Chapter 9

Hey guys, here's another one, i hope you like.

...

When will I feel this
As vivid as it truly is
Fall in love in a single touch
And fall apart when it hurts too much?- Touch, sleeping at last

...

Mike was failing to wrap his head around the new pro-bono case he had taken, it was a bit of a sore spot. Cancer patients suing their medical Insurance for failing to foot the bill for their full treatment. It had resulted in others dying from premature termination of chemo, others were still suffering from the aftereffects of not finishing the treatment. It wasn't exactly what Donna was going through, hers wasn't a lack of money by any means, it was a lack of options. But to just sit there and die. No, it wasn't anything to help Donna in any way but it was still close to home for Mike to take it personally. The Firm wasn't the same without Donna and Harvey in it, even though Jessica had taken time to pitch in at the Firm whenever she got the free time to help them manage it when under threat. Vultures were never too far away when they realized that the esteemed leader of the Firm was going through a rough time, and in this case the whole Firm was going through a rough time because, this was Donna. Most people knew what that meant. Most would want to strike while the iron was hot. Louis couldn't handle this himself; he was doing a great job at the helm, but he cared about Donna too much he was falling apart at the seams with the pressure of it all. The last time he had gone head to head with opposing council, they had barely escaped a lawsuit because Louis went off the handle with them. That was what Louis was about but this version of Louis, Mike had never seen before. And he thought he knew Louis. Escaping the criminal lawsuit had to take Jessica out of her now thriving political carrier to come in and iron out the feathers. Louis was bull in a China shop on his best days, but with everything going on with Donna, it was just too much for him. Too much for everyone.

At least Mike had to go home at the end of the day with Rachel to their two-year-old daughter, Louis went home to his own family, Sheila and their one-year old daughter, Donna. And no, he had not found it weird at all to give his daughter Donna's name exactly , not even do what Harvey and Donna had done with their children to make their names sound a little different even as they knew who their namesakes were. That was Louis, never quite mincing the words. Jessica would go home to Jeff; everyone's everyone was safe. Mike wondered what Harvey was feeling knowing that the time was drawing closer that he wouldn't have his Donna to come back home to anymore. Mike didn't want to even think about it.

His phone interrupted his morose mood at that moment, he glanced disinterested at the caller I.D and stilled instantly, heart freezing for a moment. It was Harvey, and he knew somehow that he wasn't just calling to check in or to say hi. Somehow, he knew that it had something to do with Donna, and not in a good way. He let the phone ring three more times, dreading to pick it up.

'Hey. Harvey. Don't tell me the Canadian beach is boring you already. I know you don't take vacations but try to enjoy this one while it lasts?'

Or maybe 'Don't tell me you miss this place already?'

Mike wanted to start with a joke, but none sounded right because Harvey was not on vacation in Canada because he wanted to. This was the last time he could spend with his wife before she died. The Canadian beach was not why Harvey was there at all. Everyone knew that. And the reason was too sad. So, no joke to lighten the mood when he picks up the phone, no quote off either. Suddenly he couldn't remember any funny 'Lord of the rings' or even a T-Bag quote, and he almost didn't pick up the phone.

"Hey, Harvey." Mike said as he finally picked up the phone.

"Mike."

No.

Mike froze at the defeated, weary, toneless voice that whispered his name on the other side of the phone. No. No way! She wasn't…

"Harvey…you…she's not…"

There was a sigh on the other end of the line and it sounded like Harvey was crying.

No! No no no no no no. It wasn't time yet. He had thought he would be ready when the time came, having been given six months of wrapping their heads around it but… it wasn't so. No, Mike had not even began wrapping his head around it. He stood up from his desk, ready to do God only knew what, hand frozen holding his phone onto his ear.

"She's not…she's not gone already Harvey…please tell me that…"

"She…we were at the beach and she just…passed out…"

"No. No she's not…"

"She's in hospital right now. I don't now what's going on in there…."

