I think this is what a lot of you have been waiting for. As always, thank you all so much. Enjoy
P.S. Stay safe, stay home. Wear a mask if must go out. It WILL save lives.
TBOT
Ford's mouth dropped open in shock, and he turned white as a sheet when he walked in and saw his brother and Olivia Pope sitting on the sofa in his father's home office. He knew she and his brother had attended his grandfather's birthday weekend together but he wasn't sure how serious they were. Until now.
He'd also seen the pictures and had heard his mother's fawning over her granddaughter, his niece. His brother had taken a leave of absence and was currently living in Grant corporate housing in D.C., presumably to be close to the child. Now, looking at the two of them, it was obvious where the relationship stood. Was that Gran's ring? Were they now engaged to be married? When? How?
He ignored Fitz's offer to have a seat and stood near their father's desk.
"It's too bad this family gathering couldn't be for a joyous occasion instead of the sickness and madness which has been allowed to run rampant for a long time," Fitz said. He cut to the chase. "Why didn't you tell me Olivia was looking for me five years ago?"
"What the..?"
"You heard me! Tell me dammit! What sick plan could have made you keep that information from me?" Fitz spat.
"Fitzgerald." Christine called his name, but he wasn't listening.
"Is this true? Did you do what Fiz, Olivia and his assistant say you did?" JR asked. "Tell me you didn't, Ford. And you blackmailed another employee? Have you lost your mind?"
He shrugged. "I did what had to be done, and if Fitz had any sense, he'd be thanking me."
Christine and Olivia both gasped loudly, shocked at Ford's words and his cavalier attitude.
"We're talking about my child!" Fitz's voice roared, loud enough to get a genuine reaction from his brother. "You don't get to decide shit like that for me. It's unforgivable, Ford. Completely."
He glared at his brother to make sure he understood what he was saying.
"Fitz, please," he began, his palms turned up in supplication. "You've got to understand that I did what I thought was best for you, me and GNA. We were going to change the developer world. We were doing new and innovative things, developing and building new projects around the world and making more money than we knew what to do with."
"We?! Those were your plans and dreams, and that was the life you wanted. You lied and manipulated so that I'd continue to do your bidding. You were so intent on your plans for us that you lied to the woman I love to keep us apart. I missed the first four years of my daughter's life because of you."
"When she first contacted me, I didn't know she was trying to find you because she was pregnant with your child."
"Does that somehow excuse what you did? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Fitz asked coldly.
"You did it, didn't you?" The words were filled with unbearable anguish. JR's voice broke. "You intentionally set out to hurt your brother and Olivia, and our beautiful granddaughter, who wondered if her father wanted her or loved her." JR's voice caught after saying that last part. It hurt him to think that his grandbaby may have been hurting because of his son's selfishness.
Ford looked at his mother, who was now shaking her head and crying silent tears.
JR and Christine silently shook their heads, both of their faces pale as the magnitude of what their youngest son had done, finally sank in. "I can't believe you did this," JR said, resignation in his voice.
Fitz nodded. It was too far, even for Ford. After everything his brother had done, Fitz wasn't certain he'd ever be able to forgive him. And honestly, if he didn't have a front row seat to this crazy show, he never would've believed Ford was capable of deception of this magnitude.
Olivia, JR and Christine remained silent as Fitz confronted his brother.
"Why, Ford?" Fitz was surprised at his own lack of emotion. It was as if something wouldn't permit him to feel anger. He hadn't wanted to believe Diego or Zana, or even Olivia, but he knew it was all true.
"She was going to take you away from GNA," Ford said. "We worked so hard to move the company in a new direction and when you met her, you wanted to walk away from it all."
"Olivia had nothing to do with me thinking about leaving GNA," Fitz responded.
"I knew you loved her, hell was in love with her. All anyone had to do was look at the two of you together. I knew." He glared at Olivia. "It was so nice with her gone. You were in Asia, and as usual, on top of your game, doing what you do best, without any distractions. But then she came back. I knew when you found out about the child, I would lose you, and so would GNA. I was right."
"You don't know a damn thing about Olivia." He glared at his brother. "You've cost me so much and you're still not done." Fitz shook his head, realizing how naïve he'd been all these years.
Olivia reached out and squeezed Fitz's hand which was clenched into a fist. She turned to look at Ford in disgust. "So you were okay with me believing that Fitz didn't want me or our baby? You were so hell bent on keeping us apart that you denied our daughter, your niece, her father."
