Chapter Seven: Breaking All the Rules
"I'm sorry Mr. Grant, Ms. Pope is with a patient right now."
Fitz sighed into his phone. This was the third time he had called, and every time Daniel answered, Olivia would always be busy. Either she was with a patient or on a phone call, or in a conference. How many conferences does one person have in one business day? Fitz knew Daniel was lying. And he also knew Daniel was only lying because Olivia told him to.
"Daniel I just need to speak with her."
"I understand that Mr. Grant, but she's with a patient. I'm not allowed to interrupt her when she's with a patient unless it's an emergency."
"Daniel why are you acting as if you don't know me? It's me." Fitz had met Daniel three years ago, when Olivia first hired him as her assistant. At first, he didn't like Daniel nor the idea of his wife having a male assistant. His animosity only calmed, when he discovered Daniel was gay. "Just put me through, you know she's not going to fire you, patch me through."
"Fitz she really is with a patient this time. She's not even in the office, she's at the psychiatric ward at the hospital. I'm sorry Fitz, really."
Fitz hung up the phone in defeat. Once again, he had called Olivia office only to be turned away. He felt like an idiot, calling her office nonstop hoping Olivia would take his call. Or at least call him back. But he just couldn't stop himself from calling her office in hopes that the next time, she would take his call.
He understood why she was ignoring him, but she was beginning to anger him. Why couldn't she just answer the phone? All he wanted to do was talk to her. He didn't know what was happening between them either, he was just as confused as she was.
All she had to do was answer the damn phone, and they could talk about this like two adults.
"Mr. Grant, there's a Curtis Pope here to see you." Lauren's voice came over the intercom system on Fitz, desk.
What the hell was he doing here? Olivia can't answer any of his calls? But her brother just up and shows up at his office unannounced. Curtis had caught himself and Olivia kissing against his car. So Fitz was fairly confident as to why Curtis had shown up unannounced.
"Uh, please show him back Lauren."
"Yes sir." A moment later there was a knock at the door. "Mr. Pope, sir." Lauren announced.
"Curtis. What a surprise."
"I wouldn't really call it a surprise would you? I mean considering what I walked in on yesterday. You know, you and my sister tongue wrestling and all."
"So what can I help you with Curtis?" Fitz asked, changing the subject.
"Well Fitzgerald…" Curtis calmly sat in one of the chairs in front of Fitz's desk, folding his right leg over his left. "More than anything, I would just like to know why I caught you and my sister making out like teenagers on a public beach."
Fitz cleared his throat. This was a lot more awkward than he had anticipated, and Curtis's calm demeanor wasn't helping any. Fitz would feel better if Curtis head come in yelling and cursing at him. Fitz could have handled that, he was use to Curtis's outburst of emotion. He had displayed that same emotion, when Olivia and Fitz announced their divorce and the reason behind it.
"Listen Curtis, I don't think… This is really something that's between Olivia and myself."
"It's no longer between the two of you, since you both decided you wanted to air you dirty little secrets out in public."
"Neither of us planned on that happening, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. And again, it's between Olivia and I."
"And again I'll say, that the matter is no longer just between the two of you. And you might think I'm overstepping my bounds here, but I don't give a damn. That is my little sister, and I will protect her from anything and anyone for as long as I live." Curtis unfolded his legs, and leaned into his chair. "And you, you piece of shit, you are part of the anyone. You broke my sister's heart two years ago, and now you're back and trying to act as if nothing happened."
"Curtis you have no idea what went on between Olivia and I, and-"
"I know enough!" Curtis raised his voice, startling the people walking outside the office door. "I know what my sister told me. And I also know that you're an asshole for leaving your wife for something she can't control."
Fitz hung his head. No matter how out of line Curtis was right now, Fitz couldn't ignore the truth behind his words. "I know that now."
Curtis scoffed. "Now? It took you two years to figure out you're an asshole."
"Look Curtis, I know you only came here as a concerned brother. But honestly this is none of your business. You have no right to come here, to my place of employment of all places, and cause a scene. If you want some answers, you need to get them from you sister herself." Fitz stood, buttoning his suit jacket. "Now I think its time you leave."
Curtis nods his head, "Yeah I'll leave. Right after I punch you square in the face I'll leave."
X
"Henry loves me, he does! He saved me and the others from our bastard parents. He gave us a home, a family."
Olivia internally sighed in frustration for the fifth time in under half an hour. Savannah Wilcox was one of Olivia's newest patients. Before three weeks ago, Savannah Wilcox had been missing for the past eighteen years. She was abducted when she was eight years old from her school playground. She had been the eighth girl abducted from a school playground in only three years' time.
It had been later discovered that she was abducted by a man named Henry Allen the second. He was a convicted felon from Tennessee, convicted of molesting his seven year old niece. He had been in and out of jail ever since, for various accounts of assault, DWI, parole violation, and violating a court order. He fled to California pending arrest for a sexual assault charge, the abductions began only two years after. Henry had managed to abduct eight girls, ranging in age from five to eight, all in broad daylight. In front of numerous other children and teachers on the playground. No one knew just how he managed to abduct the girls without alarming anyone. The officers on this case worked day and night to try and find the girls. The only proof the cops had that the girls were still alive, were the pictures and videos of the girls on various child pornography websites. But Henry covered his tracks, and the cops were unable to trace his signal. Eventually the case went cold as the years passed.
That was until three weeks ago, when a young girl was found unconscious in a ditch on the side of the road. She was transported to the hospital, and was later identified as Melissa Riley. She was eight years old now, but she was only six when Henry abducted her from her school playground.
Melissa woke at the hospital, and after some time passed was eventually able to lead the cops to the house where Henry had kept her captive for the past two years. Henry was arrested, trying to flee the house, and the girls were rescued, though most of them were just barely just clinging to their life. During a search of the house, videos and pictures were discovered of missing girls from various states. And in the backyard, several graves were discovered, all with decaying bones in black trash bags.
