Chapter 32
A Night Out
The sound of a Harley Davidson rounding the corner and coming to a stop in Maura's driveway jolted Jane from the couch and out the front door. She was greeted by the sight of Frankie sitting astride a 1996 heritage soft tail as he pulled off a helmet with a wide grin on his face.
"Damn Bro…that looks incredible." Jane did a slow walk around the bike to admire it. "The paint job is stellar and the graphics…," she took a closer step but didn't touch it yet.
"Ya think?" Frankie set his helmet on the seat behind him before twisting back around to face Jane.
"Yeah. The gray pin striping looks good against the chrome. And I like that you picked the blue undertones." Jane finally reached out to lightly touch the Harley logo.
"Well, I just got her back so I'm counting on you to take excellent care of her." Frankie took a moment to make sure the kickstand was secure before swinging his leg around to dismount it.
"Like it was my own." Jane rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"The only reason I'm letting you borrow this is because you helped me rebuild it and you're letting me borrow the Mercedes." He mimicked Jane by rubbing his hands together and grinned wickedly. "Although I don't know why you got rid of your Harley. It was beautiful."
"I guess after Hoyt…I didn't think I'd be able to grip the handlebars well enough to ever ride again." Jane turned serious as she flexed her hands a few times.
Frankie didn't say anything, instead he just nodded his understanding. It was a subject best left alone, so, he did just that. Pushing his dark hair away from his eyes, he could see that it was the right choice when Jane smiled at him gratefully. "Don't keep her out too late." He tossed her the keys.
"Yeah, yeah…," She caught the keys and pocketed them before tossing him the keys to the Mercedes. "What're your plans tonight?"
"I got a date with the rookie in traffic." He threw his shoulders back and puffed out his chest in a show of cockiness. It failed and he deflated when Jane laughed.
"You mean the meter maid?" She laughed.
"Hey, even you said she's cute." He tried to defend himself.
"Cute is one thing, but I have a feeling she uses that to hide a broader spectrum." She cautioned. The rumor around the office was that she never stayed with one guy long enough to establish a relationship.
"Look, I get it. I've heard the rumors too, but we talked the other day and hit it off so I thought I'd give it a go. She seems fun and I like her." He tried not to sound angry but the frown and furrowed brow didn't help.
"All I'm saying is be careful." Jane held her hands up in surrender. "And no sex in Maura's car."
"Well the same goes for you." Frankie smirked at Jane's surprised expression. "Yeah…I heard that rumor too." He wiggled his eyebrows at her causing her face to color a light pink.
"Now whatever did you say to make your sister blush like that?" Maura appeared in the front doorway.
Jane tried to roll her eyes but stopped when she got a good look at Maura and her jaw dropped open. Swallowing hard, her eyes swept over the leather clad figure in front of her. The motorcycle boots with chrome buckles reflecting the late afternoon sun glinted brightly at her causing her eyes to roam up over the dark blue denim of the jeans Maura was wearing. As her eyes continued to move up, she was greeted with a black leather jacket with reflective stripes running along Maura's arms and across her chest but it was the matte black helmet that she was holding under her arm that surprised Jane the most.
"You have your own helmet?" Jane asked as more questions came to her mind.
"I do." Maura nodded.
"Um…why?" Jane asked, her curiosity piqued.
"One generally owns a helmet when they own a motorcycle." Maura said casually, knowing the admission would surprise Jane.
"You own a motorcycle?" Jane's voice cracked at her surprise.
"I did." Maura tilted her head to regard the flustered look on Jane's face.
"And you rode it?" Jane's interrogation continued.
"Umm hmmm…," Maura grinned at Jane's look of disbelief.
"How…? You, you…um… know how to ride?" Jane wasn't sure what to ask as she fumbled for a coherent question.
"Yes Jane." Maura smiled sweetly as she stepped off the front porch, moving closer to Jane and Frankie. She gave Frankie a nod in greeting as she stopped in front of Jane. "I am a licensed driver and at one time was the proud owner of a 1200 Roaster Harley Davidson. I used to ride it to the hospital where I did my residency. It wasn't as big as this one, but I liked it."
"I bet you did." Jane couldn't stop herself from smirking.
"And just because of that smirk, I'm going to ask you to hand over the keys." Maura held out her hand and smirked back when Jane's mouth dropped open again at her request.
"What?" Both Jane and Frankie said simultaneously.
"You heard me. Give me the keys." Maura directed her answer at Jane before glancing over at Frankie. "I want to drive."
