8.00 PM
Bernie hated this. The social events; the constant chatter, the dress. No she didn't hate the dress, it was a beautiful dress, far more so than anything she'd ever worn. She'd rented it for the night, unsure if she was wasting money in showing up and running out again with terror but she was doing alright so far. She could see her colleagues moving around the floor like chess pieces, graceful and at ease in their suits and sweeping dresses. Bernie felt like a fish out of water. The dress was cornflower blue with embroidered flowers and a decorative cape around the shoulders. For some reason it had just called to her, maybe to persuade her to be the princess she never was. The midi length was elegant on her and she hadn't broken her ankle yet in her modest T-bar heels. She felt as if she was standing out in the worst way possible, a galumphing ostrich but nobody had commented on it. She'd had to make very little small talk so far and it suited her. She was happy to take her usual observers perch. She was unprepared for someone else to observe her.
Ric and Connie glanced over in her corner (gossiping about how different Major Wolfe looked tonight) and paused to watch what seemed like an uncomfortable scene. A woman they didn't know had backed her up against the wall and was getting rather too friendly. Bernie looked alarmed, one hand trying to ward off the overfamiliar advance and the other gripping the wall. She kept taking hold of the other woman's arm to pull it away from her but the woman persisted.
'Trouble in paradise?' Asked Connie. Since that unbelievable reveal on the ward that Major Berenice Wolfe was a first class lesbian and her marriage had imploded on the discovery of her affair with another woman, nobody had wanted to say anything to her face.
'I doubt it. It doesn't look like that woman.' Ric didn't remember her name. 'Maybe we should intervene. She's getting rather handsy. She doesn't seem to know Bernie at all.'
They walked over to where they could hear the conversation. Bernie was deflecting the woman's attentions by claiming she had a partner. They were intrigued. Bernie never voluntarily breathed a word about her private life. They didn't know she was involved with anyone.
'She won't know if we don't tell her.' She laid a hand on Bernie's arm.
'No. Sorry but no. I'm not interested.'
'We've all heard about your little affairs, you don't need to be coy about it. Some of us are dying to try you out.' One arm blocked Bernie's exit.
'That is none of your business' Bernie hissed. She felt trapped and thought that in another minute, she'd come very close to hurting the woman in an attempt to get out of her clutches. She looked desperately around for help and shot a terrified look at Ric and Connie. Before they could intervene, a swish of silk and a blast of expensive Japanese perfume swept past with a drink in hand. Serena had been standing near enough to see what was going on and she wanted to know exactly what was going on. Ric caught her for a few seconds to mention that Bernie's partner didn't seem to be around to defend her honour.
'Right' said Serena decisively. She marched up to Bernie's side and slid a hand on her shoulder, stroked her neck with an elegant finger.
'Hello darling' she purred. 'Did you miss me?'
Bernie turned her head sharply to find playful eyes burning into her, that ready smile and slight wink disabling her. Relief flooded through her as she leaned her head back against the wall and silently signalled her thanks.
'Yes.'
She didn't realise how unlike her it sounded until a few seconds later, breathy and desperate as if she was…doing something she'd sworn not to do for a long time. She didn't deserve intimacy yet, she was a terrible person.
'Good.'
Serena had a voice like dripping honey on velvet. Sometimes Bernie blocked out the background noise around her when Serena spoke just to hear it better. Serena was here to save her and she'd do anything to get away from this predator so she urgently threw herself at her colleague. She knew she'd be outing herself to the entire room but she didn't care, almost gasping as she claimed Serena's lips for her own. She heard Serena echo that response as she valiantly played along despite being caught off guard. It felt so good to kiss someone she almost relaxed into it until Serena broke it up by raising the glass in-between them.
'Drink?'
Bernie looked at her, the smile still there but the eyes saying something else now. Something thoughtful mixed in with that familiar wicked glint that usually spelled trouble. Serena was considering something, saying nothing for the time being. Bernie accepted the drink and kept her eyes locked on her. Serena turned round to the younger woman as if noticing her for the first time and suggested she FOH, in the politest way possible.
'Hello I don't think we've met.' She didn't extend her hand and introduce herself as usual.
The woman muttered something as she looked at Bernie and back at Serena. Bernie was looking away in mortification, clutching the glass.
'Making connections are so important at your age, you should circulate more.'
Her tone was pure ice. Flushing angrily, the woman took her leave.
Serena turned to Bernie still hugging the drink and gently enquired about how she felt. Bernie was trembling, not just from the unwanted attention but from the attention she had brought herself. She'd nearly given the game away. Serena was wearing a black and gold dress that showed off more cleavage than she normally did and Bernie had to fight not to stare at her when she first saw her that evening.
'I think I need some fresh air' she muttered, eyes downcast. 'Please don't leave me.'
The look of concern that Serena gave her was too much to bear. She strode out in a panic, into the cold cruel air that punched the breath out of her. She sat down on the freezing steps and took painful breaths as she considered the thought that she was destined to fuck up her entire life. It was not a comforting one.
A rustle of silk skirts made their way down the stairs and sat next to her.
'Don't worry about her. I doubt she's coming back.'
Bernie felt just a tiny bit warmer.
In the hall, Ric and Connie were perplexedly comparing notes.
'What…was that?'
Connie smirked.
'Looks like she'll have to explain to that partner of hers how she managed to kiss another woman and not consider it cheating. We all know she has a fidelity problem.'
'Now hang on a minute' Ric said sharply. She'd touched a nerve there and she knew it.
'Bernie's private life is irrelevant, she is entirely trustworthy in her job.'
'I wasn't suggesting otherwise.'
'Well stop with the digs at her. She's been humiliated enough as it is over the situation.'
'Didn't take long for Serena to be persuaded' Connie mused. Ric had to agree although he hadn't seen it coming. He had a feeling that Serena was a better actress than he'd thought, having to put up with the family members she'd had and still come into work every day with fighting spirit. She didn't seem too rattled to be passionately kissed by one of her best friends and colleagues. For the first time, he wondered about what he really knew about hers and Bernie's relationship.