Stuck In A Moment

Jeggy?

A/N: I kicked a pumpkin today, (long story) and now my toe is all bloody and my nail in all jacked up. *sigh*. Also, where I live, the high in the temperature is still 98 degrees. IN OCTOBER!!!

Eliza couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?"

"I still love John Laurens, ok?" Peggy cried. "And the worst part is, he had to be hospitalized for me to see it."

"Wow! Does he know?" Eliza asked.

"Of course not, when would I have been able to tell him?" 

"True." Eliza paused for a second. "Are you going to tell him?"

Peggy was silent.

"Peg, are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know, I don't think he feels the same way about me. And I know that's my fault, but I'm stuck now." Peggy frowned. "I just couldn't go through marrying someone I don't love, even if the one I do love doesn't love me back."

"I..." Eliza was speechless. Right as she finally thought of something to say, her phone got a text notification. It was from Lafayette.

FrenchDude🥖: He's finally awake. They said they think he's doing better.

Eliza😃: Ok, I'll be right there.

She turned back over to her sister. "He's up. I'm going to go back if you want to come with me."

Peggy nodded her head and wiped the tears from her face. "But don't say anything. I need to be the one to break the news to everyone, ok?"

"Ok."

Peggy followed Eliza downstairs, drying her eyes so that no one could tell she was crying. She didn't want them to know everything just yet. Eliza got in the drivers seat but was stopped by Angelica.

"What happened? She came home balling her eyes out and now you guys are going somewhere?" Ange asked.

"I'll explain later." Eliza stated. "Don't stress, it's bad for the baby."

"Is that actually true?"

"Could be." Eliza said before driving off. They arrived at the hospital a few minutes later. They ran inside and asked what room Laurens was in before making their way over there.

The doctor was finally allowing people to see Laurens, but only two at a time, and they had to be sterilized. Not in like a weird way, they just had to be clean and not sick. They didn't want John to relapse. Washington and Martha had already gone in. Alexander and Eliza wanted to go next.

"Hey! You're alive."

"Yeah, but I still kind of feel like death." Laurens joked. "What's up?"

"What's up with us? Says the guy who's literally in a hospital bed right now." Alexander laughed.

"Fine, next time when everyone tells me to stay down, I will stay down."

"Just out of curiosity, did you even make it through your precious Algebra test?" Eliza asked.

"Nope! The Professor saw me about to pass out halfway through, I went back to the dorm for about an hour, and now I'm here." Laurens explained. "So there you have it." He chuckled. "The story of tonight."

"Well, let's hope you live until tomorrow at least." Alexander joked.

"I'll be fine. Worse people have tried to kill me. I refuse to die to my own body." Laurens said.

"Yeah, I've almost been killed by a hurricane, a friend, funny enough your father. But I did not like dying to my own body." Alexander joked.

"You had a friend try and kill you?" Eliza asked.

"Yep!"

"Why didn't you tell us that?"

"You didn't ask."

Laurens gave one of those, 'that's true' looks while Alexander nodded. Eliza just looked at them like they were crazy.

After a few more minutes of talking, Alexander and Eliza went out and Peggy came in. She was going to go in with Lafayette, but she asked if she could have a moment alone with him first.

"Hey stranger." She smiled as she walked in. "Back in so soon?"

"Laugh all you want, I only got one more punch until I get a free visit." Laurens joked.

"But seriously, you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good." Peggy paused. "There is something that I need to tell you."

"What?"

"I called off my engagement."

Laurens was silent for a moment. He didn't know what to think.

"I missed you, I missed hanging out with you."

"I did too." Laurens wasn't sure what she meant. Did she like him? Or did she want to be better friends again?

"I knew that Stephen didn't really like you and I want my husband to support every decision I make." Peggy stated.

"You called off your wedding, just because of a friend?" Laurens asked.

Peggy was sad inside. Guess he did just want to be friends. But she knew she made the right choice in the end. Better to be friends with Laurens than to be married to Stephen and never be around Laurens again. Especially since Stephen wanted her to move back to London with him. She would have been able to see any of her family members but for like a few days a year. She didn't want that life.

"Yes. You mean that much to me." Peggy nodded.

"Thanks. I know that hate is a strong word, so lets just say I really, really, really, really, really, did not like him." Laurens admitted. "He always smelled like a bank anyway."

Peggy started laughing uncontrollably. Mainly because it was true.

"Don't tell him I said that though."

"I don't think I'll be hearing from him for awhile. He's still pretty upset at me." Peggy laughed some more.

"I guess it just didn't fit well with you two?"

"I guess not, but that doesn't mean that.... well yeah, this whole thing is a mess." Peggy sighed. "And my grandfather's gonna hate me. He really likes Stephen. But I'm not letting him control my life. I make my own decisions, no one else gets to make them for me." She stated. "And I, Margarita Schuyler, am not going to marry Stephen Van Rensselaer."