Jane
I was awakened suddenly by a hand shaking me and not to lightly. I sat up with a start. My eyes were blurry and unfocused from my long peaceful hours of sleep and it took me a second to realized where I was. For a moment I was panicked. I couldn't remember how I got here and where here actually was. Nothing around me looked familiar and the huge bed I was in certainly wasn't mine. I thought I had been kidnapped or something for a second until my eyes finally focused and my mind caught up with me. Then I was relieved, I knew where I was. I was in Maura's bed, Maura's huge, beautiful, comfortable bed.
I smiled thinking about how I must have fallen asleep in Maura's arms the night before. I remembered the sound of her voice in my ear, I remembered the way her fingers felt running through my hair. I remembered the way she would tease me about certain things and laugh at all my jokes with a lighthearted pleasant melodious voice. I remembered the way I wrapped my arm around her waist as I lay curled next to her, I could still feel the tight muscles of her abdomen flex under the impossibly soft silk of her nightgown. I smiled thinking of Maura, then my smile turned upside down. I remembered that she was gone, gone for four long days. I became sad...I missed her already.
"Miss...Miss you get up now...da Doctor say you eat breakfast before you see attorney," an unfamiliar voice sounded in my ear.
I was shocked for a moment. Who the hell was talking to me?
A short stout older woman of Latin descent bustled out of Maura's in suite bathroom with an arm full of laundry. She was wearing a clean pressed maids uniform and weird little white sneakers on her feet. There were streaks of grey in her dark hair and her face was pinched in a permanent frown. I sat up straight my eyes wide and my heart beating quickly. Who the hell was this?
"Miss Jane...da Doctor say you must eat breakfast before car come for you!" the woman said in broken english thick with a spanish accent.
I just looked at her staring at me from the bedroom doorway with an arm full of laundry. Some of that laundry were my clothes from yesterday I noticed. What the hell was she doing with my clothes? I needed my damn clothes. And how did she know my name and my business? And how did she get into Maura's apartment? It was weird...it was all so weird.
"Who are you?" I exclaimed with a groggy sleepy voice.
I dug at my eyes with my knuckles trying to make sure I wasn't imagining what I was seeing. I wasn't I realized when my eyes found the older spanish looking woman again.
"I work here...I work for da Doctor. Doctor say you get up now...you get up now and eat breakfast. Car be here soon, you must hurry!" The woman said and not to kindly.
She had a bossy disposition. Her voice was sharp and commanding. The frown on her face wouldn't go away. I would have felt offended by her frown but I think that was just the way her face looked all the time. I would have thought she was funny ordering me around like she was but I was still too confused to get past the fact that she had woken me from my sleep and I was still in my pajamas with bed head and morning breath. I was more than a little startled. And why the hell did she have my damn clothes?
"You have my clothes...I need my clothes." I said frowning at my jeans balled up in the woman's arms.
"NO! I wash dees clothes...other clothes for you in bathroom! You get up now... da Doctor say you eat breakfast before car get here to take you to attorney." The woman said her frown deepening.
What the hell was she talking about, what other clothes? I didn't bring any other fucking clothes with me. And why was Maura telling this woman to make me eat breakfast like I was a child or something? I was completely capable of deciding for myself when I was hungry and when I wasn't.
I sighed. I was actually really hungry.
I grumbled.
"What other clothes, I didn't bring any other clothes!" I said frowning back at the woman.
"Bell boy bring dem dis morning while you sleeping. Get up now...da Doctor say..."
"...Yeah yeah da Doctor say I eat breakfast before car arrive to take me to attorney." I said mocking the woman in a level tone and rolling my eyes.
The woman snorted at me.
"You have smart mouth." she said narrowing her eyes at me, "You will be good for da Doctor," the woman said.
Her lips turned up into some weird expression. I think she was supposed to be smiling, but it didn't look like much of a smile. It looked like a grimace or something.
I chuckled.
"What is your name?" I asked bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them as I studied who I assumed was Maura's maid.
"Consuela," she said still grimacing at me. "You call me Miss Connie," she said nodding her head proudly.
"You get up now... da Doctor say..."
"...ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!" I said swinging my legs out of the bed and stretching deeply.
I hadn't felt this rested and refreshed in ages...like ages and ages. I studied Maura's bedroom as I blinked more of the sleep from my eyes. I really just wanted to curl back under the covers in Maura's crazy big mahogany hand carved bed but...Miss Connie was annoying as hell and I was hungry and I had to pee so I figured it would just be best to get up.
Maura's bedroom was huge, It was like the size of my entire loft apartment. The walls were painted a gorgeous blue and the molding was a clean spotless white. The hardwood floors were a deep reddish colored wood. I had no idea what the hell kind of wood...I knew it was the kind I could never afford though. There was a white marble framed gas fire-place below the ridiculously large flat screen tv on the far wall in front of the bed. In the corner to my right there were two very antique looking chairs positioned around an old-looking writing-table. Over my shoulder my breath caught again when I noticed the view. The entire wall was nothing but a window. One huge wall sized window. I could see the bright sky of a clear blue morning and sunshine bombarded the entire bedroom. What was weird was that it seemed like the window was tinted, but it didn't look like it was tinted the night before when I stared at the starry sky while I was cradled next to Maura's warm body. I was blown away by the view this morning even more so than I had been last night.
