I
The next morning, Maura jolted awake to the sound of knocking on her back door. The sudden rush of pain to her head caused her to wince; suddenly, the memories of the night before came flooding back. Maura glanced around living room and realized she was alone; Kadin must have left in the middle of the night. Maura slowly made her way to the back door and opened it.
"Maura, sweetie, is everything all right?" Angela cast the woman a concerned stare. It wasn't like Maura to not be awake and on time for work. "You look like you've slept in your clothes."
"I did." Maura replied, her eyes squinting from the early morning sunlight. She opened the door further and allowed Angela inside the kitchen.
"What on earth happened?" Angela's voice heightened with excitement.
"I was mugged last night." Maura answered candidly. Seeing the look of horror on Angela's face, she quickly elaborated," I'm fine. He took my purse and ran. I was so exhausted by the time I got home, I fell asleep on the couch."
Angela handed the woman the cup of coffee, "Here, hun, take this. It's caramel."
"Thank you." Maura replied politely.
"I can't believe you were mugged." Angela took a seat at the kitchen table next to Maura. Her eyes wandered Maura's body carefully, and then she spotted the bruising around Maura's neck. "Oh, my- did he do that?!" Angela exclaimed, pointing to Maura's injury.
"I know it must look ghastly," Mara admitted. "but it's not that serious."
"Not that serious? He conked you over your head and took your purse. Sounds pretty serious to me. Boy, when Jane and Frankie hear about this. That guy's gonna get it." Angela ranted. "Who does he think he is going after the chief medical examiner at the Boston Police Department?"
Maura smiled faintly, she appreciated Angela's protective nature, but quite frankly, she wished she'd stop speaking so loudly; her head felt as if it were literally splitting in two. All of a sudden, there was another knock, this time at the front door. Maura's eyes shot up from the kitchen table.
"I'll get it, sweetie. You rest." Angela jumped up from the table and rushed to the front door.
"Morning Ma'am, is Dr. Isles available?" A tall, dark haired, man dressed in overalls asked.
"She's here, but she isn't feeling so well at the moment." Angela explained. "May, I help you?"
"Name's Anthony. I'm here to change her locks." The man replied. Maura appeared in the doorway behind Angela. "Oh, wow, hey, doc, you don't look so good."
"Good morning, Anthony." Maura replied.
"Do you want me to come back later?" The scruffy Italian offered.
"No, no, it's fine. I'd rather just get it over with." Maura welcomed the man inside. "I'll need the locks for the guesthouse out back changed as well."
"You're changing all your locks?" Angela squeaked. "Oh, my God, the mugger has the keys to the house." She placed her hand to her chest and immediately took a seat on the couch; her mind instantly ran through a laundry list of deadly scenarios.
"It's all right, Angela." Maura assured. "We'll be safe. This will make the keys useless to him."
"If it's all right with you, Dr. Isles, I'll start with the guesthouse." Anthony suggested. "Oh, by the way, complimentary deadbolts." He held up a lock fixture in his hand. "I'll install one on each door." He turned and headed out towards the guesthouse, toolbox in hand.
"What a nice man." Angela remarked. She had barely finished her sentence when yet another knock rattled the front door. "My goodness, it's like Grand Central Station here this morning."
Maura sighed, unsure of whom to expect next. She opened the door cautiously to reveal Kadin waiting on the other side. The two women's eyes locked, and Kadin immediately sensed that Maura felt uneasy.
"Hey, are you okay?" Kadin asked; her brow furrowed. She stepped into the doorway towards Maura; Maura stepped back to reveal Angela, who was still sitting on the couch. Kadin's eyes landed on the older woman, "Good morning." Kadin greeted, she flashed a friendly smile.
"Good morning." Angela repeated pleasantly. She eyed the woman curiously.
Kadin's focus quickly shifted back to Maura, "I have your prescription for you, Dr. Isles." She handed Maura a white pharmacy bag. "And Dr. Anderson sends his best regards."
