What if We Rewrite the Stars?

Act 28: Partners:

Phillip got out of the hospital when he headed to Amelia's grandparents' house, where she had mentioned that they had to stay. He knocked on the door, seeing Benjamin, Amelia's grandfather. just like Phineas did all those years ago.

"Hello?" Benjamin asked when Phillip started to get nervous.

"Is Miss Amelia Barnum home?" Phillip asked, nervously, when Benjamin raised his brow. 

"And who are you?" Benjamin asked when Phillip fiddled with the velvet box in his pocket. 

"Phillip Carlyle--" Phillip went to say, when Amelia walked down with Helen and Caroline, while Phineas and Charity were following behind. 

"Phillip!" Helen exclaimed when she ran over to him with Caroline. 

Benjamin stepped to the side, when Amelia smiled at Phillip, watching her little sisters hug him. "What are you doing here, Phillip?" Phineas asked, watching Phillip look at Amelia. 

"I--I actually came to ask for your blessing..." Phillip smiled, nervously, when Charity placed her hand over her mouth. 

Amelia just smiled, when Phineas looked at his daughter and Phillip. "And you shall have it." Phineas smiled when Charity motioned for the girls to walk over to her. 

Phillip grabbed the velvet box out of his pocket when he knelt down on one knee. "Will you marry me, Amelia Barnum?" Phillip asked, making Amelia nod again. 

"Yes... Mr. Carlyle, I would love to marry you." She smiled, when he stood up, kissing her when he pulled away to put the ring on her finger.

"Mimi's wish came true," Caroline spoke up, making Phillip and Amelia turn to her. 

"What wish?" Phillip asked her. 

"She made a wish in the wishing machine about finding her true love." Caroline continued to smile. 

"So, your wish came true?" Phillip asked, looking at Amelia, who nodded. 

"Yes, it most definitely did." She smiled, hugging him.

The next day, Phineas went to the bank, while everyone was trying to clean up the mess where the building had burned down. Phillip lifted up a broken part of the wall, helping Amelia pick up her burnt, silver ring that she used in her acts. Amelia sighed when she looked over seeing Tom hold up his burned general doll.

"Bank said no?" Phillip asked, making Amelia look at him when he was looking at Phineas, who came back from the bank. 

"Emphatically... Repeatedly. I don't think there's a banker left in the country I can fool into loaning me more money, so... I'm really sorry to disappoint you all." Phineas said to his friends. 

"Don't worry, Barnum. We've gotten used to it by now." Tom spoke up, making the others chuckle.

"You know, Barnum..." Phillip said, walking over to his soon-to-be father-in-law. "...when I first met you, I had an inheritance, acclaim, an invitation to every party in town. And now, thanks to you, all that's gone." Phillip said, making the others confused as to where he was going with this. "All that's left is friendship, love, and work that I adore." Phillip smiled, when he turned, holding his hand out for Amelia. "You brought joy into my life." Phillip smiled when he turned to look at Amelia, who moved beside him, holding his hand.

"Into all our lives," Lettie spoke up.

"Hear, hear." A few of the men chanted, making everyone chuckle.

"If only the bank would take joy as collateral," Phineas said, looking at all of them. 

"They may not... but I will," Phillip said, making everyone raise their brow when Amelia hugged into his side. "I own 10% of the show. Knowing who I was working for... I had the good sense to take my cut weekly." Phillip smiled, making Phineas look at his daughter, who was to marry Phillip.

"Phillip, I can't let you gamble it on me. I--" 

"Sure, you can," Amelia spoke up, making the others laugh. 

"Don't turn sensible on us now," Lettie added, making Phineas look at the others again. 

"Partners?" Phillip asked, making Phineas turn to look at him and Amelia. "50-50?" Phillip asked, holding his hand out when Phineas smiled at him. 

"You are to be family, soon..." Anne added, making Amelia smile when she looked back at her best friend. 

Everyone began to smile and laugh when Phineas shook Phillip's hand. "Partners." Phineas smiled when Phillip kissed Amelia's cheek and the rest of them cheered. 

"The only thing is... I don't know how we're gonna afford a building." Phillip sighed, looking back at Phineas. 

"Right... Building. We don't need a building. Real estate in Manhattan is a terrible investment. Why... I can get land down by the docks for almost nothing. All we need is a tent." Phineas proposed when they did exactly that.

~766 words~