I got up and walked around the bed to get a better look. I tripped a little bit over the baggy to long pajama's the bell boy brought me last night, but I managed to stay on my feet. I pressed my forehead and my hands against the surprisingly cool glass of the window and looked out. I was amazed. I could see wisps of cloud blowing by right outside the window. Below me the bustling city of New York looked like a far away dream. The cars looked tiny, the people looked like ants. I felt so...so tall staring out the window. I felt like I was looking down from the heavens. I felt like I was on top of the world. I felt so...so weird but so good. I wanted to go on looking out the window but that annoying voice interrupted me again.
"Miss...you must get washing and dressing and eating breakfast. Da Doctor say..."
"...Jesus Christ Consuela I'm going...I'm going," I wailed pulling myself from the window and eying Maura's maid unhappily. She was so damn pushy.
Consuela only eyed me back. She wasn't intimidated by my bad attitude at all. I thought I was feeling myself start to like her a little bit.
"Da Doctor leave note for you on nightstand...read and take showa...I make you breakfast!" Miss Connie said bossily as she turned and walked away with her arm full of laundry.
I was left standing in my baggy pajama's rolling my eyes after the woman.
"Good Grief," I thought.
I walked over to the night stand next to my side of the bed and picked up an oddly shaped key.
"What's this?" I wondered
I sat back on the edge of the bed and read the letter. Maura's handwriting was impossibly neat and perfect. I smiled. Of course it fucking was. Everything about Maura was neat and perfect...except when she was pissed. I shuddered thinking of Maura's rage the afternoon before. That whole thing with the bell boy had been horrible. But I smiled thinking of how Maura bent her will for me and didn't fire Tyler. She was so sweet sometimes...when she wasn't pissed!
Maura left me a list of numbers for people I might need to contact while she was gone. I smiled; Maura seemed to be extremely thorough. I was grateful she left me Angela's doctor's number, I would have to call her soon. I wanted to check up on my baby.
I really wanted to go straight to the hospital and see Angela. I didn't want to meet with that slick ass lawyer without Maura. Even more so I just wanted to spend the day with my baby. I knew I still wouldn't be able to hold her...Addison told me so the night before. But I could go on just staring at Angela all day long and be content that at least she was alive. I sighed thinking of my baby. I smiled thinking of Maura and how she saved Angela's life. I'd never be able to repay that woman for everything she had done...but I could try. I would try.
Maura never made me feel like I owed her anything but even still...I knew I did. I owed her my life in repayment for the life of my child that she saved for me. It helped that Maura was so beautiful and I liked her as a person...except when she was pissed...I didn't like that part at all.
I read the simple one liner Maura wrote on the paper after all the numbers. I smiled hard and blushed a little. I folded my hand around the little key and kissed my knuckles. I would have to keep this thing safe...it was precious to me.
I found clothes hanging on a hook in Maura's ridiculous in suite bathroom. That bathroom was huge and every surface was marble or granite, even the floor. The shower its self was all glass widows with like a million jets sticking out everywhere. It was the craziest shower I'd ever seen. There was a huge claw foot bathtub in one corner and a jacuzzi big enough for four people in the other. I smiled. I'd have to try that thing out later.
The clothes hanging up for me were nicer than anything I'd ever worn in my life. By the time I got out of the steaming hot, extremely relaxing shower and dried myself off with an Egyptian cotton towel, I felt like a princess for real. I smelled like the expensive body wash Maura left for me and my hair had never felt so soft after using the conditioner and shampoo I found in the shower. Maura had somehow left me a hair brush and a toothbrush and toothpaste and lotion on the granite counter top. I didn't remember any of that stuff from the night before. When had all that happened?
I lotioned my skin and blow dried my hair and smiled at myself in the mirror. I felt so pretty in that moment. I pulled on the clothes Maura left for me. I couldn't believe how much they were actually my style. I studied myself in the mirror. I was wearing close-fitting but not uncomfortable soft black slacks, a form-fitting simple white button down shirt and a nicely cut black jacket. Everything fit perfectly like it had been sized and measured just for my body. I looked at the tag under the sleeve of my jacket and my eyes went wide when I saw what the purple label read.
"Prada," it said.
I burst out laughing.
Really? Fucking Prada? I put on the cute little pair of Saddle Oxfords I found in the brand new shoe box on the far counter. They fit perfectly...and they were so awesome. I looked at myself in the mirror again. I looked fucking hot! I wondered how Maura knew this was just my style? I didn't have time to think about it because Miss Connie's voice sounded in my ear again.
"Miss Jane," she screeched "You come have breakfast now...Da Doctor say you too skinny,"
"Or course she did," I mumbled under my breath thinking of how vehemently Maura insisted I eat vegetables the night before.
I couldn't believe she actually won that argument. I had a feeling Maura didn't lose many arguments though...even so...neither did I.
I'd never admit it to her but...my dinner had been fantastic. I actually ate all of it. I knew Maura had been pleased, I could tell by the way she smiled just a little every time I took a bite. She never threw it in my face though. She was gracious at least. Maura had been more than satisfied that at least I'd eaten my veggies...she saw no need to hit me with the 'I-told-you-so'!
I rolled my eyes hearing Miss Connie's revelation about what Maura said to her, but I made my way through the huge apartment to the kitchen anyway. Heavenly scents filled my nose. My mouth watered and my stomach grumbled. I was starving! I found Miss Connie standing over the flat top stove grilling up something that looked and smelled like food sex for my mouth.
"Hell yes!" I thought to myself as I sat behind the granite counter top in a bar stool.
"Whatcha making?" I asked excitedly.
Miss Connie looked over her shoulder at me studying me levelly.
"Da doctor say you to eat fruit...I say you eat bacon and eggs...you too skinny...look like stick! How da doctor love you if you fall apart like skeleton!" she scoffed.
