Disclaimer: I don't own 'Scandal'.
Family Portrait
The Restaurant
When Olivia Grant hung out with her girlfriends and they talked about the biggest 'turn ons' in their relationships, she let them know, one of the things that rocked her world was her husband's walk, and they all said: 'Amen' to that! The powerful strutting motion! Fitzgerald Grant III owned it! And it killed her. Every. Single. Time. Whether coming to claim her in the bedroom or ambling down a supermarket aisle, that innate swag in his step made Olivia want to throw herself down at his feet, screaming: 'Take me'. She was pleased to report nothing had changed in that department, since they first met and fell in love twelve years ago. The Walk was a show-stopper! Olivia often joked Fitz must've been a lion or panther in a previous incarnation, and now he'd evolved into the sexiest two-legged beast to ever walk the earth - Darwin would be so proud.
But as Olivia sat with their three children, in an Italian restaurant, a few miles from their luxury vacation home on the north shore of Kilauea, Kauai in Hawaii, there was nothing sexy or alluring about her husband as he came crashing through the restaurant door and stomping towards their table. She noticed his fists were curled up into balls and swinging wildly through the air, with each furious step.
He wasn't supposed arrive on the island for another day or, thought Olivia, how the hell did he know which restaurant they were dining in? She nervously played with her napkin and her whole body began to shake overcome with anxiety. How could she explain this 'surprise' family occasion?
Fitz wore the same suit Olivia saw him in yesterday, so he'd obviously just flown straight from DC without going home first - which had been part of his original plan.
"Daddy! You're here!" exclaimed nine-year old Natalie Grant, when she spotted her Father fast approaching the table. But her initial delight was dampened seeing her father's metallic grey eyes staring thunderously at his family, as they shared a meal with a man Fitz had barely seen or spoken to in the past ten years.
"Daddy's here, yeah," sang Natalie's five-year old sister, Mia, dropping her half eaten cookie and throwing her small hands up in the air. The angelic-looking girl greeted her dad with a huge grin that would normally melt his heart.
"Where?" asked her twin brother Theo, taking a break from him ice cream. He twisted round in his chair and grinned inanely up at Fitz standing behind him. Fitz ruffled his son's mop of soft curly dark hair.
"Hey, son of mine," he muttered, kissing the top of Theo's head and grasping Mia's hands.
"Fitz, I thought your case wouldn't be wrapped up for another few days, I -" said Olivia nervously, standing up, and looking from Fitz to his father, Jerry Grant. Her husband ignored her and took a deep breath.
"C'mon kids, it's time to go," said Fitz through gritted teeth, and clapping his hands. And to prove he meant business, he took the lead, snatching up their backpacks and stuffed anything resembling kid's items into the first bag he opened.
"Fitz, listen to me -" attempted Olivia again.
"Natalie, help your sister with her jacket," Fitz instructed his eldest daughter, cutting his wife off again.
Natalie didn't need telling twice. She jumped up out from her seat and removed Mia's Dora the Explorer pink short-sleeved summer jacket from the back of her sister's chair.
"C'mon Mia," she said softly, helping her sister down, and placing her jacket round her shoulders.
"I wanna cuddle from Daddy," pouted Mia, looking up at her father. But Fitz was too preoccupied picking up crayons and kid's drawings from the table.
"In a minute," murmured Natalie, pushing Mia's hand through a sleeve, as her huge chocolate brown eyes darted worriedly between her mom and dad.
Natalie had a chant when her father got mad - which she sang in a spooky voice to tease Mia and Theo – and thought about on rare occasions like these:
When Daddy's eyes turn from blue to grey,
It's not gonna be a very nice day.
Theo was contently cramming ice cream into his mouth and completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere around the table. Seeing as Olivia wasn't bothering to help him with the kids, Fitz looped the three backpacks through one of his arms, he bent down and abruptly pulled back Theo's chair and grabbed him under the armpits. Theo screamed out in shock. A few patrons looked round hearing the disturbance.
"I haven't finished my ice cream," Theo squealed loudly.
"You can have ice cream at home," Fitz replied, scooping him up.
The young boy dropped his spoon, and it clattered loudly on the table before dropping to the floor.
"No!" cried Theo kicking his little legs in frustration. "It's not the same, it's not the same. I want my ice cream," he sobbed, and started crying.
"Theo, will you please behave yourself," scolded Fitz, struggling to turn his jumpy and frustrated son round in his arms, and hold him more securely.
