A/N: This goes without saying, but thank you so so much for your wonderful feedback. It's so lovely and inspiring.
A couple of interesting points raised: I deliberately challenged myself with this story to keep scenes as brief as I could, to keep it moving over the 9-month-plus timeline. Otherwise it would end up as another Be My Downfall and I definitely don't have the time for that!
And someone wanted more sex scenes - well, again, it's all part of the style. But you do get more in this chapter...
Please enjoy!
GLOW: PART TWO
Olivia
From the moment she revealed her secret, Olivia spent all her free time with Fitz. It was like having a brand new best friend. They talked about anything and everything; flirted constantly. She couldn't remember ever laughing so much, nor feeling so effortlessly comfortable around someone.
In truth, she was falling for him with every passing second. She missed him when he left her apartment each evening; dreamed about him, about their adorable babies at night. If she wasn't pregnant she would definitely have confessed her feelings by now. She would have acted upon every urge to hold his hand, to kiss his beautiful mouth; to take off her clothes for him and let him ravish her like he did so expertly on the night they met (knocked her up twice, indeed).
But her body wasn't her own anymore. It was changing in ways she struggled to keep track of. She felt bigger every day, and not just around her waist. It was like her skin was constantly having to stretch to accommodate her. And besides, she'd sworn off sex for good when she was so ill with hyperemesis.
Even though sex with Fitz had been… indescribably good.
That night, she had wanted him almost as soon as she saw him. She was deeply, deeply attracted to him, in a way she hadn't felt for a man since - well, ever. And it wasn't just because he was ridiculously handsome, with his bright blue eyes and luscious brown curls; it wasn't his breathtaking charm, his easy smile, his fascinating conversation or his ability to stay quiet and really listen to her. It was more than that.
All of her adult life, she'd been looking for someone who saw her - and Fitz did, right from the moment they met. He saw how nervous she was beneath the confident exterior; saw the soul that just wanted to be loved. What happened between them that night seemed inevitable, like it was always meant to be. He magnetized her; hypnotized her. She fell in lust with him, and knew without a doubt she could easily fall in love.
And then she got sick, and a lot of that time is a blur but she vividly remembers the ER doctor telling her, so nonchalantly, those world-changing words: "You're pregnant". It never even crossed her mind that she might choose not to continue it. She'd always wanted children, and with every passing birthday she knew her time was running out. She'd never believed in fate before, but conceiving her babies with a man like Fitz - kind, sexy, supportive and loving; a man she wanted in her life, whether they were just friends or something more -
What else could it be?
She hit the sixteen-week mark on a Wednesday in late September, and had invited him for lunch. It was three weeks since they'd reconnected, after her self-inflicted but necessary disappearance, and they'd seen each other every single day. He was so sweet, fully respectful of her request to take their relationship slowly, but she was struggling more and more to deny her feelings for him. As she had gotten to know him better, she'd realized he was even more perfect than she'd thought. The perfect gentleman - and the perfect man for her.
He met her outside her precinct, hands in the pockets of his jeans, faded blue t-shirt clinging to his muscled torso. When he smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her cheek, the butterflies in her stomach went wild.
"Hi."
"Hi."
She handed him a paper bag. He looked inside, noting the bagel she'd bought him, and frowned. Obviously it wasn't the lunch date he was expecting.
"Let's walk and eat," was all she said by way of explanation.
It was only a few blocks to her OBGYN's office, where she'd arranged an extra ultrasound scan as a surprise for him - his first chance to see their babies. He watched in stunned silence, gripping her hand so tightly it hurt, while her doctor placed the probe on the round swell of her belly. She was already measuring twenty weeks by a singleton pregnancy.
"Here's Baby A," Dr Dalton said after a moment, imaging over to Olivia's left side. "There's the head, the face… Two arms… Fingers… A strong heartbeat."
