Your little hand's wrapped around my finger Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light
To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up
-Never Grow Up, Taylor Swift
Wow this took a long time to write and I'm so sorry you guys had to wait so long. I honestly had the idea and what I wanted the chapter to look like completely, but just had no emotions/depth in me to write. Needless to say I wrote it anyway, and Mo helped me TREMENDOUSLY and along with her amazing input, I was able to post this tonight! Next chapter will definitely not take as long. I hope you all enjoy this.
Fitz stood from the couch, silently listening to the caller on the other end of the line. As he continued listening, he made his way into the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Apparently he was thirstier than he realized, as he downed half of the bottle before coming up, gasping for air. As the caller finished speaking, he waited a few seconds to let their words sink in before responding.
"Huck, thank you so much, for everything. You have no idea just how much your help with this has meant to us." Fitz replied as he reflected on all Huck had done to help them to get through this trying time.
Huck was never one for gratitude, and he was never normally able to accept a compliment for what it was. However, he knew Fitz was genuine when he spoke, and he was glad this fiasco had finally come to an end. With Jake out of the way, Liv and Madison would finally have a chance to live a normal life.
"Fitz, you don't need to thank , and Mads are my family, and now so are you. I always look after my family. Just please let Liv know that everything has been handled. Jake's parents have been notified, and they've been in touch with his attorney about his estate. He had a will drawn up when Madison was born." Huck paused as he wasn't sure how Fitz was going to react to the next part.
"Ok, so that's good for his family I guess." Fitz sighed with exasperated breath. He really didn't care about anything else, but Huck's silence on the other end, told him there was more.
Silence flooded the line for a few beats, before Huck resumed speaking.
"Well, according to his will, all of his assets, the sale of the apartment, his cars, jewelry, etc., will be liquidated and all funds will be transferred into a trust that has been set up for Madison, with Liv as the executor. Liv doesn't have to accept the money, but if she doesn't, the money will be donated to whatever college Madison attends, on her 21st birthday. That clause was added just a few weeks ago." Huck knew this was Jake's way of trying to keep himself in Madison's life one way or another, even from the grave. From the heavy sigh he heard on the other end, Huck knewFitz assumed it too.
Fitz began pacing the kitchen as he tried to keep calm. Madison was HIS daughter, there was no doubt about that. But the thought of that... Of Jake, the man who had treated his girls like shit for years, trying to feign concern for Madison's well-being, in death, had Fitz seeing red. He didn't want one red cent of that money to come anywhere near his baby girl. The lives that were lost or destroyed, all in the name of power, there was no way. Madison was too good for anything Jake could possibly offer her, and he knew Liv would feel the same way.
Fitz closed his eyes and took a deep breath, when he realized he was now gripping the edges of the counter so hard that his knuckles were turning white. He reminded himself that this was ultimately Liv's decision, and whatever she decided, he would support her fully. Whatever proved to be in Madison's best interest was all that mattered.
"Thanks Huck. Once Liv and Abby return from their "retreat", we will begin tying up loose ends with Abby for the adoption process, so Liv and I will sit down with her and discuss everything then."
"I understand…. So, adoption huh?"
Fitz smiled, and immediately began to relax as he thought about how he would soon become Madison's legal parent. He leaned back against the island, and couldn't stop his hands from excitedly twisting the top on the water bottle. "Yea... I'm going to be Maddy's daddy."
"You are her daddy." Huck stated matter-of-factly. It wasn't lost on him or anyone for that matter, just how close the two of them had become. He knew Madison and Liv were Fitz's world, and he was glad they had Fitz in their lives.
"I know I'm her daddy, and she's my baby girl, but I want the world to know that she is mine and I am hers." Fitz replied with such conviction in his voice, Huck had no choice but to smile.
"So, when did this decision take place?" Huck asked as he could feel Fitz beaming through the phone. Fitz turned to the refrigerator, and looked at a picture Madison had drawn of the three of them in front of their home. It was mostly a series of scribbles and lines, but he couldn't stop the feeling of pride that washed over him when he responded.
"From the day I met Madison, I knew HAD to be in her life." Fitz paused as he reflected back to the day Liv and Madison entered his life like a whirlwind. Walking into that room was by far, the best thing that had ever happened to him. "I've wanted this pretty much since then. I uh.. It was something I didn't think would happenthis soon, but given recent events, certain obstacles have been lifted. I love that little girl more than life itself. I don't want to waste any more time making this official."
"I'm sure Olivia was happy about it."
"Well, I'd say she was a little caught off guard" he answered with a hearty laugh as he thought back to Liv's reaction to his declaration. "It was really out of the blue. I can't say that I would have normally chosen that particular moment or even that day, but yea, I asked and she eagerly agreed."
Fitz knew he was smiling like a Cheshire cat, but he couldn't help it. Olivia had been very happy at the thought of him adopting Madison, and agreed to have the petition drawn up once she returned.
"I'm glad things are beginning to look up. Liv and Mads deserve to be happy. You make them happy."
"They make me happy... Happier than I've ever been. I'm glad we can finally move on and focus on our family."
There was a peaceful silence between them as they both realized that the storm had passed. Huck looked down at his watch, and knew he had to get started on another task. "Fitz, I have to go. Sorry I called so early."
"It was no problem Huck. Liv left out not too long ago, and Madison is still sleeping, so the timing was perfect." Fitz knew Huck wasn't the sentimental type, and figured he was slightly uncomfortable with the way their conversation had shifted. Wanting to put Huck out of his misery, Fitz simply said "Thanks again", just before the line went dead.
With Huck's update out of the way, Fitz went and checked to make sure the front door was locked and reactivated the alarm. Once he was sure the house was secure, he made his way back to the bedroom.
Fitz had been able to switch shifts with another Attending, and wasn't due to go in until seven that night. Since the sun was barely up, he figured he could possibly get another hour of sleep before Madison woke up. That is if he could manage to sleep quietly.
A few weeks ago,Olivia had been startled out of her sleep by what sounded like a small freight train lodged in Fitz's throat. For as many times as she had slept next to him, she'd never heard him snore. She would hear the sounds of heavy breathing as he slept, but never had she heard anything remotely close to what came out of him that night.
It was his third night working in the ER, and he had been stuck pulling back to back eighteen hour shifts. When he returned home and collapsed into bed, to say Fitz was exhausted would have been an understatement. Liv learned that night that if he was completely exhausted, he snored loud enough to wake the entire house. This was a revelation his little girl had made quite clear, that she was NOT fond of. Fitz had been startled awake one morning when he was struggling to breathe. When he opened his eyes, he learned the culprit was Madison's tiny fingers, pinching his nose shut. When he finally awoke, she let go of his nose and stared at him for a moment. "Daddy shhhh" she cried as she let out a heavy sigh and scooted away from him. Once Fitz realized what was going on, he shook his head as he watched her grumpy frame snuggling into her mother, as she quickly fell back to sleep. He quickly realized that Madison plugging his nose was her way of letting him know the noise he was making, needed to stop.
Fitz looked at his daughter who was sleeping peacefully, curled up in a tight ball. He climbed in the bed next to her, and grabbed the remote for the ceiling fan, and set it to low. He faced her sleeping form, smiling at how innocent she looked. Wanting to hold his baby girl, Fitz slid his arm under her body, and pulled her into his chest before bringing the comforter up to cover them. Sensing his presence, Madison nuzzled her head under his chin, and one hand made its way from under the comforter. She subconsciously rested her hand on his chin, and then moved from his chin to his ear, resting in its usual spot. Fitz chuckled softly as she reminded him so much of Liv in this moment. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, before closing his eyes and quickly drifting off to sleep.
"Sand, sun, mojitos, and quiet. This is going to be great!" Abby gushed as their cab stopped in front of their hotel.
After leaving the house at 4:30 to catch their four hour flight- which departed at six- then the 25 min cab ride to the hotel, Liv just wanted a shower and take a nap. She still wasn't feeling like herself, but she knew Abby was right; she needed this time away. She deserved this time away, and she was going to try to enjoy it as best she could.
