Love and Art

by Starfish81

Fitz is a big time art Rep & owner of Grant Art inc. He's the big shot that everyone wants to know. Olivia is a young and hopeful artist hoping to branch out her art beyond her friends shop. What happens when Olivia meets with Fitz for a job at his company? How will Fitz deal with his obligation to his company, while dealing with new and growing Feelings for the newest staff member

35. Chapter Thirty-Five:Shock And Awe People

Chapter Thirty-Five: Shock And Awe People

"Ugh!" Olivia flung herself backwards on her bed in exhaustion and annoyance. Fitz was in the bathroom, getting ready for the day. He had the door opened all the way, so he heard Olivia and all her dramatics in the bedroom.

"Everything alright in there?" he asked, as he carefully shaved his beard in the bathroom mirror.

"No everything is not okay! My back is killing me, my feet are getting bigger every day, I have to pee every two minutes because this kid won't keep its head off my bladder and she's stealing all my energy." Fitz laughed, but Olivia did not find anything she said humorously. "It's not funny Fitz." She whined. "I'm almost two weeks overdue now, and this baby is not showing any signs of coming out. I'm tired of being pregnant, I just want to drop this kid already."

"She's not done cooking yet." Fitz said, coming out the bathroom, fresh faced with a towel hanging low on his hips.

"Well, I'm done. It's time for her to vacate the premises. I've been hounding you about finding a house before she gets here and turns out we had two more weeks to work with."

Olivia was almost two weeks past her due date at this point. Their baby girl was taking her time, not ready to meet the world just yet. But Olivia was beyond ready to give birth. The last month of her pregnancy was the absolute worst. Her back pain at times was unbearable. She was always tired, never having a lot of energy to do anything. Walking to the kitchen in her home often took her breath away. And it seemed as if the baby was going to be a soccer star, because she was constantly kicking and moving around. Trying to get sleep at night has been hell for Olivia. And although she was past her due date, her doctors told her she was fine. But if she hadn't gone into labor by next week, they were going to have to induce her. Olivia wished they would just do it now and get it over with. She never thought she'd be so annoyed to still be pregnant.

"You've been in a cranky mood this morning babe."

"Yeah, well while you were snoring in a peaceful sleep, I was tossing and turning because your child was constantly kicking me in my back and bladder. Which caused me to get up every half hour to pee. And forget being comfortable. Every time I try to lay down, it feels like someone is stabbing me in the lower back."

"Just a couple more days."

"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one carrying this load."

"You need to get out the house Liv." Fitz suggested. Lately Olivia had been cooped up in the house, with nowhere to go. Partly because she was exhausted just walking through the house. But also, because they had fully moved into the new house and she hadn't met any of the neighbors yet, nor did she know the town all that much. "You've been stuck in the house too long."

"Where am I going to go Fitz? I have no clue what's around here and I know absolutely no one." Olivia loved their new home, but she missed her friends back in Sag Harbor. She hasn't met anyone in her new town yet, and lately Fitz has been making more trips back and forth to NYC and she was left at the house. She was beginning to feel lonely.

"That's why you have to get out the house Olivia. Go meet some of the neighbors, go explore the town."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't want to go knocking on people's doors by myself, it's weird."

"Olivia you're the people person not me."

"But they are our neighbors, we should be meeting them together."

"Fine, this weekend the both of us will go mee the neighbors." Fitz was halfway dressed when he came out the closet. He was fastening his tie around his neck and Olivia came to help him. "Why don't you come with me to the city today."

Olivia made a face. "What would I do in the city?"

"I don't know. Visit you family, your sister maybe have lunch with your friends, I know you miss them."

"I do miss them." Olivia admitted. Even before they moved to Connecticut, Olivia hadn't seen her friends from the city in a long time.

"Great. Go get dressed, we have to leave in the next half hour." Fitz smacked Olivia's fuzzy robe covered behind and she made her way to the closet.

X

It of course took Olivia longer than half an hour to get ready, so Fitz had to make up the time on the drive to the city. Olivia managed to fall asleep during the ride, and Fitz was grateful. It was only a short nap, but any sleep Olivia could find these days were precious. Fitz knew Olivia was having a hard time in this last month of her pregnancy, and he tried to do whatever he could to help her but there was only so much he could do. It wasn't as if he could trade places with her. Olivia was just beyond ready to have their baby and Fitz had to admit he himself was getting excited to meet their baby girl.

When they got to the city, Fitz dropped Olivia off at her sister's brownstone and he headed off to his office. Olivia had plans with her sister to have lunch with Quinn and a few of their friends. Olivia was excited to see them, it had been so long since she had the chance to just catch up with them.

Fitz headed to his office to finish his project he was working on. For the past few months, he had been working on a new project that was top secret. Not even Olivia knew what he was working on. The only people who knew about it were a few people in his office who were helping him set up the show he was having this weekend. This would be the first time in years he held a show for himself and not for one of his artists. For the past couple of years, Fitz had just focused on the business and not the art. He hasn't even created a new piece of art in years. Then he met Olivia and she became his new muse. She inspired every piece he created, and it was obvious.

Fitz wanted to keep his work a secret from Liv, so she'd see it with the rest of the world when he finally unveiled it. She was for sure going to be shocked when she finally saw what he'd done, maybe even a little embarrassed. But Fitz hoped she would love it.

Fitz had just finished his meeting with his team, and he headed back to his office. He called Olivia to check on her, but she didn't answer his call. He knew she was out with her sister and she might be busy, so instead of sending a quick text he decided to call Alex instead.

Alex answered on the fourth ring. "Hello Fitz, Olivia is fine." Alex knew the only reason Fitz was calling her phone, was because his call to Olivia went unanswered. She and Liv were still at her brownstone, they were just about to go meet their friends for an early lunch. Olivia had stepped away to the restroom, again, when Fitz called her phone.

"Hello Alex, how are you?"

"I'm fine Fitz and so is Olivia, she's just in the restroom." Alex rolled her eyes, but in a playful way. Those two were pathetic. Couldn't go a couple of hours without calling each other. Alex spotted Liv coming out the bathroom. "Your boyfriend rang." She gave Liv her phone and then went upstairs to hurry Quinn, who was still getting dressed.

