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Parent Pursuit
III.
New York City
2002
It was towards the end of winter in New York that night. Harvey had stayed in the office late. Donna stayed at home to watch the twins, who were only a couple months old, yet every minute, they grew and grew more like their parents. Donna has noticed the small differences between the two babies, that made them their own individual. She thought it was her motherly instincts kicking in, because Harvey believed that they looked exactly the same. "They're identical twins!" He would say with a chuckle.
It was towards the end of her pregnancy was when the rough patch began. Harvey had spent more hours in the office than he had spent at home with Donna. Donna was proud of him, she truly was, but she had wished that he had put in the effort towards their marriage. Jobs get in the way, but when it came to Harvey, the job was in line first.
He wanted to provide for his family, he wanted to create a life that didn't require to do Donna a whole lot, if he could get the world, he'd give it right back to her. Except, he failed to notice that overtime, he was growing more and more apart from both Donna and the twins.
It was cold that particular night, it had snowed a couple of inches thick, despite the weather reporters claiming that it would rain. Harvey had come home earlier than Donna has expected. A rare occasion, nonetheless, he was home. The twins were already tucked away.
There was a worldless interaction when Harvey came home that night, as he scooped her up in his arms, kissing her harshly, their clothes making a trail towards their bedroom. It was only the crackling of the fireplace and the sighs that disrupted the silence.
They made love, a passionate one. One that felt so genuinely themselves yet foreign at the same time.
It was when Harvey saw her tears that he spoke. It had been wordless between them before that very moment.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Harvey whispered, their bodies in a tangled mess.
She turns to look away from him. The faint light of the city illuminating Donna's tears. She swallowed back, keeping herself from fully breakdown.
"Harvey, I think it's time we get a divorce."
It had started raining that night, the drizzle slowly melting away the snow, signifying the end of winter. Much like Harvey and Donna.
—
Donna had no idea how she managed to get through her speech, but all of a sudden, everyone was clapping and cheering her on. She smiled in gratitude then walked off the podium. Everyone turned their attentions back to whatever they were doing. Donna's legs immediately moved towards the door. The opposite direction of Harvey. Fucking fate. Donna thought. Before she reached the handle of the door, the British accent cuts through the loud room.
"Miss Paulsen!" Donna sighs, practically sensing his presence behind her. She stands up straighter and turns around.
Paula was still clinging onto Harvey's arm as they approached her.
"Polly," Donna musters, not missing the way Harvey was staring at her.
"Paula." Paula smiles, "This is—"
"Your boyfriend, I asumme?" Donna interrupts, trying to bite back the attitude that was bubbling up from insides. She had no idea why.
"Did I say boyfriend earlier?" Paula laughs, "I meant fiancé. I'm still getting used to it."
Harvey proposed to her a couple months of them dating. He truly believed that he was ready to move on, but now that Donna was standing right in front of him, a small hint of hesitance rose to the surface. They were the only two people who knew of the engagement, but now out of all people, Donna does too.
All Donna could do was laugh with Paula, not in agreement but out of the small world she was now stuck in. So much for the pep talk with Kate about not bumping to her ex husband and his fiancée. It was clear that Harvey had not given Paula any details of who she was. She still hasn't looked in his direction, despite the minimal distance between them.
"Congratulations," Donna says. Paula was the only one who said thank you.
"This is Harvey, by the way."
Donna finally turns towards Harvey's direction. Their eyes never quite looking at each other.
"I'm Donna," she says, echoing the same words she had said to him, at the bar, when they were both twenty one years old. Donna lets a hand out.
Harvey who stayed silent during this whole interaction, takes his free hand to shake Donna's, mirroring the way they met in 1993. It was awkward, but to say that there wasn't an electric current that ran between them, would be a lie. She jumped back, a miniscule jump. Only Harvey could notice of course, because as much as she knew him wholeheartedly, he knows her just as much.
"Will you please tell him the importance of handbag collecting?" Paula quipped. Donna looks back at Paula, not muttering anything else to Harvey.
