After the day she'd had it felt good to finally be curled up in Fitz's arms, comfortably nestled against his firm chest letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull her to a place a peace. Neither of them were asleep but both lay in silent contentment as they enjoyed the serenity that came with just being wrapped up in the other's embrace.
[Earlier That Evening]
Following her press conference, Olivia walked off the platform and told Quinn to cancel her evening. She was in no mood to have cameras following her tonight. All she wanted was a tall glass of wine with a side of chill; maybe even catch up on a few episodes of Downton Abbey in the theater room if it wasn't already occupied, but as fate would have it the universe had other plans for her. The last thing she'd expected to find when she'd gotten to the house was Fitz sprawled out in their bedroom surrounded by resumes. It was pretty clear from the look of desperation on his face that he needed her help, so the lazy night she'd so eagerly anticipated spending curled up in front of the TV would have to be postponed. Instead, she toed off her shoes, got comfortable, and spent the next few hours helping her man select a head tennis instructor for the new GTA location.
Fourteen resumes and a bottle of wine later, they'd narrowed their search down to two candidates; one being Fitz's first choice, and the other Olivia's. Both picks were highly qualified, so the decision would come down to their personalities and which would be the better fit for the organization. Despite the evening not going as she'd planned, Olivia felt great. Never would she have guessed that evaluating a person's strengths and weaknesses, or arguing the pros and cons of someone's experience could be so enjoyable, but here she was grinning from ear-to-ear, feeling a sense of accomplishment, and quite pleased with the recommendation she'd made.
"You do realize that Stephen is the man for the job," Olivia announced with certainty as she compiled the resumes she'd been reading into a neat stack. Stephen Finch was the candidate she'd selected, and she couldn't resist the temptation to tease Fitz about him being the better pick.
"Oh really now?" Fitz knew exactly what she was trying to do. He also knew better than to engage her. Olivia could be fiercely competitive, and he wasn't going down that road. The last time they'd bet against one another and he'd won Olivia accused him of cheating, kicked him out of their bedroom and didn't speak to him for a week.
"Yepp," she said, popping her lips together.
Technically since Olivia was a principle investor in the new location, they'd become business partners and she had just as much say-so in hiring decisions as Fitz, but they'd decided he would take the lead on all matters pertaining to operations, and she would 'stick to her knitting' and host a few invitational day camps throughout the year as well as lend her name to the annual ProAm Charity Tournament for the Foundation.
"Well Ms. Pope, we'll just have to see about that now won't we," Fitz growled in her ear and lightly licked the lobe, causing Olivia to visibly shutter.
Before she could recover Fitz sat back against the sofa and continued, "I was thinking… since both candidates are based here in London, what if we invited them each to dinner and tested them out at one of your practices?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow, "I like having them each at a practice," she said taking the last sip of her wine. "Especially since my candidate was once ranked in the top 100. I'm sure he'll excel in a practice setting with me."
Shaking his head at Olivia's antics, Fitz chuckled but decided to remain mum.
"We should probably run it by Cy first to ensure we're not in violation of any tournament rules."
"Already done my sweet baby," said Fitz proudly. "The Wimbledon rule states that you can have open practices, meaning individuals outside the registered team members can partake in a player's practice, when no match is being played in the same day."
"My…My Grant, brawny and brains…however did I get so lucky," Olivia teased, dramatically batting her eyelashes and fanning herself with the stack of resumes she was holding.
Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist and caught her by surprise when he swept her onto his lap.
"FIITZZ…" Olivia squealed, rolling onto her side attempting to get away from him as he tickled her mercilessly.
"You promise to…"
"I PROMISE," she yelped, cutting Fitz off before she knew what she was agreeing to.
"So there will be no competition between us, or betting on who selected the better candidate?"
[silence]
"Livi…" Fitz queried, his fingers slowly ascending her torso for more tickling.
"OKKKAAAY," Olivia squeaked when she felt his fingers move faster.
"Okay what?"
When no words came from her lips, Fitz's tickling became more intense, causing Olivia to squirm against him.