Ford's casual rationalization had pulled Olivia out of her stunned trance. "You lied to me, Ford. You lied to me about the one thing that mattered most to me at the time, Fitz. And I was stupid enough to believe those lies because I was insecure, and because I trusted you to do the right thing. Even though I knew I wasn't your favorite person, I thought you loved your brother more than you hated me. It never crossed my mind that you would be this cruel and selfish. I was wrong." Her voice was cold.
"When you told me that you would make sure that Fitz knew I needed to speak with him, I believed you. Why wouldn't I? What a fool I was. I sent you that package thinking that you would get it to him, never believing that you would not only open it, but you would respond with words so hurtful, I hated Fitz for them. I now know that's exactly what you wanted. He's seen it by the way, and he said he didn't write it. We both know who did, though."
She looked at Fitz who'd stood and was now pacing, before turning back to Ford who stood near his father's desk.
"But your little plan backfired, didn't it? In the end, all you did was bring us closer together. I should hate you but I can't, because I don't want to end up with hate poisoning me the way it's poisoned you." Even though she wanted to hate the man for what he'd done to her and Fitz, she couldn't.
Fitz shook his head. "None of this makes sense, Ford."
Ford stepped closer to his brother. "Don't you see? I had to do something. You were willing to give it all up for a nice piece of as…"
The blow to his mouth was hard and fast, spinning Ford around. The second blow to his stomach was powerful enough to send him stumbling backward, landing on his butt. He lifted his arm as he tried to protect himself from the next anticipated blow. It came swiftly. Pulling him up from the floor by the collar of his shirt, Fitz threw him against the wall and began pounding him relentlessly. Ford's attempts to protect himself were feeble at best He was outmatched, and it was obvious that Fitz was on a deadly mission. The other occupants of the room stood, horrified and in shock.
JR Grant sprang into action to try and pull Fitz off his brother. Once he got them apart, Ford fell to the floor like a limp, rag doll.
JR struggled hard to keep Fitz restrained as he tried to break free. His face was contorted with rage as he yelled an expletive at his barely conscious brother on the floor. His mother was now bent over her youngest son trying to help him sit up.
"You say her name again and I will kill you. No man is going to get in my face and call her a 'nice piece' of anything, and that includes you. Don't say her name, don't even look at her. Do you hear me, Ford?"
Fitz's breathing was erratic. His body was drenched in sweat. He was a man out of control.
Olivia had never seen him like this and it frightened her. She didn't know what to do. JR had somewhat calmed him down but he was still trying to get to his brother.
When it appeared that Fitz was calm, JR walked over to Ford, who sat groaning in pain.
He offered his hand to Ford, helped him up from the floor and into one of the chairs in the room. Christine left the room for a few brief moment and then returned. There was knock on the door a few minutes later. Christine answered, and Georgia handed her a tray. When she set it down on the coffee table, Olivia saw the icepacks and wet cloths.
Olivia reached over and grabbed one of the cloths and took Fitz's hand, and wiped the dried blood away from his knuckles, then gently kissed his knuckles. Christine waited until Olivia finished. She smiled sadly at her future daughter-in-love, and then handed an icepack to Fitz for his hand. Ford had used one of the cloths to wipe the blood away from his mouth and tossed it back on the tray. His mother handed him an icepack for his lip, and one for his eye.
Christine did not want to hate her son for what he'd done. But Ford had betrayed his brother in the worst way possible. He had done something that made her dislike him, deeply. She and her husband had never taken sides when it came to their sons. They had always encouraged them to work through their problems with one another. But this was different. She wasn't sure if she could ever forgive her own son for what he'd done.
"I should press charges for assault and battery. You're doing all this because of her." Ford said incredulously, pointing at Olivia, after briefly removing the icepack from his rapidly swelling lip. Every bone in his body ached. He felt as if he'd been hit by a train.
Incensed, Fitz dropped the icepack, stood from the sofa, and headed for his brother. At a loss as to how she could stop him, Olivia did the only thing she could think of. She quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Out of desperation she threw her arms around his waist. Burying her face in his chest, she held him as tightly as she could. It was difficult.
"I love you, Fitz. I love you baby. Don't. Please don't. He isn't worth it." Her words were said softly. She repeated them over and over in her effort to get through to him.