"Hey baby." Olivia said in a giddy voice. She was already in a better mood, being home around her sister and she was looking forward to seeing the rest of her friends. "I'm glad you talked me into coming with you. I'm looking forward to seeing my friends later."

"I'm glad, and you do sound to be in a better mood."

"I'm sorry, its your baby making me crazy."

"And I suppose you had nothing to do with it then huh?"

"That is correct sir." Olivia laughed. "So how did your meeting go?"

"It was great, got a lot done and ready for this weekend."

"I still can't believe you won't tell me what you're working on."

"Patience sweetheart, patience." Fitz looked up from what he was doing, when his office door opened. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked, when Patrick walked in his office.

Patrick shrugged. "I was on this side handling some business and decided to stop by." Patrick then noticed that Fitz was on the phone. His assistant wasn't at her desk earlier to stop him or tell him to wait. "I can come back if you're busy."

"No, it's Liv." Fitz put his phone on speaker. "Liv Pat is here."

"Hello Patrick." Olivia greeted. Olivia and Patrick's relationship has grown some since he and Alex broke up. Before, Olivia hated Patrick just as much as Alex did, especially for how and why they had broken up. But ever since Alex started seeing Quinn again, and was genuinely happy her anger began to dissipate. They weren't buddy buddy, but they were cordial with one another when they met. And since Alex had clearly moved on, Olivia figured she could give Patrick another shot. But she was still closer to Tabitha than she was with Patrick.

"Hey Liv, how's it going? Is my niece still cooking."

"She is, but at this point she's overcooked."

"A little diva taking her time I see." Patrick joked. "So Fitz I actually came by because mom is having a dinner tonight and she wants you to be there since you're in town. And don't ask me how she found out you were in town. Liv I wish you were here so you could join us."

"Actually I'm in the city as well. I'm just visiting my sister and some friends while Fitz was at work."

"Well that's perfect. I'll tell mom you and Fitz will be over for dinner tonight." Patrick took his phone out to text his mother. He went to sit on one of the couches in Fitz's office to give him some privacy as he finished his call.

"So you two about to head out?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah, Quinn is going to join us and we're going to meet everyone at Los Mariscos, your daughter has a taste for tacos."

"If you say so. Listen don't do too much okay, I don't want you fainting in the middle of the street."

"I won't, I promise."

"Okay Liv she's finally dressed let's get out of here before she changes her mind about her shoes." Alex yelled, finally ushering a dressed Quinn towards the door.

"Okay baby I gotta go. I'll call you when I get back to the brownstone. I love you."

"Love you too." Fitz hung up his phone and looked up to Patrick giving him a weird look. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just still shocked to see you like this at times. All in love and shit, never thought I'd see the day." Patrick laughed. "I was sure Mellie had tainted any type of heart you may have had."

"Well glad to disappoint little brother."

X

"Oh my baby!" Dianna shouted as she stood at her front door. Alex and Olivia were walking up to the front door. After spending the afternoon with their friends, they ended up at their parent's home. Olivia knew if she came into the city and didn't go by to see her parent's she would never hear the end of it. Quinn decided to sit this visit out and she went back home after the met-up with everyone.

"Ma stop acting like you haven't seen me in years." Olivia replied, giving her mother a hug. She pulled away, when Dianna started fussing with her hair. Dianna always hated the wild and sometimes unruly way Olivia wore her hair.

"Well it feel that way at times. With you being in hours away in Connecticut now."

"Ma Connecticut is only an hour and a half drive away with good traffic."

"Whatever." Dianna turned to her other daughter. "Hello sweetheart. Now you live less than an hour away from your mother, and I still only see you every blue moon. What's your excuse?"

Alex was caught off guard. "Daddy!" Alex yelled into the house, instead of answering her mother.

They all walked in the house, they found Eli sitting in the living room watching TV.

"Hey daddy." Alex and Olivia said at the same time. They plopped down on the couch next to him on both sides.

"Hey, my baby girls." He kissed them both, before turning to Olivia. "How are you feeling?"

Olivia groaned. "Fat and uncomfortable."

Eli chuckled and rubbed Olivia's protruding belly. "And how is my grandbaby doing."

"Stubborn."

"Just like her momma I see." Dianne said.

"I'm not stubborn I'm strong willed."

"If you say so dear. Are you two staying for dinner?"

"We just had a pretty big lunch, I'm not really hungry. Besides, I can't stay long I'm having dinner with Fitz and his folks tonight."

"Well I'm glad you could grace us with your presence." Dianne teased.

"Ma."

"I'm just messing with you. It's actually quite nice to see you this way, all domesticated." Dianne admitted. "I suppose I should get use to it, when you and Fitz are married I'm going to have to share you even more."

"Married? Who said we're getting married." Olivia asked.

Alex scoffed from the other side of the couch. "Oh please Olivia, you know damn well that man is going to make you his wife. It's not a matter of if, but when."

"And you know you will say yes." Dianna added. Winked at Olivia and Eli groaned. He was not a fan of all this marriage talk. He was not looking forward to sharing any of his girls anymore than he already has. Olivia getting married and starting a family and life of her own meant more time away from him.

"Fitz and I have not even talked about marriage." Olivia thought for a moment and then remembered when Fitz had half-assed proposed to her when she got pregnant. "Well he did propose to me once, back when I first got pregnant."

"How come this is the first time I'm hearing about an engagement?" Dianne was appalled her daughter would keep an engagement from her. Especially when both of her daughters knew just how desperate she was to plan a wedding.

"Because we were never engaged."

"You told him no?" Alex asked shocked. She was sure that if and when Fitz ever asked Olivia to marry him she would have said yes.

"No, well yes... sort of. I didn't think he was sincere and he really only asked me because I was pregnant and he felt obligated to marry me. It wasn't even a real proposal, he just blurted out marry me and he didn't even have a ring. It was a spur of the moment thing."

"What's the big deal Liv?" Alex said. "You're living together and you're already pregnant with the man's kid."

