Chapter Twenty

It was already night when Fitz walked into their room. Their room. Funny, how he still thought of it as their room.

"We gotta talk"

"I've already told what I want" Mellie was seating in the couch with a glass of bourbon in her hand.

"I know" said Fitz as he stand in front of her.

"So what do you want?" she asked as he sat down in the couch in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Mellie. I'm sorry for blaming you. It was not your fault. It is not your fault. I'm sorry, Mellie. I'm sorry for what my father did to you"

"You don't have to apologize. It was him. Not you" said Mellie was she got up from her seat.

"Does he make you happy?" he said just when she was about to open the door.

"What?" she asked as she turned around to face him.

"Are you happy with Andrew?"

Mellie didn't say word but the smile on her face was the answer he needed.

"You're in love with him" he didn't need to hear her voice to know. He could see it in her eyes. They had a special kind of shine every time Andrew's name come up in a conversation. They had a special kind of smile every time she was around him. It was the same the special kind of shine and the same special kinda of smile she once had for him. They had been happy once. He had chosen to believe that. That one day they had actually been two happy people who were madly in love with one another. But now they stood on different sides of the road. In love with someone else.

"Yeah" the smile never left her lips.

He couldn't help but smile at her "I just ask for one thing…"

"I'm not taking your children away from you. Yes, Teddy will live with me but you can see him anytime you want. All you have to do is say when. And, when it comes to Karen… she's a teenager. She's still trying to process everything. Give her some time. You're still her dad."

"Take care of the divorce papers. And I'll handle the speech. I'll give it to you once it's ready. And don't worry. I know you have political ambitions. You always had. Once you decide to run you'll have my full support" he said as he got up from his seat "You deserve to be happy, Mellie" he put his hands on her face before kissing her in the forehead.

Mellie stood in the same place after Fitz left the room. She couldn't believe it what she had just heard. She took a deep breathe. Things had been easier than she thought. She looked for her phone. She couldn't wait to tell him the good news. She smiled the moment she heard his voice.

He didn't bother to knock on her door. He knew if he said it was him she'd tell him to have a meeting with her in the next morning. She was so focused in her own world she didn't hear the door open.

"Hi" she looked up at the sound of Fitz' voice

"Yes.." she stared at him hoping that he'd tell why he was standing in her office so late at night.

"Mellie and I are divorcing" he said as he sat in the couch in her office.

"Nothing new there" she said with a sarcastic tone.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I know you. I should have known that you'd come to see me. You wouldn't shut up until we Skyped! I know you care about me. And I know how much you love your aunt. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry, honey" he was staring right at her.

"Your luck is that I can't stay mad at you for too long. And two days is too long" she smiled "Apologies accepted. And … I'm sorry for what I said about Liv"

"Have you talked to her?"

"Yeah, we are okay" she got up from her seat and sat next to him in the couch. Right after she sat he put an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him before kissing her head.

"I want to ask you something"

"What is it?"

"With the divorce Mellie will no longer be First Lady"

"Yeah…"

"Would you like to step into Mellie's role?"

"Are you asking me to be your First Lady?!" she asked as she jumped from his embrace.

"Temporary. While I don't get things right with Olivia"

"But why me?" she was caught of surprised with his request.

"It can't be Karen. She's too young!"

"Can I think about it?"

His smiled was the answer she needed. She curled up against his chest. And he kissed her head. She had missed this. The closeness she had always had with her uncle. She closed eyes her and enjoyed the moment. This storm had passed but another was about to begin.