For Once We're At Peace

Chapter 11

Barking awoke Esperanza in the morning, as well as her face being licked. "Gah, Skye!" she exclaimed, chuckling at the cutie. "You silly goose." Skye barked once more before jumping down from the bed and padding over to her bed where she curled up. "I guess we best get up, huh?"

Noticing her phone vibrating on the bedside table, she glanced at it to see a random number calling her. Strange, the thought as she picked up the vibrating device, I haven't given my number out to anyone that I don't know. "Hello?" she asked after answering, Skye's ears perking up almost immediately at the anxious tone of her owner.

"Hi, is this Esperanza Washidoz?" asked the person, Esperanza guessed they were male just by the sound of their voice, on the other line.

"Speaking."

"Wonderful," the man said in a cheery matter. "Would you be able to meet me at the Starbucks down from 8th avenue?" Esperanza faltered slightly. They didn't have a show today, so she could meet up with them. "Esperanza?"

"Hm? Oh, my apologies," Esper apologised. "I'll be able to meet up with you after the Q&A we're doing with the fans, roughly around 12."

"That'll be perfect, thank you, doll," he thanked.

"Say, could I get your name?" The male was silent, seeming to contemplate whether or not to tell Esper his name.

"You don't need to know my name, doll," he said before hanging up. Shaking her head, she got changed and headed to the theatre where they were doing the Q&A with the fans from 11 to 12. Upon arrival, Jon greeted her and seemed slightly on edge.

"Hey, Esper, can I talk to you for a quick moment?" he asked. Esper nodded, both walking to the side and spoke in hushed tones. "Did someone ring you this morning at all?"

Esper paused, considering what to say. Should she tell the truth and say yes? Or should she lie and say no? Noticing the worried look on Jon's face she smiled and shook her head. "I didn't, no," she lied. Jon nodded, a sigh of relief escaping his lungs as his shoulders slumped.

"Good, good," he nodded. "Betsy got a call this morning from someone asking her to meet her at the Starbucks down from 8th avenue." Esper felt her heart stop for a second. She wasn't the only one who got the call? "Luckily, Betsy said no. I'm just glad you or anyone else didn't get the same call. It freaked Betsy out quite a bit. Anyway," Esper's hand balled into a fist in her hoodie pocket. "I'll see you later, Esper. Good luck with the Q&A today!" With that, Jon left her alone as she realised what had just happened.

This mysterious man hadn't just called her, he had also called her close friend, Betsy. The voice sounded oddly familiar to her, but she wasn't entirely sure who it was. Could it be James? When was the last time she had heard James' voice? But, surely James would tell her it as him, right? It doesn't matter. She made a promise to meet with this mysterious man, and she was going to fulfil that promise.

They were halfway through the Q&A when Esper noticed one of the fans who had had their hand up for a while. "Esper, your turn," Lin said with a smirk. Nodding, Esperanza pointed to the fan that had their hand up since the start.

"Thank you," she thanked. "So, we know you're the descendant that had gotten the letters. Could you read one out for us if you feel comfortable enough?" Esper smiled and nodded before getting up and grabbing one of the letters before returning and sitting down and picking up her microphone.

Clearing her throat, Esper gently grasped the letter in her lap and started reading. "My dearest, Alexi," she read. "How often we see the dawn and take for granted the sun, that we see the blackness become a vista, the world we love, our home... yet after that, do we think of the light and how it brings our world to life? Do we think of how it shows us colour instead of only grey and warms us from our skin to our core, ignites our thoughts to beauty, inviting that light and warmth to enter our hearts also, before respectfully giving us time to dream, to accept it as part of ourselves if we wish.... yet always giving us the moon and stars. So, this dawn, as the blackish-greens take on their vibrant and verdant hues, I let it soak in a little deeper. As the sky changes from charcoal to soft dove grey I already cherish the blue that is to come. For the dawn is the invitation to the day, to the gift that is the present if we have the courage to see it fully and to love it with all that we are. I will always love you, my love. Forever yours, Ranza Hamilton."

The crowd clapped as did the main cast who she was doing the Q&A with, some people awing at how sweet the letter was to Alexander. Chris, who was sat next to Esper, takes her hand in his and gives it a gentle squeeze upon noticing the tears in her eyes. After recollecting herself, they continued with the Q&A.

The event soon wrapped up around 12, leaving the cast and crew members to do whatever they wanted for the rest of the day. Remembering the phone call she had received from earlier, Esper headed out to the Starbucks and was surprised to see her childhood best friend, James Eddowes, sitting at a table waiting for her.

"James?" she exclaimed, a smile on her face as the two enveloped each other in a gentle hug. James grinned, ruffling the petite girl's long brown hair. "It's been too long! Where have you been?"

Chuckling, James sat down at a booth and Esper followed. "Here, there, and everywhere," James replied. "If I'm being 100% honest, my parents blamed themselves the day you got into the coma. It didn't really help when Elliot agreed that it was their fault."

"It wasn't!" Esper refuted. "It was no one's fault but the speeding driver. You and I both know that the road was clear when I crossed. Besides, it's not like we could have changed the outcome of it. We should just be glad that I survived it, and I didn't die on impact or die in the coma."

"I heard you came close a few times," James murmured, taking a sip of his drink. Esper hummed, glancing out the window to the bustling streets of modern NYC. It was weird, having seen what New York looked like in the 1700s and 1800s, and then seeing it in modern times after what felt like an eternity. What would Alexander think of it? What would any of the founding fathers, mothers and children think of modern New York? It was so different, a major contrast of it's past.

"I did," she nodded with a soft smile. "But I came back with a vengeance, I guess." They both laughed. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the busy street out of the window, memories floating around their heads as they basked in each other's presence.

"Say, can you still turn?" James asked, a playful smirk on his face as Esper returned the smirk.

"I can get us into the Richard Rodgers, then we'll be able to see who can really turn." James grinned as they quickly headed to the theatre, getting in easily. Once in, they headed to the stage and took of their shoes, putting on their jazz shoes and going to the centre of the stage. "Whoever can get to 8 pirouettes in a row first, wins."

"What's the prize?" James asked, laughing as the girl swatted at him. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Rolling her eyes playfully, both Esperanza and James got ready to start their pirouettes when Thayne rushed onto the stage, claiming he'll count. The two agreed.

"Okay! 1, 2, 3!" James and Esper started to turn. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8," James fell out of his turns whilst Esper continued. "9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20." James and Thayne cheered as Esper did a straddle leap out of her turn sequence.

"That was awesome!" James cheered, hugging the girl as she laughed with him. Thayne hugged them as well, praising Esperanza on completing a 20-turn sequence. After spending some quality time with James and adding his contact to her phone, she grabbed Skye and headed back home before having a shower, getting into her pyjamas, grabbing some dinner and feeding Skye, brushing her teeth, and heading to bed, unaware that her husband's spirit lay next to her, slowly falling asleep to the sounds of modern New York traffic.