All the other girls were glad to be saved, and more than glad for the bittersweet reunion with their families. All except for Savannah. Savannah was a special case. All the girls had come from a one parent household. All except for Savannah, whose was born to a mother and father who didn't give a damn about her. They abused and mistreated Savannah since the day she was born. So when she was abducted by Henry, he brainwashed and convinced her that he loved her and he was her family now; and Savannah believed him.
Over the eighteen years that Henry held her captive, Savannah developed Stockholm's syndrome. She became attached to her captured, and developed feelings from him. She was convinced that Henry loved her and the other girls, and he was only saving them from their parents.
"No Savannah he doesn't." Olivia said calmly. "Henry abducted you when you were only six years old-"
"He was saving me! You don't understand. My parents were awful, they were cruel. My dad use to beat me for laughs and my mother treated me like a slave."
"Do you honestly think what Henry put you through was any better? Henry forced you and those other girls to not only have sex with him, but other men as well. He kept them chained and gaged in a dog cage in a basement."
"That was only when they misbehaved! He would only chain them to the wall when we were good."
"Savannah you were clinging to your life when the officers found you. You were severely malnourished, and dehydrated."
"He kept you in a basement Savannah."
"That's because he had to protect me. He had to keep me there so my parents couldn't find me."
"But he kept me around. When I got too old for him, he didn't take me to the woods like he did the other girls, he kept me around. Why would he do that is he didn't love me?"
"Because he needed someone he could manipulate to do his dirty work."
Savannah shook her head. "No."
"He was getting old. He wasn't as young and strong as he used to be-"
"No."
"He couldn't take those girls anymore, so he needed you to do it for him." After the girls were rescued, they all revealed, that it was Savannah who had in fact abducted them from their school. Henry was an old man now, he couldn't do it himself so he forced Savannah to do it. The abducted became the abductor. It was sad really.
"I didn't want to do it." Savannah whispered in a small voice, tears clogging her throat. She was now curled up in a corner, by the two way mirror, her knees raised up to her chest. She looked like the scared eight year old girl she use to be.
"I was twelve I think, it was hard to keep up with the days. Henry said I was getting too old for him. I was scared he was going to take me to the woods. But he took me upstairs to the house instead. He said that because I was being so good, and I didn't cause him any problems that I was gonna be his little helper." Savannah smiled and her tears slowly stopped.
"At first it was just making his meals, cleaning the house. He didn't make me sleep in his bed anymore, and he didn't make me do things to the other men either."
Savannah's eyes suddenly got dark, and her eyes locked in on a crack in the white wall. "Then one day after he came back from the woods, he said he needed another girl. A blonde. And he said I had to get her for him. I didn't want to, but he said he'd take me back to my parents if I didn't. I didn't want to go back to them. Henry taught me how to drive so I could drive his white van. So I drove far far away, to a school. Her mom was walking her to school, and her dad was behind them but he wasn't paying attention. He was too busy on his phone, then her mom let go of her hand and let her walk the rest of the way." Savannah paused, remembering that day like it was yesterday. "I waited until school was over. Then I told her I was a friend of her mothers and that she was hurt. She started crying, and I told her I was taking her to her mom. And then she came with me."
"Savannah why didn't you go to the police? You were miles away from Henry, you could've told someone and saved those other girls."
"I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to stay with him, he was going to take me home. Besides, I was saving her."
"How were you saving her Savannah, you brought her to Henry and let him hurt her." Savannah knew she was going tough on Savannah. She normally wouldn't blame a victim for anything, but she needed to Savannah over the edge in order for her to come back to reality. "You kidnapped those girls, just so Henry could hurt them."
"No, I was saving them. Their parents didn't care about them, they didn't have time for their own kids." Savannah covered her face with her hands, chuckling dryly. "I brought them to a home. Henry was our father now."
"A father doesn't keep his children locked up in a cage Savannah." Olivia was going in for the kill. "He doesn't make his children perform sexual acts on other men and take pictures and videos of their naked bodies for money-"
"Shut up, you shut your mouth right now." Savannah warned, but Olivia kept going. The only way to get through to Savannah was to break her first.
Savannah was rocking herself back and forth, she was close to exploding and that was what Olivia wanted. She had to break through Savannah's wall of denial. Only then could she overcome the Stockholm and realize that Henry never loved her. When she broke through, Savannah could really think about what she had done. What Henry had made her do.
"He doesn't force his children into his bed at night. That is not how a father shows his love. And he for damn sure doesn't drag his kids kicking and screaming into to the woods where he murders that child and buries her in a shallow grave." Savannah was rocking back and forth in the corner, mumbling to herself. "Did you help him with that too? Did you help him bury those poor girls after he'd killed them? Or did you snap their neck yourself?"
"NO!" Savannah cried out, before she burst into tears. Olivia felt bad, but she was only doing this to help Savannah. The district attorney wanted to put Savannah on trial for her part in the abductions. "I would never do that to them! I only wanted to help. I was good to them, I was, I swear I was." Olivia kneeled down to Savannah's level in the corner. "I made sure they were fed. Whenever Henry would leave, I would give them sandwiches and carrots and chips. And at night, I would bring them water."
"You took care of them."
"Yes. I would clean their cuts." Savannah rubbed the deep scar around her wrist. "The chains. They cut into the skin after a while, because they're so tight. And it only makes it worse if you struggle. They were always getting cut, so I had to clean it for them." Savannah tears began to trickle down her face once again. "I was only helping them. I only wanted to help them." Savannah began to cry into hysterics. Olivia wrapped her arms around Savannah, wanting to just take all her pain away. Orderlies had to eventually come in to sedate Savannah, because she was getting to hysterical.
"What the hell was that?" A short, balding man in a white coat and thick glasses walked up to Olivia. He was one of the doctors on staff on the psych ward at the hospital. He had been watching Olivia and Savannah through the double mirror in the room.
"Dr. Goupta I know what I'm doing."
"Do you? Because you just broke one of the main rules in there, you never berate a patient like that."
"Like I said, I know what I am doing. Savannah is clearly suffering from Stockholm syndrome, and she actually thinks what she was doing was helping those girls. In order for me to help her, I need her to first understand that what she was doing was wrong. That it was not okay, and that that bastard doesn't give two shits about her."
