The Things People Will Do For An Oval Office
Chapter 3 Lies Exposed
Gideon really didn't think much of the anonymous tip let alone suspect the information to turn into the story of the year. Reporters get unsolicited bits of alleged wrongdoing all the time. But the cryptic phone call and flash drive he received two months ago proved to be pure headline gold. The appalling facts of the story were the stuff of fiction. The lies, the conspiracy, the collusion was blatant. Amazingly, the players in this little drama were not strictly members of the upper echelon of society. The incredible arrogant act of denying paternity involved all sorts, from the captain of industry to the assembly line worker. The Confirming Three as the three labs are commonly referred to as, took anyone and everyone's money. Because of the inherent risk associated with falsifying test results, cost was generally based on income or more precisely saved income. Eighteen or more years of child support is nothing to sneeze at.
Gideon, the victim of a deadbeat dad was raised by a strong-willed determined mother. She worked three jobs to provide for Gideon and managed to attend every school play and awards ceremony. Given his background, the anonymous tipster probably felt Gideon was the perfect reporter to break the story. Gideon was elated the story would bring well-earned financial relief to hundreds, if not thousands of children and women who were left to struggle on their own because of the greedy and miserly men who chose to shirk their parental responsibilities. His only regret was that the information came too late for those deceived into terminating viable pregnancies based of bogus genetic test information.
Three separate federal investigations are underway and the state had already moved in to shut down and seize all records for the three labs and their affiliates, including Grant Biotech, a subsidiary of Grant Industries. The pager-turner expose hit media outlets this morning. Gideon will make the rounds of all the network morning shows to talk about the story. Before the day ends countless child welfare agencies, child advocacy groups, defense attorneys and divorce attorneys will bury the courts with new litigation. Custody orders will be reviewed, child support agencies will work overtime and women who have been labeled loose will be vindicated.
/
Harrison was reading the front-page article of the newspaper, with extreme interest, when Olivia entered the conference with her usual morning cup of tea.
Good morning Harrison, Olivia chimed.
Harrison barely responded to her greeting, he was engrossed in the article he was reading. He knew the fallout from the story was a potential gold mine for OPA. As he raised the paper up to flip to the next page Olivia caught a glimpse of the headline and three familiar companies: Provident Labs, Troy Hill Genetic Testing and Becker Diagnostic Genetics Testing Lab. Then she saw the words, "falsified test results, conspiracy to commit fraud, hundreds maybe thousands of cases." Even though her contact with the labs occurred years ago, those names were indelibly etched into her memory. The room started spinning, her mind started racing, and she dropped her cup, covered her mouth and started shaking her head. She ran to her office slamming the door behind her.
Harrison looked up stunned. What just happened, Abby asked as she entered the conference after witnessing Olivia's bat of hell exit? Confused and concerned they both all rushed to Olivia's office. Quinn hearing the commotion joined the two gladiators in Olivia's office.
Olivia turned on all the televisions in her office. It was the lead story on every news channel. She could not believe what she was hearing "sham operation…rigged paternity testing for a price...botched testing…unskilled technicians...child support avoidance...falsified genetic defect results…unnecessary late term abortions… illusion of independent confirmation…secret subsidiaries of Grant Biotech."
They stood in the doorway looking at their leader. Without warning, Olivia swung her arm in one angry sweeping motion across her desk, sending everything on her desk flying. Files, her phone, her desk lamp and writing implements went crashing to the floor. She kept muttering "it was all a lie, our baby is dead and it was all a lie." Tears streamed down her face. She paced in circles balling her fists and shaking her head as if she was trying to dislodge something horrific from her mind. She walked over to her armoire and retrieved a box containing a small revolver. Harrison quietly moved toward her. "Liv, what are you planning to do with the gun?" Possessed by a single thought, revenge, she was deaf to all other stimuli. She didn't hear Harrison, she went on loading the gun with bullets from the same box. As Abby also began to move toward her but Olivia yelled at everyone to go away and leave her alone.
"Liv, whatever is going on with you do not want to do this. Please put the gun down", Harrison pleaded.
Olivia looked at him, her eyes filled with unimaginable anguish. "They tricked us into killing our baby. Our beautiful Ayliah. Our precious little girl. I'm going to kill them all."
"Who Liv? Who tricked you? I don't understand. How? What are you talking about", Abby questioned concerned. What baby?
"The story", she pointed to the TV, Gideon was being interviewed.
Suddenly Olivia's grief overwhelmed her. She dropped the gun. Quinn quickly kicked it out of Olivia's reach. Olivia ran and sat on the floor in the corner of her office by the window. She pulled her knees to her chest and began to rock back and forth. Olivia was physically there but her mind had left the building. She just sat there sobbing, rocking and starring into space.
"We need to call an ambulance, she needs help". No sooner had the words left Abby's mouth did Huck and Fitz enter the reception area of the office. Both sensed they were too late. They heard the panic filled exchanges coming from Olivia's office. Fitz rushed to Olivia's office, Huck right on his heels. He gasped at the sight before him. Olivia was in the corner, knees drawn up rocking, muttering to herself "oh god our baby, our precious angel, forgive us, we were tricked, oh god forgive us, oh god our baby, how could they".
