Hi again! Here's the next chapter in my saga. It may seem a little like a filler, but I am coming to the point soon. I hope you like it! Thank you to all those who favorited and guests that review. I really love hearing your comments. Thank you to all the other friends and writers on Twitter! I love it. - Carebearmaxi
Mr. and Mrs. Specter: New Ventures
Chapter 14
The next day, Sunday, was a pure Specter family day. It was a beautiful late summer day and they all went for a walk in the park near their condo. When they arrived back around dinner time all was hustle and bustle because Harvey decided to cook dinner.
Donna laughed as they strolled through the park. Mandy and Gordon were skipping ahead and Harvey pushed the stroller with little Kenzie all tucked in snug as a bug. Donna smirked.
"Really? Why this sudden urge to cook? I don't think you cooked before Kenzie was born. Well, what were you planning to create?" Donna asked sarcastically as she watched the other two take some duckfeed from a dispenser and throw it at the ducks who caught it or scratched for it in the grass below. The pond they were passing was a man made one and the ducks had been brought in from a farm, but if you had not been here when it happened one may not have noticed the difference.
"Come on, ducky," Amanda coaxed as she threw the feed at the ducks. Then she wanted the duck to eat out of her hand.
"Mandy, no!" Donna ran up to her and grabbed her hand before the duck's beak could peck at it.
"Honey, no, the duck will probably bite your hand. You could get sick from that so just feed him nicely like this."
Donna demonstrated just tossing the food with a little bit of force so it did not go far different from Mandy and Gordon's exuberant tosses hitting the ducks in the beak.
As Harvey caught up to them with Kenzie in tow, Donna's ringtone went off. She took the phone out of her hoodie jacket.
"Who is it?" Harvey asked as he sat with Kenzie on his lap on a nearby bench. Mandy and Gordon were chasing the ducks now with the food.
"Kids!" Harvey called. "Come back here. I think the ducks have had enough."
Mandy and Gordon looked back at their dad.
"We're going to the slide, ok?" Gordy yelled back.
"Don't go where I can't see you. The slide's fine. I can see it," Harvey said as he place a hand above his eyes shielding them from the glare of the late afternoon sunshine.
Harvey bounced the baby in his lap to which Kenzie smiled and let out a little laugh.
"Who is it?"
Donna said, "It's Fox, Lazo and Tennyson. The landlords of the building that houses my yoga studio."
Harvey smirked and wondered why they would be calling. Donna owed them nothing and they owed her nothing. The landlords should have had more than enough commercial insurance to cover any of the renovations needed. As for Donna, her commercial insurance company, Hartford, covered all the new renovations that Donna had decided to pursue in her attempt to sell the business to her former assistant, Amelia.
Donna put the phone to her ear as she watched her son and daughter play a game on the slide and swings.
"Donna Paulsen Specter," Donna answered in her professional voice.
"Hello, Mrs. Specter, I'm David Fox from Fox, Lazo & Tennyson. Let me apologize for bothering you on a Sunday but it has come to our attention that you owe us compensation for your part of the building where the explosion occurred. Our insurance company assures us that you have been paid and that you would be able to compensate us as your company was responsible for the arson."
Donna took the phone from her ear and stared at it a moment before replacing it.
"I hope you have an offical suit coming my way because I don't owe you a dime. Not even for a few lost months of rent since I paid generously in advance for six months which was more than the security deposit you required."
"I assure you, Mrs. Specter, Donna, that we are well within our rights if you check your lease." David Fox stated. One could almost see him twirling his mustache if he had one which he did not.
"I will have my husband, my lawyer, review the lease. In the meantime, bring that suit if you want because I assure you what you seek you will not get."
When Donna put her phone back in the pocket of her own Harvard hoodie, Harvey turned his attention briefly away from the baby and looked at his wife. He placed a hand on Donna's wrist encouraging her to sit back on the bench and talk to him.
Donna settled back at his touch. She had her head lowered and swallowed hard. She then looked up at her husband with a flabbergasted gaze. Eyes wide and voice hushed.
"Fox, Lazo, and Tennyson are suing me for the difference that their insurance company couldn't cover. Can you believe that?"
"That's ridiculous. They can't hold you responsible for exterior damage. That's their building. The only insurance that was negotiated into your lease and was part of the bidding was that your insurance was to cover any damages incurred to the interior of the building and your company's possessions. Are they sending the paperwork?" Harvey chewed his bottom lip and then Kenzie caught his eye. She pointed with her finger and stretched to touch her daddy's bottom lip. Harvey smiled and gently caught her baby finger in his lips to which Kenzie giggled. He let go and Kenzie reached again.
