With slightly less than three weeks before Hannah was supposed to start school, Jane and Maura decided it was time to take their daughter back-to-school shopping. The three of them had been putting off the ordeal for as long as they could and for different reasons: Hannah because shopping for school clothes meant it was almost time to go back to school, Jane because she feared that Maura would somehow trick her into shopping for something like a purse or heels, and Maura because she loathed nothing more than a shopping trip with both Hannah and Jane. Hannah and Jane were tolerable to shop with individually, but Maura knew she was no match for them combined. Maura had an agenda for them which consisted of buying school clothes for Hannah and a few autumn-weather items for Jane, but she knew it wouldn't be long before they were side-tracked by sporting goods stores and Red Sox memorabilia. The only detour Maura was willing to allow was for ice cream and maybe even chocolate, but as far as she was concerned there would be no shopping for Red Sox jerseys or a new bat.

There were department stores and shopping centers all throughout Boston, but Maura had insisted on shopping at the Natick Collection which was a twenty or thirty minute drive from Boston. The Rizzoli family rarely ventured out of Boston, but Maura felt more comfortable shopping in the suburbs. Now that she was entering her third trimester, Maura wanted to be away from the noise and the crowds that came with shopping in the city, so she convinced Jane to drive to the suburbs. That afternoon was supposed to be a Rizzoli family outing, but Hannah insisted on bringing Emma with her.

During the drive to Natick, Jane kept one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on Maura's thigh, every now and then gently grazing her fingertips along Baby Rizzoli's home. Two and a half months, she thought. Just two and a half months. There was so much she wanted to say to her wife in that moment, but every time they were stopped in traffic or at a red light, Jane would use that opportunity to look at her fifteen-year-old daughter in the rearview mirror. She and Emma were unusually quiet and Jane worried that something might be wrong until she saw the two of them smiling and looking at their phones. The twenty-first century version of passing notes. They're talking about something they don't want Maura and me to know about. Jane imagined the conversation they must be having and what first came to mind were a slew of messages confessing what they considered to be their undying love for each other.

The mall wasn't as crowded as it usually was on weekends, but it was still too crowded for Maura's liking. Crowds meant a greater chance for people to ask her questions about the baby and, as much as Maura loved talking about Baby Rizzoli, there were times when it was all just too much for her. From the moment she got off the car, Maura held onto Jane's hand. Holding Jane's hand always comforted her, but now she was using it to her advantage. When she was holding Jane's hand, people rarely approached her. Maybe it was because they weren't sure what questions to ask lesbian moms or maybe it was because Jane was intimidating—either way, Maura was grateful.

"I want to go to Juicy Couture," Emma announced. "Juicy Couture, Abercrombie & Fitch—"

"Really," Hannah groaned. "Babe, why don't you shop with Mom and me and Ma can go our separate way."

"I'm okay with that," Jane responded, but when Maura glared at her wife and Emma glared at her girlfriend, they knew that idea had been shot down.

"Our women have spoken," Hannah pointed out.

"Without even speaking," Jane added.

"Jane, I've let you and Hannah shop by yourselves once and I said I'll never allow it again," Maura reminded her. "Last time you two were left alone, you went directly to a burger restaurant followed by a sports memorabilia store where you purchased matching Red Sox jerseys and matching Patriots jerseys. When you were running out of time, you two quickly went to a clothing store and picked out the same style of jeans and t-shirts that you always wear and then lied to me about the price of clothing going up as a way of explaining why you only purchased one outfit. I found the jerseys hidden in your trunk two days later, Jane."

"They simply can't be trusted," Emma told Maura. "How about if I keep tabs on my woman and you keep tabs on yours?"

"No!" Jane and Hannah said in unison, but it wasn't long before Emma grabbed Hannah and led her away from Jane and Maura. Hannah had a look of fear on her face when she turned around to face her moms, but neither Jane nor Maura noticed because Maura was already explaining the itinerary to her wife.

"I want a new look," Emma announced to her girlfriend. "I'm through with looking like a child."

