Disclaimer: Scandal belongs to Shonda Rhimes.
Author notes: Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews, I feel very grateful and overwhelmed. Happy Thanks Giving to you all. I'm now moving into unknown territory – everyone will be out of their natural elements and may behave differently. I've pneumonia and therefore time to write and update.
Take It Easy On Me
Chapter 10
Cyrus stuck his head through the door and rolled his eyes and Olivia couldn't help but smile, for once she agreed with him, "coming?" He asked her.
Olivia got up and walked to Cyrus who gallantly waited for her, though, she was sure he just wanted to stalk time before interacting with the Grants, and she wished to could stalk time too. This would be ugly.
"Not a crisis without Olivia Pope to fix it." Mellie greeted Olivia when she came closer to the couple, "some things will never change." Mellie added and watched Fitz carefully.
"Olivia is Communication Advisor for the White House on part time, she has declined the Communication Director position which is most unfortunate for the administration, but we'll manage." Fitz commented without emotions, "so things do change around here."
Olivia was very aware of Fitz but kept her emotions in check. Fitz looked very unimpressed and rather cold when he looked at her.
"Let get to business, this is a difficult situation and one without previous cases to look at, which means we'll have to be very careful in handling it and taking no shortcuts. Do we all agree?" Olivia watched Mellie and Fitz carefully, looking for signs of contrite or disapproval, it was very important she knew how they would handle the pressure. Fitz looked calm and like he was getting rid of a great burden, and Mellie looked sour but optimistic at the same time.
"This is the plan. I released the press release a few minutes ago. Kimberly Mitchell will arrive in three hours. Right now, we fight for this office, and start to call in all the favors we have with friends and connections in the Senate and Congress. Contact everyone you can think of, we need all the support we can get. We need two-third of the House's representatives on our side" Olivia shared her focus on Mellie and Fitz while she talked. "This is damage control on highest level. We are working against time, the petition for divorce was filed yesterday, and this lobby work should have started yesterday!"
Cyrus stood up. "This is our control room during the storm, no press is allowed in here and only staff cleared by me is allowed in, which means a very limited group of people. It also means that you will be very careful with whom you share pieces of news. If you want to stay alive in the political arena you follow these rules, if you don't, just share as much as you want, it's your choice." Cyrus talked as firm and clearly as Olivia.
"Let switch the television on, we need to know when and how the press release is delivered to the people. Start to make the phone calls!" Olivia said while Cyrus switched the television on.
It was breaking news on all the channels, interviews and on-the-spot reports were interrupted to air the 'Divorce in the White House' with commentaries.
We have just received a press release from the White House stating that the President and the First Lady have taken the legal actions to divorce. The decision was made in unanimity by the married couple. The White House reminds us that foremost the President and the First Lady are husband and wife in this phase and private matter of their lives and marriage, and ask the people of America to remember and respect that, especially in regards to the two children involved in the divorce. This will have no effect on the Presidential office or administration; the President is as devoted to serving his county and the people of the United States as ever. The only change will be that all duties held by the First Lady will be cancelled by today, and the President's wife will be addressed Mrs. Grant. "
The speaker took a deep breath, "the press release has another piece of choking news; the baby carried by Mrs. Grant is not fathered by the President. For now, the paternal identity will be concealed. The President supports Mrs. Grant and her baby and welcomes the baby as half-brother to his children. The President and the White House ask the people of the United States of America to remember, that he and Mrs. Grant are foremost divorcing husband and wife, and like most people they, too. face hardships and challenges in life, and sometime they fail. But as responsible adult, spouses and parents they face the challenges and make the right decisions, which will allow all parties to move on in the best ways. The President assures us that there is only respect and affection left between Mrs. Grant and the President, and that they love their children very, very much. The President ends the press release with a 'God bless America'"
Cyrus switched to another channel: This is truly shocking news, the situation is unique as no former president has ever before been divorced, not during or after stepping down from the presidency. We have no precedence to look at. Another shocking piece of news is that the American baby is not the President's baby. Kimberly Mitchell has an interview with the President and Mrs. Grant later on this channel."
Cyrus turned the volume down, "start calling!" He ordered.
