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Onto our story:

[X] and [Y] grew up together as children. They were inseparable and often mistaken for brothers. Unfortunately, there was an argument between their parents over the issue of slavery and [X]'s family moved North. [X] and [Y] continued to write each other in secret after this event, not knowing of the other's changes through the years.

[X] grew up under his father, who was a die hard abolitionist and member of the budding Republican party, while [Y] grew up underneath a rich slave holder and a strong supporter of the Democrat party. The two young men slowly took on there father's traits, but their friendship endured. Their conversations of politics never came up in their letters and they only spoke of wanting to see the other again some day.

Then one day, politics were dragged in, but oddly...it did not destroy their friendship. In fact, it gave them more hope than fear. You see, [Y] had run for Senate and had won. He needed a place to stay for the time when the Senate was in session and [X] had been living nearby for a year now to act as a journalist nearby. [Y] asked permission of [X] to be allowed to stay with him and [X] immediately accepted.

The story begins with [X]'s preparations for his old friend and [Y]'s trip to D.C.

Oliver cussed and hopped dwon from the carriage. He'd knocked his boot on the side of the door and then his head on the roof. He was so unused to the new hieght he had that it threw off everything he did. Since the summer had started he'd shot up two inches. Hopefully that would be the end of it.
"Henry, fetch my bags. One of the servants ought to be able to tell you where the to take them and then you may have one of them show you where the coloreds are lodged."
Henry, faithful and steady, nodded and took his things down from the carriage rack. Fixing his coat and shirt self-consciously, Oliver took a breath and walked up to the door to knock and be let in by one of the servants. 'I hope this goes well.'

Oliver froze half a moment and stared. That is not how I remember Andrew. Smiling and shaking off the shock, he laughed lightly and said, "I've been wonderful. Your home is so lovely. Everything here is so different from the South, but I must say it is beautiful for the difference."
He looked all around, taking in the foreign build to the house and the way the grounds were set up. Anything to keep his eyes of his childhood friend. It had been so long since they'd seen each other that he hadn't known what he should expect on this visit. This man in front of him was not the image he'd drawn up from the letters. In his mind he had taken wha the remembered of Andrew's parents and child Andrew and created various pictures from that. None of them resembled the man in front of him now.
'Well, one thing is for sure. Andrew is no boy any longer.'

Oliver smiled as he followed after his old friend, feeling a sense of happiness just from the familiar memories that came to mind. It had been so long but he could still remember chasing after Andy in the old southern manor and being scolded by the cook.
He was immensely surprised that Andrew allowed his staff, let alone colored ones, to call him by his given name. He was even more surprised that Henry had deviated from orders.
"Henry?" he asked. "Is something the matter? Don't they have lodging for you?"
Henry took his hat from his head and spun it in circles through his hands. "No, suh. Missum says I get a room lihke any uthuh."
Blinking and trying to let it roll off his back, he turned back to Andrew with a chagrined smile. "I apologize for ignoring your question. This is Henry, one of the servants I brought with me. I hope he's right and it's not too much trouble to put him up for the night. Any accomodations will do."

Oliver blanched and tried to hide his surprise. Henry was beign treated like a guest. 'Well,' he thought, 'This is the north. I suppose I didn't think Andrew would be like the others.'
Smiling to hide his discomfort, he followed around after his old friend and listened to him speak. "The rooms are wonderful, Andrew. I'm so gald we could have this oppurtunity to get to know each other again. Why don't we head down for supper. You once wrote me that you have an amazing chef."