When they arrived at the restaurant, Jane quickly exited the car, halting the valet as he went to open Maura's door.
"I got it." Jane remarked as she opened the car door. She held her hand out to the other woman who smiled graciously.
"Thank you," Maura said as she accepted Jane's hand.
Jane handed the valet a twenty and grinned triumphantly when he understood that they were together.
"Good evening and welcome to the Matignon. Table for two?" The hostess asked, pulling out two menus.
"Actually, we're here with the party of Isles." Jane replied.
"Oh certainly, right this way. Some guests have already arrived."
Jane smiled when Maura took her arm again as they walked. When they entered the private room Jane had booked Maura's face lit up.
"Happy Birthday!" Came from Maura's friends.
"Jane, you did all of this for me?" Maura asked, gesturing to all the decorations and balloons.
"Oh Maura, she did all of this and more. You have got to come see your cake." Janice said, as she pulled Maura away.
Janice was one of Maura's closest friends inside and out of the clinic. She was also the very friend that told Jane if she ever broke Maura's heart, she would have to deal with her.
Jane chuckled as Maura was whisked away into the crowd. Setting their things down at the table, she grabbed herself and Maura a drink.
"Thank you for doing this for our Maura." She heard a man's voice say.
Turning around she smiled when saw that it was Maura's father.
"Arthur! You came!"
"Of course I did, I was invited, wasn't I?" He replied with a warm smile. He gave Jane's extended hand a firm shake.
"Right, uh Maura is around here somewhere. Did Constance come with you?" Jane asked, looking around the room for her girlfriend.
"As a matter of fact, I did." Constance spoke as she entered the room.
Jane visibly cringed at the woman's voice. She invited both parents but she kind of hoped Constance wouldn't show mostly because the woman had a way of sucking the air out of any room, not to mention fun.
Shaking off her discomfort, Jane put on her best smile and turned to greet the woman.
"Hello Constance. Nice to see you again. I'm glad you could make it."
Constance all but rolled her eyes. "Save the flattery Jane, I came for my daughter not because…."
"Oh look, there's my beautiful daughter." Arthur said loudly, breaking the tension that was already simmering.
"Father, Mother! You came!"
Arthur laughed and hugged his daughter. "You're the second person to say that. Oh, before I forget, your mother and I bought you a little something." He pulled a box from his coat pocket.
"I had a little help picking it out." He added, giving Jane a wink.
Maura looked from her father to Jane. Opening the box, she smiled. "A charm bracelet, I've always loved these."
"I know." Arthur said with a smile as Maura looked at each charm.
"There's a tortoise, a stethoscope, a heel, a dress, wait there seems to be one missing."
"Actually, no. Jane has the one that goes there."
Maura looked at Jane with wide, eager eyes.
Jane rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. "Yeah, about that. I'm sorry Maur but in the hurry to get to the penthouse and ready for tonight I left it at your place."
"Doesn't surprise me." Constance mumbled under her breath.
Jane heard every word and took a deep breath, reminding herself that tonight was about Maura. "I'm really sorry babe."
Maura smiled softly as she closed the box. "It's okay Jane. You can always give it to me later."
Jane smiled and reached for Maura's hand, pulling her closer. She ignored the look Constance shot her way and just continued to smile.
"Who's ready to eat?" Arthur asked, clapping his hands together. "Shall we order?"
"Oh yes, that sounds great, father. I haven't eaten since mine and Jane's lunch date."
"Well, it's settled then. Let's grab our seats." Arthur says as he leads Maura to the long table.
Maura was seated at the head with Jane to her left. Constance and Arthur seated across from her and everyone else sat down either side.
Dinner was served with Maura's favorite foods and wines. Conversations varied from sports to medicine and everything in between. Presents were opened and cake was served.
Janice had just finished telling the story of how she and Maura became friends that had the whole room laughing except Constance who snickered and sighed at every word.
"Needless to say, John never bothered you again after that." Maura remarked, still laughing as she raised her glass slightly towards her friend.
"I know that's right. Jane, you have a fierce one there. Don't let her sweet demeanor fool you. Under all of that is a woman who will strongly defend those she cares about."
Jane grinned, bringing Maura's hand to her lips making the women melt and men groan at the affection.
"So, Jane," Arthur says, taking a sip of wine. "Maura told me you're in law enforcement?"
Constance rolled her eyes and excused herself from the table.
Jane cleared her throat and focused her attention on Arthur. "Yeah, that's correct."
"Beat or drug unit?" Arthur wasn't prying, he just wanted to get to know the woman whom his daughter spoke so highly of.
"Actually, Jane's a homicide detective." Maura added, giving Jane a proud smile.
"Really?"
Maura nodded, "Graduated the top of her class and is the youngest woman to ever climb the ranks so quickly in BPD history."
"Very Impressive Jane. Did you happen to study criminal justice at BCU?"
"Well, uh," Before Jane had a chance to speak, Constance stepped into the conversation as she returned to the table.
"Oh please Arthur like someone like Jane could ever get into BCU."
"Excuse me?!"
"Mother!" Maura exclaimed, horrified by her mother's actions.
"Maura, dear, calm down. It's only the truth."
"Actually it's not." Jane fired back, trying to keep her anger under control. "I applied and was accepted."