Olivia glanced around the room, Fitz looked serene and on top of his game, he made the phone calls without once hesitating. Cyrus looked tired but was full of energy in his conversations. Mellie on the other hand looked rather pale, as if she had just only truly understood the seriousness of the situation; her future was in jeopardy and she only had a few shoots to manipulate it in her favor.
Olivia ended her phone call and gestured silently to Mellie that she wanted a private word, Mellie followed Olivia to the small office. On her way to the office, Olivia felt Fitz eyes on her, but she remembered Cyrus's warning and didn't look back at him.
Olivia pointed to a chair and chose the chair opposite Mellie. "You look shaken, Mellie, what's the problem?"
Mellie rested her hands on top of her abdomen, "this is huge. I'm no longer First Lady and have no rights as such…and, now, everyone knows our dirty laundry."
"You mean the infidelity and the truth of the baby?" Olivia asked.
Mellie looked even paler, gone was her airs of righteous and certainty about her importance. "Yes…and…"
Mellie's insecurity worried Olivia, Mellie was not a blue-eyed dove she knew the game, and insecurity often resulted in lack of judgment and rushed poor decisions.
"Mellie, I prepared you for this, you knew it would be unpleasant and that you wouldn't be allowed to handle the divorce in private. If we lose the House we lose the President. Do you want that outcome?"
Mellie looked shaken but glare at Olivia, "no, of course not."
"What do you want, Mellie?"
"I want this to be over and to start working for my own political career."
"Then work for it to happen, the baby is proof of your affair, keep that in mind."
Mellie took a deep breath and got up. "Thank you, Olivia."
Olivia didn't reply but followed Mellie back to the oval office, on the way she shared a look with Fitz, it was brief but sweet and it made her relax.
The room was buzzing with activities, calls being made, people moving around talking quietly or animated, and the television running in the background. The networks were interviewing couple's therapists in search of an explanation for the Presidential divorce. So far, the most used theory was that the President and his wife had drifted apart, most likely due to the heavy workload in the White House, and the changes they faced when moving into the White House and becoming public property.
However, the really choking was Mellie's infidelity; it was breaking news pushing the divorce in the background, which was working in Fitz's favor. The experts disagreed on the possible reason for Mrs. Grant's cheating, the variations ranged from boredom to jealousy of the President's job, to the amount of time he spent on his job and not on her.
Olivia muted the television and signaled that she needed their attention and one by one they ended their phone calls.
"Okay, Kimberly will be here shortly. As I said before the interview will not take place in here, we want to separate you from the presidential couple, and have the viewers to think of you as one of them. We need them to remember why they got divorced or why they are going through a divorce, or why they are thinking of divorcing. We need them to feel like walking in your shoes and knowing that life is never perfect for anyone. The interview will be recorded in the Treaty Room. Act like human beings but keep it together, there is no room for failing or breaking down!"
Olivia stood up, "Mellie don't get too emotional, it will show weakness. Express more sadness over losing your marriage than over loosing the President and the White House. Fitz ,be a husband letting go of a long marriage, but foremost be the President who the people can trust in hard times and personal difficult moments."
Fitz and Mellie stood up as well. Cyrus looked at the board where they had the yes and no sides listed. "We have one-third of the House good job so far."
The Grants walked off to hair and make-up leaving Cyrus and Olivia alone in the oval office. Both reseated and leaned back to take a moment of resting before it was time to resume handling damage control.
"Getting the House on our side depends on how well they perform with Kimberly Mitchell." Cysus said, "but I do believe, we owe your return here for at lot of the support we already have, Olivia."
"I'm not back" She stated firmly.
"You keep saying that and yet you seem comfortable in your new office and around the staff, hell even the Communication Director feels threatened by your presence here."
"Well, he should take notes, he's too green for this job, Cyrus." She was serious the Communication Director hadn't come up with anything useful so far. "Find another!"
"Working on it" Cyrus assured her.
"I've asked Kimberly for a personal favor, she will go easy on them, especially on the President. Fortunately, she voted on him. Olivia drank the last of her now cold coffee, "I better check on them and do some last minute talking."
