12. Take my jacket, it's cold outside
The words coming from Serena startle Bernie since she hadn't even realised she is in the office with her. She turns around in her seat to see her girlfriend standing by their coat rack.
"Sorry?" Bernie asks, not quite sure she knows what Serena is talking about.
"You and I both know you are about to take the next five minutes up on the roof having a cigarette," Serena says as she walks over and perches herself on the edge of Bernie's desk so their knees knock together gently. "I also know that a patient was sick on you within minutes of you walking onto the ward, still wearing your coat. It's December, and as much as you might want to pretend you'd be okay, I don't fancy you getting a cold for the sake of a cigarette, so take my jacket."
"But you hate your clothes smelling of smoke. You and I both know you don't exactly like my habit, you just put up with it because it's who I am and you don't see the point in moaning at me about something you know won't change."
"Sweetheart," Serena says gently, leaning forward and gently taking hold of her hand. "You and I both know you've had a rough day. You are currently fighting with both the CT and MRI teams as well as chasing three separate sets of bloods from the lab. As you said, we both know I'm not a big fan of you smoking but that I can't change it. Right now I know you need five minutes outside and a way of de-stressing. So as your girlfriend, I want you to take my jacket. It's cold outside and I don't want you getting poorly."
"Thank you." Bernie says softly, squeezing Serena's hand before letting go to allow herself to extract her packet of cigarettes from her desk drawer.
She stands and as she does, Serena has already grabbed the jacket and is holding it out to her. She leans in to kiss her as she takes it, making sure Serena does understand that she appreciates it. She puts the jacket on and doesn't hang around after that, knowing it won't stay quiet on the ward for long, and that she's got phone calls to make to actually get her patients the tests and care they need.
"Just make sure you wash my jacket along with yours!" she hears Serena yell as the office door closes, and chooses to let it fill her face with one of the first smiles of the day. Even on the rubbish days, her girlfriend can't fail to make her smile.