Orphan Train

Dutchy is killed in February, 1943. A friend of his in the Navy, Jim Daly, writes to Vivian to tell her what happened and they keep in touch afterward. She and Dutchy had not told anyone except their family in Hemingford that she was pregnant, so Jim doesn’t know that Vivian has lost not only a husband but also the father of her unborn child. In her grief-stricken state, Vivian cannot function. When the baby is born, she gives her up for adoption. 

When Vivian has finished telling Molly about her marriage and Dutchy’s death, she turns off the recorder and says that she’s finished telling her life story. She insists that every crucial event her life happened by the time she was 23.

She cared for Jim Daly and married him. They had a good life together, running the store, which became more and more prosperous. She refused to have any children, and Jim accepted this.

Molly encourages Vivian to find her daughter, who would now be in her late sixties. Vivian shuts her down; she won’t consider it. She made her decision, and she must live with the consequences.

Molly gets up the next morning and makes herself breakfast. She and Jack have a long telephone conversation. He is angry that she didn’t call him, and he doesn’t understand the connection between Molly and Vivian.

Like his mother, Jack believes that she might be using Vivian, which Molly understands. She knows that no one can understand their friendship without her explaining their shared history. She doesn’t reveal anything about Vivian’s past, but she tells Jack that she is proud that she helped Vivian review her past by organizing the attic, allowing Vivian to think things through and put them into perspective, probably for the last time. Jack accepts this explanation of Molly and Vivian’s relationship.

Molly talks to Ralph and convinces him that it’s best for everyone if the authorities believe that she still lives with him. He agrees.

Next, Vivian tells Terry that she has invited Molly to live with her. Terry doesn’t like it, but she goes along with it once it becomes clear that it is all Vivian’s idea, not Molly’s. Molly is feels safe for the first time that she can remember.

Molly visits with her case manager, Lori, and finds out that her history teacher, Mr. Reed, submitted her project for a national history prize. Lori comments on Molly’s appearance, noting that Molly has given up her skunk stripe. The extremes of her Goth look are gone.

Life goes well at Vivian’s house, and one day Vivian announces that she wants a computer. Jack and Molly help Vivian install Wi-Fi in her house, buy a computer, and get her up and running on the internet.

As soon as she has the computer, Vivian discovers an online community of orphan train riders and their descendants. With Molly’s help, Vivian orders books about the orphan train riders from Amazon.

Vivian finds Carmine, the baby she took care of on the train. He had a long and happy life, after he was adopted by the couple who took him that day in 1929. He married and had children. His son did the research and put Carmine’s story online.

Vivian asks Molly if she will help her find her daughter, when she decides that she’s ready.

As Molly studies for her finals, Vivian gets a phone call from an adoption registry. They have found her daughter: Sarah Dunnell lives in Fargo, North Dakota.

Vivian emails Sarah and Sarah calls her. Sarah is a professional musician, like Dutchy. They quickly arrange a visit to Maine in June. Sarah and her husband will also be bringing their granddaughter, Becca, age 11.

The novel ends as Sarah, her husband, and Becca arrive at Vivian’s house. Jack, Terry, and Molly are all there to help and support Vivian and each other.