Donna quirks her eyebrows, knowing all too well about collecting handbags in Harvey's presence. Their once future plan included a bigger closet just for those bags.
"I'm sure he understands it." Donna remarked, slightly glancing towards Harvey.
"Oh but he doesn't, he absolutely hates when I do it." Paula teased, turning her head towards Harvey, who just had an awfully awkward expression on his face, looking at both women.
"I make exceptions." Harvey mustered, his eyes focusing on just Donna.
"Then you have to start making those exceptions when we get married." Paula gushed.
Donna had to contain herself from rolling her eyes. That's when Kate had thankfully texted her.
Dressing room. Now. It's urgent.
"I have to go." Donna looks at the couple, and excuses herself.
It took Harvey everything in him to stop himself from following her.
—
During the duration of Harvey and Donna's interaction, or lack therof, the twins scurried to their aunt. Kate had been caught offguard, she was in the middle of talking to a few people when two hands grabbed both of hers and pulled her away. She looked back quickly, not needing any explanation as to why her two nieces were dragging her away. She quickly apologized to who she was talking to, and the three practically ran towards the dressing room.
Kate had no idea whether she wanted to cry or laugh at the horrible way fate has come to play. If her niece, Emma was here, then Harvey Specter probably was too. That's when she began to worry, there was no way her sister needed the extra stress on her. All Kate could manage was to hug both her nieces and kissed their heads.
"We switched places." She heard Lily say.
"You what?" Kate said, pulling away from the hug to look at her nieces. So alike, yet so different at the same time.
"I was with mom the whole time. We met during the art trip." Lily explained. Kate hugged them tighter, then let go.
"Your mom might actually pass out. Emma is your da—"
"They already talked." Emma says, before Kate could finish.
Lily and Emma took a few minutes to explain to Kate the situation. How they met, how they practically knew everything, and how they plan on getting their parents back together. By the end of the talk, Kate was massaging her head.
They all agreed that it would be best to tell Donna first. After Kate had messaged Donna the urgency, two minutes later the door swung open, a distressed Donna entering the room.
"Harvey's engaged." She stressed.
"What?" Kate said.
"What?" Lily followed.
"What?" Emma practically stood up from where she had sat for a little bit.
It took Donna a second to register the third voice in the room. It also took a second for Donna to start breaking down in tears, not of sadness, but of joy. Donna and the twins almost toppled over when they hugged eachother, the their tears being soaked by Donna's silk dress. Kate couldn't help but cry from the distance, watching the reunion between her sister and nieces.
Donna and the twins stayed that way for awhile, it felt like forever had passed by, when in reality it was more like two minutes. Their were smiles contrasted with the tears still emerging from their eyes.
"It's so great to see you two...," Donna sobs, "together."
The reunion with Emma was not one Donna expected, but at the same time, it was filled with closure rather than anger, and she was glad. The twins and Kate had given Donna the rundown, minus the getting her back together with Harvey part. Donna seemed to understand as she wiped her tears away. Thank God for waterproof makeup.
"Well girls, I think that tomorrow, we need to have a talk with your dad," Donna sighs, "he deserves to know."
The girls nodded their heads.
"I'll be right back, okay? I'm just gonna get some fresh air."
And with that, Donna exists the room. The twins turned to each other.
"Dad's engaged? How did we miss that important piece of information." Lily asks weakly.
"He never told me."
—
Harvey spots Donna taking fast strides towards the door. Her blue silk dress, now covered with the thick, black long coat. One that still accentuated the curved that Harvey adore— No. Harvey shakes his head, but his eyes never faltering off of her. He was engaged, granted he still hasn't found the perfect time to tell anyone, especially Emma. Emma. She was there with them. Harvey's mind immediately thinks of Lily and the twins and then Donna again.
"Babe, I'm gonna head outside real quick." Harvey says, as he sees Donna exit the room from his peripheral vision.
"Are you okay?" Paula looks up, her hand stroking Harvey's cheek. She notices his skin slowly paling.
"I'm fine...just... fresh air." He feigns a smile.
"Okay. I'll be here," Paula agrees, "I'll keep an eye our for Emma too."