"Yes, although I would have preferred a wedding come before a baby. But I'm sure the Lord is willing to overlook you two shacked up and living in sin once you walk down the aisle."

"Oh please momma like you and daddy waited until you were married before yall had sex."

"Well you're wrong on that one baby girl." Eli rose up from his chair. "Your mother made me wait until our honeymoon night before I finally got to tap that." Eli kissed the side of Dianne's head as he walked past her to the kitchen. Alex laughed while Olivia had an amused yet horrified look on her face. She did not want to think about her parents doing anything in the bedroom.

"That's right, I was a very traditional woman." Dianne said. She might have made Eli wait, but she was not a virgin on her wedding night. But her kids didn't need to know that.

"So anyway, now that we have your sister halfway down the aisle. Alex when can we expect you to head down the aisle?"

Alex choked on the beer she took from her dad's hand. Where the hell did that come from? She wondered. Dianne was looking her head on and Alex knew she was dead serious.

"Well, you can start expecting it right now, but it's not going to happen."

"Your sister has begun to settle down it's high time you do as well Alexandra."

"Why do I have to settle down just because Olivia is?"

"Well do you plan on being a confirmed bachelorette forever?"

"Who said I wasn't dating? I could be seeing someone right now."

"Are you?" This time Eli spoke up.

This would have been a good time to let her parents know she was indeed seeing someone. Olivia looked on waiting, wondering if Alex was going to at least confirm she was dating someone even if she didn't let on to who exactly the someone was. Alex never answered, and her parents took that as a no.

"Well in that case, Sister Mackey from church, you remember Sister Mackey right? Well her grandson Troy just moved back to the city after living in India for a while. He-"

"Mama no." Alex shut that down quick.

"What?"

"Eww no! I don't want my mother setting me up on dates with her old lady friend's kids. I am not desperate."

"Oh honey I have seen his pictures and he is a sight for sore eyes. I think you two would look great together and he could certainly help you loosen up a bit."

"Oh my God." Alex shrunk in embarrassment on the couch. She did not just say that in front of her father did she? "Mommy please I do not need you to set me up on dates, I'm loose enough. Okay?"

Dianne held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, fine. Olivia, back to you. How long will you be in the city? A couple of hours of laying eyes on you is not enough."

Olivia laughed. "Honestly mother, do you practice your dramatics in a mirror?"

"Of course not honey, I took a class."

"Well we were actually going to go back home today, and come back this weekend, but since we're here I guess it would make more sense to just stay in the city this week. I'm sure Fitz won't mind."

"Perfect!" Dianna exclaimed happily. "And since his parents are getting dinner tonight, I call breakfast in the morning. And Alex honey bring Quinn along."

"Wait, I thought you wanted to see Olivia's face, why do I have to come?"

"I will see you both in the morning." Dianne said definitively and that was the end of that talk.

"Yes ma'am." Alex and Olivia answered together.

X

"Fitz." Olivia moaned through the hummed of the shower cascading over her head. She was pressed up against the glass shower wall, her back arching against the slick wall. Head thrust back, eyes squeezed shut. She looked down and saw nothing but her protruding belly. If she could see past her belly, she would have seen Fitz on his knees and using his superpower on Olivia to give her the most orgasmic climax she ever felt.

They had been home from the dinner at Fitz's parents for a while now and as soon as they walked through the door, they were on each other. They had been teasing each other the entire dinner, mostly Fitz was teasing Olivia. He couldn't keep his hands off her the entire night, softly caressing her back, rubbing her shoulders and arms, stealing kisses when they had a moment. And when they sat down at the table to eat, his hand always found its way onto her thigh under the table, no matter how many times Olivia swatted his hand away. She had to stop herself from moaning at the table, when he made it up her thigh and was pulling at the fabric of her underwear.

They could leave his parent's home fast enough, and when they finally left Fitz was driving like a mad man to get Olivia home. He was really regretting his decision to give Tom the night off, he would have loved to be in the back seat with Olivia on the ride home. When they got through the door, Fitz took Olivia straight to the bathroom and finished what he started earlier.

Olivia reached her hands out, but she had nothing to grab onto. She couldn't reach Fitz's hair, and there was nothing to grab onto in a glass shower. She reached down and gripped Fitz's hand that was keeping her leg on his shoulder.

Olivia never thought that she would enjoy this type of lovemaking, but it has quickly become a favorite of hers. She always thought the act was nasty and unsanitary. Why would anyone want to put their mouth on something that you pee out of? Now, found herself daydreaming about it and anticipating Fitz's arrival home.

"There, oh God… there." Fitz thrust middle and ring finger into Olivia's canal as his thumb tightly rub on her clit. He knew what to do to make her climax. He knew he body so well, he knew all her triggers and she knew just what button to push to bring her to ecstasy.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Olivia chanted, as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her body. Olivia was positive the Fitzgerald Grant was the only man on earth that could deliver an out-of-body experience each time he made love.

When the last wave of her orgasm had gone, Fitz unhooked her leg from his shoulder and stood to his feet. Olivia had a hazy, glass-eyed look on her face and she was ginning.

"I can't feel my legs." She whispered with a chuckled.

Fitz washed his body and then Olivia's before they both got out. He helped Olivia lotion her legs and feet, since she could no longer reach her legs or feet comfortably. By the time Olivia put on her nightgown, she was exhausted. Between the car ride into the city, lunch with her friends, visiting her parents and then her dinner with Fitz's family. She'd had a long day and she was beyond tired.

She was already under the covers and halfway asleep when Fitz came back from the bathroom after doing his nightly routine. Olivia watched him check his phone one last time before putting it on the charger, taking a sip of water from the cup he normally keeps on his side of the bed. Then he climbed under the covers with her and she turned onto her other side so he could spoon her from behind.

"I had fun at your parent's tonight." Olivia spoke through a yawn.

"Mhm." Fitz nuzzled his face into Olivia's neck, inhaling her fresh scent. The day was beginning to creep up on his as well. But right as he closed his eyes, Olivia called his name. "Hm?"

