Chapter Five
Maura sat in an empty boardroom, exhausted. She looked at the mound of paperwork sitting in front of her and wondered why the world ran on such stacks of paper. As far as she was concerned everyone could do a powerpoint presentation and email the highlights instead of printing every graph, table of numbers, breakdown analyses. Running a corporation wasn't fun, Maura knew, but this one was near and dear to her. The Isles Family Foundation always ran aboveboard with no hint of scandal so the amount of paper it ran on was to be expected.
She glanced at her watch and sighed. Kelly was due to arrive in twenty minutes. They were going to dinner together before attending Kelly's friend's wedding on Saturday. Maura had hoped to return to her suite and freshen up but it wasn't to be. She returned to a last few financial statements while waiting for Kelly. Maura was deep in the balance sheet when her phone rang. She answered the call, expecting it to be Kelly. Maybe she was running late.
"Hello, Maura."
"Jane!" Maura couldn't have been more surprised. Jane chuckled.
"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Jane asked.
"I was expecting a call from someone else, we're, uh, going out to dinner. I guess I'm a little surprised your call made it through," Maura said.
"Why? Are you in outer Siberia?"
"No, Australia, as a matter of fact."
"Oh, you weren't kidding when you said you were leaving to go to Australia," Jane sounded surprised.
"Why, Jane? Did you think I made up the trip because of you?" Maura said then hoped Jane wouldn't answer that. The trip to Australia occurred because of Jane; Maura just moved it up a few weeks earlier.
"Did you meet someone in Australia, Maura?"
"No, I ran into Kelly Garrison on the trip over here," Maura replied. Jane felt her blood pressure rise when she heard Kelly's name.
"How is Kelly?" Jane asked, trying to keep her voice even.
"You remember her?" Maura asked, surprised.
"How could I forget her, Maura? She was the reason I got off my butt and asked you out. I thought I'd lose you to her."
"Small world then. I never expected to lose you to Joey Grant."
Jane sighed. "I don't know what to say, Maura."
"Say goodbye, Jane," Maura replied. She looked up to see Kelly get off the elevator and approach her secretary's desk. "My date's here, I have to go."
"Maura, I…"
"No, Jane," Maura interrupted. "You married Joey, you have two kids, it's time to leave it at that." Maura closed her phone and dropped it in her bag. She motioned Kelly into her office.
"Hello, Maura. Or should I say, gorgeous?" Kelly smiled. Maura smiled back.
"Hi, Kelly, nice to see you. Let me get my coat and I'll be ready to go."
Jane sat back in her chair, upset. Maura's seeing Kelly again, she thought. I knew someday Maura would find someone worthy of her. I just always thought it would be me. Jane didn't bother to stop the tears from flowing freely down her face. Frost started to poke his head in Jane's office to say goodnight but saw his boss sitting there silently crying. He grabbed his coat and backed out, shaking his head. Nothing like feeling trapped, he thought.
The candlelight showed Maura's face in a generous light. Now in her early forties Kelly thought Maura was still one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen in her life. She hoped she didn't blow this, she always liked Maura and wanted to make the most of her unexpected chance.
Maura watched Kelly's expression as the other woman explained some of the funnier moments of trying to staff hospitals with appropriate nursing personnel.
"We've had problems with nurses showing up to work intoxicated or otherwise under the influence, we've had nurses show up two or three hours late because they were with their boyfriends and didn't want to leave, it's amazing how some people conduct themselves even at work," she was saying. Maura watched Kelly's facial expressions change with her conversation. Maura had learned how to use the Facial Action Coding System back during the Hoyt investigations and remembered most of the expressions she learned. Kelly's eyes got wide when she spoke of something she truly didn't understand, Maura noticed. But Kelly's expression was never softer than when she gazed across the table at Maura. Maura hoped something more might develop between them. They had medicine in common, although Maura didn't practice anymore, they had a dating past, she knew Kelly was a nice person which was a priority for Maura.
"Care for some dessert, Maura?" Kelly was asking. Maura shook her head, placing her napkin on the table next to her empty plate.
"The food is wonderful here, Kelly. I can't eat another bite."
Kelly stood and offered Maura her hand. Tucking Maura's hand in the crook of her arm Kelly escorted Maura out of the restaurant. Noting the air had turned cool Kelly took her jacket off and draped it around Maura's shoulders. Maura smiled her thanks.