While Harvey played with Kenzie, his mind kept going over the mainpoints of the corporate rental agreement he had helped write and negotiate. He remembered the delay in getting her building coded for fire standards and how Mike had specifically went over it with a fine toothcomb. He would read it over later with Donna once the kids were asleep and in bed.
Donna suddenly leaped from the bench and ran toward the other two Specter kids who had encountered some other children also playing at the swings.
"Donna!" Harvey called after her hurriedly strapping Kenzie back into her stroller much to Kenzie's dismay who started to wail.
When Donna arrived at the slide, Gordon was just getting up. He shook off his mom's hand to help him up.
"Gordon Jacob Specter! You don't push people off the slide!" Donna exclaimed seeing her only son look like his father ready to push back to anyone who dare challenge him.
"This guy pushed Mandy off so I thought I would do it to him!"
Suddenly Mandy appeared before her parents with a glare on her pale face with eyes on fire. Harvey looked at both his children and almost laughed at how like him they both were.
"Thanks, Gordy, but I don't need anyone to defend me. I'm Amanda and I'm awesome." Mandy stood straight up, put her button nose in the air, and crossed her arms and with as much aplomb as a six year old girl could muster walked off and stood next to her father.
"Jordan!" A brunette haired woman dressed in jeans shouted as she walked up to the little group.
"What mom?" Jordan asked whining. Jordan was a large child with short brown hair and blue eyes which sunk into his large cheeks. He was twice the size of Mandy and Gordon.
When Jordan's mother, Alice, finally arrived she made Jordan apologize for shoving Mandy off the slide and then Donna coerced Gordon to apologize for retaliating.
"Ok, well, let's go home kids. Daddy is cooking Specter Spaghetti!"
Harvey looked at his wife and smiled offhandedly, "I guess I am."
Taking both Gordon and Amanda's hands in her own while Harvey pushed the stroller they headed back to their condo in the sky.
Donna sat on their bed almost alone. Little Kenzie had fallen asleep after her diaper change and bottle of formula. In other parts of the home, Donna could hear her older two children playing some type of game together. When she had ventured to the bedroom she shared with her husband, Donna had left Harvey in the living room taking a little snooze in front of the TV.
It was quiet in the room leaving Donna alone with her thoughts. She sat there on their bed with her legs crossed in front of her holding her phone wondering if she should call Jessica. It was not that she did not trust her husband's judgment. She trusted him implicitly, but Donna wanted to get an objective opinion about the pending suit that was coming her way. Jessica was also a woman who had managed her own company (firm) for a very long time. Donna had lived through and helped deflect the many threats the firm had received over the years but this was different. She wanted to know what type of process one goes through when you know your reputation is reflected upon others in your employ.
Once Donna decided to make the phone call, Mackenzie began to fuss a little. Donna put her phone in her yoga pants pocket and picked up the baby and carried her to her crib. Donna could not help smiling when she looked at their little pumpkin. Kenzie had grown in four months since her birth into this little cherubic angel with red fluffy hair and the biggest green eyes. Donna could not help kissing Kenzie's little sweet chubby hands and then placed her in the crib where Kenzie moved a little emitting a tiny sucking noise while Donna removed her baby yoga pants. Kenzie was growing so much that her little Harvard onesie which she was wearing was not going to fit much longer. The cloth was stretching lengthwise on the baby elongating the "Harvard" printed there.
Making sure her daughter would be comfortable and not too hot, Donna removed Kenzie's baby yoga pants and kissed her little chubby feet. Donna then covered the lower half of Kenzie with one of the animal blankets. Donna smiled. She loved being a mother and she especially loved when her children were babies in need of mamma's help. Kenzie was no exception but Donna had noticed that Kenzie was withdrawing even at this stage showing her independence. Kissing the baby one more time, Donna retrieved her phone from her pocket and walking to the desk instead of the bed took a seat. She removed the phone from her pocket and hit Jessica's number on her contacts.
"Hi, Donna! How is everything?" Jessica answered.
"Well, everything was great until I received a strange phone call. Harvey knows about this issue, and it's not that I don't trust his judgment, but I just wanted to get a female perspective on it."
"Ok, Donna. What's happening?"
"I received a call from the landlords who own the building where my yoga studio is. They are bringing suit for compensatory damages caused by the arson."
"How much is the suit for?"
"I have not been served the papers yet, but I expect it to be in the six digit area."
"What did Harvey say? I'm sure he had something to say."
"He said they didn't really have a leg to stand on because any additional compensatory damages that were not covered by his own insurance company were definitely not covered by my insurance or my responsibility at all."
"Well, then, I would let Harvey hash it out with them. That's his forte, you know, best closer in Manhattan."
"Of course I will, but I know that am concerned about my reputation. Now I am going back to the firm as its new COO and I wonder if I should be concerned that people think two things: 1. I got my job because I am married to a name partner heir apparent managing partner and 2. I failed at owning my own business and my name is now associated with crime and mismanagement."
