Runaways (Orphans 5)

"I'm taking you to Albuquerque where you will be housed until we return you to New York. I'm sure you'll be in a nice facility back there," she said.

Crystal didn't laugh, but she gave her one of her "Don't be stupid" looks that made Raven and I smile.

We followed her out to the car. Raven decided to sit in the front and Crystal and I got into the back. First, we hugged and kissed Butterfly once more and then hugged and kissed Tommy and Anita.

"As soon as we can, we'll arrange for you to visit," Tommy promised.

"Good. Crystal just can't wait to get back on a horse," I said. He laughed.

Anita held Butterfly's hand and Butterfly clung to her fingers, the two of them looking as if they had found their reasons to be, to go on, to love and to cherish everything that was beautiful and good about the world.

We started away, none of us saying anything.

I was thinking about my real mother and what it would feel like to hold her hand. I wondered what Raven and Crystal were thinking. I wished it was something happy. We had come too far to have sad thoughts. The sky ahead of us was too blue. Butterfly's finding a home gave us all renewed hope.

Could we, should we be optimistic? Do we dare? Without warning, Crystal suddenly reached out and took my hand. We looked at each other and smiled.

"Didn't she look so happy?" she asked.

"Yes," Raven said. She turned around, the tears streaming down her face, and she reached for us. We held each other's hands.

"We're sisters," Crystal began.

"We'll always be sisters," Raven and I said. "The Orphanteers!" we cried.

Our laughter rolled along with us toward our new promises.

Epilogue

Todd and I flew from our new home in Illinois to Albuquerque: Raven came in from Los Angeles, where she had just signed her first record deal and had gotten a small part in a movie. Crystal had been accepted at Harvard on an early admissions

scholarship program. She worked in the library and earned a little income on the side. We arranged it so we could all meet at the airport and rent one car together. We had never stopped staying in touch. Crystal liked to write long letters. I saved every one of mine, telling Todd that someday they would be valuable. They were beautifully written, detailed letters that made me feel I was right there beside her, learning, experiencing college life. Raven jotted lines on postcards, but most of the time she called, and I did the same. We all called Butterfly, even Crystal, because the sound of her voice was so important to us, as was the sound of ours to her.

Butterfly was graduating from college. In a month she would become a social worker. She wanted to use her life experience to help other young people.

We had seen each other twice before, but it had been nearly a year and a half between the last visit and now. A little over a year after Butterfly began to live with Tommy and Anita, Anita became pregnant and gave birth to a boy they named Steven. That was quickly replaced with the nickname Popeye because he loved spinach and he had very strong little arms for an infant. He was everything Annie hadn't been able to be, healthy. The evil curse had been broken, and we knew Anita believed it was because of the good energy Butterfly had brought with her to their lives.

Todd and I were the first to arrive. We were there when Raven landed and sauntered through the gate. She was more histrionic than ever, flamboyant as could be, dressed in a buttercup-yellow sexy sundress, her beautiful hair down, her high heels clicking. Apparently, she had made a hit with the flight engineer. He was at her side, practically begging her to change her ticket so she could be on his flight when she returned to Los Angeles.

"Brooke!" she cried when she saw me. She rushed into my arms and we hugged and swung about like teenagers. "Hi, Todd." She gave him a rather intimate kiss that surprised him as well as me. "You guys look terrific," she said, holding my arms out. "I thought you might be fat and pregnant by now."

"No, Raven. We're not ready for that yet. I told you last time we spoke. We're expanding the garage, taking on wheel alignments."

"Oh, right. Wheel alignments. I had my teeth aligned," she joked. She scooped her arms through ours and turned us around. "It's so important to keep yourself looking the best you can. No matter what they say, the truth is they're always looking for the prettiest faces and best shapes. Talent is second, not that I don't work on my talent."

"Congratulations on the record contract," I said. "I'm at it night and day. I had a gig at a small nightclub in Hollywood. That's how I got this movie role," she told us. "How long before Crystal arrives? I hate waiting. That's all I ever do anymore."

Todd checked his watch.

"Thirty minutes," he said, and we went for coffee.

"Can you believe our little Butterfly is graduating from college?" Raven asked when we sat at a table.

"Why not?" I said.

"Oh Brooke., you were always too . . too realistic," she said with a laugh. She paused and looked at us for a moment. "I'm glad you're happy, Brooke. I hope I find s

omeone who makes me as happy."