Girls Like You
"Girls like you remind me that I'm lonely, yeah. Remind me that I'm lonely. No one to play Connect 4 with me. I declare war with me. Knocked out and snore. From rolling around in my bed."—Miguel
Fitz stood in the doorway listening to Layla play the piano. He knew that she could play but he had never heard her play. Fitz was amazed as he listen to what sounded like Michael Jackson's Lady In My Life.
As if she could feel his presence in the room with her, she stopped playing abruptly and turned around. Looking apologetic, she stood but before she could say something Fitz spoke up.
"Why'd you stop?"
Layla shrugged. In the four months since Layla met and found out that Fitz was her father, their relationship had grown naturally. It was easy for them to be around each other because they were so similar, she found that she was even more like him than her mother. But as time progressed, Layla became less open with sharing her musical talents with him. A part of it was because of who he was. She felt so amateur singing or trying to play the piano around him. The other part was that when school started back up in the fall he would be her music teacher and with it being known that she was his daughter, she didn't want it to seem like she got special treatments from him. He would hear her sing and play piano in class, not on their father-daughter times.
"I don't think I should be playing for you considering that you'll be my music teacher in the fall. I'm sure you being my dad is already a problem for some. I don't want to further complicate things by having you listen to my music now."
Fitz gave her a small smile. It was moments like these that he was reminded that her mom was Olivia Pope. Layla had taken her brains, and her ability to overthink situations from her mother.
"Are you saying that I can't be unbiased?"
Not missing a beat and sounding very much like her mother, "I'm saying let's not even give ourselves room for you to be biased."
Fitz smiled at her response.
"Fair enough."
"Do you have any plans for the day?"
"Not really."
"You could come over for dinner and to hang out."
"I'm sure that your mother and her boyfriend wouldn't want that."
That was tacky and Fitz knew it. He was fishing and his teenage daughter knew it too.
"Smooth, very smooth," Layla laughed, "My mother doesn't have a boyfriend or a fiancé. It's just us."
Fitz thought to lie his way out of this but he knew that Layla would see right through him so he decided against it.
"And I'm sure my mom would love to have you."
"I'm sorry. That wasn't very appropriate," Fitz was silently scolding himself for fishing for information from his fifteen year old daughter. He couldn't help himself though, Olivia was in his head, all the time now. Being in the same city with her after all these years made him feel that spark that had always been there. He wanted to be in her world but she was giving him the cold shoulder.
Fitz didn't want it to seem like he was using their daughter as a way to get close to Olivia so for these last two months, he let his feelings go, or so he thought.
"Do you have a special lady in your life?" Layla's question brought him out of his thoughts.
"Besides you, no."
Layla smiled.
"So the naked lady on your birthday isn't your girlfriend?"
They hadn't spoke of that incident since coming back to DC. Fitz knew he should have expected it but he didn't.
"No, she isn't."
"Was she back then?"
"No."
"So a random hookup knows where you live? That's pretty dangerous."
Fitz wasn't ready for this conversation with her. Was there ever a time to open up about your sex life to your kid? Fitz thought not but he had opened the door to this conversation so he was going to be honest.
"She wasn't a random hookup. I worked with her and we had been together in the past."
Layla nodded.
"So she's your ex-girlfriend?"
"Not really."
"A one night stand or friends with benefits?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Is this conversation making you uncomfortable?"
"No," he lied, "Why would you think that?"
"You have a look on your face," Layla stared at him.
"No, I'm fine," he continued to lie.
Layla nodded but decided to lay off. She felt okay with talking to him about anything because since she had met him, Fitz had always been honest with her.
"How do you feel about my mom?"
Layla didn't know why she asked that particular question at this moment but she always wondered. If you let her mom tell it, there was definitely some deep feelings there all of those years back but they were both too young and had different things going on in their lives so neither tried to see where it could go. She had never heard her dad's side and her curiosity had been sparked after they returned from their week in California. Layla remembered the two days of fun she had with her parents before the naked lady showed up at his place. Things felt different now. They both avoided each other and neither talked about the other. She had knew that something was up.
"What do you mean?" Fitz asked.
