Counterpoint

Chapter 77

Alexander

I stay close by Thomas's side as we venture further into the house. Thomas and I had been fierce rivals for years all because we impulsively chose to be, I dread discovering just how fierce his siblings can be now that I have confessed my feelings of guilt to them. Needless to say I will staying close to Thomas and hope that his presence will be enough to deter any aggressive outbreaks. He hasn't released his hold on my hand, his fingers interlocked with mine. Comfort washes through my body as he holds me down like an anchor in the moment. I can't remember the last time I have ever allowed or trusted someone enough to be my anchor. Not even John had the privilege of being my anchor. I suppose that it's only fitting that Thomas, who had fought tooth and nail to get past all of my defenses, would be the one to finally be able to pin me down in place.

The outside world is completely dark, blanketing the beauty of the property in the shadow of slumber. I am guided through a long hallway ending in the kitchen. The sweet smell of melted chocolate permeates through the air, warming the atmosphere with its scent. My lips curl into a small smile as I notice that every Jefferson sibling has a mug of hot chocolate sitting between their palms, a large bag of marshmallows sitting open in the center of the counter. It must be a family tradition then.

   "So...we have a niece." One of Thomas's few brothers breaks the silence. Several of his sisters shift uncomfortably as they stare down into their mugs. "So much time has been wasted."

   "Peter," Elizabeth murmurs, shaking her head. "Saying that wasn't necessary."

   "I'm not allowed to state my thoughts anymore?" He snaps in challenge. "She is our family too. I'm allowed to be upset about it."

   "Be considerate of how Thomas feels!" The twin I believe to be Randolph rises to his feet. "Don't make this about the rest of us." Thomas squeezes my hand tightly as he remains tight lipped. I glance at him from the corner of my eye catching the faintest twitch in his expression.

   "Ya'll are ridiculous." One of the many Jefferson daughters shouts.

   "Shut up Jane!"

   "At least she's trying to help, Anna!"

   "Don't tell me that she's helping when she lied to us just as long as Mary had!"

   "Enough!" I shout over the clamor of voices. Several annoyed and curious eyes shift and rest on me, setting my skin ablaze. Thomas looks over at me curiously, his eyes a fraction of an inch wider as he regards me openly. "This is not at all what I thought any of you would have been like! Thomas told me so many stories about each of you and I always envisioned a loving, supporting family. I know that this is a hard time, and many of you are feeling betrayed, but I'm hoping that you won't forget the foundation of your relationship with your family."

   There is a beat of silence before Peter rises to his feet and regards me coolly. His eyes are narrowed as he stares at me from his place behind the kitchen island. He places his hands flat against the counter as he looks briefly at his brother before returning his gaze to me.

   "What the hell gives you the right to determine how our family should act?" He questions with a voice as cold as ice. "You don't know any of us. You came into our lives in a moment of crisis and you think you can dictate to us how to behave?! I don't give a damn about how you envisioned us. If you're disappointed then perhaps you should just leave."

   A sharp sting of indignation ignites within my  chest as his words find their mark. I should have known better than to throw my thoughts into the proverbial pot when I am the outsider here. Thomas may be holding my hand but that doesn't seem to dissuade his brother from proclaiming his thoughts and opinions. My tongue wets my lips as I formulate a careful yet strong response to his verbal assault.

   "Peter, shut your mouth." Thomas finally explodes. "As a matter of fact, all of y'all shut your damn mouths!" His southern drawl becoming more prominent as he loses his grip on his temper. "None of you get to banish anyone from this house. This is my house! None of you have any idea what is going through my head, so don't you dare try to make decisions for me."

   The entire room falls silent as a silent war is waged between the two Jefferson sons. I want nothing more than to escape from this awkward and hostile environment, but Thomas's grip is unyielding. My mind runs a million miles a minute as thousands of words percolate and ask permission to be breathed into existence. I part my lips slightly and Thomas silences me with a glance.

   "That pertains to you too." He grumbles. I bite down on my bottom lip. Fair enough.  "I'm only going to say this once, I don't care who knew and who didn't. I just want my baby and I am not leaving here until I get her."

   "It's not just hard on you." Anna speaks up. "We all wish she had been with us from the start."

   "You have the easy job, love her with all your heart. That's all you have to do." Thomas loosens his grip on my hand and I slip my fingers free. He glances over at me anxiously as I lace my arm through his.

   "Thomas, you also have to realize that if we didn't know about her then we wouldn't have her. We are all smart enough to start questioning why a baby would suddenly have appeared in our family." Martha speaks calmly, her fingers toying with Elizabeth's curls.

   "Momma seems to know where she is, so where is momma?" Thomas asks tersely. I hold onto his arm tightly, pressing his arm into my chest gently. His eyes flicker over to me briefly and I watch as some of the tension in his body melts like hot wax.

   "Momma left about half and hour before you two showed up." Peter glances over at me coolly, obviously I have failed to leave a good impression with him. "None of us know when she is planning to come back."

   "How do you know she intends to come back?" Peter glares in my direction. His lips forming a tight line as he reacts to my question with a keen sense of displeasure. "This isn't where you normally live is it?"

   "No," Anna replies before peter can say a word. "But we know momma is coming back because she left her suitcase here. She isn't keen on leaving her belongings behind." I smile slightly in her direction, she smiles in response as we regard each other fairly.

   "Does anyone know where she has gone?" Exasperation bleeds from Thomas's every word as he glances around at his siblings. No one seems to know where she had run off to and that leaves me with a bitter feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Then I suppose we will just have to stay here until she comes back." He doesn't give me a chance to argue with his declaration before guiding me out of the kitchen and into another hallway with a single door at the end.

   Thomas pushes me inside and I look over at him cautiously in the darkness. His expression is invisible to me once he closes the door. Silence buries us, the only sound is the wood floor creaking beneath his feet as he crosses the room. I jump slightly as he rests his head on my shoulder. No words are exchanged as I thread my fingers through his hair and hold him place. No words are necessary as we stand in silence, holding one another.