"Michael!" Mike heard a familiar voice call his name and he smiled. Harvey glanced up at his associate as the infamous Anna came waltzing through his door. He returned to his work but intently listened to what was about to be said. The woman's hair was straight today, had lighter make-up on, and a simple jeans-and-t-shirt outfit on. She grasped Mike in a bone crushing hug which he returned.
"Anna, what are you doing here?" Mike asked happily.
"I was just talking to Jessica, do you want to go get some lunch?" Mike nodded and then turned to Harvey.
"Be back in thirty Mike we still need to go over those briefs." he said without looking up.
"Aye-aye captain" Mike replied with a bright grin. They exited Harvey's office leaving him in silence until the intercom came on.
"Oh, you so want to know what that's all about" Donna read his mind and Harvey denied it.
"I don't care who the kid knows and doesn't know Donna. It's not my business" Harvey replied.
"Not when it's Pearson Hardman's oldest client and is practically best friends with Jessica's ex-husband. I mean, where does he even know her from?" Donna sounded impressed.
"Why don't you ask him?" Harvey sighed.
"Touchy" Donna teased with a coy grin. Harvey shook his head and returned to his work.
"So tell me, how did Harvey react to us dancing?" Anna asked Mike with enjoyment as they were walking back from lunch in the halls of Pearson Hardman.
"His face was priceless, Anna" Mike laughed. "I would say he was pretty impressed" he glanced at Anna with a smiled.
"Did you tell him how you know me?" this wiped the smile off of Mike's face and his voice became more solemn.
"No, that's a bit more personal" he stared at her intently with a shadow of sadness held in his gaze. "Harvey doesn't really know a lot about me except for my brain and-" he stopped speaking abruptly realizing what he had been about to say.
"Don't worry I know about "Rick Sorkin" Anna whispered to him with a wink.
"Did Gram tell you?" Mike groaned. "B-but you know the Pearson of Pearson Hardman" he stressed, "And isn't that weird for you?"
"I've known you since I was fifteen and you were just a five year old boy. You're more important to me and I know this is important to you because this is how you're paying fro Gram's ridiculous medical expenses" she straightened out the jacket of his suit while she was talking. It was a habit she had picked up when they were younger when she was talking about something serious to him.
"Thank you" Mike's eyes were filled with gratitude.
"It's no problem Michael" she patted his face, she was probably the only person besides his Gram that could call him Michael. "Now" she placed her hands on his shoulders with emphasis, "what are you and Gram doing for tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" Mike feigned confusion.
"Don't play dumb with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about" Anna replied chidingly.
"It's just been really difficult these past four years Annie" her nickname slipped out in his distress. "To visit them, I mean. It's not like I don't want to it's just-"he sighed.
"What?" she gripped the back of his neck comfortingly and gently petted his hair.
"I don't want to go alone" Mike whispered ashamedly. "I know Gram wants to go too but she doesn't ask because she knows I don't have the means to take her there or the time. And I always get this feeling that it would be wrong of me to go alone" he admitted.
"Michael, don't feel embarrassed because I know exactly what you feel. She was important to me too. I don't know about your father because I wasn't around him as much but it would be wrong of me to not pay my respects to him as well since he was the man she was in love with and was married to. I haven't visited them since the funeral because I felt the same way. And! You have this job now Mike, you definitely have the money now to take Gram" Anna got excited.
"But I still don't have the time, Annie" Mike interrupted. "And there's no way Harvey would give me time off" he said vehemently.
"Did you ever try asking him?" Anna asked.
"No, but-"
"I know he's your boss Mike and your trying to stay on his good side but he can't deny you this. This is personal for you and most people with jobs would request for the day off."
"It's different at a law firm though. You don't ask for time off unless your sick or it's a family emergency. Even then people still come to work." Mike argued.
"If I were your boss I would give you time off for this" Anna argue back.
"But your not my boss Anna!" Mike raised his voice. "He doesn't care" he brought his voice back down realizing he was just about to hurt her feelings.
"He will if this affects your work and how well you do your job" she pointed out.
"If I try to explain it to him, it'll just sound like an excuse" he replied.
"An excuse? An excuse for what Michael? What is that you're afraid of? That he'll pity you or look at you differently?"
"Yes!" he stared into her surprised eyes. "His opinion matters, Anna." with that said he walked away to go back to work.
"Where were you? You were supposed to be back ten minutes ago." Harvey said as Mike came into his office.
"Sorry" Mike sighed as he suck into Harvey's couch. This made Harvey pause. Something had happened. He let it go for now, they needed to focus. There case was in two days and they still hadn't found their loop hole yet. They started working with out another word. Through out the rest of the evening Mike was in and out of Harvey's office. When he had finally found the loop hole it was around 6:45. Harvey had dismissed him when he paused. Should he ask him? Harvey glanced up when he noticed Mike was still standing in his office.
