. "Miss Heathwood, will take the baby. You girls will go with Samantha, here, to your bedrooms." Miss Prudence turned to Samantha. "Nellie well sleep with Mary, Josephine, and Lucy in the three-year-old wing. Adelaide will sleep with you, Mae Lynn, and Emily. Now, off you go!"
Adelaide trudged up the stairwell, holding Nellie's hand tightly. When Samantha opened the door, Addy glanced inside. Three toddlers with the same uniform as Samantha were propped up on a bed playing with paper dolls.
"Oh! Oh! Addy! Paper dolls!" Nellie whispered, tugging on Adelaide's hand.
Nellie ran over to where the girls were sitting and immediately started playing Adelaide sighed and followed Samantha down endless hallways and flight after flight of stairs until Samantha opened another bedroom door. When Adelaide peeked inside, she saw two young girls about her own age sitting on a settee and reading a book about a train.
"Hello, Mae Lynn. Hello, Emily," Samantha greeted them.
"Uh, hi," Adelaide said shyly.
"Hi! Sam, who is it you have next to you?" the girl named Mae Lynn asked, grinning.
"This is Adelaide Shultz. She just came today," Samantha said.
"Well, uh, Samantha, I, um, am going to, um, put my things in the, um, closet, all right?" Adelaide stammered nervously.
"All right. And, um, you can call me 'Sam' if you'd like. 'Samantha' is too, you know, fancy for me,' the girl said.
After Addy put her things away, which was mostly books, a doll, a nightgown, and a locket of her parents, the four girls sat on a bed and talked for hours until curfew.