"That was not the way we agreed to go. You berated that girl in there, your entire plan could've back fired on you. She can shut down completely, and then we will never get anywhere with her."
"The district attorney is trying to indict her on multiple charges of kidnapping and accessory to murder charges, if they don't just go ahead and indict her for first degree murder. Savannah needs help, she needs to be put in a psychiatric hospital, not jail. And if she gets put on the stand now as she is, and starts talking the way she just did with me, thinking she did nothing wrong and she is so in love with Henry Allen. I guarantee you that every single one of those jurors will think of their own daughters, or nieces, or goddaughters. They won't care that she herself was kidnapped as well. I promise you they will find her guilty of whatever charges are brought up against her."
"Or they will see a woman who is clearly suffering from a psychotic episode, and I will testify to the fact."
Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes at the man, "You're clearly not listening to me. You referred me to this case, because you and I both know I am the best in the business. That's not arrogance, its facts. So you just need to shut up and let me do my job, but since I can see that is not going to happen. If you don't like my methods, you can call someone else. And I tell you what, why don't you give me a call when you're done handing her with kid gloves, I have to go."
Olivia walked off, towards the front desk. The man buzzed her through and she gathered her coat and purse from the man behind the gate. She checked her phone, and saw another missed call from Fitz, she swiped the notice from the screen. She also saw she had a missed text from Abby, reminding her about the late early lunch she was currently late for.
"Dammit, why am I always late?"
X
"This is so beautiful, thank you Erika."
"You're welcome Mrs. Ray. I hope Mr. Ray enjoys them." Erika slid the large vase of flowers across the counter to the elderly woman. Erika was in business for herself, she owned a small, but very profitable floral shop. She was mainly successful, because the people like her. She was sweet and kind to anyone who came into her store. And the customers, especially the old ones, loved to talk to her. It wasn't what she had always seen herself doing in the future, but she loved it. And it was the perfect job for someone like Erika. Whenever you looked at Erika, she just screamed flowers and sunshine, corny, but very true.
"Oh I'm sure he will. He's been a little down lately, being in the hospital these last couple of days. I know these will brighten him right up." The woman attempted to pick the vase up herself, but she quickly discovered she couldn't.
"Tony, can you carry this vase out to Mrs. Ray's car?" Erika asked one of her employees. Erika was cleaning the fallen flower pedals from the front counter, when the door bells chimed, alerting her of her next customer. "Hi, welcome to Elaine's." She as still wiping the flower pedals from the counter, so she hadn't looked up.
"Hello again."
Erika paused, as a tingle ran up her spine at the deep, familiar baritone voice. Harrison Wright was standing in her floral shop, sporting a deep gray suit, with purple dress shirt and a devastatingly handsome smile. She hadn't seen him since their first date, but they had talked on the phone every night since then. He would call her during the day to see about her day and how she was doing. He had asked her out on a second date, actually before their first was even over, but she hadn't given him a definite answer yet.
Harrison was a nice guy, he was sweet and charming and oh so handsome. It wasn't that she didn't like him, she did, she was just nervous. All this was new to her, she never really dated anyone before and she didn't know how to do it. The only boyfriend she ever had was Colby Jackson, and they were in the sixth grade so it really doesn't count. She as focused on her work in high school, and when she got to college she felt like the odd one out. She only went to her classes and straight back to her single dorm room. And in her adult life it wasn't any different. She had her friends, but no one special.
"Harrison, hi." Erika cleared the nerves from her throat. "What are you doing here?"
"Well I was walking by on my way to a business lunch, and I walked by the shop and decided to say hi." Harrison leaned on the counter. "Hi."
"Hi." Erika responded shyly. "That all you come to say?"
"Well no, actually I came to talk to you about that second date."
"Second date?"
"Yes, I've been trying to get you to join me for dinner or maybe even lunch since our first date."
"I know, and I'm sorry I haven't responded yet it's just-"
"Hey Erika, since we're a little slow n service right now can I take my break a little earlier?" Erika was interrupted by one of her employees.
"Yeah, sure that's fine." Erika answered, and turned her attention back to Harrison. "Um listen, I sorry for being a little… I don't really know what word to use. But I'm just not use to… this."
"This?"
"Yeah, this. You… well really men in general. I don't really date."
"Well I find that hard to believe. A beautiful woman such as yourself should have been swept off your feet a long time ago. I guess it's just lucky for me then huh?" Erika smiled shyly, biting the inside of her cheek. "So I was thinking, that if you didn't have a date already, that we could go to Huck and Quinn's anniversary party together."
"Um, sure." Erika surprised herself with how fast she answered.
"Great."
"Hey Erika, Abby is on the line. She said you're not answering your phone." One of Erika's female workers popped her head out from the hallway.
"Crap." Erika whispered. She dug in the pocket of the apron she had on, and fished out her phone. She had forgotten she turned her ringer off, and she also forgot she was supposed to have lunch with the girls. She should've been the first to arrive, since the restaurant was only a block down from where she worked. She checked her phone, and had a missed call from both Abby and Olivia. She knew if the queen of being late was already there, then she must've been late. She quickly pulled off her apron, and went back to her office to get her purse out of her desk. When she came back, Harrison was still standing by the counter.
"I'm sorry Harry, I was supposed to meet my girlfriends for lunch at the Ivy."
"Really? I'm having lunch next door, at the bistro. I'll walk with you."
"Okay."
"By the way, I think I like it better when you call me Harry." Erika smiled, she hadn't noticed, when she called him that earlier.
X
"So guys I need to talk to you, and I need to do it before Erika gets here." Olivia said. She, Abby, Quinn and Althea were all sitting at their table by the back deck, waiting for Erika to arrive.
Quinn saw the anguished look on Liv's face, and new something was bothering her. "Hon what's wrong?"
"Yeah, and why do you have to say it before Erika gets here?"
"Because it's about Fitz, and you know how she gets when I talk about him and I. She still hopes that one day Fitz and I will get back together, and I don't want to get her hopes up over nothing."
