Hi Folks! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. I wanted Donna and Lily to have a conversation but I did not want it to be the usual. So I hope I framed this as best I can with the characters. Thank you to all my followers, favoriters and reviewers. I so appreciate it. Love - Carebearmaxi.

Loving Each Other Out Loud

Chapter 7 - Lily for Real

Harvey met Donna at the door of his apartment.

"I am so sorry, Harvey. My meeting ran very late. Some of those contracting firms are really tough," Donna said as she breezed in the door and kissed him for a few seconds on his soft lips. Donna continued to walk in carrying her overnight bag and toed off her skyhigh heels and turned to go into Harvey's living room where she caught sight of another person who had preceded her appearance.

"Lily!" Donna said surprised to see Harvey's mother sitting in his dimly lit living room. "How lovely to see you." Donna came forward and dropped her shoes and bag and gave a slight hug and feigned a kiss on her pseudo-mother-in-law's cheek.

"Donna, I apologize for not calling first, but I had to do some observing at the Museum for my students so I thought I would just combine the trip and pay a visit. I surprised poor Harvey as well. Apparently the doorman is adept at letting people in Harvey's apartment."

"Yes, in the last few years, I have had a lot of women come invade my home..."

Donna sidelong glanced at him and his mother gave him a pointed look.

"Oh, that's not what I meant to say...Donna help me out..." Harvey pleaded. He did not want to look like the womanizer he used to be to his mother. "Donna..."

Donna side smiled and with a sarcastic gleam in her eyes, she said, "Harvey, I'm not touching that one. You're on your own." Then she giggled and Lily, to Harvey's relief, laughed as well automatically brightening the sudden intensity of the room.

One of the bags that Donna had been carrying was some takeout from the shitty Thai place she and Harvey actually loved. Donna had told Harvey to have dinner without her, but he was just as busy as she and said he would wait at home for her and would attack a few briefs which needed review. Donna suggested Thai for their late supper and Harvey reluctantly assented.

Looking behind him as he was going to reach for the plates in the cupboard he watched as Donna and Lily spoke. They were chattering like they had known each other for years. They seemed to be getting along just fine.

"Ladies, can I interrupt for a moment?"

"Of course, Harvey, what is it?" Lily asked.

"Would you like to have dinner with us, Mom?"

"Sure, if there's enough. I don't want to deprive two young hungry people of their dinner," Lily said looking at Donna and then Harvey.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Of course there's enough. We can never finish what they give us, can we, Donna?"

Donna turned from beaming at Harvey to Lily. "He's right. We always wind up throwing a bunch of it out."

So all three people walked to the dining table which Harvey had set. Placing her wine on the table and allowing Harvey to pull in her chair, Lily smiled up at him.

"I remember when I taught you how to set a table and be polite. I think you were all of 5," Lily said taking a sip of her wine.

"I'm gathering he did it under protest," Donna remarked looking at Harvey and smiling. She was happy that all of three of them could sit peacefully like this. She was so happy that Harvey and his mother were reconciled. The change had settled him in a way. He felt loved and could safely show his love for his biological family.

"No, Donna, I wanted to do it. That was the formal Thanksgiving dinner where dad invited all his bandmates and Aunt Sally and Uncle John came and I got to play with MaryBeth."

"Who's MaryBeth?" Donna asked.

"Only his cousin. My sister's daughter. Harvey and she used to be thick as thieves. He didn't care for many of his other male cousins, I might add," Lily said amused.

Donna put down her wineglass and smirked. "So, I see, Harvey that even at four years old you were a ladykiller even if the lady was your own cousin."

"What can I say? It came with the name," Harvey smiled widely at Donna and then shoveled some Pad Thai into his mouth.

"That's not true, though, mom. My male cousins didn't want to play with me if I remember," Harvey said.

"That's because you were a bully. You always wanted to show off what a great athlete you were," Lily argued.

Harvey had almost choked on his food when his mother had mentioned that he never really got along with his male cousins. I thought she never noticed anything about me.

"I was not a bully. I just did not like people picking on Marcus when we were in athletic competition," Harvey responded back.

