Prompt #18 by nikkaq_: "Harvey and Lily are now on good terms. He will be hosting Thanksgiving for the first time at his apartment. He asks Donna to be there with him and his family. (Pre-canon)"
Story set in late Season Six.
Harvey opens his front door after hearing a series of loud knocks.
"Alright, I'm here. What's the big emergency?" Donna says.
"Well…"
"Why are you wearing an apron?" She asks, brows furrowed. This is the first time she is seeing him dressed like this.
"Oh my god, don't tell me THE Harvey Specter is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner." She says, voice laced with amusement and disbelief. Harvey is the last person you would ever want to host anything, let alone a thanksgiving dinner.
"I was strong-armed by my asshat of a brother." Harvey sighs, scratching his head.
She walks into his apartment and places her purse on one corner of the kitchen counter. "They're coming?" She asks.
Harvey nods slowly. "Yeah, my mom too."
A rush of warmth runs through her chest. Harvey and his mom just mended fences a couple of weeks ago and now they're celebrating a holiday together. She can't help but feel so proud of him for finally reaching this point.
"You're mom's coming?" Her voice is soft.
"Yeah." He gives her a small smile.
"Harvey, that's great." She says sweetly.
"It is."
She returns his smile then looks at his kitchen. There are bags of groceries everywhere, she is surprised he made the effort of going to a grocery store and getting everything needed to prepare a feast. "So, I'm guessing the problem is you don't know how to stuff a turkey."
"Bingo."
"Oh Harvey, what would you do without me?" She jokingly asks as she grabs a spare apron and puts it on.
"Let's hope we never find out."
"You promise I'll be in charge the whole time?"
"I will cater to your every need." He says, surrendering to her.
"Alright, I like the sound of that. Let's get started." Donna says, letting water run through her hands. She grabs a kitchen towel and dries them. She then quickly bends over to finger comb and gather her hair in a bunch and ties her hair in a very high ponytail, her side bangs falling to her temples which she immediately tucks behind her ears.
Harvey looks at her like he is mesmerized by what he just saw her do. It's not the first time he has seen her cook or prepare a meal, he has witnessed her prepare a feast years ago at that God-awful dinner party she hosted for her mother and that loser of a boyfriend, but it is the first time he is seeing her this determined.
She feels the weight of his heavy staring, she looks at him and raises a brow. "What?" She asks him.
"Nothing, it's like you're preparing for battle."
Donna rolls her sleeves up then smiles cockily at him. "I am."
Donna spends the next hour preparing the stuffing and the greens. She gave Harvey the easy task of making the herb butter because knowing him, that's all he is capable of doing at the moment. She looks over at him and sees how he is definitely not enjoying this process.
"Stop sulking." Donna says.
"I'm not."
"Uh, yeah you are." She laughs. "You could've declined."
"No, I couldn't because Marcus never takes 'No' for an answer."
"Hmm. I see he takes after his big brother." She says teasingly.
He stops stirring and cocks his head to the side, acting offended. She looks at him then giggles. He raises the spatula and points it in her direction. "You take that back." He warns.
"Or what?" She challenges him.
"You don't wanna know."
"Oh, trust me, I want to." She says, voice firm. Harvey sucks on his upper teeth then nods slowly, acting defeated. She calls his bluff and starts giggling to set him off even more. "I knew you didn't have it in you." She says, bringing her attention back to seasoning the stuffing.
"Hey, Donna?" Harvey calls her attention.
"What?" She turns her head back to him and is rudely greeted by Harvey throwing a palm full of flour at her. The powder lands on the left side of her face, on her apron, and part of her sweater. She gasps at the impact, he starts laughing his head off.
"Harvey!" She yells.
"Never underestimate me, Donna."
"I'm gonna fucking kill you."
"Go ahead." He says, as he throws another batch of flour at her.
Donna pretends that her eyes caught flour and immediately winces in fake pain. Harvey's eyes immediately widen then he walks towards her. "Oh my god, Donna, are you okay?"
She covers her eyes and turns her back on him. He touches her back gently, genuinely concerned about her. "Hey, I'm sorry." He says softly. She grins then grabs a stick of room temperature butter. She quickly turns to face him then rubs it all over his face, laughing while doing so. Harvey is stunned, cursing at himself for not seeing this coming. His face is now greasy and disgusting. She puts what remains of the butter stick down on the counter and rubs her hands on his black t-shirt, using the material to clean her fingers.
"Well played." He says as a glob of butter from the corner of his mouth to the floor.
"You started it." She says, raising her hands to convince him of her innocence.
He nods, pressing his lips together. He extends a hand to her. "Truce?" He asks.
