✔️| Becoming Lady Washington

Chapter Thirty-Five: Independence Day, Part Two

"Well well well. If it isn't the man of the hour!"

I whirled around, and there was my old friend, Richard Henry Lee, standing there with his arm around Mr. Adams, who did not look too happy about the situation. Like usual, he was smiling happi-lee (yes, I went there) from ear to ear and had a wild look in his eyes.

"Mr. Lee!" I said in surprise, shaking his hand in greeting. "How do you do, sir?"

"Marvelous-LEE, thank you very much."

I groaned, face-palming as Richard made yet another pun.

"Of course. Thank you for attending the ceremony," I said sincerely, nodding once at him.

"It was my pleasure, General. Is Lady Washington around here somewhere...?" Lee trailed off, glancing around.

"Yes, she is here tonight and is currently talking with Thomas Paine over there by the corner." I pointed to the aforementioned corner, and Lee grinned.

"I shall be seeing you later then, General, for I wish to visit with the Lady as well. Congratulations on your recent victory, by the way. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Lee politely exited, Adams trailing after him. 

Now, to find my wife and share a dance with her...

"Ali," I snuck up behind her, and she jumped, almost falling into Thomas Paine, who caught her.

"George! Do. Not. Do. That. Again." She shook her finger at me as she said each word, trying not to laugh.

"General Washington!" Mr. Paine exclaimed, grasping my hand in greeting.

"Mr. Paine! How do you do?" I inquired, smiling at the man.

"Excellent. And yourself, General? I'm sure you must be pretty happy what with your recent unification and all that," He replied, gesturing between me and Alice. We blushed, and he grinned knowingly.

"So, Mrs. Washington, you were telling me about an Amanda Paine earlier? You said she is a relative of mine, yes?"

"That I did," Ali nodded, grasping my hand. "She is one of my best friends, and has heard a lot about you, but has never gotten the chance to actually meet you."

"I would love to meet her. Anyways, I must go speak with Mr. Jefferson, so maybe we can continue this conversation another time, Major General Washington, General Washington?" Thomas asked, tilting his head.

"Of course, Mr. Paine!"

And now, a break with the Best History Teacher Ever (In Ali's Opinion Anyway), Mr. Campbell!!!

"Pardon me, are you Bradley Campbell, sir?"

I glanced up from my grading, noticing Aphrodite (whom I had met before) sitting on top of one of the desks in the classroom.  "Aphrodite, you know I have met you before." I laughed, closing my book. "What brings you here to my humble home-away-from-home?"

"Oh, nothing much." She giggled lightly, and I tensed, knowing that giggle could mean nothing good. During all the times we had met, (which was three if you count this meeting), she had always come for a reason. "Just to tell you that one of your favorite students just got married to the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army."

"WHAT?!" I loudly exclaimed, rising quickly. "It's true? The textbook was right?!"

I could not fathom it. Alice, the little cinnamon roll I had known since her eighth grade year of middle school, was married. Married, no less, to George Washington. Our first Commander. Our first President.

Alice was basically my surrogate daughter. I looked after her in ways her busy mother could not, protected her to the best of my ability. And now, she was actually married... At the age of sixteen, or however old she was now.

I needed a drink.

"The textbook was right." Aphrodite confirmed, smiling. "In fact, I can take you to see her if you want. It might be a nice little surprise. Not to mention, you would get to meet the General himself."

"I would like that very much. Lead the way, Lady Aphrodite."

I landed in front of a place I immediately recognized from a tour I had taken not so long ago, Mount Vernon. This was it.

Glancing down, I noted that I was dressed in period clothes fit for the occasion, and I looked questioningly at Aphrodite, who grinned.

"I wanted to make your visit as smooth as possible, Professor."

"Thank you, madam. Are you going to be accompanying me?"

"You know, that is not that bad an idea. I shall be joining you on this trip, for I wish to offer my congratulations to the General and his wife." Aphrodite responded, snapping her fingers as she switched to period costume, her golden blonde hair now a dark brown.

"Let us join the festivities then, shall we?"

"We shall."

Alice's POV

I stood next to George, laughing loudly at a funny comment Benjamin Franklin had just made. George said something in response, but fell silent as half the room stopped mid-conversation, their eyes on the door.

What the frick...

WHY IS HE HERE?!?!?!??

"Mr. Campbell?" I gasped as I recognized the man who had entered, Aphrodite on his arm. We pulled each other into a hug, laughing in happiness.

"What the devil are you doing here?!" I asked, as we broke apart.

"Says the woman who just got married to the General of the Continental Army!" He countered, and I nudged him in the arm.

"Shut up, Brad. Anyways, let me introduce you to some people." I quickly changed the topic, and his eyes lit up, the history nerd inside him coming into play as he scanned the room, attempting to recognize as many famous figures as he could. "Bradley Campbell, it is my honor to introduce you to General Washington, also known as the best husband a woman could ask for. George, this is the Mr. Campbell I told you about."

"A pleasure to meet you, my good sir." George said, shaking his hand. "Needless to say, I have heard a lot about you from my wife."

"I'm sure you have, General," chuckled Mr. Campbell. "If my memory serves me right, she never shuts up during class, especially when learning about the Revolution."

"Why am I not shocked?" drawled George, and I giggled, glaring playfully at him.

"Ah, Ben! How good of you to join us!" I suddenly exclaimed, noticing Ben standing off to the side, looking at us with a curious expression on his face.

"Benjamin, let me introduce you to Professor Bradley Campbell, a close friend of mine. Mr. Campbell, meet Benjamin Tallmadge. I am pretty sure you've heard of him."

"I certainly have heard of him, to say the least. A pleasure to meet you, Major."

"Likewise, Professor."

After that, the party lasted well into the evening, George and I dancing together for at least two hours.

As I collapsed onto my bed after the party ended, I had only one thought:

All was well.