"Over nothing? Oh please don't tell me you and Fitz slept together." Thea said, not hiding the disgust in her voice.
Olivia sipped her scotch before she answered. "No, not exactly. We just kissed, but it's already happened more than once."
Abby and Quinn both gasped, Althea just sighed and sipped her lemonade.
"What the hell Liv, are you two getting back together?"
"Jesus Abby no. It was one kiss… Okay maybe two hot and heavy make out sessions, but we are not back together. I'm only telling you guys, because I'm confused and seriously conflicted about this and I need some advice."
"What are you conflicted about?" Thea asked.
"Not about the back together part. But the why it happened part. And why I feel the way I do about it. And why I keep waiting for it to happen again." Olivia squirmed in her seat.
"You skanky bitch you just got wet."
"Abby! I did not."
"The hell. You were thinking about Fitz bending you over something, and you couldn't keep your legs together."
Quinn was the next one to say something, "Liv what about Blair?"
"Yes, what about him." Thea chimed in. "I thought you really liked him? He's a good guy Liv."
"I didn't say he wasn't, and I don't think I've ever said I really like him." Olivia drunk the last of her drink, then ordered another.
"Well that doesn't matter Liv, you're still dating him. What are you gonna do now, break up with him?"
"No, why would I do that"
"Because you're back together with your ex."
"I am not back with him."
"So what are-"
"Look guys, I didn't tell you this, so you could start interrogating me. I told you, so you could give me advice."
"Well we can't give you advice, until we know the entire story."
"No, no you have enough of the story. Now all I need you to do is tell me to stay away from Fitz. I need you to tell me not to be alone with Fitz. Tell me not to let him touch me. Tell me to not allow his lips to touch mine. And I definitely need you to tell me not to have sex with Fitzgerald Grant, because I feel if I am cornered again. That is exactly what I am going to do."
"Seems like you have it all figured out for yourself." Thea said. "Why can't you just listen to yourself?"
"Because I never listen to myself. Help please." Olivia whined. Quinn laughed, and put her hands on top of the table palms up.
Olivia placed her hands in his, and Quinn spoke. "Olivia do not be alone with Fitz. Do not let Fitz touch you. Do not let Fitz's lips touch yours. And definitely do not have sex with Fitzgerald Grant."
Olivia breathed in deeply and sighed. "Okay. And neither of you ladies could do that?" Abby and Thea both rolled their eyes. Liv's phone beeped with a message a minute later. Daniel emailed her about an emergency at the office.
"Sorry guys, but I have to go." Olivia started gathering her things.
"What we haven't even ordered yet. All you had was a scotch."
"Yeah, I know but there's an emergency at work, and I need to get going." She got up, bumping into Erika on her way. "Sorry hon, and also sorry that I can't stay. I'll see you later."
"Okay." Erika said, watching Olivia zip past her in a blur. "Is she okay?"
"She's fine." Quinn answered. "I on the other hand will not be, if I don't feed this baby sometime soon."
X
Stephen knocked on Fitz office door, after hearing a rumor that Fitz was now sporting a black eye. He hadn't seen Fitz all day, because he as busy with his own patients, so he decided to check it out for himself.
"Hey Fitz, you busy?" Stephen poked his head through the door.
"No, come on in."
"Damn, so it is true." Stephen said, when Fitz lifted his head, shoeing the now slightly red bruise under Fitz's left eye. It wasn't as bad as everyone in the office was making it out to be, not even close. But it was clear that someone had punched him. "What happened to your face?"
"Junior is what happened." Fitz answered, closing the files on his desk.
"Liv's brother?" Fitz nodded. "Well I know he's been waiting to do that for two years now. Looks like he barely hit you. That's gonna clear up before the workday is over with. I was expecting something more dramatic."
"Oh he was definitely dramatic, without the punching."
Stephen sat down in one of the nearby couches. "So what'd you do to finally make him snap?"
"What makes you think I did something?"
"Because Junior has a small semblance of self-control, up to a point. That's why he's been able to hold off on hitting you for two years. But I know how protective he is of his sisters, so what did you do?"
"Nothing really. He just caught Olivia and I kissing, and he lost his damn mind."
"I'm sorry what?"
"Don't start Stephen." Fitz warned.
"I haven't started, because you haven't told me anything. What's going on between you and Liv, and why am I only hearing about it now?"
"That's the thing, I have no fucking clue. We kissed twice, and each time, she's acted like it didn't happen. And now, instead of being an adult, she's being childish and ignoring me. She acts as if it's all my fault, but I didn't force myself on her. Okay, she was a willing participant."
"So what does junior have to do with all this?"
"Exactly. Apparently, since he's her brother, he also has a say so in who kisses his sister. He came here, high on his pedestal, asking me all these fucking questions. And I told him it was none of his business."
"Well he's just being protective Fitz."
"He's being overbearing, and overstepping his bounds. Olivia is a grown ass woman, and I am a grown ass man. We don't need his permission to do anything."
Stephen nodded his head, as if he was listening. "Honestly, I'm just still reeling over the fact that you and Liv are a thing again."
"Grown up Stephen, and we are not a thing."
"Whatever, the both of you need to get your shit together. Because the both of you are acting immature."
"I'm immature?" Fitz said astonished.
"Yes, the both of you." Stephen answered.
"Have you not been listening to anything I've said? She's the one being immature, ignoring my calls. Having her assistant lie to me about her being in meetings or with patients, instead of talking to me like a mature adult."
Stephen sighed. "I need you to get your shit together Fitz, the both of you. And preferably before my wedding. And don't you dare sleep with Olivia."
"Stephen, I am my own man. You don't control me or my dick. Hell, half the time I barely control my dick."
"Well today my friend I do. If you fuck Olivia, you're just going to make things worse and even more tense and awkward. And I can't have you two arguing the day of my wedding. Because if anything is not perfect, you know Abigail Whelan is going to have a fit."
"Calm down Stephen, don't get you panties in a bunch."
"Do not sleep with Olivia Fitz, I mean it."
Fitz held up two fingers. "Stephen I will not have sex with Olivia."