"Okkaay Fiiitzzz… no betting," she croaked out between squeals, and what sounded like the onset of hiccups.
Fitz, now satisfied with her response and sensing that she'd had enough, let up and pulled her upright with him, placing a few soft pecks against her forehead. Olivia sobered and picked up the resumes of the two finalists.
"Okay so… Stephen Finch and Billy Chambers it is," she stated emphatically, looking to Fitz for his confirmation.
"Yes, and I prefer that we meet with them this week if possible. The sooner the better."
"Baby," Olivia called out softly, breaking their peaceful silence.
"Hmm…"
"I spoke with Mellie today. She thinks I know where her fiancé is." She lifted her gaze up to Fitz just as his eyes fluttered open.
"What did she say?" Fitz attempted to keep his face neutral, but inside he was anything but calm.
Olivia sighed heavily thinking of how upset she'd been after their conversation. "Honestly Fitz, it's not even worth repeating because Mellie's accusations were bullshit, but I do think she's right about Jake's arrest being a farce… which means he could be in real danger."
Damn you Mellie. Fitz knew this conversation was bound to happen, he just wasn't expecting it tonight.
"Livi, I seriously doubt we'll ever see Jake again," he said flatly.
"Why?"
Here we go. "Well… because he's more than likely dead."
"What?" Olivia turned in his arms to face him, carefully gauging his expression.
"Did you…" she whispered, trailing off not able to fully form the question that was burning on her lips.
"Of course not," Fitz retorted, utterly perplexed by her question. "How could you ask me that when we sat right here together and plotted to destroy the bastard's plans to hurt you?"
Olivia stared at Fitz intensely, searching his eyes for any sign that he wasn't being truthful with her.
"I'm sorry you're offended Fitz, but the other night when we talked about this and I felt like there was more to it, you brushed me off. Now you're here telling me Jake's dead. Can you blame me for asking?"
Realizing she had a point, Fitz nodded in understanding and shifted her body so that she was now sitting between his legs and leaned back against his chest. They'd decided early on that honesty was the best policy in their relationship, and up to this point neither of them had broken that. He needed to come clean with her.
"Yes, I had my suspicions but at the time I didn't know for certain, and later when it was confirmed, I'll admit I was in no rush to tell you. So, forgive me for trying to protect you, but know that when we decide to do something together, that I'm all in and I won't deviate from the plan. I need you to trust me."
"Who killed him then," Olivia inquired skeptically, again turning to face him so she could look into his eyes.
"Cyrus."
Fitz waited for Olivia to show some sign of emotion, and when she didn't respond right away, he continued, "Well not Cyrus personally, but well… you know." He wasn't quite sure how to explain that Charlie had likely tortured Jake to death, so he decided not to offer any further information unless asked. Surprisingly Olivia turned in his arms and settled back into her spot against his chest, taking both his hands in hers and intertwining their fingers.
Well I guess that makes him my monster on a leash," she chuckled humorlessly.
"Livi don't-"
Don't what Fitz? Don't take responsibility for my part in this? I've known Cyrus since I was a kid, and believe me… I know full well what he's capable of. I've seen him slay much bigger dragons than Jake, Mellie and her father combined. So no, I'm not surprised Cyrus had him killed, just like I can't say you wouldn't have done the same thing if it came down to it."
Several minutes passed between them before he spoke. "You're right, I would have killed him myself if it had come to that."
The silence between them was palpable. Fitz could feel that she'd fallen deep into her thoughts, but before she became withdrawn or could utter another word, Fitz turned her around to him and began tracing the outline of her lips with two fingers and leaned forward to kiss the edges of her mouth, which she opened slightly to allow his tongue to slip inside. Their kisses were slow and sensual, and their eyes remained fixed on one another, as if they were silently communicating what they neglected say aloud. Fitz tugged her hair clip loose and watched a cascade of curls come tumbling down onto her shoulders before moving his hands to the base of her neck where he lightly rubbed her pressure points, making her moan out and loose rhythm. Fitz smirked against her lips and trailed them down the side of her neck where he placed soft kisses one by one before moving to her collarbone, and lifting her tank up over head so he could continue his ministrations in places that were only meant for him to worship.