I rolled my eyes. I would have argued but I didn't want to eat fruit. I wanted to eat bacon and eggs. I decided that Miss Connie and I would keep that secret among ourselves. I didn't want to get anymore hotel employees in trouble and I damn sure wanted the bacon.
Miss Connie took a break from her cooking for a second and walked to a cabinet and pulled out a coffee mug. She put the mug under some kind of weird contraption and pulled a lever. Steaming hot black liquid flowed into the coffee cup and heavenly scents of aromatic coffee beans filled my nose.
"Hell yeah," I thought again as Miss Connie slid the cup across the counter to me.
She opened the fridge and produced a very dainty looking pouring glass filled with thick white cream and laid it in front of me. She slid what looked like a crystal serving dish full of sugar at me. I smiled greedily and thanked her before I began preparing my coffee. It was the best tasting coffee I'd ever had in my life. I sighed and closed my eyes holding up the cup to my nose and inhaling the sweet scents pouring out of it. I was in heaven.
Miss Connie talked on and on about how skinny I was and how pretty I was and how I should eat more to "please da doctor" all throughout my breakfast. She told me about how 'da doctor' never brought a woman here, I was the first apparently. That made me smile, but I didn't respond much. I was to busy gulping down mouthfuls of food. Everything was just soooo good. I couldn't believe my luck. I rarely ever got to eat breakfast at my apartment. I couldn't afford to eat more than once a day. And that was usually Raman Noodles or some cheap take out. I savored every bite of Miss Connies remarkable cooking. I complimented her once or twice but the woman only grimaced at me and made comments about how she had to fatten me up. I just chuckled.
Finally a buzzing sound echoed from somewhere in the apartment. Miss Connie moved to some kind of speaker in the wall on the far side of the kitchen and pushed a button.
" Ello?" she said in that weird accent of hers.
A voice responded immediately.
"Percy Parker for Jane Rizzolli," I mans voice sounded through the speaker.
"Dis for you," Miss Connie said motioning toward me. "You meet him outside...he take you to attorney." Miss Connie said clearing my dishes from in front of me.
"Ok I guess," I said uncertainly.
I wished Maura was with me. Things weren't quite as weird when she was around. I didn't know how to talk to a guy like that slick ass James. I wanted my wolf beside me. I returned to the bedroom and gathered my cell phone and the elevator key and my apartment key. I put the elevator key on my key chain, grabbed my wallet, stuck it in my back pocket and headed toward the elevator.
Miss Connie met me by the elevator with a traveling coffee cup and a brown paper bag folded over with some unknown contents inside.
"Dis for you...I not be here by time you get back...you rememba and eat! You look like stick!" Miss Connie said shooing me into the elevator.
I didn't even know what the hell to say. I just chuckled as the elevator doors closed. What the hell had my life become?
Percy Parker turned out to be a stern looking man in a black suit and piercing eye. I climbed into the back of the limo and sat back quietly enjoying the pleasant ride to the attorney's office. Maura's limo was crazy nice, all white leather seats were complimented with pretty, dark, wood grain trim and a small flat screened tv in a corner. I didn't bother turning on the tv, I liked riding in silence.
I reflected on my life over the last couple of days and couldn't believe how much my life had changed. It almost felt like everything was spinning so fast and so far out of my normal comfort zone that I wondered if I were actually living in a dream. Here I was in the back of Maura's private limo, being carted around by her private driver, to see her private attorney, after being served breakfast in her private upscale top floor apartment, that was made for me by her private housekeeper. I thought about the three packs of Raman noodles in my apartment and the stale saltine crackers that had been my staple diet for so long I couldn't even remember. Life was just...life was just so weird for me right now. But I liked it.
I thought again of Maura. I really did wish that she were with me. I had no idea what was in store for me with James and I was feeling more and more uncomfortable about the whole situation. Maura told me last night to comply with him but still...I didn't really know that guy. I knew we had a lot to discuss about the whole custody of Angela thing. That, in and by its self, made me really nervous. Maura assured me that it was only a paper work thing for DCS but still...it was so weird. I hoped we could find a way around that. I made a mental note to ask the slick ass lawyer. I had to try at least. Angela was my child...I didn't want to give her up...even if it was just on paper.
I called Addison on my cell phone on the way to the attorney's office. She didn't seem surprised at all to hear from me or upset that I had called. She informed me that she had actually already spoken to Maura this morning. Apparently Maura called her as soon as her plane landed in Boston to check up on Angela's condition. My heart melted and my eyes watered when Addison told me that. I couldn't believe Maura cared so much. I guess I really was important to her. Addison said Angela was doing fine...actually she said Angela was doing better than expected. My heart soared. Addison promised to meet me in the infant ICU later to talk to me personally. I appreciated that. I thanked her graciously for all her hard work and for saving my baby. After Maura...Addison was the second most awesome person in my life...well...third most awesome, Angela always came first.
James' office was on the eighteenth floor of some huge building complex. His office was ritzy and spoke of immense wealth. I imagined he was paid very well to pull strings they way he did. I can only imagine how much he was charging Maura for everything he'd pushed through the legal system for me. James met me in a large conference room with a huge expensive looking conference table in the middle surrounded by comfortable leather chairs. He greeted me in another sharp suit and shook my hand showing me all the pearly white teeth in that car salesman's smile again. I was as polite as I could be with him, I still felt uncomfortable but...he was very friendly and tried to make me feel welcome.
