People were shooting their muskets up into the air and the cannons in the magazine fired loudly, Williamsburg was wild with celebration. With a booming voice, an orator read the Declaration of Independence in the town square to the enthusiastic crowd, bringing new life to each word.
"The British have surrendered!" William danced around the garden with his friend Thomas brandishing sticks as swords. Little Polly waved a small American flag happily.
"It is over, Polly! We beat the British!" William grabbed his sister's hands and swung her around in a happy jig.
Felicity and Nan smiled, bemused at their younger siblings' antics. "I am sure Ben will home soon." Nan assured her sister as she put her arms around her.
"And Henry too," Felicity murmured.
"It will all resolve itself; fate has a funny way of working out."
Two weeks pasted and Felicity heard naught from Ben and Henry. At first her family assured her that she would hear in due time, but as days turned into weeks the words assurance subsided and turned into sad smiles. After a week and a half of waiting, Mister Merriman encouraged Felicity to come work at his shop, insisting that getting out of the house would take her mind off everything. However, in Felicity's mind, some days being in the store made her heart hurt more, customers would come in telling news of Yorktown, family members and friends who had come home and those who would never return. In Williamsburg, it seemed like the best places to get the most up-to-date news was the tavern and Merriman's shop, the constant flow of people brought with them a constant flow of gossip and news.
"Miss Felicity, would you mind restocking these bolts of cloths on the shelves?" Marcus asked, setting a large wooden crate down on the floor.
"Of course," Felicity responded with distraction; her eyes caught on the beautiful fabric spilling out of the box.
"Your father would like them on the top shelves; I'll bring the ladder over." Marcus said, watching Felicity sink down and bury her hands in the fabrics, "Ooo this one is so soft, Marcus, 'tis like the coat of a baby lamb!" Felicity picked up a corner of a beautiful blue cloth and rubbed it to her cheek.
"Your father thought you would enjoy this task, if you need me I will be right back, I have to make a delivery and your father will be back on the hour." Marcus set the ladder in place and left to make his delivery, leaving Felicity alone in the store.
Felicity sat on the floor, examining the bolts of fabric. She pulled out a lively pink fabric and remembered her tenth birthday when she, Ben and one of their friends had sounded the alarm that the British were stealing gunpowder from the magazine; "that was so long ago, so much had happened since than," she thought. That mayhap been the first time the reality of what was about to unfold between the colonists and the British had hit her. Hugging the cloth to her chest, she got up off the floor, after reaching to grab another bolt; she grasped the ladder with her free hand and slowly began to climb. At the top she pressed herself against the ladder to steady herself as she shifted the bolts in her arm so as to place them on the shelf.
"I should have only taken one at a time," she thought to herself as she grittered her teeth at the balancing predicament she had gotten herself into.
"Bbrrrriiiinnngggg" the bell above the door interrupted her thoughts. Without turning to greet the customer, Felicity called out that she would be with them in a minute as the visitor's footsteps indicated that they had come closer.
"Haste makes waste: you should have only taken one bolt up." A familiar voice rimprimanded lightly.
"Ben!" Felicity's face lite up and she spun abruptly on the ladder, causing her to loose her balance and fall.
"Whoa there my girl!" Ben called out as he caught her in his arms. Straightening up they looked at each other, a look that can not be described, but one that is only known to two people who are meant to be together: one of complete happiness and sereneness. "Felicity," Ben whispered as he reached up to brush back a stray strand of her hair. Still smiling, he suddenly winced in pain as the euphoria of seeing her again passed and he suddenly felt the pain of his wound.
"Ben! What's wrong?" Felicity pulled away and noticed his arm in a sling. "Oh, Ben! You've been hurt!" her face fell with concern.
"Tis nothing," he said as he pulled her back towards him with his free arm and hugged her closed. "Tis nothing, I am home now."