"Well, you can't." Jane shook her head.
"I most certainly can." Maura glared at Jane defiantly.
"Um…are you sure you can handle a bike this size?" Frankie asked, his face slightly pale at the thought of handing his keys over to Maura.
"Absolutely." Maura turned to Frankie with an air of confidence he couldn't deny. She understood his reservations, but she was an experienced rider and wouldn't risk danger to her or Jane if she thought she couldn't handle it.
"Okay. Jane, give her the keys." Frankie could see that Maura was both capable and confident.
"No." Jane backed away shaking her head.
"You don't trust me?" Maura furrowed her brow as she tried to understand Jane's behavior.
"Oh, I trust you completely." Jane continued to back up and shake her head, her eyes going from Maura to the bike.
"Oh my God…you don't want to ride bitch." Frankie bent over, grabbing his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably.
"Shut the fuck up Frankie." Jane growled at her brother.
"What do you mean 'ride bitch'?" Maura cocked her head to the side as if it might help her understand what was happening between brother and sister.
"It means I'm not now, or ever going to ride on the back of a bike." Jane squared her shoulders and took a defensive stance.
"I don't understand Jane. What's the big deal?" Maura frowned as her bottom lip poked out in the beginnings of a pout.
"Oh, no…that's not gonna work." Jane waved her hands around and shook her head as if it might protect her from the one thing that could get her to do anything Maura wanted.
"So what you're telling me is that you won't ride with me because it may make you look…," Maura struggled to find the right word. "Too girlie?" She rolled her eyes. "You expect me to do it but you won't? That doesn't seem very fair, now does it?"
"Come on Maur, it's not like that." Jane tried to defend herself. She had no idea how the tables had turned, but they had and now she was losing ground.
"It certainly sounds that way." Maura gave Jane a sad look.
"Yeah Jane, it kinda sounds like you expect Maura to do something you wouldn't." Frankie interjected.
"Shut up Frankie." Jane pointed at him and frowned.
"Hey, it's my bike and if I say give the keys to Maura…," he decided to throw his weight around by not giving Jane much of a choice. "Then give her the damn keys."
Jane glared at her brother as she dug deep in the pocket of her jeans before producing the keys and giving them to Maura. Her shoulders dropped in defeat but it didn't stop her from getting in the last word with Frankie. "Paybacks are a bitch little bro."
"Yeah, well at least I won't be riding bitch." He smirked at her, getting the rise he had expected when Jane's face turned red.
"I don't understand what the big deal is. I just want to feel your arms around me and your body pressed against mine. What' so wrong with that? Maura let out a heavy sigh as she looked between Jane and Frankie who had the decency to looked embarrassed.
"You're right Maur, it's not a big deal. I'm sorry." Jane tried to sound sincere but the sight of Frankie silently mouthing 'You're full of shit' behind Maura caused her scowl.
"Honestly Jane, I just wanted to have a nice evening with you." Maura sounded sad again.
"Really, it's alright. As I said before, I trust you completely. I look forward to riding with you." Jane looked over at Frankie and dared him to argue. But this time, he just smiled and tossed the Mercedes keys up in the air, catching them before putting then in his pocket.
"Enjoy your evening ladies." He called over his shoulder as he headed to Maura's car. "And hey Jane…," he waited for her to acknowledge him and continued when she gave him a nod. "Remember what I said…no sex on my bike."
"The same goes for you too." Jane gave him a pointed look as he turned to walk away. "And hey Frankie…," He stopped to hear what she had to say. "Fuck off." She laughed as he rolled his eyes at her.
"Only if I get lucky." He quipped back and waved her off as he opened the car door and disappeared inside.
"Is that possible?" Maura asked as she blinked in confusion.
"What? Frankie having sex on a first date?" Jane turned her attention back to Maura.
"Um…no. I was referring to sex on a motorcycle." Maura looked from Jane to the bike and then back to Jane as if trying to formulate some idea in her head.
"Oh, yeah." Jane grinned at Maura and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Their banter had quickly gone from argumentative to playful and for that Jane was thankful. The light pink color rising in Maura's cheeks indicated that she was imagining things she had never imagined before and it caused Jane to chuckle. Maybe riding on the back, holding Maura close to her wouldn't be so bad after all.