There were several files sprawled out on the table in front of us and James gabbed away as he studied them.
"So...we've rescheduled the interview with DCS for Tuesday of next week. That gives us just enough time to get everything in order." James said pleasantly.
He slid me some paperwork and a pen. I studied the documents for a second. They were some kind of forms from the Isles Foundation of Medical Research and Family Assistance. Mostly everything was already filled in. James explained it to me.
"So this one we are going to have to date from a few months ago. It's the form all families fill out when asking the Isles foundation for family assistance. Don't worry about the fact that we are fudging the dates...no one is ever going to see this document for themselves. I'll see to that. We just need to be able to say we have one on file for you and establish a timeline of when you and Maura met. A more...appropriate timeline," James added as an after thought.
I raised my eyebrows at him. James only smiled and kept going.
"Allison has already gone through the computer files and added you and Angela as having entered the Family Assistance Program three months ago on the date that's shown on the document here," He said pointing to the date.
My heart stopped. That was Angela's birthday. February 24...that was Angela's birthday.
"That's her birthday...did you know that?" I asked looking at him sideways.
"Whose birthday?" He asked frowning.
"Angela's, my daughters...that's her birthday." I repeated.
James thumbed through some more files.
"Oh...so it is, well that works even better. Don't worry about all that though...no one is ever going to see this paperwork. So the story is you met Dr. Isles at a coffee shop. You two got to talking and somehow the subject came up that you didn't have proper health insurance for Angela...it's believeable because you really didn't. Maura told you about her foundation and you checked it out...blah blah blah...on and on and you two became close friends. The back story isn't as important as how we make it seem in the present. I take it you're enjoying Maura's apartment?" James smiled at me.
I rolled my eyes.
"It's a bit..it's a bit much actually," I said truthfully.
I wasn't lying...it was a bit freaking much as compared to what I was used to.
James laughed.
"You'll get used to it. I think Maura really likes having you. It was her suggestion that you move in there. I told her you only needed to move into one of her other apartments...but she seemed adamant about you staying with her. I gotta say...she's never been like this before. I've never even been inside her apartment. I think she's got a boner for you or something," James chuckled to himself.
I smiled. That was a wildly inappropriate comment, but I smiled anyway. I was imagining Maura with a boner...I laughed out loud.
James seemed pleased that I enjoyed his joke.
"Anyway...we're going to have to get your stuff moved in sometime this week. We can't do it today...you have to many other things to do. I know Maura said you were leaving for the hospital after this. Then you're going shopping with Albert for baby stuff and what not...that will take all afternoon. Albert is a bit of a...well he's a handful but he his nice enough. Then you're going back to the apartment with the movers. They're going take whatever furniture you don't want out of Angela's bed room to make room for her new things. Tomorrow you'll meet with Allison the director of the foundation in the morning and then I'll meet you at your apartment so you can show me what you want packed and moved and everything. Then you have the rest of the day to yourself. I imagine you'll want to spend it with Angela." James smiled.
I smiled back. I wanted to spend every second with Angela actually. It sounded like James had the schedule for my whole life written down for me. It was strange but I wasn't resentful. Everything sounded so exciting. I still wished Maura was with me though. James seemed nice enough, I wasn't uncomfortable with him anymore but still...he wasn't Maura.
"So how does this whole custody thing work?" I asked finally.
That's what I really wanted to talk about.
"Does it mean Maura can keep my child from me?" I inquired warily.
James scrunched up his face.
"No...firstly she wouldn't do that. Secondly it wouldn't be legal. She's only receiving guardianship because she's the closest person to you...at least that's how we're going to tell the story...and you live with her. If circumstances of your relationship were to change so would the custody situation. Think of it more as a guardian angel sort of situation. You keep your child and Maura's just there to watch over the both of you. I'm moving some judges down town to push this thing through quickly. I've gotten them down to you two having to do the initial interview and a home inspection...we're going to do them both at the same time so you don't have to see them twice in a week. Then there will be once a month check ups for six months then primary custody returns to you automatically when they finally admit you aren't some kind of child abuser." James sighed and rolled his eyes.
I was perplexed.
"How did you get this to happen I thought they were going to take my baby?" I asked curiously.
James smiled.
"As of now you are one of the most well protected people in the state. You're so insulated a bomb couldn't knock you down. I don't know what you did to Maura, but...I hope you appreciate her..." James said "...and me," he added as an after thought laughing at himself.
I smiled. I did, I certainly did appreciate them both.
"Well, what happens if they don't believe our story...what then?" I inquired.
I wanted to know every possible outcome of every possible circumstance. I wanted to know everything!
James sighed heavily.
"I'll know if things are going foul before it gets out of hand...then...then you and Maura will have to make some big decisions. The best bet is legal adoption!" he said fixing me with a serious gaze.
I was taken aback.
"Legal adoption?" I asked incredulously.
James nodded his head. "If you and Maura were to become joint custodians of Angela no one would argue further. At least that's the idea. We don't know who made that phone call to DCS. Those calls are confidential but I've got a guy working on it. I don't know what that dick who made the claim of abuse knows about you but...my money is we'll catch that person and squash this whole thing before it gets too deep." James said with an air or confidence.
Then his face became clouded and troubled. He stopped talking for a moment and stared down at the files in front of him.
"Is there any chance...Do you have any enemies that might want to do something like this to you?" James asked turning back to me and looking curious.
"I don't have any friends. I keep to myself since...well I've been alone for five years." I said puzzled by the question. I wasn't always the nicest person...but I didn't have any outright enemies.