Olivia stepped out of the cab and smiled at the driver who was holding the door open for her and Abby. Her smile broadened as she realized it was bright, sunny, and warm out. This was definitely what she needed. Once they had collected their suitcases, the pair made their way inside for check-in.
Liv walked through the door with a confidence that made heads turn. Her hair was in its natural curls and a pair of white mid-thigh shorts and a teal tank top concealed her bikini clad- ready body. She was so glad Abby talked her into changing in the bathroom before they left the airport as her black yoga pants and Uggs, were not fit for such beautiful weather. Liv thought about the look on Fitz's face when he had peeked through her carry-on bag and noticed the tiny, warm weather clothes. North Carolina weather was a vast change from Florida's, so she had to dress accordingly.
"Are those my flip flops?" Abby asked as she looked down at Liv's feet.
"No Abby. These are the flip flops I let you borrow and only got back when you left them in my room a year later."
"Oh yeah... Oops."
"Mmhmm, come on, let's go check in."
Abby and Liv made their way hand in hand to the counter, skipping like a couple of teenage besties, laughing along the way at how young and childish they probably looked. When they arrived, they were met by a woman who appeared to be in her early 50's, and Liv immediately fell in love with her thick Brazilian accent.
"Welcome to the Hilton Pensacola, can I have your reservation name please" The receptionist named Rosella greeted with a warm smile.
"Yes. We have a reservation under Abigail Whelan. This is Olivia Grant, and she'll be the other party to the room." Abby said, earning her a slight jab to the ribs from Liv.
The woman was able to pull up their reservations, and added Olivia Grant to the reservation, just in case she should need assistance from the staff. She handed them their key cards, and Abby and Olivia smiled politely and thanked the woman, before making their way up to their room.
Olivia plopped her bag down on one of the beds and went to open the doors that led to the small balcony which overlooked the large pool area. She stood for a moment just taking in her environment and enjoying the warm rays of the sun beating down on her skin. She noticed that just beyond the pool area were tons of people spending the day on the beach. Whether they were single men cruising for women, college kids sunbathing, or on a family enjoying a game a Frisbee, everyone seemed to be having a blast, under the Florida sun.
This was exactly what she needed.
Her thoughts began to drift to the beaches she and Fitz would possibly visit on their honeymoon. Nothing but crystal blue waters and pink or white sand stretching as far as the eye can see. When the time did come, she'd be sure to make sure Fitz knew that was what she wanted. She had never been out of the country, and it was something she wanted to experience firsthand with him as Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. Liv was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard Abby calling out to her.
"Liv! Are you ok?" Abby asked as she joined Liv on the balcony.
"I'm fine. Just taking in my surroundings. It's so beautiful here." Liv responded, truly happy she decided to come.
"Well if you're ok, I say we set up our massage appointments and grab some food. I swear my stomach is eating itself right now. Oh and you may as well contact lover boy and tell him you're safe because no phone are allowed once we step out of this room."
"Umm... Yeah, I'll do that now."
Abby walked back into the room and began rifling through her bag to find something more appropriate to wear for a massage, while still eyeing Olivia who remained on the balcony, still taking in the view.
"Thank you for bringing me here Abs, it's exactly what I needed." She didn't turn all the way around, but just enough to catch her friends' eyes.
"Don't thank me just yet. We've got so much to do and not enough time."
Abby paused as she saw the tears building up in her best friend's eyes. Honestly, she wasn't ready to break down with her just yet. It may have been a little selfish to think that way, but Abby need a little more time. She knew once the water-works began, the entire day would be , would defeat the entire purpose of this trip.
"I'm gonna see when they can fit us in. You, start deciding what you want for lunch." Abby said as she picked up the binder on the dresser that contained the info on the amenities the hotel provided. With binder in hand, Abby walked over to Olivia and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It's over Liv. You and Mads are safe. Now it's time for us to focus on healing you so you can focus on your family. It's really going to be okay Liv."
Olivia nodded and wiped her tears, not wanting to go to that place so soon. Needing to get her mind off of things, she followed Abby's suit and changed into clothes that would be fitting for the massage.
Since they had a few hours before they were due to get their massages, they decided to grab something to eat at the restaurant downstairs. They ordered large salads loaded with as many toppings as their plates could hold, and iced green tea as their drinks. They enjoyed their lunch on the restaurant's patio, which included idle chit chat and people watching on that beautiful afternoon. When they were finished, they made their way to the hotel's spa with less than fifteen minutes to spare before it was time for their appointments.
Abby was the first to jump on a massage table, ready for magical hands to ease her tension. She looked over and noticed a hesitant Liv, just staring at the station that had been set up for her. "It's been forever since we've done one of these together. It better not be a repeat of LA 2009, Liv." Abby warned with the most serious face she could muster in the moment.
Olivia laughed loudly remembering exactly what "massage" she was referring to.
"Well, it's been forever since I've had one, but I will try my best to not let history repeat itself. Either way, you can't blame me, it seriously wasn't my fault!"
"You were boozed up and instead of being relaxed like a normal person, you were cackling like a hyena every time the man touched you!"
"I couldn't help myself, no man's hands should be that soft and I'm ticklish. You, have to admit, you were mad because it was so funny, yet you were egging him on Whelan and you know it!" Liv laughed out as she shoved Abby's arm.
They laid there and talked for a few more minutes before the masseuse came in and began their work. Olivia knew Fitz wouldn't approve too much, but that didn't stop her from getting a male masseuse, and she was happy with her decision. She was sore and her body was tense. She could feel tiny knots all over her body; she needed this. Of course this was no comparison to the massages Fitz would give her, but it was perfection at the moment.
Olivia could hear Abby giving orders to the man tending to her body, and could only shake her head. She felt bad for the guy because she knew her friend wouldn't be satisfied unless the job was done right. She tried her best to block out Abby's orders, and allowed herself to close her eyes, and give in to the massage.
Olivia walked into the house with grocery bags hanging off both of her hands. She never liked making more than one trip unless it was absolutely necessary. She decided to leave the garage door open,as she planned on bringing the trashcans up from the curb. Fitz would be working late, and although he insisted on doing the task, it made no sense to leave them when she had no problems doing it herself.
As she entered the kitchen,Liv heard what sounded like a car door slamming in the garage. Before she could turn around to investigate the noise, she saw her sexy fiancé sprinting towards her. He wasin front of her within seconds, and the bags were dropped onto the floor, as she was hulled into the air,her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.
"What are …." Was all she could manage to get out as Fitz's mouth crashed hungrily onto hers, and he began sucking on her bottom lip.
Liv returned the kiss with equal fervor, enjoying the taste of his lips and tongue as they invaded her mouth. The feeling she normally gets upon seeing him had already intensified, and soon she found herself needing to be closer. She moved her fingers to the ends of his scrub top and began tugging at it, letting him know it simply needed to go. "Baby, why are you home?"
He didn't answer her right away, instead his hands moved to the button of her jeans, and he wasted no time pulling them off of her and tossing them across the room.
"I needed to touch you, taste you, and feel you. Our daughter has made it impossible for me to touch you these past few days.After those texts you sent me, and that visual you painted of you in the shower, I had to take my lunch now because I'm starving." He mouth immediately latched onto her neck, and Liv moaned as she felt his teeth grazing her tilted her head to allow him better access, and immediately felt the moisture pooling between her thighs as he left a trail of frantic kisses down to her collarbone.
"W-What..should I.. .make... lunch?" she panted as he was making it damn near impossible for her to felt a twitch in his pants at the huskiness in her voice, and he could feel her chest heaving under his touch.
Fitz stepped back and admired his handiwork. He knew she'd be mad at him for leaving marks, but he couldn't help himself. Not wanting to waste any time, Fitz sat her down on the island and stepped between her parted thighs. Their mouths reconnected as her legs wrapped around his waist, and Liv moaned at the mix of pain and excitement of Fitz looping his fingers through her black laced panties, beforeripping them off of her body.
"I'm pretty sure you've already made my lunch baby" Fitz growled into her ear before gently pulling her lobe between his teeth.
