And Peggy

Let's Go Upstate

"Justine! Henry! Cortland!" Peggy called her three children to the kitchen, where most of the family announcements were made.

Justine was the first to come. Justine was seven, and unlike her mother, believed in proper ladylike behavior. Normally Peggy would tell her to lighten up, but she was so young, and it was entertaining to watch her constantly adjust her dress, or even better, her brother's outfit. She had long brown hair, and brown eyes, she same chocolaty shade as her father in her eyes.

Next, Henry came running inside. Henry did not care much for appearances. His dark hair was constantly ruffled, and he always had dirt on his hands, much to his sister's dismay. He was a spitting image of his mother, with his father's nose. He was five years old.

Lastly, Stephen came in, carrying Cortland, their third little boy at the age of three. He always had a smile on his face, and was curious all the time, much like his nine year old cousin, Philip. He had rosy, chubby cheeks, dark blond hair, and a pointed nose. To complete the look, he had big, brown eyes.

"What is it, mother?" Justine asked.

"Don't call her 'mother', call her 'mommy'!" Henry argued.

Quickly, Peggy intervened. When Justine and Henry began to fight, it was an equivalent of a world war.

"Hush, call me whatever you like, as long as it is respectful." She said.

Henry shot Justine a smug look.

"What is the news?" Justine asked. She never took losing well.

"As soon as father finishes his work, we are traveling upstate to your grandfather's home!"

The children smiled.

"We will be there early, I told Angelica she should go to Eliza's home and convince Alexander to put down that quill for a while." Peggy told Stephen as he kissed her cheek.

"That is perfectly ok with me." He said, looking at Peggy with love and admiration.

On the way there, Justine insisted on braiding her mother's hair.

"Mother, tell me another story of that John Laurens man."

Peggy sighed. The pain of losing John had not lessened, but had become more bearable.

"Now now Justine, we want to let your mother relax." Stephen warned.

"No no, it is quite alright." Peggy shifted positions so Justine could reach for some more locks. "Let me see... Did I tell you about the snowball fight?"

"No!" Henry commented.

"But they are so unladylike!" Justine gasped.

Peggy chuckled. "I was not exactly I lady." She recalled the chilly day after the ball, the day after she had met John.

Everybody laughed once Peggy got to the part where John threw a snowball at her.

"Hey!" She pretended to look hurt.

Talking about John almost made it feel as if he were alive again. It filled the hole in Peggy's heart, at least for now.

•••

A few days later, Henry was the only one awake. "We're here!" He yelled.

Peggy slowly woke up, along with the others. "Henry, if this is another house that looks like Grandfather's but isn't-"

"No, look! There he is!"

Indeed there he was, Philip Schuyler, standing in the doorway and waving to the Van Renssealer's.

"Grandpa!" Henry ran out of the carriage before it pulled to a complete stop.

"Henry! Be careful!" Stephen yelled.

Once the carriage pulled to a complete stop, the others left, Justine in the lead.

"Hello, Grandfather." She curtsied.

"Well hello there, Justy. What a fine young lady you are."

Justine was so pleased with the compliment, she forgot to grimace at her old nickname. "Why thank you, grandfather. What a pleasure it is to see you again."

As she walked inside, Philip chuckled. "Well, she has only gotten more elegant. Perhaps that is where all your ladylike behavior went." He teased his youngest daughter.

"Ha, ha." She laughed with no expression, but gave him a big hug after Stephen shook his hand. "How wonderful it is to see you again."

"And you, my dearest."

"When will Angelica and Eliza be here?" Stephen asked.

"They shall be here in a few days time. For now, I will show you to your rooms." He smiled.

•••

A few days later, a carriage pulled into their home.

"Angelica! Eliza!" Peggy yelled. Forgetting she was an adult, she ran through the yard and down to the carriage.

"Peggy!" They screamed and took her in their arms.

Peggy felt surreal. The Schuyler Sisters were back together again!

Philip and Angelica, Eliza and Alexander's first daughter, came running out the carriage, hugging Peggy.

"Hello you two!" She smiled. "Where is your part of the family?" She asked Angelica.

Angelica sighed. "Much to my dismay, the trip was too long for all of us to go. But they all send you their love."

"I shall write them a letter tonight. And Alexander?"

A sudden hush fell over the two, as if Peggy had uttered a swear word.

"He will not be joining us." Angelica said. Her tone was grave.

"Why not?"

Small tears had formed in Eliza's eyes.

"We shall discuss that later. For now, we can enjoy ourselves!" Angelica was clearly attempting to change the subject.

Peggy picked up on the hint. "Yes! What shall we do first? Go in the lake?"

"We still need to unpack." Eliza chuckled.

"You can do that later, come on!" Peggy urged.

"I am glad to see you are still the same girl I left at the pier all those years ago." Angelica smiled.

"Angelica!"

"Eliza!"

"And Peggy!"

"The Schuyler Sisters!"