Rain: And I am back with a new full chapter! I'm glad to see the side chapter was well received. I will do a side chapter every so often when I want to delve deep into their head but as promised, Maura's deep delve will be the next one so time to start the show!
A Mother's Love
Chapter Three: Songs of the Heart! Phase One Begins
It had been two days since Angela had made the deal with Constance and admittedly, Angela was excited to see what this new partnership would bring. Despite what her children may think, Angela didn't have many people she talked to.
She has gossip pals sure, but they weren't someone she could actually chat with about her personal life. It was nice to know someone that seemed to know a little more about who she and her eldest was. She somewhat hoped that maybe this partnership could turn into a friendship but at the same time, she wouldn't be surprised if this partnership was temporary.
Still, it would be an enjoyable ride...
If it all worked out of course.
She wondered if Jane would be surprised at how pessamistic she truly was. Then again, Jane would be stunned by all of the thoughts her dear, nagging, nosy mother had. If she wasn't so willing to bury it all inside of her, she would entertain the idea in telling Jane how alike they really were.
Angela shrugged as she locked Jane's apartment door and tossed Jane's MP3, a medium length dark blue ipod-lookalike, in the air before catching it. She pulled out her phone and began to text.
Angela: It took awhile but I got what I was looking for.
Angela walked down to a car and slipped inside only to her the familiar chime of her phone. She pulled out her phone and read the message.
Constance: Very good. However, I do not understand how Jane and my daughter's…MP3s, will assist in this.
Angela smiled a bit at the text and replied with:
Angela: Trust me. If there is one thing about Janie, she tends to use music as an outlet for her feelings. This MP3 will be the key to phase one. Trust me.
And with that, Angela continued to drive towards her destination as she texted another person.
Angela: Barry, can you please meet me and Maura's house please? I need a favor…And do you have a spare stereo speakers?
Constance stared at the text and let out a faint chuckle before she placed her phone into her pocket and walked into her daughter's room as quietly as possible. While Maura was a fan of CDs and Records, she knew from the countless times her daughter went jogging that she had a MP3 as well.
And thankfully, Maura was fast asleep, once again cradling a picture in her arms. For a moment, Constance stopped and gazed at her daughter. Constance was bothered at the fact that Maura had known about Paddy being her father but didn't tell her at all.
Constance could take Maura being angry at her for keeping a secret or even disappointed but for her daughter not to even tell her at all slightly hurt her feelings.
She had no problem telling Angela…
But then again, Angela made it clear that she caught Maura during a weak moment where she told her.
It didn't make the hurt go away.
Constance leaned down and gingerly brushed a strand of hair from Maura's face and saw a few tears leak out of Maura's eyes, along with a pained whimper.
Constance let a pained expression appear on her face.
Her daughter may have been reserved but there was a certain strength she had and looking at her tear streaked fast made Constance feel as if she was gazing at a small girl instead of the strong woman she was proud of.
She truly hoped Angela's plan would work so she could see that woman again.
Hesitaintly, Constance placed a ghost of a kiss on Maura cheek and it was then she managed to see the picture her daughter held.
It looked to be a picture of her and Jane only Maura was in slightly loose black suit and Jane was in a tight maroon dress and both of them had a smile on their face.
It was an adorable picture of both women.
Happier times…
Constance moved away from the bed and silently crept to her daughter's draw and thankfully, she found a small, square device that thankfully had the words "MP3" in white lettering. Constance took the device and carefully walked out of the room, sparing her sleeping daughter one last look before carefully shutting the door.
Angela was waiting outside of Maura's door when it opened to reveal Constance, who had the device in her hand. "Beautiful," Angela said with an excited tone in her voice. "Nice work."
She saw Constance smile her thanks before she asked "So Angela…What is your plan with these devices?"
"You'll see," Angela's eyes twinkled as another car pulled up. A few moments later, Frost stepped out the car and Angela waved him over but to her surprise, Frankie came out of the car as well, holding two cylinder shaped items in his arms.
The two walked up to the door and while Frost said "Hello Angela," Frankie leaned down and sat the items down to give her a hug, which she happily returned.
"How is Jane doing mom?" Frankie asked as he pulled away.
"She is still the same," Angela answered. "But me and my partner is working on that." Angela turned to Constance and said "This is my son Frankie Rizzoli and my other Son, Barold-"
"-Barry-" Both Frankie and Frost said in unison.
"-Frost," Angela finished. "Frankie, Barry, this is Constance Isles."
"I've heard a lot about you both," Constance said with a smile. "Maura says she counts you both as among her closest friends."
"Aww shucks," Frankie said with the familiar boyish grin she had seen her ex-husband give and it caused an ache in her chest and a very brief grimace to appear on her face.
And judging from the quick glance from the other woman, she had seen this.
Angela inwardly frowned.
She hadn't been quick enough.
She had to be quicker next time. "I was unaware you were with Barry, Frankie," Angela said quickly, forcing a jovial tone through the ache in her heart.
It was then she saw both of them glance at each other but it was so quick, she thought she imagined it.
