A/N: So sorry again. This chapter is slightly shorter than the previous ones because I wanted to hurry up and update this story. I'm ready to move things along. There was more I wanted to add but I'll save that for the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End
Mellie's face went blank. "Did he really just ask that," Mellie thought to herself. This was not the question she was expecting to hear. Because of that, it took her a few seconds to determine what she was going to say next.
"Gerry, that's not an appropriate question to be asking your mother," Mellie said, still in shock.
"Mom, I'm almost 17 years old. I'm not saying that gives me a pass to insert myself in your personal business but I'm not crazy or stupid. I heard some of the conversation you had that Richard guy. You told him you couldn't come over tonight and if you could you would. Maybe I'm just assuming the worst or maybe what I believe is actually true. Things have been weird between you and dad lately. Karen has noticed it too but we don't say anything," Gerry said.
He thought his mother was going to respond but instead she sat back down and stared at him.
"You were always a smart kid, you know," Mellie she finally said.
A look of surprise immediately appeared on Gerry's face. "You really are cheating on dad," said in disbelief. He wanted to be wrong.
Mellie looked away from her son. Guilt was a funny thing.
"Why?"Gerry asked, now confused by it all. It didn't make sense to him.
"My horrible secret may be out but we are not discussing this," Mellie said, now looking at her son again.
"You don't have to mom. I just hope you are willing to discuss this with dad because he deserves to know. If you love him enough, you will do it tonight." Gerry said before leaving.
"Here," Gerry said handing Karen her soda and she said thanks in return.
"Where are you going now?" Karen asked when she saw that Gerry was heading for the door again instead of sitting back down on the floor.
"I'm going to bed," he responded, trying his best to disguise all of the negative emotions he was experiencing.
"Why? We are in the middle of a game."
"I know but we just have to play it another time. I'm a little tired right now."
"You are doing that thing that dad does," she said getting to her feet. She walked over to where her brother stood. Gerry was a few inches taller than her so she had to look up to him.
"Doing what?"
"You like to shut people out when you are pissed off. I know because I do the same. It's really an annoying habit to have at times. So what's going on?"
"Who said I was upset about anything?"
Karen couldn't explain since his facial expressions didn't give her any clues but she just knew it. Besides, his behavior was odd right now.
"You know you can tell me anything. Just like I can with you," Karen said. She and Gerry had a close relationship since they were only two years apart. Just like most siblings they argued, picked at one another at times, and annoyed each other. But regardless of these things, they loved each other dearly and were not only siblings but best friends.
There was no way Gerry could tell Karen what was really going on. As a protective older brother, he hated to see his sister angry, crying, or disappointed. And since what he knew would cause all those feelings for her, he did what he had to do. He kept his new found information to himself.
"Listen, I'm fine. We can continue this game tomorrow if you want. Or we can just play a different one. Deal?"
"Deal," Karen said.
"Good. I'll see you in the morning," Gerry said to his sister.
"Ok."
Once he was gone, Karen walked back over to where the board game sat on the floor. She got down on her knees and began to put the pieces back into the box it came in. Still wondering why something didn't seem right with her brother.
Mellie remained sitting in the spot she was in when Gerry went back upstairs twenty minutes ago. Only now, her face was buried in her hands as she thought about several things. What her son now knew, the confession she will soon be making to Fitz, her relationship with Richard, and everything else that would be affected by her infidelity. Mellie knew this day would come but it didn't make it any easier for her. It was true that she purposely cheated but it didn't mean she was heartless.
Mellie heard "Hey, beautiful," whispered in her right ear before she felt a kiss on her cheek. She quickly dropped her hands from her face and pulled back slightly before looking over her shoulder.
"Why are you looking at me like I'm stranger?" Fitz questioned with a confused look on his face.
Mellie quickly came to her senses. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just didn't know you were home."
"I thought you heard me when I came in. I also called out for you before I saw that you were in here."
"It's amazing what you don't hear when you own little world," Mellie said to Fitz with a small smile. That statement was more true for her tonight than it ever been before.
"You're right." He walked to the refrigerator and opened it up. What's for dinner?
"Tacos."
"Sounds good," he said. He closed the refrigerator door and turned back to Mellie. "Although, there is something else that sounds better."
"What would that be?"
"Having a little fun with you tonight. What better way to enjoy a Friday night?" He reached over the counter top and took her hand in his. He pulled it up to his lips and kissed the back of it. "How does that sound?" he asked with hope in his eyes.