"How do you feel about her? Do you hate her because she lied to you for years? Is she the one that go away? Do think she is okay but you two just had a summer fling so there is really nothing to talk about with her? What? There is something because you guys act awkward around each other. Y'all don't talk. Both of you stay in the car when you come pick me up. It's weird. It's like you two hate each other but you're nice people so y'all won't show it."
Fitz was taken aback by her questions. He didn't think that their avoidance came off as hate. He immediately felt bad that Layla would even think that.
"I don't hate your mother. I was upset at first because I wish I had known about you sooner but I don't hate her. It was a very impossible situation for her to be in and I understand that."
"Do you think she is the one who got away?"
Fitz didn't know how to answer that. In the four and a half months since Olivia was brought back into his life, Fitz felt himself being pulled into her orbit. He just wanted to be around her but she avoided him so he did the same and focused on his relationship with his daughter. He didn't know how to explain his feelings.
Layla stared at him as she waited for him to answer. When he didn't, the silence in the room became awkward.
"That is a very impressive stare down you have going on."
"I'm waiting for you to answer the question."
"I don't know how to answer the question."
"We always start with the truth," she reminded him.
"That is the truth. I don't know how to answer that question."
"Do you want to know what I think?"
"Sure," Fitz crossed his arms and leaned up against the wall prepared to hear what she thought.
"I think that there is feelings there but both of you are very unsure of yourself in regard to the place where you stand in each other's lives. Knowing my mother, I think she feels guilty for keeping us apart for so long. She has the tendency to let guilt make her withdraw. If she feels like she is the problem, she will totally disassociate herself from a situation as a way of getting rid of the problem. It is the fixer in her and she is not immune to her brand of problem solving."
Fitz was completely in awe listening to her speak. He had to remember that at fifteen she was a young woman and able to process things as such. Hell, she was processing this situation better than him.
"I haven't known you for a long time but I've followed you over the years and now having you in my life, I can attest to the good person that you are," Layla continued, "I think that you are a very good person who doesn't want to make anyone uncomfortable so you shy away from fully expressing yourself. You seem like the type to take a backseat to other people's happiness. If you were feeling something with my mother, you wouldn't act first because you are unaware of her true feelings and that makes you unsure of yourself."
"How old are you again?"
Layla laughed.
"I take pride in being very mature for my age," she paused before saying, "Sorry. I can be very straightforward at times."
"No," Fitz waved her off, "I loved hearing what you had to say. Very astute."
"It would be nice if you guys hung out more. I wouldn't have to pick between who I wanted to spend my time with. We could just all spend time together."
"Have you told your mother this?"
She shook her head, "I've been thinking about it but I never said anything. Since you asked if my mom had a boyfriend-"
"I didn't-"
"You did. We both know that you did," she said calmly cutting him off, "I think it is a good thing."
"You do?"
Layla nodded.
"I never seen anyone have the effect on my mom that you have. You take her out of the zone. It's different, she's different around you or when I talk to her about you."
Fitz stared at her for a long moment, taking in everything that she was saying.
"I think you should talk to her. If not for yourself, do it for me. I would love to spend time with you both together."
"You're pulling the daughter card?"
"I am. It is either play the daughter card nicely or lay of full guilt trip."
Fitz laughed, "You're wise beyond your years."
Layla looked down. She wondered if she should mention something that had been bothering her or just leave it alone. When she looked back up, Fitz was staring at her.
"I'm not a baby," she blurted out.
Layla could tell that the moment shifted.
"I know," Fitz said seriously.
"Sometimes you treat me like I'm eight," Layla paused to see how he was taking this. He didn't look confused or hurt so she continued, "It's not a bad thing and I get it. You missed the younger years so you very easy with me and I appreciate it. But it is weird because I feel like you think that I don't understand a lot of things that I do understand."
"I apologize for that," he said sincerely, "As I was listening to you talk, I was just thinking about how you were a mature young woman and not some little kid."
"I'm glad we could have this talk," she said lightening the mood.
"So you think I should talk to your mother?"
"I think you should surprise her with dinner tonight."