She glanced at Fitz, who had tears streaming down his face - and then suddenly she was crying too, and laughing, and sharing every single one of his emotions like it was her first time seeing their children as well.
The doctor smiled patiently and passed them a box of tissues with his free hand. He continued to reveal more of Baby A and then moved the probe over to Olivia's right, to show them Baby B. She was torn between watching the screen, this amazing connection to the tiny little lives growing inside of her, and watching Fitz - who had never looked so beautiful.
While Dr Dalton took various measurements, Fitz finally turned to her and they gazed into each other's eyes for the longest time, swept up in their joy and their two miracles and in the feeling that their souls were stirring, reaching out to one another, ready to find a home at last.
They held hands all the way back to her office. Just before they turned the final corner, Olivia stopped - and when he started to ask what was wrong, she reached up on tiptoes and kissed him. It was spontaneous and it wasn't, because she'd been fantasizing about it ever since she invited him back into her life. And while the emotions she poured into that kiss were scary, and had snuck up on her quickly, without her even realizing - they were also undeniable.
It was, in fact, an I love you kiss - the first of its kind she'd ever given a man.
Fitz held his breath afterwards, his eyes closed; then he exhaled and looked at her with a smile as wide as the sky.
An I love you too smile.
Olivia rushed away before she did something rash, something like she did on the night they met - but she took his smile like the most precious gift and she wore it for the rest of the day.
In fact, she decided - no matter what might happen in their future - she would wear it for the rest of her life.
The fall weather arrived soon afterwards, almost overnight. Olivia started to take refuge in leggings and batik-printed pants, in long cotton tops layered with loose, thinly-knit sweaters. It was slightly dressier than sweatpants and hoodies but just as comfortable.
Fitz was all-but living at her apartment, only going home to sleep and shower, and to work on weekdays. She'd even given him her spare key because sometimes she was too comfortable on the couch to get up and open the front door. He cooked and tidied; did her laundry, whenever she let him. She'd always been proudly independent but she had to admit, it was so nice to have someone to look after her. And their constant chatter continued, covering their pasts and presents, their future together, now inextricably linked. What were their priorities for their children? Where would they like them to grow up, to go to school? Who did they want them to be?
They talked about their families, their cultures; discussed when they would reveal Olivia's pregnancy to her parents, to Fitz's father. She was almost eighteen weeks and most of her friends and colleagues knew, but her mom and dad were devout Christians and she hadn't figured out a way to announce that she was having children out of wedlock. She thought they'd be okay with it, once they'd gotten over the initial shock - but she also wanted to be able to tell them whether she and Fitz were formally together or not. They hadn't even approached that discussion yet; hadn't tried to put a definition on what they were. Certainly they'd avoided the terms 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' so far, but they both felt that their relationship extended far beyond just 'parents'.
For his part, Fitz hadn't told a soul. He confessed that he still could barely believe it; that he wouldn't know how to begin describing how happy and overwhelmed he was. But his father was visiting in a few weeks and he felt confident he would be over-the-moon for them. He'd always known how badly his only son wanted to have a family of his own.
Savannah and David came over for dinner one weekend, and Olivia's oldest friend barely stopped grinning the whole night. "I knew it," she kept saying, looking between her and Fitz. They hadn't bothered to hide their closeness, their small touches and loving glances. "I didn't want to put too much pressure on you guys when I set you up, but I really thought you'd click. And you do!"
"Meh, he's alright," Olivia teased affectionately, ruffling his hair with her fingers.
"I'm only here for the babies," Fitz whispered, and then started to laugh at her completely outraged look. "I'm joking."
"You'd better be, mister."
He blew her a kiss, and Savannah beamed.
Later, while the men chatted over on the couch, Olivia leaned back against the kitchen counter as Savannah made them both a cup of chamomile tea. She rubbed her bump, trying to work out whether the little flutters she was feeling were the babies moving or just the result of eating a big meal.
"You are so smitten," her friend said, nudging her conspiratorially with her elbow.