They walked along the waterfront area in front of the restaurant. The sun was slowly setting and they watched the orange glow fade from the sky. The water looked dark and uninviting, different from the daytime.
"Care to walk along the waterline?" Kelly asked. Maura nodded. Kelly took Maura's hand and led her across the sand. Maura leaned on Kelly's shoulder and took off her shoes, preferring to walk barefoot. Kelly took Maura's hand and held it as they walked.
"I'm enjoying your company, Maura," Kelly said.
"I'm enjoying yours as well, Kelly. I always did," she said, looking up at Kelly.
"No encumbrances now, Maura. Neither of us is dating anyone."
"True. Maybe we should explore this further?" Maura said.
Kelly stopped and turned to face Maura. She tipped Maura's face to hers and placed a gentle kiss on Maura's lips. "I'd like that," she said.
Jane lost track of the time, sitting in her office crying. The phone rang, startling her reverie. "Rizzoli," she barked into the phone.
"Are you coming home tonight, Jane?" Joey asked. Jane sighed. She ran her hand through her hair.
"I'll be there shortly," she said, replacing the receiver.
I wonder what my life would be like now, if I'd married Maura instead of Joey. Would we be parents? Maura mentioned wanting children. We discussed it once. We were stretched out on my bed, right after running that damn marathon Maura talked me into. I teased her earlier about the team acronym-PUKE-making Maura cry. I hated it when Maura cried, especially if I caused it.
I pulled off my top and threw it in the corner. "There, PUKE is gone," I said. Maura laughed. "Oh, Jane, it wasn't that bad, now was it?" she purred, straddling me. I reached out and pulled her top off, too, throwing it in the same corner.
"Speaking of children, Jane, I'd like some in the future," Maura said. Were we talking about children? I guess.
I snapped my fingers. "Coming right up," I teased. Maura leaned forward and kissed me. I lost my train of thought whenever she kissed me. Her kisses were so loving and passionate I forgot my own name most of the time.
"I want two."
"Two what?"
"Children, Jane, are have you already forgotten what we were discussing?" Maura teased me. I flipped her over on her back and took control.
"In that case we'd better get started, don't you think?" I said.
Maura put her arms around Kelly's neck and kissed her back. Kelly responded and the two women stood on the beach, oblivious to anyone around them. After a moment Kelly pulled back.
"My place?" she asked. Maura nodded. Encircling Maura's waist with her arm Kelly guided Maura to her car.
Jane grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. Wiping her eyes she discarded the tissue and looked at the paperwork on her desk. Despite the computers everything still needed to be printed out on paper. Damn, where did I put the Thompson file? She thought. Did I take it home? Yes, I did, Jane suddenly remembered. It's by the computer at home. Oh, well, guess it's time to go. I'm sure Joey's fed the kids and put them to bed. I should get home just in time to tuck them in. Jane stood and grabbed her jacket. Just then she heard the elevator doors open. She was caught remembering the last day Maura worked at the precinct.
"Time to go, Maura?" Jane asked.
"All packed. I left an inventory list by the computer downstairs, Jane, just in case the new examiner needs to find something quickly. Everything's clean, all of the bodies have been autopsied and the reports have been given to the respective detectives."
Jane was uneasy about Maura leaving, but at eight months' pregnant she was uneasy about anything out of the ordinary in her daily life.
"How's Michael these days?"
"Rushed," Maura smiled affectionately. "He came back from San Francisco; we found a condo to rent while we look for a home."
Jane wanted to tell Maura her home was here, with her in Boston, but couldn't. I gave up all rights to claim Maura as my own, Jane realized.
All of the detectives in the precinct planned a party with a gift for Maura. A gold scalpel with her initials on it and the years she spent with the Boston PD engraved on the handle. Maura started to cry a little, when she opened the gift. Jane's gut twisted. She hated seeing Maura cry.
When the cake had been cut and enjoyed Maura re-wrapped her gift and picked it up. She looked up, found Jane's eyes and tried to convey her last thoughts. Jane couldn't bear it, she turned and started talking to one of the newer detectives. Maura picked up her gift and left the precinct.
Until two weeks ago in the grocery store, Jane hadn't seen Maura again.
"Right," Jane said to herself and left the precinct. An interesting evening awaited her: tucking in the kids, a cold dinner held over for her, and the Thompson file.
"Yay," she muttered as she left.
TBC. Hang in there, it's getting better. As usual reviews are always welcome.