"Thank you." Maura replied, realizing Kadin had taken prescription from the coffee table and filled it.
"You're welcome. Take care." Kadin's voice softened, conveying her concern for Maura without having to directly express it. Kadin glanced back to Angela, "Have a good day, ma'am." She replied as she turned to leave. Maura closed the door behind her.
"I didn't know Anderson's Pharmacy delivered prescriptions." A puzzled look crossed Angela's face.
"I think this was a special exception." Maura smiled.
"Well, I hate to leave you, doll, but I gotta head into work." Angela stood from the couch. "Will you be okay here by yourself? If you need anything at all, you can always call Tommy. He thinks the world of you; he'd drop whatever he's doing and come rushing right over."
"I'll be okay." Maura ensured.
Angela put her hand on Maura's arm. "Take it easy today, okay? I'll stop by and check on you after work." She gave Maura a sympathetic look, then exited out the front door.
Maura opened the paper pharmacy bag and pulled out her prescription bottle and a yellow rose with a card attached that read, 'Feel better soon.' Maura held the rose up to her nose and breathed in its fragrance. She smiled, feeling her cheeks redden as she blushed. Eager to relieve her headache, and grateful for the filled prescription, Maura headed into the kitchen for a glass of water. She placed the yellow rose on the kitchen counter next to her computer. She poured herself a glass of water and swallowed two of the pain relievers. Maura glanced down at her wrinkled dress, how embarrassing. It was never like Maura to look unkempt. She stared out her kitchen window towards the guesthouse and saw Anthony working diligently on the front door. Taking the opportunity for a few minutes of privacy, Maura hurried off to her bedroom for a change of clothes and to tidy her appearance.
II
Jane impatiently stood in front of the elevators, coffee in hand, and eyes fixated on the elevator level above the door. "What the hell is going on on the fourth floor?" she mumbled. She glanced down at her watch and sighed.
"Good morning, detective." Dr. Pyke greeted as he stepped up next to the woman.
Jane turned quickly, not expecting to hear Pyke's voice, "Dr. Pyke…" Jane stated perplexingly, "Good morning. I wasn't aware you were coming in today."
"Well, with Dr. Isles' poor state, whom else did you think would be subbing in to pick up the extra slack around here?"
"I-I'm sorry, I-"
The downstairs elevator dinged and its door slid open. Pyke quickly stepped inside. Wedged in a moment of confusion, Jane nearly jumped into the elevator with Pyke, but when her elevator opened as well, she made the logical choice. Once upstairs, Jane approached Frost's desk immediately.
"Hey, Frost, any idea why Pyke's here today?" Jane asked, trying her best to sound nonchalant.
"He's filling in till Dr. Isles feels better." Frost simply stated. "Who else were you expecting?"
"I wasn't expecting anyone." Jane replied. Her eyes narrowed, "What's wrong with Maura?"
"You mean you don't know?" Frost asked skeptically.
"No, Frost, I just really enjoy asking unnecessary follow up questions for pointless reasons." Jane folded her arms across her chest.
"Maura was mugged last night." Frost leaned back in his desk chair. "How do you not know this?"
"Mugged?" Jane repeated with alarm. "Is she okay? What happened?" Jane felt her stomach tie into knot.
"All I know is, she was leaving the medical convention and heading to her car; an unidentified attacker struck her across the back of the head with a blunt object, then took off with her vintage Chanel."
"Oh, my God." Jane's eyes batted back and forth as she imagined the scene, "Wait, how do you know she was carrying a vintage Chanel?"
"I read the police report." Frost smirked. "She didn't tell you all of this? You two still on the rocks over Thursday night football?"
Jane sighed, "We had an argument yesterday." She hesitated to continue, ashamed for what she was about to admit. "I cornered her over whether or not she had a boyfriend and I said some things that I shouldn't have… some things I'm not too proud of at the moment." Jane rubbed the palm of her hand, tracing her scars mindlessly. "I can't believe she was mugged. That must have been terrifying for her. I wish she had called me, but I understand why she didn't." Jane hung her head. "I feel about an inch tall."
