By the day Edison was scheduled to arrive home, Olivia had bitten her normally well-manicured nails down to frayed stubs. She had spent so much time running her fingers through her hair that it would no longer lay down properly, and she found herself empathizing with Fitz as she cradled a rather large glass of wine in her hands. Her heart thundered in her chest as she sat on the couch, picking at a loose thread on her pants with her free hand. More than once she had considered calling Fitz but she knew she needed to do this on her own. It was past time, she felt, and she was a grown woman who could take care of herself. Still, she wished she had someone there with her as backup. Her last interaction with Edison hadn't ended well, or started well, for that matter and knowing him, she knew he would still be indignant. He had every right to be, but so did she. What she had done was wrong, but for years Edison had been undermining and belittling her. That would end tonight, and she was going to get over whatever fears she had about it. She could do this.
When his key turned in the lock, she jumped in her seat, sloshing a bit of wine onto her wrist. The door opened, and she heard his shoes on the linoleum, and the wheels of his suitcase, but he didn't call out to her. Either he thought she wasn't there or he was ignoring her. He would see the open bottle of wine on the counter, the light shining in the sitting room, but he went directly upstairs. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Olivia squared her shoulders and sat her glass on the coffee table before getting up to follow him. The bedroom door was closed and she walked in without hesitating; she had made it this far, no use having second thoughts.
Edison paused, his shirt halfway unbuttoned. "Don't you knock?"
"This is my room, too," she pointed out, not meanly, tugging lightly at the high, bunched collar of her sweater. Olivia didn't imagine there was really such a thing as a friendly divorce, but she wanted hers to be as cordial as possible. "I need to talk to you about some stuff."
He resumed undressing himself, moving over to the closet. "Okay, I'm listening."
"Well," she began slowly, already searching for something else to say, to break the ice. "How was your trip?"
She heard him scoff. "Cut the crap, please, Olivia. I've had a long flight and my head hurts and I'm tired. What do you want?"
"Sorry," she mumbled, and she could have slapped herself. She wasn't supposed to be showing weakness. "Before I forget, we have to get the application for Avery in by December 15th, so I need you to write the check for the application fee."
"Application for what?"
"She starts kindergarten next fall. At Sidwell. You know this, Edison."
"Yes, I know she's starting kindergarten in the fall, but why would I pay college tuition for that when we live in the top state with the number one school system?"
"Because," Olivia snapped, "she's your daughter and we want the best for her. I went to Sidwell and I loved it. I think she'll fit in well."
"I went to public school and I turned out just fine," Edison reminded her haughtily and she couldn't help the sour look that passed over her face.
"You turned out an ass," she mumbled, and then louder, "We already discussed this, Edison. Why are you changing your mind now?"
"I never agreed to it," he stated, emerging from the closet and sitting on the edge of the bed in front of where she stood. "I said it was a good idea and that if we were Kennedys or lived in the White House, then our kids could go to there. And you got upset and demanded that I go along with whatever you were saying because you're always right and then you stormed away so I couldn't reply. But that's not what you wanted to talk to me about just as I'm walking in the door at one in the morning, is it?"
Olivia hoped she succeeded in hiding her exasperation, pursing her lips in an attempt to look disapproving. She regrouped quickly, donning a somber expression. "No, it's not. This isn't easy for me to say, and it's not going to be easy to hear, but it is past time for this to be done. I want a divorce."
Of all the reactions Olivia had prepared for, the one she received was not one of them. She had prepared for rage, indifference, and even content. That was why when Edison threw his head back and roared with laughter, she flinched, surprised and confused and a bit scared. And he thought it was hilarious, she found, as he clutched his stomach and shook forcibly.
"This isn't funny," she said forcefully once he had calmed down a bit. "I'm being serious."