"What?" Harvey asked knowing the kid probably was going to ask him something.
"I know this is a bad time Harvey but I was wondering if I-" Mike started.
"No" Harvey cut him off.
"What?"
"I said no"
"But you haven't even heard what I was going to say yet"
"You were going to ask for tomorrow off since you found the loop hole"
"How did-?"
"I read people Mike, remember? Anyways, I'm not giving you time off to prance around with your girlfriend when there's paperwork that still needs to be finished for the case"
"Why did you assumed I was going to take the day off for Anna?"
"Because you two are obviously close and haven't seen each other in a while. People here don't ask for time off to visit with friends Mike. They do that in their free time" "It's not to visit with a friend"
"It's not, then who are you going to be with tomorrow then?"
"Well, Anna will be there but my Gram will too"
"Ah, so a reunion party. How nice but still, no."
"Not a party, trust me" Mike mumbled. Harvey's head snapped up and saw a rather depressing and haunted expression on his face. He was about to open his mouth to speak when Mike interrupted him. "Doesn't matter, I'll see you tomorrow then Harvey" he said rather dejectedly as he left Harvey's office. Harvey stared at his retreating figure as he walked away.
"What did you do to the pup now Harvey?" Donna's queried over the intercom.
"I have no idea" Harvey mumbled to himself, not caring that his associated was putting on a pout show.
The next morning Mike came in early. Harvey knew immediately that when he walked into the office and didn't see Mike rushing in before him that something was off. The kid never came in early except today, which he had asked to be absent for. He passed by Donna's desk and glanced at her to see an accusing expression on her face. He didn't want to ask what he did wrong now. Later when Mike dropped off the files off he didn't even come into Harvey's office to speak to him like he normally did. Mike looked like hell too, that explains Donna's glares this morning. It looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep and his gloomy air only added to that.
Around twelve o'clock Harvey and Mike were walking to Ray's car to go take of an errand when they saw Anna who came up to them in determined steps. They both stopped and she spoke in business-like tone.
"Did you ask?" she said.
"I did ask" Mike said tiredly.
"Did you explain?" she accused.
"Well, no-"
"Why is it so hard for you to tell Harvey this?" she stared at him in confusion.
"Tell me what?" Harvey suddenly spoke up making Anna glance at him.
"Nothing" Mike replied.
"No, you need to tell him! This IS important Mike" her eyes filled with slight annoyance and a twinge of sadness.
"What is it?" Harvey asked, curious now.
"It IS nothing and it's not important so you don't need to know Harvey". Harvey was surprised when Anna suddenly slapped Mike. Mike's breath hitched while Anna's eyes became moist. He stood stunned as he took in the situation. That did not just happen.
"How dare you" Anna said venomously. "Their death is NOT nothing Michael" Harvey was surprised at the full use of Mike's name and was further surprised with what she had said. Who had died? Apprehension filled his chest even more when Mike's head snapped up in anger.
"Don't involve my personal life in this Anna." Harvey had never heard the kid use such a steely voice before.
"At this point, I don't care. We are going and that's the end of it." She took his hand and started dragging him.
"Hey!" Mike protested. Harvey followed after them. They all stopped when Mike and Harvey saw a small bus-like vehicle which was now letting out an elderly woman in a wheel chair on a lift. There was a man in scrubs who began pushes her wheel chair towards them. "Gram" Mike whispered.
"Michael" the elderly woman said warmly and smiled at him. So this was the 'Gram' Harvey's heard so much about. "Are you all ready? Oh, forgive me. Who might this young man be?" she inquired. Harvey was surprised. Was he really just referred to as a young man? He let it slide the woman was quite older than he was.
"I'm Harvey Specter Mrs. Ross. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard much about you from Mike" he stepped forward and gently shook her hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard quite a bit about you as well from Michael" Harvey glanced at Mike in surprise who still couldn't believe his eyes.
"Gram, you shouldn't have come outside. You're sick" he used such a gentle voice when he was speaking to his grandmother.
"Oh, Michael I'm much stronger than you give me credit for." Mike huffed in irritation and she chuckled. "Well, then Harvey are you coming along as well?"
"No, Gram he wouldn't want to-"
"I'd love to" Harvey said, shutting up Mike. He still didn't know where they were going but Harvey was too curious to let this go.
"What?" Mike exhaled in disbelief.
"Let's go" Harvey said and they all turned to enter the van.
"This is not happening" Mike groaned.
Chapter 3 will be up soon! : ) hope you enjoyed and please feel free to review!
