CHAPTER 3

A sudden knock at the door interrupted their peaceful morning. Jane was watching Maura make pancakes, and Elle was sprawled on the floor, engrossed in a puzzle word book, her little tongue poking out in concentration. Maura exchanged a curious glance with Jane. "Who could that be?"

Jane shrugged, setting her mug down. "Let's find out." She opened the door to reveal, Frankie, his smile was wide, holding out two tickets. "Hey! Guess what?" he exclaimed, stepping inside.

"Why you smiling like that?" Jane asked, her tone skeptical but amused.

"Elle!" he said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I got us tickets to the Baseball game!"

At the sound of the word "game," Elle's head shot up, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Really!" she squealed, jumping to her feet.

"Yep! Just you and me. Who's your favorite Uncle?" Frankie replied, ruffling her hair affectionately.

Maura wiped her hands on a dish towel and walked to the bedroom, and then the back door opened. Angela entered the room, her expression confused of the loud noise. She poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat at the table.

"What's going on?"; asks Angela.

Jane couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "Frost bailed on Frankie—now his trying to use my daughter to score points with girls." she warned, raising an eyebrow at him.

Frankie feigned innocence, placing a hand over his heart. "Me? Use Elle? Never! She's my favorite niece! I'd never do that," he said dramatically, earning a giggle from Elle and Angela.

"Yeah, right," Jane replied with a smirk. "She's your only niece."

Maura calls for Elle from the bedroom to change out of her pj's, Elle bolts out. Angela, Frankie and Jane continue chatting about the game and Frankie's plans for the day. A few moments later, Maura and Elle emerged from the bedroom, the little girl twirling in her outfit, her hair up in a ponytail inside a baseball cap. "Look at me!" Elle exclaimed, beaming with pride.

"Absolutely adorable!" Angela declared, giving Elle a thumbs up

Jane chuckled. "You're going to be the cutest fan at the game, kiddo. Just remember to cheer really loud for your team."

"I will!" Elle promised, bouncing on her feet. "Can we get ice cream, too?"

"Only if you behave," Frankie joked, but the glimmer in his eyes made it clear he'd be spoiling her a little.

The women laugh and chuckle as Frankie and Elle leave excitedly, and slowly it becomes quiet, Angela's eyes scan the room before landing on Jane.

"Can we talk?" Angela asked, her tone edged with concern.

Jane felt her stomach tighten. She shared a glance with Maura, who looked equally apprehensive. "What's on your mind, Ma?"

"About Elle," Angela began, her voice steady yet filled with a mother's worry. "We all have grown to love Elle since Casey dropped her off and deployed, but we have to consider what will happen when he comes back. Have you thought about that?"

Jane straightened in her chair, a defensive fire igniting within her. "Of course Ma, I've thought about it! But I'm focused on raising Elle right now. She needs me."

"I know she does, and you're doing an amazing job, that's what scares me," Angela replied gently. "But Casey is her father, and has all control. Are you really prepared to give her up when he returns? Or have you thought about what it might do to Elle? She sees you as her mom now."

Jane felt her cheeks flush, the familiar tension creeping into her shoulders. "Ma each day when someone knock, my heart skips a beat, I think is it him? Whenever my phone rings I jump up, cause I think it's him, saying his coming back. It sounds selfish but a part of me wishes he doesn't but then I look at that little girl who's waiting for him to return."

Maura interjected, trying to ease the tension. "It's going to be very confusing for Elle."

Angela nodded. "Children can be incredibly resilient, but they also feel loss deeply. Elle may not understand why her world is changing again."

The idea of losing Elle felt like a knife twisting in her gut. "I just don't have the answers," she admitted, her voice softer now. "I don't want to hurt her."

Maura leaned in, her expression warm and reassuring. "We know."

Angela reached out, squeezing Jane's hand. "That's a possibility we need to prepare for. You've built a beautiful life with Elle, and she deserves to feel secure. But we can't ignore the reality of her father's return."

The next day, after lunch at Maura's. Jane was helping Angela clean up the kitchen as Maura and Elle are busy on the tablet. Suddenly both Jane and Maura's phones buzz, they share a glance.

"Rizzoli."; answers Jane.

"Isles."; answers Maura. "There goes our appointment."

Maura kisses Elle on the forehead as she stands to walk to her purse, Elle doesn't even look up.

Jane glare at Elle who is glued to her tablet then at Angela. "Ma, can you watch Elle today? I need her to get her hair trimmed too. I usually do it, but it's getting long. I'll text you the place," she explained. Angela nodded, though Jane could sense her mother's apprehension about the haircut.

Later that night, Jane returned to take Elle home, her heart racing with anticipation. She imagined Elle's sweet face, newly trimmed and still full of that joyful spark.

"Ma!" Jane exclaimed, disbelief washing over her. Angela sat there, a proud smile on her face, while Elle, her big brown eyes brimming with tears, sported a fresh bob cut. The soft curls that had bounced with each step were gone, replaced by a blunt fringe.

"What happened?" Jane's voice rose, the mix of shock and disappointment evident.

"I thought it would be cute!" Angela said defensively, shrugging. "The hairdresser said it would be easier to manage."

"Excuse me! But her hair was fine! We were going to get it trimmed, not chopped off!" Jane knelt beside Elle, brushing her fingers gently over the bob. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I didn't want this."

Elle looked up, her lip quivering. "I didn't want to cut it off, Janey!" she cried, the sound breaking Jane's heart.

Maura, who had just entered, caught the last part of the conversation. "What happened?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she assessed the situation.

"Ma thought a bob cut was a good idea," Jane said, her tone clipped.

"Oh sweetie," Maura said softly, picking up Elle into a hug. "I still love it. I think it's gonna go well with your costume."

Elle sniffled, her tears starting to dry as she considered the idea. "Really?" she asked, a hint of hope creeping back into her voice.

"Yep, you want to help me look online?." Maura replied, her smile warming the room. Jane watched, still frustrated but grateful for Maura's calming presence.

"Ma, I appreciate you babysitting, but next time, please check with me before making decisions about her hair or anything else regarding Elle," Jane said, her voice steadying.

Angela nodded, guilt flickering across her face. "I just thought it would be easier for you, Jane. I'm sorry."

Jane took a deep breath. "I can manage her hair, I only wanted a professional trim for her since her hair is thick and longer. But let's make sure Elle's feelings come first next time." She looked at her daughter, who was now grinning at the thought of her Pluto costume.

Later that night, Angela is knocking at a door and a man opens with shock in his face.

"Mrs Rizzoli!"; says Casey stepping aside.

"Charles, you need to come back," Angela walks inside. "I was wrong, I thought I was protecting my daughter."