"Oh shush. I'm fine."
"Hmm. Also, what's this?" She pointed to the piece of pizza box stuck to the cabinet.
You can have whatever you want.
Olivia couldn't help but smile, the memories of her first few evenings here with Fitz warming her deep inside. "Just something he said to me, soon after I told him I was pregnant. I said I wanted it in writing and we were eating pizza at the time, so he wrote that and I kept it there for future reference."
Savannah looked visibly moved. "He's one of the good guys, Liv. He really is."
Olivia glanced over at him, engaged in conversation with David, so relaxed in her home. She wouldn't know what to do without him now.
"I know," she said softly.
"So, what's going on between you two? Are you - you know?"
It was like they were young again: college students dating their first boyfriends, eager for gossip. But Olivia didn't feel like answering, because the thought of sleeping with Fitz again left her incredibly confused.
"I'm not telling you," she replied amiably, picking up her mug of hot tea and blowing on the surface, trying to distract her friend - and herself.
"Well, if you're not you should be."
Olivia gestured to her abdomen. "It's not exactly easy anymore."
Savannah tutted disapprovingly. "You look amazing. Seriously. You are carrying this pregnancy so well, Liv."
She shrugged. Most days she looked in the mirror and tended to agree. She loved seeing her belly grow, knowing her two little jelly beans were getting big and strong in there, but she was definitely apprehensive about what changes the next few months would bring. How would her tiny body fit two whole babies inside?
"Anyway," she said, keen to change the subject, "We'll work it out. At the moment we just love hanging out, getting to know each other."
"Good. I'm so, so happy for you. You deserve this more than anyone."
"Aw, Sav." She put her arm around her friend's shoulders and squeezed her close. "Thank you for setting us up on that date. I owe you bigtime."
"I'll accept repayment in the form of unlimited baby cuddles."
They shared a smile. "Deal."
Three days later, Olivia's libido returned with a vengeance.
Ever since she'd kissed Fitz on the street corner they'd started to become much closer. He'd greet her with a peck on the lips; hug her tightly, kiss her again before he left in the evenings. They would often sit together on the sofa, their hands on her tummy hoping to feel their babies' first kicks (so far nothing, but she thought it would be pretty soon). He'd kiss her hair, her cheek; she'd turn and let him kiss her mouth, too. A couple of times they'd ended up in a full-on make-out session, which she thoroughly enjoyed - but the thought of taking it further froze her with fear. For almost three months she'd associated sex with intractable nausea, with bone-aching fatigue; then there were the changes in her body, and the immeasurable differences between what she looked like now and the toned, healthy version of herself he had once made love to all night long.
And Fitz was so patient, never even hinting that he wanted more - which, in her dark moments, she took to mean that he didn't want her at all. Not in that way. Not now, when she was huge.
The whole idea of sex was such a minefield she decided to ignore it altogether.
That was, until suddenly it became all she could think about. She just woke up one morning and she wanted him.
It took her several days to build up the courage to confess: to tell him that he was really fucking hot and she was the horniest she'd ever been and she would really like to try - well, anything. She wanted his hands on her body, his talented mouth; wanted parts of him inside of her, wanted him to fill her, to fuck her.
And it happened in a way she had not expected. For all her planning to seduce him one night after dinner, maybe with candles and some gentle soul music on her record player, it was a Sunday afternoon and sunlight was pouring in. Fitz had been out grocery shopping; when he walked in through the front door, Olivia looked up and felt like she had just burst into flames.
She just had to have him - right now.
"Hi," he said with his heart-melting smile, carrying several bags to the kitchen table. "I went by the bakery again, got us some of those passionfruit donuts. I know we said we'd stop buying them but I wanted to treat you and I couldn't resist."
She stood up, barely listening to a word, and walked over to him. There must have been a determined look on her face, or something else he'd never seen before, because he paused his unpacking and frowned at her. "What's up? You okay?"
