"Hm… I don't want to get up." Jane snuggled close to Maura, dropping little kisses on that adorable neck of hers. She could never, ever get tired of doing that. Besides, she knew just how much Maura loved it.
Maura, eyes still closed and full of sleep, smiled softly at the familiar yet still intense spread of warmth in her chest. Waking up like this is what she lived for, no matter what life threw at them.
"Come on, Jane. Big day ahead."
"Mauraaa… it's only," Jane stretched her head over Maura and saw the alarm clock on the nightstand flashing 9:30 a.m., and grunted. "It's so early."
"You promised we'd do half an hour of yoga before she gets here."
"Okay. Fine," She sat up and turned to Maura. "Kiss first."
"Just one." Maura's grin betrayed her thoughts.
A few kisses later, Maura playfully slapped Jane's hand off her butt.
"I said one kiss."
"And you gave me like… ten?"
"Nine more than promised. You can't complain. Come on, go and have a shower and I'll make coffee."
Fifteen minutes later Jane was finally dressed, her salt-and-pepper hair tamed and perfume on -Maura's favorite. Maura saw her coming as she sat in one of the high chairs at the kitchen island and gave her a wide, sparkling smile; Jane loved how, after all this time, Maura seemed delighted every time she saw her.
Not that it wasn't mutual…
Jane took a sip from her mug and frowned.
"Decaf again?"
"Decaf always, Jane. I don't know why you complain every day, if you know it's going to be decaf." She wiggled her left shoulder as she poured some milk in her mug. "I can always switch to tea. Maybe green tea? It has invaluable-"
"Decaf is fine, promise." Jane's eyes grinned from behind her mug.
They sat at the kitchen island. Drinking her tea, Maura commented on the good news from Tommy Jr.
"He turned out all right after all, hasn't he?"
Jane nodded, as she drank the last of the mock-coffee she had nowadays.
"Ah, well, still a lose cannon just like Tommy was." Her eyes drifted away for a moment. "I miss Tommy. Why did they have to go and live in Pasadena? Pasadena… Really? But, yeah, Junior is a good kid."
"Kid? Jane, he's 29 already. He's a man."
"Don't remind me. I can hear my face wrinkling even more every time I remember that."
"You don't have wrinkles, Jane."
"Right, you say that because you love me and you are overdue to your visit to the optometrist."
Maura rolled her eyes. "They are expression lines."
"More like old sarcasm lines..." Dimples appeared on Jane's face.
Maura laughed silently, shaking her head. "Okay, I'm going to take a shower now."
Jane waited until Maura had left and poured herself another cup of coffee. If it had to be decaf, then she'd have double ration. She settled on the couch with a magazine; half an hour later she heard a familiar tap-tap on the stairs. She turned around, and laughed.
"Are you really going to wear that to do yoga?" Jane's eyes gleamed when she saw the 3-inch heels, her dimples teasing Maura.
"Of course not, Jane. I will wear them for dinner. I'm just trying them out. They are gorgeous."
"Fine, but if you break your hip, I'm not nursing you."
"Of course you will, and you know it." Maura walked around the room, holding back a smile and appreciating the wonderful feel of her new shoes.
"Nope. Ask your daughter. She gave them to you, she can pick up the pieces."
Maura walked over to the couch and sat next to Jane.
"Jane? Is that another cup of coffee?"
"What? No! Of course it is. Come on, yoga time!" Jane left her couch as fast as her body would allow her too.
Maura sat with her eyebrows raised, eyes half-closed, then smiled and shook her head.
When yoga time was over, Jane made a beeline for the couch as Maura headed towards their bedroom to change clothes. A car door slammed outside their window, followed by a very familiar high-pitched excited scream.
"They are here."
"They are early."
"Jane, don't be grumpy."
"I'm old, earned the right." She mocked having trouble standing up, and sat back again.
"You're not old, you just have so much more experience." Maura walked towards Jane, as lightly and surely as if she were 40 again, and fixed the rebel grey hairs of Jane's becoming short bob, her eyes as loving as 25 years ago.
"67 is ancient, Maura."
"Right." Maura leaned over and gave Jane a soft peck and patted her backside. "Come on, let's go."
The front door opened and they heard the little squeal and familiar rumble of tiny feet hitting the wooden floor.
"Ganmas!" Stuart fell into Maura's arms but quickly came running to Jane, his little legs wobbling. With a major effort full of confidence he climbed the couch and threw himself on Jane.
"Hello, little man. Love your Red Sox hat." Jane took it from his head and rested it on her own. Stuart giggled.
"Hi mum," Liz kissed Maura's cheek and hugged her warmly after leaving on the floor a huge bag full of Stuart's food, clothes and other toddler's accoutrements. She reached the back of the sofa and bent over, leaving a kiss on Jane's head.
"Good morning, Ma. Oh, is that the latest Bat & Ball issue?"
Jane nodded, her mouth held shut by Stuart's playful fingers, when the doorbell rang.
Liz ran to open it. She came back in followed by Frank, Rose and Vince Jr.
Jane stretched her neck over Stuart's little head, as he pressed her cheeks and laughed as she noisily released the air she had been ballooning in her mouth.
"Whoa." Jane grinned when she saw her brother's family. "What's this? An anniversary intervention? I thought it was a day to celebrate?"
Liz rolled her eyes and stretched her lips, then turned to wait until Maura had greeted the newcomers. "Ok, Mum, let me see."
Maura wiggled her shoulders with a playful grin and put back her shoes.
