Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet
To go over everything
It's the middle of December and Olivia is standing outside of a home in Virginia. It's big enough for a family. It's a two-story, brick home with a white picket fence around it. It's beautiful but it isn't hers.
She's been standing outside for about twenty minutes debating on whether she should knock or not. There's a cab on the street behind her. She reminds herself that she told the driver to keep the meter running so every second she stands there is costing her money.
After taking a deep breath she finally knocks on the door.
It's a few minutes before she hears footsteps approaching the door and for a split second she thinks about running away but before she can the door opens.
"Olivia? What are doing here?" Mellie asks from the doorway. She's surprised. Olivia would be too if the brunette had showed up on her doorstep. Mellie's barefoot in a form fitting burgundy dress. It stops right above her knees and her hairs pulled up in a messy bun with a few strands hanging in her face.
If Olivia was being honest with herself she came for selfish reasons. She's been feeling lonely the last few months and remembered how Mellie always made her feel wanted.
It's been five years since they've spoken to each other.
Olivia left Mellie to go work in the White House for the President. They tried to make their relationship work in the beginning but Olivia called it quits. Her busy schedule didn't have much room for Mellie. She had called Olivia everyday for a week straight begging her to try and make things work.
"Um, I was around and I thought I'd stop by to say hi."
"You just so happen to be in Virginia?"
"A friend of mine is getting married near here tomorrow." Olivia looks down at the ground and shifts awkwardly on her feet before looking Mellie in the eyes again. "Are you going to invite me in? It's freezing out here."
"Of course. I'm sorry. Come in."
Mellie moves out of the doorway to let Olivia in. She leads Olivia to the kitchen and Liv can't help but notice all the photos on the wall of Mellie's home. There's one photo that stands out the most. It's a picture of Mellie on her wedding day. She's standing next to her husband with a fist full of cake and some on her face. Her head's thrown back from laughter and it makes Olivia's heart ache.
"Would you like some wine? I don't have any of the expensive stuff that you used to order but it's red."
"Wine would be great, Mellie." Olivia says while removing her coat and taking a seat at the kitchen table.
Mellie grabs two glasses from one of the kitchen cabinets and a bottle of wine from the counter.
"I have to say that I'm very surprised that you're here right now. We haven't spoken to each other in…five years. How'd you even know where I live?"
"It's not hard to find the senator's address, Mellie. Congratulations by the way."
"Thank you." Mellie says with a wide smile before attempting to open the bottle of wine before them. Olivia always opened the wine while they were together and she was willing to bet that Mellie's husband holds that job now.
Olivia watches Mellie struggle for a few seconds before grabbing the corkscrew and bottle from her and opening it with ease.
"I guess something's never change." Mellie says with a smirk.
"I guess not." Olivia replies while pouring them both a glass.
"So, how have you been? Are you seeing anyone?"
Mellie takes the seat closest to Liv who's sitting at the head of the table.
"Um, not at the moment. There have been a few people and a couple of proposals over the years but none of them worked out too well." Olivia takes a sip of her drink while examining the wedding ring on Mellie's finger. "Where's your husband? Nick?"
"Andrew." Mellie corrects her. "And he's at work. He won't be home until later. He works late nights."
Olivia thinks that Mellie's response sounds suggestive but maybe that's just wishful thinking. Mellie takes a spit of her wine and Olivia can't help but stare when Mellie sticks her tongue out to lick her lips.
"You look great." Olivia kind of just blurts it out. "And I know that's something that people say when they haven't seen someone in a while but I mean it. You look amazing. Even better than I remember."
"I do not."
"You do. It's kind of infuriating how great you look." She takes a long pause to finish off her glass of wine. "I bet Andrew can't keep his hands off you." Out of you. She thinks to herself.
Mellie blushes at the statement. "Liv…"
"I'm sorry. I had a few drinks before I came over. I would've called but I wasn't sure if you'd answer."
"Why wouldn't I have answered?" Mellie asks before taking a sip of her wine.
"Because of how I ended things."
"That was years ago, Liv. I'm happy. I don't cry myself to sleep thinking about you anymore. I haven't done that in a very long time."
"You should have never have had to do that. I should have never left you for that job."
"Ok, I think you've had enough to drink." Mellie says while taking Olivia's glass out of her hand.
Mellie gets up to put Liv's class in the sink and to Mellie's surprise, Olivia rises from her seat to follow her.
"I love you."
"What?" Mellie turns around so fast that some of the wine from her glass actually spills on the kitchen floor. She's looking at Olivia like she's grown two heads.
"I love you. I'm still in love with you."
"You're drunk, Olivia."
"I am." There's no point in denying that. "But I'm fully aware of what I'm saying. I'm aware of how I feel…about you and I'm in love with you. At first I thought maybe I just missed being around you. I mean we were friends long before we started dating but friends don't think about each other the way I think about you." She takes two steps closer to Mellie and Mellie takes one step back. "Everything reminds me of you. Every song on the radio. Every other word someone says, reminds me of you. It reminds me that I'm still in love with you."
Some how Mellie had run out of room to take steps back and now Olivia has her pressed against the kitchen counter. She rakes her fingers up Mellie's thighs and lets her hands rest on Mellie's hip before they finally reach Mellie's face and she leans in for a kiss. And to her surprise, Mellie doesn't push her away. She kisses her back. The kiss is soft at first. Like they're teenagers and this is their first kiss at end of their first date. But then it grows passionate. Like they've kissed a million times before. And they have.
Mellie adjusts her head so that Olivia is now kissing her neck and Mellie lets out a low moan while burying her fingers in Liv's hair. Liv hikes Mellie's dress up around her waist before lifting her up onto the kitchen counter and Mellie looks Liv directly in her eyes when she spreads her legs open for her.
Olivia kisses Mellie again while reaching her hand under the senator's dress. Olivia's hands finally reach the waist of Mellie's lace panties when they're interrupted by the sound of a baby crying.
Mellie whips her head toward the baby monitor that's sitting on the kitchen table and she's suddenly brought back to reality. She remembers that she has a son upstairs. And that she's happily married. She turns back to Liv, whose head is rested on her chest, and pushes her away.
"Damn it, Liv."
"I know."
"I'm happy."
"I know."
"I have a husband who loves me." Mellie replies while hoping down from the counter and adjusting her dress. "And I have a son who I absolutely adore. I'm happy and this…" She gestures between the two of them. "It means nothing. It may prove that I'm still attracted to you but I'm not in love with you anymore."
That stung and though Olivia isn't surprised by Mellie's confession, it still hurts.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here." Olivia grabs her coat and heads toward the front door. She avoids looking at any of the pictures on the wall. It hurts too much. Mellie has a family now and she isn't a part of it.
When she finally reaches the door she turns around to face Mellie one final time. She wants to tell her that if she could do everything over again that she would have stayed or fought harder for them. Or responded to all those messages that Mellie left her all those years ago but she doesn't see the point of saying any of it.
"I'm happy for you. I'm glad you found everything you ever wanted even if it isn't with me." Olivia doesn't wait for Mellie to respond. She turns around and closes the door behind her. She doesn't look back and that's the last time Olivia ever sees Mellie again.
I'm sorry for breaking your heart, but it don't matter,
it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore