Episode 5 (Serena Season 2)

After two lazy mornings back to back, I wake up full of energy and pull Serena into the kitchen to cook,

wanting to take advantage of the cute little stove we have,

not to mention the food she picked up from the stores last night.

(And if I'm being honest, all this talk about moving and building a ship is making me homesick.)

(My family and I used to do brunches on Sunday together as an excuse to see each other,)

(and these days I don't even know when Sunday is.)

Serena: "You know, if you were this hungry, I would have gotten you more for dinner."

MC: "It's not about being hungry."

MC: "I just wanted to spend time with you."

Serena: "Because we never do that."

MC: "Serena..."

I know she's teasing but I pout anyway until Serena presses a kiss to my cheek,

one arm tight and possessive around my hips while her other hand fusses with the stove.

She's making pancakes, although they aren't the sweet ones I'm used to.

Serena: "Unfortunately I'm going to need both hands for the dough."

MC: "Are you sure?"

Serena: "Uh-huh."

Serena: "Now chop those onions for me."

(At least it's just the green ones so I don't have to cut with my eyes closed.)

MC: "How many do we need?"

Serena: "My mother would chase you out of her kitchen for that question."

MC: "Okay, so a lot."

Serena: "Plenty, please. They're a key piece."

I start chopping the stalks into fine little slices, but my attention is drawn over and over again to Serena,

throwing ingredients together with a casual grace but never letting a grain of flour escape.

(God, she's gorgeous.)

(I don't think I'll ever get used to it.)

Serena: "I can see your eyes wandering, darling."

MC: "Eep!"

Serena: "I wouldn't mind, but you do have a sharp blade in your hands at the moment."

Serena: "And I'd rather not stop cooking for you in order to deal with stitches, mm?"

MC: "But it's so nice when you kiss it better."

Serena: "I'll kiss more than your fingers if you make it through brunch in one piece."

MC: "...Deal."

(I'm totally willing to be bribed, okay?)

Her knowing smile leaves me flustered while I finish up the onions,

all without managing to cut myself or make too much of a mess.

Serena abandons her dough for a moment to hunt down the gourd full of oil we took,

only to frown while searching for the basket.

Serena: "Did we not pick up eggs?"

MC: "...I said hi to the chickens because they were really cute."

Serena: "Yes, I remember that part."

MC: "Whoops."

MC: "Want me to run down to the market and snag some?"

Serena: "I'll come with you."

Serena: "There's no point in frying this dough if we don't have eggs."

MC: "Hey, you're the one who's going to have to be over a hot stove."

MC: "I can get the eggs."

I draw Serena into a kiss, stifling a faint mumble of protest,

but after a moment of close contact, she pulls away and nods.

Serena: "Alright, then. Don't be long."

MC: "I won't."

MC: "How many do you need?"

Serena: "Four, at least."

I wiggle four fingers at her until she chuckles, smiling to myself as I leave the treehouse.

It's a quick trip down the ladder,

but as soon as I'm past the other houses, the path becomes a little more murky.

MC: "A village this big, you think someone would put up signs."

MC: "But I know it's past the trees here..."

Keeping track of the bridges in the distance gets me so far, but after fifteen minutes of walking,

I see the same huge stone embedded in the ground and realized I've managed to circle back around.

MC: "Wait a--"

MC: "Goddamn it."

(I just want some eggs and to spend the afternoon with Serena.)

(This shouldn't be rocket science.)

(Maybe if I try the other direction and don't take that turn...)

I know I've gone astray when the thick jungle trees start to turn to the soft grass near the windmills,

and I sigh, putting my face in my hands for a moment.

(There has to be some excuse for coming home empty-handed that will make her laugh.)

(Then I'll cook something else.)

Olivia: "?"

I look up at the familiar voice and see Olivia standing in front of me,

her little bag slung over one shoulder.

Olivia: "Let me guess."

Olivia: "You're lost."

MC: "I was trying to find the market."

She puts a hand over her mouth to try and stifle a laugh, but the sound still escapes, sweet and musical.

When Olivia's cheeks turn pink, she clears her throat, recovering with a deep breath in.

Olivia: "I hate to tell you this, but you're very lost."

MC: "Yeah, I'd figured that part out."

