Chapter 12: Therapy
AN: So, so sorry for the long hiatus. I really needed to focus on my schoolwork and my family but I am back now, I will try to update once a month, emphasis on "try".
"I can't work like this, Mr. Hamilton, enough is enough. I will not sit here and be insulted when I'm just trying to do my job." The physical therapist said loudly.
"I am so sorry Dr. Childs, she's just eager to get back on her feet?"
"Let him go, Alex, tell them to send someone who has more balls!" Eliza shouted from inside the room. Alex looked sympathetically at the doctor before he stormed off. Alex entered the room and gave his wife a look. She, in turn, shrugged her shoulders.
"Betsey, babe, that was the third physical therapist this week and it's only Tuesday!" Alex complained
"They're not pushing me hard enough." Eliza tries to stand up and walk toward him but she struggles to maintain her balance and slumps back down.
"Damn it!" Alex walks over to his wife and bends down so he is eye level with her.
"Don't push yourself too hard. You were bedridden for months, it's going to take some time. Relax."
"Alex, I need to get back to work, it's been too long and we have the gala event coming up and I don't want to be on the red carpet with a cane, in a wheelchair or a boot. I need to get back in shape—" Eliza tried to walk on her own but she lost her balance. Luckily, Alex caught her before she hit the ground. Alex ushered Eliza back to her wheelchair.
"Thanks, but I had it under control—" Alex cut her off with a kiss.
"Slow down, Elizabeth." He teased which earned him a playful slap to the shoulder.
"Don't use my whole name, Alexander. My, haven't the tables turned. You, telling me to slow down."
"Huh, we better check for raining frogs and locusts." Eliza giggled and then sighed heavily
"I have to apologize to that doctor, don't I?"
"Yes, you do Betsey." Alex pecked Eliza's sweaty forehead.
"Counselor Jefferson," Thomas looked up from his messy desk of growing case files. He saw Angelica Schuyler standing in his doorway. He cleared his throat and went back to his work.
"Can you make this visit a quick one Counselor? I have a lot of work to do." Angelica hid the hurt of his bluntness, she closed the door behind her and slowly approached Thomas' desk.
"Thomas, can we talk?"
"About what?" Thomas finally looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Angelica sighed heavily
"Thomas, you know how hard it was for me to even come to see you, please don't do this."
"I need to know why you're here."
"We need to talk about what happened."
"Okay," Angelica sighed heavily. "Counselor Schuyler—"
"Did I ever tell you how I ended up in Paris?" Thomas blinked in surprise and shook his head.
"No, you didn't."
"I was actually seriously dating someone; his name was John. He was very wealthy but that's not why I stayed with him. We genuinely had fun together and we were in love. We were together for about two years, then one day he told me that he was going to be living in Paris for a year, it was hard for us, the distance, but we made it work. I got the clever idea to surprise him for his birthday. So, I booked a flight to Paris and I made sure that I would get there while he was at work. I went to his hotel room and there were roses everywhere, red, chocolates, strawberries, wine. I mean if Valentine's Day was a room that would've been it. I had room service waiting and I was just so excited to see his reaction. I had never done that for anybody I was dating, so I was really putting myself out there and I was so vulnerable and for the first time, I didn't mind it. So, I'm waiting for John to come to the hotel room and he comes in, but there's another woman with him. I've never felt so raw in my life. I didn't even give him time to explain, I grab my things and I left and that's when I ran into you, of all people, in the lobby." Angelica took in a shaky breath and continued her story
"That night you asked me out to dinner and I said yes. In my head, I was thinking 'Out of all people, you go out for dinner with Thomas god damn Jefferson.' But I felt like I was just a woman, not Angelica Schuyler the big-time lawyer, or the one of the infamous Schuyler Sisters; just Angie. You make me feel like Angie and I gotta be honest, it scares the fuck outta me. For so long, I had to be on, ever since I was born, I had to act and talk a certain way. It took the most obnoxious man on the planet and the only person I know who has the audacity to wear a purple suit to the State of the Union and pull it off, to make me feel real and free and alive."
"Do you know what I love about you?" Angelica shakes her head. Thomas stood up and started making his way over to her.
"I love it when you wear glasses, I think it's sexy. Even though you hate wearing them, I love seeing them on you. I love that you bite your lip when you're in serious concentration. I love it when you wear your hair down. I love cooking with you, even though you almost burn your brownstone down almost every time, I love the intimacy and that you know that it makes me happy. I love that mauve color you wear, it looks so beautiful against your skin. You know what I love most about you?" By now, Thomas was standing in front of Angelica.
"I love that you put me in my place, bring me back down to earth when I need it, even if I don't want to hear it, you're real with me. I love you," Thomas grabbed her chin and made her look up at him. "Angelica, Angie, Angel, all of you." Thomas and Angelica shared a sweet kiss before pulling away.
"Let's start over," Angelica suggested. Thomas gave her a sly smile
"I'd like that." Thomas snapped his fingers earning him a confused look from Angelica
"I have something else I love about you."
"Mhm, what is that?"
"I love it when you sing, sometimes you do it in the shower, while we're out. I think it's so sexy." Angelica smirked
"Well, you'll have to hear my high notes," Angelica said suggestively as Thomas leads the two of them to his desk, he sat down in his chair and she straddled him.
"Oh really?" Thomas leaned in but Angelica stopped him with her hand.
"Oh no, Counselor Jefferson," Angelica unwrapped herself from Thomas' embrace. "we're starting over, remember?"
"Oh, really, you gonna do me like that?" Angelica kissed Thomas's forehead.
