"Are we still having dinner with Stacy and Bryan tomorrow?" Fitz called out from the bathroom. Olivia heard the sink faucet turn, knowing he was preparing to brush his teeth. Their night was winding down, and the couple was finishing up their nightly routines.
"I think so," Olivia replied as she put on Fitz' navy tshirt. It was three times too big on her, but she loved that it smelled like him. She sat on the bed, and started brushing her hair. "Why?"
"I may need to cancel."
"Fitz." Olivia said with a hint of scolding in her voice.
"Cyrus asked me today to go with him to this benefit dinner tomorrow night. There's supposed to be a bunch of big wigs there, and-"
"And what?"
Fitz turned off the faucet water, walking out into their bedroom. He crossed the room, sitting at the foot of the bed. He sighed, before taking her hand in his, putting the brush down on the nightstand. He had been sitting on Cyrus's idea of him potentially running for president for the better part of two weeks now. He knew it was driving Olivia insane not to know what choice he was trying to make, but she respected his boundaries and waiting for him to come to her, just like he asked.
"And it would look good to be seen there…in case I decide to run for President."
Olivia feigned a look of shock as the words left Fitz' mouth. She wouldn't possibly tell him that she overheard him and Cyrus during their lunch date a few weeks ago. Even if she hadn't heard them, Fitz talked in his sleep. He tossed and turned in bed the entire time he kept the secret from Olivia, the guilt causing him unrest. He felt a huge weight drop off of his shoulders the second the words left his mouth.
"In order for you to run for President, Fitz, you'd have to run for Governor. And you haven't lived in New York long enough to run here." Olivia explained to him.
"I know. Which is why I would run in California." Fitz stated simply. "It makes sense, when you think about it. If, you think about it, I mean."
"You're from California, you're still a legal resident there, born and bred. You're the son of a two term governor, four term senator, you fight for the people, you're easy on the eyes, and you're a shoe-in to run this nation." Olivia listed off the facts, looking up at Fitz.
"Exactly. There's just one problem."
"Which is?"
"What does the future Mrs. Grant want?" he asked.
"Fitz, this isn't about me."
"Isn't it? Whatever choice is made, decides how we get to play out the rest of our lives. It could potentially take away Vermont." Whenever they referred to Vermont, they were talking about their endgame. Living with their family, in their home, in the quietness of Vermont. They still hadn't decided on how many kids they were going to have, but as long as they had each other, it truthfully didn't matter to them. "We could be the First Family, Liv!" Fitz said excitedly.
"Fitz, wait a minute, you just told me a few months ago that you wanted to quit your job. Now all of a sudden, you want to move back to California?"
"Just think this through, for a minute. We just got this house. We have a wedding to plan, all of our friends are here, my father is here, and yours, for that matter too. Don't you give me that look, it's your wedding, and you know you're going to invite him." Olivia took his hands in hers, scooting closer to him.
"There's no rush on your potential presidency. You are only twenty-seven years old, Fitz, you can't even become governor until you're thirty. You have plenty of time to just live life. Relax, babe, please."
"You're right." Fitz said with a nod, looking down. "We have plenty of time to think this through. Together." He brought his hand up to her cheek, stroking it with his thumb before he brought her in for a kiss. He rested his forehead on hers before whispering "I'm sorry I started freaking out. Everything that's gone on with my father just has me wanting to do it all on my own, and on my own terms."
Olivia took his hands in her hands, looking into his eyes. "And it will. Everything will work out. Whether you decide to be the next president, or the next Van Gogh, we will work it all out."
Fitz scoffed. "I would not be like Van Gogh. My ears are way too cute to cut off." he joked, letting Olivia know that they were okay. She placed a quick peck on his lips before getting up to turn off the bedroom light. Fitz turned on the lamp on the nightstand.
"Liv, I still need to go to the benefit tomorrow."
"Fine, I'll let Bryan and Stace know you won't be joining us."
"Liv," Fitz said nervously.
She turned around with narrowed eyes. "What?"
"I already told Cyrus you'd be my date for the benefit."
