Chapter Text
This was the hardest thing Serena had ever done. Harder than completing an MBA, harder than spending 27 hours in labour. She was only ten days into the 31-day plan and it had driven Bernie back to smoking again. Serena wanted to give up, but the smug look she knew would be permanently attached to Fletch’s face if she quit, was enough motivation to keep her going. Rumour had it that Fletch was running a book on how long Serena could go without her favourite Shiraz before she floundered. Whose stupid idea was it to sponsor her to Stay Sober in October anyway? Oh yes, Henrik bloody Hanssen that’s who. Serena decided the free time she had now she wasn’t drinking could be spent plotting varied ways to exact her revenge on the Swede in November. Bernie could teach her all thirteen ways to kill someone with your bare hands and together, Serena was sure, they could come up with a few more. For the first time since the clock ticked over to October 1st, Serena grinned.
Seeing the evil grin plastered across Serena’s face, the porters scattered in all directions. The last time one of them had been caught standing around looking idle, Serena had practically ripped his head off. Word had got around quickly after that, avoid Ms Campbell at all costs if you wanted to survive your shift and not end up as a patient on AAU.
The first few days of October had not gone too badly. Jason had compiled a chart indicating all the free time Serena would have if she stayed away from Albie’s, to avoid temptation. Currently pinned to the wall in Serena’s kitchen was a colour coded chart indicating possible hobbies and classes that Serena might consider, as well as a helpful list of jobs she should undertake around the house. Long neglected tasks, such as throwing out old takeaway menus, cleaning and sorting the junk drawer, etc. were marked up alongside a list of links for YouTube Yoga free-flow routines designed to help Serena relax, walking trails through the local country park and classes at the leisure centre and community college in town, including one for learning how to cook basic meals. Serena tried to be enthusiastic, she really did, but exercise classes just weren’t her bag. Serena preferred another type of exercise entirely. With the extra free time they had now they weren’t spending their evenings in Albie’s, Serena had dragged Bernie off to bed early on three separate occasions already this week, not that Ms Wolfe seemed to be complaining if the added spring in her step was any indication.
It was then, part way into the second week, that things started to take a rather sour turn. Serena liked her wine, it was common knowledge. She enjoyed a glass or three to unwind in the evenings. The health kick had lasted all of two sessions of Yoga before Serena had pulled a muscle trying to move from Downward-Facing Dog into a plank. She’d tidied the junk drawer, sorted through the takeaway menus and attended one “Cookery for Beginners” session at the community college. To say the session hadn’t gone too well would be an understatement, she’d sliced into her finger while chopping a carrot and had some how managed to let the pot of pasta run dry. The resulting gloop stuck to the bottom of the pan had not impressed the instructor and Serena had spent ages trying to scrub the pan clean at the end of the session. Serena needed a drink and she needed one right now!
Arriving home to a quiet house, Serena crept furtively into the kitchen. Checking the coast was clear, she opened the cupboard, withdrew a wine glass and crouched down to the wine rack. Serena’s fingers inched closer to the bottle at the top of the rack, she was almost within touching distance when …
“Auntie Serena, what are you doing? You know you can’t have any wine for the next 21 days, three hours and sixteen minutes.” Jason said, looking at his watch to confirm that his calculations were correct.
Serena glowered at her nephew. A movement in the doorway caught her eye and Serena turned to see Bernie standing quietly, a look of disappointment upon her beautiful face.
Serena couldn’t bear to see that look from her girlfriend and turned back to answer Jason.
“Yes, I’m well aware of that Jason. I don’t think this whole staying sober thing is working for me. I’ve had a dreadful day and one drink won’t hurt. Besides, no-one needs to know, do they?”
“But you promised you wouldn’t drink, Mr Hanssen has sponsored you and lying is bad.” Jason picked the wine glass up from the work surface and returned it to its place on the shelf, turning it just so and aligning it with the other glasses in the row.
