Fitz opened the door with Olivia right next him, both of their faces held a scowl as Mellie smiled. "Hey, Fitz– Olivia. Where's Katie? We have to get going, the little princess has another day of school in the morning," she said cheerfully, as if they didn't know that already.
"Mellie, come inside. We need to talk to you," Fitz said, letting her into their home.
"Fitz wants to talk to you, I'm just waiting to whoop your ass," Olivia said loudly enough for Mellie to hear. She wasn't playing any games. Mellie may be Katie's birth mother, but Olivia felt like she was her mother too, and no one got away with harming her children.
"Excuse me," Mellie asked, cocking her head back and looking at Olivia, then she turned to Fitz. "Fitz, I suggest you control your bed wench."
"What the hell did you just call me, Mellie," Olivia asked angrily as she attempted to step to Mellie. Luckily for Mellie, Fitz quickly grabbed onto Olivia and held her back. "Livie! Baby, calm down. And Mellie I suggest you mind your tongue when you're speaking. One thing's for certain is that you're NOT going to come into my house and start showing your racist ass." Fitz spoke with so much authority it caused Mellie to straighten up, but only for a second.
"Whatever," she said waving off both of them and rolling her eyes. "Where is my daughter, Fitz? She's the only reason that I am here! You can tell her that her mother is here." It didn't go unnoticed by neither Fitz or Olivia that Mellie made sure to put emphasizes on "mother" as she glared Olivia up and down.
Olivia was over it.
If only Fitz would just let her go.. "Mellie, you are so pathetic." She chuckled, shaking her head at the woman in front of her. "Katie isn't going anywhere with you! You have lost your mind by putting your hands on her. But your evil ass didn't just stop there, did you? No, you had to put things into her head as well, saying how she's the reason Fitz doesn't love you, and that he doesn't love her. You know Fitz adores his daughter, how could you say something like that to her?"
Fitz was shocked. Olivia hadn't told him that, nor did Katie. "You told her that, Mellie," Fitz asked. Olivia nodded her head. "That's what Katie said."
Mellie folded her arms across her chest, she wasn't backing down one bit. "I sure did! Fitz, I hate you! How were you warming my bed one night and the next day taking that tramp out on a date." She shouted, pointing in Olivia's direction. "Oh and not only that, how are going to let my daughter call someone else 'mom'! I am her mother, not your little whore!" Mellie yelled, flinging her hand towards Olivia yet again. "You got one more time, Mellie!" Olivia said, warning her.
Fitz chuckled. Mellie was so damn jealous that it was pitiful, and if she thought he was going to apologize for letting Katie call Olivia mom, then she had another thing coming. "Mellie, grow the hell up! Olivia is more of mother to her than you'll ever be," he said, then he turned to Olivia and dropped his arm from around her waist. "Do what you want."
X
After Fitz gave her the "ok", Olivia walked over to Mellie to talk face to face. Mellie wasn't the type of woman to just stand there and allow someone to hit her, so she swung at Olivia first. Since fighting had not been Olivia's intention when she came to Mellie, she was surprised that Mellie actually had the audacity to swing at her. Luckily, Olivia stepped back just in time to miss the blow.
"You really shouldn't have missed, Mellie," Olivia smirked. Olivia quickly stepped up to Mellie with her hand clenched into a fist and swung, pummeling her furiously and square in the face.
"Shit!" Fitz shouted as he watched Olivia punch Mellie. He didn't think she would really hit her, but this is the angriest he's even seen her.
"You bitch!" Mellie screamed as blood began to drip from her nose. Mellie threw a punch and busted Olivia's lip. Olivia was applaud that she had actually managed to hit her, but a busted lip? That was nothing. "Is that really all you got, Mellie? Or are you only capable of hurting children?"
"Fuck you, Olivia! And fuck you, Fitz! I will see in court! You've got another thing coming if you think you're just going to keep my daughter away from me and assault me!" Mellie yelled.
Fitz wasn't listening to anything she had to say. If needed to, he would call the police right now, his daughter had the evidence all on her back.