She nodded. Her ravenous gaze roamed over him: tousled hair, tight sweater, dark blue jeans. Her mouth felt dry but her body hummed in response to his. It was now or never.
She lifted her arms around his neck; didn't say anything, but he glanced down at her lips and she felt the change in the air - his realization of what it was that she wanted. He seemed to stop breathing, his hands coming to rest on her hips.
Time stood still, just for a moment.
And then -
A crash of mouths; of two people falling into each other, colliding at this point in time and space just as the universe had always planned. Olivia gasped as he devoured her, as she came alive. It was everything she'd imagined and a thousand times more. He kissed her wildly, fearlessly; kissed her neck, explored her with strong, insistent hands; made her moan like she never had before, as her desire for him exploded, as white-hot flames began to lick furiously at all her deepest parts.
Instinctively they moved towards her bedroom, barely breaking apart for air; ended up standing in a pool of sunshine by the window. Together they pulled off her sweater, and his. There was a natural pause, a chance to catch their breath. Fitz was looking at her with so much tenderness she wanted to cry.
"Baby," he sighed, sliding his palms over her breasts, her belly; around her waist to her bottom, drawing her closer still. "You are so beautiful."
And God, she felt it.
"I don't know if this will work," she said quietly, staring at the outline of his pecs beneath his t-shirt. The stillness of the room was a stark contrast to the two bodies within it which were pounding, frantic.
"It will," he reassured her, lifting her chin, making her look at him again. "I'll do whatever you want, whatever you need. And if it doesn't work, that's fine too."
She touched his biceps, his muscled forearms, with trembling fingers.
"So… you do want me, then?"
It came out in possibly the smallest voice she'd ever used. She sounded so unlike herself - and right now, she was the most unlike herself she had ever been.
"Oh Livvie. You have no idea."
He said it with so much conviction, so much longing, that she instantly believed him. The way he subconsciously flexed his hips, pushing his erection into her abdomen, also helped.
"It's okay if you feel shy," he went on softly, gazing into her eyes. "I can't imagine what it must be like for you, changing every day. But to me, you are sexier now than you have ever been."
He glanced at the bed while she fought back so many emotions, most of which she couldn't even name.
"Do you want me to close the drapes?" he asked gently. "Or shall we get under the covers?"
And while that was exactly what she thought she wanted - to stay hidden for a little while longer; to let him touch her, to learn her new curves before he saw them all on display - she trusted him so implicitly that she realized she wanted to be bare before him. She wanted him to see all of her, in the same way she wanted to see all of him. To share each other in every way.
And so she said, "No," and she took off the rest of her clothes.
He was… magnificent.
She didn't know whether it was her hormones, or the fact they'd waited so long, or that they were falling deeper and deeper in love - but being intimate with him, the reverence in his touch, the things he made her feel…
It was all too much to process.
She just lay in the middle of the bed: naked, pregnant and thoroughly, unbelievably satisfied. Fitz laughed when he brought her tea and a donut and she still hadn't moved. He pulled her into a sitting position; helped her into her underwear, her silk robe. Then they leaned back against the pillows and kissed sugar from each other's lips, giggling like the infatuated kids they were.
When a little squirt of passionfruit jam landed on top of Olivia's bump, he pushed her hand out of the way and licked it off with his warm, wet tongue. A fission of desire shot through her, straight to her core: such a visceral memory of all the other places his incredible mouth had just been. He must have sensed she wasn't quite ready for more though - she was still throbbing, her heartrate still elevated - because he didn't continue. Instead he stayed there, resting his cheek against her skin, drawing on her thighs with his fingertips.
"Careful," she teased. "You'll get kicked in the face one day soon."
She'd definitely been feeling movements in the last forty-eight hours. Not yet palpable from the outside, but definitely distinct and purposeful sensations on each side of her belly.
