explained that, for as long as she could remember, her grandparents and aunts and uncles had been fighting with the government over money and taxes. During the Events, her grandparents had been forced to sell their landholdings to the state of Pennsylvania and, not long afterward, each of her adult relatives had decided to emigrate to England or Chile except her mom and dad. And they would have gone, too, if her dad been able to sell his company.
After years on the edge of insolvency, he had finally locked the factory doors and sold what was left for enough to cover the family's emigration taxes and exit visas. But when he had gone to the bank to collect, the security police had arrested him and canceled the entire family's exit visas. Since then, Claire's mother had struggled to get the exit visas reinstated, only to be arrested herself at the Philadelphia airport along with Claire’s little sister, Louisa.
Helen reached out and clasped Claire's hands in hers.
"Don't worry, Claire, we'll find them. It took me a while to find where they took my husband, Alec, but I found him. And I'll bet we can find your dad, too, if we try."
"Do you really think so? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
"Honest. Scouts' honor."
Claire looked puzzled.
"Sorry, I guess you're too young to remember the Girl Scouts. Anyway, it may take a little time before we figure things out. Meanwhile, we'll need to put you to work. So, tell me, what sorts of things do you know how to do? Have you ever done chores around the house or odd jobs for your neighbors?"
"I've done some babysitting for the family across the street. And I help Mom in the kitchen sometimes."
"What sort of things in the kitchen?"
"I know how to set the table and wash dishes and clean up after dinner. And polish the silver. And I can cook a little."
"I wouldn't mention the silver polishing if I were you. But what dishes can you cook? Eggs? Bacon? Pancakes?"
"All of those. And just about anything that kids like to eat. You know, hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade pizza."
"Can you sew?"
"I took some lessons once. And my mom taught me how to make napkins and pillow cases on her sewing machine."
"Claire, it sounds to me like you're even more qualified than I thought. You know, a hundred years ago, well–bred girls not much older than you were sent off to wealthy people's homes to learn how to run a proper household before they married. Of course, since the Events, there aren’t many homes like that around, but with all the government people posted in the valley, perhaps there might be a General's wife or a Colonel's wife who could use some help. How would that kind of work suit you?"
"Okay, I guess," Claire answered with downcast eyes. "But I'd much rather stay here with you. Couldn't I just live here and be your helper?"
"There's nothing I would like more, my dear. But my tiny business is barely enough to feed me, let alone the two of us. No, I think what we need to do is to find us a good home for you to work in for a while. Let's talk to Dorothy this afternoon when we go back to the station, shall we?"
"Couldn't we wait just a few more days? I'm still kind of scared."
"Scared? A brave girl like you who's come out here alone all the way from Philadelphia?"
"What if the police come for me like they did for my dad? They'll put me in jail, won't they? Then I'll never be able to find my mom and dad."
Claire's eyes brimmed with tears and she hid her face in her hands. Helen drew an arm around Claire's shoulder to console her.
"I understand. It's natural to be afraid when you've been separated from your parents. But let's look at your choices: If you go back to Philadelphia or start looking for your dad on your own, sooner or later the police will pick you up. When they discover who you are, they may send you to where they're holding your mother and sister or they may decide to put you in a juvenile detention facility somewhere. Not a good idea. On the other
After years on the edge of insolvency, he had finally locked the factory doors and sold what was left for enough to cover the family's emigration taxes and exit visas. But when he had gone to the bank to collect, the security police had arrested him and canceled the entire family's exit visas. Since then, Claire's mother had struggled to get the exit visas reinstated, only to be arrested herself at the Philadelphia airport along with Claire’s little sister, Louisa.
Helen reached out and clasped Claire's hands in hers.
"Don't worry, Claire, we'll find them. It took me a while to find where they took my husband, Alec, but I found him. And I'll bet we can find your dad, too, if we try."
"Do you really think so? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
"Honest. Scouts' honor."
Claire looked puzzled.
"Sorry, I guess you're too young to remember the Girl Scouts. Anyway, it may take a little time before we figure things out. Meanwhile, we'll need to put you to work. So, tell me, what sorts of things do you know how to do? Have you ever done chores around the house or odd jobs for your neighbors?"
"I've done some babysitting for the family across the street. And I help Mom in the kitchen sometimes."
"What sort of things in the kitchen?"
"I know how to set the table and wash dishes and clean up after dinner. And polish the silver. And I can cook a little."
"I wouldn't mention the silver polishing if I were you. But what dishes can you cook? Eggs? Bacon? Pancakes?"
"All of those. And just about anything that kids like to eat. You know, hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade pizza."
"Can you sew?"
"I took some lessons once. And my mom taught me how to make napkins and pillow cases on her sewing machine."
"Claire, it sounds to me like you're even more qualified than I thought. You know, a hundred years ago, well–bred girls not much older than you were sent off to wealthy people's homes to learn how to run a proper household before they married. Of course, since the Events, there aren’t many homes like that around, but with all the government people posted in the valley, perhaps there might be a General's wife or a Colonel's wife who could use some help. How would that kind of work suit you?"
"Okay, I guess," Claire answered with downcast eyes. "But I'd much rather stay here with you. Couldn't I just live here and be your helper?"
"There's nothing I would like more, my dear. But my tiny business is barely enough to feed me, let alone the two of us. No, I think what we need to do is to find us a good home for you to work in for a while. Let's talk to Dorothy this afternoon when we go back to the station, shall we?"
"Couldn't we wait just a few more days? I'm still kind of scared."
"Scared? A brave girl like you who's come out here alone all the way from Philadelphia?"
"What if the police come for me like they did for my dad? They'll put me in jail, won't they? Then I'll never be able to find my mom and dad."
Claire's eyes brimmed with tears and she hid her face in her hands. Helen drew an arm around Claire's shoulder to console her.
"I understand. It's natural to be afraid when you've been separated from your parents. But let's look at your choices: If you go back to Philadelphia or start looking for your dad on your own, sooner or later the police will pick you up. When they discover who you are, they may send you to where they're holding your mother and sister or they may decide to put you in a juvenile detention facility somewhere. Not a good idea. On the other
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