Sorry it's taken so long to get this up but I've been planning out an actual novel and writing a screenplay adaptation and doing homework (somewhat) and just kind of dicking off on Tumblr because I am a procrastinator and it's sometimes horrible, but I'm back and I'm really going to try to keep to my schedule and now let's get on with this. ENJOY!
Chapter Twenty Four
When Jane emerges from her room, she can hear the voices in the living room and pads down the stairs to see her daughter—the twelve-year-old tomboy that she swears sometimes might actually be biologically related to her—in a dress.
"Whoa!" she exclaims, grinning at her little girl, who immediately glowers at her. "Am I dreamin' or something? Did somebody knock me out?"
"If you weren't my mother, I would," Izzy quips and Jane laughs, stroking the long braid that Maddie had tied the girl's red hair into.
"Seriously, though," she says, "you look beautiful, baby; you both do." She smiles at Maddie and pulls both girls into a warm hug, pressing kisses to both foreheads. It feels so surreal to have both of her daughters here, after so many years of having just one of them. And, as far as she knows, Madison will be returning to France with Maura and Constance in less than a week and she'll just have one again.
And Jane is almost 100% positive that she can't do that again.
But she pushes those thoughts away as she glances up, seeing her mother all dressed up in a nice dress as well, talking to Constance. Both women look stunning in black evening gowns and Maura stands with them, dressed comfortably in a sweater and jeans.
"You're not goin' with them, Maur?" Jane asks.
Maura shakes her head. "Mother doesn't have enough tickets," she informs Jane.
"My apologies," Constance adds. "If I could have gotten more, I would have invited you both as well, dear."
"It's alright," Jane replies with a polite smile. "The ballet isn't really my thing."
"Yeah," Izzy supplies. "Ma's more of an opera girl." She grins up at Jane, who wrinkles her nose at her while Maura and Angela laugh and Constance smiles and shakes her head.
"Somehow I doubt that," she says, before turning to Angela. "Shall we be off?" she asks and the other woman nods.
"Of course," she says. "Jane, Maura, there's some lasagna in the oven for you; it should be done within the hour and Constance bought a nice bottle of red wine to go with it."
"Aw, thanks, Constance," Jane says, smiling at the older woman, who offers a pleasant smile back.
"No trouble, darlings," she says, pressing a kiss to both women's cheeks as she begins to depart. "Have a nice night, you two," she says, before both she and Angela herd the girls out of the house, leaving Jane and Maura in the silence. Awkward silence.
They stand there, in the foyer, for a few moments before Jane finally speaks. "Wanna watch a movie?" she asks.
"Sure," Maura replies. "Do I get to choose?"
"Only if I get unlimited vetoes," Jane retorts.
"We'll never decide then," Maura sighs.
"We will if it's something we both want to see."
"Should I repeat myself?"
"Come on, we're not that different."
"Jane, the last movie we watched together was about football and I ended up falling asleep within the first ten minutes."
"…you remember that?"
"I have an exceptional memory," Maura reminds her with a slight grin.
"Oh, yeah," Jane replies, "I remember now."
"Was that a joke?"
"Was it funny?"
"A little."
"Then yes."
Both women laugh and Jane nods towards the kitchen. "Come on," she says, "let's open up that wine and see if the lasagna is done."
"Your mother said it would take another hour," Maura reminds her, even as Jane retreats into the kitchen, pulling on a pair of oven mitts and opening up the oven.
"My mother also likes her lasagna charred," she retorts as she pulls out the glass pan and sets it on the stove top. Without looking, she reaches for the drawer to her left and pulls out a fork, instantly scooping up a bit of lasagna and bringing it to her lips.
"Jane, watch, it could be—"
"HOT!" Jane exclaims, dropping the fork so that it clatters to the floor as she fans her mouth, looking absolutely ridiculous with the funny-faced gloves still on her hands—not that she cares much at that moment.
Maura fines herself chuckling at the scene in front of her and Jane sends her a glare.
"Wha aw oo affin' ah?" she growls, words completely unintelligible but Maura still somehow understands her.
"You," she replies, easily, "and how that old saying seems to be quite accurate."
"Wha ol' thayin'?" Jane asks, tilting her head to the side.
"Some things truly never do change," Maura clarifies, letting out a tiny giggle as Jane glowers at her and sticks out her burned tongue. "Real mature, Jane," she says, rolling her eyes. Jane presses her lips together and then hisses at the pain and Maura sighs. "Let me see," she says, walking towards her.
Jane's eyes widen at that. "Leh oo thee?" she asks. "Thee wha?"
"Your tongue," Maura replies, stepping closer. "If it's really as bad as you say, then we may need to go to the hospital." She's grinning though and Jane squints at her.
"Fuck. Oo," she slurs and Maura laughs, diverting her course and heading towards the fridge, already pulling out their wine—which Constance had evidently set to chill—and reaching for the corkscrew in a nearby drawer.
Meanwhile, Jane reaches up into one of the cabinets for a couple of plates and scoops them each a generous portion of lasagna and they each walk to the table—Maura with the wine and two glasses and Jane with the food—and sit down opposite one another. Maura places a glass by Jane's plate and Jane places a plate with a knife and fork in front of Maura and holds the glasses as Maura pours the wine.
"Thanks," she says, tilting her glass towards the blonde.
"Thank you," Maura replies, cutting a piece of her lasagna and blowing on it, pointedly. She looks Jane straight in the eye as she takes a bite and smiles when the detective sends her a glare. "So," she says after she swallows, "what movie should we watch?"
"Well," Jane replies, taking her own forkful and bringing it to your lips, "I was thinking…"
She trails off as the lights suddenly go out, surrounding them in darkness—well, as dark as almost 7 pm on a summer day in Boston, anyway. There is still light slitting through the blinds in the kitchen, but the sun is setting and soon they won't have any.
Jane sighs and stands up. "Don't worry," she says, "I'll get it. It was probably the damn AC again."
"Have you still not gotten it fixed?" Maura asks, standing with her. "It's been nearly twelve years, Jane!"
Jane groans. "I don't need to be nagged right now, Maura," she growls, making her way towards the back door. "I'll be right back."
REVIEWS please! I'm gonna try real hard to stick to my schedule, I promise!