CIAAA A new Day

The first twenty- four.

Based on ending in chapter 20a

Chapter 1

The morning after the night before

Olivia felt Fitz's hand moving across her abdomen. What now we had angry make-up sex for over three hours …will this man ever get tired.

"Fitz no… no more …save some for later."

"Why should I wait…and be replaced by a BOB, where did you get all those gadgets by the way?"

"They were part of the bridesmaids' bag of gifts at my shower every woman received the same a gift bag..."

"you mean my sister also has a box like yours?"

"that you will have to ask your sister."

Fitz continued to rub his hand over her abdomen…...lower and lower.

"Whose idea was it…who picked the gifts?"

Olivia gave Fitz a stern look

"Abby…...why did I even have to ask"

"What else happened at the shower that I should know about?"

His hand was drifting lower

"Nothing that would interest you. What happened at your?"

"The usual."

"The usual…meaning what?"

"The usual."

"Does the usual mean girls, lap dances and…...?"

"How do you know what goes on at a bachelor ...party?"

"I have heard about bachelor parties."

"I have never heard what happens at the ladies' parties….so tell me what else happened other than each woman receiving a bag of toys?"

"Toys…...Fitz what was in the gift bag aren't toys…. Sorry …what happened that night remains between the ladies there…. How many lap dances did you get?"

"You tell me about your party I will tell you about mine."

Olivia decided this was just too good to keep silent she tried to turn over to look at Fitz, but he kept her in a spooning position.

"You had your lap dancers and so did we…...the guys even explained how to use everything in the box."

"I am going to make sure your box of toys stays on the shelf. For your information our party was very tasteful…no lap dances. no touching and no box of toys."

"Do you think any toys could ever replace you?"

"Maybe…but it will be a while, a long while."

Fitz started to move Olivia closer tilting her back to him, so he could enter her from behind. As soon as he had her positioned just like he wanted her, he entered her and began to move at a slow even pace, breathing on her neck while making explicit comments into her ear.

The friction of his body into her was a great morning wake-me-up as he pulled her closer and started to move faster …He was about to pull out to extend this morning sex when he heard the baby monitor crackling.

"Dammm, not now Thomas …please."

"Fitzgerald"

"Just a minute …wait just a minute it's so close… Fitz moved Olivia on top of him and began flicking her clitoris with his finger.

The crying from the baby monitor stopped, much to Fitz relief as he continued to stroke is wife who was now sitting with her back to him with his tool completely embedded in her

"I'm so close Olivia so close, so close just a little more. ",….. to help him Olivia began to move faster then slammed herself back into him…that did it.

Fitz rolled her over breathing heavy…the baby monitor crackled again with sound of Thomas crying.

"I'll get him" Olivia said as she exited the bed… making a quick detour to the bathroom for a wet towel and then grabbing a t-shirt and shorts.

Fitz watched his wife disappear through the door…he could not move, and his wife jumped up like they had never have a morning quickie after a night of angry make-up sex... Last night and this morning have taken six years off him, but he would not allow any devices to replace him in his bedroom and he was going to make sure his wife knew that. Well…. he would try like hell to make her believe the only gadget she would ever need, or want, was the one that was attached to him.

He listened for Olivia and making sure she was still in the nursery then he got the box off the floor and inspected the contents closer. All he could think "who comes up with all these things". He looked closer…no man could possibly compare himself to what he was looking at. He decides then he make sure his wife never considered getting her sexual pleasures from this box…or any box...

Putting it on the shelf he went into the bathroom for a quick shower. He would have loved to have one with his wife, but he had an appointment at work, although it was Saturday.

Returning to the bedroom to dress he saw the manuscript on the floor, quickly picking it up and thumbing through the pages.

After some of the best sex he has had in months, he remembered what had happened before the angry make-up sex. His wife is the person he has been looking for. His wife Olivia Carolyn Pope-Grant admitted she is CB Strong and he has the manuscript to really prove it...

He put the papers in the envelope, put the envelope in the box and returned the box to the back of the closet shelf before going into the nursery to join his wife and son...

Fitz sat on the sofa and watched the two as Olivia fed Thomas, not saying anything just watching the interaction between the two. How could he remain angry at her he wondered?

When she finished he took the baby to burp him reminding Olivia he was on daddy duty and let her know she could take her shower.

