Chapter 12

Donna rode to her appointment with Sergei with a horrible feeling that she was betraying her husband. It was for his benefit that she was going so she hoped in the end Harvey would not be too mad at her. It was now 9:00 am and as she hit the streets of Manhattan, the Black Friday crowds were everywhere. Donna knew she should not be meeting Sergei secretively; and not only did she loathe driving in heavy traffic she left her husband in charge of the kids and her sister-in-law a potential ally in a lie. To make her deception plausible, though, she brought her maid of honor shoes that matched her teal gown with her just in case anyone asked questions.

Luckily Donna found a parking place in front of the store. She got out of the car and seeing her breath in the cold November air as she exhaled with a sigh put a coin in the parking meter and ventured into the "Room for A Venue" store. She opened the door to which the bell jingled announcing her arrival. The place was dark and eerie as if she came on the wrong day.

"Sergei?" Donna called.

He breezed in from some other room. He was dressed very casually in a button down long sleeve shirt with a pair of plain black trousers. His shirt was open at the throat revealing a smattering of dark chest hair.

"Donna! I am so glad you were able to come. I won't keep you too long from your family, I promise."

Donna felt a little self-conscious. She had dressed carefully because this was a business meeting but at the same time she did not want to look too dressed up in the event that she had awakened anyone in the house before leaving. She wore one of the oft-worn pantsuits she reserved for the office when Manhattan became extremely too cold to wear a short skirt and high heels with or without stockings. It was dark blue and fit her figure tight including the burgundy button down shirt she wore underneath the blazer. She was aware that her breasts were still oversized. Her blouse barely buttoned which seemed to please her meeting associate as his eyes were drawn to her bust line.

"Sergei, my eyes are up here," Donna said pointing to her face. She needed to put him in his place because suddenly she felt that he had brought her here for nefarious reasons. He was attractive but Donna would never be drawn to someone like him. She could read people and she could tell that Sergei liked himself too much and used women for that purpose. Unlike Harvey, Sergei did not really have a heart lurking underneath that handsome womanizing facade. Harvey was a complex man and used his bravado to hide from being hurt. Sergei was just one of those nasty types who felt privileged and felt the rules of human decency did not apply to him.

"Yes, of course, I'm so sorry. You're just so breathtaking. I am so grateful that you are here. Come sit here and the Chef will bring out his samples for you."

Sergei led her over to a chair at a table which was set way too formally for just a sample tasting. She didn't remember going through all this for Rachel's shower and that seemed a little more pompous affair than just a birthday party for her husband. She sat down and was self-conscious of her breasts popping out of her tightly buttoned shirt. It was funny for Donna to be uncomfortable with any male. She had realized a long time ago that she could outsmart any man because first she caught them with her beauty and then she flirted with them with her wit and brains.

Sergei put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. He also caught a glimpse of Donna's endowments as he did so. His hand stretched its way down to the top of her breast. Donna pulled her own chair in that moment breaking the contact between them. She gulped a little and thought: What was I thinking when I wanted him to cater Harvey's birthday party?

"Listen, Sergei, I'm sure whatever you pick is fine. Harvey and our guests will eat just about anything," Donna reacted to Sergei as she rose from the chair.

"No, you really must sample these dishes for yourself. So sit back down and they will be here momentarily," Sergei insisted.

Against her better judgment, Donna sat back down and pulled in her own chair before Sergei could get a hand on it.

Sergei then got up and poured chilled wine into the goblet sitting on the table. Donna looked at her watch it was just 9:35 am now. Drinking chilled wine before noon? What was this a business appointment or a seduction?

"Wine? You do realize it is very early in the morning for that? None for me, though, I'm still nursing," Donna gave the excuse and pushed the full goblet aside. " I will just have water. I brought a bottle with me. It's a rather long trip," Donna said. There was no way in hell she was drinking or eating anything this pervert had to offer.

"Please, Donna. I promise you it's a light fare. You sniff if you wish..."

"No, just give me the samples and I'll try them. I have to get back very soon..."Donna said as she pulled a little bit away from the table in the event she had to make a quick getaway.

"Ok. No problem. I'll be right back with the samples," Sergei said as he quickly rose and hurriedly walked to the kitchen.