All at once grave and composed, Edison hardened his eyes and stared her down. "Oh, I know, dear. That's the funny part. It is truly hilarious to me that you think I would just let you run off. We've been over this, Olivia; I have an image to uphold. And my wife leaving me to shack up with some pretty boy artist who couldn't make it as a business man is not good for my image." At Olivia's awed expression, he chuckled humorlessly. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out, Liv? I told you this city is too small. I have friends in high places, and they watch out for me. Thank God they didn't suspect anything. A few of them just mentioned seeing you two together, out to dinner and even at his office. After your little wild night out, it was only a matter of time before I put two and two together. How long you two been screwing?"
Olivia certainly had not planned for this; for him to know about Fitz, and to hold onto the information. There was no use denying it, but also no need to address it. "This isn't about that. This has absolutely nothing to do with him and everything to do with you and me," she lied, but it sounded firm and true to her own ears. Fitz had had quite a bit to do with it. "This is about me being tired of you treating me like your subordinate and not like your partner. And it's about me not loving you and not being happy here. So please don't fight me on this. If we do this right, we can both come out looking squeaky clean. Your reputation will remain intact. We can work things out, set up a plan for custody; it will be simple and peaceful as long as you make it that way."
"I'm afraid not."
"What the hell does that mean? You want to fight me on this? You barely see your kids as it is and now you want to take me to court over them because your ego is bruised?"
"No, what I'm saying is, you're not going anywhere, Olivia. You're not taking my kids because you're not leaving me. End of story."
"Not end of story," she spat, beginning to lose her poise. "You can't just tell me no, Edison. I'm still going to file. I contacted a lawyer and she should be getting back to me in the next few days. She can draw the papers up and-"
"And I will tear you apart in a court room; depict you as the emotionally unstable adulterer in the marriage. I travel a bit, yes, but any judge would rather give two small children to a loving home with their financially secure father who has the full support of his parents behind him than to you. They might let you have a few scheduled visits, once you've completed court mandated therapy for the depression you've let go untreated for over a year."
"No one who knows me well will get up there and say I've been acting depressed."
"My mother will, and she was a social worker, so I'm sure they'll listen to what she has to say. Your own kids can attest to the fact that you verbally abused them."
"You would put your own children on the stand? They're babies, Edison!" Olivia cried, not wanting to believe he would do such a thing, but not holding him above it either.
"I'll do what I have to do."
"You're full of shit," she threatened, daring him with her eyes.
Edison shrugged. "Maybe. But do you really want to take that chance? Listen to me, Olivia. I won't have you jeopardizing all of my hard work because you can't always have it your way. So we'll compromise. No divorce. You're my wife; I paid for that goddamn ring on your finger. You'll do your wifely duties, which will be limited to making me look good. And if you want to keep fucking that guy, I won't stop you. He seems like he can be discrete and if regular sex keeps you happy, all the better."
Narrowing her eyes, Olivia hissed, "And what the hell makes you think you can just make these decisions for me?"
"Well you don't have much of a leg to stand on right now. It's not looking too good for you at the moment on the other side of this. Also, let's not forget who found that publisher for you. I made you. And I can ruin you, or I continue to help you as long as you continue to help me. It's give and take."
"There is nothing 'give and take' about this. This is you trying to dictate my life."
"Our life."
"I don't want anything to do with you."
"You say that," Edison replied nonchalantly, "and you might even mean it. But you don't have much of a choice." He stood up, brushing his hands together as if he had just finished a difficult job, and walked past Olivia's trembling form. Pausing at the door, he turned to look at her back. "By the way, if you talk to Fitzgerald, tell him to tell his dad I said hi." With that, he slammed the door shut.
Fuming, Olivia whirled around and grabbed the first thing her hand came in contact with on the dresser, a picture of her and Edison on their honeymoon, and flung it at the wall. The silver frame remained intact but the glass cover shattered noisily as it bounced to the carpet. Olivia didn't bother trying to hold back the angry tears pooling in her eyes, ignoring them as they slid down her heated face. Edison had seen it coming, he had known about her and Fitz, he had made awful things up about her and thrown them in her face without a second thought. He couldn't be serious, she thought, but it had really seemed so. He was going to put up a fight, and a nasty one at that, but she could get nasty, too. If a battle was what he wanted, she would give it to him, and she come at him with everything she had. And if he was going to play dirty, then so would she.
