Chapter Thirty-One: Spooked

"Are you sure you want to go out? I could have my assistant bring by some choices for you."

"Fitz it's Saturday. Your assistant does not want to go shopping for her boss's girlfriend."

"She wants to do what I ask her to do. That's what I pay her for."

"Fitz's it's Saturday and she has a life too." Olivia continued to brush her hair in the mirror. She was getting ready to go out with Tabitha and her sister to shop for a dress for Fitz's birthday party. Since this was a black-tie event and not a cookout in the backyard, the clothes Olivia had in her closet wouldn't work. She'd called Tabitha to help her shop because Tabitha was the only female she knew that wore Gucci and Oscar De La Renta on a daily basis. Then she called her sister to tag along since she was invited and would be needed a dress as well. In fact, Marilyn invited her entire family, but Dianna declined a shopping trip.

"I know. It's just that I've been able to keep my eye on you here-"

"You mean by holding me captive?" Olivia snickered.

"Yes." Fitz answered. For the past four weeks, Fitz has been like a warden. He left for work in the mornings but called every hour on the hour to check on Olivia. They barely left the house, and when they did, Fitz made sure he was with Olivia the entire time. And they were never gone from the house for more than a few hours. He just didn't like being outside the comfort and safety of his home, knowing that Roger was still out there somewhere. But he knows he can't keep Olivia in the house forever, and now she wants to go shopping. And of course, he told her he would go with her, but she told him no, that this trip was only for women.

"Fitz it's been a month and I haven't heard from him once."

"I don't care if it's been a year Livvie. Until Tom finds him, I would prefer to keep you here under lock and key. At least let me go with you." Fitz said again, trying to convince Olivia, but it wasn't working. He really just didn't want her to leave the house period.

"Fitz I told you this is a girls' trip. I'll be fine, Tabitha and Alex will be with me the entire time." Olivia finished putting the two buns in her hair and stood from her vanity table. She turned around and wrapped her arms around Fitz's waist. She didn't have her shoes on yet so she was incredibly shorter than him. "I will go crazy if I spend another minute in this house. I need to get out baby, and so do you." She leaned up and kissed his lips before walking off to the closet to get dressed. "Why don't you call your guy friends and go play basketball or something, You haven't had a game in a while."

"I'll think about it." Fitz sat on the bed, waiting for Olivia to come back out of the closet. When he saw how she was dressed, he wanted to laugh. He found her laidback sometimes bohemian style very refreshing. It was completely different from the women he dated before. But he knew there was no way Tabitha would let Olivia go to Fifth Ave with her dressed like that.

"Okay. I promise I will call." That was the agreement Olivia complied with, in order for Fitz to give in and stay home.

"Every hour."

"Two hours." Olivia countered.

"Fine. And I'm sending Tom with you."

"Baby I don't need a babysitter."

"I know you don't, but this is for my sanity. Please."

"Fine." Olivia was grabbing her purse when Fitz stopped her again.

"Wait." He took his wallet off the nightstand and gave Olivia his black card.

"I don't need that." Olivia said, refusing to take the card from Fitz's outstretched hand.

"Why do you do this every time I try to give you my card?"

"Because I don't need it. I have my own money."

EVery time Fitz thought. He reached out and grabbed her crossbody bag and put the card inside. He knew she had her own money, but he liked to do nice things for her. He wasn't the shopping kind of person, so someone should enjoy his riches. "Use it Olivia. And charge whatever Alex buys as well. Tabitha can fend for herself."

Olivia laughed and put her arms around Fitz's neck. "You know baby when Alex cleans you out, you're gonna regret giving me your credit card. That girl can shop." She pecked his lips and when she tried to pull away, Fitz pulled her closer. He backed them up against the nearest wall and captured her lips again. He knew Tabitha and Alex were waiting for Olivia in the living room, but he did not care. Lately, Olivia had not been in the mood for sex and Fitz didn't push her, because he wasn't that kind of man. But that didn't mean he wasn't horny.