Closing the cupboard door, Jason continued, “There are so many benefits to giving up alcohol for a month. Your concentration will improve, you’ll sleep better, your blood pressure will decrease, and your liver function will greatly improve. That’s not all, think of the money you are saving not spending all your nights in Albie’s.”
Serena huffed, “Yes, I know all of that Jason. It doesn’t stop me from wanting a drink though, does it?”
Bernie stepped forward, she could see where this conversation was leading, and she knew that if Serena yelled at Jason, she would feel very guilty in the morning. Thinking of something to defuse the situation before it got out of hand, Bernie latched onto the one thing she knew Jason wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Jason, love, I think there might be a Mary Beard documentary on the Sky box that we haven’t watched yet. Why don’t you go and set it up for us? I’ll make us all a nice cup of tea and then join you in the lounge.”
“Ah yes, you are right Bernie.” Jason turned to leave the room. “I know what you did there. You want me out of the way so that you can speak to Auntie Serena. All you had to do was ask.” With that, Jason walked off towards the lounge.
Serena sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. “It’s going to be a long month.” She whined.
Walking behind her, Bernie placed her hands on to Serena’s shoulders and gently squeezed. She dropped a soft kiss on to Serena’s silver locks. “I know darling, but you’ll get through it. How about I make you a cup of camomile tea?”
Bernie switched the kettle on to boil and set about making Serena a very non-alcoholic beverage. Serena watched her and sighed, at least she hadn’t given up everything. There was coffee and pastries to look forward to in the morning and maybe, after they had watched Jason’s documentary, Serena could entice Bernie into another early night.
With the dawning of week three, things were going from bad to worse. To say that Serena was grumpy would be an understatement. She’d already snapped at Fletch and Raf and almost made Morven cry, all before 10am on Monday morning. Bernie had, as delicately as possible, told Serena to take herself up to the roof and calm down. The suggestion had been met with a snappy reply.
“I don’t need a babysitter, Ms Wolfe.” Serena slammed the door of their office behind her with enough force to rattle the windows.
Bernie watched her leave for a few seconds before putting a comforting arm around Morven’s shoulder. “You know she didn’t mean what she said, don’t you? She’s not coping well with the lack of alcohol.”
“I know.” Morven sniffed. “I understand it’s hard for her, but it’s hard on all of us. Is there anything we can do to make her feel better?”
“Other than finding a way to speed up time and make this month go faster? I don’t think there is, Morven.” Bernie replied sadly.
If Bernie thought week three was bad, it was nothing compared to how week four was going. Jason had opted to stay with Alan for two nights, citing that he really didn’t like his Auntie Serena without alcohol. Bernie had to agree. She had opted to do her paperwork at the nurse’s station and was doing her very best to avoid their office whenever Serena was occupying it. The staff were walking on eggshells, AAU was not a happy place to work. Patients had complained about Serena’s bedside manner and the final straw had been when Bernie had crept into the office to leave a triple shot latte and a pastry on Serena’s desk when Serena had been completing her rounds.
Spotting Serena thundering across the ward towards their office, Bernie had been about to make a hasty retreat when Serena blustered her way through the door. Spying the coffee and pastry on her desk, Serena had sneered.
“You think a coffee and Danish will make me feel better, well guess what … it doesn’t.”
Rounding the corner of her desk, Serena had picked up the offending items and tossed them into her waste bin.
Bernie had retreated with a look upon her face resembling that of a wounded puppy.
Finally, October 31st had arrived. Serena had been kept busy for most of the day and into the early evening with the fallout from drunken Halloween escapades, the worst of which was the victim of a hit and run outside a Halloween themed party. Thankfully, no lasting damage had been done and as Serena changed from her scrubs back into her every day clothes, she glanced at the clock. Only three more hours to go and then blessed relief would be hers.
As the clock ticked over to 1st November, Bernie pushed a large glass of Serena’s favourite ruby-coloured liquid across the table. Serena grasped it gratefully.
“Come to mummy.” She whispered.
Raising the glass to her lips, she took her first sip, enjoying the taste explosion on her tongue.
“Halle-fucking-lujah!”