Frost stood up and placed a sympathetic hand on Jane's shoulder, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Rizzoli. We all make mistakes. The point is that we care enough to learn from them. Dr. Isles is the most logical person I know. Apologize to her; she'll understand."
"Wow, Frost, I had no idea you were such a motivational speaker." Jane smirked. "That was good." She admitted. "I'll stop by and talk to Maura tonight. Thanks."
Frost shook his head and laughed, "Don't thank me, thank sensitivity training."
Jane scoffed, "Korsak went after you too?"
"Yeah, last week." Frost rolled his eyes, "Because that's exactly what Boston needs, more sensitive detectives running around."
Jane's phone vibrated and she immediately reached to answer, "Rizzoli." After a brief pause, "We're on our way." She ended the call and glanced up at Frost. "That's our cue. Let's go. You drive, I'm low on gas."
III
"I'd feel better if you let me pay full price." Maura insisted as she handed Anthony a check.
"Hey, any friend of Jaxon's is a friend of mine. You're a nice lady who had a bad night, what kind of a man would I be if I took advantage of that?" Anthony slipped the check into his shirt pocket. "So, listen, before I go, I was wondering…" He paused, giving himself a moment to muster more courage. "The lady who answered your door this morning, is she… you know… single?"
"Angela?" Maura asked quizzically. Anthony couldn't have been a day over forty; she had actually anticipated he was going to ask her on a date, and had quickly prepared a polite rejection, but she hadn't anticipated his interest in the older woman. "Umm…" Maura blinked several times, "I-I'm not sure what Angela's stance is on dating at the moment."
"Recently divorced." Anthony deducted. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Figures. A beautiful woman like that just tossed to the side after giving away some of the best years of her life to a man who no longer appreciates her. That's what wrong with the world today; people always want to upgrade. Hey, newer isn't always better. Me, personally, I like stability." Maura's mouth gaped open. Who would have pegged the shabby Italian locksmith to have such an insightful and well-rounded view on relationships? "Do you think it would be too forward of me if I left my phone number for her? I could tape it to the door of the guesthouse, if you don't think that would frighten her. I don't want to look a stalker, or anything."
Maura chuckled in response, "Actually, Anthony, I'd be happy to give her your number and throw in a kind word about your respectable character as well."
"Really? You'd do that" Anthony's face visibly brightened. "Thanks, Dr. Isles. That means a lot coming from someone like you." He scribbled his private number on the back of one of his business cards and handed it to Maura.
"It's the least I can do after all you've done for me." Maura placed the business card next to her computer. "I'll be sure to give it to Angela the next time I see her."
"So, she isn't your ma?" Anthony asked, though his question sounded more like a conclusion.
"No." Maura replied as she gently shook her head. "Just a very dear friend."
Anthony nodded in approval, "Good, that makes all this a little less awkward." He grabbed his toolbox off the counter, "Well, I should get going Take care of yourself, doc. If you have anymore lock problems, you know who to call." Anthony opened the kitchen door and saw himself out.
Maura felt at ease now that all the locks had been changed. She'd sleep better at night knowing a stranger didn't have the key to her front door. She glanced at the yellow rose laying on the counter and it prompted her to reach for her phone and call Kadin's number.
"Hey, gorgeous." Kadin greeted warmly as she answered the phone. "I was just thinking about you. How are you feeling?"
"Much better, thanks to Dr. Anderson's delivery service." Maura replied. "Did you know yellow roses are my favorite?" Maura asked. She picked up the rose and held it in her hand as she spoke. "Every rose's color has a different meaning. Red is passion, white is innocence, black is death, and yellow is happiness. I always told myself that passion fades, innocence is stolen, and death is inevitable; but happiness has the ability to outlast it all."
Kadin was silent for a beat, but replied softly, "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."
"I'm really sorry about this morning. I never meant for it to look like I was shooing you away."