Fitz shook the fog of rage from his head and heard Olivia's voice. It was filled with fear, desperation and love. Slowly the fog lifted. He could hear the groans coming from his brother. In that moment of clarity, he realized what he had done.
Olivia's arms remained wrapped around Fitz until she felt his body relax. She looked up at him and their eyes met. He closed his eyes briefly in an effort to gain complete control of himself.
JR walked over to them, reached down and picked up the discarded icepack, and handed it to Fitz. "Have a seat son." He watched as Olivia slowly released him and guided him back to the sofa. They sat together across from Ford. He squeezed his son's shoulder before walking across the room to his desk and making a quick phone call. When he finished, he joined the other four occupants in the sitting area.
"I just made a call to get you some medical attention, Ford." JR stared at his youngest son as though he'd never seen him before.
"You're not calling the police and you better hope that Lauren McGee doesn't decide to sue. I never thought the day would come when I'd be ashamed of or disappointed in anything you did, but that day is here," JR said sadly.
"You attempted to destroy their lives for your own gain. I just hope they have the grace to forgive you someday for what you did. I'm not sure that I can," he said with an edge to her voice. "Ford, we have a lot of talking to do. You're damned lucky Fitz and Olivia don't want revenge for what you did to them." He shook his head and continued to look at his son like he was a stranger.
"Before you leave today, you will write a letter of resignation to the board and hand it to me. There's no need for you to attend Thursday's meeting. We've lost confidence in you and you will most assuredly be voted out as CEO. We will release a very brief statement stating that you resigned for personal reasons. You will seek therapy for this problem that you have and work to regain the trust of your mother, your brother, me and the rest of the family."
Ford closed his eyes briefly at his father's words.
"You came between Fitz and Olivia for your own selfish reasons. I just hope they have the grace to forgive you someday for what you did." Christine added, with an edge to her voice. "If your brother never speaks to you again, it would serve you right."
Ford started to speak around his swollen lip, but JR cut him off. "If you choose not to get help, you will no longer be welcomed in our home and I will make sure that you never work in New York, the United States or other parts of the world ever again. Don't underestimate my influence, son," he said in a voice that left no room for debate. "Am I making myself clear, Ford?"
Ford nodded his head and removed the icepack from his lip. "I'm sorry, Dad."
"I know you are. You're sorry you got caught. And I'm not the only person you should be apologizing to."
Ford ignored his father's comment. "What about the partnership we just signed with Molino Toro? All of that time and money spent in Spain. The sudden change in leadership may have a negative impact on that deal, and several others.
JR leaned forward in his chair and spoke in a low and controlled voice. "Ford, the only thing that we are changing is Grant Holding's choice of CEO. That would be you. Everything else will remain the same. If I have to travel to Spain myself and calm the fears of our new partners, I will." There was no mistaking the tone of his voice.
Ford still wasn't ready to give up. "You can't do this to me. My attorney will definitely have something to say about this." His face was damp with perspiration. He was furious and his voice rose with each word he spoke.
"Your employment agreement includes a morality clause. You violated that clause by engaging in the behavior clearly defined in that clause." At Ford's perplexed look, JR continued. "Oh yes, we also know about the other employees."
Fitz was beginning to tire of his brother and this entire spectacle. "We're a privately held company, Ford. All it takes is a majority of the board's votes to get rid of you. You know this. I have those votes…without our father." He didn't want to put their father in the middle of the mess his son created. He also didn't want to involve Senior, but he'd already confirmed that he would be at the board meeting. It was a foregone conclusion how he would vote.
"I think you better wait and ask the board how they feel," he said indignantly, before putting the icepack back on his swollen lip.
JR shook his head. He knew his son wouldn't go down without a fight but this was too much. It was awful to think his son might be seriously sick.
Fitz leaned forward again and looked his brother directly in his swollen eye. "I did ask the board and they all think you aren't shit. On that we all agree. You should take our father's advice and resign by close of business today because you're not going to like the outcome of the vote on Thursday. Grant Holdings does not require or desire your services in any capacity. You can threaten all of the lawsuits you want, but the fact remains that you have no legal basis whatsoever to pursue it."
"In other words son, you have nothing coming. I'm going ask you again, have I made myself clear?"
The look on Ford's face went from shock to comprehension when his own father, former CEO and board member made his pronouncement. They were right and he knew it. He shook his head. "Yes."
