Becoming A Founding "Father"- Historical Hamilton

Chapter Twenty: The Number Ghost

"I go Boston."

I look at Lafayette's cards. Tench Tilghman says "I go seve-"

He's interrupted by a bang. "Oh, that damn piece of-" Alexander storms into the place, his arms gesturing something wildly. Lafayette lowers his cards from his face, and so does the whole table, watching him pace around the whole place, restrained fury clear on his face. "This is bullshit- I swear to god-"

"Good day to you, Layden," Tilghman says to Alexander, and the Frenchman next to me huffs out a laugh. "You look quite different than usual today."

He ignores the remark, sitting down on his desk. Lafayette puts our cards face down, and I stop leaning over his shoulder- the game has been paused momentarily. "What did his Excellency do this time?"

Both Tilghman and Laurens- who sat on the opposite side of the table- gave me tired look, and I felt the Marquis sigh gently, too. Nothing's changed, their body language says- Hamilton's beating a dead horse.

"I- for the life of me- cannot understand Washington's behavior! Is he dense? Does he not trust me in the slightest? Or is he just stubborn?" The whole table just sits quietly, enduring the rant that is getting increasingly common over these past few months. "I could be of such help, but here I am, his secretary, writing letters to Congress that probably won't ever be read! God, is Washington's so terrible at making good decisions that-"

Lafayette clears his throat, alerting Alexander of his presence. The frenchman sends him a teasing smile with a dangerous edge to it. Alex's face lights up, completely forgetting his anger. "Mon ami! You're back!"

The smile breaks into a wide grin as Lafayette barely managed to stand up before Alexander flung himself into the taller's embrace. The Marquis let out an 'oof', and Alex laughed merrily.

"Mon cher, I was g-gone only for- ah- two weeks!"

"That's two weeks too long! It's great to have you back. What did you think of John's father?" He asked, and Laurens rolled his eyes. Lafayette's lips tugged into a smirk. 

"He is... exactly how Laurens described." That wasn't a compliment- John Laurens despised his father, to everyone's surprise (and Alex's pleasure). Henry Laurens- from what John had told me, Alex and Lafayette- was a bit of a bigot, and an absent father. He also was a plantation owner, which unsettled his son deeply.

("Slavery, Solomon. He's against slavery. They're called abolitionists.")

"Aye, that he is," Laurens said with a purposefully strained smile, which made everyone cackle. Laurens was slowly but surely coming out of his emotional shell, and I was all for it.

"How's your leg after the travel?" Alex inquires, and Lafayette shrugs.

"It aches, but... Not much, other than that. Nurse- euh- Margaret was- uh- quite a... great. And... Solomon- I mean, Layden- was very nice... company while I was... bedded... for those two weeks."

"Ah, so that's where you were!" Harrison exclaimed, and I nod. "I was wondering if you had deserted us."

"Oh, as if he could." Meade scoffs. "If Layden would happen to suddenly vanish, Hammie would have this place torn down, and then searched the whole of America. There would be nowhere to hide."

We all laugh, including Alexander.

When he and Lafayette finally separated, Lafayette sat down next to me again. Alex was also aiming to sit next to me, but I quickly blocked his path. "Nu-uh Alex, you don't get to sit with our dearest Lafayette after being half an hour late to our incredibly important game of French Boston." Laughter echoed through the room again, and Alex rolled his eyes fondly. "Sit by Laurens and discuss fucking politics or something."