"Fitz, please stop," said Olivia, concerned by the distress Fitz's hostile behavior was causing among the children. He threw a frosty glance in Olivia's direction.
"Get your things together," he told his wife icily.
"You're making a scene," Olivia whispered evenly, conscious of nearby patrons looking over at their table with interest.
"You think this is a scene? If you and my children are not in the car in the next three minutes, I'll perform a one-man Broadway show no one in this restaurant will forget in a hurry. Now move, Olivia," he hissed menacingly.
"Fitz is this really necessary, the way you're speaking to your wife in front of the children?" said Jerry, addressing his son for the first time. But Fitz reacted as though no one had spoken.
"Natalie and Mia, let's go," commanded Fitz sternly, as he tightened his hold on Theo still crying and wriggling in his arms. Mia stretched her tiny hands over the table and ate broken pieces of chocolate chip cookie "Mia, please, leave the cookie and hold your sister's hand. Where have you taken off your shoes now?" asked Fitz, sighing in annoyance, when he spotted her bare feet poking out beneath her green flowered dress.
"I don't know, Daddy," she replied breezily, shaking her head, between mouthfuls of cookie.
"Ewww, I'm not holding her horrible sticky hand," complained Natalie, pointing at Mia's chocolate-coated hands and mouth.
Fitz let out a loud angry exhale. "So grab a napkin, and find her shoes," he snapped. Natalie looked pensively up at her father and nodded.
"Nat sweetie, it's okay, I'll look for Mimi's shoes," offered Olivia, using her younger daughter's pet name, and smiling kindly at Natalie.
"Don't bother," shot back Fitz harshly. "Natalie, look under the table for Mia's shoes, it's where she normally leaves them."
Olivia grabbed her bag from the back of her chair. How dare he speak to her like he was talking to one of the children. She turned to the elderly man.
"Jerry, I'm sorry..."
"When you're done apologizing, can we go?" drawled Fitz sarcastically to Olivia, and spun round to leave. He tried soothing Theo in his arms, but his son wasn't impressed. Theo thumped his little fists repeatedly against his Father's chest.
"I want Mommy," wined Theo, glaring at his father through metallic grey eyes, demonstrating his own anger and frustration. "I want Mommy."
"Fine," replied Fitz briskly. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Theo's stubbornness, which could last for hours, and turned to Olivia. "Take your son," and dumped Theo in his wife's arms.
Fitz's was spot on. Natalie found Mia's shoes under the table. "Here they are Daddy, I've got Mia's sandals," she declared happily, waving the shoes around by her fingertips.
"Well done, good girl," replied Fitz, taking the shoes. He bent down and placed the sandals on Mia's feet, which was pretty easy with the five-year old completely focused on eating the last of her cookie. Natalie found an unused napkin and wiped Mia's hands and mouth as best she could.
After securing his daughter's shoes, Fitz picked up Mia - much to her delight - and she squealed, wrapping her arms around her father's neck and planting a sticky kiss on his cheek. For the first time since his arrival, Fitz's shoulders dropped and he smiled, but his joy instantly faded when he caught Natalie looking over her shoulder and waving at her grandfather. He firmly placed his hand on her head, flipped it back round! And proceeded to walk to his rental car.
Olivia closed her eyes for a couple of seconds. Pushing the chair back under the table with one hand, she looked over at her husband's father.
"I didn't expect him to show up..." she trailed off despondently, rocking Theo from side-to-side in her arms.
"I should be the one apologizing. Would it be wrong to say, despite what's happened, I've had a great time with you and my Grandchildren today - thank you." Jerry stood up, stretched out his hand and Olivia took it and squeezed hard. She never thought the day would come when she'd feel bad for him. "Hey, fella, it was good seeing you," Jerry said to Theo, stroking his back. Theo smiled shyly and pressed his head against his Mom. "You'd better go," he told Olivia.
"I'll call you," she promised.
"Are you sure? The last thing I want to do is cause problems between you two."
"I'm already in trouble. I don't think one phone call will make much difference."
AN: I recently watched the first series of 'Ray Donovan' and it blew my mind. The angst between Ray and Mickey (father and son) reminded me of Fitz and Big Jerry, and I felt a compulsion to write this chapter, and maybe more if you guys like it. What it is with family angst and me? LOL This will be a fairly short story with fireworks, romance, and lots of cuteness.
Happy Reading Gladiators!