"Maura, no, I never thought that." Kadin quickly clarified. "You're the kindest person I know. You wouldn't shoo away a fly."
Maura blushed, "I appreciate everything you've done. I really do. Thank you."
"I wanted to return the favor." Kadin answered. "I would have brought you ice cream as well, but it didn't seem as appropriate in your case." She laughed lightly. "I'm just glad you're feeling better and you're safe; that's what matters most."
"I want to see you." Maura's tone hedged on the brim of seductive. Even she was surprised at the sound of longing in her own voice.
"Then, I'll come over. Davie can run the spa for the rest of the day."
Maura quickly raised her hand to her forehead in alarm, "Oh, my goodness, you're at work." Maura felt a flood of embarrassment wash over her body. "Of course, you're at work; why wouldn't you be at work? Normal people work on weekday mornings. I'm so sorry; I don't know what I was thinking. I don't expect you to leave the spa, I just forgot for a moment that it's ten thirty on a Tuesday."
"Hmm… memory loss." Kadin replied gravely. "It's probably a side effect of the head injury you suffered. Sounds rather serious: I'm on my way."
"Kadin, no, really. You missed work last week, I can't ask you to leave again today." Maura desperately tried to reinstate reasoning back into the conversation. "Stay the spa."
"Are you hungry?" Kadin asked. "I could pick something up on my way over, or if you'd rather-"
"Kadin."
"Maura."
"Kadin." Maura's tone hardened as she mimicked an attempt to prove she was sincere. Her stubbornness was her sharpest weapon and it rarely failed, but today, Maura had met her match.
Kadin whispered huskily into the phone, "Maura, I could listen to you say my name over and over all night long," She paused, allowing a moment for effect. "but this is a very serious matter and I'm going to need an answer, right now…. delivery or carry out?"
Maura bit her bottom lip. Kadin's comment had much more of an effect on the medical examiner than intended. Maura felt a fiery frenzy spread throughout her body at the thought of she and Kadin in bed together. Suddenly finding it very warm in her kitchen, Maura accepted that resistance was futile.
"You fight dirty." Maura teased as he eyes squinted and a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "There's a Thai restaurant on the corner of 12th and Charleston, right before you get to my house. They don't deliver, but if I call the order in now, it should be ready by the time you get there."
Kadin smiled victoriously, "Good choice. See, this is called communication, it works out great in most circumstances; it's how people express to each other what they really want."
"I'll tell you what want." Maura cheekily replied. "I want to see you standing in my kitchen with my ginger salad and spring rolls in the next thirty minutes.."
"That was perfect." Kadin praised. "You're a fast learner. Now, take what I've taught you and call the Thai restaurant."
VI
After enjoying one of Maura's favorite lunches, the women retired to the living room for a lazy afternoon. Kadin built a large fire then took a seat next to Maura on the sofa. The mood had remained light and flirtatious since their playful phone banter, but when Maura mindlessly propped her arm up on the sofa and rested her head against her closed fist, she unintentionally exposed the bruised and swollen area around her neck and ear. Kadin's lighthearted expression saddened when she saw the blue and purple discoloration of Maura's skin. She tried not to stare, in fear of making Maura self-conscious, but Maura sensed the sudden change in Kadin's mood and quickly realized what she had seen; she immediately dropped her arm and fixed her hair to cover her neck. She had forgotten about the injury, honestly. Kadin had proved a delightful distraction from the discomfort and aching.
"It isn't as bad as it looks." Maura stated softly. She reached over and placed her hand on Kadin's leg, "Contusions are formed when blood leaks from blood vessels and gets trapped underneath the skin. The body then has to reabsorb the blood, so it breaks it down into different components in order to integrate it back into the blood stream, which, consequently, causes the skin color around the contusion to change. Blues and violets always indicate that a contusion is new, usually less than forty-eight hours old depending upon severity. Greens and yellows imply blood absorption is nearly complete and the contusion is almost healed. Think of the skin as a color chart; it's just letting you know the body's progress."
