Chapter 11

Thanksgiving Day dawned as many a November day does in the East. The sky was mostly overcast, but a wan sun hid itself in the corner making the day rather miserable for being such a great holiday. The day matched Harvey's mood as he also awoke unusually with the sunlight. After hanging up with his wife the previous night, he lay staring at the ceiling. His mind kept repeating the conversation with Sergei and Sergei's evasiveness in answering Harvey's questions. His mind's eye kept seeing Sergei's number in Donna's phone and written address book. Not to mention the pass Sergei took at Rachel's shower. After the last event one would think the Donna would never want to see that womanizer again. He was having a hard time thinking that his wife would betray him with a man not even worth his weight. Before he was married, Harvey had been a womanizer but he did have the rule that he would not sleep with a married woman let alone one with children. It had hit too close to home for Harvey ever to do that.

The odd thought was that Harvey was actually looking forward to a full Specter family Thanksgiving including his mother given at his own home. Including his mother in the celebration was an idea that at one time Harvey would have abhorred. He had sworn so many times in his life that that woman would never have access to him, or he and his brother would never accept any type of help from her. As Harvey showered and changed into a suit for the formal dinner at home, he remembered a recent conversation he had had with his mother regarding the reasons behind her deceit and eventual desertion of her family.

"Mom, can you tell me why? Why would you abandon us? I know you cheated on dad for years and I kept the secret until I was so disgusted I couldn't anymore. I have trust issues that still have not abated although I have made some exceptions in the past few years. However, I am quick to judge someone and if I think someone has been disloyal to me I am the one to abandon them without giving them a chance to explain. These people are the people I love and care for. So I just want to know why?"

Lillian looked at her son with tears in her large brown eyes. She really never thought that her sins would have had any impact on her sons. Trust issues?

"Harvey it does seem that you haven't entirely alienated those who love you. You have a beautiful wife, two adorable children that I am looking forward to meeting soon and other people who really know the real you and care about you including that young associate I met last week. Mike?"

"Ross. Mike Ross. Yes he was my first experiment you might say. Anyway, why?" Harvey said taking his mother's hand in his and looking at her kindly but seriously.

"I was unhappy and I had been for a very long time. Your father's potential to go onto fame and fortune was immense. Instead he decided he was sick of the road and loved being a studio musician. Well, I was in it because I wanted to be associated if not married to a famous musician and be there from day one. However, my intentions wore out my actual desire. I loved your father's music which was what drew me to him in the first place. Then after our whirlwind romance, we actually had settled into a day-to-day routine; and it wasn't long that I grew tired and wanted the excitement again. I cheated and found excitement from not following the rules. I finally left because I felt that you would be better without me since I couldn't give 100% of myself to the situation. I simply thought I couldn't be a good mother if I had not been happy with myself."

"You know I have dad's solo tapes. Mike won them on Ebay and gave them to me as a peace offering when we were on opposite sides of a takeover."

"He reminds me of you, but a softer you. You were always good to me until you discovered I had been cheating on your dad then you turned as cold as ice on me. So I guess when I came back into your life I should have expected your aloofness and coldness."

"Mom," Harvey had said coming closer to his mom and squeezing her hand. "My wife and my boss have always been able to give me tough love when you couldn't. This situation between you and me has been no different. You know Donna was my secretary before I actually married her. Jessica paid my way through law school. They had both always been my friends. Donna told me that what you did was not to me, but to my father. But you did do it to me and to dad and to Marcus, however, I want to openly show my forgiveness and make sure that you will be at Thanksgiving. Marcus and his family are coming in from Boston and staying with us over the weekend."

The tears that had welled in Lillian's eyes had finally fallen to which Harvey handed his mother his handkerchief and held onto her.

Now Harvey wondered as he walked to his car with only a slight feeling that Donna might be cheating on him, how he should never had let anyone in. He always got hurt in the end. It was bad enough when his mother had abandoned him, but his wife? What did Donna see in this overbearing but charismatic showman? Donna had not been inexperienced with men and many a time she had lamented at how lame most of these men were. Harvey was sure that Sergei was no exception to that rule. Harvey just did not know. Maybe Harvey thought that Donna was not Scottie and would never cheat on him and hurt him. Scottie had cheated on her financée with Harvey which nagged Harvey in ever being able to trust her. When he and Scottie had tried a few years ago, at Donna's insistence, the constant bickering of keeping Mike's secret and Scottie's ambition had collapsed the relationship. Maybe Harvey should just confront Donna and find out what the truth really was?

Harvey started the car and pulled away from his condo building. He drove the few miles outside the city to pick up his mother from the hospice and then proceed home to where his faithful wife and little children waited for his return.

