I STAND IN front of John Laurens at the train station as he's about to board the train for South Carolina. It's just after Thanksgiving and two weeks since the incident with John Andre. I'm slowly recovering and healing but overall, besides the fact that John's about to go into war...I'm alright. I can only pray for his safety and that he doesn't do anything stupid and most importantly, that he comes homes to me. To us. To my family. To his family. To our family.
The train behind John still stays still as it waits for other officers and recruits to hop on aboard. John grunts as he shrugs his military bag into a comfortable position on his shoulder. He turns to our family and friends behind him.
John walks to Meade first, clapping a hand on his shoulder before Meade engulfs John in a tight hug, patting each other's backs. Meade says something I couldn't hear sternly to John, who laughs and nods. John fixes his military cap as he walks over towards Tilghman, who stands next to Meade in the line. John smiles down affectionately at his friend while Tilghman wills himself not to cry. He keeps blinking his eyes and occasionally sniffs when John approaches him. John whispers something, a reminder, a moment of encouragement but whatever it is, made Tilghman even more emotional than he was before. John laughs heartily before embracing his friend in a tight hug. The two stay there long than I'd like them to be but I understand. Tilghman pats John on the shoulder before finally releasing him. He walks over to Tallmadge, then Warren, then Hale. Then Peggy, next is Eliza, and then Angelica. My heart races as he comes closer towards me.
Lafayette stands next to me with an arm around my shoulder, rubbing my bicep up and down comfortingly. I couldn't help but smile proudly at John, wearing that military uniform and fighting for his country, for his home. For me.
Martha, my adoptive mother not Manning or his sister, comes next in line. Before John could utter a word, Martha pulls him down into a tight hug, sobbing with pride and anxiousness into his shoulder, thanking him over and over for what he's done for me and for making me happy, etcetera and reminds him to come home alive to us and that he's part of the family now. Martha also reminds John that he already has hers and George's blessing for whenever John proposes to me, which causes me to blush deeply, if and when he does. George is next in line. John swallows nervously as he meets George's intense gaze, though to my surprise, George smiles. He clasps hands with John and shakes his hand twice before pulling him into a tight embrace. John stands there for a moment, shocked but returns the hug nonetheless. I couldn't help but laugh to myself, blinking emotional tears away.
After they pull apart, George nods once, smiling proudly and with pride as he pats John's shoulders once more. John then moves to Lafayette, sharing their possibly final goodbyes and then to Mulligan before he now stands in front of me. I stare blankly at the letters on his breast pocket that reads: LAURENS.
I smile softly, tracing the letters with my finger lightly before looking up into John's beautiful sky-blue eyes. He smiles down at me, combing a few russet curls out of my violet eyes. He tilts his head to get better look at me and laughs quietly. I find myself laughs as well. I place both of my hands on his chest, staring at the empty space between my hands before looking back up at him again.
"You'll come home to me?" I whisper, cupping his jaw with my right hand. He leans into my touch and nods. "I'll come home to you, Alexander. I promise."
YOU ARE READING
Helpless (Book 1)
Fiksi PenggemarSeventeen-year-old Alexander Hamilton should feel lucky. He should feel lucky that he survived the hurricane and the illness he and his mother had when he was twelve. He should feel lucky that he has a family now, an adoptive one at that. He doesn't...
