Prompt #15 by creativeslump_: "A fic focused on Donna and Harvey traveling over the holidays to be with their families and then on the plane or anytime else perhaps back in NYC or Connecticut they run into an ex of theirs. Paula, Thomas, or mitchell is preferred. The author can take any creative liberty as to which of those exes they run into as well as when and how. I'd just love for the interaction to be post cannon with Donna and Harvey married."
Donna was not expecting to adjust to life in Seattle very quickly. New York City was one that matched her soul. There was Broadway, exquisite shopping, and a restaurant scene that ranged from dollar pizza to 5-star dining experiences, as well as authenticity from every cuisine around the world. Ballet, world-class museums, art, glamour, nightlife, she could go on for days about the things she loved about New York. Seattle had Mike and Rachel, and an opportunity to watch the man she has spent the majority of her adult life loving use his tenacity, brilliance, and every other trait that she found so damned sexy, help the good guys.
There was never any doubt that she would be happy living wherever Harvey was. Even before they finally made it to where they were always supposed to be, Donna had always known she would follow Harvey anywhere. He once took that fact for granted, but now, she knew that he never would have considered the move if she was not fully on board. It was easy to be. It was also helpful having the financial security to travel back to New York whenever she missed it, or her family at Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett, too much.
It did not hit her all at once that they had found a second home in Seattle, as different as it was. That realization set in through more of a trickle of small moments, and a couple large. One of the first moments came not a week into their stay at the quaint Air BnB they found in the Laurelhurst neighborhood.
"Harvey," Donna moaned in displeasure. She was typically the early riser of the two and was quite displeased to wake up to him untangling himself from her. "Where are you going?" After a lazy attempt at blindly reaching out towards him she let her arm drop back down in defeat.
Harvey, not yet fully off the bed, leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. "Shhh, go back to sleep. I am just feeling a little restless this morning. I don't plan on finding a gym until we figure out where we are going to live, and I could use a workout."
She had tied her hair up before bed, and he tucked a few strands that had come loose behind her ear as he took her in. The sight of her naked in bed was something he would never tire of.
"Last night wasn't enough of a workout for you?" Her brain was waking up, but she was still unwilling to assault her senses by opening her eyes to the sunlight pouring in through the curtains they kept forgetting to draw.
He chuckled and kissed her again. "As aerobic as that was, I still think I could use a jog this morning. You know, you could always come with me. Make sure I don't get lost in this strange new city." He couldn't resist reaching out and lightly stroking her exposed back, as the covers were bunched just above her hips. Touching her always grounded him, he could never get enough.
"One, I don't even have to check the time to know it is way too early, and two, I hate jogging. You want me to suffer through it in a city with so many freaking hills?" She crinkled her nose at the thought and reached for her phone to check the time anyway.
Being in an unfamiliar Air BnB meant she did not yet have the muscle memory to navigate the side table and grasp her cell on the first try without looking. She fumbled a few times then managed to locate it. Not yet awake enough to actually complete the act, she clutched her phone in the hand that had returned to its spot under the pillow, still unaware of the time.
Harvey watched the struggle and made no effort to help. She might typically be the first to rise, but it didn't mean she was much of a morning person either. He found it endearing.
"What can I say, I just love spending time with my wife." He grinned down at her, knowing the word still had an effect.
"I know what you are doing, and eventually I am going to get used to you calling me your wife and take back the power. But today, I am going to get my ass out of bed and join you, because you're going to owe me yoga after this." There was determination in her voice, but a lack of accompanying movement. Harvey knew she was about 30 seconds away from falling back asleep if he did not keep her talking.
"I can't say I expected you to actually give in, but now the question is, did you bring a pair of sneakers with you? Because even you can't pull off jogging in your Jimmy Choos." If her eyes were open, she would have rolled them.
"As a matter of fact, I did bring a pair. You're taking me to the Pike Place Market later, and I planned on trying to catch the fish. Not that I'd ever fail, but if somehow that were to happen, I can't risk fish slime on any of my babies." She shuddered at the thought.
"How much do you spend on your heels anyway? Do I need a post-nup to make sure you don't break me now that you have full access to all of my accounts?" He was still wearing his trademark grin, a frequent occurrence these days.
"Please, you know I've had full access to all of your accounts since the day we went to Pearson Hardman," she retorted. She rolled over onto her back and stretched her limbs, shaking off the ache that was a mix of pleasure from the night before and age catching up to her.
After staring at her breasts for a beat, he snapped himself into action. "Alright, woman, less talking, more jogging." He reached down, hooking one arm beneath her knees, the other under her shoulders, effectively scooping her out of bed. The desire to never put her down nearly won out, but the jog was unfortunately needed. The sudden movement jolted her system and woke her up enough to get dressed to go, but not without complaining further.
Thankfully he spared her the torture of going for the six miles he normally might have, and instead limited it to three. She was pretty sure he kept the pace a little slower for her sake as well. It turned out to be more tolerable than expected. Living in New York forced you to get used to the stench of garbage permanently permeating the air. The absence of that felt liberating. Whether it was all of the trees or the lack of smog and overpopulation, the air in Seattle was refreshing.
…..
When they eventually decided to seriously try to figure out their permanent living situation, they opted to look at houses as opposed to a similar penthouse. Once they ruled out living downtown, a house was the more logical choice. Narrowing down the type of dwelling didn't make the closing date come any less painfully, for Harvey, as meticulous as Donna was.
"Harvey, you didn't make any plans with Mike or anything today, did you?" Donna asked while waiting to plunge the French press. She wasn't looking as forward to the cup as she normally might, since it would be lacking her extra touch.
Harvey had done the last round of grocery shopping and as always, left without a couple items on the list. Initially, she had suspected that he intentionally "forgot" items to make her give in and always handle the shopping herself. When she noticed that the vanilla they both loved in their coffee was one of those items, she came to accept that he was just a piss poor shopper.
Harvey looked up from his Cheerios with raisins and bananas to acknowledge her. He spoke, but it wasn't necessary because his face screamed, "of course not." She might have once accused him of always doing what he wanted in the end, but they both now knew that he was a whipped man. "You told me to keep my schedule clear. You're the boss." He added a shrug of his shoulders to bolster his point.
"Harvey, I was the boss even I was your secretary, but I am just making sure. We're meeting the realtor today and seeing a few houses," she sassed and informed with a knowing look.
The timer went off and she finally plunged the press then poured the coffee into two mugs before adding the finishing touches. Her cup was typically considerably sweeter than his. Every now and then, however, she would add whipped cream to his, and he never did mind. There always seemed to be a plate of strawberries with breakfast those mornings. Grabbing his cup, she delivered it to him and couldn't help adding a kiss to his forehead.
"I take it you finally were able to narrow down the best neighborhoods then? You have me all day, but I don't know if I can handle another PowerPoint presentation weighing the pros and cons of every inch of Seattle and the suburbs again." He shook his head at the thought, but he knew he would sit through another if she asked. There would be protesting, to keep up appearances, but he was excited to build a life with her in Seattle and was willing to follow her lead.
