AU: Okay, so here's chapter 10. I'd just like to say that I know we've met Maura's mother on the show, but I'm keeping her as Marion on here for continuity, and the wedding is coming up, I promise you.
As Jane pulled up to Angela's house, her mouth dropped open in shock. She knew her mother was excited about tonight, but this was overboard – even for Angela. Banners and streamers lined the front porch, balloons were tied to the front door – and this was just the exterior. Jane shuddered at the thought of what the inside of the house looked like. She cradled her head against the steering wheel, and Frost patted her on the back sympathetically. Korsak unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car as the front door to the house opened and an enthusiastic Angela stepped out onto the porch.
"Jane!" Angela practically ran to the car, opening the drivers' door, as if Jane needed assistance stepping out of the car, "I'm so glad you're here!" Her hands waved towards Jane, indicating she should get out of the car. "This is going to be such a fun night!"
Jane got out of the car begrudgingly, followed by Frost. "Hey, ma."
"Do you like it?" Angela asked, pointing to the house.
Jane grinned through her teeth and nodded, "Looks like you went all out."
Angela shrugged as she wrapped an arm around her daughter, guiding her towards the house as if she were a child. "Well it's not like I'm going to be able to throw another bachelorette party, is it?"
Frankie appeared in the doorway upon hearing his mothers' voice. "Wait 'til you see what she's got inside for you," he smirked.
Jane rolled her eyes and smiled at her mother, in the usual routine she'd perfected throughout her teenage years. As Jane walked into the house, she found herself surrounded by family and friends, and also a few colleagues from the station. She certainly hadn't expected so many people to be there, and suddenly found herself feeling slightly intimidated by the overwhelming atmosphere. After a few introductions and hugs here and there, Jane sat down on the couch next to Frost, and Korsak came over with three beers.
"Some turnout," he said, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to Jane.
"Ma always does like to give everything 110%;" Jane laughed, swigging from the neck of her beer bottle. "I should've seen this coming."
Frost shrugged, "I think it's great, that you have all of these people – your friends and family, all here to celebrate with you."
Jane was about to respond when the sound of clapping came from the direction of the kitchen. Angela crossed the threshold into the lounge and silence filled the room. "I'd just like to thank you all for coming to help us celebrate my daughter's bachelorette party. You're all welcome to help yourselves to any food or drink you want; have fun!" Angela smiled as she walked towards Jane.
"Ma, what part of only four or five people did you not understand?" Jane murmured under her voice.
Korsak and Frost stood up quickly, not wanting to be involved in any of the drama that was surely about to ensue. "We'll... uh, go and get some drinks."
Angela filled the seat Frost had left vacant. "You have to have a proper celebration – you only get married once!"
"Jane! I think you should come and look at these!" Frost called through from the kitchen. The sound of Korsak's voice could be heard roaring through the kitchen, as Frankie yelled in chorus, "I told you so!"
Jane stood up, wary of what she was about to see. As she made her way through the kitchen, she could see banners emblazoned with pictures of herself and Maura, and napkins of the same nature. There was a red 'L' plate on the table, which Jane swore to herself she wouldn't be wearing; and amongst the glasses and bottles of alcohol that lined the kitchen were straws. Nude-coloured straws...each with a pair of breasts on.
"Wow. Stay classy, Mom," Jane almost sighed. She had just wanted a quiet night with some of her closest friends, not a huge party and a big fuss. She expected that to all happen tomorrow.
"Well... Sofia Liatos said that every good bachelorette party needed a few fun...additions." Angela shrugged. Frankie, Korsak and Frost just stood about laughing at Jane's face, which had quickly adopted a shade of scarlet.
"I think you need to stop spending so much time with Sofia Liatos, Ma." Jane stepped forward and picked up one of the straws for further inspection. "Really?"
"Well, they are what you're into," Frankie teased.
"Don't be embarrassed, Jane. It's just a joke," Frost stepped in, trying to ease the tension.
"You are marrying Dr Isles tomorrow, and she has boobs. A mighty fine pair, if you ask me..." Korsak joined in.
Jane narrowed her eyes and shot Korsak a look that could kill. "Good God, Korsak. Could you please stop ogling my wife?"
"Now, now, Jane. Don't be so tetchy. Lighten up – it's just a bit of fun!" Korsak grabbed a beer from the side and moved back into the living room with Frost and Frankie; joining Frank on the sofa who was now watching the game on TV.
She placed the straw down on top of the counter and swigged the rest of her beer. The room had suddenly cleared and she was left with Angela, who was repositioning the plates and glasses on the table. "Can I get you something?"
Jane shook her head as she sat down on a stool besides the kitchen counter. "I don't really feel like eating right now."
