Thanks for all the great reviews, follows and favorites. The support means a lot. I didn't get a chance to edit this but wanted to get it posted...I will edit it tomorrow morning...I hope there aren't too many mistakes and you can enjoy chapter 2. I tried to get a little more interactions from the girls this chapter...it will be a slow burn to start but it will be worth it I promise.
"Ohh Janie your home," Angela said rushing to her oldest daughter as she walked through the door. "Where have you been all day, Frankie said you were in the bakery earlier," Angela continued with her onslaught of questions.
"Ma…ma come on ease up," Jane said trying to pry her moms arms from around her.
"I just missed my baby girl so much," Angela said giving Jane another squeeze and kiss.
"Ang ease off the girl," Frank said from the couch.
"Mind your own business," Angela shot to Frank.
"Pretty sure our daughter is my business."
"She is over 18 and isn't your concern any longer….another few weeks and you will receive your buyout for the house and then you won't even have to be here….in fact you won't be welcome here."
"Just waiting for payment," Frank smirked as he walked into the kitchen to grab a beer.
Angela shot a death glare in Frank's direction until he was no longer insight. She had filed for divorce months ago but his scumbag lawyer advised Frank to stay in the home until it was official and he received the buyout for the house. No matter he was to blame for the divorce in the first place with the affair he had with some 20 something.
"Ma forget about him. I just got back into town and I needed to take care of some things. I am actually just stopping in to say hi."
"You're not staying? You're heading back to school already?"
"Umm I am actually staying with a friend….for a while. I am taking a little time off from school."
"Oh Janie what happened? I thought you were doing so well."
"My grades were fine ma…I just needed a little break. Thought I would come back here help you with the bakery…I know how busy you get when the college crowds come back plus everything else going on," Jane said nodding towards the kitchen.
She hated her parents were going through this mess but the timing couldn't have been more perfect to cover the real reasons she was taking time off school.
"Janie school is more important than working at the bakery and I can handle your father."
"Ma I just needed a little time off…and maybe while I am not in school I am do an unofficial internship with Korsak and get some real like experience."
"Who is Korsak?"
"Um huh," Jane ask suddenly realizing her mistake?
"Korsak…the person you want to do an internship with…who is it? What does he do?"
"Oh he is a homicide detective…he umm came to speak to my criminal justice class. I was thinking of looking him up and networking a little."
"Oh…I know you have your heart set on being a cop."
"Detective."
"Whatever…I guess it is good to make the connection."
"So it will be good for me to be here for a little while. I'm going to run up to my room and grab some things and then head out."
"Can I make you anything?"
"I will be fine ma…and I will be by the bakery tomorrow you can even make me your bunny pancakes," Jane said knowing that would get her ma off her back.
"All right baby."
Jane went up to her room and looked around. It hadn't really changed much in the year she had been away. In the corner was a small pile of her things she dropped off earlier when her mom was still working. Jane walked over to her full length mirror and lifted her shirt slightly to reveal her still recovering wound….a straight line held together by 15 stitches across her abdomen. Sighing she dropped her shirt and tried to pick up a bag with her right hand only to have it shake badly from pain which forced her to drop it.
"What's wrong with your hand," Frank asked walking into the room.
Jane gasped jumping at the intruder.
"Oh I sprained it playing basketball…still isn't recovered yet. Can't even catch a Frisbee yet…cut into my ultimate Frisbee season….my team won the championship."
"Man I can't wait until I go to college…you make it sound so fun."
"Well, there are these pesky little classes that get in the way little bro. You have to keep your grades up so you can participate in the intramural stuff."
"I know," he said plopping on her bed. "So where are you staying? I don't blame you for not staying here."
"Is it that bad," Jane asked?
"Sometimes….the do try and avoid each other but some days I swear dad just is looking for a fight and they yell for hours."
"I am sorry buddy…I promise I am going to figure out a way to get you outta here…you shouldn't have to deal with that."
"Ehh it's all right," Frankie shrugged it off like it was nothing. "So where are you staying,' he asked again?
"Oh umm just a friends place," Jane said stuffing a blanket in her bag.
"Which friend? Don't they have blankets there," Frankie pressed on?
"Oh yeah but you know I like to be prepared."
"Jane, where are you staying…honestly."
"Probably my car…but it is not a big deal. It is just for a couple of days until I can find a place within my price range…then we both can live there."
"Jane you can't stay in your car!"
"I will be fine don't worry about me."
Frankie seemed to totally ignore his sister and pulled out his cell phone.
"Hey…yeah its fine….I just need a favor."
Frankie told his ma he needed to run an errand and would be back shortly. He took the keys from his sister and they headed out.
"Frankie where are we going?"
"Relax, I have it all under control."
"Clearly….now where….what are we doing at the Boston Yacht Club? I would prefer my night not be spent in jail."
"Can you just chill please."
Frankie pulled up and punched in a 4 digit code and the gate opened. He pulled in and parked the car.
"Come on…your little brother hooked you up tonight."
Frankie walked down to the boats, past the small motor boats to the sail boats. The large yachts were just ahead of them and were truly a sight to see up close.
"All aboard," Frankie said boarding a nice size sail boat.
"Not until you tell me whose boat this is."
"Mine," Maura said coming up from below deck.
