The Affair

Alexander got a letter from Mr. James Reynolds on December 19th, 1971, six months after the affair had begun. The letter basically said, Mr. Hamilton, I know you have been cheating with my wife. If you give me thirteen hundred dollars I will walk away with our daughter and no one will ever have to know what you did. You have until tomorrow to get this done or I'm telling your wife. -James Reynolds. Once Alexander read the letter he became furious. He hid the letter and raced to her house. "How did he find out? And don't tell me that he hasn't found out, I just read a letter from him." She claimed she didn't know about any letter. "So was your whole story a setup?" She claimed she had no idea what he was talking about. "I am ruined. And this is all your fault, Maria! Why did you have to go and do this?" He screamed as he felt slightly dizzy from his anger. "Just give him what he wants and you can have me. Do whatever he wants. If you pay, you can stay." He looked at her like she was nuts. How could she possibly think I would stay now? Does she really think it's that easy? Could it be that easy? He left there without saying another word.

Even if I did, how could I get a hold of that money? Where could anyone possibly have that kind of money? The government has money. He later got the money he needed from the country's funds. He eventually paid them back, but he was an immigrant. If anyone found out that he was using the country's money, he would be considered an immigrant embezzling funds.

"So?" James Reynolds stood there and looked at the pathetic man in front of him. Alexander sighed as he handed James the money. "Nobody needs to know." James smiled looking at the money. They both went their separate ways after that.

The affair continued until around June of 1792. James had decided the month before that Alexander could no longer see his wife. But by then, James had already scammed $1,300 from him.

Through the next several years, Alexander felt so much guilt. He was in The Federalist Party and for some reason or another, he destroyed John Adams, the only other member of his party, with The Adam's Pamphlet. After that, he published what was known as The Reynolds Pamphlet. The Reynolds Pamphlet was 95 pages long and was read by pretty much everyone. Alexander's wife found out and decided to burn every letter that he wrote to her. When Maria found out about their affair going public, she couldn't feel anything. For a good couple of days, her feelings seemed to just disappear. After that, she just cried. She cried for hours, days, and even months. Because she knew, she knew she wouldn't be able to raise another child, especially on her own.

"That's how we met. That's how everything happened. Now you know. And I..." She looked like she was about to start crying again. She looked up and blinked fast to make the tears go away. "I'm such a bad person. I didn't even tell the man I was in love with that he had a daughter. Or that I was in love with him... I'm such a bad person." I immediately felt bad. This wonderful person that I call my mom, she feels bad. She feels bad because she hasn't told my father about me. Why hasn't she told him? "It's alright mom. You're not a bad person. But why haven't you told him?" A few more tears rolled down her face before she answered. "Well, I knew that he never wanted to get involved with me in the first place. The entire affair is my fault. I also thought he wouldn't care. I didn't want to make life harder for him than I already have." She grabbed a pillow and put her face into it as she cried even harder. It makes sense why she didn't tell him. But why is she crying? Can't she just tell him now? "Why can't you just tell him now? I'm old enough to understand whatever he decides to do. And I swear I would be-" She looked up from the pillow and looked at me. "I'm so sorry Alexandria." Why was she sorry? Did she do something wrong? "The reason I've been crying all afternoon is because I got a call from Eliza, his wife. He-" She paused to breathe but it sounded more like a gasp. "He died, Alexandria."

So now I stand here, in front of his grave as the rain pours down my umbrella and onto the ground. "Hey dad." I look at some papers I have in my hand that he wrote to my mom before looking back at the gravestone. "I know you don't know me, and it's been like what, twenty-four years since you died?" For some reason, I stopped and listened like he was going to respond. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry it took me this long to come here. And for not meeting you when you were alive." I felt myself starting to tear up so I decided to change the subject. "I got married to someone. His name is Andrew. He's a good man, has a stable job, and he really loves me. And guess what else? You are a grandfather. I mean, I know you had seven other kids and you were probably already a grandfather, but you know..." I stopped for a second to make sure I wouldn't cry. I gasped a little as a failed tear fell down my face. I dropped my umbrella and fell to my knees like a pathetic person would right in front of their dead father. "Why? Why couldn't you have stayed? Just a little longer. You're making me feel so petty right now. I don't even know you and somehow I still care about. I still wish you were here. I don't even know you and I'm still wishing you were there. That you would have been my father." I stopped talking and listened to the rain hitting the ground. "I'm so sorry dad. I'm so very sorry mom. Maybe if I just wouldn't have been born you wouldn't have had so many issues." I stopped as I suddenly heard something in my ear. We love you. I froze. Could there really be such a thing as the afterlife? Could it really be them? I realized I should probably leave. My clothes were soaked and I was freezing. I smiled while saying, "I love you too" before walking away.