"Olivia, I don't know why you're making this such a big deal." Stacy said the next morning. The two ladies were out shopping for a dress for Olivia to wear to the benefit. Stacy just wanted an excuse to spend some money.
"Because he deliberately knew we had plans, and double booked! It's rude, and now I have to get a fancy dress for a benefit I don't even know what it's supporting!" Olivia said with a huff as she fast walked through the mall.
"Isn't Fitz paying for it?" Stacy asked.
"Yes, bu-"
"And isn't he also paying for us to have a spa day?" Stacy quizzed.
"Yes, Stacy, bu-"
"And isn't your boo taking you to this so he can potentially put you up in the White House?"
"Stacy, I'm going to make him look bad!" Olivia blurted out.
They stopped short, causing the lady walking behind them to bump into them, cursing under her breath as she walked past them.
"Oh, shut up!" Stacy called after her. She turned back to Olivia. "What are you talking about?"
"They won't back Fitz if they see who he's with. Republicans like someone more…palatable to the base, if you know what I mean."
"Fitz is Republican? Could have fooled me. He's way too liberal. Why don't you tell him to run as a Democrat?" Stacy asked.
"I don't know, we've never talked about it. He's not even running yet, for Christ's sake. But I know it, deep down in my gut; the Republican Party won't like this, not one bit. They'll look down on him, they'll hang him out to dry, and then rip him to shreds." Olivia looked at her with her wide eyes. Stacy could see the genuine worry in them.
"Olivia, have you seen the way Fitz looks at you? He idolizes you. And do you think he's gonna give a shit what these people think about you guys? No! He will parade you around like the love of his life that you are, he will charm them, and make them swoon, and they will fall in love with your love, and you fuckers will run the Free World." Stacy said with a proud smile on her face.
In a rare moment for her, Olivia hugged Stacy. "Thanks, Stace. What would I do without you? You've become one of my closest friends. I can't say I have many of those."
"I told you, I'm here whenever you need me. And right now, you need me to help you look like a total bombshell tonight." Stacy ran, grabbing Olivia's hand and dragging her into the nearest dress boutique.
Stacy ran over to a rack, looking through it. "Now, the last two stores we went in, you picked out stuff and you didn't like it. So now, I'm going to pick out a dress, and you have to go try it on."
"Why does that sentence terrify me?" Olivia speculated.
"Ooh, what about this one? Try this on!" She handed Olivia a black gown with a sweetheart cut. Olivia had to admit, it looked beautiful. There was what looked like a rhinestone waistline, and the gown flowed out beautifully. She rolled her eyes at Stacy, taking the dress and walking into the dressing room.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" Stacy called.
"Yes, dear?" the older saleswoman came over.
"Could you please bring over a pair of size 8 black stilettos to the register? Thank you."
"Of course." The saleswoman went to the back as Olivia finally walked out of the dressing room.
Stacy stood up and shouted. "YAS, LIV!"
"Stacy, oh my god, please shut up." Olivia groaned.
"Wait til Fitz sees you, he's going to die! And look at that diamond waistband, I love it!" Stacy gushed.
Olivia looked at her, puzzled. "Diamonds? No, these are rhinestones."
Stacy walked over behind Olivia, reaching to see the tag. "Liv, this dress is 800 dollars, trust me babe, they're diamonds."
"HOW MUCH? Oh hell no, I'm not spending that!" Olivia said in disbelief.
"You're right! You're not. Fitz is. Now, go change and meet me at the register. We've got a lot to do." Stacy instructed.
"But I need shoes, too." Liv reminded her.
"Already taken care of. Go. Get. Dressed." Stacy said pointedly.
Olivia smiled to herself as she walked back to the fitting room. She had never had a best friend before. It was nice, to know that she had someone she could trust, someone who had her best interests at heart. It kind of felt like having a sister.
"Move your ass, Olivia!" Stacy shouted.
Olivia groaned, the nice moment gone. She shut the curtain behind her, preparing for the next stop on their agenda.
