*Hi everyone, I hope this finds you well. Sorry I hung on this chapter for a bit longer than usual, but I have been working hard on finishing up my second original and… well… I have finally published the second book in my series. It is called Romancing the Dish and is available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. I have also reduced the price for a short time on the first book Chrome Painted Heart. Both books are under the name B.W. Hope. I do hope that any of you who choose to read them, enjoy them and if at all possible please give a review… it really helps. Anyway… I hope the length of this chapter makes up for the extra time it took me to get it ready. And as always, thanks for reading and reviewing… you will never know how very much I appreciate it. I hope that those of you who celebrate Halloween have a happy and safe one. Take care… and thanks again.
Chapter 20
"Mama, Mama… look at that pumpkin!" Valley shouted as she jumped up and down, clapping her hands in excitement. "It's bigger than me." Her eyes widened in wonder at the huge pumpkin as she stared at it.
"It sure is." Jane smiled down at Valley before ruffling her hair. "How 'bout you go stand by it and we take a picture to send to Mommy and Li?"
"Yes, yes…" Valley took off towards the pumpkin, waving her arms around. "Can I sit on it?" She stopped just short, unsure of what to do next.
"You sure can." One of the employees at the pumpkin patch they were visiting said as she passed them by with a cart filled with more, smaller pumpkins.
"Mama, help me…" Valley said as she gauged the best way to approach the pumpkin to sit on it.
"Here…" Jane said as she picked Valley up and set her atop it. Standing back, she pulled out her phone and squared the viewfinder so she could take the picture. "Give me a great big smile."
Valley grinned and waited for Jane to take the picture. "Did you get it, Mama?" She asked as she precariously balanced herself, a little fearful that she might fall off.
Nodding, Jane put her phone away and grabbed Valley to set her back down. "I did and I'm gonna send it to Mommy so they can see how much fun we're having."
"I wish Mommy and Li could have come." Valley frowned when Jane set her down. Shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans, she kicked at the ground.
"I know, honey but Li has an ear infection so he needs to stay home and rest so he can be all better for the Halloween party and trick or treating." Jane sighed as she tousled Valley's honey blonde hair and it reminded her of Maura's. It also made her miss Maura just as much as Valley was missing her.
"I know, but there are so many pumpkins to see… I wish they could be here too." The tears Valley was holding back started to roll down her cheeks, prompting Jane to pick her up.
"Hey, there sport… we'll take lots of pictures and get some pumpkins to take home. You can even pick out a small one for Li, okay?" Jane tried to comfort her daughter as she wiped at the crocodile tears that were now dampening her shirt and shoulder. "But I also have a surprise for you…" she said as she turned so they could see Frankie, Steph, and Noah weaving their way through the piles of gourds, pumpkins, and squashes.
"Noah!" Valley squirmed out of Jane's arms, forgetting her tears.
"Valley…" Noah shouted back as the two kids ran towards each other and hugged. "Look at that big pumpkin!" He said when they let each other go.
"You can sit on it…" Valley told him as she pulled him towards it. "Come on… Mama can take our picture."
As Frankie and Steph approached Jane, they were both smiling and shaking their heads at the barely contained excitement from the kids. Steph gave Jane a quick wave and tilt of the head to indicate she would watch Valley and Noah while Frankie and Jane talked. Jane gave her a nod of acknowledgment as she reached out to give Frankie a quick hug.
"Hey, thanks for the invite..." Frankie said, giving his sister a quick pat on the back.
"Yeah, I'm glad it worked out so you could come. I guess it's been a bit quiet at the station…?"
"Not particularly but Frost took point this morning so I could have the day off to… well… to hang with the family." He grinned as some of his dark hair fell into his eyes.
"Man, you need a haircut." Jane laughed as she ruffled his hair as she used to when they were little.
"Yeah, Steph likes it a little longer… say's it gives her something to hang onto…" he wiggled his eyebrows, drawing a huff from Jane.
"Really? You're starting to sound like Geo…" she couldn't help but scrunch her face up in disgust.
Frankie laughed at Jane's expression and then gave her arm a gentle punch. "Sorry… you just make it so easy. Did Maura and Li make it?" He asked as he craned his neck to look around in search of them.
"No, he's still running a low-grade fever and Maura thought it was best to stay home and rest up. Hopefully, he'll be all better by the Halloween party. I can't wait… he's starting to walk a few steps and I think he'll have mastered it by then."
"Yeah? What are you guys doing for costumes? Gonna do a family one or just go with whatever?"
"We have a family one planned. Valley and I picked it out and Maura doesn't know what it is yet so I'm gonna let it be a surprise." Jane grinned at the memory of her and Valley finally making the decision together. "What about you guys?"
"Well, I think that Steph wants to let Noah decide what he wants to be and then we'll wear something to compliment it… I guess."
"Get used to being told what to do… it doesn't get much better after you get married." Jane laughed even though she and Maura were partners in their decision-making… it didn't mean that Maura was immune to telling her what to do from time to time.
"Yeah, speaking of the wedding… we've picked a date." Frankie shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted his weight nervously.
Jane watched her brother carefully as he shifted from one foot to the other and the nervous energy that radiated off of him was hard to miss. "Wow… that's a big step. You ready for it?"
He was quiet for a minute as his eyes drifted from Jane over to Steph and the kids and a broad smile filled his face causing his dimples to show. "I am… and you're right… it is a big step. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous because I am… a lot."
"I'd be worried if you weren't." Jane chuckled as she gave his shoulder a little push. "So… when's the big day?"
"New Year's Eve…" he dropped his gaze from hers because he thought she might make fun of him because it was a bit cliché, but it was what Steph wanted.
"New Year's Eve… huh?" She nodded as she contemplated their choice. "Sounds romantic." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
"Yeah, and I was hoping that you would be my best man."
"You want me to be your best man? What about Frost or Tommy?" She seemed surprised by his request.
"Are you serious, Jane?" He seemed a little hurt by her questions. "I want you to stand up there with me… I mean… come on… you're my big sister. You know me better than anyone…"
"I'd be honored…" she reached out to pull in to a hug. "Do I have to wear a dress?" The question was an afterthought and she hoped she wouldn't regret agreeing.
"Nah, I already know you can rock a tux so… tux's it'll be." He grinned at her at the memory of how she looked all those years ago when they celebrated prom together in high school.
"What about Frost and Tommy?"
"They'll be groomsmen…" Frankie shrugged his shoulders and looked away from Jane because what he had to say next would surely garner some resistance. "And… well… I asked Pop to come…" he cleared his throat nervously.
For a minute, Jane was quiet as she contemplated what she was going to say next. She knew that Tommy and Frankie had been slowly rebuilding their relationship with their father and in some ways, she could understand their need to have him in their lives, but not her. She didn't want to have anything to do with him. Biting down on her bottom lip, she did her best not to let the words she wanted to say out of her mouth, and with a deep breath, she was able to quell the desire to tell Frankie exactly what she felt about their father, Frank Sr.
"Um, yeah… okay…" she sighed heavily at his surprised expression. "I get it Frankie… he's your dad and you want him there. I can live with that and I can play nice with him for one day."
"You sure, Janie? It was Ma's idea that I invite him… I can tell him no if you want." Frankie offered an apologetic smile.
"Nah, it's okay." It figured that their mother had suggested it. Even though Frank had left her high and dry, with nothing but the clothes on her back… Angela still held a soft spot for the man she had been married to for over twenty years. Or perhaps she just wanted him to see that she was happy and didn't need him. Jane liked to think it was the latter.
"Thanks…" Frankie shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and kicked at the dirt beneath his feet. "It means a lot to me that you're gonna try."
"Whoa… I never said I was gonna welcome him with open arms but I will let it go for one day… for you and Steph." Jane waved a hand at him. "I can't forgive and forget like you and Tommy. What he did to Maura and I was unforgivable… so… well…" she couldn't help but huff impatiently.