She was silent for a moment at first, before she finally spoke. "Have you ever thought about getting married again?" Olivia had been thinking about the subject of marriage ever since her mother brought it up earlier. It was of course something she wanted one day and she wanted that with Fitz. But they have never sincerely sat down and talked about marriage before. And Fitz was of course married before, albeit briefly, but it was still a marriage, and it was not a good one. Olivia was afraid his one bad experience had soured Fitz on the whole idea of marriage.

"Where is this coming from?" Fitz was awake now, Olivia question had effectively washed away his sleepiness.

"Something my mother said earlier made me think about it." Olivia wished she could see his face right now, so she could gauge how he was feeling. "So have you?"

"I…" Fitz didn't know how to answer. After his train wreck of a marriage to Mellie, Fitz never wanted to get married again. At first it was because of Mellie, but as the years went on, his hesitation transitioned to indifference. Fitz didn't feel the need to be married, he didn't get the big idea behind it. You sign a paper, say some vows in front of family and friends and your married. What does it mean? The next day you go back to living the same life you were living before you got married so what changed? Why go through all the hoopla of a wedding to continue doing what you were doing in the first place? It was pointless to Fitz now.

"Fitz?"

"I don't know what you want me to say Liv." Fitz answered, and it was not the answer Olivia wanted.

"I want you to answer my question. Honestly. Do you see yourself getting married again?"

"Honestly, Olivia I don't see the point."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't see the point. You shell out thousands of dollars for one day to just continue living the same life you were living before. What changes?"

"It's about making a commitment to each other Fitz."

"Can't I make a commitment without getting married?" Fitz asked. "I just think the whole idea of marriage is pointless."

"Is this about your first marriage and how it ended?" Olivia asked and she knew she'd touched a nerve with Fitz. "I know Mellie was now the best wife and your marriage was not the best but-"

"This has nothing to do with Mellie or our shame of a marriage."

"Then where is this coming from? Are you forgetting you asked me to marry you once before."

"Yeah and you told me no."

"I told you no, because you just blurted out 'marry me' me. It wasn't planned, you weren't serious, you didn't even have a ring Fitz. And you only asked because I was pregnant. Not because you love me and want to spend the rest of your life with me."

"Okay but you already know I love you and I do want to spend my life with you. What's the point in getting married?"

"So you don't want to get married?" Olivia asked again.

Fitz sighed, he wished Olivia would have just gone to sleep because now he could sense an argument coming. "Olivia are you saying that you want to get married?"

"Marriage was something I saw in my future yes."

Fitz sighed again. "Fine then I'll marry you."

"Oh wow isn't that romantic. Fine I'll marry you. I didn't think you could top your first proposal." Olivia said sarcastically, scooting away from Fitz in the bed. She was getting agitated, and her agitation would soon turn into anger.

"Olivia what is the problem, I said fine we can get married. Isn't that what you want."

"No Fitz it's not. I don't want you to marry me because it's what I want. Just like I didn't want you to marry me just because I'm pregnant. Jesus, you make it sound like I'm forcing you to marry me. If we get married I want it to be because it's something the both of us want."

"Olivia I just told you, marriage is not something I want or require, I just simply don't need it. I don't need to be married to you to live my life with you, but if you need that I can give it to you."

"Just forget I brought it up Fitz."

Olivia turned back onto her side, on the far end of the bed, no longer snuggled in his arms. This was not at all how either of them saw their night ending. Olivia wished she had never brought up the subject of marriage again, because now she knew his true feelings and she didn't know how to feel about it. Marriage is definitely something Olivia wants, she wants to be married, she wants to be a wife and she wants to be Fitz's wife. But Fitz did not want to be her husband or anyone's husband. It was a tough [ill to swallow and Olivia wasn't sure if she could swallow it.

X

The next morning, things were a little awkward between Fitz and Olivia. They both woke up with last night's somewhat tensed conversation still weighing heavy on their minds. Neither of them spoke more than a quick good morning to each other. They went through their morning routines and got ready for breakfast at Eli and Dianne's in silence.

Fitz was tiptoeing around Olivia, because he already knew that he'd made her upset last night. He wasn't trying to make her angry, he was just being honest which is what she said she wanted. Fitz didn't want to get married, he didn't see the point in it, but if it was something Olivia wanted he would do it for her. Fitz thought that was a good enough answer, it gave Olivia what she wanted, but it wasn't the right answer.

They had only been playing the silent game for a couple of hours since they woke up that morning and Fitz was already tired of it. Fitz was about to say something to Olivia when she spoke up first.

"Fitz I'm sorry." Olivia said. "You were just being honest with me last night, which is what I asked of you. I'm sorry, I never should have even brought up the topic."

"You don't have to be sorry Livvie. If marriage is something you think about then-"

"It's not." Olivia cut him off. "I told you it was just on my mind because of something my mom said. And you were right, we are committed to each other, we love each other, we're good." Olivia was trying to speak with confidence, but she was shaky at best.

"Liv."

"Let's just enjoy our day and weekend okay?" Olivia put her arms around Fitz's neck. "I don't want to argue with you, we're good." Olivia leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. Then she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen that almost had her bent over.

"Are you okay Liv." Fitz held her up, since she was leaning heavily on him. "Livvie."

"I'm fine. My back is just throbbing right now and that was a very powerful kick. I'm fine"

"Yes." Olivia did tell Fitz that she'd been feeling these sharp pains since she woke up this morning, it would only worry him.

"Are you sure you're okay to go to your parent's house?"

"Oh I'm okay, I've been thinking about my mother's buttermilk pancakes since yesterday, we're going. Now let's go because I'm starving."

X

"Damn Liv, how about you save some food for the rest of us." Alex teased her sister as Olivia yet another one of the pastries her mother had set out.

Dianne had invited some of her neighbors to join them for breakfast along with the family. Everyone had all gathered in the living room eating the pastries Dianne set out while she finished setting the table with the rest of the food. Dianne didn't host a lot of dining parties for people outside of her immediate family. So when she did, she went all out.

"Until you carry a human in your body for over 40 weeks, you don't get an opinion of how much any pregnant woman eats."