Olivia moaned when she felt Fitz's hand run up the back of her thigh her dress was short enough for him to run his hand right up to her ass. Which is what he did, giving her left cheek and harsh squeeze. He hicked her leg up on his hip and settled between her legs. She missed his body against hers, his hands roaming her thighs, caressing her breast. She missed the way his thin lips trailed kisses all over her body. she knew he wanted to have sex with her, but she couldn't. She hadn't felt like herself for weeks and every time Fitz would try something, she would get turned off.

"Fitz. Your sister, my sister. They are both waiting for me." Olivia closed her eyes when he kissed the side of her neck, that was always her spot. She felt a little sparked, but not like she normally did. If this were two months ago, Olivia would have thrown caution to the wind and let Fitz have his way with her right against that wall. Alex and Tabitha be damned.

"Fitz." Olivia managed to push him off of her and put some separation between the two. She saw the look of frustration and disappointment on Fitz's face before he quickly covered it up. She didn't know why she kept denying him, well this time she did, but the other times she didn't have any other excuse except she wasn't in the mood which was every woman's line. "I'm sorry."

Fitz ignored her unnecessary apology and kissed her forehead. "Come on, before they come looking for you."

They walked down the steps and into the living room, hand in hand. That's where they found Alex and Tabitha on the couch drinking Olivia's coconut water. She would've been upset if she didn't know they had recently stocked up the fridge with her new favorite drink. They were both looking at some magazine Tabitha was holding.

"Alright you two I'm ready." Olivia said, making her and Fitz's presence known.

"About time. I was about to send a sea-" Alex stopped mid-sentence. "Oh hell no Liv."

Olivia was confused. "What?"

"Olivia Carolyn Pope. Can you for once dress like you have some style?" Alex said.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia had no clue what Alex's deal was.

"What are you wearing?" Alex asked. Olivia was dressed in a loose-fitting white bohemian style dress with long bell sleeves with a pale pink and yellow flower embroidered design and tassels on the neckline. She was also wearing knee-high socks with her favorite black ankle boots. "Liv you look like a hobo."

Fitz couldn't hold his laughter anymore and Olivia smacked his arm when he let out a chuckle. He didn't think Alex was the one that would say something, but Tabitha hadn't said a word. "I do not look like a hobo."

"Yes you do and you need to change Liv. I mean come on, we're going to fifth avenue. You are not dressed for a Versace shopping spree."

"Oh, and you are?"

Alex was wearing a pair of black leather pants with a white blouse and grey blazer. Tabitha had on a cream-colored knee-length dress with matching overcoat. It looked like something one of the royals would wear. All she was missing was the pillbox hat.

"Please just change Liv?"

"No, I'm comfortable. And when you are pregnant that is hard to achieve, so I will not be changing and if you don't like that, you can stay home with Fitz and whine about it with Fitz."

Alex rolled her eyes and walked off to the door with Tabitha following behind her. Olivia stopped at the foyer for her coat and Fitz helped her put it on. He tried to kiss her before she left, but she dodged his lips.

"I remember that chuckle mister." She smirked and walked out the door behind Alex and Tabitha. Tom was already downstairs waiting for them by the car. He was going to be their driver today, per Fitz's request. If she insisted on going out without him, she wasn't going out by herself.

X

Deciding to take Olivia's advice to get out of the house, Fitz called his brother and a few other friends for a pick-up game of basketball at the gym. they hadn't been playing long, and already Patrick was a sweaty mess, huffing and puffing down the court. He was passed the ball but quickly gave it back to Fitz, needing a minute to catch his breath. He hasn't been to the gym in months, and it's been even longer since he worked out.

Fitz saw his brother doubled over in the corner of the court and called a timeout. he was shaking his head as he approached his brother, who was wheezing. "Jesus Patrick, you sound horrible. We haven't even been playing that long. Why are you already out of breath?"

"I'm so sorry Fitz, but not all of us are built like the freaking Terminator." Patrick took the water Fitz was offering him.

