Woah. I am still overwhelmed by the support and love from all of you. You guys are the absolute best. And I thank you for the reviews and messages you all send me whether on here or twitter. You all are amazing.
Until next time
-Muse
Chapter 2: I See You
X
Olivia has never believed herself to be lucky. Luck was a noun Olivia never associated with. She wasn't lucky when her mother died when she was twelve on a plane crash, she wasn't lucky when she was the seventh caller instead of the eight caller to win tickets to Janet Jackson's concert. She was never lucky and now sitting at the dinner table with her boyfriend's family and her boyfriend's brother who she unknowingly flirted with a day ago; Olivia has found herself to be the most unlucky person in the world right now. The only good thing that has happened is that she has yet to see him since this morning. That is until now.
Dinner had been going on for thirty minutes until he came down wearing khaki pants and a grey shirt with paint and clay spots on them.
"Fitz, you don't' have any other clothes besides filthy ones?" Daniel asked clearly annoyed by his brother's presence and appearance.
Fitz looks down clearly not seeing the problem in his clothes. "What's the problem?"
"You're not dressed properly." Daniel corrects him
"I have on a shirt, pants, and shoes. But next time tell me the dinner requirements and I'll attempt to fit the part."
"You couldn't if you tried."
Fitz shrugs before sitting across from Olivia and beside his mother. Grabbing a roll he begins to eat as the room watches him, some with curiosity some with resentment and others with annoyance.
"Fitzgerald." Big Jerry hollers
"Yeah." Fitz says putting down the bowl of gravy.
"You need to change."
Fitz looks at the room taking note of everyone wearing formal attire, he's put off by the nature of this dinner, he assumed it was a family gathering but nothing in this family was ever actually about family.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"That's not a good answer for me." Fitz turns his body to face Jerry sitting at the head of the table.
"Sweet boy…"
"Enough Helen." Jerry commands stopping his wife from pacifying Fitz as she loves to do.
"Don't talk to her like that." Fitz says moving his plate to the side having already lost his appetite "you talk to me."
"Not in front of company." Jerry says referencing to Olivia.
"Might as well, she'll be part of the family in no time." Fitz retorts.
Olivia felt her heart beating in her stomach at them clearly referencing her, was Daniel planning on proposing to her? why did Fitz say it as though it would be a bad thing.
"You want to go there boy."
"Jerry." Helen says reminding him of Olivia.
"It's been." Fitz looks at his watch "six hours since I got home, I think we are overdo."
Big Jerry wipes his face with his napkin before turning his attention solely on his son.
"You are wearing the same clothes since you arrived, do you not own a clean pair of pants or shirt? I have bent over backwards for you and you are still the same selfish, entitled, spoiled brat. I've been letting you be a struggling artist but it's time you get your head out of the clouds and come back down to earth. Boy."
Fitz downs his glass of scotch shaking his head at his father. "I'm not yours to control."
"You are mine to control."
"I'm not." Fitz says softly more to remind himself then his father.
"Answer me this, do you not own a suit? How does that make sense Fitzgerald? You have millions and yet you refuse everything all because you want to be defiant? Do you not understand how childish you are boy? Look at Daniel."
"Daniel and I are two different people."
"But one appreciates their dad. Appreciates the hard work I put in to your future."
"I appreciate it." Fitz says "but I don't' want your future."
"Now listen here Fitzgerald." Big Jerry voices drops deeper as his eyes darken on Fitz "you don't have a pot to piss in and we are having company."
Olivia turns to Daniel shocked to hear this revelation, not once did Daniel mention anything about company.
"Go put on some respectable clothes."
"No."
"Fitz." Helen turns to Fitz grabbing his hands quickly before her husband starts his rant about him "please go change. I have all of the clothes you will need in your room."
"I do not wish to be controlled and told what to do." Fitz says gently to his mother.
"I know." Helen agrees "but don't do it for him but for me. Do it for me son." Helen says softly
He eyes her for a second before nodding his head in agreement. Without a word he gets up from the table.
"Mr. Grant, your company has arrived." The butler says from the formal dining room entrance as his guest walks through.
"Hollis." Jerry says joyfully shaking his partner's hand. Many of their most lucrative deals were branched together, with Hollis coming from old money, Hollis funded most of their products with Jerry spearheading them but as of now with both men wealthier than ever they have slowly begun to transition their children to run their separate and joint companies.
"Well kick me on my crotch and call me Sally, you are one beautiful vixen."
