Hi everyone… sorry this is a little late. I wanted to finish it before I headed out for my early 50th birthday celebration this last weekend but when I realized it wasn't going to happen, I knew it was best to get this right and not rush it. I also did my best to make it as real as possible, drawing from my own experience but seeing as it was 24 years ago… well, my memory might not be a clear about it as I would like. So without further ado… please enjoy and thanks for reading. :)
12
It was mid-morning by the time Jane returned home from dropping Valley off at preschool and running a few errands. As she marked off her list of accomplishments for the day, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of Maura's joy that the last few things they been putting off were finally finished. They were still a month out but almost everything that needed to be done was done. The one thing that had yet to be completed, however, was packing the overnight bag for the hospital visit, but they had time to worry about that until later.
Dropping her bag in the entryway, she stopped and winced at the slight cramp that moved over her belly but as quickly as it came, it disappeared. She remembered that Maura had told her something about Braxton Hicks cramps or something of the sort that usually started about six weeks before the due date so she didn't worry. The cramp that stopped her briefly wasn't painful… much, but it was enough to cause her to stop and hold her breath for a moment until it passed. It wasn't the first one she had felt, and it probably wouldn't be the last one either, she reasoned.
When she felt that everything was okay, she waddled towards the stairs… because that is what she considered it when she walked now… waddling. It was a point of contention for her and even though Maura hadn't teased her, she still hated the fact that she walked like a duck but what else could you do when you couldn't see your feet anymore. With a heavy breath, she headed up the stairs to strip out of the maternity jeans and over-sized peasant shirt she was wearing in search of her extra-large Red Sox sweatshirt and t-shirt and stretchy sweat pants she had come to think of as home lately.
It didn't take her long to wiggle out of her grown-up clothes and into her chillaxing ones but when she was finished, a feeling of fatigue washed over her like a tidal wave. Yawning and stretching her long arms over her head, she decided that a nap was on the agenda so she grabbed a pillow from the bed and headed down the stairs to the comfortable, worn leather couch that waited for her. She dropped the pillow down on one end, yawning and stretching again but this time another cramp caused her to bend forward with a light gasp. Again, it wasn't that painful, just something she hadn't expected but as before, it was gone as quickly as it came on. With the palm of her hand, she rubbed her belly as if that was what was needed to calm her body down before she carefully lowered herself down on the couch. With heavy eyes, she gave her pillow a fluff or two before laying on her side with a couch pillow tucked under her belly for some support. A contented sigh escaped from her lips in a long slow hiss as her body began to relax but then Joe Friday barked from the floor below causing her to smile slyly and pat the spot behind her bent knees.
"Come on up Joe…" Jane couldn't help but want the warmth from the small pup pressed against her in a comforting way. When Joe jumped up and carefully navigated the tangle of legs to find a soft spot to lie down on, she huffed to let Jane know she had found her place. Reaching over, Jane gave the little dog a quick scratch behind the ears earning her a quick kiss on the back of the hand. "I know you're not supposed to be up here but Mom's not here… so I won't tell her if you don't." She laughed when Joe barked in agreement and then settled against her pillow and let out a heavy sigh before she closed her eyes and let her body relax as sleep crept up over her quicker than she expected.
Angela quietly crept in the back door, passing through the living room where Jane slept on the couch. She couldn't help but stop and touch the dark hair that lay splayed out over the pillow as she headed towards the kitchen with a look of adoration on her face. Jane looked so peaceful, so she didn't want to wake her because she knew from her own experiences that towards the end, sleep was as elusive as the tooth fairy. Joe Friday popped her head up and watched as Angela moved past, yawing and letting out an irritated huff at having been woken up but then settled back down against Jane's legs just a quickly. But before Angela could reach the kitchen, she heard a soft moan come from Jane and turned to see the slightly furrowed brow and the frown that appeared on Jane's face in her sleep and she wondered if perhaps the baby was moving or if Jane was having a bad dream. When Jane let out a sigh and relaxed her face, Angela also relaxed and continued towards the kitchen.
As she slipped in the kitchen, the flicker of worry began to grow deep in her chest but she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because that's what mothers did… worry about their children. Moving about to gather the things she needed to make cookies for Valley's preschool class, something she had promised to do, she tried to push away that strange feeling something wasn't quite right. She looked around the nicely appointed kitchen in search of the cookie sheets and smiled when she found them neatly tucked away in a cabinet. It was a joy to cook in the large space that held not one but two ovens cutting Angela's baking time in half.
When she had gathered everything on the counter, she grabbed the standing mixer and then thought better of starting it until Jane was awake and that's when the idea to make lunch for them came to her. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato basil bisque would be on the menu today as she pulled a can of San Marzano tomatoes from the pantry. She smiled at the small window herb garden with an abundance of basil, thyme, mint, and oregano growing into full miniature bushes. She had been dying to try some of the basil and this would be the perfect opportunity. As she brought the can of tomatoes to Maura's fancy can opener, she set it down and frowned at the complicated contraption. It was almost as complicated to operate as the coffee maker which required a rocket scientist degree to work. With her hands on her hips, she stared at it trying to decide what was the best avenue of attack even though Maura had shown her several times how to use it. But to no avail, she would forever need a refresher just to open a can. A determined look crossed her face as she continued to study the machine but then something drew her attention away from her arch-nemesis at the moment and that was another much louder groan from Jane followed by Joe barking.
Spinning around, she quickly left the kitchen and rounded the corner towards the living room to find Jane sitting up with her head in her hands. She could see that Jane was breathing heavily so she decided to make her presence know so as not to scare Jane, so she quietly cleared her throat before speaking. "Um… hey, honey… everything okay?" She asked quietly.