"I never knew a bruise could be so interesting." Kadin stated. "I love the way you speak, Maura. It's lyrical. Rhythmic. Fascinating."
Maura's cheeks flushed at the compliments, but she remained modest. "The human body is fascinating." Maura continued. "The fact that we have the ability to heal ourselves over time is nothing short of miraculous. However, we're certainly not immortal. Unfortunately, once a person ends up on my examination table, I can't simply ask him or her what happened, but the body is a vessel that holds the story of that person's life. Every muscle, every organ, every bone, is another chapter in their book. It's my job to finish the story." Maura paused, realizing her guard was down and she was showcasing many of the awkward mannerisms that had driven away so many of her previous mates, "I'm sorry, I'm rambling."
"Don't apologize. Keep going." Kadin reached over and softly ran her fingers through Mura's hair. The gentle contact sent a shiver down Maura's spine. "What about my body? Can you read my story?"
"Parts of it." Maura smiled nervously. She took Kadin's hand in her own. "You're double jointed." She noted. "At least in your fingers, anyway. You're left handed, as well, which means you have right side brain dominance. So, you're athletic ability is above average." Maura raised her hand and gently brushed a finger across Kadin's cheek, "Also, there's light tissue damage around your lip that would be consistent with scaring from a surgical procedure. It's been there a while, which implies the injury happened when you were you a small child."
"Wow, you're pretty good. So, where do you hide the crystal ball during all of this?" Kadin teased as she flipped over one of the sofa pillows and looked behind it. She then tossed the pillow at Maura.
Maura laughed as she caught the pillow, "No magic." She shrugged. "It's strictly science. What was the injury? If you don't mind me asking."
Kadin shrugged, "One summer, Jaxon and I were at our grandfather's farm in West Virginia. I was six and Jaxon was ten. We were playing in the barn and one of the dogs chased a cat up into the hayloft. Grandpa had taken down the ladder so that we couldn't climb up there, but Jaxon theorized that if he stood on the sacks of grain, and then I stood on his shoulders, I could reach the hay loft and scare down the cat." Kadin took a deep breath before continuing, "Well, justifiably, that was one pissed off cat. As soon as I popped my head up above the rafter, it let out this blood curdling squall and swatted right for my face."
"Squall?" Maura asked, fully engaged in the story. "What's a squall?"
"You know, a squall." Kadin repeated casually. "Like a loud scream. Maybe that's just an old hillbilly term that my grandpa tossed around, but I don't know a better word to describe the noise that cat made. It scared Jaxon so badly he lost his balance and let go of me. I fell face first into the rafter beam and hooked my lip over an old rusty nail that was sticking out of one of the boards, and then I landed on the ground. The nail ripped a hole in my cheek and the fall broke my arm. Jaxon thought I was dead. He took off screaming towards the farmhouse and my mom came running out a few seconds later. The doctors had to do reconstructive surgery on my lip and cheek and I spent the rest of the summer with my arm in a cast."
"See, your story is much more entertaining than mine." Maura marveled. "I never would have gotten all of that from an autopsy. So, you have relatives on a farm in West Virginia? I thought you were from Boston."
"My mom was born and raised in West Virginia. Jaxon was born there too. I was born here in Boston, but I loved visiting West Virginia during summer vacactions. Life is slower there and you get to see mountains all around you instead of buildings. It's beautiful."
"Are you and Jaxon half siblings?" Maura inquired. "You have different surnames, and I don't like to assume, but-"
"It's okay, you assumed correctly." Kadin replied. "Jaxon and I have different fathers. His dad and our mom were high school sweethearts who married right after graduation." Kadin paused. "Jaxon's father died in a coal mining collapse when Jaxon was only six months old."
Maura's face turned pale with grief, "Oh, I'm so sorry. That's heartbreaking. I shouldn't have asked." Maura scolded herself for prying into Kadin's personal lif; it was hard to resist, she found everything about the woman captivating.
"It's all right, Maura." Kadin assured as she reached over and laced Maura's fingers in her own. "It happened a long time ago. Everyone's made peace with it."