If the thought of wrapping her arms around Maura wasn't enough to get Jane's blood pumping, the sight of Maura straddling Frankie's Harley was. Leaning back slightly in the black leather seat, Maura set her helmet on her head and threaded the strap through the two silver hoops before cinching it tightly across her chin and snapping it in place. She gave her head a shake to make sure it was on tight enough and then glanced over her shoulder with a grin. Placing her hands on the handle bars, she turned the wheel to the right to give her the leverage she needed to lift the bike from its kickstand with ease. And to Jane's amazement, Maura made it look easy.
"Come on darlin'…," Maura squared her shoulders and flexed her hands to get a feel for the bike. "We're burnin' daylight."
"You never cease to amaze me." Jane laughed as she put her helmet on and strapped it in place. She couldn't help but take one last look at Maura, allowing her eyes to wander over the boots, worn jeans, and black leather jacket before coming to rest on the profile of the woman she loved with all her heart. Jane could see a slight curve to Maura's lips and could imagine the confident smile she knew was there. She waited until Maura lifted the kickstand up, now fully balancing the heavy bike like a pro and it was then she realized she had nothing to worry about. Maura was completely capable and the only thing Jane needed to worry about was her reputation as a badass as she climbed on the back of the bike behind Maura. When she settled herself back against the seat, she placed her hands along Maura's hips and waited.
The feeling of Jane settling in behind her caused Maura's stomach to flutter. She couldn't help but smile at the idea that there was still an element of excitement and anticipation every time Jane touched her. It did her proud to prove that she knew what she was doing and that they could mix things up sometimes, especially when things were fast becoming domestic between them.
"Ready?" Maura asked as she lifted the silver dial to place the key in to switch it in the on position.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Jane tried to relax and loosened her grip on Maura's hips.
"Hold on." Maura placed her hand back on the handle and flipped a switch with her thumb causing the bike to roar to life with a deep guttural grow that vibrated through her. Twisting the throttle a few times, she revved the engine causing the fronts of Jane's thighs to press tighter against the back of hers as Jane tensed behind her in anticipation. With her foot, she popped the bike in gear, hit the throttle again and off they went.
While waiting for their food to arrive, Jane couldn't stop herself from drumming her fingers along the table as she contemplated the ride there. To her surprise, she had enjoyed it but she wasn't ready to admit it to Maura yet. She took a sip of her beer without taking her eyes off Maura, tipping the bottle back a to allow the amber liquid to slide past her lips and then she smiled and set it down.
"What's that smile for?" Maura asked as she stirred her margarita with a straw.
"Don'know…," Jane gave a sheepish grin and shrugged her shoulders.
"You're surprised I can drive the bike, aren't you?" Maura couldn't stop herself from sounding slightly petulant as she took a long drink.
"Not surprised, just pleasantly…amazed." Jane struggled to find any other word to describe what she was feeling. "You pretty much amaze me daily." Her voice took a light tone as she spoke.
"I do, do I?" Maura raised an eyebrow and placed her hand on her helmet sitting in the empty seat next to her.
Jane watched as Maura's fingers traced over the etched decals that scrolled along the surface of her matte black helmet. There was a familiarity to the way Maura's fingers brushed along the design that suddenly had Jane wondering when and how Maura had started riding a motorcycle.
"Tell me, when did you start riding?" Jane's eyes traveled back to Maura's. There was a thinly veiled sadness swimming deep in the green flecks that seemed more prominent as they stared at each other.
"Well…," Maura said as she sat back in her seat and crossed her arms exhibiting a slightly defensive posture. Tilting her head to regard Jane thoughtfully, she took a moment to remember that summer after Jane had left her. It had been a rough time to say the least, but it had also been liberating in some strange way. "That first summer…after you left…," she hesitated when she saw Jane's cheek's turn a light pink with the flush of guilt. "I…um…, just decided to step out of my comfort zone a little."
"You mean a lot." Jane chuckled lightly.
"Okay…I admit it. I stepped way out of my comfort zone. I was missing you so much that I didn't go out with the few friends I had made while at BU. All I did was go to class, study, and sleep everyday…and then repeat it the next." Maura turned away from Jane to look out over the restaurant with a wistful expression and then she turned back with a playful twinkle in her eyes. "I decided to get some fresh air one warm spring afternoon after class and that's when I saw it…," She gave a wicked little smile at the memory. "It was a fully restored 1947 Indian Chief motorcycle and I fell in love at first sight. It was cherry red, with black and chrome inlays. Absolutely beautiful."
"I'll bet." Jane gave an appreciative nod and waited for Maura to continue.
