Chapter 24

Everyone stood still. The tension was so thick it was palpable. No one in the room seemed to know who should speak next, move next. So they all continued to stand where they were. Maura, who had stayed calm but determined throughout the confrontation, found the break in her speech to her father a welcome break. It gave her a chance to catch her breath and run through whether she had anything else to say to him.

Then there was a slow realization that as her mother stood in front of her looking at her father with something close to hatred in her eyes that Constance had not been a part of what Phillip was trying to do. From the look on Constance's face and the nature of the question she posed to him, it was clear that she was not a party to any dissolution. Maura's heart swelled and she felt herself almost give into tears of joy. But she held back. She wasn't going to cry in front of her father. She wasn't going to let him think she was crying for him.

Jane started to feel like an intruder. She shouldn't be here. This was a private family matter. She had been worried about Maura and how she would handle herself but Jane realized she no longer needed to worry. Jane hadn't heard everything Maura had been saying to Phillip but she had heard enough. Enough to be amazed and proud of Maura. That was the Maura Jane loved. Strong, confident and not afraid to speak her mind. Jane felt bad that Maura had to confront her father but she was not only holding her own but she in complete command.

Phillip looked like a wounded animal. He was backed up against a chair and was suddenly dealing with being confronted by three angry females. He had never seen the look on Constance's face directed at him before. In almost an act of defiance, he was the first one to make a move. He stepped forward and attempted to approach Constance.

"Step back Phillip," she said in a flat, even tone.

"Constance," he started but was interrupted.

"That wasn't a rhetorical question. What kind of man hurts his only child? I'm waiting for an answer," Constance's glare at Phillip spoke volumes about where she stood in all of this. If Jane had doubted her before, she didn't doubt her now.

Maura turned her attention to her mother. She hadn't budged and her eyes were locked in on Phillip. Maura was now starting to feel as if she no longer belonged in the room. She had said her peace. Jane had been right. She didn't foresee any circumstance in which she would move forward with Phillip in her life. But this time, it was her choice. She looked over at Jane and knew they were both thinking the same thing.

"Mother, I believe you two," and she motioned over to Phillip, "have some things you need to discuss. We will leave you alone." Maura started walking towards Jane but stopped in front of Constance.

Constance embraced her daughter in a tight hug. "I didn't know," she said in a whisper so only Maura could hear. "I love you."

"I know," Maura whispered back. "We'll talk later. Come by my suite later tonight if you can get away," she kissed her mother's cheek and Constance nodded an acknowledgement. Maura backed away and grabbed Jane's hand and started to head to the door. "Come on, I'm through here."

Neither said anything as they waited for the elevator. Once it arrived and both ladies stepped inside, Jane couldn't be silent anymore. "Are you okay?"

Maura turned to look at her friend and appreciated the concern that was embedded in her tone. "I am. Maybe for the first time since all of this started, I really am," and as she said it a small smile was on her face.

Jane went to grab Maura's hand but paused for a second. Instead of her hand, she quickly embraced her friend in a tight hug. Maura relaxed immediately into the embrace and it wasn't broken until both felt the elevator coming to a stop. Jane backed off only enough so that both could walk off the elevator.

"Come on, let's head back," Maura offered up. They both headed out and nodded in appreciation to Charlie for opening the door.

"You ladies need a cab?"

"No thank you Charlie. I think we will walk."

"Have a nice evening, Doc. Nice to have met you Miss Jane."

"Good bye Charlie," and Maura meant it to be a good bye.

They headed back across the street and started to walk through the park. Jane had inched herself close enough to Maura that they were almost one and walked in step with each other. She slipped her arm around Maura's back and kept it there as they walked. She wanted to make sure Maura felt protected and that she knew she was not alone. Maura made no effort to break the contact that Jane was now showering upon her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jane asked as they walked.

Maura shook her head. "Not yet."

They continued through the park and Jane never took her eyes off Maura. She was watching, waiting to see if there would be some emotional backlash but so far none had come. They made their way back to Maura's suite and didn't separate from each other until they had to walk through the front door.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Maura asked now showing some signs of concern and regret.

"Constance?"

Maura nodded.

"If there's one thing I've learned about your mother, it's that she can take care of herself. I think they both have things to say but I'm sure she will be fine. No matter what comes next I have faith in her."

"But if she has to choose..." a flash of guilt crossed Maura's eyes.

"Hey, first of all, it was pretty clear to me that she already has chosen. Second, it's for her to decide what happens next, Maura. She will do what's right for her."

"I didn't mean to put her in this position."

"You didn't Maura. Your father did. None of this, and I mean none of this, was your doing. Phillip chose to do this. Now he has to face the consequences. It just might cost him two people who loved him."

They both moved towards the terrace again. Jane stopped in the kitchen to retrieve a beer and a glass of wine for Maura. When she joined Maura on the terrace she handed her the wine. Maura was looking out over the park and lost in her thoughts. Jane, who didn't want to be far away from her, took a seat in one of the chairs.

"I was really proud of you tonight Maura."

"In truth, I was kind of proud of myself too. How much did you hear?"

"I walked in as you were explaining how empty and unfulfilled Phillip's life was. I assume I just missed a few warm up pitches. I heard enough to know you said what you needed to say and again, I'm very proud of you."

Maura returned her gaze out over the park and didn't say anything for awhile. After a minute, Maura turned back to look at Jane.

"How do I begin to thank you?"

"For what?"

"For all of this. For being you. For caring about me. For knowing something was wrong. For finding me. For not pushing when I wasn't ready. For pushing when I was. For supporting me. For everything."

Jane didn't have an immediate answer. She just stared at Maura.

"I'm serious Jane. How do I even start to thank you for what you've done for me?"

"Maura," Jane sighed. She was going to give her the standard answer about not needing thanks and about how this was what you do when you are friends and how she would have done the same thing but instead she said, "You can thank me by never running away from me again."

Maura took in this answer and she took in Jane. Maura thought that she had seen sides of Jane that few people were allowed to see. She had seen Jane happy, sad, angry, injured, and even scared. But she was seeing another side of Jane tonight, something she couldn't place. There was a somewhat scared and desperate look on her face. There was something in the way she asked Maura not to run away again. Maura was trying to figure it out and was about to say something when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Maura excused herself and headed for the door. She opened it and found her mother, suitcase in hand, standing there.

"Got room for one more tonight?"

Maura stepped aside and let Constance into her suite.