Jane was still slightly dazed and confused from her nap but her body was on full alert as another cramp rolled over her abdomen, tightening the muscles like a killer charlie horse. "I don't know, Ma…" her voice trailed off as she shook her head. "Something woke me up and I think it was a cramp or something."
"Could it be Braxton Hicks?" Angela walked around the couch so she could see Jane better and what she saw caused her to take a sudden intake of breath as her hand flew up to her chest. "Janie… I think your water broke." She said as she pointed to the dark, wet spot on the front of Jane's gray sweat pants.
"What? No, I've still got a month to go…" Jane tried to reason but as she looked down, she realized that her mother was right. "Oh my God, Ma… my water broke… what do we do? I've got to call Maura, make arrangements for Valley…" panic filled Jane's voice as she looked around for her cell phone.
"Whoa… wait just a minute. First, let me help you upstairs so you can change into something dry. I'll call Amy and let her know we're on the way to the hospital and then I'll call Maura, Constance, and the boys. I'll also call Steph to make arrangements for Valley… okay."
"Um, okay…" Jane's eyes grew round with fear as she allowed her mother to help her to her feet. "It's too early though, Ma…" her voice was soft and fragile like glass and she was afraid if she spoke any louder it might shatter and cut her.
"It's okay, honey… everything is going to be okay. You were two weeks early and Tommy was three. Frankie was the only one who didn't want to come out on time. We had to induce labor to get him into the world."
"Tommy was three weeks early?" Jane asked as she allowed her mother to lead her towards the stairs and up to the bedroom.
"He was… but you know due dates are mostly guesstimates." Angela tried to reassure. She knew that pregnancy was different for everyone and even though they were technically four weeks from Jane's due date, it didn't necessarily make it an exact science. But she did worry, Jane, after all, was her daughter and she wished she could do something to take away the worry and uncertainty she could see in Jane's dark eyes.
As Angela led Jane down the hall towards the bedroom, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed the button bringing up Maura's number. She tried to give Jane a reassuring smile as she waited for Maura to answer but then she frowned when it rang and rang and rang… and then voice mail picked up. It wasn't like Maura not to answer, especially this close to Jane's due date but Angela figured that maybe she was with a patient so she left a message telling Maura what was happening and that they were heading to the hospital and to call as soon as she got the message.
"What? She's not answering?" Jane stopped in the doorway of the bedroom and grabbed the frame and winced slightly.
"Was that a contraction?" Angela asked as she held Jane's hand tightly and watched with a worried expression.
"I think so, but it was pretty quick."
"It looks like they are about seven or eight minutes apart. We have some time so go change and I'll call Amy to meet us at the hospital. Maybe she'll know why Maura isn't answering the phone." Angela helped Jane toward the bathroom. "What do you need? Sweats? T-shirt?"
"It's okay, Ma…" Jane sighed as she pulled a drawer open to gather some dry clothes to change into. "I'll get what I need but could you grab the overnight bag from the closet. I guess we'll need to pack it."
"Sure thing, honey. I'll just call Amy first." Angela said as she pressed the second contact button under Maura's. This time the phone was answered only after two rings. "Hey, Amy… it's time." Angela's voice was slightly shaky with worry. "Her water broke about fifteen minutes ago and her contractions are about seven minutes apart." She listened as Amy instructed her on what to do before she asked about Maura. "Really? Out to lunch with her assistant Kelly? Um, no… I'll try to call her again and text her as well…. okay, we'll see you soon." Before doing anything else, she quickly texted Maura, hoping that she would text back soon. With that done, she grabbed the overnight bag from the closet and set it on the bed to wait for Jane to pack. As she waited, she called Constance and Frankie, who promised to notify the rest of the guys. Next was Steph who would pick Valley up for them and keep her overnight if Angela couldn't get home.
"This isn't at all what I expected…" Jane sighed when she came from the bathroom with a new pair of sweats and a t-shirt. "I'm not sure I'm ready for it." She ran her hand over her belly and shook her head.
"Well, whether you're ready or not… it's time." Angela reached out to take Jane's hand to help lead her towards the bed. "I've called everyone I think I needed to. Amy, Constance, and the boys will meet us at the hospital…" she started to say but was interrupted when Jane frowned deeply.
"What about Maura? Didn't she call back yet?"
"Um… not yet… Amy said she might be with a patient but we'll get ahold of her, don't worry." The lie fell from Angela's lips with little effort because she wasn't about to tell Jane that Maura was out to lunch with that blonde vixen who was always making eyes at Maura.
"Oh, okay…" Jane's voice was laced with sadness. "I'm sure she'll be calling soon."
"Why don't you gather some things to pack and I'll try to call her again." Angela offered as she quickly called Maura back. This time it went straight to voice mail causing her to pull the phone away from her ear and stare at it as if it might, somehow ring instead. Again, she frowned at the fact that this was very uncharacteristic of Maura and her mind began to race with scenarios that weren't exactly pleasant.
"Hey, did you call Carly?" Jane asked as she shoved some underwear in the bag, unaware of her mother's frustration.
"I will… and you need to pack a few pairs of underwear." Angela sighed heavily as she waited for the ding to leave a message. This time she didn't mince words. Turning her back so her voice was slightly muffled, she commenced telling Maura that she'd better call as soon as she got the message.
"Maura didn't answer?" Jane asked, a bra dangling from her fingers as she looked up from the bag she was packing.
"Um, no… but I left a message. I'm going to call Carly real quick and then we should be on our way." Angela yet again hit the call button on her phone. Carly answered quickly as if she knew why Angela was calling.
"Is it time?" Carly was slightly out of breath as she carried a bag of flour to the back room.
"Yes, we'll be leaving for the hospital in a few minutes."