"I sat outside at the same time every day for two weeks on the off chance I might catch another glimpse and when I finally did see it again, the driver stopped and parked in front of my dorm. I wouldn't consider myself a shy or easily intimidated person but the sight of the rider, clad in leather from head to toe scared me a little, but in a good way. Imagine my surprise when that leather clad rider took their helmet off to reveal long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that were immediately covered with aviator sun glasses. I thought I might faint when she waved me over to her as she propped the bike up on its kickstand and swung a leg over the seat so she could face me."
"Really?" Jane tried to hide her surprise and something else she wasn't willing to admit, jealousy. "Did you date her after me?" She couldn't stop herself from going straight to the punchline.
A slow, sexy smirk crept along Maura's lips as she realized Jane was trying to hide her jealousy. "Wellllll…," she drew the word out at a torturously slow pace but decided to put Jane out her misery when she let out a frustrated huff. "She was and is still very straight."
Jane did her best not to look relieved but it was futile when Maura frowned at her. "Yeah, I know you moved on but for some reason the thought of you being a bikers old-lady just kinda hits me in the ego."
"I did move on Jane and I would have gladly moved on with Stevie if she had been interested." Maura could feel the sting of her words as they hit Jane. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so bitter…but…,"
"I get it. You were bitter and you had every right to be." Jane interrupted.
"It was Stevie who told me about the class and suggested I take it and learn how to ride one myself." Maura continued with the story. "So I did and that summer I bought an Indian Chief."
"Wow…," Jane sounded impressed. "That's pretty…awesome Maur."
"It was. And it definitely was a chick magnet." Maura grinned and wiggled her eyebrows as she took another sip of her drink. "But I'm sure you already know that."
Jane had the decency to look embarrassed as she tilted her head back to take the last swallow from her beer bottle. "I thought you said you had a Harley."
"I did. I took a break for a few years after I sold the Indian. As I said earlier, while I was doing my residency, I bought the Harley. I didn't live too far away from the hospital so I rode it quite often, especially in the spring and fall."
"Again…all I can say is wow." Jane pushed her empty bottle away and politely waved the waiter away when he asked if she wanted another.
"Why does it surprise you so much Jane?" Maura asked with a slight frown. She was having a hard time understanding why Jane seemed so surprised.
"I don't know." Jane shrugged her shoulders. She sat back to allow the waiter to place her plate in front of her when their food arrived but didn't touch anything as she turned her full attention back to Maura. "I shouldn't be. There isn't anything you can't do."
"Then why did it bother you so much to ride on the back?" Maura touched her fork, but didn't pick it up as she waited for Jane to answer.
Jane was quiet for a minute as she tried to figure out exactly what it was that had bothered her so much. "I suppose it was just my ego at first."
"Okay…then what is it now?" Maura wasn't going to relent until she had an answer.
"What can I say…I'm the badass detective and you're the smarty pants doctor. I don't want to lose my street cred and I would definitely lose it if anyone saw me riding bitch." Jane laughed to let Maura know she was okay with it.
"What about my street cred?" Maura quirked the corner of her mouth up in a halfhearted smirk.
"Point taken." Jane nodded definitively as she picked up one of her taco's.
"I will however, concede to allow you to drive us home since I've had this…," Maura lifted her margarita glass up. "And you've stopped at one beer."
"As you wish." Jane smiled before letting out a silent breath of relief that she would get to drive home. Perhaps they would take a slight detour to prolong the evening and make some new memories of their own together.
The evening air was cool as they rode along the quiet country road, but occasionally, they would hit a pocket of colder air causing Maura to shiver. The evenings still held the threat of frost but the occasional whiff of freshly blooming flowers reminded Maura that it was still spring and warmer temperatures were just around the corner. Settling closer to Jane, she pressed herself fully against the warm body in front of her and wrapped her arms around Jane's middle. She wondered where they were going as she took in their surroundings hoping that each turn would bring them closer to their destination. The smell of freshly cut grass, blooming flowers, and even exhaust mixed with asphalt had her mind wandering and her eyes scanning the darkness that surrounded them for some indication of where they were going. It hadn't surprised her when Jane suggested they go on a ride before heading home. She could see that Jane was itching to drive and prolonging the evening seemed like the best way to do that but she was starting to feel tired as the margarita she drank settled in her stomach.
Slowing as they came around a corner, Maura could feel Jane down shift until they came to a standstill with Jane balancing the bike between her legs. When Jane gave a quick tilt of her head, Maura knew it was time to get off so she carefully and rather stiffly climbed down, pulling her helmet off when her feet hit solid ground. Giving her arms and legs a quick shake, she watched Jane flip the kickstand out and prop the bike on it before climbing off as well. Her movements indicated she was as sore and stiff as Maura was causing her laugh at the thought that they were getting old.
