Chapter 2
As Raf and Serena come to the end of a particularly difficult shift Serena is dying for a glass of Shiraz ‘come on Raf, we’re going to Albie’s’ she says, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out of her office.
‘No objection here’ he says
They walk over to Albie’s in near silence, allowing themselves time to breath after the day they’ve just had.
They enter the bar and Serena finds a table while Raf gets the first round in. He finds Serena and hands her the glass of wine as he take his seat ‘God, what a bloody awful day!’ he exclaims.
‘I know, I really need this drink’ confirms Serena as she takes a large glug of her wine.
‘But at least we had some good news about Fletch, I can’t wait to tell the kids he will be coming home in a week, they will be over the moon’ says Raf.
‘Yes of course. They’ve been through a lot those kids, they’re lucky to have you though Raf’
Raf smiles, thankful for Serena’s words. ‘So, what do you have planned for the evening?’ he asks.
‘Oh you know, just the usual glass of wine and wallowing in my own misery’ Serena laughs, but only half joking.
‘Would that be because of a certain blonde army medic by any chance?’ queries Raf
Serena answers with just a smile, but not her usual, beautiful smile.....this one doesn’t reach her eyes.
‘You really miss her don’t you?’ asks Raf
‘Is it that obvious?’ she asks with a raise of her eyebrow.
‘Well I’m fairly intuitive’ he laughs
‘I do Raf. I really, really miss her! And of course having Cameron around as a constant reminder doesn’t really help matters. But I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and pull myself together’.
‘Serena, she is coming back’ Raf says sympathetically
‘Ah yes but she made her choice, she doesn’t want me or she wouldn’t have left, I just have to accept that’ says Serena with a pained look on her face.
‘Maybe it’s not as simple as that’ muses Raf
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well anyone with two eyes can see how much she cares about you. I mean maybe there’s something else going on, she’s been through a lot recently’.
Serena is quiet, contemplating what Raf has just said. He is right of course, Bernie has been through a lot in the last few months; a serious back injury, leaving the army, getting divorced, being outed on the ward and Marcus filling the kids heads with nonsense. Maybe she needed time to sort her own head out and it’s not really about Serena, but then why hasn’t she called, or text?
Raf and Serena chat for a while longer then head back to their cars over at the hospital. Before leaving Serena at her car Raf says ‘you should tell her you know. Maybe Bernie just needs some reassurance that you feel the way you do’
‘Thanks Raf, you’re a good friend’ Serena says as she gives him a hug.
Serena walks through her front door to the sound of Jason shouting answers to a quiz show at the TV. ‘Hello Jason’
‘Hello Auntie Serena, you’re late tonight’ he says.
‘Yes sorry, it’s been a hard day’
‘Did someone die?’ he asks. Typical Jason, just says what he is thinking
‘Yes, someone died’ Serena confirms.
‘How?’
‘I don’t really want to talk about it if that’s okay’ she says gently.
‘Okay, well my quiz show has finished so I’m going to bed. Goodnight Auntie Serena’
‘Goodnight Jason’
Serena falls heavily onto the couch and, realising that her phone is still on silent from her shift, she takes it from her bag. She freezes when she sees Bernie’s name on the screen, a missed call from 2 hours earlier. Nervously, but without any hesitation, she presses the call back button and her heart starts to beat a little faster as she hears the dialling tone.