She gasped as she felt his fingers gliding between her parted folds. He was going painfully slow, as he circled patterns around her aching nub.
"Fitz, we don't have... Ooooh" She gasped as she felt first one and then a second finger entered her slowly.
Fitz resumed kissing her neck as his free hand made quick work of her shirt and bra. Once he felt her body opening up further to accommodate the thickness of his fingers, he eased them out slightly, before thrusting them back in.
Fitz's mouth latched onto her hardened nipple, as his free hand paid attention to the other. The sensations of Fitz's hand and mouth on her were causing Liv's head to spin as she began grinding her hips against him.
"No baby, keeps those sexy legs spread for me." Fitz demanded as he felt her legs attempting to nudged them apart once again,before he begandriving his fingers even faster into her dripping core.
"Fitz... Oh... F-Fitz.. I... Oh yess!" She cried out as his free hand held her right thigh in place. Her hands began tugging at his hair and she forcefully brought his mouth to hers as Fitz twisted his fingers upwards, making sure to hit each one of her 's back arched when she felt his gently tug on her sensitive nippleas his thumb began working circles on her clit. Fitz moaned into her mouth as felt her fingers slid into his hair and pull at his curls tightly.
"Fitz, I .. I need, oh god baby... Don't stop!"
Fitz halted his movements causing a groan of frustration to escape her lips. When their eyes locked, and she could see the intensity of his hunger, her breath hitched. He withdrew his fingers from her core and held them up to her lips which she accepted with hooded eyes.
"You are so perfect.. So fucking sexy baby..Tell me what you want? What do you want me to do to you now?" Fitz asked as he thought back to the explicit texts she had sent earlier that morning.
"You like talking to me dirty, don't you baby? Tell me, tell me exactly what you want Livvie" he demanded as he lay her down across the counter and his mouth immediate latched on to the flesh of her inner thigh.
He was sucking hard on the spot just beside where she needed him most, as he thrust his fingers back inside of her drenched heat. She gasped at his unexpected move, and Fitz licked his lips as he felt a new wave of arousal, seeping from her body. Hewanted to create the right amount of pain and pleasure to give her exactly what he knew she craved.He was going to make sure this moment was etched into her memory for years to come.
"Fitz.." she cried out as she frantically tried to gather her thoughts. She bit her bottom lip, and gripped his hair, as it was becoming too much. She tugged on his hair causing him to obediently halt hisministrations.
Fitz looked over Liv's body and his pants were now uncomfortable as he took in her tousled hair, bee stung lips, and heaving chest, and he hadn't even really gotten started yet. "What. Do. You. Want?" he asked again as his thumb grazed her clit, causing her to gasp.
"Taste me Fitz. I want you to take your mouth and that long, thick tongue, and make me cum... So fucking hard." She demanded in a voice that almost made Fitz cum on the spot. His eyes locked on hers and she whimpered when she felt his fingers go still inside of her.
He looked up into her lustful eyesand mouthed "I love you" before lowering his head and placing one long lick between her folds. His fingers resumed at a slower pace, as his mouth began slowly feasting on her most sacred of areas. The feel of Liv's fingers tugging at his hair only seemed to get him more riled up.
Fitz needed to taste more of her. Her body was flowing like a fountain, but it wasn't enough. He quickly moved her legs onto his shoulders, then lifted her hips slightly as he thrust his tongue into her warm walls.
"Fuck!" Liv screamed out as Fitz's thumb began working on her sensitive nub, while his tongue was stroking her walls at a rapid pace.
Liv was climbing the walls as she felt the beginning of her climax stirring within. He pulled his head further into her as her hips grinded against him, her body craving this explosive release. Fitz was having trouble breathing as her legs locked around his neck but he didn't care. If this was how he would die, he would die a happy man. In one expert move, Fitz's fingers reentered her core, and hooked to hit her spot, just as his mouth closed over her clit. He sucked on the nub hard, causing her legs to shake violently, and a silent scream to escape her lips as her orgasm wrecked her from the inside, out.
When her body finally began to calm, Fitz slid his fingers from her warmth, and started in amazement at the juices that flowed freely out of her opening. He was in awe, and felt his dick twitch at the sight as he greedily lapped up every drop.
Liv's breath hitched as she saw Fitz's face emerge from between her legs, thoroughly drenched in her juices. Fitz began kissing his way up her body and growled when Liv's hands moved to release his erection from its restraints. He slipped his tongue between her slightly parted lips, and Liv felt herself needing him inside of her as she tasted herself on him. Unable to wait any longer, Liv reached down between them and lined him up with her core. "Now I want you to fuck me." She said, turning Fitz on even more in the moment.
In one thrust Fitz found himself fully sheathed inside of her soft pulsating walls. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and their lips began claiming each other hungrily as they moved together at a rapid pace.
"Deeper..." Liv moaned against his lips before sliding her tongue back into his mouth. Fitz quickly scooped Liv up and slammed her against the refrigerator before pounding into her at break neck speed. She wasn't sure how or when he did it, but Liv soon felt her legs hanging over the bends in Fitz's elbows which allowed him to go almost painfully deep.
"Don't... Stop... Don't you dare fucking stop." She hissed out as her nails began clawing at his chest.
"Cum for me Livvie. I can feel it. I know you want to. Make us cum together baby." Fitz demanded as his thumb made its way back to her clit. He felt her walls begin to clamp down and her body tense up as she came hard, and brought him over the edge with her.
Not wanting to drop her, Fitz slid their exhausted, sweat covered bodies, down to the floor. He placed tender kisses along her jaw until they were both able to calm her breathing evened out, sheclosed her eyes and rested her head against his chest.
"Lunch was incredible!" Fitz said cheekily at the sound of a sated Liv, sighing against his chest. He heard her whimper something sheepishly in response. They sat for a few moments in silence before she pulled back with a blush heating up her face.
"You know how I've been lately. I can't control myself. If anything it's your fault for being so sexy. When you're around and I can't have you because like you said, our daughter has made it her business to climb into our bed every night this week, I just miss you so much and go crazy. Plus, these hormones aren't doing anything to help the situation so really you should be blaming your offspring. Both of them."
"Hey now, don't you go blaming either of my girls for your baaadd behavior." His hands were instantly on her small hardened belly, loving the curve of her 16 week old stomach. It was his new favorite thing about her body, and she knew it.
"There could be a boy in there you know? My little mini Fitz with your gorgeous eyes."
"That does sound nice, but I know what I'm talking about Livvie, and this one here is Madison 2.0"
"You're such a dork" she threw her head back laughing. She closed her eyes and realized she couldn't be any happier than she was in this moment.
"Liv."
"Liv"
"Liv"
Olivia's head popped up in surprise, realizing she had dozed off. To her dismay, was still on the massage looked over and saw Abby who was getting dressed, shooting her a knowing look.
"How nice for sleeping beauty to finally awake from her dreams."
"Shut up Abby!" Liv spat jokingly as she threw a towel across the room at her.
"I think I can safely assume you were dreaming about Fitz? Because if not, then we're gonna have a talk about the moaning.For a hot second I thought it was from the masseuse."
"Oh god, you heard that?"
"Nope, but clearly you were moaning in your dream... Oh but you did mumble something that sounded like deeper. So Fitz is really putting in work huh? He must be to have you moaning like that in your sleep."
"Bite me Abby."
"Don't be so feisty. I'm just teasing you. Honestly you weren'tthat bad.You dozed off right as they were finishing up, and I just let you sleep. You were out five minutes, tops. They didn't even hear the moaning or anything."
She noticed the dullest twinkle in Olivia's eyes, and wondered what exactly her dream was about.
"Hey Liv"
Her head popped up and Abby saw the tears that the twinkle was gone, and tears now clouded her best friend's eyes.
"How about we head back to the can drink our wine and watch some really a soap operas... Or.. We could talk.." Liv thought for a moment and decided going back to their room would be perfect.
"Let's go" Liv said as she and Abby finished changing into their clothes and made their way upstairs.
