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'So it was all… a pretence?' Ric asked.
Serena nodded. She had just, reluctantly, filled Ric in on the whole story. Well, not quite the whole story she reminded herself, but the version she and Henrik would be sticking to. Ric still looked slightly suspicious.
'And Henrik was down here just now blushing like a schoolboy in front of his first crush because…?' Ric raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Serena shrugged. 'He had a slight cough, maybe he was running a temp.'
Ric sat back in his chair and considered the story. It did seem more likely than Michael's version that Serena and Hanssen were in a romantic relationship.
'If you knew Michael had gotten the wrong end of the stick, why didn't you just tell him the truth?' he asked.
'Where's the fun in that?' Serena replied with a sleepy smile.
Ric gave a short laugh. Serena getting a kick out of winding Michael up was something he really could believe.
'Oh will this day never end?' Serena remarked as she walked down the corridor and met Malick coming in the opposite direction.
'Tired out from the conference?' he asked.
'Tired from trawling through mountainous loads of paperwork.' She replied. 'Tomorrow I'm locking myself in theatre!'
Malick laughed. The increase in paperwork was one of the things that made him almost not want to become a consultant. But then Serena had the added role of being Hanssen sidekick. In more ways than one it would appear, he thought to himself and smiled.
'What?' Serena asked warily, noticing the smile.
'Uh nothing.' He shook his head.
'You haven't seen Nurse Maconie have you?' Serena asked casually.
Ric had told her everything Michael had said. Including that it was Nurse Maconie who had initially started the story of her and Hanssen being in a relationship. It was also apparently Maconie and Jac Naylor who had seen her and Henrik going into her room. That bit of news had shocked her. She had presumed the rumour had emanated solely from the Pilkington and Hawthorne.
'No, not since we got back.' Malick wondered why she would be looking for the Scot. 'Why?' he asked trying to sound equally casual.
'Oh no reason.' Serena paused for a moment, watching Malick's reaction carefully. 'I heard he had an interesting story to tell, that's all. And I wouldn't mind hearing it for myself.'
She gave a smile which to the untrained eye appeared sweet but Malick knew better. Maconie was a dead man. Malick just hoped he didn't get caught in the crossfire.
'Well I better get…' Malick gestured with his hand towards the ward.
'Yes.' Serena nodded in agreement, a slight smirk on her face as she watched him hurry off. It shouldn't take too long for news to reach Maconie that she was looking for him. Time for the chatty Scotsman to sweat.
Serena had only take a few more steps when she came across Hanssen also walking in the opposite direction.
'If we don't stop meeting people will begin to talk.' She said. 'Oh wait! They already are!'
'Perhaps we should consider taking measure to quell that particular rumour if it is not dying down of it's own accord.' Hanssen suggested solemnly.
'Already onto it.' Serena told him smoothly. 'I've explained to Ric about the… misunderstanding with your school chums. And sometime within the next five minutes Jonny Maconie will begin to wish he'd stayed in bonny wee Scotland.'
'Maconie?' Hanssen asked perplexed.
'Yes. Turns out he had Jac Naylor saw us both going into my room the other night. Relax!' she saw him tense immediately. 'Not last night. And I told Ric that was all for show and that nothing happened – which it didn't.'
'He believed you?' Hanssen asked.
'Of course. It was the truth.'
Hanssen looked mildly relieved if not wholly convinced just yet. 'And you are on your way to set Maconie straight now?' he asked.
'Not quite. He knows I'm "looking" for him by now I'm sure. I'll leave him to stew.' She said smiling.
'You're not going to speak to him?'
'Nurse Maconie appears to be quite an imaginative man, I'm certain that imagination combined with sheer fear should conjure scarier punishments in his mind that anything I could actually legally do.'
The corners of Hanssen's mouth twitched. 'I see.' He said. 'Well should you need me to glower menacingly at him at any point do let me know.'
'Oh please do feel free if you happen across him anywhere.' Serena grinned.
Hanssen openly smiled until a nurse walked by and he switched his expression to solemn again.
'I do love how you do that!' Serena whispered.
'Hmm?' He didn't know what she meant.
'Slip that po-faced expression on so quickly.'
'Years of practice.' He replied and she believed him.
He sighed suddenly. Serena raised her eyebrows. 'I have to go and be po-faced in the extreme now and deal with two F2's caught…' he paused thinking of the most delicate way to phrase what had happened, 'in flagrante in a store room.' He whispered the last part.
Serena laughed out loud. 'For a second there I thought you were going to say something awful!' she laughed again.
'This is a serious matter.' He said.
'Oh who hasn't had a quick fumble in a store room!' Serena said jokily. She caught the look on Hanssen's face. 'No? Right. One for the bucket list then.' She bit her lip to keep from laughing again but her eyes danced boldly.
'If anyone asks for your official opinion on the matter, please - don't say that.' Hanssen said dryly.
Serena laughed again. Hanssen checked his watch. It was almost five o'clock. Earlier he had contemplated inviting Serena to have dinner with him this evening. He still wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. He realised Serena was looking at him curiously. He was dithering and he despised dithering. Make a decision Henrik, he told himself.
'Se…'
'Ms Campbell, you're needed on Keller.' Chantelle's voice cut him off.
'Right, I'm coming.' Serena told her. She smiled at Henrik again before turning away. 'Good luck being stern and unyielding with those young lovebirds Mr Hanssen!'
She left before he could utter another word.