Harvey's wife on the other hand had spent a good night especially after the telephone conversation with Harvey. She had known earlier in the day that he had something on his mind and he had been shutting her out of it. However when he had called and apologized, Donna thought all was well. As a bonus, Gordon had finally slept through the night. It was about time he was four months old at the beginning of November. Amanda had slept through the night when they finally brought her home after being a preemie and remaining in the hospital for about a month to have her lungs mature and her weight bulk up. Gordon who had been a good size at birth had grown even bigger so he was quite a handful. However he had the cutest chubby cheeks and big brown eyes, so anyone who came in contact with him could do nothing but spoil him. Donna imagined that Harvey may have been like that as a baby. She had seen his baby pictures when they visited Marcus' house. Marcus was very sentimental whereas his brother was less so. Perhaps, it was not the lack of sentimentality that was wont in Harvey it was just bad memories and the cutoff of childhood innocence.

Donna rose and took a shower. She then checked on Gordon and found him awake but not crying. He actually turned his head to look at his mom when he heard Donna's voice from the door. She picked him up and kissed him. She loved being a mother. She had acted the mother so many times to people that it just came naturally.

"Mommy!"

"Yes, Mandy, come in your brother's room. I have to get him ready for a bath before your grandmom and daddy come home.

Donna could hear Mandy's little footfalls on the thick carpet as she made her way to her brother's room. Dressed in her little princess' nightgown with her red mane all tangled in a bird's nest she looked fresh and clean from her night's slumber.

"See mommy. No pee. Potty," Amanda told her mother and pulled out her pull-up for her mother to feel.

With one hand on Gordon, Donna bent down and felt the dryness of the training pants that Amanda had been wearing.

"Wow. What a good girl! I bet if we tell daddy when he comes home he will get you a special treat!"

"Daddy pancakes!"

"Well, maybe tomorrow for those. Do you want to help me give Gordy a bath?"

Mandy nodded her head.

So with that Donna took a naked Gordon and a half naked Mandy to the spacious bathroom to get them ready for their Thanksgiving Day.

At nine a.m. on the button, Donna heard Harvey's Audi pull up in the driveway. She smoothed down her dress and checked the turkey in the oven. Donna was on her way to the door with Mandy when she heard Gordon wake up for his feeding. So Donna pushed Amanda to the front door and compelled her to wait for Harvey which was not hard since Amanda had been jumping up and down waiting for her daddy to come home. Donna went up to the nursery to attend to the baby.

Donna had told everyone that dinner would be about three p.m. She was hoping Harvey would help her a little when he got home, so she could focus on the dinner. So far she had been able to prepare the turkey with the stuffing inside and the green bean casserole. Hopefully Harvey had made a trip to the liquor store to replenish their cabinet as the only thing inside it was Harvey's favorite scotch. Donna had the dinner wine chilling in the refrigerator along with water, soda, and juice for the children.

"Daddy!" Amanda screamed as she slammed herself into Harvey's waiting arms. He had waved to her from outside so she knew he was coming in. As he picked his daughter up, he spotted Gordon's empty baby seat.

"Where's mommy?"

"Kitt chun," Mandy said and pointed. She became suddenly shy when the Lillian started to stare at her.

Harvey walked with Mandy in his arms after maneuvering to remove his mother's coat and hang it up in the coat closet in the foyer. Mandy hid her face in her father's shoulder and only sneaked a peek at the woman standing beside Harvey.

"Mandy? This is your Grandmom Lillian," Harvey said to his daughter encouraging her to look at Lillian. This is daddy's mom."

"Gandmom Lilyun," Mandy managed to say clear as a bell to which Lillian smiled silently and could not believe how she resembled both her parents.

"Mandy," Harvey said putting down his daughter. "You take Grandmom's hand and show her where to sit. You think you can do that?"

Mandy nodded and took Lillian's hand.

"Mom, I'm going to find the rest of the family."

Lillian said, "No hurry. I have more than enough company with this little one."

After watching Mandy walk with his mother into the living room near where her toys were kept, Harvey walked around the wall to the kitchen where he saw the turkey cooking in the oven and a couple of pots set out for additional preparation. He left the kitchen in search of his wife and son and finally spotted them in the nursery where Donna had just finished feeding Gordon. The baby lay asleep with one hand on Donna's bared breast and his little mouth slightly open. The dim light from the blinds in the nursery placed golden highlights on Donna's coiffed red hair, still face as she gazed on the wonderment she held in her arms. Harvey was caught dead in his tracks. Donna looked positively angelic. How could he think she would cheat on him? She loved him and always had so she claimed. She loved their children and was always positive that since he had grown up he would be a wonderful father. She had wanted to have his babies, so she had confided to him plenty of times since they had married. It was a blessing that it had happened so quickly.

