"At this point, what else could possibly go wrong?" Bernie asked as she gazed out onto the lawn, seeing Jason trying to put out the small fire that had once been their chicken.
"Oh, would you just shut up!" Serena snapped as she grabbed for the open bottle of Chardonnay Cam had brought. Charlotte raised her eyebrows at Cam, who just shrugged a little as he picked up his glass and headed for another room, his sister hot on his heels.
"Mum, we all make mistakes," Elinor said softly, before Bernie could stop her. Serena turned on her heel and stormed from the kitchen, bottle in hand. "I didn't think it was that big a deal," the girl murmured as she limped over to Bernie and rested her head on her arm.
The move was pure Serena, and Bernie smiled gently as she made a low sound of agreement. "I think she just wanted everything to be perfect, Ellie. After all, your homecoming has been a long time coming, and she wanted you to feel like you were important to her, to all of us. We're a family, or at least that's how she sees us."
"I know." Bernie waited for her to say more, knowing that speech was still a hard thing for her to use. "I'm just glad that I can be here with you. You love me better than Liberty." Elinor carefully turned and wrapped her arms around Bernie, hugging her tightly with her right arm, her left side still weak from the damage caused by the hemorrhage.
"Liberty loves you in her own way, sweetheart. And we will always be here for you, supporting you," she whispered as she bent her head and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Elinor's head. "Now, I would venture to guess that your mother has headed up to our room in a snit, and that Cam and Charlie are in the living room. You could wait here for Jason, or…"
"I think I go…no, I will go to the living room." Elinor pulled away from Bernie and gave her a wide smile. Bernie nodded, leaning her hip against the counter as she watched the young woman slowly traverse her way across the room. Though a part of her wanted to escort her to the living room, Bernie also knew that the same pride that lent steel to Serena's backbone coursed through Elinor's veins as well.
Once an appropriate amount of time had passed, Bernie stepped away from the counter and made her way upstairs, her smile growing a little wider as she listened to her children talking. It had been so easy to accept Jason and Elinor as hers, something that had surprised her, but at least she now had the large family she had always wanted.
Heading up the stairs, she wondered what state she'd find Serena in. Heading to their bedroom, she didn't bother knocking before barging in, not wanting her lover to have any time to prepare and wall herself off emotionally. "It certainly took you long enough, Bernie."
Bernie whipped her head around to see that Serena was seated on the bed, the bottle still clutched in her hand. "Elinor and I were chatting before she went in to sit with Cam and Charlie. I wanted to make sure she got there okay without hovering. And we do know how you like to hover."
Serena blushed deeply as she took a long swig of wine. "She's my baby. I'm entitled to worry about her."
She chuckled lowly as she made her way over to the bed, taking a seat and prying the bottle out of Serena's hand. "I do so love it when you get flustered like this, darling." This earned her another glare before Serena reached out for the bottle and grabbed it away, bringing it to her lips and taking a long swig.
"I was just hoping that everything would go perfectly today. And then I had to set the chicken on fire! I am never going to live this down!" she wailed before taking another slug of wine. Bernie once more took the bottle from her hands and finished off the dregs before setting the bottle on the nightstand and wrapping her arms around her lover. "Seriously, Bernie, Elinor has to be completely embarrassed!"
Bernie cut off her words with a deep kiss, pushing Serena back onto the bed and letting her hand creep up under her blouse to cup one breast, squeezing almost roughly as Serena moaned. Using the opening, Bernie explored the warm cavern of her mouth with her tongue as she worked to free her lover's breasts from her bra.
"Mum!"
They sprang apart, and Bernie felt her cheeks redden into a bright blush as she smoothed down her shirt. Cam was bouncing from foot to foot, trying to look anywhere but at them as they sat up. "Um, ah, yes, Cam. What did you need?" Serena said quickly, running her fingers through her hair as she smiled widely.
"We ordered curry for everyone, it should be here in twenty minutes. Elinor wants us to all be together."
Bernie nodded and waved him away as Serena buried her face in her chest. "This, Berenice, this is how things can possibly get worse. I cannot believe that our son walked in on you fondling me! How can I ever show my face to him again?"
"At least we weren't naked!" Bernie teased as she stood up, holding out her hand to lover. "It could be worse."
"I suppose that you're right, as usual." She clasped her hand tightly and let Bernie pull her up, bringing her close to her side. "You don't think that I made a fool of myself, do you?"
"Never, darling." Bernie gave her a soft kiss before leading her out of the room and downstairs to the living room. The only spots open were on the couch, on either side of Elinor, and Bernie took her left side, in deference to Serena. She was surprised when the young woman decided to cuddle up close to her, resting her head on Bernie's shoulder as she sighed deeply. "What's up, little one?"
"I'm not that little!" Elinor protested, swatting at her stomach gently. Serena started to laugh loudly, which got Jason laughing, and soon Cam and Charlotte were joining in as well. "Well, I suppose that compared to your children, I am. But, but, but…"
She wanted to finish the young woman's thought, filling in the blank of what she thought Elinor was going to say, but the therapist had been quite adamant that they let Elinor do everything on her own time. Meeting Serena's eye, she smiled a little as she watched the woman reach out and take hold of her daughter's hand, threading their fingers together. "Yes, Ellie?"
"I'm a grown woman, even if I am living with my mothers once again."
Quick tears clouded her eyes as she reached down and squeezed Elinor's knee lightly. "We know that you're a grown woman, little one. You're just going to have be all right with us hovering over you for a little while, until you get your bearings about you once more."
"I have the feeling, that with you all by my side, that will be a lot quicker than if I were only to have Liberty next to me." Elinor nuzzled her cheek against Bernie's shoulder as she sighed deeply. "I truly am sorry for going off on you in the hospital before everything went to hell. I don't deserve to have you treat me with such kindness."
"You're the daughter of the woman I love, which makes you my daughter." She dropped a soft kiss to the top of Elinor's head before looking around at Cam and Charlotte. They were wearing bemused smiles and she shrugged a little before adjusting how she was sitting, making it more comfortable for the girl. She made a low sound of thankfulness as she slid down Bernie's side a little, her head ending up in her lap as Serena pulled her feet up into her lap.
As she looked around at her children, she smiled as a wave of pure contentment swept over her. This is where she wanted to be, she realized, this is who she wanted to be. She was surrounded by love, and she was safe. Nothing else could possibly go wrong, she was certain of that. Not when she had these amazing people in her life.