This story is a one-shot set after the end of my fanfic "The Next Chapter".
And yes, it is RIZZLES, but no mature content on this one.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.
I am not a native English speaker, and I don't have a beta. So all mistakes are 100% mine.
Enough of disclaimers and warnings – read at your own risk. Reviews are always welcome.
Mother's Day 2023
Jane had been planning for this day for weeks now.
It would be their first Mother's Day since Mia had entered their lives almost a year ago.
Mia was now almost two years and a half old.
The adoption papers had been processed a few weeks after her second birthday, and she was now Mia Rizzoli-Isles.
They had arranged day care for her, and they also had a nanny to help, besides Angela. Both Maura and Jane knew that, even with them being very conscious about their work schedules, their hours were crazy, and they wanted to make sure they had all the proper infrastructure in place for Mia.
And so far everything had been going well. Mia had adjusted super quickly to the new family, the new home, and the new school. She was a very easy-going kid.
Jane and Maura had become extremely conscious about their hours, making sure to be home for one another and for Mia. They did a ton of activities together during any free time. For instance, if they were going for a run, one would run, the other would ride a bike with a basket for Mia, and they would switch places on the way back, so both could exercise, and Mia could go with them. They made impromptu picnics on the parks, besides the more planned dates like going to the zoo or meeting other kids.
Jane had dubbed Mia a little sponge. She absorbed everything it was shown to her. She was a fast learner, what meant she was benefited by Maura's endless source of information, and from Jane's endless source of practical advice.
Mia was very sociable, and even TJ who was already so much older than her enjoyed playing with the little girl.
So Jane had been looking forward on how to make Maura's first Mother's Day as a mom the most special possible.
Jane had learned that schools, due to the increase in divorced parents and same-sex parents, stopped celebrating Mother's or Father's day – to avoid creating any awkwardness. But Jane had the internet, and after some research, she came up with an idea that she thought would please Maura.
After the adoption papers had gone through, Maura and Jane had taken Mia to take photos for her new documents. The photographer, with a great eye for beauty, offered to do a book of photos for them, and Maura adored the idea.
All the photos were awesome, but there were two that Jane particularly loved. One was of Mia, alone. And the other was of the three of them together.
So Jane found a template and got it printed in a professional way. One evening when Maura was working late in the morgue, Jane had stained Mia's hands and feet with washable paint and stamped her little hands and little feet on the corners of the template. Needless to say, Mia had a blast doing it, painting Jane in the process, what was an endless source of laughter for Jane.
After cleaning herself and Mia up, Jane had used one of Maura's red lipsticks to stain Mia's lips, so she could kiss the top of the template, that also read: "I love you mommy."
Jane had contacted the photographer to have the photo developed to fit the template as a frame around the picture, and then she got the perfect picture frame for it. Then she wrapped it beautifully, with a bow.
The other part of the gift she got at a small jewelry shop Maura favored. It was a small locket on a delicate chain. The locket was almost flat, in the shape of a heart, and the two sides could hold photos. Jane had also asked the photographer to provide tiny versions of her two favorite pictures, so they could be used in each side of the locker. Jane asked the back of the locker to be engraved with "Love, J&M".
So Sunday morning, Jane was already awake when she heard Mia's soft steps from her bedroom to theirs, as she did every morning on the weekends.
Jane sat in bed, and motioned Mia to her side of the bed, signing her to keep quiet, to which Mia just nodded and giggled.
Jane pulled Mia in bed, sitting cross-legged and putting Mia to sit in the nest formed by her legs. She then picked the gift packages from the bottom drawer of her night-table to have then ready.
Finally, she whispered on Mia's ear, and then looked at Mia's face, who nodded her understanding. Mia crawled from Jane's lap to Maura's side of the bed and put her two little arms around Maura's neck.
Maura woke up giggling. She moved her hands to hold Mia. "Good morning, my love… Is it already time to wake up?"
Following Jane's instructions, Mia tried: "Happy Mother's Day, mommy!" what was intelligible enough to make Maura's heart swell and tears to overflow her eyes, and she hugged Mia tightly to her.
But Mia struggled to get free, because she knew she needed to pick the gifts to hand to her mommy.
"Gift for you." Mia said, handing the wrapped frame that was a little too big for her little arms.
Maura sat in bed, looking lovingly to Jane, who was drinking in the sight of Maura's happiness.
Maura, as usual, unwrapped the gift patiently – Jane always teased her that the purpose of unwrapping gifts was to rip through the bow and paper, but Maura's proper upbringing always meant she would unwrap the gift without ripping out the paper.
When Maura saw the beautiful frame and the template around the picture, another wave of happy tears washed her face.
Mia was quick to point out: "Mia's hands, Mia's feet, Mia's kiss, Mia's photo." The little girl pointed to each part of the frame.
"I can see that, Mia. Will I also get a kiss? Or you just kissed the paper?"
Mia laughed and climbed on top of Maura, covering her face in sweet kisses, making Maura laugh and hug her tightly.
