Chapter Fifteen
"Harvey," Donna began almost tentatively; and then she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing in deeply; she was just going to blurt it out (like ripping off a Band-Aid), "I am so sorry that it took me this long to say it, I know you'll be mad but…you're the father."
..::..
Sammy had dropped her straight home from the hospital. They had arrived at her apartment to find Ray waiting for them with about fifty dozen water bottles that Harvey had wanted Donna to drink. So, she had sighed and let them all be carried up to her apartment.
Sammy had left soon after and Donna, for the most part, had kept her promise to him to take it easy. She had napped, but she wasn't used to not doing anything. So, she had done a little grocery shopping and when that didn't take too long, she decided to actually go shopping.
She got back home about four hours ago, it was nearing to midnight and she was still wide awake. She had the nagging feeling that Harvey was still in his office and she, in truth, she just wanted to see him. A phone call to Mike confirmed her theory and she called up Ray to have him drop her off at the firm.
..::..
Harvey looked up from his work as Donna quietly entered his office, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm sending you home," she said. "And don't even deny it but I knew you spent the whole night at the hospital and that you have not had a proper sleep...for a while now."
He shrugged, "I just wanted to be there, if anything should happen. And I sleep enough."
"Thanks for that," Donna said, then looked at him. "Doesn't show, though, you look really terrible."
He sighed, "I've had a lot on my mind. It has a lot to do with the whole revealing to the world that I actually have feelings because I gave a toast at Mike's party, which has really been weighing me down." He laughed.
Donna did, too; taking a seat on his couch after choosing one his dad's records to play. "I think she really likes hearing his music," she commented, one hand on her belly. "I play it at home, too."
Harvey stood up from his desk and took a seat beside her on the couch, "Ah, you said 'she'! Are you finally agreeing with me?"
Donna rolled her eyes, "A slip of the tongue." They sat there in companionable silence for a couple of minutes, allowing the beautiful music fill the room. Wordlessly, Donna took one of Harvey's hands and placed it where she could feel the baby kicking.
He smiled, then took a big sigh and said, "You came here yesterday, before all that happened, to tell me something. What was it?"
She looked at him, "That you could stop being angry at everybody, for one." She paused. " I'm not marrying him, Harvey."
He tried to deny it, "That wasn't why I was—"
"You lashed out at me when I told you I was pregnant," she interrupted him. "And when Sammy said you saw the ring…"
"Who's Sammy?" Harvey asked, confused.
Donna's eyes widened, "Um. I meant George." She smiled at him nervously, "Didn't I mention that his middle name is Samuel?"
Harvey shook his head, "No, can't say you mentioned it." A beat. "Okay, and I'm still not admitting that it was the reason for my violent episodes lately; but why are you not marrying him? You are having a baby together, I mean…"
"Having a baby isn't a reason to marry someone, Harvey," Donna said, looking at him straight in the eye.
He stared back, "Then what is a reason?"
She wanted to say 'love', that was the only answer. But for some reason, the words wouldn't come out of her mouth.
She broke her eye contact with him and Harvey realized she wasn't going to answer that question tonight. He was liking his odds better though. Part of him was really glad she wasn't going to marry George Samuel O'Keefe…what a name!
He decided to change the subject, "So, did you get the water I sent you?"
Donna smiled, glad that he took the conversation elsewhere; she was always glad that they can read each other like that, "Yes, there was so many that one might think you're trying to drown me."
"It's good for you and for the baby," he answered.
"Where did you even learn all that?" she asked, very curious. He mumbled something incoherently, so she repeated, "What?"
"A book, okay?" he said a little forcefully. "I read it in a book."
"What was the book called, Harvey?" she asked.
He huffed. "What To Expect When You're Expecting, a Mommy's Guide," he said with a deadpanned expression. He could see she was suppressing a laugh so he explained, "It was at the airport when I took that trip to Chicago; I had nothing else to read so I bought it. Okay, so I had to cover it up with a newspaper but it was a good book. It was very informative!"
She smiled. "That's really sweet, Harvey." She looked at him, he still looked guilty. He was still hiding something from her. "You carry the book on you, don't you?" she accused him lightly. "C'mon, give me."
He sighed deeply, shoulders drooping and grabbed his briefcase. He tried to open it discreetly only to have it fall open and spill the contents. He tried to hide it from Donna but she could see he had several books in there. It was the largest one that caught her attention. "Is that the Biggest Book of Baby Names?" she asked him.
He gathered up the rest of the books and placed them back in his briefcase, but he grabbed the one Donna had mentioned and brought it back with him as he sunk back into his couch. "What?" he cried out, giving her a sheepish look.