"Oh, you look gorgeous. I'd lose the yoga outfit, but those shoes fit you like a glove!"
Jane saw Vince Jr.'s uniform and whispered in Stuart's ear. "Okay, little man, we must behave now. Boston finest are here in full." Stuart giggled. "Oh, yes, you are adorable… No. No. Not the hair. Not the hair! Ow, ow. Ouch… Stu, that's enough, big boy." Stuart giggled and released her hair. "See, Maura? This is why we were so right in fostering and adopting a grown child! Come here, Junior, take this monster away from me." Jane's face melted with bursting pride and love as she showered her little grandson with playful kisses on his soft, puffy cheeks.
Liz and Maura laughed at the sight of Jane's losing battle to a one-year old, and how much she loved it.
Vince Jr. walked to the couch, dropped a kiss on Jane's head and stretched his arms to take Stuart away.
"Come, Stu, let's leave Grumpy Granma alone for a while."
Jane hid Stuart from him, and threw a playful slap which he easily dodged, grinning.
Frankie sat next to Jane, shifting his belt to a more comfortable position.
Jane tapped his knee twice. "That beer balloon of yours is not getting any younger, I see."
Frankie rubbed the sides of this ample stomach. "Do you know how long it took me to nurture it? Rose doesn't mind. Don't you, honey."
"Of course I don't mind, but your cardio surgeon does. You're lucky you are brass now." Rose blew him a kiss and winked.
Liz gathered everyone around. When everyone was seated -Maura next to Jane, holding her hand- Liz cleared her throat in a rather theatrical gesture.
"All right, everyone. We have decided that a nice dinner is not appropriate for a 25-year wedding anniversary, so... we have organized something for you." She grinned at her mothers, as her hand pointed at Frankie, Rose and Vince Junior.
Jane and Maura looked at each other, Maura smiling, Jane's eyes open as wide as she could. Leaning over, she whispered.
"I told you, intervention."
Maura laughed and kissed Jane's hand.
"So, first, the tickets." Liz looked at Frankie, who shuffled to get an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket.
Jane's eyebrows shot up and turned to Liz.
"Tickets, you said? Let's see. Would that be tutu-frilly ballet, or perhaps the wonderful opera?" Jane's theatrical tone and gleaming eyes made everyone laugh.
"Yes, Ma. The Red Sox will put on little tutus and dance for you the Swan Lake while you sit behind the catcher's box."
"You. Did. Not."
Liz nodded slowly, her eyebrows up, lips stretched proud. Maura grinned happy, and proud - that was Jane's baby through and through.
"I did. The game starts today at 4:10. But that's not all." She smiled at Maura. "Then, tomorrow, for the Big Day, you have reservations for two at La Granouille, 1 p.m.." Liz nodded slowly, grinning.
"Oh, Liz! La Granouille? How did you? Their waiting list is months long." Maura shifted her shoulders forward and clapped, her face one big smile. "That is so wonderful, thank you!" Maura got up and hugged Liz.
Jane tried to get up but Stuart climbed higher, making her fall back in the couch. Liz saw it and came over.
Vince Jr. jumped up from his seat, beating her aunt to it and finally managing to get Stuart all for himself. "Come on, big man, leave Granma Jane now. I think she is considering hugging Aunty Liz."
"I don't do hugs. Come here, Liz." Jane stood up and enveloped her daughter in a tight embrace. "Thanks." Her whisper was broken, full of emotion.
"Ok, Ma, enough, enough. We still have surprise number 3."
"There is more?" Maura's voice rose from behind them.
"Yes, there is. Ma, you may want to sit down for this."
Jane obediently complied and sat next to Maura again.
"We told you not to make any plans for next week because-"
Frankie cut in. "Ta-da! Here are two plane tickets and a reservation for a hotel in Santorini for 7 nights. Your plane is leaving Monday 9 p.m. A tradition is a tradition, right?"
Jane and Maura stared at him as if had grown a second head, then at Liz.
"It's true, check it out..." Frankie handed the envelope to Jane. With trembling hands she opened it and unfolded the piece of paper. Maura put her reading glasses on and held one side of the paper while Jane held the other. When she finished reading, a tear pushed out, and she blinked, running a finger delicately under her eyes. Jane was staring at her, her mouth open, her eyes also tearful.
Suddenly, memories of their wedding, their very first shy kiss, felt like yesterday. They fell on each other's arm, forgetting for a minute that their whole family was watching them.
"It's just like in our wedding, Maur… If only Ma, and Vince and..." Jane's whisper made Maura embrace her even closer.
"Yes, I know, Jane. I also miss them so much, but they are here. Always."
Jane moved back enough to meet those hazel eyes, now lined with a thousand little lines of joy, of love, of life.
"You know I do, Maur, don't you?"
"I love you too, Jane."
The kiss came in softly, but holding all the love of almost 30 years of friendship, companionship, desire, love.
The cheers and applause around them startled them and they parted, laughing.
"And to think I was once afraid..." Maura whispered, holding Jane tightly close to her.
"You didn't look afraid when you-" Jane teased her, her voice low and warm against her ear.
"Jane!"
"But you did... hm…"
Jane's grin made Maura blush.
"Ok. Remind me of discussing that again when we get to Santorini..."
Brown got lost in hazel, again, as so, so many years ago, and every day since. Jane felt her heart beating hard again, her mouth dry. The question slipped her lips unprocessed.
"Maur? Would marry me again?"