Looking down in shame from what his thoughts had been earlier, Harvey quietly approached his wife who looked up and smiled at him as he came nearer.

Harvey kissed her.

"When I fall asleep, there's no place better than there," Harvey said softly with a smile.

"Well, you might have gotten to sleep there if you had been home last night, husband. Glad you're home," Donna said reaching up to Harvey for another kiss.

"Do you think we would disturb him if I carried him out to show mom?" Harvey asked.

"No, he's good for another two hours. Here," Donna said handing the baby to Harvey and then she hooked her nursing bra and finished replacing her dress. "I need to wipe down a couple of things. Go ahead and show her Gordon." Donna smiled as she watched Harvey walk out of the nursery carrying their son. Harvey's proud gaze on is son was evident. Harvey was oblivious to Donna's gaze on him as she watched Harvey carry their son into the living room. She momentarily remembered how different a man he was now from the one she had come to work for almost twelve years ago. He essentially deep inside was the same, but the overall change was phenomenal. Once, having children of his own let alone be a husband to one woman would have never been entertained by Harvey Specter. However, Donna knew that ever since he had held his first child in his arms, Harvey had fallen deeply in love with fatherhood.

By the time Harvey had carried baby Gordon to show Lillian, Marcus, Kate and their brood had arrived. All three of Marcus' ran to their grandmother whom they had not seen for some time. Little Amanda felt overwhelmed at the boisterous hello her cousins gave their grandmother. To Mandy, Grandma Lillian was still a stranger but apparently to her older cousins she was a welcome sight. Finally it was Marcus, Jr.,age 5, who took the reins and pulled his cousin back to their grandmother.

"Come on, Mandy, she's your grandmom, too," said Marcus Anthony Specter, Jr., the spitting image of his dad and just as kind.

Amanda Elizabeth Specter, with big brown eyes like her father's looked up at her taller cousin and let herself be pulled back to the pile of children and the matriarch sitting in the middle while holding her youngest of all five grandchildren in her arms.

Harvey and Marcus looked at one another and just smiled.

Donna came out of the nursery just as Kate Specter walked back into the house carrying a tote bag full of fresh food to be prepared on the spot.

Kate, a smaller woman in stature than Donna, a brunette, with a sweet round face sometimes felt inferior to Harvey and his statuesque flame-haired bride; however, she greeted Donna with a kiss and hug. To tell the truth Kate loved Donna and Donna loved Kate. They may have looked very different but in each heart their husbands and children came first. Kate was also a woman with a great sense of humor which Donna was glad when they were allowed out without the children or their husbands. They were not above getting in trouble.

"Hey Donna you look fantastic!" Kate exclaimed handing the bag to Donna who looked inside.

"Of course, I do, I'm Donna," Donna said laughing at herself and giving Kate a big hug. "What's in here? It weighs a ton!"

"There are yams, white potatoes, and fresh carrots. The potatoes and the carrots are for today, but the yams which I know Harvey likes as well as Marcus I thought would do for tomorrow night."

"Why, my mom and sister are coming tomorrow night to sit so we could all go out on the town," Donna said carrying the heavy bag to the kitchen and dumping its contents on the messy counter. It was strewn with both dirty and clean dishes to which Donna started putting them back in their spots.

"I haven't had a minute to tidy up before you guys got here. Harvey spent the night in town so he could pick up Lillian at the hospice and Gordon was so fussy this morning I only had time to place the turkey in the oven."

"Don't apologize to me. I know how it is..."

So Donna and Kate spoke about homey things and their respective husbands then the latter's husband said, "Kate, honey, bring Donna over here. I don't think she ever met mom properly."

Donna came over and Harvey briefly squeezed her hand and gave her a wink.

"We did meet briefly at the ground floor of the firm's building. Lillian," Donna said going forward to give her mother-in-law a squeeze and kiss on the cheek.

"Lillian? I hoped you would call me "Mom" by now," Lillian said as she looked at Harvey for permission.

"It's not up to me, Donna. You can do whatever is comfortable for the two of you." Harvey said going to the bar for a drink.

They passed the holiday hours in companionable and familial conversation. They each took turns playing with the children and Lillian was able to feed Gordon from a bottle of formula that Donna had specifically made up knowing she would not have the time to nurse him.

Regina, aged 10 and Fiona, age 8 actually played happily with little Amanda and Marcus their little brother whom normally they eschewed like the plague.

Dinner went off without a hitch and all children were fed and in bed early. Lillian had to be back at the hospice for her nightly medication by 7:30 pm, so Marcus and Harvey decided to drive her back together which gave Donna and her sister-in-law time to talk.

