Hello again fan fiction readers, thanks for all of the inboxes welcoming me back. It feels good to know I was missed and so many of you are still loving this story. Let's check back into this story to see what happens next.
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and Shondaland productions.
Happy Reading!
Rose and Gerry are finishing up a virtual second quarter financial review meeting with their accounting team. With record profits from all of the businesses, their portfolios are in the black and flourishing, which is the best news any business owner could receive.
After making some changes with money allocations with various investments and finalizing the details of the meeting, Rose hears some social talk between her brother and one of the accountants Michael.
Knowing her and her brother's normal routine of touching base after these meetings is afoot, she prepares herself for a conversation that has been on her mind for a while, even before the blow up between Fitz and her brother.
The reality is she is the peacekeeper between them and she takes her role seriously. When she was asked to be Fitz's Godmother, Ayla, Fitz's mother made it clear it was because of her unique way of being able to communicate with Gerry, and the belief that she would be an amazing support system for Fitz. Therefore she would be the best negotiator between them if needed. Despite the craziness of it all it's a role that she wouldn't pass over for anything in the world.
The sound of Gerry wrapping up the casual conversation catches her attention, and as they end their conversation she hears him say, "You okay Ro?" She nods as she replies, "Yes I'm good thanks. How about you?" He sits back in his office chair as he sighs saying, "I'm well. Just a little thrown off from my usual schedule this time of year."
She then remembers today's significance and says, "That's right. You were supposed to give the welcome speech at the freshman gala today. What happened?" He takes a breath as he replies, "Barron decided at the last minute that he wanted to give it, since his son is announcing his candidacy today. Must be nice."
She hears the twinge of annoyance and bitterness in his response and she says, "Ger it's not the end of the world that your son isn't running for political office." He agrees as he replies, "It's not, you're right. But you can't tell me how he handled this was acceptable by any means."
She has to admit he has a point, so she gives him a bone as she responds, "You're right. He definitely mishandled the situation, he could've done allot better."
His demeanor changes as he replies, "Wait, are you feeling okay? You just spoke against your precious Fitzypoo and actually took my side for once, I need to write this down on a calendar."
She grins at the name she used to call her nephew as a little one, but refocuses beyond the sarcasm as she replies, "Look, I know things got heated between you two the other day, and went way farther than it should've. But, we are a family brother and I need you to remember that detail."
He scoffs as he responds, "Why doesn't he need to remember that detail? He's the one who took things too far, trying to throw me out of my own apartment and getting physical to boot, like I'm some chump and not his father. Damn it I'm not going to allow you to tell me this was all my fault."
She understands his position, but wants to get him to step outside of his own logic for a moment as she says, "Ger, first of all, it's his apartment. And you need to tell him that his mother left him that development instead of trying to hold it over his head that he's living there rent free. It's absurd." He sighs as he replies, "Whatever, he I''ll give him that information when I see fit." She shakes her head knowing that's a dragon to slay a different day, so she says, "What I need you to understand is that this isn't about blame or being anyone's fault, as much as it's about both of you taking responsibility for what you've both said and done to one another in the name of trying to prove a point. Sometimes it's not that important to be right, when peace is being sacrificed unnecessarily."
He disagrees with her sentiment and is aggravated by her again standing up for her nephew even if he's dead wrong. The gall of her, he thinks as he replies, "He welshes on a commitment and then hides out, refusing to take my calls, but you're talking to me about being irresponsible. How does that make sense?"
She's getting irritated at his unwillingness to see the whole picture, versus just the parts that fit his narrative, but she remains patient as she says, "Ger, that's how you see it, but that's not necessarily the full story. You're only reacting to a symptom of the bigger issue."
His temperature is rising as he gets annoyed with her, feeling as if he's being judged and he can't help but call it as he sees it, as he replies, "And just like that you're back to defending him, when you weren't there! He said I was at fault. He blames me for Ayla's de..."
She feels the break in his voice, and it causes her to pause as she allows him to continue, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her and wish it could've been me in that car instead of her. She didn't deserve to die."
There's no denying the pain in his voice. She can feel it and see the hurt in his eyes. But she wants him to make the connection she knows he fails to see when it comes to discussing this topic, and she also wants to be sure to remind him of a notable detail he keeps forgetting as well.
She responds, "Ger, you're right. She didn't deserve to die. And the truth is neither did you. We wouldn't be any better off with either of you gone, so please don't think that or say that again." He appreciates her kindness, even if he's not so sure his son shares her sentiment.
His thoughts cease as he hears her continue on saying, "I know you miss her. But we all do. That's the main part that I need you to consider." Her insinuation that he's unaware of others missing his wife too causes him to angrily interject. "Come on, I never said I was the only one who misses her. Where are you getting this?"
She pushes past his emotional outburst to say, "At times I'm not so sure you know that others miss her Ger, because you surely don't act like it."
He's really upset now as he quips, "Don't pull your arms out of socket with that extended reach you're doing?"
She feels his ire rising but again ignores it as she responds, "When have you asked me or your son how we were doing in connection with losing Ayla or even made it a point to acknowledge her birthday or anniversary of her death?"
Her question throws him off, he can't think of a specific conversation he's had with either of them about losing her, other than when they found out she'd passed away. And they've never discussed her birthday or the anniversary of her death.
She can see him thinking and she's thankful he's actually listening because he hasn't blurted out any additional angry retorts. She takes his silence to finish saying,
"I honestly don't think you mean to be this way, but I think your guilt surrounding her passing is the reason you become so defensive when the topic is broached."
Her words prompt him to ask, "What do you mean defensive?" She responds, "I think you get defensive when her death is brought up or even her name is brought up because you feel guilty about her death, and about how you dishonored your marital vows that's why you got so upset when Fitz talked about her."
He quickly replies, "Ro it's more than that, he blames me, he actually said that to me. He said I am the reason his mother is dead!" Hi fist is tight and his jaw is clenched, and she can see the rage bubbling in his eyes as if he's reliving the moment.
She takes the time to try to bring him back to the present as she nods and fixes her tone while kindly responding, "I don't doubt he said that to you. And I'm sorry he did, because it's not true. You're not the reason she's dead. But let's also understand that's his perspective because he's hurt. Remember he hasn't been able to talk with you about his grief over losing his mother. So all he has to go on is the facts of why she was out on that road in the first place that night. Which allows him to blame you for her no longer being here for him, even if his logic is flawed and based on his emotional turmoil." He hears her but urgently responds, "I lost her too Ro, I'm hurting too if not more because I know I have some responsibility regarding that night."