"Okay, you got Valley covered, or does Ryan need to pick her up?"
"Steph is going to get her when she picks up Noah so we're good. Um…" Angela hesitated but decided to take a chance and ask anyway. "Have you happened to see Maura?" She was hoping that Maura had gone to Carly's place for lunch since it was close to the clinic.
"Yeah, I think I saw her out in the dining room with her assistant but I'm not sure. I've been in the back during most of the lunch rush hour taking inventory. I'll check on my way out… why?"
"She isn't answering her phone so she doesn't know Jane is in labor."
"Oh, wow… I'll just grab my stuff and grab her on the way out the door if she's still here."
"Thanks, Carly… we'll see you in a little bit." Angela sighed in relief, even though it was short-lived. Hopefully, it was Maura that Carly had seen and hopefully she was still there.
"Ummm, Ma…" Jane cringed and reached out for Angela's hand. "It's coming again…" her breath came in short, quick bursts as she leaned against the bed and squeezed Angela's hand tightly. "Oh, shit… that one really hurt…."
"We need to get finished here so we can go…" Angela grabbed the stuff that Jane had set on the bed, neatly folded, and shoved them in the bag. "I'll bring whatever you need later if you forgot something. We need to move…"
"Lead the way." Jane followed Angela, who had the overnight bag slung over her shoulder. She reached out to take a helpful hand when they reached the stairs and with careful movements, she took them one at a time, slowly and surely, hoping that she wouldn't have any more contractions anytime soon. As she allowed her mother to lead her down the stairs, she couldn't help but contemplate what it was that was keeping Maura from her right now. It wasn't like her to not answer her phone, so Jane was worried. A sense of panic crept over her as the thought that maybe Maura wouldn't make it time for the birth of their baby and all the air left her lungs at once causing her to falter behind her mother.
"Hey, you alright?" Angela stopped to look over her shoulder just in time to see Jane stumble slightly and reach out to steady her.
"I just had a thought… what if Maura doesn't make it time?" Tears were beginning to pool in the corners of Jane's eyes and she blinked rapidly in an effort to control them.
"That won't happen. If I have to have Frankie put out an ABB on her, we'll find her…"
"APB, Ma…" Her mother's mistake brought a small smile to Jane's face.
"Can you wait another minute so I can go grab my purse and the car keys? I'll let Joe out so she can go to the bathroom too."
"Yeah, I'll just have a seat on the bench by the door and wait for you, but hurry. I want to get this over with." Jane slowly lowered herself down on the bench next to the front door as she waved her mother off.
"Okay, I'll only be a few minutes." Angela started to leave, then stopped and glanced over her shoulder with a concerned look on her face. "Are you sure?"
"Go, Ma… it's fine, besides, you're wasting time asking me questions." Jane tried not to sound frustrated and offered her trademark smirk to lessen the effect of her tone.
Watching Angela make a run for the back door with Joe Friday close behind, Jane let out a sigh that was a cross between a huff and a puff. She rested a hand on her belly and hoped it would be a while until another contraction rolled over her like a mac truck and pulled her phone out of her purse so she could try and call Maura again. Just as her mother had experienced, it went straight to voice mail and when she left a message, she couldn't help but sound irritated even though it mostly fear she was feeling. When she was done, she hung up and typed out several messages, ranging from anger to fear to worry to something else she couldn't quite identify. After the last text was sent, she looked up just in time to see her mother slip through the sliding door, followed again by Joe Friday and the sight brought on the sudden relief that wasn't alone anymore.
"I'll make sure someone comes by and takes care of Joe later tonight if I can't make it myself. I'm sure Vince will do it." Angela seemed to be distracted by her thoughts as she raced across the living room towards the front door and Jane with a pensive expression on her face.
"Thanks, Ma… for everything." Jane said as she took Angela's hand and allowed herself to be helped up.
"I love you, Janie…" Angela tried to quell the trembling lip and tears that threatened to fall. As much as she was grateful to be able to be with Jane during this time, she couldn't help but wonder where in the hell Maura was and why she wasn't here with them. "Let's go…" she reached for the front door and opened it reveal Vince with his hand raised to knock, surprising them both. "Vince? What are you doing here?"
Jumping back, Vince bowed gallantly and pointed to his car. "Frankie called me, so I thought I'd offer my driver services…" he glanced up at Jane and Angela. "Thought you might could use the help."
"It's okay, I've got it… I can drive." Angela seemed flustered as she quickly descended the two brick steps onto the driveway.
"What are you talking about? I've got the light and everything… we can get there in record time." He again pointed to his car and the blue light on the dash.
"We've got time so we don't need to race through traffic…" Angela started to say but she was cut short by Jane's groan from the still-open doorway.
"Oh, f-u-c-k…" Jane ground out through clenched teeth. Leaning against the door frame, she held tight so she wouldn't slide down to the ground where she wanted to be at the moment. The tightening across her abdomen was worse this time and held on longer than before and it was all she could do to stay on her feet.
Both Vince and Angela watched with wide eyes as Jane struggled with the contraction that had stopped her from moving forward. Angela glanced at her watch and shook her head as she handed the bag to Vince. "The contractions are getting closer and lasting longer, so you drive." She ordered as she ran up to where Jane stood panting.
"I'm on it…" Vince took the bag and threw it in the trunk as quickly as he could so he could be of assistance to Angela and Jane. "Will I need the light?" He asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"I don't care how you do it, just get me to the hospital." Jane groaned as she allowed her mother to help her down the stairs to the driveway. Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh of relief when the contraction subsided. "No one told me it was going to hurt this much…" she groused as they moved around her car in the driveway towards Vince.
"It wouldn't do any good. It's something you have to experience yourself to understand." Angela kept her head down as she maneuvered Jane around the driveway.