"Are you nervous? Because you know, that's perfectly normal before your wedding day," Angela walked towards Jane, wrapping her arms around the detective and squeezing onto her tight. It was not often Angela had the chance to hug her fiercely independent daughter, so when the opportunity presented itself she grabbed onto it with both hands.
Jane shook her head, she wasn't nervous about marrying Maura; that was the easy part. All of the other possibilities for disaster were circling in her head like sharks waiting to attack their prey. First, there was her prospective mother-in-law, Marion. The likelihood of her turning up was actually pretty high, no matter how much Maura denied this. Marion had been told in no uncertain terms that she was not to show up; however, knowing how much she liked to stir things up and cause drama, Jane was willing to place a high bet on the fact that she would be there. Then, there was Lydia. Maura had explained to Jane that it was Marion who put Lydia up to all of her nasty tricks, but she couldn't shake the feeling this wasn't entirely true. Who wouldn't want to marry Maura Isles? The medical examiner was everything Jane could've wished for in a wife; beautiful, smart, funny – to name but a few of her qualities; and yes, Maura had chosen Jane over the million other people she could've had. This was one of the key things that still ran through Jane's mind – she didn't come from the same wealthy background as Maura. The Rizzoli's weren't rich; they weren't descendents of the Brahmin's. Never in her entire life did she have even a quarter of Maura's bank balance, and she didn't expect to ever have it; she wasn't able to provide the kind of lifestyle Maura was accustomed to – and she was perpetually worried that one day, Maura would realise this and leave her for someone just like Lydia.
"Jane? Are you okay?" Angela had lowered herself to be at her daughters' eye-level. She seemed to be staring off into space, and Angela was becoming concerned. She waved her hands in front of Jane's face until her eyes blinked and she refocused them upon her mother.
"Sorry, I got a bit distracted. What were you saying?"
Angela straightened up and stepped back, "I was saying that it's perfectly normal to have the wedding day jitters; I had them when I was marrying your father. It was such a long, busy period of time preparing for the wedding that by the time the day finally arrived I was a bundle of nerves. I couldn't stop walking around the house, back and forth, back and forth –"
"Ma," Jane interjected. Once her mother got onto a rant about something, it was pretty hard to get her to stop talking. "I'm okay, honest." There was no way in hell that she was going to confide in her mother about her own insecurities – she'd never live it down. She jumped off the stool and kissed her mother on the cheek, "I'm going to make a call."
Opening the back door, she stepped out onto the porch. There was a slight breeze, enough to give her goose bumps, but nothing major. She sat down on the swing bench and pulled out her cell. Maura had been on speed-dial ever since she had met her, and it only took one push of the button for the line to connect and dial out. After five or six rings, the phone answered but it wasn't Maura's voice speaking to Jane.
"Hell-o! This is Maura's phone but this isn't Maura!" The slurs of a drunken woman hollered down the phone, loud enough for Jane to pull the phone away from her ear and make sure she had pushed the right button on her phone.
"Who is this?" Jane frowned, not recognizing the voice.
"This is Rachael – who is this?"
Jane practically rolled her eyes; this could go on for a very long time. "Jane. Can I speak to Maura, please?"
"Jane?" The sounds of laughter and whispering could be heard from the other end of the phone call. "Jane! Hi Jane! You're getting married in the morning!" Before Jane had time to reply, a chorus of voices began loudly singing the classic from 'My Fair Lady'.
"Is Maura there?" Jane was practically shouting to be heard over the phone.
"Yes, she's here. But should you be speaking to her, the night before your wedding?" Another voice came on the line, deeper and definitely male.
Jane clenched her jaw, getting more agitated by the fact that everyone else was having a great time besides herself; when this was meant to be her bachelorette party. Shouldn't I be having some kind of a good time tonight? "Get Maura to the phone, please."
"Maura! Phone!" Cho shouted loudly; there was a scuffle of interference as the phone was passed around, before Maura's voice came through the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Mau. Are you okay? Sounds lively over there."
"Yes, I'm okay – there are several bottles of wine which are not, however," Maura laughed down the phone. She was definitely past the stage of tipsy and was halfway to drunk at this point.
Jane smiled to herself, she loved the sound of Maura's laugh; it was one of the things that was able to cheer her up whenever she was disgruntled, sad or upset. "Good. Well I'm glad you're having a good time. I should let you go back to the party."
"Jane, what's wrong?"
Whether she was drunk or not, Maura was always able to pick up when something was troubling people. She had always had quite an empathetic nature, especially when it came to Jane.
"Nothing's wrong. I just needed some air and figured I'd call and see how you are."
"I miss you too."
"You always know," Jane said, quietly.
"Well, that's because I'm a genius," Maura laughed.
"You are sure you want to marry me?"
