Chapter Three - Phone Call (Posted 28 December 2011)
"I was wondering when I'd finally get a call from you, Mr. Specter." Mike's grandmother said into the phone. "I'm surprised it took you this long."
"I guess you know why I'm calling, then." Harvey said.
"Of course I do," the older woman laughed, "as soon as he told me your name I knew I'd be hearing from you. But, as I said, I thought it would have been sooner."
"Yes, well..." Harvey explained, "I couldn't be sure..."
"Listen, young man. I'm an old woman, I don't like to talk about these kinds of things over the phone. If you find some time to come here, I'll tell you anything you want to know."
"Mrs. Ross, I'm very busy-"
"Do you want to know the truth or not?" she asked. Silence.
"I'll be there tomorrow afternoon."
"I thought so. See you then."
X
"Harvey?" Mike snapped his fingers close to his boss's face.
"What do you want?"
Mike blinked. "Um... you asked me to bring you this?" he extended his hand, holding out a folder. "Are you okay? I've never seen you out of it like that?"
"It's none of your business," he said, looking away. Because it was very much Mike's business, but he couldn't know about it yet. He paged through the file. "This is good."
"What?" Mike was surprised by the small compliment.
Harvey ignored the urge to tell him to get his ears checked. "I said this is good."
"Why are you being so... nice to me lately?"
"I'm always nice."
Mike lifted his eyebrows. "Yeah... okay..."
"Have any more questions for me since yesterday?" Harvey attempted to change the subject.
"Yeah, actually. A bunch. But I still feel bad about sticking my nose into your business..."
"I told you, it's fine. I want you to know."
"Then why go through all this? Why make me ask the questions when you could just tell me everything?"
"Because nothing in life is ever just handed to you. I'm teaching you how to figure things out on your own." Harvey told him. Then he smirked, saying, "Besides, it's more fun watching you work for it."
Mike shook his head, acting annoyed. "There's another thing, though. As much as I really do want to know, I don't want to take time away from work to do this, because everyone is always hounding on me for slacking, so I can't imagine how I'll be treated if I actually do slack off... So maybe you should just save time and tell me."
"Nice try. You can't get it out of me that easily. We'll just have to set aside a time outside of work to talk about it."
"Aaw, Harvey, if you wanted to hang out with me why didn't you just say so?"
"Do you want to or not?"
"Well yeah, but..."
"Then today, when we're done, we'll go somewhere and talk about it."
"But I stay longer than you..."
"You'll be done when I am today. I'm your boss, no one's going to argue with it. I'll come get you when it's time to go."
"Alright... But where are we going?"
Harvey shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. Now go get back to work."
X
Later, when they were in the back of the car, Mike couldn't stop worrying about his bike. He didn't say anything to Harvey, he knew what he'd say. It was old and ugly, no one would want it. And if it did get damaged or stolen, he'd be better off. But he liked that bike. That, and he had no other way to get around.
"Where are we going?"
"My place."
Mike coughed. "What? Why?"
"Because it'll be quiet. Do you have a problem with that?"
"No... but when you said outside of work I thought you meant you were going to drag me to one of those fancy places we take clients."
"You say that as if you don't like those places."
Mike nodded. "That's because I don't. I like simple things, so I always feel out of place there. No matter how dressed up I am, I always feel like everyone can tell I don't belong."
"You never seem out of place."
"It's called acting, Harvey. I learned it early on. Acting like I had a normal brain so I wouldn't get picked on as much. Acting like I wasn't high when I was. Acting like I wasn't cheating on someone's test for them, and then acting like it didn't bother me as long as I got payed. Acting like I wasn't carrying a briefcase full of pot around a swanky hotel. And now acting like I'm a lawyer."
"Maybe you should give up the lawyer gig and go to Hollywood."
Mike laughed. "Yeah, maybe."