"Now you tell me…"
"Let's get you situated and then we can get on the road. I'm sure that Maura will get the messages and she'll probably be there waiting for us when we get there." Angela tried to reason even though she wasn't at all sure that would be the case.
"Okay…" Jane mumbled as Angela helped her into the car, all the while wondering where in the world Maura was at the moment. With a sad smile, she nodded her understanding and silently said a small prayer to the Gods above that Maura would get there in time because she didn't know what she would do it Maura missed the birth of their baby.
Maura sat across the table from her assistant Kelly and couldn't help but smile at the young woman's excitement and genuine appreciation at having been asked out to lunch. She had decided to take Kelly to Carly's place, mostly because it was close to the clinic but also because of how great the food was. It had been a spur of the moment decision but something she had planned on doing since Kelly had been so helpful with the whole Strickland incident… at least that is what she called it… an unpleasant but unfortunately unavoidable incident. She knew it would probably happen again, and it brought her comfort to know she had someone like Kelly in her corner when it did.
"This is such a cute place. I've been by a million times but have never stopped in." Kelly beamed as she looked around the small, yet well-appointed bistro-bakery. "La Petite Boulangerie… I just love French bakeries."
"This one is extra special. The owner spent some time in France perfecting her skills and well… I'm a bit biased as she's Jane's cousin." Maura grinned proudly. Glancing around, she was hoping to see Carly so she could introduce her to Kelly but it appeared that Carly was nowhere to be seen at the moment.
Kelly's grin faltered slightly at the mention of Jane but then she recovered quickly. "Well, I'm very excited to try the food. I'm always looking for neat, little local places like these."
"Well, they bake their own bread so you can't go wrong with one of the specialty sandwiches, and the homemade soups are divine." Maura glanced up to the chalkboard menu that changed daily depending on what fresh and local delicacies they could get their hands on that day. Today's special was smoked turkey with thinly sliced green apple and a honey-infused mayonnaise served on their house-made sourdough bread. Pair that with the mushroom-potato chowder and you couldn't go wrong. It made her decision about what to eat an easy one. And she would have Carly throw in some lemon squares to take home to Jane. Baring gifts upon her return home at the end of the day always got her extra points with both of her girls and she couldn't resist bringing a smile to the faces she couldn't wait to see.
"Any suggestions?" Kelly asked, her voice slightly breathless by the overwhelming choices to pick from on the large chalkboard behind the counter filled with loaves of bread, desserts, and other delectable treats.
"The three grilled cheese sandwich and tomato bisque is always a winner as is the BLT but I think I'm going to try the special today. There's nothing like the feeling of fall outside with food to accompany that feeling."
"Well, I'll take your word for it… I think I'll have 'the special' too." Kelly smiled at Maura appreciatively. "Um, I've spoken to Pastor Richards and he wanted me to convey to you that his church and congregation do not discriminate against the LGBT+ community and he is very sorry for Mrs. Strickland's behavior. He doesn't condone it and was hoping you'd allow him to bring his children to the clinic. You are after all a rising star in the field of pediatrics in the Boston area." Kelly grinned proudly at Maura for her accomplishments that had led her to be listed as one of the top ten newcomers in medicine.
"I suppose that will be fine." Maura frowned because even though they had lost seven new patients to Mrs. Strickland's meddling, they had gained sixteen more as a result of the community trying to show their support.
"What's the frown for?" Kelly asked, not sure why it would bother Maura to have more patients.
"Well, I just don't want us to lose sight of the reason why we opened the clinic. It is primarily for socioeconomically disadvantaged families, people who don't have insurance, and minorities that are usually discriminated against." Maura tried to explain. With the article listing her as someone to watch out for, it had brought her practice to the attention of many new people but she didn't want it to take away from what she was trying to do… help people who needed it the most.
"I understand, but as long as we don't refuse to help anyone… whoever they are, aren't we essentially doing what you set out to do in the first place?" Kelly asked, worried that they might lose some of the bigger clientele that had started to move into the area.
"I suppose…" Maura mused as she sat back in her chair and pondered Kelly's statement. It was true that they didn't refuse service to anyone, no matter what but she still believed that those who had nowhere else to go should take prescience over those who had a choice. Glancing down at her hand, she realized she hadn't washed them since her last appointment so she decided now would be a good time so she pushed away from the table drawing a look of alarm from Kelly. With a smile, she held up her hands to indicate what she intended to do. "I'm going to go wash up, would you mind keeping an eye on my phone and purse? I'll stop by the counter and order our lunch on our way back. What would you like to drink?"
"I'll just have water with lemon."
"If I may be so bold, might I suggest the gourmet cream soda?"
"You may, and I'll try it… if you're suggesting it that is." Kelly gave Maura a playful smirk, one that made Maura wonder if she was being flirted with.
As Maura wandered away, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps everyone had been right about Kelly and the crush it appeared she was still harboring. Maura tried to tell herself that it was harmless even though she got a strange feeling deep down inside that said otherwise but what else could she do… Kelly's presence in the clinic had become invaluable. 'It'll be fine…' Maura tried to tell herself as she slipped into the bathroom and shut the door.
Kelly sat quietly at the table, waiting for Maura to return from the bathroom. Taking in all the sights and sounds around her, her mind wandered to the honey-blonde who had captured her heart and she couldn't help but smile slyly at the thought that someday she would make Maura see that they were destined to be together. All she had to do was bide her time and drive a wedge between Jane and the sexy doctor, something she was good at. She would go to any measure to accomplish it because after all, it wasn't ever her fault that people just couldn't see the writing on the wall when it came to how much love she had to offer. All those men and women over the years who forced her to prove herself and what did she get in return… nothing but heartache. Not one of them had been worth the effort. But not this time, this time it was real… Maura was the absolute prize, one she wasn't willing to give up, even if she had to force Maura to see the truth. She was good at that though, forcing someone to see things her way. A small, knowing smile slid across her face as she recalled the several times she had forced her hand. Sure there had been tears, uncertainty, and perhaps some fear involved. But that was the point… wasn't it? Without fear, what was the fun? And then there were those silly restraining orders. They had never stopped her from proving her love, in fact, it only made her more determined. But not with Maura, one way or another, Maura would see that they were meant to be together and Jane would be but a distant memory.