"It's a big decision, Harvey, I was just being thorough. And I am not unreasonable, I just have a few musts." She placed a hand on her hip as she defended the presentation.
A lot of work went into ensuring that they chose well, and they knew virtually nothing of the city before they moved there. That was still true after talking to Mike and Rachel, who did not give them much more than the names of restaurants they should go to together, and that it rains a lot, but locals don't use umbrellas very often. The North Face for fleece jackets, Starbucks for coffee when feeling too lazy to find better quality, and the Space Needle's rotating view was cool, but the food sucked rounded out their contributions.
"I know better than to suggest that you are unreasonable, I just can't handle another breakdown of price per square foot and number of farmers markets in walking distance. Besides, you know I am going to love whatever house you pick, the only thing that is important to me is sharing it with you and a large shower for extra curriculars." While the end sentiment was true, he threw it in just to butter her up and attempted to look angelic in the process. He even threw in the side-to-side head tilt he reserved for the softer moments.
"Sweettalking me is not going to get you out of another presentation." She narrowed her eyes at him and pointed a finger in warning. "I know all of your tricks. But it just so happens that you are in luck. I have already decided that the Broadmoor neighborhood is perfect for us." She brought her hands together and scrunched up her shoulders, as she allowed the excitement to bubble over briefly.
"What finally sold you?" He took another bite of cereal, dribbling milk down his chin in the process. Donna shook her head while grabbing a napkin to wipe his face. She found it endearing, not that she would verbalize it.
"For one, the houses are sizeable as are the plots of land. I don't think I ever imagined having space like that, or the yard for a garden and such in New York. I like the idea of having room for a piano, home offices, a home gym if you don't only want to go to your eventual boxing one. The neighboring houses aren't too close either. I don't know, after being in the most cramped city in America, space just sounds seductive." Her face brightened at the mention of a piano, and Harvey filed it away, hoping to have the chance to surprise her with one.
She didn't mention the last factor, that the school district was top-notch. While Harvey and Donna hadn't discussed kids, Donna preferred to be prepared. Eventually, she planned to raise the topic, though she wouldn't complain if he beat her to it.
"When you say sizeable, does that mean there would be room to build a large garage? They don't have car clubs here like they do in New York. They don't have Ray either." He missed the man and was glad that Samantha decided to hire him to keep him in the family.
Pushing his hips forward while leaning backwards, he stretched the morning out of his lower back.
"Of course they don't have the same type of car clubs here. Most people are either riding bikes or driving a Prius 40 miles per hour in the fast lane. And if you want a driver, we could always hire one, but it probably makes more sense to just drive ourselves. I haven't needed to in so long, but I've always found it relaxing." Still engaged in the conversation, she picked up her phone to check her emails. Donna was a master at multi-tasking, and Harvey knew not to be offended by divided attention.
"I'm all for driving, but let's see if you still find it relaxing when you discover that the traffic here rivals New York. Which really doesn't make much sense with the difference in population." He had finished his cereal and proceeded to rinse out the bowl before placing it in the dishwasher and sitting back down to finish his coffee. She might not think highly of his shopping skills, but she greatly appreciated that he always picked up after himself. Not that they wouldn't still utilize a cleaning service.
"I think I'll be good. I always just did more work in the back of a taxi or when Ray was driving me. I kind of like the idea of just zoning out to music or listening to podcasts. I can practice my French tapes without an audience." He noticed her doe eyes give that little squint that meant she was thinking about something fondly.
"It's settled then, we don't need a driver. And we can still Uber when you get me drunk to have your way with me." He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she shook her head again in return, albeit it with a wide smile on her face.
"I seem to remember you being the one to always pour me drinks, even back at the DA's office." She raised an eyebrow, daring him to challenge that.
"Are we going to pretend that you didn't keep Macallan 18 in your office at the firm for my sake?" He rose to the challenge.
She shot him her look that was usually accompanied by a "You're an idiot," and he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her in so that she stood between his legs.
He always enjoyed closeness, but he had an ulterior motive this time. After tugging her low enough to ply her neck with kisses, he summoned his best puppy dog look. He could try to close her, his skills still unmatched in that arena, but he preferred when she agreed without much resistance. "So, since they don't have the same car clubs here, and you said there would be room for a large garage, does that mean I can buy a few classics?"
"Harvey, if you still want to live out your James Bond and Steve McQueen fantasies, I am not going to stop you. Just promise me if you get too carried away, you'll rent additional space elsewhere to store them. And promise me I'll never have to hear your lip when I splurge on dresses, purses, or pumps." Her arms found their way atop his shoulders and looped around his neck.
"Deal, and you can't take it back, because I am already bidding in an auction for the Bullitt Mustang," he sealed with a kiss after sneaking in a cheeky grin.
They met the realtor an hour later, and much to Harvey's delight, it only took them seeing three houses before Donna fell in love. The house was as beautiful as it was spacious. The tremendous closet space was almost enough to sell her on the house alone. It wasn't directly off Lake Washington, but still had a spectacular view of it.
…..
Moving in went smoother than expected, as the company was efficient, and they chose to buy new furniture. Donna soon learned that yoga in her old apartment could not compare to yoga on the covered balcony overlooking the lake. The view alone made all the difference, but there was nothing like the way the fresh air hugged her senses after a morning drizzle. The size of the property paired with the tall trees adorning the rear provided plenty of privacy from the neighboring homes. Donna quickly figured out that there was also nothing like the fresh air while fucking Harvey on the rear balcony, protected by the evergreen trees.
Dining out in Seattle would never be New York, but she discovered she quite enjoyed the freshness of the seafood (especially the oysters), and the Thai place she found near their home was so good that Harvey didn't bother to pretend it was shitty. Not that she would ever tell Louis, Mike and Rachel made for the best dinner companions and only continued to add to the list of restaurants to experience.
Harvey and Donna also started to cook more together, him more so than her, but their diets were no longer restricted to takeout or dining out. When Marcus would later visit, he gave them a whole list of recipe ideas and plenty of tips on how not to screw them up. The kitchen was so fabulous that Marcus was jealous, and all but threatened them to make sure they put it to good use.
…..
Two months into the start of their new adventure, they started to settle into their new careers. Harvey had originally planned on coming in as a senior partner, but sometime during their honeymoon, his thoughts on that changed and he gave Mike a ring.
"Harvey? To what do I owe this displeasure, and what are you doing calling me during your honeymoon anyway?" Mike answered his phone before taking a rather large bite of an apple and continuing to speak while munching away. The sound was obnoxious, but Harvey chose to ignore it and go for the boastful burn instead.
"Well, here is the thing, Mike, when you actually know what you're doing in bed, there is some recovery time needed. Donna is napping right now, so it was a good time to call. I can always give you some tips, just in case you need a little help making sure Rachel doesn't smarten up."
They often Facetime, but Harvey decided to spare Mike his shirtless state and just rolled out of bed hair. Landing a punch was always more fun when he could see his face, however.
"Hey, I out kicked my coverage so I must be doing something right!" Mike reacted, even without an audience, and placed a hand on chest signifying his wounded state.
