Serena had quite possibly had the worst day of her life. Worse than the day she'd found out Edward was cheating, probably even worse than the day Elinor was injured overseas and she'd had to wait for hours to find out how serious was. It wasn't one thing today, though, it was so many, many things. Everything that could have gone wrong did, starting with the car accident she'd witnessed on the way to work, and ending with her car breaking down half way home.
Normally, she might have called Bernie. Capable, perfect Bernie, who would fix the car for her, would bring her coffee, would bring her a hot water bottle to hug while she sat in the car. But today, to make it that LITTLE bit worse, Bernie was spending the day with her family, and Serena couldn't bring herself to interrupt that. Her famiy as in her two children, her ex-husband and her ex-husband's parents, who weren't aware of their divorce. Bernie had agreed to pretend for the day after being begged by Charlotte, and though Serena knew she was doing it for the very best of reasons, it still hurt.
With a sigh, she looked at the dead screen of her phone before shoving it back into her pocket. Pulling out her work bag and an umbrella, Serena slammed the door and began the long walk home.
When she got there, she'd drink several bottles of wine in bed until oblivion hit her.
Except she wouldn't, would she, because she'd need at least a shower first to warm up, because the heavens soon opened, and Serena found out that the umbrella she'd taken was jason's old broken one that he'd been reminding her about for days.
Her partner playing happy families with someone else, soaked to the bone, no car, no phone, and a trail of dead patients behind her. "Oh, what a fucking brilliant day!" Serena burst, ignoring the stare of the woman passing her.
Almost home now, almost near the bath, the wine, the bed. You can do it, Serena! 500 steps. 499. 498. 497- oh dear, she really did pay too much attention to the things Jason told her sometimes. He'd spent one whole Sunday a few weeks ago counting the steps from all his favourite places to the house.
"Hello, you."
Serena's head shot up, frowning at the unexpected sight of Bernie stood out the front of her house, a large umbrella over her head and a nervous smile on her lips. After a year together, Bernie still greeted her with that nervous smile, as though she expected Serena to tell her to go away. Serena swallowed back the sharp response on her lips and instead managed, "I thought you'd not be back until tomorrow night."
"Raf called, said you'd had a hard day." As Serena reached her, Bernie slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her under the umbrella, walking them towards the front door. "So, I came home and set up all the things Serena Campbell might need after a hard day. The wine is open, the bath is running, the bed is warm, dinner is ordered, and I got you this."
The first laugh of the day left Serena's lips as she took the silver bell from Bernie's hand. "What exactly is this?"
"Neither of us are working this weekend, so you have me at your beck and call for the next 48 hours." As Serena smiled and stepped through the doorway, Bernie added, "I was going to wear a maid outfit, but I wasn't sure our relationship has progressed that far, yet."
Serena let out another laugh, this one a little louder, before she ventured to ask lightly, "How was today?"
"I'll tell you later. First, you need warming up."
"But was it…did they-"
"It turns out the fact I have you as wallpaper on my phone, I say your name at least once every five minutes..and the fact Charlotte let slip that her mother's girlfriend is a surgeon as well was quite enough to make them understand Marcus and I are no longer together." Bernie responded as she slid the jacket from Serena's shoulders.
A little of the tension that was holding Serena released, and as Bernie led her up the stairs, a yawn escaped her lips. Perhaps today wasn't so bad, after all.