He was defeated. One phone call and his father could make sure he never worked again. Ruin any chances of him ever having a career. And it was his fault. He had allowed his resentment of his brother to eat away at him, never realizing that those feelings stemmed not from his perceived inadequacy, but from Fitz and others, seeing him for who he really is. He was the only one to blame. Maybe it was finally time for him to pause and think about all that he'd done, to rectify some of his wrongs.
"Please submit your resignation by close of business today. And if I ever lay eyes on you in this lifetime, it will be too soon." Unable to stand his youngest son's presence any longer, JR turned, opened the door, and left the room.
The four remaining occupants sat in silence. There wasn't much left to say. Eventually Christine stood, nodded to Fitz and Olivia. "A car is waiting to take you to Ezra's office to get you checked out." She suspected that there was no major damage, only to his ego. She turned and left the room to join her husband.
"You've hurt our parents in a way that I don't think they'll recover from anytime soon. There is no one in the world that loves you more than those two. Was it worth it, Ford? To lose almost everything you worked so hard for. Was it worth it?"
Ford didn't utter a word. He simply stared straight ahead.
"Betrayal always has a price, brother."
Fitz let out a deep breath and stood from the sofa. He reached for Olivia with his good hand. She stood next to him. They started to walk toward the door when Fitz stopped abruptly. He walked back over to his brother.
"You're not my brother," he said, looking at the back of his Ford's head. "I don't know who you are anymore. You're not a friend, you're nothing to me. Do you hear me? You're dead to me."
He turned, took Olivia's hand and they left the room.
X
Fitz and Olivia left JR's office and went to search for the elder Grants. It was Georgia who informed them that they'd retired to their bedroom and didn't want to be disturbed. They understood and decided that they would contact them later. When they left, they opted not to call their driver and instead strolled along Second Avenue.
"I'm sorry I lost control with my brother. I promised that I would keep my hands to myself." He looked at her. "I tried Livvie. I really did, but when he insulted you, I lost it. He called you a 'piece of ass.' The bastard deserved that punch and everything else I gave him."
Olivia reached up and stroked his chin. "I'm not angry. In fact, I'm glad you hit him. He had it coming." She paused. "I just hate that you did it in front of your parents, and I didn't want him to do anything that would hurt you."
"I think my father took care of that. I was shocked when he all but fired Ford on the spot. He's devastated. It's going to be a while before either of them will trust my brother again."
She squeezed his hand. "Fitz how can we help them?"
"I'm going to call them later and check on them and to apologize. Tomorrow we're going to brighten their day and surprise them with their favorite little person."
Olivia chuckled. "Elle will certainly lift their spirits."
"Yeah. But that's only temporary. This is going to take a while longer for them to work through."
They continued walking and stopped in front of a sports bar where the doors were open and there were a few people watching the many television screens. "I've been here a few times whenever I'd visit my parents," Fitz said.
"Do you want to go in?" He looked at her, shocked by her suggestion.
"You don't mind?"
Olivia tugged on his hand. "Of course not, let's go."
They sat at the bar and he ordered a beer and ice wrapped in a towel for himself, and wine for Olivia. She helped him wrap the towel around his bruised hand while he rested his good hand on her thigh and wondered if he would ever get enough of this woman. His gaze landed on her right hand.
"Where did you get that ring?"
She held out her hand, fingers outstretched. "Your mother gave it to me. She said it belonged to your grandmother."
Fitz kissed the back of her hand.
"It's beautiful."
"I agree."
"She also gave me the diamond and emerald earrings your father gave her when they were dating, for Elle, but she can't wear them until she's older."
"Mom loves giving gifts."
"I know."
They continued to talk quietly until Fitz's phone rang.
He looked at the screen. "It's Sumner." He answered. "Hey cousin, what's up? Yes, we're having drinks right now. I know what time it is." He looked at Olivia who could only hear one side of the conversation but smiled at what Sumner was obviously implying.
"Wait a sec." He covered the phone. "Sumner and Patrick need me to come by the office. Is that okay with you?"
She nodded. "Sure. Why don't you go to the office and I'll go and pick up our daughter."
He leaned in and kissed her. "Why don't we call the driver to take you to Nicole's and I'll take a taxi to the office."
"Sounds like a plan."
Fitz laughed and returned to Sumner. "I'll see you in twenty, cousin." He ended the call, removed the ice from his hand, and pulled a bill from his wallet. They walked outside to wait for the driver and ten minutes later they went their separate ways.
