So I assume you all will know where I'm going with this storyline in relation to the show. I really hope you like it! Next chapter will continue from this one, though I intend to do things different from the show!
Thanks so much for reading!
As always flashbacks are in italics!
-J
Chapter 28- Mother
"Maura?" Constance Isles' voice could be heard on the other side of the phone, her daughter holding the object tightly, her hand shaking with nerves. "This is a surprise. Is everything okay?"
"Hmm oh yes…yes everything's fine," Maura replied after a moment of silence, prompted by Jane poking her in the side as she passed her. "Everything is okay I just…well I thought I would call and see how you are. It's been a while since we've spoken."
"Yes well I've been terribly busy," Constance replied, the noise in the background indicating that she was obviously doing something else. "Have you spoken to your father? He's in Tanzania."
"Yes he mentioned that in his last email," Maura nodded despite the fact that her Mother couldn't actually see her, falling into an awkward silence, not knowing how to bring up what she really wanted to talk about.
"How's Amelia?" Constance eventually asked when the silence became too much.
"Great! She's great!" Maura answered, grateful that her Mother brought up Amelia; a topic she was comfortable with. "She's doing really well in school. She's made a lot of friends. I think she's actually quite sad that the school year is almost over."
"She sounds like you as a child. You hated to be away from school," Constance replied, surprising Maura, who rarely heard her Mother speak of her childhood. "You had such a flare for learning. Although I can't say you enjoyed spending time with your peers."
"Yes I was rather uncomfortable around the other children," Maura agreed, sounding sad. "Umm…" she cleared her throat, knowing she needed to bring up the real reason for her call. "Actually Mother there was a reason I called. I wanted to talk to you about something."
"And what would that be?" Constance asked curiously.
"Well I was hoping…I'm...I wanted…" Maura struggled to find the right words, dropping her head into her hands, running her fingers through her hair in frustration; unsure why she was unable to talk to her own Mother.
"Maura whatever it is just tell me," Constance sighed. "I know we don't speak often but I'm your Mother Maura. You shouldn't be this nervous to talk to me."
"That's the problem," Maura let out a deep breath. "I don't know how to talk to you and it's…it's not right Mother," she said, shaking her head. "You're my Mother and yet I don't know how to tell you that I want…that I wish that…I wish you were here more," she finally managed to reveal. "Every week I gather with Jane's family and they're so accepting, they're so…they love me and Amelia so openly and it just makes me wish…I want you to have a relationship with Amelia Mother. I know you weren't crazy about my decision to get pregnant when I did and I know you do your best to send gifts and drop by when you're here but she needs more than that…I need more than that. I just want to see you more. I want Amelia to see you more."
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"What time does your Mother's plane land?" Jane asked Maura, glancing at her watch as they walked into their newest crime scene, a factory that had been the scene of a fire the night before; a fireman killed during his attempts to put it out.
"She'll be here late this afternoon," Maura replied, pulling on her gloves, preparing to examine the body. "She's planning on meeting your Mother and Amelia at the house when she gets in. Then I was hoping that you would have dinner with us? I'd really like the three of us to sit down together."
"I thought the whole point of her visiting was so she could spend time with Mia," Jane furrowed her eyebrows. "Why aren't you bringing Mia to dinner?"
"My Mother has planned a day for her and Amelia on Saturday. She wants to take her to the museum," Maura explained bending down to examine the body, keeping her voice low so as not to be disrespectful. "I was hoping to be able to talk to my Mother without little ears around. But I could really use your support. Do you think you can make it?"
"I'm not sure Maur," Jane sighed, looking around at the crime scene, her eyes eventually running over the fallen firefighter in front of them. "I don't know if I'll be able to get out early tonight," she bent down, placing a hand on her girlfriend's knee giving it a quick squeeze before letting go. "I'll do my best though all right? I promise."
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"Janie how come Gramma is coming to visit?" Amelia asked Jane a couple days after Maura's phone call; the pair in the car on the way home from school as Jane enjoyed a rare day off while Maura worked.
"She wants to come and see you and your Mom," Jane replied, glancing at the little blonde in her rearview mirror, noting the rather sad look on her face. "Don't you want to see your Grandma? She wants to spend some time with you. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"I guess," Amelia shrugged, still looking like it was the last thing she wanted, Jane grateful for the fact that they were pulling into their street.
"What's wrong Bug?" Jane asked when she pulled into the driveway, shutting off the car and turning fully in her seat so she could look at the little girl. "Come on little girl. You can talk to me." She said when it seemed like she wasn't going to get a reply.
"Can we go inside?" Amelia asked in place of a reply, the look on her face immediately making Jane comply.
