A frustrated cry preceded the umpteenth piece of balled up paper that hit the rim of the trashcan and rolled tauntingly before falling out onto the carpet littered with its doppelgängers. Angela threw a sympathetic glance over at the honey blonde who had been sat for countless hours shouting, muttering and consuming multiple glasses of wine, which had been growing larger and larger each time one was finished. She bent down and picked up a crumpled discarded piece of paper and un-creased it and smoothed it out casting her eyes over the cursive elegant hand of the medical examiner.
Jane,
You are without doubt the most excellent companion anyone could possibly ask for
The scripture paused with a dot of ink that had spread, hinting that the nib of the fountain pen grasped with medical precision like a scalpel had lingered on the page whilst it's owner pondered something. Still unseen by the other woman, who was sat with her head in one hand staring at a page as if it might speak to her, she picked up another ball and uncurled it.
Jane Clementine Rizzoli,
Brave, strong, loyal, sarcastic, goofy, clumsy, irritating, loving, kind, beautiful are just some adjectives one could use to describe you but I prefer frie BFF
Again, there was another tell-tale dot of ink on this page presumably made before it was scrunched up and discarded. Angela smiled over at the preoccupied woman but also felt a heaviness weighing on her heart. For all the wonderful things Maura was writing it was the unwritten things that spoke loudest to the brunette and she wondered if she could get the methodical medical examiner to open up and let them flow from her heart.
She felt the couch cushion dip under unexpected weight and she flinched knocking her brimming wine glass onto the floor causing the woman who had perched delicately next to her flying toward the kitchen flapping in that endearing way that only Angela Rizzoli could do. As she leaned over her knees to retrieve the glass she felt her head swoon and tried to recall just how many glasses she had gone through but came back up to her sitting position unable to remember. She exchanged the glass with Angela who handed her a damp cloth in place and she scooted off the couch leaving her papers on the cushion before scrubbing at the rapidly darkening stain on her otherwise perfect carpet. Even as that thought crossed her mind she smirked, perfect apart from the pasta sauce stain under her couch, the beer stain under her coffee table and the chocolate smudge near the front door. A certain brunette detective thought that she had covered her crimes perfectly, shifting the furniture millimetres out of place and ensuring she always left her boots a little further apart than she used to. Maura chuckled softly Jane had no idea that she knew about the stains, she could imagine the blush that would colour the slender woman's cheeks and the bottom lip that would be sucked inward and worried by gleaming white teeth whilst she scuffed one shoe against the other in her guilty display that always reminded Maura of a scolded child. She felt her heart beat a little harder at the imaginary Jane who would beg her forgiveness and promise her something inane to make up for her indiscretions. In reality it had never happened, simply because Maura didn't have the heart to tell Jane that she wasn't the clever criminal she thought she was. And you like the stains. A betraying voice called out to her and she scowled before shaking her head and concentrating on scrubbing the blood red stain. You like them because it makes your show house feel like an actual home.Like family.As if she could read her thoughts Angela came back offering her help before Maura waved her decline. Family. Maura clenched her jaw and scrubbed the stain a little harder to try and silence the voice. Like the fact that Jane is the only one allowed to have her feet on the furniture.She's the only one who eats out of your fridge. She's the only one you buy special beer for.She's the only one you allow to watch hideous popular culture movies on your TV.
Jane,
You mean more to me than you will ever know.A friend, the best friend I have ever had and though that isn't a hard title to gain you are quite simply the most incredible person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and I am daily grateful that you grant me the honour of being your friend.You and your family came into my life and before I could even comprehend what was happening you welcomed me into your family and as I stand next to you on this special day I feel
Angela smiled fondly at the beautiful words and relaxed on the couch as she realised that the younger woman on the floor in front of her may not need her help and was perhaps more in touch with her feelings and emotional side than Angela ever realised. She made a move to leave the honey blonde in peace when she focused on that last word. Feel. Seemingly innocent but as she cast her eyes over the other lines of handwriting she realised there was something wrong with the letter f, it was even more elaborate and cursive. As she stared at it the realisation hit her like a ton of bricks; the ink had spread, the ink had spread from a drop of moisture that had landed on the paper and begun to roll…Maura had been crying. Angela sat for a moment and studied the frantic actions of the younger woman and realised she may have intruded on a private moment. She stood up replacing the papers on the couch before one slipped and poked out of the pile. She saw the recognisable handwriting and without a second thought pocketed it before bidding Maura goodnight and hurrying out of the house heart hammering.
Maura gave up on the scrubbing as soon as she heard movement behind her and sat back on her heels with a sigh. She knew Angela would just want to help or encourage her but for one night Maura didn't want to think about the Rizzoli family, for just one night she wanted to be alone. She picked up the papers and hastily shoved them into a drawer before going into the kitchen to retrieve table salt and club soda. She covered the stain with a thick layer of salt and poured the club soda on top before turning and heading for her bathroom; a hot shower to clear her mind was in order.