How to Love

Chapter Two: Charleston

"When are we going to reach Charleston?" I was being jostled around, accidentally bumping into one of my siblings and the inside frame of the carriage.

"About...now," Papa said. "Look, there's Aunt Charlotte's house. We'll be staying there."

Aunt Charlotte's house was a beautiful white grand house, with tall columns on the sides. All of us exited the road and plotted our feet onto Aunt Charlotte's porch where Aunt Charlotte stood. "Children!" Aunt Charlotte exclaimed.

"Aunt Charlotte!" My younger siblings yelled, each giving her a hug.

"Welcome! Welcome! Margaret, William, look at you...!" Aunt Charlotte embraced them before slowly letting go as Papa strode towards her. "What have you been feeding them?"

"They're from good stock on their mother's side," Papa answered.

"Thank you," Aunt Charlotte said. I made my way closer to her and felt her eyes on me. "Almyra? Oh my. You have grown so much!"

"Thank you, Aunt Charlotte." I said with a smile.

"Come inside. I got presents."

"Presents?!" All of us yelled, pushing Papa to get through the door.

"You too, Susan. I got this for you." I watched through the doorway, embracing a new dress that had floral design. Susan was given a doll. "This was your mother's." Aunt Charlotte handed Susan the doll, and Susan walked inside carrying it.

"Go on, Susan. Margaret is close by." I said to her.

Aunt Charlotte looked at me before looking at Papa. "She still hasn't started talking?"

"No, we've been trying. But I guess she doesn't want to start yet." I answered before Papa can.

"Well, let's get inside." Papa said as I made room for the both of them to come in.

-Time skip-
"...he cuts off my other leg with his taxes!" 

The crowd roared while I was walking through a crowd that gathered for patriotic speeches. Street urchins, patriots, loyalists, whores, and drunks were here, taking in the scene and drinking.

I followed Gabriel as we pushed through the crowd, excusing ourselves to get though. We stopped by a girl who looked to be fifteen. Gabriel turned around at me and I mouthed, 'what are you doing?'

'You'll see,' he mouthed back.

"Miss. Howard, isn't it?" Recognization of the name reached my ears and I stared at the girl who had beautiful features.

Anne Howard stared ahead, not looking back at Gabriel or I and spoke, "you know who I am, Gabriel Martin. The last time you saw me I was nine and you put black ink into my tea."

I giggled and Anne turned around, searching for the culprit and her eyes landed on me. "Almyra Martin. You helped Gabriel put ink into my tea. You made the ink yourself as there wasn't any around."

"Uh, I believe that was perhaps one of our brothers, maybe Nathan or Samuel," I lied. "Samuel probably made the ink and Nathan put the ink in your tea."

"You're a horrible liar, Almyra." Anne said, revealing her teeth as she grinned. "It was you two and it turned my teeth black for a month!"

Gabriel scratched his scalp as I watched him searching for words, only to never say.

"You have to admit, it was pretty funny." I said.

Anne shook her head and looked at me with amusement evident in her features.