Hi! Here's a quick update! I hope you like it! Thank you to my followers and favoriters - Carebearmaxi

Donna Meets Lily –

Chapter 18 -

A Mother's Plea

Lily fought the urge to break into tears as she approached Harvey's bedside. She had spoken with Dr. Anderson just a few minutes previous and he indicated that Harvey needed to stay calm as possible as the bleeding was not quite coagulated and he was hoping that Harvey would not need any surgery intervention.

"Harvey, it's mom," Lily said softly in Harvey's ear. "Scottie called me. The doctor told me you might need surgery to stop the bleeding in your brain. You were aware of that, were you not?" Lily took a seat next to Harvey's bed and held his hand.

"Hey, mom, it's good to see you. Have you seen Donna? She hasn't come. I wonder where she is," Harvey said sleepily. His big brown eyes were dulled with the drugs and red rimmed from exhaustion.

"We're all trying to find her: Mike, Scottie, Rachel, all who love you are looking for Donna. I'm sure she would be here if she knew," Lily said kissing her son's hand.

"Thanks, mom. Don't worry. I'm gonna be fine," Harvey said again sleepily. Lily's mind wandered back to a couple of months ago when Harvey had come to where she taught and decided it was time to forgive and forget. He was so strong. He cried, too! I love you, Harvey. Always have, always will Lily thought as she lay her hand on Harvey's forehead and ran her hand over his creases which were minimal in his drowsy state.

"Donna…" Harvey whispered in his sleep.

Lily's heart broke and she wept.

Unfortunately, Lily's husband was not able to accompany her at the last minute as there was an issue which needed his attention at his shop. Lily understood, but she could have used his strength to help her with this crisis. She would call him later and it would help just hearing his voice.

"Oh, Harvey!" Donna exclaimed as she slammed her script down on the table. The audition was in two days. Her mind could not absorb any additional information or not enough to spit it out for a successful audition. She could not help to think how Harvey was probably lying prone in a hospital bed maybe asking for her. Then again maybe not?

Donna finally decided to contact Lily. She had slept on it as best she could and now Donna had decided she would rather know the worst then not know anything at all. That was the only way she could decide what to do for herself concerning Harvey.

Donna estimated the time to be about three o'clock in the afternoon back in New York. Rachel had told her that Lily had already arrived last night. Donna dialed Lily's phone number.

"Hi Lily?"

"Donna?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Where the hell are you?

"I'm still in California.

"Rachel said you were probably in California."

"Yes, how's Harvey?"

"He's not well. When are you coming back?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"Because he keeps asking for you. He doesn't know why you left. Now I know it is essentially none of my business, but what the hell happened between you two? You were so happy together. You didn't want to leave Boston as I remember."

Donna stopped talking and bowed her head. A tear ran down her nose. She sniffed and then looking at her surroundings in her hotel room she wondered why and how she had gotten there in the first place.

In her mind's eye she saw Harvey's childhood home and she experienced again the thrill of having Harvey all to herself for two whole days. She also remembered the conversation they had when he broached the subject of marriage.

'"Donna, I'm not joking this time. Will you marry me?" Harvey asked her holding her hand across the small dining room table in front of the roaring fire in Harvey's boyhood home.

"I thought you weren't the marrying type." Donna had foolishly led Harvey into a discussion that she knew would ultimately turn them around.

"Ok, if you want to marry me, hotshot. Where's my ring?"

That's when Harvey whipped out his mother's engagement ring. Lily had slipped it to Harvey after he came to see her at the university. Harvey had mentioned the "someone very special" and Lily knew it was a woman, so she gave the ring to him so he would have it before he left for his return back to New York. She knew that Harvey would treasure it because it had been Lily's engagement ring from Gordon. It was not large or ostentatious but it was real and it would carry sentimental value for Harvey and any woman whom Harvey loved enough to make his wife.

Donna's mind crept back to the present. Lily's questions kept flowing like a litany in Donna's ears until she could stand her voice no longer.

"Enough!" Donna shouted through the phone. She did understand Lily's concern, but all of a sudden Lily had become ignorant of Harvey's sharp tongue and disdain when she herself was ostracized by her own son.

"Oh God, Donna, I am so sorry," Lily said with tears in her voice. "I just came from his room and he looked so helpless. Not like that angry man who came to see me a couple of months ago. I held him just like when he was a little boy when he was sick. He didn't resist."

Donna pursed her lips hard and tried to keep the tears from her voice.

"Ok, Lily, I will come home. Only until Harvey is better, though. He won't need me after that. He has Scottie. She loves him. She'll stay with him," Donna said cracking at the last word her heart breaking.

"That may be, but he doesn't want Scottie, Donna. She was only taking care of him until you get here. Why did you say that? Didn't Harvey want to be with you after all?"

Donna sniffed. Her heart which she thought had been purged of all feeling for Harvey had suddenly burst forth with all her love and concern. However, Scottie's nagging presence was the only barrier she still causing her not to capitulate completely.

"I thought he wanted to be with me and then Scottie came to the door the other day and Harvey was right back captivated with her. He forgot all about me. I can't compete with her. Harvey knew her a long time before we knew each other."

"Donna!" Lily said. "Harvey loves you so much! You know how scared he is of losing you! He asks everyone for you. He knows he needs surgery so I think he wants to make sure he sees you before he goes in which is another 27 hours from now. He's scheduled for 6 am."

"Lily, you don't understand. Harvey is afraid of commitment. He's been that way for a long time. He tried with Scottie and failed and I have seen him use women. He's used me in a way, but I'm the only one who loved him and sacrificed everything for him. I don't want to come back and then realize that he just wants it to be like it was. I want more from life and from him. I love him, Lily, but if he doesn't want to be with me or go halfway I will leave him for good!

"He asked you to marry him, didn't he? Who's scared now?"

When Donna did not answer, Lily continued, "Please, Donna, he needs you. I am sure he's changed. You told me he's changed a lot from that man I knew twenty years ago. I can see that and I can see how much that man loves and adores you. Everyone can," Lily pleaded. "Scottie called you his wife because she knows that is how your relationship seems to everyone. Don't you feel sometimes that you are married to him?"

"Familiarity breeds contempt' as the old saying goes," Donna quoted. "Yes, Lily he did ask me to marry him, but he won't want it after a while. That is if he gets better."

"Just come home, Donna. Contact Ray and tell him when your plane arrives," Lily said in a quiet sort of demanding voice.

"Ok, I will," Donna said.

"Oh and Lily," Donna said to Lily wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"What's that?" Lily asked quietly

"Tell Harvey, I'm coming home and I love him,"

"Wild horses couldn't keep me from giving him that message"