Forbidden || Hamgelica

Onze

The dinner wasn't over yet. They all sat silently, the only sound coming out of any of them being the munching sound. "Is it hot in here?" Phillip finally spoke. He was sweating and shaking. He coughed, it sounded like a dry cough.

"Father, are you alright?" Peggy asked. 

"I should be okay." He said and continued to eat. "It's quite hot in here. I'm getting dizzy, anyone else?"

"I'll go open a window," Angelica volunteered. She ran to the nearest window and opened it.

"Angelica!" Peggy called.

"What?!"

"No need for the window, call a doctor!"

"What happened?!" Angelica rushed back.

"He fainted, Ange," she said. She was so worried. "Father?! Papa?!"

"Stay calm. Don't lose it. I'll get a doctor," Angelica said, running out the door. "Alexander, do you mind, come with me, please." She yelled after him.

Alexander quickly got his coat too. "I'd go crazy without you..." Angelica muttered.

~~

"Dr. Stevens?"

"Yes, dear, you mustn't enter without at least a handkerchief to the nose."

"What's he got?" Angelica asked, getting a handkerchief while standing in the doorway.

"Tuberculosis. He won't survive this one."

"How long does he have?"

"A week at most."

"Can he get out of bed?"

"If you'd like to risk spreading it. He should stay in his room for a while. He won't live, Angelica. You'd be orphaned."

"I'm- I'm fine... He lived a good life. Everyone dies anyway..."

"Go talk to your sisters," Dr. Stevens told her in a consoling voice. Angelica exited saying nothing. She went upstairs and knocked on Peggy's door. She was sitting in a corner, hugging her legs and biting her nails. "So?" Peggy asked anxiously.

"Tuberculosis. He's got a week." Angelica walked over and hugged Peggy. "We'll be alright."

"I know we will be. Can I come with you to go tell 'Liza?"

"Of course." Angelica took Peggy by the hand, helped her up, and walked her over to Eliza's room. "'Liza?" Peggy managed to say.

"Yes?" 

"It's tuberculosis. He has a week at most," Angelica said, knowing she was the only one who wouldn't burst into tears saying it.

"He's got the irreversible disease...?" Eliza asked in disbelief.

"Dr. Stevens says he's got a week."

"We must make this the best week of his life, as it is his last," Eliza said, hugging her pillow. 

"We could, but we would risk spreading it. I'm afraid he'll spend his last days in confinement... We can't do anything about it," Angelica replied.

Peggy burst into tears and hugged Angelica.

The week went by almost too fast.

~~

The funeral was done. Phillip was buried and gone. It was all over. Angelica inherited all his things, and they enjoyed a lot more freedom. Alexander and Angelica kept sending letters to each other, and they'd both save the letters. In the letter that she'd received earlier today, Alexander said there was someone he'd like Eliza to meet.

Angelica knew what this was about. So, of course, she'd let it happen. She was to be married to John Church later this month, and Alexander kept telling her to blow it off. She wanted to. She really, really wanted to. She was just waiting for the right time to do it.

And the right time came the week before her wedding, where John Church's parents arranged for them to have lunch together. Angelica didn't eat there that day. She sat next to John and spoke, "John?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I'm afraid I cannot marry you..."

John dropped his spoon. "What?!"

"I cannot marry you. I'm sorry." She got up and left.

"Angelica?! Get back here! At least discuss this!" John yelled after her, but she was already gone.

This time she wouldn't screw up. This time she would be happy.