Donna decided she was leaving. She realized now what a creep he actually was. She had not wanted to recognize it at Rachel's shower, but then she did not want to make a production number out of it because Harvey had been pissed, Mike had been drunk, and Rachel was so happy she was glowing more than fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Unfortunately, Donna could not make a clean getaway because as soon as she opened the door the bell jingled and a man's hand stood over Donna closing the door for her before she was on the other side.

"Donna? Where are you going? I thought you wished to try the samples I have prepared," Sergei asked standing over Donna. He dipped his head near her shoulder taking in her scent and trying to nuzzle near her neck and shoulder. He could not help but look at her large breasts and wanted to touch them. He tried again to reach for one until Donna stood tall.

"Look, I really have an emergency. One of my children is very sick all of a sudden and I have to get home. You know how it is...well, maybe you don't," Donna said panicking because she could smell his cologne and the look in his eyes became very dominating and smoldering. Maybe other women fell for this ruse, but Donna Paulsen Specter was not one of them. The only one that ever affected her that way was the man who was now at home taking care of their children.

"Please, Donna, I have planned everything. I am sure you will like it," Sergei said reaching for one of her breasts which seemingly popped out of her blouse. Donna reacted by slapping his hand away and then punching him in the face.

As he lay on the floor holding his bloody nose, Donna said, "It strikes me that you are no longer talking about food, Sergei, because your eyes haven't lifted from my boobs since I arrived. You know what? I don't know why I called you in the first place. You are a pig. You know what else? You can keep the deposit I gave you. I don't want you anywhere around me or my family!"

Donna pulled open the door and stomped her way to her car and drove off back to her family and the rest of the holiday weekend.

Harvey woke up to find his 18 month old daughter, red hair all in tangles with her Dora pillow clutched in her little hands, sitting on his chest.

"Daddy, get up!" Amanda commanded.

"Daddy's sleepy...Mandy, come in here with Daddy," Harvey said sleepily eyeing her with one eye. He lifted her off his chest and tucked her and Dora next to him. He then turned to see the clock on the bedside table. It read 9:00 am in big red numbers.

"Shh...we have to be quiet or we will wake everybody up," Harvey said tucking Mandy under his arm.

"Too late, big brother, Donna's gone and I made the Specter waffles!" Marcus came into the spacious room and eyed his brother.

"Yay..waffles!" Mandy said leaving Harvey in a dead run for the kitchen.

Before venturing into the bathroom to brush his teeth, Harvey brushed his hand on Donna's side of the bed. He clutched her pillow and brought it to his nose where he could sniff her special scent. He missed her when she was gone. He didn't awaken to her knowledge but he was well aware that she had left very early for her "appointment" with the seamstress.

Harvey rose out of bed then and plodded his way tiredly to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and ran a hand through his unruly "do" and began to shave.

As he stood at the mirror, he heard Gordon crying.

"Kate," Harvey called for his sister-in-law.

"Already got him, don't worry," Kate called back.

After Harvey was finished shaving and with a still pajama clad Mandy (she had returned to Harvey when she was intimidated by her loud older cousins) clinging to his leg walked his way into the kitchen where chaos was in full force. Gordon was crying up a storm; his brother's kids were fighting back and forth; Marcus was reading the paper-Harvey's paper; and Kate was trying to placate all around. The only thing missing was Harvey's wife. Did Donna really have an appointment that early with the seamstress? Still harboring suspicions, Harvey picked up Mandy from his leg and placed her in her booster seat at the table. He picked up Gordon who seeing his daddy stopped crying.

"I'm just waiting for his bottle to heat that Donna left for him. Do you want to feed him or do you want me to do it?"

"No I'll do it," Harvey volunteered gladly. "Just feed Mandy some waffles before she bursts into tears, ok?"

Kate patted Harvey on the shoulder and said, "No problem. I'm used to chaos in the morning."

Harvey took Gordon's bottle out of the pot boiling on the stove and strolled to the rocking recliner in the living room where it was quiet and he could hear himself think.

While watching Gordon slurp his bottle, Harvey confided his fears quietly to him.

Donna was so shaken by her appointment with Sergei that she knew she would have to take a breather before she drove all the way back home. Once home, Harvey may or may not know (it was hard to tell anymore) that she was hiding something. If he really thought about it, he would pressure her until she broke. So Donna decided to pull herself together by visiting her mother-in-law in the hospice to see how she was faring and to see how she enjoyed herself yesterday. Donna, Kate, and Lillian had had a little time to speak with one another during the day yesterday and Lillian actually thanked Donna for taking care of her son and making him who he was.

