* Hi all, I hope this finds everyone well. I am shooting for an October baby so two more months to go until Jane and Maura welcome their new addition. I would like to get your input on whether it should be a boy or girl, so make your vote count and let me know. Again, I would like to thank everyone who continues to support me here and with my original. I am almost at the 40, 000 word mark for my second book and look forward to sharing with you all when I get it finished. Thanks again for the reviews and messages as well, it means a great deal to hear what you think. I hope you all take care and I look forward to next months chapter. *
BLT 10
Balloons… yellow, green, and white… as far as the eye could see. Balloons here, balloons there… filling every space of Jane and Maura's living room and backyard. It looked more like a Green Bay Packers Superbowl party than a baby shower, or at least that is what Jane thought as she fought her way through the helium-filled obstacles that clung to her clothes and hair creating enough static electricity to light up a city. It wasn't as if she didn't appreciate the effort that went into the planning of their party, but she thought she had made it pretty clear that low-key was preferred to the grand spectacle that currently surrounded her. The bounce house was a nice touch though, especially for the kids… big and small. But everything was just way over the top.
When Maura had come to her with the news that Frost and Frankie wanted to give them a baby shower with some friends from the department, Jane thought it was a great idea but now she was beginning to have second thoughts. There was a Bloody Mary bar set up with all types of toppings from bacon to pickled okra, a tub filled with ice and an array of micro-brewed beers, and finally a steady flow of mimosas. She was beginning to wonder if it was a baby shower or something else altogether. Of course, she couldn't partake in the wide variety of alcoholic beverages and for that reason, Frost had set up a tub filled with juice boxes and non-caffeinated drinks for her to match the one he had set up for the kids. It pained her to watch everyone drink and be merry while she was relegated to the juice box section, but that's the way the cookie crumbled, so to speak. Perhaps she was feeling a little left out of the festivities as far as the adult activities were concerned, but then she caught sight of Maura with a Bloody Mary in her hand looking more relaxed than she had looked in weeks and a slow, satisfied smile slid across her face. It suddenly dawned on her that this party was as much for Maura as it was for her, so why should Maura have to do without because she had to. Sacrifice, that is what it was all about but it didn't stop her from poking her bottom lip out in a pout when Maura sauntered over to her, sipping on her drink and nibbling at the canape's that were scattered around the room.
"Hey, sexy mama…" Maura slid up alongside Jane with a playful twinkle in her eyes or maybe it was the beginnings of a nice buzz. Wrapping an arm around Jane's waist, she pulled until their bodies were touching so she could place a kiss on Jane's cheek.
"I am, aren't I?" Jane wiggled her dark eyebrows suggestively.
Leaning in so she could whisper in Jane's ear, Maura allowed her lips to brush the outer part as she spoke. "You are, absolutely, the sexist woman I have ever set my eyes on."
The warm breath from Maura's lips caused Jane to shiver and then melt against the arms that held her close. "I'm gonna see if my Ma can keep Valley tonight so we can…" her cheeks flushed before she could finish.
"Ummm…" Maura hummed into Jane's ear as her fingers pressed into the curve of the hip her hand was resting on. "I think that would be a wonderful idea."
Jane squirmed away from Maura's touch to calm the heat that was sweeping up and over her body. "You can't touch me like that in a room full of people." She tried to frown but it was quickly replaced with a grin when Maura gave her a sexy smirk. "And don't drink too much, I have plans for you later that will require you to be in full control of your faculties. But I do like how you've got a little buzz on… it makes you kinda fearless."
"Kinda?" Maura reluctantly let go of Jane and gave her an impatient huff. "I'm always fearless… you remember that time we were trying on clothes in that small boutique on our honeymoon?"
This time Jane's cheeks turned bright red at the memory of that day in St. Thomas. The thrill of almost getting caught had been a rush she hadn't expected to like, but she had. "You've got me there…" she started to say.
"And got you I did… several times, if I remember correctly." The sexy smirk was back on Maura's face.
"Hey, you two… there's already a heatwave outside, we don't need you guys bringing it inside." Carly grinned as she approached Jane and Maura with baby Cassie in her arms. "Wanna hold her?" She offered the sleeping bundle to Jane who looked horrified by the prospect of handling the tiny human.
"Don't look so scared, my dear." Maura reached out using her index finger to touch the clef in Jane's chin before quickly removing it. "Maybe a little practice would be a good thing. I'd do it but…" she held up her drink and gave Carly a quick wink.
"Would you feel better if we sat down?" Carly offered Jane an alternative.
Jane nodded, her eyes glued to the baby wrapped in the blanket covered with little yellow ducks. "Um… yeah…" she stammered, her eyes growing wider as Cassie yawned and stretched one tiny hand over her head.