I really had no idea who would make such a claim against me. I thought for a while and became trouble myself.
"Does...Does Dr. Isles have any enemies?" I inquired.
James seemed put off and startled by the question. He frowned and went back to studying the file in front of him.
"Let's not...lets not worry about that," James brushed off the question nonchalantly.
"Besides, Dr. Isles seems particularly invested in you...she'll protect you...you and Angela." James smiled that slick ass smile of his.
I thought for a moment. I still wasn't convinced. Besides James seemed strangely evasive about the last question I asked him.
"Legal adoption...don't you have to be married to someone before they can claim legal adoption over a child that isn't theirs?" I asked perplexed that Maura would even consider something like that.
James nodded his head in agreement even if it did look like it was paining him to do so.
"Yes...yes it does!" he sighed heavily
I was blown away. This really was to much. Maura couldn't possibly be willing to do something like that for me. Would I even be willing to do something like that? James must have noticed how surprised and uncomfortable I looked because he immediately moved to comfort me.
"Hey relax. I'm working very hard to keep this all together. The chances of this going any further than a few house visits and a good story are very slim." James said leaning in and smiling at me.
Then he added with a rather devilish grin, "Besides...you could do worse than being legally married to the great Dr. Isles," James laughed.
I couldn't stop myself from laughing too.
"Would she really do that? I mean...would she really consider that?" I asked.
I was curious. I was...I couldn't help but wonder. Did I and my daughter really mean that much to Maura?
"It was her idea actually. If you really want to know...she pushed me to do this. Maura is...she can be quite a handful to argue with sometimes." James said sighing and shaking his head as if to shake out some bad memory.
I giggled.
"Yeah...I figured that one out already." I smiled to myself
After all the paperwork was signed I shook James' hand goodbye and made my way back to the limo.
I opened the little brown bag Miss Connie handed me before I left the apartment. I grinned wickedly when I saw there was a delicious looking pastry inside. I ate the whole thing in four bites.
Addison met me in the infant ICU just like she promised. I smiled when I saw her long bright red hair and slender frame approaching me.
"Good morning Jane," Addison greeted me pleasantly shaking my hand.
I shook her hand happily smiling like a little kid.
"I wanted to thank you in person for everything you've done for Angela...for Angela and for me. You saved my baby's life!" I gushed. I tried not to cry but I felt like I was shaking the hand of my hero.
Addison returned a smile of her own.
"Would you like to go in and see her?" she asked me kindly.
My heart soared.
"Really?" I exclaimed
"I can get you suited up in sterile scrubs, you won't be able to hold her and I have to stay with you the whole time for legal reasons...but you can at least sit with her and talk to her for a while. Would you like that?" Addison asked.
"Yes!" I exclaimed excitedly.
I felt the tears streaming down my face. I was just so happy. I thought I'd only be able to see Angela through the glass. I imagined Addison had pulled some strings for me herself to make this happen.
I sat with Angela for three hours. She never opened her eyes, she hardly ever moved but I just sat there and watched the steady rise and fall of her little chest. I wanted to reach in and run my fingers through her curly hair and whisper in her ear. But for the moment I was just content to go on watching her, and talking to her, and loving her. I told her all about her new room, and her new apartment, and how she'd be able to eat better. I told her how I had a new job and the birthday party I'd throw for her next year. I told her how she had health insurance now, and that she'd never have to want for anything again because Mommy would be able to provide for her. Tears streamed down my face the whole time I talked to her. I wanted to hold her, I wanted to cradle her against me, and wanted to feel her heartbeat with my own. I wanted to feel her warm skin against my body and her often sticky hands of my face. I wanted to kiss her forehead and sing her lullabies and read her bedtime stories. I knew I would be able to do all that soon...but soon wasn't soon enough. I just wanted to hold my baby.
Finally Addison touched my shoulder lightly and told me the limo was waiting for me outside. I stared at Angela twenty minutes longer. I just didn't want to leave her. I loved her so much. But I finally let Addison coax me from the room after I kissed the top of Angela's incubation chamber. Addison told me all about how Angela was getting stronger by the hour and how I might even get to hold her Wednesday. My heart soared. I hugged the woman's thin body against me for several long moments. Addison only laughed and hugged me back. She was a sweet woman. Addison promised to meet me again tomorrow and I made my way down to the limo with a fluttering heart and a light step. This was the best day ever.
When I crawled into the limo I was surprised to find a man there already waiting for me.
"OH my GOD you are GOR-GEOUS!" the man raved at me as soon as I sat down and closed the door.
He had a loud effeminate voice and was extremely animated. He was wearing a tight-fitting very flamboyantly colored silk dress shirt and tight dress pants with shiny red boots. He was middle-aged and his blond hair was stylishly cut. He looked like he was wearing eyeliner and foundation. I knew instantly that he was gay...like super gay. He reminded me of one of those queer eye for the straight guy dudes with his wild hand gestures and fluttery movements. I was taken aback by the power of his personality.
"Girl-FRIEND! I'm going to have so much fun dressing up that body of yours," the man said motioning his rather limp wrist towards me.
I found myself smiling nervously.
"GIRL you have just got it ALL going ON!" he raved as he cheesed at me.
I giggled. Who the fuck was this guy?
He was sitting across from me with his legs crossed and had a glass of champagne in his hand. He was the prettiest man I'd ever seen and soooo gay!
"MMMmmm girl I see why the Doctor snatched you up...you are just DE-LIS-CIOUS!" the man said snapping his fingers with every syllable of the last word.
I couldn't stop myself from laughing out right.
