(Back at the gala)
Rip, Fitz, Mellie, JoJo, and Cyrus were in a private room while the gala was still in full swing. Mellie was a nervous wreck and blurted out, "Mr. Cartwright and Ms. Lodge, I'm sure you've heard that Hollis Doyle is no longer donating to my husband's campaign."
Rip rubbed a hand across his jaw, "Shouldn't have been donating in the first place."
"I'm sorry?" Mellie asked confused.
JoJo spoke up, "Rip is saying that you should've done your research on Hollis a long time ago. That man has and will always be a snake."
"Is that why you and Hollis have problems?" Mellie prodded.
Rip cooly spoke, "Why ask a question you know the answer to? I wasn't born yesterday. I'm sure that you've had Cyrus here dig into my beef with Hollis." Rip placed his hands on the arms of the chair. "I'll be honest Mr. Grant."
"Mr. President" Fitz testily corrected.
Rip doubled down, "I'll be honest Mr. Grant. I could care less about politics. What is interesting to me is why you want me and JoJo to fund your campaign?"
"You know the reason" Mellie responded.
"I'd like to hear it from your husband Mrs. Grant."
Mellie bit her tongue and let Fitz respond. Fitz swallowed his sarcastic remark and said, "I would like for the two of you to consider funding my campaign because Hollis has taken all of my NRA and blue-collar votes to Sally Langston."
Rip chuckled, "Do you even know what it's like to be 'blue-collar' instead of silver spoon?"
Fitz' eyes darkened, "You came from money just like I did."
Rip shook his head, "No. My family had money. My father and grandfather made us earn our inheritance by working every job on the farm from the time we were 5. We were forced to earn scholarships to go to college instead of it being paid for by my family. JoJo was raised the same way. See, we understand what it's like to be just like the average person. You haven't got a clue. Even though I have far more money than Hollis—because I made my money the legit way—I still know how to treat every person like they matter. You chose to work with poison just to secure your spot in the White House. What would that say about me to be working with something who keeps that kind of company?"
Fitz was becoming irritated, "Is this animosity about Olivia?"
Rip smiled a wide grin, "See how much of a one-track mind you have? Never once did I mention Olivia. If Olivia is your sole motivation for asking me to fund your campaign, then this conversation needs to end now."
Cyrus immediately tried to intervene, "Wait, wait, wait a minute. Olivia is a wonderful person. I love her. We all love her but she is not the reason why we need your help. Without it, Sally will win the nomination and Hollis will essentially run the country."
"Kinda like you do right Cyrus?" JoJo asked. "We're not dumb. Chief-of-staff gets to whisper into the President's ear nonstop and the President can be swayed by that person. Let's not mince words. You and FLOTUS worked hard to make the President a pretty little figurehead for the country while the both of you pull his strings."
Rip leaned forward, "Why do you really want to run for another term Mr. Grant?"
Fitz sighed and cleared his throat, "Because I still have work to do for the country—"
"Don't bullshit me. What's the real reason?"
Fitz stared him down, "I want to actually earn this presidency fair and square. I want to fix all the erroneous mistakes that I made during my first term."
JoJo had been eyeing Mellie and Cyrus before asking, "Which one of you plans to run for President next? I'm just going to go out on a limb and say Mellie because Cyrus doesn't know how to play nice. What's the plan? Become a senator and at some point get the full support and backing from your husband when you run for President?" JoJo smirked at Mellie's shocked face. "Me not liking politics doesn't mean that I'm ignorant to the inner workings. I'll tell you what—I can't stand Sally Langston so I'm in…but only if Rip is."
They all looked at him with bated breath. Rip looked at JoJo then at Mellie, Cyrus, and Fitz. "I have conditions that I want you to truly think about. I don't want an answer right now but I would prefer one within the next 24 hours. My conditions are that under no circumstances do you involve Olivia in any of this. I don't want her being a buffer for communication. Talk to us directly and leave her out of it. Don't offer her any position within your administration. She is doing damn good working for herself and doesn't need to resort to being at your beck and call. You actually make the voters believe what you're promising by doing everything humanely possible to keep those promises. The moment you let Cyrus off his leash, we walk. I don't care how far into campaigning we are…we will walk. Leave Olivia and everyone at OPA out of this election. Don't beg Huck for favors. Don't try and drag Abby into it by way of David Rosen. Don't try to threaten Harrison's past. Stay the fuck away from Quinn. Any of you go anywhere near her after what you did the first time and I'll let JoJo off her leash. Trust me, you don't want that."
"Is that all?" Mellie asked.
"No. If you want true unity then you need to put some free-thinking people in your administration. Any scandals—from you—and we walk. Any obnoxious tirades from your wife and we walk and denounce all support for you. Send in a specialized team to deep dive Hollis' dealings on American soil. Do everything in your power to reverse the poisoned water problem around Houston because of him."
"Anything else?" Cyrus asked with an edge to his voice.
Rip looked at JoJo and signaled for her to say the two demands that she had. JoJo sat up straighter in her chair, "I only have two conditions. The first is that you protect Planned Parenthood. Women deserve to have control over their bodies."
"And the second?" Mellie asked.