Donna bites her lips then pretends to think it over. She eventually takes his hand and shakes it, sealing the deal. "Truce." She repeats. "I'm gonna start stuffing the turkey now." She says.
"Okay." He answers, but they're hands are still together, neither of them are showing any signs of letting the other go. His eyes meet hers and suddenly a rush of warmth is rapidly spreading through her chest. Their hands, the eye contact, the silence, this feels all too intimate. His eyes drop to her lips for a second then back up to her eyes, this makes her knees grow a bit weak. Harvey, on the other hand, is doing his best to restrain himself from kissing her right then and there.
Once she feels the atmosphere has shifted, she drops her hand, the loss of contact takes him by surprise but he is quick to cover his disappointment. She grabs the tray of turkey and starts filling it with the stuffing she worked very hard on, she can feel him just staring at her but she tries her best to ignore him.
"Here, all you have to do is tie its legs together and use this brush to spread your herb butter all over it." She says as she hands him a pastry brush. "Be very generous with the butter." She says while smiling.
"Got it, boss." He tells her, which is funny because he is actually her boss.
She places a hand on her hip and watches him do what she instructed him to do. Maybe she likes being the boss of him for once. She will definitely milk the shit out of this day. "Good job." She comments as soon as he finishes. He gives her a smug look, acting all proud of the work he has done.
"Time to put this baby in the oven." She says as she takes it away from him. She pulls the oven door down and sets the tray right in the middle. She shuts the door then sets a timer on her phone for about three hours. She places her hands on her hips and gives him a proud smile. "We did good."
"We sure did." Harvey smiles back.
She chuckles. "God, I have to go clean up, there's flour all over my face and hair."
"You can wash yourself in my shower."
"No, Idiot, I'm going home. I don't have spare clothes."
"Point taken. But you have to come back and have dinner with us." He says calmly.
Her eyes widened, this is the first time he has ever asked her to spend time with his family. She can feel her tummy flutter but at the same time, she is nervous. She has never met Lily in person before.
"Okay," She whispers. "Thanks, Harvey."
"No, thank you." He gives her a small smile. "You've earned the invite. But if you failed the turkey, I would throw you under the bus, no hesitation." He says jokingly.
She rolls her eyes. "You're such a jackass." This elicits a loud laugh from him.
Suddenly, they hear several knocks on the door, it sounds like it's coming from multiple people tapping on it simultaneously. They both furrow their brows as they wonder who could be at the door.
"That's not them, right?"
"It can't be, it's too early." Harvey says.
They stand in silence as they patiently wait for the mysterious guests to knock again. They don't.
"False alarm." Harvey says. Donna lets out a sigh of relief. But of course, they spoke too soon.
"Harvey!" Marcus voice calls out while pounding on the door again.
"Shit. I told them to come at 7."
"That's it, I'm hiding in your bathroom."
"Why the hell would you do that?"
"Harvey, I can't meet your mother looking like this!" She gestures to her face and clothes, staring him down as he is to blame for it.
"So your plan is to hide in my bathroom until the night is over?" He asks her, a brow raised in confusion.
Donna clicks her tongue. "To be honest, I didn't really think this through." She whispers.
"Harvey! Open up!" Marcus yells yet again.
Harvey sighs then looks at her. "They'll understand."
"What? No! Do not open that door!"
"It's my apartment." Harvey says smugly. He starts walking towards the door which makes Donna panic. She grabs a spare kitchen towel and runs it under the faucet for a couple of seconds, just enough to dampen it. She starts wiping her face and cleaning loose strands of her hair that's covered in flour.
Harvey turns the knob and five people greet him at his door. "Happy Thanksgiving!" They yell in unison. Harvey chuckles and bows his head in amusement. The kids immediately wrap their small arms around their favorite uncle's hips and waist.
"Hey guys." He says, rubbing their backs and arms. "You're way too early." He jokingly tells his little brother.
"We're just getting into the holiday spirit, Harvey. Bring it in." He says, stretching his arms out, inviting him over for a massive bear hug. Harvey pulls him in and pats his back.
"How was your trip?" He asks.
"Great. Thanks for having us." Marcus pulls away then places his hands on Harvey's shoulders. "Is that grease on your face?"
"I was busy in the kitchen, okay? And I didn't have time to shower because all of you decided to drop in three hours early." Harvey says, pulling him in for another quick hug. When they part, Katie embraces Harvey and he rubs her back in return. "Hey, Katie." He whispers. "Please, all of you come in." He says as he steps away from the door, allowing them to enter.
Lily licks her lips then gives her son the biggest smile ever. As soon as Marcus and the family step inside, Lily walks over to Harvey and gives him the tightest hug because she is finally allowed to. "Hi, Harvey."