"I thought you were my younger brother. You're supposed to be in better shape than me."

"I haven't been to the gym in months." Patrick admitted.

"And why is that?"

"I don't know."

"Are we finished with the water break ladies?" Fitz friend Liam walked over. He and Fitz have been friends for almost two years now. They are both members of the same private gym. "Are we gonna play some ball or what?"

"Well as soon as patty cakes catches his breath, we'll be out there."

"Fuck the both of you." Patrick walked off to the bathroom, and Liam took his abandoned seat on the bleachers.

"What's been going on man?" Liam asked. "Seems like I haven't seen much of you in quite a while. To be honest, I was surprised that you called me today."

"Yeah, it has been a minute."

"Pat told me some woman had your nose wide open and I just couldn't believe it. Someone has come along and chained the infamous Fitzgerald Grant." Liam said. "I thought for sure that after what Mellie put you through you would never go back to the relationship thing again."

"Yeah me either." After his split from Mellie, Fitz wasn't interested in another relationship. For years he had several 'friends' that came and went, but never was he in a relationship until he met Olivia. He knew right away, that Olivia wasn't the type to be another one of his 'friendly friends'.

"But Olivia is different."

"Olivia?"

"Yeah." Fitz smiled. "She's not one of them money hungry girls that only slept with me, cause they saw a dollar sign above my head. And no offense to those women, they were upfront and I sought them out. But I didn't want that anymore with Liv."

"Well, she gotta have something going on to turn your head."

"Oh, she's beautiful man. And not the fake Instagram model, which ain't bad either, but I'm talking about natural beauty."

"You just gonna keep talking or you gonna show me a picture."

Fitz reached into his gym bag for his phone and turned it on. He opened up his gallery and clicked on a random picture of Olivia that he had in his phone. It was a picture from when he and Olivia went to Aspen. It was a night picture one night as they took a carriage ride Olivia was bundled in her jacket with a black hat on her head. She'd been staring off into the distance when Fitz called her name and told her to smile. She shyly looked his way and smiled coyly. The picture was the definition of sweet innocence. It was one of Fitz's favorites.

"Damn." Liam said, while still staring at the picture. "Damn Fitz."

"Okay, I get it." Fitz snatched his phone back before he had to punch his friend.

"How the hell did you swing that?"

"I have no clue. Someone as sweet and innocent as she is, has no business being with me."

"I didn't think you were down with the swirl." Liam joked. "I didn't think a sista would put up with your square ass."

"I am not a square." Fitz was still flipping through the pictures on his phone as he spoke with Liam. He came across a picture of Olivia and Alex on their birthday and Liam snatched the phone back.

"Woah! You didn't tell me there were two of them."

"That's her twin sister Alex."

"Twins. That sounds fun."

Once again, Fitz snatched his phone from his friend, and this time put it back into his gym bag. "Not with these twins. Go for Alex but you better not start sniffing around Olivia."

"I wouldn't dare. But do you really think Alex would give me the time of day? I mean am I her type?"

"Liam you're a six-foot-five black man with a six-figure salary. You enjoy music, traveling and you're built like Dwayne Johnson. You're her type."

"You mentioned my salary. She's not some money-hungry-"

"No, I'm just saying it won't hurt. Her last boyfriend was a lounge singer. She's down to earth, but I'll warn you she's a handful."

"Oh please, what woman isn't? It only matters if she's worth it or not."

"Well, I think she is. Listen if you're serious, she'll be at my birthday party if you want to meet her."

"Another Fitzgerald birthday bash. I thought you hated those things."

"I do, but you know my mother doesn't listen to me. And she and Tabitha got Olivia to help with this one, so now she's excited about it, and she expects me to be excited. I think that was my mother's plan all along."

"Hey I'm not mad at them, you're mother knows how to throw a party. It's not the club on a Friday night, but I always have fun."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you have fun with whatever woman you manage to bring home every year."

"Yeah and I'm hoping to have fun with Miss. Alex this year."

