This is just something that popped into my head. I'm wondering how much left until we get to see them argue, because I'm sure we will. Anyways, I always like to read what you think. Thank you :)
Donna felt her pulse thudding inside her head and the arteries in her neck. A feeling of rage, nerves and impotence mixed in her stomach as she closed the door of her office right after Harvey strode out of there with furious steps. They just had an intense argument and she had to breath in and out slowly for quite a few minutes to calm down. She didn't want this to happen, neither did him. She knew it was a matter of time before these sort of matters started bringing up conflicts, but she hoped they could solve it outside the office.
And him, well, he felt bad for this impulsive outburst too. He walked into his office and tried to cool down his temples. They would talk later at home, calmly and privately. He was sure he was right, though. There were some clients who just couldn't be left satisfied with a simple phone call or an improvised explanation. Some clients are demanding, and they demanded a name partner, not the COO.
She stared outside to the clear blue sky, her stomach still feeling like a million knots were inside. She was really hurt. He didn't have to choose those exact words, he didn't. Knowing him, she knows he isn't the smartest talker when he is emotional. But he has to learn to communicate, and she can't just tolerate those wrongful choices of words every time they argue. Her eyes shut tight and the recent heated exchange played once again in her mind.
"They need a partner, Donna, not the COO!"
"I know exactly what's going on in here! Why can't I be the one who informs the clients while the partners are busy trying to save our asses?"
"Because they want to hear the important things from the important people, Donna!"
Her eyes opened suddenly as the feeling of hurt and disdain overcame her again. I appreciate the honesty, Harvey, she thought. Why does he have to be this way? Can't he see how cruel he can sound? She wanted to think he was just angry and not thinking clearly, so he involuntarily chose the wrong way of expressing himself. Even if that was the case, it still hurt. You can't just say whatever comes to your mind and then simply apologize hoping the other person will forgive you.
They promised each other they would never do this at the office. But he started. He couldn't control himself, the temperamental. Like he doesn't with a thousand other things.
They left separately. Donna left early, because even though she always had something to do, she was done for the day with the firm's crap. Today, she felt particularly underrated and unappreciated. The partners were grabbing the burning coal with their bare hands so she thought she could manage the side effects with the clients, but everyone opposed and they supported Harvey. It was late, around ten pm when Harvey passed by her office and saw it was dark and empty. When he got into the car, he asked Ray about it.
"Donna took a cab." Said Ray.
"In that case… to her place, Ray." Replied Harvey.
…. …. ….. ….. …. …. …. …. …. ..
They stared at each other in silence as seconds passed. She was hurt and furious at the same time, he could see it in his eyes. He had done that. Her gaze sent fire into his pupils.
"What do you want?" Asked Donna.
"To apologize."
She didn't reply. Instead, she eyed him trying to decide whether or not she was in the mood to hear him. Finally, she opened the door further and moved letting him in. When the door shut, neither of them moved. She stood there, her head high, waiting to hear his apology. She deserved an apology and she was convinced of that.
"I behaved awfully." Started Harvey. "And I'm sorry." His eyes scanned the floor, searching for the words. "What I said was… rough, and cruel, and… so not true." He said now forcing himself to look at her in the eye. Her gaze got softer. He sensed she wanted to speak too.
"Damn, it's just…" she didn't know if it was a good idea to let it all out. But she had never lied to him and she wasn't going to start now. "It infuriates me how you always manage to be the victim."
"Victim?" He asked almost in a whisper. "What?"
"You're always the one who's in trouble, the one who needs help, the one who's stressed and in the middle of a mess." She spat out. Seemed like they were definitely going to do that right there.
"Donna, I don't get it."
"Of course you don't." She walked inside, and he followed behind to the living room. "When you get angry, you don't think. It's like you're in autopilot. You're the only person in the world that seems to be suffering. Well surprise, you're not."
"Donna, please be clear. Go to the point." He wasn't happy about this, but this is exactly what he came here for.
