At school on Thursday Jane receives a text message from her mother asking if she would like a snack for tutoring this afternoon.
No ma, it's alright. We were just going to study at a coffee shop where I could concentrate without the boys around.
Jane could feel the look of horror on her mother's face as she read that message. She was preparing herself for the Spanish Inquisition.
After six missed calls, Jane is finally able to answer one at lunch time.
"Hey ma, sorry I was in class."
"So you could text but you couldn't call?" Mrs Rizzoli says flustered and a little angry at the number of unanswered calls.
"Well, yeah, ma. I can send a text secretively. It's kind of hard to have a full on phone call in the middle of class." Jane tries to say almost innocently, all the while her stubbornness and sarcasm holds strong.
With a slight grumble, Mrs Rizzoli returns with, "Don't you make up excuses. That's not even the point. What's wrong with studying at home?"
Jane sighs. "Nothing ma. It's just a little hard to concentrate with boys around. And besides, this way I won't be in anyone's way either. And I'll be home by 5:30."
"I just don't understand. How can you study in a coffee shop anyway?" Still searching for a reason to say no to her daughter.
"Ma, please. You know how important baseball is to me. This way there won't be family or other people I know there to distract me. Please ma."
Reluctantly, Mrs Rizzoli agrees. "But you call me when you get there, and when you leave. And if you're not home by 5:30 on the dot you can forget about baseball because you'll be grounded."
Jane sighs once again. "Fine ma, can do. I gotta go. See ya later."
Jane hangs up the phone and slouches back on the bench behind her with a sigh of relief as she allows a small smile to show on her face.
••••
As Jane walks her way to the nearby coffee shop, she has a thousand things going through her mind. Is this a date? Are we actually going to study? Was she just asking to be polite? Where should I sit? Where would she like to sit? How the hell was she going to keep her cool.
Much to her surprise and relief, she arrived to find Maura waiting in a booth located in the centre of the right wall. Maura was sitting, poised, on one side of the table and she had gotten glasses of water for the two of them.
"Hi," Jane says with a persistent glimmer of hope in her voice.
"Hello Jane." She says with a smile while gesturing towards the opposing seat.
"Would you like something to drink or maybe for afternoon tea?"
Always so polite and thoughtful. "Are you having anything?" Jane, a little scared to make the first move.
"I was considering getting a latte." She says without missing a beat.
"Oh sure, I'll get it for you."
"Don't be silly, Jane," she says flaunting her most beautiful smile. "I will get it. And would you like anything?"
"Ah, no. It's okay. Thanks – Ah, thank you." Jane says, still a little shy as she digs through her bag to find her books.
By the time Maura returns with her table number, Jane has laid out her books and pencil case and is staring out the window, nervously tapping her fingers on the table.
"Shall we begin?" Maura says with a subtle smile.
Jane just nods and glances down at the table.
For a while they work with only the required use of words. But soon Jane's curiosity gets the best of her as the words "Why are we here?" burst out of her mouth.
Maura shoots a look back to Jane. A moment later, she says, "Well, we are here to study."
Jane lets out a small sigh.
"And we are here to talk, if you'd like."
With that, Jane smiles and looks up hopefully. "Really? So, this isn't just …"
"Jane, you are a smart, confident and kind young woman. You can make your own decisions about what you want. I think we should study because I think you really do enjoy participating in baseball."
Jane shrinks back into her seat.
"But at the same time, it appears we have developed quite a connection and I think it would be beneficial to your growth if we nourish that."
"So, is that your science-y way of saying you'd like to be a friend as well as a tutor?"
"If that's what you would like, I believe it could be something good."
Feeling a little more at ease, Jane says, "You know, maybe I would like a drink. I'll be right back."
As Jane walks away, Maura stares in awe of her complex confidence and wit.
When she returns with a soda, she slides back onto the booth seat and suddenly has a smile on her face. Her eyes smiling even more. By this time, Maura has had about half of her coffee Jane notices.
As they continue to study they talk a lot more fluently and with less tension in the air.
Conversations of work head towards laughter more often than not, and every time they both find their smiles growing as they notice the other's smile.
"Hey, can we study here from now on?" Jane asks shyly and hopefully.
"That sounds perfect. We can certainly do that." Maura smiles once again.
Sorry about the short chapter. My head has gone missing. Hope you enjoyed it though and would love any feedback you may have. And sorry for the errors. I think I've fixed them now!
Hope you're all happy and well.
Thank you for reading!