"I'm just saying, I had my mouth ready for that muffin you just ate."

"Well you should have been quicker." Olivia smiled, as she popped the last of the muffin in her mouth.

"When are you going to pop this kid out anyway? I'm ready to meet my niece." Alex rubbed Olivia's belly. Olivia was used to being touched all the time at this point. At first it took her a moment to get used to everyone always wanting to rub on her belly. Now, she barely even noticed when someone would reach out and rub on her belly. It was always the first thing her father did when he saw her.

"When your niece decides she wants to come out." Olivia held her breath as another pain ran through her body. She tried not to make it noticeable and she guessed she succeeded when Alex kept talking.

"Has your doctor talked about inducing you?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah, at my last appointment we talked about it. She said if I hadn't gone into labor by the end of the week that we needed to schedule a time to induce me."

"This is the end of the week Liv." Alex pointed out.

"Technically, it's only Friday. I didn't want to have to be induced, but it feels like that's where I'm headed."

"Well, I guess we can already tell she's a little diva, showing up fashionably late."

"Honey this is beyond fashionably late, this is just don't right rude and he needs to hurry up. Because if I sneeze and pee myself one more time, I'm going to hurt someone."

Alex started laughing and Olivia couldn't help but laugh with her, although she was being so serious. Alex got called away by her mother to help her in the kitchen and that left Olivia sitting on the couch by herself. She looked around for Fitz, when she noticed he wasn't in the living room with everyone else. She turned in her chair and spotted him outside on the back porch with her father and the next-door neighbor. He must have sensed someone staring at him, because he looked up and locked eyes with Olivia. She held his gaze for only a moment, before awkwardly looking away and turning back around in her chair.

They had been separated all morning long. Although Olivia said they were alright, she was still upset about their discussion last night. And although she tried to make terms with Fitz's decision, she was having a hard time accepting it.

"Hey girl." Quinn plopped down on the chair next to Olivia and she quickly did a look around the room for Dianne, because she knew how she hated when people plopped down on her chairs.

"Hey." Olivia said with less enthusiasm as Quinn.

"You okay?" Quinn asked. She'd noticed that Olivia didn't seem like herself from the moment she walked in the house. She also noticed some weird vibes and tension between Olivia and Fitz. Like now for instance, normally Fitz and Olivia couldn't get away from each other. And when they were together, they were constantly touching in some way. Whether it was a simple graze on the arm or back or just simply sitting extremely close to one another for no reason. There was never any apace between them. But now, Quinn has noticed that they have barely said two words to each other and every time she spots one, the other is across the room.

"Yeah." Olivia answered, but she didn't sound convincing.

"Liv, it's me. Come on, I can tell when something is not right with you." Olivia didn't answer. "Are things okay with you and Fitz?"

"Why do you ask that?" Olivia knew she and Fitz weren't acting like their normal selves, but she didn't think it was noticeable.

"Olivia stop acting like I'm some stranger. I've been around you and Fitz long enough to notice things. So come on, what's wrong?"

Olivia sighed, maybe if she got someone else's perspective, it would help the situation.

"Last night, I brought up the subject of marriage to Fitz, and it didn't go so well."

"What happened?"

"He basically told me that he didn't want to marry me anytime soon, not ever really."

Quinn was shocked. "That doesn't sound like Fitz. That man is crazy for you."

"I didn't say he didn't love me, he just doesn't want to marry me or anyone. He thinks the idea is just ridiculous and pointless. And the crazy thing is that he's actually proposed to me before. He only proposed because I was pregnant, and now I'm thinking I missed my chance and I should have just married the man."

"I'm sorry Liv. I know how much marriage means to you."

"I've always said I wanted to be a wife one day, with kids and the perfect family. And when I got with Fitz, I thought this was it for me, I thought he was it. I was so ready to settle down with him."

"Did he say he didn't want that?"

"No. But he said he didn't feel to marry me to make a commitment to me."

"Well I mean it's kind of true."

"It's not the same Quinn. Marriage is more than commitment, it about coming together and becoming one. It's about connecting on a much higher level, and solidifying what we have. You understand, you want to get married one day right." Olivia lowered her voice so no one could hear what she said next. "What if Alex decided she never wanted to get married?"

Quinn humorlessly chuckled. "Well she'd have to step out of the closet first for that to happen. So the chances of her proposing anytime soon are slim to none."

"But what if it did."

"Honestly, I'd be upset. But it would be a deal-breaker for me." Quinn answered honestly. "Is Fitz's decision a deal-breaker for you?"

"I don't know. I like to think that it isn't, but I also can't deny that it's really bothering me."

"Love is about compromising Liv." Quinn said.

"I don't know if this is something I can compromise with. Or even if I want to. I love Fitz and I know in my heart that I want to be his wife someday. I don't know if I can accept that he doesn't want the same." Fitz had moved his conversation with her father inside, and now he was standing on the other side of the room. They caught eyes again, before he looked away.

"You'd be surprised with what you can deal with and put up with for love."

Olivia noticed that Quinn's attention had shifted elsewhere as well. Olivia followed Quinn's line of vision across the room to Alex. "We're not talking about Fitz and I anymore are we?"

Quinn sighed. "Well if anyone knows what you're going through it's me. At least your loved one doesn't have a problem with loving you openly. You don't have to hide and pretend with the one you love."

Olivia knew how Quinn was feeling and she felt terrible. She wished that Alex would just woman up and tell her parents the truth and stop lying to everyone. She could just how much Quinn hated pretending in front of everyone and every time Alex made her do it she could see the hurt etched on Quinn's face.

"Quinn you know Alex loves you."

"Yeah, that's what she says." Quinn said as if she didn't believe the words. "But sometimes, I have to question if it's enough. I know she's scared to come out to your parents, I was scared too. And I don't want to rush her, at least I'm not trying to. But at this point, it's just unfair to everyone. She can't be who she wants to be, her parents are left in the dark and I'm miserable living this lie." Quinn laughed, it was something she did often when she was trying to stop herself from crying. "I've been out for over a decade now, and I feel as if she's dragging me back into the closet with her. Hiding who I am, pretending that I… I'm someone I'm not. I feel like I'm a teenager again living with my parents and pretending that I didn't have the hots for our neighbor's daughter. It's like I have one foot out the closet and the other stuck inside with your sister." Quinn wiped the single tear that had slip through. "So yeah, I know how you feel. Sacrificing and compromising for love is not fun, but you have to decide if it's worth it or not."

