She pressed the button. 50th floor. Her freshly manicured nail making a tiny 'tink' sound as she hit the button and held her breath. She was grateful to be alone in the elevator, this way she could gather her thoughts. It was cold out so she was wearing her coat. Her scarf was bunched up around her face. She removed it and stuffed it into her bag. She checked her lipstick in the small mirror in the elevator and quickly wiped off the red colour that had smudged on to her teeth from the morning bagel she had grabbed on the way in. She looked good.
38th floor. Maybe she should take her coat off? Should she carry it over her arm, powerful, like a matador? She was ready to slay a bull… So to speak. She wanted him to be blown away when he saw her. Dressed to the nines, but not over dressed. She was in office wear but she'd been absolutely sure that she was eye catching enough. It was that white dress she'd worn before. He'd liked it. He'd never said he'd liked it, but she knew him so well she knew him better than he knew himself. And he liked the dress. It was figure hugging and sexy in the most office appropriate way she could manage. There was no point drawing any other kind of male attention at the firm, she only wanted his.
43rd floor. No time to take off the coat now, it was staying on. That was fine. She'd swan into his office, remove her coat, and reveal her outfit. He'd stop and stare for a moment, after all he wasn't expecting her. But he would gather himself quickly. She couldn't predict his reaction though. But she knew what she was hoping for. He'd be pleased to see her for sure. It had been a little while now but absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they say.
50th floor. She was ready. She tossed her hair back, and she stood up tall. She was powerful. She was strong. She was going to get Harvey Specter.
The elevator doors opened.
She prepared to step out when the opposite elevator doors dinged open. She stoped dead. There they were, the senior partner and the COO. The COO was laughing; holding a coffee cup in one hand and his hand in the other. His hand?
He clocked her from across the lobby. He held the COO's hand firm.
'Scottie?' He called. Scottie feigned a quick smile from the elevator across from his. This was not what she expected. She decided to continue with her power stance and she swayed out of the elevator as smoothly as she could to meet them half way across the lobby. Scottie looked to her right. 'Zane Specter Litt Wheeler Williams?' She remarked. 'I can hardly keep up' a forced smile as she looked down at her feet. For god's sake, she was better than this! She looked back up at him.
'What are you doing here?' Harvey asked, he smiles politely but he's not as happy to see her as she had anticipated.
'I have a meeting in the city, I thought I would come and see what's happened in the firm since your Zane merger' Scottie was willing herself, begging herself, not to shuffle her feet or look away from his gaze. She could feel Donna's eyes boring into the side of her head. She had always felt threatened by Donna and now it was clear she had been right all these years. How could she have let her judgment lapse now?
'Well its nice to see you' Harvey smiled. It was a nice smile, but he wasn't beaming at her like he once did. The spark had died for him. 'Come by my office later if you're still here? I have a client at 9 but that won't take too long if you want to catch up?' He was trying hard and she appreciated it.
'Oh, I'll have to be gone soon, my meeting is at 9 too' she lied, 'but next time!' She put on her best smile and looked up at him with glassy eyes she hoped he wouldn't notice. He didn't, but Donna did. Of course she did. She always did. They never liked each other. Perhaps there was jealousy or some ridiculous rivalry, or perhaps it was that Scottie had always known she was second to Donna since the redhead had appeared in his life 12.5 years ago. They could have been friends. Scottie had always thought that they would make quite a pairing. Together they could have ruled any firm but unfortunately they were both loyal to one man. Scottie broke her gaze with Harvey to look at Donna. She was immaculate as always. And she was smiling. Not in a nasty way. Donna had never really been nasty to Scottie but there had certainly been animosity in the past. That was gone now. Donna had won the prize, no need to be catty.
'Good to see you, Donna' Scottie made a point of looking at Donna's fingers intertwined with Harvey's.
'You too, Scottie' the redhead replied, not a hint of malice behind her words. Scottie's blood boiled. She had to leave. Mercifully Harvey came to her rescue one last time.
'I have to get to my office, I need to prep for my client. Next time you're here though let me know' he touched her shoulder gently and then sauntered away, Donna at his side, hands still locked together. Scottie stood there for a moment. She stared them down. Neither of them turned to look at her as they walked away. She turned around to look at the names on the wall one more time. It should have been Specter Scott a long time ago.
She stepped back into the elevator. She hit the ground floor button. Her manicured nail making a 'clink' against the metal of the button. She looked in the mirror. She looked okay. Actually considering she had had her heart ripped apart for the umpteenth time by the same man she was looking great. No tears this time, no bitterness. Just closure. Now it wasn't just some bimbo, or god forbid his therapist! Now it was Donna so it was final. He wouldn't come back now.
Ground floor. She stepped out of the elevator. She held herself upright, she wanted to feel powerful in that moment. She soared through the lobby, heels clacking against the flooring turning heads. She was powerful. Out of the revolving doors and she stopped. She fished her scarf out of her bag and wrapped it around her neck, it was cold.
She took one last glance at the building. She was happy for him. She wanted to be happy for Donna too, but that would come later. But now it was time to stop thinking about him. It was time to stop thinking about who she had been to him and start thinking about Dana Scott and who she would be now. Perhaps this was what she needed after all.
A final look up at the 50th floor. She walked away. ZSLWW is a stupid name for a firm anyway she thought.