"This is why he's a great lawyer, Donna. He can explain and argue his way out of anything," Lily said laughing. "Well, you were always ready to defend him. That's what I loved about you."

"Me, too," Donna said taking a sip of her wine and looking into Harvey's eyes. I know I am a lucky woman.

"This is delicious!" Lily exclaimed. "You call this place...?"

"It's not it's real name," Donna laughed and dabbed the corner of her mouth with her napkin. "I think we christened it so long ago with that name that I know I can't remember what the real name of the place is. Can you Harvey?"

Laughing and chewing at the same time and happy to be with his mother and Donna, Harvey said, "Nope. Let me think was it the Pearl? Thai Pai Pearl? I don't know. I'm glad you like it, though, mom because I ran out of food and I would have to get groceries if you were going to cook."

"Done it already, honey. You didn't look in your referigerator, did you?" Lily said as she gave a look to Donna.

Getting up from the table and padding his way over to the refrigerator, Harvey looked his shock when he opened the refrigerator door and saw his fully stocked shelves.

"Mom? You went to the grocery store?"

"Yes, I do that when there is no food in the house. I brought your favorites with me since I thought I was going to cook tonight," Lily watched as her son had excitedly padded to the refrigerator and opened the door.

"Mom, there's enough food in here for a week. I don't think Donna or I can go through that much food in one night's visit."

Donna noticed that Lily stopped smiling then. She put down her fork and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Harvey can you come back here and sit down?"

Donna saw Harvey frown and she, herself, put on a worried face. Uh-oh something's wrong.

"Lily, are you ok? You went very pale all of a sudden," Donna remarked.

"Well, I was hoping I could do this in a little bit but it's late and I suppose I should be leaving soon," Lily said clearly in despair of something.

"Bobby and I are temporarily separating. I wanted to come tell you in the event anything happened. I wanted to keep you in the loop so I included my visit to the Museum with a visit to you."

Harvey became silent. All of a sudden those memories of his mother's infidelity flooded his brain. The years he had to keep her and Bobby's affair under wraps and not tell his father suddenly put a cloud over the joy he had been feeling. The wonderful feeling of being one woman's son and another woman's lover had evaporated in a matter of five minutes and a few sentences.

"Do you mind if I ask why?" Harvey asked pointedly in that less than human voice he could call up at any minute.

"I suppose you'll want to know if I cheated on him?" Lily asked with a small sound of resentment in her voice.

"Maybe I should just go..." Donna said politely but hoping to stay so she could diffuse the situation.

"Well, did you?"

"Harvey!" Donna interjected.

"Damn it, Donna! You know of all the shit that I went through because of my mother so I don't want to see you pontificate about how I should just mind my own business."

"No, Harvey, I did not cheat on Bobby and neither did he cheat on me. We have been married for over twenty years and I think we needed some space from one another. He's had some disappointments which have caused us to become estranged. I thought he could deal with his issues better if I weren't hovering around trying to help. I suppose you would not understand this, though, never having been married."

"Maybe not, mom, but were you planning to stay here?"

"Just until I found a small apartment," Lily responded.

"Look, stay at my place again," Donna offered. " I'm here most of the time. We rarely go back to my apartment. I normally just swing by on the way home from work to pick up changes of clothes and other assorted items."

"Donna, you don't have to do that. Mom can stay here and I can come over to your apartment when you know..."

"Harvey, you and Donna are not teenagers. I know how the world works when two people in love want to be together," Lily interjected as she saw her son falter for the correct words.

Donna reached out her hand and laid it on top of Lily's.

"Then it's settled. You come home with me tonight and I will get you comfortable. Then I can either crash there or if Harvey wants me to come back I will do that. Besides I do have food in my pantry and refrigerator that needs to be eaten."

"Of course you're coming back because I will drive you both over there myself," Harvey instructed.

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"Thank you for the use of your apartment again. I really was planning to stay at a hotel or Harvey's at the worst," Lily said as she held Donna's hand in hers. "Now you go back down there and get back in the car with Harvey."

"Well, there's no problem. By the way, I am taking the day off and I plan to spend it with you," Donna said.

"No, you can't do that. The firm needs you."

