Page 1 of Beary In Love

1

SERENA

Cardboard boxes towered around Serena like miniature skyscrapers as she stood in the middle of what would eventually become her living room. Dust motes danced in the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the bay window, highlighting the scuffed hardwood floors that desperately needed refinishing.

"Well, this is... cozy," she muttered, pushing her deep blue glasses up her nose. "And by cozy, I mean tiny enough to make even a mouse claustrophobic."

She kicked aside an empty box and made her way to the window seat. After unpacking and organizing for several hours, she figured she deserved a short break. The cushion let out a puff of stale air as she sank into it. Her fingers soon trailed along the worn velvet fabric as she stared out the window.

"At least the view hasn't changed." The harbor stretched out before her where fishing boats bobbed gently on the water. The sight brought an unexpected lump to her throat. "Ten years away and Saltwater Grove still looks exactly the same. Unlike some of us."

Her reflection in the window caught her eye - light brown hair escaping its messy bun, dark circles under her gray eyes that even her glasses couldn't hide. She yanked the elastic from her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders.

"Look at you, Serena Bloom. From head veterinarian at a prestigious city clinic to... unemployed in your hometown." She let out a hollow laugh. "Corporate restructuring. What a fancy way of saying 'thanks for dedicating six years of your life to us, now get out.'"

The sound of a seagull's cry drew her attention back to the window. A cool breeze carried the scent of salt and seaweed through a gap in the weather stripping. She made a mental note to add that to her growing list of repairs.

"Stop wallowing," she scolded herself, standing up and straightening her shoulders. "Julie will be here soon."

She picked up a box marked 'Bathroom' and carried it down the narrow hallway. "Besides, it could be worse. You could still be married to Richard, listening to him explain why working late with his secretary was completely innocent."

The box landed on the bathroom counter with more force than necessary, sending up another cloud of dust. "Though I suppose I should thank him. Nothing like catching your husband kissing someone else to make you realize you've been unhappy for years."

A car door slammed outside, and Serena's heart lifted slightly. Julie always had a way of making even the worst situations seem manageable. Maybe coming home wasn't such a terrible idea after all.

"Time to focus," she told her reflection in the bathroom mirror, attempting to wrangle her hair back into some semblance of order. "You're a witch, for heaven's sake. You've mixed potions that could turn people into toads. Starting over should be a piece of cake."

The doorbell chimed, and Serena navigated through the maze of boxes to answer it. Julie stood on the porch, balancing a drink carrier and a pink pastry box, her dark curls wild from the sea breeze.

"I come bearing gifts!" Julie swept inside, the aroma of coffee and sugar following in her wake. "And before you say anything, yes, I got your usual - vanilla latte with an extra shot, because you look like you need it."

"You're a lifesaver." Serena cleared a space on the kitchen counter, shoving aside a box of mismatched mugs. "Though I'm not sure if I should be offended by that last comment."

"Please, I've known you long enough to read the signs. Messy bun, old sweater, that little crease between your eyebrows." Julie set down their breakfast and pulled Serena into a tight hug. "Welcome home!"

The familiar scent of Julie's lavender perfume brought tears to Serena's eyes. She blinked them away quickly, focusing instead on opening the donut box. "So, what else did you bring me?"

"Boston cream, your favorite." Julie handed her a napkin. "Now, let’s start unpacking, and tell me everything. Phone calls and texts aren't the same."

Serena pulled open a box labeled 'Plates' and began unwrapping newspaper from around her grandmother’s china. "What's to tell? My life's basically a country song at this point. Lost my job, lost my husband - though that was by choice - and now I'm back in my hometown, living in a house that makes a shoebox look spacious."

"Hey, this place has character." Julie waved her hand, and a stream of water from the sink floated through the air, cleaning dust from the kitchen windows. "And you're not lost, you're just... recalibrating."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Serena lined up the plates in a cabinet, each clink punctuating her words. "Because it feels more like failing spectacularly at adulting."

"You caught your husband cheating and chose to leave instead of staying in a bad marriage. That's not failing, that's having self-respect." Julie pulled out drawer organizers and began sorting silverware. "And sometimes coming home is exactly what we need to find ourselves again."

"When did you get so wise?" Serena took a bite of her donut.

"Oh honey, I've always been wise. You were just too busy being perfect to notice." Julie winked. "Now, tell me more about this corporate restructuring nonsense."

Serena picked at her donut, the sweet cream filling suddenly less appealing. "The vet clinic got bought out by some big corporate conglomerate. They brought in their own team, said something about 'streamlining operations,' and suddenly half of us were packing up our offices."

"That's ridiculous! You were there for six years." Julie's water stream splashed indignantly into the sink.

"Apparently loyalty doesn't count for much these days." Serena wrapped her arms around herself, the old sweater offering little comfort. "I've called every vet clinic in Saltwater Grove, but no one's hiring. Dr. Henderson's still running his practice, and the Murphy sisters have their exotic pet clinic."

"Speaking of the Murphy sisters," Julie's eyes lit up as she pulled another donut from the box, "you'll never guess what happened at their place last week. Mrs. Peterson brought in her 'sick' parrot - you remember Mrs. Peterson, right? Still wears those giant flower-print dresses."

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