The Things People Will Do For An Oval Office
Chapter 6 Revelations
"Huck what's up?"
"Liv you and Fitz need to get down here now and tell Fitz we are at DEFCON 1."
"What do you mean we are at DEFCON 1?
Fuck, Fitz spits out upon hearing Olivia's question.
They take a quick shower and begin to dress. Fitz prepares to put back on his same clothes. He didn't have a chance to pack since he left rather abruptly.
"Husband, Olivia says almost like a prayer; check your side of the closet. You should have plenty of things there."
Husband, the pronouncement brings an instant surge of joy to his heart. Technically, they have been together for 15 years and married for 11 but their married years have been lost to a monstrous lie. He wraps his arms around her waist and gives her another toe-curling kiss.
Fitz opens the closet door but only to see dozens of wrapped gift boxes.
"Wife, he calls out to her, I don't see any clothes just gift boxes. Did you mean the guest room closet?"
She saunters up to his the left side. "You're in the right place." He looks at her with a perplexed expression.
"Every year for the last ten years, I have bought you an outfit for your birthday, Christmas, father's day or just because I saw something I thought would look good on you. Even though we were separated, it was the one tradition I couldn't give up. Every aspect of what for many is a routine buying experience had deeper meaning for me. It made me feel close to you. I'd get so excited getting in my car to drive the mall: going from shop to shop; talking to the sales clerks; describing you, your likes and dislikes, the colors that flattered your beautiful eyes; then coming home and wrapping the gifts. I'd sit and imagine your reaction. "Liv, I love it. Liv, seriously, what were you thinking? Liv, how did you know? Liv, real men do not wear pink." Every now and then for few moments I got a tiny glimpse of normal. Then reality would rear its ugly head and replace my happy moment with a conspicuous dose of longing and heartache". She wipes the tears from her eyes. "I didn't know how to stop loving you as my husband. I didn't know how to give you up completely. I packed up every picture of you hoping your imagine would begin to fade in my mind, but it never did. My little shopping sprees became my mechanism for coping with reality." Her voice shaky and angst ridden as explained the closet contents to Fitz.
Fitz overwhelmed, grabs her, and hugs her tight. Tears fill his eyes. "Thank you baby. I love you so much Livvie."
"I know. I've always known. I've always felt it even though we were apart." Tears continuing to flow from her doe shaped orbs. She gives him a quick kiss on the lips and leaves to finish dressing.
"There's also some jewelry in the top dresser drawer." She yells back over her shoulder.
Each box is label by occasion and year. He takes out a birthday and Christmas box. He pulls out a pair of black slacks, a leather jacket and a white button-down shirt. "Liv, did you also happen buy me some underwear?"
Olivia shouts back, to check the bottom dresser drawer on the right. He bends over, pulls the drawer open, and grabs a package of boxers. He takes out a pair and closes the drawer. He then opens the jewelry drawer. He's really only looking for two items. Not surprisingly, the items are in their original boxes perched right on top of several small wrapped gift boxes.
Fitz quickly dresses and meets Olivia in the living room. They embrace one more time. He hands her one of the small boxes from the jewelry drawer. She smiles and opens it. He opens the other box and takes out the ring set. She extends her left hand, he lovingly places the wedding set on her perfectly manicured finger. 'Wife.' She removes his wedding band from her box and places the antique band on his left ring finger. "Husband."
They take each other's hand and leave for OPA.
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Click, click, Huck presses the mouse and tape begins. The conference room is quiet except for the scratchy hollow sound of the recording. Olivia and Fitz sit at far end of the table, hand in hand, while the rest of the gladiators occupy the other seats on both sides of the conference table. First, there is the sound of rustling papers, then the clinking of glass followed by the distinctive sloshing sound of liquid pouring into an empty glass. The maker of tape clears his throat. Olivia and Fitz squeeze each other's hand as they listen attentively to the tape-recording; anxious to discover who has been providing Huck with intel on Big Gerry's dastardly actions. Both are reluctant on some level to learn the true extent of Gerry's callous misdeeds but the need to know everything outweighs the need to avoid any further Gerry sponsored emotional pain.