"You know, your brother never left my side last night." Maura's thumb gently stroked Kadin's hand. "He and Cheyenne both were saints."
Kadin smiled, "Yeah, those two deserve each other. They met their first year of college and became inseparable. Even when Cheyenne got into medical school, and spent 23 hours a day studying, Jaxon never faltered. He knew how important it was to her."
"Unconditional love and support." Maura remarked. "It's good to see couples like them in a society where divorce is more common than not; its typical for an individual to have two or more marriages throughout their lifetime. It gives credence to the idea that true love still exists."
"People get married for the wrong reasons, for money, for status, for tax breaks. Sometimes love doesn't even have a thing to do with it." Kadin replied; her voice took on a somber tone as she looked away from Maura. "It's ironic, you know? You see all these people treat marriage so recklessly, like it's just some expendable resource there for the taking. If the first one breaks down, then just abandoned it and go get a new one, just have an affair, just file a divorce." Kadin scoffed. "And then these same people stand in the streets and protest that we destroy the sanctity of marriage."
Maura frowned realizing Kadin was speaking specifically about the homosexual community. Maura had naturally spent her life imagining marriage in a heterosexual context, but suddenly she envisioned it from Kadin's perspective and unexpectedly found herself feeling rather guilty. She wanted to say something supportive, but so little came to mind. She didn't know much about the gay rights movement, everything she had studied in detail about homosexuality had been exclusively scientific.
"Human beings aren't the only gay creatures on the planet." Maura stated abruptly. Kadin turned her head and stared questionably at the doctor's odd remark. "Did you know that many animal species participate in homosexual partnerships? Roy and Silo, two male penguins at the New York City Central Park Zoo, were famous for engaging in affectionate behavior with each other and attempting to hatch a rock. The zookeepers were inspired by the two's relationship, so that they gave them an egg that another couple was having trouble hatching. They not only hatched the egg successfully, but shared parental responsibilities of the chick after it was born."
A smirk appeared on Kadin's lips, "I did know that. Did you know they made Roy and Silo's story into a children's book?"
"I did." Maura replied proudly. "Unfortunately, I think they may be broken up now, though."
"Yeah, I hear Silo's gone back to the ladies." Kadin laughed. "I'm pretty sure they left that part out of the book."
"Probably for the best."
"Probably."
A few moments of silence passed between them. Maura took a deep breath, "Kadin, I'm not..." Maura's wavered between which words best described her feelings."I'm not..."
"I know." Kadin cut in kindly. She smiled warmly and squeezed Maura's hand. "I know you're not a lesbian, Maura."
Maura lowered her eyes immediately, unable to maintain eye contact with the other woman. "I'm not certain what to call myself." She admitted.
"Call yourself what I call you." Kadin suggested as she leaned in closer to Maura and tilted her chin upwards. "Beautiful." She placed a subtle kiss on Maura's lips. She pulled the woman closer and the kiss deepened. After several moments, Kadin surprisingly found herself pushed back against the couch and Maura on top of her. Hands explored uncharted territory, going farther than they'd ever gone before; breaths were shallow, heartbeats were racing, pounding against the chest like tribal drums. Maura's body ignited into a flame of passion and desire as she felt Kadin's silky skin underneath her fingertips. With a trembling hand, Maura slowly began unbuttoning Kadin's shirt.
Kadin placed her hand over Maura's and halted her, "Maura." She whispered, her voice sultry from the lust that had saturated the air. She stared deeply into the woman's brown eyes, "We don't have to do this, right now; I'll wait. I'll wait for you."
Maura's heart swelled with affection. Never had another soul brought her so much comfort and warmth. Maura's fears settled and she felt more confident in herself than ever. "I'm here." She whispered softly, "You don't have to wait anymore." She pushed her knee between Kadin's thighs and scattered a trail of kisses down her neck and onto her bare chest.
