hi everyone! Thanks so much for reading. Feel free to leave comments questions suggestions etc. in the reviews. I'm sorry the first two have been a little sad, but I hope you can tell we're on the upswing. happy reading!
-tc
Ch. II
"Tommy, I swear to God, if you don't get out of bed right now, I will suffocate you with your pillow," Jane calls from the doorway of her brothers' room. The lump in the lower bunk that is her brother doesn't move.
"I'm up, Jane," Frankie says, emerging from the bathroom next door. Jane looks at her brother and can't help but smile. He has buttoned his shirt up unevenly, and it hangs lopsided on his skinny frame.
"Redo your shirt, Frankie," She says gently, before marching into the bedroom and yanking the comforter off of Tommy.
"Noooo, Jannnee," Tommy wails, curling into the fetal position, trying to keep some of his body heat from escaping.
"Get up, Tommy, I am not kidding. I'm not going to be late because you're being a dick," she hisses, and stomps out of the room, dragging Tommy's blanket after her.
Jane trudges into the kitchen to start making breakfast, and tries unsuccessfully to rub her head ache away. She can't really blame Tommy for not wanting to get out of bed. He must be exhausted. Her parents had nearly taken the roof off with their yelling last night, and though Frankie had taken refuge in her bed around 1am, Tommy hadn't shown. She knew that he was hunkered down in his bed, with a pillow over his head, stubbornly determined to wait it out, refusing to turn to his sister for comfort.
Frankie on the other hand, who was much too old to still seek comfort from his sister, has slipped silently into her double bed, grabbing her hand for a second, before rolling over and falling asleep.
Jane sighs and puts Tommy's favorite cereal on the counter, then the milk and orange juice, hoping that the familiar repetitive motion will stop the intrusive memories from last night.
We have no right to tell her that she can't hang out with Maura, Frank. And I don't know if you've noticed, but Janie is happier, she's doing better in school, she's-
And what would have happened if that brat hadn't left her textbook, Angela hmm? You think I want to see my daughter made into a scapegoat for some rich assholes?
Frank, keep your voice down. Jane rescued Maura, there's nothing to be upset about.
She was being stupid Angela, and the sooner you realize that, the better.
Jane smiles mechanically as the boys set themselves up at the counter, reaching out for their spoons. Tommy doesn't look at her at all, but Frankie is scrutinizing her, and Jane knows he is looking for signs of weakness, for any sign that she too, will all of a sudden disappear, and leave him in an empty house with an angry brother. She finds a genuine smile to give him, clenching her fists under the counter, and his face relaxes as he lifts the spoon to his mouth. Their father banged out the door last night after the fight, and their mother left at 5:30 that morning for work, And Jane, like too many mornings before this one, checks coats and backpacks, locks the front door and herds her two younger brothers towards Saint Catherine's, blocking out the ache in her ribs as well as the one in her head.
"where do you think Pop went last night?" Frankie asks Jane as they wait for a crossing light to change.
Jane sighs, "I don't know."
"Why do they fight so much?" he tries again, and Jane puts her arm around him.
"Duh, stupid," Tommy says, kicking the curb, "They fight about Jane."
There is a shocked silence as Tommy's siblings swallow this information, and then Frankie launches himself at his younger brother. "Take that back you, you assbutt," Frankie screams, and Jane just manages to yank Tommy out of the way of Frankie's oncoming fist.
"Knock it off. Knock it off. Frankie!" Jane says, ignoring the stabbing pain in her rib cage as Tommy yanks himself out of her grip and sprints across the street towards school.
Jane and Frankie watch him go, and Jane deliberately looks away from her brother, letting him wipe his nose on his sleeve. After a moment, they begin to walk again.
"Assbutt?" Jane says quietly?
Frankie almost smiles. "shut up."
Jane watches Frankie into the part of the building that houses the Junior High before turning towards the high school. digs her fingernails into her palms and tries not to see her baby brother's angry eyes when she blinks. She manages not to cry by sheer force of will. She is the oldest, her brothers look up to her. She is Fifteen. Much too old to cry.
"Jane," a hand touches her shoulder and she whirls around. Maura takes several steps back, startled at the fierce look on her friend's face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
Jane stares, unable to say anything. Her brain seems unable to decide on which emotion it should feel the strongest.
"What are you doing here?" Jane says it more harshly than she means to, but she decides that it's okay, because then at least she doesn't sound pathetic.
"I-I go to school here," Maura says blankly.
"You haven't been here all week," Jane says, deciding that anger is the safest emotion, even if it's not the truest. Even if Maura isn't the person she's mad at.
"That's true. I was confined to bed rest because of my concussion. It was the necessary action because-" But Jane puts up a hand and Maura falls silent, watching Jane shuffle through several emotions that she can't quite read.
"I did the presentation for both of us. In case you showed up again," Jane says abruptly, shifting from foot to foot, "We got a B+ because I fucked up a part about smurfs or something."
Maura smiles faintly, "Serfs, Jane. And don't swear."
"Yeah. Whatever. So you are stuck with a B+ unless Mr. Riley will change your grade. Just like you were stuck with white trash Rizzoli until your mama could swoop in and save you."
Maura's mouth falls open, but Jane turns away and heads towards the stairs to the school, determined not to look back, not even when Maura calls her name, her voice laden with tears.
Through the doors, up the main staircase to her locker, Jane punches the metal door so hard that pain shoots from the point of contact through her whole body. She ignores it.
Maura doesn't see Jane again until study hall at the end of the day. She is working alone at a desk in the corner, and as Maura draws closer she feels panic wash over her. Although to anyone else, Jane looks as though she is concentrating, Maura can't help but notice the lines of pain that have etched themselves into her delicate features, or the way she holds herself in her chair, as though she might break if she moves the wrong way. Making up her mind in an instant, Maura strides across the room and puts her books down next to Jane, pulling up a chair. Although Jane's jaw clenches and her hands curl and uncurl in her lap, she does not look up at Maura or move her things away.
Maura stares at her. baffled and awestruck at the same time. How can one person keep so much so hidden? Maura looks up at the severe looking nun who is patrolling the aisles, making sure that everyone is silent.
For the first time in her life. Maura breaks a rule. Sliding a piece of paper out of her bag, she scribbles something down and slides it along the table to Jane.
my mother does not speak for me.
Jane pauses for a moment, before adding her own penmanship to the scrap of paper
she's right.
Jane, you saved me.
You shouldn't have needed saving. Jane shoves this last note at Maura with such ferocity, that Maura can't bring herself to respond with just her pen. She reaches across the table and takes Jane's hand, feeling indents in her skin where her fingernails have been digging all day.
"I'm not just talking about Sunday," She says, and Jane looks at her for the first time since that morning, and Maura can't help but smile hopefully.
"Ms. Rizzoli" the nun has come up to their table, her eyes stern, "Detention, after school. There is no talking in study hall."
"Oh, no, Sister Winifred, It was my fault," Maura says quietly, surprised at how quickly and easily she has admitted to this infraction.
"Well. then detention for both of you. See if we can't get you in the habit of following rules," Sister Winifred says, and she stalks down the Aisle away from them.
Maura glances at Jane and shrugs, starting to pull her hand away. But Jane does not let go. When Maura looks up at her, she has gone back to reading her book, a small smile playing at her lips.
Maura feels like she's won something.