With that, Harvey exists the room, her flaming hair immediately catching his attention. Her back was to him, he could tell that something was running through her mind. The way her head slightly tilted to the left, and the way her hand came up once every second to wipe away what Harvey could only think of as tears.
Donna could feel him standing behind her, she could feel his eyes boring into her soul, exposing her out in the open. It was the effect of knowing eachother for twenty five years that helped them gain a sixth sense for eachother in a way. He approaches her closer, to the point where they were side by side, only an inch of space keeping them apart.
They both stayed quiet for a while, just focusing on cabs and cars whizzing in front of them. The hustle and bustle of the city still prevalent in the night. Donna closes her eyes, not daring to utter a word. He hands had become cold, so she stuffed them in her pockets. Harvey glances over at her, and thinking as if it were a sin to do so, he looks away just as fast.
"Donna." Harvey says, in such a way that could mean so many different things. Her name has become both a noun and adjective when it came to Harvey. He knew how to stress her name enough to make it mean differently. It always meant something good.
The tone he had associated this time though felt different. It was one Donna had never noticed before. It was filled with melancholy, yearning, and oddly enough some hint of love.
"Harvey. Not today, please." Donna says in almost a whisper, not daring to look into Harvey's direction.
"The twins," Harvey says. Donna nods her head.
"They know."
Harvey's lips tugged upwards slightly. Of course they know, they took after Donna afterall.
"We'll have to talk tomorrow." Donna follows up.
–
New York City
2001
"And here are fresh strawberries and whipped cream." Harvey says, entering their room with a plate in hand. Harvey sat down next to Donna, clad in only boxers. Donna was wearing his sweater, wearing her morning smile.
"Thank you, hon." Donna murmured, she leaned towards him and gave him a kiss. Pulling apart, Donna grabbed a fresh strawberry and squirted the whipped cream on it. When she took a bite, her stomach churns, and she immediately jumps towards the bathroom.
With Harvey being the perfect husband he is, he immediately follows her to the bathroom, his hand immediately holding her hair back.
"Are you okay?" Harvey asks, worry intertwined in his tone.
Donna wipes her hand with the back of her hand, she sits up from the toilet and looks at Harvey.
"I don't think your kid like strawberries and whipped cream."
Harvey took a double take.
"What'd you just say?"
Harvey watches Donna's face light up, an all knowing smile spreading on her lips. Harvey notices the way her hands fiddled with the ends of her, his sweater. Harvey smiled his signature Cheshire cat grin and pulled her into his arms, where she was practically sitting on his lap. Donna wraps her arms around his neck, strays of her hair falling in front of her face.
"I'm gonna be a dad." Harvey says in awe. Donna nods in response, kissing him in the process.
—
Harvey turns around from his spot, ready to go back inside LE Paulsen, when Donna suddenly asks him a question.
"Did you ever think that we'll bump into eachother again?" Donna asks, Harvey stops at his tracks. He turns around, noticing the way the cold air makes her breath visible. He walks back to his spot next to Donna, a mere inch apart, once again.
—
New York City
Some time in 1994
"Do you believe in second chances?" A young Donna asks Harvey Specter. Her feet up on his dashboard as he drives aimlessly on the road.
"Why?" Harvey retorted, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Just cause." Donna says, as she licks the remaining chunky monkey on her spoon. The Ben and Jerry's pint was bought by Harvey ten minutes ago in a nearby gas station.
Donna had had a bad day, and decided to call her best friend. When Harvey had answered his phone, Donna knew that he was with a girl. Donna had told him that she could manage and that he didn't need to come, but she could hear him shuffling on the other side of the line. He had insisted.
He drove to her house then, with Donna practically flying inside his car when he called her to say he was outside. He could tell that she had been crying, because her hair was in a top knot. She once told him that she hated the way her hair stuck to her face when tears drenched them. He hadn't dared to pry, but once she settled in her seat, he just started driving.
Harvey and Donna had such a strong bond that often times, they didn't need to say anything to communicate. Harvey pulled into a gas station, pulling Donna along with him. He knew the exact aisle he needed to go to. Donna smiles following behind him, his hand flying back to hold Donna's.