"What the hell?" I thought
"I'm Albert," The man said extending his hand.
He didn't extend his hand for a normal handshake. It was more like he offered me his fingers to kiss like a lady would. I laughed again. I took his fingers and shook them awkwardly.
"I'm...I'm Jane," I said unsteadily still trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
"Oooo Girl! WE are going to have so much fuuuuun!" the man practically squeaked in that high pitched effeminate voice of his.
"Are we?" I asked grinning a little.
"YES girl. Let's be naughty!" He said sliding open a compartment under his seat and producing another champagne glass.
Albert slid open another compartment next to him and produced a bottle of champagne. He poured me a very full glass of the bubbly liquid and handed it to me with a lop sided grin. I thought he might actually be wearing lip gloss.
"Good Grief!" I laughed inside my head.
I took the glass and drank. It was the tastiest alcohol ever. It burned and bubbled all the way down my throat.
"Oh! That's good!" I exclaimed
"YES bitch that's that Dom Perignon!" Albert said taking another long sip from his glass.
"WOW!" I said giggling.
"So...where are we going?" I asked curiously.
"GIRL I'm taking you to the best Thai place in the city...then we are going SHOOOOPING!" Albert exclaimed shaking his hands wildly and bouncing in his seat like shopping was his favorite thing in the whole freaking world.
Oh boy what had I gotten myself into.
Lunch was ridiculous. Albert seemed to know everybody in the whole restraunt. He kept parading me around different tables and exclaiming loudly over how gorgeous I was and how sexy my long legs were and how he was taking me shopping to 'dress me up' as he called it. Everyone he introduced me too was polite and shook my hand and told me how pretty I was. I thought I caught a few of those people's eyes, both men and women, lingering on my body a little more than necessary with side ways grins. It was weird it was all so weird, but they seemed to have all heard of Maura and exclaimed how lucky I was to be her girlfriend. I started to correct them all and tell them she wasn't my girlfriend...then I thought better of it. Maybe it was best if people thought Maura and I were in a relationship for Angela's sake. It would make our story and our living situation less strange to outsiders. I just decided to go with it. Why the hell not? I sort of liked all the attention...and I liked Albert's loud gay ass! He was ridiculously entertaining.
Albert raved all through lunch about Doctor Isles and everything she'd done for him. Apparently they went to school together in France for like five years when his family had money. I guess his family lost their fortune when the dot-com boom went under, but Maura convinced her mother to send Albert to interior design school and he built his own interior design firm from the ground up. I couldn't believe Maura had done that. Well then again...yes I could. Maura seemed to have some strange compulsion to help those less fortunate that her...I could attest to that better than anyone else. It was just nice to hear that she had done something so selfless for someone else. It made me feel less...less...less like a whore.
I spoke very little through lunch. There wasn't much room to speak anyway with Albert's incessant gabbing. I didn't mind though. He was interesting and dynamic.
Albert dragged me to the most ridiculous upscale baby store ever. I was floored when I first walked in. Everything was so...Good Grief!
"Bitch this is the baddest baby boutique in the city. Just look at this bassinette," Albert raved skipping over to the most ridiculous looking thing I'd ever seen.
Yes...he did actually skip!
The bassinette Albert was exclaiming over was all frilly, and lacy, and huge, and had pink poka dots all over the expensive linen of the cover.
"That thing is horrible," I exclaimed
"GIRL paaaa-LEASE! This thing is the hottest item on the market right now. There's a three-month waiting list for this bad boy. We can walk out of here with one today though girl I got connections." Albert said fluttering around the bassinette and clapping his hands excitedly like he wanted to crawl in the thing himself.
I rolled my eyes.
"How much is it?" I asked incredulously.
Albert looked at me like I'd said some forbidden curse word or something.
"GIRRRRRL! Money ain't no object for you honey child...you got yourself a suga daddy!" Albert emphasized the word 'suga' with another flamboyant wave of his arm and the snap of his fingers.
I laughed outright. He was just so ridiculously gay. But the fun kind of gay that just made people giggle. Even still though...I didn't want to be over the top about my spending. I wanted to be able to pay Maura back and I had a feeling that bassinette cost more than I'd make in a month working at the foundation. I shuffled over to a solid oak crib and snuck a look at the price tag. I almost passed out when I saw the number.
"Five thousand nine hundred eighty dollars?" I swore in my head.
Oh hell no we had to get the hell outta this place!
Albert was off skipping around the store exclaiming loudly over this thing or that thing. I suddenly felt very sweaty and faint. This place was ridiculous. I didn't want anything in here. Angela didn't need anything in here. She'd been a perfectly happy baby in the second-hand crib I got from the Good Will and the blankets and sheets I bought from Target. Besides she was freaking one year old, what the hell did a one year old need with a six thousand dollar crib? They wouldn't know the difference!
I finally caught up to Albert exclaiming loudly about an over the top baby changing station that was hand carved hardwood and antique looking. I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Can we get out of here please? Can't we go to Target or something for baby stuff,"
Albert gasped and clutched his chest. His eyes went wide and he actually took three steps back as if I'd knocked the wind from his sails. He looked like I'd slapped his mother in the face or something.
"GIRL! You did NOT just say the T word to me!" he said breathlessly.
"What?" I exclaimed.
"HONNNEY CHILD! Dr. Isles don't own nothing from Target sweetheart! You need to get with the PRO-gram bitch and stop trippin! Besides she told me to bring you here specifically. Only the best for her baby's baby!" Albert said skipping off again and exclaiming over some other ridiculously expensive thing.
