Counterpoint

Chapter 59

Alexander

   "Thomas you have to get to the terminal." I grumble, dragging my obnoxiously large boyfriend across the airport. He regards me with a hesitant expression as he slowly mirrors my steps, taking half steps in an attempt to slow down the inevitable departure. He looks so sad as we make our way through the airport, not a single person seeming to spare us a second glance as we rush through the airport hand in hand. I give his hand a gentle squeeze which he eagerly returns as the terminal comes into sight. Thankfully, Thomas doesn't have any carry on luggage so that is one less stress he will have to worry about when he touches down in Virginia. Though I suppose there would be very little stress for him anyways, since he would be touching down on his own home soil. 

   "You seem eager to get rid of me." Thomas mumbles as we stand just outside of his terminal. 

   "Thomas," I say sternly, he looks over at me lazily. "You know better than anyone that I don't want you to go anywhere."  His lips curl up at the sides slightly as he listens to my words, possibly memorizing them for the flight. "If I could keep you here then I would, but your position requires for you to travel. Let's just be grateful that this is only a week away instead of a year." 

   "I don't even want to think about the possibility." Thomas confesses. 

   "Me neither."

   "I suppose Washington will keep me too busy to really be able to spare a thought about being home."

   "Thomas you will be home." I chide playfully. 

   "No I won't." he grumbles. "It won't feel the same." 

   "Well, in a way I will always be in your pocket." Thomas gives me a sideways glance with a slight smirk. My face flushes as his train of thought begins to dawn on me. I shove him lightly as he laughs at my open display of discomfort. 

   "I was talking about Skype." I grumble. 

   "I know, darlin'. Couldn't resist." He chuckles. His smile falters as the intercom roars to life and calls for everyone with the designated ticket numbers to prepare for boarding. Thomas grips onto my hand tightly as he turns back to look at me. "Promise me that you will call." 

   "Of course I am going to call. Why wou-"

   "Call me for anything. I don't care about the time difference or what I am doing. You can always call me." He says fervently.

   "Okay, Thomas. I understand." His grip on my hand loosens slightly as I yank him down for a fleeting goodbye kiss. We linger for a moment, trying to make these few seconds last a week of absence. His eyes are dazed as we part and he looks at me with ardent affection. "Call me when you land." I murmur. 

   "Of course." He leans down and presses a kiss on my forehead. "Take care of yourself, darlin'." I smile up at him as he gently slips away from me and makes his way towards the boarding terminal. I stand at the wall of windows until I see Thomas's plane rise into the sky and vanish from sight. A part of me had considered racing to the car and driving as far as I could while keeping the plane in sight. I shake my head as I make my way back out to the parking lot. 

   The drive to the café is silent. Thomas always has to buy the type of car that is next to impossible for anyone other than him to use. I have no idea how to sync my iPod up with this car, nor do I know how to tune the radio stations since the dial for tuning is absent from the console. I roll my eyes as I condemn myself to focusing solely on my drive. My phone buzzes once, with a brief glance I see that it is Eliza. I feel no need to answer the call considering I am so close to the café anyways. The buzzing ceases as I pull into a parking spot. 

   As I step out of the car I can see Eliza sitting at one of the open booths in the back left corner of the café. A small smile tugs at the corner of my lips as her old habit continues to persist. She had always insisted that we sit in one of the back corners of any restaurant we visited, she said that it offered more privacy than sitting in the middle of the restaurant. I still don't see how it is any different, but just like back then I can't help but oblige her. 

   She smiles up from her phone as I walk through the door. She moves to stand but I quickly rush over and place a hand on her shoulder. 

   "There's no need for you to get up." 

   "Alexander, not you too." She huffs as she sinks back down into the booth. "I'm not made of glass you know." 

   "Believe me, I know." I smile as I sit across from her. "You're beginning to show." 

   "Yes," She grins sweetly, her eyes glancing down at her stomach. "Everything is going well. The doctor said that I am right where I should be and that the child's heartbeat is strong." 

   "That's wonderful." I beam. "Do you know the gender yet?"

   "You should remember that it can't be determined that quickly." She teases before taking a sip of her chocolate malt. I chuckle quietly as the memories of her first pregnancy with Phillip and how excited I had been when it came time for the gender to be announced. "Thank you for allowing me to do this Alexander." I blink in surprise, snapping out of my memories.

   "You're welcome." I murmur. "I only have one question." 

   "Shoot." She leans forward on the table, her arms supporting her weight as she look at me. 

   "Why did you want this deal in the first place? I understand that you always wanted to have a big family, but why did you want the sperm donor to be me? I would think that you would want anyone but me to be the father of your children."

   "That was two questions Alexander." She teases. 

   "Eliza, I'm being serious."

   "Okay." She takes a deep breath and sighs slightly. "You're right that I always wanted a big family and I still want that. The reason that I wanted it to be you is pretty simple. It had to be you." 

   "Why?"

   "You were my first love Alexander Hamilton. You are the only man I have ever married or taken to bed. You gave me the blessing of my children." She looks askance, her cheeks coloring. "It doesn't feel right to think that my children would be fathered by anyone other than you." 

   "Eliza, I..." 

   "Don't worry, this isn't some tactic to get you to try and remarry me or anything. You know me well enough to know that I would never try to pull such a stunt." I take a deep breath, electing to remain silent as no suitable words come to mind. "Thomas really loves you, it's obvious by how he looks at you. I would never be able to live with myself if I chose to selfishly break his heart." She mindlessly runs her hand over the slight bulge in her stomach. "It would probably kill him." 

   "I don't want to talk about that." The thought causes me to feel nauseous, pouring kerosene on the funeral pyre built out of my fears. 

   "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that literally." 

   "Please just drop it." 

   "Alright." She murmurs. "You love him back." 

   "I do." 

   "Congratulations." She murmurs after a long pause. "I'm happy for you, Alexander." 

   "Eliza, you-"

   "I'm happy the way I am Alexander." She interjects. "I have our children and that is all I need." Her beautiful eyes lock on mine and I find myself to be pinned in place by their gravity. "You of all people should be able to respect that." 

   "I do." 

   "Thank you." She sighs in relief. "You should probably be heading back to Thomas, I'm sure that he is missing you." 

   I hesitate to correct her. I don't know where this feeling of hesitation is stemming from, but I do nothing to prove her wrong. My silence allows her to believe that Thomas is still in the state as we part ways, a guilty weight beginning to form in my stomach. I shake my head slightly as I get back in the car and simply sit in the driver's seat for a couple minutes. 

   "I'm going to be a father again." I mumble to myself. "How am I ever going to explain this to Thomas?"