The air around Kelly shifted as her thoughts darkened but then Maura's cell phone began to dance around the table playing some upbeat 80's tune as it lit up with the name Angela and a picture of a middle-aged woman who looked suspiciously like Jane. With a frown, she sat and continued to watch the phone, glancing over her shoulder to see if Maura was on her way back yet. When she saw the coast was clear, she waited until it buzzed several times indicating the call had gone to voice mail and then waited for it to buzz again alerting that a message had been received. Picking it up, she shifted it in her hand a few times as she thought about her next move, and then with a nod, she typed out Maura's password… because face it, she wouldn't be much of a stalker if she didn't know her targets passwords. In fact, she knew all of Maura's passwords. She had access to pretty much everything in Maura's office which made things easy, especially things like deleting messages on Maura's phone… something she was about to do at the moment. But first, she listened and as she did, an evil smirk creased her lips at the news that Jane was in labor and on the way to the hospital. She had been biding her time, waiting for just the right moment to set her plan into motion and what better way then to keep Maura from being with Jane during the birth of their baby. As quickly as she could, she deleted the message and the call record and then searched the text messages that came immediately after the phone call, then she hammered the nail in the coffin so to speak… she turned the phone off and set it back in its place across the table from her.
When Maura returned to the table, she was slightly out of breath as she dropped down in her chair with a smile. "I ordered our lunch… it shouldn't be very long. I've got an appointment in an hour." She sighed as she glanced at her phone to see if there were any notifications. It was dark, giving her the impression that she had not texts, calls, or messages so she settled back in her chair with a smile. "I guess no calls?" She asked because for some reason she felt a little off and couldn't quite place why. It was as if she was missing something important, but that couldn't be so because someone would surely call if that was the case.
"I don't think so…" Kelly settled her gaze just over Maura's shoulder, unable to look her in the eyes as she lied. "Hey, thanks for inviting me to lunch…" she said to distract Maura from her phone so she wouldn't notice it had been turned off.
"Oh, no problem. I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work… I don't think I could get half of what I need to do without your help." Maura smiled and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it over her shoulder. She wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe Kelly let out a shaky breath and upon closer examination, perhaps her pupils were slightly dilated indicating she was aroused. A wave of unease washed over Maura and it caused her to shuffle about in her seat in a very uncharacteristic way.
"Well, I'm always at your disposal…" Kelly's blue eyes darkened slightly as she studied Maura with a look of longing on her face.
"Um…" Maura hesitated as she tilted her head and watched Kelly with a touch of trepidation. "You've been a great asset to the clinic. I don't know what I'd do without you… um without your help."
Again, that unease followed as Maura watched Kelly's eyes glaze over with a dreamy expression and regret settled in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure if she had done anything to lead the young woman on, but by the looks of it… it was time for her to put an end to whatever Kelly thought was going on between them, but before she could do anything more than clear her throat around the knot that had formed there, Carly rushed up to their table with a look of panic on her face.
"Hey… why aren't you on the way to the hospital?" Carly waved her hands around in a flurry as she stood over Maura with a look of disbelief on her face.
"Hospital?" The word fell from Maura's lips, thick and heavy as she tried to understand why she would be going to the hospital. It only took a moment for her brain to catch up and when it did, she jumped up from the table and grabbed her phone. "Jane?" She asked, panic filling her voice.
"Yes, she's in labor. They've been trying to get a hold of you…" Carly glanced down at Maura's phone.
"What? I've had my phone here with me the whole time." Maura picked it up, but when it didn't light up, she shook it a few times before realizing it was off. "It's turned off…" she frowned down at it, a slew of scenarios running through her mind. Perhaps she had accidentally turned it off on her way out of the office, or maybe the battery was dead… or maybe, just maybe something else was at play. It suddenly occurred to her that she had left her phone to go to the bathroom, the only time it was out of her sight and as her mind began to put two and two together, she was suddenly interrupted by Carly pulling on her arm.
"Come on… we've got to go." Carly started to push Maura towards the door. "You can call Jane on our way."
"Okay…" Maura hesitated, but only briefly as she allowed herself to be led away. "I'm sorry, but I have to go…" she said to Kelly over her shoulder. By the look on Kelly's face, it was obvious she was disappointed but then her frown quickly changed to a smile as she schooled her features. It did not go unnoticed by Maura though and a feeling of unease washed over her.
"Good luck…" Kelly waved as she watched Maura being led away towards the door. Unfortunately, her idea hadn't worked but it didn't matter, because this didn't change anything. Maura would still be hers, she was sure of it.
"What the hell?" Carly demanded of Maura as they headed towards her car. "Why is your phone off?"
Shaking her head, Maura seemed perplexed. "I don't understand. I very rarely turn it off…" she looked down as it lit upon starting to reveal she had fifteen phone calls, five messages, and eighteen text messages. "I just don't remember if I did…" Thinking back, she suddenly remembered that she had looked at her phone to see what time it was before she went to the bathroom so she hadn't turned it off. It had been on and the only explanation for it being off was that someone turned it off. Even though her mind raced through the possibilities, she knew that there could only be one… Kelly. But before she could give it any more thought, her phone started to ring, taking her by surprise, causing her to juggle it and almost drop it.