"You got that right. And a sports metaphor, I am impressed. Although five bucks says you don't know what that actually means in football terms," Harvey responded knowingly.
"That isn't a soccer thing? Huh, go figure. And it's not like you didn't with Donna, although I am not going to go as far as to say you are doing anything right. Those naps might just be a product of you being ancient." Harvey almost missed the last part, as Mike's mouth was full of his next bite, but he still caught the all too familiar age-related joke.
"Considering that I am on the phone with you right now you know that I am not napping. Are you calling my wife old?" He didn't have to see Mike to know he recoiled at the idea of pissing Donna off.
"I would never say a bad word about Donna, if I did, she likely would have strangled me through the phone by now. Asleep or not." He shook his head at the sacrilegious thought. "You still haven't told me why you called, you know. Forgetfulness is another sign of old age." He thought himself clever every time he was able to slide in a dig about Harvey's age. The literal pat he gave himself on the back was nothing new.
"All these old man jokes, yet you're still afraid to step into the ring with me. You need to get some new material anyway, even Louis has more in his arsenal." He caught himself throwing a jab with his non phone holding hand and realized he was missing time in the ring. Dealing with Hardman, Faye, and Malik over the last few months had provided too many battles outside of it.
"Now I know that's a lie. Louis may lash out when you are being a dick, but he spends the rest of his time writing odes to you and building shrines," Mike volleyed back. Harvey could hear Mike rummaging around in the fridge. He must have finished his apple.
"What can I say, the man has impeccable taste…aside from his suits. They never are as sharp as mine. His taste in entertainment is questionable as well… it might just me that he's oh so right about." His smirk was gif worthy, rivaling that of Robert DeNiro.
"You done flattering yourself?" Mike asked while balancing his phone in the crook of his neck so that he could carry his spread back to the table.
"Fine, you were correct. I did call for a reason." He was standing out on the balcony of their rented villa. The view of the Amalfi Coast was stunning. Harvey had warned Donna that they wouldn't leave their rental enough to truly experience Italy, but she did not object. If anything, she told him, it would give them an excuse to go back.
He sat down on a somewhat uncomfortable lounge chair and continued to get to the point. "I've been thinking about our work arrangement…" He trailed off, allowing Mike to cut in.
"Harvey, if this is a last-minute play for named partner, I told you that senior partner is the highest level I can bring you in at. We have some others in line already. I can't do to them what you did to Alex like 5,000 times." He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and the raising of his arm reminded him that he needed a shower soon. He shrugged and continued eating.
The symphony of crunching clued Harvey into the fact that Mike had decided what to eat next. It sounded like he had gone with a pickle and was chasing it with a bag of chips, or something of the sort. Harvey noticed a weird pattern of him eating loud food whenever they spoke. It was likely intentional after the first time that Harvey had called him out on it. He had stopped mentioning it, but that hadn't stopped Mike.
"No, it's not that. Believe me, I am not gunning for named partner." He took a deep breath and relaxed into the chair more.
"You're not getting cold feet and staying in New York, are you? I might not be able to give you named partner, but I still hyped you the hell up. Everyone is excited to bring in the legend that is Harvey Specter." Mike put down the pickle as the conversation was getting real.
"You must really need me there to slip up and acknowledge my greatness." Harvey might make the Mount Rushmore for large egos, but there were still a handful of people whose praise affected him. He would never let Mike or Jessica in on their spot on the list, but Donna knew she headed it.
"And no, I have already sold the penthouse, plus Donna is excited. But it's about Donna, really. Being here with her, away from work. I have come to realize that I want the ability to do more stuff like this. I can count on one finger the number of times I took vacations while working at the old firm. I don't want to put in those kind of crazy hours anymore." He ran a hand through his hair, a little tense at delivering the news. He was sure about this, but he didn't want to make Mike look bad if he had fought to sell the others on giving an outsider senior partner.
"I completely understand that, Harvey, but what do you have in mind? Associates work even crazier hours, so I know that's not what you are suggesting." His mouth hung open in shock for a beat, and his voice softened when he eventually found it. Five years ago, hell, six months ago, he never thought he'd see the day when Harvey Specter was prioritizing personal relationships over work.
"I was actually thinking something more along the lines of a consultant or contractor. I might not be the guy fighting to bring in new cases, but I can still help on the big ones." The hand in his hair had moved down to scratch the back of his neck.
"I think we can make that happen, Harvey, but you know that means a smaller office, right? And I am assuming that Donna isn't changing her plan?" Mike had let out a sigh of relief that he hoped Harvey didn't hear before responding.
Their agreement worked out for the best. Harvey had the freedom pick and choose which class action lawsuits he wanted to take on, or when he wanted to sit second chair to Mike, just to have some fun kicking ass with him again. Mike would also still let him take first chair from time to time. Harvey always had time for Donna.
Donna had decided to start a charitable foundation that she operated from within the walls of the firm. She was given a medium-sized office next to Harvey's and hired a team of people to work under her. The firm already had someone, Taylor, serving in the capacity of the COO, but Donna was a Taylor whisperer as well. She found herself double-dipping as the head of the charity, and the person who still made the firm run smoothly. To her, it was the best of both worlds. She got to run something that truly gave back, made the world a better place. She also still got to work with Harvey, Rachel, and Mike, even if the second hat was technically unpaid. At least she did not have to pay for the office space. When she set up her office phone and realized that the Seattle area code was 206, she felt like there was a little piece of her old home there waiting for her.
…..
Three months into their time in Seattle, Donna realized it had been two months since she last had her period. Returning home from Rite Aid, she peed on a stick for every brand of pregnancy tests the store had to offer. They all shared the same result. Pregnant.
Donna had only recently started thinking about kids when she was considering school districts and hadn't yet breached the subject with Harvey. Becoming a mom had been something she imagined in her 20's, although reserved for the distant future. She had never dated someone that made her revisit the idea again until Harvey. There was something about the way Lucy felt in her arms, and the look that Harvey gave her, that made the idea of them surge to the forefront of her mind. When she saw the results, she knew nothing could feel more right.
The years Harvey went without seeing his mother had cost him time with his niece and nephew, but Donna knew that he was a wonderful uncle when he was present. Once they made up, and once Harvey made her his, she had the opportunity to see firsthand how great of an uncle he really was. Between that and the way he was with her, she knew he would be an even better father.
Still, she found herself nervous to tell him since it was not something they had discussed. To Harvey's credit, she could not have scripted a better reaction.
Six weeks into the pregnancy, her OBGYN suspected it might be twins, and nine weeks in the ultrasound confirmed it. Seven months into the pregnancy they had yet to decide on names.
"Ugh, I feel like a whale," she expelled with a groan. "I can't believe I am carrying twins. This is all your fault, mister!" The words were chastising but came with a contended sigh.
He was propped up against the arm of the couch lying the length of it with her in his arms and her back flush against his chest. They usually found themselves in this position nightly when it was time to rub in another application of Cocoa Butter.
