Chapter 3
Harvey unlocks his front door and walks through the threshold, exhausted but ready for a nightcap and hopefully an early night. After a night of no sleep, 12 hours in the office and two panic attacks, he is ready to drown a couple of glasses of scotch and crash. His plans are faltered as he realises that the lights are on and hears the sounds of his TV streaming through from the other room. Paula is over tonight.
He turns the corner and sees the blonde curled up on his couch, with a glass of wine, watching the news in his living room.
"Hey stranger," she looks up at him with a smile.
"Paula, I wasn't expecting you," Harvey replied, with a hint of annoyance though he tried to come off as pleasantly surprised.
"I dropped my sister off at the airport this afternoon and hadn't seen you all weekend. We have some catching up to do," she stood up from his couch, walking up to him with a seductive look on her face.
She was in a great mood. Her ultimatum was a huge risk. She knew Harvey and Donna's history and the importance of her in his life, both at work and personally. There was a high chance that he would have broken it off with her to keep Donna in his life however it was a chance she needed to take. There was no way she could have continued, knowing in the back of her mind that he was spending 80 hours a week working with a woman who she was certain had feelings for her boyfriend. But now he's all hers. And she was ready to celebrate.
Harvey took her into his arms, gave her a quick peck and a sad smile. She was all he had left. The only one willing to be with him, to take the plunge with him, who wanted everything with him. She was his only sure bet and he needed to ensure she wasn't going to leave him. Not like the others in his life. He could still feel the anxiety bubbling in his stomach, a feeling that had been there all day.
"Marry me." He blurted out, before he realised what he was doing.
Paula pulled back in surprise and looked him straight in the eyes. His eyes had always been a transparent window into his soul, they could never lie. All she could see was fear, and hope, and a touch of sadness. As with any other girl, she had imagined as a child how she would be proposed to when she found the one. She had always imagined a romantic environment, perhaps some flowers, but at the very least, her proposer to look at her with love and happiness. Oh, and also a ring. This was not what she had visualised.
"Harvey, are you sure?" She replied, curious to see what brought this on.
"Paula, you're the woman in my life that I want to spend my days with. I don't want to wait anymore. I want someone to share my life with," he explained. "Marry me?"
She bit her lip. It wasn't the response she was hoping for. But she had been wanting this for a long time. He was handsome, successful, rich, and he wants to marry her. He chose her over Donna for goodness sake. That must mean that he loves her, right?
"OK, lets get married," she replies with a small smile, and reaches up to embrace him.
Harvey holds onto her for dear life and lets out a sigh of relief. She doesn't fit his frame exactly right and her hair doesn't smell like the vanilla he's been used to for over a decade, but she's here, with him, and willing to marry him, and that's all that matters right now.
...
Donna had spent the day planning out her next two weeks. She had put her years of secretarial experience to use and scheduled in visits to all her favourite NYC spots, from the parks, to the museums, to all the restaurants, cafes and eateries she needed to have one last time before she moved from the city. It was almost 7pm before she was finished and was ready to start making dinner when her phone rang, interrupting her process. She glanced at the caller ID before answering.
"Rachel," she answered. "Surprised you didn't call earlier," she grinned, knowing her former colleague was dying to call as soon as she read her email.
"Yes I was going to but Mike and Louis went into a panic about your news and then I got pulled into what felt like a dozen client meetings back to back. Now is the first time today I've found to call you," she started rambling. "What happened Donna? Can we meet and talk? I can't believe this is happening!"
Donna has always been grateful for her friends and family at PSL. Both Louis and Mike had also called her today in a panicked frenzy, asking for answers, checking that she was OK. She could only explain to them that it was time for her to move on and Jessica had an opportunity for her. Neither were convinced but they didn't press her. But Rachel was different. She's her best friend and if there's anyone that she wants to confide in, it would be her.
"Absolutely. Come over when you're done with work today. Just give me a text when you're leaving the office."
"Perfect Donna. I might be here for another hour or so but I'll be there as soon as I can get away. See you soon," the young lawyer replied.
"Ok, bye," Donna responded as she hung up.
Rachel returned her attention back to the piles of files on her desk, determined to smash out her work as quickly as possible so she can leave and check up on her friend. She was an hour in and making some significant headway when she is interrupted by Mike barging into her office. He was breathing heavily, indicating that he had sprinted to her office to deliver whatever news he was about to announce.