Fitz grabbed Olivia by the waist and held onto her once he saw her about to charge at Mellie again. He didn't like seeing Olivia fight, but he knew his little firecracker wouldn't have rested until she had at least hit Mellie once, and that's what she did. Besides, it was late and he didn't want their commotion to wake Katie. "Olivia, calm down. Look at your hand," Fitz said as he inspected Olivia's bloody knuckles. She might've been a petite woman, but she certainly had a mighty blow.
"Go. Get. My. Daughter!" Mellie shouted again.
"Are you deaf, stupid or both, Mellie? Get this through your thick head, Katie's not be going home with you." Olivia slowly said. "You have done enough damage! She's terrified of you and your pathetic boyfriend. You're lucky my kids are upstairs sleeping or I'd really would've given you a beat down. If you ever- and I mean EVER put your hands on that child again, everything you just experienced will be nothing compared to what I'll have done to you then. Do not test me, Mellie."
Fitz was completely turned on by Olivia's rant. Her angry side was sexy as hell- when he wasn't the one experiencing her wrath. "Mellie, I'm getting full custody of Katie, understood?"
"Fitz, don't take my daughter away from me." Mellie pleaded. "Would you rather I call the police now. Have them start an investigation?" Fitz smirked. Mellie quickly shook her head no. Her hands were tied and she knew she was going to lose her daughter either way.
Truthfully, she didn't even want Katie, but Katie was an easy target for her. She was small and defenseless, and that's who monsters always targeted. It was truly disgusting. "No, not the police. You can- you can keep the little brat." Mellie spat and before she knew it, a open palm hand connected with her face sending spit flying from her mouth, literally.
"Get out! You're a disgusting human being and I am sick of you being in my presence! Mellie, you were blessed with the most beautiful and loving child, and this is how you treat her? You're a disgrace as a woman and a mother. You don't deserve Katie, but trust me, I'm going to enjoy raising her as my own." Olivia pushed Mellie out of her house and closed the door behind her. Once she turned away from the door, she sighed heavily allowing her body to crash against Fitz's.
Her heart broke for Katie. How could her own mother treat her so badly? Olivia made a promise to herself right then and there that no matter what happened between her and Fitz in the future, she'd always be there for Katie.
X
After Mellie was thrown out, Fitz cleaned up the few drops of blood from the floor then he and Olivia went upstairs. They checked on the kids first and they were all still sound asleep.
He has no idea how they slept through all of the commotion, but thank goodness they did.
Fitz grabbed Olivia's hand and led her into their bedroom then the bathroom. He ran a warm bath for them and they got in together, drinking red wine to unwind as Olivia laid between his legs with her back against his chest.
"You sure do know how to pick them." Olivia said, thinking about just how crazy Mellie was.
Fitz chuckled as he rubbed her arms. "I picked you, didn't I," he asked teasingly, trying to lighten the mood. "Fitz, don't play with me."
"Hey, I'm not Mellie, Olivia. You're not going to beat my ass," he responded and Olivia slightly turned to get a look at his face. "Oh, so what? You would hit me? Is that what you're saying," she asked although she already knew the answer to that question. Fitz was a giant teddy bear and she was teasing him like he'd done her.
"Of course not, Livie. I would never hit you. I have a daughter and I would never disrespect any woman like that— especially you. That's why I let you get Mellie."
"Oh Fitz, please!" She exclaimed. "You did not 'let me', I told you that I was going to, so don't even try to play me." She laughed. "And don't think I forgot about our bet! You owe me five hundred bucks and a new purse, mister."
"Damn, I was hoping you would forget." Fitz chuckled. "I can't wait to tell your sisters that I saw you fight, especially Clara. She once told me how you used beat girls up in school, I never believed her until now."
"Baby, please don't do that!" She whined. She did not want to deal with her sisters. She knew they would annoy her with their questions. "And I did not 'beat up girls in school,' ok? I had one fight. Some chick was bullying Grace, so I showed her who the real bully could be and that was the end of that. I do not enjoy fighting. I would rather handle things by being civilized. However, sometimes, you just have to go there to show some people that you aren't playing with them, much like I had to tonight with Mellie. I know I have a lot more to lose now. For all I know, Mellie could be talking to some news station right now, ruining my name and image by saying I assaulted her, but I would do it all over again for the sake of Katie."