"Yeah well just don't fuck it up. Pat dated her for a while and he did as Patrick does and- Just don't mess it up. If one more man that I know fucks with Alex, Olivia just might kill me."

"Hey I'm trying to be like you, all in love and shit. I'm getting old, I can't keep fucking around with these club hoping women for too much longer."

"Yeah, well I don't know if she's the settle down type, but if I can change-"

"Then there's hope for us all." Liam laughed and slapped Fitz on the back. "Now come on so I can finish this ass-kicking."

"Yeah hang on, I need to call Olivia."

X

"Okay, I'm calling it. If I don't find a dress at this store, then I'm done for the day." Olivia complained as they walked to yet another store. "My feet are killing me and I'm starving." They had been walking around for hours. Tabitha and Alex had both found gowns that they loved for the party, but Olivia was still searching for the right one. Tabitha bought a strapless white Chanel floor-length gown with diamond-studded ropes across the front and arms of the gown. It was classy and chic like Tabitha. Alex went in the opposite direction with an all-black off the shoulder gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline and thigh-high split and train. And just as Fitz instructed, Olivia used his card to pay for Alex's dress. Knowing she didn't have to use her own money, Alex threw in a matching pair of shoes and with assistance from Tabitha she chose a purse and jewelry as well.

"Okay, Liv last one." Alex conceded as they walked into Elie Saab. Tabitha was already pulling dresses off the rack that she thought would look great on Olivia.

"But you have to make an actual effort this time Liv. You barely even looked at the other dresses we chose for you." Tabitha grabbed another. "You didn't like any of the dresses at Versace. I swear Liv I have never met a woman that didn't like Versace."

"Everything in that store was way too flashy. That's just not my style."

"So Liv but they don't have hobo couture." Alex joked. "Unless you call that stuff Kanye is peddling couture."

"Why don't both of you shut up thank you." Olivia smacked both Tabitha and Alex's arms as they continued to laugh at her expense. "I don't care what you think. I like the way I dress. And you two have about fifteen minutes to find me a dress before I walk out that door to find the nearest McDonalds."

"Oh God Liv please, do not say McDonald's out loud in this store." Tabitha cringed. "And you shouldn't be feeding that greasy mess to my niece or nephew anyway."

"I don't know Tabitha." Alex said. "I can fuck up a ten-piece nugget right about now." All three of the women started laughing, which gained them more stares from the people in the store. They were already looking, when Olivia walked in the store. But unlike her experience at the other stores they went to, these stares weren't completely rude.

Olivia heard her phone ringing in her purse and pulled it out. "Hey Fitz." She answered.

"You didn't call me."

"I know I'm sorry. Your sister and Alex have been dragging me all across the city today looking for a dress."

"Where are you now?"

"I don't know, somewhere on Madison Avenue. I'm in hell, I hate shopping."

"You know you're the first woman I've ever heard say that."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Olivia sighed. "Oh by the way Alex says that you for the dress. She'll thank you in person later."

"She's very welcome. Did she just get the dress? I gave you my card so the both of you can splurge."

"Oh she did. She got matching shoes, a purse and with your sister's help, she got matching jewelry as well. Tabitha loves spending your money."

"Yeah don't I know it."

"You're not still in the house waiting on me are you?"

"No, I took your advice and called my friends. Speaking of friends my buddy Liam saw a picture of Alex and wants to meet her."

"Really?" Olivia asked skeptically. "The last time I introduced my sister to-"

"I know I know. But I promise Liam is a good guy. I love my brother, but he's an asshole and although Liam has a sketchy past, he's a good guy."

"If you say so."

Fitz was about to say something else, when the phone was snatched out of Olivia's hand.

"Sorry Fitz, but Olivia can't talk right now."

"Tabitha what the hell are you doing? Give the phone back to Olivia."

"No Fitz, you've had Olivia cooped up in that penthouse for a month now, sexing each other up. You can last a few more hours without her. Goodbye." Tabitha hung up the phone while Fitz was in the middle of a sentence.