"Come on, before she wakes up." Carly gave Jane a gentle nudge towards Maura's study where they could have some quiet in the storm of the party that raged on around them.
"Go on… I'll play hostess for a while." Maura offered with a soft smile.
"Okay…" Jane followed her cousin to hide away in Maura's office away from the crowd that she thought might be judging her inexperience when it came to babies. She couldn't stop herself from looking over her shoulder at Maura, uncertainty written all over her face but the quick wink and soft smile from Maura reassured her that everything would be okay. With Maura being a pediatrician, she handled babies daily and Jane couldn't help but feel inadequate when it came to her own experience, something she had very little of. Now toddler's, that was a different story. They weren't tiny, frail, or as breakable as babies and it worried Jane that she wouldn't know what to do once the baby had arrived or worse, she might hurt it. But as she continued to follow Carly, she felt better at the idea of trying her hand at it with just the two of them. No pressure to be perfect or know everything.
Carefully sitting down on the worn leather couch, Carly gave a pat next to her indicating that Jane should sit as well. "Come have a seat." She said looking up at Jane and she could see the uncertainty returning to those dark brown eyes that gazed at her with a mixture of fear and apprehension. "I know she's little but she's very resilient. You're not going to hurt her… I promise." She patted the space next to her again, this time with a little more firmness.
"You're sure?" Jane reluctantly sat down as she rubbed at her belly protectively.
"Look, I know you're new to this… but Cassie is almost two months old now. It's time you held her…" Carly tried not to sound disappointed by the fact that Jane and Maura hadn't visited the baby yet but also understood they had been busy with the clinic, Valley, and well… just life in general. "You were there for Rory's birth and held her that first day. Why are you so reluctant this time?" She had to ask.
Jane shrugged her shoulders and dropped her chin to her chest as she looked down at her lap. "I don't know, I'm just scared I guess."
"Why in the world would you be scared?" Carly moved closer to Jane to pass the baby off. "Here, take her…"
Opening her arms, Jane accepted the precious bundle without resisting. She didn't know why she had been so afraid or perhaps she did and wasn't willing to admit it. Since the beginning of this journey, she and Maura began a little over seven months ago, she had felt unprepared for what the outcome was going to be. They would have a little human being to take care of and she constantly worried she would somehow mess up. Even after all of the talks and reassurances from Maura and everyone in her family, she still couldn't shake the feeling that she wouldn't be good at it.
"Look, I get it…" Carly placed a hand on Jane's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze in support. "But we've missed you guys."
"I know, I'm sorry…" Jane sighed as she caressed Cassie's soft, chubby cheek, causing the baby to turn towards her finger searching for something to eat. A small smile creased her lips as she moved her hand to smooth back some of the blonde hair that stood up on Cassie's head in a wild mo-hawk. "She's beautiful."
"Yeah… she is, isn't she? She looks just like Ryan in her baby pictures." Carly reached over to mimic Jane as she also smoothed down some of the flyaway strands that haloed the small head, a wistful expression on her face at the thought of her wife who was currently partaking in the bounce house activities with Rory. Their eighteen-month-old daughter had them both wrapped around her little finger but Ryan more so than anyone. And little Rory was the spitting image of Ryan in her attitude and spunk.
"How's Ryan doing?" Jane gasped when Cassie grabbed her finger with her tiny hands, gripping it tightly as her eye's fluttered open, slowly.
"She's great…" Carly smiled and leaned over her daughter, placing a gentle kiss on Cassie's forehead. "Fully recovered and back to her old self in every way possible." She couldn't help but chuckle. Everyone knew Ryan was a sports addict and the hardest thing for her during her pregnancy was giving up all the things she loved to do like playing rugby, soccer, softball… if there was an adult league, she was probably on it.
"Glad to hear it." Jane began to gently rock Cassie back and forth in her arms to soothe her back to sleep. But Cassie had other plans as her face scrunched up and her bottom lip began to quiver. "She's gonna cry…" the alarm in Jane's voice caused Carly to laugh. "Oh, my God… I'm sorry… did I do something wrong?"
"No Janie, she's just hungry. Would you keep her for a minute while I go get her bottle?"
"What?" The panic that shot through Jane caused her breath to come quick and her eyes to widen. "You want to leave her alone... with me?"
"You'll be fine. I'll only be a minute." Carly grinned as she pushed herself up from the couch. Bending down, she placed a kiss to the top of Jane's dark head. "I trust you implicitly. Just keep rocking her back and forth."
"Um… okay…" Jane said reluctantly as she looked down at the baby in her arms. She hoped that her rocking motion would prevent Cassie from crying and much to her surprise, Cassie settled against her. Dark blue eyes watched her as she began to stroke a chubby cheek again causing Cassie to coo and smile and then suddenly Jane didn't feel so afraid. Looking down, she imagined what her and Maura's baby would look like and an overwhelming feeling of anticipation washed over her, followed by a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Holding Cassie had opened a whole new world to Jane that she wasn't quite sure she was ready for but now she knew she was. A rush of excitement for what was to come filled her heart as she continued to stare down at the little bundle of joy that had opened her eyes to the future that waited for her and Maura and she couldn't wait for it to begin.