Olivia had communicated with Lauryn solely through email following their conversation at the ice cream shop, requesting information about the divorce lawyer. At the bottom of one message, Olivia had inquired as to whether her sister was still upset with her or not. The question had gone unanswered. The day after her confrontation with Edison, she called Lauryn's cell phone several times before finally dialing the house number.
"Who is this?" one of the boys answered brusquely.
"Don't you answer my phone like that," Lauryn shouted from another room.
The boy – Olivia recognized his voice now as Raymond's – sucked his teeth and said sweetly, "Hello, Taylor residence. Who may I ask is calling?"
"Hello, Ray."
Oh, hey Aunt Liv. Do you want to talk to Mom?"
"Yes, please."
Without turning his head away from the receiver he shouted, "Ma! Aunt Liv is on the phone."
Olivia could hear bustling in the background, followed by a loud smack and Lauryn saying sternly, "Stop yelling in the damn house. Hello, Olivia?"
"Laurie," Olivia said nervously. "Um, I did it. It didn't go as well as I planned, though."
Lauryn sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that, Liv. So what are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean? I'm going to go through with it; obviously I just need to revise my plan a bit. He wants to do this the hard way."
"So you're really going to do this, huh?
"Of course I am," Olivia replied, a bit taken aback. "I told you, I'm not happy in this marriage. It's hurting me and my kids."
"It has nothing to do with that guy?" Lauryn pried.
"It's not that simple."
"So explain. I'm a grown woman, I can handle whatever you have to tell me. And I'm not judging you, Liv. I'm just…surprised, I guess. You're my baby sister and I love you and I don't want to see you hurting."
"Then you should be happy for me. I'm taking steps to stop hurting. My marriage is falling apart and so I'm going to get out of it before I end up like Mom and Dad, holding on to something that is long gone. It's not good for the kids. And Fitz, he really makes me happy. Like, stupidly happy. You of all people have to get that; you were married once before."
"Yes, but I got married at nineteen, when I was stupid and immature and wanting to rebel. Luckily, I summoned enough sense to get out quickly."
"Just because you were younger than I am now doesn't make me any less deserving of being able to pursue what I want in life."
Lauryn took a deep breath, dropped her voice to a whisper. "Do you love him?"
After a pregnant pause, Olivia lowered her voice as well, though she was alone in the house. "Yes. I know we haven't known each other long, but I do. I want to be with him, but know that it's not my number one priority. Not until after the divorce, when things have settled down."
"When are you going to tell the kids?"
"When I've got something to tell them. They're too young to understand so I don't want to make it a big deal until we're actually signing papers and splitting up the furniture. And, you know, when we've got a custody agreement."
"I'm guessing since it didn't go well, he's probably going to fight you for full custody?"
"Yep, the bastard. I would never try to keep him away from the kids. I'm thinking I'd get a little more than half, though, since I have more time on my hands to take care of them."
"You also have no income," Lauryn pointed out, making Olivia groan.
"I do so. I have the royalty checks from my first book – however small they may be – and my savings account is well-off. It's not like my belongings are boxed up and waiting by the door. Baby steps."
"Alright, Liv," Lauryn said, sounding impressed. "Sounds like you've got it all worked out. I'm sorry I didn't give you more credit. And I'm sorry I made you feel like you're alone in this, because you're not. I love you, and I'll always be here for you. Whatever you need right now, just say it."
"How about you run down to the Davis' and tell Judith to go to hell?" Olivia teased, grinning.
"Hell no, that woman is crazy. You better get your own ass over there before she starts feeding my niece and nephew the same lead paint chips she obviously let her son ingest as a child."
"I know, and I hate to admit this but I think they might be better off over there for a minute. As much as I despise Judith right now, she loves them and she takes good care of them. Things are about to get…vitriolic in my household. They don't need to be around for that. So I'll let them be for the moment, until things cool down. I'm still going to go over there every once in a while and make sure she's not brainwashing them."
