Things We Have in Common

Chapter 11 - Time Heals

Goodbyes hurt when the story is not finished and the book is closed.
- Raptika Shukla
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.....I miss you Father. You should see me now, you would be proud.
An unsent letter from Elizabeth to her deceased father

I woke the next morning. It was just a dream. A dream where I thought everything was okay.

Samantha was not laying beside me. Please be alive. I threw a robe over my night gown. I opened the door and started down the hallway, as Eloise was coming up the steps. We embraced each other but before she said anything else, "Samantha is okay. She is extremely weak, but she is eating." I released a breath of relief. Eloise always knew somehow what I was feeling and why.

I walked with her down the steps and ran up to my sister. She almost fell over when I hugged her. She sat between Dan and Thomas on the sofa in the drawing room.

"Easy sister." Dan said with a small laugh. "I know I know, I am so happy to see you up." I kissed the top of Samantha's head.

"Where is Ashton?" I asked Mama as I took a seat with Eloise and Benedict.
"He is resting, he stayed awake all night listening to her. He said he heard you talking in your sleep? Something about hitting yourself." Eloise looked at me strangely. Elizabeth sat in her lap.

"Yes that sounds about right." Eloise handed little Elizabeth. I looked into her eyes, she looked just like Eloise. Benedict too. All of them in fact.

After a couple of moments, I heard the front door open. Martin came storming in, "My wife!" He came over to me and saw Elizabeth, "Not my baby though right?" I laughed and handed the baby back to Eloise before standing up and kissing him. He hugged me tightly. "I am glad Samantha is okay." He patted her on the top of the head.

"I am assuming this is yours?" He asked Eloise while pointing at Elizabeth. "Indeed it is. Would you like to hold her?" He stuttered before I nodded. He picked her up. I saw the way he was with her. Gentle and kind, maybe a child or two wouldn't be terrible. He smiled at me. I think he had the same thing in mind.

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That night Eloise stayed one last time, she told Benedict too take Elizabeth back to the Bridgertons with him. We looked out the window watching him carefully get into the carriage.

"What were you thinking exactly letting Benedict take your infant home?" She smirked at me, "I was thinking I needed some time alone with you." She closed the blind with one hand and put her other around my waist.

   Our lips hit each others, she sat on the bed side as I climbed onto her. I was starving for her touch again. She seemed she was too. We kissed the night away. Our bodies laying on top of one another's. It felt perfect.

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Eloise left the next morning, she hugged me one last time, I kissed the top of Elizabeth's head.
"You are adorable." Eloise spun around, "I know I am." I blushed, I meant it of course but not in front of everyone.

   Ashton walked out to say goodbye. His face looked hollow and he had dark circles under his eyes.
"Be safe, and I hope to see you before another year passes." I said to her.

"Well if it is another year, maybe Elizabeth will have a playmate, since we have many things in common." She winked and got in the carriage. She must have sensed the tension between Martin and I yesterday.

   Now he held a weak Samantha in his arms. I leaned into him as the carriage pulled away. We all went back to our houses doing our own separate things that take up the day. Daniel in the library, Samantha laying in the sofa in the parlor, my mother by her side. Thomas was also in there looking out for his little sister. Ashton was in his study. Martin and I went up to my bedroom. The night was falling over England.

"Shall we?" He asked. Maybe I was ready this time.
"We shall."

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The morning after felt normal. Other than Eloise not being there, we had breakfast and everyone joined, even the one who hurt the most. Ashton didn't say much, but he lightly laughed at Daniels jokes. He smiled when Samantha showed everyone the castles she made out of her food.

Joy was his light in the darkness, and without her, he might stay dark forever, but I think we might be able to provide some of that light.

Life moved on, it was not the same, but it moved on.
We moved on.

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There is some good in this world, and its worth fighting for.
-J.R.R Tolkien

    The End.

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