"I feel like you have had this on your mind for a while."
"If I wait for you guys to make a move, you might sit in the same row at my wedding."
"I don't think we are that bad."
"Yeah, okay," she said unconvinced. "We're going to need to go to the market."
"For what?"
"We're cooking for my mother."
If Fitz didn't know any better, he would think that he was being set up. That wasn't what was happening. Or was it?
"I hate him," Rochelle's voice came through Olivia's car speaker.
"You don't hate him."
"I wish he was dead. I hate him so much that I want him dead and in hell."
Olivia let her rant about her ex-husband. When Rochelle paused to take a breath, Olivia finally got to jump in the conversation.
"What happened?"
"He is taking his son to Disney world the same time that we are supposed to be visiting you. He mentioned it to Riley and she is upset."
"Why would he mention it to her?"
"Because he is a jackass. Of course she wants to go to Disney world but he won't pay for a ticket. I offered to pay but he would have to change his flight and he doesn't want to do that. Now my daughter thinks I want to keep her away from her dad since I had to be the one to tell her that she couldn't go."
"Wow. I'm so sorry you're going through this."
"I hate him so much. He does things like I wronged him. Like I'm the one who cheated and broke up our family. Here I am with an emotional eight year old who just doesn't understand how fucked up grownups can be."
Olivia hated the pain she heard in her cousin's voice. Rochelle was always so strong, stronger than her even. Rochelle was a free spirit but all business. She was the perfect mix of strength and being able to be vulnerable. Rochelle always managed to stay optimistic but today, Olivia heard brokenness in her voice.
"I'm so tired, Olivia. I'm tired of him hurting my daughter. She doesn't deserve this."
"Do you want me to try to talk to him? You know I have done work as a mediator. I can be objective."
"I want him dead."
"Stop saying that. As a lawyer, I have to advise you not to say that out loud. If ever something happened to him people would think that you did something to him."
"I don't give two shits what people think."
"I can talk to him."
"I can't ask you to do that. I wouldn't ask you to do that because he is an asshole and I hate him."
"You're not asking. I actually want to talk to him."
"That doesn't sound good. You want to have a normal talk with or one of your Olivia Pope talks?"
"Does it matter?"
"Not really."
"I'll talk to him," Olivia pulled into her driveway. "I need for you to calm down. I know you are pissed and you have every right to be but you can't let him win. He doesn't get to dictate your feelings. You're an amazing mother and although it is tough now, it won't always be like this. Riley will see her father for who he really is when she is older. But for now, this is a rough patch that you unfortunately have to go through."
There was silence on the phone. Olivia could see her cousin's face, she knew that she was rolling her eyes.
"I'm at home now so I'll have to call you back once I get inside."
"I want lots of alcohol tomorrow."
"I got you."
"Do you think it makes me a bad mom if I drop the kids with uncle Eli for the night? I want to lose myself in a bottle."
"Take a bubble bath and drink a glass of wine. You'll be fine."
Olivia grabbed her purse as ended her call. She got out of the car and walked up to her door. The minute she entered the house, Olivia was hit with the smell of food. She heard Layla laughing in the kitchen and walked towards the sound.
Fitz spotted her first. He watched her as stood in the doorway momentarily shocked by his presence in her home. Fitz didn't call attention to Olivia standing there. He went about his business of washing the last of the dishes that he had dirtied while cooking.
Olivia lost track of time as she stood frozen in the doorway to her kitchen. She was not expecting to see Fitz in her home, cooking dinner with their daughter. Before she could move to leave the doorway, Layla spotted her.
"Hey mom."
"Hey," Olivia slowly walked into the kitchen. "What's going on?"
"I thought we could spend some time together as a family so I invited dad over for dinner," Layla looked over at Fitz, "Since you were working late, we went to the market and he cooked," she said proudly.
Olivia smiled at Layla's enthusiasm.
"Wow. This is a nice surprise," Olivia was caught off guard by him not only being in her home but cooking dinner.
Olivia excused herself from the room and went to change out of her work clothes.
"I think she took that well," Layla said when Olivia was out of the room.
"All things considered, I do too."