Fitz burped Thomas, gave him his bath and dressed him for his visit with Grandpa Gerry. That done he went to the kitchen. Thomas was put in his chair in the kitchen and Fitz started the coffee for himself and heated the tea for Olivia just as Olivia came into the kitchen. He put one on Marc's premade breakfast meals in the oven and joined his wife at the table.

"CB when are we going to discuss last night?" Fitz said as he looked at Olivia with a grin on his face.

"What's to discuss…...I told you everything. I told you I was sorry, and you received the best make-up sex ever."

"It was the only make-up sex…we have never had a disagreement before. If that's a standard I would like more like it…...without the argument..."

"I hope we never have any argument even close…. Yes… great sex is possible without an argument."

"Yes, Olivia you are correct, but it will be hard to top last night."

"Not even the first time we made love or our honeymoon?"

"nope to both…the first time we both were hesitant on our honeymoon we were both still learning each other's bodies. Last night was all that put together…... plus with your pregnancy and the lack of sex the past two months I got it all."

"yes, and all without any baby barrier protection."

"Are you concerned we will soon have the patter of more tiny feet…... sibling for Thomas?"

"Nope…. I hope we did…it would be great to have two children close together. I can't drink, and our sex has been tempered because I will not return to the pill until I stop breast feeding…so a pregnancy so close together may tax my body but like I said before women have been doing it for centuries.

Fitz put the heated breakfast quiche and Olivia's tea on the table then started to make faces at his son.

"Dad is coming over are you still going to spend the morning shopping with my mom?"
"Yes, we will visit the Farmer's market Quinn told me about and you have you students this morning?"
"Yes… it's the same program you were in. I took your advice and split them up into smaller groups. One group will meet with me while the other take a tour…then vice versa. We lunch at noon then I will come home and hope our child is still alive and my dad has not called you and mom for reinforcements.? "

Fitz stopped in mid-sentence…"'Are you concerned about leaving the baby alone with my dad?"

"Nope he has two other grandchildren and he has spent a lot of time with him since he was born."

"yes, but never alone."

"He will be ok and we all will be a phone call away. "

"Are you sure Olivia …I can call for a stand-in."

"Yes, I am sure…. you can't deprive these kids of their hour with a real CEO…up close and in person."

"Is your mom joining you and mom?"

"Yes, she is driving herself …she will meet us there. We will have lunch at that place with the great Corned Beef sandwiches…it's near the Farmer's Market."

"So, you like their food…...?"

"Love it…remember I told you we go back years…. how did you find it again?"

"a referral from an employee." Fitz left out what employee.

"The owner, Mack, remembers me from the time I used to eat at his shop when I was in high school. When I was in graduate school we would come almost every Friday for a takeout sandwich... Abby and Harrison needed something to coat their stomach before their night out. He saw that I wasn't ordering anything, so he started making me a salad he called a P& C., it's on the menu.

"What's a P&C…... Olivia?"

"It's a salad with just a sprig of Corned Beef. One day when we stopped by we saw Vance…. seems he likes the sandwiches too."

Fitz took a sip of his coffee without a comment as both finished the last of their meal...

"Last time we dropped by Mack talked about starting a food truck for the lunch crowd. He said one of his new customers talked to him about it and asked if he would write up a proposal. Is that customer Fitzgerald Grant III?"

"Guilty…. he has a great product, so I suggested and offered to finance it. Helping the small businessman is in Grant's DNA. Just a little infusion of cash without the red tape of a bank. His business could become a chain under the Grant umbrella. If the food truck doesn't pan out he could offer a lunch delivery service which may then lead to another store. It's a win win for him."

"If it's not successful in either form?"

"It's an investment it's not a large investment and it would not be the first unsuccessful investment. Either way the additional cash will allow him to make some improvements which will make life easier for him."

Fitz took the plates and cups…rinsed them off and placed them in the dishwasher. He returned to the table with his wife

"He has a good proposal and some good employees. I took Marc by one day…...he looked at the shop and sampled a sandwich. He has agreed to give him some pointers about what foods are too labor intensive and should not be included on the truck…..."

Olivia marveled at the way her CEO husband was willing to be the father when helping with their son…...be the husband by no only getting the breakfast on the table but also cleaning up and still maintain being the son and grandson of businessmen who understood helping in a little way to one helps in a big way to us all.

Gerry Grant arrived at 9am, alone which was the clue that he could handle Thomas alone for his four hour…or less visit. It was his first time alone with his grandson for any length of time when he was not asleep... Alone without mother, dad or his wife. He knew what he was doing he just chose to humor them.

