Laura stayed busy all that day. She
didn’t talk to Sally very much, and she frowned a lot. She’s worried about
something, Sally thought while she watched Laura move about the room and write
on the chart.

“I’m not really going home, am I?”
Sally asked, finally breaking the silence.

Laura sighed. “No, Sally,” the
woman finally replied. “You’re leaving here today, but your parents aren’t
ready to take care of you. Don’t get upset about it, you—”

“Don’t worry,” Sally interrupted.
“I’ve gotten well here, and I’m thankful for that, but something else has
happened to me.”

“What is that?” Laura asked,
pulling a chair up to the bed.

“I know that whatever situation I’m
in and wherever I go, God will ease my way. He’s done it a lot of times
already. And I believe that He has plans for my life. I can’t imagine what they
might be,” Sally admitted, fidgeting with her long braids, “but I’m watching
for them.”

Laura smiled. “I wish I could be
around to see them all develop,” she said. “Right now we’d better get you ready
for lunch.”

They both laughed and Laura
gathered medicines and equipment Sally would need at Juvenile Hall to help her
continue to get well. Soon nurses helped her into an ambulance. “Don’t use the
siren,” Sally said. “People will think I’m still sick, and I definitely am
not!”

“Yes, ma’am!” the driver said,
laughing. “No siren.”

When they arrived at Juvenile Hall,
the driver carried Sally to her room. He noticed the bars on the windows and
shook his head. “Here’s a note from Laura,” he said. “It lists some foods and
activities that will help you continue to gain strength.”

“Thank you,” Sally said, smiling.
She began to read the list.

Just then Iona walked into the
room. “You look better,” she said. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“Yes. Please bring me a big pitcher
of water. And could you take me out to the porch and let me sit in the sun? I’m
certainly not going to try to run away,” Sally said.

Iona picked Sally up, and walked
out into the sunshine. She settled her into a lounge chair and walked inside
without saying a word. A warm breeze filtered through the trees and made the
leaves dance. Birds sang in the treetops, and Sally laughed. It felt so good to
be outdoors. “Thank You, God,” she said, pressing her hand over the bandage on
her neck. Her words still sounded hoarse and weak, but it felt good to talk.

Sally heard someone whistling. A
man in brown baggy pants and a blue T-shirt came around the corner of the
building. He pushed a wheelbarrow that held a wooden box. Bright flowers filled
it and hung over the sides.

“Hello,” the man greeted. “These
are for you. I’m Joe. My wife, Sharon, works in the kitchen. She also passes
out the clothes to the girls each morning.

“Oh, I met her my first day here,”
Sally responded. “She always has something kind to say.”

Joe laughed. “That’s her. She said
to give this to ‘the girl God rescued.’ ”

“Oh!” Sally gasped. “Does everyone
know what happened to me?”

“Of course,” Joe said. “You’re our
miracle girl.”

Tears formed in Sally’s eyes.

“Don’t cry,” Joe said, as if his
command could stop the tears.

“I’m not sad,” Sally said. “I just
realized that your wife helped God ease my way again. Things such as looking at
beautiful flowers, birds, and even water is on this ‘get well’ list my nurse
gave me.”

“I’ll tell Sharon,” Joe said with a
smile.

Sally watched as the kind man
headed for the kitchen. In a moment she noticed a woman peeking through the
window at her. Sally waved, and a hand in the window waved back. It was Sharon.

Day after day, Sally spent most of
her time outside. When she returned to the hospital for a visit, the doctor
said the hole in her throat would grow together, but it would take several
months. She must stay away from water and keep the big bandage over the hole.

One day, two weeks after returning
to Juvenile Hall from the hospital, Sally marched to school with the other
girls. The kids stared at her when she entered the classroom.

“Look! It’s the girl God rescued,”
several girls whispered, waving at her. She wiggled into her seat.

“Hello,” Sally greeted in response.

“Welcome back,” the teacher said.
“We have all heard about your illness and recovery.”

Even though she couldn’t go to their homes for
parties, the girls and Sally laughed and played jump rope together at school.
The time didn’t drag by so slowly now.

A week later Iona shoved a new
dress, a pair of shoes and socks into Sally’s arms when she returned from
school. Take a shower and put these on,” she commanded. “You’re going to
court.”

Sally’s heart thumped hard as she
wiggled into the dress. Why am I going to court? she wondered. Isn’t court
where bad people get taken and put on trial? What have I done wrong? God,
please help me!

When Sally and Iona reached the
courthouse just a short drive from Juvenile Hall, she felt surprised to see her
brothers and sisters standing with several guards just outside the front doors.
She hurried up the steps, and
they all chattered and hugged each other.

“Be quiet,” Iona said. “We have to
go inside now. I don’t want any of you to say a word unless someone asks you to
speak.”

They all filed inside and sat down
on a wooden bench in the second row. Sally spotted Mother and Father sitting
with a strange man in the front row.

“Mother!” Sally screamed, leaping
to her feet. Iona tried to grab her, but Sally fled down the aisle and threw
herself into Mother’s arms. Iona marched up and pulled Sally away.

“Your Honor,” said the strange man,
standing up and moving to the front of the room. “Your Honor,” he said, “this
girl has seen her mother only once—when she lay in the hospital dying.
Otherwise, none of these children have seen their parents for almost a year.
Can’t we give them a chance to speak for a few minutes? These children aren’t
criminals.”

“We certainly can,” the judge
agreed. He banged his gavel twice on his desk. Mother and Father hugged each
child in turn. Everyone talked at once.

“Are we going home?” Sally asked.

“That’s what the court will
decide,” the strange man said. “I’m Mr. Burke, your father’s lawyer. As soon as
you all sit down, we’ll get down to business.” Soon the children returned to
their seats and sat silently.

“We’ll go home. I know we will,”
Sally whispered to Grover, who sat beside her. Iona glared at her. She turned
to look at the judge, who wore a long black robe.

The judge asked Mother and Father a
lot of questions, but Sally found it difficult to concentrate. She watched a
woman who sat up front, facing them, typing on a small machine. Her fingers
flew over the keys. Sally realized that she wrote down every word that each
person said. Sometimes the judge asked her to read a portion of a conversation
again.

At last the judge spoke to Father,
who stood with his head bent low. “Are you ready to take care of these
children?” the judge asked. “Do you want these children?”

Everyone leaned forward to hear his
answer.