X
"Curtis?" Adelle called out to her ex-husband, as she walked out to the garage. It wasn't unusual for her to be at the home she use to share with Curtis. They had been divorced for over fourteen years, but they never acted as so. Adelle would often find herself at the family home, that he kept in the divorce. Since he was really the one who ran the wine business, it made since that he stay at the home in the valley. But Adelle didn't go too far, she got a nice home in the valley, because she loved the quiet and peacefulness of the valley. As opposed to the hustle and bustle of the city.
After the divorce, Curtis and Adelle remained friends. They were certain that they were better friends than married. And in the end, they proved to be right. Their relationship was a lot more stable now. They still had their little petty arguments and disagreements, but nothing like the huge blowouts they use to have.
"Here Curt." Adelle gave him the glass of cold lemonade she had in her hand.
"Thanks." Curtis wiped the black smudge off his hands with a towel, before he took he glass. He had been working all day in the garage, fixing up a car her bought in an auction. Curtis had a love and passion for cars, which is where Olivia got her love of cars from. He had a pretty nice collection of cars, worth over a million dollars. He even had a few in an airplane hangar, because his garage was full. Some of the cars, he bought only to fix up and then resale. But the majority of them, he wouldn't dream of selling. Like the one he was fixing up now, he planned to give to Junior for his 32th birthday. Junior's love for cars wasn't as big as Olivia's. But Curtis knew Junior would love this car.
"What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I'm fixing up this car. Then I'm gonna give to Junior for his birthday."
"Junior?" Adelle was surprised, she expected him to give it to Olivia. "Libby is gonna be upset." She teased.
"I gave Libby a car for her birthday last year, she will be alright." Curtis took a swig of his lemonade. "This is a 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra. It was sold with a factory hardtop and wire wheels, plus a set of lightweight, racing-type Halibrand magnesium wheels." Adelle didn't know a word of what he was talking about. "This is one of 453."
"How much did you pay for this car?" Adelle asked.
Curtis shrugged, "A little over nine hundred thousand."
"You spent nine hundred thousand dollars on a car?"
"Sweetheart it's a classic. Plus, I got a good price for it. Nine hundred thousand is just the low end of its estimate."
Adelle rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I will never understand you nor Olivia's love for overpriced cars. Just stick me in a Camry, and I'm a happy girl."
Curtis smiled over at Adelle, she got more beautiful every day. "Have you thought any about what I asked?"
"Yeah, I'm still thinking on it."
"Addie."
Adelle saw the look of hurt on his face. She raised her hand to caress his cheek. "It's not a no Curt. It's just not a yes, yet."
"Okay." Curt conceded, he'd bring it up later.
"Okay." Adelle smiled, at the light back in his eyes. "Now come on, I made chili for lunch, and its getting cold."
X
Later that evening, around 5:40, Olivia was driving faster than usual to get home. After a long day at work, including a patient attacking another doctor, and more than a fair share of difficult clients, and one afternoon appointment running long. Olivia was finally on her way home, though she was running late. She had called Ms. Hannigan back, and schedule a home visit. This seemed like good news to Olivia, because she had never gotten his far into the adoption process before. Though she was nervous, she also knew this was a good thing.
Olivia pulled into her driveway about ten minutes later, and saw a black Honda Civic parked on the curb. She assumed it was Ms. Hannigan. Instead of parking her car in the garage, as she normally would, she parked in the driveway so she could walk them in the front door. Ms. Hannigan was already walking up the driveway.
"Hi, I am so sorry I'm late. My last patient session ran over."
"It's quite alright, I haven't been waiting for long." Ms. Hannigan shook Olivia's hand. "This is a beautiful house you have here."
"Thank you." Olivia said proudly. "Shall we?"
Ms. Hannigan followed behind Olivia to the front door.
"This is really beautiful Ms. Pope."
"Thank you. This is the very first house I ever bought, and I'm very proud of it. And please, call me Olivia." Olivia put her purse and keys on the foyer table. Show Ms. Hannigan to the living room and offered her a drink, but she declined.
"So Olivia, this is just a preliminary house visit. I just want to make sure the home is safe and is a good living environment for a child." Ms. Hannigan took a seat on the very plush, and very comfortable couch, and took out a clipboard and pen from her bag. "I do have a few questions about the house. Do you have any fire arms in the home?"
"No."
"Any weapons of any kind?"
"Um, I have tribal weapons. Does that count? I got them in a little shop in Nigeria. But its art, and they're hung high up on the walls. I can't even get to them without a ladder. But they're gone if I need to."
Ms. Hannigan smiled. "It's quite alright. Is the home child proof? Locks on cabinets, drawers, electrical socket protectors."
"Yes it is actually. My goddaughter and her older brother spend nights and weekends with me sometimes. And when she was a toddler, I had to get the entire house baby proofed, because she was just so messy and got into everything."
"Do you spend much time with other children? Not that this is a contest, but adoption agencies love to see you with other children. And the mothers love it as well."
"Well my nieces and nephew live out of state, so I don't really see them as often as I would like to. But Javi and Bella visit me all the time, Bella more so than Javi though. He was a lot closer to my ex-husband. This is actually a picture of them." Olivia took a silver framed picture off an end table. It was of her, Javi and Bella at the beach. "This is from seven months ago. Their parents spent a couple of days up in Napa to reconnect, and I kept Bella and Javi for a week."
"They're very beautiful."
"Yeah, they are."
After Ms. Hannigan asked all her questions, Olivia took her on a tour of the house. She started with the first floor, showing her the living room, den, the guest rooms downstairs, dining room and kitchen before taking her outside through the sliding patio door. Her back yard wasn't the biggest, but it was large enough for a pool and Olivia's vegetable garden. Olivia loved it out here, she loved the quiet and peacefulness of her back yard. She would do her yoga out here, work in her garden, or just float in the pool for hours.
"Do you always keep the pool covered?"
"Yes." Olivia answered, thankful that she had bought the pool cover, she didn't always have one. "A squirrel managed to drown itself one day, and I bought the pool cover after that. It was actually kind of disgusting, I wouldn't get back in it until after I had it drained, cleaned and refilled." Olivia rambled. "Now it's only uncovered unless someone's using it."