Fitz left soon after his arrival. He had his meeting with the next group to future business leaders…the same program Olivia had been a part of.

He divided them into two groups a 10am morning discussion session for one hour then a tour of one of the divisions the other group would mirror this group, the tour first, the discussion, then lunch. Olivia suggested that three hours was enough for high school students on a Saturday. She reminded him any more than three hours for a fifteen-year-old on Saturday was really stretching things.

The one thing both groups enjoyed was lunch, the participants picked the food.

When the granddad "play date" was made Olivia…decided it was a perfect time to spend with her mom and mother-in-law. Gerry was at her house, Fitz was at the office…the perfect time. They could visit and not be disturbed. The ladies… decided to make it a short shopping trip to a nearby Farmers market then lunch. Gerry would be left alone but they all were only a phone call away, Fitz was due to return by 1pm... Eli told Gerry her would join the two when Thomas went down for his nap. Small squirmy humans and Eli Pope did not mix …not one on one. His preferred contact with them was in their parents' arms or in a bed.

Irma looked at Olivia who had a smile on her face, but her eyes and smile did not match but she did not make any comment until after the unexpected early lunch. They were through with everything earlier than anticipated but did not want to make Gerry feel like they did not trust him by returning early.

The three women finished lunch and was saying good-by when Irma touched Olivia's arm as she was about to get into the car.

"You want to tell me what is wrong…... "

"I told Fitz last night."

"How did it go?"

"Uh"

"Is that a bad uh or a good Uh."

"It's a middle Uh."

"This calls for a walk while we talk…. call Gerry and check with him. If he is ok ... we can take a walk in the park and talk ...

A call to Gerry…...…everything was fine. He and Eli were visiting, Thomas was sleeping.

"Olivia tell me what happened," Irma asked as they bought a bottle of water from a nearby vender before entering the park across from their lunch spot...

"I missed him in bed, but I knew where to find him….in the nursery holding his son."

"Our son…... Olivia not his son …. our son he's also your son." Irma reminded her

"Sorry...…. holding our son. I felt so guilty. After we put Thomas to bed Fitz started to talk about how important we both were to me. He even explained what happened the night Thomas was born, and I began to feel worse."

Irma put her arm around Olivia's shoulder as Irma remembered that night." If I had told him he would have been at home not somewhere chasing a phantom."

"Olivia don't punish yourself …you did what you thought was right at the time. Now…looking back would you have changed anything…would you have told him."

Olivia stopped walking and looked at her mother-in-law…..." No, I would not change anything. Irma writing had been my escape for over twenty years before I met Fitz. It was what I did with my extra energy. Some kids play I wrote…"

Olivia continued their walk

"I wrote myself into those places I read about. When I got my fifteen-year-old heartbroken I got that hurt out of my heart by writing. When I met your son…I loved him from the first moment I looked into those deep slate- blue eyes, but I knew we could never be…so I used writing to cope with our non-relationship. When we professed our love for each other in California and it fell through I wrote to cope with his attraction to Victoria."

"Olivia Fitz was never attracted to Victoria, Victoria was attracted to Fitz... well she was attracted to his CEO position and bank account."

"Maybe so but that's not what my heart said…so I wrote. I have always transported myself to another place through writing. There I could frankly and honestly talk about anything. With my Rouser books, you remember, I often wrote about girls in occupations they are rarely seen. I wrote about the men who encourage and supported them."

" When I retired Rouser and introduced CB I continued the same way. Maybe that's why both men and women like my stories, they are asexual. The women are never all put on the lower end of the scale the men are never all placed on the higher end... Do you understand."

"Of course, I understand…remember I was a fan of Rouser long before I became a fan of CB. "

"I was not ready to let that part of me go…that part that made me lie to my husband. That's the part of me that I felt made up the biggest and best part of me. That part of me that was my protector against hurt and disappointment. I wanted to tell him, but I was so afraid of seeing the hurt in his eyes. So afraid that I would lose him, and I loved…love him as much as I could ever love another human. A love equal to my love for Thomas. I did not want to enter my marriage with that lie, but I did."

Irma stopped their walk and sat down at a bench.

"I never thought I would meet Mother Theresa and Olivia Grant in the same person. Everyone who enters a marriage enters with a lie…. things unsaid. That's the real world. One day when the dust from this has died down I will tell you my backstory. The truth I omitted telling Gerry. Gerry also had his omission. What we did not tell each other is far worse than what you failed to tell Fitz. I am sure Gerry did not consider what he did not tell me was a lie any more than what I failed to tell him."

