Oops, I Did It Again – Chapter 46
Sunday was a very relaxing day. They slept in and didn't get up until Jane's stomach let them know that it was empty. Jane hated her stomach's alarm sometimes. She was finally comfortable and wanted to stay in bed with her wife. Maura had a TV installed in the bedroom and they could have just laid in bed and watch TV and cuddled, but no her stomach had to speak to them and alter her plans.
Maura fixed some French toast and took it over to Jane so they could watch an action movie that Jane had picked out, being as it was her turn to pick out the movie. Maura didn't care much for action flicks but then she knew that Jane didn't care that much for documentaries but they cared about each other and so they watched what each other wanted to watch so that they were spending time together.
Jane was really missing Sunday family dinners and she was hoping that if her ma moved in that they could start that back up. She would talk with Maura about it and if her ma moved in on Tuesday as they had planned, she would talk to her about it then.
Jane had requested cheeseburgers for lunch and Maura agreed. She placed an order at the Dirty Robber and went to pick it up. She picked up some more root beer while she was out and they enjoyed their cheeseburgers before Maura subjected Jane to her next documentary. This arrangement was working out quite well. They had a few movies that they both agreed on so they try to play those in the evening before they went to bed.
Monday morning Maura set the alarm for 6 AM as she needed to be up to let the elevator men in and the contractor. The contractor said he would be there before 7 AM as he needed to make sure that all the prep work had been completed. He didn't want any complications as he knew that Maura wanted that elevator in. He had completed all of Maura's upgrades on the house and guest house and he really liked Maura as a customer. She wasn't too demanding and she knew exactly what she wanted and didn't change her mind a hundred times like some of his other customers.
Gus, the contractor, arrived at 6:45 AM. Maura offered him a cup of coffee and they reviewed the site for the elevator. Everything looked in order and ready for the installation. The permits were all on file and they just had to wait for the crew to arrive.
The HOA had taken the longest to approve the project. Maura didn't understand why she had to go through the HOA for approval but the contractor explained that because of the noise and disruption from the equipment to the landscaping they had to be informed. Plus, he had to close down the street for about half an hour for the truck to maneuver into position.
Gus knew some of the neighbors would be concerned about the crane lifting the elevator over the house and the possibility that it could swing and be dropped onto their house, but that had never happened with this company that he had contracted with and he was confident that it wouldn't happen now. Maura was pretty confident also. All the plans had been reviewed numerous times and she thought it all looked good.
At 7 AM the crew arrived with the elevator and began work. From 7:15 to 7:41 the street was blocked off. It remained partially block for the next few hours but vehicles could get by. The crew positioned the elevator and ensured that all the electrical wires were placed where they needed to be. Gus did a trial run before they sealed everything up. It all worked according to the specifications and his crew sealed up the wall at 11:10 AM.
After a little bit of painting and cleanup all of the crews were off site by noon and Maura and Jane could check out their new elevator. Gus stayed as they tested the elevator out. Once Maura was satisfied, she paid Gus and he went on his way. He thanked her for her business and let her know that if she needed anything just to give him a call.
Next on the agenda after lunch was the 1 PM meeting with Jane's parents. Neither one of them were looking forward to that. They tried to enjoy their lunch as much as they could. Jane wanted a beer so bad, Maura actually let her have one. They had cut back on her pain medication enough that one beer wouldn't mess her up. If she did have a reaction or get tired, she could just go upstairs.
A few minutes before 1 PM Angela arrived. Frank arrived at precisely 1 PM. Everything was quiet for the first few minutes, until Angela said, "You're on the clock Frank, you better start talking I said fifteen minutes and that is all you have."
Angela was brash enough to pull out a stopwatch so she could time him. She had decided that after fifteen minutes she would get up and walk out. She was going to take charge of the situation. She had given Frank over thirty years of her life and had given birth to three children with him. She figured she could at least let him speak but if he didn't start soon, she would walk.
When Frank started speaking, she looked at her stopwatch, he was two minutes into his fifteen minutes already. "Ang, why are you doing this? Can't we talk before you give up on us and throw away over thirty years of marriage. I love you! I don't want to lose you."
Angela was pissed, she wasn't going to talk but she couldn't help herself. "You love me. Do you love all of your children also? Jane is a highly decorated police detective who happens to be in love with a very successful doctor. Frankie, your namesake, is a police officer and working hard to make detective. Tommy, well he still has some growing up to do but there is still hope for him. Do you love them all?"
"Yes, Ang, I love them all. Each and every one of the them. We created them. I will never stop loving them no matter what." Frank admitted.
"Really, because Jane was in a car accident and you never went to the hospital to see her. You only check on her condition with about three times. Is that how you show your love to your only daughter?" Angela's voice was rising, every time she spoke.
"I knew you were taking care of her. She knows I love her." He looked over at Jane who had tears in her eyes. She hated to see her parents arguing and she knew the point her mother was trying to get to. She really didn't want to be there. She reached over and grabbed Maura's hand. She needed to feel her love and support.
Jane spoke up, "Pop, I needed you. I was in a coma and when I woke, I remained in the hospital and didn't hear from you."
"Janie, you know I love you. There was nothing I could do for you while you were in the hospital." Frank tried to convince Jane.
