Chapter 83

Early 1970

Johnny, George, and Pippa gathered at the table where Anna requested they meet her this afternoon. Mary was out for the afternoon, and so they were all alone. Anna remained sitting when they arrived and just pointed to the chairs.

"I wanted to speak with you all about what is to come," Anna began. She furrowed her brows tightly, her stance serious. "I know your mother has told you about my condition."

"Yes, Mama, we will do whatever we can to help you," Pippa said. She slid her hand over to sit next to Anna's. "We've discussed it. We can take turns…"

"No," Anna said with a shake of her head. "You don't need to do that. I am still here. I am still able. We don't know how quickly this sickness will overtake me, but your mother and I have discussed this. We can handle it. We don't want you missing out on opportunities because of either of us. But I do have a request." Anna let out a shaky breath. "I won't be able to be here for your mother when she needs me the most. I…physically may be here, but my mind will be gone. I know Mary. She will give up everything to care for me, but you must care for her. You must make her take care of herself. You can't let her…" Anna paused, her lower lip trembling. Then her voice went to almost a whisper, as though she was talking to herself. "I will be a burden to her. She won't have me when she needs me."

"Oh Aunt Anna," George said, "Mother loves you. She will never see you as a burden. And we will be here, for both of you."

"Mum, you and Aunt Mary have made us a strong family unit. I know you worry about all of us and how your illness will affect us, but you have to trust we can work together."

Anna closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"I don't want to forget any of you. That is my biggest fear."

Fall 1971

The five of them sat together at the large dining room table. In the middle, as requested by Anna, sat a large chocolate cake. For the rest of the meal, the chef prepared lighter foods such as a soup, some cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.

"Why are we having cake for dinner?" Anna asked, looking at the plate which had just been set in front of her.

"Your request," Mary said with a smile. Anna chuckled.

"When have I ever asked for cake for dinner?" Anna's laughter filled the air. "Honestly, Mary, I think you like to tease me. Pippa, did she put you up to this?"

Pippa smiled, shaking her head. Her eyes then looked between her brothers. Her mama was here, right now. It was the first time she'd had her mama truly here in a long while.

"George? Johnny?"

"No. Just enjoy it, Mum. We're old enough we can have dessert for dinner."

"I guess you're right." Anna picked up her fork and dug into the cake.

George had the chef use Mrs. Patmore's recipe. He took a tentative bite, making sure it tasted as good as Mrs. Patmore's. It was. The chef must have followed the recipe religiously. The bite took him back to when he was a young boy, sitting downstairs with Johnny and Pippa, as Mrs. Patmore snuck them treats before dinnertime.

"After dinner, why don't we all go and sit by the fire for a while," Mary suggested. "I thought, perhaps, we could play a game or something."

"Yes, I think that sounds lovely," Johnny said.

As they finished dinner, they made their way back to the large room. The fire was lit. A checker board was pulled out for George and Pippa to play, while Johnny told them about his latest case. Mary held Anna's hand, noticing the light dimming from her eyes. Soon, Anna would be gone again, forgetting them all.

"It's probably time for us to go to bed," Mary said. Often, Mary could see these moments coming. And when she could, she tried to protect the children from seeing their mother go through that.

By the time they helped them get in bed for the evening, Mary could see the confusion in her lover's eyes. She touched Anna's cheek, but looking back at her was not her Anna. She kissed her cheek anyway.

"It's alright, darling. I'm here. Let's go to bed."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

In the middle of the night, Mary awoke unable to breathe and with a sharp pain in her chest. Panic consumed her. She tried to reach out for the button beside her bed, but she was unable to reach it. Her eyes searched around her; she tried to call out. This was it. This was the end. She was alone.

A tear trickled down her cheek.

But then a hand rested on her shoulder. There was Anna, her eyes on her.

"Shh," Anna soothed, as she bent down closer to her. "Shh, love. Mary, I'm here. I'm right here. It's alright. It's going to be alright." Anna's hand ran down her arm. "I love you," Anna said. She bent down and kissed her.

The moment their lips met Mary felt no more pain. She closed her eyes, feeling at ease. When she opened her eyes again, she found she was no longer in bed. Now, she stood, with Anna in front of her, smiling. Anna looked much younger; and she, herself, felt much younger too.

"Anna," Mary asked. "Where are we?"

But Anna didn't say anything.

"Anna?! Mary!?" Two familiar voices called out for them.

"Matthew?" Mary couldn't believe her ears.

"John," Anna breathed.

Anna and Mary took one another's hands and then headed toward the voices. As they turned the corner, there they were at the bottom of the stairs. Twin girls giggled and ran around them.

"Come on," John said, waving his arm. "Everyone is waiting."

Summer 1990

"Mary! Come on!" Robbie called out after his eldest daughter of three girls. The fourteen year old stepped out of the car, letting out a loud sigh and rolling her eyes.

"Just like Mother," Pippa commented, letting out a laugh.

"Yes, you named her perfectly. She even looks like Aunt Mary," Johnny agreed.

"Where are we supposed to go again?" George asked.

"Over here." It was Jack summoning them closer to the house. Since Anna and Mary had died nearly twenty years ago together in the middle of the night, no one else had lived in the house. George still was Lord, with Robbie next in line.

With no one living in the house, George allowed film crews to film at the house and on nearby property. It brought money to their town. He did give them strict instructions about where they were and were not allowed to film, wanting to make sure his home was protected.

Today, though, began a special project, one where the entire family came to see the first day of filming. Jack's book about his grandmothers: Mary and Anna called The Secret Love Affair was now being turned into a series. It only seemed right that their legacy of children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren would be here to see it come to life.

"Ah!" Jack said, when he finally saw them. "Now, you'll be able to see the first few scenes filmed here outside. If anyone wants to see inside scenes, you'll have to do it in groups. We won't all fit inside." He wielded a script in his hands.

"It's strange, being back here," Pippa whispered to her brothers. She hadn't stepped back in the house since her family left it soon after her mother's died. She'd come to Downton, but not the Abbey. "Mama and Mother would be proud of Jack and what he's accomplished."

"They would be proud of all of us," George said.

"Well, it's because of them that we all exist and have this family."

Pippa heard a voice in the distance.

"Mama?" She asked, turning her head.

"So you hear it too?" Johnny asked his sister. "Every time I'm at this house, I could swear I hear them both."

"It's probably just the wind," Pippa said, shaking her head. "But it's nice to think of them here, together."

"It is," George agreed.

When the filming was over, George, Pippa, and Johnny went to the graveyard together. Anna had been buried with John; Mary with Matthew. However, they had a special plaque made to remember them as a couple together. It just said, "Love finds us in the most unexpected of ways."

Johnny placed a bouquet of flowers in front of the plaque.

"To our mothers," he said, wrapping his arms around his siblings. The three of them stood there, staring at the plaque together.

"To our mothers."

THE END

Thank you all for following along on this long journey that spanned decades. It was a different type of story for me to write, and I thank you for the continued support. As you've probably noticed, I'm not posting as much as I used to on here. I have broken out into working on my own novels. But I will still write on here. I want to keep the two worlds separate. However, if you are curious and want to follow my journey outside of fanfiction, feel free to message me to find out where you can follow me for more information.

I will miss this family that was created with Anna, Mary, Johnny, George, Pippa, and more. It was a joy to write. I appreciate you all :)