New Beginnings (Rizzoli and Isles)

Chapter 15

"Zoey Jane Isles!"

The toddler looked up to her grandmother in fear.

"What Maimeo?"

"If you don't get up to your bedroom and clean up your toys, you are NOT spending the weekend with grandma Jane and I."

Zoey's mouth fell open at her grandmother's serious tone.

"But, Maimeo..."

"No buts." My mother said sternly. "I know that your mommy and daddy asked you to pick up your toys earlier today. You don't want them to call Grandma Sofia, do you?"

Zoey shook her head violently and ran to the steps.

"No, no, no." She said, climbing the stairs.

If there's one thing that gets my daughter to do what I ask, it's the threat of a visit from an angry grandma Sofia.

"I'll be damned." Tony said. "It worked."

"Of course it did." My mom said. "Sofia can be very intimidating. I sure am scared of her."

"My mom scares my sisters, but since I'm the baby, mom has always treated me different." Tony said.

"I'm my Mommy's favorite." I said to my mom, with a smile and a wink.

Mom smiled back.

"So, what are you two planning on doing this weekend?" Mom asked Tony and I.

I scooted closer to him and sighed before answering my mom.

"If you must know, we're going to sleep. Then, we were going to go Christmas shopping, and tomorrow night, we're going to cook dinner together and sit and talk some things through. Sunday, we'll head over to your house for Christmas dinner at two-thirty and stay there until probably around six o'clock. Then we'll head over to Sofia's and come home afterwards."

"No sex?"

"Oh my god, mom! Why do you have to be so forward about it?"

Tony laughed beside me.

"Well, she has a point. She's taking our daughter for a whole weekend."

I shook my head.

"I'm ready Maimeo!" Zoey said as she scooted down the steps.

"Your toys have been picked up and placed inside your toy box?"

The toddler nodded.

"And I put all my books back on the bookshelf."

"Don't start sentences with the word 'And' please, Zoey." Mom said.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good! Alright, let's go see grandma Jane at work and maybe we can go down to the lab to see Senior Criminalist Chang! I know she misses you!" My mom said, picking up the toddler. "Say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy."

Zoey covered her face with one of her hands and blew us kisses.

"Bye Mommy and Daddy!"

---------------------------

Tony and I had done exactly what I told mom we'd be doing.

As soon as they left we went upstairs to our bedroom...to sleep.

-------------------

I woke with a hand resting on my hip.

Tony was pressed up against my back. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. The only thought I had was that I could wake up just like that everyday for the rest of my life.