Dearest, Theodosia

Chapter XI:

Chapter XI:

Speak Your Mind

   "Why would you ever think that asking Philip that question would ever be a good idea?" A very angry Theodosia Burr paced back and forth in their home library. Philip had left the Burr household ten minutes prior to Aaron Burr getting the scolding of his lifetime. "That's so rude and it crossed about a dozen different lines, Daddy!" She began pacing back and forth faster. When she was angry, Theodosia paced. When Theo was nervous, she paced. In this situation, she was both angry and nervous. She had never raised her voice to her father before.

   "Theodosia. It was a test." Aaron said calmly, keeping his temper low. He had realized that he overstepped a bit, but he knew that flipping out on his daughter would not fix the situation that he had gotten them into. "I'm sorry if my actions offended you, Theo. That wasn't my intention."

   "You humiliated him." She hissed, folding her arms across her chest. "I've told you how sensitive of a subject that is and you swore to me that you'd never bring it up in front of him." She snapped. "You lied to me. We don't lie to each other, Daddy." Theo shook her head, her curls bouncing up and down like little springs. Theo couldn't remember a time where she was more enraged. Theo was angry when her mother died. She wondered why her mother was taken from her so soon, but she understood those things happened. This topped it.

   "I didn't mean to hurt you, dear." Aaron said sincerely. He really had no intention of hurting his dearest daughter. He loved Theo with all his heart and it killed him that he hurt her. "I really had no intention of doing so. I love you, Theodosia. You know that."

"I don't care that you hurt me." She told him, sitting down on the piano bench. "You hurt Philip, that's what has me upset. He didn't need that, especially from you." Aaron nodded. "He wants you to like him, Daddy. He wants your approval so much. He knows how much it means to me and it's extremely important to him."

"I know, I'm very sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that. It was my pettiness getting the best of me." Theo nodded. She knew how that could sometimes get the best of him.

"If you're really sorry, you'll apologize." Aaron's eyes expanded, definitely not expecting that answer. "If you really love me, Daddy, you'll apologize for your actions." Aaron sat on the sofa, staring at his daughter.

"Okay." He said, muttering under his breath. "Okay, I'll apologize to the Hamilton boy if it makes you happy." Theo smiled at her father, grateful for putting her feelings above his own.

"Thank you, Daddy." Theo got up from her spot on the piano bench and sat beside her father. She gave her father a small hug before flashing a stern look. "You'll apologize tomorrow. He's picking me up and taking me to visit his aunt, Angelica Schuyler Church." Burr got red in the face, remembering the times he had flirted with the oldest of the Schuyler Sisters. Theo stood up and made her way to the staircase, planning on heading upstairs to get ready for bed.

   Aaron stood up too, he leaned against the doorframe, watching his daughter head upstairs. "Your mother would have loved him." He said, a small crack in his voice. Thinking about Theodosia always made him emotional. He was angry with himself as he imagined how his love would have reacted to the situation. She would have been embarrassed, and upset with him for sure.

   Theo turned her head, looking at her father with a look of grief. "She did love him." Aaron forgot that they had grown up together, Philip and Theo. Philip and his mother were over at the Burr house every week before Theodosia got sick. She loved Philip like he was her own son. Aaron had forgotten that too. When Theo got to her room, she locked the door behind her and threw herself at her bed, muffling her cries with a pillow. The dinner would have been so different is her mother was still around.

   Theo changed into her nightdress and sat at her desk, writing a letter to the person she considered to be her guardian angel.

Dear Mother,

   Daddy, Philip and I had dinner together for the first and possibly the last time tonight. Daddy upset Philip. I wish you had been there. You would have kept Daddy calm and collected. None of this would have blown up like this. Philip isn't angry though, he just keeps telling me that he loves me, no matter what. I love him too, no matter what.

   I miss you so much, Mum. Why'd you leave us so soon? You had so much more life left to live. You had so much more to see. I wish you could see how happy Philip makes me. He misses you too. He really liked you. Eliza and I got together the other day and reminisced about you. It was wonderful. She misses you too. Daddy misses you. He still cries every night. I just have to be strong for him.

   I love you, Mum.
   Your dearest,
   Theodosia

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   Theo smoothed out her favorite purple dress. She was desperate to make a good impression on Philip's favorite aunt. She had most of her hair in an updo, except for a few stray strand, which would have driven her mother mad. She made her way down the stairs and saw her father standing at the bottom of them. "I'm ready to apologize." Aaron said, tugging at his jacket.

   Theo nodded. "Good." She wasn't thanking him for doing something he should have done in the first place. The two heard a knock at the door and Theo quickly ran to it, opening it eagerly. She always got so excited when she saw her boyfriend. He made her happier than anyone. She didn't know happiness like this existed. "Philip, hi."

   "Hi, Theo." Philip beamed at her before he saw Aaron standing behind her. "Mr. Burr, Sir." Philip acknowledged his presence before looking back at the most beautiful thing on the planet, well, at least to him. "Are you ready?" He gestured to a carriage behind him. Angelica lived a bit far away, so Philip decided they weren't going to walk to get there.

   "Actually, my father has something he has to say to you." Theo looked up at her father with a stern facial expression. "Go on, Daddy."

   "Mr. Hamilton. I'm sorry for acting inappropriately during our dinner last night. I hope you can accept my apology and we can put this all behind us." It sounded very rehearsed and very forced, but both Philip and Theo knew it was the best they would get.

   "Apology accepted, Mr. Burr." Philip extended his arm out to the girl and she gladly took it. "Goodbye, Mr. Burr, Sir."

    "Goodbye, Daddy." Theo waved as she walked with her love to the carriage. Philip smiled at the girl as she walked with him. I'm going to marry this girl someday.

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Ugh this is a sad chapter too, but don't worry. The next chapter is going to have SO MUCH FLUFF. I promise. Have a wonderful day. I love you all.