"The point?" Said Donna raising her eyebrows. "Fine. How about you literally tried to do everything there was to do at the firm this week. Even the other partners' meetings, their clients, you wanted to manage everything. And when I offered to help, you basically told me you were important and I wasn't, and that relevance was making you stressed. Oh, and how to forget…" she walked closer to him, to his hardened jaw. She put on her best ironic voice to replay the exact lines he told her that afternoon. " 'Do you have any idea of what I'm going through'? Please. Like you're the only one whose firm is breaking." Donna felt like pulling those words out of her stomach was making her feel really good. She turned and walked away, leaving him standing there.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"To take a bath."
"Donna, please." said Harvey, advancing and catching her wrist before she could continue.
"I'm done hearing you for today." she protested, and after liberating her wrist out of his grasp, she walked out and got into the bathroom.
…..
She knew he hadn't left, she could hear him rummaging in the kitchen from the tub. He was probably thinking on staying, and cooking, and making up. That's what he does when they argue. She probably stayed into the tub for half an hour before the water started cooling down… and she did too. The bath certainly helped her wash away the uneasiness and the tension the day had left. Maybe they could talk now, maybe they could not talk at all and just be. He had apologized, and she had believed him, but she was still mad.
When she got out, he was setting up the table on the dining room. She was still in her silk robe with her loose hair framing her face, when she laid against the frame observing him. Only seconds later he noticed her presence.
"Hey. You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"Are you hungry?"
"Very, actually. Did you cook?"
"Yup. Guess what I made you."
Donna smiled and bit her lip involuntarily. She knew him so well and he knew her so well, they could predict each other's moves almost always. She stared at him, he had changed his clothes. Good thing he kept something at her place just in case.
Of course she knew what he had made. "Thanks. I really felt like eating something good tonight."
He smiled. "I'm sorry, really."
"I know. Don't worry." she walked to him and let herself be embraced by his arms.
"I'll make it up. We can go to the beach house tomorrow morning, what do you say?"
He took another smile out of her. "Sure."
They ate like they usually did in the weekends, when they usually switched places and they cooked together. As if nothing happened. But something did happen, and Harvey still felt bitterness in his guts. "I promise it won't happen again." He dropped suddenly, in the middle of silence, while she ate peacefully. Her eyes caught his; "I believe you, Harvey" She replied, and then put up a kind smile, trying not to sound too harsh. She picked up the fork and kept eating, hoping he wouldn't mention the situation again. She really wanted to move past it, because stress was killing them both, and stress could ruin a relationship, they both knew that. It was only a matter of not letting it sneak into the inner cracks.
"What is it?" asked Harvey, sensing the tension in the air.
Donna raised her eyes to his and wondered whether or not she should talk right now. "It's your ego, Harvey. I know you're trying to manage it, and that we're all in a crazy as hell situation, but you can't keep taking it off on me. You didn't tell the partners what you told me this afternoon."
"I know, babe. I know." he whispered, his voice fading out and his eyelids shutting tight. He reached out for her hand, and she stretched it for him.
The bath helped her release the monumental amount of stress her body was carrying. He probably needed one, too. "When is this gonna end?" asked Donna.
"I don't know, sweetheart, I don't know. But when it does, I'm getting the fuck out of here, and I hope you wanna come with me."
"What do you mean?"
"It means that I want to leave this place. Don't know where, but I feel like we've stepped into another period of our lives and it would be good for us to start over."
"I…" Donna tried to order her opinions according to urgency. "I do think that, and I will go with you wherever you go, but… is this because you think this isn't gonna end up well?"
Harvey hesitated. But it's Donna, and he didn't trust anyone more than her. "I don't. It doesn't look good. The firm, if it survives, it's gonna look the same to the world."
"Well…" Donna sighed deeply. She was so freaking tired of this. "Hate to admit it, but you're right. We're probably the only ones assuming it right now."
"Babe, I don't want you to worry, I'm just… being honest here."
"Harvey… I'll follow you to the end of the world. So whatever happens… I'll go with you."