"What's with the laugh and silly grin?" Jane asked as she unstrapped her helmet and pulled it off. Her usual unruly curls were especially unruly, sticking up in all directions giving her the appearance that she had just gotten out of bed.
Maura couldn't help but reach out and run her fingers through the dark tangle of hair to smooth it down. "I was just thinking that we're getting old."
"Hey, speak for yourself." Jane allowed Maura to push her hair away from her face before grabbing her hand and placing a kiss along the back of it.
"Don't try to deny it. I saw how slowly you climbed off the bike." Maura laughed as the feeling of Jane's lips skimmed over the skin on the back of her hand. The light touch tickled and she couldn't stop the giggle that erupted from her mouth. "Hey…where are we?"
"You don't recognize the park I brought you to when we were in high school?" Jane opened her arms to indicate what she was talking about.
Maura squinted and did her best to see in the dark with just the moonlight to illuminate the area. Suddenly the memory hit her and she laughed again. "I do now and I remember us getting rained on." She watched as Jane pulled a blanket out of one of the leather saddle bags on either side of the bike.
"I thought we'd sit under the stars and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate." Jane held up a thermos and the a blanket.
"But didn't we get run off by the police last time?" Maura couldn't stifle the worry in her voice even though she was surprised by Jane's idea.
"Well…that won't happen now." Jane squared her shoulders to make herself look bigger. "I'm the police now." She flexed the bicep of her left arm and grinned. "I'm the muscle in these parts."
"But it's after hours Jane. Is it safe for us to be here?" Maura sounded concerned.
"It's fine…," Jane tried to reassure. "Really." She said when Maura gave her a skeptical look. "Come on. I've got the perfect spot where we can lay the blanket out to see the stars."
Maura hesitated but only briefly as she followed Jane to a small clearing of grass not far from the bike. She watched as Jane spread the blanket out, smoothing it along the edges to make room for them both before waving Maura over to her.
"Come'ere." Jane dropped down on the blanket and moved to the side to make room for Maura.
"Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?" Maura asked cautiously as she hesitantly sat down next to Jane.
"Absolutely." Jane said as she pulled Maura back against her so they both fell back on the soft grass, covered by the fleece blanket.
"You said something about hot chocolate." Maura snuggled against Jane's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of their bodies touching.
"That I did." Jane twisted off the top and then the cap to pour a cup full of the dark, chocolate liquid into the top so they could share. "I made it with that Mexican chocolate you like so much."
Maura took the improvised cup from Jane and sipped on the warm drink and smiled as she smacked her lips in response to the rich, chocolatey taste. "Yummy. You did good."
"I did?" Jane grinned as she took the cup and drank some as well. "It does taste good, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does." Maura relaxed against Jane as they leaned back together to lay side by side. "This is nice."
"It is, isn't it." Jane set the thermos and cup to the side of the blanket on the ground next to them before bringing her right arm behind her head so she had something to lay on. "I guess we won't have many more nights like this once…," she hesitated, but only briefly. "Once we become parents."
"I beg to differ." Maura propped herself up on an elbow so she could look down at Jane. "We have two grandmothers who are chomping at the bit to get their hands on our little girl." She said the words so nonchalantly that she almost didn't notice the change in Jane, but she did.
"Our…little…girl…," Jane said the words slowly as if she were testing them out on herself.
"Does that bother you?" Maura was beginning to feel a cold panic grip her heart.
"No…it's just…," Jane reached up to run her fingers along Maura's cheek. "I can't believe we're going to have a family. Hearing you say 'our little girl' makes it sound so real."
"It is real." Maura closed her eyes against the warm caress of Jane's fingers along her skin. "Are you ready for this?"
"Not even close." Jane said without hesitation but backtracked when she saw the panic in Maura's face. "What I mean is…is anyone ever really ready for something like this?"
"Maybe…maybe not." Maura mused as she realized that perhaps she wasn't as ready as she thought either.
"I'm not having second thoughts Maur, so don't worry." Jane shifted her weight so she could put her left arm under Maura' shoulder. "I'm just a little scared is all."
"And you don't think I am?" Maura tried not to bristle at Jane's comment.
"I guess I've never thought you were afraid of much." Jane rolled to her side and wrapped her right arm around Maura's waist. "I don't think I've ever seen you scared."
