Revolution of the Day

Chapter 23

~Three months later~

Eliza knocked on the hospital door.
"Come in" she heard from inside. She opened the door quietly and peeked in before entering.
"Hey guys! Hey Maria, how you feeling?" Eliza asked, closing the heavy door behind her. She scanned the room for a seat- John and Peggy were sitting together, Herc sat in a seat at Maria's right side, and there was an open seat next to him. Eliza sat there, and there she spotted Alexander. He sat across from them, or on Maria's left side, with his face buried in his laptop. He was so involved in his work that Eliza barely noticed him sitting there.
Her and Maria made small talk, mostly because Eliza almost couldn't carry out the conversation. She kept on looking at Alexander. He looked better now, compared to the last time they say each other. His hair was in a neat bun, and the bags under his eyes were almost nonexistent. Almost. He was wearing short sleeves today. Eliza saw scars on Alexander's wrists, but they were faded. She relaxed in her seat.

Alexander had loud music playing in his earbuds while he stared intensely at his laptop screen. He typed away, every now and then looking at his notes. He looked content, until a message popped up on his screen from Thomas saying that Washington rejected Alexander's plan and chose Thomas'.
"Fucking shit!" Alexander cursed. He took off his earbuds in anger, startling everyone in the room with his sudden outburst.
"Um, what's wrong?" Herc asked meekly.
"Fucking Washington took Thomas' plan over mine- boy I wish I could take Jefferson's plans and shove it up his-"
"Wow there buddy, relax" John said, stifling a laugh at Alexander's frustration. Alex rolled his eyes and closed his laptop while picking up his pen.
"Thomas always messes up my plans- I swear he wants me to get fired."
"You're just overreacting- he did save our lives-"
"Please don't bring that up- Jefferson already mentions it 24 fucking 7. It gets annoying."
Alex glanced up at John, meaning to send him a glare but caught sight of Eliza instead. He looked down at his paper immediately, blushing madly in embarrassment. We haven't talked in three months and me shoving Jefferson's plans up his ass is what she hears out of my mouth first. Great, just great. Alex cleared his throat and started writing, every now and then scratching at his wrists.
The room fell into a silence. Tension filled the air, thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone hated the silence, but
no one dared to do anything about it.

Minutes pass in this unbearable silence.