"Fitzgerald, first let me apologize to you and Olivia for my role in turning your lives into a living nightmare." Fitz immediately recognizes the voice of the informant. He cannot believe this man is the informant.
" I have no excuse for the things I have done to you. My sense of right and wrong, until recently, has always been dictated by cold hard cash. I never thought or cared about the amount of pain or suffering I inflicted on the people Gerry decided to destroy. I saw my job in the same light anyone else sees their job. It's just a job. I knew I worked for a monster; but hey, in my line of work, a job is job and Gerry pays well. As long as I stayed in his good graces things were good for me and mine and that's all that mattered."
Both Fitz and Olivia were growing more and more uncomfortable. As if on cue she begins gently rubbing his back, he likewise rubs her thigh. Their mutual ministrations continued until their bodies began to relax.
"I prided myself on being the go to guy. The one Gerry always counted on to carry out his orders to the letter. I convinced myself that if Gerry did right by anyone it would be me. After all, I was his right hand man, is faithful executioner and the keeper of his darkest secrets. But as the Bible says, "pride cometh before a fall." And alas, pride proved my fatal undoing. In spite of my better judgment, I actually allowed myself to believe Gerry was someone other than the man I knew him to be. A cold, calculating, self-absorbed son of a bitch. That prideful mistake in judgment cost the life of the only person I loved, my beautiful wife Josette."
"Josette was the love of my life. I loved her more than life itself. She loved me in spite of my many flaws, my line of work and my unquestioning loyalty to you father. Gerry is to blame for Josette's death. Her blood is on his hands and he will pay for her death. I want to expose every dirty deal, every lie, every payoff, every set-up, every blackmail victim, and murder he had a hand in. I want destroy the shaky foundation of his empire of deceit. I want to try to redeem what modicum of humanity I have left in my soul for my sweet Josette's sake. I want o help you and Olivia take back what was stolen from you. I know the life of your daughter cannot be given back but I hope the information I provide will allow you to take down everyone involved and give you some satisfaction if not closure."
"I know it is totally immature and self-serving at this point to do the right thing but I guess until something happens to you, you'll never know what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes. I hope the fact that you will finally know the truth only because I suffered a loss does not add to your anguish. An unfortunate happenstance brought us together but karma will bring us all peace and justice."
"I guess it's best to start at the beginning. Fitz I hope you are holding Olivia's hand right now because what I'm about to say will be hard for you."
Olivia grabs Fitz's arm, looks him the eyes and says, "we're in this together, it will be okay. You will be okay; we will be okay. I love you so much. I'm here for you all the way."
The man you know as Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the II is not Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the II, nor is he your biological father. His real name is Harold Putnam Grant and he is your uncle. "
Fitz took a deep breath, his face went blank, then began to laugh hysterically. Huck immediately stopped the recording, waiting for Fitz to regain his composure. Fitz gently brushed Olivia's grip away from his arm, stood up, walked out of the conference room, totally unable to control his cathartic release. Olivia instructed everyone to take short break as she rushed to catch up to Fitz.
"Fitz baby, talk to me." Olivia said, as she cautiously approached Fitz as he stared out her office window laughing his head off. She touched his shoulder. He whirled around at her touch to face her; his laughter instantly stopped, replaced by unrestrained sobs. Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist and drew him into her body. "Please talk to me Fitz. Tell me what you're feeling. Tell what you need from me. Oh God baby, please let me help you."
