Running Out of Time (A Philip Hamilton Romance)

Bliss

Amelia's POV

Angelica and I arrived to the house to find Alex waiting for us.

"Alex!" Angelica ran to him and scooped him up in a hug. Seeing them happily together brought joy to my heart. I took our things to our rooms. I knew Angelica would come get me when Philip came home.

While I waited, I slipped the locket that he had given me off and smelled the rose petal still inside. I didn't know how to tell him about the marks on my arms. It was too warm to wear my dresses with full sleeves in the spring. The bruises would tell him that something had happened. Some of the people in town couldn't believe that I continued to work in the Hamilton household after the Reynolds Pamphlet was printed. They didn't realize I was loyal to Mrs. Hamilton, not her husband. I couldn't say this, though. I was just an employee to them.

After a few hours, there was knock at my door. I did my best to cover the marks and went to open the door. Standing there was my dear, Philip, with the most beautiful smile spread across his face. He stepped into the room and collected me into a hug. "I missed you so much," I mumbled into his chest. He rubbed my back a bit, "I missed you, too. Angie told me what happened in town the last week. Did they hurt you?" He pulled back a bit to look at my face. I nodded, sheepishly, and pulled back my sleeves to show him my bruises.

"Ami, why didn't you tell me?" He asked as he examined my arms gently. I couldn't answer him. I didn't know the answer myself. He took my face in his hand, "I should have been there. It should have been me. The only thing you did was care about my family." I shook my head and kissed him. "No," I whispered against his lips, "the only people responsible for this are the ones that approached me in town."

He held me against him, protectively. "I'm going to write my parents. I can't wait any longer," he said into my hair. I pulled back and looked at him, "You only have another month. Just wait a little longer, my love." I could tell he didn't like this. "Fine, I won't tell them yet, but I am going to ask Mother to bring the family to the city, so that I can be closer to you all because... I'm worried," he said sternly. I knew I wasn't going to win this, so I agreed.

Philip's POV

Within a week of writing to Mother, the rest of the children and she were staying in the city. It was much easier to see Amelia and we didn't have to sneak letters anymore. Soon after they arrived, Mother wanted to speak with me, alone. "Philip, I need to ask you something and if you lie to me, I will be able to tell," she said to me. I nodded, a bit confused. "Have you met anyone that you've thought of courting? You're at the age now where I'm surprised there hasn't been a mention of a lady that you have decided to pursue, seriously," she looked at me, quizzically.

Okay, Philip, you were going to tell them soon, anyway. Now is as good a time as any. And Mother would be much more understanding than Father. She loves Amelia.

"Yes, Mother. There is a lady I want to court, but I wanted to know that you approve." She continued to look at me. "It's Amelia, Mother. I know it may not be proper, but I've loved her for years," I dropped my head, afraid to see anger on her face. My mother stepped up and hugged me, "I know, my sweet boy. I was only waiting for you to tell me." The smile on her face was the happiest I had seen her in years.

"Mother...may I ask Amelia for her hand?" Her eyes sparkled with tears, "Go. Ask her."

I ran to the garden outside where Amelia was watching my siblings play. I dropped down onto the blanket next to her. She seemed startled by my abrupt presence. "Hello, Philip, shouldn't you be at school?" I couldn't help, but chuckle at the question because that's just who she was. Always worried about everyone's studies. "I don't have class today, but I have news and a question for you." She straightened up on the ground, "Alright, go ahead."

There were a few locks of hair falling out of her bun around her face. "I told Mother about us and-," I started to speak, but she jumped up, frantically. She started for the house, "Oh no! I have to go apologize! I have to let her know that-!" I grabbed her around the waist, "Ami, she was happy. She knew I loved you before I told her." She blinked at me, "She... knew?" I smiled and chuckled, "Yes, love. Now on to my question." She shook her head, "Right, of course. What is it?" I dropped down on my knee and took her hand, "Amelia Odette Mercier, will you give me the honor of being my wife?"

Amelia's POV

There he was on his knee in front of me. I could hardly breathe. "Yes!" I squealed as I tackled him to the ground. We lied there in the grass laughing together for a long while. His eyes sparkled with love as he propped himself up on his elbow next to me. His dark curls were loose around his shoulders. I reached up and tangled my fingers in his hair. I loved knowing this man wanted me forever. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead before pulling me up to sit under the tree with him.

We spent the rest of the day and into the night that way. Talking and laughing under the tree, "Philip?" I looked up at him. "Hmm?" He replied with his eyes shut. I rested my head on his chest, "Do you remember the last time we sat like this under the stars?" He wrapped his arms around me, "Wasn't it the night before I left for boarding school?"

*Ten Years Earlier*

Philip and I had played outside well into the night because I didn't know when I would see him again. We were only nine, but I already loved him. I, also, knew that I shouldn't be thinking that way about the eldest son of the family that took in an orphan like me.

I liked watching him play piano and listening to him sing in French. It reminded me of home. I tried to only speak French when I really needed to or didn't know the English word. Philip was so kind and helped me fill in the blanks in my English.

We were laying in the grass looking up at the stars. "Philip," I whispered, "I don't want you to go." We agreed that night to write as often as we could, but that only lasted a few months. The letters stopped coming and I was heartbroken.