"Mhm," Angelica slowly got out of his lap. She seductively sauntered to the door making sure to sway her hips each time, knowing that he was staring at her. "call me when you're done here," Angelica gave him one last look before leaving the room.
I felt like I've been looking at my phone 24/7, ever since Frances and I had that big blow up, I've been waiting to hear from her. Every time my phone rings I think it's her, but every time it's someone else. I haven't even heard from or seen Alex since that day. I know he's busy with trying to get Eliza back on her feet and now dealing with the press since he and Eliza released an official statement that she lost the baby in the car accident, life for the Hamilton's have been hectic.
I have to manage my expectations, Alex is married with children and not just two or three, he has seven, technically nine, including the two with that intern. I finally parted ways with my phone to take the whistling kettle off the burner I was just about to make my tea when there was a knock at my door, I hurried over, hoping it was Frances so we can talk it out. When I opened the door, I was even more surprised to see that it was Peggy who was standing outside of my door.
"Pegs?"
"Hey,Iwould'vecalledbutIwasintheneighborhoodandtheresturant'scl-osedon Sunday's—"
"Come in, Peggy." I opened the door wider to allow her to walked which she did hesitantly.
"You want some tea? I have some water boiling."
"Sure." I hated where our friendship ended up, we used to be so close and now everything feels like shit. I went to the kitchen while Peggy made herself comfortable, I made us some tea which she graciously took.
"Still making hot tea in the summertime, Laurens?" Peggy mumbled as she carefully took a sip.
"Yep, and eating ice cream in the winter," I responded which made her chuckle.
"Peggy, I really am sorry about what happened between us. I hope you know that it wasn't my intention to hurt you."
"John, I forgave you when it happened. I just want to know why you didn't tell me. If anything I thought we were friends, I mean we're not as close as you and Alex—"
"Hey, don't do that. Alex and I may be best friends, but Pegs, you're a true friend. I mean the first you did when you found out I was back in the City was buy me food and cook for me."
"Yes, which is why I'm even more confused you didn't feel comfortable enough to tell me. I mean, did you think I wouldn't accept you because I'm pan and I would never judge someone because of their orientation."
"No, of course not, I don't know Peggy. I kinda thought you knew."
"I mean you moved away to London with your wife, you come back after ten years and don't talk to anybody for at least five years. When would I have had the time to figure it out." I sighed heavily, Peggy had a point.
"I'm so sorry Pegs, I really hope you can forgive me."
"Like I said I forgave you when it happened. We good?" I smiled softly
"We good," that's when something clicked for me. "you're pan."
"See, if you hadn't been hiding in this dusty man cave for five years you would've known. Ooohh, now we can go to Pride together." Peggy said excitedly. I shook my head
"Hey, give me a break. I had to readjust to America."
"For five years? Sounds like you were avoiding us."
"What—"
"I'm joking, if I moved across the globe and then came back to New York I'd be in hiding too. We're a bit much to deal with."
"You think? This is the same group of people who got banned from Applebee's."
"Hey, it wasn't even my fault. Your best friend is the one who wanted to fight Aaron and that's why we can't go to Applebee's." I chuckled thinking back on the memory.
"Isn't it crazy how fast time flew? Like I can vividly remember my first day of college and now here we are, you're a famous chef, my daughter's pregnant and engaged—"
"Wait, say what now?"
"Oh yeah, Frances is engaged to Laf's son and they're pregnant," I said matter of fact.
"And you didn't think to tell anybody?"
"I'm sorry, you weren't answering my texts." Peggy rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, but how far along is she? When did she and Georges meet?"
"She's about 8 weeks along and she met Georges when she went to Paris with her friends. They'd had never met so imagine me and Laf's surprise when they tell us who they were dating." I smiled recalling the look on Laf's face when he saw me for the first time in years.
"That's great when you see her. Tell her I said congratulations." I tried to hide the pang of hurt on my face but Peggy being Peggy, she caught it.
"What's wrong?"
"Huh?" I feigned surprise
"Don't act dumb with me, did you Frances have a fight?"
"Yeah, she wants to invite her mother to her wedding and I don't think it's a good idea." I lied, I couldn't tell Peggy what the real issue was
"When was the last time she's seen, Martha?" I shrugged my shoulders
"I think it was her high school graduation. After that, the most communication they have is through texts and Facebook posts." Peggy shook her head
"Well, it is Frances's decision, it's her day. But seeing that you're her Dad and you were the one who raised her, Martha may only ass unnecessary stress on what is supposed Frances's most magical day."
"That's what I tried telling her, but she doesn't want to listen."
"Well given that Eliza has been pregnant many, many times. Let me advise you on pregnant women, their first trimester is a bitch. Especially when it's there fist pregnancy. Their bodies are changing, they're hormones are all over the damn place, it's a shitshow. So cut her some slack, she'll eventually calm down and when she's ready, she'll reach out. Trust me, you guys will be laughing over this in no time."
"I hope so, I really hope so." Peggy was to add on when my phone rang I grabbed it and my heart dropped,
"It's Frances,"
"Well answer it," She urged I quickly go to the living room and answer the phone
"Hey Frankie, you okay?"
"Mr. Laurens?" I frowned when I heard Georges' voice.
"Georges, what's going on is everything okay?"
"Um, not really, Frances and I are in the Emergency Room at the hospital. Frances fell down some stairs."
AN: These group of people cannot stay out of the hospital, but I'm back guys! This Corona has given me some much needed time to get out of my writers. I literally wrote this at 2:00 AM. Everyone please stay safe out there and please self-isolate! Until next time!