Maura wandered around the living room making small talk with people she hadn't seen in almost a year. Frost and Frankie were fluttering about doing the same but it was different for them, they were still at the department. There were some people that Jane knew from the academy but for the most part, Maura felt like a stranger in her own home. As much as she appreciated having people there to celebrate them and their baby, she still felt a little alienated. Carly and Ryan were there because Ryan also worked with many of the guests and for that Maura was grateful. And the fact that Jane was with Carly and baby Cassie was another thing she appreciated. She knew Jane's reservations and insecurities about this next step in their lives and although she had done her best to alleviate them, Jane still harbored some uncertainty when it came to her lack of experience. But Maura knew the minute their child entered the world, all of those fears would disappear, allowing Jane to be the best mom ever.
As her eyes scanned the room, they came to rest on her mother and Angela standing by the Bloody Mary bar… giggling… or at least that is what it looked like to her. Perhaps she'd had one drink too many but then she remembered she'd only had one. Squinting as if it might help her see better, she continued to watch, even when Frost approached her with a wide grin on his face. She turned her attention to him while still watching her mother and Angela with curiosity.
"Hey, you havin' a good time?" He asked as he moved to stand next to her, a bottle of beer in his hand. "I see you've been enjoying the Bloody Mary bar."
"Yeah, thanks for doing this…" she glanced down at her almost empty glass before giving it a gentle stir. Her eyes stayed focused on the two women across the room as they continued to talk, their heads bowed as if in a deep, secretive conversation.
"No prob… Frankie helped a lot too. Korsak was supposed to but he just decided it was better to hand over some cash and leave us to it. I'm glad he did though, his ideas were pretty dated…" Frost rolled his eyes dramatically.
"What's with the overabundance of green, yellow, and white balloons?" Maura angled herself so she could look at him but still keep an eye on her mother across the room.
"Oh, Richie had them leftover from his Superbowl party a few years back… he's a Packer's fan so…" Frost shrugged his shoulders as if that was explanation enough. When Maura continued to stare at him with an uncertain expression, he laughed. "You said not pink and blue. I thought green and yellow were pretty neutral."
Nodding her head sagely, Maura contemplated what he had said. "I suppose you're right. But do we have to have so many?"
"The kids love them…" Frost said with a crooked smile. He and Frankie had gone back and forth about how many to blow up and decided that it would be fun. They weren't that experienced with baby showers, in fact, neither of them had any experience. So, they worked on making it less about the baby and more about the soon-to-be parents with fewer decorations, except for the balloons and more food and drinks. "I hope Jane wasn't pissed about our little joke with the juice boxes." He raised an eyebrow at Maura in silent question.
"No, she still has a sense of humor." Maura tilted her head back and drank down the last of her drink, giving the glass a gentle shake causing the ice to shift and smack her in the face. "Whoops…" she offered an apologetic smile as she pulled the glass away and wiped away the remnants of liquid from her mouth with the back of her hand.
Frost watched Maura with a surprised expression on his face. He wasn't used to seeing Maura be anything but proper. "Um… have we had a few too many of those?" He asked as he pointed his beer bottle at her now empty glass.
"Just one…" she hiccuped as she fished for the last olive that floated between ice cubes somewhere between the top and the bottom of the glass with a toothpick.
"Did Frankie make it for you?"
"Why, yes… he did." She tilted her head to regard him with curiosity.
"Okay… then you can safely say you've had two." Frost shook his head as he wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulder. "Let's get you on of Jane's juice boxes."
"What in the world would I want with one of those?" Maura's frowned and scrunched up her nose in disgust.
"You'll thank me later." He laughed as he let her towards the non-alcoholic beverages.
"Does this mean I can't have another?" Her gaze turned towards the Bloody Mary bar, a look of longing on her face.
"Of course you can, just remember to stay hydrated and whatever you do, don't let Frankie make it or Jane will be putting you to bed before everyone leaves." He laughed as he dug through the tub filled with ice and drinks. Pulling out a bottle of water, he handed it to her and tipped it towards her mouth indicating she should drink. "I know I don't have to tell how important it is to stay hydrated when you drink, especially if you want to feel okay the next day."
"I suppose you're right." Maura took the bottle being offered to her with a smile. Frost had taken the top off for her so she immediately began to drink. The cold liquid felt good and brought a sense of awareness to her slightly muddled brain and it occurred to her that her attention had been easily taken away from her interest in what her mother and Angela were getting up to. With a renewed sense of balance, she looked back over to them laughing again as they continued to whisper amongst themselves. "Thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow…"
"I don't know about the straight but the narrow… sure…" Frost gave her shoulder a gentle pat and laughed again. "But I know Jane would kill me if you got drunk and well… you know… weren't able to perform your wifely duties…" he coughed as he nudged Maura in the side playfully.
