Hello everyone, I've been meaning to post this update but I got busy. Nonetheless, I hope you end up enjoying it. I apologize in advanced for any grammatical and spelling errors!
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Parent Pursuit
V.
When Harvey Specter asked Paula Agard to marry him, it was completely genuine. He thought that it was time to move on and he had finally found the woman to start over with. He was prepared to tell his daughter that she was finally going to have a complete family. He was ready to have a secure love life, after ending his marriage sixteen years ago.
It was all set until the woman he thought he'd spent his forever with, walked up the stage to introduce herself as the CEO of LE Paulsen. It was the moment everything came rushing back to him and the memories of the past became unbearable.
It was the moment they shook hands, pretending that they were strangers, that Harvey realized he hasn't truly moved on. The same Donna he has fallen in love with was standing in front of him. Older, nevertheless still carried the same spunk she had during their college days.
So, he stood there, with the broken pieces of glass from his cereal bowl, Paula's question resonating in his ears. He looks down at the floor, and watches as a pool of milk started to drip across the hardwood floor.
"Harvey?" Paula says again, she walks over closer to him, carefully walking around the broken glass.
"Yeah?" He finally says, stepping out of his own world, and grabbing a broom to sweep up the glass.
"I said-" Paula starts, but Harvey interrupts before she got to ask the question once again.
"I think we need to talk."
Ah. Those six words strung together often times resulted in arguments in a relationship, a foreshadow that something bad was going to happen. Paula slowly nodded her head and headed for the couch as Harvey cleaned up the mess. He sat across from her, reminiscent of the days where he was the only one spilling his problems and Paula psychoanalyzing him. Harvey took a deep breath and started to talk.
He mentions that he loved Paula.
He mentions the twins.
He mentions Donna and who she was.
He told Paula the bits and pieces of his life that he never shared. He was aware that it was a lot to take in, but it was either he kept lying to his fiancée (he still wasn't used to saying that word) or flat out tell her every inch of the truth. He was prepared for Paula to run, to yell, to scream and it was to his surprise when she had moved closer to him and hugged him.
"Oh, Harvey," Paula says. Harvey pulls back, with genuine concern in his eyes, trying to read Paula.
"You're not mad?"
"No. I'm upset that you never told me these things before but, I understand. You were so guarded. But that was sixteen years ago. I'm a little unsettled about the twins but," Paula smiles at Harvey, "I'm sure I can bond with them."
Harvey had no idea what he deserved to get a good reaction from Paula despite his dickish attitude. He had practically told the woman in front of him his deepest secret, and that he had an ex wife and a twin daughter. His mind was boggled. Paula gives him a sweet kiss, she doesn't notice that he doesn't return.
"Tell you what," Paula stands up, going around the counter to make coffee, "Why don't we all have dinner tomorrow? I'd like to get to know Donna and Lily more."
Harvey just nods, stuck in a trance. He was trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.
"Perfect," Paula replies, who was now infront of Harvey, handing him the cup.
Harvey notes that it was missing vanilla.
-
"You're kidding me, right?" Kate says from Donna's bed. She watches her sister switch back and forth from a Dior and Gucci dress.
"No, Kate. Harvey wants the kids and I to have dinner with his fiancée," Donna says, still looking at herself in the mirror, focused on visualizing which dress would suit her better.
Earlier that afternoon, Harvey had called Donna to explain the current situation, and that he had told Paula Agard everything. Donna felt his hesitation behind the invitation of dinner, though Donna still agreed.
"Is this some showdown now?" Kate smirks. Donna turns around and squints her eyes at her sister.
"Showdown? What are you talking about?"
"Come on, Donna. The ex wife versus the fiancée. David and Goliath. That kind of thing." Kate shrugs.
"Oh am I David in this scenario?" Donna quirks.
"To be fair, David did win." Kate retorts.
"There's not much of a fight anyway," Donna says, finally settling for a simple little black dress from Dior.
-
The twins hugged the other and seated next to eachother, with Donna sitting on the other side of Enma. Harvey and Paula both sat across from the three redheads who were all eerily alike but different at the same time. They were all dressed up, considering that they were at the higher end of the restaurant spectrum. The twins could sense their father's awkwardness, Emma especially, noting the way Harvey adjusted his tie.
Donna notices it too.
"You have got to try their lamb with olive and prune sauce, it's divine," Paula says, while looking at her menu.
"She's allergic." Harvey intrudes.
"What was that, babe?" Paula asks, her eyes not tearing away from the menu.
"Donna. She's uh," He feigns a cough, "She's allergic to prunes."
Donna hides a smile.
"Yeah, it all started with an atrocious fruit cake..." Donna starts, and Harvey's eyes widen, remembering the memory.
"Mom felt bad for a whole year." Harvey chuckles.
"To be fair, I didn't know I was allergic until I took a bite. It was a great fruit cake. Except for the prunes-"
"That almost killed you."
"That almost killed me." Donna laughs.