Ms. Hannigan nodded, making several notes in her report. "Oh, you have a garden?" She said, noticing the fairly large vegetable garden growing along the back of the yard, along the fence.
"Yes I do. For some reason, people are always so shocked when they find out." Olivia was quite proud of her garden. She had several rows of tomatoes, cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes, green beans and really anything else she felt like planting. She was even thinking about planting a few fruit trees to make her back yard a little fuller.
"Back in North Carolina, that's where I'm from, my sister, brother and I used to go to my grandparents' house every day after school. And my grandmother would teach me and my sister how to plant the vegetables and how to keep up a garden. She hated going to the stores to buy her food, when she could just grow it in her back yard. And she was a bit of a health freak, and thought that everything in the store was chemically grown and injected with all types of things to make them bigger. And after she passed, I started back gardening as a way to feel closer to her again. I don't know why, but I can't grow flowers to save my life. But I can keep a vegetable garden."
After the quick tour of the backyard, Olivia took Ms. Hannigan back inside, and showed her the second floor of the house. She started with the guest bedrooms, the guest bathrooms and then showed her the master bedroom. All the rooms were neat, bed made, pillows nice and fluffed and the carpet was vacuumed and cleaned.
"This is really a beautiful home Olivia."
"Thank you. I did a little redecorating about two years ago, and brightened up the place." Olivia closed the door to her bedroom, and was walking back down the steps when Ms. Hannigan stopped her.
"Uh, what's in this room?" Olivia turned to see which room Ms. Hannigan was referring to. Her heart stopped, once Olivia's saw which door she was pointing to. Olivia hadn't even noticed she had skipped that room on the tour. It had been so long since she had been inside, that she barely even noticed there was a room there anymore.
Ms. Hannigan tried to turn the knob on the door, but the door was locked. "Do you always keep this door locked?"
"Yes." Olivia whispered.
"Any reason why?" Olivia didn't answer her, she just nervously twist at her fingers. "You mind opening the door?" Olivia still didn't answer. "Olivia you don't have to show me what's in this room, but I will have to put that on my report. And it won't look good that you're hiding whatever's behind this door."
"I'll get the key." Olivia said sadly, once she finally found her voice. She backtracked back to her room, and opened the top drawer on her nightstand. She reached in the very back, and pulled out a small, black, velvet jewelry bag. Her hand shook a little as she opened the bag and took out the key to the room. After she got the key, she went back to the hallway, where Ms. Hannigan was still standing in front of the door. Ms. Hannigan moved to the side once she saw Olivia, so she could opened the door.
With shaky hands, and a single tear streaking down her cheek. Olivia unlocked the door. She didn't dare go inside, only pushed the door open for Ms. Hannigan to go inside.
Ms. Hannigan didn't know what she expected to find in the room. But she wasn't expecting something as simple as a nursery. The room had soft yellow walls, with big and small white dots. Stuffed animals on the floor and on shelves, next to baby books and pictures of Olivia and Fitz. There was a white crib on the wall by the window. Above the crib, was six framed pictures of letters spelling out CONNOR.
"We went a little crazy when we found out I was pregnant. I wasn't even two months along, when we decorated this nursery." Ms. Hannigan turned around. Olivia was standing in the doorway. She had made herself look into the room, but she just could bring herself to go inside. She hadn't been in this room for years. After she and Fitz lost their first baby, she spent months in this room crying at what they lost, and what could have been. After three months, she knew it was unhealthy so she put a lock on the door and hadn't been back inside since.
"We were gonna name the baby Connor whether it was a boy or girl."
Ms. Hannigan felt awful now for making Olivia open the door. But she had to know what was in this room, or else it would have on Olivia's file. "Is this where you would put the child?"
Olivia shook her head. "No. I plan on clearing out one of the guest bedrooms and turning it into a nursery. If I get a baby." Olivia wiped the last tear from her cheek, and was determined to not let anymore fall.
"I think that's enough for today. I have all the information I need. And I'm gonna be honest, it looks good for you. The fact that you're a single mother doesn't hurt you at all. You've got a great job and you can obviously provide for a child."
"Thank you Ms. Hannigan."
"I'll be in touch." Olivia showed Ms. Hannigan back downstairs and to the door. Once she had left, Olivia went back up the steps and went back to the nursery. She had left the door opened and needed to close and lock it back. When she reached the door, without warning, she broke down again. She slumped to the floor, gasping for her breath. She didn't think it would be this hard when she finally opened this door again. But as she sat slumped on the floor, she realized that she had never properly grieved for what she and Fitz had lost.
She sat on the floor for about an hour, long after she had stopped crying. She just sat, starring off into the room. Wishing there was a child occupying this room. She finally got the strength to get up and lock the door back, putting the key back in its hiding spot. She then went back downstairs for a drink.
X
Flashback
Olivia sat motionless and almost lifeless in the hard, grey office chair. She didn't want to be here, she had barely enough energy to get out of the bed this morning. She didn't even try with clothes, only putting on a pair of baggy jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Not bothering to comb her hair or put on makeup. Fitz sat beside her, in his own hard, grey chair. He tried to hold her hand, but she just kept staring down and her hands, twisting her fingers; silent.
They were sitting in Dr. Rousey's office, he was head of obstetrics at the hospital, after being referred to him by their own doctor. A week ago from today, Olivia had had her third miscarriage. The morning she had woken up with the worst cramps of her life. She pulled back the covers, and slowly made her way to the bathroom, where she locked the door behind her. She knew what was happening without having been told. But this time was different. It was more violent, more aggressive, and the pool of blood on the bathroom floor was much larger than the first two times. She sunk to the floor, in too much pain to hold herself up anymore. She didn't remember much after that, because she had blacked out on the bathroom floor.
Fitz had only woken up, after he rolled over in his sleep and felt something wet on the sheets. He woke up, and first noticed the blood then noticed Olivia wasn't in the bed, and lastly noticed the bathroom light on. He called her name three two times, before trying the knob, only to find the door locked. When he finally managed to break the door down, Olivia has lying on her side, on the bathroom floor unconscious. Blood flowing from between her legs. Fitz wasted no time scoping her up into his arms, and carrying her down the steps to the garage. He was only in his plaid pajama bottoms, and she was only in her nightgown, but he had to get her to the hospital.