Olivia put her arm around Quinn's shoulder in comfort, she was about to speak, when her mother announced that the food was ready. It seemed almost immediate that everyone began making their way into the dining room. Olivia was surprised when Fitz came over to the couch to help her stand and then guided her to the dining room with his hand on her lower back. There hadn't been a lot of touching since their moment this morning.

"So glad you all could make it." Dianne spoke from the head of the table. She was standing as everyone took their seats. Fitz and Olivia sat together, as did Quinn and Alex on the opposite side. The neighbors sat on either side and Dianne and Eli were at the ends of the table. "It's been a while since I got to cook for a somewhat large group. My girls are all grown up and moving away." Olivia rolled her eyes, her mother was so dramatic. "Anyway, I'm glad to see you all here and there is plenty of food for everyone so please don't be shy." After Eli said the prayer, everyone dug into their food.

Olivia grabbed the platter of bacon and put some on her plate and then on Fitz's, knowing he would prefer bacon over the sausage.

"Everything looks great Mama Pope." Quinn said.

"Oh thank you honey."

The doorbell rang and Dianne seemed to be the only one not shocked. No one else was expecting any more company.

"Oh I'll get it." Dianne hoped out of her seat and headed for the door. When she came back, choked on the piece of waffle she'd just put in her mouth. Fitz patted her back and she coughed, and then gave her a glass of juice.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She croaked and then shot her gaze to Alex, who was still staring at the unexpected guest standing next to her mother.

"Everyone look who's here."

Olivia didn't need to be introduced; she knew who this was. Kendal Pearce. Alex's old flame from a million years ago. An old flame that Olivia was head over heels for. Kendal was Alex's first crush, first kiss, first love, first everything. Alex and Kendal had an on-and-off relationship for years from high school and into college until the last time they broke up and lost touch with one another.

"Um, mom what-" Olivia started to ask the question, but she was cut off when Alex leaped from her seat to hug Kendal.

"Oh my God Kendal!" Alex jumped up and hugged Kendal around the neck. A tight hug, not the friendly church hug you give from the side. There was no room for Jesus in this hug. Kendal seemed to be shocked by the enthusiasm at first, but then settled in and hugged Alex back just as tight as she had him. Dianne was standing next to the pair with a wide smile on her face.

Olivia looked over to Quinn and her face was just as red as the red shirt she had on, she was pissed, and Olivia could just feel the uncomfortable tension radiating off her. Quinn knew who Kendal was. She heard the stories and seen old high school and college pictures of Alex and Quinn, and Kendal was a frequent face in those pictures.

While Quinn's face read anger and embarrassment, Olivia's read shock and anger. Shocked at Alex's reaction to seeing Kendal. Olivia of course knew the history between he two, but they haven't seen or spoken to each other in years. And Olivia's anger was aimed at Alex and the little show she was putting on with her ex-boyfriend right in front of her current girlfriend. But of course, no one except Olivia and Fitz knew they were a couple.

Once she finally got herself together, Alex pulled away from Kendal but still had her hand on his forearm.

"Well this is a shock." She said. "Kendal, I had no idea you were in NY let alone at my mother's breakfast party. Oh you remember my dad and Liv, and this is her boyfriend Fitz. These are my parent's neighbors from next door and my roommate Quinn."

Quinn sadly smirked when Alex introduced her as a roommate, just a roommate.

"Good to see you again Mr. Pope, Liv." Kendal said. "And nice to meet the rest of you. Hope you don't mind me crashing the party."

"Well it is unexpected." Olivia said. "and it doesn't seem as if we have anymore space at the table for you."

"Oh nonsense Olivia, There is plenty of room and food for everyone." Dianne spoke.

"You can sit here Kendal." Alex slid her place setting over and made room for Kendal to sit bedside her. She had to take a chair from the hall for him to sit and Dianne had to get more plates from the kitchen.

"So what are you doing here Kendal?" Olivia asked after everyone took their seats again. "I mean we haven't heard or seen you in years and now all of a sudden you show up at my parent's house?"

"Uh." Kendal didn't know where Olivia's hostility was coming from, or why it was directed at him.

"Olivia don't be so rude." Dianne reprimanded. "I invited Ken after I ran into him at the grocery. We started talking and catching up with one another and I invited him today."

"I know we lost touch with one another in college, but that was always my one regret. I mean I've known you guys almost since I was a knucklehead teen, you were always like my family."

"Mhm. So what have you been doing with your life? Last time I saw you you were dropping out of college to be a roadie on some garage band's tour. How'd that go?"

"Olivia you're being rude." Alex said. Alex knew Olivia was never really fond of Kendal from the beginning. Kendal was the undercover bad boy when they were younger, and he was constantly getting Alex mixed in with his mess. Kendal may have had her parents fooled, but Olivia always saw the real deal.

"I'm asking the man what he's been doing with his life, how is that rude?"

"It's fine." Kendal said. "And to answer you Olivia, it turns out you were right back then. I shouldn't have dropped out. The tour didn't even last a full week before I found myself begging strangers for bus fair to get back home." Olivia shook her head. Typical. "But for a while after college I spent time backpacking across the world, you know really trying to find myself and my place in the world." Olivia and Quinn both rolled their eyes.

"And did you…Find yourself?"

"Well I certainly discovered a lot about myself that's for sure. One thing I discovered was that I don't have a problem roughing it. Like the time I was in India and the hotel I was staying at was not one you'll find of a travel brochure." Kendal went on to tell a story of how he had to basically live in the dark for a week because the power went out. And he had to bathe with buckets of cold water, which also doubled as his washing machine. "Now after all my traveling, I work at a guitar shop part-time and I teach guitar lessons."