X
New York City-Grant Holdings CEO, Ford M. Grant, has announced that he will be stepping down from that position effective immediately, for personal reasons. He will be replaced by Leah Grant, who currently serves as COO. No additional information is available.
By five o'clock that day, a short statement was released stating that GNA's CEO, Ford Grant, had resigned for personal reasons.
Olivia and Nicole were sitting in the living room talking quietly when Fitz and Sumner walked through the front door a little after six. She'd planned to stay long enough to pack her daughter's things and head home. But Nicole had talked her into staying so they could visit for a while. Olivia had called Fitz to let him know that he could meet her at his cousin's home. They'd sat and talked for hours while their daughters played upstairs.
The men walked into the room and greeted the women before Sumner went to the bar and Fitz took a seat next to Olivia, who was holding Nicholas.
"Drink cousin?"
"Don't mind if I do, cousin."
"What about you Olivia?"
"No thank you, Sumner."
Fitz smiled at the beautiful woman next to him, and then reached out and stroked the baby's tiny fist with his thumb. Olivia smiled back at him and knew what he was thinking. He couldn't wait to get her pregnant. He'd told her as much when they'd visited Cecily and Theo in the hospital.
Sumner walked over and handed Fitz a tumbler of scotch before taking a seat next to his wife. "So how did it go today?" Nicole asked.
"Well, Pat assigned the case to another lawyer, Aisha Patterson. She contacted Lauren this morning and to her surprise, she wanted to settle because she didn't want to go public and have her husband find out about her affair with Ford. She gave Aisha her attorney's information, we negotiated for a few hours and they accepted our offer. Her only other request was to apologize to Fitz, which is why I called him.
Olivia turned to him and nodded.
"We called her and put her on speakerphone and she apologized. I didn't have to physically be in the same room with her."
Olivia leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Doesn't matter, you listened. I'm proud of you, babe."
"Aisha and her team met Lauren at her attorney's office with a settlement check and a non-disclosure agreement. Everything's signed and sealed."
"That chapter is closed, Livvie," Fitz said.
"We also named Leah interim CEO." Sumner smiled when he saw Nicole and Olivia's reactions to the news. "She was next in line and wants the position."
"Well it's about damn time. Leah's earned it," Nicole said.
"I think it's great," Olivia added.
"She was the obvious choice. Yale and Wharton, and like Ford, she worked her way to the top. It's time for a Grant woman to run the company."
"Is the board going to vote on this on Thursday?" Olivia asked.
Fitz answered. "Yes. It's just a formality. She has the votes. Now they'll need to find a new COO."
Nicholas began to root prompting Nicole to stand and reach for her son, and turn toward the stairs.
Olivia stood as well. "I'll go with you so I can pack up my daughter."
Waiting until the ladies were out of the room, Fitz turned to his cousin. "Please tell me you're not going to go looking for my brother."
Sumner drained his glass. "Nah. You took care of him. That's enough for me."
Fitz nodded. "I thought you'd see it that way."
X
Olivia and Fitz left Sumner and Nicole's twenty minutes later. They were both exhausted and just wanted to get home. Fitz's hand felt well enough for him to whip up a quick chicken and vegetable stir fry, and a salad, while Olivia gave Elliott a bath and got her into her pajamas.
During dinner, the little girl kept the conversation going. She told them all about her day with her cousins and Aunts Nicole and Abby, and of course her favorite topic, Nicholas. Her parents were surprised when she didn't ask about a baby brother or sister. They were also relieved.
Olivia cleared the dishes while Fitz supervised teeth brushing. When they returned to the living room, she was on the sofa with a large glass of wine and two short phonic readers. Elliott could choose one to read to her parents. Since she was starting kindergarten in a week, they were reviewing sight words. She loved reading to them and the fewer times she had to ask how to say a word, the better. They both felt that having Elliott read to them was a special way to bond together.
They actually made it through one and a half books before Elliott could no longer keep her eyes open. Fitz stood and lifted her into his arms and took her to the second bedroom. She was tired so they knew that she would sleep through the night and not wake up afraid in a strange bedroom. Fitz tucked her in with Bugsy while Olivia plugged in the teddy bear night light she'd packed.
"You think of everything," Fitz whispered as she leaned down and kissed her little girl's cheek.
Olivia chuckled as they left the room together. "It's an unfamiliar bed and room. I didn't want her to wake up in the dark and be afraid."