"Of course she did," I mumbled under my breath.
I sighed heavily. How would I ever be able to pay her back for all of this?
After three very very long hours and four glasses of champagne later I'd finally gotten Albert to agree to buy the cheapest of everything in that God awful baby boutique. I was shocked when a moving truck pulled up out front and four men jumped out and started hustling boxes out the store and into the truck.
"What are they doing?" I asked curiously.
"OH sweetheart. You get the items on stock. NO-body gets the items on stock. I'm sure you bumped a ton of people down on the waiting list to get this stuff today. Ain't you a lucky little diva!" Albert said pursing his lips and studying me proudly.
I felt my palms begin to sweat again.
"Oh! Good grief!" I swore under my breath.
It was almost eight o'clock in the evening when the boxes of Angela's new things were hustled into the apartment by the movers. I had to ask them to take everything in Angela's bedroom away to make room for all the new stuff. It seemed like forever before I could get everyone to leave me the hell alone. Albert had left me with a flutter of snapping fingers and loud exclamations of how next time we were going shopping for me. I'd smiled nervously at that and hustled him back into the elevator.
I collapsed onto the couch exhausted by everything that happened during the day. I thought about so many things, so much had happened. I'd signed over temporary guardianship of Angela to Maura, I got to talk to my baby, I met the craziest gay man every (I loved him though in a weird way) and I'd just run up a twenty thousand dollar bill at the boogiest baby store on the face of the planet. The last part irked me a to no end.
I really really didn't want to do that. I didn't make twenty thousand dollars the whole year last year and I'd just let Albert talk me into spending that much on a one year old. The whole thing was insane. I felt so guilty deep down inside. I wished I hadn't done it at all but Albert was so adamant and so dynamic in personality that I didn't feel like I had much of a choice. I also thought about all those nicely dressed people lunching at the Thai place that now thought I was Maura's girlfriend. I imagined how much gossip was going around Maura's circle of high society friends. I wondered if she would be mad at me for not correcting their assumptions.
Mostly...mostly I thought about how much I missed Maura. I'd managed to get through the day on my own but...it would have been so much easier and so much nicer with her beside me. I looked around the living room. The place was so big and I was all alone and I had no one to cuddle up next to tonight. I thought about how sexy Maura was crawling into bed with that crazy hot negligee she had been wearing. I couldn't believe how beautiful she was as I lay wrapped in her arms. I couldn't believe how lucky I was every time I felt her fingers run through my hair. I couldn't believe how sweet she was every time she smiled at me. I couldn't believe how many things...how many other dirty little things...I felt as I lay with my arm wrapped around her waist and the scent of her body filled my nose. I sighed thinking of Maura. I missed her so much.
The phone rang. I reached over on the side table, picked up the cordless and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Am I speaking with Jane Rizzolli?" A familiar female voice asked on the line.
I think it was the same girl that I'd asked to send up a bell boy yesterday.
"Yes...speaking?" I said politely.
"Dr. Isles asks that you turn to channel three." the woman said pleasantly.
"What? Why?" I asked curiously finding a remote and flipping on the tv.
"Just turn to channel three." The woman said and hung up.
I turned to channel three and my heart leaped. Maura was looking right at me. She smiled when I squealed in excitement.
"Oh my God Maura...how are you on tv?" I asked bewildered.
Maura laughed.
"I'm not on tv...this is a wireless connection run through the internet. I'm actually watching you on my lap top. Can you see the little camera above the tv?" she asked me smiling at my shocked face.
I looked up above the tv. There was a tiny little sensor device sitting above the television.
"Oh my God have you been spying on me?" I blurted out.
Maura laughed.
"NO! It doesn't work that way. It only works if you turn to channel three and I'm online sweetheart. I'm not big brother I'm not watching your every move." Maura smiled at me.
I laughed nervously. Maura was dressed in a pretty red dress and tall red heels. She was sitting in an antique looking armchair in what looked like an expertly designed living room. Maura looked tired, but she was still so pretty sitting there with her sexy legs crossed and her hazel eyes shining at me. I found my self leaning forward and studying her closely. I wished she was with me, I wished she was in bed with her arm wrapped around me. But I was glad at least that I was getting to see her.
"You look tired Maura, how was your day?" I asked concerned by how weary she really did look.
A sympathetic expression showed on Maura's face and she cocked her head to the side studying me for a moment before she spoke.
"It's sweet of you to ask about me Jane. I just got home from work actually. I had three autopsies waiting for me as soon as I walked into the department this morning." she sounded so tired.
My heart broke for her.
"That sounds awful." I said. I knew my face was scrunched up with concern.
Maura only smiled at me.
"I like my work. It's just been...I've had quite a weekend," she laughed lightly.
I smiled through my guilt. I felt awful that it was my fault she was so tired.
"I'm sorry Maura. That's all my fault." I said sadly.
"NO! Don't say that. It's no one's fault. We do what we must to survive the day and keep moving forward. I don't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself." She said sweetly trying to smile through her tired face.
I sighed. It was my fault...no matter what Maura said, but I decided not to push.
"You...you look really pretty." I said shyly. I felt myself blushing.
The smile that covered Maura's face took my breath away.
"You look quite sharp yourself," Maura replied running her eyes over my body briefly.
I looked down at my clothes and blushed harder remembering it was Maura that somehow conjured up these clothes for me out of thin air.
"Did you...did you buy me this suit?" I asked timidly
Maura raised an eyebrow at me.
"Do you not like it?" she asked unsure of herself.
