Easter 2024
Jane and Maura agreed to participate in a family Easter this year. Angela wanted to have all eight of her grandchildren in one place and she was flipping the bill for the festivities so Jane didn't complain. Actually, on Sunday morning, she let Kelly and Erica take the children to the Isles mansion where the festivities would take place.
Jane just wanted to cuddle with her wife for a few more hours. She and Maura had been working late trying to solve a rather rough case. Jane wasn't in the field anymore but when a tough case came along, she was right there with the homicide detectives trying to solve the case.
Gen knew that Jane was putting in extra hours above her normal hours to help the detectives out. She always did. She knew what it was like and she figured the detectives could use the help. Gen didn't hesitate to approve Jane's time off request when she submitted it. Both, Jane and Maura had taken time off on Saturday morning to take the children Easter egg hunting. Jane and Maura cherished these moments.
One of Kate's friends had a sister that was visually impaired and she was telling Kate about how her sister could participate in an Easter Egg hunt with her school. Kate was fascinated with what her friend was telling her.
Kate went home from school on Friday and told her mother, "Mama, Amy's little sister, Sarah, is visually impaired and her school is holding an Easter Egg hunt for her and other visually impaired students. Can we go and help them set up the eggs for the students to find? I have the phone number of the teacher. Amy told me they are always looking for people to help and I would like to help. Even if it is only me and you that are volunteering to help."
"Let me talk to your mother and see what we can do. This is very short notice but pass me the teacher's name and number and I will give her a call once I talk with your mother."
"Okay, mama, thank you."
"You are welcome, little one. Now go play and don't eat any of the candy that you collected from your Easter Egg hunt yesterday." Jane knew that Boston's Easter Egg Hunt would be on a Thursday afternoon. Kelly and Erica had to take them as Jane and Maura were taking the children Easter Egg hunting on Saturday with the family.
"Yes, mama." Kate said as she put the piece of candy down that she had already secured from her bag of candy on the kitchen island. Jane knew her daughter. She knew she would eat candy if she didn't tell her not to, because she used to do that and Kate is so much like her. Jane often wondered what Maura was thinking when she said that she wanted their children to be like Jane. Jane had wanted their children to be like Maura. After a long discussion and Jane coming to an understanding of why Maura wanted a biological connection to their children and that she loved her and wanted little Jane's, Jane agreed and they found an Italian donor with as many of Jane's traits as possible.
Jane talked to Maura and she told Jane, "Yes, it is short notice but if you want Kate to help and you are willing to go with her then I don't see why she couldn't go and help. Would you like me to call the teacher or do you want to call her?"
"I will call her. Thanks, Maur."
"You are welcome, love. It sounds like a great event for Kate to help out with. She loves to help others."
"That she does, okay, I am going to go into the office and call the teacher now." Jane gave Maura a quick kiss and then slipped into the office to make the call. The teacher answered on the second ring and Jane explained who she was and why she was calling.
The teacher was so excited that Kate wanted to help. She had seen Kate's picture in the paper a few years ago when the Rizzoli-Isles family was planting trees and then when Kate made her butterfly garden and was interviewed for the paper.
The teacher knew that Kate loved to help and she was happy that Kate had selected their program. She gave Jane all the information and asked Jane if she could wear her badge and gun and speak to the children for a few minutes about being a police officer. Jane didn't like that part of the deal but for Kate she would do it. Jane felt that Maura's career was a better fit for a career style talk but she had given enough of these speeches over the years that she agreed and the teacher told her what time to be at the school. They ended the call and Jane went to find Kate to tell her about her conversation with the teacher.
Jane found Kate sitting in the living room talking with Kelly and Erica. "Kate, sorry to interrupt, I just got off the phone with the teacher, we are all set for 9 AM tomorrow."
Kelly was curious, "What are you two up to now?"
Kate was fast to answer, "We are going to help my friend Amy sister's school with their Easter Egg Hunt for visually impaired students."
"How are they going to find the easter eggs if they can't see?" Kelly questioned. She had never heard of that and was curious to know more about it, as was Erica.
"They put these little beepers in the eggs and the students can hear that. Mama, can I show Kelly and Erica the website so they can see what I am talking about?" Kate asked as she gave Jane her best puppy dog eyes. She had mastered her puppy dog eyes and Jane found it very hard to say no to her sometimes. She often thought that Kate was better at the puppy dog eyes than Maura. She would never tell Maura that though.
"Sure, baby." Once Jane replied, Kate pulled out her mommy's tablet from behind the pillow on the couch and went immediately to the website. Jane was surprised how easily Kate took to technology. She whipped around on the tablet like she had been doing that for years, well actually she has. Since she was about three years old, Kate has been using a tablet to search for things.
Jane picked Kate up and then sat her on her lap so she could watch about the program also. She wanted to know what she was getting herself into. When the video ended, Jane told Kate, "Kate, you realize that you are going to miss Easter egg hunting with your brothers and sister, as well as your cousin."