"You look beautiful, and that's as close as I am going to get to touching the whale comment. Besides, you know you are rocking pregnancy better than women half your age." Her eyes were closed in contentment as he spoke to her. He knew that the skin hydration efforts doubled as a massage.
"As for the twin part, they don't run in my family, but they are more common the older the pregnant woman is." He poured additional Cocoa Butter into his hands and started to rub it into her stomach in gentle circles.
She sighed again then processed his words. "I'm going to ignore the fact that you called me old twice in two sentences and say you're right, I am rocking this, aren't I?" She felt him nod in reassurance. "And it did take you 13 years to see what was right in front of your face, so if my age is to blame, I feel like I still got you on that one." Her face was scrunched in an adorable way.
"Fair enough, you know I can't argue that. But it should be credit that you are giving me then, because now we get to have a girl and a boy, and you only have to go through morning sickness and swollen ankles once." He had finished applying the lotion, but continued to massage the area as it relaxed her.
"As if that is the extent of everything I have to go through. I haven't had wine in ages, I can't wear my heels, my back is killing me, my mood swings are as fun for me as they are for you, I want to eat everything except for what I normally like, and we haven't even gotten to the part that I have to actually give birth." Her hands were speaking louder than her voice as she gestured wildly while still leaning into him.
"I didn't mean to imply that was the extent of it!" He removed his hands from her stomach and held them in the air in defense. "Speaking of giving birth, it might be nice to have names picked before then. I don't want to be one of those couples referring to them as baby boy and baby girl for the first week or two."
"Neither do I, and we still do have time, but I do have some ideas." She ran her hands up and down his arms that he had returned to her sides.
"Care to share with their father?" He mock pouted while angling his face down further.
She gave him a playful swat. "I wasn't withholding or anything. But I was thinking that, and this is only if you like the idea… be honest…" She wasn't sure where the nervousness came from, maybe the hormones. She picked at his sleeve while she spoke, her eyes following her fingers.
He took her hesitation to mean she was going to suggest something too outside of the box. "Babe, we're not naming them after Shakespearean characters. No Game of Thrones either."
She laughed at that, and felt the nerves evaporate. "That's not where I was going with that, but while we are on the subject, no Captain Kirks or Rocky Balboas either! But seriously, I thought maybe we could name them after your parents." She glanced up at him, not wanting to miss his reaction.
Harvey looked at her in awe, eyes noticeably watering. It wasn't something he thought about, but the idea immediately resonated with him. "Donna…are you sure?"
"I am, Harvey. I wish they were still here to see you become a dad, but this way it's like they will always be a part of it." Her tone was gentle, but reassuring.
He buried his face into her neck and hugged her ferociously, though avoiding applying too much pressure to her stomach. "What do you say we make it middle names?" His voice was still heavy with emotion.
"I'd say that's perfect, Harvey. In fact, I have an idea for our baby girl's first name." She beamed at him and squeezed him back.
"I am pretty sure I am going to say yes to anything in this moment, unless you do try to sneak in Ophelia or Daenerys." He felt a sensation bubbling in his chest that he only ever seemed to feel in her presence.
"Have you been watching Game of Thrones? I would have binged it with you!" She sat up partially and turned her head in outrage.
"You let me get you into Survivor, I am not opposed. But no, I haven't watched, I just worked around Mike and Louis enough to suffer through their conversations about Ned Stark and the Mother of Dragons." He pulled her back down as he reassured her that he hadn't been cheating on their joint TV watching.
"Don't downplay it, Specter. There is no way you would remember those names just from Mike never shutting up." He couldn't see her face from the new angle after some shifting around, but she still narrowed her eyes for his benefit.
"Ok, I may have been reading up on it. I want to get into your things too." He tilted her head up and around for a kiss. "But don't let this distract you from sharing our daughter's name."
Donna proceeded to suggest Jasmine as a nod to Robert Zane. The man could certainly be a prickly pear, but between raising Rachel and sacrificing his license for Harvey's, Donna would always be grateful and always see him as family. Honoring his deceased sister was the best way she could think of to honor him, and it certainly didn't hurt that she found the name to be beautiful.
"Jasmine is perfect, you're perfect." He squeezed her again. "I never did get Robert his watch or his burger, which he loves to remind me about. Naming our daughter after his sister is the ultimate trump card anytime he wants to flip me shit."
"You never got him the watch? I am sending him one tomorrow. And not even the burger?" She reached for her phone, which was tucked underneath one of Harvey's legs, eager to start shopping for the perfect watch.
"That was on him, he turned me down every time I offered!" His offense at the blame was reflected on his face.
Feeling one of their kids kick, his mind returned to them. "Any ideas for our son? I draw the line at Mike and definitely at Louis."
"Well…" she paused, biting her lip. "I wasn't sure if you would want a little Harvey Jr." He would always be the best man she had ever known, even if it took him some time to grow into it.
He didn't, as he felt his name came with too much baggage, too many enemies, and a huge reputation that might put undue pressure on their son. He came up with the name Henry, enjoying that the names were similar. It felt like he was sharing a piece of himself with his son without hanging a burden over his head.
Donna had kept the Paulsen in her name, choosing to hyphenate it with Specter. Knowing that her name meant something to her, Harvey had asked if she wanted to hyphenate their kids' names as well. The consideration meant the world to her, but she wanted them to be just Specters. Jasmine Lily Specter and Henry Gordon Specter sounded right. Most people referred to her as Mrs. Specter anyway, and she found that she never truly missed hearing the Paulsen part of it.
"One more thing… I have an idea about starting a day care at the firm. We both know we would never go to work again if we had to leave our kids somewhere else." She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. The move always transported her back to their second first night.
He nodded in agreement knowing full well that they both will be overprotective towards their kids the same way they are towards each other. "And by you have an idea you really mean that you have hired how many daycare workers so far?"
"Four," she responded with a sheepish smile and ducked her head into him.
…..
Neither Harvey nor Donna liked to go into work on the weekends anymore. There were times that Harvey could not avoid having to put out some case related fire on a Saturday, or times that Donna could not decline meeting a donor for the foundation. Taylor and the firm still needed her help from time to time as well, as her gifted way of managing people and problems was still unmatched. Today it was the foundation and specifically a donation large enough to drag her away from Harvey and the twins for a few hours.
When Donna made it back home bearing burgers from Dick's Drive-In, Harvey's non-double Whopper with cheese of choice, the twins were already down for a nap. They dined out on the deck overlooking the lake, while Harvey filled her in on the latest park adventure that had successfully worn out their kiddos. Getting them down for daily naps was becoming more challenging. They were active kids with inquisitive minds, and advanced speech for their age. Donna liked to joke that they were little lawyers in the making, but she and Harvey both knew the sky was the limit for them already, and they would have their choice of career paths. The way Jasmine seemed to hold gazes and dare she say analyze people, made Donna confident she had a little mini-me in the making. Henry was all Harvey.
Donna stepped inside to take a phone call, and when she finished found Harvey still out on the deck, standing now, and taking in the view. "Harvey, I think I need to go back to New York."
