CHAPTER TWO
People tended to assume that Jane was the one who proposed but, actually, it was Maura. People always assumed because Jane Rizzoli was the one who, quite literally, wore the pants. And Jane was, after all, the one who preferred baseball to ballet, building forts to pink canopy beds, comfort to fashion and she walked with that certain swagger in her step. People simply assumed that she was the man of the couple and as people know, it falls to the man to perform such offices. What people seldom saw, or only did if they had the privilege of taking out the fiery Italian (which had been Maura's sole privilege for some time now) was how deeply feminine she could be. How the line of a dress could mysteriously transform her from the rough and tumble cop, into a woman of sensuality, of delicate emotion, of vulnerability. This vulnerability hinted at the deep sea of emotion that coursed beneath the tough image she cultivated. It was part of what fascinated Maura.
They had been a couple for nine months when Maura proposed. She liked the idea of nine months, it represented the gestation period of a child and there was a symmetry to taking the relationship to its next level that pleased her scientific mind. It was a numerologically significant number, a number to do with completion, a spiritual number made up of three lots of three and three was the number of divinity.
On a warm summer evening, as the shade was lengthening over the back yard of Maura's manicured lawn, they sat together on a lover's seat. A wooden trellis climbed the tumbled brick wall at the far end with English roses bursting in pink delight up its length and a youthful silk tree swayed hypnotically with the breeze sheltering a marble bird bath. They had been sat there long enough that a pair of sparrows had deemed it safe and were hopping along its rim before diving into the shallow water within. Maura's head was resting against the silky skin of Jane's collarbone, her legs draped across her lap, their fingers intertwined. She could hear the steady heartbeat of her lover pulsing, soothing, lilting in her ear. Through the open window, Angela, Tommy and Frankie Rizzoli were talking in the kitchen, their voices rising and falling in a quiet cadence that seemed to blend with the stirring of the breeze. The smell of dinner drifted on the air.
They had returned home a half an hour ago from a weekend trip away to Cape Cod, where they had hired a recently renovated cottage that faced directly onto miles of sandy white beach. They had arrived late on the Friday evening. The tang of the ocean had filled Maura's nostrils as she stepped out of the car and in the dim light of the moon, the waves could be seen lapping at the shore. She'd breathed it in, feeling the particles infuse themselves into her body. She'd wanted to run into the sea, to feel the caress of the water on her skin. So she turned to Jane and suggested a delightfully naughty skinny dip. Jane had grumbled, insisting they would be caught but had ultimately given in. Maura could be most persuasive. The cool particles of sand slid between their toes as they made their way to the shore, their hands clutching at the beach towels wrapped around their bodies. Maura had giggled as she dropped her's and gently disengaged Jane's sliding her hands over the shoulders, down the arms and gently take her hands and leading her into the water. Maura had savoured the feel of their slippery skin as they held each other, sharing salty kisses and she had wrapped her legs around Jane's torso.
They had turned their cell phones off and with no work to distract them they had had the rare luxury of turning their attention on each other. They had hired bikes and taken advantage of the miles of cycle track. They had visited a fish market and bought fish caught that very morning which had delighted Maura and she had rattled off the benefits of freshly caught fish. Jane had laughed at Maura's enthusiasm and kissed her. They'd eaten lunch at the village nearby and basked in the sun, swum in the ocean, walked along the tracks and watched the sunset. It had been simple and it had been wonderful.
Now they were home and they were sat quietly in the back yard savouring the last moments of the weekend as the sun set. Maura found her job as Chief Medical Examiner for the Boston PD satisfying and fulfilling. She loved the methodical, systematic science that helped bringing criminals to justice, she enjoyed the challenge of managing the medical examiners below her but tonight she loathed the though of returning to work because where she was right now was perfection. It was a novel and inspiring feeling.
She peered up at her lover. Jane's eyes were closed and her hand was making lazy circles on Maura's back.
"Jane?" she whispered.
"Mmmm?"
"I love you."
Jane smiled without opening her eyes.
"I love you too, babe."
"Jane?."
"Mmmm."
"Will you marry me?"
Eyes cracked open, peered down, questioning.
Maura sat back, perching herself on the edge of their swinging seat. She took Jane's hand in hers, sliding her thumbs across her stigmata scars.
"Jane. I love you. I love being with you. I can't imagine not waking next to you every day for the rest of my life and I don't want to. I want to spend the rest of my life making love with you, I want…"
"Maura! Shhhh" Jane glanced furtively to the open kitchen window.
"But I do!" she said earnestly. She paused to see how Jane was receiving the information. She noted the lowered eyes, the pink flush in her cheeks, the furrow in the brow and for a panicked moment, she though Jane was going to pull her hands away.
