HI Folks! I hope you're still sticking with this one. I promise good stuff at the end. This one is where a little angsty stuff starts between our happy lovers. Hopefully there's a little humor in this chapter for all you persevering readers. Appreciate you more than you know. Please R & R. Love-Carebearmaxi
Little One –
Chapter 21
"Ok, coaches help your mommies to focus. Remind her to breathe through the contraction. Stroke her belly. Let her lean on you…"
Harvey sat in a chair with Donna in front of him bouncing on a large round rubber ball. She concentrated and stared straight ahead and breathed while Harvey massaged her lower back and around her belly.
"Donna, did this work for Rachel?" Harvey quietly asked his wife.
"Shh…Harvey, do you want to get thrown out of this class, too?" Donna harshly whispered back trying to follow the lesson.
"We weren't thrown out. We're were asked to leave," Harvey said.
"Specters, is there a problem?" Coach Babbaloo asked in her Cuban accent.
"No, we were just discussing if Donna wanted to change position."
"No, I'm fine bouncing here on the ball," Donna explained looking like she had been reprimanded by the teacher for misbehaving.
"Time. Take a cleansing breath," Coach Babbaloo said.
While the teacher was waiting to time the next contraction for the students and birth coaches, she talked about what was happening with the mom's body through the active stage of labor.
"You're having a baby and that's about what's happening. What more do we need to know?" Harvey was feeling very uncomfortable about this process. He had no qualms about supporting Donna but from the little he witnessed when Rachel was giving birth to little James all this breathing and bouncing on balls was not going to help his wife at all.
"Shh…grow up," Donna admonished but smiled and laughed as she did it. She waved her forefinger in his face and Harvey played to catch it and bite it.
They had been at this class since 9 am and it was not due to end until 5 pm. They learned all types of fascinating things about the birthing process. Harvey was an older brother and only six when his brother was born. Being a little boy, he was not much into babies let alone the fact he was going to have a baby brother. At the time, Harvey just wondered how the baby got in and how the baby was going to get out of his mom.
Donna, on the other hand, was a youngest child; so, she did not get to witness the changes in her mom. Nor was Charlotte around too much when she was pregnant with Troy. Her sister hated to talk about it anyway. Donna never had any serious thoughts about having a family until, of course, she had fallen in love with Harvey and realized that there was more to life than being a legal secretary, actress, or a COO.
Harvey looked at the time. He, Mike, Jim, and Robert Zane had tickets to a Mariners game. The Mariners were playing the Yankees and Harvey was bound and determined to get his butt to the game in time to see the pregame festivities. He knew some of the Yankees having had a couple of them as his clients. Mike knew them as well having been introduced when Mike had started out as Harvey's associate so many years ago. Jim was not a huge baseball fan, but he had been surprised that his son-in-law had thought to invite him. Robert went along for the ride as he had been a big baseball fan, but in the last few years had lost track of it.
The rest of the class was spent on talking about breathing techniques, giving birth in a pool, or at home. There was a question and answer session about birth and the process plus a few ideas, if they were not too scary for a new mom, to watch some live births on YouTube just to get familiar with the different environments and techniques used. They also discussed what could go wrong in those rare cases like a stillbirth or premature labor. In Donna's case she asked a lot of questions regarding giving birth to twins and how difficult that would be.
"It's not difficult. It's just longer because you have two of them."
"What are the chances that I will have to have them via C-section."
"I cannot give you an answer in your particular case, Donna, but I can give you a generalization of what can happen. Your birth plan may be right on point then again it may be thrown out. It is completely up to your body and how it wants and can give birth. If you have questions, I would talk to your physician, midwife, doula, or your healthcare provider."
"Thank you, Coach Babaloo," Donna said with a laugh because the Nurse Practitioner/Midwife was not only from Cuba, but her last name was Babaloo which conjured up images of Desi Arnaz on the old "I Love Lucy" show. Donna's infectious laughter caught Harvey in a funny way, and he was not able to keep a straight face the rest of the day.
This was other reason why Harvey had been uncharacteristically amused and could not take the birthing class seriously. When he did finally settle down, it just took one word out of the Coach's mouth with her accent and Harvey had the same pictures in his mind of Desi Arnaz all dressed up in a ruffled shirt play his bongo drum.
"Lucy, you got some explanin' to do!" Harvey jokingly whispered in Donna's ear as they were timing another contraction.
