The Anniversary to Remember Chapter Seven
Maura looked at Jane with such intensity "I would never ever lie to you! Yes, Jack and I became briefly involved on an emotional level, but I never slept with him. He was lonely, his wife having recently died from cancer, and I was lonely to, our relationship being in a dark place. I don't think you realize how horrible things were during those first few years after your shooting. It's not an excuse or a justification it's just what happened. If he told you anything else he's a liar!"
Jane calmly said "He told me he kissed you."
Maura nodded "Yes he kissed me, very passionately I might add, and it almost led to us being together, but when I thought of what I would be throwing away, my love for you, I said no! That's when it ended. Yes, he tried calling, and wrote a few letters, sent that Christmas Card, and now I know why you were all out of sorts after seeing it, but I never responded to him, it was over."
Jane looked at her and Maura could see the hurt, the pain she had tried to avoid for the past five years. "Why?"
Maura stood there, tears were now running down her cheeks "It's not like I planned it! I wasn't looking to have an affair or some kind of emotional entanglement, but we were both very lonely and we consoled each other, supported each other and offered each that intimacy that each of us were lacking in our lives. Jane after you were shot, you hadn't touched me in two years. I felt like I had become your nurse, not your wife. Then with the depression you slid into, and the suicide attempt, I felt like I had to walk on egg shells around you! Jack gave me an outlet for a brief moment to be me again, he was that brief glimmer of light in a life that had become enveloped in a perpetual darkness. Yet, I never stopped loving you, and I never cheated on you! When Jack kissed me and I realized where this would go, I said no and ended it."
Jane shook her head "I don't know what to say. I mean I knew something happened, but I always hoped I was wrong, that Jack had lied about kissing you, but to hear you say this. I..."
Frankie came down the corridor and saw Jane and Maura standing there in what appeared to be an intense conversation "Janie, we can go back and see Ma!
Jane looked at Maura and Maura just looked away "Go see Angela, we'll talk later."
Jane and Frankie walked into Angela's hospital room. Angela was lying in her hospital bed with an I.V. pole beside her with several bags of fluid hanging on it and running into a line going to her arm. Angela brightened up as she saw the two of them walk into her room. "What are you two doing here? You, you have work tomorrow! And, you, you're supposed to be in Vermont! Where's Maura?"
Jane winced at the question, "Maura is out in the waiting room, she sends her love. How are you doing?"
Angela shook her head "I don't know. I can't even remember how I got here. The doctors said I had a small stroke, and that's why I can't remember things and am having trouble moving my arm an my legs."
Frankie chimed in "Don't worry Ma, the doctors are saying you're going to be fine! That medicine they gave you in the Emergency Room it is like Drano for your brain! It knocked the clot right out of there! A few weeks in a stroke rehabilitation program and then some outpatient physical therapy, good as new!"
Jane nodded knowingly "That's right, good as new!"
Angela looked over at Frankie "Can you go and find Maura?" Frankie looked over at Jane, who just nodded. "I think she's in the waiting room." Frankie squeezed his mother's hand and walked out to find her.
Angela looked over at Jane, "They said I will need to be on blood thinners the rest of my life, and that it will be several months before they really know how much of the damage is permanent." Jane held her mother's hand. "I know. I'm here for you. Whatever it takes, I'm here for you."
Angela looked into Jane's eyes "Is this how you felt?"
Jane looked at her mother and swallowed hard "I just want you to know how much I love you, and how I appreciate everything you have done for me, and all the sacrifices you have made for me over the years. I am sorry if I haven't been the daughter you dreamt of having, and that I haven't lived up to your expectations, and also I forgive you for the times when you hurt me, because I know you never really meant to hurt me. I love you Ma!
Angela looked up at her daughter "Thank you, but listen here Jane Clementine Rizzoli, you are the daughter I have always dreamt of, and you have not only lived up to my expectations you have exceeded them, and don't you ever forget that. Now something is wrong, you and Maura are usually joined at the hip, now fess up, what did you do!"
Jane laughed "I should have known I couldn't hide anything from you, I guess you can say we had a fight. She told me about something that happened when we were at EDS and it upset me, and I said some things and now she's upset."
Angela looked at her daughter "Is it about Jack Thorne?"
Jane looked startled on hearing the name "Yes, but how did you know?"
Angela squeezed Jane's hand "Because, she told me about Jack five years ago, and I told her to break things off with him and to never ever tell you about this."
Jane was shocked "She told you?"
Angela nodded "She told me the whole story, about how Jack stopped by to drop something off for you, but when Maura told him you weren't home they started talking and how she offered him some wine and finally how he kissed her. She was confused, and upset and needed someone to talk to. We both agreed this would hurt you so we decided that it would be for the best if she just ended things with Jack and never said anything to you about it. Jane, you were not yourself back then, we did it to protect you. I believe her when she says nothing happened, and you should to, now move on."