"I don't know anything anymore Pop. Ever since you found about that I was dating Maura you have turned your back on me and it has put a strain on our family. Isn't the love of your child more important than the church?" Jane asked her father. Angela turned off her stop watch. They needed to sort this out once and for all. Maura had moved closer to Jane and was sitting right behind her with her hands on her shoulders. Jane had her right hand on Maura's.
"Janie, it has been hard for me. All these years the church has said it is wrong. I do love you." Frank informed Jane.
Jane interrupted him, "But, do you love me more than you love the church? Can you stand with me while I am in the most important relationship of my life beyond our family? Maura is my family pop. I love her so much. If you make me choose, as I feel you have been, I will choose Maura."
Jane paused at looked at Maura, "Look at what this woman, as you call her has done for me without even asking, she bought me this motorized wheelchair. She had an elevator installed in our house because I will be in these casts for a while. Prior to the elevator she had a seat installed on the staircase so that I can ride up the stairs. I didn't ask her to do any of that. I could have slept in the guest room downstairs but she wanted my life to be as normal as possible. She loves me unconditionally."
Angela spoke up, "Maura was there for Jane for most of the time she was in the hospital. She took the accident very hard. When you love someone, you show up for them."
"Ang." Frank said in a raised voice.
"Don't Ang me, I said when you love someone you show up for them, so do you love her or not? Think carefully before you answer." Angela told Frank. She figured she would put everything on the line. She wanted this solved right here and now.
"I do, but I can't give up on my church."
"We're done Frank, your fifteen minutes are up, please leave." Angela requested.
Frank stood, looked at Jane and said, "I do love you, Jane. Please understand Jane."
"I don't understand Pop. Please leave our home. I don't want to see you again. I was looking forward to the day when you would walk me down the aisle and give me away to the person that I chose to spend the rest of my life with. I will ask Frankie to walk me down the aisle because he loves me and has always shown up for me."
With that Frank walked out the front door and let it slam behind him. Angela was crying she was hoping that he would make the right decision and be there for her and their children but he made his decision and she would stand by it. She would seek the advice of a divorce lawyer.
Angela got up and went over and hugged Jane and Maura. They all cried together for a few minutes and then Angela said, "Okay, let's not shed anymore tears. We must move on we have a wedding to plan for and I need to get moved in. I am a little bit hungry. Do you have any leftovers?"
"Help yourself Angela to whatever is in the refrigerator. Do you need any additional assistance moving your belongings in the guest house?" Maura asked. Angela left an hour later. Jane and Maura went up and took a nap. They were both very emotional. Jane didn't mean to get involved in her parent's conversation but she couldn't help it.
They woke up a few hours later and came downstairs and cooked dinner together and then went to bed, trying to remain positive thinking 'tomorrow is another day.' Angela got moved in okay on Tuesday and offered to cook dinner for them Tuesday night. Maura had got called into work for a few hours so she was thankful that Angela was there. Jane was a little more self-sufficient now that they had the elevator. She was able to get in and out of the wheelchair to use the restroom without assistance.
They enjoyed a nice dinner together and no one mentioned anything about the conversation on Monday. Jane liked it that way. Angela had called a divorce attorney that Maura's lawyer had recommended. She had an appointment Wednesday morning.
Wednesday morning, she met with her lawyer and filed legal separation paperwork. They would be served Frank later that day. For now, their housing arrangements would remain as they were. Down the road they would have to meet to settle all financial obligations. Weeks passed and things had been working out great with Angela living there.
When Maura went back to work, Jane and Angela worked out a system so they wouldn't be on each other's nerves. They would have lunch together and Angela would cook dinner for the three of them. Maura took the day off when Jane had follow-up appointment with the doctor.
Three Weeks After the Accident
Jane went to the doctor with her motorized wheelchair and was happy when the doctor took off her leg cast. He x-rayed her leg and while they were waiting, he removed the arm cast and took x-rays of her arm. Then the waiting continued. The doctor needed to review the x-rays and he would then determine if the casts stay off or if they had to be reapplied. Jane was hoping to leave with no casts or at least one less cast.
Jane and Maura were patiently waiting in the examination room. Jane was told not to move her arm or leg as they may still be healing. They were trusting that with Maura there, Jane might comply with their instructions. They knew that patients normally wanted to stand up and check their leg out. In Jane's case she didn't have the support of her other arm to help balance her so she could fall and do more damage.
Within five minutes the doctor came back in and pulled the x-ray of her arm up on the screen. They looked it over and he showed Jane where the break was and how it is healing. He pulled up the original x-ray so Jane could compare them. She could see how the bone was healing. It was not fully healed yet. "Do you have to put the cast back on?" Jane asked. She didn't want the cast to go back on. She wanted a sling.
"We will put on what we call a light cast, basically almost like an arm brace, and you will have your arm in a sling. I still do not want you to use your arm, but at least Dr. Isles can help you take it off for bathing. Then it is to go right back on. Only use your arm to assist with bathing, nothing else Jane." The doctor instructed Jane.
"How about my leg, doc?" Jane was hoping to get out of that heavy cast as well.
The doctor pulled up the x-rays just like he did with the arm and Jane could see that it still had some healing to do. It had not healed as much as she had hoped. "Your leg will have to stay in a cast but we will use a lighter cast. The swelling has gone down and we might be able to remove the new cast in 2-3 weeks."
Jane was happy, originally, she was looking at 6-8 weeks in her leg cast and now the doc was saying it might be only a total of five weeks, maybe six. She would still be in the motorized wheelchair though as she still couldn't use crutches because of her arm.