"It'll be worth it," Fitz murmured. He sounded so content, and she closed her eyes and stroked his hair and wondered if her life could possibly get any better.
As it turned out, it could - and it certainly would.
Before they started having sex again, Fitz would often stay over long after Olivia had gone to bed. He'd watch the news or clean the kitchen, and he'd always come in to kiss her cheek before he left. It was one of her favorite parts of the day. So many times she'd thought about asking him to climb in beside her, to hold her close all night, but she'd always chickened out. Her main excuses were that her bed was only a queen, and she tossed and turned in the heat and already had to get up several times to pee.
But that Sunday night, she wasn't letting him go anywhere.
They made love again, twice. The first time he kissed her until she was dizzy and aching for him, and then he knelt behind her and made her come so hard she screamed. The second, she rode him slowly, taking her time, and almost cried with the way he gazed up at her, the way their hands found each other right at the end and held on for dear life.
"Stay," she whispered afterwards, curled into his side.
He pressed his lips to her hair and didn't hesitate: "Okay."
Olivia showered, then got into her pajamas while Fitz took his turn. He came out of the bathroom with a towel around his hips, his chest still glistening, the contours of his abs thrown into shadow by the low light from her bedside lamp. She couldn't even pretend she wasn't checking him out, and he noticed.
"See something you like?" he asked with a smirk.
"Mmm. You are pretty good looking, I'm not gonna lie."
He crawled onto the bed to kiss her, sucking enticingly on her bottom lip; didn't even bother to pick up his towel when he stood up again and it fell off.
"Fitz!"
"What? We've spent most of today naked and intermittently fucking. Why so coy now, Livvie?"
Her gaze was drawn downwards, to his impressive cock. It twitched and started to grow.
"I can't," she said apologetically.
"I know. I'm not expecting anything. But you're so fucking gorgeous I just can't help it."
She blushed. There was something so sexy about him when he swore, when he couldn't contain himself around her.
"I've hidden my erections from you for weeks," he went on, finally pulling on his boxers, his t-shirt. He hung his towel over the door and then slipped under the covers, lying facing her. "Every time you looked at me, touched me - God, whenever we kissed I had to use every ounce of willpower I had to control myself. I never wanted to pressure you, but I always wanted you. Always."
Olivia was taken aback. "Wow. And… thank you."
She cupped his face in her palm, brushed his cheek with her thumb. Then she drew him closer and kissed him, tenderly and for a long time. Her body started to rise into his; heat collected between her thighs. She was too tired, too sore to have him again but it felt so good to be able to do this, to share such intimacy with someone.
"I don't want to go to work tomorrow," she breathed, her eyes still closed, her lips moving against his. She felt tense; unready and unwilling to end these moments, this spectacular day.
"So don't." Fitz peppered her mouth with sweet little kisses. "Stay here. I won't work either. We can play hooky together."
She looked at him, so earnest and open, and knew her decision was already made. "Okay."
He grinned and shifted his knee between hers, getting closer still. "Good girl."
They stayed up late, sharing stories and dreams and cozy, comfortable silences. Eventually Olivia fell asleep with him spooning up behind her - only to wake several times to use the bathroom, or because she was too hot, or his elbow was on her pillow or he was getting up. It had been a long time since she'd shared a bed with a man, let alone being pregnant at the same time, and she'd forgotten how irritating it could be.
She felt awful when her alarm finally roused her, and then remembered that she was planning to call in sick anyway. She set it to snooze as Fitz began to stir.
"Morning," he muttered, his voice thick with sleep. He rolled her back into his arms, nuzzling his face in her neck, and her annoyance melted away.
"Hi."
"How did you sleep?" he asked.
"Terribly. You?"
She felt him smile. "Same."
They were quiet for a minute.
"If we're going to start doing this," he eventually said, squeezing her even tighter, making it clear he had no intention of sleeping apart from her ever again, "We have to get you a bigger bed."
