"Dell…" Maura starts, her voice tight. "I can't do this."
Dell sighs, dramatic and breathy. "I'm having difficultly understanding what you can't do, seeing as you're already here."
Maura bites back a gag as the humid, putrid air of the frat house assaults her nostrils. "I, personally, do not belong here, though I'm certain there are many individuals who do enjoy this setting." She plants herself firmly by the doorframe.
"And how do you know you don't belong here until you give it a shot, huh?" Dell protests, pushing her over the threshold. The mere physical contact is enough to make Maura's limbs go limp. "I mean, first of all, look how fucking fantastic you look." She nods toward a cracked, grimy mirror in the front walkway. She recognizes Dell, looking tall, leggy and perfect in her black dress and smoky makeup, but the girl standing beside her looks back at Maura with startled, unfamiliar eyes. The humidity in the air has already caused her hair to curl at the edges, in a wild and untamed but surprisingly sexy manner. The red dress falls to the middle of her thighs and exposes just enough cleavage that she rests safely between the line of classy and provocative.
Her bewildered eyes meet Dell's. Dell laughs, ushering her further into the house, a crumbling sticky mess with an assortment of junk plastered to the walls. "Welcome to Sigs," Dell flashes her a grin.
Maura is too overwhelmed to remember the formal name of the frat as she follows Dell into house. The air is thick with smoke and heat, so dense that Maura can see it as she gulps in shallow breaths. It's loud. And crowded. And Maura hates herself a little for being roped into this, even though, she realizes with a defeated sigh, she does have an awesome view of Dell's legs. They enter the kitchen, decorated with a giant keg and discarded cups and filled with boys gleaming in a layer of sweat.
"Lee!" Dell slips away from Maura's side, and Maura feels her stomach plunge in sudden panic.
"Dell!" One of the boys breaks away from the crowd, greeting her with a hug, staggering slightly as she pounces on him.
Maura hovers a few feet away, as Lee hands Dell a dripping cup of beer.
"Want one, Maura?" Dell asks, nodding toward the keg.
Maura shakes her head vigorously. And Dell is consumed with Lee once again.
"I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back," she mutters, though she's not even sure Dell hears.
She veers out of the kitchen, hurling herself down the nearest hallway. She finds a door tucked away at the end of the hall, a promising prospect for a bathroom.
But of course, it's not, and her cheeks flare with embarrassment as her eyes meet a bewildered, shirtless boy. "I apologize. I thought this was a bathroom."
"No worries," he answers, before she flings herself back out the door. His voice is thick with an accent Maura easily identifies as Australian. "You just caught me by surprise." He tugs a shirt over his head, looking more at ease.
It's so much quieter in here and the air is so less vile that Maura doesn't mind lingering for a moment.
"I'm Ian, by the way," he steps behind the bar on the far side of the small room.
"Maura," she answers. "Dell - Lisa Dellagato - is my roommate," she helpfully adds, giving her presence a purpose in this setting.
"Ah, Dell," he nods, mixing a shot of whiskey with a hint of ginger ale. "We know Dell very well here. Want one?"
She's about to decline, but if she's going to spend the better portion of the night here, she might as well loosen up. "Sure." She exhales a nervous breath. "Dell certainly seems to get around. Only several weeks into school and she has the whole system figured out." Maura sighs, almost wistfully. Though she can't imagine having Dell's life, a part of her is slightly envious.
"That she does," Ian chuckles as he agrees. "Though to be fair, Dell's been coming around since her senior year in high school. She used to date Archie Collins, one of our alumni. We're grown quite fond of her, so it is quite an honor to meet her elusive roommate."
Maura blushes, realizing, sadly, that is is probably one of her greatest talents. Ian nudges the shot toward her. She waits a moment before reaching for it.
"First time out?"
She nods, her throat burning as the whiskey pours down her throat.
"You okay?" Ian asks. "You seem a little anxious."
She continues to grip the shot glass, glancing up at Ian behind her lashes, her voice a bit heavy. "My life is essentially one giant panic attack."
He laughs lightly, though she hadn't meant for it to be funny. "Here, I think you need another one of these." He fills up her glass again, smiling, his eyes sparkling with genuineness.
But Maura's thoughts can't help but to wander back to Dell.