"Shut up, Harvey," Donna laughed as well. She knew he was using humor as a defense mechanism against his deeper feeling of fear for her for when she really was in labor.
Finally, the class ended. Donna thanked Coach Babaloo. Harvey shook her hand and felt like he was a senior in high school being let out of detention. He thanked the Coach as well and with his hand on Donna's lower back accompanied her out the door. Under his arm he was carrying the birthing ball.
Donna was taking heel-toe steps belly first for sure now. She was quiet as Harvey helped her into the car.
"I'm sorry. I should not have made as many jokes as I did," Harvey said pouting as he stooped down leaning on Donna's open window.
"No, Harvey, you should not have. I felt bad laughing because I really think she had good information to impart. Remember this is one case where a paralegal and precedence can't help, counselor."
"Oh, I don't know. Tracy had four kids," Harvey joked. "Too soon?"
Donna half smiled and put her hand over Harvey's forearm that sat on top of the open window. He was dressed very casually in a Yankees' jersey with jeans and his sunglasses on top of his head. She knew he was chomping at the bit to have a guys' night out, and she could not be happier for him as well as herself. Rachel was coming with baby James, her mother Laura, and her own mother would be there as well. They all planned a girls' night in where they could watch a sappy rom-com, eat ice cream, and talk about every aspect of every detail of their lives. Real womanly conversation and how, ultimately, women can change the world.
They drove through the street back to their complex when they passed the shop that Donna had chosen for her Designer Duds Children's Clothes Shop. She had put a bid in for it some weeks ago, but both she and Harvey had heard no response. Harvey assured her it was a really good bid although lower than what the current owner was asking.
"Do you want AC?" Harvey asked looking over at his wife whose belly was large with their growing twins. Harvey still thought of Donna carrying daughters and not sons. He really wanted daughters. Most men long for sons, but he wanted daughters. Maybe it had some reason to do with his mother whom Harvey missed much more than he ever said.
"Hey, what's going on?" Harvey asked. Donna was unusually quiet considering she and he had been talking the entire time before the birthing class.
"I just wished I had been able to absorb more of the class. I got pregnancy brain. Yesterday, I found your suit jacket in the freezer part of our two door refrigerator. I talked to Samantha yesterday in New York and I kept calling her Sheila and talked about Lucy. She kept telling me it was ok, but it's not. How does that happen? I think I called you Marcus at least twice in the middle of the night. What's wrong with me?"
Harvey was laughing because he had never seen Donna so frazzled. She was always cool, calm, collected, and knew everything. He was glad she did not take the COO job because he could only imagine if she had another responsibility. She had worked and completed wonders with her new business considering that it was still in its infancy.
He eventually reached over and took her hand. He did not want to say anything in fear that it would only infuriate her the more. So, he just reached out and took her hand and let it lie in hers on the side of the seat. She was dressed in a pair of maternity capri leggings black (her favorite color lately), plain black maternity tank top with a red, white, blue button down overshirt. Her fair complexion where normally one could see a light brush of freckles was usually flushed from being overly warm.
"Is it warm today or is just me?" Donna asked him still holding his hand.
He knew this was really a rhetorical question, but it was getting hard to really know since lately she had been so short tempered. He knew those two precious beings in her body really heated her up. The air conditioning in their home was so low that Harvey had to put a sweater on during the day and the heavy comforter on them at night which Donna would quickly kickoff. She slept nude one night a couple of nights ago because the thought of anything touching her body binding her in any way was frustrating and terribly uncomfortable.
"Harvey what are you doing?" Donna had asked him as he lay with her body turned away from him.
"I thought we would you know…" he tried to seductively whisper as he kissed the back of her neck softly brushing a few red tendrils which were not quite long enough to make into the scrunchie she was wearing.
"Harvey, I can't. I want to. I would love to, but I just can't. I'm so uncomfortable and warm. So, I can't right now," Donna had said trying to sound apologetic and appreciative but to Harvey's ears it came out like a whining complaint.
He tried to kiss her and give her a little affection to show he wasn't hurt and that's when she flipped.
"CAN I NOT COME TO BED WITHOUT YOU ATTACKING ME!" Donna heard herself say. She threw her hand over her mouth.
"Oh, Harvey, I am so sorry," she said as he quickly got out of bed taking his pillows and the quilt off the bed.
