Snapshots 4.0

Chapter 18 – Dinner with MJ and Chrissy

Jane and Maura tried to spend time with each of their children separate from the Rizzoli Family dinners. They were having dinner with MJ and his wife, Chrissy. They had decided to go out as MJ and Chrissy wouldn't be home from work until around 6 PM. That is if they didn't get called back to the hospital for an emergency. MJ was a neurosurgeon and Chrissy was a pediatrician at Mass Gen.

MJ was sitting on the sofa enjoying a nice glass of ice water when he heard the knock on the door. "Hello Ma and Mom, please come in." MJ told them as he hugged and kissed them both. Maura gave him an extra long hug. She missed having him at home and cherish anytime she could spend with him. They sat down on the sofa while they waited for Chrissy. She would be getting home later than MJ because her surgery ran longer than expected. MJ being the gentleman that he is had left the car at the hospital for her so he took a rideshare home.

Jane ran her hand through his hair like she had always done. MJ took the small comb out of his pocket and fixed his hair while his mothers walked into the house. Jane instantly flashed back to when MJ was almost three years old and had long black locks of hair and she would run her fingers through his hair almost every day.

December 2016

They had been meaning to get his haircut but just hadn't gotten around to it. The twins had just been born and they were now caring for three small children. If they didn't brush MJ's locks then his hair would look messy and unkept. So over MJ's holiday break from school he had his hair cut for the first time.

Jane and Maura hated to think about his beautiful locks of black hair being cut off but they had admitted to having their hands full now with three children. They decided if MJ got his hair cut, they wouldn't have to worry about his hair so much in the mornings before school. They could teach MJ how to comb his hair and that would be one less thing they had to worry about.

They had gotten Angela to watch the twins as neither one wanted to miss MJ getting his first haircut. Sure, they could have cut it themselves but they wanted the whole experience of taking him to a barber shop. They had discussed it with Frankie and Tommy to see which barber shop would be the best to take MJ too. When they found out that both Frankie and Tommy used the same barber and had been since they were younger, they knew that would be the place to take MJ.

Frankie had talked to the barber, Jimmy, and he said he would be honored to provide MJ with his first haircut. He had been the barber for the Rizzoli men for over fifty years. He was set to retire at the end of the year and he thought this was a fitting way to end his career. Jimmy actually decided to make MJ's haircut his last. He was turning the barber shop over to his son as he was almost seventy years old and thought it was time to retire. Frank Sr. had been his first customer when he started working for his father at the barber shop so cutting a Rizzoli's hair for the first time seemed like a great sign.

They bundled MJ up and took him to the barber shop. Frankie and Tommy made sure they were there also. Frankie was going to video tape it for Jane and Maura. MJ walked into the barber shop holding his Mama's hand and immediately let it go when he saw his uncles. He ran over to them and Tommy sat him in the chair. Frankie started filming as Tommy asked him if he was ready to get his haircut like they did. "Yes, Uncle Tommy. I'm ready." MJ said as he smiled at his uncle. Tommy introduced him to Jimmy and Jimmy told him how he had been cutting their hair since they were his age. MJ smiled at that. He loved his uncles and looked up to them.

Maura was in tears. Jane wrapped her arms around her and pulled out a tissue from her pocket she knew Maura would be emotional. They stood behind MJ and he could see them in the mirror in front of him. He smiled and waved at them and told them, "Mama and mommy, I'm getting my haircut."

"Yes, baby you are. We are right here watching." Maura said and with that Jimmy started cutting MJ's hair. It didn't take long and Maura continued crying as her baby's beautiful black locks fell to the floor. She loved MJ's hair. It was so smooth and silky. She loved running her hands through it just like she did to Jane's. She knew it needed to be cut though. She burrowed into Jane's embrace and let the arms of her wife engulf her even tighter as the cutting of the hair continued.

In less than ten minutes MJ's hair had been cut and Jimmy was cleaning all the loose hair from his neck. He undid the wrap from around his body and helped him out of the barber chair. Jimmy asked him, "Would you like to have your picture taken for our wall?"

"Yes please." MJ replied as he looked at all the pictures hanging up on the wall, and one of the employees took out a Polaroid camera and snapped a picture. Once it developed, he showed it to MJ and after receiving his approval he taped it onto the wall with all the other photographs. He placed MJ's name and date on it. MJ smiled and went over and hugged his mothers.

Jane had grabbed Maura's hand and squeezed it. Maura looked at her and asked, "Where were your thoughts just now?"

"I was remembering MJ's first haircut." Jane told her as she gave her a quick peck to the cheek. Maura smiled remembering MJ's long beautiful black locks.