"Baaaby," she whispered to him with her back arched, her head tilted back, and her eyes closed as she fed him her nipples. Fitz sucked and kissed her swollen buds as if they were his only meal source, leaving marks of passion and desire behind as his lips trailed from left to right and back again. He would never tire of pleasing Olivia, and she loved the way his mouth felt on her; so delicate and intimate, his lips and tongue alone on her breasts could bring forth multiple orgasms; something she'd only ever experienced with him. She was wrapped up in him with both her arms coiled around his neck, and one hand leisurely grazing through his curls. Two of his fingers disappeared inside her panties, surprising her when he began to glide them back and forth over her clit, and teasing her entrance but careful not to slip inside.
"Aaauuaah, she cried softly kissing his forehead as his fingers continued to work their magic. Olivia disconnected herself from him, and leaned back onto the bed with her legs tucked underneath her. Fitz sat up, and one by one unfolded each leg before hooking his fingers into the thin waistband of her underwear sliding them over her hips, and down her thighs. Once she was completely naked, he took both her ankles and spread her legs open wide for him to see every inch of her. Olivia's eyes glistened with tears, as she watched the man she loved watch her with such desire and adoration. Fitz ran his tongue across his lips, and sat up on his knees bending down to kiss her lips so tenderly before he began trailing sweet pecks down her chest, onto her belly, and then to her heat which was begging to be stroked and fucked by him.
The following morning Olivia awoke in an empty bed feeling completely relaxed from the deep slumber she'd fallen into shortly after what felt like her hundredth orgasm. She blushed in remembrance of the amazing things Fitz had done to her body; he'd taken her to heights she'd never reached before. Smiling mischievously, Olivia absentmindedly brushed her fingers over the tops of her breasts wincing slightly when she touched a tender spot on her chest. Is that a… oh my she thought, retrieving a hand mirror from the night stand and holding it up closely to inspect the damage. Unable to contain the natural smile that spread across her lips as she studied the cluster of passion marks on her skin, Olivia felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. She was exactly where she wanted to be, with whom she wanted to be with, at the right place and time in her life. Their conversation last evening had been enlightening, endearing, and most of all cathartic. She'd shared with him her fears of failure and abandonment, and he'd shared his hopes of having a lifetime with her filled with love and happiness. Surprisingly Fitz's revelation about Jake's probable death hadn't dampened the evening at all, instead it had opened up a dialogue between them about trust and partnership. She was sorry about the way that Jake had been handled, and she was pissed at Cyrus for the role he'd played, but she had no intention of ever uttering his name again if she could help it, and following up with Mellie was hardly an option, so she filed away what she knew in the recesses of her mind, and refused to give it another thought.
Rolling over onto her back, Olivia stretched out in the middle of the bed taking advantage of the extra space when she heard her phone vibrate from somewhere in the room. Ignoring the incessant buzzing for as long as she could, reluctantly she got out of bed and shuffled across the room to retrieve it, scrolling through a few texts and social media alerts before checking her calendar to see what she had scheduled for the day. Thankfully her practice wasn't until the afternoon, so for now she could be lazy and stay nestled in bed without interruption. A text from Fitz was among the few messages she'd received. He and Harrison had gone for a run, and would grab breakfast on the grounds before meeting up with her later. She sent a quick response, then proceeded to check her social media notifications scrolling through a ton of comments from the pictures she'd posted after her match the day before, scrunching her nose in disgust as she read through more than a few vulgar ones. It always amazed her how brazen and tactless people who hid behind screen names could be. A text from Edison gave her a much-needed excuse to log off and redirect her attention to something more productive.
Edison: Hey you… dinner tonight?
Liv: I'm free
After a couple minutes her phone buzzed again.
Edison: How about 8? I'll text you the address
Edison: Bring Grant so I can look at him [heart eyes emoji]
Liv: No boyfriends remember?