Maria's heart monitor beeps faster and she takes Herc's hand. The deathly grip tell him that something's wrong. Eliza notices. Maria speaks with a strained but stern voice, her teeth together in pain.
"Someone- get the nurse please. Now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you think it's a girl or a boy?" Peggy asked, breaking the tension in the waiting room. Her, John and Eliza were the only ones there.
"I hope it's...I don't know. I'd be happy whatever the gender" John says.
"You Eliza?" Peggy and John looked at her, but Eliza wasn't paying any attention. All that was on her mind was how Alex wasn't in the waiting room with them. He was in there, helping Maria give birth with Herc, the doctor and nurses. This was Alexander's child. Alexander and Maria's. The reality of this never truly hit Eliza until now. They're actually having a child.
"Eliza, you okay?" Peggy's voice snapped her back out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, just- Yeah" Eliza said. But that doesn't convince anyone.
"Eliza, seriously, what's up? What's on your mind?" Peggy asked. Eliza opened her mouth to reject but closed it, thinking. After some thought she decided to tell them the truth.
"It's just...should I forgive him? It's been so long and I don't know...should I?" Eliza confessed.
"That's up to you Liz" John said.
"You said he did the same to you, not to be rude, but how did you get over it? How'd you forgive him?" Eliza asked him. John was taken off guard.
"...I really didn't get over it- I thought I did but when this whole thing happened I realized how upset I still was. But life goes on, and he's actually paying some of the bills now so ya know."
"Forgiving?" Eliza brought up again.
"Oh yeah, well...I don't know. I don't know. It just happened sometime when I realized I can't be mad at him forever. We've been through so much, ya know? At the end of the day you know he's learned his lesson" John stated. Eliza's though flashes to the good memories they had together, her and Alex. She can't lie, she does miss him a little. Eliza was a jumble of confusion and emotions. She looked John straight in the eyes.
"I saw the scars John" she said quietly. Peggy looked at the two in confusion.
"It hurts to see him like that Liz."
"John..."
"Yeah?"
"Was it because of me?" The question burns. Alexander hurt her badly, but even in all of the hell they went through it pained her to even think...
That Alex would do that because of her.
Before John could answer the door opened. A nurse walked in smiling and holding a clipboard to his chest.
"Its a healthy baby girl."
~~~~~~~~

As soon as it was clear they entered the hospital room. Maria was cradling the baby currently, Herc and Alex not taking their eyes off of the infant. Peggy's eyes were wide with excitement. She immediately rushed over, obscuring Herc's view.
"Hey!-"
"She's precious- did you name her Susan? Hi little Susan! I'm your Aunt Peggy!" Herc rolled his eyes.
Susan yawned, and everyone in the room awed. Everyone crowded around Susan and Maria, asking questions and trying to make Susan laugh. Except Alex. He kept his distance and watched in awe from afar. He looked at Susan with wonder and love. Maria noticed.
"Do you want to hold her Alex?" She asked. It took him way off guard.
"Oh- I mean if you want me to, I don't want to break up your mother daughter bond or anything-"
"Alex."
"-plus I've never held a child before so I don't wanna like drop her or anything-"
"Alex."
"It's probably best if I don't hold her, for safety reasons and what not and"
"Alex! Take. The child."
"Okay" Alex finally accepted. Alex scooted closet to Maria and she carefully placed Susan in his arms- of course after telling him how to position his arms about ten times.
Love swelled in Alexander's heart for his daughter. Her big thoughtful eyes opened and looked at Alex. He say some similarities between him and her. He couldn't believe how adorable she was. He smiled wide, the first genuine smile he had in a while. She was so fragile and precious.
"Any words of wisdom to your daughter Pops?" John asked, almost teasing.
"Susan, you're not dating until you're 17- no, 32- no, not until I'm dead" Alex said.
"I agree. Not until Alex is dead" Herc joins. Maria rolls her eyes.
"Tough rules for a newborn, dontcha think?"
"I mean I gotta protect her from those boys- or gals and nonbinary pals, from breaking her lil heart. Herc and I'll scare the shit outta any boys that comes by, right Herc?" Alex asks. Herc doesn't answer. Everyone is surprised.
"What?" Alex asks them. He realizes that it was Eliza who asked the question. She spoke to him. Eliza talked to Alex. Everyone was stunned, but a positive vibe washed over the room telling them it be okay. So everyone smiled. It was going to be okay.
~~~~~~~~~~

After a few hours of everyone having a great time (John and Peggy talking about the pranks they'll teach Susan, Alex and Eliza looking at the child in awe- Eliza making sure Alex didn't drop her, Herc and Maria napping) Susan finally quieted down and was placed in her crib in the room. Maria and Herc woke up.
"Exhausted?" Eliza asked Maria. She nodded.
"Birth is a bitch. But it was worth it." A knock occurred at the door. One of the male nurses walked in, an envelope in his hand.
"Miss Lewis, there's a letter for you" he said. He walked over and handed it to her. Maria examined it. No return address. No nothing. It was blank. She looked up but the nurse was gone. She opened it, everyone's eyes on her. She read it out loud.
"Dear Miss Maria Lewis,

Heard about your new daughter, Susan. How precious. What's a shame is that you had it with that bastard Alexander. Just because I'm in jail doesn't mean all of you are off the hook. I have more people than André. One wrong move- one snitch- and you can kiss Susan goodbye. I demand two hundred dollars a month until I say to stop. Remember, as long as I'm alive you all aren't safe.
Reynolds."
Way to kill the mood.