One Heart- The Greatest Showman

Chapter 18

Elizabeth's pov. 

Mrs Barnum was assessing my ankle again, since it had now been a week after I twisted it. The pain was gone and I could walk normally again. The girls watched sadly from afar as my bag and trunk sat at the door, ready to be packed into a carriage.

I had decided that I should go back home to Anne and W.D. I missed them so much, as my homesickness illustrated each night.

Charity gave the all clear for my ankle, which means I can go back to performing. YAY!

A knock at the door interrupted our conversation and Charity made her way over to answer it. She brought back a letter in familiar writing - Mr Barnum's. She opened it hastily and her eyes began to scan the letter, looking for any negative information first, before she sat down to read it. A smile becoming evident on her face. 

"Girls!" She called out, her voice echoing through out the house " Your father is coming home in three days!" She announced, her happiness beaming off her. 

Even though she didn't admit it, she missed Mr Barnum terribly. I don't think she was particularly fond of the tour with Miss Lind, but nevertheless she let him go. 

I sad my goodbye's to the girls and Charity, thanking them for there hospitality. 

They carriage ride home just left me with time to bombard my mind with questions. 

I haven't been back to the museum for a week, Phillip insisted on both myself and the girls staying here until he is positive that Hannah would not be returning.  And I hadn't even been able to see Phillip this past week. He has been leaving early in the morning and not returning til late in the evening. 

Anne has been keeping a watchful eye of the circus for me. Even though there is a very high chance there is no spy, I still wanted to investigate a little.  Hannah's threat of harm towards Phillip still lingers in my head. And I needed to know he was going to be safe. I was not going to let anything allow him to fully tumble into the demons. 

My last encounter with him left me so worried about him. Even more worried than I usually was about anyone's safety and I knew why. But I was not going to admit it to myself....yet.

The carriage pulled up at the museum and I lurched out of my seat, running into the theatre......an empty theatre.

Where is everyone? 

"Hello?" I called out, letting my voice radiate around the room. 

Silence dominated the room before Anne walked out from behind the stage. Her face extremely stoic. 

"I am so sorry Elizabeth, I tried to stop them. I really did." She began, not looking me in the eye. 

"Anne" I say slowly. "What's wrong? Where is everyone?" 

Anne grabbed my arm lightly before turning me around to face the front of the room.

"I couldn't do anything about it Lizzy." 

Just as she finished her sentence, everybody jumped out, yelling ( not in time) 'surprise!'.  Fabric came rolling down as everyone came out to welcome me back. 

I punched Anne, Lightly...kind of. 

"You tricked me!" I say, laughing. 

"I said I tried to stop them didn't I? " She laughed in reply as the band began to play and we all began to dance. Awkwardly and clumsy. 

Lettie and Charles even baked a cake.

But out of all the fun and happiness, there was one person missing. 

The one person I really wanted to be there. 

*****

I stayed down near the stage for the majority of the celebration before taking a silence of cake and walking up to Barnum's office. 

The door was half open, he must of been listening to what was happening outside.

There was a candle situated on the desk and Phillip hunched over in order to view what was on the page in front of him. 

I leant against the doorway. 

"You're missing all the fun, you know." I stated, nonchalantly. My brown hair falling into my face. 

He turned around to face me, almost startled by my appearance. 

" It's a pity paper work and bills can't wait." He replied, a tone of sadness almost hinting into his voice. 

I scoffed at this remark. "Of course they can, the party on the other hand can't." 

I walked over, placing the cake in front of him. The light layer of icing shimmering in the candle light. 

"Phil what are you doing? You are working yourself to hard. I mean, I haven't seen you for the last week. " I say, all the playfulness out of my voice. 

"Barnum left all this.." He began but with me being me, I interrupted. 

"Barnum. Is coming back in three days. I am positive you can take an hour or two off to laugh a little." 

We stared at each other for a little while. My sea green eyes matching his blue ones. And if it wasn't for the noise outside, I am sure you could hear our hearts beat as one.

Breaking our stare, I "pulled" him out of his chair and "dragged" him down to the party. 

Now I am one hundred percent sure that Phillip let me take him down to the party. Like I am pretty strong but he is a fair bit stronger than I am, so there was little chance of me actually moving him. 

Everyone was extremely happy to see Phillip when he got down there. We danced a little bit more ( I looked like a fool doing it probably) before one by one, people peeled off to continue to practise. 

Until Phillip and I were the only two left, eating our pieces of cake as we sat on the hay barrel on the second level, gazing out of the window which overlooked the markets. 

"You are going back to live with Anne and W.D?" He asked, between bites. 

I nodded. Not saying a word because I know he was disappointed that I was going back home. Probably more disappointed than Caroline and Helen. 

" I'm going to miss you." He stated, his eyes fixed on a carriage waiting at the markets. 

"Your still going to see me here, everyday." I said. 

The clock sounded the next hour in the distance. Signalling that we had one hour to show time. 

"I should go start getting  ready for the show." I say as I get up, beginning to walk away. 

"Lizzy?" Phillip blurted out. I quickly pivoted to face him.  

"Please don't say it. Please. Because if you do, then it will all go away and I don't want it to." I thought to myself as I faced him. 

He coughed before telling me that he was happy to have me back at the circus. 

It was weird. As I walked towards my dressing room ( which no longer had ceramic shards on the floor as W.D cleaned it up for me, being my big brother once again.) I couldn't help to feel slightly disappointed with his response.

I shook the thought out of my head as I sat down at my vanity, beginning to pin my blue wig into place.