"A nation which can prove disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one."
-Alexander Hamilton
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Y/N
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Philip walked me home that day. As we walked, his hand periodically brushed over mine but never fully held my hand. I didn't understand why. Was he embarrassed to be seen with me? Did he not want other women to see me with him? The thought made my attitude shift. I felt confused, unwanted.
After I waved goodbye to Philip, I walked into my house and to my room, and changed my dress into a light tan dress with red flowers scattered around. There were frills on the end of the sleeves.
After I was done, I went out to my garden to harvest the products of my labor. I grew fruits and flowers of different colors and names. I picked a basket of bluebells and yellow tulips.
The flowers were beautiful this time of year. I gently stroked their smooth and vibrant petals, smiling to myself. As I held the flowers in one hand, I picked up my skirt in the other, making a beeline to my cart of flowers downtown in the market.
"Good afternoon, Boss!" Ben said with a smile.
"Afternoon!" I chimed.
"I'm in a bit of a pickle," Ben said, "You see, Katie has me sleeping on the couch." He said a little embarrassed.
(If it's your name change it to Eve)
"Oh no, what did you do?" I asked.
"That's just the thing, I have no idea, maybe it's the mood swings, she was like that when she was pregnant with Mary, but never this extreme," Ben said with a sigh.
(If that's your name change it to Eve)
Before I could answer I saw a woman looking at some flowers with a man standing next to her.
"You're no help!" She laughed, pushing the man away as he went to talk to another lady.
Looking closer at the man as he walked away I noticed curly hair and freckles. Philip. Lord, he's anywhere and everywhere! I was just glad he hadn't seen me and was walking away.
I didn't want to waste time thinking about him. My actions with him were before I got swept up in the moment, but I won't let it happen again, I felt so embarrassed to admit that Philip was on my mind, I just wanted to be as far away as possible.
I sat the flowers that I brought down. Then I turned to the woman. "What do you need help with?" I asked her. I couldn't help but notice her stunning black hair that was put in an updo paired with a gorgeous pink dress. Boys must throw themselves at her by the dozens.
I caught myself thinking that and shoved the thought away. I wasn't jealous! Boys were stupid. They called themselves "men" and pranced around in fancy clothes, speaking eloquent words but in the end, they were still boys, they didn't know any better. Some of them more so than others, including a certain obnoxious, curly-haired man who just-so-happened to be standing next to a lady a few yards away.
"Do you need help?" I asked her.
"Yes, I do, my name is Angelica Hamilton. Nice to make your acquaintance!" Angelica smiled warmly as she stuck her hand out to shake.
I wrapped my fingers around hers firmly, giving her hand a gentle shake before pulling away from her.
"Y/N Hamill," I say.
"I would like to buy flowers for my mother's birthday, but I just can't figure out what kind of flowers she would like." The lady said, "What do you suggest?"
"Well, what is her favorite color?" I asked.
"I'm pretty sure it's a light blue." She answered, sweetly.
"And what is your mother like?" I asked. I already knew her mother, she was her and Philip's mother, she was a kind soul. But of course, I would never tell her I already knew her mother, let alone her brother.
"She is a gentle, kind woman who would do anything for her family," she said. "She deserves the world, the least I could do if buy her flowers."
"See, Ben, take notes, maybe bring home flowers for Katie!" I laugh before turning my attention back the Angelica.
"Sorry, I do believe that Daffodils or maybe some Tulips would do nicely," I suggested, beginning to look for the flowers.
"Here they are!" I cheered, picking up a few to show the woman. "I do believe this will be amazing with some babies breath!"
"Yes, believe those will do nicely!" the lady gushed.
"That will be $3.45," I said.
The lady pulled out her pocketbook and gave me the money.
"Well, that seems to be all, Ms. Hamilton," I said, smiling.
"Oh no!" she said, "Please, just call me Angelica, Ms. Hamilton is my mother."
"Technically, it's Mrs. Hamilton, dear sister of mine." A voice said coming to stand next to his sister.
"Oh! Philip!" Angelica cheered, "Ms. Y/n Hamill, meet my brother, Philip Hamilton." Angelica introduced.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Y/n Hamill." He said, kissing my hand.
What game was he playing at? He was so different than he was earlier today.
I stared at him with a strange gaze. Philip's face held a smirk, but a new smirk I had never seen before, it was genuine. You could almost call it a smile, but I knew better than to let that fool me.
"Ah, yes, the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Hamilton." I smiled, pretending I didn't know him either. Two can play this game, Hamilton.
His smirk dropped, but he quickly recovered. But even what his smile hid his eyes showing everything. He wanted to watch me fumble over my words.
But I was able to use my sliver tough to get through the rest of his time in my presence.
Philip stared at me for at least a minute or a half. I gave him a questioning look, tilting my head incuriosity.
Philip didn't look away until I heard Ben chuckle warmly under his breath. Philip shook his head as if pulling himself from a trance, blinking a few times before turning to his sister.
"I will see you at home," Philip said, giving a chaste kiss to his sister's forehead. "Farewell," He said to Ben and me.
"Goodbye," Ben called.
Angelica stayed by the stand, after watching her brother walk away, looking dumbfounded, she chuckled under her breath, soon Ben joined her.
