AN: To all my Christian friends, Merry Christmas, I hope you are all enjoying your holidays with your families. And to my Jewish friends, Happy (belated) Hanukkah!
Love you all, and Happy New Year!
Hunter Memoir
The Day Before Christmas
I was so tired when I got home, I was too tired, the long hours, the high stress job, it was all eating me. Tearing me apart. But I loved it anyway. The joy, in helping families find closure, the people, who might be saved by us doing our jobs, catching killers. Maura was already waiting for me at home, with a warm smile on her lips and an even warmer cup of Hot Chocolate in her hand. She was the perfect woman, I always thought so. We sat down on the couch, me with my feet in her lap, she held them to her stomach, as if they were about to get up and run.
"It's Christmas," she said,
"Not yet," I answer, and it's true. It's the day before Christmas Eve; we are going to have a really big get together at Maura's tomorrow, for Ma's sake. I really hope everything is going to go well. My cousins are not known for their tact or their patience to those different from them.
"Maybe not, but I do have something for you." Maura got up from the couch and went to one of the side bookcases, pulling a small box out of the top drawer. When she returns, there is a small velvet box in her hand, and she's kneeling next to my head.
"Jane, I love you, so much-" she said, she looked so beautiful with those shining green eyes of hers, I could stare into them for the rest of my life, and die a happy woman.
"I love you too, sweetie."
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Jane, you are everything to me. And while I know this is not a very grand gesture, I also know you, and you are not one for grand gestures, you are one for intimate talks over a cup of Hot Chocolate, you are one for taking care of a loved one when they are sick, you are one to make coffee in the morning, for everyone, because you were up first, you are one for runs in the break of dawn and you are one for staying at home and just living your life. And that's what life is all about, the small stuff, the everyday stuff, those little things some take for granted, not those grandiose romantic gestures. Let's leave it for those people who are not sure enough in their love, that they feel they have to make such a thing a regular and expected part of their love that they forget what love is all about. So, Jane Rizzoli, marry me?" This was not what I was expecting when I got home today, but I shouldn't be surprised, Maura always knew how to surprise me, she was the only one who could. I smiled and raised my head only slightly, and Maura opened the small box in her hands, it was a small, classic engagement ring, a small diamond set in yellow gold, so simple, that for those who do not know me well enough, would think Maura wasn't putting enough of thought into this ring, but she was, she knew. I liked the design; I always did, even as a small child, it was clean, smart, classy and not too flashy. It was me.
"Yes, I will marry you-" Maura's smile was so big I was sure I have never seen her smile like that before, it was truly beautiful, a true Christmas miracle.
"I love you, Maura. So much-" I started, hoping to finish with something witty, smart, cute, well, I was really just hoping to finish it with something, the rest doesn't matter…
So this is me, starting my life, on the day before Christmas.