A Dark Heaven

Chapter 20 The next move

 Beverly made it back to the hotel room with her new necklace and a wad of $6,000 to split into $1,000 for each of her gang members in her pocket.

"Good morning, you feelin' better?" Gage asked with a smile.

"I am Gage, thank you for asking. Y'all about to feel real better too. Beverly pulled the cash out of her pocket. "$6,000 dollars, $1,000 for each."

"Put me and James together, we're gonna marry" Sara said with an unsure expression.

Beverly could not believe it, she decided to take change as a positive and quickly hugged Sara and congratulated her and James.

"Congratulations!" Beverly said to the two.

"Thank you Beverly, it's been a pleasure spendin' all this time with you, you and Maggie are like sisters to me" Sara said.

James stayed silent for once and smiled.

Gage nudged Raymon with pleading eyes, trying to get Raymon to pull away his grudge and just let Sara and James be free to do as they wanted, it would be the best for all of them. Raymon placed his hand on Gage's shoulder for a short moment and slid it off when he walked closer to Sara, James, Beverly, and now Maggie, who now felt it was safe to be excited because Beverly was acting excited.

"I know I can be a real bastard sometimes, but I'm truly happy for both of y'all and wish y'all the best. James, I would like to apologize for how I've been actin' with you, I just didn't trust you, but now I see you're a good man. I made myself to be a right fool."

"Yes, you did." Sara laughed.

"We both acted like two monkeys, I'm glad that's past us now." James said with a smile.

"What's next?" Maggie suddenly asked, she was growing impatient with all the excitement and apologies, it was enough of the same thing over again, she didn't feel worried for what was next but she was ready to move forward. The rest of the gang just looked at the short 11 year old and then back to each other, not wanting to explain that this might be the end of their little 'family'.

Raymon cleared his throat and bent down to Maggie, "Maggie, the future is gonna be great, a little sad, but you're gonna grow up and live the best life you can. None of this outlaw stuff anymore, you can do what your mind and heart desires."

"I ain't talking that far into the future, I mean what's gonna happen with all of us? Where do we go?"

Raymon couldn't go on anymore with this conversation, he is an honest man but having to explain that he might never see Maggie again hurt him deeply. He stood up and looked to Beverly or Sara for help.

"That's up to you Maggie, you got options. James and I are goin' to California to live on a farm and we would be more than happy if you come with us. There will be land and animals we will all have to take care of." Sara said, leaving out the part of wanting to search for her family and start a new family with James to not overwhelm Maggie.

Maggie's face was blank and unreadable, it made everyone nervous. They all knew she understood that their group would have to split up eventually, but they couldn't tell how Maggie was taking it. She had been running with them since she was only 9 years old.

"What about you three?" Maggie questioned Gage, Raymon, and Beverly.

"Me and Gage will stick together, He's got his medical degree and I'll figure something out that can make myself useful. I like money... Maybe I can be a bank owner. I would know how to protect it better than the manager at the one we robbed." Raymon laughed.