"Okay, dress, check. Shoes, check. Purse, check. Spa day, in process." Stacy said with a sigh as her masseuse worked wonders on her back. "If you don't marry Fitz, can I have him and Bryan?"
"Don't be greedy! Bryan is yummy enough on his own. How'd you guys meet anyway?" Olivia asked as she could feel the massage rid her of all tension she had in her body.
Stacy began to smile to herself, her eyes glazing over, and Olivia could tell she had drifted back into her memories.
"Six years ago, I accepted an internship at Smith's advertising agency. Bryan was my boss. We both felt an attraction to the other, but we tried to ignore it. I mean, for the longest time. For at least a year or two. And one night it was pouring rain, and there was a blackout, so we thought it best to stay in the office until the rain let up. I got candles from my desk drawer and lit them around the room, and we sat on his office floor for hours, talking and listening to music on his iHome, and drinking a bottle of wine. I like to think of that as the night I knew I wanted to be with this man for the rest of my life. We started dating almost immediately after that."
"Within the next year, I got hired at the company, and shortly after that, me and Bryan got married. We ended up creating our own advertising agency about a year and a half ago, and here we are now." Stacy said, coming back to reality.
"You were his intern and in love with him for two years before even dating?" Olivia asked.
"Yep. I knew that if it was meant to be, it would happen on it's own."
Olivia nodded, impressed with her friend. At first she thought it seemed like Stacy had put herself through the misery of longing for him, but then she realized she would have done the same thing, if it meant she got to spend the rest of her life with Fitz.
"Ladies, it's time for your pedicures and facial masks, courtesy of Mr. Fitzgerald Grant the third." The masseuse spoke quietly.
"Well I mean, Liv, if Fitz insists." Stacy beamed.
"Honey, are you almost ready?" Fitz asked after he knocked twice on the bathroom door.
"I'll be right out!" she called.
He walked out of their bedroom, down the stairs. He went over to the table near the front door, picking up his keys. He looked in the mirror, fixing his silky black tie. He wore a black custom fix Brooks Brothers suit, and he wore it well. His goal for tonight would be to charm his potential backers, if he did decide to run for governor.
Fitz looked at his watch, before turning to the stairs to call Olivia again, when his voice got caught in his throat, and his jaw dropped open.
Olivia stood at the top of the stairs, donning the stunning black dress Stacy picked out for her. The top of the dress accented her breasts perfectly in its sweetheart shape, and it looked as if it was made solely for her. Her clutch was silver and shimmery; to match that of her diamond earrings and diamond waistline. Her hands were hidden in her black silk elbow length gloves, her hair straightened, flowing past her shoulders. She wore a dark burgundy lipstick that somehow increased the beauty of the smirk that danced along her lips.
"We're not making it to that fucking banquet with you looking like that." Fitz said as his eyes roamed her body.
"Behave yourself, we have a lot of people to impress tonight." She walked down the stairs, and into his arms. He pulled her into a kiss, backing them into a wall. The kiss ignited a fire within her, and she deepened the kiss, standing on her tiptoes to get closer to Fitz. They broke apart, sooner than either of them wanted to, but they knew they had a schedule to uphold, and Cyrus would kill them if they showed up late, again.
"I cannot wait to get you back here and out of that dress." Fitz murmured against her lips.
"Better not rip it, it cost 800 dollars."
"You spent 800 dollars on a dress?" Fitz asked, shocked.
"Technically, you did." Olivia said as she bit her lip, looking away.
"Finally you let me do something for you with the funds we have. It's about time." He said with a smile. She opened her silver clutch, pulling out a Kleenex and wiping her lipstick off of her fiancés' lips.
"Well, don't get used to it, Mister. Now, let's go." She held her hand out for him to take, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. They walked out the front door, ready to wine and dine the members of the Republican Party that could potentially make Fitz the future President of the United States.
How do you guys like Stacy? Personally, I really enjoy writing her. So, Fitz finally told Liv about Cyrus' plan. He still isn't sure about if he's going to run or not, obviously it's a choice that has to be made overtime. But I live for Liv and Fitz working through their problems together. As always, reviews are loved and appreciated. Til next time!