Olivia smiles uncomfortably at the compliment never actually being able to respond as Fitz walks back in the room with a dark fitted suit and tie. Her eyes never left him and for a second he stares at Olivia for the first time since arriving.
Fitz was shocked to see Olivia sitting next to his brother when he came home but more than that he was disappointed that he had let her walk away that day. What were the odds that the women he felt something with would end up being his brother's girl? But Fitz did what he does best, he moved on.
"Well howdy Fitzgerald." Hollis says placing his focus on a more promising target.
"Hollis." Fitz says coolly
"Well what brought the cat back home?"
"It is my mother's birthday week. I wish to spend it with her."
"Aw. Lover boy strikes again."
Daniel snickers at the comment causing Olivia to turn over and look at him coldly silencing him without saying a word.
"Yes." Fitz agrees as he takes bite out of his scallop "lover boy."
"Isn't that what you call him Helen?"
"It's sweet boy, Hollis." Helen says firmly "And Fitz is the sweetest boy around. He came home to celebrate my birthday with me because he knew what I wanted was to spend time with him."
Olivia catches Daniel frown at hearing his mother's words but she can't make note of the sentiment. Clearly there is much Daniel has not told her about his family and from the looks of today she has a feeling she will get more information than necessary.
Fitz smiles at Helen grateful for the second of peace.
"You are just a chocolate covered almond. You must be Daniel's secretary." Hollis says with his thick accent laying over each word and syllable "Daniel you certainly made a wise pick, son."
"Thank you." Daniel says talking for the first time "I am most certainly the lucky one." Daniel reaches for Olivia's hand intertwining their fingers as he looks at Olivia who refuses to make eye contact with him. Without thinking Olivia looks directly in front of her and catches Fitz staring at her enlaced hands.
"She has a name." Fitz says firmly redirecting the attention.
"Excuse me?" Hollis says turning to look at Fitz
"You referred to her as an object and then instead of getting to know her you instead congratulated Daniel as though she is a toy. Learn and say her name." Fitz commands coldly. Throughout Fitz's and Jerry's fight not once did he seemed upset or lost his cool until now.
"Fitzgerald!" Jerry hollers upset that his son would disrespect his guest and longtime friend.
"That's alright, Jerry." Hollis says lifting up his hand to stop him from yelling at Fitz "Fitz, here was just going to apologize."
Fitz smiles smugly at him "You owe Olivia an apology."
"Who's that?"
"The women you insulted. Instead of complimenting my brother about her beauty why don't you try and attempt to know the women and not insult her intelligence by referring that she works for Daniel as though she can't have a career of her own."
Olivia removes her hand from Daniel's, she keeps her head down not wanting to add attention to herself but also to hide the tears in her eyes as she listens to Fitz defend her. He doesn't know her and yet he's standing up for her. She's moved, clearly affected by his words and the strength of his voice.
"Fitzgerald, the way you are talking about this women makes me think she's your girlfriend instead."
"She's not. But she doesn't have to be in order for me to respect her. It is common courtesy, human decency, something you lack."
Olivia smiles softly at Fitz ripping Hollis a new asshole.
"Well Helen has the perfect nickname for you right lover boy? I meant know offense to Olivia I was just complimenting her beauty and Daniel for picking her."
"My point. What makes you think Daniel picked her out of the masses? Is not possible that she picked him instead?" Fitz counters eyeing Hollis "I'd rather be a lover boy then a misogynistic ass like yourself."
"Enough!" Jerry slams his fist on table causing everyone to jump except Fitz who remained seated at the table only moving to take a sip of wine. "You do not talk to our guest like that, Fitzgerald."
"Leave him alone." Hollis says "He can't help himself. He tries so hard not to be like us but everyday he's looking in a mirror and seeing you and me in there. Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I disobeyed my father I would be richer than I am now but after a while you'll grow up. What are you thirty now? Isn't it time you stopped playing boy and be a real man."
Fitz eyes Hollis slowly taking in his words but deciding not to respond.
"What?" Hollis asked "You ain't going to speak no more? This is childish Fitzgerald. Your father has given you everything and all you do is pout like a brat, when are you going to take your place at the throne."
"Daniel is handling things perfectly."
Daniel looks up, his head switching between Hollis and Fitz.
"Daniel isn't the one." Jerry says slowly moving towards the table so he could be closer to Fitz. Olivia watches Daniel position falter but she doesn't pay him much attention.
"Son, you have been in the navy. You have the brains and looks to become President. I'm telling you that you can rule this world instead of the world ruling you. You are the gift, Fitzgerald and the thing about it is that you are aware of all of your potential and greatness. Am I wrong?"
