Chapter 3

As Donna approached Harvey and the woman in the lobby of the building housing Pearson Specter Litt, she heard the confrontation before noticing Harvey's mother. Donna had no clue what her mother-in-law looked like as their apartment or their house in West Chester had never contained pictures of her. There were other portraits, of course, of other relatives and even their friends but no images of Harvey's mother. Harvey had completely shut her out a long time ago and he was not relenting no matter what the circumstance.

"Harvey!" Donna shouted to calm the two flaring tempers gathering spectators in the lobby.

"Donna, not now!" Harvey shouted back.

"Is this your wife, Harvey?" Lillian Specter stopped shouting long enough to notice the tall striking red head who had called her son's name with such vehemence.

"None of your business, mother. It is best you leave now. Do not come back or try to contact me ever again! When I said I never wanted to see you again, I meant no matter what!" Harvey began to walk away leaving the older woman in tears.

"Donna, come on. Back to work…now!" Harvey shouted.

"In a minute, Harvey," Donna said to her husband/boss.

Harvey did not want to make a scene with Donna now as well so he just clenched his jaw and stomped away to the elevator. As he punched the button his glare told Donna that meant she had better not bring up the subject once they were upstairs in the offices.

Part 2

As Donna looked at her mother-in-law she now knew where Harvey had inherited those deep dark brown eyes. They were the same eyes that their daughter had inherited as well. Upon inspection, Lillian Specter was still a beautiful woman in her early 60's. She had been 22 when she had given birth to Harvey and 28 when he gave birth to Marcus. Marcus favored Gordon Specter more than Harvey and, perhaps, that was part of the reason why Harvey had not wanted to acknowledge his mother because he saw her when he looked in the mirror.

Lillian Specter was a tall woman. She had flats on and she was almost as tall as Donna who was wearing four inch heels. They were able to look each other in the eye.

"Hi Donna. Yes, I'm Lillian Specter. Harvey's mom. It is so good to meet you in person. I know from Marcus that you were always special in Harvey's heart. "

"Ah, Mrs. Specter, I want to apologize for not meeting you in the lobby before Harvey arrived back. I was at lunch. It's only my second week back from maternity leave. I wanted to take you up to Harvey's office, but I know from experience that it would not be a good idea just now."

Lillian Specter took Donna's hand and dragged her to a sitting position on the bench just inside the glass of the building.

"I didn't expect a warm welcome. I know too well how Harvey feels about me. I know what I've done and I don't apologize for it. I think Harvey is too much like me for his own good," Lillian said smiling proudly.

After hearing that there was no regret for her past behavior, Donna thought that maybe she was right. Harvey was not one who regretted much but since they had married his rough edges had been softened. Donna knew that the walls Harvey had erected so many years ago had just needed the right impetus to fall down. Luckily, Donna and then Mike had been those keys.

"Mrs. Specter, where are you staying?" Donna asked.

"Oh, Mrs. Specter! Call me Lillian or if you feel comfortable enough you can call me mother Specter," Lillian had told her daughter-in-law.

"Oh, I couldn't call someone so young looking as you Mother Specter. I would think I was talking to a nun. Harvey calls my mother mom, so I feel I can call you mom in return. Is that ok?"

"Wonderful. Now I will leave. My hotel is just a few blocks away. I'll take a cab."

Donna thought that it was silly for her to walk many blocks away although Lillian seemed fit. Donna took her cell phone out of the pocket of her beige A-line skirt and dialed Ray.

"Harvey's going to kill me if he knows I am doing this, but I am going to do it anyway. I would feel horribly guilty if something happened to my mother-in-law on my watch when I know I can help."

Lillian, laying a restraining hand on Donna's other arm, shook her head and insisted that she was perfectly capable of getting a cab on her own or walking the blocks to her hotel.

"Nonsense. Ray? It's Donna. Can you pick up someone for me at the firm? Five minutes. Great. I'll be waiting with her. No, Harvey's not going to need you until about five. We're going home early tonight. Thank you."

About five minutes after Donna hung up her cell, a long black Lexus pulled up outside the building. Donna accompanied Lillian outside in the warm October sunshine and introduced Harvey's mother to Ray, their driver. They exchanged pleasantries for a little bit and Harvey's mother gave Ray the address of her hotel. Donna had texted Ray a few minutes later to not mention a thing about this to Harvey later when they were both in the car. She had fully intended to tackle Harvey herself later.