"Lily, I just want to make sure that you are taken care of. You need to be with your family right now. I think Harvey's calendar is free tomorrow as well, so we can both take the day off and be with you."

"Donna, as much as I appreciate everything you've done. I don't need a wet nurse. I'm fine. I am planning to call Bobby in the morning to see if everything is ok. So hopefully I will only be here a couple of days or so."

Donna looked straight into Lily's eyes and said, "You stay as long as you need. Like I said I spend most of my nights at Harvey's. If you need either one of us or both, just hit your cell."

"Good night, Donna."

"Good night, Lily," Donna said giving the smaller woman a hug and then let herself out of her apartment.

When Donna slid into the seat next to Harvey in his car, he revved the engine.

"So, your mom is settled. Do you want to talk about that scowl on your face?" Harvey looked at Donna silently and his expression was very dark. The wall had been erected on Harvey's mother issues.

"No, I don't want to talk about it. I just wonder if my mother was lying to me. That she's cheating again."

"So, if she is, which I highly doubt, she and Bobby are not you and me. I thought you understood that," Donna said trying to make his happiness come back to them. It was sad about Bobby and Lily, but Donna was sure that they would work things out. It definitely was not her place to say anything and Harvey was no longer a child to become hurt by anything that happened in his mother's marriage. It showed a real growth between mother and son that now Lily felt so comfortable in her relationship with Harvey that she was seeking solace with him. It took great courage on Lily's part to come to New York and stay with her eldest son while things settled back in Boston.

"Harvey, your mom is going through something now and she needs all the support she can get. Think. It must have taken a lot for her to come to you knowing your history."

"Why didn't she go to Marcus? He's in Boston. I just can't help remembering when I was a child and how I had to keep all her affairs silent until I couldn't anymore and ruined everyone's lives," Harvey said. Donna had reached out between them and took Harvey's hand in support. He now squeezed Donna's hand emphasizing silently how glad she was there so he could unburden his thoughts.

"Because Marcus isn't as strong as you, Harvey. He went back to gambling and carries his own demons, so he's not the one that his mother needs right now. Besides she said if she wasn't there trying to help Bobby through his troubles, things may be resolved. After all the absence makes the heart grow fonder," Donna said and smiled to see Harvey's reaction at that platitude.

Harvey gave a little laugh and thought about Donna's words. Harvey gently squeezed Donna's hand again. She was right. My mother's relationship with Bobby is not mine and Donna's. I am not my mother. It's really none of my business. However, I can find out and see if there is anything I can do. I do not want my mother's relationship to go the way of Marcus and Kate's. After all this time and all we've been through the last thing I want to see is my mother hurt.

"Hey, with your mom here, I guess we have to postpone our trip to Seattle," Donna said rubbing her thumb over Harvey's knuckles as he held her hand. Harvey had driven his black Lexus with the automatic transmission so he did not have to shift gears. This enabled him to hold Donna's hand while he drove back to his condo.

"So did you tell my mother that we're both off tomorrow?" Harvey asked changing the subject from their trip to Seattle back to his mom.

Donna scowled herself at Harvey and squeezing his hand, said, "Oh, so you think you can pull Donna-shit on me now?"

"Well, I do know you, you know."

"You can't do that. I'm the only one who can do that," Donna said indignant at Harvey's sudden empathic power .

"Yes, I can. I always could. I just didn't let you know," Harvey said smiling as he kept his eyes focused on traffic. It was dark and he could only see her shocked expression when he glanced sideways at her. Donna was trying to find something to say.

"Yes, I told her. I also told her we would spend the day with her. Ok?" Donna asked.

They finally had arrived and Harvey pulled the car into his parking spot underneath the building. He put the car in "park" and removed his keys. He looked down and thought about spending an entire day with his mother and Donna. He ran his thumb over her knuckles.

The parking garage was lit very brightly but the light coming into the car was muted. Finally after what seemed a long dark silence, Harvey smiled and said, "Yes, that's fine. Besides I do want my mother and you to get to know each other better."

Harvey leaned over and kissed her.

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The next day Louis was looking for both Donna and Harvey when Gretchen remind him that Harvey and Donna were both out of the office that day.

"Damn it! I knew this was going to be a problem. I need to at least talk to Harvey. Is it ok to call him?"