"You did? You were?" Maura asked, surprised. Not that she thought Jane wasn't smart enough. It just never came up in conversation.
Jane nodded, "I chose not to go and instead I did my courses at the community College."
Constance snickered again. "You were accepted into one of the best schools in Boston and turned them down? I don't believe that."
"Constance," Arthur said in warning.
"With all due respect Constance, I don't care what you believe. I turned it down because my ma was already busting her back to support me and my two brothers. I didn't want my parents spending all that money to send me to school. Not that I need to explain myself to you."
Constance huffed. "Maura, darling. This is what I was talking about." She turned her attention to her husband. "It is true that Jane is a homicide detective, but did she tell you that she has a brother with a rap sheet a mile long or how she has a reputation for shooting first and asking questions later?"
"Now wait a damn minute!" Jane said, standing up, sending her chair backwards. She had enough. "I have NEVER pulled that trigger without cause!"
"Is that so? What about Paddy?"
Maura sucked in a deep breath. She hadn't told Jane yet who her biological father was.
"Paddy? Paddy Doyle?"
"Precisely. I've read the headlines Jane."
"Well, since you read the headlines. I guess you know all there is to know right?"
Jane scoffed. "See, what the papers don't tell you Constance is what a horrible man Doyle actually is or how many lives he's taken. You want to know why I shot him? He had a gun pointed directly at my partner's head! In that moment it was shoot to injure or have another cop's life lost to the scum! So, you're right Constance, I shot him! I didn't kill him when I could have!"
Jane took a deep breath, feeling the tears working their way to the surface. "I'm sorry Maur. I, I'm going to go."
Jane turned and walked towards the door.
"That's right. Leave, go back to Boston and be with your own kind." Constance spoke behind Jane's back.
"Mother!"
"Constance! That is enough!"
Jane didn't know what else happened or what else was said as she made a quick exit.
She was standing on the sidewalk waiting for the car when she heard Maura call out behind her.
"Jane, wait!"
"Go back inside Maura. It's your birthday, you deserve to spend it with your friends."
"Jane."
"Maura. Just go."
Maura grabbed Jane's hand and turned her towards her. "I don't want to go back inside."
Jane sighed heavily. "Constance is right Maura. I don't belong here. I don't belong with you."
"Jane." Maura said pleadingly. She hoped this wasn't going where she thought it was.
"I mean what do you want with an Italian, blue collar cop anyway? Is this some way for you just to get your socks off? Someone to just pass the time with?"
"What?! How dare you say that. How dare you think so little of me!" Maura remarked loudly, drawing the attention of a few passing couples.
"You didn't even try to defend me in there Maura! Your mother made me look like a piece of shit and you did nothing."
"That's where you're wrong again Jane."
"What?"
"You're wrong. I did defend you. You walked out before hearing the entire exchange."
"That's right. Leave, go back to Boston and be with your own kind." Constance spoke behind Jane's back.
"Mother!"
"Constance! That's enough!"
Maura's heart broke when Jane turned and walked out.
"Oh come on Maura. Be reasonable, you can't possibly think that you will have any kind of future with her. And Arthur, you should want someone better for our daughter."
"No Constance, that's where our ideas differ. Maura is happy, happier than I have ever seen her, and Jane genuinely cares about her and that, as her father, is what matters."
Maura could see the anger festering just below the surface of her mother's face. Normally that was enough to make Maura back down but not this time.
"You know what mother butt out! I'm not a child. I don't need saving and I don't need YOU dictating who I choose to be with. Is Jane perfect? No. Does she come from money? No, but none of that matters to me. She is the first person I've been with where I didn't have to be perfect or force a smile. I can be myself with her all the time. She makes me happy mother and I would appreciate it if you stopped meddling in my life. I can't believe you! It's my birthday and Jane went out of her way to do all of this for ME, and you managed to ruin it because she doesn't fit into YOUR perfect family."
Maura took a deep breath as it seemed the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders.
"Don't be so dramatic Maura! She's leaving in a month, isn't she? And where will you be?"
"Right now, that doesn't matter and it's none of your damn business. Now if you'll excuse me." Maura stormed from the room. Janice, along with Maura's other friends in attendance gave her an applause as she exited.
Jane stood; her mouth agape as she listened to Maura explaining what she told her mother.
"You really said all of that?"
Maura smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I did, and it felt really good. I've never stood up to my mother before with anything but you, you make me feel like I can do anything. So how about we blow this juice stand and spend the rest of the evening, just the two of us?"
Jane cracked a smile. "It's actually Let's blow this popsicle stand Maur."
Maura laughed as she wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist. "Tomato, tomahto."
"Wait, what about your friends?" Jane asked, just remembering all the people who came tonight.
"Oh, I forgot about them. I suppose I should go let them know I'm leaving."
Jane chuckled and kissed Maura tenderly as the car was pulled around to the curb. "I'll be waiting in the car."
Maura kissed Jane once more before disappearing back inside. A few minutes later she returned with their coats and purses.
"Did they give you a hard time?" Jane asked when Maura climbed into the passenger seat.
"A little, mostly Janice. She will be stopping by tomorrow to bring my gifts."
Jane smiled as she took Maura's hand, bringing it to her lips before pulling away from the restaurant.