"What'd you do that for? He's probably pissed now, he hates it when people hang up on him." Olivia said, sending Fitz a text that she would talk later.

"Oh please, when is that man not pissed at something or someone." Tabitha said. "I love my brother, but that man is wound tight."

"He's just got a lot going on right now." Olivia was being vague. She didn't know how much, if any, Fitz has told his family about what's going on. She realized that she was once again being a hypocrite by not telling her family about the situation with Roger. But just as Fitz said, she didn't want to worry them. She knew her parents would lose their minds if she told them, and Alex would probably try and hunt Roger down herself. She also didn't want to be the one to tell Fitz's family, that should come from him.

"Fitz might be a little stressed, but he has been this way since he was young. At least now I can handle his tantrums. Not like when he was younger." Tabitha walked off to search another rack and Olivia followed behind her. She wasn't sure what Tabitha meant by tantrums. Olivia knew some things about Fitz's childhood, but she didn't know everything.

"What about this one?" Tabitha held out a bright orange, shimmery gown, and Olivia's eyes started hurting just looking at the dress.

"It's too loud." Olivia responded. "What did you mean about Fitz and his tantrums?"

"Oh, Fitz was a handful during his preteen years." Tabitha spoke as she searched through dresses. "I mean any and everything would set that boy off. And it could just be the smallest thing and he'd lose his freaking mind. Acting out at home, school, talking back, running away, he punched so many holes in his bedroom walls it was ridiculous. It seemed like every other day I'd see daddy carrying the plaster up the stairs to fix another hole." This was the first Olivia was hearing about any of this. Marilyn had mentioned Fitz was a little difficult when he was a child, before he mellowed out, but she was obviously downplaying it. "But Dad was fed up, when Fitz eventually got kicked out of school."

"Kicked out for what?"

"Well he'd been in trouble before, but he'd only gotten warnings and then detention. But one day this kid Ty... something. "she could remember the kids last name. "Anyway, since Fitz and Pat are close in age, they went to the same school together. And one day this kid named Ty was picking on Pat and pushed in the mud or something. And Fitz being the big brother stood up for Pat. But honestly it wasn't a fair fight. Fitz was big for his age and had a lot more rage. He ended up breaking the kid's arm and fucked up his eye. I saw him a few years later and his eye is all cocked wrong now."

"You're kidding right."

"I wish I was. Even though Fitz was defending Pat, the fancy private school he went to had a no tolerance for fighting. That added with his past history of getting in trouble, they expelled him. So mom and dad sent him to a boarding school for boys with behavioral problems. Seemed to straighten him out. I mean he was still violent as hell, but he didn't act out as much when he came home."

"I had no idea. I mean he did punch a guy in the throat at a nightclub for hitting on me."

"Yep. Sounds like my brother." Tabitha responded as if Olivia had just given Fitz a compliment. "But don't take me wrong. I'm not saying Fitz is just some emotional wild person. He has a temper yes, but only when provoked. At least now it's only when he's provoked. Also, don't tell him I told you all this."

"Safe with me." Olivia didn't know how she felt about what Tabitha had just told her about Fitz. But it was when he was a child, he wasn't that person anymore right? She would for sure keep this between Tabitha and herself, because she didn't want to have this conversation with Fitz.

"Alright chica let's find you a dress, so we can feed you." Tabitha said.

"Hey Liv what about this one?" Alex came over to them, holding a shimmery gold gown. It was still a little flashy, but it was the first dress they'd shown Olivia that she didn't immediately dislike. After deciding to give the dress a try, Olivia went into the changing room with about six different dresses. After today, she was not going shopping again for a while. She felt like she'd tried on more dresses in today alone than she'd worn all her life. The good news for her is that she ended up loving the dress. It was the last of the six that she tried on and she saved the best for last apparently. The dress fit her a little snug, because of her belly, so she would have to get it altered. But other than that it was the perfect dress. And she knew she already had accessories in her closet at home to match. So when Tabitha suggested they go to another store for shoes and then one more for jewelry, she quickly denied. She was promised food and now she really was starving.

