"So, when you found out that Mike made a deal you had a panic attack?"
"Yes." Harvey looks through the wide widows, watches the street.
"And this was the first time after our last therapy session?" He nodded.
"And after that?"
"Nothing after that. I had a panic attack because I got bad news. I got through it and that was it." He knows his story wasn't quite convincing but he doesn't care. He wants his pills, that's all. He sure as hell won't tell his blond therapist that he got his former secretary pregnant and acted like a douche when he found out.
"So you're here because you relapsed once, yesterday."
"That's what I just said."
"Look…" Dr. Agard shuts the notebook that she has pretended to read and leans back in her seat. She's looking at her client now and tries to get through his fassad "..I don't believe you. You may had a panic attack after this but I don't think that's the reason you're here now."
"So, why am I here now?" Now it's on Harvey to read in his therapists face. She takes a deep breath and bites her lip.
"I don't know. I think you do know but you're afraid to tell me. Maybe you're even afraid to admit it to yourself. I think something else happened. Something that distracts you so much that your anxiety is back." She is right with everything she said. Since he left Donna the other night he has been through 3 anxiety atttacks. He's an absolute wreck but she is also right when she predicts he won't admit it.
"I thought you're the therapist here. Isn't that the thing you do? Read people, get to know them better than they know themselves?" He provocative raises an eyebrow.
"I'm not a psychic. I'm a psychologist. I want to help my patients and not control their minds."
"So then: help me. Give me the pills I got from you last time. They will cure my problem and you get rid of me."
"You know that that's not how therapy works. I can only help you if you are honest with me but therefore you need to be honest with yourself."
"So you don't give me the pills?" It's a rhetorical question he already knows the answer to.
"As long as I can't see through you – no, I won't"
"Great. Then I can go now…" Harvey wants to get up but Dr. Agard stops him.
"Mr. Specter, you're pathetic. Why are you here when you're so opposed to opening up to others? Why don't you show me who you really are, then I can help you?" Suddenly there is a glimps in his eyes. He's got an idea that would kill two birds with one stone.
"So, you're saying if you get to know me, you'll help with my panic attacks?" She nods. "Then come with me tonight."
"WHAT?"
"Would you do me the favour and accompany to my best friends wedding?"
"Have you gone completely crazy? You're my patient. It would break every rule if I go out with you."
"It's not a date. Consider this a business trip. You're doing your job and you will get to know me and I won't have to… well… let's just say it would help both of us."
"I don't believe this. If anyone there recognizes me I will lose my job."
"No one will recognize you. It's a wedding within a small circle of people. I know everyone their and none of them has been here before."
"A wedding where everyone knows each other and you're going to bring me as your plus one?"
"So it's a yes?"
When Donna awakes in the morning she feels absolutely wrecked. That, what has happened with Harvey the other night, has took all her power, her proud and her glow. She wishes to lay in bed all day, all week, to cry in her pillows and ask herself what the hell has happened. How could this escalate like this? Instead she remembers it's the day of her best friend's wedding. A wedding that wasn't even organized although she promised to do so. So she wipes away any thoughts of Harvey and decides to give Rachel and Mike the best day of their lives. They deserve it!
Donna wouldn't be Donna if she didn't keep her promise. It's not even 1 p. m. when she has already been on the phone with the pastor, booked the church, ordered the catering, sent Rachel to the tailor, and reserved a small location to celebrate in the evening. The only thing left on her to-do-list, besides comforting Rachel, was buying a wedding cake. So she decides to visit the best confectionery in lower Manhatten to fulfil her job.
After almost an hour of tasting cakes, she finally found the one she knows Mike will love. Rachel would be way too nervous to just get a bite down tonight anyway, and Mike had always been the cake lover. Then, as she leaves the store in a hurry, she suddenly bumps into a hard man's chest.
"Bloody hell!", she exclaims as the fresh coffee she had just bought pours over her coat. "Watch it!" a deep dark male voice grumbles at the same moment. Then his gaze meets her hazel eyes and his anger is gone.
"Excuse me, ma'am. It was my fault."
"Madam?" Donna raises an eyebrow but it's hard to resist this charming smile.
"Do you allow me to invite you to another coffee? As compensation?"
"I really appreciate this but I'm already very late Mr. …?"
"Kessler. Thomas Kessler. Nice to meet you!" He's shaking her hand politely. "And in whose gorgeous face am I looking?" Now Donna can't hide a smile any longer.
"Donna Paulsen it is. Nice to meet you too! I'm very sorry but I'm really running out of time. But if you don't mind, we could get us another coffee to go and you walk me a bit? To make up for our little accident?"
So she spends the way home in really nice company. They talk about this and that and she can't deny how attracted she is to a man she has just met. He's nice and polite as if he was a british royal (which he isn't, she has checked) and incredible intelligent. The way this stranger looks at her and flirts without restraint just feels amazing. After Harvey treated her like crap yesterday, it is a welcome change. She feels desirable again. So she's actually very sad when they arrive at her building.
"I'm home. Thank you for the coffee and your company. I really enjoyed this."
"Me too. I'd be happy to give you my number and if it's not too much to ask. Feel free to give me a call if you're ever looking for company again. Or if you may want to go out for dinner with me?" He gives her a kind smile and turns to leave. Donna's still staring at the card he has giving her: "Kessler furniture" Damn it! She has heard from Louis about this firm and its ambitious CEO. And this guy has lift up to her expectiations. So she decides she doesn't want to wait to call him.
"Mr. Kessler? What about tonight?"
"Are you serious?"
"I am. If you're free tonight I would love to take you out to a friends' wedding. I know that's like going 5 steps at once but… To be honest: I would feel much better if I could bring a plus one."
"When can I pick you up?"
About an hour later, after an extensive bath, Donna's in her dressing room, staring in her closet and is just overwhelmed. For someone who is really into fashion and actually wears the right thing for every occasion, this was out of character. But how was she supposed to find something that fit tonight? All white dresses are excluded - never would she do that to Rachel! It must not be that tight, because, although she does not want to admit it, she is aware that she has already put on weight. Also, it must not accentuate her lower abdomen, because she wouldn't be able to stand everyone (especially a certain former boss), staring at her belly.
After countless attempts, she finally made up her mind: a beautiful elegant black dress with an incorruptibly hot back neckline. It covers enough in the front to make her feel secure, much like a suit of armor. And from behind, it was definitely sexy enough to wow her companion. But if she was really honest with herself, it was mostly the right dress to show Harvey what he had lost.
Although Thomas has insisted on picking her up at home she has decides to meet him at the church. She had promised Rachel to help her with hair and make-up and besides she didn't want the young bride to be blindsided when her maid of honour suddenly appears with a stranger without warning. And Rachel is actually quite astonished by the news. "You know I don't begrudge you but I have to admit I'm surprised you invited somebody. I thought your plus-one is already at the guest list?" Donna sighs while she's putting on Rachels' lipstick.
"Let's just say Harvey's not the guy for this anymore."
"What happened?" Donna raises an eyebrow instead of answering. "I'm sorry, Donna. Mike told me he… I didn't tell him, I swear!"
"I know, Rachel. It`s not his fault and definitively not yours."
"So he didn't take it very well?"
"That's one way to describe it. But I refuse to tell you today. That's your day and Harvey being an asshole won't change that."
"I'm so sorry, I thought.."
"Stop it! We won't talk about that now, okay?"
"So… who's this Thomas guy then?"
"Actually I don't know. I just met him today when I bought your wedding cake. But he's very handsome, polite and most of all he's not a lawyer"