"I get it…" Frankie smiled at her. "And for what it's worth, I appreciate it."
"So… New Year's…" Jane glanced over at Valley, Noah, and Steph. "You already pick a place?"
"Well…" he drew the word out as he let out a breath. "We were kinda hoping that maybe you and Maura would let us do it at your place."
Jane nodded her understanding as she mentally calculated how many people they could comfortably have in their place. "I suppose… if it's small…"
"We're just having immediate family and a few friends so I'd say no more than thirty."
"Yeah, I think we can do that. Let me talk to Maura first, though." She waved at Valley who was trying to get her attention. "You think you guys are gonna make it to the Halloween party next week?" She asked as she started to make her way towards Valley.
"We're gonna try. Steph and Noah for sure…" he said as he followed her.
"Good, it's gonna be fun. We need some fun in our lives…" she said as an afterthought.
"I suppose you do." He reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "Wow…" he said taking a deep breath. "Those boiled peanuts smell so good. You want some?"
"Sure, but you gotta add an ice-cold beer to the mix as well."
"How about you take the kids and get them some hot dogs and I get the peanuts and beer and we meet at the picnic tables?"
"Sounds like a plan." Jane smiled over at her brother. Taking a deep breath, she couldn't help but savor that unique aroma of boiled peanuts that always reminded her of fall and all the things associated with it. Being surrounded by pumpkins, hay bails, and all things Halloween reminded her of all those times they had gone to the pumpkin patch as kids. A slight wave of sadness swept over for those times… long gone… and the fact that Maura and Li couldn't be there with them to enjoy the cool fall afternoon.
Remembering the picture she took of Valley on the pumpkin, she pulled her phone out and sent it to Maura and got a response almost immediately. A small smile creased her lips at the string of heart emojis that filled her screen and she headed over to show Valley.
"Hey, Mommy sent you a text…" Jane said holding her phone out for Valley to see. "How 'bout we take a selfie blowing a kiss and send it to her?"
"Yes… yes… yes…" Valley started to bounce up and down and Jane wondered if her daughter had already gotten into the sugary snacks.
As she held the phone out in front of her and stood next to Valley who was holding a pumpkin in her arms, Jane took the picture and then sent it to Maura. Again, the response came almost immediately. It was a picture of her and Li cuddling on the couch and it melted Jane's heart. She was torn between wanting to have a fun-filled day with Valley and wanting to be at home cuddled up on the couch as well.
"Mama… Mama… I get Li a pumpkin too, right? A small one?"
"Yes… just make sure it isn't too big." Jane smiled at Valley's excitment. "I guess we should get a few so we can decorate for the party."
"How about I go get us one of those wagons?" Steph pointed at a small cluster of wagons in which to transport all of their goodies.
"Sounds good… how 'bout I take these little monsters to the concession stand and get them some lunch. Frankie is getting some boiled peanuts and beer…"
"Okay…" Steph said as she gave Jane a quick wave and headed towards the wagons.
"So…" Jane stood over the two kids who were looking up at her with curiosity. "Whatcha want for lunch?"
"I want a doggie dog…" Valley grinned. "Loaded with all the fixin's… except I don't like onions…" she made a scrunched-up face as if she had just smelled something bad.
"Okay… a loaded doggie dog without the onions. And what'll you have young man?" Jane turned her attention to Noah who was giggling.
"I'll have a…" he paused again and laughed harder. "A doggie dog too… but I don't want anything on it."
"Okay, then… a naked doggie dog…" Jane ruffled his sandy blonde hair as she guided them towards the food.
Both Valley and Noah started to giggle uncontrollably causing Jane to stop and look down at them in confusion.
"You said naked…" Valley explained.
Rolling her eyes, Jane let out an exasperated huff and gave them both a gentle shove towards the picnic tables. "You two wait over there while I go get the food. Uncle Frankie is heading over with the grown-up food."
"Yuck… I hate boiled peanuts." Valley offered her unsolicited opinion and then elaborated when Jane raised an eyebrow in question. "They smell like stinky feet…" she held her nose and waved a hand in front of her face.
Noah looked at Valley, eyes wide in surprise at her comment and then he looked at Jane to see what she was going to say in response. "Stinky feet… huh? And are you an expert with stinky feet?" She laughed at the face Valley making. "I suppose they do have a unique smell but…" reaching down, she gave Valley's middle a gentle tickle. "They taste soooo good…"
Now Valley was laughing hard as she tried to catch her breath. "No Mama… not too hard…" she tried to squirm away from Jane but not enough that Jane couldn't continue to gently tickle her.
"Now, git you too. I'll get your doggie dogs and meet you over by Uncle Frankie." Jane said as she pointed to where Frankie was now sitting and waiting. She smiled at the two kids as they headed towards him.
"You know, they're called hot dogs… not doggie dogs..." Noah informed Valley as they walked away.
"I know, but Mama likes to call them doggie dogs…" Valley shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want to tell her she's wrong and make her feel bad."
Nodding in understanding, Noah acknowledged that he too did not want to make Jane feel bad as he followed Valley to the picnic table. "I guess it's okay…" he shrugged.
Jane heard the exchange and it brought a smile to her face. She was grateful she could bring Valley and that Frankie and his soon-to-be official family could be there as well. They had been through so much over the past few months that they all deserved some happy times spent with family and friends. That was the whole reason for the Halloween party. It was something they decided to do so they could bring everyone together to celebrate. Now, all she had to do was get the costumes she and Valley had picked and hope that Maura would be able to see the fun in dressing up. A small smile creased her lips at the thought of Maura wearing the costume they had picked and she knew she had better get her mind out of the gutter and get those doggie dogs for the kids so they could continue to explore the pumpkin patch and hopefully have time to ride the train.
YYY
Maura stepped back to admire her handy work and smiled at the pile of pumpkins balanced precariously on top of each other. When Jane and Valley had come home from the pumpkin patch with a car filled with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, several bales of hay, and more mums than she could count, she wondered if there was anything left. Even though she had missed the trip a few weeks earlier, she felt as if Jane had brought the experience home with them and Maura hadn't really missed anything. It had taken Li about a week to recover from his first ear infection but he was better now and they were all ready to partake in their first family Halloween party. She couldn't wait for the celebration to begin and to finally find out what costumes Jane and Valley had picked for them to wear.
As she stood contemplating the day and evening ahead of her, the sound of a truck pulling up caught her attention and she turned to find that the caterers had arrived. She let out a sigh of relief, not only that they were here, but because she had convinced Jane that it would be best so they could concentrate on having fun and not taking care of food all night. They had chosen a local food truck company that was known for their tacos… Jane and Valley's favorite, and the idea hadn't gotten much resistance when Maura had presented it. All that they had left was to set up the outside theater in the backyard and Tommy was coming over early to do that. Of course, getting dressed would be the last thing they did and Maura would finally get to see what she was going to wear.
Keeping busy had been the key to her recovery from the depression that had followed the incident with Kelly and with work, family, and planning their party taking center stage, she suspected that perhaps Jane had suggested it so it would give them something fun to focus on. And she was glad for it. Not only did it give her something to look forward to, but it would also bring them all together to celebrate. The guest list wasn't huge but it was big enough that they would need to utilize both the inside and the outside to accommodate everyone. With an outdoor theater for movies, a pumpkin decorating station for the kids, and all the food and drink they could want, she knew the night would be filled with fun activities to keep everyone busy.
She waited by the front door for the caterer so she could direct them where to set up and after that was finished, she thought about heading upstairs so she could finally get a look at the costume Jane and Valley had picked out for her. Jane had said it was a family-themed costume… one that would go with theirs and she couldn't for the life of her figure out what it might be. Doing a mental list of all the new movies and shows Valley was recently obsessed with, she wasn't sure which one of them could be made into a family-themed costume. There were still a few hours before everyone was set to arrive and she decided it would be best to put the costume off until the last minute, just as Jane had suggested. So, she headed towards the kitchen where she was sure of one thing, Angela would be there putting the finishing touches on all of the desserts they had spent the morning creating.
