The front doorbell rang. Beth put the washing she was carrying onto the kitchen surface and went to answer the door.

'Hello Oscar,' she said pleasantly to the person on the other side.

'Hi,' Oscar smiled self-consciously. 'Thanks for inviting me to stay.'

'Oh, don't be silly,' Beth smiled at him. 'It was all Kevin's idea, of course – you should thank him, really. In fact...'

The sound of rapid, youthful footfalls on the stairs had already become audible as Kevin appeared in the front hallway. Beth stepped aside to make room for Oscar to enter the house.

'Dude!' Oscar grinned.

'What's up?' Kevin grinned back.

Oscar launched himself at Kevin and they tumbled into the front hallway, punching each other and tripping over each other's feet and laughing manically. Carl had appeared in the living room doorway and was viewing the scene with suspicion.

'What the heck are they doing?' he whispered to Beth.

'Greeting each other,' Beth whispered back, 'in the traditional way that boys do.'

'We never did it like that in my day,' said Carl.

'I bet some boys did,' said Beth, 'even if you didn't.'

Beth crossed back over to the front door as Dana appeared in the door frame with a small holdall in one hand and a guitar case in the other.

'I see the boys are having fun already,' she remarked. 'Thanks so much for suggesting this – Oscar's really been looking forward to it.'

'So has Kevin,' said Beth. 'It was his suggestion. Please, come inside – Kevin can show Oscar upstairs while we have a cup of coffee. Kevin, come and take Oscar's things, please.'

Kevin disentangled his head from Oscar's left arm and went to take the luggage, making a half-hearted attempt to smooth down his hair as he did so.

'Take your guest upstairs and help him make up his bed,' Beth instructed her son. 'I've laid out a few pillowcases he might like.'

'Thanks, Mom,' Kevin grinned.

Kevin darted upstairs clutching Oscar's holdall and guitar; Oscar came hot on his heels and slapped him across the small of the back, eliciting high-pitched laughter from both of them. Carl glared at the staircase and opened his mouth to say something.

'Do you take decaf, Dana?' Beth asked her visitor hurriedly, forestalling Carl's remark.

'Oh, I'm easy,' Dana shrugged. 'Whatever's going. You certainly have a lovely home, Beth.'

The two women made their way to the kitchen amidst a further exchange of pleasantries. Carl scowled up at the hallway on the next storey before returning to the living room.

'She's put out the pink one,' Kevin remarked, as he stared down at the array of pillowcases that had carefully been laid out on his bed. 'Why does she think you'd want a pink pillowcase?'

'I don't mind pink,' Oscar shrugged, as he finished balancing his guitar case against the wall and came over to join Kevin, 'but I don't want to rush into any decisions. What else do I get to choose from?'

'There's this He-Man one, or you can have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles one if you want,' said Kevin. 'I don't know which character that is – it's the one with the D on his belt.'

'Donatello,' said Oscar. 'Yeah, I'll take that one.'

He was suddenly forced to steady himself as Kevin slammed a pillow into his chest; the Donatello pillowcase duly followed.

'Donatello...' Kevin muttered. 'So that's why Kylie called the baby sea turtle Donatella!'

'Say what, dude?' said Oscar.

'I'll tell you about it later, man,' said Kevin. 'You get the pillow ready and then help yourself to a top-sheet from the pile in the linen closet across the hall, and I'll blow up the blow-up mattress.'

'What, just with your own puff?' Oscar asked. 'I thought you were supposed to use an electric pump on those things.'

'I don't think we have an electric pump,' Kevin shrugged.

'You sure you've got the lung capacity, dude?' Oscar laughed.

'Sure I have, man!' Kevin replied firmly. 'You just wait and see.'

A few minutes later Kevin emerged from his bedroom panting heavily and looking very red in the face, while Oscar shoved him repeatedly in a playful manner. Carl was hanging around at the top of the stairs.

'Okay, I take it back, bro,' Oscar was saying. 'Your lung capacity really is something out of the ordinary.'

'What the heck have you two been up to in there?' Carl asked suspiciously.