Grabbing Maura by the arm to help steady her, Carly continued to lead them towards the car. When Maura stared at her phone without answering it, she grabbed it and swiped to answer before the caller could hang up. "Hey, I've got her…" she said as she opened the passenger door and set Maura in the seat as she continued to look dumbfounded. "Yeah, we're on our way…" giving Maura a sideways glance, she waited to shut the door. "I'll tell her…"
Suddenly, Maura blinked away her stunned silence. "I'll take that…" she reached for her phone before Carly could hang up. "I'm here…" she said as she secured her seat belt and waved Carly towards the driver's side. "We'll be there in ten minutes." Her voice brokered no argument, even when Carly looked at her in surprise. "Yeah, ten minutes…" and with that last statement, she hung up.
"Is she coming?" Jane asked, her eyes half open as she tried to catch her breath after another rather intense contraction.
"She's on the way, honey…" Angela reached over to sweep some sweaty strands of dark hair away from Jane's forehead. She couldn't help but chance a glance at Constance who had a pensive expression on her face.
"I want Maura…" Jane's voice shook with emotion. "I need her. Why isn't she here?"
"I just talked to her and she's on her way. Why don't you try and rest your eyes for a minute before the next contraction. I'm sure she'll be here any minute." Angela tried to reason with Jane. She could remember how tired she had been during labor and those moments between contractions when she could almost get some rest were golden. Watching Jane close her eyes, she let out a heavy sigh and couldn't help but almost glare at Constance who looked just as concerned as she felt and suddenly she felt an overwhelming feeling of shame at having projected the blame for Maura's absence on Constance.
"This isn't like Maura…" Constance frowned at the look directed her way from Angela.
"I know but she called and is on her way right now." Angela tried to reason away the worry.
Before anything else could be said between them, Frankie and Frost flew through the door of Jane's room loaded down with stuffed animals and balloons, drawing a quick 'hush' from both Constance and Angela. Looking around, they quickly understood and tried to remain as quiet and still as possible.
"Where's Maura?" Frankie whispered.
Angela couldn't help but roll her eyes at the question because she was getting tired of answering it. "She's on her way…"
"What?" Both Frost and Frankie chimed at the same time.
"Enough… go wait for her by the elevators." Angela shooed them away, grabbing what she could from Frankie just before Jane opened her eyes and winced causing the boys to stop in their tracks.
"Oh, shit…" she moaned as yet another painful contraction rolled over her abdomen. "When are they gonna give me the drugs…" she ground out through clenched teeth.
"Well…" Amy, Maura's partner and head of gynecology and obstetrics at the clinic, slipped in the door, glancing around at all of the people crowded in Jane's room. "You're only two centimeters dilated so I am going to administer Pitocin. It should help move things along. There's no need for you to be in labor for two days because at this rate, that's how long it will take." She ran her fingers through her pink highlighted hair. "I've got the anesthesiologist on standby to administer the epidural… you do want an epidural… right?"
"Whatever makes the pain go away…" Jane laid her head back and let out a heavy sigh as the contraction began to subside.
With a strange look on her face, Amy looked around in search of Maura. "Where's Maura?"
"She's on the way." Everyone in the room said at the same time in an exasperated tone.
"I wanted to wait to talk to her about the Pitocin but if she isn't here in the next thirty minutes, as long as Jane is okay with it… I'll administer it to get things moving along." Amy frowned at the thought that Maura still hadn't arrived. She knew that Maura had gone to lunch with Kelly but she didn't want to disclose that information to Jane at the moment. Kelly's presence had become a sore subject between her and Maura because she could see the writing on the wall and she hoped that Kelly didn't have something to do with Maura's absence.
"Whatever you gotta do…" Jane let out another heavy, breath but this time it was in relief as the contraction disappeared, giving her a reprieve. Closing her eyes, she rolled her head to the side and let her exhaustion take over.
"You rest as much as you can. I'll be back to check on you in a bit." Amy gave Jane's arm a gentle pat. Glancing at Angela, she gave her a slight nod indicating she wanted to talk outside the room.
Angela understood what the nod meant so she reached out to touch Jane's cheek with the backs of her fingers before following Amy out the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she silently asked Constance to watch over Jane and smiled as she watched the other woman take her place next to the bed in a vigilant stance. As she passed Frankie and Frost, she gave them each a gentle push towards the door. "Go wait for Maura by the elevators." She ordered and got no argument in return.
"I'm not sure what's going on with Maura, but she should be here." Amy's brow furrowed as she crossed her arms.
"I just spoke to her about ten minutes ago and she's on the way. I don't know what happened but we'll get to the bottom of it… after this is all over… of course."
"Yeah, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with her assistant, Kelly. I don't trust that woman, there's something about her that gives me the heebie-jeebies."
Angela was quiet as she contemplated what to say next. She agreed with Amy's assessment but she knew that no-one would ever come between Jane and Maura again, which is why she had a bad feeling about the woman who had insinuated herself in their lives. Maura's naivete could get her into trouble at times but this was different and Angela just couldn't place her finger on what it was.
"Speak of the devil…" Amy pointed over Angela's shoulder towards the elevator doors that opened to a very anxious and upset Maura.
Spinning around, Angela saw Maura as she barely waited for the doors to open before sprinting forward towards them. At that moment, she knew that something had happened beyond Maura's control to keep her away and even though she wanted nothing more than to get to the bottom of the 'why' she knew now was not the time. But by the look on Amy's face, caused Angela to reach out and put a hand on Amy's arm and shake her head. The look of confusion on the younger woman's face quickly turned to one of understanding as she stepped forward to intercept Maura.
"Hold up there…" Amy held up her hand to stop Maura.
