The afternoon went swiftly and they hardly had chance to speak but in the brief moment they did have in the office they mutually, but reluctantly agreed to go separate ways after work. Serena had to entertain Elinor and resume routine with Jason. Bernie's presence, although appreciated by Serena and Jason, would only serve to exacerbate the situation with Elinor. Bernie knew she had to draw herself back to reality by dealing with post, emails and general life since her return from Kiev. Her radio silence was not restricted to Serena, it was across the board. She now had to face up to it.
Bernie had been called to surgery before the end of their shift so she did not get to see Serena before she left for home, she did want to at least give Serena some support and encouragement regarding telling Elinor about their relationship. She ended up at the hospital a further 2 hours after her shift, kind of thankful that it took her mind off the reality of life that waited for her once she departed the Wyvern Wing.
By the time she was heading out Elinor would be at Serena's, working on the assumption that she had been on time. Bernie wondered if Serena had 'dropped the bombshell' as it were and then decided she can't have as her unread messages remained at nil.
She stole herself and sent a quick text.
"Hey you, sorry only just out, hope tonight goes OK with Ellie. If you need me, I'm other end of the phone. Bx"
She got in the car and decided to go shopping, if not for herself, for Serena. She could not have her coming back to a kitchen where the only food was a box of cereal and a jar of jam. Plus she felt she needed to pick up her game, at least have a bottle of milk and loaf of bread in the flat. Plus delays going back to the empty flat with only memories of Serena lingering.
Serena had made good time home. She was disappointed that she had not seen Bernie before she left but surgery called. She could have done with some reassurance, even if it was in the form of one of Bernie's silent knowing looks, it would have been reassurance enough.
Jason was watching TV when she arrived home.
"Hi Jason, I'm home."
He came through to the kitchen.
"Auntie Serena, you got home quick, is Bernie with you?"
"No Jason, um she had surgery, still there. So she is going home after. Anyway still set three places, Ellie is gracing us with her presence." Serena added this last fact with a little more cynicism than intended.
Jason beamed and returned to the living room to continue his TV watching.
The doorbell went at 6.40pm which was positively early for Elinor. Serena was just pulling the home made lasagne from the oven.
"Hello Darling."
"Mum." Elinor smiled and walked through to the hall.
Jason was setting the table and Serena was plating up the lasagne as she asked Elinor to place the salad bowl on the table.
They sat and ate, talk flowed easily; all things considered. Elinor was still adjusting to having an auntie she or her mother had never met and a cousin who was Jason, and who now lived with her mother. Serena knew it was not easy for Elinor, even though she seemed to like Jason it was like she was envious of the relationship that Jason had made with her Serena. Serena reflected that she did not feel bad about this because it was Elinor who had put the distance between them and contacted on her terms, whilst becoming best friends with Edward's new wife, after all they were similar ages! She mused to herself.
The conversation, unsurprisingly, turned to Elinor and her project and the magic she needed her mother to perform to get her in the underbelly of the hospital. At no point did Serena mention that she was no longer Deputy CEO, the subject did not come up and Serena did not feel the need to mention it. She was determined in her resolve that if she was going to mention anything tonight it was not her role in the hospital.
Serena had spoken to Jason before Elinor's arrival, firstly asking him not to mention Bernie yet as she was going to tell Elinor about her after they had eaten. Secondly she asked that after they had eaten if he go and watch his programmes and let her and Elinor talk. He had been great about this and stated, "That's fine auntie Serena, I don't really care to listen to you and Ellie disagreeing on everything. I do like Ellie but she does not really speak to you very nicely does she?"
Serena could all but shrug at that.
As planned after dinner Jason had retreated to the living room leaving Serena and Elinor in the kitchen/dining room.
Serena was clearing plates and loading the dishwasher as Ellie sat at the table watching her mother.
Serena stole herself, "So Ellie, I have some news."
"News…."
"Yes, news, good news."
"Go on then don't leave me hanging mum."
"I'm, um, seeing someone."
"Ooooooh new development! Details?"
Serena took a breath as she started the dishwasher and returned to the table.
"Bernie." Serena said this hoping her daughter had at least listened to any of the conversations over the last few months, knowing she would have mentioned the trauma surgeon.
"Bernie? Sounds like a retired science teacher mum."
"No, no, Bernie as in my co-lead at the hospital, Berenice Wolfe."
The penny dropped for Elinor as she slammed her hands on the table, "What the FUCK mother!"
"ELINOR!" Serena snapped.
"Er, um, sorry but that's a bit of a…. so you're a lesbian now then?"
"Well…"
"Jesus Christ, what is this? You crossed over to the 'dark side' because you hate men because Dad and Robbie treated you like shit, so now you hate cock."
Serena winced at the crudeness of her words. "No, Ellie, not at all like th…"
Elinor cut in, "So is it a Sapphic midlife crisis thing?" She put on a mocking voice, "Discovering your inner Serena."
"Ellie, no. I've fallen in love with Bernie and the fact she is a woman is, well, academic."
Elinor studied her mother for a few minutes, the silence maintained. "So, you love her? I assume that's reciprocated?" Serena nodded slowly but confidently. "And you are happy?"
"Yes, yes I am, more than I can say."
Elinor took this in and measured up the information. "OK well I'm not hanging out the rainbow bunting but if you are happy.." She shrugged not knowing how to end the sentence, she added jokingly, "But if you go all strange and start wearing Birkenstocks and listen to KD Lang there may have to be an intervention; OK?"
They both laughed, "OK." Serena smiled.
Serena topped up both their glasses and they clinked glasses in toast but Serena, knowing Ellie as she did, could see that maybe she was masking her true thoughts, which was quite disconcerting.