"Create a bill for police reform. All this police brutality is getting out of hand."
Fitz stood up and extended his hand, "You've given me a lot to think about. I'll have an answer for both of your conditions within 24 hours."
JoJo and Rip got up to leave the gala; After they left, Cyrus plopped back in his chair angrily. "Just who the hell does he think he is?"
Mellie and Fitz both said, "A damn good politician."
JoJo and Rip got into his car and headed toward his ranch, where JoJo would be staying as well. JoJo looked out the window. "How long have you and Olivia been sleeping together?"
Rip gave a low chuckle, "That obvious huh?"
JoJo shrugged, "Only to someone who truly knows you. I take it that she was knocking boots with the President?"
Rip sighed, "She loves him and thinks that he loves her too."
"What makes you think that he doesn't?"
"He's content to keep her as his dirty little secret. She doesn't deserve that."
"You ever stop to think that maybe it's her choice? You know better than anybody that she doesn't like people in her business. Maybe she decided to keep their relationship under wraps. She's a black woman in love with arguably the most powerful man in the world. She had to be in the shadows of his frigid marriage with their picture-perfect life. She knows that she doesn't fit the typical mold of who should be with the President."
"So why doesn't he just get a divorce? It's not the worst thing that can happen during a presidency."
JoJo rolled her eyes, "You've never been in a marriage from hell Rip. Maybe his wife is digging her heels in and refusing to sign the papers. Either way it goes, the fault of their relationship isn't all on him. So…how long?"
"I guess 5 months give or take. It all started when she stayed behind in Houston."
JoJo chose her words wisely, "I know that the two of you had words earlier but I've got to ask this question and you can't get mad about it."
He clenched his jaw, "What's the question?"
"You sure you aren't trying to turn her into your late wife? You come into this whole thing with baggage too."
"Look, I really care about her but I can't be the body she uses until she goes back to him. She has to learn her worth."
JoJo was annoyed, "Because she had such a great example of love from a man by her father. She's been searching for love in the wrong men because the first man she was supposed to love dropped the ball. Her mother—the only nurturing person she had in that house—was ripped away from her during an important age in her life. Rip, she's trying to figure out who she is while helping other people fix their lives. Either keep things physical until she's ready for more or leave her alone and don't give her ultimatums."
Rip wanted to change the subject, "You think they'll agree to the conditions?"
"They don't have much of a choice if they want us to help him win."
"Are you sure you're okay with this JoJo? You don't have to—"
"I wouldn't have agreed if I didn't trust your intentions. We've got to stop Hollis once and for all. Funding the campaign is just the tip of the iceberg."
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%5
Olivia woke up with a splitting headache after crying herself to sleep. Abby and Quinn had left around 2 in the morning. Olivia had gone into her room, looked in the mirror, and burst into tears. After she took a shower and took some aspirin, she left her house and went to a place that she hadn't been in years. Olivia found herself having a picnic at her mother's grave. She cleaned up some of the debris and leaned against the headstone.
"Mom…I'm so lost. I need you so badly and you're not here. I just miss you so much and I'm so sorry about what dad did to you. I just wish you were here to help guide me. I feel like I'm going in a downward spiral. I fell in love with a married man and I have feelings for one of my best friends. They're both good men but I don't know if I'm worthy of either one of them. Abby and Quinn have been great and I think that you'd really like them. I think you'd see them as daughters. Abby is rough around the edges but she means well. She doesn't mince words and sometimes that it so frustrating. Quinn is so sweet and still somehow sees the good in the world after everything she's been through. Abby told me I was too immature to pick who I want right now and Quinn told me to pick myself. Mom, am I even worth choosing?"
"Yes you are" a voice came from behind her.
Olivia jumped out of her skin and turned around to see Huck lingering nearby. "Hey you"
Olivia made space on her blanket for Huck to sit down. She laid her head on his shoulder and let him awkwardly try to comfort her. Olivia always felt safe with Huck. He was her security blanket on the world. Huck started to ramble and mumble, "I know that your dad was a bad example of a good man and I'm not much better—"
"Yes you are Huck" Olvia interrupted. "You are ten times the man my father is."
Huck struggled to look her in the eye, "I'll be that man for you—if you want. I know I'm not your dad but I'll always remind you that you're worth fighting for and a really good person. I'll also beat up anyone who hurts you. I can always be that person for you Liv, just like you are for me."
Olivia surprised herself by snuggling into Huck's side. "Thank you for saving me Huck."
"Always Liv. Always. Do you have any Oreos in that picnic basket?"
Olivia laughed, "No. Just popcorn and fruit."
Huck blurted out, "Do you think I'd make a good father?"
"The best. You'd be the best father Huck. Do you think I'd be a good mother?"
"You'd be a perfect mom Liv, just like yours was for you."
"I miss her so much Huck."
"I'm sure she's proud of you."
Olivia snorted, "Sure she is. I had an affair with a married man—"
"In spite of what you went through after you lost her, you built OPA from the ground up. You saved all of us just like we save our clients. You still have a good heart although you have every reason not to. You're a good person that has had to make some tough decisions. I think that she is really proud of you. If I am, then she has to be. Afterall, she's the reason why Olivia Pope exists."