Bernie watched a small huddle of them walk out of the door. She'd noticed them before. It was an odd assortment of people; Sacha, Essie, Fleur and some guy from the ED department. With Serena. She'd seen them all together before and when she did, they weren't going to Albie's.

'Where do you, Fleur, Sacha and Essie go to sometimes?' She asked Serena the week after. Serena had just finished her coffee and was about to do some actual work.

'We sometimes go to my mum's flat for Shabbat' she said. Bernie looked clueless. Serena explained about the Jewish Sabbath, the start of it being Friday night where people gather to light the candles, break bread and sing a few blessings to then eat a massive meal and socialise. Bernie had never heard of it before. Now the choice of night made sense.

'I thought Essie's grandfather…was a Nazi?'

'Well anyone's invited. Friendship and good food should never be exclusive.' Serena leaned forward and whispered 'just to be on the safe side, we haven't told my mum about that.'

Bernie could imagine the uproar had Adrienne known. She was hardly one to not make a fuss.

'Good idea. Do you invite people often?'

Bernie was angling for an invite.

'If they're interested. Ric's been a few times, he likes the brisket and challah.'

Bernie had no idea what that meant but it sounded delicious. Serena looked over at her with a hint of a smile.

'Interested?'

'Well, it would be different. I've never been to one.'

'I'll tell you when she's next hosting. She tends to go to the community club otherwise.'

'Anything I should bring?' Bernie was unsure about what was polite.

'Just yourself.'

The twinkle in her eye made Bernie feel warmer. She was never invited to anyone's house for dinner here, hadn't been since the early days of her marriage. This sounded fun.

Ric was right, the brisket was good. And the bread. And absolutely everything. She ate a bit of each, pacing herself and trying not to eat all the olives in one go. Thank goodness for those extra tubs of hummous, they were steadily demolished over the course of the evening.

Serena looked fondly at her band of fellow Friday nighters, bathed in a contented golden glow. Adrienne usually hosted once a month and they were as popular as any themed night at Albie's. Through her daughter's guests, Adrienne had never met so many people before. Some of them had no family to go home to and wanted the company; some were only stopping for dinner before they left to work at another hospital, Dom liked the chicken soup and thought the kippa became him, there was always varied chatter from different people around the table. Adrienne was astounded when she'd first brought Ric ('darling, he'd look good in a kippa but I've never seen of those around my table') and hadn't yet realised what Dom's 'friends' were to him.

Her attention shifted to Bernie, the latest wanderer of the tribe. She looked like she was having a marvellous time, she'd eaten more food than anyone and had gazed in wonder at the silver candlesticks and embroidered challah cover. Had listened to the songs like it was Bach. Drank a drop more of the kiddush cup, that sweet, heady kosher wine they all sipped from. It wasn't Shiraz but it would do for one night.

Bernie met her eyes and gave her a secret smile. Serena winked at her a second before the guy from the ED took her attention by offering her the salad bowl. Bernie felt herself blushing. She didn't know why.

'It's been wonderful. Thanks for inviting me.'

They stared out at the tiny garden observing the gnomes scattered around the edges. Serena swore that they had a life of their own at night. Adrienne kept them because it annoyed her daughter. She hated those things. Bernie did enjoy her sense of humour.

'You're welcome to join anytime you like.'

'It's such a good idea, a prescribed night for dinner and company. It feels so friendly and warm and…' Bernie lost her words while explaining. She didn't know why she was explaining. She felt pleasantly fuzzy all over. She could swear that the atmosphere between them was a little more intense tonight. She felt as if her heart was aglow, the world was sunshine yellow and she couldn't stop staring at her…friend? Colleague? What was Serena to her?

The woman in question was smiling back with a glint in her eye. Bernie felt like this was significant. But why? She felt like the gnomes were listening. Had they embroidered the challah cloth?

'That's the magic of Shabbat.'

It certainly seemed so.

Bernie had to ask. Did the gnomes embroider the challah cloth? Serena laughed at the effect that kosher wine had on Bernie. She seemed almost whimsical tonight.

Serena slowly leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, burning Bernie's skin and awakening her from her drowse. She gasped and turned her head to catch Serena's lips, meeting her eyes for a couple of seconds before she launched into a real kiss. One that warmed their bones and glossed their eyelids through sparks and shivers. They slowed it down then hastened it again, hands caressing but didn't stop for breath until the scuffling of a concerned Jewish mother wended her way towards them. She tutted and they broke it off, turning their heads hurriedly to an aggrieved expression.

'You always did like the goys, Serena.'

Her daughter sighed resignedly.

'Ok mum, I'm a grown woman with my own credit card, now will you go away.'

Adrienne sniffed and shuffled back to the party.

Bernie's heart dropped. She wasn't sure if that meant the evening was over or…

Serena turned back to her and smiled.

'Don't mind her. I'll kiss whoever I like.'

'You married whoever you liked' Bernie ventured.

'Well as she quite rightly pointed out, it all ended in tears' Serena said, a little acidly. But she consoled Bernie that her tone wasn't directed at her with a kiss on the nose, resulting in the widest smile she'd ever seen on Bernie's face.

It was the start of many Shabbats; of kissing outside with the gnomes, sitting next to each other and throwing croutons around, Bernie catching the tunes in her net and humming along, of other weeknight dinners and stolen kisses in their office with the blinds drawn. Every day with Serena was a new sunshine Shabbat just waiting to happen.