Olivia was not impressed, which was evident by her exaggerated sigh and eye roll. Fitz put his hand on top of Olivia's on the table. His silent way of telling her to relax. And while Olivia was not impressed, Alex seemed to be.

"Wow, that's really amazing. You know I'm teaching music now and I've got my own band."

"Really? That's great, you've always said you wanted to have your own band. I'm proud of you. Maybe I can come hear you play someday."

"Does that mean you plan on staying in town long?" Olivia asked with the same amount of venom before. She was annoyed now at Kendal acting as if he was the picture of perfection. And she was even more annoyed at Alex for the way she as looking at Kendal and hanging on his every word. Laughing at his corny jokes and her hand still hadn't left his arm.

"Um, I've actually moved back."

"And how wonderful that is." Dianne beamed. She'd been smiling the entire time since Kendal walked through the door. "I hope that we will be seeing more of you."

Kendal looked at Alex when he answered. "Yes ma'am. A lot more."

The smile on Alex's face was bright enough to light up Las Vegas and it was enough for Quinn.

"Excuse me for a moment." Quinn abruptly got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen. She didn't want to make a scene, which is exactly what she was going to do if she had stayed and watched Alex continue to flirt with her ex-boyfriend right in front of her.

"Um, let me go check on her." Alex said.

"No, no." Olivia got up instead. "You stay and reminisce, I'll go check on your roommate." Olivia made sure to put an extra emphasis on roommate.

The rest of the morning went the same as the breakfast. Kendal wowed the crowd with amusing and entertaining stories about his travels around the world, and they ate it up. And no one ate more than Alex did. She hung on his every word, engaged in every story, laughing like he was Richard Prior. The two were together all morning, where one the other followed. If anyone else had come, they could have thought Alex and Kendal were a couple.

It was disrespectful and a slap in the face to Quinn. She was for sure going to give Alex a piece of her mind when they got home.

X

Quinn stomped inside the house, slamming her purse down on the hall table. Then she stomped into the kitchen with Alex following behind with confusion on her face. Quinn opened and slammed several cabinet doors looking for a glass. Then she swung the refrigerator door open looking for her bottle of wine. When she found it, she slammed the fridge door and pour herself a generous glass.

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or are you going to keep slamming things?"

"Don't start Alex."

"Apparently something is already started, because you've clearly got an attitude."

"Oh I wonder why."

"I am wondering, what's your problem?"

"My problem? My problem is that I just spent the entire morning at my girlfriend's parents house, oh excuse me my roommate's parent's house and I had the pleasure of watching her fawn all over her ex-boyfriend."

"Fawning?" Alex laughed. "You're joking right. I was not fawning over anyone."

"Oh please Alex you were all over him the second he walked in. you practically few from your chair to hug him. Then you introduce me as just your roommate and you spend the rest of the evening grasping at every word he said. Laughing at his stupid jokes and I couldn't help but notice that your hand never left his arm, you just had to find some reason to touch him didn't you."

"Quinn are you jealous? Is that what this is? Because if so, you have no reason to be."

"Maybe I was jealous before, but now I'm pissed. Pissed that you spent the entire morning with him, glued to the hip. You came with me, yet you spent every second with him."

"I was just trying to make him comfortable, he didn't know anyone there."

"Oh really I thought he's known your family since he was a teen, now all of a sudden he's a stranger?"

"You know what I mean Quinn. We haven't spoken in years."

"Could've fooled me."

Alex sighed, "Quinn this is ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous, you hurting my feelings and embarrassing me is not ridiculous. What If I was the one who spent the entire morning with my ex instead of you?"

"I would understand that we don't have to keep tabs on each other. Jesus Quinn, we don't always have to be together every second." Alex paused. "It just feels a little… suffocating at times."

"I'm suffocating you?" Quinn couldn't believe Alex had the audacity to just say that. "You're the one that keeps dragging me along on every family occasion, because you don't like being alone. You're the one who asked me to move in when Olivia left. But I'm the one suffocating you? Well you know what, I feel really suffocated in the closet you've shoved me back into."

"Quinn you agreed to this arrangement."

"Did I have a choice?" Alex didn't answer, because she already knew the truth. "Honestly if I had known that apart of the arrangement was you disrespecting me in front of your family every chance, hanging out with ex-boyfriends and basically stringing me along, then maybe I wouldn't have agreed to this train wreck of a relationship."

"God, Quinn."

"No, because you and I both know that you don't have any intention of telling your parents about us anytime soon, do you?" Quinn didn't give Alex a chance to answer. "You know what never mind, why does it matter? This is our whatever time fighting about this and I'm over it." Quinn grabbed her glass and the rest of the champagne bottle and went upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her.

X

Fitz and Olivia were driving back from Eli and Dianne's house after breakfast. They were the last ones to leave, staying behind talking with Dianne and Eli. Olivia had been quiet for most of the ride while Fitz drive. She was still upset with Alex and her little display she put on with Kendal. Especially when she went outside to check on Quinn and found her steaming on the front porch.

"Liv, you okay?" Fitz asked, once the silence had gone on long enough. "Are you still upset about last night, I thought we talked about it-"

"No, I told you I was fine." She wasn't fine, she was definitely still mad, but right not her anger was directed elsewhere. "I was just thinking about Alex and Quinn."

"Oh yeah. I don't think I've ever been that uncomfortable at a dinner table."

"I know, just imagine how Quinn feels every time my sister makes her do that."

"Why is Alex so afraid to come out to your mom and dad?"

"She's afraid they're not going to take it well and end up disowning her I guess."

"I don't see that happening."

"Yeah, no one does but her-" Olivia was cut off when once again, she was overtaken by pain in her abdomen. It was beginning to happen more frequently now. And this time it wasn't a quick pain that faded away. This one was much longer, there was no hiding it this time.

"Liv what's wrong?" Fitz looked over to Olivia who was almost white in the face. Her eyes were shut tight, she was biting her bottom lip and gripping the door handle and the back of her chair so hard her knuckles were turning white. "Olivia talk to me what's wrong?"