When they got to the hospital, and Olivia had finally regained consciousness. The doctor informed them of the news they already knew. Olivia had suffered another miscarriage.
"Hello folks. Sorry to keep you both waiting." Only Fitz acknowledged the man. Olivia kept staring down at her hands, as if the man hadn't even walked in. "I'm Doctor Rousey, you're doctor referred to me, because he found something in Mrs. Grant's lab work the last time you were in the hospital."
"Dr. Simon has already told us this. Why couldn't he just tell us what the hell was going on? Why do you have to be the one to tell us?"
"Doctor Simon thought that I would be best to explain things to you."
"He's a doctor just as you are."
"Correct. But- How about I just explain why the two of you are here."
"About time someone fucking did." Fitz said.
Doctor Rousey was used to dealing with hostile patients. But normally it was the women who were the aggressive ones. But Mrs. Grant looked anything but aggressive. She didn't even look like she was completely there with them in the room.
"Mrs. Grant, you are suffering from something called an incompetent cervix or weakened cervix." Olivia didn't look up, or even react to what Dr. Rousey had just said. "Mrs. Grant-"
"What is that, what does that mean?" Fitz asked. Fitz was a doctor himself, but he hadn't heard of this condition before. You learned a new thing every day being a doctor.
"During pregnancy, as the baby grows and gets heavier it presses on the cervix. This pressure on the cervix, can cause the cervix to start to open before the baby is ready to be born. This condition is what's caused your miscarriages in the past. Incompetent cervix happens in only about 1 out of 100 pregnancies. It's rare, but it can happen." That's why Fitz had never heard of it before, it was so freaking rare.
"Why the hell hasn't this been caught before? She's miscarried three times before and you are only finding this now?! Why hasn't it been caught before this?"
"Incompetent cervix is not routinely checked for during a pregnancy and therefore is not usually diagnosed until after a second or third trimester miscarriage has occurred. Women can be evaluated before pregnancy, or in early pregnancy by ultrasound, if they have any of the factors that are potential causes of incompetent cervix."
"Well how did she get it?"
"This condition can be caused by a number of things Mr. Grant. Previous surgery on the cervix, damage during a difficult birth, any sort of previous damage to the cervix or a termination of a pregnancy. And since Mrs. Hasn't had any of these, it is more than likely that she has a malformed cervix or uterus from a birth defect."
Fitz ran a frustrated hand through his hair, smoothing it back. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around this, and understanding all the doctor was saying. He looked over to Liv, and she looked as if she hadn't heard a word said yet.
"So- so what does this mean? Is there not a way to fix this? Is there not a way she ca carry a baby to full term?"
"Usually between week 14 to 16 of the woman's pregnancy a procedure called a cerclage is performed. That's where a doctor goes in, and he sews the cervix closed to reinforce the weak cervix. The sutures are later removed around the 36th to 38th week of the pregnancy."
"And why wasn't she given this cerclage? Why didn't our doctor even bring up a cerclage? What the hell kind of incompetent doctors so you have working at this hospital?!"
Doctor Rousey didn't have much to say to the man, only to offer an apology. Fitz was right, Olivia's condition should have been discovered before now. "Mr. Grant, you are absolutely right, and Dr. Simon is having disciplinary action brought against him. But as I said before, this condition is not regularly checked in a regular exam, unless there are reason to believe it will be a problem. Such as if it runs in the family, and in Mrs. Grant's case, it doesn't. And as far as the cerclage goes, Mrs. Grant only made it to her 14th week, in her first pregnancy. In her other two, she didn't make it past week 12."
"So you're saying I will never be able to carry a child to term?" Both the men in the room were shocked to hear Olivia's small voice. She was still slumped in her chair twisting her fingers, but she had lift her head to speak.
"I can't say for sure that you can't. Only that you will have a better chance, if you make it to week 14 to perform a cerclage. And even then, nothing is a sure thing."
Olivia wiped her tear away, and rose up from her seat. "Thank you Doctor Rousey."
"Livvie-" Fitz tried to catch her hand before she walked away, but she pulled away from him.
They never did get the chance to try for that cerclage in Olivia's last pregnancy.
X
Present
Fitz raised his hand for the second time to knock on Olivia's door, before lowering it again. He had gotten off of work, and came straight to Olivia's house. He didn't know why he was driving to her house at first, thinking she wouldn't even open the door for him. And as he got closer, he still didn't know what he was doing here. Olivia was ignoring and dodging him for a reason she didn't want to see him. And now here he was, standing on her doorstep to afraid to just knock on her door.
"What the hell am I doing?" Fitz asked himself, as he finally got up the nerve to knock on Olivia's door. He was only standing there for a few short moments, before he heard Olivia unlocking the door. He figured she was in the living room, since it wasn't that far from the door.
The minute she opened the door, Fitz could tell something was wrong with her. She was almost pale in the face, and her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying.
"Olivia what's wrong?" She let out a strangled cry, before falling into his arms. She lay her head on his chest, arms wrapped around his waist, while he held her firmly against him. Swaying them side to side. "Liv, hon what's wrong?"
"I went in the nursery." That was all she had to say, and Fitz completely understood why Olivia looked as she had been crying for hours. After a while, Fitz picked Olivia up and carried her into the house, closing the door with his foot.
X
"I hadn't been in that nursery since we lost the baby. I thought I would be fine." Olivia left out the part about Ms. Hannigan being the reason for her going into the nursery. She wasn't ready to tell him about Ms. Hannigan or Jazmine.
"I'm sorry Liv."
"What are you sorry for?" Olivia asked, refilling her stemless wine glass. She had already drunk the rest of the bottle from last night, before Fitz showed up. Now they were sitting on the couch in the den, sharing another bottle while the TV played quietly in the background.
"For back then. You never really got the chance to grieve. And I didn't make it easy for you to grieve either."