Donna took the book from his hands, not having the heart to tease him because it was a really sweet thing to do. "You really made these purchases on your own?"
Harvey looked at her, "No! I made Mike buy a few, Ray bought some, too…and the others, I made sure to put on disguises. That kit of fake moustaches and beards you got me for Christmas really came in handy."
She laughed, opening the book and noticing some of the names were highlighted; but only on the girls section.
"Harvey," she said, "you don't know that I'm having a girl." Upon taking a closer look, "And some of these names you highlighted are really ridiculous!"
"Well, that's an unfair conclusion. After all, I could just be using the book to jot down all the names of the women I've ever slept with," he answered cheekily.
Donna grimaced, "Thought of that, but my name isn't highlighted." She paused. Actually, they both paused. Neither of them had talked about that night since they last fought about it. Donna looked at Harvey carefully; this was probably a good time to finally tell him. She opened her mouth…
But he beat her to it, he broke their eye contact and took the book from her hands. "Give me that," he sighed, "you may allow people to name their children in a manner that would scar them; like, how could you let your sister name her little girl Glenda?"
Now it was Donna's turn to look at him disappointingly, "How she chose to name her baby was her business, not mine."
"Well," Harvey said, "that's why there's a book! What do you think of Ashley?"
Donna shook her head, "No, too girly. What about Michelle?"
Harvey gave her a stare. "Number one, you are not naming your child after Mike. Number two, you are not using a name which you and Rachel use in your drinking games!"
Donna laughed but said, "I like the one you highlighted on the first page."
Harvey flipped through to the beginning of the book. "Abigail," he said softly.
Donna smiled. Abigail Specter, she liked the sound of that. But she forced herself to listen to Harvey: "Abigail O'Keefe," he was saying, trying to keep the disdain from his voice. "It's not bad, I guess."
She ignored him, and said instead, "Of course, it could be a boy!"
Harvey scoffed at her, "I'm not wrong about this, Donna! You're having a girl."
Donna could only roll her eyes. "Either way," she began, "I think I like the name Keith."
"Keith O'Keefe!" Harvey exclaimed, "You just can't wait for him to get beat up at school, huh?"
Donna gave him a look and began to flip through the book, actually looking at names. She noted that he had actually circled one name on the boys section: Nicholas. She liked it and was about to comment but saw that he was busy with his phone beside her.
In truth, Harvey settled beside her. The music in the air, Donna's familiar perfume and just her mere prescence was reminding him of the fact that he hasn't been this comfortable in a while. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and took out his phone. Noticing the time, he noted that he should really send Donna home; she should not be up this late (or early). But he selfishly wanted to keep her at his side longer. So, he decided he would finish answering a few e-mails and then call it quits. She was busy looking at the book anyways.
She, on the other hand, was also having an inner debate with herself. She came here to accomplish something and damn it, she had to tell him now. So, she closed the book and looked at him. He was thumbing through his phone whilst having his feet up on the coffee table.
She sighed. "Harvey," Donna began almost tentatively; and then she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing in deeply; she was just going to blurt it out (like ripping off a Band-Aid), "I am so sorry that it took me this long to say it, I know you'll be mad but…you're the father."
THUMP! She opened her eyes suddenly at the sensation of Harvey's head gently falling on her shoulders. Her first thought was that he fainted, but upon hearing soft snores escape from his lips; she realized that he had fallen asleep. Asleep, that was a new interruption!
She had half a mind to shake him awake and demand that he listen to her, but she knew he hadn't slept in days. He was probably so tired, it clearly showed. She took the phone from his hands and somehow got him on a lying position on his couch, he was really heavy.
She checked the time, called Ray to pick her up and bring her home. She had enlisted Rachel and Mike's help with some "baby shopping" for tomorrow. She hadn't intended on bringing the pup, but her and Rachel needed someone to carry their bags and Sammy was busy for the day. The two would be at her apartment bright and early tomorrow, as per her request.
And so, she set an alarm on Harvey's phone so he could wake up at a decent hour since he wasn't at his house. Her phone suddenly began ringing; it was probably Ray waiting downstairs.
She couldn't resist though, she approached Harvey's sleeping form; it was very captivating seeing him look this vulnerable. She brushed his hair from his face, the gel no longer holding it all together and gently kissed his forehead before making her way down to the waiting car.
She didn't hear it, but Harvey had stirred a little at her touch. Mumbling her name incoherently, he sank back into his slumber with a hint of a smile on his face.