Throughout his childhood and adulthood, Jerry was a constant fixture in his life. He joined the navy after lawschool to escape him and for a short period he did, but once his time was served Jerry pulled him out and praised him for thinking outside of the box. Fitz is aware of his potential and the future he could have if he so chooses but the problem has always been leading a life that he never truly lead. Becoming and fulfilling Jerry's dream would make him happy but what about him? He wouldn't be living if he followed his rules instead of making his own.
Fitz pushes the moment of inadequacy aside, instead focusing on cutting his filet mignon into fine pieces.
"You don't wish to talk anymore?" Jerry asked
"Father, the meeting with Senator Gregson went better then presented, with him the chairman of the Senate and them passing the solar bill into Ordinance, we shall be looking at a substantial market in our utility revenue and contracts." Daniel seeing the moment of tension and Olivia clearly responding to the family dynamics decides to handle the situation by switching the conversation.
"You see Fitzgerald, Daniel does his job. He's leading the company and generalizing revenue. It's time you wake up. Play time is over." Jerry throws his napkin on the table as he makes his leave with Hollis following behind.
The rest of the dinner proved gloomy and unsuccessful with no one knowing how to talk and what to say. Olivia looks at Fitz and sees the sadness written on his face. It was a little more than twenty four hours ago that she was listening to every word he spoke, how his eyes glimmered with happiness and glee as they spoke about their uncommon union. To see the man sitting in front of her now all she wishes to do is comfort him and thank him but she doesn't and she can't.
"Fitz, you are the most remarkable boy and it is because you are special that your father wants you." Helen says softly holding Fitz's hand in hers hoping that he will forgive her for not protecting him from his father.
"I'm not special."
"You are. And I'm sorry for not sticking up for you."
"You have no reason to be sorry, you've been defending and encouraging me all this time. Plus I don't have to live with him unlike you." Fitz says jokingly causing Helen to smile and laugh joyfully.
"Mother, if you do not mind Olivia and I will be retiring to our room."
Olivia turns her head to stare at Adam, she wasn't exactly hungry and granted she was ready to leave not just the dinner table but this place all together.
"Of course." Helen says empathically "Olivia, I hope and pray we did not run you off so quickly. Please get to know us we are kind people."
Olivia smiles but does not comment.
/
"Sorry about that." Daniel says quickly apologizing the second the door was shut to their room.
"What was that?" Olivia asked
"My family."
"Your dad and his friend." Olivia can't seem to fathom the cruelty of their words and actions. They are the stereotypical rich white men, everyone owes and belongs to them and they have no rules they should abide to.
"Assholes." Daniel begins taking off his coat as he starts to undress.
"And you."
"Me?" Daniel turns around to stare at Olivia shocked that she would say that about him.
"One, you never told me that we were having company and that I should be forewarned about your family. Two, Hollis."
"Olivia, he is a misogynistic hick."
"Who's actions you condoned!" Olivia walks in the closet, taking off her clothes and hanging them up as she begins the talk she has been wanting and waiting to have with Daniel the second they entered the dinning room.
"Olivia." He stands in front of her clearly pained by the look on her face, her obvious disappointment in him. Daniel deals with disappointment daily from his professional and personal life but to see the look in Olivia's eye makes him wish he could go back and redo the entire dinner, anything to stop her from looking at him like this.
"He didn't bother to ask my name but made me feel…" Olivia tightens her robe as recalls what happened tonight. "I felt like a toy, a whore."
"I'm sorry." Daniel moves to Olivia but she walks away from him lifting her hand to inform him that she doesn't want to be comforted by him.
"You picked a good one, Daniel. Way to go! Yeah you." Being a successful black women, Olivia has seen and dealt with her share of rich misogynistic assholes who attempt to belittle her because she is a threat to their stance as men. A threat to the power they would not have if it wasn't for her. She deals with it but never did she expect to see it here and today.
"Olivia, I'm so sorry. I…" he's at a loss of words. No amount of apologizing could and would ever be enough.
"You smiled and laughed as if you owning me is something of a joke. You don't even realize the implication of his words and your disregards of his."
"I just met your brother and he…" Olivia stops herself from becoming overly emotional "he defended me. Out of everybody sitting in that room he was the only one aware of his statement being anything but funny."
"Don't do this Olivia."
"You already did."
"I didn't say anything because Hollis is a person who needs to make a fool of himself, telling him he's wrong will only cause him to talk more. Silence kills. I wanted him to make an ass of himself and he did."