"You and me both..." Maura smirked. "Hey…" she nodded her head towards her mother. "You know what's going on over there? I have a feeling their cooking up something…" her voice trailed off as she noticed a man about her age enter through the back door and move through the crowd heading straight for her mother and Angela. He was tall, with shoulder-length dark, wavy hair, and an olive complexion that indicated her was probably from the Mediterranean. Her eyes widened when he approached the two women and placed a quick kiss to her mother's cheek but when he turned to Angela, he had the look of a man smitten. Before Frost could answer her question, she held up her hand to silence him and pointed in Angela's direction. As she continued to watch, the man bent his head and placed a kiss dangerously close to Angela's lips and lingered for a little longer than Maura thought was appropriate. But when he moved to stand between the two women, his smile radiated warmth and affection that was obviously meant for Angela who was watching him with awe and wonder and the same warmth and affection. There was a familiarity between the two that only came between two people who had been intimate and when the man wrapped his arm around Angela's waist, resting his hand low on her hip, it hit Maura that she was seeing something new and exciting blossom between this stranger and her mother-in-law.
"Holy shit…" Frost said into his beer bottle as the rim rested against his bottom lip. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"If you're thinking that Angela is dating a much younger man… than… yes…" Maura couldn't take her gaze away from Angela but then her eyes moved to her mother who was watching her with curiosity and a slightly smug smile on her face.
"Whoa… Frankie isn't going to like this much." Frost blew out a long, low whistle as he looked around to see if Frankie had noticed the stranger that now had his arm around Angela in a very familiar way.
"I guess I need to go over and introduce myself." Maura took another drink of her water. It had helped to clear her head and she hoped it would help her make her way across the room on shaky legs. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Carly slip back into her office with a bottle in hand and was thankful for the distraction that had taken Jane out of the equation at the moment. She needed to evaluate what was happening before bringing Jane in because she felt the same way that Frost did… she wasn't sure how Jane would take seeing her mother with a much younger man.
"Well, good luck with that." Frost shook his head sadly as if he were sending Maura off to war. "I'll keep an eye out for Frankie… try and buy you some time while you scope out the situation."
"Thanks. We could be wrong but…" Maura gave Frost a knowing look.
"Yeah, but not likely…" he sighed as he gave her shoulder a gentle bump, spurring her into action.
Maura took a few steps but then stopped and looked over her shoulder at Frost who nodded at her, encouraging her to continue. When she turned back in the direction of her destination, her eyes met her mothers again. There was a silent warning hidden in the dark blue that warned Maura to approach carefully, so with a deep breath and heavy exhale, she moved across the room until she found herself standing next to a somewhat surprised Angela.
"Hi, everyone having a good time?" Maura gave her most welcoming smile as she looked at her mother and then the tall, handsome stranger with a protective arm wrapped around Angela's waist. "I'm Maura by the way…" she offered her hand in greeting.
"Oh, Maura… this is Davi… he's… um… a friend of mine." Angela stuttered nervously as she shifted slightly so he wasn't standing so close to her.
"Nice to meet you." Maura smiled when he took her hand in a gentle but firm grip.
"The pleasure is mine." Davi murmured as he brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles like a true gentleman.
"Davi works with me at the university." Constance offered. "He is on an artist exchange program from Portugal."
"I see…" Maura's eyes moved from her mother to Angela whose cheeks were bright pink at having been caught doing something she thought she shouldn't be. "Well, I'm glad you could join us."
"Yes, thank you. Angie invited me…"
"Angie?" Maura raised a questioning eyebrow at Angela, noticing the pink of her cheeks turning red. "Ah, Angie…" she nodded her understanding.
"You have a beautiful home." Davi smiled a wide, genuine smile that caused his light blue eyes to twinkle playfully. "I've only seen the guest house so it is nice to finally see the main house."
It was an innocent enough statement but one that spoke volumes and answered many of the questions that were roaming about in Maura's mind. Now, a new set of questions began to form but by the look on her mother's face, she knew they would have to wait until later. She could feel the nervous energy radiating off of Angela who was much quieter than normal.
"The party turned out nice, Frost and Frankie did a good job… don't you think?" Constance took control of the conversation in an attempt to move past the awkward pause.
"It absolutely has…" Maura tried to smile but there was an uncomfortable strain she couldn't quite explain. "Um, Angela… Jane and I were wondering if you might take Valley tonight. It will give us some time to clean up and sleep in tomorrow."
"Oh, um… I can't." Angela began to fidget as she looked everywhere but at Maura.