"Hey… need any help?" Maura asked as she slipped into the kitchen to find Angela and much to her surprise, her mother.
"I think we have things under control. We just need to set up the cupcake decorating bar after the caterers get their stuff set up." Angela spun around and smiled at Maura. "I think Jane and the kids are outside setting up the games and stuff…" she glanced over her shoulder towards the backyard.
"I didn't know you were here, mother…" Maura walked over to Constance and gave her a quick hug.
"Angela asked if I wanted to help and well…" Constance held up one of the cupcakes they had just pulled out of the oven. "Bree won't be able to come until later anyway so I figured I could get ready over here."
"I'm glad your here." Maura hugged Constance again, this time longer, taking the love and support her mother was offering in that moment.
"Of course…" Constance cleared her throat as she gave Maura a gentle squeeze.
Maura let go and smiled at both her mother and Angela as an overwhelming feeling of affection washed over her. They had both been a constant help to them over the past few weeks and she was forever grateful for their presence. "Thanks for all the help. We couldn't have done it without you."
"I'm just glad that Li is better." Angela wiped her hands on her apron before putting them on her hips. "Have you seen your costume yet?" She tilted her head and watched Maura with a thoughtful expression.
"No… not yet." Maura laughed. It seemed as if everyone knew what it was but her. "You know what it is?" Both Constance and Angela nodded and grinned, causing Maura to laugh. "I guess it won't be much longer until I know as well." She glanced over at the clock on the microwave but before she could say anything else Valley came running into the kitchen.
"Unca Tommy is here!" Valley waved her hands around in excitement as she ran circles around Maura.
"Hmmm… have we been sampling the candy?" Maura couldn't help but frown at her daughter's enthusiasm.
"I only had this many pieces…" Valley held up four fingers for everyone to see.
"You'd better save some for everyone else." Angela laughed as she offered Maura a wink of sympathy.
"There's soo much Nona… there will be whole bunches for everyone to share." Valley put her hands on her hips and tilted her head just as Angela had done earlier and Maura was surprised at how much alike her daughter and mother-in-law were. "Gigi… is Bree coming too?" She turned her attention to Constance with that same tilt of the head and eyes wide with curiosity.
"She is… but a little later because she had something she had to do first. I think she and Davi with be coming together." Constance glanced over to see a small smile spread across Angela's face. She knew that Davi's time at the university was coming to an end but that didn't seem to be stopping him and Angela from making the most of every last moment they had together. It made her a little sad but also proud of how Angela was taking her advice and seizing the day… so to speak.
"Arg…" Tommy stepped into the now crowded kitchen with a grin on his face.
"Unca Tommy is a pirate!" Valley started to jump up and down in excitement.
"That I am, little lass…" Tommy bent down to poke Valley in the middle before standing up to address the adults. "Hi, there ladies… everything looks great."
"Love the costume, honey..." Angela said as she passed Tommy, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "How about we go find your mama." She said to Valley but then stopped and turned to Maura with a question. "Are you sure you don't want me to take the kids tonight? I don't mind."
"No, we're all good. Valley has been waiting forever for Noah to spend the night so…" Maura couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes a little at the thought of supervising two small children hopped on sugar after a Halloween party. "I think Valley and Jane built a tent in her room with sleeping bags and stuff for them."
"We did Nona… we did…" Valley crowed as she took Angela's hand and allowed her to lead them out of the kitchen.
"Okay… I'll just be across the way though if you need me." Angela tossed over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner with Valley in tow.
"Wow, you're gonna have fun tonight." Tommy laughed.
"Yeah, probably…" Maura laughed as well, even though it was slightly strained at the thought of having to try and contain Valley's excitement. "Love the costume by the way."
"Thanks…" he grinned. "You still don't know what you're wearing?"
"Nope." Maura frowned at the thought that she really was the last to know.
"It'll be worth the wait. Trust me."
Maura was beginning to feel slightly apprehensive at the fact that everyone knew but her and then she offered a shrug of the shoulders and a smile. "You need help setting up outside?"
"I could use a hand but you've got things to do…" he pointed towards the stairs that lead up the bedroom where her costume waited for her. "So, I'm sure that Constance here wouldn't mind…" he gave the older woman a slight bow causing her to giggle.
"Did you just giggle?" Maura asked her mother with a bit of uncertainty and awe.
"It's not every day a handsome pirate asks for the help of a fair maiden..." Constance said as she followed Tommy towards the back door.
"Hey…" Maura called out, causing Constance to stop. "What are you and Bree wearing?"
"You're gonna have to wait and see…" Constance said with an air of mystery causing Maura to grumble. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" she gave a slight bow as she headed out the door, closing it behind her and leaving Maura alone.
"Am I the only one who doesn't know what everyone's wearing tonight?" Maura huffed to herself.
"I promise… it'll be worth your while…" Jane slipped up behind Maura, surprising her as she wrapped her arms around Maura's waist.
"Well, if you're promising something…" Maura let out a contented sigh as she leaned back into the body now pressed against her own.
Placing a kiss to that spot just below Maura's ear, Jane tightened her hold and sighed. "I'm glad we're doing this. It's nice to have family and friends over to celebrate. And I'm also glad you talked me into the caterer. The tacos are incredible."
"You've already sampled them?" Maura asked as she spun around in Jane's arms so she could look at her.
"I have…" Jane wiggled her eyebrows.
"I hope you left some for the guests." Maura gave Jane's middle a gentle poke.
"I did, but I can't speak for Valley… they let her try one of each." Jane's bottom lip poked out in a pout.
"I guess that's better than her eating the candy we have out." Maura's expression turned pensive.
"What?" Jane raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Do you think we'll be able to handle her and Noah after all the sugar they're likely to consume tonight?"
"We'll be fine." Jane pulled Maura closer, resting her chin on top of honey blonde hair. "I built them a tent to sleep in… they'll be fine."
"I hope so." Maura frowned, still slightly apprehensive.
"It's gonna be fine..." Jane said with confidence she wasn't sure she was feeling. "It's only one night…"
"Yeah, I know…" Maura tried not to sound worried.
Glancing at the clock, Jane pulled away from Maura and smiled. "I think it's about time for you to get ready. Don't you?" she asked.
Realizing that they only had forty-five minutes until people started to arrive, Maura nodded her agreement. "Are you sure I'm going to like this costume you picked out?"
"Ummm… hmmm…." Jane grinned. "Valley and I will get ready with Li. What say we meet down here in thirty minutes?"
"Yeah… sounds good." Maura pulled away from Jane and headed towards the stairs leading up to their bedroom. "Remember… you said you'd make it worth my while and I expect to hold you to that."
"Just wait… you're gonna have fun… I promise."
"Okay…" Maura tossed a smile over her shoulder at Jane who smiled back. She wasn't sure about what she was going to find once she opened that garment bag laying on their bed but there was only one way to find out.
YYY
Standing in front of the mirror, Maura stared at her reflection with mild curiosity. The image looking back at her was wearing a black and white pinstriped suit… and it fit her perfectly. She had tied the black tie with a Windsor knot around the collar of the crisp white shirt and couldn't help but admire the sight before her. Running her fingers along the skinny pencil mustache above her lips, a giggle erupted from her chest as she continued to stare at herself in awe. Gomez Addams… she was dressed as the dapper and somewhat mysterious patriarch of the Addams family and that meant only one thing… Jane was dressed as Morticia.
A shiver ran down Maura's spine at the thought of how Jane looked like in the form-fitting dress she knew was the trademark look of Morticia Addams. And that would mean that Valley was Wednesday and Li was Pugsley, rounding out their family costume. A small smile slid across her face at Jane and Valley's choice of costume and she figured she should have guessed it because it was something that Valley had watched regularly since October began. They had started with the TV show and moved to the movies… both live-action and animated and Valley just loved them.