"When you submitted your first story why did you use the name I Rouser, why not use Olivia Pope?"

"I was still in high school …I thought the other kids would find our and tease me. I was working for Grant and Grant was publishing my short stories. I did not want it to seem that I was using my job for personal gain. Once I got to college why change ….no reason to change …...everything had been set up by Huck and it worked. Rouser allowed me to keep writing, keep my summer job at Grant and continue to be published by Grant..."

"Why did you choose to use CB Strong for the trilogies and not Rouser?"

Olivia took a deep breath…" I really don't know. CB Strong translates to Carolyn B Strong. Rouser and Strong were two different writers. If Strong was unsuccessful I could always return to Rouser and no one would know."

"I was going through some old notebooks looking for a story to submit as Rouser when I ran upon the love stories. I talked to Huck ...he helped set up my Strong cover including the trust, the contract and Vance as the sole editor for my stories."

"I met him when I worked during at Grant during my first Christmas there. He was so much like me. I knew he handled the multichapter stories, so I sent my first book addressed to him."

"I was working at Grant and being published by Grant. I loved working for the company, but writing was my secret passion. I thought my job would not easily accept the stories written by CB Strong, the content of her stories was different from the content of Rouser's stories. I thought it would cause a conflict in both content and had its own form of crossing the line. I was being published by the company I was working for, the same company who was paying my school expenses."

Olivia's shoulders dropped as she talked about the conflict she had faced…...should she give up her job or give up her writing. Writing was not something she wanted as a career …she loved crunching numbers and solving problems. When her days of crunching and solving ended writing was like a cool drink on a hot day.

"Grant paid for my graduate studies while also paying me a full salary. I had referred Harrison and Huck and they were also paying Abby's school expenses…I did not want to stop writing and I did not want my writing to affect their earned positions at Grant."

Irma shook her head…what a big burden for someone so young to have.

"Olivia, I understand, and I will never tell you your decision was wrong. The plans you developed for the publishing division the summer you worked with them caught my eye and made the division better and more profitable and we all know how important profits are."

"Irma I am sorry I just did not want to give up that part of me. I did not have a lot of friends I did not have anyone special in my life and I did not like the club scene. My hobby and the joy in my life…. the fulfillment in my life… came from writing. I was not willing to so casually give it up…not even for love."

"Your writing…. is that also why you did not want to replace Cyrus?"

"Yes and no?"

"Yes and No…Olivia you continue to be a complicated person."

"Yes, I wanted to keep writing, but I also felt I was too young, inexperienced and a woman to hold the position that was being offered me. Any acquisition, any new startup that we fund. Any division that were restructure …any jobs lost…. all come through the office I run."

"Don't call it the office you run… it's your office. Any suggestions you make is passed on to two very sensible men who did not get where they are and build the successful company you work for by accepting ideas without merit."

"Ok….my office…don't you see my dilemma…...my position …. my books being published by the same company where decisions are made based on suggestions and research by me. There was a lot of pressure…writing took the pressure off. There were times when I thought maybe I made the wrong decision. After CB wrote a few chapters …I knew what decisions could remain and which ones should be changed, no question no hesitation."

Irma got up from the bench.

"Olivia I was once a woman working in a job normally held by a man. I understand better than you could ever know. I was also about your age when my father-in-law put me in charge of ARES. The stakes for me were high but no-where as high as the stakes for you. Let's go home we can talk more later I want to visit with the future CEO of Grant, that handsome grandson of mine. His grandfathers are getting more time than this granny's. You have beat yourself up enough today.

"I just feel so selfish for not telling Fitz..."

"Selfish…Olivia women are the most selfless of the two sexes. whether as girlfriends or wives. Selfish for not doing what you wanted to do and deciding to do what you thought he wanted you to do…...nope.

The two ladies exited the part and head home

"I forgot to ask…. how did my son react when he found out?"

"So far it's been ok…I'm waiting for him to realize what happened."

"The one thing he said…he knows I had help and he would find out, I hope this does not cause a problem between mother and son."

Irma waved her hand dismissively

"I'm the mother he can have whatever problems he likes I will not feed into it."

"I will never tell him I told you."

"And I will never tell him that you told me. We are both females and successful females in the business world and we must stick together. I believe Gerry and I taught our son the true worth of a woman in the boardroom... I know you have shown him that the same woman can be worthy in the bedroom and boardroom. Evaluating his success of the company, because of your contributions, and the smile on his face I would say we both have done a good job."