"We will see."
"That should have been an easy yes. But it's fine. Don't worry about it," Fitz said with disappointment in his voice. "I'm going to let the kids know I'm home."
Mellie was sitting on the bed, with her back towards Fitz, when he entered the bedroom. He had decided that he wouldn't let things continue the way they were going. Avoiding an issue never solved anything and he wanted this fixed. If it could be fixed because he wasn't sure at times.
He sat down on the bed, mirroring the same position that his wife was in. Fitz sighed deeply.
"You no longer feel like my wife and I'm tired of the way things are with us. Please tell me what is going on with you," he said, hoping Mellie would open up to him.
"I've been cheating on you for the past two months," Mellie confessed.
"With who?"
Mellie waited a few seconds before she told him who the person was. She knew once she said the name it wouldn't take long before Fitz made the connection. "Richard," Mellie answered.
Fitz wished he was dreaming and all he had to do was wake up and realized that this wasn't real. But it was real. His wife cheated on him. Fitz couldn't understand how the woman he loved and built a life with would do this. She allowed this guy to hold her, kiss her, and please her body in ways that only her husband was supposes to do. Now that he had a name, it made the affair more real in his mind. And then that's when it came to him.
Fitz got up and walked around to Mellie's side of the bed. But he kept his distance in order to keep his anger under control. "You said his name like I would know who he is. I know him don't I?" Fitz asked, as if he dared her to say no.
Mellie didn't say anything but she knew her silence confirmed whatever thought he had. That's why she avoided eye contact with him.
"You cheated on me with Richard Evans," Fitz said. "The man who broke off his engagement to you?"
"Yes," Mellie said finally looking at him.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," he said calmly which shocked Mellie. "Things between us have been wrong for months but I couldn't figure out what it was. I thought that maybe you were just going through some personal stuff that you didn't want to share with me. Then cheating began to be a possibility but I still ignore it. Telling myself that you would never do that. But boy wasn't I stupid," Fitz said.
Mellie stood up and walked towards Fitz but he took a few steps away from her. "Fitz, you are not…"
"Don't you dare stand there and say that I'm not!" the calmness in his voice no longer there. "I ignored the signs that were clearly obvious. The senseless arguments, the lack of intimacy outside of sex, and being around you was like having roommate instead of a wife lately. The only thing that was missing was me seeing you having sex with him."
Words could never explain how Fitz felt in that moment. There were so many thoughts and emotions he was experiencing that he wanted to hit something or someone. He had no desire to hit Mellie because he never hit women and that wasn't going to change now. However, Fitz's feelings toward Richard were different. He would love nothing more than to be the shit out of him.
"What I really need to understand right now is why it happened. I've been nothing but the ideal husband. I have my shortcomings but it's nothing that would cause you to seek comfort from your ex.
"I'm not telling you because it's not important" Mellie said staring back at him. She was tired of hurting him. The pain had gone on long enough and she didn't want to make it worse than it needed to be.
Fitz snapped.
"It is to me," Fitz walking towards her. He grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him. "You don't know how it feels to be made a fool of by the one you love. Or how it feels to go to sleep at night wondering why your wife hates you so much."
"Fitz, I don't hate you."
"Then tell me why you turned into a whore!" Fitz yelled at her.
Fitz immediately let go of her when he realized what he called her. Calling any woman a disgraceful name was not the type of man he was. His anger just got the best of him.
"Mellie, I'm sorry. I just…"
She cut him off by holding up both hands and backing away from him.
"No, don't apologize. You are only stating what is true," Mellie said. "Since you won't be happy until I tell you then I will. I was never going be satisfied until I slept with him. Sleeping next to you at night while I dreamt about him was torture. When my focus should have been on you it was on him instead. There were plenty of times were I couldn't wait to get away from you to spend time with him. And that was even before we had sex. But when we finally slept together it was amazing. I didn't want it to be a onetime thing so I continued to sleep with him and I don't plan to stop either."
Tears started to form in Fitz's eyes. He swallowed hard when he felt the lump growing in his throat due to the overwhelming emotional pain that Mellie caused for him. She walked past him without another word. Seconds later Fitz heard the bedroom door open and close. That's when the tears that he fought so hard to hold back began to fall. The end of his marriage was now beginning.
A/N: So Fitz finally knows. It's about time lol. I say that because I'm taking too long with these updates. Anyway, let me know what you thought. Thanks for sticking with this story and the reviews.
By the way, there will be some Olitz in the next chapter.
