~Best of wives. Best of women.~

~chapter 24~

It's true that in the daytime Philadelphia thrived with activity, its busy streets brought to life by passing pedestrians who walked either hurriedly or lazily to their destinations, some whispering jokes to elicit laughter from the companion they walked hand in hand with, others traveling alone in quiet contemplation. But at night, it was a different story.

Nighttime in Philadelphia was a time of quietude. The bustling city temporarily dimmed its bright lights, its streets momentarily deserted as the people retreated to their homes and laid their heads under the same roof of the people they loved, comfort embracing them as well as their warm blankets.

Instead of laughing, or whispering, or the loud clicks of horse hooves or the heels of passing women, the night was filled with sounds of its own. Like the soft whistling produced by the trees as the wind gently brushed against their trunks, or the soft clattering of leaves brushing against each other. The sounds were the most prominent detail of the night.

The second most prominent feature of the night was the slight chill in the air. it wasn't enough to call it freezing, yet it was just enough to run a trail of goosebumps up your arms.

Men who walked through the deadened city in the night, likely walking home from late political meetings, or from booze-ridden taverns, would often sense an eerie vibe to the lifelessness of the city. It wasn't normal to see it so... quiet, yet loud at the same time.

For a moment you could hear someone whispering in your ear, only to realize its the wind murmuring whispers itself.

Eerie or not, Alexander rather enjoyed the solitude. It was a given moment to recollect his sensible thoughts after a chaotic day of work. His hurried footsteps echoed in the stillness of the night, his hands fidgeting with each other. His coat was swung over his shoulder, his long sleeved shirt providing him enough warmth.

Every now and then, he would look over his shoulders, the echoing of his shoes giving the illusion of a follower.

He should be used to this by now, it wasn't his first time walking home this late.

This was the time for the city to rest, along with its people, and Alexander couldn't wait to get home and lay his head down for what was bound to be a short-lived moment of sleep, because it was already 2 in the morning.

Now, his main concern was:

Did Eliza leave the door open for him?

A sense of relief washed over him as the view of the apartment his family temporarily resided in, or at least he hoped it was temporary, came in his sight.

"Come on, come on, come on.." twisting the door knob revealed that Eliza indeed kept the door unlocked for him, his shoulders slumped in release of worry; the mere idea of sleeping in his office was dreadful.

closing the door behind him, Alexander was happy to take off his shoes after wearing them for countless hours, it felt like his poor feet were being released from a tight, enclosed cage. But after his moment of respite was over, he eyed down his surroundings, almost cautiously.

someone was up.

He was surprised at how long it took him to process the obvious. Candles were lit, after all. Usually, when everyone was asleep, all the candles were blown out. He figured it was Eliza, an obvious answer, as all the children were in bed by 9.

He just wasn't expecting her to be so closed.

His heart almost jumped out of his chest when he turned to find her leaning on the wall, submerged in the one place that barely had light. You could've swore he had flashbacks of the war for the split second that his fright was plastered on his face.