Little Drifters: Part 4 of 4. Kathleen O’Shea

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

       PART IV: Survivors

       Chapter 19: Escape

       Chapter 20: A Child in London

       Chapter 21: Moving On

       Chapter 22: Reunion

       Chapter 23: Loss

       Chapter 24: Redress

       Epilogue by Katy Weitz

       Further Reading and Support Groups

       Acknowledgements

       Exclusive sample chapter

       Copyright

       About the Publisher

PART IV

Chapter 19

       Escape

      It was two weeks before Christmas when I got up the courage to ask Sister Helen where I was being sent for the holidays.

      ‘You’re spending the Christmas holidays in England,’ she replied coolly. ‘With your sister Bridget.’

      Oh my God! Grace was right. I ran straight downstairs into the kitchen, brimming over with excitement.

      ‘Grace! Grace!’ I beckoned for her to come closer so I could talk to her quietly. ‘Grace, you were right. I’m going to England for the holidays.’

      ‘You see,’ she smiled, her beautiful blue eyes crinkling in the corners. ‘I told you, Kathleen!’

      The days flew past now and I was in a tumult of emotion. I was thrilled to be going to see my family of course, but nervous as hell. I would see my mother, I knew that. What would she be like? What would I say to her? Two days before I was due to leave Bridget called me on the phone.

      ‘Fergal will come to pick you up and take you over on the boat,’ she instructed. I remembered Fergal from all those years before.

      ‘We can’t wait to see you, Kathleen,’ she said before she rang off. ‘It’s going to be lovely having you here.’

      On the day we all left most of the children were sent away before me. The house was very quiet. That morning I’d asked Sister Helen what I should pack in my small travelling case.

      ‘Just a few things,’ she said. ‘Don’t pack everything. After all, you’ll be back here in a few weeks.’

      Yes, that was true. I wouldn’t be gone long so I only took a couple of pairs of trousers, a dress, a jumper and some underwear.

      Now I went downstairs to find Grace, who was clearing the kitchen in preparation for the winter break.

      ‘I’ve got something for you,’ she said as I wandered in. She went to her large black bag that she kept in the corner and took out a white envelope.

      ‘It’s a Christmas card,’ she said slowly and deliberately. ‘So you’re not to open it until Christmas Day. Okay?’

      ‘Oh thank you, Grace!’ I said, jittery with excitement.

      She looked at me long and hard then, tears filling her eyes.

      ‘Come here.’ She put her arms out to me and enveloped me in a long, warm cuddle. I hugged her back, but when I tried to pull back she kept me tight in her embrace. I started to laugh.

      ‘All right, you can let go now, Grace!’

      Grace let me go and started dabbing at her eyes with her apron.

      ‘Don’t cry. I’m coming back, Grace!’ I told her.

      ‘I know, baby. I know,’ she sighed, turning away from me. ‘You will be coming back.’

      With most of the children gone now, the house felt empty. I strolled into the garden where I saw Lucy still sitting on the wall. Any moment now Fergal would be here to pick me up.

      ‘I’m going soon,’ I told her as I approached. ‘Wanted to say goodbye and wish you a happy Christmas.’

      Lucy was joining a family she’d been to many times before and so far everything had been okay there. But it still didn’t stop me worrying about her during the holidays. She was so fragile – she needed her family so much.

      But Lucy didn’t say a word; she wouldn’t even look at me. She just kicked her legs against the wall and pursed her lips.

      ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.

      ‘You’re going to see Mammy and all the others,’ she sulked. ‘It’s not fair. I don’t know why we can’t all go with you.’

      ‘Well, it ain’t my decision, Lucy.’ I shrugged. ‘Anyway, I’ll tell them all about you and maybe we can all go together for the Easter holidays.’

      ‘That’s if you come back at all,’ she shot me an accusatory stare.

      ‘What do you mean?’ I said. ‘Of course I’ll be back. Come on, give us a kiss goodbye.’

      But she wouldn’t. So I quickly stood on tiptoe and planted a small kiss on the side of her cheek and left her like that. I didn’t know why she was so upset with me. It wasn’t my fault I was being sent away. Ah well, I was sure she’d be fine again when I saw her after the holidays.

      The one person I hadn’t managed to see in the whole time since the incident with Colleen was Shane. There just hadn’t been a chance. Since we weren’t even supposed to be meeting up he no longer waited for me at the school gates and I hadn’t had the opportunity to get away on a Saturday to see him in the park. But word must have got to him about the beating, I reasoned. The children from the orphanage all talked to each other and I was sure he would have found out and understood why I wasn’t coming to see him. Never mind, I told myself. I’ll come back from the holidays and fix everything. After all, once I was back in St Beatrice’s it was only a matter of weeks before I turned 16 and then we could put our plan of running away together into action. Being sent to England now was even better for us – I would meet my family, have a chance to see them first and find out where me and Shane could live once we came over together. I was sad not to see him before Christmas of course, but for now I had enough to deal with. I was about to meet the family I hadn’t seen in years. I was about to meet my mother again, the woman I’d dreamed about and cried over for so long.

      Fergal