"Well, I'm not sure I can take all the credit, Lillian. Harvey was always ambitious and knew exactly what he wanted. However, I can remember once or twice when I kept him from jumping in the deep end without his swimmies," Donna had joked.

They all laughed at the image of Harvey Specter in swimming trunks and an inflated floatie around each upper arm.

Starting the car and finally driving home, she texted Harvey to say she was stopping by the hospice to see his mom on the way back home. He said everything was good and to tell her he was glad she had been able to come yesterday. Far be it from Harvey to actually confessing loving his mother, Donna thought. She signed off with an "I love you" and Harvey returned it.

Bolstered by Harvey's love for her stated so succinctly in the text message, Donna drove away from Sergei and the nightmare situation she had unknowingly embroiled herself. Donna hoped and prayed that that was the last she would ever see of Sergei, but she thought probably not.

"Donna! How nice to see you!"

"Hi Lillian. I'm glad to see you recovered from yesterday," Donna said as she came over to the older woman's bed and gave her a hug.

Taking Donna's hands in hers, Lillian rolled her eyes and said, "Recover! I was just getting started when it was time to take me home. I enjoyed yesterday so much. I had forgotten what family felt like."

"Well we were certainly glad that you were there. Harvey was too. Believe it or not."

"I do believe it. You have made him very happy. He loves being a daddy, too, doesn't he?"

"Yes. He does. I knew he would be a good father. He loved Gordon very much."

"I know. He always held his dad up as a supreme being. Me...not so much. I can't say as I blame him. Did he explain everything to you about me?"

"Not in so many words. It doesn't matter, though. You are here and in the family circle, so you don't have to be alone again."

"Thank you, Donna. That means so much to me."

Releasing Donna's hand, Lillian sat back and said, "Now tell me the real reason you're here."

After Harvey had fed baby Gordon and played with him a bit, he put him down and said he had to go into the office for a couple of appointments he almost forgot he had made. Donna had texted him to remind him that he had specifically wanted to work on Black Friday. He wondered how long Donna was going to be with his mother and he okayed with Kate about leaving her and Marcus in charge of their two as well as their own brood.

"No worries, Harvey," Kate said. "I'm sure Donna will be back soon."

"That reminds me. Did Donna tell you that her sister, Julia, and her mother are coming over to sit, so we can all go out tonight?"

"Yes, she did mention it last night. Now, go on, Harvey, get to the office so you can get home," Kate said patting him on the shoulder. "I don't mind the baby. It's been a few years, so I've missed holding a little one."

"Is that a hint you want to pass onto my brother?" Harvey said out of his mouth so Marcus who was in close proximity might hear them.

"Oh my word, no, not right now. We just got rid of all the baby stuff to you guys, remember?"

Harvey just smiled and hugged his sister-in-law.

"Catch you guys later."

So Harvey walked out the door and drove into Manhattan to the offices of Pearson Specter Litt.

Once there, he rode up to the 50th floor and when the elevator doors burst open he was surprised by Jessica just getting into the elevator.

"Where are you going?" Harvey asked.

"I've got a Black Friday date. It's nice to see you decided to work. It's only 11:00 am," Jessica punted back.

"I forgot Donna made two appointments with two clients who didn't mind working on Black Friday either. I almost forgot."

"Thank God for Donna." Jessica said smiling sarcastically.

"Yes. Did you have a nice Thanksgiving dinner with your family?," Harvey asked.

"Well, you know, I actually managed not to fight with my father over the football games. We came out even on our betting. What about you? How'd it work out with your mother there?" Jessica was really wondering about that because ever since she had known Harvey he never talked about or considered his mother.

"It worked out well. We really had a nice day yesterday. Well I gotta run. See you on Monday," Harvey said finally allowing Jessica to get on the elevator.

He strode to his office and looked fondly at Donna's cubicle. She had accidentally left her computer on Wednesday and the slide show screen saver of family snapshots continued to rotate. He decided that enough electricity had been burning, so he went over to turn her hard drive off when Sergei's phone number and address had popped onto the screen. The suspicions that had been starting to dampen sparked again. This time Harvey was going to do some investigation into this Sergei Patranov.

