Orphan (standard:romance, 2923 words)
Author: Maureen Stirsman	Added: Oct 18 2002	Views/Reads: 6389/3133	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
It was a nice little family, Lawrence, Therese and the baby, Sophie. It was one of those love stories that only take place in books, almost like a fairy tale. It was just that way. They were the picture of a happy family, and they were as happy as the

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face and both hands on the window of the compartment as the steam train 
sounded its mournful whistle and left the green fields of Vermont 
behind. As the clack, clack of the turning wheels took her further and 
further away, Maude pulled the slim child closer and put her pink 
powdered cheek on Sophie's teary face. It gave the little girl some 
comfort.  She buried her face in Maude's shoulder and said, “Please 
Cousin Maude, never leave me, please!” 

As the woman and the strange little girl came up the steps of the brick
house on the hillside street in Boston, three red-haired Saint John 
children peaked through the lace curtains.  They were alike in faces 
and in coloring; even their dresses were the same, white pinafores over 
blue dresses and blue knee socks.  Their curly, red hair hung down 
their backs.  They were six-year-old Diana, five-year-old Doris and 
two-year-old Deborah.  Over the next six years Maude had two more girls 
and one boy. 

Sophie fell in with the red-haired children to the extent that she
almost forgot that she was not born to them.  She was dressed the same 
and treated the same.  The difference was her blonde hair.  As she grew 
older she was given responsibilities in the home just as the other 
girls.  Cousin Maude believed girls should be taught to run a home and 
although she never told Sophie, she knew one day Sophie would have to 
find work to support herself.  Sophie learned how to polish silverware 
and wooden banisters, sew and mend and cook, as well as deal with 
trades people.  She was at home in Cousin Maude's house and loved the 
children as brothers and sisters. 

Diana's 18th birthday was very festive with a big party planned for the
evening.  All Diana's friends were there and her sisters had helped 
with the preparations.  Sophie had a particular knack for hairdressing 
and she carefully styled Diana's red hair into ringlets on the top of 
her head and pinned a in a gardenia.  It was a happy occasion and the 
young people stayed very late.  When they all slept in the next morning 
no one thought anything about it.  James Saint John, the children's 
father, had been out for his early morning jaunt and sat on the 
horsehair sofa reading the newspaper.  He wanted to allow Maude to 
sleep in.  But when all the children were down stairs at 10:30 and she 
still was not up, he went to check on her.  Cousin Maude died in her 
own bed the morning after her eldest daughter's eighteenth birthday. 

Sophie was 13 years old.  In seven months James remarried and the new
Mrs. Saint John didn't want to deal with the young orphan who had been 
so much a part of the home.  The day after Christmas Sophie found 
herself riding down a long maple-lined driveway to Mrs. Borden's large 
white house, “Maples”.  The bare bones of the trees glistened with 
frost and Sophie shuddered at the thought of the maple that had 
sheltered her father so many years ago.  He was gone, so was her 
mother, now Cousin Maude.  “Never leave me, never leave me!” her heart 
pounded. 

... 

At first Sophie was very quiet and only spoke when spoken to.  Her
straight fair hair was kept in a dust cap and she wore a black uniform 
as she polished the stair rail. She worked from six o'clock in the 
morning until six o'clock at night and she learned to do everything 
that needed to be done in this large residence.  She was thirteen years 
old, strong and tall for her age.  Her blue eyes had a way of smiling 
when her mouth did, but she didn't smile very often at “Maples”. 

Gradually Sophie became acquainted with the rest of the servants and was
befriended by Daisy, a dark haired, stocky, short-legged girl with a 
friendly disposition.  Daisy taught her how to get along in the house, 
and with the servants, and how to please the Mrs. Grouper, the cook.  
Mrs. Grouper got into the habit of saving some little delicacy for the 
two young girls. They sat at the table with her in the servant's 
kitchen after the day's work was done and ate an apple tart, a dried 
apricot or on rare occasions a sweet orange. 

After Sophie had been in service four weeks, the lady of the house, Mrs.
Borden, came down to the kitchen to talk to Mrs. Grouper.  Sophie's 
appealing ways caught Mrs. Borden's attention and as time went by she 
became a favorite of the lady.  When Gwendolyn had to leave to take 
care of her sick mother Sophie became Mrs. Borden's personal lady's 
maid.  Mrs. Borden was a very demanding woman, expecting perfection 
from those in her service.  Sophie was very careful to do each job well 
and soon she learned to anticipate Mrs. Borden's needs.  She took 
personal care of her clothes and jewels and groomed her hair in various 
popular styles.  Mrs. Borden boasted to her friends about her young 
maid and her capabilities, especially with hair styling. 

Sophie lived at “Maples” for five years, tending to Mrs. Borden's needs
and wants and her life revolved around the house.  She visited her 
cousins on her one day off a month and spent her weekly half-day on 
trips around the city, riding the subway and going to museums and 
libraries. 

Every Friday Sophie went to the florist shop to buy fresh flowers for
the weekend.  Mrs. Borden said, “No one can arraign flowers like my 
little Sophie.”  She heaped praise on the young lady and told her she 
needed her in the house.  No one else could do the work she did.  
Sophie read to her each night when Mrs. Borden's migraines began she 
said the reading soothed her.  One night when Sophie thought Mrs. 
Borden had fallen asleep while she read, she quietly took the book and 
started to walk from the bedroom.  Suddenly the old lady came awake and 
reached her shaky bony finger toward Sophie.  “Don't go, Child, don't 
leave me.  Never leave me.  I need you.” 

Sophie learned to enjoy life in the big white house and was proficient
in carrying out her duties.  She gradually began to think of it as home 
and Mrs. Borden bound her to her by strong silken threads.  Although 
Sophie was not aware of it her employer controlled her life. Other than 
the one day a month and the half-day on Thursday's she never left 
“Maples”, except for her weekly trip to the florist. 