Fitz couldn't stop staring at Olivia, all through dinner and even now as he sat across from her at the kitchen table. Fitz could not keep his eyes off of her. She had went upstairs to change out of her work clothes and came down stairs looking simply amazing in just sweats and a t-shirt. Her hair was wet from her shower and pulled up into a high curly bun. Her face glowed even without makeup on. Fitz thought she was so beautiful.
As Olivia sat across from Fitz at her kitchen table, it became clear what Layla was trying to do inviting Fitz over for dinner. Layla had left the two alone in the kitchen after dinner. She had said she was going to the bathroom but ten minutes had passed and Layla hadn't returned. She wanted them to talk and Olivia knew that they should, she really had no reason not to talk to him.
"She thinks that we hate each other," Fitz said breaking their silence.
"Why does she think that?"
"Because you go out of your way to avoid me and I follow suit."
"I don't–"
"You do, and for life of me, I can't figure out why. Did you change so much in the last fifteen years that I now disgust you or something?"
"No," Olivia quickly answered, shaking her head, "Its…its um…," Olivia suddenly couldn't speak. Fitz waited for her to say something. Olivia downed the rest of her wine before setting the glass down and giving her full attention to Fitz.
"I fell in love with you years ago and it was the scariest thing to ever happen to me. In a small span of time, I fell for you and it was irrational and unplanned. It felt like a lie because I don't know you. I never got the chance to know you. How can you love someone you don't know?"
"You get to know them," Fitz said simply.
Olivia gave him a small smile before continuing, "I have been acting on fear since the day that I met you. Fear that I was reading too much into us hanging out, fear that you didn't feel the same way as me, fear of rejection, fear that you would hate me. To simplify it, Fitz, you scare me."
"I'm harmless," he said full of boyish charm.
Olivia hated that he made her feel like a schoolgirl. She hated that he brought down whatever defenses she tried to put up with ease.
"I could never hate you."
His words were reassuring to her. She felt like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.
"I waited for you," his voice was low but loud enough for her to hear him. She looked over at him and he continued, "I beat myself up for a year for not getting your number or just having the courage to walk across the lake and ask your mother about you. But I remembered that you said you to visit your mom every summer so I waited. I practiced what I would say to you for months and I planned on getting it right that time but you never came back."
Olivia felt a rush of emotion hit her all at once. She couldn't quite pin down what she was feeling but her chest felt warm and her hands dropped to her lap.
"I felt this connection with you from the first time that I met you. I fell in love with you too. I didn't feel like I stood a chance with you. I was just happy for the time we had together, the time that you gave me because you were way out of my league."
"You think too highly of me."
"You were the best thing that ever happened to me."
Olivia stared at him not sure what she should say to that.
"I wouldn't be the man I am today if it hadn't been for you."
"I don't believe that."
"It's true. You put a lot of things in perspective for me. You motivated me to step outside of my comfort zone and actually pursue my music."
"You helped me to learn to throw caution to the wind. I never felt more alive than I did that summer."
They fell into a comfortable silence. Olivia looked down at her watch. It had been twenty minutes since Layla left them.
"Layla mentioned all three of us spending time together because she feels like she has to pick between us a lot of times."
"I feel match making vibes from this whole night," Olivia looked down at her watch, "She has been in the bathroom for twenty three minutes now."
"I might be the reason for this. I might have been fishing for answers poorly."
"What did you say?"
"She invited me over for dinner and I said 'I'm sure that your mother and her boyfriend wouldn't want that.' "
Olivia snorted and covered her mouth trying to stifle her laugh. She didn't know why she found his inquiry into her dating life funny but it tickled her.
"It was not my finest work."
"I think we can work out spending more time together."
"I think Layla would really like that."
Olivia hated that she was blushing but she took solace in lopsided grin. He felt the same way she did. It was new and confusing but at least this go around they had time on their side.
Olivia sat in her car outside of the train station searching the crowd for her cousin. With their busy schedules and raising kids, Rochelle and Olivia never really got to spend time together so every summer Rochelle and Olivia would play hostess for each other for two weeks. This year Rochelle and her daughters were coming to stay with Olivia for two weeks.
