Hamilton Angst stuff

The Phone Call

Eliza was teaching Phillip the piano when the phone rang. It was Washington, Alexander's boss. Phillip stopped playing and Eliza answered the call. She could tell from the way Washington spoke that something was wrong. "Eliza," he said, his voice low and grave. "I need to tell you something."

Eliza felt a chill run down her spine. "Yes?" she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"It's about Alexander," Washington said. "He's been having a hard time lately."

Eliza felt her heart skip a beat. She knew that Alexander had been struggling with his work, and she had been worried about him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Washington took a deep breath. "I want you to keep an eye on him, Eliza. He's not himself. He's been acting strange. And there's something else. He has some scars on his arms."

Eliza felt a wave of fear wash over her. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"It happened when he went into the bathroom at the office," Washington said. "No one saw it, but it looked like he had cut himself. I don't know why he did it, but I think you should ask him about it."

Eliza felt tears stinging her eyes. She had no idea what had happened to her husband, but she sensed that it was serious. "I'll do that," she said. "Thank you, Washington."

Washington hesitated. "You're welcome," he said. "Just... be careful, okay?"

Eliza nodded, although Washington couldn't see her. She wanted to ask more questions, but she couldn't find her voice.

"I'll let you go," Washington said. "Take care of yourself."

Eliza hung up the phone and turned to Phillip, who was still waiting for her in the room. "Let's take a break," she said.

Phillip nodded, but Eliza could tell that he was worried. She knew that he had heard everything. She gathered her things and walked out of the room without another word.

Eliza walked down the street, her mind racing with questions. What had happened to Alexander? Why had he cut himself? What did the scars mean?

She thought about the last time she had seen him, the day he had left for work. He had given her a quick kiss and said that he loved her. She remembered thinking that he had seemed off, but she hadn't said anything. Now she wished she had.

As Eliza walked, she passed a church. She stopped and looked at the door, remembering the last time she had gone to church with Alexander. They had gone to pray for their sick son, and she had felt a deep sense of peace.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Alexander standing there, looking tired and worn. She gasped and stepped back, her heart pounding. He had a small, jagged scar on his arm.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexander looked away. "It's nothing," he said. "Just something I had to do."

Eliza felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She wanted to reach out to him, to take him in her arms and make it all better, but she was too afraid to move.

"I want you to know that I love you," Alexander said, his voice soft. "And I'm sorry for everything. Just promise me that you'll keep an eye on me. That's all I ask."

Eliza nodded and stepped closer to him, taking his hand in hers. They stood there for a long time, and then Alexander turned and walked away.

Eliza watched him until he disappeared around the corner. Then she walked back home, her heart heavy with worry.

For the next few days, Eliza watched Alexander closely. She tried to be subtle, but she couldn't help but stare at the small scars on his arms. She noticed that he seemed distant and preoccupied, and she wondered what he was thinking about.

One day, while Alexander was at work, Eliza decided to go through his things. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help herself. She searched his desk and drawers, looking for anything that might explain what was going on with him.

And then she found it – a small diary hidden in a secret compartment in his desk. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should respect his privacy, but finally she opened it up.

The diary was filled with Alexander's thoughts and feelings. She read about his struggles at work, his insecurities, and his fears. And then she read about the day he had cut himself. He had been feeling overwhelmed and out of control, and cutting himself had been a way to cope with his feelings.

Eliza closed the diary and looked around the room. She felt sad and confused. She wished she could talk to Alexander about all this, but she knew he wouldn't listen. He would only get defensive.

She thought about all the other changes she had noticed in her husband, and she remembered the way he had looked at her. She knew that something was wrong, and she was determined to do everything she could to save her marriage.