AN – This two or three shot story has been rolling around in my head for weeks, so I decided it's time get it out so I move on to my other stories.

And What Has It Gotten Me?

Chapter 1

Long Live the New Olivia Pope

Olivia sat in her oak paneled office gazing out the window and tapping her Mont Blanc Meisterstuck fountain pen on a yellow notepad. Looking away from the window, she focuses her attention on the $800 pen clasped between fingers. An extravagant impulse purchase yes, one that her parents would no doubt classify as impetuous and sinful but Olivia doesn't care, she can afford to indulge in something as frivolous as an $800 pen. She can afford to indulge in a great many frivolous things and soon she will.

In seven hours and thirty-eight minutes, the Olivia Pope sitting at the neatly organized chrome and glass Herman Miller desk in the Law Offices of Beene, Langston & Doyle will cease to exist. Well, not totally. The formidable Olivia Pope, the rip you to shreds and stitch you up with a rusty needle and make you thank her for it Olivia Pope, the miracle working crisis manager Olivia Pope will survive unscathed. However, the prim and proper Olivia Pope, the chaste wholesome Sunday school teacher, the thy will be done believer will pass away without so much as a whimper the moment she steps out the door at the end of day. The benevolent tyranny of Olivia the Holy Roller will end and the reign of Olivia purveyor of pleasure will ascend to the throne.

I've Tried It His Way Now It's My Turn

Olivia rushes through the revolving doors of her upscale apartment building. Distracted, thinking about the much-anticipated package due to arrive today, she almost misses Henry the door attendant's greeting. Henry is a congenial older man who has worked as the evening door attendant at her building for more than 20 years.

"Hello Ms. Pope. How are you this fine evening?"

Startled, Olivia stops and replies politely, "I'm doing well. How are you and Mrs. Lockhurst? Are her treatments almost over?"

"Can't complain Ms. Pope, as they say every day above ground is a great day. The missus is doing great thank you for asking. She told me to tell you she loved the gift basket you sent. We also want to thank you for putting her on the prayer list at your church. Someone from the prayer circle calls us every week to pray". Henry smiles appreciatively while Olivia tries not to grimace.

"No thanks necessary Henry, I'm so glad to hear Mrs. Lockhurst is on the road to recovery". Olivia chats with Henry for a few more minutes but she's anxious to get upstairs and see if her package has arrived. She gently pats Henry on the arm as she passes him on her way to check her mailbox before heading to the elevator.

"Oh Ms. Pope I almost forgot, a package came for you today". Olivia's smile broadens. "I gave it to your parents".

"You did what!" she shrieks unintentionally. Her smile instantly disappears, replaced by a look of sheer panic.

Fearing he has done something terribly wrong Henry quickly apologizes. "I'm sorry Ms. Pope, they arrived about an hour ago and since they were going up to your apartment I didn't see the harm in letting them take up the package. Is it for them? I'm so sorry if I've spoiled your surprise".

"It's okay Henry. Everything will be fine, don't worry." She turns on her heels and walks away without saying goodnight.

Pushing the elevator up button, she unconsciously taps on it to the beat of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. She knows it pointless to entertain the thought but she hopes for once her parents will respect her privacy and not open her package. Shaking her head in resignation, she knows she's kidding her, her parents have no boundaries when it comes to her. She hasn't lived under their roof in years but they still treat her like a naïve adolescent. The elevator doors open and she steps in. Thankful she's riding solo, she prepares herself for the confrontation that will surely ensue the moment she enters her apartment. The war of the Popes is about to begin.

Pausing at her door, Olivia takes a deep breath before entering. Using her key, she opens the door and walks into the apartment pretending no one is home. After hanging her coat on the coat rack, she places her purse on the table in the entryway. Head down, bracing for a lecture, she nervously shuffles through the mail in her hands on the short trek to the living room. Acting surprised, complete with a fake gasp and hand across her chest, she greets her parents, who are sitting on the living room couch. She walks over to the couch and gives each a peck on the cheek. Both senior Popes have sour scowls on their faces. This is not going to go well she thinks. After kissing her parents, she notices the open box on her dining room table. The contents of the box are displayed museum style on the table. Her stomach drops.

"Olivia take a seat", her father Eli says sternly.

"I'd rather stand if you don't mind".

"Suit yourself", he grunts.

Her mother Maya walks over to the table pointing to the different items. "Olivia Carolyn Pope did you order this filth?"

