"I really just want to order a pizza, grab some drinks from the store, and go home. Cuddling on the couch is a lot better than what we're actually going to do tonight." Jane huffed as she opened the driver's side of the Prius and slid behind the wheel.
"That does sound appealing," Maura agreed, clicking her seatbelt into place. "We don't have to cook, Jane. I could call Amelia and have her bring something over for us. What about," the doctor ran through a mental list of possible dinners, "Italian?"
"Sweetie, I know how much you love Italians," the detective grinned, not bothering to see the reaction from her girlfriend but instead focusing her eyes on the road, "but I'm not really in the mood. What about lamb of some kind? Turkish?"
"Oh, that sounds lovely. We could have her make various kebobs, hummus with a vegetable platter for an appetizer, and, of course, prepare some traditional side dishes. Let me just call her." The doctor pulled her phone out to scroll for the number.
"Maura," Jane turned to the woman next to her as the car came to a stop at a red light. "Are we really calling a personal chef to bring us dinner because we don't feel like cooking or ordering out?"
Blinking, the honey brunette stopped looking at her phone's screen to look at the detective. "You'd rather we order pizza? I thought you weren't in the mood for Italian. Although," she tilted her head in consideration, "pizza isn't technically Italian. It is actually more of a…"
"No, I just mean… look, three months ago I didn't even know who Amelia was. I think," Jane turned her eyes back to the road, "I'm getting too comfortable with your money. I don't like that."
"It's mine to share, Jane, and I want to share it with you. Besides, there's little difference in cost between paying Amelia to cook for us and us going out to a nice restaurant. You paid for such a thing last week when we went on our date. This is simply me taking my turn." Maura frowned. "I don't want money to be an issue between us. We've been doing so well thus far about it."
"Well, yeah, but that's only because I demanded you let me at least pay a few of the utility bills since I'm living with you. I don't like feeling like I'm not pulling my own weight, and a lot of the stuff we do I would never be able to afford on my salary. I mean," Jane glanced down at herself and quickly back up to the road, "this suit costs more than three of my paychecks, Maura. Three."
Maura sighed, trying to comprehend what was happening. "I don't understand. Are you angry, upset, uncomfortable, or something else? I don't know what to say here, Jane."
"I'm… I don't want you to think that I'm only sticking around for thousand dollar suits, I guess. I don't know." The detective shrugged. "You know that I'd be happy with you if we were living in my apartment off my salary alone, right? I mean, it's not your money I want to be with."
"I know that, dear-heart. If it was, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation because I would never have dated you let alone befriended you. If you're concerned that I would ever think you're with me for my money, don't be. I know where your heart is." Maura tapped the screen of her phone. "I'm calling Amelia. I'm also telling her to bring a light dessert. We'll chill some ice wine when we get home, change into something comfortable, and cuddle on the sofa until everyone arrives. How does that sound?"
"It's the best plan I've heard in months." Jane gave a weak smile and nodded her approval.
"That smells great, Amelia. One of these days, you're going to have to teach Maura how to make this stuff," Jane quipped with a smile as she finished off a glass of water.
"I already know how to make this, Jane. However, perhaps Amelia could teach you? Something other than burnt toast and scrambled eggs should really be on your list of recipes you're able to prepare, don't you think?" Maura winked at the chef and walked out of the kitchen to the sofa. "Coming?"
"Yeah, sweetie, I'm coming." The detective sighed, gave a heavy look to the still quietly cooking chef, and then quickly made her way to the sofa. "Are you going to make me watch one of those documentaries again? The last one grossed me out for a week."
"I was thinking NCIS, actually." The doctor sat down and then laid across the cushions so that her back rested against the back of the sofa. "How does that sound?"
"You want something later, don't you?" Jane's eyes narrowed for a moment. Giving her girlfriend a suspicious look, she lay down parallel to the other woman, settling in and sighing as Maura pulled her closer and then turned the television on.
"Don't TMI me. Remember, I'm still here!" Amelia called from the kitchen.
A deep raspy reply floated from over the back of the sofa, "You're safe. Maura's not the exhibitionist everyone thinks she is!"
"Jane!"
Amelia chuckled as she heard the detective feign hurt after hearing a small smacking sound. "I don't think I'll be done before everyone shows up. There's just not enough time, but I've got the appetizers ready, and, assuming I'm not distracted by the NCIS episode, everything else ought to be done by 7, per your orders, Doctor Isles."
"Perfect, thank you, Amelia." Maura's voice sounded pleased.
"No problem, ma'am. I always enjoy cooking for the two of you. It's nice to work with people as pleasant of a couple as you are." The chef chuckled. "And warm and funny, too."
"Thanks," Jane's voice was slightly tense, "I think. Okay, everyone be quiet. Agent Todd just hit the screen."
"Amelia! I didn't know you were going to be cooking tonight," Angela's boisterous voice held all the joy of seeing the familiar woman still cooking away in the Rizzoli-Isles kitchen.
"It was last minute." The chef nodded toward the sofa. "I think they're asleep. You want to keep me company? We're doing Turkish tonight."
"Oh, yes, let me just put up my coat and purse and check on the girls." The older woman smiled brightly and turned to the sofa. Silently walking to the back of the piece of furniture, she leaned over and her smiled turned soft. Looking back over her shoulder, she nodded and mouthed 'so cute' as she pointed down at the slumbering couple. The chef grinned and nodded in return.