"What? Where's Jane? I need to see Jane…" Maura had a wild look in her eyes that indicated she wasn't in the mood for any arguments.
"Give me a minute to fill you in on everything and then you can go in." Amy tilted her head towards the closed door of Jane's room.
Taking a deep breath, Maura did her best to calm her anxiety so she could listen to Amy talk. But before anything else could be said between them, Frankie and Frost came running around the corner, out of breath.
"Jesus Maura, you're fast…" Frost panted as he bent at the knees to catch his breath.
With an exasperated expression, Maura began to push past Amy with a sense of urgency. "I don't have time for this. Jane needs me."
"Listen…" Amy stepped in front of Jane's door to stop Maura's advance. "Jane's water broke and her contractions are four minutes apart. However, she is still only two centimeters dilated so I've decided the best course of action is to administer Pitocin… do you concur?"
Suddenly, Maura's anxiety subsided as her the doctor in her took over. "Yes, I agree. Is everything else alright? Fetal heartbeat, blood pressure…?" she asked.
"Yes, everything looks good. I know we're four weeks from the due date but everything looks good…" Amy gave Maura a reassuring smile.
"Okay, can I please see her now?" The tears that Maura was holding back were threatening to fall as she waited for permission.
Stepping aside, Amy reached for the doorknob and opened the door so Maura could step through. She could see the relief wash over Maura at the sight of Jane, resting with Constance standing guard over her. "I'll be back with the Pitocin so we can move this along. Dr. White is on standby with the epidural…"
As Maura entered the room, she glanced over her shoulder and gave Amy a small smile. "Thank you for everything…" she sighed, the feeling of regret and shame weighing heavily on her shoulders. When Angela stepped next to her, she wasn't sure if there would be anger or tears but when she felt the warmth of an arm wrap around her shoulder, she let the tears fall as Angela wrapped her up in a hug.
"We're gonna need to talk about this… later, but right now Jane needs you." Angela whispered in Maura's ear, getting a shaky nod in response. Reaching up, she used her thumb to wipe away the tears that were streaming down Maura's cheeks. "Now, pull yourself together…" she let go and reached out for Constance. "We're gonna give you some time alone but we'll be back…"
Constance allowed Angela to take her by the arm to lead her away but not before she could give Maura a quick kiss on the cheek. She could see by the pain etched across Maura's face because something had almost kept her from Jane's side and the reality of that was huge. "I love you…" she whispered as she passed Maura and followed Angela out the door without looking back.
When Maura finally found herself alone with Jane, her legs suddenly felt like lead, and the few steps she would have to take almost seemed impossible but when Jane moaned and winced in pain, nothing was going to keep her from Jane's side. In a matter of seconds, she closed the distance between them and couldn't stop herself from running her fingers through Jane's tangle of sweaty hair that lay across her forehead. Brushing it away, her fingers grazed over Jane's skin causing Jane to open her eyes and for a minute all they did was stare at each other. When Jane blinked a few times as if she wasn't sure if Maura was really there, the moment of hesitation finally passed, and the tears followed as they both let out a breath of relief.
"Maur…?" Jane broke the silence as she reached up to grab the hand that was gently running through her hair. "Where have you been?"
For a second, Maura wasn't sure what to say but then she quickly regained her composure and smiled reassuringly at Jane. "I'll explain everything later… I promise. But I'm here now…" she tried to push away the tears that wanted to take over again at the thought of what or who had almost kept her from one of the most important moments of her life.
"'Bout damn time." Jane grinned but then winced as another contraction came on. "This hurts so much…" she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth again.
"Remember your breathing exercises…" Maura tried to help as she continued to hold Jane's hand but the strength of Jane's grip caused her to wince as well.
"Fuck the breathing… nothing is going to help with this kind of pain." Jane's brow furrowed as she squeezed her eyes shut tighter against the contraction that made her feel like she was being ripped apart.
"Trust me, baby… breath in…" Maura leaned down close to Jane and took a deep breath, inviting her to do the same. When Jane opened one eye and peered at her with disdain, she waited patiently for Jane to do what she was asking. Finally, Jane took a deep breath and held it, waiting for further instructions. "Now… let it out in slow bursts…"
As Jane did what Maura asked her to do, she couldn't help but wonder when the drugs would come to help alleviate the pain. The breathing was merely a distraction but not enough to make her forget what was happening. "When is Amy going to give me that stuff to make this go faster?"
Glancing up at the door as it opened, Maura smiled at the sight of Amy returning with the vial that would help Jane to deliver their baby. "She's here right now." She nodded in Amy's direction.
They both watched as Amy attached the small vial to Jane's IV and then waited patiently to find out how dilated Jane was. It only took a few minutes but it felt like forever and Jane couldn't help but wonder how much longer she would have to feel like her body was being taken over by something beyond her control.
"Well, you're still only two centimeters…" Amy looked up and then over to the IV to make sure it was dripping.
"Why is it taking so long?" Jane leaned her head back into her pillow as the contraction subsided.
"It just depends on the person..." Amy explained. "Some only take a few hours, some take a few days…"
"A few days?" Jane asked, horrified by the prospect of being in labor for days. "I couldn't do this for a few days…"
"That's why we're helping you along…" Amy gave Jane a little pat on the leg. "I'll be back to check on you in a bit, but I think the natives are getting restless out there… at least the mom's are, so I think you might only have a few more minutes of alone time…"
"Would you ask Angela and my mom to give us another fifteen minutes or so…" Maura asked as Amy headed towards the door.
"I will, but I make no promises…" Amy offered a sly grin. "But, when we get closer… I only want you in the room." She gave Maura a pointed look.
