Counterpoint

Chapter 48

Alexander

   My fingers are fidgeting slightly on top of my keyboard as I struggle to keep my attention on the illuminated screen. Black characters are glowing in the stark contrast between them and the white abyss that is my screen. Usually, that contrast would be more than enough to keep my attention solely fixated on the task, but unfortunately there is a specific presence in this office that is making it next to impossible to focus on what needs to be done. Out of the corner of my eye I can see him sitting in one of the chairs in front of my desk, his legs crossed at the knee as he waits for me to acknowledge his presence. 

   The aura that is exuded from him causes me to feel even more uncomfortable than I would ever care to admit. I can hear his fingers tapping against the armrest of the chair as he impatiently waits for me to stop my childish act of ignoring him. My heart is stuttering in my chest as the anxiety gradually begins to get the better of me. I take a silent steadying breath before turning to look at the sentry of my office. His dark eyes look back at me with an aggravated expression, the expression of someone who had been kept waiting for far too long. 

   "You finally choose to acknowledge my existence?" He grumbles. "How decent of you." My mouth runs dry as I look at the face of James Madison. Thankfully the coffee hadn't burned him at all, but I feel that if I look close enough I can still see where the hot liquid had run over his features. That all too familiar feeling of guilt sinks its teeth into me and I find myself to be frozen in place as he glares back at me. "Are you even capable of saying anything to me?"

   "I'm sorry." I cough, my throat feeling uncomfortably dry as I struggle to form words to respond. There is an extended pause of silence where he simply sits back in his chair and looks at me with a rather suspicious expression.

   "What did you just say?" He asks with distinctly narrowed eyes.

   "I..." I run a hand harshly over my face before meeting his eyes again. "I wanted to apologize for throwing coffee at you. I also want you to understand that the assault wasn't intended for you, but all the same I am sorry." 

   "You...apologized." he murmurs and I can't help but look at him confusedly. "Apologized to me." 

   "I...Yes." I answer slowly, uncertain on just how to respond to this rather strange turn of the conversation. "Is that alright, with you?" James opens his mouth to respond but quickly closes it as the door to the office quickly opens and closes, leaving a woman to be standing in my office with a rather exasperated expression on her face. 

   "Good Lord James, how long did you intend for me to just sit out there?" Her hands are resting on her hips as she glowers down at the sitting man. "You left me sitting out there for about an hour and I find you sitting in this room, not even talking." 

   "Dolley-"

   "I don't want to hear it." She cuts him off. "Did you ask him about Thomas?" 

   "Thomas?" I cut in, all eyes seeming to settle on me once my voice broke through the tense air. "What about Thomas?"

   "I'll be getting to that in just a minute." She replied calmly, before turning her powerful gaze back onto her husband. "James, it is now your turn to sit outside." 

   "Dolley, I don't like the idea of you being in here alone with this man." He states plainly in his protest. I dig my fingers into my palms underneath the cover of the desk to stop myself from responding to his obviously distasteful remark. Keep your cool and this will all be over with.

   "James Madison, I was not negotiating or asking you. I will be having a word with Hamilton alone. He and I have spoken on several occasions and nothing has happened, so learn to trust your wife and sit outside." I cringe slightly as the harshness of her words slams into Madison and echoes faintly towards me. The one thing I both adore and fear about Dolley Madison is her ability to never pull her punches. Madison slowly and silently rises to his feet and exits the room without another word or even backwards glance. I say nothing as Dolley takes his seat and simply looks at me with a rather calm and complacent expression. 

   "That was quite the display." I murmur. 

   "Jame is a good man, but sometimes he just needs that extra push to get him to do anything." She smiles. "Southern stubbornness." I chuckle at her words, instantly beginning to relax as the usual atmosphere between the two of us takes root. "Something I am certain you know a great deal about."

   "Working with several Virginians, I certainly do." 

   "That was not to what I was referring."  

   "Then what are you hinting at?" 

   "What is your relationship with Thomas Jefferson?"

   "I don't recall there being any particular form of relationship between the two of us." 

   "Please stop playing these games Alexander." She says plainly. My smile drops as she stares at me with distinctly piercing her eyes that I have been completely immobilized by. "You love him, don't you?"

   "I..."

   "There is no need to worry about my husband." She replies with a fleeting glance towards the door. "He really doesn't dislike you as much as you think, nor would he be willing to stand in the way of Thomas finding happiness again." I stare back at her blankly as she simply smiles in response. 

   "Why are you here Dolley?" I murmur.

   "Thomas has become a part of my family, his happiness has become rather important to me. If I can assure his happiness as well as yours, then I will consider this to be a rather successful day." 

  "Thomas is..." I drop off as my mind struggles to come up with the right words to describe him and what he means to me.

   "He's special, isn't he?" she asks with a gentle smile.

   "He really is." I reply, not even realizing that I am beginning to smile. "I don't know what I can say about him. There doesn't seem to be the right words." Dolley sits there with a rather dreamy expression as she leans against my desk. "What?"

   "You really do love him." My cheeks flush as she smiles at me sweetly. "He is really lucky to have you."

   "T-Thank you."