One Friday morning as Sophie entered the little shop, the tinkling of
the bell over the door brought a new voice from the back room.  “Good 
morning,” he said.  He was a short man and small built.  His hair was 
brown and unruly.  He wore wire-rim glasses that slipped down his nose. 
 He wore a large green apron over his white shirt and black garters 
shortened the sleeves.  “What can I do for you today?”  He asked with a 
smile as big as his face.  He said his name was Robert.  He said he was 
learning the floral business with Mr. Grace and hoped some day to have 
his own shop.  Before Sophie realized it she had been standing for 
thirty minutes talking to this strange young man as though she had 
known him all her life. 

She began to look forward to those Friday mornings on the flower
shopping trip and seeing Robert.  One Friday he invited her for lunch 
on the following Thursday. 

Sophie dressed carefully in a long blue dress and big cream-colored hat
with a rose pinned to the ribbon on the crown.  Every night after her 
duties of the house were done she had sat by the dim light in the small 
bedroom she shared with Daisy and worked on the hat.  Daisy begged to 
know what she was doing.  Finally after she promised not to tell 
anyone, Sophie told her. 

Every Thursday for the next four weeks Sophie met Robert for lunch and
shared her happiness with Daisy who sat on the narrow bed in the stark 
bedroom.  Her black stockinged legs were curled up under her and her 
dark eyes were wide with the secret life Sophie told her about.  Mrs. 
Borden never said, but somehow it was understood, her girls were not to 
date. 

Then on the next Thursday as Sophie prepared to leave, Mrs. Borden came
down with one of her excruciating migraines and politely asked Sophie 
if she would please not take her afternoon off.  She needed her.  
Sadly, Sophie sent word to Robert and the next day spent an extra half 
hour among the flowers. 

More and more Thursday afternoons there were reasons Sophie could not
get out.  “Stand up to her, Sophie.  It's your day off,” Daisy said. 

“She has been so good to me, Daisy, she needs me.  I will have next
week.”  Next week she went, then the next two Mrs. Borden needed her. 
“She needs me, Daisy, I can't leave.” 

Then one Thursday as Daisy waited on the little bed, Sophie was later
than usual and when she finally got home she was flushed and beaming.  
She held out her left hand for Daisy to see the small diamond ring.  
Daisy grabbed Sophie's hands and danced her around the room, begging 
for every detail. 

Mrs. Borden had to be told.  Robert had found a little cottage and was
preparing it for his bride.  Sophie had six months to get ready.  Mrs. 
Borden smiled a cold painted smile and proclaimed her happiness for 
Sophie.  She had six months. 

The cottage was scrubbed, painted and readied.  Blue wallpaper with tiny
flowers decorated the small bridal bedroom.  Every hour's work was 
light and happy as the two young people prepared for their lives 
together.  Robert was so appealing and so gentle and loving Sophie 
counted the hours until she could be with him.  In their free time when 
they were not working on the house they walked in the park hand in 
hand.  On one of those occasions they encountered a small family, the 
parents swinging the baby between them, the baby squealing with 
laughter.  Sophie stopped in her tracks and a voice in her head said, 
“Never leave me, Lawrence. I couldn't bear it.”  Sophie became usually 
quiet and Robert could not shake her from the sad reverie. 

Mrs. Borden generously gave the bridal couple an oak table and four
chairs that had been in the attic and a full kitchen of linens that 
still had a lot of use left in them.  She was very kind, and she smiled 
as Sophie thanked her. 

The house was finally ready and Robert was due at “Maples” to get Sophie
for a furniture shopping trip for the rest of the cottage.  Sophie was 
euphoric. All she could do was look at her diamond and bounce around 
singing as she performed her duties.  The time drew near for Robert to 
come, 2 o'clock. 

Mrs. Borden hobbled around the house on her cane all morning and pointed
out jobs the servants had missed.  She had no family and other than the 
servants and a few friends, she was alone.  She was a proud woman and 
she ran the house tightly.  She usually ruled through her housekeeper 
but this morning she seemed more visible than usual. 

At 1:30 Sophie was in the little bedroom singing and carefully dressing
for the shopping trip.  Daisy came quietly into the room and sat down 
on her usual spot on the mattress.  “Sophie, she wants you.” 

“What?  It's time for Robert to be here.” 

“I know.  She wants you.” 

“Why?” 

“She says she has a terrible migraine.” 

“Oh no!  Not today of all days.” 

“I'm sorry, Sophie.  I tried to say I would read to her but she went
into a fit and said, “Sophie, I need Sophie!  Don't let her leave!” 

... 

When the doorbell rang and the young man with the wire rim glasses,
carrying an armful of flowers stood smiling and bouncing from one foot 
to the other, Sophie opened the door. 

She wore her black uniform with the black stockings and her white dust
cap on her head.  Her blue eyes were dark and her face was unsmiling.  
There was no ring on her finger.  “Robert, dear one, I cannot leave 
her.  I can never leave her.” 

Sophie watched through the upstairs window as Robert walked slowly down
the driveway.  His shoulders were stooped, his head bowed.  Sophie 
thought, We could have been a nice little family, Robert and I and a 
child that looked like one of us.  We could have been a nice little 
family.  She knew he loved her intensely.  She loved him but she could 
not trust enough.  She could not risk enough.  She could not leave this 
house and Mrs. Borden's pleas.  We could have been a nice little 
family.  Tears ran down her cheeks. 

Suddenly Sophie threw the window open and yelled as loud as she could,
“Robert, Robert, come back!  Please come back!  I will never leave you! 
Come back!  We will be a nice little family!  We will! Come back!” 

THE END 


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