About 8:00 pm when the children had actually fallen asleep in their beds, little Gordon had his last feeding until about three a.m. and Marcus and Harvey were still out, Kate broached the subject of Lillian's relationship with Harvey now that he had taken care of her needs in these the last few weeks before she faced a certain death.

Donna had changed into her lounging pajamas as Kate had done the same. Donna and Kate sat on the couch closest to the bedrooms and the baby monitor sat on an end table next to Donna in the event that the baby needed anything. Kate and Donna shared a special bottle of wine that Donna knew would not ignite Kate's allergy to wine. Kate broke out into horrible hives if she drank dark red wine. However, Donna had found a very expensive brand that she knew Kate could tolerate. Donna was slowly weaning Gordon like she said previously many times so she was not above tippling herself now and then when the occasion called for it.

"So Harvey seems to be taking his mother in stride now that she's back in his life," Kate said running a finger around the rim of her wineglass.

"Well, you know, it's Harvey. He never says too much about it. Not even to me. He seems to be ok with the situation."

"He doesn't talk about it even to you? I thought he always confided everything to you."

"He does normally but he has just decided to man up and do what has to be done. That is usually how he does things and sometimes that speaks volumes of his feelings. I know, though, for him to say the words once in a while would be nice."

"I'll say one thing for him. When I married Marcus and Harvey was his best man, I thought Harvey very cold and not caring for anyone but himself. However, even in those days, if your name was mentioned in a conversation Harvey would become this different person. He would open up and talk about what you and he had accomplished. Never anything too personal because I think he still had half a foot in Scottie, if you know what I mean. Then big Gordon would push Harvey and push Harvey and keep telling him "you'd better marry Donna before someone else does." Did you know that?"

"Yes, Gordon would hint at those things when he called the office to talk to Harvey. I met Gordon Specter at a function in Boston where Harvey and I had gone for a business trip. Harvey had had no idea until Marcus told him that he was playing in a club up there. So we went and then I stayed at the house for the next two days. Harvey and I never slept together or anything but Gordon was always trying to push us together in that way. Harvey was not ready in those days, and I had had rule that I did not sleep with men that I worked with."

"What changed?"

"We got tired of being with other people and finally realized that the only person right for us was each other. It took ten years but he finally let his feelings for me show and I was too tired to hesitate for any reason. Besides I really wanted to become a mom and there was no other man's baby I wanted to have but his."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Now about Lillian she was not all what I expected. She really did all that stuff she said she did back when she was young and a jazz groupie?"

"She has pictures buried somewhere. Marcus showed me," Kate said giggling as she became more inebriated.

"Listen, Kate, I have to go somewhere in the morning. Harvey knows but I just wanted to tell you in case he forgets. I have to leave about 8:30 and drive into the city for my appointment," Donna said confiding her dilemma to Kate.

Kate looked at Donna and said, "What's the appointment for? Got another guy? Ha, Ha..." .

"Of course not. I have to go into town for another fitting of my gown for the wedding and I have to go by Rachel's parents' house which is where it is before I go to the seamstress. Besides I won't be long. I'll be back before noon," Donna said finishing up her wine.

They then turned the TV on to some touchy, feely movie where at the end both women were in tears to the curiosity of their husbands who had just walked into the door.

Later that night Donna and Harvey lie in bed in each other's arms. Donna had been exhausted and too tired to do much more than cuddle, so Harvey lay restless with her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and play with a lock of her beautiful hair. Despite what Donna had thought he had remembered that she would be off early to an appointment. She told him something to do with Rachel's wedding but a constant gnawing at the back of Harvey's brain kept telling him that Donna was lying to him. He was a lawyer after all. He could tell when people lied to him.

When he saw her earlier in the throes of nursing their son, his anger at her supposed deception evaporated. He could never stay mad at her long. Letting her beauty and the specialness of the moment take his anger away, it now returned with an almost fierceness that Harvey thought must remain speechless giving his wife the benefit of the doubt.

All in all, it was a wonderful day in the Specter family history. His brother and his wife lay in the guest bedroom and their three children shared Amanda's spacious bedroom in sleeping bags and cushiony pillows that they brought just for the occasion. Her cousins had given Amanda her own big Dora the Explorer pillow which almost smothered the little girl in her little bed. Harvey smiled as he shut out the light noting how adorable all the children looked and how happy he was inside. Nothing was going to take this feeling away from Harvey. He had never been happy from domesticity but now it was all that brought him peace after dealing with corporate tycoons and their million dollar companies. Harvey had come to realize that even with all their wealth the only people that mattered in the world to him was the woman lying in his arms, their children healthy and lying in their beds and his little brother happy with his own family. Perhaps now he could also include in that circle his mother with whom none of this probably would ever have been possible.