Author's Note: Thank you very much for all your reviews and messages, as well as the messages re-what happened in Nice (I'm fine, my friends and relatives are fine too; not that it makes it less horrible, of course).
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Dr. Isles? Man... Sure! I would do her. C'mon, I mean it. She looks great."
The remark made Maura smile and a surge of pride caused her heart to warm up. The compliment was crude but it was still a compliment. Or at least she took it that way. Even more since it came from a twenty-two-year-old person.
She settled in a corner, leaned against the wall and focused a bit more on the conversation her medical students were having about her. What she was doing was wrong but they couldn't see her anyway. Besides, it spiced up a rather boring morning at work.
She wished she had been able to stay in bed with Jane instead of going to the morgue. As a matter of fact, she had made it late to work, which was unusual for her and out of character. The night had been emotionally intense and memorable to just go on with life as if nothing had happened.
"Of course, you would. You have a thing for old women!"
Maura's smile froze. She tightened her grip on her file holder and pursed her lips before turning on her heels. Mortified, she rushed back to her office.
She didn't know what the worst part was: the fact she had overheard a conversation on purpose or that fate had decided to punish her curiosity with this last line. She dropped the file on her desk and walked to her bathroom in order to look at her reflection in the mirror.
Her traits were a tad deep because she lacked of sleep. But she looked fine, all in all. And she wasn't that old. She had just turned forty years old. The best years of her life still had to come. Besides, what did all these young students know about age? They were still children, and genuine ones.
They knew absolutely nothing about life.
Nor about love.
A timid smile played on Maura's lips and reached her eyes in the most glorious way ever. Her body reaction caused her to blush. Her first date with Jane had started in the most unexpected way ever but the conclusions they had come up with had been the best, the most hopeful ones. Thus she could say that the evening had gone beyond her expectations. It was all so positive.
She had feared for the worst at some point though.
She hadn't thought that Jane and Angela would talk about the whole thing so soon. As a matter of fact, Maura had felt okay with the idea that it wouldn't happen any time soon. The weight of the secret she carried was heavy but she could have done with it for a while. She was getting used to it.
And now what?
She and Jane had talked. Jane had admitted that she had feelings for Maura. Yet Maura hadn't said anything back.
Love was a serious matter. She didn't want to joke about it nor take it lightly. And as much as she showed all the signs of a person who was in love, Maura preferred to wait and be sure that it was really the reason why her heart skipped a beat whenever she looked into Jane's eyes. Her way of thinking was very Cartesian but she couldn't help it. It was how it had to work if she wanted to be sincere and happy.
She had been thinking about the nature of her feelings for a while, actually. Way before Jane to take her to Maine for an unforgettable getaway. By the end of April, Maura could already say that what she felt for her friend was something a lot more complex than a friendship love. Yet she still had to come to the proper conclusion regarding all this.
Jane had gone through the same process. The only difference was that she had gone faster than Maura.
Yet Maura's lack of answer the evening before made her feel slightly ashamed. Jane hadn't said anything about it but she had probably hoped that Maura would say something similar back. It hadn't happened.
They had enjoyed their evening at the planetarium a lot though. It hadn't ruined the moment. They had shared this picnic in the dome room before sipping on wine while star gazing. Peacefully. Sweetly.
The idea of spending the evening there had sounded like an evidence to Maura when she had thought about their first date. She didn't really know why except from the fact it mixed science, which she loved, to an activity that could also satisfy someone who had a less scientific mind.
They had stayed there until midnight.
They had driven back to Jane and Maura had spent the night over at the Back Bay apartment afterward. They had made love in a comforting way that reminded Maura of their intimate times in Maine.
For the very first time, they had found back that connection that Boston prevented them from having. They were on the same page, at the same time. It felt so right.
"Dr. Isles?"
The voice of Maura's administrative assistant put an abrupt end to Maura's daydreams and reminiscence of the evening before. She walked out of the bathroom then gave her employee a smile.
"Yes?"
"A few journalists would like to set up a time for an interview about the Marguerite Duras case... Do you know if it's possible?"
Maura walked to her desk. She had barely started reading the autopsy report of the potential murderer of the first victim. She didn't know the case by heart. If she accepted the interview then she would need to work on the file a lot more first.
She didn't like interacting with the media. Journalists had been respectful until now but an old social anxiety echoed in Maura's mind whenever she had to talk in front of a camera. Yet she knew that it came with the job. The chief medical examiner had to say something. At some point.
"I would need to check with detectives Frost and Rizzoli before. They have investigated the case, I need to know whether they agree with this."
The administrative assistant nodded before leaving Maura's office.
Jane was supposed to come back to work tomorrow. She would have to catch up on the Marguerite Duras case first.
Maura sat down at her desk. She grabbed her cell phone then cast a glance at the door. Nobody was coming in. She quickly sent Jane a text message.
How are you?
Maura
The question was very random but Maura had left Back Bay at 6.30am. Needless to say that Jane hadn't bothered on getting up. This message was just an excuse to talk to Jane, whom Maura missed a lot.
Maura set her cell phone down on her desk and waited for a reply. In vain. Obviously Jane was busy doing something else.
A knock on the door caused Maura to jump. She looked up. Her administrative assistant was back. She was holding several files this time.
"Professor Marino called. He wants to know whether you have read the note he left you yesterday and if you have an answer to give him. He's on the phone, do you want to talk to him? Oh and..." The assistant walked till Maura's desk. "These files need your approval."
Maura brushed the cover of the first file with her fingertips. She had read Professor Marino's note. Several times. She had called him on a few occasions for a case Jane had worked on a couple of months ago and he was a nice man.
"There's no need for me to talk to him. Just tell him that I can't. I'm not available."
"Fine. You're too busy..."
"No." Maura shook her head. She thought about Jane, about Mateo and Finn. About Professor Marino who had just asked her on a date, or at least had he suggested a dinner in town which was a date in disguise. "When I say I'm not available then I mean that I'm not single. I'm not single anymore."
Her statement took her administrative assistant aback. The employee's reaction was fair. Maura hadn't really showed signs of a romantic life lately. She and Jane had tried to be discreet. Besides, the nature of their relationship had just changed. It was all new. And it was the first time Maura could allude to it with someone else than Lucy or Angela.
"Oh!" The assistant looked down at her feet. She didn't know what to say. "Then I... I wish you the best. You deserve it, of course. He's very lucky."
Maura was sober but felt just as brave as if she had gulped down a bottle of whisky. If she had updated her relationship status then she should now make the situation even clearer.
"I'm the one who is lucky to have her in my life."
Maura insisted enough on the 'her' to make sure that her administrative assistant would understand. Her position at the morgue was such that she knew her employee would respect her no matter what anyway. Besides, Maura's administrative assistant was efficient and discreet. She wasn't the kind of person who would be nosy with the chief medical examiner of Massachusetts.
Just as planned, the employee didn't say anything wrong. She simply smiled then walked away anew. Maura looked back at her phone. Jane had answered her.
I'm good. Enjoyin' my last day of freedom. You?
Jane
Amused, Maura picked up her cell phone and sent a text message back to Jane. She felt light, and happy. So happy with her life.
Not bad... Nothing special, you know. Well, apart from the fact I just said to Pamela that I'm dating a woman.
Maura
Jane replied immediately, this time.
What?!
Jane