"You have plans?" Maura looked at Davi with the slightest bit of judgment for taking their number one babysitter away. But then she realized how silly she was being. Angela was entitled to a life away from them.
"I don't…" Constance put her hands on her hips and glared at Maura with impatience. "You never ask me to keep Valley overnight."
"Oh, I guess because Angela is just right there…" waving her hand towards the guest house, Maura suddenly felt abashed. "But…" she hesitated as she turned her full attention to her mother. "If you wouldn't mind having her… we'd appreciate it."
"Of course I wouldn't mind. She's my granddaughter." Constance's tone softened.
"Okay, that would be great."
"I'm really sorry…" Angela tried to apologize but Maura stopped her.
"You don't have to apologize for having a life, Angela."
"It's just that Davi got us tickets to the symphony and we've been planning this for a while."
"Don't worry…" Maura offered a genuine smile. "Have a good time on your date."
"Oh, um… yeah… date…" Angela's eyes grew wide with uncertainty. "Tha...thanks…" she gave Maura a small, knowing smile.
"Why don't you show Davi around." Maura gave a quick wave around the room. "Get him a drink and some food while I talk to my Mom about tonight."
"You sure?" Angela asked.
"Absolutely…" Both Maura and Constance said at the same time causing them to laugh.
"Okay…" Angela gave them both a thankful but slightly shy smile as she led Davi away.
When they found themselves standing alone, Maura let out a long, slow sigh. "So…" she said on the exhale.
"So…" Constance mimicked her.
"He's young…"
"And…"
"And nothing… at least from me. But I can't speak for the Rizzoli kids." Maura sighed again. Her eyes moved around the room until she found Frankie, laughing and carrying on with Frost, and then she continued to peruse until she found Tommy, squeezing the last drop from the straw of a juice box demanding all of his attention.
"You think it's going to be a problem?" Constance's gaze followed Maura's.
"I don't know. They are pretty a pretty protective bunch, ya know?"
"I do, but this is the happiest I've seen Angela in a long time. She deserves to be with someone who treats her as well as Davi does."
"How long has this been going on?"
"I'd say a few months…" Constance silently counted in her head. She had introduced them back in March but Angela hadn't accepted any of the invitations to go out until May.
"Is this your doing?" Maura couldn't help but wonder out loud.
"I introduced them, yes. And I may have encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone a little." A sly grin slid across Constance's face.
Maura was quiet for a moment when she saw Frankie notice Angela and Davi across the room, a frown slowly forming on his mouth as he watched them. "I think it's about to hit the fan…" she pushed some honey-blonde hair over her shoulder and away from her face. "I just hope Carly keeps Jane entertained for a bit longer. I don't think I can handle this all at once."
"If it's any consolation, Angela is a grown woman and can make her own decisions."
"You don't have to tell me…" Maura let out a frustrated huff as she watched Frankie make his way across the room towards his mother with a determined look on his face. "I guess I'd better go try and defuse this before it blows up."
"Good luck with that." Constance offered her condolences.
"You sound like Frost." A small smile played along Maura's lips.
"I'm going to go find my granddaughter and plan our evening." Constance gave a quick wave as she headed towards the backdoor and the backyard where Valley was currently playing.
"Mom?" Maura called over her shoulder, causing Constance to pause. "Thanks for keeping her tonight."
"My pleasure…" Constance smiled before disappearing out the door, closing it behind her with a soft click.
"Okay… here goes nothing…" Maura's shoulder's dropped slightly in anticipation of what was to come. "But maybe I'll make another drink for some courage." And with one last look over at Frankie and the protective posture he had taken as he now stood next to Angela, Maura thought a drink would definitely help, so she stopped by the Bloody Mary bar and filled a glass with ice, followed by the mixture from the pitcher and then topped it off with several olives and a stalk of celery. Taking a drink, she smacked lips together with a satisfied hum and turned her attention to the task at hand… talking Frankie down from the high horse he was currently riding. And then there would be Jane and Tommy to contend with, but for now… one at a time would have to do.
It didn't take long for word to spread that Angela had a new 'friend' as Frankie had put it and Maura wasn't sure at what point they had all congregated to her office where Jane had been with Carly. Carly had wisely taken Cassie from the room to allow the Rizzoli clan to hash out whatever it was that required such immediate attention. Maura was grateful that they had been able to move Frankie and Tommy before their arguing had become heated and Davi was off with Constance and Frost with no knowledge of the impending blowup that was inevitable between the siblings. She watched the exchange between the two brothers with Jane in the middle, going back and forth like a tennis match and even though she didn't have anything to say, she could at least offer Jane her support… silently at this point.
"What the hell is going on?" Jane leaned back on the worn leather sofa, looking up at her brothers who seemed to insist on talking over each other.