Running a hand over her slicked-back hair that was now in a ponytail, Maura marveled at how funny it was that Jane had decided to wear the Morticia costume… leaving the suit for her. She figured it would have been the other way around but if she remembered correctly, there was a bit of a height disparity between Morticia and Gomez and she supposed it made more sense this way. Although, another image of Jane wearing that form-fitting dress flitted through her mind and it sent a heat over her skin in the most delectable way. That image smiled at her from the mirror and it was then that she realized that she wasn't alone anymore. Jane was really there, standing behind her wearing that dress that caused her mouth to drop open in surprise.
"I know we said we'd meet downstairs but… well…" Jane slipped up behind Maura and reached around to straighten her tie as they looked at each other in the mirror.
"You… look… incredible…" Maura stuttered slightly as she tried to take in every in of Jane in that body-hugging black dress.
"You do too." Jane smiled as she placed a hand on Maura's shoulder. "You look very good in a suit… you should wear one more often."
"And you look good in a dress…"
"Maybe I'll slip into one from time to time… but only for you." Jane offered Maura a sexy wink.
"I'd like that." Maura's eyes continued to hungrily take in every inch of Jane's exposed skin.
The dress was both revealing and modest at the same time. It fit Jane like a glove, leaving little to the imagination but with her lean body and tall statue it didn't show off too many curves. There was a slight dip in the front to show off just the barest hint of the tops of Jane's breasts which to Maura's surprise were being held up with a push-up bra… something Jane rarely wore. The thing was that even though it didn't show too much, Maura knew what was underneath. That thought sent another wave of desire through her so she turned around so she could face Jane with a sexy grin.
"You like?" Maura asked as she wiggled her painted-on mustache.
"I like…" Jane leaned down a placed a soft, gentle kiss on Maura's lips. "You look dashing."
"Well… you …" Maura took Jane's hand in her own and placed a kiss along the back of it. "You look ravishing my Cara Mia…" the words were followed by a flurry of kisses that moved up Jane's arm causing her to laugh.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, Mon Cher…"
"Oh… you know what it does to me when you speak french…" Maura wrapped an arm around Jane's waist and dipped her back slightly so she could kiss her on the lips.
"Ummm… it's the only french I know. Perhaps later, you can give me some more lessons…" Jane sighed into the kiss, but before anything else could be said, they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
Both Maura and Jane looked over to find Angela holding Li, with Valley by her side looking very much like Wednesday Addams. "Um… they were excited to see you." Angela gave a sly smile in response to the look of surprise on Maura and Jane's faces.
"Mommy… Mama…" Valley ran to wrap her arms around both of them. "You look just like the mom and dad on the Addams family."
"We do?" Maura bent down so she was at eye level with Valley. "And you look just like Wednesday."
"I do, except I like my brother and don't want to hurt him." Valley offered her commentary.
"That's good… I'm glad to hear." Maura said as she picked Valley up in her arms.
"My don't you all look like the perfect, ghoulish family..." Angela said as she handed Li to Jane.
"I like your 'stache, Mommy…" Valley said as she ran her finger over the black line above Maura's lip. "It looks just like Gomez's. And Mama too… you look just like…" she scrunched her face up as she tried to remember Morticia's name. "You look like the mommy."
"Morticia…"
"Yeah… Mor-isha…" Valley nodded emphatically.
"How about we get a family picture?" Angela asked as she pulled her phone out. "Alright everyone, say smelly feet!"
Valley started to laugh but stopped long enough for Angela to take the picture and then wiggled out of Maura's arms. "Come on… the party's about to start…" she waved her hands around to get her mom's moving.
"Um… Angela… do you mind my asking… what are you dressed as?" Maura asked as she tried to figure out who Angela was.
"Well, once my sisters arrive… I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out." Angela gave a wave of her own as she followed Valley out of the room, leaving Jane and Maura alone with Li.
"He really is cute dressed as Pugsley." Jane tickled Li's belly causing him to giggle and grab at her long, straight hair. She had spent some time straightening her hair so it hung just like Morticia's and she supposed it caught his attention because it was something new.
"He is… but then again… he's just always cute." Maura placed a kiss on top of Li's head before heading towards the door. "Oh, and about those french lessons…" she tossed a seductive grin over her shoulder. "Perhaps we can work something out for later tonight."
"I think that can be arranged." Jane smiled as she followed Maura, doing her best to walk across the room in her tight dress. "Um… do you think you can take little man for me… I'm trying to concentrate on walking and not falling over in this tight dress."
"Come'ere…" Maura opened her arms, only to have Li look at her with some apprehension because she looked different. When she smiled at him, he reached out and smiled back. "That's right… it's Mommy…"
"Mommy…" he said as he wrapped his arms around her neck before touching the thin, black mustache with a pensive expression on his face. "Mommy…" he said again but this time there was a hint of question in his tone.
"I've gottcha little man..." Maura said as she nuzzled his cheek before kissing him, causing him to laugh and relax again. "Wait… I figured it out…" she stopped at the door and turned to Jane, who raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Angela is one of the Sanderson sisters from the movie 'Hocus Pocus'… and I right?"
"You are… Constance and Bree are rounding out the group and I think that Davi is playing the dead boyfriend." Jane said.
"Oh, Billy Butcherson… that's great." Maura nodded her understanding. "I guess they're sticking to a theme like we are." She said because they were showing both The Addams Family and Hocus Pocus in their outside theater.
"Yeah, seems as if everyone is having fun with it this year." Jane finally made her way across the room until she was standing by Maura. Letting out a sigh, she realized that she was going to have to work at walking and not falling over and she started to second guess her choice to be Morticia.
"Well, I know I am…" Maura said as she gave Jane's backside a quick slap as she walked by. "And you look drop-dead gorgeous in that dress."
Jane gave a little wiggle as she passed Maura. "Well, if you're lucky… I might turn into Elvira at midnight and our PG rating may get bumped up to NC17."
Maura's eyebrows rose higher on her forehead at the thought of what kind of role playing they could partake in later. She loved Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and the thought of Jane fulfilling one of her fantasies made the butterflies in her stomach scatter. "I'll hold you to that." She said as she followed Jane, her eyes glued to that perfect backside she had the pleasure of knowing intimately. It was still early and most of their guests had yet to arrive, but after Jane's admission, she knew she would be counting down the hours until everyone left and the kids were finally settled in for the night. That's when the real party would begin… a party for two, and she couldn't wait.
YYY
"Um… wow…" Frankie shoved his hands in the pockets of his Ghostbuster's jumpsuit, eyes wide with surprise. "I can't remember the last time I saw you in a dress… and well… this one… it's quite something." He blew out a long-held breath.
"Yeah, well… don't get used to it. I'm only wearing it because Morticia is taller than Gomez and well… it woulda looked weird…" Jane gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.
Standing back so he could get a better look, Frankie nodded his head in understanding. "I'm glad it's still family-friendly…"
"I'm not Elvira ya know…" Jane tried not to huff.
"You're pretty close but, yeah…" he laughed. The dress was tight but didn't show any of the cleavage that Elvira was known for.
"Wow, Jane…" Frost said as he slid up alongside Frankie with a sly grin on his face. "I'm not sure I've ever seen you in a dress before."
"Alright, Lando… I get it… I don't wear dresses." Jane rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Who are you anyways… Elvira?" Frost asked.
"If I was Elvira you'd see more of me than I'm willing to show… so no… I'm Morticia…" Jane gave a slight bow.
"Oh, that's why Maura is dressed in that suit with the skinny mustache. I was wondering but it all makes sense now. I guess that means Valley is Wednesday and Li is… who is the boy?"
"Li is Pugsley… but he doesn't care much about that. He's just excited to have all the kids here to play with." Jane glanced over at the group of kids chasing each other in and out of the house. Li was right in the middle, laughing and doing his best to keep up. Since he had started to walk recently, they couldn't keep him still and today was no different.
"Well, I'm glad you know who I am…" Frost gave Frankie an approving nod at his costume.