"Hey mom." He says as he hugs her back, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder. He allows her perfume to tickle his nose. As much as he dreaded the idea of preparing for this dinner, he is grateful to be able to spend thanksgiving with her after missing out on so many years.
"No Bobby?" He asks as he pulls away.
She shakes her head slightly. "He wishes he could make it but the poor man is too caught up in work."
"Next time." Harvey nods.
Inside, Marcus leads his family to the kitchen, to his surprise, a familiar redhead is standing in front of the oven.
"Donna?"
"Hi, Marcus."
"Hey! I didn't know you were coming." He says as he gives her a small hug, a smile now growing on his face, erasing his shock.
"Well, your brother isn't a very good cook. I thought you'd know that by now."
"That's exactly why I asked him to host! That cheater." He laughs. "Now, I say this with love, but you look like a mess."
"Yeah, I have your idiot brother to thank for that." She rolls her eyes.
"This is my wife, Katie, and our children."
"Hi everybody." Donna waves. She stoops down to speak to the kids. "I've heard so many great things about you guys, It's nice to finally meet you." She whispers. The kids giggle in response, and the sound echoes through the entire apartment.
"Now what's everybody laughing about?" Lily asks. She gasps slightly at the sight of a beautiful woman she has never met before.
Dona returns the gasp, her mouth falls open. She looks to Harvey immediately, hoping he would save them from this awkward first encounter. A smile appears on Lily's face. "Harvey, I didn't know you were bringing a lady friend."
Lady friend.
Harvey clears his throat. "Mom, meet Donna." He says, nothing more.
Donna doesn't know how to feel about that. He didn't introduce her as his secretary or his lady friend, just Donna. She feels blood rushing to her cheeks but she also doesn't want to give his mother the wrong impression. "I'm his secretary." She finds herself saying.
"And a long time friend." He butts in.
Lily senses their hesitance so she makes it easier for them both. "Well, hello Donna. I'm Lily."
"Lily, you have no idea how long I've been wanting to meet you." She says, smiling sweetly. It's true, she has been dreaming of this moment for years now. "I apologize for my appearance, but your son and I got a little creative with flour and butter earlier." She says, giving Harvey a sarcastic smile.
Lily laughs. "Well, that explains my son's sticky face. Don't worry dear, you look gorgeous still."
Donna smiles shyly then bites her lip.
"No, I mean it. You are stunning. Right, Harvey?" Lily looks at him.
"She's always been beautiful." Harvey says, and he means it. This makes Donna's heart flutter. Harvey isn't big on words and he rarely comments on her appearance so for him to say this now hits differently.
"Thank you, Lily." She replies, her voice coming out in a whisper. Her eyes then meet Harvey's, she's trying her best to resist the urge to smile at him but fails. He chuckles then nods his head. The butterflies in her tummy start to go crazy.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to head home and shower." Donna says, breaking the ice.
"Oh, don't tell me you're not joining us for dinner." Lily says, worry is prominent in her tone.
"I will. I just need to clean up. I'll be back in an hour." She says. She grabs her purse from the corner of the kitchen island and excuses herself. She waves everybody goodbye then heads out of the apartment.
Lily couldn't help but give her oldest son a poke on her oldest son's arm. Harvey snaps his head in her direction. "What?" He asks.
"Nothing." She teases. "I like her."
Donna comes back exactly an hour and a half later, tonight is probably one of the worst times to be late but she took extra time to make sure she looked not just presentable but great. She chose a black turtleneck top, paired it with a brown knee length skirt and black chelsea boots. She decided to stop by a pastry shop to buy an apple pie too, knowing she and Harvey only prepared a small selection of food.
She takes the key from her mini satchel purse and unlocks his door. She walks in and closes the door behind her, silently praying that she doesn't trip over or drop the pie she brought. "Hey!" She exclaims from the entrance.
"In the kitchen." Harvey yells.
She walks over and sees him in the same clothes. Lily is right beside him wearing an apron and chopping up some greens and sweet potatoes.
"Hi. Sorry I'm late, I bought an apple pie."
"Thanks. My mom is making a sweet potato mash even though I insisted I do it since she is my guest this evening."
"Please, it's no big deal. I can make this mash with my eyes closed." Lily jokingly says. "And besides, the fact that you called Donna over here to make the turkey is proof enough that you can't cook to save your life."
Harvey rolls his eyes and Donna giggles. "Harvey, why don't you get cleaned up while I take your place and help Lily?"
"That is a wonderful idea, Donna." Lily exclaims in enthusiasm.
Harvey shakes his head. "No, it isn't."
"Why not?" Donna asks.
"Donna, I am not leaving you alone with my family." He says, giving her a knowing look.
Marcus gets up from the couch and walks over to the kitchen counter. "Aww, come on, Harvey. We don't bite."