Donna could hear Jessica change position as she waited for her to answer.
"Donna, don't worry what others think. You know this, you're Donna, and you know you're awesome. So unless people are coming at you in your face then just let Harvey do what he does best. If I know him, he'll get them to pay you! Besides your name would not be associated with mismanagement. It was arson that took away your business. It's not like you misappropriated funds."
"Thanks, Jessica. Hey how are your adoption plans going?" Donna asked. The last time that Jessica mentioned adopting she had said that she and Jeff were at odds at the age of the prospective child.
"Well, let's put it this way: I'd rather be hold up in court on a murder trial than try to resolve the mutual stubbornness with my husband."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I know how much you wanted an older child. Babies are handfuls but they are also the easiest to appease. You should know that having to mother both Louis and Harvey all these years." Donna had mentioned with a smirk. She, herself, had also had her share of placating each man so they would not come to blows.
"So I keep getting notifications of children available for adoption all over the world and Jeff keeps investigating surrogate mothers and fertility clinics. He knows I'm too old to carry a baby and, furthermore, I do not want to."
"Don't count yourself out, Jessica. Believe me after you have a child running around, you would find the pregnancy was the easy part."
Jessica gave a little chuckle at that thought and then replied, "You, Donna Paulsen Specter are the bravest woman, I know. You can say that about pregnancy after having three of them, and I know what a hard head your husband has."
"No kidding. Well, thank you for taking my call and I will see you tomorrow. We still need to discuss a few of the adjustments Harvey and I discussed with my renovated partners' agreement."
"No worries. Call me anytime, Paulsen. See you tomorrow."
"Thank you, Pearson."
With that Donna hung up the phone and from the desk pulled out the files containing both her marked copy of the partners' agreement, building lease, and business contract. Looking at all the legalese between the three files of documents made her feel much like one of the kids being beat up by a bully in the park today. Not totally defenseless just not looking forward to standing up to the fight at the moment.
The next morning was all hustle and bustle as the Specters tried to get out the door to get to their destinations. School was just starting for Gordon and Amanda, so the trip to the firm was multiplied by one other trip. Luckily Roberta arrived the previous night accompanied by all stuff grandmotherly and prepared to care for her youngest and newest grandchild.
"Harvey," Donna said as they rode in the back of the car on the way to the office. They had just dropped off Amanda and Gordon at their school. Amanda to begin first grade and Gordon to his first day of official Kindergarten. Gordon was dressed in his new school uniform which matched Amanda's. Both children were enrolled in an elite private school which was one of the perks that both Donna and Harvey afforded their children since both of them began their education in public schools. Donna and Harvey accompanied both children to their respective reporting stations and with a kiss, a hug, and a wave behind them got back into the car to ride to the firm.
"Harvey," Donna said again not eliciting an answer from her husband whose head seemed so buried in the open brief on his lap that he did not hear his wife speaking to him although she sat right next to him.
"Oh, sorry, Donna," Harvey apologized shaking the cobwebs out of his brain before turning his full attention to his wife. "I was just reviewing this business lease before we get the suit. I want to be prepared. I didn't get a chance last night to do it. I was so worn out."
Donna just put her hand through Harvey's arm as it sat next to her and taking his hand squeezed it.
"What is it?" Harvey asked turning to see the look on his wife's face. Donna looked worried which was such an odd look for her that Harvey folded the file on his lap and placed it back in his open briefcase.
"Oh, I was just wondering what you found or what you might be looking for. I read both the lease and the contract last night and I could not detect any place where my ass isn't covered which would allow Fox, Lazo, and Tennyson to bring this suit. Did you?"
"Not so far. More importantly is that we need to hash out those few items in the agreement before we sign it. I know you spoke with Jessica last night. I saw the number on your phone when I accidentally picked yours up instead of mine from the counter."
Donna looked up into her husband's eyes and confessed, "Well that's not why I called her. I wanted to get how she processed being the head of a firm and being threatened to be labeled as incompetent. I hope you're not upset that I went to her, but I felt as she is a female she may have experience something different than being a man."
Harvey smiled and put his arm around Donna who responded by placing her head on his chest. Harvey put his nose in her hair, laying a kiss on the top of her head and then spoke to Donna softly.
"I'm not mad that you went to Jessica. I understand that you wanted a female aspect of the situation. I just wanted to tell you that we are not letting those sons of bitches try to pin anything on you even if I have to physically take David Fox by the dinky lapels of his dinky jacket and throw him in the East River myself!"
Donna smiled wide and put her arm around Harvey and said, "I love you, you know."
"I'm glad you told me. I didn't want you to think I would do that for all my wives."
Donna just moved to look up at him and saw his smirky smug grin and then they both burst into laughter.