There was a book on Sheilagh's table. A present from Dom which Serena could well believe because it was filled with muscly, washboard stomached beefcakes in tiny pants. She flicked through the book in amusement. Dom and Sheilagh both picked out the same aggressively sculpted hunk to drool over. A far cry from sweet little Lofty who was blandly standing by with the discarded gift of loathsome potpourri. Serena resolved to chuck it out of the window the first chance she got. 'Piglet' had some terrible ideas.
She got distracted by the one on the next page, a hunk made of ebony in some tight orange trunks and a come hither expression.
'Ding dong' she clucked in appreciation.
'Oh watch out Major, you've got stiff competition' teased Fleur. Bernie reminded her of the 13 different ways she could kill her with her bare hands, much to everyone's amusement. She turned her attention to the hunks and sniffed dismissively. They had never been her kind of thing.
'I could use a couple of those to prop up my coffee table.'
Bernie shot her a look of exasperation mingled with affection. That was Serena all over.
'Rescind or be prepared to be killed one of 13 different ways' Fleur intoned. She was tickled by Bernie's behaviour. But by now she knew that Bernie had never been in this position before, having never met the love of her life before and was overwhelmed with everything that went with it. It was obvious that she'd never felt the need to be jealous until now, especially with a silver haired vixen for a girlfriend.
Serena playfully hit her with the book.
'Stop being such a jealous little puppy. I'll get you a picture of Wonder Woman to hang on the wall if you play nice.'
Bernie emitted a vexed noise and pouted in a most un-Major-like fashion. It was clear that nobody had ever made her do that before. It made Serena smile. Bernie tapped the first one and grudgingly admitted that she could have done with that one to help shift her boxes in the move.
'Now you're playing the game!' Cackled Sheilagh. It was like a soap opera, watching the lesbians.
Donna initiated the toast to the birthday girl.
'Cheers!' They all cried and Sheilagh beamed.
'Nobody get me any more potpourri or I'll make them eat it' she vowed.
'Don't worry, Serena will get you a Chippendale for your next birthday' quipped Fleur soothingly.
Serena winked her affirmation.
'That's more like it.'
Dom volunteered to judge the auditions. Lofty looked scared at the thought while Donna and Fleur grinned at the sight of Bernie and Serena making puppy dog eyes at each other. Sheilagh downed her drink and shouted for another. She'd shared boiled eggs with Hanssen earlier and now had some fizz and a book of pretty boys to look at. This was turning out to be a wonderful birthday.