"You make a good Lando Calrissian." Frankie offered his opinion.
"Everyone looks good tonight… I'm glad you all made the effort." Jane said as she caught Maura's eye from across the room. Maura smiled and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter like when they were younger. "It means a lot to have everyone together to celebrate for a change."
"Here, here…" Frost said holding up his beer and taking a drink, only to discover that he didn't have any left. "Well, I'm gonna go find my date and get another beer. This is fun and I'm glad we can do it together. Anyone need anything since I'm heading to the bar?"
"Nah, I'm still good." Frankie held up his beer that was only half empty and Jane held her martini up to show she was still sipping.
"Alrighty then… see ya on the flip side..." Frost said as he moved past Jane and Frankie, leaving them alone again.
"You and Maura really went all out. Thanks…" Frankie said but then noticed that Jane was making eyes at Maura from across the room. "Hey, you sure you're okay having Noah stay the night?"
"Huh?" Jane blinked a few times, breaking the intense eye contact between her and Maura. "Of course, why would you ask me that?"
"Oh, I don't know… maybe because you and Maura are practically having sex with your eyes… and well… maybe you want to have some alone time…" he cleared his throat. "I'm not sure I want my boy to be traumatized by walking in on you like we did Ma and Pop when we were kids."
"First…" Jane held up a finger before continuing. "I could have gone another ten years without you mentioning that… and second…" she crossed her arms and glared at him. "We already have two kids running around and haven't been caught yet. It's not like we don't have boundaries… come on dude… give us some credit."
"Sorry…" Frankie bowed his head and looked duly chastised.
"Hey, do you mean what you said?" Jane asked, taking him by surprise because of course, it had traumatized them to walk in on their parents when they were young.
"Well, yeah… it was very traumatizing to walk in…" he started to say but was quickly interrupted when Jane started to laugh and shake her head.
"No, I meant when you called Noah yours."
"Um… yeah…" Frankie nodded.
"That's great to hear. Being a good dad is about more than just donating the sperm…" she shrugged her shoulders. "Not everyone is cut out for it so I'm happy to hear that you are."
"Well, how could I not? You and Maura adopted Valley and you treat her no different than if you had given birth to her yourself and the same goes for Li…" he looked at her as if she should already know this. "You guys have been great role models for how to be parents. Besides, his real father doesn't want to do the right thing so… I'm gonna make sure he knows what it's like to always have a dad in his life."
"You're a good man Frankie." Jane reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I'm only as good as the people I surround myself with." He smiled at Jane and then waved his hand around the room at all of their family and friends.
"Well, for what it's worth… I'm proud of you little Bro." Jane pulled him into a quick hug.
"Alright, enough of the mushy stuff… I'm gonna go find Steph and let her know we really do have the whole night to ourselves." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Yeah, but you get to have the next sleepover at your place." Jane gave him a gentle push. "Tit for tat… and all that."
"Tit for sure…" Giovanni appeared out of nowhere, startling both Jane and Frankie.
"And on that note… I'm outta here." Frankie laughed as he left them alone.
"Damn Janie… that dress is something." Gio started to fan himself as he looked her up and down hungrily.
Shaking her head, Jane couldn't help but laugh at his over-dramatic antics. She had known him most of her life and even though he could be crass and overbearing at times, she loved him like a brother so she didn't take offense to his sometimes lewd comments.
"Yeah, I suppose it is… and don't ask if I'm Elvira." She frowned slightly at how many times someone had asked her. She supposed it was because she and Maura were usually working separate areas of the house and hadn't spent much time together.
"Nah… I know you're Morticia Addams. I already saw Maura dressed as Gomez and I haveta say that she's pulling the cross-dressing thing off pretty good." He laughed as he hitched his thumb over his shoulder at where Maura was standing. "I always thought you were the guy in the relationship… I guess I might need to rethink things."
"Gio… you know that's not how it works and you're being a dick by saying that." Jane didn't hesitate to call Gio out when he said stupid stuff.
"Yeah… I know… I'm just messing with ya." He gave her arm a gentle punch. "But you make it so easy."
"So, you're dressed up like a doctor?" Jane decided it was time to change the subject.
"Yep and I brought my slutty nurse along as well…" he said as he looked around for said slutty nurse.
"Gio, you're such a dog." Jane laughed as she shook her head at him.
"Hey, that offer still stands if you and Maura ever wanna add a third person to your bedroom repertoire."
"If we wanted to add a third person, we'd choose the slutty nurse… not you, Gio." Jane gave him a gentle, yet playful shove.
"Touche…" he laughed as he stepped away in search of his date.
Jane watched him walk away and marveled at how he hadn't changed a bit since they were still kids. He still teased and taunted her like he did when they were younger and she supposed that was why she felt like he was a brother to her. And then she looked around the room at all their friends and family gathered in every corner of their house as well as outside and she felt a sudden wave of love wash over her. Their home was filled with the love of everyone she and Maura held dear and it made her feel proud of the life they had built together. And then Maura caught her eye again and she realized that the night was far from being over and before the sun came up on a new tomorrow… they would be sharing some of that love and happiness.
YYY
"So, the Addams family… huh?" Liam looked Maura up and down and chuckled lightly. "It suits you all."
"Yeah, well… I let Jane and Valley pick the costumes this year, so…" Maura shrugged causing the toy hand that sat on her shoulder to bounce up and down with her movement.
"I especially like that…" he said pointing to the hand, known as 'Thing'.
"That was something I didn't expect but I suppose I should have known Jane and Valley would try and make it more authentic…" Maura gave the hand a gentle pat with her own.
"Well, for what it's worth, I think you look great… all of you." Liam tilted his head towards Jane who was standing across the room talking to one of her brothers.
Maura offered a soft smile as she looked over at Jane and their eyes met. She had been stealing glances at her beautiful wife all evening, wishing they could spend more time together but with the crowd they had now, it was best to split up the hostess's duties.
"So, you're a gangster?" Maura turned her attention back to Liam who was giving her a knowing smile as he watched her watching Jane.
"I am…" he nodded. "Found this old suit in the back of my closet and thought it made me look kinda tough, like one of Capone's henchmen." He tipped the fedora he was wearing to emphasize what he was talking about. "If I didn't know any better and if it weren't for the mustache, you could be Capone yourself."
"Yeah, I kinda look a bit like a gangster I suppose." Maura laughed. "Except for this…" she wiggled her shoulders again.
"So… um… I'm not sure what Constance is. It seems to be something that goes with Angela and… her… um… new girlfriend." Liam cleared his throat nervously. Even though he was over what hadn't happened between him and Constance, it still stung a little to see her with someone else.
"Oh, they are the Sanderson Sisters from the movie 'Hocus Pocus'..." Maura said. "It's one of the movies we're showing outside. You should check it out because they've done a great job playing the parts. I can't tell you how happy I am to see my mother letting loose and having fun with the grand kids."
Liam glanced over just in time to see Constance scoop Li up into her arms and twirl him around while her girlfriend watched on with nothing short of adoration on her face. A slow smile spread across his face as his heart filled with warmth. Although he still held a torch for the woman he had known for almost forty years, he wanted nothing more than for Constance to be happy, and by the looks of things, she was.
"She looks happy." He offered Maura a wistful smile as he continued to watch Constance.
"She is… I haven't seen her like this since… well, since dad passed away." Maura reached out to give his arm a gentle squeeze.
"I happy for her… it's all I wanted… for her to be happy, that is." He took Maura's comfort for what it was, knowing she wasn't offering him pity, but support. "Anyone who can make her smile like that, well… she deserves to have someone look at her the way Bree does." It was one of the first times he said Bree's name out loud instead of referring to her as 'the girlfriend'.
"There's someone out there for you too, ya know..." Maura said.
Looking down at his patent leather shoes, he smiled at his reflection looking up at him from the high gloss. "Maybe, but I think I'm gonna concentrate on something new. And speaking of something new, how about you and Jane and I get together next week to discuss some ideas I have."
