The Stranger on the Train

Chapter 3: Goodbye for now

We stay silent for a while, Rose looking out the window, me packing my belongings into my backpack and Scarlett being lost in her thoughts while playing with Rose’s hair. She ends up braiding it and secures it with a hair tie. Her hands rest around Rose’s body and she looks outside as well.

A comfortable silence lays over our booth as we get closer to our destination.
When the view gets boring, Rose moves off Scarlett’s lap and starts to collect her crayons and puts them back in their box. She cleans up the table, only leaning the picture we drew together on it.
Scarlett looks proud at the independence of her daughter and helps her to put everything back into the bag.

Rose sits back down in her seat and holds the picture in her hands, smiling at it. It makes my heart fill with joy that she enjoys this picture so much and even though she’s just some kid I meet a few hours ago, a tiny part of my heart already adores her and wants to see her happy.

I shake my head a little to get out of my gaze and look at the map, we should arrive in less than five minutes.
Scarlett seems to notice that as well.

“Rosie, honey, how about we roll that picture up and put it in the backpack?” She offers in a sweet voice and Rose looks up at her and pouts.

“No. I want to carry it, it’s so pretty.” Her face scrunches adorably as she tries to pout even more. Scarlett’s eyes soften at the sight and she strokes Rose’s face with her fingers, making the frown disappear.

“I know, sweetie but there will be a lot of people at the train station and we don’t want to accidentally lose the picture or have it fall to the ground. I understand that you want to hold it but it’s not that safe. You can have it again when we’re in the car and all the way to our house, okay?” Scarlett reasons and Rose thinks about it for a few seconds before agreeing and letting her mom roll the picture up and carefully put it into the backpack.

When I get up and grab my backpack, Rose looks at me, almost confused until she remembers that I have to get out in New York as well. I walk through the train to get my suitcase and step closer to the exit.
There are already a lot of people there and I sigh internally at the amount, I don’t necessarily like bigger crowds.

My attention shifts when Scarlett and Rose join me. I see Scarlett struggling with a suitcase in each hand, her eyes almost anxiously on Rose, worried she might get swallowed by the crowd.
For a few seconds I make eye contact with Scarlett and nod towards Rose who looks around all the adults around her. Scarlett nods and I slowly hold out my hand for Rose to take. She looks at it and then up to her mom.

“It’s okay, you can take her hand. She will just look out so you won’t get lost in all the people who want to get out here.” She explains calmly but I hear the slight worry in her voice.
I look down to Rose, whose eyes now look at me.

“If you don’t feel comfortable with that, that is okay, you don’t have to take my hand.” I say in a soft voice, making sure she knows she doesn’t have to.

For a second she seems unsure but then there’s a smile on her face and her small hand finds its way into mine. I carefully take her hand and see Scarlett relax a little, giving her a reassuring smile. She mouthes a ‘thank you’ to me and I nod as reply.

The train comes to a halt and the doors open, everyone pushes outside but I don’t let myself be pushed with the kid on my hand and lead her out of the train carefully. There’s a gap between the last step and the platform and Rose hesitates a little.

“You can do it, it’s a little jump but I got you. Just imagine you’re…a superhero that jumps over the roofs in New York City to save people.” I encourage her.

She grins and jumps. I take the step with her and she securely lands on the platform, her eyes growing as she grins up at me.

“Wow! That was just like a superhero!” I say and a proud smile plasters across her face.

“Just like Mommy.” She exclaims and I nod, it’s cute that she sees her mom as a superhero.

We go a little further into the station to a spot where less people are and wait for Scarlett.
After a few seconds she reaches us and smiles at me thankfully.

“Mommy, I was a superhero!” Rose tells her excitedly and a surprised expression is seen on her mother’s face. So, Rose starts to tell her mom what she did and Scarlett lets go of one suitcase to slightly ruffle her daughter’s hair.

“Well done, sweetheart.” She says and smiles. She holds the handle of the smaller suitcase for Rose to grab who does so and lets go of my hand.

“Thank you again for watching her, two times.” Scarlett grins a little and I smile back. Her smile is just so contagious and I can’t help to return it.

“Of course, she’s been very good.” I answer and Scarlett’s smile widens at the praise.

“Well, I think it’s time for us to go. Good luck with your life in New York and I hope you will find a job very soon.” She says and nods, not having a free hand since she’s now holding Rose’s hand.

“Thank you. And you two a safe way home and have a good life as well.” I reply. For a few seconds, Scarlett and I hold eye contact, before we’re interrupted by Rose.

“Can we color again?” She asks, her eyes surprisingly on me.
I’m a little sure what to answer, not wanting to disappoint her but also not wanting to give her false hope.

“Ehm, you see, I think that will be difficult. New York is a big city with a lot of people. It’s kinda hard to see each other again.” I try my best to explain and look to Scarlett for conformation and she nods, agreeing with my answer. Rose shrugs her shoulders as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Mommy has a phone, she can tell you where we are.” Her bluntness takes me by surprise and I chuckle a bit.

Rose looks up to her mom. “Give y/n your number, please. She draws so colorful fishes.”

Scarlett can’t withstand the pleading puppy dog eyes of her daughter and gets out her phone. I can tell though, that she doesn’t dislike the idea herself.

She holds her phone to me and I give her my number with a small smile. Rose claps happily. Scarlett puts her phone away.

“We will see what will happen but y/n is also busy so it might not work quite as you imagine, okay.” Scarlett carefully tells her daughter, not wanting her to get her hopes up to high and also telling me that I have every right to decline the offer. Rose nods before waving at me.

“Bye, y/n.” She says and I wave back.

“Bye, Rose.” I answer and nod to Scarlett, which she returns in a silent goodbye. All of us turn around and walk different ways.

After I’ve gone a few steps, I hear Rose calling my name and hear little foot steps. I turn around and quickly kneel down when I see Rose launching herself at me. I catch her body and she hugs me, which I return carefully. Scarlett smiles at the interaction that clearly was her daughters wish.

“You know, you hug your friends goodbye.” Rose tells me and I nod, accepting the fact while my heart melts at the fact that she sees me as her friend. Kids are adorable.

“I will remember that.” I say and Rose smiles satisfied before going back to her mom to take her suitcase in the one hand and her mom’s hand in the other.

My eyes follow them a few seconds before I get up and continue my way.

Well, that was an interesting train ride and apparently I made friends with a little girl. Her mother somehow seemed familiar but I couldn’t put my finger on it but maybe I also just imagined that.

I look forward and see the high buildings of New York through the glass of the train station.
New life, here we go.

A/n: My Wanda book is finished now, so I will have all the time to work on this book.
I don't know yet how the updating schedule will look like but today and tomorrow I'll update :D

I always like to hear what you think so far and if you have wishes/ideas storywise for this book.

Thank you for reading and love to you all <3