“Happy Mother’s Day.” Miss King wiggled her fingers at Leah and Rita Sue.

In front of the stately brick church, Mrs. Paxton chatted with Mrs. Sheridan from the library, Mercer chatted with three men Leah didn’t know, and Joey Bellamy played tag with some older boys.

Leah frowned at Rita Sue. “Why would Miss King want me back?”

Rita Sue tilted her head, making the pink flowers on her hat sway. “Why wouldn’t she?”

“I insulted the donors.”

“Pff.” Rita Sue leaned close and lowered her voice. “Mrs. Channing is insulted if the weather doesn’t do her bidding. Never you mind her.”

Leah turned the carriage to keep the sun out of Helen’s eyes. “But I’m not . . . well, I’m not like the other ladies who sit on boards and volunteer. I don’t belong.”

“Don’t belong?” Rita Sue set one hand on an ample hip. “Sugar, if you want to belong, you have to join.”

Leah’s mouth drifted open. She’d never thought of it that way.

Rita Sue retied the pale green ribbon at the end of one of Sally’s braids. “Some groups you’re born into, some you’re invited into, and some you have to worm your way in. You just received an invitation.”

“I—I did.”

“Yes, you did. I don’t want to hear any more talk about not belonging, you hear?”

“I hear.” Leah smiled at her daughter, asleep on her back in her ruffled white bonnet, her arms stretched out as if fencing. “I do enjoy reading to the little children and helping the older ones with homework. And Helen’s so good, I could bring her. Maybe in a few weeks. Yes, definitely.”

“That’s the way.”

“I wish I could do more. They really are having financial woes, but Miss King can’t ask for more donations without insulting the current donors. They think no one will help because the children are”—Leah swallowed a hot, hard lump—“a drain on society.”

One of Rita Sue’s eyebrows rose to the rim of her hat, challenging Leah. “Do you agree?”

Memories dragged on her heart . . . “Scram, you hooligans” . . . “dirty orphans” . . . “unwanted.”

But Mikey and Marty and the other children at the home were sweet and silly, same as Joey and Luella and Sally and Helen. They had great worth, and something hardened in Leah’s neck. “No child is a drain on society. Orphans can’t help it if they don’t belong . . . Rita Sue, you’re brilliant!”

“Hear that, girls?” Rita Sue tugged on Sally’s braid. “I’m brilliant.”

Luella and Sally giggled.

Rita Sue laughed. “Don’t you sass me, young ladies. Round up your father and brother and Mrs. Paxton.”

The girls scampered off.