Olivia: "But that's okay! I can play tour guide twice in a week."

MC: "Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt if you're busy."

Olivia: "I was just making my rounds through the village."

Olivia: "Everyone's inconveniencing me by not being sick."

This time I laugh, my embarrassment draining away.

(I can see why the village has been in good hands this long.)

(They're lucky to have her.)

MC: "Okay then, doc."

MC: "Please show me to the eggs."

Olivia: "Eggs? It's a little late for breakfast."

MC: "It's supposed to be brunch."

Olivia: "Okay, I'll let that slide."

Olivia: "Follow me, lost traveler."

Olivia immediately takes a shortcut through the grass,

taking us past the windmills to a loop of trail that I hadn't been able to see.

It's a beautiful day out, and of all the places to get lost, I could have chosen one with a worse view.

MC: "So I have a question."

Olivia: "Go for it."

MC: "How exactly did you end up here? You didn't say before."

Olivia: "I was like you, shipwrecked."

Olivia: "It's silly, actually."

Olivia: "I took a cruise to give myself a break from work and ended up having to survive a crash."

MC: "And it's been a few years?"

Olivia: "Yeah, but I stopped keeping close track after my first birthday."

MC: "Really? Why?"

Olivia: "Because I like it here."

Olivia: "I love the village."

Olivia: "I mean... I went into medical school because it was expected."

Olivia: "I got great grades, did my residency and all that."

Olivia: "But I never really felt like I was helping people until I got stranded on this island."

Olivia: "Here, my work matters."

Olivia: "I can see people getting better everyday because of my treatments."

Olivia: "I'm not cut off from my patients by paperwork."

(She sounds a little like Serena.)

(...Although my girlfriend might not appreciate the comparison.)

Olivia: "It's not so bad, you know."

Olivia: "And going home can be hard."

A. "I don't expect it to be easy."

B. "I can't spend my life here."

C. "But I have to try."

---

B. "I can't spend my life here."

MC: "Except I can't spend my life here."

MC: "I don't want to."

---

MC: "Serena and I make the best of things and the guys are great friends to have around,"

MC: "but... none of us wanted this."

Something flickers through Olivia's expression that I can't read,

but she's quick to replace it with a smile, cupping my hand in hers.

The warmth of her fingers catches me off-guard, and my train of thought grinds right to a halt.

Olivia: "Sorry. I won't push."

Olivia: "Now come this way and we'll get your eggs."

MC: "Yeah. Thanks."

(Keep it together, .)

(Serena is probably already wondering if you fell in a spiked pit somewhere.)

Another few twists and turns and we're suddenly smack-dab in the middle of the market.

I glance back over my shoulder, glimpsing the treehouses in the distance,

and grumble at the realization that this could have been a much quicker trip.

Olivia: "So how many eggs do you need?"

MC: "Um, four. At least."

Olivia: "Let's go for a good half-dozen."

She chats with one of the farmers at his stall,

and I watch him use a piece of charcoal to scribble something on a list,

before handing her a little woven tray packed with eggs.

Olivia: "There you go."

Olivia: "Pretty sure they were laid this morning."

MC: "You're a lifesaver."

Olivia: "Only as my day job."

Olivia: "Any day I can help a cute girl out is a bonus."

(Is she--)

(Not every pretty woman on this island is going to flirt with you, self.)

(Don't be silly.)

MC: "How about I thank you with brunch? With the extra eggs, Serena and I can make more food."

Olivia: "Count me in."

Olivia: "I'm never going to say no to food cooked for me."

(And maybe she and Serena can get to know each other a little better.)

I tap out a playful knock on the door before heading into the treehouse, holding out the eggs like a surprise.

Serena smiles when our eyes meet,

but she freezes in place when Olivia shuts the door behind me.

Serena: "I didn't know we were having a guest."

MC: "I got completely lost trying to find the eggs and Olivia helped me out."

MC: "I thought we could spare a pancake or two in exchange?"

Serena: "...Sure."

(That's an icy start, but I'll work on it.)

MC: "Snag a chair, Olivia."

MC: "We'll have food up soon."

MC: "How do you want these eggs, babe?"

Serena: "Whip them up in a bowl with one of the spoons."

