Sitting on her haunches, she stared at their adorable little faces and smiled.
She nodded. “You’re all handsome and beautiful.”
The children all gave her beatific smiles. She returned the smile and squelched the urge to hug them. If she continued hugging them at every turn, her coworkers would think that there was something wrong with her.
Olivia pulled out some weed from the ground and Sam scooted over to help her. She gazed at his half-Indian face and her heart melted all over again.
She had been shocked to see that not all the children were white. She had thought that with the hatred that the townsfolk had for Indians, no other tribe would be allowed in the orphanage.
The sight of the children from other tribes won her over. She had been afraid of working with people who would question her love for Indians.
She had also been afraid that she wouldn’t fit in having lived in the reservation for eight years without once coming into town. But every day she learned new things and when she made mistakes, she laughed over it with Susie, one of the cleaning ladies, Harriet, the other teacher, the cook, the washerwoman, the matron, and the children.
Even though she still missed White Bird and her family, she was glad that she was there. Her Indian family would be in her heart, but she was glad that she had a new family now.
She could only pray that nothing would happen to them in the long run. It seemed as if she was only entitled to a family for a short period.
But no matter what happened in the future, she would always accept it as God’s will.
“Olivia.”
She whirled around to see the portly matron coming their way. Her first impression of the matron was that she was a very strict woman. The woman’s pinched face pointed nose and thin lips had made her feel as if she was a little girl. But when the woman smiled and her face lifted, Olivia had known that she was worried over nothing.
Mrs. Harrison turned out to be a warm woman who loved the children as if they were her own. Her children were all grown up and were doing well both in Ruby Rock and other towns.
The matron walked up to them with a smile on her round face.
“What are you doing?”
She questioned after the children had risen and hugged her, careful not to stain her brown bombazine dress with mud.
Still on her haunches, Olivia said, “I saw that the garden was bare and uncared for, so I went to look for some flowers outside to plant them.” Chewing on her bottom lip with worry in case she had overstepped her boundaries, she added, “I’m sorry for not first telling you.”
The older woman shook her head. “Please don’t be sorry, my dear. I have wanted to do something about the garden since, but I’ve been so busy. Thank you.” Her eyes traveled over the place. “It’s lovely.”
Warmth spread through Olivia’s body and the woman’s kind words.
“Did you want to see me for something?” Olivia questioned as she rose.
Mrs. Harrison nodded. “Are you done here?”
Olivia looked at the lovely flowers and how they beautified the grade with their different colors and fragrance and she smiled.
“I think we’re just about done.”
“Very well.” The matron shifted her gaze to the children. “Why don’t you go and clean up, children?”
The children rushed to their feet and ran from the backyard into the house.
“No running,” she called and laughed when the children abruptly stopped and started walking in an exaggeratedly slow manner.
Laughter rumbled from Olivia’s chest.
“Walk fast but don’t run,” the older woman said laughing when the children continued at their slow pace.
The children walked quickly and entered the house.
“They’re such a delight to be with,” Olivia said when all the children got into the house.