After putting her things away and sitting down at the island and out of the way of the chef, Angela gave a sigh and nod of thanks for the glass of water waiting for her. "I've missed them."
"I don't know details," Amelia stated quickly. "I don't want to know. I'm just glad to see you back over here." She placed a small plate full of freshly cut vegetables and hummus in front of the other woman.
"Me too," Angela said before taking a bite of hummus covered carrot. "I wasn't sure I could ever really handle them … you know …together, but I'm starting to have problems picturing them with anyone else, honestly."
"I can't believe you'd ever have problems with them being a couple! I mean, when I first started cooking for Doctor Isles, I thought they were already dating. You can imagine my surprise when I came over one night, and she had some guy surgeon here that she was apparently dating. I almost flipped out on her and asked her what she was doing cheating on Jane. Oh, it was so embarrassing!" The chef blushed at the memory. "I'm just glad she's a forgiving soul."
"Maura's a good girl," the other woman nodded, lost in her thoughts. "So is my Janie. I guess it really doesn't matter that they're both… what they are."
"Hey," Amelia said gently, putting down her knife to reach over and place a hand on Angela's arm, "the first step is to acknowledge it's who a person feels love for and not what their chromosomes are that dictates who a person should date. It's a long road, ma'am, but I know you'll get there." She pulled her hand away to pick the knife up again. "You're already walking it, aren't you?"
Angela sighed. "Yeah, one very slow step at a time."
"Okay, Frankie and Cindy should be here in about half an hour." Tommy glanced over to the sofa. "You think we should wake them up? I mean, you know how Maura is about not looking like a slacker when there are people over."
"I just hate to do it. They look so peaceful!" Angela stared at the back of the sofa. "But I guess we should." Standing and holding her hand up to her youngest who had jumped from his seat, she said sternly, "I'll do it. I don't want a fight just before we have to deal with this Cynthia Boyle mess."
"Yeah, fine." Tommy slouched on his stool. "So, Amelia, what is this white stuff?"
Angela let the two in the kitchen talk as she walked around the sofa to kneel in front of the two sleeping women. For a moment, she watched them. Jane was as relaxed as she had ever remembered seeing her. Even in sleep, her oldest normally held a scowl, but right now, she simply looked peaceful. Maura looked content, and, though it surprised the older woman to see honey brunette holding her daughter and not the other way around, it made a certain amount of sense. Maura was a giver and protector, and her Janie needed that shelter even if she didn't always want to admit that.
Smiling gently, the elder Rizzoli reached a tentative hand out to touch first her daughter's face and then Maura's. "Girls," she said softly, not wanting to startle them as she moved back and forth between them trying to gently wake them up, "You need to wake up. Frankie'll be here in half an hour."
A growl and little smack escaped her daughter, "Ma?" She opened one eye, confusion on her face. "How long have you been here?"
"About an hour," her mother replied, smiling growing brighter.
"Angela," Maura covered her mouth as she yawned, "you should have woken us. I'm sorry. We didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's okay. I'm pretty sure you two are tired. You work so hard, and this whole thing's been really stressful." Angela stood, looking down at the women who were slowly waking up and untangling from each other. "Amelia's almost done with dinner, Tommy's here, and I let Jo outside about 20 minutes ago."
"Thanks, Ma," Jane stood up and kissed her mother on the cheek. "I'm going to go take a per…" she stopped talking and glanced down at a smirking doctor. "Yeah, excuse me, I'll be back in a few. I need to hit the little girl's room."
"I think I'd like to freshen up, too," Maura checked herself and frowned. "Wrinkles… I think I may change." She stood, smiling at the older woman. "Thank you for waking us up."
"No problem. You two go take care of things. I've got everything under control here." Angela walked back to the kitchen to take her seat again.
"Of course you do," Jane muttered as she exited the area.
A chuckle and then Maura's voice floated back from down the hall, "Thank you, Angela."
"Frankie, I'm really not in the mood. Can't we do this some other night? I mean, I just got fired and…"
"Cindy, I made these plans before all of this, and I can't push it back. Look, just meet me at this address, okay? It's at a friend's house, and they're expecting us." Frankie handed a slip of paper over. "I have to do a couple of things for work, but I should be there when you get there. Dress comfortably. I'm wearing jeans and a shirt. Don't go in until I get there if I'm not there when you get there."
Cindy whined, rolling her eyes as she took the piece of paper. "Why can't I just ride with you?"
"Because you can't go where I'm going, especially now. It's work related, babe, okay?" Frankie grabbed his keys, and ran his eyes around her apartment as if looking for something. "You still have my ball shirt and Sox cap?"
"No, you grabbed those a couple of days ago. I don't think you have anything over here right now." Cindy slumped further down in her seat. "I was kind of hoping you'd forget a shirt or something at least. Frankie, why don't we ever…"
"You're not starting this again, are you? I already told you that I didn't want to sleep with another woman until I was married. You said you were fine with that, remember?" He crossed his arms, barely containing a shudder.
"Yeah, I know, but you could at least spend the night and cuddle. I promise I know how to keep my hands to myself," she gave him her best flirtatious smile.
"I'll think about it," he said a little too quickly. "Look, I've got to go. You good with finding this place on your own?"
"Yeah," she looked down at the hand written address, "I'll just plug it into my GPS."
"Great," without so much as a goodbye kiss, he headed for the front door, "I'll see you there. Later." With that, he made his exit.
"Bye," she said, voice brittle and distressed at Frankie's indifference.