It was barely three o'clock in the afternoon, but Abby knew the red wine was a necessity at the moment.Wanting her to relax, she filled the glasses nearly to the brim before handing Olivia the tall glass. With glasses in hand, Abby and Liv sank into the plush pillows on the bed, and turned on their sides to face each other.
Abby sat quietly, knowing Liv would speak when she was ready. She knew she was nervous about whatever was in her dream as she watched she watched Liv nervously toy with the stem as her eyes found the glass was suddenly very interesting in the moment.
"I was pregnant... In the dream, I mean."She whispered keeping her eyes trained on the wine glass.
"I had just come in from grocery shopping and it had been a crazy week. Madison I guess kept sneaking in our room every night for some reason, and we were both just so... horny"
"Of course you were" Abby added in with a playful roll of her eye. She was happy to see a small smirk form on Olivia's lips.
"Yea, so, Fitz had decided to come home on his lunch break. He walked in wearing his scrubs and I just..." Liv paused and clenched her legs tightly as just thinking about the dream had her aching for him to be inside of her."Well, basically we had some fun, A LOT of , well, then we just talked about the baby, ya know? He swore it was another girl. He called her Madison 2.0 and he refused to listen to my speculations that it was a boy" She quickly drained her glass of the wine before she burrowed into the pillow, and allowed the tears to fall. "I really had no clue I was pregnant, and I know the timing wasn't good, but I wish our baby was still here. I know Fitz is hurting too, no matter how okay he says he is, I feel like he isn't telling me the truth about it"
"Liv, he's not lying to you. We've talked,at the hospital, and he even called me a few days later. He's okay, Liv.. He's hurt, and he hates that this happened to the both of you, but he really is 's just been worried about you. He wasn't sure if he was being what you needed him to be, but I assured him that you just needed time to heal mentally and emotionally."
Olivia was shocked at the revelation as Fitz hadn't mentioned him speaking to Abby about the miscarriage. She simply nodded her head, appreciating the fact that Fitz was comfortable confiding in Abby, and that she had been receptive. Having the love of her life and her best friend be able to communicate on their own, made her feel like everything would truly be okay.
"I love him so much Abs, and now that Jake is gone, I feel like things are really starting to change for the better.We can finally start planning our future. I swear this is the first time in forever that I've not been scared of what's to come. I'm actually excited about what our future will bring."
"That's a good thing, right?"
"It's really good, it's great. I feel like I can move on now from everything. I can finally leave Jake in the past, and although I'll never forget our baby, wecan move forward and know that we will try for more in the future"
"Do you want to try right away, or do you guysjust happy practicing for now?" Abby noticed that Olivia wasn't crying anymore, and that she seemed to have needed to just let out a few tears in that moment.
"That's something we need to talk about a little more. We've talked before, but I do know that when we do have a baby, I really want to stay home until it's able to go to preschool, like I did with Madison. I don't want someone else raising our kids. Marriage will definitely come first."
"Well what are you waiting for then? We can be looking for gowns and my dress because you know, maid of honor must be on fleek."
"He has to ask me first Abby. And did you just say fleek?" she chuckled and swung the pillow that was in her lap at her, before bringing it back.
"Well, I'll just have to whisper in his ear to step on the gas. Neither of you are getting any younger"
"Oh shut up, don't you dare say a word to him Abby.I want him do this on his own. In his own time, and in his own way. I know we both want the same things, so I'm okay with waiting for him."
"Daaaaaa-dyyyy, can we go in that store over there?" Madison asked while swinging their arms back and forth. She loved when her tiny hand was tucked safely into her daddy's much larger one.
Fitz honestly had no clue how she'd convinced him to take her to the mall almost as soon as they'd finishedeating breakfast. All he knew was that while he was cleaning up their mess, Madison ran off to her room, and returned a few moments had dressed herself in an a pair of silver and black polka dot leggings, a sparkly red and orange polka dotted layered skirt, a pink and purple polka dot shirt, orange and white polka dotted socks, and her pink and blue sparkly sneakers.
'At least there's a theme this time' Fitz thought as he took in his daughter's unique ensemble. The next thing he knew, Mads was on his lap batting her tiny eyelashes as her does eyes stared into his, and her bottom lip poked out, just like her mother. When she finally asked him to take her to the big mall with the playground at the top, he knew he couldn't refuse. It was as if she knew he wouldn't say no to her.
"Fine, we can go. But daddy has to do your hair first."
Madison thought about it for a moment and wasn't entirely happy, but she eventually gave in. Fitz lifted her up in his arms, and the two of them made their way into the bathroom. He tried to remember the steps Liv had shown him, and everything seemed to be okay at first, that is until he hit a hidden tangle.
Madison flinched as the comb was stuck in her hair, and Fitz felt horrible for hurting her. He never wanted to hurt her. He remembered Liv saying something about detangler, and went into search of the spray. Once he found it, he sprayed a little on the tangle and was able to get it out.
He continued working on Madison's hair, and when he was finished, they both turned and looked into the mirror.
"Daddy..."
"Yea Mads?"
"I look like a powder poof! Mommy is gonna yell."
Fitz honestly thought he had done everything correctly, so he wasn't sure why Madison's curls had turned into a frizzy, curly, afro poof, with one straight patch in the back from the detangler. Knowing that he needed a little more practice, Fitz pulled out his phone and called the one person he knew could help. Within ten minutes of ending his call,Fitz was dressed and the two them made their way out of the home. Fitz placed Madison in the car and made sure she was secure before a pout could even appear on her face. After a 30 minute pit stop to his parents' house so his mom could fix Madison's hair, the two of them were on their way to the mall where they had spent the entire morning shopping."
"Which store Mads?
"The animal store daddy"
"Lead the way princess Maddie."
He felt her hand tighten against his as she took off towards the pet store, her tiny frame dragging his much larger one behind her. When they arrived at the pet store,they saw sixtiny puppies with big eyes, running around in a cage in the display window. He expected his little girl to stop and gawk at the small, yapping dogs, begging to take one home, and she did smile at them for a few seconds, but that wasn't what interested her.
An overly excited Madisontook off into the store with Fitz trailing her as she searched for what intrigued her most. He knew what she was looking for, and in the back of his mind, he prayed that the store didn't carry them. Madison had him wrapped around her little finger and he knew if she asked, he wouldn't be able to say no.
Madison suddenly stopped and crouched her little body down to look closely into squealed with delight as she saw it moving around, and looked up at Fitz with the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. He swallowed hard as he knew what was coming, and prayed that Liv wouldn't kill him for doing this.
"Daddy, can we get it? Pleeeeease"
With the entire morning, and a good portion of the afternoon gone, it was finally time to say goodbye to the mall, so Fitz could head home and change, before dropping Madison off with his mother before work. Whilethey were walking towards the mall's exit, flashing lights caught Fitz's attention. When he realized what store it was, he shifted the items that he was carrying, and focused his attention on the display case.
"Daddy where are we going?" Madison asked as she was thrilled with what they had gotten from the store.Leaving meant she could go and play with her new had made it very clear that they couldn't open anything until they were back at home, and she wanted to get there as quickly as possible. They were almost out the door, but now her daddy was stalling.
"Mads, I just need to make one quick stop. I want to look for a surprise for we'll go home okay?"
"A surprise? Like a secret gift?" Madison squealed as she loved having secrets with daddy that made mommy smile.
"Exactly like a secret gift. Can you keep it a secret and not tell mommy?" Madison nodded that she could, and smiled when Fitz bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
The moment they walked inside, the two of them were greeted by the sales clerk. Fitz politely declined the offer for help, saying he was content to look around himself. This was something he'd been meaning to do, but couldn't really find the time. He already had a picture in his mind of what he was looking for, and as he passed the third display, he finally found it.
"Wow daddy! Mommy is gonna like her surprise! I know where she'll put it!" Madison squealed as she took in the item Fitz was now studying.
"Oh really? You know where she'll put it?" Madison nodded her head. "Ok then whisper it in my ear." Madison did so and when Fitz nodded, she squealed again.
"This is it. This the one I want. I'm ready to check out." Fitz said as the salesman rushed over to assist him.