"At my expense. Your brother, was being horribly mistreated throughout the dinner and he still made it a point to defend me when my own boyfriend refused to."
"I did not refuse too! I am sorry, I was thinking of another solution which was for Hollis to make his own grave."
Olivia shakes her head still not satisfied "That's the problem. If you have to think of a solution in which you are still the beneficial one then what does that say about us? Will you let someone else insult me and laugh it over because you are afraid of upsetting him."
"Olivia." Daniel is tired and exhausted. What was supposed to be a happy and prosperous day turned into a nightmare. "You are worth everything to me and more and I promise I won't let this happen again." Daniel reaches for Olivia's hands and reluctantly she walks in his arms as he holds her tightly. "I love you." He whispers in her ear but Olivia doesn't respond back.
/
She couldn't sleep. How could she sleep with everything that happened today was festering up inside her. From the moment he stepped foot in the door, Olivia was drawn to him. Watching his every movement even when she kept her eyes away from him. When he sat across from her at the coffee shop she would admit that she was attracted to him from the way he looked and the way he carried himself, she was easily swayed but now. Now, something was beginning to flourish inside her. He was no longer a stranger but a man filled with dreams and hopes, a man who's not afraid of doing the right thing and living his own life. Not many people are brave enough to live a life with uncertainty, Olivia herself needs structure and rules to guide her but Fitz.
Olivia smiles as she says his name to herself. He has a name now, and it fits him perfectly. She knew he wanted the focus to be off him but he sacrificed himself, willingly and openly putting himself in the crossfire just to protect and defend her and the worse part about all of this is that she has yet to say a word to him. Sure he said 'hi' when he was introduced to her formally but she couldn't bring herself to speak. She wants to talk to him, thank him.
She walks down the spiral staircase to the kitchen in need of something to ease her thoughts and soothe her. Olivia sighs happily at the bottle of red wine in the cellar, quickly she opens the glass and pours herself a large amount of wine. Normally she would reframe from drinking and opening a bottle of expensive red wine at her boyfriend's family's house but since everything happened tonight Olivia doesn't feel the slightest bit concerned about what they will think or say, if anything she's more inclined to pour the wine down the sink just in protest but she knows they could care less about something as frivolous as wine.
She walks outside to the backyard taking note of the massive yard that spans further then what she could see. In one area she can see a basketball court and next to that she can see a tennis court and the large garden with filled vegetables ready to be plucked and the large luxurious swimming pool illuminating with led lights. Olivia finds herself slightly tempted to swim in the inviting pool and as she walks further into the yard she dips her feet into the heated pool and sits there for a minute in silence. She wasn't thinking of anything in particular but just enjoying and appreciating the moment of solitude where finally she was at peace.
She squints in the dark trying to make out the distant shape and the light coming from it. Curious Olivia walks over to the object until she could make it out; it's a barn. Hidden from the rest of the other property and public eye, the western raised center barn with wood finishing's sits alone and perfectly well kept. Olivia smiles at the light under the door and she knows who's barn it belongs to and who is there.
The wise decision for Olivia would be to turn around and go back inside and get in bed with her sleeping boyfriend. The wine has made her bolder or so she says to herself.
She watches him brush a black stallion with the upmost care. He's not singing or talking but just gently rubbing his coat back and forth in a circular motion watching as his coat begins to shine under the fluorescent light.
He's not aware that she's there and for a second Olivia contemplates sneaking away not wanting to disturb him but then she remembers tonight and his actions. If no one was pleased with him tonight she had to tell him that she was.
"Hi."
He jumps frightened by the voice and that someone was inside his barn. The only person who ever came to visit him here was Helen and even that was rare and fleeting.
He turns around and smiles at her and for a second Olivia forgot about everything that happened today.
"Hi."
She walks deeper into his barn, closer to him.
"Funny seeing you here."
Olivia laughs nervously at the joke clearing hearing the double meaning.
"Same." She chuckles nervously
"So long for being strangers."
Olivia shrugs as she holds her wine close to her chest. "We're we ever strangers?" Olivia ask
Fitz shakes his head "No, I don't believe we ever were."
"But you have a name." Olivia says after a moment of silence.
"I have a name!" Fitz says excitedly moving to sit down on a stack of hay.
Olivia laughs for the first time since the dinner "you know what I mean."
Standing up Fitz walks to Olivia and to her surprise she doesn't move away from him but stands tall and firm as he invades her personal space with a twinkle in his eye.
