Dedicating Every Day to You

Chapter Forty-One

I straighten my jacket in the mirror, brushing imaginary dust from the lapels. If I do say so myself, I look very snazzy. I'm wearing the jacket, shirt, and tie from the vintage suit I stole from John for Era Day at school, plus shorts and my ratty Converse. I've got my hair in a bun, and I'm wearing a pair of fake hipster glasses. I think I look very professional.

John laughs. "You look so grown-up." He walks over and wraps his arms around me, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"Don't!" I protest, yelping when he knocks my bun loose. A million spiralling curls fly everywhere, and I groan. "Can I borrow some hair gel? Hairspray just isn't doing the job."

I'm going to 'work' for the first time ever, and I honestly couldn't be more excited. I'm going to simply be doing receptionist work, probably running coffee and answering phones, but I'm doing more than any of my friends. Harriet's still at theatre camp, and Theodosia is visiting cousins in Colorado. Ballet camp would have been nice, but I think this is a pretty nice alternative.

Alex walks over. "Ready to go, my dearest daughter?"

John moves his hands to his hips. "I thought I was your dearest." He reaches out to straighten Alex's tie. It's patterned with small turtles.

Alex laughs and kisses his cheek. "Kat's the only woman who could ever come between us."

I grab my satchel- loaded up with notebook and pencil, a copy of Return of the King, and a bag of Goldfish. I was forbidden expressly from bringing my cell phone, and so it's charging on my nightstand. I'm thoroughly prepared for the day, however. "Let's go, my dear father."

In the car, Alex plays his Wicked CD. Neither of us can really sing, but we try our best- until we get within five minutes of the office. Then, he switches it over to NPR and pulls into a coffee shop drive-thru.

Alex turns to me. "Want anything?"

My jaw drops. "Like, real coffee?" This is a development for sure.

"Well, you are a working woman now." He moves forward in the line. "I'll let you get a small coffee, and you can't be hyper or it'll never happen again."

I nod slowly. "I guess I'll get...a mocha? I don't know, it's chocolate and I like chocolate."

Alex laughs. "You are definitely my daughter. I'll get one, too. I haven't had one of those in a while."

We pull through the drive-thru, getting back on the highway for Alex's office. I'm a little nervous, but I take a deep breath, grab my coffee, and climb out of the car. When we get into the office, Alex holds the door open for me. I bow comically as we walk through, and he laughs.

"Welcome to Presidential Law, Miss Laurens-Hamilton," He says in a joking tone. "So, are you excited for an eventful day of answering phones and making coffee?"

I crack my knuckles. "There has never been anyone more ready."

*******

Halfway into the day, I'm already exhausted. I've gone to the coffee shop down the street seven times, memorized the filing system, and transferred forty-two phone calls. My fake glasses are falling down my nose, and my hair has one hundred percent given up the ghost on the bun.

The door swings open, and I see a flash of purple velvet coat. It's Jefferson, just as pompous as always.

"Hello, Hamilton spawn. Do you have any messages for me?"

I sigh- he knows my name. I'm one of his daughter's best friends, after all. "One from Mr. Madison, sir." I hand him the sticky note, upon which I've jotted, 'JM for TJ- pls call back ASAP'. I don't even know what the conversation concerns, but like the dutiful intern I am, I wrote down the message anyway.

The intercom on the desk buzzes, and I cheerfully smack the button. The entrance secretary speaks, his voice obscured just mildly by the static of the intercom. "Mr. John Laurens here to see Mr. Hamilton. Should I have him wait or send him in?"

John's here! I'm so excited, it takes me a minute to hold down the button for a response. "Send him in please!"

I then dial Alex's office extension on the phone. "Heyo, father, I don't know why but Dad is coming up so come out of your office please and thank you."

His voice is bright and happy. "John's here? I will be right out."

A moment later, true to his word, Alex is behind the desk with me. He kisses the top of my head. "How are you holding up, honey?"

I wrap my arms around him. "I'm doing great, actually. It's not the world's most exciting job, but I'm having some fun anyway."

The door opens, and John pokes his head in. He's holding a bag, and he looks a little sheepish. "Hey, child. Hey, Alex. You guys forgot your lunch."

I run over for a hug. "Thank you so much!" John ruffles my hair again.

Alex leans over to kiss John, and the two of them do an awkward hug-kiss combo. I lucked out with such amazing parents- who really love each other, and are made happier just by being in the room with one another. When John is reading and Alex walks in from work, John drops his book to the floor and runs to Alex for a hug. If John comes to surprise Alex at work, papers go flying as they rush to kiss one another hello.

"Disgusting," someone snaps in a thick English accent. "There ought to be a law."

John and Alex spring apart, and I look up. There's a tall man in a collared shirt and khakis, glaring at my fathers as though they're conducting a frog dissection instead of just doing what married couples do and kissing. He's definitely a political man, probably Republican. He has very shiny shoes.

"Oh, Kathryn!" I look behind the man to see a familiar face. The face in question looks a little sheepish.

"Hello, George. It's nice to see you, I guess." The two of us step away from the fracas that is no doubt about to ensue.

George blushes, looking down at the toes of his shoes. They're navy blue Converse, the fancy hand-painted kind. These ones have Union Jacks on them, and also what I recognize from Alex's favorite show as a Sonic Screwdriver. "Sorry about my dad."

I sigh. "It's not really okay, but it's not your fault. This time." I loosen the tie that I've forgotten I was wearing. "How's your summer been going?"

He shrugs, shifting from foot to foot. "It's going alright. I went back to England for a week last month."

I smile and play with a curl, a habit I've been trying to break. "How was that?"

George brightens visibly, his smile much more happy now. "It was amazing! I got to see my mum and my big brother for the first time in ages. We went on the Doctor Who studio tour, and I got a TARDIS lamp. It was so cool!"

I laugh out loud. "That's actually really neat."

He grins. "I thought so, too. That's where I also got these-"

George is cut off by his father placing a hand on his shoulder. Apparently, that alone is enough to fully silence him.

"We're leaving, George." His father is red-faced and looks furious. I can't help but wonder what my dads said to him.

As they walk out, George waves to me. "I'll see you when school starts again, okay?"

John wraps an arm around my shoulder. "Come on, honey. I've got enough time to eat lunch with you two before I have to head back."

We sit down at the reception desk together, but the whole time, I'm left to wonder what drives someone to hate someone else. Why someone's choice to love someone else makes it okay for you to say cruel things to them or threaten them. Why it is that people have to be so mean sometimes.

Alex laughs and ruffles my hair. "You must be having deep thoughts over there. What's on your mind, kiddo?"

I try to take a bite of my sandwich, but it tastes like sand. "Nothing much." It's my first time lying to my parents, and immediately it feels like my heart has shriveled inside my chest. I look down at the floor and pretend that everything's fine.