Chapter 7

The next morning Olivia sat on her sofa folding up Ava's laundry. She had a piping hot cup of tea sitting on the coffee table, and Ave slept in her Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker. Olivia was still on cloud nine from the night before.

She and Fitz had lounged around her office for about an hour after their explosive sex. They were finally able to get up, get dressed, and make their way home. Once they had gotten home they had checked in on their sleeping baby, and then went to the shower for another round.

Fitz had bent her so many different ways that she was good and sore all over. However, she wouldn't change a thing. She had been worried, that sex between them would change, or that he would even lose interest in her body. That was not hardly the case. Fitz seemed even more enthusiastic than usually. This did wonders for Liv's ego.

It was a Saturday, and Fitz had went out with Marcus to a brunch with some donors. This was Erica's weekend off, so she was out visiting friends, and running personal errands.

It was just her and her favorite girl. She was considering calling Abby so that they could go visit Quinn who had given birth to her baby girl, Robin about two weeks ago.

Olivia was in the process of putting the folded burping cloths into the laundry basket when her doorbell rang. Her secret service agent announced that Abby was at the door. Olivia instructed him to let her in.

Olivia looked up when Abby entered the family, "Abby, what are you doing here?"

Abby opened her purse and pulled out a small plastic ziploc baggie. She placed it on the coffee table. She then sat her purse on the coffee table and reached down to unsnap Ava from the rocker, and pick her up.

Olivia reached for the baggie while saying to Abby, "Please don't wake up my child. It took me a while to get her settled."

She studied the contents of the baggie. It was a nursing pad and one of Fitz's cufflinks. Olivia blushed and looked at Abby. She said, "What?"

"Don't what me Olivia Carolyn Pope. What did you do in my office last night," Abby asked.

Olivia said, "You mean my office? That is my office. Who knows how long that stuff could've been in there."

Abby smirked saying, "Something tells me that it hasn't been that long. One, your office is always immaculate. Which is why I noticed these items strewn across the room. Two, you've been in the White House since you've given birth, but I don't remember you nursing, or pumping in your office. There was once in the oval, but that's all I have. Thee, you went missing last night, and I asked your husband where you were, and he said that you went to your office to pump. So yeah. I think this is from last night."

Olivia shrugged, "There you go. I was in my office pumping and I guess I lost one of my nursing pads."

Abby shook her head saying, "And the cufflink?"

Olivia stood walking towards the kitchen to make Abby a cup of tea, "He came to check on me, and started helping me situated. It must have gotten caught on something, and fell off."

Abby followed Olivia carrying a still sleeping Ava. She said, "Olivia you're gross. I know that it's your office and all, but I have to work in there for the next two weeks. I'm going to have to have that place disinfected."

Olivia put the tea kettle on the stove, and turned on the gas stove. She laughed at Abby saying, "Abby, it's ok. It's just me and Fitz. Not some strangers. We're both clean. Plus if Fitz's bodily fluids are good enough for me, they're ok for you too."

Abby looked at her best friend with the most disgusted look ever. Olivia doubled over in laughter. She was careful not to be too loud, so that she wouldn't wake Ava. "I'm joking Abby. I'm sorry. We didn't mean for that happen. We certainly didn't mean to gross you out. I actually told fitz not to come to the west wing. He was supposed to stay at the party, and I was going to text him to meet me at the car when I was finished. So you can blame him next time you see him."

Olivia took down a ceramic mug for Abby. Abby prepped her tea while she waited for the hot water.

Liv said, "I wish you wouldn't pick her up every time you came over. You know she always has a problem with wanting to be held all the time."

Abby leaned her neck back to peer at the sleeping baby on her shoulder. She watched as Olivia left the room, and hen returned with the baby's rocker. Abby reluctantly placed the baby back down and strapped her back in. She turned to Olivia as Liv poured hot water into her mug. She said, "I don't know how you resist holding all day, and night."

Olivia said, "Because I've been up at nights when she refuses to stay asleep whenever I attempt to put her down. Have a few sleepless nights, and you'll learn to not pick her up really quickly. How's David?"

Abby answered, "David is David."

Olivia raised an eyebrow at her friend asking, "Are you two talking anymore about your future?"

Abby shrugged saying, "Things are good the way they are right now."

At that moment Olivia's phone rang. Olivia rolled her eyes. Abby asked, "Who is it?"