Her heart fluttered behind her ribs. "We can order one this morning - but only after we sleep some more."
"Mm. Great idea. Night, beautiful."
He turned away and fell asleep almost instantly. Olivia called her work, peed again and joined him.
They were insatiable.
She knew they had to make the most of it before she got too big, too uncomfortable, and they were - morning, evening and any other time they could find. No matter how often she had him, she just wanted him again. It was madness, and it was exhausting - and it was everything.
The following Saturday, a few days shy of twenty weeks, she left Fitz dozing in bed while she made herself a cup of tea and washed their dishes from breakfast. She glanced at the pizza box cutting, at the promise inscribed there by his hand, and realized she already had most of what she wanted. The only thing she wished for, every single day, was that her babies would be healthy; that her body would sustain them for as long as it possibly could. The average delivery date of twins was around thirty-five weeks but she was desperate to keep them inside even longer than that; to ensure they had the very best start in life.
Fitz found her there, lost in thought. She felt his arms slip around her waist, his lips against the side of her neck. She sighed contentedly, even as he began to unfasten the belt of her robe, to open it and let his hands roam over her skin.
"Come back to bed," he murmured, his deep voice vibrating all the way through her. "I miss you."
He palmed her bare breasts, gently squeezing them as he continued to kiss his way around her ear. She moaned and arched into him, wet again already.
"God I'm so horny," she whimpered, lifting one arm, sliding her fingertips into his hair. His hands left her chest and caressed her belly, which he seemed to love doing.
"You are so sexy, Livvie." He pressed his rising erection into her lower back, making them both groan. "I just can't get enough of you."
When his fingers snuck beneath the lace of her underwear, to glide along her slick folds, to draw the most heavenly circles on her aching clit, Olivia let her head fall back onto his shoulder and went with it. He held her against him, his free hand splayed over her bump, while she spiraled higher and higher and then crashed spectacularly back down to Earth, grabbing onto the edge of the sink to stop herself from collapsing to the floor.
Fitz leaned around her to wash his fingers, making her laugh even as she struggled to find enough oxygen in the air. She felt his smile against her cheek and tilted her face to look at him, to kiss his mouth.
"Wow."
"I know. You said you were horny but I didn't realize you'd come quite that fast."
"Neither did I." She closed her eyes, leaning against him for support as she continued to recover. "You know, when I was ill I thought I'd sworn off sex for life."
"Then what happened?" he asked suggestively, cupping her breasts again, still erect and clearly still wanting her. "Your hormones kicked in?"
Olivia turned around. She gazed up into his eyes as he held her hips and drew her close.
"You," she said simply. "You happened, Fitz."
His expression grew so tender and she smiled, stroking his cheek. The words 'I love you' flitted through her mind, and not for the first time - but they were scary, and anyway, suddenly he jumped and distracted her.
She knew the reason why. She'd felt it: a strong kick from one of the twins. But for the very first time, so had Fitz - through her abdomen, against his.
"Oh my God," he breathed, quickly moving his hand to the same spot. His blue eyes were wide with wonder; Olivia was so happy she could cry.
She could feel the baby moving still and they waited together, hearts pounding, her palm on the back of his hand to guide him. Thirty seconds later, another kick came.
Fitz gasped, and tears spilled over her eyelashes. She knew how much he'd been longing for this, patiently rubbing lotion into her skin in the evenings, lying beside her in bed with his face pressed close, talking quietly to his unborn children. "Hi," he breathed now, bending down to be nearer them. "Hi little one. I'm your daddy. I love you so much. And you too," he went on sweetly, moving to her other side. "I love you just as much. Will you kick for me as well?"
His arousal completely forgotten, they made their way to the couch and he sat on the floor in front of her, lovingly touching and kissing her bump. They both felt several more movements over the next few minutes, all on Olivia's left side.
"Baby A," she noted with a smile. "I hope she's a girl. She's feisty."