She got up and walked out of the oval office and found her way to the Treaty Room, it was the first time for an interview to take place in this room. Olivia found a busy Kimberly Mitchell and her crew.
"Olivia, thank you so much for the exclusive rights to this interview. I can't tell you how much it means to me." Kimberly rushed to Olivia.
"I'm sure it will look good on your resume," Olivia smiled, "and permit you access to the top stories."
"Absolutely, just like it did when you gave me the exclusive rights to the American baby story. Thank you." Kimberly was overjoyed, getting the second exclusive interview with the President would take her places, it was already happening.
"Just remember the President has to come out of this interview looking stronger than ever, but don't nurse him. Remember that he is the wronged person. Mrs. Grant may take a blow or two but balance it, we don't want her ruined."
Kimberly was serious, "I also wants the President to stay in office. Besides that I'll never forget what you did for me."
Olivia looked at Kimberly, "we all needs help sometimes. You've done well."
"Thank you"
Olivia steeled herself before she walked into the nursery where Mellie had a quiet time before the interview.
Mellie looked up from the couch where she sat, "I need to sit down so many times during the day now, the blessing of pregnancy." She smiled a joyless smile, "I thought I was done with babies and young kids, life is full of surprises and sacrifices. I guess you are here to instruct me?"
Wanting to make Mellie less nervous and more comfortable Olivia sat down in one of the chair, now they were at eye level and more equal.
"Mellie, if you want a political future you've to make your husband look good, he has to be the wronged one to stay in office. No one will support a candidate for Senate who is divorced from a former president, who was retired too soon. You know, as well as I, that Presidents who only serve part a term or only one term are considered weak presidents and failures."
"You want me to take the blame?" Mellie was getting angry.
"The biggest part of the blame, yes. I know you think it's unfair and that you deserve better."
Mellie eyes flashed with bitterness, "I became pregnant with this baby to kept him in office, he wouldn't bed me so I had to do something and I acted. I've never been afraid of doing what has to be done." She stared out of the window, "I'll do what has to be done today as well, he'll stay in office, Olivia!"
Olivia walked to the small room used for hair and make-up and found Fitz alone, he looked up in question, clearly not expecting anyone. When he realized who it was, his eyes became soft and a warm smile spread across his face.
Instinctively, Olivia responded to him and smiled back, her heart settling into a faster rhythm of beating and her tension vanished. Holding her eyes in a fix, he slowly got up and walked to her, his intensions were clear in his body language, and she backed away only to be stopped by the door she had just entered.
"Fitz, not here, please. She begged, her body language belying her words.
"Why not?" He was inches from her now.
"Because Mellie is here and I want you to still be the President tomorrow." She voice became firmer.
His expression became confused, "you do?"
"Yes. Don't you want to stay President?" She was surprised
His look turned inward, "only if I can have the life I want and keep the woman I love? I won't compromise anymore."
A huge smile spread to her face, "we will work on the love part. I guess, you've found the woman you love?"
His eyes heated up and his smile became teasing. "I have." He stepped back from her and leaned against the wall. "Start firing, Liv!"
Her body felt betrayed by his sudden absent, but she pushed the disappointment away and resume to her business mood.
"Be charming and strong, we want the female voters to see you as a very attractive bachelor, don't give the expression that you're looking, we still want their sympathy. Let Mellie take the majority of the blame but be supportive. You want a peaceful divorce, meaning you can handle national crisis and find the cooperative way without losing your integrity. All babies deserve a family, that's why you stepped in for the baby and your heart is big enough for forgiveness. Ok?"
He looked a bit overwhelmed, "this is some kind of a job interview." He joked.
Olivia didn't return the smile, "that is exactly what it is, the most important job interview you'll ever get."
"Thank you, Olivia." He said very serious.
Puzzled she blinked, "it's my job. Fitz?"
"For working on forgiving me. I won't be the one walking out on us and I just pray you won't either."
She took a step in his direction, "I am here." She assured him.
"Just one minute, please?"
Nodding she got lost in his eyes, just one minute's peace before the crazy world started to spin again.
A knock on the door told them it was time for the interview and that their minute was gone. Olivia opened the door and stepped out not waiting for Fitz, she had to focus on the task and not the man right now.