Strewn across the table where she and her parents have eaten many a Sunday dinner are dildos, vibrators, clit stimulators, handcuffs, butt plugs, nipple rings, motion lotions, massage oils, how to DVDs, and condoms of various sizes and textures.

"Why did you open my package mom? Why is it you never respect my privacy?" Olivia huffs.

"Oh, excuse us, we thought the package contained books or toys for Sunday school", Eli retorts glibly.

Olivia gives her father a perplexing look. "Why would think the package was for Sunday school?

"It's from a store called Adam and Eve Olivia, what else would we think?" Maya pipes in.

Olivia rolls her eyes, whose the more naïve me or them?

"Watch that eye rolling girl", Eli warns.

"Olivia you were not raised this way. These are the tools of a whore, not someone raised in the church. Do you know what this stuff is used for? Did you buy these items for someone else? Is someone using your address to cover their sexual perversions?" Olivia feels embarrassed, ashamed and hurt by her parent's words.

"Olivia the things in that box are an abomination. God will not be pleased".

"You had to go there," Olivia smirks. "Well, I'm not pleased either and the things in that box are going solve that problem".

"Olivia!"

"Mom, dad, I'm a grown woman, mind you a 35 year old single woman who has given up much of her life to serve God and the church. And what do I have to show for years of unquestioning faith and service? I'll tell you what I have, useless virginity, constant loneliness and more than my fair share of unhappiness.

Olivia is tired and fed up with a god she believes has failed her. Apparently, he thinks she is undeserving of Christian love, so why not switch teams and see what the world has to offer. Who is to say which love is better or whether worldly love is inferior. Who decided Christianity holds the monopoly on the undisputed definition of love; the pious self-righteous member's of church, that's who! Olivia Pope is done with adhering to the rules and tenets espoused by the Sunday morning robed hypocrites who highlight humanity's failings from their bully pulpit. No, Olivia is ready to play it forward and allow herself to experience what the world outside of the church takes for granted.

"Mom, I don't want to be a nun and I'm tired of standing in faith. God has marked me and not in a good way. I'm always alone mom. Even in a room full of people, I'm alone. I stand amongst groups of happy couples silently screaming. I have a heartache so deep an abyss only skims the surface. God fed me a pick up line and I fell for it. He used my trust and my faith against me. It is clear to me he does not intend to give me the desires of my heart. He decided, I guess at birth, I was destined to live a lonely, solitary, emotionally unfulfilled life. Well, I take issue with that plan, so I will no longer sit watching you wave the bible every Sunday extolling god's promises because the god of the bible is capricious, vindictive, self-serving and just as unfeeling and uncaring as the ones the church calls heathens and sinners. The promises written on those pages are pipe dreams".

Maya covers her mouth in horror. Her parents stand dumbfounded listening to Olivia's anguish and angry words. Eli starts pacing around the room trying to figure out where he went wrong. How could he have missed his daughter's internal turmoil, how could they have missed her sadness and hurt?

Maya asks, "Olivia how long have you felt this way? You've never said anything about being unhappy or lonely. Is this about Edison marrying Elizabeth?"

Olivia throws her hands up. "Oh god take the wheel and drive me over the nearest cliff! No this is not about Edison and Elizabeth! I never loved, let alone liked Edison. Honestly, you two moon over that man like he is the second coming".

"Olivia, watch your mouth!" Eli warns a second time.

"Olivia you've always been an impatient person. You need to hold fast to your confession and in due time you will reap your reward."

"How long do I wait mama? I came to the lord at five. I am 35 years old. How long…mama…how long? It's real easy for those who have significant others to tell those who don't to wait on the lord because his timing is perfect. I now understand that's code for either god can't execute his promises or he's given you a one-way ticket to the land of broken promises and crushed dreams. In a weird way it makes sense, stands to reason, you can't really have happy people without sad lonely people. Dad you often preach our suffering perfects us and glorifies god. I fail to understand the logic in how being sad and miserable somehow brings god accolades and furthers the kingdom".

"Olivia, God's ways are higher than our ways. We may not understand his plan in the here-and-now but he promises to reveal all at the end. You have to trust Olivia. You have to trust and believe. We are his creation; it is not for us to question our creator's words or ways"

"Do you hear yourself? Do you realize how ridiculous that statement sounds? God gives himself an automatic pass and you are perfectly okay with it? He doesn't have to do anything or prove anything and we're just supposed to accept it. I'm tired of hearing ministers pontificate about a loving god who says come let us reason together then in the next breath rationalizes our disappoints and hurts as god's will. There's a word for that; crazy. Reason together implies give and take. It means there should be some level of parity in the fruition of prayers".

