LAPD Ball countdown
Jane's viewpoint
While Natalie and Maura got all 'girly' in the bedroom looking at clothes in the closet, Ana and I were talking in the kitchen making coffee. She had trained as a barista in Italy while living there, which explained the fancy espresso machine on the bench.
"You and Maura are coming to the LADP Benefit Ball aren't you? It's next month"
I looked down; I was dreading the Ball, especially as attendance was expected.
"I guess so; Maura has to go so I'll have to"
"So the problem is…?"
"She'll want me to wear long dresses and heels and get my hair and nails done and I hate that Ana. It's just not me" Anastasia just smiled at my discomfort.
"I hear you, I used to be the same way; I got over it"
"You got over it?"
"Stop looking at it from your perspective and look at it from Maura's. She loves you, god knows why though" At this point I snorted and gave her the patented Rizzoli eye roll, without much success as Ana just sniggered briefly before continuing to make my coffee.
"Don't try that Rizzoli, it doesn't work on me, Natalie does it much better anyway. So, Maura is incredibly proud of you and want's to show you off to the world in the best possible way"
"But I hate all the girly stuff!"
"Last time I looked you were one" Couldn't argue with that, though I tried.
"Ha ha, thank you very much".
"Now you sound like Chief Johnson" I plastered a weak imitation of the Chief's patented 1000 watt smile on my face.
"Why thank yeew, thank yeew so very much"
"But she has a better Southern accent" Ana said as she tried to stifle laughter and handed my cup over. The coffee was good; she still knew how to.
"I'd hope so; you do know I'm from Boston right?"
"I try not to think about it actually"
"What?" She ignored my outburst.
"Seriously though, they look good in evening dresses, well Nat does and the way Maura dresses normally she would be even more delicious in a gown"
"Delicious?" I interrupted; my eyebrow's rising along with my voice. Ana smacked me lightly on the arm.
"I love you when you get all jealous, it's very… endearing. Anyway, don't interrupt me when I'm pontificating. What I meant was that they look great that way and think that we look at our best, at least in their eyes, dressed up the same way".
"Aww, it's not me though" Even I could hear the whine in my voice. Frankly, I hated dresses, uncomfortable heels and guys trying to peer down my top at my tits and especially having to pretend to be all ladylike. Her eyes ran over me, cataloguing me.
"I don't know, you're tall, slim, long legs, long hair and apparently scrub up well, or so Maura says, so you should look 'delicious' in a dress as well" Shit, was that a compliment? From someone who had Natalie? Play it cool Rizzoli.
"Been checking me out, Miss Romanov?" I enquired as I tried to cover my embarrassment by getting interested in my coffee, she sniggered.
"Nah, not my type, I prefer sweet and demure actually" I choked at that image, the coffee going down the wrong way. Once I stopped spluttering I stared at her.
"Demure? Yeah right. Explain Natalie then" Ana pretended to ponder the question for a moment.
"Hmmm, OK, you got me there. Anyway, there are three very important reasons why you should wear an evening gown to the ball, no matter how 'uncomfortable' you might feel looking fabulous" she said, putting air quotes around 'uncomfortable'. I put my best 'sceptical' look on as she continued.
"And they are…" Ana help up her index finger.
"One, you will have made Maura very happy, which should be more than enough reason" Well she had me there. I was never going to win that argument with Maura, not when it made her happy. Smiling, she held up a second finger as she went on.
"Two, she will be very, very grateful for you making the effort to look good for her on an important occasion in front of your friends and colleagues, and the brownie points accrued are always useful" Uncoiling a third finger Ana continued.
"Third and most importantly, they are very, very VERY appreciative afterwards. Trust me on this, I speak from experience" I put the cup down and looked at her.
"Very appreciative huh?"
"Yep, I usually have trouble keeping Nat's hands off me all night, which isn't a bad thing, and I get absolutely no sleep that night. So, if you see me walking funny the next day you know why" I tried desperately to not let my mind go where the mental images that statement conjured up led to.
"Oh."
"Yes. Oh." Ana smirked evilly at me as she went on, her voice taking on a throaty timbre I had never heard before. Frankly it sent thrills down my spine, she sounded like Maura when she was coming undone.
"Well actually, it's more like Oh God. Oh yes. Oh my God. Oh don't stop. Oh yeah, ooh… "The last came out as almost a moan.
"I get it, I get it" I interrupted quickly, causing Ana to quietly laugh.
"Oh you will, trust me"
There was a pause as I picked up my coffee and sipped it, looking at Anastasia over the rim of the cup.
"Appreciative?"
"Very"
"Trouble walking afterwards?" She grinned wickedly.
"Oh yeah"
"You better not bail on me Ana, If I turn up in a dress and you're not …"
"I'll be there; I have very good incentive to be in a dress"
"You sure have, you leave me in the lurch on this Ana, so help me I will kill you"
Just then Natalie's voice echoed from the bedroom.
"Hey, weren't you making us coffee's? Where's ours?" Ana rolled her eyes at me.
"Yes dear, coming".
"You are so whipped" I laughed. She rolled her eyes again.
"Like you're not?"
Well, not that badly" Ana turned back to the espresso machine, a slow smile forming.
"How does Maura take her coffee?" Without thinking I rattled out Maura's coffee order as I did most days.
"A medium strong Latte with skim if you have it and no sugar" Anastasia laughed raucously.
"No, not whipped at all are you?"
"Shut up and make the coffee"