Fitz gradually ends his sob fest and wipes the tears from his eyes. "Can you believe it? My whole life is a fucking Shakespearean tragedy. I'm sorry Livvie. Don't worry about me. I'm not sad, I'm relieved. The years of abuse I endured at the hands of that maniac, I …I...I'm just relieved. For years I tried to figure out why my own father seemed to hate me so much; why he treated me like an indentured servant. Now I know. It all makes sense now. Oh Livvie, the retribution we will exact from him will be more than sweet. I won't lose one second of sleep over anything we do to him. You just cannot imagine how ecstatic I am to know that not one drop of his polluted DNA courses though my body. Our future children will be clean Olivia. Clean and free of Gerry, I mean Harold Putnam Grant's demented biological connection. I feel like a thousand pound weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
He places his forehead on Olivia's, then gives her impassioned kiss. "I love you Olivia with all my heart. I'm fine. Let's go back." Olivia nods with tears of relief in her eyes and follows him back into the conference room. The couple return to their seats as Huck restarts the recording. Olivia gives the other gladiators a reassuring nod and the tension in room begins to dissipate.
"Your real father is still alive. Big Gerry has him in an institution under constant guard. He keeps him alive in case you might need a blood transfusion or an organ transplant one day."
"Gerry assumed your father's identity shortly before your grandfather died under mysterious circumstances. Your grandfather actually favored Harold until Harold was stricken with cancer at the age of nine. He underwent several cutting-edge chemo treatments and final went into remission at age 12. The cure was not without a cost however, Harold was rendered sterile after the treatments. Fitzgerald I turned his affections to your father after Harold's diagnosis. Your grandfather wanted biological male heirs to carry on the Grant legacy and because Harold was incapable of producing an heir your grandfather pinned all of his hopes and dreams on your father. He was still attentive to Harold but there was a definite shift in their relationship."
"With each passing year Harold became more and more jealous of the relationship between your father and grandfather. His jealousy turned psychotic after your father returned from the navy and started dating your mother. Harold coveted your father's life; a distinguished military career, a beautiful girlfriend and a guaranteed controlling interest in Grant Industries after your grandfather retired.
Three years before you were born your grandfather threw an engagement party for your father and Genevieve your mother. Before the party Fitzgerald I met with his two sons and informed them of his intent to retire six months after your father and Gen married.
Harold had to act fast, the wedding date was less than 14 months away. He told your grandfather he was going to Central America to check on some Grant holdings. However, instead of going to check on Grant holdings he went to Brazil to have himself surgically altered to look like your father. It did not take much to alter his appearance because his build and facial features were similar to your father's.
Unfortunately, for your father, he never knew how jealous Harold was of his life. Harold and your father spoke often. Your father told Harold everything about your mother. Harold memorized everything your father told him about Gen. A month before the wedding the Grants received word that Harold had been killed in a car accident in Nicaragua. The body was burned beyond recognition so no autopsy was performed. Your grandfather had the remains flown back for dental comparison. Harold had the dental report intercepted to change the findings to confirm the Nicaragua information.
A week before the wedding Harold's goons kidnapped your father, drugged him and placed him Somerset sanitarium; where he remains to this day. Harold stepped into your father's shoes and never looked back.
Your mother knew something was very wrong as soon as she married your uncle. Harold couldn't possibly know everything about Gen and your father, so he would slip up on the basic details of their relationship; like which side of the bed to sleep on. Gen knew she had married a stranger. Your uncle is incapable of love so he was never able to express love to your mother the way your father did. She took steps to divorce him two months into the marriage, but Harold was too close to gaining control of Grant Industries to let that happen. He had sperm specimens retrieved from your father, drugged your mother on several occasions so he could inseminate her with your father's sperm until she was impregnated. From that point on she was trapped.
Your grandfather also suspected the person claiming to Fitzgerald Grant II was an imposter. Harold has a nervous habit of tapping the song "That's life" on his coffee cups with a spoon. He did it in front of your grandfather one day. Your grandfather engaged Harold in a seemingly innocent conversation, and then called him Harold and Harold without thinking responded. Fitzgerald I was fit to be tied. He kept screaming at Harold asking what had he done. Harold put your grandfather in a head lock, which triggered a heart attack. Harold never called for help. He sat beside your grandfather and watched him die."