I felt my hands trembling as I held tightly onto the railing. The world seemed to shake as I crept up the stairs. I should've have let Laf talk me into drinking that much. I'm just glad Herc wasn't our designated driver, last time he gave in and had a little too many. Aaron was our driver tonight. I think John paid him or something, I can't really remember much.

The rail began to slip from my grasp but, somehow in my drunken state I managed to catch my balance with my other hand. The floorboards creaking beneath my feet. I stopped and waited. If Eliza knew I was out this late she'd kill me.

Once I was at the top of the stairs it was a matter of getting to my room. I shuffled across the floor until I hit a door. To which room, I wasn't entirely sure. I just hoped it was mine.

The door opened without trouble and I almost fell into the room. Using the door to hold my balance I glanced around the room. My vision wasn't great I'd probably left my glasses in the car again. Aaron would give me them at work on Monday. I squinted and sighed, I couldn't make out anything in the dark.

"Dad?" I tensed, that was Philip my eldest son. I opened the door more and sure enough, it was his room. He slid out from under his blanket and walked sleepily over to me. "Why are you in my room?" He turned around and glanced at what I supposed what a clock. "At two am?"

"Pip, go back to bed." I whispered hoping Eliza wouldn't hear us. My twelve year old son folded his arms and looked at me with confusion written over his freckled face. "Your mother can't hear us."

He seemed to understand. "You're drunk." He ran a hand down his face. "I won't tell but, Mom talked about this." Philip glanced down the hallway where Eliza was sleeping. "She was worried, you promised eleven thirty tonight. She was going to wait up for you but, James had a nightmare and she's with him. Probably asleep."

I sighed and glanced behind me over to James' room. "I'll apologise her tomorrow, go to bed Pip. It's late." He shrugged and began to leave for his room.

"Daddy?" He froze and we both turned around to see my ten year old daughter, Angie. Her hair everywhere and a pale pink nightgown draped over her shoulders. "Pip? Why are you awake?"

Eliza would hear us now, she had great hearing and there were now three of us in the hall. I glanced at each of my children. Philip shrugged and shut his door. He was the oldest of five siblings. He was also the only one who knew where I went once a month.

"Ange, go to bed okay? It's very late." I tried to say kindly, but it may have come off harsher due to the alcohol. She ran off to her room when I heard the door behind me open. I paled and turned around.

"Alex?" There stood Eliza, her arms folded and an annoyed expression on her beautiful face. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail and she was wearing a blue-knit sweater and jeans.

When she looked at me closely, she sighed. "Go to bed, we'll discuss this while you're sober." She turned around to walk back to James' room.

"Eliza, wait!" I called out, my words more slurred than they'd been all night. She stopped in her tracks. "Please, love. I'm sorry."

"In the morning Alexander." She only used my full name when she was upset. She shut the door behind her.

I woke the next morning with a headache. As the events of last night came to my mind, I sighed. I let Eliza down again. I don't think she'd mind save for the fact that this was a common occurrence.

The first thing I noticed was the glass of water on my bedside table. The second was the silence in the house, with five kids silence was a gift, this must have been Eliza's doing. The final thing I noticed was the beautiful woman sitting beside me staring at the wall opposite to my bed. Eliza had changed out of her sweater and jeans and was wearing a white cardigan with a light blue shirt and leggings.

"Eliza?" I whispered wanting to gain her attention. She turned to me with a sad expression on her face.

"Alex." She sighed and slid closer to me. "You can't keep doing this, most of you have children." When I was silent she continued. "You have Pip, Angie, A.J., James and John. Aaron has Theo, John has Frances, Lafayette has Georges."

I grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "I know Betsy but, we're earlier than last time." She pulled her hand out of my grasp.

"You didn't even come home last time! Alexander, it may be different for us but, Frances called us at four am last time because she was worried. See Alexander, I'm here but you know why her mother isn't." She was in the mood for lecturing today.

"I was so worried, Alexander. You're so lucky James had a nightmare, Philip would've been the one greeting you." She looked away. "You are their father, they shouldn't see you like that. Pip already knows what you do, the others do not. So explain it to them or, come home when you say you are."

"Eliza, it's not my fault." I told her quietly. "We were all too drunk to have a concept of time."

She turned toward me tears streaming down her face like buckets. "Too drunk you say….. Too drunk…." Eliza grabbed my hand. "TOO DRUNK TO COME HOME TO YOUR WIFE!? YOUR CHILDREN?!" She wiped her face. "How do I know you're not hurt, or doing God knows what…" She sniffed. "How do I know you'll be home in the morning?"

I wiped a few more tears that fell down her face. "I'll always come home, Eliza. Today, tomorrow and always."

I remember saying that a year ago to my wife. My dearest wife. I look up and meet my secretary, Maria's eyes. Where did I decide she wasn't enough?

As our lips touched I find myself mentally begging for my Eliza. Our next child is on the way and her I am, having fun with Maria while Eliza is on vacation.

This wouldn't be the last time. It was the start of a relationship that would slowly begin to ruin my life.

The next morning I find myself walking Maria to our door. As I wait for her to head home I watch her pause. "Will we do this again?" She asked, her red lips forming a smile when I nodded.

Since when was Eliza not enough?