But while Frost was hard to read with his disarming smile, her son slightly pink cheeks told an untold story that she wasn't sure of…
But she'd find out eventually.
"When you texted me, I had bumped into Frankie," Frost said smoothly. "So Mama Rizzoli, Madam Isles. How can I be of help today?"
Angela looked to Constance and asked "May I see the MP3 please?"
Constance nodded and handed Frost Maura's MP3 as well as Jane's. Angela then looked at the items Frankie put back in his arms curiously. "Are those the speakers?" Angela asked.
"Yep. Straight from my place," Frost said with a smile.
Angela tilted her head and eyes the man for a moment. He had just bumped into Frankie and yet he grabbed these from home?
Something was missing but she would think on it later. "Wonderful," Angela said with a smile on her face. "The reason I called you today is because I need your help in setting up the speakers to play music from these MP3s."
Angela then held up the pair of MP3s.
"Sure, just tell us where," Frost replied.
Angela smiled at the man and looked at the perplexed Constance and found herself briefly thinking how cute seeing the normally stoic woman look so confused but quickly banished thast thought from her mind and asked the woman "Can you lead us to an area where both you and Maura can hear it?"
Constance watched as Angela waved at Frankie and Frost from the before she shut it and said "Whew, about time they left. Now to initiate the first part of our mission."
Constance raised an eyebrow. "A mission? We are secret agents now?" Constance said with a teasing tone.
Angela chuckled a bit and replied with "It does feel that way, doesn't it?"
Constance chuckled as well and observed the woman for a moment. Constance still didn't have any idea on what the plan was but she had led her through her house and then the guest house to place those two speakers in an area where Maura and Jane respectively could hear it.
But why?
"Angela…To be honest with you, I fail to see how doing all of this will help the girls," Constance admitted after a moment of silence.
"Well…" Angela began. "While Frankie and Frost were setting things up, I was fiddling around with their MP3s and thankfully, my hunch was correct…" Angela held up the two devices and on the dark blue one that she assumed was Jane's, Constance noticed that the words "Maura's Song" scrolled onto the screen.
She then glanced at her daughter's and said "Song that reminds me of Jane" on the screen.
"How adorable…" Constance said with a small smile.
A little cliché but adorable all the same.
It was then an idea sparked in her head. "Are you going to have them listen to their songs?" Constance asked.
"They will be listening to a song," Angela said with a cheeky grin. "As I said earlier, Janie tends to use music to tell her feelings and I have a feeling from the title that Maura is similar…So they will be listening to these songs…"
"But instead of their own music, they will be listening to the others," Constance said, finally realizing the plan.
It was so simple and yet, it was brilliant. If what Angela said was true, then these songs would tell each woman how they felt about the other without the other being there.
"That is an amazing idea," Constance told her with a nod and a tiny smile.
Angela flushed a bit and mumbled "I thought you would find it foolish admittedly…"
"Nonesense," Constance replied with a wave of her hand. "It is simple but the results could be very effective. It would be as if they are admitting their feelings without them actually being there. It is a good idea."
She watched as a small but geniuine looking smile appear on Angela's face as she mumbled "Thank you…" and for a moment, Constance was taken aback. She had seen Angela smile but she could see how forced they seemed to be.
But seeing a genuine one looked as if it belongd on Angela's face.
"No need to thank me," Constance said quickly. "Since we are back in my temporary residence, shall we try Jane's MP3 first?"
Angela nodded and she lead the way towards the upstairs hallway where the pink cylinder shaped speaker sat. Constance held her hand out and Angela placed Jane's MP3 in her hand and plugged the aux cord into the auxialry port on the MP3 and glanced at Angela and said "My daughter my still be resting…You sure you want to play it now?"
"When my kids were younger, I would play songs on my record player," Angela explained. "My kids always said that the music affected their dreams so I have a feeling this will be a good idea."
"Very well," Constance said as she pressed the play button.
The song came in with a piano playing before the singer began.
"Under your spell again
I can't say no to you
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand
I can't say no to you…"
"Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly
Now I can't let go of this dream
I can't breathe but I feel
Good enough.
I feel good enough
For you…"
Knowing Jane somewhat, Constance would have never pegged her for having a song that sounded so somber, unsure and devoted like this.
And for her daughter no less.
"Drink up sweet decadence
I can't say no to you
And I've completely lost myself and I don't mind
I can't say no to you."
"Shouldn't let you conquer me completely
Now I can't let go of this dream
Can't believe that I feel
Good enough.
I feel good enough…
It's been such a long time coming
But I feel good."
Constance looked to Angela and saw the woman's face was stuck on an stunned expression and she couldn't blame her. Angela had said that Jane seemed to let her feelings show through music so to have a song so somber and beautiful told Constance all that she needed to know.
"And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall
Pour real life down on me
'Cause I can't hold on
to anything this good enough!"
It made Constance feel…good that someone loved her daughter enough for the slavish devotion because her daughter deserved no less…And yet that rain had fell down on Jane and she was no longer herself and it was because of her dear Maura…And that made her heart ache for the woman.
"Am I good enough…
For you to love me too?"
