It's late at night and Mellie's sitting at her desk, doing paperwork. Fitz walks in. Mellie looks up. "Look who we have here, it's my ex-husband."
"Hi, Mellie."
"What do you want, Fitz?"
Fitz takes a few steps closer. He sighs. This isn't going to be easy for him. He looks to his feet and says: "I want your advice." Mellie takes a sip of her drink. "My advice on what?". She continues to read her paperwork.
He raises his voice and looks straight at Mellie. "Your advice on Olivia. I want, I need your advice on Olivia"
Mellie gasps. "Oh my god." She can't believe him. "if you're here to mock me, just close the door behind you. I don't have time for this." She points out all the files on her desk.
Fitz frowns. "Why would I be mocking you, Mellie? I'm serious. I lost her and I want her back."
Mellie isn't impressed, at all. She smiles a little. "fortunately, you and Olivia aren't my problem anymore. Fortunately, I finally divorced your ass and your relationship with her isn't my business anymore."
"Look, Mellie" he says and takes a few steps forward, again. Irritated, Mellie stands up. "Why do you think this is okay? You asking me advice on your misstress. No, sorry girfriend." She sighs.
Fitz remains calm. " I didn't think it would be a big deal. Don't make this a big deal, Mellie. I thought we were over this. I thought we were civil." Mellie, who's agitaded, can't believe what he's saying. Of course they were civil. It had been six months since she signed the papers. But she doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her upset. "Yeah, well, maybe we're not there yet." She said.
"I'm sorry I asked" he said. And he turns around. Mellie sits down again but isn't pleased. As he reaches for the doorknob, she stands up. "I loved you, you know." He lets go of the doorknob and looks at her. "I know, Mellie."He reaches for the doorknob again.
"You don't get it, do you?" She loudly said. Fitz realizes its not the end of the conversation yet and steps away from the door.
"I loved you. Deeply. Truely. From beginning to end. I gave up EVERYTHING for you." She's starting to get angry.
Fitz is tired of her same old speech. "You've mentioned this, Mellie. Come on. You've mentioned this more than once. But know what? You can't continue to blame everything on me. you wanted to quit your job. I never asked you to do that. And you wanted to make me president. So just stop it, alright? You're a political animal, Mellie. You were as ambitious as I was. You might've been more ambitious. You and Cyrus and yes, Olivia. You ALL dedicated part of your lives to make me president. You ALL wanted to make me president. "
What he said had made her calmer. He was right. She wanted him to be president. She wanted to be first lady. She stepped away from her desk and set on the edge of it. "You're right" she sighed.
He came closer. He knew he was right but it was nice to hear it from her. She looked down and wispered: "you're right but see, the thing is…"
She paused. The room was quiet. "the thing is that I've always been ambitious. I've been ambitious and smart. And I've worked so, so hard. You and I both and that's what got us here. It's what got you in the oval office. But I gave everything up because…" She finally looked up. "Because I loved you."
Her voice gets louder. "For christ sake, Fitz. You've been sleeping with her since the campaign. Olivia was the best. Olivia would get us in The White House and she did. But I knew you were sleeping with her and I knew that her lips had touched yours. And a lot more body parts of yours, I assume." His eyes widen. "And I was hurt. I had to see her all. the. time. Okay? I was HURT. I told the world you were sleeping with someone else. When James was sitting in front of me, God rest his soul, I gave him the interview of his career."
"Yeah, you did." he said.
"Do you honestly believe I was playing a political game? I've played many political games but that wasn't one of them. Because that interview could've destroyed my career. And I DONT make bad political moves. Unless I am hurt."
She walks away and sits down at her desk again. Fitz laughs. "Are you saying that Mellie Grant, political mastermind, let her emotions get the best of her?" Mellie shrugs. He sits down on the couch and crosses his legs. "I can't believe it."
Mellie smiles. "Believe it."
"So you really loved me, hu?" he asks. "Oh come on, you loved me too. Until you stopped. I'm guessing it was right around the time I stopped having sex with you." Fitz puts his hand on his heart. "Ouch, Mellie."
He clears his throat. "I'm sorry. You were right, I didn't know but now I do and I'm sorry."
They both look at each other. It's quiet for awhile. But Fitz stands up again, ready to walk out of the room.
"Look, Fitz. You know Olivia's ambitious, too." she said. Fitz nods. "She's not going to give up her life for you. She's not going to give you your fourth child, either. And if she does - she'll give up everything for you. Just like I did. And it'll also be because she loves you. Appreciate that. Because if you don't, you'll be signing divorce papers again, sooner rather than later."
"Appreciate that. I get it." he said, softly.
"I really hope you do."
He walks to the door, opens it. "Thanks Mellie. For everything." He closes the door.