"I suppose I've just gotten good at hiding it." Maura allowed Jane to wrap her in her arms but she continued to stare up at the night sky.
"Well I guess maybe we're skipping a few steps with this one, aren't we?" Jane didn't want to broach the subject of Maura's fears just yet.
"What do you mean?" Maura gave in to the feeling of Jane's body wrapped around hers and snuggled closer.
"She's three years old. No late-night feeding, sleepless night, dirty diapers…," Jane ticked off her list as she held up a finger for each reason.
"But I want all of those with you." Maura pulled back so she could look down at Jane. "I want late-night feedings, sleepless nights, and dirty diapers and more…with you by my side."
"Really?" Jane pulled Maura closer, resting her chin on Maura's head. "I wasn't sure you'd still want that."
Maura took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "I want it all with you Jane. Just because we are getting a head start doesn't change a thing."
"So…um, who's gonna carry it?" Jane hesitated as her voice caught in her throat.
"I think that's a bridge we'll cross when we get to it." Maura could tell that Jane was nervous about the direction of the conversation. "But I won't lie and the idea of you carrying our baby doesn't intrigue me."
"If that's what I have'ta do, I'll do it." Jane let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not saying I want to, but I will."
"You'd be beautiful pregnant." Maura took Jane's hand and intertwined their fingers.
"And so would you." Jane closed her eyes as she imagined a pregnant Maura, carrying their child. She smiled at the image in her mind and let out a contented sigh.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to flip a coin when the time comes." Maura tried not giggle, but it came out anyways. Her body shock with the laughter she couldn't contain.
"Ummm…I'm game if you are." There was lightness in Jane's voice that indicated she was joking, but there was something serious underneath the casual tone.
Silence fell like a heavy blanket as they both contemplated what their future might look like together. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence as they lay in each other's arms under the night sky filled with stars. The air was cool around them and a light breeze picked up bringing with it the sweet scent of honeysuckle that tickled at Maura's nose. Before she could say anything, the darkness lite up with intermittent dots of little fluorescent lights in the form of fireflies.
"Oh Jane look, fireflies." Maura clapped her hands together, pulling Jane's hand along since their fingers were still intertwined. "Did you know that they are neither flies nor bugs. They are actually beetles." Her breath quickened with her excitement.
"Really…and all this time I just thought they were bugs whose butts lite up." Jane chuckled.
"Fireflies are truly remarkable. They are bioluminescent organisms that produce light through chemiluminescence…a chemical reaction that depends on an enzyme called luciferase."
"Sounds kinda nefarious to me…lucier…ase…," Jane's eyes followed a firefly as it flew directly over them.
"Really Jane?" Maura tried not to sound annoyed. "Lucis is Latin for 'meaning light' and ferre means 'to carry.' Fireflies literally bring light."
"Yeah and they use that light to attract mates. I know all of that." Jane reached out and cupped her hands over the firefly she had been so intently watching. Bringing her hands down, she peeked inside to see the bright, yellow fluorescent light. The feeling of the small bug landing and then walking along the palm of her hand tickled, reminding her of a time when her and Frankie would collect them and put them in jars. "Kinda looks like a glow stick." She opened her hands and let the firefly go.
"You're right, they use the light to communicate with each other. The males flash a specific pattern to let the females know they are interested and then the females flash to let them know where they are located." Maura smiled as she watched the flashes continue.
"Sounds like a singles bar to me." Jane laughed.
"There is one species of fireflies called Photinus Carolinus that synchronize their flashes. Just imagine looking out over the Great Smoky Mountains and seeing thousands of them lighting up at the same time." Maura marveled aloud at that thought.
"Amazing…almost as amazing as you." Jane continued to watch the light show taking place all around them. "How about we put that on our bucket list."
"I would love that." Maura closed her eyes and imagined what it might look like.
"Well, as much fun as this is…I think we should head back. It's getting late and I think I promised to show you a few new moves on that thing." Jane sat up and tilted her head towards the bike.
"As much as I am open to new experiences with you Jane, I'm not at all sure how that is going to work." Maura sat up as well and tried not to roll her eyes at what Jane was implying.
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see." Jane wiggled her eyebrows and grinned wickedly, pulling Maura to her feet as she stood. "What say we go home and make some new memories?"
"I'd say lead the way darlin'." Maura grinned, watching Jane fold their blanket before slipping it in one of the saddle bags on the back of the bike. She was still skeptical about the logistics of Jane's idea but she was willing to try. She was always willing to try when it came to Jane.