"Yeah, sure thing." Maura gave him a curious glance. "Want to tell me what this is about?"
Shaking his head, Liam glanced over Maura's shoulder at Frost who was waving him over. "I'll tell you everything when we meet up…" he gave Frost a wave back to acknowledge he had seen him. "Oh, and I've asked Frost, Frankie, and Korsak to join us."
"Okay…" Maura couldn't help but wonder what it was he wanted to talk to them about.
"I'm being summoned…" he nodded towards Frost before leaning over and giving Maura a quick kiss to the cheek. "Thanks for this, it's a good distraction from everything that happened… before…"
Maura wrapped an arm around him and gave him a gentle pat on the back and then watched him walk away. She wasn't sure what it was he wanted to propose to them and the secrecy that seemed to surround it made it all the more intriguing. It had to be something important, but hopefully not dangerous because if there was one thing she knew about Liam, it was that danger seemed to follow him everywhere he went. Perhaps it was his line of work but then again he was supposed to be retired.
As she continued to stand there and ponder, Jane caught her eye and offered her a seductive smile that held the promise of things to come and she could feel her cheeks grow warm with a flush. Only a few more hours of playing hostess and their night would finally come to an end, leaving her and Jane alone… well maybe not alone… but at least they would be able to spend some time together, even if it was cleaning up after everyone.
YYY
Maura lay back on the couch with her head in Jane's lap, looking up into the darkest brown eyes she had ever seen. There was a sexy smirk on Jane's face as she watched Maura with a curious stare. The evening had finally come to an end and they were both exhausted as they took refuse on the couch for a moment of reprieve. Jane had cleaned up as much as she could, with the help of the caterers who were now long gone and Maura had put the kids to bed. Of course, Jane's job had been much easier than Maura's, who had gone through three bedtime stories before Noah and Valley had finally dozed off in the tent Jane had made for them earlier in the day. Li had fallen asleep as soon as his little head hit the pillow and for that, Maura was extremely grateful.
"Any trouble getting them to sleep?" Jane asked as she ran a thumb over Maura's brow, smoothing down the slight frown that had appeared at the question.
"Trouble is an understatement." Maura let out a heavy breath as she twirled a strand of Jane's dark hair around her index finger.
"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad…" Jane raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"Li is used to being in bed much sooner than this so he went down pretty easily, but our little party animals… you know the ones who consumed more sugar than… well… both of us together… that's a whole other story."
"Well, they're asleep now…" Jane let out a relieved sigh. "I guess that's all that matters right now."
"How did the clean-up go?" Maura continued to twirl Jane's hair around her finger, a look of concentration on her face.
"Good… pretty easy with Ma's help and also the caterer's stayed a little longer. Something about that big tip you gave them and feeling like they should do more…" Jane looked down at Maura.
"Yeah, well… you get what you pay for." Maura smiled at Jane as if it was all the explanation she needed. "I think everyone had a good time."
"I do too. It was good that they went all out on the costumes and stuff. And… well… it's nice to do something fun once in a while."
"I agree and I loved Ryan and Carly's M&M costumes for them and the kids. It was cute and probably pretty easy for them considering how busy they've been." Maura smiled at the memory of them appearing as the green, red, yellow, and blue M&M's.
"Truth be told, Carly called me last week to ask if I had any ideas, and well… Valley and I were gonna do the M&M's for us but decided it was best to offer it to them. With the third bakery opening and all… well…" Jane shrugged her shoulders.
"That was nice of you and Valley, besides… I think you made the right choice for us." Maura could see the logic and it also made her smile to think that Valley was thinking of others and not just herself.
"Me too."
For a moment, silence surrounded them as they each got lost in thought, but then Maura cleared her throat before speaking again. "You know, I really like your hair like this…" she said rather shyly.
"You mean straight?"
"Um-hum…" Maura nodded her head as she let go of the strand she was playing with in favor of running her fingers through it. "I know it's a lot of trouble to do, but it really suits you."
"Thanks… and it does take some time." Jane leaned her head back against the couch cushion and closed her eyes. "But I don't mind doing it… once in a while."
"Well, for what it's worth… I love your hair either way. It's just nice to see something a little different from time to time… like this…" Maura ran her hand over the tight black dress Jane was still wearing.
"Can't say I wasn't a bit uncomfortable being on full display for everyone to see but when you look at me… it makes it all worthwhile." Jane let out a long slow sigh before opening her eyes again. "And you…" she looked back down at Maura with a playful glint in her eyes. "You look pretty handsome and dare I say… sexy in this dapper suit."
Grabbing her collar and giving it a quick tug, Maura chuckled. "You mean this old thing?"
"I'm not too sure about this, though." Jane ran her finger over the last remnants of Maura's pencil mustache. "It makes you look smarmy."
"Smarmy, huh?"
"Yes… smarmy." Jane nodded to emphasize the point she was trying to make. Using her finger, Jane tried to gently rub away the offending topic of their conversation and then smiled when it had mostly disappeared. "That's better, now I can kiss you." She said as she bent her head to place a soft, gentle kiss on Maura's mouth, eliciting a low hum of contentment from both of them.
Maura allowed Jane's lips to move over her own in an unhurried exploration as she reached up to stroke Jane's cheek with her fingers. She was tired, beyond exhausted in fact, but the feeling of Jane's mouth against her own stoked the slow-burning fire of desire that was spreading in the pit of her stomach. But that fire was quickly doused when Jane pulled back with a slight frown on her face.
"What's wrong?" Maura asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Oh, nothing… I was just thinking… wondering really… did Liam ask you about meeting up next week to talk about some business proposal he has?"
"Um, yes… he did. I told him we'd do it. I hope that's okay." Maura was suddenly beginning to worry if she should have asked Jane first before agreeing to Liam's request.
"Yeah, that's fine. I'm just wondering what in the world he could have up his sleeve. He said he invited Frankie, Frost, and Korsak as well." Jane's brow furrowed again as she tried to piece together Liam's motive for doing so.
"I suppose we'll find out soon enough." Maura reached up to touch Jane on the cheek and then skimmed an index finger along her jaw before letting it settle in the cleft of Jane's chin. "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted. How about we get ready for bed and then cuddle for a bit until we fall asleep." And as if to prove her point, she yawned.
"Ummm… so no hanky panky?" Jane asked as she too yawned.
"We don't always have to end on that note, you know." Maura offered a saucy wink. "Sometimes the teasing and innuendo goes a long way."
"I'll say…" Jane laughed as she bent to give Maura another kiss. "Not to mention the kids will probably be up…" she glanced over at the clock and sighed heavily. "Well, they'll probably up in a few hours anyway. It's almost two o'clock."
Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Maura glanced over with a look of surprise on her face. "I don't think I've been up this late in… well… it's been a while."
"Well, I'm game for a cuddle if you are..." Jane said as she waited for Maura to climb off the couch. She took Maura's hand when it was offered to her to help her stand. "I can't wait to take this thing off." She ran her hand's over the tight material. "I feel like I've been hobbling around all night.
"Then let's get ready for bed…" Maura leaned close and placed a quick kiss on Jane's cheek. "Or maybe you can join me in the shower…" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she helped Jane towards the stairs.
"I think that can be arranged…" Jane purred into Maura's ear. "Mon Cher…"
"Oh, Cara Mia… you know what it does to me when you speak french…" Maura took Jane's hand and kissed the back, moving up higher just as Gomez would do to Morticia.
"I suppose we can cuddle… after…" Jane's eyebrows lifted higher on her forehead as she nodded towards the stairs.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?" Maura asked.
"No, but you can show me…" Jane took Maura's hand and pulled her up the stairs towards their bedroom.
Allowing herself to be led up the stairs, Maura chuckled at their antics. They had had a wonderful night, filled with family and friends and now… well now, they would end it wrapped around each other just as she had hoped they would.