"What's wrong Mike?" she asked, concerned at his demeanour.
He stood there, taking a few more breaths, before responding "Harvey's engaged." He stated, with a blank look on his face. "To Paula. He just texted me the news."
Rachel pursed her lips in a thin line, until they were almost non-existent. She was uncertain how to take this news.
"Rachel, something major happened between Harvey and Donna, I'm certain of it. But neither of them are talking. Harvey had never mentioned that he was thinking of proposing. And had Donna ever eluded to you that she wanted to move on?" Mike asked, attempting to make sense of the situation.
Rachel shook her head. "Of course not. I'm heading over to Donna's after I wrap up here. Hopefully I get some answers, I'm very concerned about her."
Mike nodded in response, before leaning over her desk and giving her a kiss on the forehead. She was always putting the needs of her friends above hers and made sure that everyone was OK. "I'll see you at home afterwards then. Good luck. I'll work on Harvey, see what's going through that man's head," he smiled before leaving her office.
Rachel let out an exasperated sigh as Mike left. There was no way she was going to able to concentrate after that bombshell, so she decided to call it a night, pack up and head over to her best friend's apartment.
...
Donna opened her front door to her former colleague a short while later. "Come on in my friend," she said as she stepped aside.
"I hope you're feeling like merlot; I stole it from the partners' lounge before I left." Rachel lifted up the bottle in question as they made their way in. Donna smiled and nodded. They're going to need it tonight.
Rachel took off her coat and made herself at home on the couch whilst Donna retrieved two wine glasses from the kitchen. She kept her cool and stayed contained until Donna was back, the wine was poured and the redhead was comfortably settled on the couch before she asked.
"Ok spill, what happened Donna? We all missed you today!"
Donna looked at her friend's face, etched with concern and confusion. She sighed and explained to her the events of the last week. From the kiss, to Paula's ultimatum, her resignation to her job with Jessica in Chicago. She did not however, reveal the details of Harvey's visit to her apartment. For some reason she wanted to keep that to herself, at least for now.
This was worse than Rachel had expected. She knew that something must have happened between the two but she did not expect that Harvey had essentially forced Donna out of her job, out of their lives, out of HIS life. Donna remained stoic as she recounted the events of her last week. The woman was an actress afterall. But Rachel knew her friend was hurting and reached over and gave the older woman a hug.
"I'm so sorry Donna, I didn't realise you were going through this. And alone too."
Donna nodded into her shoulder and allowed her resolve to fall a bit, sniffling as tears filled her eyes. She was grateful for her Rachel and it sucks that by leaving Harvey, and New York, she's leaving Rachel behind. And even Louis and Mike. She pulls back and refills their glasses.
"It's for the best Rachel. Harvey and I have been playing this impossible game for as long as we've known each other. Our relationship wasn't going anywhere. We were stuck. I kissed him as a last attempt to see if our relationship can be more, once or for all. It was either everything or nothing. But he wanted Paula. He chose Paula," she paused, looking away as she reflects on the situation. "I hope he finds happiness with her," she finishes, giving Rachel a sad smile.
Rachel bites her lip and contemplates whether to share the news she discovered a few hours earlier.
"Donna…" she hesitates, "Umm, I have some news about Harvey and Paula." She pauses as Donna looks at her with anticipation, her head cocked. She holds her breath and despite herself, a tiny bubble of hope builds in her stomach.
"They're engaged Donna," Rachel finishes. As much as she hated breaking the news, she knew that Donna would find out about it eventually, and she'd rather it come from her, than hearing it through the grapevine or an announcement in the paper.
Donna swallows and forces a smile. "Good, like I said, I hope he finds happiness with her" she repeats, unsure what else to say. Unspoken, but both women can feel Donna's heart breaking in that moment but Rachel cannot do much else but just be there for her friend. In silent support, she places her hand on the older woman's and asks, "do you want to watch a trashy movie?"
Donna smiles and nods at her friend, glad for a distraction. The best friends spend the rest of the night curled up on the couch together, finishing their bottle of wine, gossiping and chatting about anything on their mind, but not speaking of Harvey Specter again.