Irma stopped to drop Olivia off, pick-up her husband and to see her grandson. Gerry Grant had a smile that spread from ear to ear and his chest had expanded six inches. He spent nearly four uninterrupted hours with his grandson, his expected heir, without any help. Eli came by but that was after Thomas was asleep and Fitz came home about 1:00 but he was grandpa in charge and he loved it.

After a short visit all the grandparents left leaving Olivia and Fitz to face her truth. She wondered what his reaction would be twenty-Four hours after learning her hidden identity.

Thomas was still asleep, and Olivia had brought sandwiches for the men. Eli and Gerry took theirs with them to enjoy at home with a cold beer. Fitz put his aside for later.

She and Fitz discussed his meeting with students today and decided to watch a movie and relax until Thomas woke up and make his demands known. They knew he would be very demanding after the day with his grandfathers.

Thomas was very cooperative when he woke up sitting in his chair watching his parents as he reached up periodically to swat at the mobile attached to his chair along with trying to pick up toys placed near him...

"Are you going to read your book tonight I thought you wanted a book from CB …...You have your own personal book and you have not read it…. I hope you put it someplace safe."

"Not tonight …. I'm going to wait for a while and let the events of the past day go by. Tomorrow, maybe and yes, I put it someplace safe. We can stay in and I will read everything before the trip to California. I want to know what you were thinking. I want to know if you felt anything for me close to what I felt for you. Tomorrow I am going to put Thomas on my chest and read…...is that ok?
"Yes…will you ever forgive me?"

"As you said to me what's to forgive. Every marriage comes with lies…with its own baggage. I was married before …. you have never asked me what happened between Mellie and me. You have never questioned my relationship with my former wife or asked what broke us up."

Fitz put the tv show on pause.

"I am not mad at you I am just disappointed that you thought you needed writing to cope with losing me... I am disappointed in myself for not telling you how I felt although we both know that would have been a really bad move if your feelings were not mutual."

"When I hired you, I hired you because you were the best person for the job even though you did not want it…. you were…are…. good for Grant and you are good for me. You did not get the job because of my attraction to you."

"A lot of things could have gone in a different way if we lived in a perfect world. Dating for us, especially at my level was a taboo and we both know that. We knew it then and we know it now. We still must take care in our work relationship and guard against personal interactions between us at work that others don't. There are other married couples that work at Grant, but we must always conduct ourselves at a higher standard. In a perfect world it would not have mattered if we fell in love in our imperfect world that's not the case... If things had been different maybe would not have had to hide your feelings in spiral notebooks."

Spiral notebooks…what is Fitz talking about. I never mentioned spiral notebooks. Olivia thought as she continued to listen to her husband.

"Maybe if you didn't have to worry about losing me or losing the job you loved maybe you would have told me earlier. What's important is …you told me. Writing the book showed me you wanted to tell me much earlier. If I love you, as Huck said, I must be able to forgive you as you forgave me for my lies about David and any lies to come."

Fitz pulled Olivia closer

"You are my wife and the mother of my children and"

"Children?" Olivia held her hand up.

"Yes Children…... Olivia Carolyn Grant…If the lie about CB is the greatest lie you will ever tell me I can live and die a happy man. You did not really lie you just never told the complete truth. Come on let's put Thomas in the bed with us and call it a night he is not going back to sleep anytime soon."

"You do know if you start that he will be expecting it every night."

"So, let him he's going to be one rotten spoiled child anyway. By the time he reaches the terrible two's we may have to take a vacation every weekend to get away from him. He may be the first child in history to be forcibly raised by his grandparents after his parents drop him off for a weekend visit and don't return to pick him up until he graduates from college. If Gerry Grant creates a monster I am going to make sure he witnesses that monster close up."

"Fitz I would never leave my son."

"I'll remember that comment and remind you after your son spends a weekend with grandpa Gerry in about three years."

"My son."

"yes…. your son…...When he misbehaves he's your son and Gerry's grandson. When he is behaved he is my son and Maya and Eli's grandson.

Fitz picked Thomas up and headed to their bedroom with him. Looking at him in his fathers arms Olivia swore she could see Thomas give her a wink.

The next morning Fitz was still asleep as Thomas started to fret. Olivia moved him from his father's chest and fed him his breakfast without leaving the bed. She accepted that each day comes with additional compromises...