Fitz nearly collapsed at the sight of his beloved Olivia in so much pain. He slowly moved toward her ignoring everyone else in the room. He crouched down in front of her on his knees and gently cupped the left of side of her face with his hand. Olivia immediately recoiled, pushing herself up against the wall, repeatedly banging her head against it. "You're not here, you aren't real', she shouted. Fitz edged closer, cupping her face with both hands to stop her from injuring herself.
"Livvie, my sweet love, I am here. This is real." He moved forward, pressing his forehead to Olivia's forehead and began to lovingly rub her back. He whispered her secret name "my basherte."
"Fitz, you're really here? My basherter. My basherter. My basherter. My heart…Fitz. It's really you? How?"
"Touch me Olivia. I won't disappear. Huck will explain everything later. But right now I need to get you home sweet heart. I love you so much. We're going to be okay. We're going to be together; no more separation. Come with me please Livvie."
Olivia looked into his eyes, the eyes that always brought the feelings of comfort, peace and love. She lunged forward wrapping her arms around him almost knocking him over. She held on to him for dear life sobbing as her repressed soul wrenching grief exploded. Fitz stood and picked her up to carry her to the car. He nodded to Huck and headed out to Olivia's condo. Neither spoke to or acknowledged the others in the room, all of their attentions were focused on Olivia.
Harrison, Abby and Quinn all looked at each other in bewilderment. What the fuck just happened, all three said in unison? Quinn cancelled the day's appointments and the threesome locked up the office and left to catch up with Huck and Fitz.
/
When Huck and Fitz arrived at Olivia's condo, Huck used his key to gain access. In their haste to get Olivia home they forgot to grab her purse. Once inside, Fitz told Huck he was putting Olivia to bed. He was going to take care of her and did not want her disturbed until tomorrow. Fitz carried the still sobbing Olivia to the bedroom and closed the door.
Fitz placed Olivia on the bed, kissed her forehead and removed her blazer. "Honey, I'm going to undress you and put you under the covers while I draw your bath; okay."
Olivia shook her head, clutching his arm. ""Don't go. Don't leave me, she said whimpering.
"I'm just going into the bathroom, I'm not leaving. I'm never leaving you again."
They gazed into each other's eyes silently communicating their eternal unfathomable love. Before either knew what was happening he was on top her, their clothes discarded as if by magic, their mouths claiming frantic kisses, their tongues sucking and tasting every inch of the other's mouth.
Caressing each other lovingly, they let the yearning for corporeal connection drive their urgent need for intimacy. Fitz spread Olivia's legs with his knee as he got in position and plunged full length into her. Deep soft moans and declarations of love rang in their ears like a sweet love song. For the first time in ten years, they felt whole, alive, and complete. They didn't move at first, the joining of their flesh was too emotionally and physically overwhelming. For the first time in a long time, they were one being. Her walls tightly clenched his throbbing rod. The confirmation release of long denied feelings sent ravenous hands roving over naked familiar territory igniting memories of past insatiable passion and sparking desires to explore the promise of future bliss. Fitz started moving in and out of Liv's dripping hot core. Every thrust was like an earthquake sending shockwaves throughout their bodies. Fitz squeezed and licked Olivia's breasts. He suckled at each of her nipples as she writhed in ecstasy. Olivia licked and nibbled on her lover's ear. She sucked the pulsating vein below his left ear leaving her mark of ownership. She kissed and rubbed his chest, then licked and blew on his nipples. Her synchronized hip gyrations matched Fitz thrust for thrust. Neither desired immediate orgasmic satisfaction; slow and steady was the order of the day. The need to touch, to feel, to taste, to gaze in other's eyes was all encompassing and indescribable. He needed to go harder, deeper into the pleasure zone of screams and primal grunts. She needed the sensation of him in her, on her, around her. An hour later, their bodies were shaking uncontrollably, their skin drenched with sweat and their orgasm screams escaping through the walls.
"Now we can take a bath Olivia whispered breathlessly."
/
Huck opened the door to leave but was startled by Quinn, Abby and Harrison coming off the elevator. Huck, what is going on? Abby demanded.
Not out here, Huck raising his hand in caution. He motioned for them to go into the apartment. Once everyone was in he closed the door and headed for the kitchen.
"Look Fitz and Liv need to be left alone until tomorrow."
"What? Why? What is going on? Why is Olivia having a breakdown?" Harrison questioned. "Where are they? Why is he here?"
"They're in the bedroom, Huck whispered."
"What the fuck? It's Fitz like a brother to Olivia?" Abby said slightly disgusted.
"What did Fitz mean by you would explain everything?" Quinn asked shyly.
"Look, this the story in a nutshell; Liv and Fitz were engaged about 11 years ago, his father did not approve of Liv's hue but he knew Fitz loved Liv and would never leave her especially because at the time Liv was pregnant. His father paid off Liv's doctor and had genetic tests fabricated to make Fitz and Olivia think there child would die shortly after birth because the baby was riddled with birth defects. Liv ended up having an abortion at 24 weeks. As if that wasn't enough, the perverted son of a bitch had the doctor tell Fitz and Olivia the reason the baby had so many birth defects was because they were brother and sister. He had the three labs mentioned in the news story confirm the sibling relationship. Fitz and Olivia have been pain for 11 years because of that fucking asshole."
"Damn his ass to hell", Harrison yelled.
Huck continued. "His father knew the only way to get Fitz to do what he wanted was to keep Olivia in Fitz's life in some way. So he couldn't straight out break them up."
The gladiators looked at each other in silent agreement. It would be handled.