All My Tomorrows (31 page)

Deena’s heart was throbbing. “Thank you.”

Corbin set his eyes on Deena once again. “The deputies from Salina made it clear that you were the Dexters’ foster child. Since the Dexters did not adopt you, they have no legal claim on you. I feel no obligation to report your whereabouts to the law. You are free to live with the Parkers, who according to Mr. Parker, want to be your foster parents and are planning to adopt you once they settle out West. It is my sincere hope that the three of you will be very, very happy together.”

Deena smiled joyfully as Valerie stood up and moved toward her. Brian followed. Deena rose to her feet and the Parkers folded her into their arms.

Les Corbin smiled. “I’ll tell Deena’s story to everyone in the wagon train after breakfast so they will all understand why you folks have her in your wagon. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my lead wagon.”

Brian let go of his foster daughter and shook Corbin’s hand. “Thank you for being so understanding. I know you have a moral obligation to make sure no laws are broken by the people in your wagon trains, or to report them to the authorities if they do so.”

“No laws are being broken here. Like I said, the Salina
deputies made it plain that the Dexters had Deena in their home as a foster daughter. They have no legal claim on her. Everybody sleep well, now. Good night.”

When Corbin was gone, Deena wrapped her arms around the Parkers’ waists. “Thank you for taking me in. Can I call you Mama and Papa now?”

“You sure can, sweetheart!” said Brian.

“Yes! I’ve wanted to be a mama for so long!”

Brian kissed Deena’s forehead. “Now it’s time for all of us to get to bed. I usually sleep on the floor here inside the wagon on those thick blankets that are piled at the foot of the cot. That’s where you’ll sleep. I have a bedroll, so I’ll sleep in it out here on the ground beside the wagon.”

“But Papa,” protested Deena, “I shouldn’t take your sleeping spot. I could sleep under the cot, where I hid till Mama found me.”

Brian hugged her. “No daughter of mine is going to sleep under the cot. I’m very glad to give you my bed. Okay, ladies, I’ll leave so you can get ready for bed.”

“I have a nightgown you can use, honey,” said Valerie.

Overwhelmed at the way things had worked out for her, Deena hugged both of them again. “Oh, I’m so happy!”

Deena lay in the darkness of the covered wagon, nestled in the bedroll provided by the Parkers. Valerie’s even breathing on the cot gave sign that she was fast asleep.

A happy Deena Mitchell looked up at the stars through the opening at the back of the wagon, which was left with the flaps back. The stars seemed to wink at her, telling her how glad they were for this wonderful turn of events in her life.

Her mind went to her family back in New York. She wondered if they ever thought of her. For as long as she could remember, she
had never felt as loved and wanted as she did at that moment. Nor had she ever felt so protected as she felt now with the Parkers.

She remembered some happy times in Manhattan, but the poverty and unrest in the home far overshadowed them.
Donna and I have had to work and care for the little ones since we were barely more than toddlers, ourselves. Seems like almost every year there was a new baby born. We never minded working and helping out, but there was never any tenderness shown by our father and very little by our mother. Mama was sick so much and with child and Papa had such a bitter outlook on life. The Parkers are so different. I’m such a fortunate girl. I hope Donna is as happy as I am. I don’t understand why I had to go through that awful experience in the Dexter home with Ralph and Rex, but it sure makes me appreciate the home I have with my new Mama and Papa, even though right now it is a covered wagon.

She pictured the sour faces of Ralph and Rex on the screen of her mind, and felt the joy of her freedom from them.

Her thoughts ran to Donna again, and because she sensed happiness in Donna’s life, she relaxed and fell asleep, wondering just where her twin might be.

At the
K-Bar-M Ranch
near Wild Horse, Colorado, the Talbert family arrived home late in the evening after a rousing revival service at their church.

They had their prayer time together, and after the last amen, Ken and Molly noticed a beam on Donna’s face.

Ken smiled at her. “What are you so happy about, honey?”

“Well, Papa, while we were praying for Deena, a sweet calm came over me. I sense that she is no longer unhappy and disturbed like she has been almost since the day she was chosen by the Dexter family at Salina.”