Edison: Remind me whose idea that was again
Liv: Yours…
Edison: [eye roll emoji] Tell that to Marc. He keeps trying to invite himself
Liv: LOL
Edison: Headed to my match… See u tonight
Liv: Good luck
Olivia shook her head thinking about Edison and Marc as she pulled up her favorites to dial Quinn's number. The phone rang twice before Quinn answered.
"Morning Liv," Quinn greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning. Are you here in the house?"
"Yeah, I'm working in the study. What's up?"
"Can you come to my room? I've got a few changes I want to make to my schedule, and if you don't mind stopping by the kitchen on your way up, could you bring –"
"Granola, fruit and V8 juice… the usual."
"Thanks Quinn." Olivia smiled to herself, thankful that her assistant knew her so well.
Olivia tidied the bedroom and freshened up while she waited for Quinn. Fifteen minutes later she was seated on the bed with her legs crossed scrolling through the day's news on her iPad. She'd changed into a comfortable strapless maxi dress and pulled her hair up into a high bun. Quinn came in juggling a tray of food, with her laptop tucked underneath her arm, and her cell phone cradled between her neck and shoulder. Olivia took the tray from Quinn and sat it on the bed.
"Thanks for coming to me, I'm not ready to face the world yet this morning," Olivia said not looking up from the food as she mixed the fruit and granola.
Quinn nodded knowingly, having caught a glimpse of the hickeys on her neck and chest. "I completely understand… so what changes need to be made with your schedule?"
"Let's start with tonight. I'm meeting Edison for dinner at 8. Wait… let me see if he's texted me the address yet?" Olivia checked her texts and saw that Edison had sent the name of the restaurant. "Okay I just forwarded you the info."
"Got it," Quinn confirmed with a head nod. How much time should I block off? If I remember correctly, Edison is a talker.
"Yes he is," Olivia laughed. "Block off 3 hours, it's been a while since we've caught up properly and he'll want to get a night cap after dinner."
"Okay what's next?"
"I need you to find a birthing class, preferably one that teaches fathers how to bond with the baby after birth," Olivia rattled off chewing with a mouth full and still reading on her iPad, so she didn't see the surprised look on Quinn's face.
"Liv…um is there something you want to tell me?"
"Huh," she asked not catching on until she looked up and saw Quinn's face. "Oh… no, of course not. The class is just something fun for me and Cyrus to do together while we're here."
"Okay," Quinn chuckled. "I guess Cyrus never struck me as the nurturing type. I can't picture him being a doting dad at all."
"Nah… he's a big softy. Very few people know that though, so please don't mention anything about this to him."
Changing the subject Olivia got up from the bed and handed Quinn a folder containing the two resumes she and Fitz had reviewed the night before.
"Fitz is looking for a head tennis instructor for the Marcelle location. Last night he and I went through several resumes and narrowed down the search to two candidates. Please contact Stephen Finch and Billy Chambers to schedule dinner with them and the two of us. We'd also like to have each one come to a practice, preferably this week."
Quinn scrolled through the calendar and noticed that Olivia was off Saturday and potentially Sunday, since there was a 95% chance of rain. She'd gotten an email from tournament officials that Olivia's fourth-round match scheduled for Sunday, should she make it that far, could potentially be cancelled or at the very least be delayed due to inclement weather. If they were lucky they'd get to schedule both dinners for the weekend and try to get in at least one practice.
"No problem Liv, I'll contact them both and email you and Fitz with details."
Suddenly Olivia remembered something else she wanted Quinn to handle.
"I need you to check into someone's background for me," she spoke casually, not wanting Quinn to read too much into her request.
"Yeah…who?"
"The girl who's been escorting us across the grounds."
"Mandy?"
"Yes, is that a problem," Olivia asked turning to look at Quinn.
"No, it's not a problem, but if you don't mind me asking, what brought this on?"
Oh nothing except I think she'd try to fuck my man if he paid her any attention "Does there need to be a reason, other than the fact that we should know the people who're around us?" Olivia didn't appreciate the skepticism she heard in Quinn's voice or the confused look she was wearing.
"I guess not," Quinn mumbled, although she was certain there was more to it but she knew better than to press Olivia for answers.
