Chapter 4

The funeral was a grand affair. Of course it was. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant II was a two-time Governor of California and he had held a seat in Congress for so long his ass was imprinted in his favorite chair. Was there a committee he had not sat on? On how many had he been Chairman? The man had been a living legend. He was beloved in this state. And his reputation in Washington, DC was that of a deal maker. He had more money than King Midas and he catered to the world of the rich and famous. Fitz had to turn this circus into an invite only affair because of Big Jerry's popularity. Big Jerry loved Hollywood and everything about it. The who's who of that town was here today. It was what he wanted and Fitz followed everything down to a tee.

Apparently Big Jerry knew he would not live forever. It's funny; Fitz had thought he would never die this evil man that was his father. But he was gone. Fitz had his ass burned to a crisp just as he ordered. He hoped he was still burning in Hell. He hated the son of bitch and he was so glad he was dead. Big Jerry had never found out about him and Olivia. He was so sure of Fitz. In his effort not to be like Big Jerry, his father had underestimated him. He was so sure he would never stray from that marriage in hell he had shackled him to. Big Jerry was so sure that his hate for him would keep him with Mellie for life. But he was wrong. He was getting out once this campaign was over win or lose. He was either going to be America's first divorced President or California's divorced ex-Governor. He really did not care which one, but one of them he would be!

He sat in the pew beside Mellie and his children not listening to a word being said. Person after person stood there for 2 minutes and praised the evil man that was his father. A man that beat his son and his wife on a regular basis until Fitz had grown into a teenage man and beat the shit out of him. He had dared him to ever strike either one of them again. He told him he would kill him with his bare hands and he had meant it. When he had gone east to college he warned him if there was ever a bruise on his mother's body he would be sorry.

He thought about his father's will. He had left basically everything in the world he owned to him. He was astounded. His father often threatened to disinherit him. He had sworn he would leave his estate to charity because he was so disappointed in Fitz. True he was the only child of his legal marriage, but Fitz suspected he had some half-siblings out there. You did not stick your dick in anything that moved and not eventually impregnate somebody. With his father it could have ended with anything from payoffs to abortions who knows.

His father's lawyers said there were a couple of endowments to some unknown people he could contest if he wanted to and he would probably win as the sole heir. Fitz did not care who Big Jerry doted out his money to. He was now one of the richest men on the planet and he could care less. What he wanted was Olivia Pope. That was the only thing he cared about at the moment. And he intended to have her for his very own.

He turned around to seek out her face he needed to see her to know she was there. She was there looking at him as if she knew he would turn around and seek her out. She smiled and his heart melted.

It was over finally. He was back home in the house he had grown up in and his father's ashes sat upon the fireplace mantle. He had been staring at the urn for hours as people went about the house expressing their sympathy for his loss. Well he had no loss. He had no father. He hated his father everyday of his life. So he had told himself. But deep down inside he sought his love he knew that. Of course he did not want to admit it. It made him angry that he would seek the love of someone so evil. But he had, just as his mother had. They had wanted his approval and love their entire lives. His mother had gone to her grave still wanting the love of her husband.

Dammit to hell. Why could he not just cremate the son of a bitch and move on? Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the life-size portrait of his father that graced the fireplace. How could a father not love his son? He was his own flesh and blood. It was a question he had asked himself over and over again.

He had closed the door on the last guest and he was glad. It had been a trying day. But he had survived it and he was moving on. Mellie came up to him then. "Fitz I am out of here. Jerry and Karen are to call you when they arrive back at the campus. I am glad we agreed that they should return to school as soon as possible this is no place for children. Leslie has my itinerary if you need me for any reason. If not I will be back in the Governor's Mansion on Saturday. Good luck with the strategy planning. Say good-bye to Cyrus and Olivia for me." She had spoken. Why was she still standing there? He turned around to go. "Fitz at least walk me out to the car. There are still reporters outside. We are supposed to be a loving couple remember?"

He turned back around and looked at her this woman who had eaten up 20 years of his life. The same woman who had turned his children over to nannies as soon as they were born and sent them off to boarding schools as soon as they were able to tie their own shoes, he stood there just looking. This was the same woman that had connived with a dead man to trap him in a loveless marriage. The same woman that had refused to have sex with him for over ten years, he continued to stare. The same woman that he despised with every breath he took, so he shook his head in hopes that she would disappear. Today was not his lucky day she was still standing there. He was not in the mood for her bullshit not today. It would be his luck that Olivia was standing in the window and if he walked out with Mellie she would try to stick her tongue down his throat. No he would not walk her out.

"Mellie it has been a trying day. If reporters are out there let them assume that I mourn my father and choose to stay in the house. You are good at lying and pretending. I am sure you can come up with something as to why you had to walk to your car alone. Have a good trip. Be safe." He turned on his heels and started toward his bedroom. He did not look back.

Lord have mercy she hated his guts. He was an arrogant son of a bitch. He got that from his momma. She thought her shit didn't stink. His momma did not believe that she was good enough for her precious "Fitz." The day his momma took her last breath she had celebrated with some hooch, just as she had when she found out Big Jerry was gone. They were rich white trash who thought they were better than everybody else. She was the real blueblood in this family. She had royal blood running through her veins. "I'm doing this for you Fitz. I am running myself ragged on the road for you and you can't walk me out to my car?"

He turned, his foot on the bottom step. He had been taking the steps instead of the elevator for exercise today. He wasn't in the mood for a workout. "Mellie let's not play games. All you do in this campaign is for Mellie. You want to go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue so badly you can taste it. You would sell our kids off to the highest bidder to get inside those doors. You want this not me. I could give a rat's ass about this presidency. So peddle that shit somewhere else. I will not walk you outside; it is not going to happen. Again have a good trip. Be safe."

He disappeared up the steps and left Mellie to her own devises. She took a deep breath and walked out the door. The flashbulbs went off one right after the other. She smiled into the camera. "How is your husband Mrs. Grant?"

"My husband, the Governor of this great state is grieving. One of the most important figures in his life is gone on to his heavenly reward. It is very hard for him. But we will survive because we have each other. Our Love will get us through this." She got into the car.

One of the agents guarding Fitz came out of nowhere and began taking to the reporters. "I am asking you to please leave the compound at this time as the funeral and final goodbyes for Fitzgerald Thomas Grant II have concluded. I expect total compliance to this directive. You have exactly thirty minutes to be off of this private property with all your belongings. Anyone not compliant with this directive will be arrested immediately on the 31st minute. I hope I have made myself completely clear on this subject. It has been a pleasure gentlemen and ladies, good day."

As it turned out Olivia Pope was looking out the window. Mellie was gone from this place. Honestly she could feel the pall that enveloped the place lift from it. Mellie was pervasive evil it followed her or it was a part of her persona. Olivia was glad she was gone. She would not voice what was going on in her head what she really wanted to say about the wife of the man she coveted. She stepped back from the window and watched Mellie's car until it disappeared from sight.