Olivia was so preoccupied that she didn't check the incoming number when she answered the phone.
"Please hold for..."
"Oh no," she cringed as she understood what had just happened.
The sound of rustling paper filled her ears before someone else spoke.
"Olivia. Hey," the man said.
"I'm waiting to hear what this is about."
"I have some papers in front of me," the man continued, "some very important papers."
"Nothing would be on your desk if it wasn't," the fixer remarked, "we're both extremely busy, Fitz. So hurry up and tell me what this is about."
"Divorce papers. I had two copies made and served one of them to Mellie."
"You had two copies made so that you could pretend she served them to you if she delayed signing them," Olivia thought aloud, "you always were a manipulative son of a-"
"Despite our past history, Miss Pope, you will treat me with the respect my office accords me."
"Very well, Mr. President," the woman sighed, "why did you call me?"
"Because I think they're sub-standard. Some clauses are a bit ambiguous. Some language could be framed better. Despite my differences with Mellie, I'd like us both to get a good deal out of this."
"And you want me to...?"
"I want you to take a look at my copies."
Olivia took deep breath and talked herself out of saying what had originally come to mind. She couldn't admit to being on Mellie's side. Taking the papers from Fitz would be a conflict of interest. Not taking them would be an admission of...well...
It was the oldest trick in the book. Client-fishing. Information-fishing. Surveillance by remote questioning. As obvious as a crater on the moon.
Fitz was the dumb one. Sure, he went to Yale. But Mellie had always been smarter. So had Olivia, Cyrus...perhaps even Abby. And he was feeling threatened by his soon-to-be ex wife. So threatened that he-
"You're asking your ex-mistress to spruce up your divorce papers? What kind of man does that?"
"One who only sleeps with geniuses."
"I'm going to hang up now, Fitz. And I'm going to change my number. And when you eventually find out what my new number is, do NOT call me."