His Possession (OLITZ /Scandal - short story)

My Greatest Mistake

Fitz's newly renovated cabin needed some cleaning, and today was the perfect time to do so. He had sent Olivia out with a bodyguard for the day, allowing her to shop for anything and everything she wanted. Now, Fitz could indulge in the two things he loved most but rarely had the time for—cooking for Olivia and cleaning his house.

"There is a calmness to cleaning the house, feeling the furniture glide over the wooden floor and the soft sound of the broom as it sweeps," he reminisced about his mother's words while he whistled as he went about his chosen duties. As the house was cleaned, it felt lighter and brighter, becoming a place that invited deep breaths and allowed thoughts to slow, as if one had just awoken.

In the cozy, traditional-style kitchen, Fitz picked up the chopping knife and began cutting the vegetables into perfect matchsticks. Every motion was precise from intense repetition, and he prided himself on the machine-like perfection of his shapes. Everything was even, uniform, and perfect. On the menu was a hearty beef bourguignon, creamy mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus. For the perfect accompaniment, he had chosen a vintage 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild.

"I am a domestic god, worship me!" he declared, holding the knife with a flourish. He saw brilliance in food—the color, the fragrance. It was his genius at play, seeing what the rest of us didn't. "I guess that's why we call it culinary magic," he joked, imagining his spoon as a wand carved from the spirit tree. Dinner was prepped and ready for cooking when Olivia returned. Not a moment later, his phone chimed, and he went to the quaint living room to retrieve it. He read the text from his wife and responded with a smile.

Olivia: Hi handsome!

Fitz: Sup Sexy...😊

Olivia: Just checking in – I ran into Abby – helping her shop for her sister's baby shower gift. I still plan on being home by 5ish- I've only had coffee and a muffin, so I am bringing my appetite. Can't wait to see what's on Chef Grant's menu tonight!

Fitz: How did you know I was cooking?

Olivia: 😉

Fitz sank into the plush grey recliner and smiled, all the while hoping for a cooler night, the perfect reason to turn on the fireplace. He ponders, undecided if he should read a book or watch TV. He and Olivia enjoy doing both but have vastly different tastes. Olivia enjoys reading her true crime-inspired books. Fitz enjoys classic literature novellas. In regards to movies, Olivia loves her classic noir dramas, suspense, and romance movies, Fitz is all about modern-day comedies and franchise action flicks. For several long moments, he paced the floor undecided on what to do in the hour he had left before Olivia's expected return.

Fitz's sparkling blue eyes glance over, the corners of his lips fighting a smile, his eyebrows slightly raised. He picks up one of Olivia's old books, the one he chose was red and unmarked. The first few pages had all of Olivia's vital and familial information, the entire Pope family tree. Flipping through the pages he began to realize he was reading something private; this was Olivia's diary. The thick red book chronicled her life from the tender age of sixteen right up to this very day. One second passed. Two seconds passed. Three seconds passed. Guilt was eating and pestering him, yet he kept reading, fascinated, humored, completely enraptured. Seeing the world through Olivia's' eyes was a pure revelation.

"What the fuck!" Fitz gasped... There was an entry in her diary dated four years ago - A Night with Jake.

In his moments of emotional astonish, he realizes it will take time for his brain to find the words to adequately express what he is feeling. His first thought was to close the book...but something held him there in a powerful grip he could not break loose from, like a tangled ball of yarn in his hand he struggled to untangle the knots and so he began to read...