To anyone but Donna, it likely would have been imperceptible. The way his shoulders tensed, briefly before he masked it, and the way his fingers flexed, like he stopped himself from making a fist made her heart sink a little. Their life together was perfect, and she knew that Harvey believed in forever just as much as she did, but every now and then his abandonment issues still flashed.
Regretting her choice of "I" in her statement and wanting to reassure him, she quickly closed the gap and nuzzled into his back. Still holding onto him, she explained better, "I owe Alex two favors and he is calling them in. I was thinking it would be nice to stay a couple of weeks, make sure our little ones get to spend some time with our Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett family. Which, by the way, I am still shocked that the name hasn't changed in years. Louis is planning an even bigger than usual office Christmas party a couple weeks before the 25th, and he is bringing in a Santa and all kinds of things for Lucy. I think the twins would enjoy it almost as much as Louis."
She could feel his smile even before he turned around in her arms and pulled her into his. After placing a sweet kiss on her lips, he processed the first part of what she said. "Wait, did you say you owe Alex two favors? Nobody gets two!"
"It's from when he helped me with the forger for my Thomas Crown Affair. He could have negotiated any amount of favors to help me get your painting back." She didn't miss the look on his face in response, although it would have been difficult to.
After his mom's passing, the painting meant even more to him, and her as well. Every time she caught him staring at it, consciously or otherwise, it unleashed a flurry of emotions within her. Most of those emotions centered around the love she has for this man that she still couldn't quite wrap her mind around the intensity of, but the grief for his loss, their loss, always crept in too. She was still angry at the universe for taking both of his parents from him so early.
"Donna…" he started with that tone that meant he couldn't find the words for what he wanted to express.
Ever since they got together, he had been surprisingly open and attentive. She had always known that Harvey loved hard. If you made it into his inner circle, he was incredibly loyal and incredibly protective. What she did not know was how thoughtful he could be with her, and how easy it would be to feel his love. There were so many times in the past, before they came to their senses, that the words he would not say almost broke her. Now those words flowed freely. Even her sappiest of fantasies did not prepare her for the kind of boyfriend then husband, and now father he was.
Every now and then, however, the words would still get caught on his tongue. The difference was that it did not come from a place of fear or unwillingness to say them, it came from emotions that surged too strongly to formulate them. In the past, sometimes her own insecurities and fear of being wrong about them could scramble her Donna powers. Now, she could always find his words in his eyes.
"I know," she told him before he pulled her in for another kiss, a lot more urgent and bruising this time.
"Why don't we stay a month and do more than just New York. It has been a while since we've visited Boston," he suggested when they came up for air. "Marcus and Katie decided to try spending Christmas together as a family this year, and I am sure they would both be happy to have us there to distract from any potential awkwardness or strain. After that, we can head to Connecticut. I know your parents will be out of town for Christmas, but they will be back before the new year." He had kept her in his arms as he spoke.
The timing was right. He had just wrapped up a big case and had not selected his next yet, and she had a capable number two who could handle anything that Donna couldn't take care of remotely. Taking a month off was something they could do now.
"That sounds perfect, Harvey," she beamed up at him in response.
"What do you need to do for Alex and how soon do we need to get there?" he asked, remembering the original reason for the trip. He had released her from his arms but pulled her down next to him on the outdoor couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"I'm going to book and pack tonight. We should get there soon, it's definitely time sensitive. Joy got into some trouble at school and was expelled although she should be getting a freaking medal instead. Her roommate was attacked and when she reported it to the school, they talked her out of reporting it to the police, promising to handle it in house. We unfortunately still live in a world where the school would rather cover it up and half ass a hearing that enabled the assailant to stay in school." He noticed the way her jaw was clenching and a vein on her forehead was popping.
She must have noticed too, as she took a deep breath before proceeding and leaned into him more. "Joy saw her friend hurting and vandalized the fucker's car and now she is the one getting kicked out. Alex is going to help the friend, moving forward, with the legal stuff, but he didn't want to have to wait out court and lawsuits to get Joy reinstated. She doesn't want to even stay there and is going to transfer, but it's a lot easier to get into another school with nothing like this on her record. They are on break for the holidays right now so I would like to get this taken care of before the break ends. Between Sheila and some owed favors, I hope to expedite a transfer to Columbia as well. I don't want this to set her back."
She stood up and started pacing after he released her from his hold. Sometimes she couldn't stand the way the world worked. With the kind of cases that Harvey was taking now, she frequently got a deeper look at it.
"I know you can fix anything, but I am surprised that Alex didn't go to Samantha for this. I am pretty sure Joy idolizes that woman." His wife was the most incredible woman he had met, and he was well aware that everyone else could see it too. Samantha, however, had become a fixer of sorts for Alex, and this seemed right up her alley. Not that he was complaining.
"Samantha went on a trip with her biological father to get to know him better, which may be for the best because she is going to go ballistic when she finds out. That's yet another reason I want to take care of this quickly." She explained with a slight grimace, imagining Samantha's reaction.
Donna knew that Samantha would handle it, but she preferred not find out to what lengths that would entail her going. Thankfully, Donna knew the right people to take care of it without anything too shady needing to be done.
"Well then let's go as soon as possible so you can do your Donna-ing and we can enjoy the holidays." If he was trying to play it cool, his Cheshire grin gave away his eagerness.
Harvey had never been too big on Christmas thanks to his childhood, but it was like a switch flipped when he started being able to spend them with Donna. Having the kids made him even more inclined to make the holidays special and to spend them with family. For the last few years, it had been Marcus, with or without his kids, or Louis and Sheila coming out to them. Even Jessica made an appearance one year. Christmas Eve became the day they spent with Mike and Rachel if both couples were in town. They hadn't made any plans this year with family, and Alex calling in his favors turned out to be the perfect reason and timing to change that. Harvey was excited to go back to New York, and to Boston and Connecticut as well.
"You know, ten years ago I never would have thought I would see the day that Harvey Specter was excited to spend the holidays with his family. Thank god I figured out that you were hiding a giant sap underneath all of that Tom Ford," Donna teased before extending a hand to pull him up off the couch marching off to start preparing.
They had been back in New York for a few days now, and Donna had already set her plan in motion to get Joy out of the trouble she did not deserve. After meeting with her last contact before it was time to wait for the final pieces to fall into place, she had plenty of time to enjoy the vacation part of the trip.
The morning had been spent buying gifts to bring to Louis's Christmas party as well as their outfits for the event. Despite it being family friendly, Louis expected everyone to dress to the nines so that he could add the pictures to the quarterly magazine updates he started sending to clients.
Donna had hoped for a white Christmas for the kids, since that was one thing that happened rarely in Seattle, but the weather was unusually mild for this time of year. At least they did not have to completely bundle the kids up as they toured the city. Once Donna left to handle business, Harvey took the twins back to Mike's old apartment praying they would nap before the party. They agreed to meet at the firm later.
She was running a little early and decided to grab some muffins and Christmas cookies from the place Louis liked to say makes better muffins than his sister, especially to Esther's face. Donna was a fan of Esther. She was beautiful, brilliant, successful and had a great eye for interior design. The fact that she slept with Harvey was something Donna could do without, but more importantly, she knew how often Esther protected Louis growing up. If there was one way to get on Donna's good side, it was to protect those she loves.