The man studied Fitz's face for a moment, wondering if this was what he wanted to purchase. He had after all only been in the store for no more than five minutes. As he decided his customer's mind was made up, the man rang up Fitz's purchase, and made sure he had all of the information and care instructions for the item. Fitz thanked the man kindly, and he and Madison were now set to head home.
Abby and Olivia sat at the outside bar,sipping on their mango mojitos. Olivia was on her second drink and with the way her body was swaying side to side in her chair, she was definitely feeling the music. Abby was still on her first drink while enjoying the breeze that was coming off the water.
"Hi"
Olivia and Abby turned towards where they heard the voice. They looked the men up and down, both clearly annoyed by their presence. They were tall, and they were handsome. One resembled Shemar Moore, looking like he stepped off of the cover of GQ.The other was handsome, and resembled Derek Jeter, but they could tell he was often overlooked as he stood by his friend. The taller one who Liv, in her mind had already dubbed "Shemar", kept his eyes locked onher. He wore a white linen shirt with khakis, but his friend was dressed a bit more casual in a pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt.
With his eyes still locked on Liv, he decided they should introduce themselves. "My name is Michael, and this is Elijah. Can we buy you beautiful ladies a drink?"
Liv looked to Abby, then back to the men before smiling politely. "Hello Michael, Elijah. I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to pass. Thank you for the offer though." Olivia responded politely.
"Well, are you ladies here with someone? I'm not seeing any jewelry on a particular finger" Elijah spoke up, licking his lips favorably. Liv just looked to Abby, signaling that she was letting her off of her leash.
"Just because you don't see it doesn't mean a commitment is not there. Don't let jewelry, or lack-there-of fool you. We would.."
Before Abby could finish her sentence, Liv's phone started to ring, bringing up a picture of Fitz and Madison.
"You guys okay up there?" Olivia spoke a little louder than necessary.
"Livvie? What are you talking about?"
"Is she giving you a hard time? Should I come back up?" Liv asked, hoping Fitz would catch on.
"Babe, are you creating a diversion?" Fitz said, finally catching on.
"You're right. She'll be fine. I'll see you two in a few minutes. Oh, I made sure to order that thing just for you, baby" Liv said, making sure to drop her voice a few octaves in the end.
"Wait" Abby spoke up. "Tell him to stop past the room and see what's taking David and the boys so long"
Olivia nodded and gave Fitz the message, while he sat silently on the other end of the phone.
"He said the boys were wrestling and David had to break them up. He is on his way down with them now."
Taking the hint, Elijah gave a slight nod to the two of them. "You ladies enjoy the rest of your stay" The two men walked away, and while Abby snickered, Olivia rolled her eyes at the two men already walking up to a new group of females.
"Mmmm, hi babe. I'm sorry about that."
"Hi know, I'm not surprised that guys are hitting on you down there. I'm just not sure how much I like it. Especially with you and Abby being there alone."
"Fitz baby we're fine, there are hundreds of people here, and nothing's going to happen to us. We are going to have one more drink, maybe go to the indoor Jacuzzi, order room service and go to bed. How are my two favorite people in the world? I miss you two."
"We miss you too, and we are doing great. Our girl had me up bright and early and convinced me to take her to the mall. Do NOT ask me how she did that, because I still have no clue myself, but it happened. So, we spent the morning shopping like only daddies and daughters can, and I just dropped her off at my parents' house."
"I thought you were on a different shift today?"
"I was able to switch with someone, so I'm heading in now and will be off at five."
"Then you're gonna crash. I know it'll be super early, but make sure you text me, so I at least know you made it back home in one piece. Are your parents gonna keep Mads so you can rest?"
"For the most part.Once I clock out, I'm heading to their place and I'll just crash with Madison there. I don't like us both being away from her for too long."
"Thank you babe, I agree. Are you at work yet? Can we facetime really quick before I call the mini shopaholic?"
"I'm just getting in babe, but if you really miss me, I can give you a five-thirty wake-up call and we can even have a little fun with it."
Olivia squeezed her thighs together at the sensual tone of his voice, and took a sip of her mojito. "Don't tease me like that Fitzgerald. Definitely not when I'm sitting here, all alone." she said breathlessly.
"Oh, full name huh? You must be feeling all kinds of naughty right now, huh?"
"If you only knew."
"Oh really? So, what are you wearing right now that has men gawking at you. I think I deserve a visual."
"Just a white sun dress. You know the one that ties around my neck."
"Hmmmm... What about underneath it?"
"I would so tell you right now. But, sadly I can't because you have to work, and don't have time to be inappropriate. So, I'm hanging up now. I love you, and I do expect that wake-up call." she managed to get out before ending the call.
Abby shook her head at Olivia and turned in her seat. She had never seen Liv so open or so happy with anyone. She was truly happy for her friend.
"So should I get a new room for the night to give you guys some privacy?" Abby asked as she knew how the two of them could be at any given time.
"No. And you don't get off that easy Red. You are not that quick on the fly when it comes to fake boyfriends, so spill. Who the hell is David?" Liv saw Abby blush at the mention of David's name and immediately knew she really liked him.
"He's just someone I've been seeing. I don't need you to make a big deal out of it okay? It's all so new." Abby said hoping Liv would change the subject.
"Well, I won't go crazy on you for keeping this a secret from me, but I need a few details Abs. Where did you meet? What does he do? Are things going well? How is he in bed?"
"He's related to one of the guys at the office. He's a therapist, and things are okay. Like I said, it's not a big deal right now. It's very new, so there's not much to tell, but when there is, you'll be the first to know." Abby said a little harsher than she intended.
"Well okay then, forget I asked" Olivia fired back, completely caught off guard by Abby's tone. Liv turned to her drink, and took a long sip, effectively draining her glass. She winced for a moment when she felt the brain freeze beginning.
"Liv, I'm sorry. David is a therapist that I found in our database and when I went to meet with him, there was just something about him.."
"Wait, why were you looking for a therapist? Is everything ok?"
Abby didn't speak right away but knew she had to finally explain things to her friend."Well Liv, you had a lot going on, a lot of with Jake and Maddie, and then with losing the baby, I was worried about you. I was afraid you were on the verge of a breakdown, and I wanted to find someone for you to talk to- professionally, as a precaution. I didn't want to wait until the last minute and regret not doing something sooner.So, I went searching for a doctor for you,but then I met with David. I felt horrible because we just hit it off right away, but I knew he would have been the best therapist for you. I made it clear to him that if you needed to see him, that we couldn't continue seeing each other.He was fine with it. Regardless, like I said, we're taking things really slow because I want him to be available if you feel therapy is something you may need."
Liv sat quietly for a moment, thinking over everything Abby had just said. She couldn't believe Abby would put off a chance if finding her own slice of happiness, just on the off chance she needed to speak to someone. She was truly blessed to have friend as amazing as Abby in her life.
"I appreciate you so much Abs. I can't thank you enough for being there for me and with me through everything that has happened.I will be honest with you. Things were bad, really tough for a while, but things are finally starting tolook up. I'm so happy and so very content right now. I know things were touch and go for a while, but I'm in a good place. Besides, I know that I have you and Fitz looking out for me. I know both of you would tell me when I do need help. For now, I want you to go get your happy and to know David more."
"Are you sure Liv?"
"I'm more than sure. Now, cut the slow crap, what's he like, really?
"This is crazy as hell Abby! If anything happens to me, you know Fitz is going to kill you right?" Liv yelled as she couldn't believe what Abby had gotten her into. "I can't hear you Liv, I'm having too much fun! Now stop being a baby and let's go!" Abby yelled as she was set to take off again.
Abby took off on the jet ski, laughing loudly as water droplets splashed her face.Her low ponytail was blowing against her back, and the feeling of speeding through the water was giving her such a rush. Their instructional course had ended just over ten minutes ago, and Abby had been itching to get out on the water ever since.
Olivia took a deep breath and looked around at the other people that were in the class of five.She was the only onewho wasn't out in the water, speeding around. She had always wanted to learn to jet ski, and now she was finally ready to test the waters.