Fitz put an arm around her waist as they walked toward the living room. "You're an excellent mommy, Livvie."
She smiled up at him. "You're an excellent daddy, Fitz."
"Thank you," he said.
"And thank you."
They walked over to the sofa and took a seat, and Olivia reached for her glass of wine. Fitz took out his phone and called his parents. It wasn't nine o'clock so he knew they were still awake.
JR Grant answered after four rings.
"Hello, son, how are you and Olivia holding up?"
"We're fine, Dad. But we're more concerned about you and Mom."
"Don't worry about your mother and I, we're going to get through this. It's just going to take some time. We're just in complete disbelief that a child that we raised could grow up and do what Ford did."
Fitz heard the sadness in his father's voice. He was hurting. So was his mother. The fact that she hadn't taken the phone so she could talk to her son was his first clue.
"Dad I need to apologize to you and Mom for my language and my overall behavior today. It shouldn't have happened, and it won't happen again."
"We all make mistakes, son. It's only when we don't acknowledge them that we're burdened with guilt. Apology accepted."
"Thanks. Well Olivia and I will be by tomorrow to take you two out to lunch, so clear your schedule."
"Fitz you don't have to do that."
"I know I don't, but Olivia and I want to. It'll be nice to get out of the house. Okay?"
JR was so quiet Fitz thought he'd hung up. "Okay."
"Goodnight, Dad. Love you both."
Love you too, son."
Fitz ended the call and exhaled deeply.
Olivia looked at him. "How are they?"
Fitz shook his head. "Not good. I knew this was going to be a shock to them, hell it shocked me, but I wasn't prepared for this."
Olivia set her glass on the coffee table and then she sat back, and pulled his head into her lap. She looked down at him. "I'm so sorry babe."
She began to massage his scalp as they sat.
"I think everything is going to work out," he said quietly.
"So do I," she whispered back. "I know it's not going to be easy, but we all have each other."
He sighed. "Maybe in time I'll even find it in my heart to forgive my brother. Someday. I know he's a broken man since his resignation today. And now my parents are suffering."
Olivia continued to massage his scalp, but remained silent.
"We're having lunch with them tomorrow. I know their ladybug will cheer them up, make them feel better. At least for a little while anyway." He sounded as if he was trying hard to convince himself of this.
She caressed his furrowed brow and then leaned down and kissed him. The pain in his voice broke her heart. "What can I do to make you feel better?"
"Just being here is a good start."
"Always babe.
Fitz looked up and gave her that crooked grin. "I want to take a shower with you and go to bed."
Olivia grinned back. "That can be arranged."
He sat up and then stood. Reaching for her glass, he took it to the kitchen, rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher and started the machine. She was waiting for him when he walked back into the living room. She held out her hand and he took it as she led him to the master bedroom.
X
Much later that night, Olivia was snuggled against Fitz's side as they lay in bed. "It's been quite a day," she murmured. She was stroking his chest. She nestled into his neck and inhaled, loving the clean scent of his skin. "I love you," she whispered.
Fitz turned so that his leg was curved over her, pulling her closer. "I love you more," he said and let out a deep, satisfied sigh.
Olivia smiled in the darkness of the room, although he couldn't see her expression. They had played an erotic game of give and take in the shower earlier.
She had taken him into her mouth and made love to him in the most intimate way possible. She'd played with him, toyed with him, stroking him as she licked his sac. She took one into her mouth and then the other. Fitz had moaned and ground his hips. She continued to tease him, her tongue gently swirling in small circles before taking him into her mouth. She licked him like a lollipop then sucked him as if she was drinking through a straw. Over and over she licked and sucked, her technique near perfect, until he was ready to explode.
"Nooo, Livvie! Don't make me come!" Fitz shouted as he moved his hips back and pulled himself from her grasp. Olivia sat back on her haunches, wiping her lips with her hand.
Fitz pulled her to her feet, spun her around, bent her forward and entered her swiftly from behind. He pushed himself into her until her backside was cradled against his pelvis. She stood on tiptoe and tried to support herself against the shower tiles as he worked hard against her back. She moaned, completely incapable of speech. He drove himself in and out of her, harder and harder, slow, then fast. It ended with them collapsing to the floor of the shower stall where they lay facing each other, smiling.
Afterwards, they took turns soaping each other and then rinsing each other off. When Fitz finished rinsing the soap from Olivia's body, he tenderly kissed before reaching for a bath sheet. They dried each other, dressed and fell into bed, exhausted.