"I suppose Louis. You know he always answer his phone unless he's in court."

"Thanks, Gretchen. By the way, do you have that contract written up?"

"It's on your desk to be signed."

"Thanks, Gretchen," Louis said and stomped off to his office.

Harvey and Donna in the meantime had driven over to retrieve his mom for their day long excursion together. Harvey was hoping for a little "me" time while the two women lost themselves in some shopping pursuit. Donna says she was in need of some clothes for Seattle and to bring Rachel and Mike a housewarming gift as well as a "peace" offering knowing that Rachel was still a tad miffed at the whole Kessler fiasco which had caused her father to retire early from the law.

It was about 11 am on a Thursday morning. He and Donna were a little late getting started as they joyfully spent the early dawn hours spooning in Harvey's big bed. He greeted Donna with a kiss on her neck and then they spent the next few hours between the shower and back in bed just enjoying each other and the fact that they were taking the day for themselves-and his mom.

"Ok, kids, where are we going?" Lily asked as she slipped into the backseat and buckled her seatbelt.

"We're going somewhere special for brunch, mom" Harvey said as he drove through the busy Manhattan streets.

They pulled up at a parking garage and then Harvey said, "We're going to Nougatine's which is a very special place for Donna and me."

"Oh, I'm feeling very special myself. Thank you for letting me be a part of this," Lily said almost crying in the backseat.

When they had alighted from the car and started walking to the restaurant, Harvey walked next to his mother while Donna walked a few steps ahead. Donna had planned it this way because she knew Harvey wanted to have a quiet conversation with just her alone.

"This was Donna's idea to take you to brunch with us. I agreed with her. She really wants to know you better, and I just want to say," Harvey had stopped walking and Donna had stopped as well.

"What, Harvey?" Lily wanted to know looking up at her son.

"I just wanted to say that I love you, mom, and I'm here if you should need anything while you and Bobby are going through this. Donna wants to let you know she's here, too,".

As Donna had turned around she had just caught Harvey giving his mother a hug. She was so happy to see that Harvey was no longer thinking that his mother was lying to him and about the situation between she and her husband.

Recovering herself, Donna quipped, "You know they will give our table away if we don't get there..."

As they were eating through their brunch, Harvey's cell rang for the fourth time.

"Well, you finally picked up! I need you to..." Louis ranted from the office.

"Louis, slow down. What is it you need? Give me a second," Harvey said turning to his mother and Donna signaled he was needing to take the call and he left the table for a quieter place.

"It's probably Louis, our managing partner. He's a wonderful friend but sometimes he gets a little hysterical when things start to get too much for him. Harvey and Louis are finally good friends as well as partners. He's expecting a baby with his financee, Sheila, in a few months," Donna told Lily.

Lily cleared her throat. She put down her fork and decide that this was a good time to bring up a subject which was lying heavy on her heart.

"Donna, I just wanted to say that I can see why Harvey loves you. I'm so glad he had someone to turn to when he did not want me to be part of his life. You helped him so much. Thank you for bringing my son back to me." Lily wiped a tear from her eye.

"Well, Lily, Harvey is a good man. You should be so proud of him. He accomplished so much and he is so loyal to anyone who shows him loyalty. When we were in the D.A.'s office, he used to have these dreams, he called them goals. I think he's achieved about all of them."

"Except the one where he makes you his wife and mother of his children."

"Are we sure that's one of his dreams and not yours?" Donna asked arching an eyebrow.

"Let's just say I have Mother's Instinct on this one. He may think that at one time I had stopped loving him or knew him very well. That was very untrue. I know you know of my sins against my family, but I am so happy you don't hold a grudge. I can see he must have waited a long while before he wanted to be with you."

"Lily, Harvey and I are happy and we're together; so let's keep all that nastiness in the past where it belongs," Donna put a hand on Lily's forearm and smiled at her.

"Touching back on marriage and children as Harvey said anything to you?" Lily wondered.

Donna took a sip of her coffee and wondered herself if Harvey had those things in the back of his mind. It had only been a few months and they were still settling where they should reside. Shuffling back and forth during the week and fitting in time for themselves along with their respective work duties was a challenge. Donna could only imagine if they had a child thrown into the mix.