"Ma has a… well… I'm not sure…" Frankie said waving his hands in the air, his face red in frustration.
"Ma has a boyfriend." Tommy pointed at Frankie, his face equally red. "And I think it's great."
"What? You think it's great that Ma is dating someone half her age?" Frankie put his hands on his hips and glared at Tommy.
"Yes, I do." Tommy wasn't backing down.
"Ma has a boyfriend?" Jane asked, surprise evident in her voice.
"That's all you got out of what I said? What about the fact that he's twenty years younger than her?" Frankie turned his anger on Jane.
"Um… excuse me, but we really don't know if that's true. None of us know how old he is." Maura offered diplomatically but it only resulted in having Frankie's glare directed at her.
"Don't give her that look." Jane defended her wife. "She's right and I think you're jumping to conclusions. Did Ma tell you she was dating him?"
"Well, I didn't need to ask. He had his hands all over her." Frankie scowled at the memory of seeing Davi with his arm wrapped around his mother's waist in a possessive way.
"He did not have his hands all over her. You are so damn dramatic Frankie." Tommy shook his head, then turned his attention to Jane. "He had an arm wrapped around her waist, in a slightly familiar way."
"Define familiar…" Jane reached up to run her fingers through her hair to push it away from her face so she could lean her head back and look up at Tommy. She let out a tired sigh at having to referee this fight between her brothers but she was glad for Maura's presence even though she could see that Maura wished she was anywhere but there.
"I don't know…" Tommy shrugged his shoulders. "I guess, like if you were dating someone and you just put an arm around them, familiar…"
"His hands were all over her!" Frankie couldn't contain his own opinion.
Before anyone could say anything else, the door to the office opened and Angela stepped inside, shutting it behind her. Without saying anything, she moved across the room to sit next to Jane but if looks could kill, Frankie would need CPR.
"What's going on, Ma?" Jane asked, leaning her head on Angela's shoulder when the older woman wrapped a protective arm around her.
"I'm not sure but I don't like that your brothers are bothering you during your shower when you should be the center of attention."
"Aw, come on Ma… how can you expect us to keep quiet when you invited him here to flaunt in front of us." Frankie frowned again, but this time he had the decency to look away when Angela glared at him.
"I am doing no such thing." Angela glanced over at Maura for help. Her awkward shyness had been replaced with a fiery disposition and a need to defend herself.
"Um… I told Angela she could bring a guest." It was the truth because Angela had asked her if she could bring a guest, so Maura wasn't lying.
"You didn't tell me Ma wanted to bring a guest." Jane seemed surprised by Maura's admission.
"See, it was an ambush so we wouldn't say anything in front of them." Frankie waved his hand towards the wall and the people behind it.
"I don't appreciate the tone you're using with me right now, young man." Angela sat up straighter so she could look at Frankie. "Do you all feel the same way?" Her eyes floated around the room, making contact with each and everyone, waiting for a nod or shake of the head. She was both surprised and happy to find that Frankie was in fact, the only one.
"I don't know enough to form an opinion." Jane sighed tiredly. She placed a hand on her stomach and winced as the baby did a little dance on her bladder.
Maura jumped up from where she was sitting across the room to sit next to Jane. Dropping down on the couch, she placed her hand on top of Jane's and smiled. The tension in the room lessened slightly but not enough to change the subject.
"His name is Davi and he is on an artist exchange program from Portugal. And if you must all know, although it is none of your business, he is forty-two years old… and yes we are dating." Angela spouted off the details as if she were reading them off a page of statistics. "Now, is there anything else or can we put this behind us and enjoy the rest of the afternoon?"
"I just don't understand why someone his age would want to date you." And as Frankie's words left his mouth, even he knew it was the wrong thing to say.
"Excuse me?" Angela, Jane, and Maura said at the same time causing him to duck his head in shame.
But Tommy could only stare at him with an open mouth and surprised expression, that is until he found his voice. "What the hell man? Pop's girlfriend is in her thirties and you haven't said so much as boo to him…"
"What?" This time it was just Angela and Jane's voice's filled with disbelief that filled the room.
Tommy looked from Frankie to his mother and sister, realizing too late that he had just let the cat out of the bag. "Sorry, Ma… but I don't think it's right for Frankie to be an ass to you when he seems to think it's alright for Pop to do the same thing."
"I don't think it's alright, but…" Frankie started to say but was interrupted by Angela.
"Choose your word's wisely, son." Angela gritted her teeth and clenched her jaw.
"But nothing." Jane pointed at Frankie in an accusatory way. "All you men stick together…" she let out a huff of disgust.
"Hey, I'm on Ma's side." Tommy tried to defend himself.
"Look, Angela is a vibrant, energetic woman in her mid-life… any man would be lucky to be in her presence." Maura added as she continued to hold her hand to Jane's stomach, a wistful smile on her face as she felt the baby move around under her palm.
