Dear, Hamilton

I know who I married

When we reach Peggy's darkened room, I throw myself face first onto her bed to hide my face. Peggy's amused laugh sounds from behind me before I feel her weight settle on the bed beside me. Her hands grip my arms to turn me over. I resist her the entire way, but she manages to wrestle my hands away from my face and turn me over so I'm lying on my back, facing her. 

"Hi," I say sheepishly in a small voice.

She rolls her eyes and pokes my stomach as she drawls teasingly, "Were you and Hamilton making out in the kitchen before I interrupted?"

"Maybe," I whisper, biting back the smile involuntarily inching its way across my face.

Peggy lets out an excited squeal and snuggles against me as she exclaims, "You two need to get a room!"

I laugh and shove her playfully, to which Peggy responds by shoving me back. She turns to me, serious all of a sudden, as she asks quietly into the dark, "Have you two... you know, done it yet?"

"I think you know the answer to that. We were married before I disappeared, you know," I say teasingly.

Peggy lets out an exasperated huff as she replies, "I know that, but I'm asking if you've done it since you got back."

My silence is answer enough, and she lets out another squeal. "Eliza!" she says with joking disbelief. She suddenly gives me a sly smile and asks, "Have you considered having children?"

I gape at Peggy and exclaim, "You have no shame in asking such questions!"

Peggy merely shrugs unashamedly. "Just asking. So have you?"

I surprise even myself when I begin contemplating it. It may sound too early, or irrational, but I do love Hamilton. And we're married already. When I try to imagine having an actual family, it doesn't sound too bad. There's no doubt about it that I am never going back to the twenty-first century. There's nothing for me there.

And well, during this time period, having children at twenty is normal, almost expected. I'm basically twenty. It's my birthday in a couple of months. This realization jars me, but I force myself to return to the thoughts at hand.

"Wow, you're legitimately considering. I thought you'd immediately say no," Peggy comments.

I smile weakly, and wave a hand as I reply, "I wouldn't complain about having children, but it would be nice if it were just Alexander and me for a while."

Peggy nods understandingly. Remembering something, I ask, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Peggy suddenly grins and holds up something in her hand. I squint as I try to make out what it is in her hand, and I realize it's a letter. I manage to read the words, Peggy Schuyler and Eliza Hamilton in Angelica's handwriting on the front of the envelope before Peggy begins tearing it open.

I lean forward in anticipation as Peggy takes out the letter and unfolds it. She sits there, reading it for a moment. A moment too long, in my opinion. When she doesn't offer to read it aloud or hand it to me when she's finished reading it, I snatch it from her hands and begin reading in earnest, my eyes greedily sweeping the page.

Dear Eliza and Peggy,

I've safely arrived at the new house. Sorry for taking so long to write. What with settling in the new house, I've been very busy. The house is beautiful and quite large. I sometimes think that we won't have enough furniture to fill it! But John insisted that we needed a large house, so here we have it.

I hope you two are doing well.

For Eliza, I can practically see you right now, worrying over Hamilton's return. I'm sure he'll be back soon enough. Mother sent me a letter telling me that she's receiving General Washington in a couple of days. I'm sure Hamilton will be with him.