Thanks so much for all the great feedback! You guys are the best :)
Slight change.* Tommy is not with Lydia and hasn't had TJ in this au 😁
"Ma she's not the Queen of England quit fluffing the pillows like that… they're plenty fluffed!" Jane quipped.
Though she was arguably even more anxious about Maura's pending presence at the Rizzoli household than Angela.
"I just wanna make sure everything's nice. You could be more help you know. Why you just sitting there drinkin beer? There's plenty to do still and you're drinking beer like it's going off the market!" Angela whined.
Jane rolled her eyes but then looked at the accumulation of empty beer bottles on the coffee table with amazement. Had she really drank a six-pack in an hour and a half?
Angela was droning on about the steamed beans that had gone soggy while Jane stood up to clear the mess.
Great. Now I'm drunk, she told herself.
"Someone call for ice cream?" Tommy greeted with a grin as he walked through the door.
"Yeah an hour ago. Hi baby" Angela said as he kissed her cheek. "Straight in the fridge, looks like it's been out a while" Angela instructed as she eyed the dripping paper bag Tommy was holding.
Probably got held up talking to a pretty girl at the stoor, Jane thought to herself. "So how's the job hunt going?" Jane asked Tommy.
"I got a job actually. I'm painting houses with a buddy of mine. It's not exactly hard cash but it's honest work" he added.
Jane hadn't seen him much since he got out of prison but she was proud of him for turning things around. "Proud of you little brother," she said, reaching for his shoulder but missing it completely.
Tommy looked at her with narrowed eyes but said nothing.
"Heeeey!" Jane greeted when Frankie walked through the door with soda and ice. Frankie had the same look Tommy did.
"Hey?" Frankie said as he placed the ice in the freezer. "You drunk?"
"No!" Jane said defensively. "Can't I just be happy to see my family?"
"You see us every week... well now that we're all here," Frankie added.
"Is that a crack at me for doing time?!" Tommy snapped.
Chaos broke out as everyone started arguing. Angela yelled at them from the kitchen when the sound of the doorbell brought silence.
"That the Doctor that cuts into dead people ma told me about?" Tommy asked, pointing to the door.
"Yup," Jane said as she walked toward the door with a defeated look. It's not that she's embarrassed by her family. It's just that they can be a handful and Maura would be the focal point of their attention for the night.
"I only told you about Maura so you'd know to behave in front of company," Angela said for the record.
Jane opened the door and her eyes dragged up from 6-inch red stilettos, past slick toned legs to a white dress with a corset. Her eyes landed on Maura's accentuated breasts.
"Shall I come back once you're family members have resolved their dispute?" Maura asked genuinely.
"Heard that huh?" Jane asked with a nervous giggle. "Wa you'd be waiting indefinitely for that to happen so…Welcome," she said as she held the door open.
Maura stepped through and Jane noticed she brought a small basket.
"Maura honey, you came" Angela greeted.
"Why do people keep saying that to me?" Maura asked softly. "I brought Pastiera Napoletana."
Angela took the basket with a delighted look. "Oh wow. Thank you, you didn't have to buy anything to bring to dinner"
"You're welcome. I didn't have to buy much besides Grano Cotto for the recipe"
Angela was impressed with Maura for making an authentic, complex Italian dessert and whacked Tommy when he whined about going all the way to the store for ice cream.
"So do you want the tour?" Jane asked Maura with her hand waving dramatically towards the rest of the house when Tommy was unrelenting with his interrogation of the doctor.
She also didn't like the way Tommy was looking at Maura.
Maura nodded and followed her to see the rest of the house. "Is this where you grew up?" She asked as she looked around.
Jane was taken aback by the interest in her voice. Not just that, Maura never asked personal questions. "Um…" Jane started.
"You have to think about it?"
"No. Well yes, I-we moved here when I was 8. Tommy was made here" she added dryly.
"Are you intoxicated?" Maura asked so bluntly that Jane was startled.
"Nooooe," she said sheepishly. Maura gave her a look and pursed her lips slightly. "Wa- maybe a little. I didn't mean to" she added as she leaned against the wall.
"Did you not register Clause 2 of section C in the contract? No toxic substances such as alcohol exceeding 2 units" Maura stated coldly.
Jane had a blank look on her face. "Apparently not."
"That's some fine print for ya" she added dramatically in a hushed tone, seeing as they were in the hallway a few feet from everyone else.
"I'm going to have to punish you, you do realize-?" Maura stated.
"Honey, bring Maura back. The house is not that big!" Angela yelled from the kitchen before Jane could respond.
Everyone settled at the dining table. Angela was at the head of the table. Maura was next to Jane with Frankie on Jane's other side.
Jane was hardly paying attention to the conversation. All she could think about were Maura's words. Punish her? What does that mean? Her leg was bouncing slightly with restlessness.
Her thoughts were stilled as she felt a hand on her thigh. She didn't dare look down at Maura's hand and it could've been the beer but her face was now a pink heated glow.
Her leg stilled and Maura's hand was gone. "So you got a boyfriend doctor?" Tommy asked casually, ending with a Rizzoli smile.
Jane's hand inadvertently clenched around her beer bottle. "Lay off Tommy" Frankie growled.
When Tommy and Frankie were done bickering Maura answered gracefully. "No… I don't date"
Men. Jane thought to herself triumphantly. Whether Maura acknowledged it or not, what they were doing was starting to feel a whole lot like dating.
"How come?" Tommy blurted out and Angela slapped him behind the head softly.
Jane was leaning on her elbow and looking at Maura who was starting to reply to Tommy when Jane slowly said "You have pretty hair". Angela caught on that Jane was tipsy and changed the subject completely while Maura organized her thoughts.
This is how far I got lol (SO sorry Konnected, I wish I had so much more to post). I've been working night shifts and getting home as late as 2:30 am some nights but not only that, I have too many ideas of where to go with this story but can't seem to put it in writing.
It takes me a whole afternoon to write one chapter and then I end up hating it and starting over:(
I know (slight spoiler alert):
A)That there will be a huge fight and Maura will be furious with Jane and vice versa but I don't know whether Paddy will have anything to do with that (for now). I want to bring in someone from Maura's past…?
B)I want to write some of Jane's family's perspectives
C)I want them to explore more in the room of submission
D)I want to reveal more about Maura's past
E)I want Maura to start spoiling Jane (with her wealth… maybe she buys Jane a truck or sports car and Jane being Jane gets mad or insecure about it)
F)I want to bring jealous Maura back and protective Jane (so either someone from Jane's past or a brand new character?)
I'm posting this tiny chapter because I feel so bad that I haven't posted in so long but now you see what I have so far… any ideas? Suggestions are welcome ;)