"Of course kiddo," Jane nodded, quickly gathering her things and getting out of the car, opening up the door to the back seat in order to let Amelia out.
Not quite sure what was going on with Amelia, Jane simply led the five year old inside, following her into the house and watching as she put her bag away before venturing into the family room, grabbing the dolls she had left there that morning. Knowing how Maura could be when she wasn't ready to deal with her feelings, Jane understood that Amelia was hiding something; she just wasn't sure how she should deal with it. Not knowing when Maura would be home, Jane decided she better talk to Amelia without her, hating the sadness that was obviously shining in the young girl's hazel eyes.
"Mia," Jane sat down on the couch, watching the little girl combing her doll's hair. "Hey Bug come over here," she patted the couch next to her, waiting only a few moments before Amelia obeyed, allowing Jane to pull her onto her lap. "What's going on Sweetheart? Tell me. Aren't you happy that your Grandma is coming to visit?"
"Gramma makes Mommy sad," Amelia's answer surprised Jane who couldn't help but feel sad as the little blonde kept her head down, her face hidden.
"Hey," Jane said, lifting Amelia's chin so she could see her eyes; the eyes, which were so like her Mother's. "What do you mean Honey? Why would you say that?"
"When Gramma comes Mommy always gets sad," Amelia repeated, amazing Jane with just how insightful she was at only five years old. "Gramma never stays long and Mommy doesn't like it. It makes her sad and then she cries," she continued to explain. "I don't like when Mommy is sad."
"You know what? I don't like when she's sad either," Jane nodded, running her hand over the blonde's head, searching her mind for a way to make her feel better. "I know that sometimes your Mom isn't always happy when your Grandma is here, but I think that this visit is going to be different. You Mom really wants to spend more time with her Mom, and she wants you to as well," she explained. "I think your Grandma really deserves a second chance with you and your Mom. Do you think you can do that?"
"What if Mommy gets sad again?" Amelia asked, obviously still worried.
"We will just have to make her happy again," Jane replied, kissing Amelia's forehead and giving her a small smile. "I know you know how to do that."
"With lots of hugs and kisses?" Amelia finally smiled.
"Definitely," Jane laughed, pulling the blonde against her chest, hugging her tight. "Lots and lots of hugs and kisses."
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"What are you still doing here?" Jane asked as she entered the morgue later that day, finding Maura still standing over the body of the fireman from their crime scene that morning. "I thought you were leaving early? Your Mother should be here by now shouldn't she?"
"She landed over an hour ago," Maura nodded, her focus still on the body, not even looking up at her girlfriend. "I just have a few things to finish here before I go," she finally looked up. "Why did you come down if you didn't think I would be here?"
"Came to ask Susie a question," Jane shrugged, receiving a skeptical look from the blonde. "Okay and maybe I came to make sure you left. And it's a good thing considering you're still here. You've been over this body already Maur. Why are you still here?"
"I told you Jane, I had some things so go over," Maura replied, once again avoiding the brunette's eyes.
"You're gonna get hives Maura," Jane raised an eyebrow, moving to stand in front of the autopsy table, using a finger to lift the blonde's head. "You're stalling. Why? You asked your Mother here remember? I thought you were excited."
"I am excited," Maura was quick to reply, sighing as she watched Jane once again raise her eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm just nervous as well."
"Maura she's your Mother. What do you have to be nervous about?" Jane asked, hating the look of fear in her girlfriend's eyes. "Maura?"
"She's not like your Mother Jane," Maura shook her head, pulling off her gloves and stepping away from the body still on the table between them. "I've never asked my Mother to be a part of my life like this and I just…I don't really know what to expect. I know she's my Mother and it should be easy, but it's not. I don't know how to talk to her and I don't know how to share my life with her," she explained. "I want a relationship with her but I don't know how and I'm…it scares me," she shrugged. "I'm scared."
"It's okay to be scared Maur," Jane gave the blonde a small smile, walking around the table so she could wrap her arms around her girlfriend. "I think anyone in your situation would be a little scared. I completely get it," she reassured her. "But you can do this. You need to do this."
"You really can't come with me?" Maura asked, leaning her head against Jane's shoulder, her voice sounding small.
"I'm sorry love," Jane kissed Maura's forehead; glad she had thought to shut the door when she came in. "Dead fireman. They want this solved like yesterday. It's gonna be a long night," she said, running her fingers through blonde hair. "You can do this though Babe. I actually think it will be better this way. You and your Mom need this time together. You can do this Maura. You can do this."
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"Mommy will you braid my hair today?" Amelia asked the morning of Constance's visit. "I want it to look pretty for when Gramma comes."