Olivia took out her phone and texted her cousin.
Liv: Did you get lost?
Shelly: Of course not. This is not my first time here.
Liv: I've been out here for waiting for 10 minutes.
Shelly: If you have somewhere else to go you can leave.
Liv: Your text has a tone.
Shelly: *rolls eyes*…Raquel had a grown woman situation.
Liv: Oh. Got it. Take your time.
Shelly: Thank you, your highness! I am so grateful for your permission to take my time….How is that for tone?
Olivia sent a middle finger emoji as a response and threw her phone in the cup holder. Moments later she received a text message notification. She thought it was Rochelle responding but was surprised to see 'Don't go down this road' flash across the screen. The screen went black and then quickly lit up again when another text message came through.
'I should really change his name in my phone', Olivia thought as she punched in the code on her phone and went to her text messages.
Don't go down this road: What's your favorite board game?
Don't go down this road: Wait, do people still play board games?
Olivia smiled reading his text.
Livvie: Monopoly. And I guess somewhere in the world lots of people still play board games. A lot of stuff is digital now so…
Don't go down this road: I'm in target and I had this bright idea for game night. What better way to bond and reconnect with someone than to bring out their competitive side?
Livvie: You're not ready for my competitive side.
Don't go down this road: I love a challenge ;)
"Who has you smiling so hard?"
Olivia's hand slipped out of her hand and she grabbed her chest.
"You scared the shit out of me," Olivia glared at Rochelle's smiling face.
Olivia hit a button and popped the trunk so that they could put their bags in the back. She reached for phone on the floor.
Don't go down this road: Game suggestions?
Livvie: Monopoly, Uno, Jenga, Layla loves Scrabble. I refuse to play the game with her.
Don't go down this road: She's that good?
Livvie: Let's just say that the movie Akeelah and the Bee had a lasting effect on her.
Don't go down this road: Haha. Noted.
Olivia locked her phone and threw it in the cup holder as she heard her car door opening.
"How was the train ride?" Olivia asked after greeting everyone.
"The devil is river dancing inside of my body. Death is near," Raquel said.
Olivia never heard anyone describe menstrual cramps in that way but was inclined to agree with the teenager.
Riley rolled her eyes at what she assumed was her older sister being dramatic again.
"How was the train ride for you, Riley?"
"It wasn't Disney world," she tried to say lowly but everyone in the car heard her.
"Okay," Olivia said giving up on conversation all together as she started the car, pulling off into traffic.
"Can we stop at the CVS? I have to pick up a few things for Rocky."
"Sure."
If this car ride was any indication of how the next two weeks were going to go, Olivia wasn't sure she was ready for her family to stay.
Layla knocked on the open guest bedroom door to alert Rochelle that she was there.
"Hey," Rochelle looked up at her briefly as she put her clothes away.
"My mom wanted to know if you guys wanted takeout or did you want actually go somewhere for dinner tonight?"
"It doesn't matter. Whichever is easiest for her."
"Okay," Layla walked out of the door and then back tracked, "I may have overheard a conversation you had with my mom earlier."
Rochelle looked at her.
"The part about Riley and her dad."
"Oh. Okay," Rochelle wasn't sure with this was going.
"I was thinking that I could talk to Riley if wanted me to. Maybe listening to someone closer to her age would help her through whatever is going on. I didn't grow up with a dad and I'm not screwed up or anything. I also know that when my mom tried to talk to me about it I wasn't open to listening to her. I had to listen to other people talk to me before I was able to accept what my mom was telling me."
Rochelle stared at her for a moment. She was so much like her mother that it blew Rochelle's mind at times.
"I would like that," Rochelle said, "She's just having a tough time because she doesn't always get to see her dad when she wants to since the divorce."
Layla nodded, "Okay. I totally got it."
Layla left the room and Rochelle putting her things away. After she was done putting her stuff away she left the room in search of her cousin. She found Olivia sitting in the living room watching the news with the volume slightly lowered.
"Do you ever watch anything besides the news?" Rochelle asked as she took a seat next to Olivia.