"It's not the biting I'm worried about." Harvey says.
Lily waves him off. "Donna is in good hands. Go shower, you stink." she says, pushing him towards the direction of his bedroom.
"Fine. Promise not to embarrass me?" He asks for assurance.
"No promises." Marcus says, holding his beer up.
Harvey shakes his head. "You know, you really shouldn't gang up on your thanksgiving host."
"Please," Lily scoffs. "We all know who the real host is." She looks at Donna, giving her a small wink. Donna smiles. She looks at Harvey and sees how genuinely concerned he is.
"I'll be fine, Harvey. I can hold my own." She says smugly, loving how they all backed him up in a corner.
"You guys are bullies."
"Shower!" They all yell in unison, giving Harvey no choice but to obey. He steps into the shower and lets the hot water run down his body. He closes his eyes and prays to whoever is listening that the evening doesn't turn a corner.
In the kitchen, Lily teaches Donna how she makes her infamous sweet potato mash. "So Donna, how long have you known my Harvey?"
"A little over twelve years now." She answers.
"That's a long time."
"It is. And I'm surprised she stuck around." Marcus says jokingly.
"Harvey values loyalty." Donna replies without thinking. Once the words come out of her mouth, she immediately regrets it. She turns her head and sees Lily pressing her lips together. Donna panics and tries to make up for her recklessness. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I didn't mean…"
"It's alright, Donna. I know how my actions deeply affected my son. I'm glad he had you though, you two seem inseparable." She says calmly.
"They are." Marcus says. "She puts him in his place, sometimes I wonder who the real boss is." He adds. Donna bites her lip. In Harvey's family, Marcus is the one who has known her the longest.
"Thank you, Donna." Lily says, placing a hand on her arm.
"For what?"
"I know Harvey never would have forgiven me if somebody didn't give him that last push."
"How did you…"
"Mother's instinct." Lily interrupts. "Thank you. This evening wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for you."
"Gosh, Lily, I really can't take credit for that. Harvey was ready." She says softly, placing her hand on top of Lily's.
Harvey emerges from his bedroom. "You two look like you're getting cozy."
Lily wipes away a tear that fell on her cheek. "Oh, Donna and I were just talking." She chuckles.
"I get she didn't scare you away with my childhood stories?" He asks Donna.
"Please, at this point, I don't think anything you did or didn't do is gonna scare me away." She says while laughing. Harvey smirks, semi-relieved that his mother didn't embarrass him as much as he thought she would. But also, her comment reassures him that she won't leave him again.
While the kids continue to turn his apartment into an oversized playpen, the adults spend another hour preparing side dishes and setting up the table. Lily kept telling Donna more stories about her sons, even though she and Harvey were estranged for most of his life, it felt like she had enough stories to keep them amused throughout the evening.
Marcus then gathered everybody around for a family picture. Donna offered to take it for them but Lily pulled her in, insisting that she is family now and should be in the picture as well. Harvey got creative and placed his brother's cellphone on the counter and put on a 5-second timer, just enough to get everyone to take their places. Lily stood in the middle, she had Marcus and Katie to her right, her grandchildren in front of her, and Harvey and Donna to her left.
Lily couldn't help but allow a few tears to stream down her face when they showed her the picture. She placed her hand over her mouth and pulled both her sons in for a tight hug, this is the happiest she has felt in a long time.
The oven timer rudely interrupted their moment so both Katie and Donna volunteered to take the turkey out. Marcus called his kids over to the table and poured both of them cups of hot chocolate while Harvey took a chilled bottle of wine from his fridge.
The turkey is now set in the middle of the table and everybody has taken their seats. Harvey does the honors of cutting it. "It smells amazing, Donna." Katie says. Donna smiles shyly and quietly thanks her. After placing slices of turkey on everyone's plates, Harvey sits back down next to Donna.
"I would like to make a toast." Lily says as she raises her glass of wine.
The adults put their forks down and raise their glasses, the children even follow suit with their cups of hot chocolate. Lily looks around as tears build up in her eyes. "To family." She says.
"To family." Marcus repeats, giving Katie a soft kiss on her lips. The children squeal as the horror of seeing their parents kiss is now etched into their brains, this elicits a laugh from the others.
"To family." Harvey says as he looks at Donna, slowly engulfing her hand in his. She responds by squeezing his hand, a smile growing on her face. She feels the butterflies in her tummy going crazy but she does her best to stay composed.
And the night set out to be the most perfect thanksgiving dinner. Lily had the picture printed and framed and displayed in the Specter household in Boston. This moment marked the first of many holiday parties, the only difference is that in the succeeding years, Donna attended as a Paulsen-Specter.