"So you go home and tell Harvey the truth about where you were today. He'll understand," Lillian said as she listened to Donna's story.

"You don't understand. He's already erected a barrier between us because I engaged Sergei for Rachel's shower and then while we there Sergei wound up with his face in my cleavage. He's going to think I betrayed him and his little barrier will become a wall. He's done it before. He's still that scared little boy inside that whoever does anything behind his back has betrayed him. No matter whether it is for his benefit or not."

Lillian put her hand to her chin and looked away for a minute. She then said, "If you tell him and he does this, you send him here to talk with me. I will set him straight. After all I am his mother and deep down I know he still loves me."

"Of course, he does. That's why when he realized what you were doing and left it scarred him so badly. He is still so afraid to love. He loves me and the children, but many times I still feel I have to walk on eggshells around him. He has come a long way it is just those last few insecurities that keep him from really knowing that I would never cheat on him nor endanger him in anyway. I gave up any other opportunities I had for a family life because my focus was always on him," Donna said tearing up. Her confession to her mother-in-law became in earnest at how much she loved Harvey but how much he still needed to learn about commitment and being in a loving relationship.

"Ten years I waited for him to tell me that it was me he wanted. I watched him tear through women and the few that I contrived to be happy about he screwed it up somehow. I had a couple of chances with other men, but Harvey was always my blind spot. I could never say "no" to him. I still can't," Donna cried taking a tissue and blowing her nose.

Lillian rose and took her daughter-in-law in her arms.

"Sometimes one can't help or protect those we love no matter how much we try. That's all we can do is try."

Lillian released Donna from her embrace and said, "You go home and tell Harvey exactly what happened. He has to realize that it was no picnic for you and that you escaped with no bodily harm has to bring it home to him. That you were in more danger from the meeting with Sergei than was your relationship with your husband. You said he was getting better. He may surprise you."

Donna looked at her watch and said, "Oh my gosh, my mother and sister are coming to babysit so Harvey, Marcus, Kate, and I can paint the town red. That is if my husband decided to stop working."

"Thanks for stopping by, dear. Remember," Lillian said as she rose to accompany Donna out the door. "You send that son to me if he even shows something other than understanding."

"Thank you," Donna said and kissed Lillian on her cheek and then she left feeling better than when she had ventured in.

Harvey was in the middle of his internet investigation of Sergei Patronov when his first appointment walked in.

"Hello, Conklin, how's the new baby?" Harvey said rising to shake his client's hand. Justin Conklin was the CEO of a large multi located engineering firm. Harvey had been the corporation's lawyer for more than five years. In that time Harvey had guided the company from a small influential company with construction and industrial interests to a multi billion dollar conglomerate. Today there discussion was going to center around a new merger with a smaller but competitive engineering firm which lately seemed to be outbidding them for work in the New York area.

"Oh, he is just fine. How's your family?" Justin asked as he took a seat. Justin, a man around Harvey's age, had married a woman much younger than he and they had just had their first child. Justin had been Harvey's client for upwards of five years. When Justin walked in five years ago, Harvey would always shake his hand and want to plunge in right away. However, since Harvey had married his secretary and become a father, he always started out with a handshake and asked about Justin's immediate family or in this case the new baby. Justin found Harvey sharp a lawyer as always but the experience was now a much more pleasant one. Harvey was a warmer man and although Justin Conklin was a cutthroat corporate businessman he enjoyed a little small talk now and then.

"Thriving. Thank you for coming in on Black Friday..." Harvey and Justin continued to speak and work out the particulars of the proposed merger.

When Justin left, it was 1:30 pm. He had been left a voicemail message by his second client that the meeting would have to be postponed and that he would appreciate a call when his secretary had set up the new meeting time. Harvey sent an email to Donna for her to take care of that on Monday when they were both due back in the office.

In the meantime, Harvey returned to his investigation into Sergei Patronov and was not pleased to find this guy was a huge fraud when it came to who he really was and what he actually did for a living. Harvey printed out the information to be used at a later time and to tell Donna she had better steer clear of this guy. His suspicions about her returned, however, he contrived to give his wife the benefit of the doubt. Something that the old Harvey would never have done.