Mike didn't hear the rest of what Harvey was saying, Donna was in hospital, that didn't mean she was dead. Dead people went to the morgue. With that, he released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding this entire time. He had never been so happy to hear that someone was in hospital. Getting his equilibrium back, his brain beginning to function again, he got his mind back to what Harvey was saying on the other end of the line. For a moment there, photographic memory had gone on defunct mode, he would have never thought it a thing, not with him.

"Harvey, hang in there, ok? I'm getting the next flight to Canada right now. I'll be there as soon as I can get there, just…just hang in there buddy."

"Yeah, ok." Was all Harvey said on the other end of the line.

No, 'oh you don't need to Mike, I've got this'. Or his 'I'm fine' bullshit that was usually his go to. No, this time Harvey really needed him, and he wasn't afraid to admit it, for the first time in forever.

This was going to be the easiest request he was ever going to make to Louis, no way he could have a problem with it.

"Hey, Mike. What can I do for you?" Was Louis' greeting when Mike walked briskly into his office, Louis barely took his eyes off his computer screen to acknowledge him. Being the Senior Partner had him busy putting out fires these days, or creating some.

"Uh, yeah Louis, I'm gonna have to take some time off." Mike started.

"Mike, that can't happen. You know we're already short-staffed with Harvey and Donna gone and we have our eyeballs deep in some shit with Hardman making a move for this Firm again. What, you think I'd just grant you a leave so you can go hold Rachel's hand at a Lamaze class?"

"Louis…"

"I know she's getting into her second trimester, believe I know. I went through it with Sheila and it is its own kind of hell, but like I said, we're already short-staffed and we don't have time for that right now. Get her a prunie or fact, Rachel should…"

"Donna! Louis." Mike had to yell to get through Louis' tirade. And as expected, that name had him freeze mid-sentence of whatever insulting comment he was about to make about pregnant women and Rachel.

Louis slowly stood from his desk; eyes glued on Mike's face.

"What about Donna?" He asked with a calmness that failed to mask the drama with which he said it. Fear written all over his face. Louis was easy on the waterworks and right now, Mike could see some smarting in his eyes.

"Harvey called, he said she passed out…"

"She's not…"

"No, Thank God. She's in hospital right now."

"Oh God. Oh God. You know what, you take whatever time you need Mike. I take it you're flying out there. In fact, I'm coming with you." Louis made those split decisions in under a second and he was already packing his desk, getting his Dictaphone to dictate some instructions to Gretchen.

"No, Louis, you're the Senior partner here…"

"So what?"

"Look, I know you care about Donna and Harvey, but wasn't it you who just said we are already short-staffed, and Hardman is making a move on this Firm again?"

"I did say that. Then I changed my mind. Like you said, I'm the Senior partner here."

"Louis…"

"Mike. Harvey is like a brother to me and Donna…Donna is…" He was about to break down at that, Mike could see those tears shining in his eyes again as he struggled to explain how important Donna was to him.

"I know Louis, but I also know that Harvey would really appreciate you holding the fort in this Firm at a time when he can't, like right now."

"You're not understanding me Mike. I'd close Goddamn Firm if I have to. But luckily Jessica is around, I can call her in and have her take over again, like she's been doing for some time now. And she can sure handle Daniel Hardman, better than anybody. Right now, where I'm really needed is next to Harvey, holding his hand."

Mike didn't think Harvey would entertain any hand holding. Besides, it was most likely Louis who would be needing the hand holding from them.

"Fine. Whatever you say, boss." Mike said resignedly.

"Damn straight. Now go pack a bag and I'll meet you at the airport. If you're late I'm leaving without you." He turned to Gretchen and yelled through the glass.

"Gretchen, book me two plane tickets to Toronto Canada pronto."

Then he turned with his Dictaphone to his mouth and with that Mike knew he had been dismissed.

…..

Can we skip past near-death clichés
Where my heart restarts as my life replays?
All I want is to flip a switch
Before something breaks that cannot be fixed- touch, sleeping at last