"No he hasn't. To be fair, I haven't either. This new status between us is still so new. I was just thinking we have so much work between us just keeping the firm together that if we were to have a child I'm not sure it would be neglected," Donna confided.

"Are you saying that you don't want to marry and have children with Harvey if the opportunity should arise?"

Donna put down her coffee cup and said, "No, I'm not saying that. I don't know how Harvey feels about the subject of marriage and children. I know he used to think people were stupid for doing that, but I am pretty sure he's had a huge change of heart. Otherwise I wouldn't be with him in this capacity. I know how I feel. I would like nothing better than to be Harvey's wife and have a couple of strawberry-blonde babies padding around the condo."

Lily smiled widely and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I am so happy to hear you say that."

At that time Harvey returned to the table and put his napkin back in his lap having deposited his cell in his plain white shirt pocket.

"Louis having a meltdown?" Donna asked seeing the disquiet look on Harvey's face.

"Yes," Harvey said.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"No, Donna. Not this time. It seems the only one that can help this time is me. I will need to go back to the condo and change and go see the President of our new merged customers. All of a sudden they are not happy with some of the contractual items and are protesting the contract."

"Oh, no. We worked so hard on that. Well, you worked hard on that merger," Donna said.

"We worked on hard that merger, Donna, not just me. However, apparently not hard enough. Look I called Ray to pick you up when you're ready. You have his number. He's prepared to take you anywhere you want to go. I need to take the car," Harvey said calling for the waiter so he could give him his credit card.

"Harvey, I have it. Don't worry," Donna rose and Harvey came over to her and they briefly embraced. They kissed goodbye and Donna murmured to him running her hand down his jawline. "Dazzle them again with your Harvey Specter shit and they won't know what hit them."

Harvey smiled and kissed her again. He then bent down and kissed his mom's cheek. "I'll catch up with you later."

After Harvey left, Donna and Lily had another cup of coffee. The restaurant was slow for lunchtime and the host was not rushing them out the door.

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Lily looked pensive and things between the women had grown quiet. Without Harvey as their common denominator it seemed that the conversation just evaporated. Lily still wanted to know about Donna having only spoken to her briefly about herself and meeting her parents the month before.

"Donna, just how long have you and Harvey know each other? I'm just curious," Lily asked.

"Let's see we've known each other for about fourteen years. I worked for him as his assistant for the majority of them. I've only been COO for the last...going on my 3rd year," Donna responded.

"That's a long time. I just want to know and I am pretty sure I know the answer, but I am going to ask this anyway," Lily began. "Do you love him?"

"Yes, Lily, I have always loved him. I think from the first moment I laid eyes on him. He was so slick and sure of himself. Cocky for sure, but his reasons for doing what he did, mainly try cases as an ADA and work so hard gave me a sense that down deep he was a very good person. A little immature, but good just the same."

"What was he like as a little boy? I think I know, but Harvey never really talks about when he was little. I only found out tidbits when Gordon would call."

"Gordon did mention a Donna every now and then we talked. You're going to think this is silly, but I believe Gordon once told me and I quote: "If Harvey doesn't snap that woman up and marry her, I might.'" Lily smiled and chuckled.

"I love talking to Gordon. He was so proud of Harvey. I used to join Harvey sometimes when Gordon was playing locally. He even wanted me to sing one time, but I declined."

"Harvey told me that you're really an actress and a very good one."

"Is this why you asked me if I really loved Harvey? Did you think I have ulterior motives?"

"Oh God, no! Donna please don't be offended. I know you love Harvey and have waited a long time for him to grow up. I was just making conversation because I thought it was interesting."

"I'm sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to take umbrage. I just don't want anyone to think that I am not genuninely in love with your son. You have nothing to worry about. He's in good hands."

Lily smiled at Donna. "I can see that. You're in good hands as well. Harvey is so in love with you and has been from what I can tell for a long, long time."

"Well, then, let's take a sip of our coffees and do some shopping. Ray should be outside waiting for us by now," Donna said raising her coffee cup as Lily did and swiftly finishing the dregs lying in the bottom of their respective mugs.