Frankie
I pull the collar of my patrolman coat up and my ear sleeves down to ward off the cold air. I squint against the flakes as they drop faster from the light gray sky against my eyes. I so wish I was at the house right now with Ma and Pop. I look at my watch and note the time. 9:13 pm. I'm sure the 4th quarter has started by now. Damn. I really wanted to see that game too. I can just imagine Jane and Pop screaming at the television while Ma and Maura are in the kitchen talking. I can just see Ma's wide eye look at Maura as she explains something scientific. Science was never Ma's strong suit. I laugh out loud at that visual.
"Hey Rizzoli."
I look across the street at a fellow patrolman sitting in a cruiser.
"Hey, Perkins."
"You look at little cold," he notices.
"Yea, a little."
"Well get your sorry ass in the car then," he smiles.
I jog the short distance to the 215 car and climb in.
"Thanks. You alone tonight?"
"Yea. Scott has a pregnant wife at home and he didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone. I told him to call if he needed anything."
"That was nice."
"It's what partners do for each other, ya know?"
"Yea."
"How did you draw this detail?"
"A lot of the guys had families. I don't. Besides Ma and Pop. So I thought, why not make that extra money, ya know?"
"Yea, I gotcha."
"Coffee?" Perkins offers holding up his thermos.
"Thanks."
We sit in comfortable silence as we watch the snow fall on the quiet streets.
Jane
3:14 am
I wake to the biting cold in the room. I lift my head and see that Maura has manipulated all the covers to her side of the bed. I attempt to unravel them but am met with mewing sounds of protest from my bedmate. She is effectively using them as a cuddle buddy. I sigh and then frown at the realization that I am supposed to be her cuddle buddy. Only one way to fix that… I turn over and spoon her. I bury my face in her neck. Awww, this feels so good. But there's another problem, or more like this only fixes part of the problem. My back is cold.
"Turn over."
I smile. I comply with her wishes and we have reversed positions.
"Better?"
"Hmmm."
She pulls me closer and pushes her nose into my hair. I hear her take a deep breathe.
"I love you," she whispers.
Smiling, I say, "I love you, too."
Maura
8:30am
I've been awake for a little over an hour holding Jane and listening to her snore. I know if I was to tell her that, she would deny it. I don't mind that she does. It reminds me that she is alive. I like hearing it. I feel safer knowing that she's getting a good rest. I glance at my watch and know that it is only a matter of time before Angela knocks on the door. She is an early riser like I am, but unfortunately, that trait wasn't passed down to her daughter. I begin to place butterfly kisses on her shoulder to gently rouse her. Jane shifts slightly at the feel of my lips so I move my lips higher.
"Hmmm, hey."
Her voice is as deep as I have ever heard it this morning. A scratchy rasp that sends tingles down my spine.
"What time is it?"
I am tempted to tease her and call her Mr. Rizzoli but don't think that she is ready for that, especially after last night.
"8:35."
"I don't want to move right now," she sighs.
"Me neither but you know that your mother will be up here soon enough."
"Yea, I know."
"How do you feel?"
"Like I could sleep another eight hours."
"We could leave after breakfast and go back to my house and climb into bed."
"I want to stick close to Ma and Pop today. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is. Family is always first."
"I didn't mean it that way, M."
Jane turns around in my arms facing me.
"Jane, I didn't take offense."
"You are a part of my family, Maura. Ma and Pop feel the same way."
"Even Frankie?"
"Well yea after he got over not being able to fantasize about you… he thinks of like sister."
"He fantasized about me?"
"Uh, yea. Every guy, I know fantasizes about you."
"Every guy?" I gulp down looking down at our bodies.
"Didn't you know that, Maura?"
"I imagined some of the men thought of me but not all men."
"Ah, geez, Maura, you are a very beautiful woman," she raises my head. "I would find it weird if they didn't fantasize about you."
"I know that I act like I'm comfortable with my sexuality. I am very comfortable with my sexuality. It's just that sometimes the thought of the possibilities and variables of men, it becomes overwhelming to me."
"Well think of this instead, babe," taking my hands, "There is only one me and one you, the only variables. And only one outcome," she takes my lips in a gentle kiss, "Then add in infinity. Seems like an unbeatable formula," she smiles breaking away.
I stare into her eyes with the widest smile I can manage. I wish we can stay in this bed forever. My wish doesn't last long.
Knock. Knock.
"You girls awake?" comes Angela's equally raspy voice.
"Looks like the spell has been broken," I whisper.
"No. Never," she rasps.
