The Lost Schuyler

Chapter 18

July 11th, 1804

    Three years have past and Angela was finally getting ready to let go. Thomas was doing good as the president and the family wasn't facing any issues. Angela was helping Sally fold clothes in the shared bedroom when there was a knock on the door. Sally opened the door to reveal an angry-looking Alexander. Angela signaled for Sally to leave the room, for now, putting the semi-folded clothes on the bed. "What happened?" Angela asked, confused and somewhat worried about why there was a fuming Alexander in her bedroom right now.

    Alexander stopped for a moment, he didn't want to say what he was going to. Angela gestured Alexander to continue so he did "I don't think your husband is a good president." Alexander stated, searching for a reaction on Angela's face. To his surprise, all Angela did was shrug. "He's a bad president. He cut our military in half to get rid of debt and you approve of this?!" Alexander demanded, waiting for an answer. Angela just looked out the window at the happy children playing before muttering "Thomas is a smart man, I think he knows what he's doing." Angela could feel the glare she was getting from Alexander but she honestly didn't care. "Leave me be." Angela knew that command wouldn't work because it's Alexander Hamilton she's talking to and there's no stopping him.

"I don't see how you put up with that man-" Alexander was cut off by Angela, who was fed up with Alexander's nonsense "I don't see how I put up with you." the room was silent for once so Angela continued," I think you forgot how much shit you really put me through. First, you break both John and Angelica's heart, you cheat on Eliza, you basically caused Philip's death by telling him to shoot at the sky, and now you tell me that my husband is doing a bad job. Please, do you have a list? Any more problems you must complain about? Because frankly, most of the things that I've listed are your fault."

Alexander couldn't contain his anger anymore and started to walk out of the room. "That's it. I hope you don't come to my funeral when the duel is over." Angela perked up at that. Duel? What duel? Her brother-in-law is going to participate in a duel? Duels seem to be bad luck in Angela's life. John and Charles' duel, Philip and George's duel, and now Alexander's duel. With who? It couldn't be Thomas because she would've found out by now so who could it be?

    The next day, near the brink of dawn,  Angela decided to find out for herself and to the duel. What if Alexander gets shot? What will she do then? Angela shook that thought away and went to get the spare doctor outfit that she used when Angela would play with Angelica jr. She put on the white coat and rushed out of the house to the dock where Alexander was boarding the boat. Angela raced over to the boat and got in. "I'll be taking over for Dr. Hosack today. He had some matters to attend to." Angela announced and Alexander looked at her strangely "That's strange. He said he'd be free to attend the duel, well ok." Angela sighed in relief.

    They rowed across the Hudson and when they got to Greenwich, they all got in position. Aaron Burr. The friend Angela had as Thomas Allen and Angela Schuyler was the man that could potentially kill Alexander Hamilton, the bastard, orphan, immigrant, but most importantly, her sister's wife and her brother-in-law.

Angela anxiously stood on the side while the seconds tried to negotiate. Soon, the seconds went back to their positions and announced that the duel will commence after they count to ten. The seconds started counting and once they got to ten, Alexander shot at the sky while Burr shot right at Alexander.

    Time literally stopped. What was Angela supposed to do? She looked over at Alexander, he had the same panicked face that she had. She looked over at Burr, he had the look of determination that was morphing into surprise as time ticks by.

    Tick. Tock. The same clock that turns in Angela's head when death is arriving. Tick. Tock. She couldn't do anything other than stare and watch as her family. Her happiness slowly withered away in front of her.

    'Seeing death in front of me is like a memory. Is this where it gets me? Pulling at my heart several feet ahead of me. I see it coming do I run, be like his son, or let it be? No beat, no melody. Burr, a nice friend, his enemy. One of the last faces I'll get to see. If he throws away his shot is this how they'll remember me? Taking the bullet is my legacy. Legacy. What is a legacy? Alexander Hamilton could tell you, he nearly threw his all away! It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I made a beat to a song someone might sing for me. America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me. You let me make a difference, a place to save orphan immigrants for them to leave their fingerprints, rise up. I'm running out of time, I run in front of him, my times up. Wise up. Eyes up- I catch a glimpse of the other side. Laurens leads a soldier's chorus on the other side. Peggy's on the other side. She's with Philip on the other side. Washington will watch him from the other side. Teach me how to say goodbye, he has yet to say goodbye. I promise, promise, promise. Thomas, my love take your time. I'll see you on the other side. Raise my glass to freedom...'

Angela feels a sharp pain in her abdomen. She fell to the ground on impact and all she could think about was if Alexander was ok and how much her stomach hurt at the moment. Her vision was blurry from when she was placed in a boat. The next thing she knew, she was lying in a bed. Muffled cries and screams could be heard. Angela just smiled "Remember Thomas Allen?" The room was silent, she looked to her left to see a lady in a white dress, putting her hand out to Angela who felt sleepy and sore so she decided to close her eyes for a second. She knew she wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye if she did close her eyes but she didn't really want to. If no one said goodbye to her when they died why would she give anyone else that luxury, that satisfaction to know that they said their goodbye?

Angela thought back on all the choices she made. Acting as Thomas Allen to fight in the war, spectating her sisters' love stories play out in front of her but as a different person, coming back, marrying Thomas Jefferson, and every step of the way she lost someone one by one. She didn't feel like losing Alexander. She didn't feel like going through the pain of losing someone for the third, no fourth time. Besides, Alexander could do way more than what she could. It was a reasonable sacrifice.

Angela hadn't realized all the voices telling her to keep her eyes open until she felt her body slowly slipping into the air. People were shaking her to get her to wake up but no one tells Thomas Allen, no, Angela Phoebe Schuyler-Jefferson what to do so she fell into her long-awaited sleep. She didn't wake up.