V
The distinct sound of Jane's ring tone stirred Maura from her slumber; she darted up from the sofa, startling Kadin who had been fast asleep as well.
"What?" What's the matter?" Kadin placed a hand on Maura's back, "Are you okay?"
"That's Jane's ringtone." Maura quickly glanced around the living room. "Where's my phone?" She tossed off the blanket and jumped up from the sofa. The phone stopped ringing and suddenly there was a knock at the door. Maura's mouth gaped open, "Oh, my god, she's here!" Maura exclaimed in a loud whisper.
"Who, Jane?"
"Yes, Jane!" Maura motioned for Kadin to get up off the couch. "Put on your clothes." Maura bent down and grabbed a pile of clothes off the floor and handed them to Kadin.
"Wait, some of these aren't mine." Kadin replied.
"Just put them on!" Maura ordered as she grabbed a bathrobe and towel from her bathroom. She wrapped the towel around her head. Jane knocked again. "Coming!" Maura called. She glanced over at Kadin with an apologetic look before opening the door. "Jane." Maura greeted. "You'll have to excuse my appearance, I was in the shower."
"I'm sorry." Jane began, "I tried to call." She glanced back into the driveway, "Looks like you have company, so, I won't stay long I just…" Her eyes landed on Maura's bruised neck. "Wow, he really wanted to knock you out."
Maura raised her hand to her neck and smiled faintly, "I fathom that was the point."
Jane cleared her throat and ran her fingers through her hair, "Listen, Maur, I'm really sorry for yesterday. I was completely out of line and you're right, I shouldn't interfere with your personal life. If you want to date someone, then date someone."
Maura stared at Jane for several seconds, making sure she had heard the woman correctly, "I'm sorry, are you giving me permission?" Maura placed her hand on her chest.
Jane cast Maura a blank look, "What? No. No." Jane shook her head. "I didn't mean it like that. Obviously, you don't need my permission to date. Date as much as you want, I'm just saying, fess up when you're when doing it, that's all."
While Maura had kept Jane preoccupied at the doorway, Kadin had sneaked off into the kitchen. She managed to change into her own clothes and grab her car keys. However, her escape plan was foiled when she realized Jane's car was blocking hers in the driveway. Defeated, she turned and walked back into the kitchen and poured herself a drink. If she couldn't escape, she could at least look casual.
"Fess up?" Maura scoffed. "I haven't committed a crime, Jane. Let me ensure I understand you, correctly. You came over here to apologize, because you feel guilty that I was mugged last night, and you admit that you have no right to interfere in my private life, but you want me to 'fess up' to whatever it is that I'm doing in my personal time? This is all about control, for you, isn't it?"
"What the hell, Maura?" Jane asked, her eyes narrowing, it was unlike Maura to be confrontational. "It's not about control. It's about honesty." Jane snapped. "You're the George Washington of doctors, Miss I cannot tell a lie, but every time you become involved with someone, you turn sneaky and secretive." Jane pointed her finger towards Maura, "And this time around, you've got it bad, Maura." Jane turned and pointed to Kadin's car in the driveway, "He's here right now, and you still wont admit it. If anyone here is a control freak, it's you."
Picking up on Jane's aggressive tone from the kitchen, Kadin's ears perked. She set down her drink and listened to the women attentively.
"You want know why I become sneaky and secretive, Jane?" Maura asked. "Because I have to be. " She paused, letting the words linger in the air. "I avoid telling you about the people I date because I don't want to hear you tell me how wrong they are for me. Or what a bad person they are. I don't want to hear the list of one hundred and one reasons why I shouldn't date them. It happens every time, every time, Jane. Just because you're afraid of being alone and miserable, you don't want me to have anyone either. At least then we have each other, right?"
Maura's fiery words sliced through Jane's ego like a knife. Jane seethed with rage as she clenched her teeth together and snarled, "Fuck you."
Kadin immediately dashed towards the living room, expecting to find the women in a brawl, but Maura slammed the door shut in Jane's face. Seconds later, Jane's car squealed out of Maura's driveway.