Serena: "I'll take care of the rest."

The sizzle and pop of oil fills the room as Serena flips the pancakes over,

dodging the occasional splatter while slowly pouring egg over each side.

My stomach is growling by the time she's folding each one over itself,

letting the crisp dough cool off on a nearby plate.

Olivia: "What is that, anyway? It smells amazing."

Serena: "Family recipe."

Serena: "And don't burn your tongue."

I make sure we have enough drinks to go around before sitting down and taking my first bite.

The next sound that comes out of me is a groan of satisfaction, and Olivia laughs.

Olivia: "Yeah, I second that."

Olivia: "You ever want to give up the doctor life, Serena, the village would kill to have you as a cook."

Serena: "I'm quite capable of doing both at once, thank you."

(...Okay, I might have miscalculated here a little.)

Serena: "Where did you go to medical school, Olivia?"

Olivia: "East coast. Let me guess, you're West."

Serena: "Seattle born and bred."

Serena: "'s from California."

Olivia: "You do seem like a Cali girl."

Olivia: "Get a lot of sun and surf out there?"

MC: "I actually get more here."

MC: "I was cooped up in an office a lot for work."

Olivia: "And what's work?"

MC: "Being a journalist, technically."

MC: "But I can't write a lot of articles when there's no public to read them."

Serena: "How old were you, Olivia?"

Olivia: "Sorry?"

Serena: "When you graduated medical school?"

Olivia: "Oh. Twenty-six."

Olivia: "It feels like forever ago now, though."

Olivia: "And it's not like I use half of what they taught me."

Olivia: "The island has shown me how much natural medicine can make a difference."

Serena's eyes narrow and I stop mid-bite, not sure if I should put my pancake down or dare to swallow.

Serena: "I see. And how did you become so enlightened?"

Olivia: "You've seen the plants here, right?"

Olivia: "It's not some pill processed for six years in a lab, it's just from the earth."

Olivia: "If we could use that on everyone, we could avoid all sorts of complicated procedures."

Serena: "Those procedures are complicated because they mitigate risk."

Serena: "You have no idea what kind of chemical profile is in those plants."

Serena: "And everything has side effects."

Olivia: "These don't."

I reach over to Serena's lap to grab her hand, giving it a light squeeze.

When she glances my way, her anger dims,

but I know another word from Olivia will be enough to spark the flames again.

MC: "The food is fantastic."

MC: "Thanks for putting all the time in for it."

Serena: "Anything for you."

It's an awkward segue to silence at the table,

but I'm content to take the quiet and eat rather than try and referee between the two of them.

As soon as Olivia's cleared her plate, she pushes it away and smiles.

Olivia: "I should head back before the sun starts to go down."

Olivia: "Thanks for the food."

Serena: "You're welcome."

Once she's out the door, I let out a deep breath,

only to see Serena scoop up the dishes and duck out of sight.

I grab our empty glasses and follow, setting them in the sink to soak after she sets down the plates.

MC: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have invited her over without asking."

Serena: "You had good intentions."

MC: "That doesn't mean I didn't upset you."

Serena: "It's not you. It's her."

Serena: "She's happy to throw years of training aside on a whim and nearly brag about it,"

Serena: "even to people she's just met..."

Serena: "But I'm sure she thinks it's friendly."

Bitterness cuts through the last word, sharp enough to give me a moment of clarity.

Wrapping my arms around Serena from behind, I nuzzle against the nape of her neck.

(This might be a bit more than professional jealousy.)

A. "It won't happen again."

B. "You're the one I trust."

C. "Forget about her."

---

B. "You're the one I trust."

MC: "You know you're the one I trust to take care of me."

MC: "I don't care if that's modern medicine or magical plants or what."

---

The words and soft attention slowly break down the tension in Serena's shoulders,

and I place a few gentle kisses there to emphasize my point.

MC: "How about we wash these up and go to bed early?"

Serena: "You're tired?"

MC: "I said bed, not sleep."

Serena: "...I stand corrected."

Serena: "Yes, that sounds like a good idea."

It doesn't take long to scrub everything clean,

but I'm happy to let all the dishes air dry on the counter as I urge Serena to the other room,

keeping her close until we fall onto the bed together.