As they stood at the register, letting the cashier arrange for Olivia's dress to be altered, Liv was gazing at the mannequins in the store window. That's when she swore she saw Roger standing on the other side of the street. But just as quickly as she saw him, in the next second he was gone. She didn't know if she was seeing things, because she was a little paranoid, or if she'd really seen him. Olivia would never admit this to Fitz, but truthfully she was nervous about going out today. She was tired of being in the house with Fitz for the past few weeks, but she was still nervous about Roger.

"Liv you alright?" Alex taped Olivia on the shoulder when she didn't answer. "Liv?"

"What? Yeah I'm fine. I'm just hungry."

"Okay, then let's go." Alex didn't think she was just hungry, but she didn't push it.

X

Fitz was relaxing on the couch, reading a book. It was about the first time in a long time that he was actually relaxing. He was propped up on the couch, legs stretched out a glass of scotch on the table beside him and Sam Cooke was playing on the speakers. He been so stressed lately, that he couldn't remember the last time he took some time to just stop and relax. He wasn't completely relaxed though, as long as Olivia was still out with Tabitha and Alex. But he took comfort in knowing that Tom was with the three of them. He trusted Tom completely and knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to any of the girls while he was with them. But he would feel so much better, when Roger was found and dealt with. And he wanted to be the one to personally deal with Roger Calhoun. It was one thing to fuck with his business, he could always rebuild. But messing with Olivia. Now he was just begging for trouble and Fitz was more than trouble.

He'd just finished a page in his book, when he heard the elevator ding. She closed the book and put it on the coffee table to meet the girls and Tom at the elevator.

"Hello ladies. How'd it go-"

Olivia was the first one off the elevator, but she was not in the greeting mood. Fitz saw her face first, and it was a mixture of fright and anger. Then he noticed the mess on her dress. "What happened?" He asked. But Olivia ignored him and walked around him. She headed up the stairs without a word and he later heard their bedroom door closing. "What happened?" He asked again.

"She got sick at the restaurant." Alex answered.

"Poor thing took a few bites of her duck and threw up all over the table and herself. I tell you I do not miss being pregnant." Tabitha said, but Fitz was looking at Tom. Tom had a look on his face that said there was more to the story.

"Well, I should probably go check on her." Fitz said, trying to politely tell the girls to leave.

"Yeah, tell Liv I'll call and check on her later." Alex said. "Oh and thank you so much for the dress."

"No problem."

"Tell Olivia I said goodbye and your mother wanted me to inform you thank if you ignore another one of her phone calls she making a visit." Tabitha kissed Fitz on the cheek and got back on the elevator with Alex.

"What happened?" Fitz asked for the third time.

"She thinks she saw him." Tom answered.

"She thinks?" Fitz was confused.

"They were eating at a restaurant on Madison Ave. I was at the table behind them with a good view out the window and the front door. About ten minutes after they started eating, Olivia got spooked at threw up on the table. I saw the look she got on her face when she saw something outside, so I race out there, but I didn't see him anywhere. Later she told me that she wasn't sure if it was him or not. And honestly I was positive either, until she told me that she thought she saw him at the last store they were shopping at."

"So he was following them." Fitz said more of a statement rather than a question.

"For at least two stops. But he kept great distance. I was searching every street they were on. Plus I had two people trailing in front and behind us at all times. No one spotted him."

"This guy is not trained, he's not military he's a fucking drunk. How the hell does he keep skipping by us?"

"I'm not sure. But he's obviously had this planned for a while now."

"He's a fucking nut with no job, no family and now no girlfriend so he really has nothing to lose which makes him even more dangerous." Fitz's hate and frustration for this man was growing by the minute. He was going to strangle Roger with his bare hands if he ever got the chance. "Thank you Tom." Fitz walked away, to go check on Olivia.