Fitz still looked completely awestruck. "Isn't it so weird? They're both just right there, beneath a few inches of skin and muscle. So close to me, to the outside world."
"Don't say that," she admonished. "They need to stay far away from the outside world for a long time yet."
He gazed into her eyes, a guilty grin curving his lips, showing off his perfect teeth. "Sorry." Then he knelt higher, gently taking hold of her jaw with strong fingers. "You are amazing, Olivia Pope. You blow my mind every single day."
His kiss started out sweet but quickly became fiercer, full of passion. He was trying to tell her something she already knew, something she felt as well. His I love you kiss.
Olivia shivered, her arms reflexively tightening around him. This man… He was far more than she felt she deserved; far more than she could have hoped for in her wildest dreams.
"Tell me what you want," he said breathlessly when they finally separated, and she recognized straight away that he was asking permission. If she wanted him to tell her how he felt, he'd say "I love you" without hesitation. But while she wasn't ready to hear that just yet, nor to say it back, there was something else she desired instead.
"I want you to be more than just my children's father, Fitz. I want you to be more than my sex buddy, or whatever this is. I want to be your partner, your girlfriend - even though I feel too old to be called that."
She ended with a soft, nervous laugh.
"You are not old," Fitz said sternly. And then a huge smile broke out over his face and he nuzzled her nose affectionately with his. "Hi, girlfriend."
And it didn't feel anything but right.
He took her back to bed and they stayed there until the early evening, when suddenly he leapt up. "Right, I've decided. We are going out for dinner. And tomorrow, I really think you should call your parents and tell them."
"Okay," Olivia agreed, and he went into the bathroom to shower. She found her bra and sweater and put them on; then she made a video call to her mom, Maya. Fitz inspired her in so many ways: inspired her to feel, to dream, to be brave. It was one of the many reasons she already loved him so much.
"Hi Mom. Dad."
Both of her parents came into view, sat on the sofa in their living room in Vermont. After the usual small talk, Olivia was trying to figure out how to phrase what she needed to say when Fitz appeared again, dressed in a towel and leaning against the bathroom door. The look on his face was so encouraging, so proud, that it gave her the final push she needed.
"I have something to tell you… I'm seeing someone. A really, really great guy."
"Olivia, honey. That's wonderful," her mother beamed, a perfect mirror of Fitz's expression.
"I know. It is. And there's more. I'm- We're-" She took a deep breath; reached out her hand towards him. He rushed over to the bed and took it, squeezing tight but staying out of view of the camera.
"I'm pregnant. We're having twins."
Her parents both looked stunned, as she'd expected. But then her mom's eyes filled with tears, and even her father seemed overcome with emotion.
"Olivia," Maya breathed, sitting forward. "My baby girl, having babies of her own. I can't believe it."
"I'm really, really happy. We both are."
"And twins," her mom went on as if she hadn't heard. "You are so lucky, sweetie. They will be so lucky. You know your Aunt Martha and I have always been the best of friends."
"I know. I'm so glad you're pleased for us, Mom."
And she was - she could barely process how understanding her mother was being, when she'd always talked about planning her daughter's wedding one day and then subsequently planning her baby shower, strictly in that order.
"Dad?" Olivia asked cautiously. "Are you alright?"
Her mother gave the phone to her husband, Eli, who managed a genuine smile. "I'm shocked," he admitted. "I wish we spoke to you more often, Olivia. We didn't even know you were dating someone. But you seem so… relaxed. I can't remember the last time I saw you like this. And if you're happy, then so am I."
"You're still coming for Thanksgiving, aren't you?" Maya interjected, while Olivia felt her heart swell with love for her parents, particularly her stoic father. "Bring your man. What's his name, by the way? What does he look like, what does he do?"
"His name is Fitz." She had to resist the temptation to glance at him, otherwise her mom would demand he join in the call and it seemed much better to introduce him in person. "He's a software designer; a friend of Savannah's, actually. He used to work in Silicon Valley but he moved over here a couple of years ago. And he's very handsome, of course."
