You sat twirling in your dad’s chair, legs swinging. Any day out of the house was a good day. It wasn’t that you disliked Martha, but she was your step-mother. It was bound to be at least a little tension there. You were the accidental product of a younger man’s escapades as he had eloquently put it many times. It was no secret you were an accident and unintentional. Accident? Yes, unloved? Never.
You shuffled through the printed sheet that littered his desk. Bored, you picked up one.
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...
It was no secret to anyone in your family that the colonies were about to declare officially declare independence and though he wasn’t on the writing committee, his opinion was still wanted, though you weren’t sure how much of an editor he was. Leader, yes, but he had never had the patience for writing. Grabbing a red pen from the cup on the desk, you scratched out some edits.
A knock at the door made you look up before it swung open.
“General? I was wondering if you had the chance to look at the draft..” Thomas Jefferson looked in only to find you at the desk. You weren’t sure if he was surprised or confused as you handed the draft to him.
“I’ve made some edits. Let me know if you want me to look over the next round of drafts.”
You didn’t think he was really going to take it, but he slowly walked across the office and took the paper.
“I will let you know,” he answered slowly, but you swore you almost caught a bit of respect in his eyes. You hadn’t had too much interaction in the past with Jefferson, but maybe the tides were turning.