"Yes, you do that. If they start acting like that woman, I'm never babysitting for you again. But Liv? Do me a favor?"
"What is it?" Olivia asked curiously, elated that her relationship with her sister was still intact and pleasant.
"Tell me the story behind that hickey."
"Never."
Lauryn groaned. "Where is the fun in you getting some if I don't get to hear about it? Don't I tell you all about my sexy times?"
"Yes, you do. Even when I beg you not to, you go into vivid detail and tell me things I wish I never had to know."
"That's what sisters are for, to tell personal things to without being looked at funnily. But fine," Lauryn relented, and Olivia could picture her pout through the phone, "you don't want to tell me about your kinks, I won't force you. Just tell me; how was it? Was he as good as you imagined?"
Olivia smirked, feeling a tingle start between her legs at the memory. "Better. And that's all I'm going to say about it." The phone beeped in her ear, signaling another call, and Olivia peered at the screen, seeing the initials FTG flash on the screen. "Laurie, that's my other line. I'll call you back later, okay?"
"Don't call me unless you've got a good story to tell," Lauryn griped. "Oh, hell, Shawn just fell off the swing set again. Talk to you later, Liv."
The line went dead and Olivia connected the incoming call, greeting Fitz.
"You sound happy," he said hopefully. "Does that mean…"
"Not exactly. This is going to be a bit more of a challenge than I expected. But I'm not going to let it get me down. I have too much to be happy for right now."
"Oh yeah, like what?" he asked teasingly.
Simpering, Olivia reclined on her lounge chaise, propping up her feet. "Well, let's see. I've got a lot to look forward to. I'm about to change my life for the better. My sister just told me she hasn't lost respect for me. The holidays are coming up, and it's my favorite time of the year. I just had a very nice breakfast. Oh, and you called. That was pretty nice."
"I'm glad I could contribute to the brightening of your day, then. Speaking of the holidays, do you think we'll have a chance to hang out at all?"
"I don't know, Fitz." Olivia bit her lip, thinking. "It seems risky. What did you have in mind?"
"Glad you asked, my dear. There's a light show at the harbor in Annapolis every year, I was thinking we could head down there. It's far enough away, but we can wear big hats and sunglasses or something."
"You mean like disguises?" Olivia asked with a laugh. "I guess we can talk about it."
"Please, Livvie," Fitz implored with a slight whine. "I promise it'll be fun and we can have a seafood dinner while we're out. And there's this place that has the greatest cookies you will ever taste in your life; gooey, warm and homemade."
"Well when you put it that way, how can I say no?"
"You can't that was the point. Now, do you want to tell me about how things are going to be more challenging?"
Olivia thought about what Edison had said, how he had explicitly given her permission to continue seeing Fitz in the crudest way possible. And he had done it in the midst of threatening her. Then he had told her – had insinuated, but she was fairly certain as to what he meant – that he expected her to get Fitz to talk his father into signing a contract with Edison. Like what they had was nothing more than a cheap fling, a manipulation, when it was so much more. Edison wouldn't understand that, of course. All he saw was dollar signs in her panties.
"Not yet," replied quietly. "I will, but not right now. I'm happy right now. I don't want to ruin that."
Fitz paused. "Alright," he said slowly, sounding unsure. "I won't push you, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
"Of course." The words were automatic to Olivia. She did know that she could talk to Fitz; what she would tell him, out of all the craziness surrounding her, was the issue.
A/N: Yes, finally, another update. It's only been a few days but it feels like forever to me. I want them to be near perfect for you guys so I spend a lot of time worrying about what's going to happen next and how to tell it.
In this chapter, we have a spouse who is a bit too reluctant to let go, and who has essentially admitted to being married for the sole purpose of getting ahead in life (sound familiar?). Edison is a jerk. Luckily, Olivia has Fitz and her sister on her side. Trust me, they're going to be her support system. Also you can see I've been trying to Karen-and-Jerry the kids because I feel things will be smoother without them running around. They're just too young to send to boarding school. Don't worry, Judith won't have her hands on them for long. xo