"Of course Sweetheart. Come here," Maura replied, gesturing to the space in front of her on the couch; the pair getting ready for school and work. "Would you like one braid or two?"
"What do you think Gramma will like better?" Amelia asked, looking up at her Mother innocently.
"I think that your Gramma will like your hair no matter what," Maura replied, running her hand over the little girl's head, hating the fact that her daughter was worried about such little things in regards to her Mother's visit. "I know that you don't see your Grandmother often but she loves you Honey. You don't have to worry about looking nice."
"Okay," Amelia nodding, biting her lip in thought. "Two braids then."
"Two braids it is," Maura smiled, placing a kiss on her daughter's head before getting to work, brushing out blonde locks.
"Mommy? How come you don't see your Mommy all the time like Janie does?" Amelia asked after several minutes of silence.
"Well because my Mother doesn't live here in Boston," Maura replied, continuing her work on the little girl's hair. "She lives very far away so it isn't easy for her to visit like it is for Angela."
"Why does she live so far Mommy?" Amelia then asked, her voice sounding worried. "Are you gonna live far away from me?"
"No Darling, I could never be away from you," Maura was quick to assure her, finishing up with her braids before pulling her daughter onto her lap. "I would never move away from you Baby," she wrapped her arms around the little girl, who immediately snuggled close. "I would miss you far too much."
"I would miss you too Mommy. And Janie too," Amelia said, playing with her Mother's necklace. "Doesn't your Mommy miss you?"
"Oh…well…" Maura was at a loss for how to answer the question, not quite sure that her Mother missed her the way that she would miss Amelia if they were ever apart. "I think my Mother does miss me…in her own way," she finally answered. "And I know that she misses you very much. My relationship with my Mother is just very…different. I know that's probably hard for you to understand," she said, kissing the top of the little blonde's head. "I just hope you know that your Grandmother really does love you Darling, even if you don't see her very often. She loves you. And she's going to try harder to see you. Okay?"
"Okay," Amelia nodded, looking up at her Mother with big, hazel eyes. "I think she loves you too Mommy."
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When Maura had returned home she opened the front door to the sounds of her daughter's giggles coming from the family room. Peering into the room the Medical Examiner was surprised to find Constance cuddled up on the couch with Amelia, the pair so engrossed in a book that they didn't even hear her enter. Angela, who had seen Maura come in explained that the pair had been like that since Constance had arrived; a fact that thrilled Maura.
Maura was reluctant to break up the bonding moment that was taking place in her family room, instead retreating to the kitchen and watching from a distance until Amelia finally looked up and noticed her. The next hour was spent with the 3 Isles' spending time together talking and mostly listening to Amelia tell stories; an hour, which Maura never wanted to end. Since they had made dinner reservations though, Maura and Constance were forced to leave; saying their goodnights to Amelia with promises they would spend time together the next day.
Maura, who had felt at ease when Amelia was present, became nervous as she made her way to dinner with her Mother; making small talk as best she could on the drive before falling into an awkward silence as they took their seats at the restaurant. The blonde felt her anxiety returning full force, realizing she didn't know how to talk to her Mother on her own; didn't know how to share her life with the woman who technically raised her.
"Maura," Constance eventually sighed, the silence finally becoming too much. "I'm your Mother. I know things haven't always been easy between us, but let's just try and enjoy our time together okay? Can we do that?"
"Okay," Maura let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, doing her best to relax. "We can do that."
And so they did. With the pressure off, the pair enjoyed their dinner, talking about anything and everything; Maura surprised by just how many questions her Mother asked, obviously wanting to know about not only her job, but also her relationship with Jane. Constance seemed very interested in her daughter's relationship with the BPD Detective, insisting that she wanted to spend some time with Jane while she was in the city; wanting to make a better impression than she had during their last meeting.
"I'm glad you enjoyed dinner," Maura said later that night as she and Constance left the restaurant, trying to hide her surprise when her Mother looped her arm through hers. "I had a nice time."
"It was wonderful," Constance agreed happily as they made their way down the sidewalk. "I wish we had done this more often. I wish I had taken more time to simply enjoy my time with you. I should have…"
"How about we go home and I make us some tea," Maura interrupted, understanding what her Mother was saying, but not wanting to go down that road again; enjoying the happiness that had fallen over them. "Jane should be home soon if she's not already. We can sit and talk for a while."
"That sounds wonderful," Constance replied with a smile, leading Maura out towards the street.
The Mother and Daughter were so engrossed in their newfound happiness that neither woman noticed the car coming towards them until the headlights were shining over them. With very little time to react, Maura found herself being pushed out of the way, disoriented as she hit the pavement barely even hearing the sounds of the car colliding with her Mother.