Jane looked up confused but finally boarded the boat.
"Ok, so I won't get arrested but what is going on?"
"Jane I wasn't going to let you sleep in your car so I called Maura to see if she had any ideas and I thought this one was pretty cool."
"I don't want to impose."
"Oh you're not imposing. I haven't taken her out all summer it will be good to have someone use it. There are two bedrooms a bathroom and kitchen down below. My favorite part is the mornings though when the sun rises over the Boston Harbor," Maura said almost giddy.
"Well, umm thanks for letting me stay a couple nights….I promise it will only be a few nights and I will find some other place to go."
"No rush Jane. I don't plane on using her any time soon…especially with school starting."
"Won't your parents mind?"
"They are in Paris for a while as my mother is opening an exhibit there and besides even if they were around they would take out their yacht….they never were ones for sailing."
"Right how foolish of me they would just take out the yacht," Jane joked in a snobby posh voice.
Frankie laughed but Maura didn't get that it was a joke. She dropped her head trying not to let the tears come to her eyes. Jane saw this and quickly made a move to correct it.
"Hey…hey I was just kidding Maura I am sorry," Jane said wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "It's cool you have your own boat and even cooler that your letting me crash…thank you it means a lot."
"You're welcome," Maura said with a smile. "Do you want a tour?"
"Umm I really need to get back…ma is going to send out a search party soon," Frankie said not wanting to go but knowing he needed to.
"Here take my car," Maura said offering Frankie the keys.
"How are you going to get home tonight?"
"I was thinking I wold stay here tonight….make sure everything goes smoothly Jane's first night and then she can bring me back tomorrow," Maura turned to Jane the last part coming out as a question?
"Umm yeah I can do that…but don't worry about me I am sure I can manage. I don't want you to feel obligated….
"Jane I want to really. Besides boat living can be a little different and I just want to make sure you have everything you need."
"Cool thanks I appreciate it."
"So I can really drive to Beemer," Frankie said getting excited about driving Maura's BMW convertible?
"Yeah, just to your house though please."
Frankie smiled as Maura tossed him the keys. Jane snatched them out of the air.
"You go right home….and you don't drive a mile per hour over the speed limit….and park it in the driveway," Jane instructed. "And if one fleck of paint is damaged…"
"Ok, I get it Janie."
"And don't call me Janie," Frankie said heading off.
"So you want the grand tour," Maura asked with a shy smile?
"Sure."
"Well up here is just a lounge area," Maura said walking inside the upper cabin.
"Seems cool…a little mini bar," Jane said raising her eyebrow. "I didn't know you had it in you."
"I don't drink but sometimes I have meetings here and mother says always be prepared."
"Naturally. So what else does this boat have to offer," Jane asked knowing this was a high end boat.
"Well, down here," Maura said heading down into the lower cabin, "is the other lounge with the kitchen and TV."
"Wow this is nicer than my kitchen at home. Please tell me you have a coffee maker," Jane said looking around and not seeing one.
"Of course but it is secured right now. One thing you will learn about living on a boat is to make sure things are secured at all times….especially kitchen stuff. Things are clam now and will be fairly calm in the dock even in a storm but still things need to be secured or they will be all over the place…I learned that the hard way."
"Oh no…need all new plates?"
"And glasses."
"Ouch."
"Yeah, but everything is working and there are some snacks around I can go shopping tomorrow."
"Maura your letting me stay on your amazing boat…I can buy my food thank you though."
"The bedrooms are on either ends and the bathroom is just through there," Maura said pointing to an open door. "There is a shower in there just make sure you pull the divider out and all the way around…it is not big but it does the job."
"You really could live on here huh?"
"Oh yes definitely people do it all the time. Many of daddy's friends work in New York and they will sail down Monday dock in NY for the week and then sail back home Friday."
"Man it really is just a whole other life," Jane mumbled to herself looking around at the sweet digs she would be staying in for the next couple days.
"Can I ask why you're not staying at your moms?"
"I don't know I mean things are really tense at home with my parents getting divorced. Plus after being on my own in college I don't really want the parental units around hovering again."
"I am sorry about that, the divorce…I know Frankie has stayed at my house a couple bad nights."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I didn't ask him to much about it he usually didn't want to talk anyway."
"Thanks…for looking out for him it means a lot."
"He is my best friend…I would do anything for him. So you can pick whatever room you want although if I could make a suggestion the room down there has a sunlight…you can watch the moon and stars as you fall asleep."
"Sounds like that is where you normally reside I don't want to take that from you."
"No don't worry I insist…I am just going to be here for the night I have resided in both rooms and enjoy each equally."
"All right I will take the sunroom light room."
Jane went to pick up her bag forgetting about her hand and immediately dropped it.
"Jane are you ok," Maura asked rushing to the brunettes side?
"Oh yeah no don't worry I just sprained my wrist I fell on it playing hockey and it's still recovering."
"Well, there is ice in the freezer if you need it."
"Thanks….and thanks again for letting me stay here this place really is amazing."
"You're welcome. If you need anything just let me know. I am going to see what I can pull together for a snack if you want to go settle in."
"Sounds great."
This time Jane picked up her bag with her left hand and headed to her room. She dropped the bag and sighed…she really needed to be more careful.