A few minutes later, Olivia felt the easy, even breathing that meant Fitz was asleep. She kissed his chin and snuggled closer before she drifted off to join him.
X
Fitz had been correct. Elliott had been exactly what his parents needed to keep their minds off the heartache their younger son had caused. They wanted to spend as much time with her as they could before she went back to D.C. Tuesday and Wednesday Fitz, Olivia, Elliott, JR and Christine toured New York City, and each night Elliott slept over with her cousins while her parents spent the time alone.
Thursday morning the Grant Holdings Board made it official and named Leah Helen Grant CEO. She's the first woman and only the fourth person to be named to that position since the company's inception. They also named Habiba "Bebe" Grant as Leah's replacement on the board. Although Grant Holdings employed hundreds, only Grants were permitted to sit on the board of directors. She was married to Patrick and that made her a Grant.
Everyone wanted to know Ford's whereabouts but JR informed them that he wouldn't be attending the meeting and that he was okay. Fitz knew that his brother had checked himself into a mental health facility in Arizona. His mother was worried about him so his father had someone to keep tabs on him. They still weren't talking to him.
On Friday night, Elliott stayed with her grandparents while Fitz and Olivia went to Brooklyn for dinner with his friends. It was nice seeing Thomas and Mickey for the first time in five years. It was as if no time had passed at all. Indira had FaceTimed Anais and they were able to catch up. Fitz hadn't disclosed that the Higgins' had welcomed a daughter three years ago. According to Anais, she and Frank had had Japanese and drank a lot of Sake, and later that night Frank socked it to her! Nine months later, Avery Higgins joined their family. Olivia guffawed. She missed this lady's candidness. Anais, Abby and Cecily could never be in a room together. She shook her head at the thought. They said their goodbyes with promises of keeping in touch. Olivia would keep that promise.
Saturday, while Elliott and her grandparents were at tea, Olivia accompanied Fitz to his personal tailor to look at fabrics for his wedding attire. Fitz had been using the same tailor as his father for years and the result was sartorial sophistication. She could see why his closet rivaled hers. Fitz had told her that wearing a uniform to school from first through twelfth grade had prepared him for custom suits, shirts, ties and shoes, although he still purchased some of his casual attire from high end retailers.
Fitz wanted him and his groomsmen to have custom tuxedos for the wedding ceremony. Initially Olivia only wanted one bridal attendant, her sister. But when Fitz revealed he'd chosen Sumner as his best man and also Patrick, Ryan, Juan, Frank and Harrison as groomsmen, she knew she had to step up her game. She asked Natasha Pope to be her Maid of Honor and Bebe, Nicole, Abby and Veronique to be her bridesmaids. She'd teased Fitz about being a Groomzilla and he'd corrected her. He was on board with whatever she wanted, leaving all the details to her. Except the groomsmen attire. He was right, he had made no demands. So far she'd been making all of the decisions for their wedding. He was more focused on the honeymoon.
The couple spent a few hours selecting fabric, color, patterns and details for Fitz's tuxedo and the groomsmen's tuxedos. It was something to see him in his element. When they left, they went back to his apartment to get dressed for their date night. They were having an early dinner and seeing a Broadway play. Earlier, they'd spoken with Christine who'd informed them that her ladybug had indeed had a great time at tea and that the gloves and tiara she'd given Elliott to wear were a hit. She was currently at the park with her grandfather riding her new bicycle.
Christine sounded better than she had in days and neither Fitz nor Olivia wanted to change that, so they didn't push back on the grandparents buying toys for their granddaughter. The new swing set in the elder Grant's backyard had been a surprise and Elliott was certainly enjoying it. JR had reasoned that she needed toys at their home when she visited, and Fitz and Olivia had agreed. After all, grandparents existed to spoil their grandchildren.
X
Sunday afternoon Olivia sat in an air conditioned tent with her new crew, while Fitz joined their daughter in the pool. It appeared as if Phillip and Diana had invited everyone with a single drop of Grant blood to their soiree. Bebe, Nicole and Abby gave a bit of information on the attendees that she didn't meet at Senior's birthday celebration. She also understood what Fitz meant by having a multi-racial family. There were Grants of every race and nationality in attendance. He was right, his generation married who the hell they wanted.