Olivia said, "My mom."

Abby said, "I thought that you, and your parents were on good terms. After all, they were there when you gave birth."

Olivia rolled her eyes again picking up the phone from counter. She said, "It's Eli, and Maya. What exactly is good?"

Olivia tapped the phone and put it to her ear. "Hi, mom."

"Livvie, why is it so hard to get in contact with you when you're supposed to be on maternity leave? How is my grandbaby," Maya said when Olivia answered the phone.

Rolling her eyes to the ceiling Olivia said, "Technically I'm on leave, but I've still been working some. Ava is fine. She's getting big. Mom, I have company. Did you need something?"

Maya said, "Well, your father, and I are leaving in about a month. We were thinking we for the next few weeks until we leave, that we could have sunday dinner. You know as a family."

Olivia would never understand the Popes new found love and respect for family. Liv said, "Well, mom. We can do a couple of the weeks, but every other weekend it's our turn to have Fitz's children."

Maya said, "It's no worries. They can have dinner with us. They're family too."

Olivia didn't say anything. She just looked at Abby in shock.

Abby couldn't hear Maya's end of the conversation so she mouthed, "What?"

Olivia finally responded to Maya, "Well, let me speak with Fitz, and I'll get back to you." To lessen the sting of not giving her mother a straight answer she said, "How's dad?"

Maya answered, "Your father is being Eli. He is off tending to his dinosaur bones."

Olivia held the bridge of her new, and said, "Yeah, that sounds like dad. Mom, I hear Ava, stirring. I'm going to speak with Fitz when he returns, and get back with by this evening."

Maya said, "That sounds good. Kiss little Ava Alexis for Nana. I'll speak with you later."

Olivia disconnected the call, and dropped her phone on the counter. Abby stared at her friend. When a minute had passed, and Liv still hadn't offered an explanation she asked, "What happened, Liv? What did she want?"

Olivia took a deep breath, and said, "They are leaving soon, and they want to have a couple weekly dinners before they leave. So I told her that we could do some of the weeks, but that Karen, and Teddy are with us every other weekend. This woman said that Karen, and Teddy could have dinner with us too, because they're family too. I mean in a normal family that would be the case. However, This is Maya, and Eli. Not only that, but Eli had Karen, and Teddy's older brother killed. It's bad enough that Ava has to be subjected to them. Why should Karen and Teddy have to go through that? So I told her that I would have to speak with Fitz. I'm pretty sure he'll say no."

Abby chuckled saying, "I don't know, Liv. He seems pretty cool with having Eli, and Maya in Ava's life. We both know that he loves all of his children the same. He might not have a problem with them being around Karen, and Teddy."

Olivia took a moment to think about what Abby said. "Shit, you might be right. You know he's all forgiving. Damnit Abby! You know what?"

Abby gave Olivia a skeptical look, "What?"

"Fitz might not have a problem with it, but I know who will," Olivia said.

Abby asked, "Who?"

Olivia said, "Mellie. She hates both of my parents. It's amazing that she still deals with me considering how much she loathes my parents."

Abby replied, "You're right. She doesn't care for either of your parents. However, Fitz isn't going to ask for her permission."

Olivia nodded saying, "You're right. He won't. That's where you come in."

Abby shook her head, "No, Olivia! I'm not getting involved with the three of you."

Olivia continued despite Abby's protests, "All you have to do is casually mention the dinner with the kids and my parents, and trust me Mellie will handle the rest."

Abby shook her head, "I don't know, Liv. I really don't want to get involved in your coparenting situation."

Olivia said, "You're not really getting involved, Abby. You're just making casual conversation with your boss, and the rest has nothing at all to do with you."

"Fitz might get upset with me for getting involved," Abby reasoned. She didn't want to do anything to get on Fitz's bad side. He barely tolerated her presence since the incident that had happened towards the end of his Presidency. He mainly dealt with her because she was Olivia's best friend. However, she had a feeling that if he felt as if she was meddling in his life, that he might not be as kind.

Liv rebutted, "Don't worry about that. When he speaks with me about it, I'll talk to him and tell him that we had discussed it, and that you didn't know that we were omitting the information. Please Abby. I don't feel comfortable with the kids having dinner with them. Do it for my peace of mind."

Abby looked at Liv. She couldn't say no the pleading that she saw in her eyes. She said, "Okay."