Since getting pregnant nearly five years ago, Olivia hadn't done anything daring, or out of the ordinary. She wanted to start living life and embrace heryouth while she still had the chance. She knew she wasn't anywhere near beingher youthful college self anymore, but she wasn't even thirty.She had never done anything spontaneous or outside of her comfort level before, and she seriously wanted to change that.
She started off slow, following the same path their instructor had taken them on during the practice run. It felt calming, the wind blowing in her hair as shelooked out at the seemingly endless ocean.The only problem was that going at this speed, there wasapeacefulness to it which would be fine, but peaceful wasn't the objective of this activity. She found the peace that she was looking for yesterday with her massage and girl talk with , she was determined to have some fun instead, as she was satisfied with her heart being safe and content.
Taking a deep breath, Olivia increased the speed until her jet ski was racing, almost skipping through the water.The forceful winds were causing her hair to fly out behind her as she sped through the water. She heard Abby's voice from somewhere in the distance, cheering her on which made her go even faster. This was fun, exciting, exhilarating, and she began laughing and cheering hysterically as she felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
She wanted to go faster, but knew that this was fast enough, as she was still learning how to control the machine underneath her. In that moment she felt nothing but joy, and excitement, as with every turn she took and every wave she hit, a piece of her troubles began to slip away. She knew that everything she had gone through had to have been for a reason, and she wanted to live in those happy moments from now on. She made a vow to herself toscratch out the bad, and only take the good along with her. She wanted to embrace her future and what would lay ahead for herself, and for her family.
That night Abby and Olivia ordered room service, deciding to spend their final night inside since they would be flying back the following a long afternoon of jet ski and other water sports, they just wanted a quiet moment to much as Liv enjoyed her time of self-cleansing, she missed her baby girl terribly. Olivia looked at her watch and saw it was getting late.
She quickly sat her ipad atop of some pillows, and waited for the skype session to start.Shecouldn't wait to see her beautiful girl on the screen so she could hear about her day and say her goodnights. Her end connected, and seconds later, she saw Madison sitting on Mrs. Grant's lap, both of them squinting into the camera. She could tell the moment her face appeared on their end as theybothsmiledbrightly into the camera.
"Hi mommy!" Madison waved her hand frantically at the screen and smiled brightly while glancing back at her grandmother. "Grammie look! It's my mommy!"
"I know sweetheart. I think someone's happy to see you, as am I."
"Hi baby, I miss you! Hi Catherine. How has she been behaving? Thank you so much for keeping her for us."
"Nonsense Olivia, we are more than happy to have her anytime we can. Along with any other additional "little ones that may come along." Catherine smiled widely into the screen causing Liv's face to blush. Liv saw Catherine's face drop almost immediately, as she realized what she had said. She soon let out a sigh of relief as she saw Liv genuinely smiling in return.
"One day. Not this soon, but soon." Liv responded as she winked to assure Catherine that she was in fact okay. The women talked for a few moments before Abby threw a pillow at Liv, signaling she wanted to say hi to Madison as well.
"Maddie, look who else is here" Olivia spoke moving the ipad a little to the right so that Abby was now visible.
"Hi Auntie Abs!" Madison said, her voice somewhere between a squeal and a yawn.
"Hey Mads! How's my favorite girl?"
"Daddy took me shopping and he got me toys and a pretty new princess dress and new shoes and a princess crown and crayons and a coloring book, and games, and a puzzle and ummmm... Oh a baby doll and play food for my kitchen and a tea party set and daddy said he's gonna play dress up and drink tea mommy!" Madison squealed.
"Wow sweetie! Sounds like you had fun with daddy."
"Yea Mads, your daddy sounds pretty awesome. Can he buy me stuff too"" Abby asked as she saw how Madison was beaming on the other end. She was so excited to see Liv, she had forgotten all about the purchase at the pet store and Fitz's surprise for Liv.
"No Auntie! He's my daddy!" Madison said as she folded her arms and stuck out her bottom lip. Liv and Abby couldn't help but laugh at Madison who was far from pleased with the idea of sharing her daddy with anyone but Liv. Sometimes even that was a stretch.
They all sat and talked for a little while longer, until Liv and Madison let out a yawn at the exact same time.
"Ok Maddie, I want you to keep being good for Grammie, and mommy and Auntie will see you very soon, okay? I love you"
"Okay mommy. I love you too." Madison said softly as she began rubbing her eyes and rested her head against Catherine's chest. Liv thanked Catherine again before saying good night and ending their call.
Liv sat the Ipad on the bedside table and turned to look at Abby who was flipping through the channels, a certain look on her face.
"What is it?" Liv asked.
"What do you mean, I'm fine."
"Be real with me Abs"
Abby dropped the remote beside her before turning to face Olivia on the bed. Although there were two doubles in the room, they realized they usually ended up on one bed together until it was time to go to sleep.
"It's gonna seem really fucking stupid, and childish, but I just really miss my little side kick ya know? Trust me, I'm completely happy for you three and I've always wanted a dad like Fitz for her just like you have, but I can't lie and say I don't miss having her around all the time. Just gotta get used to it"
"Oh, best friend" Olivia smiled and launched herself towards Abby, wrapping her hands around her neck from the side and smooshing kisses to her cheek while the red head protested.
"Alright, quit it you weirdo. I said I was fine, you don't need to kiss on me" She said successfully unclamping Olivia's arms from her neck.
"I know Madison misses her Auntie like crazy."
"Yea, but she's soaking up having a daddy now and I get that"
"Well regardless, she still needs her Auntie around just like I do, and you know if you want her, she's yours. Seriously, when you want to see her, see her. Pick her up from school, have a sleepover, you know that Abs. You're mom number two, and it's allowed."
"Yea, but there's also a boundary and new respect now because it's just not up to you anymore when it comes to Madison"
"You're right" Olivia nodded in agreement. "I'll admit it took a while, but I'm kinda used to running things by Fitz now where Madison is concerned. It was strange before, but it's just normal now. So yes, I might say "let me talk to Fitz about it first" but you know the deal. Since day one she's been…"
"My baby from another lady" they both said in unison before laughing. They'd come up with the saying years back and it never failed to lighten the mood, even with its deep meaning.
"Alright, pick a movie so we can fall asleep. We are getting up early to go into town to shop before a late lunch then we gotta head to the airport. The last cab leaves at four, so we have to be packed and ready by then."
Olivia nodded before picking up the remote and flipping through the movies until they settled on one and after a while drifted off.
The vibration under Olivia brought her to a more conscious state, but it wasn't until she noticed the LED light of her iphone that she realized she was getting a phone call. Digging the phone out from its half-lodged spot under her, she pressed the green icon on the screen and pushed the phone between her cheek and the pillow as she settled back into the comfortable bed.
"Livvie? I know it's early baby, but you insisted that I call"
"Mmhhmm" was her only reply.
"I'm just leaving the hospital and about to drive to my parents' house. Why don't you call me when you wake up baby"
"No I'm up, I swear." Olivia rolled off the bed, bringing the phone with her. She slid the balcony door open just a tad before slipping through it and closing it back. She sat in the padded chair and looked out on the breathtaking view.
"The view is beautiful here Fitz"
"I'm sure it pales in comparison to you… Did you guys have a long day?"
"We definitely did. We went jet skiing and had so much fun. I was timid at first but being out there, just out in the open and free, I felt like I belonged in the water and took full advantage of the open waters. I honestly just felt so alive and in control of everything."
Fitz listened as she continued to explain her day and heard the life back in her voice. He gripped the steering wheel doing his best to fight the tears he felt welling up in his eyes. He would give anything to be there holding her, relishing in the significant step she had undoubtedly taken forward. He was over the moon for her.
"You should've seen me babe, my instructor even said I killed it."
"I'm so proud of you Livvie. I can tell this trip is exactly what you needed."
"You can really tell that?"
"You sound different, Livvie"
"Different? In what way exactly?"
"You sound happy and content. And you have always been perfect to me Livvie, but I can tell there's a weight that's been lifted, and I'm so glad to hear the change in your voice."