"We all have our way of grieving."
"That's the psychologist in you speaking." Fitz smirked, knowing that she was going to correct him. He loved to annoy her.
"Psychiatrist. We've been through this plenty of times." Olivia said, smiling because she knew he didn't it on purpose. He loved to annoy her, and most of the time it was to make her laugh and distract her. Sometimes it was in the middle of a fight, or trying to change a subject, or he was just trying to make her happy again. Just like now.
Olivia shifted on the couch, bringing her legs up on the couch. She was still in her clothes from work this morning, and she was getting a little cold. Fitz saw her shiver, and pulled the blanket from the back of the chair and wrapped it around her shoulders, though he didn't move away, once the blanket was around her shoulders.
Olivia shivered again, but not from the chill, but from Fitz cologne. He could always drive her wild just by his scent. So far she had already broken rule one and two. She was alone with Fitz, and he was definitely touching her. Now she needed to put a stop to this before she broke rule three and four.
"You know I got a visit from your brother today." Fitz said.
"Junior? I told him to mind his business." Olivia said, not even asking why Junior was in Fitz's office.
"Well mind his business he did not." Fitz chuckled.
"What'd he say?"
He shrugged. "Nothing much really. Just kept asking me what I was doing with you. And really just to curse me out about how we ended. Then he punched me." Fitz said so casually as if he had just said he shook my hand.
"What?! He hit you?" Fitz pointed to his eye, and only then did Olivia notice the slightly red and puffy bump underneath Fitz's left eye. Olivia reached out and softly rubbed his small bump. "I can't believe he hit you. Although it doesn't look that bad." She was now propped up on her knees, turned towards Fitz as she looked at his eye.
"Yeah, I know. He must've let me off easy or was having an off day."
"Do you want some ice or something?" Olivia asked, still poking at his eye.
"It's still a little tender, but it doesn't really hurt. That is until you started poking at it." Fitz chuckled, and pulled Olivia's hand away from his eye.
"Oh, sorry."
"It's okay." Fitz still had Olivia's small hadn't trapped in his large on and she was still kneeling on her knees beside him. "You know I only came over here today because you've been ignoring me."
Olivia sighed, "Well you can understand why."
"I understand it, doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Fitz-" Olivia tried to take her hand back and move away from Fitz, but he tightened his grip and brought her closer. Almost sitting on his lap.
"All I wanted to do was talk Olivia."
"I can't talk to you right now."
"Why not?" Fitz tugged on Olivia's hand, and made her fall into him.
"Because… Because I can't think straight when I'm around you." She was breathing harder now that she was so close to his.
"Why not?" Fitz asked, pulling her left thigh over his lap, so that she was straddling him. Olivia's brain became even more scrambled as she fought the urge to crash her lips into Fitz. He was intoxicating. His voice, that deep baritone whispering sweet nothing but sin in her ear. His hands roaming her body, rubbing and caressing every inch of her skin that his hands could reach.
"Fitz we can't." Olivia said, trying to be the responsible on. Even as Fitz's lips were now kissing and softly nipping at her collar bone. He knew what that did to her. It had almost the affect as when he bite on her ears.
"Why not?" Fitz moved his hands down to her waist, pushing her down, so she was sitting on his erection. "Why not Olivia?" Fitz asked again, when she didn't answer him. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and brought her face up to meet his eyes. "Why not?"
Olivia was already shaking her head, before he stopped talking. "I don't know." Olivia whispered, before finally crashing her lips onto his. Moaning instantly as Fitz took over the kiss, flipping them on the couch so she was lying on her back with him on top of her. And there went Rule three.
"Fitz we can't." Olivia said, prying her face from Fitz hold. "This is wrong."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is. We're divorced. We're not supposed to be doing this."
Fitz stopped, and rose above her. Resting on his elbows, still trapping her underneath him. "Olivia we are both grown adults. We can do anything we want." Fitz replaced his lips on her neck, softly sucking on her neck between his words. "Anything…we…want."
"Fitz." Olivia moaned, her finger winding in his hair.
"What do you want baby?"
"Shut up." Her grip on his hair tightened, and she pulled his lips down on hers. She bit his bottom lip, and smirked when he groaned in pain.
In the blink of an eye, Fitz was on his feet with Olivia thrown over his shoulders. When they first got together, Olivia discovered how much of a caveman Fitz really was in the bedroom. And she had learned just how much she liked being a little rough handed.
Fitz carried Olivia up the steps, and to her bedroom, formally their bedroom, and dropped her hard on the bed. Olivia ran her hands down his back, digging her nails in with every bite he gave her lip. This was what she'd been wanting since the first time he kissed her, although she told herself it wasn't so. But deep down she had been hoping that this is where the night would end up. With her in his arms. And of course, she would never tell Fitz that. His ego couldn't would surely burst.
Olivia broke the kiss, to pull Fitz's shirt over his head. Then made her way this belt, but Fitz grabbed her hands to stop her.
"Are you sure?" He asked. "Because once I start Olivia, I don't think I'll be able to stop."
Olivia pulled his head down to her mouth, licking his ear before whispering, "Take off your clothes." Olivia then wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled his lips down onto her. This time Fitz didn't stop her when she reached down to unbuckle his pants. He stood up from the bed so he could shed la his clothes. Olivia just lay on the bed biting her lip and watching as Fitz slowly took off his clothes.
"Hurry up." Olivia rushed him, and sat up on her knees taking off her undershirt and unbuttoning her pants.
"Well you haven't changed one bit."
"And I don't plan to either." Olivia grabbed his ears and pulled him back down on the bed and back on top of her. She couldn't explain how great this felt after two years of being deprived of his touch. Two years of aching for the feel of his lips on her skin as he unhooked her bra and pulled her panties down. Wishing every time that her fingers were his that was making her moan and scream out in pleasure. Wet dreams had nothing on the real thing. She knew she would regret this in the morning, but right now she didn't care.
"Fitz." Olivia moaned, as Fitz slowly slid inside of her. She wrapped her arms under his shoulders and her legs around his waist. And here goes rule four.
X
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