He found her upstairs, in their bathroom. The shower was running, but she was in her bra and panties at the sink. She had her dress under the water and was scrubbing furiously at the cloth. Fitz could see her face in the mirror. Her nose was red and her eyes were puffy, he could see her tears as she wiped them away and sniffled. He walked up behind her and put his hands on hers from behind. She stopped scrubbing and looked up at him through the mirror. Now he could see just how red her eyes were. Now he could fully see the anger and fear in her eyes and his heart ached. She choked out another cry and Fitz turned her around in his arms and hugged her tight.

Olivia buried her face in his chest, letting the comfort of his scent and his strong arms around her settle her nerves. She never felt this many emotions all at once before. She was enraged that Roger was disrupting her life like this, she was embarrassed that she threw up all over herself and the table in a restaurant full of people and she was also fearful of a man she thought she knew. Olivia still couldn't say for sure that she saw Roger outside of the clothing store or restaurant. But whoever she saw or thought she saw was enough to upset her stomach so much that she emptied her stomach on herself. And no longer was she thinking about herself. She's pregnant now, which meant she had to worry about the life that she was carrying. She didn't know a lot of pregnancy, but she knew that stress and pregnancies didn't mix well. And in the past weeks, she'd had more than her full share of stress.

Olivia was still crying, as Fitz finished undressing her and himself before walking them into the now hot water in the shower. Fitz played the role of caring and doting boyfriend, washing Olivia's body from head to toe. He ran her soapy sponge all over her body washing away any trace of the days' events. He walked them further in the water and washed her hair. Running his fingers through her strands, carefully detangling and rising before they got out. He wrapped a towel around her, then himself before going to look for some clothes to put on. Olivia was quiet the entire time, but she'd stopped crying some time during their shower.

When Fitz walked back from the closet, Olivia was sitting on the ottoman in the bathroom. Fitz was already wearing a pair of sweatpants and he'd brought back one of his shirts that she was always stealing to sleep in. Although she wasn't that big, she claimed that all her nightclothes were no longer comfortable. Fitz put the shirt of Olivia's head and she put her arms through. When she got it on, she lifted her arms for Fitz to pick her up and carry her back to the bedroom. She was fine to walk back herself, but she was enjoying the attention and treatment Fitz was giving her and she was going to take all she could. He wouldn't be able to carry her like this for much longer.

Fitz sat her on the bed and climbed in beside her. She laid her head on his chest and he again put his arms around her. He didn't say a word, he was waiting for Olivia to talk first.

"I don't know if he was there or not." Olivia said. "I feel like I'm losing my mind. I don't want to be trapped in the house all the time, but I'm scared to go out now. What if-"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Fitz cut her off before she could even finish that thought. "Maybe I should call off my party Saturday."

"No Fitz. You can't do that. Your mother and Tabitha worked hard on it. Besides, even though I might be scared, I don't want to change my life or plans because of Roger."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's your birthday, so for one day, we're going to pretend that everything is fine and enjoy ourselves. Or at least try to enjoy ourselves. I know one thing, I wish I could enjoy a glass of wine right now. Because I sure could use it." Fitz laughed despite himself and kissed the top of Olivia's head. "Fitz how much of this have you told your family?"

"I told my father."

"But not your mother?"

"We both agreed that it was best for neither my mother nor Tabitha to know. We don't want to trouble them." So that's where he gets it from Olivia thought. "And I wish I could keep you from troubling about it too."

"It's a little too late for that with me."

"We'll find him. I promise. I'm going to put an end to this."

Judging by what Tabitha told her earlier, Olivia had no doubt that Fitz was more than capable of handling Roger.

X

The next chapter will be Fitz's birthday party and there will be more than a few surprises.

I picture what I'm reading in my head as I go along, so for a visual aide:

Alex is wearing a dress Taraji P. Henson wore to the 2017 Oscars.
Tabitha is wearing a dress Margot Robbie wore to the 2018 Oscars.
Olivia will be wearing a dress Emma Stone wore to the 2015 Oscars.