Fitz was so in love with her. How could he not be? She was amazing in every way. "She's not going to ruin anything you've worked hard, Livie. I can guarantee you that. Baby, you underestimate me, do you really think I would encourage you to do something that would put you or your career in danger if I didn't know we were secured? How do you think we've gone undetected all these years? No pictures of us sneaking around? No factual stories of us being together? The Grant name holds weight and I've made sure that any story that's pertaining to you has to be shut down. Even when we weren't on good terms, I had your back, Olivia."
It was now Olivia's turn to be amazed by him. He was such a good man. Why had she wasted so many years with Jake? "I love you so much, Fitz. God, I really do."
"I love you too, Liv. You never have to worry."
A comfortable silence fell over them as they soaked in the love. But Fitz, he wasn't over seeing his girl whoop his ex's ass. "Baby, I still have to tell your sisters," he said, making Olivia laugh and roll her eyes. At this point, she knew she'd just have to deal with it. He wasn't letting it go.
"Look, I can just hear Tamia already, Liv. 'Ooh, I know you lying! Chile, bye! Livia did what?! Olivia, why didn't you call me because you know I will fight anyone for you'." Fitz did all of Tamia's hands motions, hair flipping and popping his lips exactly like she does. It had Olivia in a fit of laughter. She knew her sister was animated as ever, and clearly Fitz did too.
"Oh my God! You sound just like her, babe," Olivia said through laughter. "You are so silly!" She wiped the tears that had gathered in her eyes from laughing so hard. Fitz chuckled and kissed her shoulder. "That was good, huh?"
"So good." Olivia nodded and giggled at him. "You always do good impersonation."
"I've got your sister down. She's crazy."
"Ok, I'm convinced now. You can tell them about Mellie and I 'tussling' as long as you do that for the girls and mommy now," Olivia said. "Wait. Wait. Wait. No," Fitz said, shaking his head. It was one thing to do it for her, but for everyone else? Hell no! He wasn't this silly in front of other people, this side of him was for Olivia and the kids only. "Liv, no."
"Please! Pleaseee!" Olivia begged and Fitz laughed as he relented. "Alright, alright. I really hate when you do that."
Olivia giggled, "I know" then she pecked him on the lips with a smile. Once they finished relaxing and their water was lukewarm, they washed up and rinsed off the soap.
As Olivia stepped out of the tub, Fitz smacked her behind. "Ouch, Fitz!" Olivia whined as she looked back at him over her shoulder and wrapped her towel around her chilled body. Fitz bit his lower bottom lip as he eyed her up and down. "What," he asked seductively.
"Please, don't get me started. I am too tired, Fitzgerald," Olivia laughed making Fitz join her. But he was too tired, too. He just could never resist the opportunity to give her brown bottom a little slap, and he knew Olivia loved it, no matter how much she'd whine about it.
They got dressed for bed then climbed in, cuddling in each other arms under the sheets.
"Are you really not going to get the police involved, Fitz," Olivia asked. She was happy with him getting full custody of Katie but she still felt like Mellie and her boyfriend should be off the streets. They didn't deserve freedom after traumatizing and abusing a child.
"I'm definitely getting the police involved, Olivia. She was abusing my little girl." Fitz sighed as tears gathered in his eyes. Thank God the room was dark- he didn't want Olivia seeing him. "I'm going to talk with my attorney first thing in the morning. Both Mellie and her boyfriend, Tom, will be handled by noon tomorrow." Fitz explained and Olivia nodded. She felt so relieved when she thought about Mellie and her boyfriend getting put away.
They discussed the situation a bit more. As Fitz talked, Olivia let out a yawn. "Sorry, baby," she said. She didn't want him to think that she wasn't interested in what he had to say, she was just really tired.
"It's ok. Get some sleep my little Muhammad Ali." Fitz joked. Olivia laughed, rolling her eyes at him. She kissed his lips then laid her head on his chest. "Goodnight, Fitz. I love you."
"I love you too, Olivia," he mumbled as sleep quickly took over them both.
It had been a very long and trying day, but tomorrow would be even longer.