"I never knew…" Constance heard Angela whisper, which prompted her to look at her partner in crime only to see her eyes glistening. Constance panicked a bit as if Angela saw her expression, the she watched the other woman's saddened expression vanish before returning to subdued look.
She easily recognized what Angela was doing.
Because she saw her own ex-husband do the same thing…
"So take care what you ask of me
'Cause I can't say no…."
The song ended and Constance stopped the MP3 from repeating and looked to Angela and asked "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Angela said with an obviously forced smile but Constance gingerly placed a hand on Angela's shoulder in a comforting geasture and said "Don't…"
"W-What?" Angela asked.
"You don't have to do that…" Constance told her in a whisper.
She could see Angela look at her with surprise and for a moment, Constance thought she had made a wrong move but there was something in Angela's eyes that made Constance realize she had made the right move.
She doubted the other woman would tell her that anytime soon however. Angela merely looked away and whispered "Should we go to try this on Jane?"
Constance nodded slowly.
Once again, she had been too slow.
She had been to slow in guarding her emotions.
She had to regain some semblance of herself.
This wasn't about her or her own feelings.
It was about helping her kids.
She had managed to tell Constance to play the song and she had a strong feeling that it had worked for Maura but only time would tell. The pair was now outside of Jane's temporary room in the guest house and it was Angela who had Maura's MP3.
But unlike her confidence in Jane's song reaching Maura's heart, she was unsure of Maura's song would reach Jane's despondent heart. "You ready?" Angela asked Constance, who nodded without hesitation.
Angela pressed play and like the start of Jane's song, Maura's also began with a piano.
"I know that when you look at me
There's so much that you just don't see
But if you would only take the time
I know in my heart you'd find
Oh, a girl who's scared sometimes
Who isn't always strong
Can't you see the hurt in me?
I feel so all alone."
"I want to run to you
I want to run to you
Won't you hold me in your arms
And keep me safe from harm?
I want to run to you
But if I come to you
Tell me, will you stay or will you run away."
Angela always knew that Maura felt as if she was all alone in this world. She knew that Constance cared but she had known from various chats that Maura was a very lonely child and this song seemed to confirm it.
And it seemed that this song was crying out for her Janie to save her from that lonliness.
"Each day, each day I play the role
Of someone always in control
But at night I come home and turn the key
There's nobody there, no one cares for me
Oh what's the sense
Of trying hard to find your dreams
Without someone to share it with
Tell me what does it mean?
"I want to run to you
I want to run to you
Won't you hold me in your arms
And keep me safe from harm?
I want to run to you
But if I come to you
Tell me, will you stay or will you run away
Run away."
Angela could tell that the song was having an effect on Constance, as the other woman had a look of both guilt and anger. Without hesitation, Angela reached over and took her hand. She knew that she had done it to comfort the woman but she didn't expect for it to feel…so nice.
Angela then offered a small smile that she prayed looked genuine and from the the thankful look in Constance's eyes, it was.
"I need you here
I need you here to wipe away my tears
To kiss away my fears, no
If you only knew how much…"
But there was something else that she heard in the song that matched what Janie's song had. She wanted Jane to love her but she was afraid that Jane would run away and it was then she recalled what Maura had told Janie on that day…
"I get that you're pissed at me Maur but running away from this isn't going to solve anything!"
"Running away? Isn't that rich coming from you?!"
"It means that you always run away!"
She wanted to run to Jane but Jane had shown her time and again that emotionally, Jane would always run away…And that made Angela feel awful…
"I want to run to you
I want to run to you
Won't you hold me in your arms
And keep me safe from harm?
I want to run to you
But if I come to you
Tell me, will you stay or will you run away?"
Like Constance did before, Angela turned off the MP3 from repeating the song and looked at the other woman and asked "You think that will be enough to snap out of it?"
"It will be enough, I assure you of that…" Constance replied softly.
Angela could hear the guilt in Constance's voice and gave her hand a squeeze of support and as she said "I know it can't be easy to hear what it effectively coming from Maura's heart…"
"I know but all the same, it is difficult to hear this song knowing how lonely she was," Constance told her. "All of this was my fault…If I had paid more attention to her and showed her how much I cared…She wouldn't have felt so lonely."
Angela wanted to speak but she couldn't. She could tell that Constance needed to say more as they stood there, their hands still holding one anothers."Maybe if I was the mother I should have been, she would have felt that my love was enough…maybe that is why she-" Constance was interrupted with the sound of muffled sound of crying.
Angela and Constance peeked into the other room and saw Jane's head buried against her knees as she sobbed.
"It worked…" Angela whispered, a relieved smile appearing on her face.
"As I thought," Constance said as she shut her eyes.
Now that Jane could properly mourn, hopefully that could start the next phase of their plan. But what Angela forgot was that her hand was still holding Constance's.
Rain: And so a breakthrough has been reachedn with Jane and all it took was a song from Maura's heart to do it. Also, while the two matriarchs are shown consoling each other, their romance hasn't started quite yet. So what will happen next? Only one way to find out!
Constance: *brief wave*