Mellie walked into the deli to grab lunch when she saw Isaac sitting at a table with another woman. She was pretty and very blonde. Mellie was furious. They had been dating for almost six months now, and they were even talking about moving in together. Isaac hadn't noticed Mellie walk in yet, so Mellie angrily walked over to his table. He told her that he was going to work through lunch today. Obviously, that was a lie.
"I see you aren't working through lunch," Mellie plastered on her brightest smile and turned to the blonde.
"Madam Vice President, it is an honor to meet you. I'm…" Mellie held up her hand to cut the stuttering girl off. Mellie smirked because the girl couldn't be any older than twenty-five, and she was clearly scared.
"Mellie, I'm sorry," He started to continue, but Mellie turned and walked away.
She was on her third glass of wine when she heard the front door open. It couldn't be anyone other than Isaac. She should've told her agents to keep him out. Mellie downed the rest of her glass before Isaac walked in.
"Do I have cheat on me written on my forehead? If I do, please tell me because this is just getting too damn old. Anything you've ever left here is in that box at the end of the stairs. Please take it, and get the hell out of my life."
"Mellie, can we talk about this?"
"No. I am done. Don't even try to tell me that nothing has happened with her because I saw you two holding hands, and the way you were looking at her said enough."
"I'm sorry."
"You're just sorry you got caught. I didn't realize being faithful to me was such a hard task."
"Mellie, you never gave me all of you. The only time you can truly be with someone is when you wake up and realize that you're still in love with your goddamn ex husband. Until then, you're never going to let anyone else in, and you won't have a successful relationship. I am so sorry. I was going to talk to you tomorrow night about us."
"Please shut the hell up, and walk your ass out of my life. I have one question before you go."
"Ask me anything, Mel."
"How long have you been seeing her? How many times were we having sex after you've seen her?"
"I met her two months ago, but nothing happened right away."
"Get out."
As Isaac left, Mellie slowly walked upstairs to her room. She was thankful that it wasn't one of her nights with Teddy. Mellie was supposed to pick him up tomorrow evening. Mellie got into bed and finally let herself cry. She wasn't madly in love with Isaac, but she thought everything was going great. She could see herself spending the rest of her life with him.
Mellie woke up when her alarm went off, but she didn't want to get up. She didn't want to go in today, but she had a job to do. She slowly got ready for the day. Walking to her office, she prayed that she wouldn't run into Isaac. She didn't have the energy for it.
She worked through lunch, checked her phone around three. She saw that she had a missed call from her best friend Addison. Addison was a neonatal surgeon and OBGYN in Los Angeles.
"Addie! I'm sorry I missed your call. I didn't even hear my phone ring."
"I figured. I was just calling to check in. How's everything with Isaac?" Mellie groaned with Addison mentioned his name.
"Do you have ESP or something? We broke up last night. He's been seeing someone else for about two months because apparently I'm still in love with Fitz, so I never gave him all of me."
"Mel, I'm so sorry. Why don't you come out here for a week or so? You can still be Vice President from the other side of the country. That's why there's technology."
"That sounds lovely. I may take you up on that. I'd have to make sure Fitz is okay with keeping Teddy for that long."
"Melody Grant, you're coming out here. Get on one of your jets or whatever, pack your bags, and get your ass out here."
"Yes, boss. I'll call you with my flight plans. "
Mellie arrived in Los Angeles the next afternoon. She walked off the plane and into her awaiting town car. She couldn't wait to see Addison. It had been much too long, and Mellie could use some time with her best friend. The car pulled into Addison's driveway, and Addison and her son Henry were waiting for her.
"Addie!" Mellie yelled and ran to her best friend.
"Mel!" Addison met her with open arms, and pulled Mellie into a hug.
"Henry, I've missed you! Teddy misses you too!"
"Hi, Auntie Mellie. I've missed you too! Where's Teddy?"
"He's at home with his dad this trip."
"Henry, why don't you go inside and play?" Henry did as he was asked, and Mellie and Addison were alone together.
"Addie, I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Come inside," Mellie followed Addison inside and looked around for Addison's husband Jake.
"Where's Jake?"
"He got paged about a half hour ago. He said to tell you hello. Now sit down, and talk to me," Mellie sat next to her, but before any words could come out, she started to cry.
"I'm not crying because I'm torn up about Isaac. I do miss him, but I think I miss having someone around more than I actually miss him. I'm crying because every man I've ever loved has cheated on me or turned out to not really give a shit about me."
"Mellie, it's not you. They just aren't man enough. You're too much of a woman for them. You don't need to lessen yourself for any man; you just need a man with big hands because you can be quite a handful sometimes."
"I know I'm crazy, Addison. "
"Honey, we're all crazy. A man just has to pick the amount of crazy he can deal with," Mellie laughed and leaned her head on Addison's shoulder.
"When did we get like this?"
"So pathetic?"
"I was going to say lonely, but that works too."
"Addison, you're married."
"Jake and I aren't doing that great."
"What's wrong?"
"One of us is always gone, and when we are home at the same time, he magically gets paged and has to go to the hospital. I feel like I live alone with Henry. We don't even have sex anymore; ever!"
"Addie, I'm so sorry, but promise me something."
"What?"
"Don't run to someone else like you did with Derek. I know you're lonely, and I know you miss that connection of being with someone, but don't do it. Please tell me you haven't already," Mellie knew the answer before Addison opened her mouth.
"I'm a cheater, Mellie. I've been pulling the same thing since high school; you know that. I don't know why, but I just do. I used to blame the Captain, but I can't keep blaming him for my mistakes. I can't blame Bizzy because I had no idea what was going on with her while I was growing up. I know I'm an awful person. I know what Fitz's cheating did to you, and what I did to Derek and everyone else I have ever cheated on."
"Addison Forbes Montgomery, you are not an awful person. We all do bad things. Don't forget that I cheated on my husband too."
"After he claimed he was in love with another woman, and he had been sleeping with her for years."
"I almost did years ago when Fitz was governor."
"You never told me that."
"Who did you sleep with?"
"It was almost a year ago, and I honestly can't talk about it right now, Mel," Mellie was going to push her for an answer, but as soon as she looked into Addison's eyes, she had her answer.
"Derek?" Addison nodded as her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh Addie, I wouldn't have asked if I had known it would lead to you crying. It was when Richard flew you to Seattle, wasn't it?"
"Exactly three months before he died. I think a big part of me has always been in love with him. Even after I left and came here to start over. There's no use in me crying over this anymore."
"Addie, I went to his funeral with you. I know how badly it hurt then. I can only imagine how badly it might still hurt, so you go ahead and cry. I'll be the one that holds it together this time. I'll put you back together this time around. Just cry it out. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere," Addison put her head on Mellie's chest and broke down. Mellie whispered soothing words to her, and rubbed her back. Mellie now understood why Addison pushed for her to come out here. Mellie was too busy sulking in her own world of problems that she didn't realize Addison was drowning in hers.