"Good, then let me know what you find," quipped Olivia matter-of-factly. "I want to know everything; where she sleeps, what she eats, who she fucks, you know… normal stuff."
Quinn nodded her understanding, and began gathering her things. "Did you need anything else, or will that be all?"
"That's it. Thanks Quinn."
Fitz watched from the bed as Olivia unzipped the third dress she'd tried on, and threw it onto the ottoman. "You do realize this is just dinner with Edison… I don't get why you're stressing."
"Exactly, dinner with Edison who scrutinizes everything," she retorted, walking to the foot of the bed where he was laying and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
"Baby, Edison will be dressed to the nines, and there's no way in hell I'm about to let him show me up tonight. I'm going for effortless chic, and all these dresses scream I'm trying too hard."
Shaking his head, Fitz rolled onto his side pulling her with him until she was tucked comfortably beside him in a spooning position.
"Well you could always cancel, and stay here with me wearing absolutely nothing."
Olivia shuttered at the visual of them lying naked together. "And you could always come with me… Edison asked me to invite you."
"No way Livi… I'm good right here," Fitz patted the bed for visual effect. Besides the last time I went out with the two of you, we ended up at a drag show… with me on stage, and a man named Pussy Cat dry humping me."
Olivia snickered at the memory of Fitz timidly taking the stage as the audience cheered him on. She'd never seen him so intimidated, as the larger than life drag queen who emceed the show introduced Fitz as 'Hercules' and proceeded to give him a lap dance, gyrating and showing off her best tricks, to which the crowd (led by Edison) chanted "Take-It-Off". Needless to say, Fitz never forgot and to this day he refuses to go out anytime Edison is in the mix.
They lay together quietly for a bit just listening to their thoughts before Olivia turned to face him. "I love you," she whispered on his lips. He pulled her closer and intertwined their legs as she slipped her hand into his sweats and massaged his stiffening rod. The sound of both their moans was drowned out by Fitz's phone ringing in his pocket.
"Ignore that," she whispered softly, still caressing his erect penis.
"Livi baby," Fitz groaned. "It's Cara." He knew by the ringtone it was his ex-wife calling.
The moment was effectively ruined for both of them at the mention of his ex's name, and Olivia pulled her hand from his sweats like she'd been touching a scorching hot potato. Fitz got up to answer his phone, and she headed back into the closet to finish getting dressed.
"Hey Cara…"
"Yes…"
"Thanks…"
"What…Why?"
Olivia selected a black wide-leg jump suit that crisscrossed at the neck, and slipped on her favorite pair of Louboutin pumps as she kept one ear on the conversation Fitz was having with his ex-wife.
"Cara, you have the latest timetable," she heard Fitz say.
"Your budget has been approved, and your team has been in the loop on every conversation with the developers, so I'm not sure where all this is coming from."
"I get that."
[pause]
"…no I'm not discounting your time."
[sigh]
Olivia rolled her eyes listening to Fitz and thinking what Cara could possibly be saying on the other end. She'd been a thorn in Fitz's side from the moment she'd found out that Olivia was an investor in the Marcelle project. Fitz had never taken on a business partner before, nor had he ever put anyone's name on a project other than his own. Cara took this as a slap in the face, since he'd never offered her anything remotely resembling a business partnership while they were married, and she took every opportunity to make Fitz pay for this choice. Olivia's relationship with Cara had always been friendly, since they barely saw one another, and when they did, Cara's husband Todd was always in tow so she didn't feel like the odd man out. Cara hadn't blamed Olivia for the demise of her marriage, because she and Fitz were already separated when he met Olivia. What she didn't know however was that Fitz had filed for divorce the day after meeting Olivia. He knew he didn't want to spend another day trapped in a loveless marriage.
"Cara," Fitz sighed, falling back onto the bed.
"Okay… you'll be kept in the loop."
"Yes… sure."
Olivia walked out of the closet putting on her earrings, catching Fitz's eye. She mouthed, "Baby I'm gonna go. I love you."
He reached out for her, but she'd already slipped out of his grasp, and was across the room. Fitz made a pouty face but continued his conversation. "Where are the girls? May I speak with them?"
