HI Folks! I'm back from Bariatric surgery and I wanted to continue in my ficlets with Cassie's paintings. This one has taken on a life of its own. This one has taken on a life of its own, so it's a bit more than a ficlet. This is Part 1. Donna gets a call from Marcus that Lily didn't die. That the hospital made a major faux pas in identification. Here's part one of Shock To the System. You will see how it fits into Lazy Sunday Mornings in the second part. Thank you for all the favoriting and reviews and followers. Please continue to R&R. Thank you so much. Love - Carebearmaxi
Shock to the System
Donna stood in Harvey's office in Seattle. She had just interviewed a new designer for her Donna's Designer Duds Children's Clothing Design firm, so she was dressed to the nines in business couture. One of her more fitted Alexander McQueen dresses. Her aqua blue one to be specific. She waited in Harvey's office now so they could go home together since her firm's building was only a block from the firm of Ross, Zane, and Specter.
"Donna!" Harvey said as he walked into his office surprised to see his wife standing at the window. She turned from the window at his voice as he came over to give her a kiss hello.
"What are you doing here?" Harvey asked. "I thought you were interviewing that new designer for your firm?"
Donna kissed him again and then watched as he laid a file on his well-organized desk. Donna wondered if he still used the same filing system that she had invented for him so many years ago when she was still his assistant. Tracey, Harvey's assistant/paralegal, was an older woman and set in her ways but wonderful at her job perhaps had used her own system for him.
"I thought I would come over to give you this news myself. I got a call from Marcus today."
"Uh-oh this must be important if Marcus called you and not me directly," Harvey replied concern written all over his face. "What is it, Donna?"
"This is going to be a big shock," Donna said.
"Donna! So nice to see you," Mike said as he stepped into his fellow partner's office. "Hey, I am sorry about this interruption, but Harvey and I have to check out this witness to this fraud case involving some med students."
"Mike, Donna was just about to give me-"
"Look, Harvey, you know we're up against the gun on this one and we have this guy and can nail him. Come on, Butch and Sundance!" Mike sometimes could still act overly excited on cases when he was able to lay the hammer down.
Donna looked at Mike and gave him her cheek for Mike to quickly kiss. She looked at her husband and looked at her watch and new she had to get home to relieve her sister, Charlotte, who had been watching the twins for a few hours. She made a face and looked at her husband and Mike and then reconciled to herself that the news could wait.
"Go ahead and go! Go get'em Butch and Sundance," Donna motioned as Harvey kissed her grabbing his suit jacket and hurriedly walked out of his office on Mike's heels.
Tracey spotted Harvey's wife on her way back to her own office next door walking with her was Rachel.
"Donna!" Tracey and Rachel both exclaimed together walking into Harvey's office.
Donna looked up and laid her trench coat back down on the couch.
"Hi girls," Donna said quietly.
Tracey nodded at Rachel knowing the close relationship the two women had and walked back to her office.
"Nice to see you, Donna," Tracey said. "We need to get together sometime."
"Sounds good, Tracey."
Rachel moved over to Harvey's small bar and poured her best gal pal a drink. Donna wanted to refuse but decided not to as she accepted the tumbler and took a gulp. It burned down her gullet.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Donna came out of her seemingly hypnotized state and smiled.
"Rache, I came here to give Harvey some great news and then he and Mike decided to bolt on that medical student loan fraud case. So, I was just about to leave when you found me."
Rachel looked at her friend. She wondered if it was such great news why her friend looked so haunted.
"Donna, if you don't mind me asking, if this news is so wonderful to impart, why do you look like you just lost your best friend?"
Donna put the tumbler on the coffee table in front of her and looked at her friend and really saw her.
"Marcus called me from Boston while I was interviewing the new designer for my firm. He told me that 18 months ago the hospital that reported that Lily Specter died of a heart attack made a mistake. That Lily waltzed into Marcus' restaurant and told him good morning as if they had talked the night before. She was eager to contact Harvey, but Marcus had her hold off until I could break it to him."
"Donna! Is she really Lily? Harvey's mom?"
"Marcus seems to think she is. He asked her questions that only Harvey's mom would know."
"Well, you have a test on your finger, you know?"
Donna looked down at her wedding ring and knew that Lily gave it to Harvey should he ever want to ask her to marry him, so this would be a good test if this woman was really Harvey's mom. Donna had never met her face to face and Harvey had not possessed many recent pictures of her although they had had been reconciled now for a couple of years. Harvey had not been one to take pictures until Lily and Mimi had been born. His phone was filled with photos of all stages of their little flame haired wonders.
Rachel sat back crossing her arms and asked, "How do you think Harvey will take this news?"
"He won't believe it. He'll want to examine and cross examine this woman and the circumstance that led to the mistaken news that Lily Specter was dead."
"I remember MaryBeth, Harvey's cousin, from your wedding in Tuscany. Do you think she could corroborate this woman's story?"
"She already has. Marcus told me that was one of the tests that convinced him plus a few other physical signals."
"Would Harvey know those, too?"
"I don't know. He's only been to see her a couple of times since they reconciled. Not a lot of time to reconnect with someone with whom you haven't spent every day with for the last twenty something years."
"You have to tell him, Donna."
Donna looked at her friend. "Of course, I have to tell him. It's just that he was so broken when she died, and it took him a bit to accept that she would never see his children or him married that his reaction to this woman claiming to be his mom will devastate him in so many ways."
Rachel placed her hand on her friend's arm.
"Remember he has you to be there for him."
Donna smiled and said, "Yes, he does."