Olivia had Grants coming up to her all day wishing her and Fitz congratulations. Senior had hugged her and kissed her cheek before saying, "I told you it would look good on you." She'd laughed and told him she had no idea what he meant at the time.
The guests ate, danced, swam jet skied, water skied and boated around the private lake until the sun began to set. When the sun finally dropped behind the clouds, everyone moved to the lawn to watch the fireworks display, which always announced the end of summer. Fitz held their daughter on his lap while Olivia sat next to him, her head on his shoulder.
After a few minutes, he looked down at Elliott. She was quiet, barely awake. He was surprised she could sleep through the crackling boom of the fireworks. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He then turned to look at Olivia, who was looking up at the fireworks exploding in the sky. They were coming one right after another. She felt his eyes on her and turned and smiled at him. Fitz lowered his head and kissed her gently on the lips. He then cupped her face with his right hand and deepened the kiss. Elliott stirred in his arms and he dropped his hand and leaned his forehead against Olivia's.
"For God's sake Fitz, get a room! There are children and parents present!"
Fitz straightened, turning around when he recognized his cousin Kyle's voice. He glared at him while Olivia covered her face in embarrassment and everyone else laughed loudly.
"Let's go find my parents and get out of here. I need to be alone with my future wife and I need it now," he whispered.
Olivia could not have agreed more. She started gathering their things while Fitz placed their sleeping daughter on his shoulder and stood. He held out his hand to Olivia and she stood next to him. They quickly said their goodbyes before making their way through the crowd in search of JR and Christine. The sooner they got going, the sooner they'd be back in the city. And alone in bed.
X
Tuesday morning
Fitz's heart broke as he walked down the steps of his parents home, to the waiting SUV. They were headed to Teterboro for their flight back to D.C. The little girl in his arms was wailing her protest as loudly as she could. She'd made it clear that she didn't want to leave New York. He and Olivia had been mildly shocked at their usually happy, easy going daughter's outburst.
They'd spent the holiday at his parent's home with his cousin April and her husband, and their two children. April's father was Christine's brother. It was a very small gathering which is what they all wanted. They'd spent most of the day in the backyard talking and watching the children play. By the time everyone left, Elliott had fallen asleep and Christine had suggested she stay since she was already asleep. Fitz and Olivia agreed. They kissed their baby goodnight before saying goodbye and climbing into the waiting SUV for the ride home.
When they'd arrived earlier to pick her up, she'd been clinging to her grandfather, not yet ready to leave. Olivia carried her bag, loaded with God knows what. As they walked toward the truck, JR and Christine followed behind them, fighting the sadness at seeing her tears, and at seeing her go.
Christine walked up to her son and peeked at Elliott who'd laid her head on her father's shoulder and was still crying. "Aww my precious ladybug, you have to go home. Remember you start kindergarten on Thursday. You're going to be such a big girl," she cooed.
"You'll see us soon, ladybug. Grammy and I will be in D.C. for your birthday. We promise," JR added. He placed a kiss in the little girl's hair and wiped a tear from her cheek.
With tears still flowing and misery written on her little face, Elliott leaned over and kissed her Grammy and Grampy, appeased only by the promise of seeing them again for her birthday. Her bottom lip quivered as she gave them a small, "Bye."
Olivia hugged them both a little longer since they wouldn't be seeing them for at least a month. The elder Grants were leaving for Europe later in the week. They had been dealt a devastating blow and Fitz and Olivia had encouraged them to get away from New York City for a while. They would return to the States in time to celebrate both their son's and granddaughter's birthdays. She kissed them both before climbing onto the backseat.
Fitz hugged his parents and followed Olivia. He secured Elliott in her booster seat before climbing in. They waved at his parents who were still standing on the sidewalk as the vehicle pulled into the mid morning traffic.
They made it to the airport and Olivia sat in the truck holding their daughter while Fitz removed her booster and installed it on the plane. He then came back for Elliott, who had cried herself to sleep, and assisted Olivia onto the tarmac. Once their luggage was loaded, they took their seats and secured their seatbelts. It wasn't long before the pilot made the announcement that they'd been cleared for takeoff and the sleek jet was gathering speed and racing down the runway, lifting up into the midday sky. They held hands as the aircraft climbed to cruising altitude.
Fitz looked at his love, lifted their joined hands and rubbed the back of hers against the side of his face. They would have the future and life together that they'd dreamed of, now that the weight they'd both been carrying had been lifted.