They sat down on the couch and MJ asked if they would like something to drink. He knew it might be a little while before Chrissy got home. He went to the kitchen and pulled out a beer for Jane and poured a glass of wine for Maura. He then sat down in one of the chairs to visit with his mothers while they waited for Chrissy to get home.

"Ma, did nonna always bug you for grandchildren after you got married?" MJ asked his mother. He was curious because every time he sees his nonna she is asking when are they going to start having children.

"Yes, MJ, she bugged me until you popped out of me, all those years ago." Jane laughed as she said that, thinking that it was funny. She had given birth to him over 25 years ago and sometimes it seemed like it was yesterday. She often wondered how time flew by so fast.

"Ma, I'm not that old, you make it sound like I'm ancient." MJ informed her.

"Nah, you are not ancient. It is just that she misses you guys being little and wants some great grandchildren before she croaks. She loves being a grandmother. So does your other grandparents, Constance and Arthur but I don't think they are bugging you for great grandchildren."

"Jane, please do not refer to your mother's passing as croaking." Maura said as she gave Jane a very serious look. It was one of her fears that their parents would pass away soon. Angela was younger than her adoptive parents and all of them were living together at the Isles' house. "I don't feel like it is respectful."

"Okay, I won't. You know I love our parents. Even though my Ma has driven me crazy over the years. I didn't mean any disrespect. I was just having some fun with MJ."

"Ma, Grand-mére and grand-pére do not pressure us at all. All they have ever said was that they will cherish our future children just like they cherish us."

"Have you guys discussed having children?" Jane asked as she was curious if she might be a grandmother someday.

"Jane!" Maura said in a raised voice. They had talked about the fact that they would not pressure their children into having children. She didn't want them to be like Angela in that respect.

"Maur!" Jane said right back with raised eyebrows and then smiled and said, "What, I was just asking, not pressuring."

Maura laughed. She always said she would never be bored with Jane and after 25 years of marriage and raising four children together, Jane was still making her laugh.

Chrissy arrived home around 6:30 PM and after greeting everybody she went upstairs to take a quick shower and change for dinner. Jane and Maura realized how tight schedules were when you work full-time but they always made time when they were working for family and they are so happy that their children do the same thing.

They had agreed when MJ and Chrissy moved back to Boston that they would have quality time together at least once a month, all four were trying hard to stick to that arrangement. It might be breakfast, lunch or dinner or even just between meals, it didn't matter as long as they had that contact once a month.

Jane and Maura made the same arrangement with AJ and his wife Anna. They squeezed in Lilly and Kate whenever they could. Sometimes going to New York when they were both there and trying to work around their busy schedules.

For this dinner Maura had volunteered to cook however there was a restaurant that MJ and Chrissy had wanted to go to and had kept postponing going to, so they figured this would be the perfect time to go. When they got to the restaurant, Miznon, MJ was quick to get out and open Jane's door for her. Jane was not use to this. She was use to opening the doors. Chrissy had opened Maura's door for her.

Jane was out of her element. She was use to driving and not being driven. Now MJ was opening her door for her, she was at a loss, she didn't even get to open Maura's door. "MJ, you don't have to open my door for me, you should be opening Chrissy's door."

"Ma, just let me cater to you for once. You are always doing everything for everyone. It wouldn't hurt you to let someone else do something for you, would it?"

"No, but you don't have to. I can open my own door." Jane stated very proudly.

"I know but I want to. So just deal with it please." MJ stated.

"Jane, please let MJ do this for you. He really wants to. MJ and Chrissy want to make this a nice evening for us." Maura replied.

"Okay, okay, I will, it is just I am use to doing those things for you. Thank you, MJ."

"Your welcome Ma, now can we go into the restaurant?" They were at the front door and MJ was getting ready to open the door for his ladies.

"Yes, please. Thank you, MJ." Jane gave him a quick peck on the cheek as she passed him going through the door. The other two ladies followed suit. They were seated at a table and given menus.

When Jane saw 'Folded Cheeseburger in a Pita' on the menu she was in heaven. After she ate the cheeseburger she said, "We will have to come here again. I want to try the other selections as well."

Everybody smiled at her. Jane loved food and she was not shy about commenting on it. MJ and Chrissy were just pleased that she enjoyed their restaurant selection for the evening.

Chrissy then asked, "So, where are you two off to next?"

"We decided we are going to park the RV until after our friend Gen retires. She and her husband what to go on adventures with us and they have purchased the same RV as we did and she gets jealous every time we take a trip without them. So, I think we will just do some one day or multiple day trips without the RV for now. We can go to places like Providence, RI and New York City and places like that. Places we have been to already." Maura replied.

"Oh, I like the idea of New York City, we need to talk about this more, Maura." Jane said.

"Yes, love we will talk about our next trip." Maura stated.