He purchased her favorite ice cream. Now here they were, with Harvey's eyes focused on the road while Donna works her way into finishing the ice cream. He didn't know where they were going, but Harvey knew Donna just needed a time to get away, and he was more than willing to be in her presence.
"With the right person, yes." Harvey says, parkin in a nearby park.
"Harvey Specter, you did not just take me in your makeout spot." Donna says, playfully smacking his arm.
"I didn't, besides," Harvey looks over at Donna and reaches for her hand, "the city lights look pretty."
In the distance, the park overlooked the city, the lights still aglow. Donna could feel Harvey's hands warming hers that were once holding the pint of icecream. He lets go as he walks out of the driver's seat. Donna could see him jogging to her side of the door.
"You're not planning on murdering me, are you?" Donna teased, stepping out of the car as he pulled her out. She set the pint of icecream on her seat.
"Only if you behave." He jokes. Donna stands next to him, Harvey put his head inside the car, turning the volume of his car up.
Crazy for You starts to play. Harvey starts doing an outrageous show in front of Donna, with his hands doing aggressive gestures, as he lipsyncs the song. Donna couldn't help but laugh. Harvey starts singing for real now, with his voice fluctuating from high to low.
"The cops will be coming anytime soon."
"Let them come. We're not doing anything indecent." Harvey quipps.
"You're an idiot."
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new
You'll feel it in my kiss
Harvey envelopes Donna in his arms, her head tucked away in his chest. He kisses her head.
"You'll be okay, Don. I'm always here."
—
"I always thought we'd bump into eachother again, just not this way." Harvey says, regretting the last few of his sentence.
"And in what way would that be?" Donna pried, now turning to look to Harvey now.
"I don't know, Donna." Harvey shruggs.
"Figures," Donna says under her breath.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Harvey retorts back, obviously in defensive manner.
"After sixteen years, you still don't know what you want." Donna had no idea what the hell had possessed her to act so brave and rude for the matter. It might have to do with the two wines she downed before entering the dressing room earlier.
"I do know what I want. You met Paula." Harvey said, insinuating that he's clearly moved on, and ready to get married.
"That's good Harvey. I hope you're happy with her." Donna turns to face towards the store. She sighs.
"And Harvey?" Donna was still faced towards the door of her shop, hands in her pocket. Her dry eyes threatening to get wet once again.
He doesn't respond. She continues.
"I hope you get to do whatever it was you never got to with me, with her."
"What's that?" Harvey turns around to watch her back.
—
New York City
2002
The divorce took a toll on both of them. It wasn't an ugly divorce, where they seethed with anger and dared to curse the other person. They had simply become two strangers with a history. He had signed the paper, thinking that if it meant it would hurt Donna less, then it would be worth it. He was sick and tired of seeing the sadness behind her eyes, that he decided to just let her go.
There were many unsaid feelings between the two of them. After all, people who get divorced are people who no longer love eachother, but not in the rare case of Donna and Harvey.
…
The last time Harvey saw Donna was when she headed to his apartment to give him back something. Emma was with his brother Marcus, while Lily was with Kate. Harvey had been drinking, when he heard the familiar key rattle in the doorknob. He stood up, walking towards the door, when it swung open. Donna was on the other side, not stepping foot inside their once called home. Donna looks at him, He looks at her. They both looked distraught. Donna holds the key in her hand, and returned it to Harvey. She turns around, with Harvey watching her walk away. He felt his voicebox almost speaking for himself, to stop Donna, to tell her that they could start again. To get a second chance, because she was the right person. Except he didn't say anything. He held the key in his hand and closed the door.
—
"To fight. For her. If you ever need to." Donna says in a shaky voice.
From a distance, some might think she said it steadily, but Harvey knew her, knew what ran through her mind, what was bothering her.. He had memorized her, in such a way that if he ever told a blind man, they'd be able to picture it perfectly.
Harvey watches her walk away, once again.
…
Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. More from Darvey and the twins soon!