YYY
A distant sound aroused Jane from her deep slumber as she lay wrapped in Maura's arms. Blinking her eyes open, she could have sworn that she had just gone to sleep but a glance at the clock on the bedside table told it had been a couple of hours. She could feel Maura's deep, steady breathing against her back indicating that she was still asleep, and disturbing her wasn't an option at the moment. Perhaps she had woken up for no reason, it couldn't possibly be the muffled sound of crying outside their door.
But wait… was Jane actually hearing what she thought she was hearing? Pushing herself up onto her elbow, she looked over at the door that was cracked open enough so they could hear the kids if need be but she was met with silence causing her to drop back down, this time waking Maura up.
"Is everything okay?" Maura asked as she yawned and stretched her hands over her head in a feline-like stretch.
"I don't know…" Jane shifted again turning her head towards the door as if that might make it easier to hear. Reaching over, she turned the lamp on next to the bed and the room filled with the soft glowing light.
After a moment of silence, there was the unmistakable sound of someone crying and it prompted Jane to bound from their bed like a spring. She gave Maura a quick wave to indicate she should stay in bed while she invested. When she got to the door, she knew exactly who it was… Noah.
As she slowly opened the door so as not to startle him, she revealed a very teary-eyed youngster with a runny nose and wet cheeks. Looking up, Noah tried to slow down the hiccup sobs that were now growing louder as he looked up at her, a helpless expression on his face.
"Hey, buddy… what's up?" Jane dropped down onto one knee so she could look him in the eyes.
"I… had… a… bad… dre-am…" he continued to hiccup as he rubbed at his eyes and runny nose. "I want my mommmmm…" he wailed a little louder this time as he tried to catch his breath.
"Um…" Jane glanced over at Maura for help and was grateful to find that she was already out of bed and making her way across the room.
"It's okay…" Maura bend down and scooped Noah up into her arms and hugged him close. He didn't hesitate as he clung to her, crying into her shoulder. "I think it might be a little late… or early for that matter, to call your mom to come get you."
At this admission, his sobbing became more insistent as he buried his face against her neck. Jane reached over to rub his back in soothing circles as Maura moved to sit on the bed, rocking him gently to help calm him down.
"Hey…" Valley appeared in the doorway rubbing at her tired eyes. "What's going on? Where is Noah?"
"He's right here, sweetie…" Maura looked at Valley over Noah's shoulder.
"Why is he crying? Is he hurt?" Valley's lip began to tremble at the thought of Noah being hurt.
And then the tears started as Valley's eyes welled up and tears rolled down over her cheeks.
"Hey… it's okay…" Jane picked Valley up. "He just had a bad dream…"
After a few moments to catch her breath, Valley pulled back and looked at Jane with a serious expression on her face as she tangled her fingers in Jane's dark hair, twirling it in an effort to self-soothe. "Oh… he's not hurt, then?" She asked in relief.
"No, just not feeling too great right now." Jane ran her hand over the top of Valley's head to smooth her bed head down.
"It's okay, Noah… I've had a bad dream before and Mommy and Mama let me sleep with them and it's all better." Valley reached over to pat him on the back.
At that admission, Noah popped his head up and looked at Maura and then Jane before swinging his head around to Valley. "Really?" He asked as his tears began to dry up. "Can we?"
Maura glanced at Jane who gave her a quick nod because what was the point in fighting it. They didn't want to have to call Frankie and Steph to come pick him up at four o'clock in the morning so this was their best alternative.
"Hey, I've got an idea… how about I make a little tent on the floor next to our bed and fill it up with pillows and blankets for you two to sleep in. That way we're right here in case you need us…" Jane raised a questioning eyebrow at both Noah and Valley.
Valley nodded emphatically but Noah looked skeptical for a minute. "What about the bed?" He asked.
"What about the bed?" Maura asked, unsure of what he was trying to convey.
"There might be monsters under the bed…" Noah's expression fell again as he thought about what might be hidden under their bed.
"Oh, okay… how about I put up all of the pillows against the side and then use our 'monster away' spray to make sure nothing is under there." Jane caught on quick as she waved her hands towards the piles of pillows that Maura insisted made their bed look better during the daytime.
"Yeah… that'll work." Valley nodded with enthusiasm. "And Mommy and Mama don't have any dirty clothes or socks around for the monsters to eat…"
Noah quickly turned around to look at Valley, a look of confusion on his face. "What?" He asked.
"Monsters like dirty clothes and messy rooms..." Valley explained as if she was an expert on what imaginary monsters liked and didn't like. "They hate clean things. That's why I keep my room clean."
Maura gave Jane a knowing glance and tried to stifle her chuckle. There had been a time when Valley was having a hard time sleeping so to get her back into her own room and out of their bed, they had come up with the idea that those imaginary monsters Valley insisted were in her room would be driven away by a clean room and so far, it had worked.
Noah's eyes grew wide at Valley's statement. "Is that true?" He asked Jane who nodded slowly.
"It is… at least in our house." Jane tried to shrug nonchalantly as she tousled Valley's hair again to hide her guilt.
"Um… ok-ay…" Noah sighed as he let Maura put him down so they could get to building the fort.
Valley wiggled out of Jane's lap and grabbed Noah by the arm. "Come on… let's go get the monster spray." She said as she pulled him along. A small smile creased his lips for the first time since this ordeal began. "It smells really good… and clean. They hate that."
When Valley and Noah left the room, Jane turned to Maura with a question in her eyes. "What'd you put in the spray bottle anyway?"
"Lavender essential oil and water…" It makes a light mist that smells really nice and well… has the benefits of lavender's calming effects."
"Has anyone ever told that you're a genius?" Jane pushed up from the bed and gave Maura a quick kiss on the forehead. "I guess we'd better get this fort built or we're gonna be sleeping with knees and elbows pressing into our backs and sides the rest of the night."
"I'll follow your lead… you are after all the fort master…"
"Or fart master… depending on who you ask…" Jane laughed heartily as she grabbed a handful of pillows and started to line them along the base of the bed.
"You can be such a juvenile sometimes…" Maura gave Jane a gentle push as she walked past her.
"That's not what you said a few hours ago…" Jane wiggled her eyebrows suggestively causing Maura's cheeks to go a light pink.
"Okay, we back…" Valley said, holding her spray bottle out in front of her as if to ward off any impending monster attack.
"We are…" Maura corrected.
"What?" Valley asked as she wipped around holding the bottle like a squirt gun prepared to defend them all if needed.
"We are back…" Maura said with a sigh.
"Oh…" Valley's brows furrowed in concentration as she thought out what Maura had said, but then her attention quickly turned to Jane who was putting the finishing touches on their fort. "Wow… that is cool Mama… you are the bestest at building forts."
Jane glanced at Maura who looked like she was about to burst with the need to correct Valley again but instead, Maura just dropped her head and shook it lightly, conceding this time. "Thank you my dear…" she gave Valley's stomach a gentle pinch and then tossed a quick wink over towards Maura who offered her a knowing grin.
"Here, do you wanna spray some?" Valley handed Noah the bottle and watched as he gave it a few squeezes and then smile as the air filled with a pleasant odor.
"Can we spray some inside the fort?" He asked, looking at Jane for confirmation.
"Go for it, buddy…" Jane gave his hair a quick ruffle as he passed her and ducked into the fort. After a few spritz's, she dropped down and looked inside to make sure everything was okay. "You guys ready to try this again?"
"Yes…" Valley said enthusiastically but then stopped and backed out of the fort with a look of intent on her face. "Wait… I have'ta get my night light." She said as she took off towards her room.
"Quietly…" Maura called to her as loud as she dared. She certainly didn't want Li to wake up since he had been consistently been sleeping through the night allowing them all to get almost a full eight hours of sleep.
When Valley returned, she was carrying her little globe night light that projected stars on the ceiling in varying displays of color and shapes. Carefully, she crawled inside the fort next to Noah and set the nightlight between them before turning it on. A soft pink glow emitted from the sphere, offering just the right amount of light and ambiance. "Okay… all ready…" she said as she grabbed a pillow and blanket to snuggle up against. This burst of action was followed by a big yawn that almost filled her whole face.
