CHAPTER THREE


"Boy, you're going to carry that weight, carry that weight a long time." –The Beatles, 'Carry That Weight'


DONNA, FLASHBACK

Walking into the bustling New York restaurant, Donna quickly scanned the area and let her eyes light up upon seeing her lunch date. She shot a quick wave in his direction before heading towards him, ignoring the hostess who was ineffectively trying to catch her attention.

"I've got to be the luckiest guy in this place, having a date like you," Gordon commented, standing from his seat when she drew near. He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before pulling her chair out for her like a true gentleman.

'Harvey could learn a thing or two from his old man,' Donna thought to herself. She shot Gordon a grin and playfully dismissed his compliment with a flick of her wrist.

"Nonsense. Besides, you really don't know me yet. Who's to say you're the lucky one?" Donna teased.

Gordon let out a sharp bark of laughter, his eyes twinkling with the youthful banter. "I know enough, trust me. You're all my son talks about. It's about time that I met the feisty red head that keeps his life together."

Donna felt a blush come to her cheeks and her breath hitch in her chest at the comment. Harvey talked about her? This she couldn't believe.

Gordon looked at her softly. He could see what Harvey saw in this young woman. She was vibrant, intelligent and not to mention beautiful.

Leaning closer to Gordon, Donna looked around conspiratorially before commenting.

"Well if he talked about me before all of this, what's he going to say now? I mean I did steal you from him for a lunch date today…"

"You're much better company." It was Gordon's turn to wave her off. "Hopefully my son will see that soon enough."

Donna straightened, forcing her attention back towards the menu in front of her as the waiter approached. "Yeah, hopefully…"

Gordon shot her a knowing look. "Maybe you will too."

DONNA, PRESENT DAY

"Donna, I need you," Louis squeaked out as he hurried up to her desk. The pail sheen of sweat covering his head and the clammy finger prints he was leaving on her glass desk top told her that he'd ran all the way from his office for whatever emergency this was.

"What is it, Louis?" Donna asked, not looking up from the files she was proof reading. Whatever it was, she was almost certain that it wasn't an emergency.

When Louis didn't immediately respond, Donna shot a glance up at him, watching as he tried to catch his breath. She glanced down at her watch. "You have- oh about twenty minutes before I leave for the night, Louis. Really, what's going on?"

"I need your help planning a baby shower for Tara," Louis finally spit out.

Donna rose slowly from her chair, organizing her papers as she did, before calmly filing them away in a desk drawer. "Louis, that job belongs to Tara's family and friends. You should know that."

Louis shook his head, rebutting her words. "That she-devil Tara calls a mother hates me. She's already started planning the worst baby shower in the history of baby showers. I need your help," Louis animatedly replied. He waved comically at her, "I need you to- do your Donna thing."

"My Donna thing…" Donna responded slowly, pretending to not understand what he was talking about. Snapping her fingers, she continued. "Oh, I understand. You want me to throw the most epic baby shower there ever was. A baby shower to end all baby showers. The presidential election of baby showers. The-"

"Yes! Exactly!" Louis exclaimed happily. "So you'll do it?"

"No," Donna responded quickly, cutting him off.

Louis's face fell at her response. "Why not?!"

"Because Louis," Donna started, talking to him like he'd grown three heads. "That is a job for Tara's mother, her girlfriends, her cousins, her aunts… anyone she's remotely close to. And that is not me."

"But you're close to me," Louis responded, quickly interjecting. "Do it for me. Please?"

Donna sighed before once again collapsing into her chair. She took a moment before replying. "Fine, Louis. I'll do it for you," she responded, caving it at his puppy dog expression. "But you're helping me. And it won't be anything big, just a small get together for anyone that can't make it to the other party. Do you understand?"

Louis nodded excitedly. Donna had a feeling that he didn't understand at all. He reached across the desk to hug her but immediately pulled back when he noticed Donna tense.

"Got it, ok. Thank you!" He rushed out. He spun on his heel and disappeared before she could say anything more.