"It's nice to meet you Olivia."
"It's nice to meet you too, Fitzgerald." Olivia gives him a warm handshake, smilingly more than what she wished too.
"Oh, I hate being called my full name. It's not sexy."
"That's too bad, Fitzgerald." Olivia says smugly but her head falls down as she looks at their conjoined hands. Despite everything about this moment and them right here being wrong, everything about it feels right.
He removes his hand from Olivia's, backing away slowly from her "I wanted to see you again but not like this."
Her head falls down part in guilt and shame for what she did and for wanting the same thing as him. She expected to see him walking downtown one day and strike up a conversation with him but never did she imagine that this would happen.
She doesn't respond.
"When I saw you this morning, I've never been so disappointed before in my life."
Her head rises at his statement but still she doesn't talk.
"Now, I really can't fight for you. If you had been with anybody else I would have taken my chances but…your dating my brother and from the looks of it, it's serious."
Olivia nods her head before willing herself to speaks "it is."
"That's good." Fitz says softly as he places his hands in his pockets, unsure what exactly to do with them at this moment.
She sought Fitz out of curiosity, to know what he thinks about them being here together yet not and everything that had happened. But Olivia remembers why she came down to the barn in the first place. "I came down here to thank y-"
"Goodness, Olivia you don't have to thank me. I'm sorry that you had to see and experience that." Fitz shakes his head as he walks away reaching down to grab his horse's brush. "my family is terrible and Hollis is the absolute worst."
"I do have to thank you." Olivia walks up to Fitz as he has his back to her. He doesn't want Olivia to still see the anger in his eyes, his disappointment with his entire family for allowing Hollis to run off at the mouth. How his cowardly brother Daniel sat there and didn't find what Hollis said inappropriate. He wasn't happy with tonight and the last thing he wanted was for her to be upset all over again. This moment will stay with her but if she could be happy for one minute and forget about today than it was worth it.
"Olivia please." Fitz begs not wanting his anger to come out.
"You defended me, you protected me even when it put a target on your back. Daniel, sat there and said nothing but you…" Olivia holds his hand still as he looks down at Olivia "you defended my honor and my integrity and you fought for me even when my boyfriend wouldn't."
Fitz stares at Olivia with every bit of longing and yearning stretched on his face. How simple it would be to hold her in his arms and vow to shelter her from the storm and all those who wish to harm her. It would be so simple with her looking at him the way she currently is, he sees in her eyes she feels it to.
"We shouldn't be congratulated for doing the right thing."
"Clearly not everyone does the right thing though."
"I'm just sorry." Fitz's head drops in clear shame "I'm not like them and I'm angry that this is our first time meeting you and already we are this inappropriate and disrespectful to others. Please don't see me as an extension of them"
Olivia smiles at him gently "I don't."
They stare at one another, moving the slightest bit closer to one another where they can feel each other's breath on their lips. Unabashed his eyes travel down the length of her body he waits on her with baited breath. He allows Olivia to look at him and she does. Like how his lips are glistening under the fluorescent bulb how easy it would be to close his partially open mouth with hers.
Olivia catches herself leaning towards him, smiling at the action she averts her eyes to the horse to save her.
"This is a beautiful horse."
Fitz looks at Olivia, seeing that she wishes to move on to a simple topic. "This is my horse. His name is Atticus."
"He's beautiful."
"Thank you. Have you ever rode a horse?"
"No" Olivia shakes her head "but I always wanted too."
"Would you like a ride now?"
Olivia folds her arms tightly around her chest "I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Olivia, you don't have to worry about me interfering with your relationship with my brother. You picked the better man."
Olivia doesn't respond, how can she. With yesterday and today Olivia has found herself wondering if she did in fact pick the wrong brother.
"Painter, sculptor, lawyer, and now cowboy. Is there anything you can't do or have."
Fitz smiles at Olivia softly "there is one thing I would be honored to have and cherish."
She gives him a pained expression and responds "I should go." Whatever is transpiring between them is not good for anyone and most certainly not Olivia. The temptation of being near him is too much and Olivia is well aware of when she is at her limit and at this moment she finds herself succumbing to him.
"Goodnight, Fitz." She says aloud testing his name on her lips; liking the sound of his name as it roll off her tongue. It feels intimate, which is ridiculous but somehow hearing her say his name sends small currents of electricity through his veins.
"Goodnight Olivia."
Standing at the door Olivia looks at Fitz as he tends to his horse once again but before she goes she has to tell him what she promised to on the first day they met.
"I do see you."