"Of course I do, Jane. Have I given you any reason to think otherwise?" Jane could hear the chatter and laughter in the background grow quiet, indicating Maura had moved into another room.
Jane shook her head, as if Maura could see what she was doing, and rubbed her hand along her temple. "No, I just want you to be sure you know what you're marrying into tomorrow."
"What do you mean? I know all of your family, and love them as if they were my own. I've been told on countless occasions by Angela and Frank that I'm their daughter, which would indicate that they love me, too." Maura was beginning to ramble, but whether that was due to panic or the alcohol, Jane couldn't tell.
"No, Maura; I don't mean that."
"Then I'm confused. What do you mean?"
Jane stood up, and began to walk along the decking – much like her mother had described to her before. Back and forth, back and forth. "I mean," Jane paused, trying to find the right words to vocalize her feelings. "I mean, I'm not wealthy – and I'm not a part of any elite circles. I live on a month-to-month basis, Maura."
"And?" Maura answered, blankly. Jane could've sworn she heard Maura shrug.
"And, I'm not able to buy even one of your favourite dresses for you. I would have to save for months to be able to afford something like that. Never mind fancy pairs of shoes like the Louboutin's you love to wear. I'm not able to provide any of that for you."
"I'm not marrying you for what you can provide for me, Jane –"
Jane cut Maura off mid-sentence. "That's a good thing, then."
"What I mean is – I'm marrying you because I love you; because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I didn't expect to fall in love with you, but I did. I want to fall asleep in your arms and wake up with mine around you. I can't imagine living without you – and don't want to ever experience that."
Jane ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "You're sure? Absolutely sure?"
"Jane, trust me. It's you that I want."
"Even at the cost of your own mother?" Jane looked behind her as she heard the door open, and watched as her father came out onto the porch.
"I'm going to marry you tomorrow, Jane. The only mother I want or need in my life is Angela." The sound of Maura's friends could be heard calling her in the background. "Trust me, Jane. There is nobody else I would rather spend my life with – you're everything to me. I love you."
"I love you, too. Thanks, Maura." Jane made her way back to the swing bench, sitting down besides her father. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Yes, you will. Try and enjoy yourself tonight, Angela may get a little crazy sometimes, but she only does it because she loves you."
Jane laughed, "I'll try my best but no promises."
"Goodnight, honey."
"Night, baby." Jane flipped her cell shut and slipped the phone back into the holder on her belt.
"Everything okay?" Frank asked, wrapping one arm around his only daughters' shoulders.
Jane nodded and smiled at her father, "It is now, pop. Just nerves."
"Understandable. It's going to be one of the biggest days of your life – if you weren't nervous, I'd be worried."
"Ma told me it was pretty normal, too. She said she was the same when it was her wedding day."
Frank nodded, a smile creeping onto his face. "Your mother was a bag of nerves, couldn't stop talking. In fact, she hasn't been able to stop since."
Jane laughed out loud, nodding in agreement. "You're right about that. Have you seen what she's bought for the party?"
Frank shrugged, "You know how she is. Always goes over-the-top. She just wants to help make your day more memorable."
"Well, she's certainly done that. I don't think Korsak will ever let me live those straws down." Her hand rose over her face, where a pink blush was beginning to tinge her cheeks again.
"You know, I just wanted to come and talk to you for a minute in the quiet. A bit of father-daughter time."
"What's up, pop?" Jane crossed her leg underneath her, shifting on the bench to look at her dad face-on.
"I'm so proud of you, Janie. I don't tell you often enough, but I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. I know how lucky I am to be able to tell people that I'm your father, and I wouldn't change a thing about you."
Jane smiled at her father, as she reached out her hand and laid it atop of his, squeezing it gently. "Look at you, getting all sentimental on me." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on his cheek, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you, pop. Thank you for being so great – especially about Maura."
"All I've ever wanted is for you to be safe and happy, and loved. And Maura is all three of those things. She loves you, and I've never seen you smile as big as you do whenever she is around; and she keeps an eye on you at work. She's like the perfect woman," he laughed.
"Maura's definitely that," Jane smiled, glancing at the ring on her finger.
Frank shivered. It was getting late and dark outside; the night winds picking up. "We'd better get going inside, your mother will be wondering where we've gone."
Jane looked through the kitchen window; she could see Angela thrusting plates of food at Korsak and Frost, who were accepting gratefully. "I could use another beer."
They left the porch and made their way back into the house, where most of the guests were eating and chatting quietly, at least until Angela spotted them re-entering. "There you are! I was wondering where you'd gone. Come, eat! You're going to need all your energy for tomorrow."
Jane happily accepted a plate of food and grabbed a beer off the table, before kissing Angela on the cheek.
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