"I know, I just don't want Ma to get hurt..." Frankie mumbled, realizing that he was clearly outnumbered.
"I'm a grown woman and I can take care of myself. If I didn't prove that to you when your father walked out on me after almost thirty years of marriage, then I don't know what else I can do."
"Sorry Ma, I just want to protect you." Frankie reached out to place a hand on Angela's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "And I didn't mean what I said about why he would want to date you. Maura's right, any man would be lucky to have you on his arm. But it's going to take some getting used to."
"Finally!" Jane threw her hands up in the air in relief. "Now, I suggest everyone get back to the party and Ma… I look forward to meeting this new 'friend' of yours." She pushed herself towards the end of the couch and turned to Maura for help standing up. "But if you'll excuse me, I've had to go pee for the past ten minutes and the baby has been doing the tango on my bladder making it a priority at the moment."
Maura jumped up and took Jane's hands, pulling her up until their bodies touched. She knew Jane had to go to the bathroom but she wanted a quick hug so she could whisper 'I love you' into Jane's ear, which got her a quick kiss and a wink that caused her legs to wobble.
"Sorry Janie…" both Frankie and Tommy said in unison.
"As long as we got this all worked out…" Jane stated as she waved a hand between them. "It's all good."
"It's all good..." Frankie promised even though he was still a little unsure. But he would accept that he had been wrong in making assumptions.
"Well, now that that's all behind us… I'm going to go check on Davi. I left him with Constance and Frost so I'm sure he's been in good hands." Angela sighed, thankful they had come to a resolution but still a little angry that it had come to this.
"We'll be out in a few and you can introduce us." Jane said to her mother's retreating back as she followed Frankie and Tommy out the door. Angela offered a smile over her shoulder but it was strained and it made Jane question whether or not Frankie had hurt her more than any of them had realized.
When they found themselves alone, Jane turned and wrapped her arms around Maura who seemed to sense her reservations. For a few moments, they held each other in silence until Jane suddenly squirmed away. "I really do have to go pee…" she said with an apologetic smile.
"Go on, I'll wait right here." Maura reluctantly let go.
"I'll only be a minute… or two." Jane threw a quick wink over her shoulder as she disappeared in the half-bath connected to Maura's office. She didn't close the door, though so she could still talk to Maura while she took care of her business. "You wanna tell me what's really going on out there?"
"I don't know what to say…" Maura moved to stand behind her desk to tidy up some papers that had been scattered with the unexpected traffic her office had seen today.
"What's he look like?"
"He's tall… about six, six-two I'd estimate with shoulder-length, dark wavy hair and blue eyes…" Maura reported as she continued to clean up her desk.
"Hmm…" Jane's voice was followed by the flushing of the toilet.
Maura waited patiently for Jane to finish up so she could tell her that Angela wouldn't be able to babysit but that her mother had offered. She wasn't sure, even though she had already said it would be okay because she still wanted to get Jane's opinion.
"Good looking?" Jane appeared in the doorway to the bathroom drying her hands on a hand towel before throwing it back towards the sink. The look on Maura's face had her going back to hang the towel up properly before she reappeared. "Happy?"
"Yes, thank you and I think Angela is as well."
"Really? You think this is good for her even though he is much younger?"
"What? He's only thirteen years younger, so I wouldn't say it was that much younger."
"Okay, but what I want to know is if I'm gonna like him or will I have to do a background check on him?" Jane put her hands on her hips as she waddled over to Maura sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.
"All I can do is speak for myself and I liked him. He works at the university with my Mom so I don't think she would introduce them if she didn't think he was a good person."
"Ah, so I have your mother to thank for this. Do you think that is why they have been acting so weird around each other?" Jane questioned.
"You know… now that I think about it, probably. I think my mom was helping Angela meet up with him so we wouldn't know until she was ready." Maura nodded her head as she waited for Jane to get closer so she could pull her into her arms again.
"Makes sense, doesn't it." Jane sighed when she felt Maura's arms wrap around her and pull her close. Resting her head on Maura's shoulder, she let out a contented sigh. "I'm so ready to welcome our baby home and for this having to pee every ten minutes thing to be over with."
"Me too." Maura placed a kiss to that spot below Jane's ear that made her shiver. "You ready to go back out there and get this day over with?" She whispered against the warm skin her lips skimmed across.
"I am, but…" Jane pulled away again with an apologetic smile. "I have to pee again. Wait for me and we'll hit it together…"
Maura laughed as Jane danced her way across the room and back to the bathroom. She waited patiently for Jane to finish and took her hand when she returned so they could return to their party and face the crowd together. With smiles plastered on their faces, they left Maura's office only to bump right into their old friend Giovanni who wrapped them both up in a hug making it impossible to escape.
