Back with a super quick and short update. I just wanted to give you guys something while I had a chance. I probably won't update again for a few days, so I hope this tides you over. The Bee Charmer scene will be in the next chapter! One of my favorites.
Please let me know what y'all think. I haven't gotten many favs/reviews on this, and I would love to know if y'all want me to take it in a different direction. Lastly, this is unbeta'd so there are probably mistakes, but I tried to correct the ones I found. SW
Chapter 7: Redistributin'
"Jane! This isn't fun; this is stealing! We shouldn't be doing this," Maura said worriedly. "I thought you said this was going to be fun."
Jane continued to wiggle the doorknob despite Maura's admonitions. Finally the door gave way to a small, dark room with shelves lining the walls. Boxes, cans, and bags filled the shelving to the brim with scarcely room to add anything else. Jane began grabbing items and stuffing them in the oversized pockets of her overalls.
"Maura, are you gonna help me or just stand there?" Jane asked as she gave Maura an expectant look. "Didn't you say you wanted to have fun?"
Maura nodded her assent but said anyway, "I wanted to have fun, Jane, not steal from a church!" Her voice grew more tense as she spoke.
Jane just chuckled as she began wedging food in between her torso and the front of the overalls. "Maura, don't think of it as stealin'. Think of it as...redistributin'. Look at how much food they have stored in here. They won't miss it, but the people starvin' just down the road a piece will appreciate it."
Maura just sighed. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone going hungry. She reluctantly started grabbing items as well. Jane gave her an approving smile and a pleased nod.
"What are we gonna do with all of these things now?" Maura asked as Jane closed the door to the small room.
"My friend Rondo, he is expectin' me to come by. He will help give the food out to who needs it most. His house is about 2 miles that way." Jane pointed down the dirt road. "We better start walkin' if we want to make it there by midnight."
After dropping off the food and talking to Rondo for several minutes, the two ladies set back in the direction of the Rizzoli plantation. They walked along the shoulder of the road, shoulders almost touching with each swing of their arms. Everything was going great until Maura suddenly wasn't upright anymore.
"Maura! Are you okay?" Jane knelt down, trying to figure out what caused Maura to fall down.
Maura grimaced as she sat back on her butt, legs bent in front of her. "It's my ankle. I turned it in that hole." She pointed a couple feet behind them at the small dip in the ground.
Jane stood up and bent down to lift Maura up, grabbing the smaller woman under her arms. Even once Maura was standing again, Jane was reluctant to let her go. A small frisson of a feeling she couldn't immediately name passed through her at the feeling of holding Maura closely to her. But, not wanting to scare Maura, she pulled away.
"Alright, just put your arm around my shoulder. That's it. Guess we'll be hobblin' back to the house." The pair turned and began the slow trek back to the plantation. Maura, for her part, was enjoying the feeling of her arm wrapped around Jane. Even though they had only spent a few hours together, Maura couldn't help but feel a connection to Jane unlike she had ever shared with another person. She couldn't understand why or how but she felt like they were meant to reunite.
Jane's voice pulled Maura from her contemplations. "Maura?"
"Yes Jane?"
"Will you stay? For longer? I know you weren't planning on for more than a night or two but…" Jane trailed off and avoided Maura's gaze.
Maura smiled widely at the prospect of being wanted. "Of course, Jane. Do you think your mama would mind if I stayed with y'all?"
Jane shook her head. "She will just be happy to have someone in the house to talk about dresses and make-up with. And if you can cook, she might just kick me out and move you in permanently."
Maura chuckled. "Alright, Jane. It's settled. But if your mama kicks you out, that's on you."
Jane just jostled Maura slightly in response.
The next morning, Jane woke up just after sunrise. Sneaking down into her parents' bedroom, Jane eased the keys off her father's desk that sat in the corner of the room. He wouldn't be needin' the car anyway since it was Sunday and they always walked down to the church.
Jane, on the other hand, had plans for the car. Sneaking back up the wooden stairs, she eased the door to Maura's bedroom open. Peaking in, she saw that Maura was still tucked underneath the covers and evidently asleep.
"Psst. Maura." Jane whispered. No stirring. "Maura!" Jane said a little more forcefully. At that, Jane saw messy honey blonde hair ease up from the bed.
"Jane?" Maura croaked.
"Yeah, hurry up and get ready."
Maura reached up and smoothed her hair down. Her voice had less sleep and more mirth when she spoke again. "This don't have nothin' to do with breakin' into a church, does it?"
Jane just chuckled and shut the door closed.