_ After making sure that her mother-in-law was being safely transported by Ray to her hotel, Donna tackled the next step and took the elevator up to the 50th floor. When she arrived there, she gave Harvey a look and sat back at her desk and resumed the work she had started before her lunch with Rachel. The file that Mike had laid on her desk had some important instructions clipped to the cover, so Donna started working on that immediately as it had to be on Harvey's desk by the end of the work day. Donna was still as efficient in her job as Harvey's assistant during the day, but sometimes at night as his wife things could get a little more hazy.

"Donna," Harvey said into the intercom.

"Yes," Donna said as she continued typing.

"Come in here, please," he stated quietly.

"Harvey, this brief is not brief, if I am going to get it done before we go home…." Donna protested trying to stem off the conversation she knew was they were going to have.

"Donna, please. I need to talk with you," Harvey asked again quietly.

"Sure."

Donna rose from her seat and walked into Harvey's office. She closed the clear glass door as to give them some privacy from prying ears.

Harvey rose from his desk and led Donna over to the couch across the room. He sat down with her and put his head in his hands.

"Look, I am sorry you had to witness what that woman's presence does to me. If you had not come along I was afraid what might have happened," Harvey said taking Donna's hand in his.

"What do you mean what you were "afraid of what might have happened"? Donna asked puzzled. Then she looked up into Harvey's face as it rose to stare her in the eye.

"You don't mean that you would have physically taken your temper out on her, do you? She's a woman and what's more your mother. She gave birth to you. Do you think it would be ok if one of our children wanted to hit me for something that I did which may have hurt their environment but not them directly?"

"That's not the point. You would not cheat on me and let Gordon or Amanda keep it a secret and allow me to maintain an outward happy nonchalance about it. You're not that type of person. We're not that type of people, Donna. I may have hit her, and I know that wouldn't be right. However, you have to know that the relationship between she and I must stay as it is because of my reaction."

"You might think you would do that to her, but you wouldn't, Harvey. I know you too well. I know you are capable of beating people up whom you think deserve it, but I know you would not beat up your own mother. You are not a woman beater. You know how women should be valued even if they hurt you so deep you don't think you'll recover. You abhor any type of abuse on women or children that's what makes you a decent man. So I think it is time to reexamine your relationship with your mother." Donna said as she kissed Harvey's lips lightly and then caressed his cheek and walked back to her desk to finish her secretarial work which, her boss, Harvey had laid in front of her.

When she arrived back at her desk, the voicemail message was blinking again. Donna retrieved the message and when Harvey had left his office to tell her he was seeing Jessica on a corporate matter she returned the call to her mother-in-law.

"Hi Lillian?"

"Is this Donna?"

"Yes, it is. I assume you got back to your hotel in good condition."

"Yes, I did. Ray was such a nice man. He spoke of you and Harvey very highly. He's been employed by my son for a long time now, hasn't he?"

"Yes, a long time. The exact amount of years escapes me. Now what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to talk to you and Harvey about an issue but I can see that Harvey is still holding a grudge for my behavior to his father those many years ago."

"Is there anything I can help you with directly?"

"Yes do you know the name of a local neurologist?"

"Neurologist? Why do you need one of those?" Donna asked and she automatically panicked.

"I don't want to go into that right now, but do you know of one?"

"Ah…sure, our firm reps some very good medical professionals. Let me see what one is close to you here in Manhattan."

Donna tried to remain calm as her fingers flew through the keyboard looking for the directory of Harvey's clients. She knew he represented a couple of laboratories with medical centers attached to them. One of them had been manufacturing the drug for Gillis industries as well as Jessica's ex-husband's firm. Her eyes finally alighted on one Dr. Jeff Tulane a neurologist with New York Hospital and various other affiliations.

"Lillian, here you go. Dr. Jeff Tulane , 508-914-6590. That is his office's number. Harvey represents his medical arts firm."

"This isn't going to get back to Harvey, is it?" Lillian asked. "I don't want him to know anything yet."

"Lillian, a relationship with a doctor is like with a lawyer. It is strictly client/doctor confidential. With the new HIPPA laws it is even more secure. So no one will tell Harvey anything until you want him to hear it. Please keep me abreast of what's going on, ok?"

Donna spotted Harvey walking back to his office and hurriedly hung up the phone with his mother. Unfortunately, Harvey could read her face a mile away, so he knew she was keeping something from him which did not help his mood any.

"Donna, who were you talking to?" Harvey asked as he leaned on her cubicle with his hands folded in front of him.

"No one. Just one of your clients confirming an appointment I made earlier with them." Donna could not bring her eyes to her husband's face. When she did she slightly bit her lip to which Harvey answered.

"You're biting your lip. You were talking to my mother, weren't you?" Harvey asked but did not stay around for Donna's answer. He simply walked back into his office and twirling his wedding ring on his finger resumed his seat at his desk in front of his laptop.