The Anniversary to Remember Chapter Eight

Maura sat alone at the end of the hospital corridor, she was crying, and fearful that she may have irrevocably damaged the one relationship that means more to her than life itself. She did not know how long she sat there by herself, minutes, hours it all seemed to be lost in waves of guilt and shame. Finally though her solitude was ended by the sound of a familiar and gentle voice. "Dear One, there you are. I've been looking all over for you." It was Canon Wells "You've been crying, what's wrong?"

Maura looked into the comforting eyes of the venerable old priest "Oh Canon Wells, Jane hates me! I betrayed her trust, now she knows all about it and she'll never forgive me!"

Canon Wells sat down beside her and reached inside his coat pocket and produced his handkerchief and offered it to her "Maybe I can help. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

Maura dried her eyes "This happened five years ago when we were at EDS, during her first year, what you call the Junior year. I became involved briefly with one of her professors, Jack Thorne, and I never told her Well she found out tonight and she's very hurt and angry with me."

Canon Wells nodded intently to show he was listening " By involved do you mean in a sexual way?"

Maura shook her head "No, absolutely no! It was progressing toward that, but when he kissed me and I realized what that would mean, and how I would harm Jane, I said no and ended the relationship."

Canon Wells nodded again "So this relationship was more an emotional connection and entanglement than physical. Hmm So why didn't you tell her back then? This seems a case were as they say the cover-up is worse than the crime."

Maura nodded "You know about what happened to Jane?"

Canon Wells interjected "I am very familiar with what happened, don't forget I was on the diocesan Committee on Ministry when Jane first applied, so I read all her materials and interviewed her on multiple occasions."

Maura continued "Well then you have some idea how hard those first two years of our marriage were. She was shot two weeks after our honeymoon! She almost died on several occasions, and had four surgeries, including two where they took bone graphs to rebuild her spinal column. Then the SCI rehabilitation programs, she was in the hospital so long and it was so painful for her. Finally on one occasion her rehabilitation program wanted her hospitalized again, and when she was brought to her room she..."

Canon Wells held Maura's hand "Dear One, I know. She pulled out her port so she would bleed to death. Mother and I have spoken about this on several occasions."

Maura started to cry again "This took a heavy toll on our marriage, by the time we had arrived at EDS I felt more like a nurse than a wife, and it seemed like Jane had lost all interest in me. She was cold and distant, it was oppressive."

Canon Wells felt safe in connecting the dots "Thus Jack, a man recently widowed, very smart and worldly with lots of great stories and he was paying you all sorts of attention.."

Maura added "and kind as well as understanding, since he had experienced loss as well. How it started was both of us had a desire to talk with someone about what we were going through."

Canon Wells nodded "You know the COM had real concerns about Jane when we first interviewed her. That's why we required her to enter into psychotherapy, and spiritual direction, because while we were convinced she had great gifts for ministry, we were seriously concerned about whether she could overcome the psychological trauma and spiritual despair. In fact that's why she's been assigned as a curate at Saint Andrew's, the COM wanted her with someone that knows her, who'd watch out for her during her initial few years in ministry, before she takes on a solo call."

Maura looked over at the Canon "I think you know then why I was scared."

Canon Wells nodded "Yes, but Mother is not that person you describe anymore, is she now?"

Maura smiled "No, no she is not. I think it was our second Christmas at EDS, that I really noticed the change happening. She came back to our apartment with several of the other seminarians, they were pushing her in her wheelchair, and they were singing Christmas Carols. On Jane's lap sat this little, raggedy Christmas tree. It was the funniest looking tree that I had ever seen. Well they were all proud of it and wanted to decorate it! So, before you know it someone has colored paper, another foam poster board, someone else still finds scissors, pens and glue, as well as glitter and I'm making pop corn to string! Jane and I sat there and strung popcorn for that raggedy old tree, and she hugged me an wished me a Merry Christmas, and told me that she loved me."