MJ then announced that they would like to take a trip to Italy when they could get the time off. Talk then turned to Italy and all the relatives and things to see and do when they go. It was over an hour later before they settled their bill and departed the restaurant. They had a nightcap at MJ and Chrissy's house before returning home.

"So, New York City?" Maura asked after they walked in the front door.

"Yes, I know you love New York City and I figured why not take in some shows and maybe do a little shopping. I know you love to shop in New York City." Jane stated as she grabbed a bottle of water for both of them out of the refrigerator.

They sat down on the sofa and Maura replied, "I do, but I wondered what you might have in mine as a payback for shopping and shows in New York City." Maura pondered.

"Well, I was thinking it might be nice to add some distilleries and wineries to our trips. We could look up what places are in the area as we travel across the United States." Jane suggested.

Maura smiled and said, "I think that sounds like a great idea."

"How about we go up to bed now. I am rather tired and would like to snuggle up with my wife." Jane said as she pulled Maura up off of the sofa.

Jane was so intent on making sure that Maura was following her and she missed the first step of the stairs and tumbled down to the ground. Maura heard a pop and Jane screamed quietly in pain. Maura immediately bent down to see what happened. "Maur, my foot hurts. I think I broke it."

Maura looked it over and it was swelling up already. She helped Jane to stand up but Jane couldn't put any weight on it. Maura knew something broke she just didn't want to tell Jane that. "Let's go to the hospital and have an x-ray taken."

"Maur, you know I don't like hospitals."

"I know, but I have a feeling you broke your foot and it might need to go in a cast."

"I don't want my foot to be broken Maur, that is my driving foot. How am I supposed to drive if my foot is broken and in a cast?"

"I know love, but we will let the doctor determine that. Let me help you to the car." Maura and Jane hobbled to the garage and Maura help Jane get into the passenger seat. Jane was still in a great deal of pain but Maura didn't want to give her anything for the pain until after the doctor had taken the x-rays.

It took Maura 15 minutes to drive to the hospital. She pulled up outside of the emergency entrance and went in to get a nurse or doctor and a wheelchair to get Jane out of the vehicle. Jane clung onto Maura when she got back. She didn't want Maura to leave her alone.

Maura said, "Jane, I need to move the car and I will be right back."

Jane tightened her grip on Maura and said, "No Maur, you are not leaving me." Maura tossed the keys to a nurse and asked if she could have someone move the car for her. The staff knew Jane and Maura from all of Jane's visits over the years and couldn't believe she was back again. At least this time it was not for a work-related accident.

The nurse smiled at Maura and said she would take care of it. It was her break time so she simply moved the car. Seeing Maura's doctor's sticker on the windshield she parked the car in the staff parking lot and noted where it was on a piece of paper and attached the note to the keys. When she went back into the hospital, she found Maura and gave her the keys and told her where she had parked the car.

Jane went for an x-ray with Maura walking beside the wheelchair. Jane made Maura go into the room with her. It wasn't protocol but the hospital staff knew that Jane always wanted Maura with her when she was there. Jane really hated hospitals. So much she never visited MJ or Chrissy or even Susie at the hospital. She always had to meet them offsite.

The doctor pulled the x-rays up on screen and told Jane she had broken the tip of the fibula and he would need to cast her foot. They could review the break in three weeks and see how it was doing. She didn't need surgery as it was a clean break. Jane was so thankful. She didn't like having to be in a cast but that was better than having surgery.

She was able to choose what color cast she wanted. She looked over the color options: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple. She wished she could have a multi-colored cast but that was not an option so she chose Blue. It only took about ten minutes to cast her foot and then she was back with the doctor to go over care instructions.

Jane listened carefully to the doctor and signed all the forms she needed to sign and then they were able to leave. Jane had been fitted with crutches and the doctor told her she could rent or purchase a knee scooter if she wanted. Jane had seen people using the knee scooters and motioned to Maura that they should get a knee scooter. Maura already knew that Jane would want one once the doctor mentioned it. She could picture Jane flying around the house on her knee scooter.

Maura went to retrieve their car while Jane waited at the pharmacy for her medications. She told Maura that she could handle sitting in the pharmacy while she got the car. The scary part of the hospital visit was over. She was discharged and could go home.

Maura was wondering if Jane would want to go upstairs when they got home or if they would be sleeping in the guest room downstairs. They could use the elevator but she would just have to ask Jane when they got home. She knew how stubborn her wife was and figured she would let her decide.

Jane talked about scooters all the way home and looked up what time the medical supply store open and what type of scooters they had available for purchase. She didn't want to rent one she figured she would get her money's worth out of it and she could always play around on it after she healed.

Maura knew she was in for a fun three to six weeks while Jane's foot healed. So much for a trip to New York City in the near future. She was just hoping that Jane would be out of her cast and off of her scooter before Gen's retirement ceremony.