Chapter 2: Glitter is Forever

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Tommy asked.

"I've watched my nephew before Tommy, it's not a big deal." Jane said to him as TJ ran past her and into the living room.

"I just thought Maura would be here too this afternoon."

"You worry too much." Jane said, "We're going to do a little art project Maura set up for us for Valentine's Day."

Tommy gave her a look.

"He's 4, how much trouble can we get into?"

Tommy just smiled at her, "Okay, well see you later tonight. Thanks again." And he was out the door before Jane could change her mind.

A few hours later when Maura arrived home, she didn't realize she'd be opening the door to chaos. As soon as she stepped into the house she heard screeching and Jane repeatedly calling after TJ. She cautiously moved further into the house towards the kitchen, "Jane?" She called out but got no response.

All of a sudden TJ, who was only in his underwear, came screaming passed her and ran upstairs. Jane was close behind, she paused for 2 seconds to beg for help then followed TJ up the stairs.

Maura calmly put her purse down on the kitchen counter then turned and went upstairs. She saw Jane standing in the middle of the hall, TJ with his back against a closet door.

"You got no where to run now kid." She told him and just then he screeched and dove between her legs. Maura managed to catch him before he could make a full run for it back down the stairs.

"Lose something?" Maura asked Jane as TJ squirmed in his arms.

"It's bathtime." Jane said as she took TJ from her.

"Do you need help?"

"No, I got it from here." Jane said as she gently kicked the bathroom door open.

Maura went back down stairs and into the living room. It was a mess. Throw pillows were tossed off the couch; one cushion was flung near the fireplace.

The dining room table was the worst of it all. It was covered in construction paper, glue and a massive amount of three different colors of glitter.

Maura sighed then went into the kitchen and poured herself a generous glass of wine.

Half an hour later Jane came back downstairs and joined her girlfriend in the kitchen.

"The little monster is a sleep in the guest room." Jane told her then saw the disappointment on her face, "In my defense, I was left unsupervised."

"Despite what you may think, you're the adult Jane." Maura said as she went over to the dining table.

"I'll clean it all up, you won't have to lift a finger." Jane told her as she started picking up the glue and glitter covered construction paper.

"Where did you even get this much glitter?" Maura asked.

Jane just smiled sheepishly then went to get the hand-held vacuum.

"You know you can never really clean glitter up." Maura told her, "Years from now when we're old and grey together I'll still be picking glitter out of your hair."

Jane grinned, "You promise?"

Maura sighed, "I'll be upstairs in the bath with my wine."

She then went into the kitchen to get her glass before stopping to watch Jane struggle to get the vacuum to suck up all the glitter off the table.

"Jane?"

Jane looked up at her with a bewildered look on her face.

"I promise."

Jane gave her a big smile then watched her walk off before going back to cleaning.