"Hey, Gio…" Jane mumbled against the broad chest of the man who hugged both her and Maura tightly. They had been friends for years and even though she was ready for the day to be over with, she was also happy to see him. It had been far too long since she had last seen him.
"Ladies…" Gio gave them one last squeeze before releasing them. He looked down and greeted them with a wide smile. "Damn… I had to see it for myself." He sighed and pushed light brown hair away from his dark eyes. "I didn't believe it when Frankie told me you were pregnant."
"Well, I am." Jane held her arms out to show off the large bump sticking out from her abdomen.
"I hear you used one of them sperm bank thingies. I woulda been happy to volunteer my sperm…" his wink was playful and so was the smirk on his face.
"We'll keep that in mind for the next time." Jane chuckled but Maura looked surprised. "I'm only kidding." She leaned close to Maura so she could whisper in her ear, alleviating Maura's concern.
"Hey, I've gotta present for you Janie…" Gio reached around his back and pulled something out of his back pocket. "Here…" he held up a t-shirt and grinned.
Jane looked down at the shirt Gio was holding against her front and rolled her eyes at the words splayed across the front. "Bun in the oven…" she laughed as she ran her fingers over the arrow pointing down. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Gio."
"You like it?" His eyes glowed with excitement as he looked between Jane and Maura.
Maura wasn't sure what to think and did her best to hide the mixture of surprise and horror she was feeling. "It's gr-great…" she tried to sound excited.
"Aw, come on you guys. You think this is all I'd give you?" Gio raised an eyebrow as he looked between Jane's playful smirk and Maura's confused expression.
"Oh, Gio… you didn't need to do anything." Jane tried to say but stopped when he held up a hand.
"I got you one of those top of the line car seats. My sister helped me pick it out. She has one just like it and loves it. It's at the shop so you can bring your car by and I'll have one of my guys install it for you so it's done right." His grin was infectious. "It starts out as an infant seat then can switch to a regular front-facing car seat and eventually a booster seat so it's three in one." He said with excitement.
"You didn't have to do anything, Gio…" Jane reached out to pull him into a hug. "But we appreciate it, don't we Maura?" She asked, glancing over at the dazed look on Maura's face.
"Gio, that's really very thoughtful and… well, very practical." Maura said when she found her voice through her surprise. "Thank you."
"Anything for my two favorite ladies… even if you didn't use my sperm…" he laughed and wiggled his eyebrows. "Just come by the shop whenever you have the time and I'll make sure it's done right. I love you guys… ya know."
"We love you too, Gio." Jane hugged him tighter because it was true. He had been one of the best friends she'd had and had always supported her relationship with Maura. In fact, he was one of the first people she told when she had fallen in love. His friendship meant everything to her and Maura as well.
"Yeah…" Maura reached out to pull him into a hug after Jane had let go.
"Well, I'm gonna go find Frankie and Tommy… see what they've been up too…" he said as he wiped at his eyes. "And my vote's for Giovanni if it's a boy." And with that, he winked and spun around on his heel before disappearing in the crowd of guests.
"Wow…" Jane watched him leave before letting out a long sigh. "That is really nice. I can't believe he did that." She turned her attention to Maura who looked completely surprised and for once, speechless. When Maura could only nod, she laughed and wrapped her arm around Maura's waist. "See, he really is a good guy."
"He is, but we are not naming our son Giovanni… he'll have to wear gold chains and wide-collared shirts by default." Maura shook her head as she laughed.
"Hey…" Jane pointed towards her mother and the man she assumed was Davi. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Yep."
"Wow… he is good looking, and well… young." Jane couldn't help adding that last observation.
"Oh, my mom wants to take Valley for us tonight. Are you okay with that?"
Jane slowly brought her gaze to Maura and studied her for a moment. "I suppose so, why? Don't you think it's a good idea?"
"I think it's fine, it's just that she hasn't spent the night with her before and when she's with your mother, we don't have far to go if she wants to come home."
"It'll be fine, besides… I have plans for you tonight that requires us to be alone. It's been far too long since we've..." Jane wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she gave that saucy wink that made Maura's legs weak.
"You do, do you?" Maura couldn't help but grin. "Then I think it's time we introduce you to your mother's 'special friend' so we can wrap up this party, as nice as it is…"
"I couldn't agree with you more." Jane grinned a wicked grin as she took Maura's hand and prepared herself to meet the new man in her mother's life. As strange as it seemed, she felt unusually calm, something she attributed to Maura's presence. As they made their way across the room, she came to the sudden realization that her mother looked happy and that was the only thing that mattered to her. Her mother deserved to be as happy as she was and she hoped beyond hope that this was the chance Angela seemed to have been waiting for. As for her father… she would deal with that later, today she would celebrate her mother's happiness and the impending birth of her and Maura's baby.