"No! No! It's not that it's just...it's a designer suit and...I'm happy wearing jeans and stuff you don't have to spoil me rotten." I said rolling my eyes a little.
Maura only laughed.
"I haven't even begun to spoil you yet Miss Rizzolli. We'll get there later hopefully." she said sweetly.
I rolled my eyes again.
"But you have spoiled me. That mean ass maid of yours made me breakfast this morning, and...and James hired a moving company to pack and move my stuff tomorrow, and...and you got me this suit...and you hired that bad ass Doctor to save my baby...and you hired that crazy gay guy to take me shopping for stuff for Angela at that boogie baby boutique. If I'm not spoiled I'd like to see someone who is!" I exclaimed to Maura's grinning face.
"How did it go with James?" She asked
"Oh...it was ok. You're...you're my babies temporary guardian now." I sighed heavily.
Maura looked concerned.
"Does this displease you?"
I thought for a moment.
"It's kinda weird I'm not going to lie but...I feel like it's all going to be ok. James is...he's quite the attorney." I scoffed.
Maura laughed.
"He's the best." she said nodding her head certainly.
I thought for a few moments, I sat silently staring at my hands.
"What's wrong Jane?" Maura asked growing concerned.
"I...tell me I'm not going to regret this...tell me signing over the guardianship of my child is what's best for her." I said looking back up at Maura.
Her face went a little droopy and she looked hurt for some reason.
"If you're wondering if I'm going to hurt you or take advantage of you you're wrong. I care about you Jane. I need you to understand that. Angela is yours and always will be." Maura tried to smile through her hurt.
I felt bad all of a sudden. I didn't want to hurt the woman that had shown me so much kindness.
I perked up.
"Addison let me go in and see Angela today. I got to sit with her for hours and talk to her and everything. I wish I could have held her but...Addison said maybe Wednesday I could hold her." I said happily.
I thought I saw tears behind Maura's eyes. It was a moment before she spoke.
"That makes me very happy Jane, I'm sure you're happy about that too."
"Yeah!" I grinned.
"How did the shopping trip go?" she asked me
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"That guy Albert is a piece of work," I laughed.
Maura joined in my laughter.
"We spent...we spent a lot of money," I said hanging my head and lowering my eyes.
I suddenly felt very guilty again.
"Jane I already paid the bill an hour ago. Stop feeling guilty. I wouldn't have asked Albert to take you there if I didn't want the best for you and Angela." Maura said bluntly.
I looked up and smiled nervously at her.
"How will I ever pay you back for all that?" I whined.
Maura rolled her eyes.
"You won't because I wouldn't accept it. I don't give gifts expecting something in return." Maura stated plainly.
I sighed again. Maura was just impossible sometimes. We went on talking for a long while. Maura told me all about her work and her business interest and various this and that's that I listened to open heartedly. I didn't know what half the stuff she was talking about meant but it was good to hear her voice. It made me feel less lonely in this huge place by myself. After a while I started yawning though.
"Are you tired Jane?" Maura asked
"NO!" I lied pouting a little
"You lie," Maura teased as she had done the night before.
I sighed.
"I wish you were here. I won't sleep tonight all alone in this place." I said sadly.
Maura cocked her head and smiled. It was an amused smile. What the hell did she find so damn funny?
At that very moment I heard that weird buzzing sound again.
"What was that?" I asked Maura as I looked around for the source of the noise.
"It's the intercom. Look on the far wall and push the call button and ask who it is."
I looked around and found the thing she was talking about. I got up and did as she said.
"Hello?" I ask uncertainly
"I have a delivery for a Miss Jane Rizzolli," A nice man's voice sounded through the intercom.
His voice sounded strangely familiar.
I ran back to the TV.
"What did you do?" I asked Maura curiously.
She only smiled at me.
"Push the green accept button. It will allow the elevator to come to the apartment." she stated calmly.
I sighed and ran back to the intercom and did as she said. Thirty seconds later that poor bell boy Tyler stepped out onto the marble floors of the front room holding a very large gift wrapped box.
"This is for you from Dr. Isles," he said handing me the box.
As soon as I took the box Tyler scurried back into the elevator and got the hell outta the apartment. I giggled a little.
I padded back down the hall and sat back on the couch setting the box down on the hard wood coffee table.
"What's in the box?" I asked excitedly
"Something to help you sleep tonight, open it," Maura urged.
I ripped at the box like a kid on Christmas morning. I pulled off the top and squealed with excitement when I saw what was inside. I giggled and kicked my legs and bounced up and down on the couch. A tiny little puppy put his paws over the edge of the box and whimpered at me. He was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. I giggled foolishly when I pulled him from the box and cradled him in my arms.
"Oh my God! Oh my GOD! OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed barely able to believe what I was holding in my arms.
The little brown puppy licked at my face and lips and yipped at me.
"Maura oh my God!" I said looking up at her with tear filled eyes.
Maura had tears in her own eyes I noticed. And her smile was...she looked so happy for me in that moment.
"Read the card," she urged.
I looked around in the box. I didn't see a card.
"Where is it?" I asked searching frantically
"It's on his collar," Maura said
I looked at the squirming puppies collar. There was indeed a small card tied to his collar. I pulled it off easily and started reading.
"I'm a rescue puppy from the humane society. Dr. Isles wants you to know how sorry she is that she hurt you yesterday and she wants you to know that she believes in you and wishes you sweet dreams tonight."
I started crying while the puppy licked my face.
I slept the whole night through with my puppy in my arms.
I named him Franklin Thomas after my brothers.