The twins watched the pair easily succumb in a casual conversation, reminiscing about the past. It was refreshing to see their parents finally together. Not together, together, but together, in the same room, with nothing holding them back. Paula clears her throat and the atmosphere of Harvey and Donna halts and is reeled back into reality. Donna is surprised that Harvey still remembered little things about her.
"You two really know each other." Paula comments, the ever so oblivious Harvey doesn't notice the slight distaste in her voice. Donna does. She knows the voice of a woman who acts fake. Donna takes a sip of her wine.
"So, when's the wedding?" Donna offers, knowing that Paula Agard probably wanted the attention away from the past.
"In two months," Paula smiles. Harvey and Donna made a quick eye contact, but Donna quickly returns her attention back to Paula.
"Two months, wow. You must be excited." Donna replies.
"We are," Paula responds, looking over Harvey who paid more attention this drink that the conversation the two women were having.
"We are..." Harvey finally chimes in, after taking a sip of alcohol.
"Two months. Dad, you didn't even-" Emma starts, everyones attention focused on her. Though she was quickly interrupted by a waiter ordering their food.
As the food arrived one by one, there was a couple conversation here and there. About the twins, about the situation, about the wedding. Harvey was oddly quiet in every conversation.
"Emma and Lily?" Paula asks, Donna quietly ate her food while Harvey does the same.
"Yes?" They both asked in unison.
"How would you like it if we all had a girls day," Paula smiles and looks at Donna, "I hope you don't mind Donna. I think it'd be fun to get to know the girls and their stepmother to be."
Lily and Emma almost gags at the idea. Donna looks over at her twins and could tell that their eyes were pleading. Donna gives them a small smile. Paula was right, somewhat. It would be a good idea for the girls to get to know Paula.
"I'd say that's a good idea."
"Absolutely n-" Lily starts.
"Absolutely." Emma follows, quietly jabbing her sister with her elbow.
"Donna Paulsen?" Everyone cranes their necks at the excited voice calling Donna's voice. The woman calling Donna stood up from her seat and walked over.
"Dana!" Donna excitedly says, standing up to meet her from a hug.
Dana Scott had always been a good friend of the Paulsen-Specters, and she was a close friend of Donna's ever since college. Scottie has grown up with both Harvey and Donna, witnessing the two fall in love, get married, and have the twins.
"I cannot believe you didn't mention you'd visit. Marcus was the one who told me," Scottie says, while she embraced Donna.
Scottie pulls back and stands next to Donna. Harvey, the twins, and Paula all had their attention to the two women with bright smiles on their faces.
"Harvey," Scottie says, not noticing the blonde, "I didn't know you two were back together."
The twins nearly choked on their drinks. As did Harvey.
"We're not," Donna turns to look at Scottie, "I'm actually having dinner with Harvey and his fiancée."
Scottie sensed the stress in the word "fiancée" but only she would know that. After being by her side all through their college years, Scottie was able to pinpoint the inflection in Donna's voice.
"Oh!" Scottie says surprised, "Congratulations." Scottie offers Paula a hand.
"Thank you," Paula says, a little uncomfortable.
-
While Harvey, Donna, Scottie, and Paula all talked, the twins were plotting their next stage.
"How are we supposed to get them to realize their feelings when the wedding's in two months?" Lily asks.
"It's perfect." Emma says, an idea streaming in her mind.
"How?" Lily asks her look alike, a glint of mischief evident behind her eyes.
"Well, Lily, let me tell you how..." Emma leans closer to her twin and whispers the plan.
"You never fail to amaze me, twin."
"When will you ever learn?" Emma rolls her eyes.
They turned their attentions back to the adults. Scottie smiles brightly at the mini Donnas.
"You two have grown into beautiful young women." Scottie says, walking around the table to give the twins both a gentle hug.
"Thank you auntie, Scottie." Emma says.
"You can call me auntie too, Kiddo." Scottie says, referring to Lily.
"I would hope so." Lily giggles.
"Sass. I wonder who she got that from." Scottie looks up at Donna and Harvey, and Scottie laughs when she saw Harvey subtly glancing at Donna.
-
"Dinner was wonderful," Donna says, shaking Paulas hand.
"It was," Paula says, a little detached, "Until next time. I'd like to borrow the twins this week, if that's alright?"
"If it's alright with them, it's alright with me." Donna smiles back.
They were all outside now, with Ray waiting for all of them.
"Hey dad," Lily asks.
"Yeah kid?"
"Can I stay over tonight?"
Harvey looks over at Donna who nods in return.
"You guys go ahead, I'll hail a cab home." Donna smiles.
"Don't be silly Donna, Ray can drive you home."
"I'm on the opposite direction."
Donna had decided to stay at the apartment she used to have in college, which she owned now, and had it rented out to other people. Temporarily she had blocked out other guests to occupy the place.
"I'll take you home," Harvey says, "Babe, can you and the twins head home?"
"Harvey it's okay," Donna intrudes.
"Harvey she says it's okay." Paula smiles, one that didn't reach her eyes.
"You don't know the crazy people roaming around nowadays. I'll be home soon," Harvey replies kissing Paula on the side of her head.