Donna sighed, she was sure that whatever she planned, Louis was about to take this idea to the extreme, as always. She rolled her eyes and turned to start going through the mail that had been stacking up on her desk, she really should stop leaving that for the end of the day.

She'd just reached the end of the stack when a crimson colored envelope caught her attention. Flipping the envelope over, the Harvard emblem caught her attention and she immediately ripped it open. Harvey would have just thrown the mail out, assuming it was a letter asking for donations, but Donna wasn't quick to jump to assumptions. Scanning the front page of the letter she pulled from the envelope, she was glad that she hadn't.

"Well, well, well," Donna muttered to herself as she read. She leaned back in her chair, twirling a piece of hair around one finger as her eyes scanned the page. "Looks like someone's about to RSVP for their class reunion, whether they know it or not."

Grinning, she shoved the letter back into its envelope and then turned to shove it into her purse. She'd take care of that later. If she left it to Harvey, he surely wouldn't attend. He still might not, even if she did RSVP for him. She could try to convince him, though. These things were important, you never knew what kind of connections you could make at such events.

She again rose and started to pack her things for the night when Mike rounded the corner, his messenger bag slung across his shoulders and a slight cockiness to his gait as he approached her desk. He hadn't quite mastered Harvey's level of confidence in his walk yet, but Donna could see that he was giving it a real and true effort.

"Hey there, Puppy. Harvey's gone for the night," Donna greeted him when he approached.

Mike's face fell slightly before he regained his composure. "That's ok. I… well actually, I could use your help, anyway."

Donna huffed as she shrugged on her jacket. "What is it with everyone wanting my help today? Do I look like a fairy godmother? You know what- don't answer that."

Mike rocked back onto his heels, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "Seriously, Donna. Do you have a minute? I'd really like to talk."

Donna's attention turned fully to Mike at his words and she stopped packing her bag. Rounding her desk, she leaned against the wood of the furniture piece next to him and reached out to lightly touch Mike's arm.

"Sure, I have a minute or two. What's going on?"

Mike sighed and ran a hand through his hair, spiking the short strands in every which direction with the movement. He glanced towards Harvey's office and then back at her before saying anything.

"Listen, I know it's not my place anymore, I'm no longer Harvey's right-hand man but… there's something going on with him," Mike started. "He's been… edgy? More so than usual and I really need his help with some of this wedding planning but lately it seems like his mind is elsewhere."

Donna straightened as she listened to Mike ramble on. She had a feeling that she knew why Harvey was acting so closed-off lately. She thought most of that probably had to do with the death of his father's best friend, the upheaval of the firm, reconnecting with his mother… the list went on and on.

"Anyway," Mike finished, breaking Donna from her thoughts. "I thought… maybe you could talk to him? Find out what's going on? That is, if you don't know already."

Mike gave her a pointed look, knowing full well that Donna almost always knew what was going on with Harvey. Donna brushed him off. If Harvey wanted to let Mike in on his personal matters, that was up to him.

"Sure, I can talk with him," Donna responded. She shot a warm smile at Mike and again reached forward to squeeze his arm. "Why don't you worry about the wedding stuff and leave the Harvey stuff to me? If you need any help with the later, you always know where to find me."

Mike nodded gratefully and reached back to hitch his bag higher on his shoulder. "Thanks, Donna."

He turned for the exit and had only proceeded a few steps when he turned back towards her.

"Do you think this has anything to do with me telling him that he couldn't sleep with you at the wedding? I was only joking you know," Mike asked, a wry grin spreading across his face.

"You what?!" Donna about hissed out playfully.

"You know what, never mind. Forget I said anything," Mike said waving her off before turning for the elevators once again.

In a sing-song voice, he finally called out, "Have a good night, Donna."


I know there weren't any direct Harvey/Donna interactions in this chapter but I hope you'll forgive me. I think this chapter was necessary to build towards where I want this story to go in later chapters. It's important to see how I envision Donna's relationship with Gordon started and how Mike is picking up on some of the changes in Harvey's character. Anyway, please review as always! Much love!