XXX
Mornings are stuffy and blurry, and today especially so, as Maura washes the dried tears from her face and blows her nose a few times. She checks her phone, a bit too hopeful, and feels her heart crunch painfully when she is greeted by the blank screen.
The morgue aches with silence. She waits in futile frustration, but she never comes.
All my fault, she chides herself. It's all my fault, for letting what I did have slip away.
XXX
"Maura, darling! I'm so glad you could make it tonight!" Her mother's bracelets jingle as she swoops in to briefly kiss each of Maura's cheeks.
"It's good to see you, Mother," she answers, mirroring the greeting.
She follows her mother into the parlor. The house is nearly exactly as she remembers it, pristine and well-furnished. A handful of new paintings adorn the walls.
"Cabernet Sauvignon?" her mother asks, pouring herself a glass.
"Yes, please."
They sip in silence for a moment. "How are your exhibitions going?" Maura finally speaks.
"Quite well, thank you," her mother answers, smoothing her skirt. "I'll be going to France next week. And your new job?"
Her throat tightens unexpectedly. "Quite well, for the time being. There is never a dull day." Conversation with her mother is always poised, never messy, though, not for the first time, she wishes she could spill her heart to her.
But her mother only smiles dutifully, followed by more silence.
"Do you think it's a bit chilly in here?" her mother finally speaks.
"A bit," Maura answers, more for the sake of agreeing.
"I'm going to go upstairs and get a sweater," her mother sighs, finding a coaster for her wine. "I'll return shortly, and then we can eat."
Maura gulps the rest of her glass, quite ungracefully, but it leaves her feeling warm just moment later. She leaves her empty glass, wandering toward the kitchen. "Miss Vonnie?"
"Maura, mon cheri!" The French woman greets her warmly, her hair peppered with strands of gray. "You become more beautiful every time I see you!"
Maura's mouth curves into an unexpected smile. "Thank you. I see you're making chicken stroganoff."
"Yes, I know it's one of your favorite." She covers the dish with a large sheet of tin foil to keep it warm. "So tell me, Little Miss, can I be expecting any grandchildren to fill this empty house in the near future?" Her eyes twinkle.
Maura shifts, letting out a small sigh. "No, Miss Vonnie. Not yet."
"Well, they say good things come to those who wait," she tactfully leaves the subject there. "Now come with me while I set the table. I want to hear all about your new job."
XXX
As she leaves her mother's home, she digs her phone out of her purse, though she's really in no mood to brood at the sight of the blank screen.
Except it's not blank. Not even remotely. Four new text messages and two missed calls, all from Jane. She's redialing before she even has a chance to read the messages.
"Maura," Jane's voice comes out in an apologetic groan. "Maura, Maura, Maura. I'm so sorry about last night."
"Why are you apologizing?" Maura is surprised she has found her voice. "I'm the one who owes you an apology."
"No, it was shitty of me to tell Casey he could come without even letting you know. I know how you are around new people - it was inconsiderate of me," Jane spills out the rest of her apology.
"You shouldn't have to apologize to me because I cannot handle myself like a normal human being," Maura protests very weakly. She finds the keys to her car, cradling her phone between her chin and shoulder as she starts the car.
"Stop. We both have to stop. It was a shitty situation all around. And I don't blame you for leaving one bit. Casey was in one of his moods..." she trails off, taking in a breath before she continues. Maura is too busy listening to put the car into drive. "God, Maur, I thought you were so mad. I figured that's why you left. And I didn't want to bug you, but when I didn't hear from you all day I started to go a little crazy." Here, Maura's head spins a little. "I didn't want something stupid like this to ruin our friendship."
"Of course I'm not mad," Maura's ridiculously giddy. "I thought you were angry. I was certain I had ruined everything."
Jane chuckles. Maura can picture that smile perfectly now. "You home right now?"
She shifts into drive. "I will be in approximately twenty minutes."
"Good. You mind if I come over for a bit?"
"No, of course not. Not at all," Maura answers much too quickly.
"Great." Jane's smile is practically leaking through the phone. "I'll see you soon."
"Jane," Maura pauses for a fraction of a second.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you called."
A/N: Thanks so much for the feedback! The general consensus (and my own preference) seems to be keeping this strictly in Maura's POV, so thanks for letting me know your opinions!