"You've contracted you procerus and frontalis muscles, Jane…"
"Really, Maura?" Jane said incredulously, but she was laughing. When her eyes rose, they were brimming with tears and the look of love took Maura's breath away.
"Yes, Maura," she said, "I will marry you."
Maura laughed and cupped Jane's face in both her hands. "Oh my sweet darling." She said and kissed her softly. Jane pulled her back into her lap, pressing their bodies together.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Jane jumped and almost sent Maura flying.
"Jeez, Frankie! Don't do that!"
"Hey! I'm not the one canoodling in a public place."
"Seriously? Does this look like a public place to you?"
Frankie laughed and slapped his sister playfully on the shoulder. "Come on you love birds, the burritos are ready."
He turned back into the house but just as Jane was about to stand up, Mara pulled on her hand.
"Wait, I have something for you."
Jane frowned. Maura stood and slid her hand into her pocket.
"I hope you don't mind if I had it made without consulting you…"
Clasped between her fingers she drew out a platinum ring with single princess cut diamonds embedded within. She sat back down, pulling up Jane's left hand and sliding it onto her finger.
"I know you don't like jewelry much, so I chose something simple and that wouldn't catch on anything..."
Jane sat looking at her finger. A tear fell from her eyelashes and she brushed it away, laughing.
"Look at what you've done to me, Maura, you've made me go all soft." She stood, Maura was pulled into her arms and held tightly, "Thank-you"
"Gee! Get a room!"
The pair parted to find Frankie leaning against the door frame.
"You guys coming?"
"Oh, be quiet, you." Jane said grinning like a fool and, grabbing Maura's hand, sauntered into the house.
They sat at the table like two co-conspirators. Neither of them said a word but Angela's suspicions were quickly roused.
"What's with you two?"
Maura saw her eyes dart surreptitiously to the table but Jane had hidden them on her lap. When Angela looked up though, she smiled so wide that Angela's eye lit up, the meaning caught.
"Oh, nothing, Ma." Jane was saying, unaware of the silent exchange and picked up her burrito with both hands.
There was a gasp. "Oh, Jane, Maura… Oh, she asked you!"
"She asked me…you asked my Ma's permission?" Jane whispered swinging around.
"Well your Dad isn't around, so of course I did, Jane."
Before Jane could pursue that, Angela was up and showering kisses all both of them.
"I expect grand-kids, you hear?"
"Ma… really!?"
"What's going on?" Tommy and Frankie were looking up from their food, confused until they spotted the ring on their sister's hand.
"Whoa, sis!" Tommy shouted abandoning his half eaten food to pull Jane into a bear hug, Frankie close behind pulling Maura up. Angela was grabbing Jane's hand to get a closer look.
"Oh, Maura, it's beautiful! It must have cost a fortune!"
"It only cost $22, 560."
"Maura!" Jane gasped turning around, "That's …"
"What? They say you should spend a month's salary on a ring."
"There is no way you earn that much in a month."
"Well – not with my job, but including all my investments and interest…"
"Oh Maura…" Angela seemed quite beside herself.
"Look at you landing yourself a Sugar Mama!" Tommy and Frankie were slapping Jane on her back.
xxx
Later that night, Jane rang her father. Things had been strange with him ever since her parent's had split. She'd seen him a handful of times and she missed him, because she'd always had a strong affinity with his quiet, strong ways. But something had ruptured in the break up.
He seemed pleased to hear from her and happy to hear her news.
"Of course, Pa, we'll meet for lunch sometime soon," she said as she hung up and looked forlornly at the phone for a moment.
"Why are you sad?" Maura asked, her head cocked on one side. She was sitting up in bed, a medical journal open before her, though she had actually been listening to Jane's conversation.
"Oh, I'm fine." Jane said. She slid into the bed and tucked herself against Maura. She checked her finger again, just to make sure the ring hadn't mysteriously disappeared.
"You shouldn't have spent that much, Maura."
"Why not? I wanted to."
"It's too much… what if I loose it?"
"Then the insurance will cover it. Don't you like it, Jane? Are you unhappy with it? I can always get another one made…"
"Oh no! It's beautiful perfect, I just… I've never had anything this expensive before. It's… I don't know." She shrugged. Then she collected herself and looked up, flashing a devilish smile and gently prized the journal from Maura's hand. Leaning across, she placed it on the night stand.
"I think," she purred, placing a few light kisses on Maura's collarbone, "That you are a little over dressed right now."
"Yes, I am." Maura replied, feeling the delightful thrill of anticipation radiate through her as a hand slid under her silk nightee.
"Perhaps I can help you with that."
"Yes, please," she sighed and the errant hand skimmed over her waist to cup her breast.
I'm not adverse to writing smut, so if you want it, let me know, otherwise on with the story!
Please review! :)