"You don't look like a child," Hannah insisted. "You're a woman of class and virtue. Most of the girls we go to school with dress like sluts. You're so much better than that."

"Still—"

"No," Hannah ordered. "Don't compromise who you are for them. If it's not for the way a girl dresses then it's for her weight or her hair or who she hangs out with. Either way, there's going to be bullies, Emma. Just stay who you are and don't change the girl I fell in love with."

"Hannah bear," Emma said as she hugged her.

"I'm serious."

"I know," Emma pointed out. "Why do you think I'm hugging you? You always know how to make me feel better."

Hannah wanted to put off seeing what she called the pink preppy princess garb of Juicy Couture for as long as she could, so they decided to go to Abercrombie & Fitch first. Hannah loved the way sweater dresses and other Juicy Couture clothing looked on Emma, but there was just something she hated about the overly-feminine atmosphere of the store. Hannah wanted jeans and t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts regardless of what her girlfriend told her.

"No more solid v-necks," Emma ordered.

"More solid v-necks," Hannah said as she grabbed one in each color, except for pink. "And more hooded sweatshirts."

"Hannah Rizzoli."

"Emma Ackerman," Hannah mimicked.

"Your mom wants you to diversify your wardrobe," Emma reminded her.

"I know," Hannah began. "But Ma said the way I dress is fine. Now, let's find some jeans."

Hannah had finished shopping for school clothes in less than an hour. The items of clothing she had chosen were no different from the ones she had chosen last year, so she was able to shop without trying anything on, but much to her dismay her shopping adventure had just begun. It was now Emma's turn to pick out clothes and Hannah knew she was in for hours of Emma trying on the same dresses and skirts in similar styles and having to give an opinion on every article of clothing. Women, Hannah rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile, at a nearby department store, Jane walked out feeling victorious. For the first time since Maura's pregnancy began, Jane had won an argument. It was an argument about something trivial like clothing, but it was an argument nonetheless. Instead of having to buy something more fashion-forward, Jane had convinced her wife to let her buy the same style of jeans and slacks that she had been wearing for years.

"I let you win," Maura brought to her attention as they walked out of the store hand-in-hand. "I was ready to shop for myself and I wouldn't be able to if we spent the entire afternoon shopping for you."

"It's still a victory," Jane insisted. "Does Baby Rizzoli want ice cream?"

Jane knew it wasn't necessary to ask that question, but she loved the smile on Maura's face at the mention of ice cream. With two and a half months left of Maura's pregnancy, Jane wanted to take advantage of this special time in their marriage and enjoy all of Maura's quirks.

After a brief ice cream break, their destination was a maternity store and, much to Maura's delight, Jane actually enjoyed shopping in that store with her. The weather was warm outside, which meant summer dresses for Maura. While they were there, Maura tried on ten dresses and Jane had to make the difficult decision of deciding which ones Maura should buy.

"All of them," Jane suggested.

"All of them?" Maura asked. "Jane, I'll only be wearing these for—"

"For the rest of your pregnancy," Jane reminded her. "And you look so beautiful in each one you try on."

"Jane, I—"

"Please," Jane interrupted. "It'll be like you're doing me a favor. I want to show off my beautiful wife. You and I are never going to get this time back, unless we have another baby."

"So that means we're never going to get this time back," Maura quipped. "I'm not going through this again."

"Then let me enjoy it while it lasts," Jane insisted. Maura was about to object to buying so many dresses until Jane gently placed her hand on Baby Rizzoli's home. "It's for her mommy and I want the best for her mommy and when Baby Rizzoli is born I'm going to want the best for her. I want to spoil you both as much as I possibly can."

Before Maura could say another word, Jane grabbed all ten dresses Maura had tried on and carried them over to the register. As she pulled out her credit card and paid for Maura's dresses, Jane reflected on the shopping trip she had gone on with Maura when they had first become a couple. It was slightly under a year and a half ago, but her life had changed so much since then. Her girlfriend was now her loving wife and she had her pride and joy Hannah as her daughter and little Sofia on the way in October.