In true New York fashion, just as Donna was approaching the lobby for the firm, a suited man barged past her, but not before ramming her with his shoulder hard enough to knock them both back. He proceeded on after shooting Donna a glare as if it was her fault for simply existing in his path. Normally Donna might be miffed, but in this case, she was grateful to not have dropped the boxes of baked goods on the ground. She spun around, excited to go up and see everyone and nearly caused another collision.
"Oh! Excu…Donna?" A surprised Paula exclaimed, bracing herself for the anticipated contact by extending her arms and stepping back a little to regain the balance the surprise had caused her to lose.
"Paula, wow, hi, I am sorry, I did not see you there." Now this was a face that she had never expected to see again. Which would have been perfectly acceptable.
Paula looked a few years older than the last time she saw her, but otherwise the same. Her wardrobe was familiar to the extent that it would not surprise Donna if Paula was wearing the exact same black sweater she last saw her in, that night in her office. It was not a night that Donna liked to think much about, but it did not carry the sting it once did.
"Well yes, I assumed as much. Although after our last encounter one could never be completely certain," Paula said with a tone that did not reveal how seriously she meant that. The slight sneer that accompanied her words gave it away though.
Donna was surprised that Paula decided to go there, and right off the bat. She chose to engage, without matching her hostility, however. She would take the highroad. She got Harvey.
"Look, Paula, I should not have come to you. I was desperate to keep a job I loved and thought I could reason with you. At the same time, I couldn't tell you what you needed to hear to make what I was asking fair to you." If Paula was going to get right into it, she would too. She channeled her most empathetic tone of voice. Although if Paula looked at her hands, she might notice how tightly she was gripping the boxes.
Donna was no Paula fan, far from it, but she could put herself in Paula's shoes and felt some sympathy mixed with a slight bit of guilt. Not for how things turned out of course, but the more respectful path would have been to talk to Harvey about her feelings instead of kissing him. He wasn't the most receptive of conversations like that back then, however.
"Something tells me that if we did a roleplay in therapy, that would not be the same sentiment you express," Paula retorted with an eyeroll. Her posture was as stiff as her tone.
"I say what I mean, Paula and I don't blame you for not being comfortable with me after I kissed him. I get it and that's why I left without trying to convince you further." She pleaded with her eyes for Paula to understand that while she would never undo it, she wasn't gearing up for a battle.
Going to Paula had been a last resort and an incredibly painful moment in her life. Ending up with Harvey erased all of that, but she was also grateful that Harvey had really opened up to her about that mess after they had gotten together. It was easier to let go of those emotions once she had a full understanding of where his mind was, and his heart. It had been hers all along.
"It is hard to trust that when you look at me with such contempt." Paula's seemingly did not know what to do with her hands, as she kept bringing them together then releasing them. Her tone was getting sharper, but Donna still did not mind. If anything, she felt sorry for her.
"I do mean it. I understand what it means to love Harvey, and if the roles were reversed, I don't think I would be a fan of the woman who kissed him either. I don't really blame you for that, and I don't hate you, Paula." She was half tempted to release a hand from the boxes and pat Paula on the shoulder, but she couldn't be certain that it wasn't a condescending impulse, so she adjusted her grip instead.
Once she and Harvey had moved past the initial fallout, there had never been a second that passed in which Donna regretted kissing him. It did make her sad, however, that years later it seemed like Paula had not yet recovered from it all. Paula was greatly misguided, in her opinion, but she never directly set out to hurt Harvey. She was able to reserve compassion for her while simultaneously thinking little of her.
After spending years loving Harvey without knowing that he reciprocated her feelings, she was no stranger to how difficult, or for her impossible, it was to stop loving him. Donna rooted for the Scotties and Paulas of the world to find their peace. Harvey was hers, and he would never be on the market again. She wanted them to be able to move on for their own happiness. At least it seemed like Scottie had. She wouldn't lose sleep if Paula lost her license, but that would likely make Harvey feel guilty, so focused on rooting for her instead.
"I suppose you wouldn't hate me when he picked you working for him over our relationship." A heap of disgust with a layer of despair were attached to her words. Anguish flashed on her face before she stood up taller, which seemed to restore her rage.
Paula had not always considered herself an insecure woman. After her relationship that ended because of an affair, that started to shift for her. That insecurity festered until it exploded with Harvey. He was the most charming and handsome man she had ever been with, but the whole reason she even met him was because he was having panic attacks about his secretary working with someone else in the same building. It certainly did not help that Paula had met Donna when she was still just Harvey's therapist and knew her to be stunning and impressive. When she was honest with herself, she knew she ignored very obvious signs that Harvey's feelings for Donna weren't the type she (nor he for that matter) could get past. If she was really honest, she knew she dropped the ball as his therapist. None of that stopped her from wishing Harvey had chosen her, and despising Donna for the end result.
"I'm sorry you were hurt, Paula, and that my actions contributed to it. The contempt you feel has nothing to do with the ultimatum. I just never liked that you were his therapist first." She paused briefly, letting her words sink in accompanied by an unblinking stare.
"You helped him. You got him to talk about his panic attacks and open up about his mom. Knowing Harvey, that wasn't easy. But that also requires establishing trust and a relationship built around roles and dynamics that are protected for a reason. There is always going to be room for doubt that your feelings could have affected your sessions as well. You didn't break the law, but the ethics surrounding it are questionable at best. It's really not my place to judge you, but I still struggle with that part. I do understand how Harvey can be irresistible though." She rocked back and forth on her heels, her feet tired from standing in the same spot in such high stilettos.
"That's a bit rich coming from a woman who went from secretary to COO after screwing her boss." Paula had that one locked and loaded and was delighted she had the opportunity to fire it. Her eyes were wild, a contrast to her normal composure.
Her fingers twitched with the delivery, which Donna immediately noticed. If it were any other woman, Donna might think she was spoiling for a fight. She knew, however, that Paula was the type to spar with words instead of fists, not that Donna was any different.
"You know, it used to really bother me when people couldn't look past my looks and my relationship with Harvey to see that I am fucking great at what I do, but I learned to be able to separate the people whose opinions matter from those who really don't. And the people who matter, well they don't project their own insecurities on me." Her glare was pointed, and if she wasn't still holding the boxes that weren't heavy, but becoming awkward to grip, she likely would have mirrored her posture to her face.
It was also the closest that Donna came to allowing venom into her tone, but she still clung onto control. She debated walking away and ending it on that note but thought against it. Paula was really making it hard to choose to be civil, however.
"Paula, I get that when you started dating, you weren't supposed to be his therapist anymore. It is not that I wouldn't expect you to not approach things as a girlfriend, but that is exactly why blurring those lines can be so problematic. As his former therapist, you had to know the magnitude of what you were asking." She paused to take in a breath and retain her calm.