With a nod of understanding, Maura smiled at her friend, thankful to have her there. "Thanks, Amy…"
As the door closed and Jane and Maura found themselves alone again, Jane tried to roll over on her side. She intended to make room for Maura to lie beside her and even though it wasn't an easy task, she finally accomplished it after much effort. When Maura watched on with a look of confusion and concern on her face, Jane patted the spot behind her and smiled. "Would you lie down with me and hold me for a while?"
"Are you sure?" Maura wasn't at all sure if she should do what Jane had asked.
"Yes, I need to feel your arms around me."
"Okay…" Maura didn't hesitate at Jane's statement because it was all she wanted to do at the moment but she hadn't been sure if she should. "Just tell me if I hurt you or anything…" she said as she moved to lay down behind Jane, wrapping an arm around Jane's middle. "It won't be much longer…"
Jane sighed at the feeling of Maura wrapped around her in a protective hug. She felt safe and loved and it was enough to push some of the pain away for the moment. "I'm going to rest my eyes for a minute… okay? Don't leave…"
"Nothing could make me leave your side…" Maura sighed as she pushed some of Jane's hair away so she could place a soft kiss along the skin under Jane's ear. "I love you, my sweet Jane…"
"I love you too, beautiful…" Jane said through the sleepy haze that rolled over her.
Laying there with her arms around Jane's middle, Maura waited until she could feel the even breathing that indicated that Jane had finally relaxed if only briefly. Letting out a heavy sigh, she tried to push away the unease of her encounter with Kelly earlier and the suspicion that the young woman had purposely turned Maura's cell phone off to keep her from finding out that Jane was in labor. That feeling of unease was accompanied by one of uncertainty. She didn't want to believe that it was intentional but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Kelly needed to go. With that thought and the realization she was making the right decision, she snuggled closer to Jane and closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of Jane's body pressed against her. Hopefully, in a matter of hours, they would be welcoming their new family addition and all things considered, she knew this was one of the most important moments in her life and she wanted to remember every second.
"We're at 8 centimeters, where the hell is Dr. White? If she doesn't get here soon, Jane's going to be having natural childbirth…" Amy exclaimed, waving her hands in the air at the nurse who stood by with a look of alarm on her face.
"I'm here…" Dr. White burst through the door in a rush wearing tennis shoes, tennis shorts, and a polo shirt under her white doctor's coat.
"What in the…" Amy watched the middle-aged woman move through the room with precision.
"Sorry, I didn't think it would happen so fast." Dr. White looked chagrined as she pulled her chair up to Jane's bed. "We have everything ready?" She asked as she nodded towards the small tray table that held all of her equipment.
"Yes, thanks to Eli…" Amy tilted her head towards the nurse who had gotten everything ready for the epidural.
Maura watched on with a combination of concern and irritation. She had threatened to take over if Dr. White hadn't arrived but Maura wasn't an anesthesiologist or obstetrician, thus it had been an empty threat. Having to watch Jane in pain was enough to spur her towards something, anything to alleviate what she considered avoidable at this point and Amy had agreed. They were both on the verge of calling another anesthesiologist but thankfully, Dr. White had arrived… without a moment to spare.
As Jane lay on her side to allow the epidural to be placed, she groaned and held tightly to Maura's hands as the sting and prick of the needle was followed by the slow numbing sensation that rolled down her hips towards her feet and when the pain finally subsided, she let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't said much in the last few hours but had instead tried to focus on Maura and her words of comfort and encouragement. It hadn't been easy and she wasn't sure how much more of it she could take. After six hours of labor, she was so ready for it to be over... so ready to have their baby in her arms and Maura by her side. And finally, the time had arrived and it was all she could do to keep her eyes open as Amy and Maura told her to push. The fatigue had allowed a fog to settle over her brain and she was having trouble understanding. Push… don't push… she wasn't sure what to do with each passing second, but at least the pain was gone. She had watched through tired eyes as her mother and Constance had been ushered from the room amid tears and suddenly she wasn't so sure she wanted them gone, but then Maura placed a kiss to her forehead and whispered 'I love you' in her ear and it was enough for her focus on the instructions coming her way.
"Push, my sweet Jane…" Maura held Jane up to help her. She had moved to sit behind Jane to allow her something to lean against because Jane couldn't lay all the way down at this point.
When Jane had pushed as hard as she could, she laid back against Maura for support and waited until she was told to push again. For what seemed like hours, she waited, wondering when the pressure against her lower back and tail bone would finally release. She could feel Maura pressing against her again to sit her up and when Amy told her push, that pressure suddenly released and the room was filled with a flurry of activity followed by the sound of a baby crying. Her eyes filled with tears and all she could think at that moment was if everything was okay… if the baby was alright. The feeling of Maura pressing their cheeks together caused the tears to flow harder.
"You did it…" Maura murmured against Jane's flushed cheek, holding her tightly in her arms. She couldn't see what was happening at the end of the table where Amy now held their newborn but she knew by the healthy cry and the thumbs up Amy gave her that everything was alright. The glimpse of dark hair and fisted hands moving about caused her breath to hitch as tears filled her eyes and she waited on bated breath for Amy to bring them their son or daughter. Leaning back, she allowed an exhausted Jane to rest against her as she ran her fingers through dark hair to soothe and comfort.
And then Amy stood up with the small bundle wrapped in a towel in her arms and pulled her mask down, showing off a huge smile. Maura watched as Amy moved closer with the small bundle, holding Jane tighter with each step, closer and closer until Amy was standing over them. The moment was surreal and Maura wasn't sure if she was breathing or not as Amy set the small, crying newborn with the head full of dark hair on Jane's chest.
"Ladies… would you like to meet your son…" and with those words, all was right with the world as Jane and Maura held tight to each other and their new son.