A LOVE NEVER FADING
Chapter Fifty-Five

February, 1920

Rose cried hysterically, and she hugged Maggie. The train for Santa Monica would be leaving in a few minutes. Her heart was ripping in two pieces.

"Maggie, I'm going to miss you more than you could ever know." She tightened her grip.

Maggie smiled. "I know. I know. I'll miss you."

As upset as Rose was, she was curious. Maggie didn't seem too sad about all this. And Maggie was an emotional person. She had cried buckets when Jack and Rose went on their vacation. Now, they were leaving for good, and she barely shed a tear.

Andrew clung to Rose's leg. He looked up at her and made a puppy dog face. "Don't go, Rose. Don't go away."

Rose picked him up and held him tightly. "I'll visit you all the time. And I'll write you letters and send you presents. Okay? You're my special boy. You always will be."

Andrew kissed her. He then hopped down and ran over to Jack. "Jack, you have to be nice to Rose. Okay?"

Jack picked him up. "I'll look after her for you. I swear."

Andrew hugged him. "You're my best friend."

Jack smiled. "You're my best friend, too."

Maggie smiled at Rose. "Here. This is for you." She pulled a letter out of her pocket. "I've never been good at good-byes."

Rose hugged her. "Thank you. Thank you. I'd be lost without you. I would never have survived without you."

Maggie kissed her.

Brian and Jack embraced. "I owe you a lot." Brian smiled.

Jack nodded. "I owe you a lot, too."

"It won't be the same without you. It will be awful."

"You'll get new boarders."

Brian shook his head. "Never. No one could ever take your place."

Jack hugged him again. Brian wasn't his friend. He was his brother. He couldn't stand leaving his brother behind. He looked over at Rose, who was holding Will. Rose was taking this hard. It killed her to leave. When she had said good-bye to Erik, she cried for hours. Erik couldn't come to the train station. It was too upsetting for him.

Jack couldn't help but wonder why Maggie and Brian weren't more emotional. They were being their same kind selves, but they hadn't even cried. It didn't bother him. He realized people had different ways of showing their feelings. But it was bizarre.

As Rose was hugging Brian, the train whistle blew. Jack kissed Maggie, and took Rose's hand. Rose was so hysterical, Jack had to hold her by the side. She waved to Maggie and Brian, and finally stepped onto the train.

Once on board, Jack handed in the tickets. Rose sat down and stared blankly out the window. Maggie and Brian weren't there. She wondered where they had gone so quickly. As Jack sat down next to her, the train started to move. Rose wrapped her arms around him and cried. He kissed her head. "Shh. Shh." He thought for a moment. "Didn't Maggie give you something?"

She nodded. "Yes. A letter."

"Why don't you read it?"

Rose opened the letter and began to read:

My Dear Rose,

You know how much I love you. I never had a sister, but when I met you I found out what it was like. I've always felt we shared something special. There have been days when you have been the only person I could talk to. You are like a second mother to my children. Your sense of humor and smile lights up my days. As long as I live, I'll never have a better friend. You understand me. You are always there for me. Please, remember I will always be there for you. Always. I would do anything for you.

Your Best Friend,

Maggie

PS We're coming with you.

When Rose read the bottom of the letter, she literally screamed. Jack looked at her.

"What is it?"

"This says they're coming with us!" She stood up and opened the door of their berth. Immediately, she spotted a beaming Maggie standing a few doors down. "You witch!" Rose screamed. Then she ran over and gave her a hug.

Maggie laughed. "Are you surprised?"

"Yes!" She held her at arm's length. "I don't understand. What's going on?"

Maggie smiled. "Let's go get a bite to eat, and I'll tell you everything."

Rose and Jack got a table in the dining car. Then, Brian and Maggie sat with them. Brian held Will and Andrew colored.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, confused.

Maggie laughed. "We're moving to Santa Monica with you."

Jack and Rose gasped.

Brian smiled. "Do you remember in January how we visited our family for two weeks?"

"Yes," Jack said.

"Well, we only visited them for a week. The second week we went out to California and purchased a house...a house directly across the street from yours."

Rose shook her head. "You shouldn't have done this. All your family is in New York."

Maggie folded her hands on the table. "No, we're closer to you than we are to our family. We had planned on moving, anyway. It was either move with you, or move by our family. We'd rather be with you. We'd be happier."

Brian chimed in. "Plus, we don't want our children growing up in the city. Maggie and I grew up on farms. We had trees. There isn't any of that in New York City. Where you guys are moving is paradise. Your house is gorgeous. The house we bought is perfect. It has four bedrooms and a rose garden in the front. We love it. Maggie cried when they said it was available."

Andrew giggled. "I fooled you, didn't I?"

Rose nodded. "Yes, you did."

"Mommy and Daddy told me we were going with you, but I wasn't allowed to say nothing." He put his hands on his mouth and laughed. Then he straightened himself up. "I could be an actor just like you," he said to Rose.

She laughed. "Yes, you could. You're very good."

He smiled.

Jack and Rose had a new respect for Maggie and Brian. They couldn't believe their best friends would drop their lives to move across the country. It was the most wonderful thing they had ever heard. It was the greatest thing anyone had ever done for them. They smiled. They were so happy that their baby would grow up with influences like them.

The Dawsons and Fagins sat in the train, headed for their new life in Santa Monica. They were embarking on the rest of their lives. They would do it together. Many things would happen in the coming years. All of them would make the relationship stronger. It was destiny for the four of them to meet and come together. Now they were following fate.

The End.

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