Note:

I'm calling Eliza and Alexander's daughter Angelica II so we can tell the difference

-9 years later-

"Ready?" Eliza asked her now 9-years-old son

"Yes mommy!" Phillip put his fingers on the piano and Eliza on her fingers on his

"Un, deaux, trois, quartre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf."

"Un, deaux, trois, quartre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf."

"Good, Phillip. Again. Un, deaux, trois, quartre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf."

"SIX, SEPT, HUIT, NEUF!" Phillip banged the keys and yelled

"Sept, huit, neuf." Eliza corrected him

"SEPT HUIT NEUF!" He continued to yell

"Sept, huit, neuf."

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine." They harmonized and hugged each other

-meanwhile-

"My dearest Alexander,

You must get through to Jefferson at once. I advise that you sit down with him and compromise and keep going until you agree

Your favorite elder sister, Angelica, reminds you there is always someone in your corner all the way across the sea.

However, in a letter I received from you two weeks ago I noticed a comma in the middle of a phrase. It changed the meaning, did you intend this? One stroke and you've consumed my waking days, it says; My dearest Angelica. With a comma after dearest, you've written; My dearest, Angelica.

Anyway, I'm coming home this summer at my sister's invitation. I'll be there with your family if you make your way upstate

I know you're very busy I know your work's important, but I am crossing the ocean to see you. For once you won't be an ocean away.

Forever yours,

A. Schuyler-Church

Angelica sighed as she put the letter in an envelope and closed it with a wax seal. Deep down, she knew the main reason she was going to America was for Alexander. She was head over heels for him after all, but she still felt selfish doing it

She went to her room and double checked her bags to make sure she had everything she needed for her trip

"Are you sure you want to go alone, my dear? I can always accompany you." Her husband offered

"No thank you, John." Angelica cringed at "my dear"

"Why do you never take me on your journeys to America? Why haven't I even met your family yet?"

"Because, John. You're busy half of the time so I don't ask. Please let's not talk about this now."

"When will we talk about it, Angelica? Every time I try to go anywhere, do anything, or take you anywhere it's always the same thing. "Not today, John" Or "Maybe later, John" I'm tired of it!" John argued

"Well I'm sorry, but every time you want to take me anywhere, it's always some stuffy ball with your friends and their bimbo wives! I don't want that for myself, John!" Angelica argued back

"I'm trying to make this work, Angelica! I want to make you happy! I know being married to me isn't ideal and I know you didn't want to marry me in the first place, but the least you can do is put an effort into this marriage and not try to run away at every opportunity!"

"How dare you. I'm not running away from anything, and you're right. This isn't an ideal position for me, I don't put effort because I just want my family. I want to go back to America. London is amazing, yes, but I just want to go home. You can come with me if you wish, if you don't want to, that's fine. Just know that one of these days, months, maybe even years. I'm going back to the city and I'm going to stay. Besides, my little sister, Peggy needs me. Her daughter is 9 years old now. She also just lost a baby and I don't want her to go through it alone." Angelica informed her John

John stared at her, puzzled

"Fine, go. But on the day you plan to go to America to stay, tell me. I wish to go with you. I don't care about my job here, or my status there, or how my career might flourish or drop if I go. I love and cherish you. I would fight for you even if I had to go through Hell."

"Thank you, John. I'm sorry for hurting you."

"I'm sorry as well. Have fun, my love."

———————————-

"Alexander, come downstairs! Angelica's here!" Eliza yelled for her husband

This was the first time Alexander willingly jumped up from his desk and ran downstairs, and Eliza noticed this. She said nothing as usual

"Angelica!" Eliza said with excitement in her voice

"Eliza!" Angelica said with matched enthusiasm

Alexander came downstairs in a rush and looked up to see his favorite Schuyler sister, and it wasn't Eliza

"Alexander."

"Angelica."

He ran to her and swept her up in his arms and twirled her around the room. She held his shoulders and laughed as he did this, however, this did not go unnoticed by Eliza as always

"How are the essays turning out?" Angelica asked him

"They're doing well. Peggy seems to be very adamant on finishing them and releasing them to the public, she told me she wanted to protect her husband's legacy and do what he couldn't."

"I'm glad to hear it. She hasn't stopped talking about it's success and how she's going to hire someone to write John's biography so his legacy is secure."

"Peggy really is trying to keep his story alive isn't she?" Alexander asked rhetorically

"Yes, but I'm worried she's focusing more on her husband than herself. She hasn't been doing well. It seems she's been coming down with some sort of disease. It's not serious, I just wish she'd take better care of herself."

"I hope so."

"Angelica, tell this man that John Adams takes the time to come with his family upstate." Eliza tried to change the subject

"Angelica, tell my wife John Adams doesn't have a real job anyways."

"You're not joining us? Alexander, I came all the way from London."

"She came all this way, please take a break." Eliza asked him

"There's a beautiful lake up there."

"I know I'll miss your face"

"It's in a nearby park."

"Screw your courage to the sticking place."

"You and I can go."

"Eliza's right you know."

Both women held his hand while Eliza held Angelica II and Angelica held Phillip

"Take a break..."

"Ladies, I have to get my plan through Congress. I cannot stop until I get my plan through Congress." Alexander told them in a tired voice.

He wasn't looking so well now that Angelica thought about it. He had deep, dark bags under his eyes. Alexander had lost a lot of weight but his eyes still had determination in them.

He trudged back upstairs, but not before giving a kiss to his wife and children and a warm embrace to his sister in law

"Oh well, I guess we shall continue without him. Is it always like this, 'Liza dear?" Angelica interrogated her

Eliza said nothing and had a sad look on her face

"Oh. I see." She took her sister's silence as a yes and Angelica pulled her into a hug

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Author's note: yessss the story is coming together. This chapter was Take a Break and we all know what happens after Take a Break. In case you need a timeline, the affair happens as soon as they leave, they return in like a year because that's how long the affair lasted. So, my plan is add the Say No To This chapter and add a chapter checking up on Peggy so it doesn't feel rushed into the Reynolds Pamphlet. I hope you agree with my plans. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Comment, vote, like, whatever you gotta do!

Love,

Kennedy Brown❤️