The twins smiled as they entered the car with an frustrated Paula trailing behind. Ray looks at the rearview mirror and gave the twins a smile.
-
Donna hugs her coat tightly around her body as they approached the apartment that was labeled 206, the same number of her apartment in Seattle. Harvey is right behind her as she inserted the key in the lock.
"You know, you didn't have to do that." Donna says shyly.
"I had to. There's crazy people who would go after a pretty wom-" Harvey stops himself, before he said anything any further. Donna shakes her head and smiles as she opened the door. She opens it wide enough to indicate that Harvey was welcome to step in.
"Wow. You did some remodeling."
"I did, oh by the way, don't close the do—" Donna says, but before she could finish her sentence, the sound of the door closing shut echoed in the room, "Shit."
"Shit what?" Harvey asks, concerned at the look on Donna's face.
"We're locked in."
"What do you mean we're locked in?"
Donna rolls her eyes. "Locked in Harvey, as in we can't get out. I've been meaning to call the handy man to switch the one way locking knob but-"
"Who gets a one way lock type of doorknob?"
"Who was so eager to close the damn door?" Donna rolls her eyes.
"Sorry, out of habit." Harvey smiles, his hand smoothing out his hair.
Donna stops at his words. Out of habit. There were plenty of times in the very same apartment they're standing at that Harvey had greeted her with a passionate kiss. Wether it was after class, or during the weekends, he would always smile on the other side of the door before he kissed her, slamming the door every single time it happened. Neighbors once complained about it.
"What?" Harvey asks again, watching Donna set her keys down and taking off her coat, putting it over the chair.
"It's been sixteen years, Harvey. That's not a habit anymore." Donna gives him a sad smile. He looks down at the rug. He hears Donna clap her hand, he turns back his attention to her.
"We have cellphones," She laughs as she rummages through her bag. She practically dumps everything on the counter. "Where is the damn thing?"
Harvey feels around his pockets and notices that he also doesn't have his phone. "Shit. We must have left them at the restaurant."
"That's not possible." Donna says.
"How do you know?"
Donna just gives him a hard stare and he learned not to say anything back. She's right, there's no way they would have forgotten.
-
"They probably realized that they're stuck right about now." Lily said excitedly as she jumped on her sister's bed.
"What are you talking about?" Emma sits up, facing her sister.
"The door in the apartment? Wonky. It locks itself."
"So you're saying..." Emma raises her eyebrows.
"Mom and dad are stuck in the apartment together, until someone comes and opens it themselves."
"What about their pho-" Emma starts, but stops immediately after Lily holds up Harvey and Donna's phones. "I'm impressed."
"When will you learn?" Lily smirks, echoing the same exact phrase her sister had said after coming up with their other plan.
-
"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Harvey says, as he tries to wiggle the knob forcefully.
"That's not gonna do anything." Donna says, as she emerges from her room, now wearing a dainty silk tanktop and sweatpants. She would have worn shorts, but Harvey was there. Harvey looks back at Donna, his hand still gripping on the doorknob.
He sucks in a breath seeing her. Her hair was messily thrown up in a bun, her pale skin contrasting the silky material on her body. His throat was dry.
"Stop gawking." Donna smirks, as she sits down on the couch, watching Harvey struggle.
"I'm not." He coughs. Turning his attention back into breaking the doorknob. He didn't see Donna smirk behind him while mothing Sure you're not.
"I'm telling you right now, there's no way we're getting out of her until tomorrow morning. So save all your ego and wait until tomorrow." Donna says matter of factly.
"Tomorrow? How are you sure about that? What if we rot-"
"Jesus, you're such a drama queen. Kate will be here tomorrow morning, I can assure you that."
Harvey walks away from the door knob and walks towards the couch, sitting from the opposite side of Donna.
"So what do we do the rest of the night?" Harvey asks, his eyes trying to unfocus on Donna.
"If you still know me well enough, you'd know." Donna quirks her eyebrows and he smiles. He stands up from his seat and walks over towarss the kitchen, opening the all too familiar cupboard that held the liquor. He grabs a bottle and looks over at Donna. They have shared far too many drinks in the apartments that lead to unforgettable nights, before and after they were a couple.
"Bingo." Donna smiles her fist raising in the air. Harvey shakes is head incredulously, while he grabs two glasses. "We can share a bottle. Less dishes." Donna smirks. Harvey returns the two glasses back and sits next to Donna this time. She tucks in her legs.
"Like the old times?" Harvey looks over at her, his hand opening the bottle.
"Like the old times."
"If it was like the old times this would lead to s-" Harvey teased.
"Harvey," Donna says with a warning yet nostalgic tone in her voice, "you're getting married soon."
"I know." Harvey looks down. Donna grabs the bottle from his grip and drinks from the bottle.
"To old friends." Donna raised the bottle. Harvey smiles and takes the bottle back. He takes a sip.
"To old friends."
To old lovers. Both knew it was going to be a long night.
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I hope everyone's 2020 is starting out well! I also hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I can't get rid of Paula quite yet, but she will go away once everything is resolved. Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you to those who have done so!