"I don't see what is so funny, you two," I said, busing myself with the basket of flowers that I had brought earlier.
"Did you not just see what happened, Y/n?" Angelica asked, looking shocked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"That guy," Ben said, "Was very interested in you, Y/n."
"What, no," I said, trying to keep the fib going.
"Oh, come on, Y/n. Don't tell me you didn't feel it?" Ben said.
"I have no earthy idea on what you're talking about," I said, never once facing them, trying to hide my faint smile.
"He was smitten with you!" Angelica chuckled.
"Maybe he will come back and maybe take to dinner?" Ben said in a way that was more of a question than anything.
I turned to him with a laugh. "I doubt that, Ben," I said, "I highly dought that."
"It's not an impossible thing to happen," Ben said, "Especially for someone like you," Ben said with a chaste smile.
Ben was close friends with my brothers as kids, so when they moved to the Louisiana Territory Ben stepped in as a stand-in brother in my brothers' place.
"Well not everyone is happily married with their second baby on the way, Ben," I said.
"But Y/n, finding the right person is the best thing in the world." Ben said, "And I just want that happiness for you."
"Well, good luck," I answered with a chuckle.
"Has anyone catch your eye lately?" Ben asked.
"Maybe my brother?" Angelica chimed in.
"Like love at first sight?" I asked with a strange smile.
He nodded his head.
I looked at Angelica, she was looking for my answer on my face, but I wouldn't give any involuntary answers.
I had to say something, anything to talk about something other than Philip, or I mean, about love in general. "Love at first sight is for the gullible." I said, "You just end up getting hurt." I said.
"Besides, that's not what people get married for that sort of thing anyway, marriage is a political or business arrangement."
"But you are fortunate enough that your father will let you make those kinds of choices by yourself." Ben pointed out.
It's true, my father didn't mind who I married as long as I was well taken care of and loved.
"My parents had love at first sight," Angie said.
"Miss. Hamilton, that isn't a good example," Ben said.
"Why not?" She asked.
"Your father cheated on your mother," I said to her, patting her back.
"But they couldn't be separated now!" Angelica protested.
"Y/n, you deserve a man who will take care of you the way you care for others," Ben said patting my shoulder now. "And, won't cheat," Ben said, eyeing Angelica with a pointed look.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
"No really! When are you going to settle down with a good husband?" He asked.
"When that poor, unfortunate man shows his face," I said resting my head on my hand.
"He already has," Angelica whispered in a sing-songy voice as she fiddles with a flowers' petal.
"Well, I should probably pick up the seeds before the day gets away from me," Ben said.
I gave him a questioning look, he didn't have to pick up anything, I had already told him I would take care of it.
"Katie doesn't like it when I let you go all on your lonesome when I could, she also doesn't want me to be out too far from the house when it's late," Ben commented, noticing my confusion.
"I should be heading home as well, I promised my mother I would help with lunch," Angelica said.
Angelica took a piece of paper off the stand and a pencil. She began to write something down.
"Here." She said handing me some paper.
"You can write to me so we can stay in touch." She said.
"I'd like that!"
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Philip an hour or so ago
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Angelica stood by my side gushing over flowers. I normally never cared about Angie's talk of flowers but I was very bored. I promised John and William I would play with them before dinner, but that wasn't for a long time because they had classes to deal with.
"Angie, all the flowers are beautiful now can you pick some so we can go?" I asked, "If we are gone too long and come back with nothing mother will get suspicious."
"Your no help!" Angelica whined.
My mind traveled to my future date with Y/n. As I did, I saw a woman I knew, she was a woman I had also promised a little date with.
I had to tell her I was never going to take her on a date like I intended to. My eyes were set on one person alone, Y/n.
For some reason unknown to me, Y/n had this effect on me that was unnatural to me. But, I didn't mind, I liked the feeling.
"Can go talk to someone for a moment?" I asked.
"No! You are here to help me!" Angelica said turning back to the flowers.
The man who ran the stand gave that look that said, 'Are you going to get something?' but it was an uncomfortable look more than anything.
I shook my head in no way. He snorted as he chuckled under his breath.
"Angie please," I begged.
"Not in a million years now the Bluebells or the yellow Tulips?" She asked.
"Angelica, I need to talk to that girl," I said pointing at the woman.
The woman's name was Cathrine, she had hair as black as freshly mined coal. But instead of black coal dust dusting her cheeks, they were dusted pink. She had a little button nose. Her lips were a bashful pink, with pearly whites to match.
Soon enough, I saw Y/N's beautiful H/C come into view. She picked up a conversation with Angelica until Angie said I could leave to talk with the woman.
I wasn't even sure of her name. It's like all the women I've taken to bed names smushed together to make one name. But if I had to guess, Mary would probably be her name.
"Hello, Philip. I--uh, this is awkward. I--uh can't be sleeping around when I'm engaged. I wish it would've worked out, but things with Stephen don't seem as terrible as I thought it would be. Please understand." She smiled.
"I actually came over to say the same thing. I fancy another woman who isn't you. Please forgive me for pulling at your heartstrings." I said with a chuckle.
"All is forgiven. I bid you the best of luck with your new lady love." She smiled before turning away.
I stood there with a sigh, Y/n, you better be worth it.