"I do feel very happy and content. And I miss you like crazy and can't wait to be home with you"
"I'm so ready to have you home with us too. It's not the same without mommy being home."
"How's the little lady been treating you? Good I hope?"
"She's been amazing" he chuckled. "She's such a fireball and reminds me so much of you and Abby put together."
"I can definitely believe that. How's her hair? Is she letting you fix it?"
"Well I tried to, I mean I really tried, and even used that detangler stuff, but she told me, and I quote, "daddy, mommy's gonna yell""
Olivia laughed loudly on the other end, just picturing her little girl speak those words in hope of scaring her father.
"She's a mess, don't let her talk you into too much, she's conniving and has her Auntie to thank for that. So what did her hair end up looking like?"
"A curly afro until I took her to moms and had her fix it" he confessed knowing that it would come out sooner or later.
"You're too much baby. Now tell me about the rest of your day, I wanna hear it all."
Fitz talked for a while about the many patients that he had seen throughout the night and well into the wee hours of the morning. There was always a story to tell, and he knew Olivia enjoyed hearing the craziness of the job. He told her about his new supervisor being out for the week and Cyrus covering the ER which made it easier on him to get out early if things were going smoothly. Fitz was ready to crash and was glad that she had picked up the phone. The near thirty minute drive to his parents' house always seemed extra=long from work and she was the best company to keep him alert.
"What do you guys have planned for today Livvie?" he asked when he noticed she had gotten particularly quiet and hadn't responded in a few minutes.
"Livvie? Did you hear me? Are you sleep baby? Should I let you go?"
"Uh-uhnnn" she responded.
"Livvie, I don't want to keep you up, when it's obvious you're tired. Aren't you tired baby?"
"Mmhmmm" she agreed.
"So let me call you later on okay?" he reasoned, unlocking the car and sliding in.
"Uh-uhnn. I don't care how sleepy I am, talk to me Fitzgerald."
He chuckled hearing her voice become thick with sleep and imagined the annoyed look on her face from being forced to speak in a complete sentence.
"Alright, you win love. So last night I was able to get a twenty minute nap in at around midnight. Twenty minutes doesn't seem like much, but trust me, it was everything"
"Mmmm" She breathed deeply and responded.
Fitz pulled off the interstate and turned down the road that would lead him to his parents' house in just a couple of miles.
"Hey Livvie, I love you"
"Mmhmm"
"I can't wait to see your beautiful face.
"Mmhmm"
"I can't wait to kiss those sweet lips the second I see you."
"Mmhmm"
"And I mostly can't wait to bury myself so deep in that sweet pussy of yours.
Fitz heard the second her breathing sped up and knew she had finally opened her eyes.
"I want to be buried so deep inside of you Livvie, I can feel it. Can you imagine it baby?"
His deep voice and words made Olivia squeeze her thighs together, hoping to calm the aching that started to stir.
"Fitz.."
"Are you getting wet for me baby? Sowet just how I like it. You're preparing that sweet pussy for me to taste aren't you?"
"Yes….it's been so long" Her voice was hushed, partially because she hadn't been expecting those words from him, and because she could feel her body responding to him in a way neither of them had allowed it to in weeks since their loss.
"It has been so long and I miss you like you wouldn't believe baby."
"I've missed you too" She sat up straighter in the chair and re-crossed her legs, becoming more alert with the turn in the conversation.
"When you're ready baby…."
"I am ready"
They were both quiet on their ends, breathing in sync with each other and imaging the sweet reunion that would take place tomorrow evening when she finally made it home.
"I love you. You go back to sleep and I will talk to you before you guys leave, okay? I don't go in until Monday, so I'll be waiting for you to get home baby."
She nodded her head, forgetting that he couldn't actually see her, and cleared her throat before responding. "I can't wait to see you. I love you."
Fitz placed his hand on the bedroom door knob and began to turn as quietly as he could. Because this particular door creaked, he took his time and slowly inched it open, hoping to not wake a sleeping Madison.
Just a little further...
One more push...
Fitz breathed a sigh of relief as he had managed to open the bedroom door, without making a sound. His strategy for getting to sleep as soon as possible had all been figured out. He would just creep to the bed and slip in since he had changed before coming upstairs. If Madison had had a restless night, which normally caused her body to be sprawled out across the bed, he'd just sleep on the floor if he had to. Either way, Fitz just needed rest, even if it was only for a few hours. Feeling confident in his strategy, Fitz took a step into the room and froze.
"Daddy you're home!"
Fitz's head snapped towards the bed where he saw a tiny Madison who was wide awake, playing with her dolls.
"Hey baby girl, how was your night? Were you a good girl while daddy was working?" Fitz asked as he walked over to the bed and scooped an excited Madison up into his arms. He peppered kisses all over her face, causing her to squeal. When she quieted down, she threw her arms around Fitz's neck, and kissed his cheek and nuzzled into his neck for a just a second as he held her tightly in his arms. It only took a second before her head popped back up, and she began to tell him everything that was on her mind.
"I was a good girl Daddy! Grammie took me to the park and then we got ice cream and we sawed a puppy Daddy! She was a CUTE puppy and her name was Skittles and Poppy played airplane with me and I was the airplane and I got to talk to mommy and I watched All Dogs Go To Heaven and is it true Daddy, do all of the dogs go to heaven? And then..Ummm.. Oh yea... I made brownies with Grammie and Poppy let me help make pizza and it was yummy and we played with puzzles and Poppy read me a book and we played little mermaid when Grammie washed my hair and I got to be Ariel and then Grammie told me a story and I went to sleep and I woked up and I sawed you daddy!"
"Wow, it sounds like you had a really fun time with Grammie and Poppy." Fitz said as his head was now spinning from taking in Madison's overly animated recounting of yesterday's events. He didn't know there was that much time in one day to do all of those things.
"I did! Can you play dolls with me daddy?" Madison asked hopefully as she pointed to the collection of dolls spread out across the bed. Fitz took in the assortment of dolls and sighed. He had no clue where the dolls even came from.
"I'll tell you what. Daddy had a really long night at work, and before I can play dolls, I need a little bit of sleep. So, what if I get you a quick snack and put on Frozen while daddy takes a little nap, and then we can play dolls all day long if you want."
"Frozen? Yay!" Madison squealed as she began bouncing on his lap. Fitz knew she had seen the movie at least 50 times, but Madison was still just as excited as she was the first time around.
Needing to get this done as quickly as possible, Fitz kissed Madison's forehead and set her down on her feet. He took her little hand in his, and the two of them made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. Fitz knew that his parents had a special cupboard with foods that were specifically for Madison. The moment he told his parents about her peanut allergy, his mother immediately began clearing a cabinet where only "Madison safe" foods would be placed.
When Fitz opened Madison's special cabinet, he was shocked to see a box of Pop Tarts inside. He knew there were certain ones that contained peanuts, but as he read the ingredients on the side of the "sugar cookie" flavored treats, he was relieved to see there were no traces of peanuts. Feeling like he had gotten off easy, Fitz grabbed a pack out of the box and moved to place them in the toaster.
"I don't want it hot daddy! I like them cold!" Madison began to whine causing Fitz to pause just before dropping them inside.
"Even better" Fitz thought to himself as he turned and grabbed a plate to put the treats on. He went and pulled out Madison's sippy cup, and made her some strawberry milk. Once he placed the spill-proof top on the cup, Fitz smiled knowing sleep was just within his reach.
The two of them made their way into the living room, and Fitz made sure Madison was set up in her miniature recliner. When she was all set, he laid down as he was ready to press play, but frowned when a pouting Madison walked over and stood before him.
"What's wrong Mads?" Fitz asked not understanding what could be bothering her at the moment.
"Daddy, it's movie time. I always sit on your lap for movie time." Madison pouted as she folded her tiny arms. Knowing she was right and it was the only way she'd remain quiet long enough for him to nap, Fitz stood up and moved to the big recliner, and pulled Madison into his lap, and wrapped them both in an afghan that was draped over the chair.