"It doesn't feel like it," Olivia turned off the TV, "I did recently watch all of Parks and Recreation but I didn't finish the last episode. And I got through The Mindy Project."
"You didn't have to turn off the TV on my account."
"No, it's fine. I was cheating anyway. I said no work at least for the first two days that you're here but I can't help it. Any idle time I always think of something I could be doing work wise."
"You've turned into a workaholic."
"I have," Olivia nodded, "Did you get settled okay? Do you need anything?"
"No. I'm fine. Where's everyone?"
"Raquel is upstairs napping. I gave her a heating pad and pain pills. Layla and Riley went for frozen yogurt."
"I can't believe my daughter got her period. I'm not ready for my baby to be that grown up. How did you deal when Layla became a woman?"
"I cried, not in front of her but I cried a lot. She was only twelve. We talked through it. I want to my dad because he went through it with me and then I got over it. It is a part of life."
"I know," Rochelle sighed, "I need a drink."
"Are you just saying that as an expression or do you really want a drink."
"No, it's a need. Not a want. I have a mighty need for a drink."
"Let's get you a drink then," Olivia stood up and Rochelle followed her into the kitchen so she could pour them a glass of wine.
"I really needed this trip," Rochelle says after her first sip of wine, "I don't know if it was New York itself or my home but if felt suffocating. I think I was drowning in stress."
"I'm so sorry that you're going through this."
"I wonder if I drove him to cheat."
Rochelle couldn't help herself from saying the question out loud. Her ex was on her mind all the time and not in a good way.
"You didn't."
"I wasn't a good wife. I wasn't madly in love with him. I loved him. I could have spent the rest of my life with him but I wasn't in love with him. I wonder if he could tell and went looking for the love elsewhere," she thought out loud, speaking absentmindedly.
"I don't think that you were a terrible wife. Even if you weren't madly in love with him, you didn't hate him. You weren't cruel to him. I have seen terrible wives. You didn't make him cheat either."
"I was relieved when I found out she was pregnant. It gave me my out. I would have forgiven him because he was a good guy. He was my safe guy. But her being pregnant gave me my out. I couldn't be with someone who had two families. Even if he didn't love her, he had a kid with her so she was family."
"Do you regret your choice to leave?"
"No. I just feel like a shitty mom because my daughter is suffering because he is mad at me."
"Have you tried talking to him?"
"It is hard because I hate him for hurting my daughter. I can't stand to look at him."
"You have to try to talk to him. As adults and parents, you need to tell him how his actions are affecting the children and if somehow you guys can't come to a reasonable solution, then you should talk to a mediator. I know some good ones in New York."
Rochelle nodded, she knew Olivia was right, she had to try to talk to her ex but she felt the familiar pounding in her head starting whenever she talked about her ex-husband. Taking another sip of her drink, Rochelle attempted to move on from talking about her ex.
"Layla overheard us talking and she offered to talk to Riley. She is so much like you. Always wanting to help and fix people's problems."
Olivia smiled. She really felt like she got it right with her daughter.
"How's work going?" Olivia asked steering the conversation completely away from exes and kids.
"Work is great. I'm adjusting to my new position-"
"What new position?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you?"
Olivia shook her head, taking a sip from her glass.
"I was promoted to manager last month."
"Oh my God! That's amazing."
"Yeah, it is. I've just been so busy with the kids that I haven't had the time to celebrate it," Rochelle said excitedly. "I'm now in charge of the whole art department. I handle most of the day to day stuff, overseeing projects. Everyone reports to me and I report to the art director."
Seeing Rochelle's excitement made Olivia smile.
"I'm happy for you."
"I'm happy for me," she took another sip of her wine. "Thank you for this."
"The wine?"
"No. Just for being the person I unload all of my crap on and having a place for me to get away for a while. I really need these two weeks."
"We're family. You're like my sister so of course I am going to always be here. Or if you need me in New York, I'll be there."
Rochelle hugged her.
"Before I leave this city, I'm going to need you to take me about because I'm trying to get laid."
"Shelly."
"I'm serious. What better stress reliever is there than some dick?"