Molly put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. “God does indeed answer prayer, sweetheart. I’m sure what you are sensing is real and true, and that things are better for Deena now.”

Donna looked at Ken, then Molly. “I still want to go back to Salina and find her, though.”

“Of course,” said Ken. “This obvious answer to prayer doesn’t change your need to see Deena. It won’t be too long. We’ll be able to go in just a few days.”

Donna’s face flushed, and tears moistened her eyes. “Oh, Papa, Mama, it will be so wonderful to see her again!”

Lying in her bed in the darkness that night, Donna said in a low voice, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, that I know things are better for Deena. And thank You for working in Papa’s and Mama’s hearts so they are willing to take me back to Salina so I can see my sweet sister. I so desperately want to talk to her about being saved. Please, Lord, give me the wisdom and power to win Deena to You. I want my precious Deena in heaven with me.”

At the Bostin home in Colorado Springs on the same night, Johnny Bostin lay in his bed. “Thank You, Lord, for bringing me together with the wonderful people who have adopted me as their son. Help me, dear Lord, to be the kind of son my parents deserve. I want them to always be glad they adopted me. And dear Jesus, help me to be the servant to You that I should be.”

When Johnny had finished praying, his thoughts went to Priscilla Wheeler. Every time he was in her presence, she became dearer to him. He pictured her in his mind, marveling at how pretty she was and how much he liked her long, velvet black hair.

Priscilla and I are too young to really fall in love
, he thought,
but Johnny Bostin, when you are old enough to fall in love, you most certainly will fall in love with Priscilla. She is everything a Christian young lady should be, and there is no doubt that she likes you very much.

He smiled to himself in the darkness and whispered, “And Priscilla, I am going to do everything I can to make you fall in love with me when we’re both old enough.”

T
he next morning at the wagon train, Deena Mitchell sat at the Parker table beside their covered wagon. She was quite aware of many covert glances being sent her way from the curious crowd inside the circle. To the Parkers she said, “Looks like everybody’s wondering who I am and where I came from.”

Brian gave her a pleasant look. “They’ll all know in a few minutes. You’re not afraid anymore, are you?”

Sporting a grin from ear to ear, Deena replied, “No, Papa. I’m not at all afraid. I trust you and Mama, and I feel very safe with you. No one has ever been so good to me.”

Brian and Valerie smiled at each other.

At that moment, wagon master Les Corbin moved to the cook fire in the center of the circle, lifted his hat, and smoothed his hair back. “All right, listen up everybody. We are now nearing Comanche Indian territory as we dip into the southwest corner of Kansas. You will remember that before we crossed the Missouri River at Independence I warned you about the Indian threat all across the West. I asked all of you to keep your eyes peeled for any sign of the hostiles.

“Now, you need to double your watchfulness. Let me explain
about the Comanche leader, Quanah Parker. He surrendered to the United States government last year and began taking his people onto the reservation provided for them, which is partly in Kansas and partly in the territory known as Oklahoma. However, there are some rebel groups among the Comanches who have not agreed with the surrender. They’re showing their hatred for white men by attacking farms, ranches, villages, stagecoaches, and wagon trains. They are short on guns and ammunition, so they also use bows and arrows.

“They only have small groups, and when they attack, they shoot as many bullets and arrows as they can, then gallop away, satisfied that they have killed or wounded some white people, and frightened the rest.

“Remember that if we sight any of the hostiles, I will immediately call for the wagons to make a circle. In Missouri, you men encouraged me by letting me know that so many of you are crack shots with guns. This is good. And remember that all the women and children are to get inside the wagons and lie flat on the floor till you are told it is safe to come out. These Comanches are savages to the core, so keep your eyes peeled and give a shout if you see any sign of them.”

Corbin sensed the pall of apprehension that came over the group.

“Folks, I know the prospect of Indian attack is frightening, but let me tell you something. Usually on a wagon train the people begin to form sort of a family feeling for each other. This is good because the family bond is the strongest bond on earth. When we are threatened, we must depend on each other in order to survive. Genuine friendships are developed on these journeys too, and there’s an unwritten law that what hurts or affects one, has an impact on all. Let’s determine to unite ourselves if attacks come, and we’ll make it together.”

