1 Month Later
It's getting harder each day to hide this pregnancy from Fitz. My morning sickness is ferocious and this baby seems hell bent on making its presence known quicker than in any of my other pregnancies. I stand in the closet looking for something to wear. Not many of my clothes fit properly anymore. After searching through racks of clothes I know I will need to have some clothes brought to me. There isn't anything in my closet that will conceal my stomach.
"I'm surprised you're still not dressed." Fitz walks into the closet with just a towel on. I had planned to be dressed and out of the room by the time he finished his shower.
"Can't find anything to wear." He looks around the closet and laughs.
"You're kidding right?"
"No." I'm getting defensive although I don't know why.
"Mels you have a closet full of clothes surely you can find something to wear."
"I think I'd know if I could find anything to wear Fitzgerald." He turns and looks at me surprised by my anger.
"Ok fine you don't have anything to wear."
"Don't patronize me!" I close my eyes trying to get my emotions together. I don't want to tip him off, but my hormones have been all over the place lately.
"What's wrong? You haven't been quite yourself lately." I walk closer to her trying to gauge her reaction. Mellie hasn't been exactly happy with me of late, but she's been even more so snippy than usual.
"Of course I'm not myself. I'm being held hostage by a husband I want to divorce." Normally those types of statements would slice and dice through me and I'd back off, but not this time. Something else is going on and I want to know what it is.
"Ok other than that what's wrong?" I can tell she is stunned that I know that there is something other than our current situation that is bothering her. She doesn't give me enough credit for how well I know her.
"Nottt….nothing Fitz." She's rattled. Mellie tries to walk away, but I gently grab her arm to stop her.
"Please tell me." He's pleading with me and my resolve is starting to melt. I don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret anyway.
"Fitz…I'm." My statement is cut off by a phone ringing.
"Just ignore it. What were you saying?" I start to continue when the phone stops ringing, but then it starts again. I look around for the offending noise. I walk over to the pants he'd worn yesterday and fish out a cell phone that does not look familiar. "Mels it's fine just ignore it." He's nervous I can tell when he walks over to me. Fitz reaches to take the phone out of my hand when it starts to ring again.
"Hello" I answer the phone before he can take it from me. I hear her voice. "It's Olivia Pope for you." I push the phone into his chest and walk out of the closet. I can't believe I almost told him about the baby. Now I know he can't know until after the divorce is final.
Mellie was on the verge of telling me what was bothering her and of course with my luck my phone started to ring. I gave that phone to Olivia so that we could communicate secretly and now I hate myself for it. We are no longer involved, but Mellie doesn't believe that and after what happened today I don't blame her.
"Mels" I walk into her office and notice she seems to be staring off into space. She jumps when she hears my voice.
"What?" I take a deep breath before sitting in the chair across from her.
"You were about to tell me what was going on earlier. I'd like to continue that conversation." She looks at me like I have two heads.
"How was your little chat with Olivia?" I should have known she wouldn't let it go.
"Mellie it's not what you think."
"Then tell me what it is."
"I can't."
"What could you possibly be doing with your former mistress that you can't tell your wife?" She puts air quotes around the word former.
"I'm not involved with her anymore, not romantically."
"You have no respect for me do you?"
"Mellie come on don't do this."
"You don't do this! Don't come here like you don't still carry around the secret sex phone that you have for your mistress. If it's over then why do you have that phone still Fitz!" I hate that I am becoming hysterical but he has me so angry right now.
"Damnit Mellie! I'm not fucking her or anyone for that matter most of all you since you won't let me touch you!" I can't believe he has the nerve to be angry that I haven't been intimate with him.
"Oh you mad? Well you can stay mad, you'll never touch me again!" I close my eyes and count to ten. I do not want to argue with her.
"Mellie I don't want to fight. I just want to know what's wrong." His concern causes my angry bravado to be killed. I know Fitz and I know when he's being sincere and he really wants to know what's wrong with me.
"Fitz why is Olivia calling you?" He shakes his head and takes a deep breath.
"I don't want you involved Mellie. I did some things that could get me not only impeached, but thrown in jail and I'm trying to fix it. I don't want you involved." I know I shouldn't, but I believe him and I'm concerned.
"You want our marriage to work and you want us to be partners again."
"Yes, but I also want to protect you, Karen and Teddy like I wasn't able to protect Gerry."
"Does this have something to do with his death?" He runs his fingers through his hair and stands up. Fitz starts to pace and I know I'm close.
"I'm his mother I deserve to know."
"Mellie I'm not entirely sure of all the details. I just made some mistakes because I was blinded by…. I made a mistake and I'm working with Olivia to fix the situation. This has nothing to do with us being together. Please just trust me." He is pleading with me. I nod at him and he looks relieved.
"Fine I won't ask you about it anymore."
"Now what's wrong with you?"
"Fitz….." He shakes his head.
"Don't Fitz me. Tell me what's wrong." I'm battling with myself. I don't know how long I can keep this a secret and he seems to really have dug in so I don't know if I'll be able to get a divorce before it's obvious that I'm pregnant.
"I need to go away for awhile." He bucks his eyes.
"Go where?"
"I want to visit my parents."
"Mellie…"
"I promise I'll come back." I can't believe I have to plead with him to let me leave D.C.
"How long?" I do a quick calculation in my head of how long I need.
" Just a couple weeks." He starts to laugh.
"Yeah….no." He deadpans.
"Why?"
"Because a couple weeks will be longer than a couple weeks. I'll have some free time in a week we can go visit them together."
"They don't want to see you Fitz." He smirks.
"Hmmm we'll see about that. Oh and Mellie I'll find out sooner rather than later what is really going on with you." He stands and walks out of my office leaving me frowning at his last statement.