"It's ok, Donna. I understand. You're heavily pregnant. You probably blame me for knocking you up, but if I remember correctly you weren't exactly kicking and screaming when we made them. So, I will sleep in the guest room and you can have the whole king size bed to yourself. I promise I won't touch you again unless you really, really want me to!"
Off he stormed, padding heavily to the room off to the right.
"I apologized, Harvey, but have it your way. When you get cold, don't think you're coming back here!" Donna shouted as she threw a throw pillow at Harvey's head as he entered the room down the hall.
So, Harvey trying to be understanding and supportive and loving of his beautifully pregnant wife had remained in the guestroom as Donna had not invited him back into their marriage bed. Luckily, Jim and Clara had found a temporary apartment in the same building that they could sublet until after the babies were born and Donna was not in dire circumstances.
"Harvey," Donna said.
"What?" Harvey asked.
"Where are you going?" Donna asked looking at him. He was still holding her hand.
"Home, why?"
"You missed the turn three streets ago."
"Shit!" Harvey let go of Donna's hand and then took the first left he could so he could get turned around.
"Harvey take it easy. Mike's not picking you up for another half hour."
"Ok, Donna, I'm sorry," Harvey said rather harshly.
"Excuse me. What is your problem? You laugh your way through an important birth class which pisses me off because you really showed how much you support me having your children!"
"Donna! I was getting bored. Normally you love my sarcasm."
"Not when it's something important!"
"Donna, these babies are going to come out of you whether you knew how to breathe or not. I'm sure once you're in pain you'll forget all about that breathing crap and you'll be cursing me to kingdom come like you want to do everyday now. I can't believe you've got another month to go with this!"
"You're complaining? How would you like to have your body be out of control. I'm used to feeling a certain way about myself and now I'm nothing but a huge lump of flesh. I can't control how much I eat. I haven't had a stiff drink in eight months and there are many times I could use one. I miss our shitty Thai place because out here it seems they don't have many of them, and I can't fucking move without a cramp, getting sweaty, or just feeling shitty! How would you like to feel this way 24 hours a fucking day, Mr. Harvey holier-than-thou Specter?"
Harvey then hit the button on the dash dialing his phone.
"Hey, Harvey getting itchy to see your Yankees? I'll be there in about 20 minutes."
"No, on second thought, I'm going to go early. I want to talk turkey with a couple of my clients before the game. So, you can just drop Rachel and the baby off. I'll drive myself."
There was a silence and then in a rather quiet voice, Mike said, "Sure. I can do that. I'll see you there then. What about your father-in-law?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. I got him. Don't worry. He'll get a kick out of who some of his son-in-law's clients are."
"It was good of Louis to let you retain them."
"It was. I gave Samantha a couple of my other athletes."
"Not Jordan."
"Yes, Jordan. Samantha will do him justice. That's for sure."
"Ok, Harvey, see you at the game."
"Thanks, buddy." Harvey then hung up as he pulled up in front of he and Donna's building.
"Now, if you don't bite my head off again, wait for me right here and I will accompany you into the building. I don't want you to trip again and hurt yourself or the babies."
"Harvey," Donna said in an ominously low voice. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I am perfectly capable of walking into the building and hitting the elevator button."
"Donna, don't you take this the wrong way…again. After last week when I had to peel your ass off the ground and practically carry you in my arms to the elevator after you tripped on your own two feet, there's no way in hell you're going in that building all by yourself!"
Donna sat on her couch holding little Jimmy. He was only a month old and had just come home from the hospital a week ago. Rachel had extended her maternity leave because she had had to go back and forth to the hospital to feed the little guy.
"I bet you're glad he's home," Donna said looking at her friend and then rubbing her nose over the little guy in her arms.
"I bet you can't wait to hold your own," Rachel responded.
"No, if not for anything and not look like this or feel like shit every day. I'm snapping at Harvey, for no reason, other than feeling uncomfortable and unattractive."
Rachel smiled.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Remember when Mike was here that one night a couple of months ago and he said that he had to sleep in the other room because of me being gassy?"
"Yes. I didn't think that was all that funny," Donna said.
"The real reason he took to sleeping on the couch was because the last thing I wanted in my last trimester was someone clinging to me in his sleep."
"I always knew Mike was a Teddy Bear," Laura, Rachel's mom, commented as she came back onto the terrace from the kitchen holding a bottle of ginger ale and glasses.
"I threw your father out of bed when I was pregnant with you. Can you imagine two big people in a small bed? We only had a narrow queen-size bed when I was pregnant with Rachel. Robert slept on the couch for two months until I went into labor. He really didn't mind."
