Tale of A Widow

Say No To This

There's nothing like summer in the city

Esper's eyes widened, immediately knowing what this song was about. Philip noticed his mother's expression and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze before retracting it.

Someone under stress meets someone looking pretty
There's trouble in the air, you can smell it
And Alexander's by himself
I'll let him tell it

"What's going on?" the younger children, who had never heard of either affair their father had, asked along with many of the people except Jefferson and Madison.

I hadn't slept in a week
I was weak, I was awake
You've never seen a bastard orphan
More in need of a break
Longing for Angelica
Missing my wife
That's when Miss Eliza Langdon walked into my life

"Me?" Eliza asked. Esper didn't dare look at the woman, tears in her eyes as she remembered the heartbreak she went through.

She said

I know you are a man of honour

Not a lot of honour, Jefferson thought as he glared at Alex who looked awfully confused.

I'm so sorry to bother you at home
But I don't know where to go
And I came here all alone

She said

My husband's doin' me wrong
Beatin' me, cheatin' me, mistreatin' me
Suddenly he's up and gone
I don't have the means to go on

"Why didn't she go to Father?" Peggy asked. Esper bit her lip, blinking back her tears.

So I offered her a loan
I offered to walk her home, she said
(You're too kind, sir)
I gave her thirty bucks that I had socked away

"That's nice of you, mon ami," Lafayette said.

She lived a block away, she said
(This one's mine, sir)

Then I said, "Well, I should head back home"
She turned red, she led me to her bed
Let her legs spread and said
(Stay?)
Hey...
(Hey)
That's when I began to pray:

Lord, show me how to say no to this
I don't know how to say no to this
But my God, she looks so helpless

Eliza glanced over at Esper and felt her heart break and guilt washed over her. This woman, who had had eleven children, ten of them being with the man she wanted for herself, was having to relive this and yet still treated her with civility. She even named one of her children after her.

Then her mouth is one mine, and I don't say (No! No!)

Beth, John, William, Pippy, Maria, and George all watched with wide eyes as their father snogged another woman. One look at their mother's expression and it was clear this was painful for her to relive, especially after their father's death ten years ago.

Jefferson's fists clenched as he stood, walked over to where Esper was and pulled her into a hug. Lillianna and Philip had taken Maria and George from their mother the moment they noticed their uncle stand up. Taking a seat next to Lilli, the man kept a secure arm around Esperanza whilst Hamilton was still holding his lover's hand.

Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!
No! No!
Say no to this!

I wish I could say that was the last time
I said that last time, it became a pastime
A month into this endeavour

It went on for a month?! Hamilton thought in shock before remembering the affair he had had with Susan Lee when Esper was at war with them. He shouldn't have been in shock, he knew what he was like, but he still felt that wave of shock that washed over him at the news of how long it went on for.

I received a letter from a Mr. Chris Langdon
Even better, it said

Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health
And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth
In the pockets of people like me
Down on their luck
You see, that was my wife who you decided to

Fu-

Uh-oh!
You made the wrong sucker a cuckold
So time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled
And hey, you can keep seein' my whore wife
If the price is right
If not, I'm telling your wife

I hid the letter and I raced to her place
Screamed "How could you?" in her face
She said
(No, sir!)
Half dressed, apologetic
A mess, she looked pathetic
She cried
(Please don't go, sir!)

So was your whole story a setup?
(I don't know about any letter!)

"I never mentioned a letter," Alex pointed out, Jefferson and Madison's eyes widening upon realising what this meant. Chris Langdon and Eliza Langdon had planned this and done it to many others. So it wasn't entirely Hamilton's fault... that made them feel a bit more guilty for making Alex feel as if he had to reveal the affair with his lack of trust in them. Maybe they shouldn't have confronted him...

Stop crying goddamn it, get up!
(I didn't know any better!)
I am ruined
(Please don't leave me with him)
I am helpless (I am helpless)
How could I do this?

Just give him what he wants and you can have me (I don't want you)
Whatever you want (I don't want you)
If you pay you can stay (I don't-)

Lord, show me how to say no to this (Tonight)
I don't know how to say no to this
But the situation's helpless (Helpless)
And her body's screaming "hell, yes"

No, show me how to say no to this! (Whoa!)
How can I say no to this?
There is nowhere I can go (Go, go, go!)
When her body's on mine I do not say
(No!)

Yes!

Oh, Father, Eliza thought sadly as she watched her father on screen.

Yes... (Say no to this)
(No!) Yes!
Yes... (Say no to this)
(No!) Yes!
Yes! (Say no to this!)

Say no to this, I don't say no to this
There is nowhere I can go (Go, go, go)

So?

Nobody needs to know

"Why?" Alexander mumbled as Pippy jumped down from his lap, running over to AJ. "Why would I do this?" Esper took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze.

"If Aspen allows us to remember what happens, promise me this. You'll remember to say no, you'll remember to come upstate when asked. You'll remember to take a break, please." She whispered. Alex nodded, placing his other hand on her cheek and wiping away the tears. He leaned into the touch, closing her eyes with a soft smile. Jefferson begrudgingly let her go, returning back to his original place as the show continued.