Smoke and Fire ||Lams Soulmate AU ||

America's Suitehearts

Look at my smol bean! I'm sorry, ignore me lol
~~

"John! What does this word say?" Martha asked, pointing to a word in the new book I had bought her. She held her stuffed elephant in her lap, and the book across her legs. I had been teaching her how to read and write since she couldn't go to school.

I stood up from my position on the floor and made myself comfortable next to her on the bed, laying on my side. "That says love."

"Just like I love you!" she beamed. I met her light brown eyes, a smile making its way onto my face.

"I love you too, Martha."

I ran my hand through her hair as she giggled her adorable little laugh. She continued reading her book as I returned to my spot on the floor, working on tomorrow's presentation. Peggy had loaned me her laptop, which made things a whole lot easier on my part.

"John?" I heard Martha call from the bed. I stood up again to lay next to her, peering over her shoulder to see the word she couldn't figure out this time.

"That says angry."

"Like daddy when he drinks too much?"

I sighed. "Yes, like daddy when he drinks too much."

I stood up to return to my project, but Martha had called my name again. I turned to look at her, the book in her lap now closed, and she was hugging her stuffed elephant close to her chest. "Where did daddy go?"

I didn't want to tell her that Henry was out drinking his sorrows away, so I came up with a little white lie. "He, uh... he went to meet up with an old friend," I said through a fake smile. I sat down in front of the laptop, setting up tomorrow's presentation, which was coming along really well.

Henry would sometimes leave us for a few days, then come home after being in the hospital for drinking too much. A part of me was hoping that had happened again, but I didn't want Martha to be home all alone.

"John?" Martha called from the bed.

"What is it, Martha?" I sighed.

"Can I count your freckles?"

I had to stifle a laugh. "That'd take too long, and you'd never go to sleep tonight. Maybe tomorrow after school?"

She smiled and nodded her head in excitement.  She held her stuffed elephant close to her chest as she laid down on the bed and pulled the covers over her small body.

"Goodnight, John," she murmured.

"Goodnight, Martha."

* * *

"Are John Laurens and Margarita Schuyler ready to present their project?" The substitute read our names from the grade book Mr. Franklin left for the day. She was old, maybe in her late seventies, and she didn't have much control over the class. But I guess no substitute does anymore.

Peggy turned to me with a look of uncertainty. "Are you sure we'll get an A on this?"

I stood up from my seat, laptop in hand. "The sub is giving an A out to everyone who goes today, it's fine."

Peggy and I walked up to the front of the classroom, and I connected the laptop to the projector, which showed the first slide on the board. I was about to begin the presentation, but the classroom door opened, and in walked a group of students. Most of which I didn't recognize, but towards the back were two familiar faces.

"The debate club is supposed to watch the presentations, I hope you don't mind, Ms. McIntosh," Alex said, directing his attention towards the substitute teacher, who had fallen asleep at her desk. He didn't even realize I was in the room until he sat at an empty desk in the back of the classroom. His face lit up at the sight of me, and he sent me a small wave, which I returned.