Some of the men waved their hats and sent up a cheer. Women and children joined them.

Corbin smiled. “Good! Now, I have something else to do.” He looked toward the Parker table. “Mr. and Mrs. Parker, will you come here and bring that lovely young lady with you?”

The Parkers put Deena between them and headed for the spot where Corbin stood near the fire.

“I’m scared now,” Deena whispered.

“No need to be, honey,” said Brian.

Valerie squeezed her arm. “That’s right, Deena. These fine people will understand and welcome you when Mr. Corbin tells them your story.”

As they drew up beside him facing the crowd, the wagon master smiled at Deena, then looked at the crowd. “Yesterday we pulled put of Salina and two sheriff’s deputies caught up to us and told us about a thirteen-year-old girl named Deena Mitchell who was missing from a farm just outside of town. The deputies told us Deena was unhappy in her foster home and possibly had run away.

“Well, none of us knew it, but at the very time the deputies were talking to us, Deena was hiding under the cot in the back of the Parker wagon. Even the Parkers were unaware of it. Deena had climbed in there and hid herself while we were still parked outside of Salina.”

All eyes were on the girl with the long auburn hair.

Corbin gestured toward her. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is Deena Mitchell. I’m going to tell you her story.”

The wagon master had everyone’s attention as he told them Deena’s story. At times he turned to her to corroborate a certain point, or to expand on it, which she did.

The group was having a hard time absorbing the unthinkable information that was coming from Corbin’s lips. They were
stunned, first of all to hear of Deena and her twin being sent away from their Manhattan home by their real parents, and second to hear of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of her foster father and his son. Corbin also dwelt on the mental anguish Deena had suffered in being separated from Donna, with the strong possibility that she would never see her again. The obvious astonishment they felt showed on their faces. They stood in absolute silence.

Deena thought that they did not believe her story. She looked up at Brian and Valerie, seeking some kind of assurance.

Noting the trepidation that showed on her face, the Parkers each put a protective arm around her.

Deena stood rigid, staring at the ground.
If just one person turns against me
, she thought,
they might report this to the authorities. Maybe there really is a way I could be sent back to the Dexters.
Her heart was pounding in her ears and her breathing was rapid and shallow.

It was Les Corbin who broke the silence. “Remember what I said about people on a wagon train treating each other like family? Mr. and Mrs. Parker are going to keep her and give her a home. They plan to adopt her when they settle at their destination further west. She could also use some warmth and welcome from the rest of you.”

Suddenly, children and adults alike rushed to Deena and welcomed her into the wagon train. This touched her deeply, and she responded with warm words and a bright smile.

The meeting soon broke up and the people went to their wagons to prepare to move out for another day’s travel.

At the Parker wagon, Deena was doing what she could to help Valerie while Brian was tending to the horses. As they worked side by side, Valerie noticed tears on the girl’s cheeks. She put an arm around her.

“Honey, did Mr. Corbin’s speech about the Comanches frighten you?”

“It made me real uneasy, Mama, but that’s not why I’m crying.”

“Then what is it, sweetie?”

Deena sniffed. “I—well, I’m crying because when Mr. Corbin told the people of the strong possibility that I may never see Donna again, it just hit me even harder. He’s right, I know, but it hurts so much to think about it. I can hardly stand the thought that I may never see her again.”

Valerie wrapped her arms around her. “Honey, I wish I could offer hope to you in the matter. Where was the orphan train headed?”

“Los Angeles was its final stop. Of course it had many stops scheduled all along the way where the orphans would be looked over and chosen by those who wanted to be their foster parents. Donna could be anywhere between Salina and Los Angeles. That’s a lot of territory.”

“Indeed it is. I’m so sorry it has turned out this way, and I really can’t understand how it feels to you. I’m not a twin. And like you just said, that’s a lot of territory. There is no way we could ever find Donna. I know that people who are interested in becoming foster parents often travel for days to a town where the trains are going to stop. Donna could be living a long way from whatever town where she might have been chosen.”