"I'm glad you're feeling better," Olivia said ignoring her last state as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Do you like it?" Layla asked as she sat at across from her little cousin watching her eat her frozen yogurt.
Riley looked up at her and nodded, smiling.
"I always come here when I'm upset or mad. It's kinda like my happy place away from home."
"Are you mad right now?"
"No. I just heard about you and your dad and I thought some frozen yogurt would cheer you up because it always cheers me up."
"My dad is going to Disney world and I really wanted to go but my mom wouldn't let me. I like it here with you and Liv but we do this every year and I only stayed one weekend in the past few months."
"And it's Disney world! Who wouldn't want to go to Disney world?"
"That too," Riley giggled.
"I don't think that your mom wouldn't let you go."
"She didn't. My dad said I would have to ask her if I wanted to go. I asked her and I'm here now. She didn't let me go."
"I'm sure it is more complicated than that."
"It's not. My mom hates my dad and she wants me to hate him too."
"You know I didn't grow up with a dad right?"
Riley nodded.
"Do you know why?"
"He died?" Riley took a guess.
"No," Layla shook her head, "I grew up without a dad because my mom had me when she was really young and she lived really far away from my dad. Because they lived so far away, she never got to tell him about me."
"Your dad doesn't know about you?"
"He didn't until recently. I went to a singing audition and ended up singing in front of my dad."
"Whoa."
"When I found out I was so angry at my mom. I was angry because I didn't get to have 'normal' childhood with two parents like everyone else. I was angry because she kept my dad and I apart for years. I blamed her. I was mad at her. I didn't talk to my mom."
"And then what happened?"
"I talked to Edison and my dad and I took a step back and put myself in her shoes. I don't think I would have done the same thing as she did but I understand why she did what she did now. Riley, you have to understand that parents are just human. They make mistakes. They have bad judgment. They don't always know the right thing to say or the right thing to do but they love you enough to try."
"Things are different now. My dad and I use to be really close. We use to cook dinner three times a week. He would let me read him bedtime stories because I loved to read. Every Saturday we had daddy-daughter movie day. It was fun and then everything changed. He didn't come home one night and that turned into a week and just never came back. He has a son now and I'm no longer his baby."
"Sometimes change can be good. Different is good. It took a while for me to adjust to having two parents around."
"But that is good change. You have a dad now. I don't see how this is the same."
"You still have a dad. When I didn't know who my dad was, I still had a dad. Our situations are similar because we both had to adjust to change. Things are different now, maybe even bad for you but it is not going to be like this forever. No matter what is going on in their lives both your mom and dad care about you very much and they just need time to figure it out because they're not perfect."
Riley nodded and Layla hoped she was making some form of sense to the little girl.
"Do you like having a dad now?"
"Yeah but things are pretty much the same. I had to get over my initials nerves and fear of change but now things great. I just have one extra person who loves me added to my life."
"How often do you see him?"
"At least twice a week."
"When do I get to meet him?"
"Do you want to meet him?"
Riley nodded.
"We can go see him when we're done here."
"Thank you for the frozen yogurt."
"It's no problem."
"I really do like it here with you and Liv. And know that my mommy means well but my dad always made me feel special. And I just miss that a lot. We talk on the phone a lot but he never calls me, I have to call him."
"He is adjusting as well and figuring it out. It is going to take some time but he'll come around."
"Are you going to come join me," a voice called from his pool.
"Nope."
"What do you mean 'nope'? Come here."
"I'm not getting in the pool, Mel."
Fitz watched as Mellie got out of the pool and walked over to him. She took a seat in his lap, not caring that she was getting his clothes wet.
"I hate it when you say no to me."
"You hate it when anyone says no to you."
"This is true. And yet you're still saying no to me."
Fitz stared at her. She was crossing the line of flirting with him and trying to seduce him, neither of which were working.
"Are you going to get up? You've already have my clothes all wet."
"All the more reason for you to get in the pool with me."
"I'm fine right here."
"You act so strange since you decided to move to DC," Mellie said as she stood up, "Is it living around all of the politicians or her that changed you?"
"I haven't changed at all."