"I don't know." Olivia said breathlessly. "I just keep getting these pains in my… ah my stomach." She reached out and gripped Fitz's arm when another hit. "Fitz. I think… oh I think something's wrong."

Fitz had already sped up, not knowing fully where he was after being sent on a detour. He took out his phone to look up the closest hospital or urgent care.

"Oh God… Fitz something is happening!"

"Olivia how long have you been like this? Has this been happening all morning?" Olivia didn't answer. "Jesus Liv, are you in labor?!"

As soon as the words left Fitz's mouth, he saw a wet spot quickly form on the front of Olivia's dress. He stopped the car in the middle of the street, thank God they were not in the city yet, and there were no other cars on the road. They stared at each other letting the realization kick in, before another contraction hit Olivia.

"Fitz!"

Fitz snapped out of his shock enough to pull the car to the side of the road. He jumped out of the car and raced to Olivia's door.

"Fitz you have to look, I can feel something."

That was not what Fitz wanted to hear. He helped Olivia pulled her underwear off and she propped her left leg up on the dashboard. And sure enough when Fitz lifted her dress, he could very clearly see the top of his baby's head.

"Fuck." Was the first word that came to mind. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"Fuck what?!"

"I can see the head!"

"Fuck! What are we going to do? Oh God!" Another contraction hit Olivia and she thought she was seeing stars. Of course, her daughter would want to make her grand entrance into the world on a back road in the front seat of a car. But Olivia couldn't be too mad, because the baby had been dropping hints all morning long.

"I'm going to call 911 okay just hold on."

"Fitz I can't hold on, this baby is coming now."

Fitz reached in the car and snatched his phone from the front seat and dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?" The operator spoke through the speakers of the car's Bluetooth.

"My girlfriend is in labor and we need help!"

"Your girlfriend is in labor?"

"Yes and we're on some back road and I don't think we have time to get to a hospital."

"Okay sir where is your location? And a description of the vehicle?"

Fitz looked around for a street sign, but didn't see any. Luckily Olivia knew where they were. She rattled off the street for the operator just before another contraction hit.

"Sir has her water broken?"

"Yes, and I can see the head, she's coming."

"Okay sir, I have an ambulance coming your way. Is this her first pregnancy?"

"Yes."

"And is she full term?"

"Yes, she's two weeks overdue. When is the ambulance getting here?"

"They are on their way now sir okay. But it sounds as if the baby might be here before they arrive. In that even I'm going to guide you through this and help you deliver this baby okay."

"Oh… okay." When Fitz thought about the day he would become a father, it went a lot different than this. For starters there was a doctor present delivering the baby and not him.

"Okay, what is your name sir?"

"Fitz and my girlfriend's name is Olivia."

"Okay Fitz, first things I'm going to need you to sanitize or clean your hand in some way." Fitz always kept some hand sanitizer in his glove compartment, and he quickly sanitized his hands. "Okay, were going to need something clean to wrap the baby in to keep her warm. Do you have a jack or blanket in your trunk."

"Uh I keep towels in my gym bag in the trunk."

"That's perfect grab those. And mom I need you to try to stay calm and keep your breathing even and normal."

"Okay." Olivia answered, practicing the breathing exercises she learned.

"I got them, I got the towels."

"Perfect. Okay Olivia, when you feel your contractions, I need you to bear down on something and give me a five-second push okay. Prop your feet on the dashboard. And dad, I need you to gently guide the baby out as mom pushes."

"I feel another one coming."

"Okay Olivia, I need you to take a deep breath and push."

Olivia took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could. She didn't mean to, but she let out an ear-piercing scream. This was a foreign pain to her, she'd never felt something like this before. It felt as if she was ripping from the inside. It was a burning and sting sensation.

"What's happening dad, tell me what you see."

Fitz was trying not to panic. "The… the head. I see the head."

"Is the head fully out?"

"No! Do I pull it?"

"No! Don't put it, just let the baby slide out okay. But be careful because she will be slippery when she comes out okay. Just have the towels ready to wrap her up." Olivia felt another contraction coming and she began to push again.

"You're doing great mom just keep pushing. Dad try to keep her calm and keep her breathing normal."

"Keep breathing Liv."

"It hurts!" Olivia cried through another round of pushing.

"Woah her head is out, her head is our what do I do?!" Fitz was panicking now.

"Fitz I need you to stay calm okay." The operator said. "When the shoulder come make sure they come out one by one and you can help guide the baby out the rest of the way. Just don't pull the baby okay, let her ease herself out with mom's help."

Olivia let out another shattering yell as the baby's shoulders began to pass. She had planned on having an all-natural birth and she supposed this was about as natural as natural could get.

"Okay the shoulders are out, there's a lot of blood."

"That's okay. Now the rest of baby will-"

"The baby is out! She's out!"

"Is she crying?"

"No she's not! Why isn't she crying." Olivia began to panic. "She's purple."

"That's okay mom. Just use the towel to clean her face and clear her airways. Rub on her back using the heel of your palm."

Olivia did as the operator said and cleaned the baby's face and airways and rubbed on the baby's back.

"Is she crying now?"

Just as the operator asked, the baby started crying and it was a sweet sound to the two nervous knew parents.

"She's crying, thank God she's crying." Olivia was crying herself now, and she could tell Fitz was stressed out. "She's okay Fitz."

"Perfect, you did great mom. Don't hang up the phone okay, until the paramedics reach you."

"Okay."

They heard the sirens from the ambulance and saw the flights flashing a short distance away.

"You just had a baby Liv. In a car."

"We're parents."

X

The baby is here! I haven't decided on a name yet, so I'll have on in the next chapter if you have any ideas on a first or middle name leave them in the comments :) The birth of baby Grant was also inspired by a friend of mine. she and her husband had planned on a water birth with their midwife. They were on their way to her mother's house, where the pool was and where she was to give birth, when her water broke. So her husband drove the car as she delivered the baby in the passenger seat, and the ambulance was waiting for them when they arrived at her mother's house. I will always admire a woman's strength and her ability to bring life into this world. Shoutout to all the mothers and fathers today.