"Olivia, the only one crazy here is you. You're speaking blasphemy child, pure blasphemy. You need to get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness. This is not you, this has all the markings of something your friend Abby cooked up". Eli is livid; somehow old scratch has gotten to his daughter and poisoned her mind and he's pretty sure the devil's apprentice came in the form of a sashaying consummate fornicator named Abby Whelan.

"Dad, do you have any idea how hard it is to watch couples holding hands, kissing, caressing, playing with their children and never experience it for yourself? Do you dad…do you? Of course not, because you have it! My life plays like a tragic drama in my head. I sacrifice, I force myself to smile no matter the circumstance, I recite the denominational party lines by rote and at day's end, I'm alone, burying my head in my pillow weeping from loneliness. You have no idea how it feels to wake up each morning totally demoralized because no man or even a woman wants you. Am I repugnant? Do I give off some desperation vibe? What's wrong with me? Why does God in his infinite wisdom think I am undeserving of love? What did I do to merit loneliness and emotional pain? What kind of god is he? I'm suffocating under his brand of stifling, isolating love. I can't lift my hands in praise to a being I feel wronged and abused by".

"Olivia I will not have you speak about the Lord in that manner", Eli said walking toward her.

"Why not? Will it hurt his nonexistent feelings? Will he be angry with me, cause frankly, I can't tell the difference between his indifference, anger and love. What more can he do to me? All he wants is for me to be the longsuffering unquestioning pew-warming worship fluffer. God takes and he takes and he takes some more until you feel empty inside. I cannot follow blindly anymore or settle for a one-sided relationship. Human beings require affection, the touch of another human being. I'm withering on the vine from a lack of attention.

"Olivia you are behaving petulant and ungrateful. The Lord has blessed you more than most and you stand here trivializing his hand in your life. Have you suffered a blow to the head? Are you unwell? Are you on drugs?" Eli touches her forehead.

"No, I just woke up. I woke one morning realizing my entire life had been stolen from me. Do you know what that does to person? Of course you don't! You've always had someone in your life. Dad I have so much anger and resentment brewing inside of me I feel I will explode at any minute. Please try to understand. If I don't explore another path I fear I will lose my capacity to give or receive love". Olivia is shaking from anger. Tears are running down her face. "Why does god's love have to be painful and devastating?"

"Olivia, God does not abuse us and his love is neither painful nor devastating. He loves us more than we will ever understand! Deep down in your heart you recognize this truth!"

"No mama, I do not subscribe to that assertion. He demands praise, blind faith, unconditional love and absolute loyalty. I can't sale his story anymore because I don't understand his type of vain doctrine.

"Are you calling god narcissistic? Eli asks incredulously. Olivia ignores his question.

"I've been in the church all my life, always putting my needs and wants behind everyone else because you taught me to esteem others more highly than myself. Why… what the hell for…to end up like this…resentful and angry? God gets what he needs everyday through worship; what about us saints? What about our needs?"

Maya raises her hand to slap Olivia for cursing and disrespecting God but Eli restrains her.

"All the good brothers and sisters at our church who listened to the serpent at their ear and took a bite of the fornication apple are married with families while I sit here chaste and alone. Well sorry, no longer mama, the good ship closed legs has set sail to dry-dock at the island of useless values and wasted time! I will not squander prayers or my time reasoning with an unseen unreasonable being. I am going to wax and groom and give up my membership in the V Club."

"Olivia, you will not speak to you mother in that way!

Maya grabs Olivia's arm and tries to force her to her knees to pray. Olivia jerks her arm out of Maya's hands and moves away from her parents. Eli slowly approaches her.

"Olivia, we know it seems as though God doesn't care sometimes, but all things are working for you good. His answer may be no right now but that doesn't mean the answer will be no forever".

Olivia stiffens her back.

"Enough! she shouts. You see this is what I'm talking about. Despite everything I've said you still make excuses for god. Am I supposed to find love in a nursing home when I'm wearing a diaper, toothless and half blind? Is that the future you're saying I should be content to accept? Screw that! If that's the life god has planned for me forget it.

Eli grabs his daughter's hand. He squeezes her hand tightly making her wince in pain. She looks at him with tears in her eye. Seeing her pain, he quickly comes to himself and releases her hand.

