Bad timing

Rewriting the Rules

- "You know that I know why you kept Mike out, right?" 

– "Yes." 

– "And you know what me being here means?" 

– "Yes, Harvey. I know." – He nodded. 

Harvey was at Blake's family house for a week now. He showed up at her doorstep right after Blake's mother passed away, telling her that he wouldn't allow her to fight the pain alone. They mostly appeared as strangers someone put beside one another, exchanging few words a day, spending time mostly silent, but in another way, it seemed that they completely understood each other. It was hard for Harvey to watch her frisk smile faded, overshadowed by sadness that consumed her. But he knew there's no coming back.

A week ago, Harvey was waiting for Jessica at her office, sipping a takeaway coffee. 

– "As I can see, you already made yourself comfortable. Don't let it turn into a habit." – Jessica's voice made him jolted from wandering through his mind. 

– "You mean like your habit of dropping by to my place unannounced anytime it pleases you?" – Jessica grinned. 

– "Those were emergency visits." 

– "What makes you believe this isn't?" 

– "Alright. What can I do for you today, Harvey?" 

– "As if you're doing me favors every single day." – He shook his head. 

– "Is this about favor?" 

– "More or less." –

 "What does that exactly mean?"

 – "It is a favor, but it's more my right." 

– "You actually sound like a lawyer. I knew there was a reason I picked you out from that mailroom." 

– "I might be needing those two weeks you offered once." 

– "Starting two months from now?" 

– "Starting tomorrow." 

– "Harvey" 

– "Jessica" 

– "What you're up to?" 

– "It's a personal matter." 

– "Marcus?" 

– "No." 

– "Is this about her?" 

– "It's none of your business." – Jessica laughed sarcastically. 

– "As I recall one of our conversations from few years ago, I'm going to tell you what I've told you then – It is literally my business. And at that time, you said that you wanted a relationship. And I asked you what happens when you break up... I can't believe I'm going through the same goddamn thing again!" – Jessica raised her voice. 

– "It's not the same." 

– "You were as serious as now, same determination, strongly pronouncing your words. Do you remember what words?" 

– "Jessica" 

– "You said: Who says we're going to break up?" 

– "It was a different situation, Jessica" 

– "How? How was that different, Harvey?"

 – "Because Scottie wasn't reliable. I couldn't trust her. I couldn't let it go with her. Ever. And it wasn't because of her, it was because of who I was. I am not the same man I was then."