Bernie sat back at the table and placed a small gift box in front of Serena. She gave a broad sheepish grin. "It isn't much. I'm sorry."
Serena looked at Bernie, and then the box; she looked Bernie back in the eyes, "Anything from you is a gift darling. I'm sure I will love it." She gave a reassuring look as she opened the box.
She lifted out an I pod from the box and turned it over in her hands recognising it immediately, "This is your I pod Bernie."
Bernie nodded.
"You're giving it to me?"
Bernie nodded again.
Serena's eyes filled with tears. Bernie had given her a very personal gift. For someone who seemed emotionally detached from the rest of the world at times she was doing quite well. Serena knew this gift was not a rushed afterthought; after all Bernie did not strike her as the kind of person who kept I pod sized gift boxes in her flat just in case she needed an impromptu gift for her girlfriend.
"Why?"
Bernie looked down as she tried to find the words. "Um, I, didn't know what to get you. Nothing I could get would be, ur, um." She took at little cough. "So I thought about something that, um, would mean something."
Serena listened as Bernie opened up, this gift, it seems, had more meaning than she could ever imagine. Bernie continued, "That there," She points to the I pod, "Has been with me for a number of years now. Supported me and been there in every situation. Loneliness, anger, fear, longing, happiness, sadness, love, hate, you name it. Music has been a support, a therapy for me, and I, um, yeah, I thought…" She left her sentence hanging a moment.
"I want you to have it, a part of me, with you." Now Serena was crying silently tears flowing freely. "Serena, I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you love. I got myself a new one, you can have that one if you prefer, rather than my slightly damaged one."
Serena shook her head. "I rather think I like this slightly damaged one." She squeezed Bernie's arm as her reference did not just refer to the item in her other hand. She leant in to kiss Bernie, a deep longing kiss. As they broke Serena whispered, "thank you."
They sat for a moment, drinking wine in silence. Bernie coughed slightly, drawing Serena out of a little daydream. Bernie whispered, "The second part of your present is in your bedroom."
Serena looked up wondering what on earth it could be.
Bernie was kicking herself, Christ Serena is going to think I going to shag her senseless for the rest of her gift. Before that would have been fine, more than fine. Not now though.
She quickly rephrased, "Um, yeah the other part of your gift is set up in your room." Better Bernie, not sounding like you arrived for one thing.
Serena looked with curiosity. She grabbed her wine glass and went to put the I pod on the table so she could grab Bernie's hand. Bernie nodded down and indicated to the table, "You are going to need to bring that."
Serena pocketed it and grabbed Bernie's hand keen to see what the second part of her gift could be.