Olivia walked into the restaurant and immediately spotted Edison already seated with a drink in hand. He'd won his match earlier that day, so she knew he'd be in good spirits, and she was thankful.
"Hello gorgeous," said Edison pecking her cheek when she joined him at the bar.
"Hey there," Olivia giggled. "You look happy."
"I'm already 3 drinks in… I'd say I'm on my way to blissful happiness. Now sit down and let's get you caught up."
"So you managed to get out tonight solo huh," Olivia asked teasingly.
Edison playfully rolled his eyes in return, and got the bartender's attention.
"I'll have whatever he's drinking," said Olivia, not bothering to look at Edison's drink before placing her order.
"Liv, I'm drinking Macallan," Edison warned.
A few moments later, the bartender returned with the brown liquid placing it down in front of her, and walked away.
2 hours 17 minutes, the time it took to get to a third set. Olivia thought this match would be over by now. The first set had gone her way with very few unforced errors on her part, and an easy lead to a 6-2 win. The second set was much of the same until her opponent, a young British up and comer, Helena Watts, had caught a second wind and gained the confidence she needed to take advantage of a few opportunities, and tied up the set at 4-4. The crowd was going wild, cheering for their countrywoman, and at the moment it was taking everything Olivia had in her to stay in the points. The rallies were getting longer and longer, and she could feel her resolve slipping away. She'd glanced up at her box and seen Fitz staring directly at her, willing her to continue fighting. He'd pump his fist, and high-five Harrison when she pulled through and made points, and purse his lips becoming intensely focused on her when she needed to tighten up. Olivia on the other hand, was out of control. She was frustrated, tired, and fighting to pull out a win. She cursed, and screamed from time to time to energize herself, and had even broken a racket out of frustration which resulted in a warning from the umpire.
"What the hell is wrong with her today Fitz? She's acting like a mad woman out there," hissed Harrison worriedly underneath his breath.
She's hungover and reckless Fitz fumed to himself. Olivia hadn't gotten in until after 3:00 that morning, and when she stumbled into their bedroom it took all he could not lay into her, but he knew better. Nothing would be accomplished through an argument, and they had an early morning. Instead he'd gotten up and held her hair as she puked, then helped her into the shower where he proceeded to hold her up and wash her before laying her down in their bed. She'd practically passed out in his arms, and was snoring almost immediately upon her head hitting the pillow.
Now here she was three sets in, with damn near 40 unforced errors, sloppy footwork, and a return of serve that looked like shit. She was sputtering and flailing out there like a fish on a hook, and Fitz watched in horror as she dropped serve… again.
"FUUCK," she hollered out exasperatedly, slamming her racket onto the ground during the break, and pulling a towel over her head to hide her face. At that moment, flashes of Fitz and the conversation they'd had days before played in her mind. "I want you to be at your best." Olivia felt as though she was letting everyone down around her. Her plan had been to go out and make quick work of her opponent. Instead she'd started strong, then lost her rhythm and failed to close when she had ample opportunities. Now they were in the third set and she was fatigued, and on the wrong side of the momentum… not at all a good place to be.
The umpire yelled "Time", and Olivia drew in a deep breath before getting up to head back onto the court, internally encouraging herself to refocus. She was already down 3-0, having dropped serve on her last possession so she needed to get in the match or else she'd find herself in a deficit from which she wouldn't recover. Taking her position on the court, Olivia bounced the tennis ball three times with her racket before rocking back onto her left heel and then tossing the ball high into the air, rotating her shoulder and extending her arm at a perfect 20 degree angle, then snapping her wrist to make contact with the ball sending it straight down the T at 119 mph. Ace! Her opponent couldn't even get a racket on it. Olivia wiped sweat from her brow, and got into position to serve again. This time the ace bounced once into the far left corner of the service box, causing her opponent to lose her footing and tumble into the net in a failed attempt to return it. The next Ace hit the edge of the base line, and her opponent challenged the call, which was ruled in. Olivia held her breath, this moment was do or die. She needed to hold serve here and she was absolutely determined to win this point or go down swinging. Astonishingly she hit yet another ace, taking the score to 3-1. Okay, let's go she chanted silently, moving from side to side as she waited to receive her opponent's serve. Olivia returned an 88 mph first serve down the T, earning her a point. She followed that up with a wide angled return and was rewarded with another. Her opponent mixed it up and lobbed a ball over the net, to which Olivia responded with an overhead that came crashing down so close to the girl, she had to get out of the way to keep from being hit.