It didn't take Noah long to follow suit as he too snuggled up against a pillow and wrapped himself up in a blanket. Of course, he kept the 'monster away' close by just in case, and within minutes, they were both asleep, much to Jane and Maura's relief.
"Okay… round two I suppose." Jane sighed as she crawled across the bed to her side, careful not to disturb the fort.
"How about you be the big spoon this time?" Maura asked as she slipped into bed next to Jane.
"It would be my pleasure…" Jane let out a long, tired breath as she wrapped her arms around Maura and pulled her close. "I'm sure Valley sprayed enough of that lavender stuff to help us all fall asleep quickly."
"Umm- hmmm…" Maura mumbled as she settled her back against Jane's front.
Lifting her head so she could look down at Maura, Jane smiled at how quickly Maura had settled in as she started to drift off to sleep. It had been a long day and night, and Jane closed her eyes with the hopes of catching a few more 'Z's before the sun rose again on another day… but not just any day… Halloween was finally here.
YYY
First, it was a poke to the stomach, then a jab to the head that woke Jane up. Opening her eyes, she could see the early morning sun was just beginning to leak in through the slits of the half-closed blinds, painting the room in a golden light that also brought with it a touch of warmth on an otherwise cool morning. But that wasn't the only warmth radiating around her… no there was a heavy warmth in the form of a small body curled up against her, seeking security and protection.
At first, she thought it was Valley but upon careful examination, she discovered it was Noah pressed against her. Sitting up, she looked over to see that Valley was wrapped in Maura's arms and she couldn't help but wonder when the two kids had migrated to their bed.
Her movement caused both Noah and Valley to stir, followed by Maura who opened her eyes and peered at Jane with a silent apology for the invasion that had taken over their space. It was true that they had agreed that Valley shouldn't be sleeping with them anymore. Of course, when she had first moved in with them, they had allowed it until she grew used to her new home but it then became something that happened every night and after spending too many nights fighting Valley's arms and legs, not to mention losing their privacy, they had both agreed Valley needed to stay in her room and bed.
Jane offered Maura a crooked grin because these were special circumstances and… well, sometimes you just needed to go with the flow. This was one of those times.
"Noah got scared again…" Valley tried to explain as to why they were in bed together.
"I get it…" Jane said as she patted Noah on the back. "I'm glad we've got a king-sized bed." She glanced at the space between them and then Noah who was looking up at her with the slightest bit of trepidation. "It's okay buddy…" she smiled at him causing him to relax against her.
Valley popped up and glanced around the room as if she were looking for something before turning to Maura with a huge grin on her face. "It's Halloween!" She said as she started to bounce up and down. "Trick or treating tonight!"
"Hey, I'm not awake enough for this…" Jane reached out to grab the edge of the bed to steady herself.
"It is Halloween…" Maura pushed up on her elbows and nodded at Valley. "And as long as the weather holds up… we should be able to trick or treat."
Without any warning, Valley launched herself from the bed and ran to the window, pulled the shades up, and let the bright early morning sun pour in. "The sun's out, Mommy…"
"So it is." Maura yawned and stretched a hand over her head. "I might need a nap before we go, though. It was a long night." She glanced at Jane who knowingly smiled at her.
"Are we still going with Unca Frankie and Stephie… and Noah too?" Valley ran back to the bed and jumped on it in her excitement.
Noah glanced from Maura and Valley before turning an expectant look to Jane who nodded. "Yep… as far as I know." The plan had been that they would keep Noah for the day and then Frankie and Steph would come to have an early dinner of pizza and beer, and then they'd all go out around the neighborhood to collect all the candy they could carry.
"I'm hungry… are you hungry Noah?" Valley continued to bounce around on the bed.
Noah nodded enthusiastically and started to join Valley in her excitement as she clapped her hands together and began to chant 'Pancakes… pancakes…'
"Whoa there Ali-roo… you need to drop the energy level a bit." Jane climbed out of the bed that was presently making her seasick.
"Can we have choco-chip pancakes for breakfast?" Valley asked.
Maura frowned at the request because there had already been more candy and sugar consumed in the past twenty-four hours than what she would normally ever allow. Valley saw the frown and poked her lip in a pout before turning to Jane who was usually easier to convince to do her bidding.
"Peeze… mama, can we have choco-chip pancakes?"
This time it was Jane's turn to ponder whether or not it was a good idea but as usual, she had a hard time telling Valley 'no' so she looked at Maura with a silent plea in her dark eyes causing Maura to shake her head in defeat.
"Okay, but only if you let me add some bananas to them so you get some kind of fruit today since I have a sneaking suspicion today's diet of balanced meals is out the window." Maura relented.
"Why don't you and Noah go play for a bit while Mommy and I get breakfast ready and I'm sure Li's gonna be waking up with all this racket you're making." Jane pointed at the door, indicating that Valley and Noah should go.
"Okay…" Valley jumped off the bed, followed by Noah who let her lead him from the room.
"He doesn't say much, does he?" Jane said as she watched the two kids scramble out the door.
"No, Valley kinda takes up a lot of space with her personality but I think he's just naturally timid. And thanks for not getting upset about them sleeping with us." Maura sat up and then pushed herself from the bed.
"How could I get upset. It was the most obvious way to solve the problem unless we wanted to call Frankie in the middle of the night to come get him. Seems like an easy enough compromise."
"It was kinda fun, though… wasn't it?" Maura mused as she slipped her feet into her fluffy, warm slippers.
"What? The getting woken up in the middle of the night or waking up to an elbow in the face?" Jane's sarcasm caused Maura to laugh as she made her way over to where Jane was standing.
"All of it… the party… the sleepover…" Maura's voice trailed off slightly as she moved to stand in front of Jane. "I love our life… everything about it. I wouldn't change a thing… except maybe…" she lifted on her toes to place a soft, gentle kiss to Jane's mouth.
Pulling away with a look of concern, Jane studied Maura's face and didn't see anything that would indicate she was unhappy. "Except what?" She asked, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.
"Well…" Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and pulled her close, resting her cheek against Jane's chest. For a second, she just took comfort in listening to the sound of Jane's heartbeat, but then realized that Jane was holding her breath as she waited for Maura to finish her statement. "I'm ready…"
"You're ready?" Jane looked down at the honey-blonde head resting against her chest, a look of confusion on her face until Maura looked up at her with hazel-green eyes filled with love and contentment. And then it hit her. "Oh… you're ready? Really? Are you sure?"
"I am." Maura chuckled lightly at Jane's reaction.
"Um… okay… that's great… um…" Jane took a deep breath and then pulled back so she could look at Maura better. "We're really gonna do this?"
Maura nodded and smiled in that sweet way that made Jane's knees wobbly. "I think it's time. I'll call the fertility clinic on Monday to make our first appointment… okay?"
"Okay? Are you kidding me? It's more than okay…" Jane couldn't contain her excitement as she picked Maura up and swung her around before setting her down and planting a kiss to her lips that caused them both to swoon. "I can't wait to see you pregnant… you're gonna be so beautiful… and…" her eyes dropped to the cleavage peeking out from the top of Maura's tank top. "Um…" she gulped a few times because she couldn't quite find the words at the moment.
"No one could be more beautiful than you were, my sweet Jane…" Maura kissed the tip of her index finger before bringing it up to the deep cleft in Jane's chin. "And I can't wait to start this new journey with you."
And that was just it, wasn't it… the beginning of something new… something shared between them as they moved closer to their happily ever after. Pulling Maura back into a hug, Jane knew with the utmost certainty that they would be sharing many new things as their family continued to grow. The flicker of excitement and anticipation began to grow deep in her chest as she held the woman of her dreams in her arms, knowing that they were due happier days together. And this is where it would start… because they were going to have a baby.