Elinor's pregnancy was progressing well and Serena had everything to be thankful for, even her daughter's mood was bordering on pleasant. So Serena could spare some time to think about the other mother. Bernie was being less shy and retiring and had started to drop in more often and Serena was really starting to look forward to seeing her. Serena didn't have many friends and the comraderie she had hoped for at work wasn't exactly forthcoming. At times she'd surprise herself by wishing Bernie was working alongside her. She could always sabotage the lights and hire Bernie to fix them.
As she offloaded the ingredients for dinner on the kitchen counter, she heard a rap on the front door.
'Hello you.'
Serena's heart skipped for a minute. Bernie Wolfe was standing at the door with a crooked smile, holding a bag of groceries. Her hair was messy and her boots were muddy but she had a bottle of Shiraz. She politely took them off at the door and followed Serena to the kitchen in her woolly socks. Serena shushed her when she apologised for the mud.
'You brought wine. That'll go a long way.'
Bernie liked this twinkly eyed friendly Serena. She liked the strands of grey in her dark hair, it looked swishy. She liked the perfume Serena had on that day and even that ugly striped shirt she was wearing. They stood there smiling at each other until Jason phoned to say that he was bringing dessert.
'Great. That's sorted.' Serena tossed the phone on the counter. She poured out glasses and they started chopping and tasting. They worked together instinctively and it wasn't long before they'd put a dish together. It was a rhythm neither of them had had before in the kitchen. They kept their eyes on each other every time Serena held out a spoonful for Bernie to taste. The gesture didn't disappoint. She made appreciative noises and it made Serena feel tingly. It had been a while since she sought approval. But it didn't feel as demeaning as it sometimes did. She suspected that she was using it as an excuse to flirt which she felt like she should question out of respect for her daughter but it had been so long since Robbie and it seemed harmless enough.
That evening, they ate together as a family. And not one argument followed.