Charlotte was busy helping her son, Troy, with his homework when Donna opened the front door of her house. She looked up at her younger sister and saw the consternation in her facial expression.
"Oh, you're home…alone. I thought you and Harvey would be coming home together," Charlotte observed as Donna took off her trench coat. The six pm Seattle sky was cloudy and was threatening rain once again. Donna shook off her coat and eyed her twins playing in the play area of the living room. She immediately walked over to the play area and picked up each of her daughters and squeezed them tight and gave them a kiss.
Between sloppy baby kisses and showering her babies with love, Donna explained to her sister that Harvey had been called away just as she was waiting for him and so she decided to come home alone.
"How's the homework coming, Troy?" Donna asked her 13-year-old nephew.
"I have found I don't like Algebra, Aunt Donna. I just don't get it," Troy explained in his light British accent.
"Well, don't look at me sweetie. That was one class I was glad I had a tutor. Your mom or Mitchell give you help, don't they?"
"Oh, yeah, mum's a real big help. So is Mitchell."
"That's good. If there is anything else, though, let us know."
Charlotte smiled. "Troy is better than he thinks." Charlotte patted Troy on the shoulder.
"Ok, my son, you finish that up and then let's get going. You know how Mitchell and your sister are about dinner."
"I'll be there shortly, mum."
Charlotte began to gather her and Troy's things together. Charlotte handed Donna a report.
"This is the latest profit and loss statements on Donna's Designer Duds both brick and online."
Donna looked at her sister to see if they were good news or bad news.
"The firm is doing fine. So, if you want to hire that new designer, there should be no problem with retainer or marketing," Charlotte returned as she retrieved her and Troy's coats from the living room closet.
Charlotte came over to her sister who was sitting on the couch still playing with both the girls and laying a hand on her shoulder asked, "What's up, Donna? I sense something is wrong."
"Not exactly wrong," Donna said. She looked up at her older sister and patted the hand on her shoulder. "Look I can't talk about it right now, but we'll talk tomorrow. Ok?"
"Sure. Call me if you need me," Charlotte said, and crouching hugged her sister tight.
"I love you, Donna."
"I love you, too, Charlotte."
Donna's eyes followed Charlotte as she gave goodbye kisses to the girls and then watched and waved as she and Troy left.
Later that night after the girls had had their dinner, Donna waited for Harvey to come home. He and Mike probably were still out celebrating what promised to be a great victory on a difficult case. Still dressed in her business formal blue dress sans sky high heels, she greeted Harvey at the door with a kiss.
"I'm sorry, Donna. I wanted to be home before the girls were put down. I owe them another chapter of the Harvey and Donna Specter adventures," Harvey said smiling and holding his wife close. He kissed her again but sensed that something was not quite right.
"Donna, what's going on? I know you came to my office for some reason after your interview and I apologize for leaving so abruptly."
"No, that was fine, Harvey. Take a seat I have some news and I am not sure what your reaction will be."
"That doesn't sound like I want to hear it all," Harvey replied as his wife handed him a scotch. He took a swig and then fell into the couch near the fireplace.
"You said Marcus called you, Trouble between he and Katie again?"
"No, nothing like that," Donna said as she smoothed her dress and sat down next to her husband. Her knees were tilted toward him so she could look at his face while she relayed the news.
"Marcus called me because a woman claiming to be your mother appeared at his restaurant. Before you jump up and claim fraud, listen to me," Donna placed a hand on her husband's arm.
Harvey was stunned. That was the last news he thought he would ever hear from his wife.
"What else does Marcus say?" Harvey's jaw became rigid and his nostrils were beginning flare at the thought that someone would play with a family's emotions in that manner.
"He tested her with family things that only Lily Specter would know regarding your dad, your separation, the death of her second husband, and some other things. Marcus is fully accepting that the hospital that claimed that Lily Specter was dead was actually another woman."
Harvey put down his drink. "Marcus will believe anything. I need to fly to Boston to see this woman to see for myself, question her myself."
"Harvey, I booked you a flight for tomorrow morning. Rachel will explain to Mike what's happening since I talked to her earlier this evening. There's someone else who believes this woman is your mother."
Harvey turned his head fully to face his wife and asked, "Who?"
"Marybeth, your cousin."
Harvey picked up his drink again and took another gulp finishing the glass. He grimaced as he pulled the glass away from his mouth.
"I know she's not as gullible as Marcus and knew my mother almost as well as we did, but I still have to see this woman for myself," Harvey declared watching Donna as she rose and walked to the terrace window.
At the window, Donna watched the night sky and all its stars. I pray this woman is Lily. Harvey will be so happy that she is alive and well and not dead and buried.
Harvey came up behind his wife and buried his face in her hair. His senses were filled with her scent. As she was not wearing her heels his lips just met the back of her head. He was now without his suit jacket and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows one hand was near Donna's elbow and the other was en route to clasp her around the waist. He sighed heavily.
"Donna, what did Marcus say this woman's story is?"
They spoke quietly in serious tones reflecting the intensity of the conversation.
"She said she had been at the college teaching and a heavy painting fell on her head. She passed out and woke up in the hospital with temporary amnesia. Her I.D. had been misplaced by the admitting nurse. When Marcus got the call that your mom was in the hospital they I.D. the wrong woman who passed. She was similar in build and age and the doctors did not think twice."
Harvey kissed the back of his wife's head and then said, "Let's rehash this in the morning before I go. I just want you near me tonight." He held out his hand and waited for Donna to take it.
She did so and let him lead her this time to their bedroom checking on the girls before they did.