"You have. You're very cold and distant towards me."
"How am I cold and distant and let you stay in my house?"
"You were originally trying to kick me out."
"Because I know your game."
"You're weak to my advances."
"Games. You play too many games. One of which is flying all the way across the country to bring me papers when you could have faxed them to me or scanned them into a pdf file and emailed them to me."
"I told you I'm visiting a friend in Virginia."
"And you just decided to make a pit stop here? It's almost a three hour drive from your original destination," Fitz tone was lighthearted. Fitz didn't want to seem cold but he was serious. There was no reason for Mellie to make a stop at his house on her way to Virginia but yet here she was.
He had cursed himself for not telling her to call a cab the night before but it was late so he let her spend the night in one of his guest bedrooms. Fitz didn't want her getting any ideas and judging by the way she acted all morning, it was too late. The wheels had been turning and somewhere in that scheming brain of hers there was in motion. Fitz didn't know what it was but he was wise to Mellie's ways.
"Well excuse me for being extra thorough about my work using my time to wisely catch up with a friend who acts brand new," Mellie's voice disrupted his thoughts.
"You're always showing up at the most random times."
"I will be out of your hair in few so chill," Mellie grabbed her towel, "You're going to drive me to the car rental place right?"
Fitz nodded, taking a sip of his beer.
"You're such a doll," she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, "You will miss me when I'm gone."
"You never give me a chance to miss you because you're always around."
Mellie wrapped towel around her and walked into the house. It wasn't even two minutes later when he heard her calling his name. Fitz sighed and got up to see what she wanted.
"You have visitors," Mellie said before stepping aside so Fitz could see Layla and another little girl standing on the porch.
Mellie walked upstairs and Fitz went to the door.
"Hey! This is a surprise."
"It is for both of us," Layla said with a clear attitude in her voice, "We were in the neighborhood and my little cousin wanted to meet you but clearly you're busy with company so we're going to go."
"No. You don't have to go. Come in."
Fitz felt like he was experiencing deja vu. This had happened before exactly like this. Mellie had showed up and it resulted in Olivia leaving with Layla and this time it was Layla leaving with her younger cousin.
"Come on, Riley," Layla walked off without saying another word to him.
"I can give you a ride home."
"We're fine."
"Layla, wait."
When Fitz realized that she wasn't going to wait he sprinted after them.
"I know that having a dad is new for you but you're supposed to listen to him," Riley said as she tried to keep up with Layla
Layla had forgotten that she was even there until she heard her voice. She looked down at her. This was probably not the best example to be setting for her little cousin but she was mad because clearly her dad had lied to her. The same lady who showed up with no clothes on at his place in LA was now answering his the door in just a towel. When she saw his wet clothes, her annoyance transformed into angry. She couldn't tell who she was madder at, him for lying to her or herself for believing that somehow with her dad now around she might have had a family.
Fitz grabbed Layla's arm, stopping her from taking another step. The cold look that she gave him after she looked at her arm and his hand could freeze hell.
"You don't have to leave but if you want to leave, I insist on giving you a ride home."
"I don't want to interrupt your time with your girlfriend."
"She is not my girlfriend."
"Is she your wife?"
Fitz looked at the little girl besides his daughter.
"No. Just a friend."
Both Layla and Riley looked at him like they didn't believe him. After what felt like an eternity of silence, Riley finally spoke, "I don't know about her but I really would like a ride to her house."
Fitz stared at Layla waiting for her to say something but she didn't budge.
"If you're going to take us home, you should get your car because this could take a while," Riley said looking between both Fitz and Layla.
"Promise you won't leave."
"We won't," Riley said speaking for both of them.
As Layla watched him walk away she thought about why she was mad. Although she felt like he lied to her, she had no right to be this mad at him. It was his personal life, she couldn't be mad at him for having a personal life.
"Come on," Layla sighed as she started walking back to her father's house.
By the time that they made it back to his front door Fitz was coming out of the door.
"If the offer still stands, we'll stay for a little bit," Layla said.
"Okay," Fitz couldn't contain his smile as he stepped aside and let the girls in.