"Do you have a photo you can send?"
"I'll take one," she promised. "And I'm sure he'd love to visit for Thanksgiving. I'll check with him and let you know."
They said their goodbyes, and then Olivia flopped back against the pillows with an enormous sigh. "Oh my God. That went so much better than I thought it would."
Fitz lay beside her, resting his head on her shoulder. He smelled clean and fresh and absolutely delicious. "I'm so relieved for you, baby. And so proud of you for calling them."
"Me too. Would you like to spend the holiday with my family?"
"Of course I would. I can't wait to meet your parents, and I've always wanted to go to Vermont." He reached up to kiss her. "Come on. Time to get ready."
He helped her to sit up again as she asked: "Where are we going for dinner?"
"Wherever you like. What do you want to eat?"
"Hmm." She made her way to the bathroom, slipping off her clothes. "Everything."
Fitz followed her, laughing. "We have built up quite an appetite today."
"I've never eaten so much in my life than I have in the last week. No wonder I'm expanding exponentially."
She gazed at herself in the mirror; traced the darkening line which ran down the center of her abdomen, curling around her belly button on its way past. No stretch marks yet, but she felt stretched. And her boobs had really started their growth spurt too - she'd had to go out at lunchtime during the week and buy new bras.
"You are gorgeous," Fitz said, standing behind her, holding her in his arms.
When he looked at her like that, she felt it.
While she showered, he left to go and grab a suit from his apartment. He looked ravishingly handsome in navy blue Armani, with a crisp white shirt open at the collar and smart brown shoes. Then he sat on the bed and watched her getting ready. She had bought a couple of stretchy cotton maternity dresses which gathered along the seams down her sides and sat just above her knees. This one was dark blue, to match him, and she paired it with black tights and ankle boots. She caught his eye while she was putting the finishing touches to her make up.
"What?" she asked, blushing under the intensity of his gaze.
"Nothing."
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because I'm taking my girlfriend out on a date. My stunningly beautiful, unbelievably sexy, radiantly pregnant girlfriend. I want to show the whole world that we're together; that somehow, you ended up choosing me and making me the luckiest guy on the planet."
She smiled and walked into his waiting arms. "You say the sweetest things."
"I know. It's because I'm sweet."
Olivia teased him with several little kisses. "You are. But are you ready to go? Because I am starving."
He laughed and kissed her one last time. "I'm ready. Let's do it."
He took her to an all-you-can-eat buffet at a luxury downtown hotel, and they flirted and held hands and generally behaved like lovestruck teenagers all evening. Olivia remembered to take a selfie of them to send to her parents, making sure not to include her bump in the shot - she hadn't yet admitted just how far along she was. She set it as her phone's background, their huge smiles positively bursting from the screen, and after dinner Fitz asked a passing waitress to take a proper photograph of them both. They stood beside the floral displays at the restaurant's entrance and Olivia marveled afterwards at just how right they looked together: attractive, happy and so obviously infatuated with each other.
In the taxi on the way home, she felt Baby B kick. She moved Fitz's palm there and soon both twins were wriggling. She wondered if it would ever get old, and at the same time knew that was impossible.
"Thank you for doing this with me," she told him later, snuggled in bed, their hands still pressed to her belly.
"Are you kidding?" he murmured. "Thank you for inviting me into your life, into their lives. You didn't have to do that."
"I did, Fitz. You and I… We were always going to end up together, weren't we? One way or another."
"Yes. We were."
She turned her face and he kissed her in the dark. "Goodnight, Fitzy."
"Goodnight, sweet Livvie."
He started to roll away, and then stopped. "Wait. Did you just give me a nickname?"
She giggled and reached behind her, finding his butt and giving it a squeeze. "I did - and I suggest you learn to deal with it."
TBC