"I love you so much… This was a very thoughtful gift, Mia, and mommy will take it to the office so I can see you smiling at me every day… Thank you, baby…"
Mia clapped her hands, satisfied.
Jane extended her long arm, nudging Mia, and handing her the smaller packet.
Mia picked it up, and giddily handed it to Maura. "One more gift."
"Two gifts? Thank you, Mia!" Maura said, but looking lovingly at Jane. "What is this one? Have you seen it already, Mia?"
"No, mommy. Can you show me?" Mia asked.
Maura unwrapped the jewelry box and opened it to find the locket. She opened it on her delicate hands, and her heart melt completely seeing the pictures and then reading the inscription behind it.
"I loved it…" Maura smiled among her happy tears.
Maura removed the chain and locket from the box, opening the fastening, and Jane moved to set it on Maura's neck. "It is perfect." Maura whispered, turning to kiss Jane's lovingly in the lips.
"Happy Mother's Day, my love." Jane offered gently.
Maura kissed Jane again, before moving to her nightstand and opening it, handing Mia a package and stage whispering for her to hand it to Jane.
"Happy Mother's Day, mamma!" Mia hugged Jane after handing her the package.
Mia had evolved the "Mo" for Maura to mommy. And Jane then became mamma, probably by seeing Jane calling Angela Ma. They would never know the inspiration, but it worked for them.
Jane was honestly caught by surprise. She knew the past few weeks had been hectic for Maura with a lot of high-profile cases that turned out not to be homicides, and Jane wondered how on earth her wife had found the time and energy to think about a gift for her.
As she opened the box, her heart melted. It was a crystal key chain. Maura knew Jane carried only her badge, gun and her keys with her, so the keychain was the perfect gift that Jane could carry with her all the time. The crystal keychain had the picture of the three of them – the same one from the locket – embossed inside it.
"This is the best gift for me to take the two of you with me everywhere I go, besides on my heart…" Jane peppered Mia with kisses, before moving to kiss Maura lovingly.
"And now, Mia, what do you think about us getting up and preparing breakfast for Nonna?" Jane proposed.
Jane had bought a gift basket with wine, cheeses, crackers, biscuits, and chocolates that they would give Angela, but Jane wanted to do something special to her mother too.
Now that Jane was a mother herself, she was beginning to understand Angela better. Jane still had trouble figuring out how Angela had handled three kids, close in age, and that were far from well-behaved like Mia was. And Jane and Maura knew that everything was working perfectly with Mia thanks to Angela's help and advice.
Mia clapped her hands and moved to climb out of bed. Jane took a bit longer, just to kiss Maura more thoroughly.
"Is it possible to be even happier than this? Every day I feel I can't get happier, and then the next day you prove me wrong…" Maura whispered against Jane's lips.
"I love you too, Maura…" Jane whispered in a chuckle.
They got up to find Mia waiting anxiously for them on the top of the stairs. They moved down, and quickly put together a nice breakfast tray for Angela.
While Maura carried the tray, Jane picked Mia on her lap, and the basket on the other, before they crossed from the main house to the guest house.
Jane let Mia ring the bell.
Angela opened the door on her night robe.
"Happy Mother's Day, Nonna!" Mia repeated what Jane had whispered to her moments before, extending her arms to move to Angela's lap.
Angela covered Mia in kisses, before smooching Jane and Maura.
"You didn't need to worry…"
"We wanted to pamper you today…" Maura offered, placing the breakfast tray by Angela, while Jane put the gift basket close to her.
"But this is a feast. Will you join me?"
"That is why we came here…" Jane chuckled.
They had breakfast together, enjoying the calm and quiet morning.
They had already finished when Nina and Frankie arrived, wishing their Happy Mother's Days to Jane, Maura, and to Angela.
Frankie and Nina handed a card and a small package to Angela.
Angela opened the card, and her mouth went agape. She immediately ripped the paper, and then she hugged Nina and Frankie. "Oh, this is the best Mother's Day ever!"
Jane and Maura looked over the group hug's shoulder. The card read "You can stop asking when we are having them…", and the little package had a onesie embroidered with the words 'We know you don't like us to spend money on you… So we made you a present instead! Due to arrive in December."
"You knew about this, didn't you?" Jane asked, squinting her eyes at Maura. She was not mad. She was happy, very happy for her brother and for Nina... Jane knew how much better hers and Maura's life had been since Mia came to bless them with the privilege of being parents...
"Maybe…" Maura bit her lower lip. She knew, of course. She had noticed Nina's morning sickness several weeks ago and had helped pointing Nina to a good ob-gyn in Boston.
"Happy First Mother's Day to you, Nina, as a mother to be!" Jane and Maura hugged the group hug.
Mia, confused, approached them, and Maura explained to her: "In a few months, you will have a cousin to play with, Mia!"
Mia clapped her little hands, and everyone smooched her.
"Happy Mother's Day, Te Nina…" Mia offered, her way to referring to Aunt Nina.
And a Happy Mother's Day it was indeed...