The Ghost Of The American Soldier

Chapter Three - Old Friends

"Come on Angie! Catch up!" Philip runs along the halls of his home with his little sister waddling in tow.  He makes a sharp turn, and almost knocks into a table when a hand grabs onto the back of his shirt.

"Philip! Be careful man!" Laurens pulls the energetic five year old from his near collision. Angelica Hamilton, Philips three year old sister stares at her brother confused. She can't see the man in the tattered war uniform either.

Philip makes a pouty face "Don't be so boring! I was just having some fun!"    Alexander walks past the hallway while Philip is having his conversation with Laurens. He just suspects he's being scolded by his mother, until he walks into the family room to see her embroidering something while sitting on the loveseat.

"Eliza, who's Philip talking to?" Alex has a double take before looking back to his wife.    "He's been doing that for quite some time lately, I think he might have an Imaginary friend. But of course you would know that if you actually spent some time with your wife and kids instead of working all day"

Alex has pulled himself into a trap, and there's no way out now. "There's a huge thing going on with France right now, I can't abandon my job now!" Eliza raises an eyebrow and goes back to her embroidery. Alex tries to make his way out of the room quickly before his wife can say anything else.

"I think I'm pregnant" She says, never looking away from her cloth. Alex whips his head around "Well that was a lot less romantic than when you announced the last two" Alex sits down next to his wife and grabs a hold of her hand.

"Maybe I could ask Washington if I could get a couple of days on leave," Alex says in defeat. Eliza looks at him and that connection sparks again. He pulls her in for a kiss, it lasts for quite a while until Philip pops his head into the room.

"Eeeewwww" He says while sticking his tongue out. Eliza giggles and calls Philip to sit down. Angelica stumbles in as well. "Now Philip, do you remember how excited you were when we told you that Angelica was being born?" Philip nods his head "Uh-Huh"

Laurens walks into the room and props himself on the doorway, listening in on the family meeting. Alex continues "Well, it looks like you may be getting another sister or brother!" Philip stays silent for a moment before exclaiming "YES!" and jumping in the air. Laurens takes in the moment of pure happiness for the family, that is until things get awkward very quickly.

"If we're gonna have another baby, then where is John gonna sleep? Do we have enough rooms?" This causes the couple to grow silent. Eliza is the first one to speak. "Who's John dear?" Philip tilts his head and then speaks "He's my friend! Only I can see him though." Laurens is silently panicking.

Eliza turns to her husband "See Alex, I told you he had an imaginary friend".    Laurens releases a large breath, thankful that Philip didn't go into any more detail. "Is that all mom?" Philip asks, anxious to go and play again. "Yes Philip, you can go and play with John now". Philip bolts out of the room, grabbing onto his sisters hand.

"I don't know if it's good to encourage this Eliza..." Alex says letting out a sigh. Eliza waves her hand "He'll be fine, it's good for him to do it, he'll learn social skills." With a shrug of her shoulders. "Now, the dreaded question, when do you have to work again?" Eliza catches him just before he can leave the room. "I have to leave for Virginia in two days"

"Just be sure to ask Washington for those days off." Eliza can't help but feel bad. If her husband didn't work so hard they wouldn't be so well off, so she decides to let him off the hook for once.   Laurens wanders the living room, watching Eliza quietly hum to herself as she embroiders. The silence gets interrupted by a knock at the door. Eliza gets up and hurries to answer the door.

"Mrs. Hamilton! Is your husband home?" Laurens knew that smug voice anywhere, but it couldn't be. He walks up to the door and stands in shock. There he was.

Aaron Burr.

"Mr. Burr? Yes, Alexander's home, but do you mind me asking why now you are visiting after all these years?" Burr raises his eyebrows. "I've been busy for a long time, with Theodosia being just about your sons age, she's a lot to handle sometimes."

This was the first time he had seen Burr since John died, He still had that snobby expression on his face, but his eyes had grown softer, and more tired. Alex enters the room "Eliza who is it?". The two friends share eye contact for a moment before burr is the first to break the silence

"Surprise seeing me here, I know, but I need to speak to you about the Paris agreement before everyone meets in Virginia. "Well then let's confer, sir." Alex responds. They walk towards Alex's office, leaving Eliza alone. She sits back down on the loveseat and begins talking to herself.

"Right when we were starting to feel like a family again, work has to get in the way..." She puts her head in her hands "I just don't know what to do" Laurens stands there, a fly on the wall, hearing everything.

"I guess that's what I deserve for marrying the most outspoken man in New York." she says followed by a dry chuckle. She adjusts herself and eventually falls asleep on the couch. Laurens takes this opportunity to see if he can lift Elizas spirits.

He goes to the nearest vase and picks out a rose that is in full bloom, he's gotten a lot better at interacting with physical objects in the past couple of years.    Being careful that nobody is around to see the rose float in midair, he places the rose carefully in Eliza's hands, she'll think Alex did it, and maybe, just maybe, that will make her feel a bit more loved.

He walks into the office to see Alex and Burr debating as usual. He peeks his head into the playroom to see Philip knocked out over a box of toys and angelica quietly snoozing next to her brother.   Laurens carefully picks up the two sleeping children and take them to their respective rooms.

Before he can walk out of Philips room, Philip stirs awake.

"John?" He says sleepily.

Laurens turns around "Yes?".

"Can you tell me a story?"

This is new... usually Philip just falls right asleep, but a story wouldn't hurt. He pulls up one of the small chairs and tries to figure out a story to tell, he thinks for a moment before an idea comes to his head.

"Once upon a time, there was a king... And all this king wanted was power. He took everything from his loyal subjects. And one day, they decided to fight back..."    And he continued the story of the revolution, in vivid memory.

"John?" He cut Laurens off in the middle of a sentence.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me another story tomorrow?"

Laurens chuckles "Of course I can" 

As he finishes the first story, Eliza wakes up in the Family Room, with something unfamiliar in her hands.

A rose.

She smiles, finally being shown affection by who she thinks was her husband.

Still

It's no doubt that it's appreciation for a woman who needs it.