Chapter 39 - Harvey

I was shocked when the elevator opened and Ana walked out. I don't even know how she learned about Hardman representing Monica Eaton in her lawsuit against the firm for wrongful termination 5 years ago. But she did, and she is furious.

She shouldn't be here. She should be at home resting. She spent all night awake at the hospital with Haley, right after she lost Daphne. She hadn't had time to process yet. So now this was the final straw that made her snap.

Fortunately, I know just the way to help her get her frustrations out.

"What are we doing here?" Ana asks as I make her enter the gym

"Don't tell me you don't remember this place" I say as I undo my tie and roll my sleeves up

"I do, but that's not what I asked"

"Remember what happened here?" I insist

"I beat your ass the first time we met, I remember" she sighs

"Well, that's not how I remember it"

"Sure, that's exactly what you said the second time we met too" she chuckles.

I grab a spare pair of boxing gloves and toss it at her. "Come on" I tell her and head in the ring grabbing another pair for myself

"Harvey, I don't have the energy for this" she replies

"You had the energy 10 minutes ago. You wanted to punch me, so come up here and hurt me. Why did you come all the way here this morning?" I bring up

"Because I learned about Daniel and Monica's..." she grinds her teeth before finishing the sentence

"Relationship? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant working relationship. See, I don't know how much you know, but he is helping her" I reveal

"What?" she asks, standing with her hands on her sides

"Yes. He is representing her, actually. Defending her. Suing the firm for wrongful termination. They are claiming that the reason Jessica fired her was not justified" I explain, pouring salt in the wound.

She is finally putting the gloves on and joins me in the ring.

"And you know what else?" I continue as she enters. "I was the one who confronted him about his cheating. I had literally caught them together in a hotel room. But he claimed to love your mother despite the situation I found him in" I chuckle, seeing her anger boil over.

"You don't do that to the person you love" she says, her fists shaking as she tries to hold herself back.

"I agree. But maybe he doesn't. Today, he told us why he cheated in a way"

"What did he tell you?" she asks immediately

"I don't know if I can share, since it was part of Jessica's deposition--" I tease on purpose

"No, no, don't switch up on me now. Tell me what he said" she demands

"We couldn't use his actual name in the deposition, but he said that the partner who was involved with Monica Eaton was probably with her because -and I quote- she was younger, prettier, and of childbearing age. All of the things your mo-- I mean Jessica- was not" I slip up on purpose.

And she punches me right in the face. 'That's my girl' I smile, realizing she's finally letting her anger and emotions out. So, I hold my fists up, ignoring the pain in my left arm, and continue.

"And Monica's closer to your age than you think" I add

She throws another punch and I block her. "That son of a bitch shouldn't dare to lecture me about family!" she insists and throws her fist at me again.

"He really thinks that you could still be a family after all he's done" I chuckle

"After mom's funeral, he said we could reconnect. He said we could put the past behind us" she mocks, her anger visibly growing.

"And you considered forgiving him" I remind her

"I was stupid!" her fist lands on my right arm. "I was desperate! I was sad! I was lost! I was scared! And I was lonely!" she throws punch after punch as she pours her bottled up emotions out and I don't take offense. "But it was all because of him..." she finishes, sounding defeated.

"Other parents are losing their babies every day, and they are devastated. They'd do anything to bring them back. But my dad... He kicked me out of the house for wanting to follow my own dreams. What kind of father does that?" a sob comes up her throats, and she takes a deep breath.

"And my own mother never even looked for me..." her lip shakes as a tear escapes her eye.

"She tried" I tell her, "She did. But eventually he convinced her that you ran away"

"How do you know that?" her voice breaks

"Because I was there. I heard them arguing at his office once or twice. And I can only imagine what was going on at home" I admit.

Unable to take another steady breath, Ana falls to her knees. And suddenly I see 22-year-old Ana again, sobbing after her dad kicked her out of the house and cut all contact with her.

I take my gloves off and join her on the ground. I wrap my arms around her and she doesn't protest this time. "This is so unfair" she cries

"I know, love. I know" I hold her tightly and I let her break down on me. She cries, she sobs and she holds onto to me while she does. It's heartbreaking. But I stay there, letting her take all the frustration, grieve and exhaustion on me.

"He should be dead, not her. Nor Daphne, nor any other--" a sob cuts her off.

She tries breathe but sobs cut her off. "Harvey, I can't--" she clutches her chest as she hyperventilates

"It's ok. Follow my lead..." I place her hand on my chest, "Breathe in deeply, through your nose. And out through your mouth..." I demonstrate for her.

We do this multiple times, until she's calmed down and relaxed. And then she collapses on me. She's not crying this time, she's simply resting on me.

I slide my hands under her and pick her up gently. She doesn't protest. I carry her to the car and take her to my place.

She is dead asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow. So, I grab my laptop and work the rest of my day besides her.

Count your days, Daniel.