I wasn't just going to pop up and leave my sisters. So, instead of saying I'm going home and staying home, I told them that I needed to go visit my kids because I missed them and that I would be back soon. I took my purse and walked the ways over to my house. It was peaceful, but I knew that I was there to talk to Alex, so I was thinking and didn't get to appreciate the quietness from around me.

I didn't bother knocking on the door. I just walked into my house. Alex was at the kitchen table, his head buried in his hands. His body was shaking every couple of seconds or so. He was crying. I walk over to him quietly and put a hand on his back. His attention snaps up to me. His face is rejoiced and he hugs me. I hug back. I might be mad at him, but that doesn't mean I stopped loving him.

"I thought you said Friday…" he whispers into my hair

"I thought I should stop by, see my kids for a little bit. Besides, we need to talk. A lot has happened since last night and even though I am extremely upset, I need to be honest with my husband." I pull away and fix his shirt, "Let's go sit in our bedroom and talk."

I grab his hand and we walk together to our bedroom. He lets me in first and then closes the door. I look at the unmade bed, the tissues by the side of the bed, and the candy hearts on the nightstand.

"Were you crying last night, Alex?"

He blushes and looks at his shoes, "After you left, I was falling apart. So I ate some chocolate and cried. I made sure the kids were in bed and trying to fall asleep and I went to bed at 8pm."

"Oh, Alexander…" I hug him again, "This makes what I have to tell you so much harder."

His face changes as he pulls away from me, "What do you have to tell me."

"So, I got really drunk last night."

"I remember. I called you and you told me to go fuck myself but that you wanted me to fuck you. It was very confusing."

"Right, I don't remember that, but you know how when I'm drunk I get… moody…"

He nods. "So, uhm last night while I was extremely drunk, I texted some not ever clean pictures to someone who isn't you."

"Eliza… you were drunk and upset. I understand."

"I didn't tell you who though. That will make you very upset."

He rolls his eyes, "Who?"

"Mr. Jefferson…" I look at my shoes so I don't have to see his anger.

"It's okay, Betsy. It's okay. You were drunk. A couple of not exactly clean pictures doesn't even compare to what I did. You are okay." He pauses, "It didn't go anywhere, did it? You guys didn't hook up?"

"No, oh God, of course not. I apologized to him this morning. Told him I was very drunk and that I shouldn't have done that."

He hugs me, "Thank you for telling me. I appreciate that while we are not on good terms you still trust me."

"Speaking of trust, when this whole affair started, why didn't you tell me about it? Or say that you made a mistake?"

He grabs my hands and leads me to the bed to sit, "Eliza, when this happened the first time. You were with your father in Albany. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to ruin your visit with your dad."

I furrow my eyebrows, "What about after?"

"Because at that point it became a blackmail situation."

"Why'd you do it in the first place? Was I not… fulfilling your needs? Was I not enough? Am I not enough?"

"Oh my God, no. It was never you. At first she led me on, I wasn't conscious during that. And then it became she needed money so I helped her out and then James found out and he said he would expose me if I didn't pay. The sexual part ended about a month ago."

I lean into him, "If you had just told me…"

"If I did, you would still be mad. And you would probably still be at Peggy's." His arm wraps around my shoulders, his hand rubs my arm.

I start to cry, "But what if you told me 9 months ago, or even 6 months ago? Alex… we are supposed to be honest with each other. When we stood at the altar, we agreed to be faithful and honest. If you had just told me…"

"I know. I messed up, but I am trying to fix this."

"You can't fix this, Alex. If you had just told me, I wouldn't have found out from Thomas Jefferson that something might be going on." I wiped my eyes, tears finally stopping

"You never told me that." He pulls away and looks into my eyes, "Thomas told you that something might be going."

I nod, wiping more of my tears, "He said that you always show up late and leave early. Locking your office doors. And he gave me a check stub that he found."

"Eliza, why'd you believe him?"

"At first I didn't. When he told me I thought he was crazy." I sniffle, "But then I thought about it more. You leave early from the house almost every morning, but yet you clock in late almost everyday. You are always working late, but yet you leave early from work. It just didn't add up."

"So when you confronted me…"

"When I confronted you about it, I already had a feeling something was up…"

"And when I lied to you the first time…"

"When you lied, I could see right through it…"

He hugs me, "I am so sorry that you had to find out that way. I am so so sorry, Eliza."

"I just…" I start to cry, "I just wish you were honest with me… I have always been transparent with you. Do you not trust me enough?"

"No, I trust you. I just didn't want to ruin us…"

"I wish you were honest with me, Alexander. We are a couple. We are partners. There can't be any more secrets between us, ever."

"No more secrets, ever."

I kiss him, "Anything else we need to say to each other with our no secrets rule in place?"

He kisses me, "Not unless you have anything to add?"

I kiss him, "This is the last secret I have to tell you. I want you, right now. I want you so bad. I missed you so much, last night."

"I missed you, too." He kisses me, and I deepen that kiss.

He pulls back, "Are you sure? You're still upset and I don't want to mess anything up between us?"

"I'm not upset anymore. We cleared the air." I pull him into me, "Let's do this, please."

"I'm not going to complain…" He kisses me and I feel alive in my skin again. I missed him so much. This is exactly what I need to forget Jefferson and Maria and everything. I just want him.