Chapter Text
"I have hepatitis C".
The words hung there, right between the both of them, seeming to stop all space and time.
Vera kept her eyes on the woman across from her.
She'd told her, said those immortal words and not just to anyone, to Joan Ferguson.
Swallowing hard she blinked, her stomach tense, waiting for the inevitable.
The inevitable being Joan moving her hand from where it lay on hers, her face conveying her disgust at her deputy, telling her she'd have to find another job, because she couldn't work with her anymore, that it somehow impacted on her skills as deputy of Wentworth.
What was minutes seemed like hours, hours waiting, dreading.
"I'm sorry to hear this..." were the soft words destroying the tension holding the air between them.
Vera let out a breath she wasn't sure how long she'd been holding, eyes immediately glancing to the hands on the table.
They'd not moved, Joan's still resting on hers.
Eyes back to the woman across the table.
"I..I'm sorry?" as if she'd heard wrong.
Joan studied the smaller woman's face before repeating.
"I said I'm sorry to hear this....I'm sorry for what happened to you, if I could change it, make it better than it is now, then I would".
Another stroke of the thumb was felt by Vera.
Swallowing the lump that'd appeared in her throat between Joan speaking and the action on her hand, a silent tear rolling down her cheek, brushing it away with her thumb as she nodded, feeling the figure across from her looking directly at her, gently squeezing her hand, this conveying more than words.
"S...Sorry, sorry.." sniffing and wiping a couple more tears away, trying to compose herself quickly.
The tension had lessened, being replaced by a silence, a peaceful silence, both of them trying to figure out how to best proceed with this situation, neither one having been faced with it in the past.
Joan shook her head.
"Don't apologise, it's ok...".
She was surprising herself here, surprised that she'd not moved her hand away, pulled it away even when Vera had made her announcement, she didn't feel a need to, felt the need of Vera for her to leave it there after what she said more than her compulsion to pull away, not exactly knowing why.
Joan Ferguson always retreated from situations where she didn't know emotionally how to react, to cope, but this was different, she'd stayed, instinct and her body had made her leave her hand resting on the smaller woman's, even giving it a squeeze in what was that, comfort.
Joan Ferguson was comforting Vera Bennett, she was comforting another human being, and not just anyone, her deputy, her deputy that she'd become close to.
Bloody hell.
Close to her.
Close to another woman.
That was a scary concept, yet one that seemed to just have happened, naturally, easily.
She'd asked her to dinner, because she wanted to, wanted to spend time with her and now here they were together, having dinner, and she was making or trying to make Vera feel better, help her.
Her eyes with Vera's her lips curved up into a soft smile, being mirrored in an instant by the smaller woman.
"Thank you..." Vera managed to murmur softly, receiving a nod from Joan in acceptance, their smiles not moving.
"I...erm...if there's any help, with your condition..." started Joan, trying to get her mouth and brain to work together and get across nicely what she was trying to say.
Vera stayed silent, letting her speak.
"That Wentworth can provide, or....or I can help with, don't hesitate to ask...".
After regaining her composure and then her hand after Joan had moved hers, they continued and then finished their meal, conversation picking back up and returning to various incidents that'd happened in Wentworth, mixed with general topics that both could relate to and give an opinion on.
"Well...thank you for the nice meal...I've had a lovely night..." Vera smiled softly up at the taller governor as she slid her handbag on her shoulder over her coat, by the front door.
Joan smiled down as she watched her.
"Thank you Vera, I'm glad you've enjoyed it, so have I, we should do it again..." suddenly swallowing at what she'd said, it just naturally coming from her lips.
Shit, why did I say that, what's the matter with me.
Bloody hell Joan, think about what you say before you say it, stupid!
"I'd like that.." the soft words that drew her attention back to the moment and the woman in front of her.
The blue eyes looking up into hers, causing a nod from the brown eyed woman, unable it seemed, to help herself for what was it the second or third time tonight, leaning down and giving a gentle hug to Vera, her arms wrapping around the shoulders of the smaller frame, causing their bodies to be close to each other, after a few moments feeling arms around her ribs, hugging her back.
Parting they looked at each other, Vera giving her a little shy smile, turning on her heels, opening the door and leaving, Joan automatically closing the door as she vanished.
Did I just do that?
I just hugged my deputy.
I hugged Vera Bennett.