Donna was surprised. She and Harvey had always held their intimacy as a precious and healing act. Since Harvey and she had been together there had only been a handful of nights where they had not made love or performed a little oral sex on the other to release the buildup including the first few months of her pregnancy when morning sickness had been particularly acute. The funny thing was sometimes loving on Harvey was the only thing that stopped her nausea. The irony of their situation now was just unexpected.
Next, Clara walked into the room carrying some food and a bottle for the baby that Rachel had been warming. Clara handed the bottle to her daughter who had asked to feed little James.
"You know I fed Lucy a few times before we left New York and then when Louis and Sheila came in February. I had baby duty while they fixed lunch for all of us. Talk about a baby with a healthy appetite."
"She's the cutest thing. She looks like Louis! In all honesty, I didn't think he would have such a cute baby," Laura said.
"Mom!" Rachel admonished.
"Hey, he's not here. Besides she's adorable," Laura finished with a chuckle. "But she's doesn't hold a candle to my grandson."
"Did you want to feed him, Laura? I don't want anyone to think I was hogging the baby," Donna said. Jimmy had released the nipple from his lips.
"I think he needs to be burped," Donna further explained handing the baby and the bottle to Jimmy's grandma.
"I wish Harvey's mom was here," Donna said a little wistfully. "He never says, but I know how much he misses her. I think she would have been such a comfort to him right now while we're going through this."
"Don't feel bad for Harvey. He'll be fine," Clara said. "Your dad and I had two children, and, after your sister, your dad was so excited. He didn't even care if the second one wasn't a boy. He loves his girls."
Rachel put down her drink and took her bestie's arm and laid her head against it.
"I detect there's a bit of strife happening between Harvey and you. I know that Mike detected something when Harvey called to say he would drive your dad and him to the game. Mike was looking forward to having a full car. He said the only one missing was Louis. So, I told him that Louis would never have appreciated it anyway."
Donna laughed. "Did Louis ever tell you that after Faye took away his title during her babysitting us that he, a very pregnant Sheila and I had "Girls' Night?"
"No! I'm so jealous. What did you do?"
"We watched "Dirty Dancing" and then he and I watched "The Merchant of Venice" on PBS. Harvey had waited on the couch for me to come home and then we decided not to go in the office for a very long time the next day. Harvey had said 'Let Faye rot'.
"Honey," Clara said. "I know you and Harvey are having a little problem adjusting to each other while you're in this condition. Believe me, though, this will pass. Once you go into labor and give birth and see your beautiful babies, Harvey and you will forget all about what happened."
"It will until you get pregnant again," Laura said. "Rachel, you remember what I told you about my miscarriage when you were about four."
"Yes, I do, mom." Rachel said as she still leaned like a teenager against Donna's arm.
Laura rose with Jimmy in her arms. "He's contented and asleep. I'm just going to put him down in his seat."
After Laura put the baby in his seat, she resumed her seat and told the women of her miscarriage and how really understanding, supportive, and disappointed Robert had been. That was when Donna finally told everyone about her own miscarriage suffered several years ago when she and Harvey had had "The Other Time" right after they started working at the firm.
"You never told me," Rachel said shocked. "You told me that you slept with Harvey, but you never said that you had gotten pregnant."
Donna told them all the details, but she really told them how proud she was of Harvey's reaction when she told him almost 14 years after the fact.
"He was so understanding why I had not said anything to him. He was amazed that I miscarried over a weekend and came to work on that Monday."
"Much to my dismay," Clara said. "Her father was going to chain her inside her apartment had he been in the city that week."
"All I needed was for you to be there when I got home, mom. You didn't say one bad thing about Harvey, and you had not even met him yet. Dad on the other hand…I thought he would never forgive him."
"I'm glad they cleared the air between them," Clara said taking a sip of her cranberry and vodka.
They talked of many things. Eventually the breeze off the bay was a little too much for the older women, Rachel and the baby, so they all ventured inside so they could watch "First Knight" and sigh over both Sean Connery and Richard Gere. The younger women loved Sean Connery, but both had a huge crush on Richard Gere while their mothers talked about how Sean Connery could invade their castle anytime.
Before the movie started, Donna was curious of the score of the baseball game. She wanted to gauge her husband's mood before he stepped in the door and if they would pick up where they had left off.