Massage her hand, Olivia glowers at her parents. "Look, I've given the invisible man 30 years of my life. Thirty years of trust unearned based on a book written thousands of years of go. Why is it he has nothing to prove to me but I have to remain faithful, follow blindly and be okay with getting my due in the hereafter. I want love in the here and now? I'm tired of living up to the expectations of a god who does not live up to mine. I've prayed, fasted and I've heard nothing but silence. You tell me the answers to my prayers are sometimes no, well I thinks it is no because there is no one listening. I have placed trust in the nonexistent for far too long. I watch on the sidelines while others have families and relationships and I have nothing but cold sheets and romantic movies for company. As they say, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I guess fooling me hundreds of times makes be a damn idiot. No, I've been duped and used and will no longer play the longsuffering fool".

Olivia walks over the buffet next to the dining room table, opens the cabinet and pulls out her leather bible. She returns to her parents and hands the book to her father. He opens the book, practically every page is lined-through in black marker.

"What is this?"

"A bible", Olivia smirks.

"Don't be a smart-aleck Olivia", Eli snaps. "I'm aware it is a bible. Why are the pages line-through?"

"I redacted it by deleting all the promises, affirmations and references to love. Since those verses do not apply to me, I wanted you see what was left to my life instruction manual.

"Olivia you are going to get down on your knees and beg God for his forgiveness, then you are going to dump that box of filth down the garbage chute. I will not have the church find out my daughter has turned into a pervert".

Olivia glares at her parents through narrow slit eyes, with anger in her heart for the first time in her life. All they care about is what the congregation will think; what God will think. They could care less about her needs or what she wants.

"Do you have something else to say Olivia?"

"No I've said all I have to say".

Eli and Maya sink to their knees and wait for Olivia to join them.

Without saying a word, Olivia packs up the box and takes it down the hallway to her room. She stops half way and turns around, "please let yourselves out and leave my keys on the table".

"Olivia you come back here, Eli yells. The next sound Eli and Maya Pope hear is the lock on Olivia's bedroom door click. Olivia has never defied her parents and they are beyond bewildered by their only offspring's behavior. Holding each other for support, they stay their knees praying for Olivia for the next twenty minutes. When they finish Maya retrieves a bottle of anointing oil from her purse and they begin anointing the doors and entryways against further demonic incursion.

Eli opens the door just as Abby as is about to knock.

Surprised Abby jumps taking a step backward.

"Oh, uhm, hello Mr. and Mrs. Pope. How are you? It's good to see you again". Abby smiles extending her hand in greeting.

Eli and Maya sneer at her. They never approved of Olivia's friendship with Abby. Now they are paying the price for letting their daughter be unequally yoked with a card-carrying atheist. The red headed temptress has finally corrupted their baby's morals, leading her astray to hell's front door.

"You... you…you've filled our daughters head with lies and made her question her faith. You evil witch, you won't get away with this. God is going take care of you. We are not going to lose our daughter to Satan's flock.

Maya goes nose to nose with Abby. "You better stay away from her if know what's good for you. God has a plan for Olivia's life and it doesn't involve you or your sinful whoring ways. Olivia is a good girl, morally upright and destined to do great things for the kingdom of God".

Abby is stupefied. Is this what Olivia has had to deal with all her life? Abby responds to Maya with equal contemptuous intensity.

"First of all, Olivia is not a girl, she is a grown woman. She is tired of waiting for your god's big plan to become a reality. Olivia is a good person who is sexual frustrated. Her wanting love and intimacy does not change the essence of who she is as a person.

"She can find intimacy in the church through a close relationship with God. She doesn't need to spread her legs in some random hookup. Stay away from our daughter. Go peddle your Jezebel lifestyle elsewhere".

Olivia hears shouting coming from the living room and runs out to see what is going on.

Running over to Abby, she grabs her by the arm and pulls her all the way into the apartment.

"This is my house mom and dad and you will respect my guests or find yourselves uninvited".

"Olivia you would choose this woman of ill-repute over your parents?"

"In a heartbeat!"

Eli and Maya grab their coats and storm out of Olivia's apartment.

"Wait, my keys please, Olivia reminds her parent holding out her hand.

Eli and Maya fumble to remove Olivia's key from their key rings. They ignore Olivia's outstretched hand and place the two keys on the table by the door.

This isn't over Eli mumbles as Olivia closes the door in his face face.

So what do you think? Is Olivia setting herself up for more hurt and disappointment?

Do you think Abby is going to corrupt her morals and have her hook-up with a series indiscriminate one-nighters?

What do you will be the Popes next move?

Old Scratch – is a southern moniker for the devil

Adam and Eve- is an online adult sex toy company, strangely enough founded in North Carolina. Can you believe it?

Let me know you thoughts and thanks for reading.