Jane Rizzoli
I sat at the vanity simply staring at my reflection in the mirror. Casey had just called and said he was coming home and just hearing those words made my heart flutter. How could a woman love a man so much? Even after all the hardships we've had faced over time, I loved him even more.
Until now, I haven't even thought to mention to Isa about her father. There's been times when she'd ask questions but it wasn't hard to get around them. Now that he's coming back into our lives I felt it was the perfect time that we had our talk. It was the following morning, during our usual trip to her school. It was more of me speaking as she listened. She took it better than I expected. In fact, I don't think she knows exactly how to feel about a man she hardly knew.
I heard someone knocking on the door taking me out of my deep thoughts. I took one last look in the mirror, wiped my eyes and walked to the door.
"How are you feeling?" Ma asked walking in. Did she have a beacon on her head alerting her when I wasn't myself?
"I'm fine Ma."
"Janie, I've known you since before you were born. A mother knows when something isn't right."
"This isn't how I pictured my life. I was taking a break and was starting to work on myself not only for me but for Isa."
"Your dad and I only wanted the best for you,"she said sitting next to me.
"I'm scared Ma. There's something different with Casey it frightens me. I'm scared if I'm not good enough he might just leave again." I said as my voice began to crack and tears flowed from my eyes. "Not again..."
"Aw baby, that man loves you like no other. His eyes light up when you walk into the room and it's the same way with you. You both are just too stubborn to accept it. I see the love you two share and it's a special kind of love dear."
"I want to be strong but sometimes it's just so hard."
"Honey it's okay to let your guard down sometimes. It's hard carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, "she said staring at me.
"He's on his way here. If things go well at work I promised Isa we'll meet him at the airport," I said excitedly.
"Well you better be getting ready,"she said getting up only to wrap me in the comfort of her embrace.
"Thanks Ma."
I watched as she walked out before I headed towards my closet. I walked inside debating what I was going to wear.
_________
"Hey! What're you doing here?"
My tone was surprisingly light, happy; for a moment before Maura looked up with a frown on her own. When I sat right next to her on the front stoop, Maura couldn't bring herself to offer even a fake smile of greeting.
After a few silent moments with no response, I said, "What's up? You weren't there when we got back to HQ with the perp."
"Well, it wasn't so much a victory for me as for homicide, was it?" Maura asked breathlessly. "You and your athlete's eagle eye solved this one without much science."
"Yeah, but..." I was ready to joke around, to tease her, or even reassure Maura that her scientific opinion helped more than not—but it was obvious to me that that wasn't really the issue bothering my friend. As soon as I'd weakly started talking just now, Maura's eyes closed and her hand tiredly went to her forehead. I noticed Maura was shivering, and mistaking it for a sign that she was cold, I shrugged off my blazer and threw it over her shoulders. Maura clutched at it with one hand, but didn't say anything. "Maura? What's ...why didn't you even try calling? You're starting to freak me out a little."