"Daayuum," screamed Harrison, clapping his hands. "Man did you see that shit? She's digging her way out." Fitz remained poised but jotted down a few notes in his book. Lifting his ball cap from his forehead, he wiped a thin layer of sweat that had formed and squeezed his temples.
The score was now tied at 4-4, and her opponent was up 30-15. Olivia got called on another foot fault, which resulted in a double fault, and sent Helena Watts to a 40-15 lead. Come on bitch…get it together Olivia banged the palm of her hand against her thigh in frustration. Olivia served again, and Watts returned it into the net. She was one step closer to winning this game, she just needed to be consistent. She tossed the ball high and swung her racket from deep behind her, lifting off the ground to make contact and sending the ball across the net. Her opponent returned her serve effortlessly, hitting a backhand slice that spun across the net just to the edge of the service line near the doubles alley, and was called in. Fuuck! Her opponent took at 5-4 lead and would be serving for the match. Shit…shit…shit Olivia glanced up at her box and saw everyone solemnly looking on, meanwhile the crowd was going wild, cheering and jeering all at once. Win or Lose, Helena Watts would be an international headline either way. Countrywoman Upsets Pope in 3rd Round or 54th Ranked Women's Player Gives Top Seed a Run for her Money.
Olivia stood on the ad side and idly patted her thigh, shifting from one foot to the other as she waited to return serve. The crowd came to a hush just as Watts swung her racket, and Olivia immediately went on the run. The ball fell just over the net, and Olivia was there to meet it with a drop shot that barely landed before her opponent could get underneath it, causing her to slip and fall onto her bottom. The crowd erupted in applause. 15-0, Pope.
The next serve landed on the T and Olivia plowed into it with a huge forehand that soared past the girl and into the far corner of the service box. "COME ON," she roared, balling her hand into a fist and pumping it at her side. 30-0, Pope.
Olivia checked her peripheral to see Fitz standing; He mouthed, "It's not over." She grinned widely and shook her head. No, it's not and I'm just getting warmed up. Olivia waited for the next serve to come at her and pounced. It was like something had clicked inside, and she could read every play her opponent attempted to make. Just when she thought she might be out, a voice inside reminded her of why she'd come this far. "Livi you're at the pinnacle of your career, with the weight of the world resting on your shoulders to achieve not only your personal goals, but also the goals everyone else has set for you."
From that moment on, Olivia was laser focused, winning the point to go 5-5, and then she held serve to go 6-5. Olivia charged into a 40-0 lead on Watts' serve, and at match point she netted a forehand return causing the crowd to audibly gasp, everyone seemingly holding their breath in hopes that their countrywoman would somehow redeem herself, and pull the upset. Unfortunately for them, Olivia soon garnered another match point - and again she nets a forehand! A third match point quickly followed, and this time she cranks up the heat and in-turn wears Watts down. It's a second serve, everything is riding on this. Olivia gets her return over the net and it's called in although Watts thinks it might be out. The crowd nervously clapped in unison as they waited for Hawk-Eye to confirm the inevitable, and both players stood by with their eyes glued to the jumbotron for the results which showed that the ball was indeed on the line. It's over! Game. Set. Match. Olivia has won! There's mixed reaction in the crowd, as some are still visibly confused by the sudden turn of events, and others amazed by the extraordinary performances of both women. Helena Watts was given a standing ovation by everyone on Centre Court as she left, and Olivia was quickly pulled aside by Kimberly Mitchell for a side court interview before she could make her exit.
Kimberly: "Olivia, Wow… what a big win for you today!"
Olivia: "Thank you. [breathes heavily] It feels great."