Canon Wells smiled "She came back for you that Christmas, she's not going to leave you now. Maura, you know I had to make a decision about whether to recommend Jane for ordination. What impressed me the most was when I read a report about her injuries that concluded by saying only a sixth of all patients with her condition will be able to walk again. The expectation was that she would be confined to a wheelchair, or maybe be able to take a few spastic steps with the aid of crutches. Yet at that final interview she walked in with her cane. Now it wasn't lost on me that she was struggling, but she did it. The point was clear to me she's a fighter, with the heart of a lion, nothing is going to keep her down. Go to her, talk to her, she has a big place in that lion's heart of hers for you! So don't be afraid to be honest, she's not the broken woman who tried to kill herself in a fit of despair six and a half years ago, with God's help she pulled back from that abyss along time ago. Yet, my Dear One, sometimes I fear you're still there, that your fear is trapping you. Remember your love for each other will always win out"

Maura smiled as she stood up and handed Canon Wells back his handkerchief "It still took a long time to rebuild our relationship, in fact I think we're still rebuilding it in some ways, but that Christmas night, was the night I saw her, that glow was back in her eyes! The girl I fell in love with was there. I'm not going to let her go, ever!"

Frankie walked down the hall to where Maura was standing with Canon Wells "Sorry to interrupt, but Maura, Ma and Jane would like for you to come in."

Maura hesitantly stepped into Angela's hospital room not knowing what Jane or for that matter Angela might say to her. Jane smiled as she crossed the room to where Maura stood and through her arms around her. "I was being silly earlier and I'm sorry. Jack kissed you, that's not your fault you thought he was a friend, and you ended it when he wanted more, I couldn't ask for more. It's just that it scares me to think that I could have lost you."

Maura squeezed Jane tight as she hugged her back "You can never loose me, and that's the point, because I love you silly!"

Angela smiled "Good! Now that's more like it. Gee, I get sick for five minutes and the whole world falls apart!"

Maura ran over to Angela bed " How are you feeling? You had both of us so worried."

Angela looked into the eyes of her daughter in law "I will be fine, I plan to be home and cooking dinner on Christmas day, just you watch! Now you need to take care of Jane when I'm gone."

Maura squeezed her hand "I always do, but you know what, lately she's been taking care of me. I don't think you need to worry."

Angela smiled "Trust me, you're going to learn this, I'm a mother, I always worry about my kids, why do you think I always worry about you!"

Maura kissed Angela on the cheek "Thank you!"

Epilogue

Jane and Maura walked into the living room and found Cailin asleep on the sofa. Maura smiled when she noticed the neat pile of clothes that used to be in her closest "She went shopping again."

Jane laughed "She's enabling your addiction!"

Maura ran upstairs to check on Alice, and Jane made sure the lights were off downstairs before following her. "How is our girl?"

Maura smiled as she stepped out of the nursery "She's fine."

Jane walked into their bedroom, she was to tired to bother with unpacking from the trip, so she left her suitcase untouched and changed into pajamas. Maura had already changed for bed having put on a fresh nightgown. "Jane, is there anything we still need to talk about?"

Jane looked over at Maura "Are you happy with how our life together has turned out?"

Maura smiled as she sat down on the bed "I'm very happy now. It's been a hard journey to get here, but yes I'm very happy that I decided to spend my life with you. But why do you ask that question?"

Jane climbed into bed "I'm so glad you decided to spend your life with me as well, because I would be lost without you. It's just that I know this is not the life you expected when we decided to get married, and I worry that well, I..."

Maura smiled as she leaned over and kissed Jane good night. "Stop worrying."

Author's note

I want to thank everyone for their comments, suggestions and feedback, I really enjoy reading your thoughts and am happy that you are enjoying Mother Jane. My purpose in writing this story, "The Anniversary to Remember" was to try and answer your questions concerning Mother Jane and Maura and their life together prior to the start of my first story "A New Call" namely:

• what happened when our ladies returned from Paris,

• their wedding and how they became Episcopalian,

• Jane's job and what happened with the shooting,

• the nature of Jane's injury and it's lasting impact

• How Jane's injury has impacted Maura

I hope I was able to adequately shed light on these questions with this story, and I am looking forward to continuing this storyline in several upcoming tales.

On a further note, the football game referenced in this story, Luther Bowl, is real and has been played for fifty two years. In reflecting on what Jane's seminary experience would have been like I realized there was know way she'd miss Luther Bowl!

Peace,

Father Gene