Chapter 9
As planned, Frankie got to go home the next day. He stopped in to see Jane before he went. He expected her to be happier to see him than she was. He figured it was just because she was jealous that he was getting to go home already. He had no idea that it was really because she thought that he was taking her Maura away from her. So after a short visit, he was on his way and she was as moody as ever. That was the state that Maura found her in when she stopped by after work.
"Are you in better spirits today?" she asked warily.
"Not really," Jane answered. "Frankie got to go home today."
"Yes, he informed me of that probability yesterday."
"It's not fair," Jane said with a little pout.
Maura couldn't help but laugh. "You'll get to go home soon enough. Besides, would you rather be imprisoned here... or at your mother's?"
"You do have a point there." Jane conceded. "I guess this is the lesser of two evils."
"See, silver lining and all that," Maura teased.
"Yeah, yeah. So how was work, anything good?"
Maura spent the next ten minutes telling Jane about her workday. There hadn't been any new homicides, but apparently it must have been suicide day because there had been two on her table today. Jane had been interested in the specifics, so she was going over the facts of the two cases when they were interrupted.
"Hey there detective," a male nurse called out as he entered the room, "it's that time again."
"Hey Jeff, do your thing," Jane answered.
"Excuse me," the nurse said to Maura while moving over to the side of Jane's bed. She moved out of the way so he could check Jane's stitches and bandages. "Everything looks good here," he said, "see you in a few".
"Thanks man. Hey where's Alex," Jane called after him as he was leaving.
Jeff stopped in the doorway and gave a little laugh. "On break," he answered. "But don't worry, you're a priority patient," he said with a wink before continuing out the door.
"Damn straight," she hollered.
Curious, Maura asked, "Who is Alex?"
"My favorite nurse," Jane answered simply.
Then, as if conjured by the mere thought, in walked Jane's favorite nurse. Maura was stunned. She had assumed, as most people would, that Alex had been another male nurse. What she had not been expecting was a beautiful blonde with stunning blue eyes and a beaming smile. In fact, prior to her entrance, Maura had just been about to tease Jane about her sudden appreciation for male nurses. However, seeing the figure in front of her, all feelings of playfulness evaporated and were replaced by those of jealousy. Maura just sat quietly, observing the interaction between the two.
"And how is our wonderful detective doing this fine afternoon?" Alex asked, striding over to the bedside.
Maura's eyes narrowed slightly. My wonderful detective, she thought.
Jane scoffed, "What's so fine about it? I'm stuck in here, and Frankie got to go home already."
"Grumpy again I see. Well, I brought you something to cheer you up," Alex said, flashing her dazzling smile as she brought her had out from behind her back.
Jane's eyes lit up. "Extra jello? Oooh... with a little bit of whipped cream too. You're the best, I so love you. I wouldn't be able to make it through without this stuff," Jane said as she started to dig in.
Maura was inwardly fuming. A little jello and she's the happiest I've seen her in days. 'Oh Alex... you're the best... I love you'... oh please.
Alex laughed, then turned her smile towards Maura. "I'm sorry, I've been rude. I'm Alex, Jane's nurse," she said holding her hand out to shake Maura's.
Concealing the wave of dislike that had overcome her, she answered in her usual, perfectly polite, lilting voice, "Dr. Maura Isles, Jane's best friend." As she reached out to grasp Alex's hand, she wondered if the nurse had registered the slight emphasis placed on her words and the implied claim that she was staking.
"Nice to meet you Dr. Isles," Alex responded. Turning back to Jane she continued, "Well, I have other patients to see, so I'll come check back in a bit."
"Okay then, catch you later," Jane said. "And thanks for the jello."
"Anytime," the nurse replied as she left the room.
"Man, that's good stuff," Jane said as she finished up her treat.
"Hmm," was Maura's only response.
"Okay, spill. What's wrong with you?" Jane questioned. When Maura didn't answer, Jane continued, "I mean, you were kinda condescending to Alex."
"Oh, you mean your new best friend Alex?"
Now Jane was starting to get angry. And the jello had put her in such a good mood too. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Oh I don't know Jane. I'm here, I'm right here for you, and you've just been treating me so badly lately. I mean, I worry about you. I want to help you, to be here for you, to be what you need, and I just get spit on for my effort. Then Alex waltzes in with a little bit of jello, and in your eyes she deserves to be canonized. I just don't know what you want from me."
Jane felt horrible. She knew that she had been awful to Maura seemingly without any real, legitimate reason. In her mind it was a reason, a good reason, but she couldn't tell Maura that. She was so afraid of losing her that she was pushing her away. Knowing that she could never explain why, Jane opted to just apologize. "Maura, I'm so sorry."
Maura sighed sadly. "I know Jane, and I'm sorry too. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'll give you some space and call you in a few days."
With that Maura left, leaving Jane to wonder what she was doing to her best friend, and why it was that every visit seemed to end with a fight.