Kimberly: "When you walked onto Centre Court today, I'm sure you weren't expecting a 3-hour match?"
Olivia: "No, I wasn't. [chuckles] Really, I had no expectations but Helena played her heart out, and I was like whoa… Olivia you need to step it up. She made her country very proud today."
Kimberly: "There were a couple of times when it looked like you just couldn't catch a break. How did you overcome those moments?" Olivia knew Kimberly was referring to jeers from the crowd, coupled with her own outbursts and breaking her racket.
Olivia: "I think mentally I'm just so much stronger. My mental game has always been one of my strongest areas. I just concentrated on remaining focused, and played my game."
Kimberly: "Well you're advancing to the fourth-round on Sunday. What will you do to prepare for that match?"
Olivia: "Sleep. I need to sleep."
Kimberly: "Thanks Olivia. Good luck in the next round."
The team rushed back to the holding area to get the space prepared for Olivia's cooldown. Fitz instructed Abby to pull out all the stops in terms of putting her body back together. He suspected that after the high intensity match she'd just played, she'd need the full body treatment. He and Quinn went to meet her at the tunnel entrance, and when she walked in he could see fatigue written all over her face. They hugged, and he placed a gentle kiss on her lips before removing her tennis bag and leading her and Quinn to the golf cart waiting nearby. They could have walked to the holding room but Fitz noticed that she was slightly limping, and wanted to take every precaution to ensure her safety.
They rode in silence and once they reached the room, Fitz got off the golf cart and held the door open for Olivia and Quinn to enter, following closely behind. As soon as she got in the room, Olivia collapsed onto the sofa, and Abby was at her side checking her temperature and blood pressure.
"Liv, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine Abs… I'm just exhausted."
"I can see that. Tell me where you're hurting"
"I'm not hurting. I'm just tired."
"Okay, well at least let me get you onto the table so I can begin facilitating your recovery."
Olivia was lying on her back with the back side of her palm covering her eyes. She spread her fingers slightly and looked through them at Abby with squinted eyes. Abby took that as her que, and motioned for Harrison to come over and help her move Olivia onto the table. Once she was comfortable, they both began to massage her muscles. Fitz, who'd been standing by watching the entire scene was feeling a little out of sorts. He was still angry at Olivia for being so irresponsible the night before, and at the same time proud of her for digging deep and pulling out today's win. He knew she wasn't in the mood for a debrief, and he really needed to get a handle on his emotions before they talked, so he decided to step out for a bit and let her get through the cooldown without him hovering.
"Liv, I'm going to head out. Call me if you need anything."
Olivia looked up at him from her position on the table and nodded her head wordlessly. Fitz didn't wait for a verbal response, he turned and left without another word.
"What was that about," asked Abby, confused by what had just happened. Although there was nothing confrontational about their exchange, it was filled with palpable tension.
"Nothing," Olivia lied, putting her ear buds in and slipped into a world of her own.
Fitz stepped out of the holding room and headed toward the nearest exit. He walked until he spotted Centre Lounge, a little bar and bistro located on the 2nd level of the Centre Court Stadium. Walking in, he took the first available seat, and held up a finger to signal the bartender.
"Hello sir, what can I get for you?"
"I'll have the Royal Salute neat."
"Ahhh… great choice. Wait, I know you. You're -"
"Thirsty," Fitz finished for him not in the mood for conversation. "Now, how about that drink?"
The bartender climbed up high to the top shelf and brought down a bottle of the aged scotch, then poured Fitz a generous portion.
"Here you are mate," the bartender said, sliding Fitz the glass.
"Thanks."
Fitz sat there mindlessly sipping his beverage and watching the matches that were playing overhead on the flat screens, when he felt someone touch his shoulder.
"Hey handsome. Fancy finding you here."
"Fitz turned around, raising his eyebrows in surprise but moved to make room, pulling out the bar stool next to him.
"Mandy?"
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing Game Set Match. Have a happy and safe New Year! Also congratulations to my girl Serena Williams who's now engaged. Looks like she's finally getting her happy ever after!