Once they were comfortable, and Madison had her snack and cup on her lap, Fitz reclined the chair and pressed play.
The movie had barely begun and Madison was trying to figure out what they were using to pull the ice out of the water. She had never seen anything like it before, but she figured her daddy of all people would know.
"Daddy what's that thing holding the ice?"
"Daddy?"
Much to her dismay, Madison turned and saw Fitz's eyes were closed. To her, this was not acceptable. Daddies are supposed to watch movies when a movie is on! Unhappy that her daddy wasn't paying attention, Madison turned her tiny body in his arms, and wiggled her way up his chest. She placed her tiny fingers on his eyelid, and lifted it as far as she could.
"Daddy!" She squealed causing Fitz's eyes to shoot open.
"What is it Maddie?"
"You have to watch the movie!"
"I'm sorry baby, Daddy is trying. I'm watching, see?"
Madison studied Fitz's eyes for a moment, and when she was happy that he was in fact watching the movie, she wiggled her body back down into his arms and continued watching the film. By now the movie had moved on, and Madison had completely forgotten about her original question.
So far everything had been going well. Madison was finally at her favorite part of the movie where Elsa had fled the kingdom. She watched the queen trudge through the snow and became excited Elsa began to sing her favorite song.
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation,
And it looks like I'm the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know!
"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"
Madison jumped as Fitz suddenly began snoring so loudly, she could no longer hear the lyrics to the song. With an exasperated sigh, she climbed back up Fitz's frame and pinched his nose between her fingers. It took a few moments, but soon Fitz was once again startled awake.
"What? What happened? I'm watching Mads, see?" Fitz said in a panicked voice as he slowly came to.
"No daddy! You are sleeping loud and I can't hear Elsa!"
"I'm sorry baby girl. Daddy will be quiet. Ok? I promise."
"Hmph."
Madison wiggled her way back down Fitz's body, and was able to finish the rest of her movie without any more interruptions. Since she wasn't able to hear the full song before, Madison was excited when the movie transitioned into two editions of Let It Go, which was part of dvd extras. When both versions were over, Madison pouted as the dvd had gone back to the menu. Since the remote was too far away for her to press play again, Madison decided it was time to wake up her daddy for good.
Once again, Madison turned in Fitz's arms and climbed her way up his body. She was about to wake him up again, but noticed the curl that was dangling over his forehead. Her tiny fingers reached up and pulled slightly on the curl, and Madison giggled quietly as she released it, and it bounced slightly before resting over his forehead once again. Finding this amusing, Madison continued tugging and releasing the curl for quite a while, until she began to feel sleepy. Not wanting to let go of the curl just yet, Madison wrapped it around her finger, before resting her head on Fitz's shoulder, and drifting off to sleep.
Olivia turned and waved goodbye to Abby once she had the front door opened and watched her car drive off before she went inside and locked the door behind her. Their flight had a delay that was over an hour and a half long, and Olivia was ready to enjoy the comfort of her own home. She'd called Fitz from the airport to let him know they were on the way, and while on the phone she said her goodnights to Madison, promising to come give her kisses once she arrived home.
Olivia walked through their home, noticing things- mostly toys- that hadn't been there when she'd left just days ago and smiled thinking of all the things Fitz and Madison were able to experience together. She was about to pass through the living room in search of Fitz in the back of the house when a trail of red roses caught her attention and redirected her steps towards the back door. Letting go of the handle of her rolling suitcase, Olivia followed the path until she was at the door, and opened it to reveal not only more rose petals but candles lining the walkway that led to the outside furniture which was now set up. She stood in place speechless for a couple of seconds, unable to really comprehend how Fitz got their backyard furniture set up so quickly, without her knowledge of it even being shipped to their home.
Snapping out of her haze, Olivia made her way to where the path ended and it was then that she noticed the candles and rose petals on the table with two medium sized dessert containers. She stepped closer to read the labels and couldn't believe that Fitz managed to get her favorite dessert from Café Tiramisu in Raleigh. She went to peek inside one of the boxed when his deep, baritone voice sent shivers down her spine.
"Livvie"
She turned to see him walking towards her, and moved quickly towards him before launching herself into his open arms. He lifted her up, his hands going under the curve of her ass while her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Olivia's arms were wound tightly around his neck and her face was immediately nuzzled in his neck. When Fitz felt her warm breath and fresh tears on his skin, he brought one hand up and rubbed soothing circles on her back before he used his hand to pull her away from him.
"Baby why are you crying?" he asked bringing his hand to her cheeks and brushing the tears away.
"I'm just so happy to see you"
Olivia wasted no time pressing her lips into his for quick, soft kisses. Fitz kept up with her, understanding the melody she had started for them. Before she tasted him, she simply wanted to remember the feeling of him first. Her very slightly parted lips against his at every angle, nipping at the corner of his mouth, and him feeling her much fuller lips pressed against his thinner ones. Fitz was always the one to start their next step, but this time it was Olivia's tongue that ran across his lips, begging for entrance. She didn't have to beg for long as Fitz was just as eager to taste her.
His mouth tasted like heaven to her. She let her tongue move about his mouth with slow and precise exploration, nipping at his lips, not caring when their teeth clashed or noses bumped. In fact, she preferred it.
Fitz blindly took steps back and to the right until the back of his legs hit the swing and he reached a hand out behind him to steady it before dropping onto the wooden furniture. It was during their fourth "air break" that Olivia and Fitz knocked foreheads together and stayed that way for several minutes. Olivia's tears had resurfaced and her hands made their way to his face as she smiled through her tears.
"You've changed my world so much Fitz. I had believed for so long that I would be going through this vicious cycle of dealing with Jake and protecting Maddie, but you changed all of that for me. For us. You were patient, and accepting, and loving and gentle and I can't imagine sharing my heart with anyone else but you. Thank you so much for waiting for us Fitz. You're everything to us"
Fitz didn't waste time kissing her. He was overcome with emotion and knew just how much they were connected when she practically took the words out of his mouth. Bringing his lips to hers a final time, he leaned back and looked into her eyes, holding her gaze.
Olivia could feel the tingles in her stomach, wondering what was on the tip of his tongue. He always had a way with words, saying exactly what she needed to hear and words that made her bless their creator for sculpting this perfect man and allowing him to somehow be hers.
"Hey Livvie" his voice was hushed, almost secretive.
"Yea?" she responded back with a smile, matching his tone.
"Marry Me"
"Okay"
The whisper in her voice accompanied tears falling freely down her face, hitting her trembling lips that were seeking out his. Kissing her, Fitz could feel her lips part as soft, happy sobs shook through her and she held on to his sides tighter, still straddling his waste.
"Yes….. Yes…. Yes, I'll marry you." She spoke between the kisses her pressed to her lips.
"Right here at our home like I promised you"
He pulled the small velvet box from his pocket and she smiled at the beautiful ring inside before it was slipped on her finger. She kissed him hard, using his shoulders as leverage to lift herself against his chest while his hands touched every part of her ass through her pants. When she finally pulled away from his grasp, she read in his eyes exactly what she was feeling and licked her lips before lifting herself from his lap.
"Can you bring this to our room and meet me there in five minutes?"
"What are you about to do, I thought we could have dessert and celebrate."
"Oh we are going to celebrate baby, and I want to only be wearing this." She smiled coyly holding up her left hand. "Let me kiss my baby goodnight, and I expect you naked and waiting for me when I'm done."
"Yes ma'am" he stood up and walked towards her, needing one last kiss before letting her leave his sight.
She had just put one foot in the door when she suddenly stopped and turned around, crossing her arms and leaned against the door frame.
"I was gone three days and you buy her a turtle?"
The look on his face wasn't even one of guilt. She watched his blank stare change to a look of pure cockiness, knowing there was a part of her that was completely turned on by his willingness to move mountains for his girls.
"What can I say, whatever my girls want, my girls get" he winked at her and she laughed before shaking her head.
"I hope you mean that, because there is a lot I want from you Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, and I plan to collect."
What do you think? Please leave a review and tell me your thoughts!