"Yes, again, it was wrong of me to kiss him, and again, it is natural for the girlfriend to not want the other woman around. But with what you knew from therapy, can you really tell me that asking a man with abandonment issues to fire his closest friend of 14 years at the time, a friend and confidant whose working just down the hall caused the very panic attacks that brought him to you in the first place, was the right decision?" She was ready to get real with her, but still checked herself.
She felt herself standing up straighter, perhaps subconsciously using her height to intimidate. It crossed her mind that her face might not look as relaxed as she was trying to force it to.
"Just because I always had an attraction to Harvey, it did not mean that I let it affect my professionalism and guidance. And once we started dating, of course I wasn't going to act as his therapist anymore. I took off that hat and it became just the story of how we met. Things were going well and would have continued to if it wasn't for you trying to dig your talons in!" She waived a pointed finger in the air for emphasis.
She cut herself off with a condescending chuckle and a shake of her head. Donna waited for her to continue. "You know, I thought you were in love with him, but now I wonder if you were just jealous he wasn't giving you his attention for your rather large ego's sake." Paula was spitting fire at this point. She brought her hands up to her chest and crossed her arms defensively.
"I won't apologize for being a confident woman, but how on earth did you arrive at the conclusion that, that was just about me stroking my 'rather large' ego?" Temporarily removing a hand from the boxes, Donna used it for air quotes to accompany the part about her ego.
She was genuinely perplexed and looked at her incredulously. Her head tilted while awaiting her response. It seemed like her whole career everyone from opposing counsel to the bagel guy always assumed, correctly, that she loved Harvey Specter.
"I called the firm recently. I wanted to refer a client who was having a spot of legal trouble and was hoping that Harvey would give him a discounted rate," she explained with a dismissive waive of her hand. "But I was told that Harvey had left and moved to Seattle a few years back. I was quite shocked to hear such news, that Harvey would leave his firm and a city that matches his spirit so superbly. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that you must have played a role in that. I see that you are still here, so I can only assume that you dated, and then what? Did you lose interest and chase him away, or did he run from you after finally coming to his senses?"
For the first time in a while, probably since Harvey's unofficial proposal the night she first spoke to Lily on the phone, Donna was fumbling over her words. Or perhaps more accurately, she was struggling to decide which approach she should choose. She was still trying hard to be the bigger woman, so rubbing her perfect marriage in Paula's face felt cruel. At the same time, she debated if gently letting her know that she had in fact moved to Seattle with Harvey after they married would help Paula move on once and for all.
The boxes she was holding obstructed her ring, and the second one that Harvey gave her when they did it again for their families, from Paula's view. She was half tempted to shift her grip and make them very apparent, effectively tipping her off without having to actually say it. Although Paula might be far enough down her spiral of assumptions that she would instead leap to the conclusion that Donna marrying someone other than Harvey was what caused him to move.
Paula smiled for the first time since Donna all but bowled her over. She enjoyed the fact that Donna was speechless. If she took the time to shrink herself or to talk to the therapist she sometimes had sessions with, she would be horrified at the level of pettiness that was spilling out of her. That did not stop her from further engaging, however.
"I thought you were the type to always have a witty retort or two chambered. It seems that you are at a loss for words, and I am rather surprised by that development." It didn't take Donna being Donna to read the smugness Paula laced with her words.
"You're right, for me, words usually come as easily… as I do with Harvey… as Louis does when mudding… as they do for Harvey in the courtroom, but Paula, I can see you're still hurting, and I am doing my best not to add to-" Donna ignored her inner thoughts and went with the more tame analogy before being interrupted.
"Mommy!" Donna heard two voices exclaim almost simultaneously. She spun around to see her twins stumbling towards her with sheer excitement on their faces. Trailing them was a grinning Harvey who Donna realized had not yet processed that Paula was standing behind her.
Donna hazarded a glance back at Paula. The look on her face made it clear she had noticed Harvey trailing the twins. Turning back to look at Paula caused Harvey's eyes to follow and notice her for the first time.
"Paula." His eyes shifted between her and his wife and he could immediately tell that he was walking into an unpleasant conversation. Harvey understood now that dating his therapist was a line they both should never have crossed, but he still cared for her once upon a time and wanted the best for her. That did not mean he would tolerate her disrespecting Donna, and he was fairly certain that Donna was not the one super charging the conversation. The Maliks and Fayes of the world did tend to bring out her protective side when it came to him, but Paula did not pose a threat.
"Harvey, what a surprise. I had heard you left the firm and moved to Seattle." Paula was mortified that she was just gloating towards Donna, assuming she had read her relationship with Harvey correctly and flustered the woman. The smile she quickly forced on her face likely wasn't enough to mask her true reaction, but she hoped it was.
"You heard correctly! Donna and I decided to go work with Mike and Rachel and help the good guys for a change. Well, I am working at the firm anyway, Donna over here is running a charitable foundation while still keeping us in line at the firm and being a super mom to these two hell raisers. How are things with you?" He gestured towards Donna when he started talking about her.
The pride he felt towards her ran so deep that he couldn't help boasting about his wife, even to his ex. Not wanting to come off as rude, he made sure to ask about Paula too. He would remain friendly as long as she did towards Donna and his kids.
"Oh, you know, the usual. The practice is going well, the holidays are always a busy time of year. My sister just had a baby, so I look forward to paying her a visit soon." She fumbled to find something positive to say while her eyes darted around. The way that her conversation had just gone, she was quite certain Donna could tell she wasn't over Harvey, but she hardly wanted him to know.
"Congratulations to your sister, there is nothing better." People who only knew Harvey before it became Harvey and Donna, tended to have the same reaction that Paula did, as he was delighting over kids, confusion, shock, and disbelief.
"I know you probably can't believe that the best closer New York has ever seen has gone soft, but kids will do that to you." He shared a smile with Donna that made Paula want to vomit. "Don't let that fool you, though, I'm still Seattle's best," he finished with a wink, still aimed at his wife.
The attraction was still igniting within her. It pained her to admit that he looked even more handsome than she remembered. Having kids did seem to make him softer, but in a way that his huge grin seemed even bigger and his eyes lit up even more. She would have traded in her license and her soul on the spot to be the one he was gushing about to Donna, with blonde kids in tow.
There was never a time that Paula had been more grateful that her wine subscription service came a day early and was waiting for her at home. The question now was whether she was starting with a red or a white before chasing it with a gin and tonic or two. The way Harvey looked at Donna and was bursting with pride for her- Paula knew in that instance that Harvey never would have looked at her like that. He never would have worn such a look of pure love and admiration when discussing her. Her chest was tightening, and she thought she might be sweating through her winter coat. She never would have had that with him. Donna was inevitable. As much as it soured her stomach to think about it, she knew that fully accepting it might put her on a path to finally getting over Harvey. She would start with white.
Needing to look away from Harvey to temper her emotions, she glanced down at the two young kids, fully taking them in for the first time. With Donna still holding onto the boxes, they had affixed themselves to her legs, one on each side. They were undeniably cute kids.