Kate looked sad for a minute and then told her mama, "It's okay, mama, helping others is a great reason to miss doing the same thing with the family. They will understand, especially once I show them the video."
"Well, we will have to have breakfast before we go, because Nonna has planned breakfast for 9 AM and that is when we need to be at the school."
"Can we go to your diner?" Jane had explained to Kate many times that it wasn't her diner but she didn't correct her, she just let it slide.
"Shhh, don't let your mommy hear that, but yes, we can do that, just you and me. We can join the family after the hunt."
At 7 AM the next morning, Kate was in the master bedroom waking her mama up. "Mama, time to get up we have an appointment this morning."
Jane just groaned, "What time is it?"
"Time to get up, mama." Kate replied as she climbed up into the bed and gave her mommy a kiss. "Good morning, mommy."
"Good morning, Kate. Have fun helping the children."
"Thank you, mommy. I will try to. Can you help me wake up mama?"
"I'm awake, how come I don't get kisses and cuddles like mommy does? I think you love her more than you love me." Jane acted like she was pouting.
"Mama, don't be silly. I love you the same. Mommy doesn't have to get up yet though, but you do, because we need to get ready. Nonna is downstairs getting things ready to go over to grand-mére and grand-pére's. She is excited for today and tomorrow."
"Yes, nonna loves spending time with her grandchildren. She is going to miss you this morning. We will go over to your grandparents' house once we finish at the school. I am going to hop in the shower, you can stay here and cuddle with your mommy, she loves to cuddle."
"Okay, I will cuddle with mommy, she loves my cuddles."
"Yes, I do, Kate, come over here and cuddle with me." Maura said as she held out her arms for Kate. Jane smiled as she saw two of her loves cuddled up in bed together. She quickly took her shower and then got dressed, she had a diner date with her youngest daughter.
Ten minutes later, Jane and Kate were headed out the door. They stopped at Jane's favorite diner for breakfast and then headed to Sarah's school. The teacher was so excited to meet Kate in person. She was happy to meet Jane as well. It did not click with her that Jane was the police officer that had been in the paper quite a bit in the past. The pictures she had seen of Kate were pretty much of only Kate, not Kate with her parents.
Jane and Kate had a fun time helping load and hide the Easter eggs. Amy asked if Kate could walk around with her and Sarah. The teacher agreed after instructing Kate and Amy that they could not help Sarah find the eggs, however they could assist her in putting the eggs in her basket and carry her basket for her.
Jane had made sure to take pictures of Kate, Amy and Sarah as they hunted for eggs. Jane even videotaped them so Kate could share how Sarah could hear the eggs. Sarah received a special award for finding the most eggs in her allotted time. They couldn't have all of the children out finding eggs at the same time so they broke the group up into two groups. The adults restocked the yard after the first group finished their allotted time.
Jane felt it was a great way of ensuring that each group had the opportunity to find the same number of eggs. Sarah was in the second group and found ten eggs. The top egg hunter in the first group had found nine eggs. After saying goodbye to Amy, Sarah and the teacher, Jane and Kate went to the Isles mansion to join the family for some Easter fun. First, they ate lunch, Jane's stomach had made some noise as soon as she had wrapped her arms around Maura. Maura laughed and told Angela, "It's time to feed the beast."
"Maur!" Jane exclaimed.
"What dear, your stomach told me it is hungry and you know we call your stomach 'the beast.' So, it is time to feed the beast."
"It sounds like you are calling me a beast."
"No, just your stomach, dear." Maura broke away from Jane's embrace and grabbed Jane's hand and dragged her over to the grill where Frankie and Arthur were cooking up some hamburgers and hot dogs. She fixed Jane a plate before her stomach spoke again. After Jane was fed, they started coloring Easter eggs with the children.
Kate drew a police officer badge on one side of one of her eggs to represent her mama, and a stethoscope on the side to represent her mommy. When she was finished, she showed her egg to her mommies. They were both impressed with the detail of her drawings.
They spent the rest of the day playing games with the children and then they all went home and met at the Church the next morning for the Sunrise service. It was a little chilly so they held the service inside the Church. The Church had a small Easter egg hunt for the children and then all the families went home to celebrate Easter with their families.
Angela and Constance had left before the Easter egg hunt so that they could get brunch ready for the extended family. Kelly and Erica decided that they would help prepare the meal with Angela and Constance. They loved being a part of the Rizzoli-Isles family and helped out whenever they could.
The family enjoyed their brunch and each other's company. Leftovers were sent home with each family after they had tossed around some ideas of what the family could do for a community service project around next Easter. Kate loved doing community service and tried to encourage all of the family to help other people that might need assistance. Jane and Maura smiled at each other as Kate spoke of how much fun she had helping at Sarah's school this year.