The girl was wearing a green dress that was poofy at the bottom and fit for a Disney princess. It matched Donna's dress perfectly in color, although Donna's was far more form fitting and revealing. They were both wearing unfastened stylish winter coats, yet Paula could still make out all of Donna's curves. Paula would never wear something she considered so risqué, but she could not trick her eyes into believing that Donna looked anything less than fantastic in it.
The boy was wearing a gray suit that was identical to Harvey's, down to the green tie that matched the dresses. Even their coats were the same. Her eyes were drawn back to the girl. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn the little girl was staring straight into her soul. The wine was practically screaming her name now.
"It sounds like everything turned out rather wonderfully. It was good to see you again, Harvey, but I best be on my way." She did not want Harvey to sense her pettiness towards Donna, but that did not mean she was going to pretend it was good to see her as well. Focusing on making her exit with more dignity than she was feeling, she tilted her head higher than she normally would and proceeded to walk away without waiting for a reply. It surprised her to hear Donna, instead of Harvey, call after her.
"Paula, one last thing. When you're ready, stop by the Eastside Legal Clinic. It's a great resource if you ever need to refer a client that doesn't have the means to hire a lawyer from Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett. And the man who heads it, well let's just say it might be worth your while to get to know Nathan Krueger. Once you're ready."
Paula paused for a second, then continued walking without looking back. Even after the bitter words she had thrown at Donna, she sensed that this was a genuine gesture. She filed away the name Nathan Krueger just in case she ever decided to explore it, but she did not have to give Donna the satisfaction of knowing that.
"Mommy, who was that lady?" Jasmine inquired while tugging at her mother's coat sleeve, after Paula had walked away. Donna was surprised that the twins had remained silent this whole time as they were never ones to be shy around adults or new people.
"She is someone that daddy used to know, an old friend, but we don't keep in touch anymore," she smiled down and said still taking the highroad for her kids. It wasn't like they would ever have to see her again.
"I don't like her. She's like Susan. Mani- manip- man-." Jasmine's understanding and retention of words was definitely advanced, but five syllable words could still be a challenge to pronounce.
"Manipulative sweetie, but that's not nice. Susan isn't so bad." Donna couldn't help continuing to smile at her baby girl, as she helped her with the word. She removed a hand from the boxes to lightly stroke Jasmine's hair.
"Yeah, manipative. I don't like daddy's friend. Her eyes are mean," she attempted with pride, nodding in the process. She was never one to hold back her thoughts.
"Manipulative? Donna what are you teaching our daughter?" Harvey asked with a chuckle.
"Hey, I am not the bad guy here! She was giving all of her snacks to little Judy Kensington at daycare after some crocodile tears. I had to teach her about when it is nice to share and when people are taking advantage of her kind heart. I hadn't mastered reading people at four yet either," she finished with a shrug. Donna knew Harvey was joking with her, but she still defended herself.
She turned back to her daughter. "Now sweetie, I know you are going to grow up to be an excellent judge of character, you have my gift, but sometimes you have to give people a second chance. When we go up there, I want you to give Susan a cookie."
Jasmine looked like she was about to protest, then glanced at the Christmas presents by Harvey's feet and smiled and nodded instead. Both Harvey and Donna realized she was thinking about Santa watching her and shared a laugh.
"Daddy, can we go see Uncle Louis now?" Henry asked, speaking up for the first time. "He's gonna teach me to twurl a baton."
"Is he now? Just as long as we can practice throwing a baseball first. You don't want to end up with an arm like your Uncle Mike." If his son wanted to twirl a baton or act in Shakespearean plays, he would let him with no issue, but he still hoped that Henry would develop his love for baseball and maybe boxing too.
Knowing their kids were always eavesdropping, he didn't want to get too far into a talk about the run in with Paula, but he still wanted to check in with Donna. "Do we need to unpack that conversation before we head up?"
"It's fine, Harvey, we can talk about it more later. There was definitely some tension before you got here, but honestly, I think she needed that closure. Now let's go see our friends." She smiled at him reassuringly. Despite not letting Paula's pettiness get to her, she still did eventually want to key Harvey in on what was said. Now was not the time, however.
Harvey picked up the bags of presents he had set down once he noticed Paula while Donna shifted the bakery boxes to her hip freeing up a hand. She grabbed Henry's hand while Harvey grabbed Jasmine's and they entered their old work home, eager to kick off the holiday season with their New York family.
…..
Having returned from the party with two worn out kids who thankfully went right to sleep, Harvey could sense that his Donna was off. The Christmas bash had been a lot of fun, as was just seeing their friends again. He would bet she felt the same, but throughout the event he couldn't help but notice that her smile wasn't quite reaching her eyes, or that she seemed distracted during conversations. A moment of her time typically meant all of her attention, but her focus wasn't there tonight. He doubted that anyone else had noticed, as wit and charm still emanated from her, but he had long ago learned not to miss the subtle signs.
Grabbing her hand, he led her to the kitchen table, which doubled as the dining room table in the smaller apartment. He felt the familiar stroke of her thumb that must be reflex by now. "I am going to make you some tea, and we are going to have that conversation now, if you're up for it."
"Did we add tea to the Instacart?" she asked while fiddling with her wedding ring after taking her seat. Twisting her ring on her finger was something she did for a variety of emotions, ranging from nervousness to bliss.
Asking about the tea and not acknowledging the rest meant she was willing to talk about it, but was still formulating her thoughts, he knew. "Your incredibly thoughtful and handsome husband did in fact think to add tea to the order. You even have a choice between peppermint and Irish breakfast tea."
"Mmmmm Irish breakfast sounds nice, as long as you add milk and sugar," she hummed.
He busied himself making the tea, using that time to allow her to sort through what she wanted to say. When finished, he sat down across from her, placing the tea on the table while holding a beer for himself. "Do you want to chase it with anything stronger, or is the tea enough?" He probably should have offered before he sat down, but he was able to anticipate her no.
"What's going on in that mind of yours," he asked after holding her gaze.
She blew into her tea then took a sip. "It's nothing really. Seeing Paula today felt fine in the moment, but it just kind of made some old feelings resurface." She played with the rim of her cup as she spoke.
"I'm never going to forgive myself for how I treated you during that time." He hung his head in shame, not wanting to see the look on her face.
"It's not that, Harvey, I was never mad at you." She reached over and cupped his face reassuringly, tilting it back up in the process. "I just thought I was losing everything back then. I thought the window for us had closed, and that I was losing your friendship and my job as well. You and the firm were everything to me," she paused to let the shakiness in her voice pass and reached for his hand for the strength needed to finish.
"We've come so far, none of that matters anymore. It was just hard to have the reminder of how low I felt. It hit me a little harder than I expected as the night went on. But look where we are, back home for the holidays with our kids sleeping in the next room." She pointed her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of their makeshift room. "And after our visit here and with family, we get to go back to the wonderful life we've made in Seattle. We may have had some slips and falls along the way, but god damn did we ever stick the landing."
She wasn't sure when it shifted from him comforting her to the reverse, but she found that lending him her strength restored hers. She wasn't thinking about Paula or that dark place anymore. Feeling the smile return to her face, she stood up and pulled him with her.
"Come on, Pretty, let's go to bed."