'Getting Oscar's bed ready, Dad,' said Kevin. 'Y'know, the blow-up one.'

'Oh, yeah, right,' said Carl, suddenly looking guilty. 'Beth asked me to blow that up last night but I guess I forgot. Sorry.'

'It's cool, Dad,' said Kevin. 'I handled it.'

'What are you and Oscar going to do now?' Carl asked, sounding slightly suspicious again.

'Catch up, play some guitar, that kind of thing,' Kevin shrugged. 'That okay with you, Dad?'

'Of course it is, son,' said Carl.

'Oscar just wants to say so-long to his mom first,' said Kevin, 'so if you wouldn't mind getting out of the way...'

Carl stepped to one side and Kevin pulled Oscar over to the staircase. As they descended, Carl heard their whispered conversation.

'I don't think your dad likes me, dude,' said Oscar.

'Sure he does,' said Kevin. 'He's just not very good with first impressions, like I told you.'

'That was my second impression,' Oscar pointed out.

'Well, he's not very good with those either,' Kevin laughed. 'Anyways, don't worry about it – I like you, so there!'

Their voices faded as they made their way towards the kitchen.

The final chord of 'Viva Forever' reverberated from Oscar's guitar as Kevin finished singing the last chorus.

'Sweet,' Oscar remarked. 'I'm glad your voice still hasn't broken.'

'I think it's starting to think about it,' said Kevin, tentatively rubbing his larynx. 'Won't I be able to sing when it goes?'

'Oh no, you will,' said Oscar. 'It just won't be the same – you won't sound pure anymore.'

'Couldn't I still sound pure with a slightly deeper voice?' asked Kevin.

'I don't think so, dude. You ever heard of Aled Jones?'

'No.'

'You just look him up on the internet and see how many people want to hear a voice like yours singing after it's broken,' Oscar grinned mischievously. 'The answer is none.'

'Shut up!' Kevin laughed, and threw one of his pillows at Oscar.

'Is it time for lunch yet?' asked Oscar, deflecting the pillow with the string-free side of his guitar.

'Well, it could be,' said Kevin. 'It's under some plastic wrap in the fridge and we can get it whenever we want. I guess we've had a pretty full morning – we had a Playmboil cowboys and Indians battle, I beat the hell out of you at arm-wrestling, we did some karate and then we recreated almost all the Spice Girls' greatest hits. Do you want to get out of the house after lunch – go for a walk or something?'

'Yeah, good idea,' said Oscar. 'Where should we walk to?'

'I don't know,' Kevin shrugged, 'just around the block, I guess.'

'Or maybe...' said Oscar, then he hesitated.

'Maybe what, man?' Kevin prompted him.

'I read that Post-It on the side of your computer when you left the room for a minute between "Naked" and "Stop",' Oscar confessed. 'It says you want to go to the Sixteenth Precinct and interview someone there about your grandfather.'

'Oh, yeah,' said Kevin. 'I just thought I might, that's all. I have to do this project about a real-life hero for my new school, so I chose mi abuelo... sorry, I mean my grandfather.'

'You don't need to apologise for speaking Spanish, bro,' said Oscar. 'Not to me, anyways. That's really cool that you chose him to write about.'

'I once heard my dad say that when you're a cop in New York City, you're somebody,' said Kevin, 'and that's one thing I think he's right about. Seeing as my granddad died on the job, that has to make him a hero, doesn't it?'

'Definitely,' said Oscar.

'Eduardo's been telling me about his... well, his final case,' said Kevin, 'but I thought it'd be cool if I could just do a teensy interview with one of the cops who used to work with him.'

'Okay, so let's do it!' said Oscar. 'Let's go over to the Sixteenth Precinct and interview someone about your granddad this afternoon.'

'Are you sure that's what you want to do?' said Kevin. 'I mean, I could easily do it when you're gone, and I'm sure I could get Eduardo to come with me for moral support.'

'Well, if that's what you want, dude,' Oscar shrugged, 'but I'm offering you moral support right now if you want it, so...'

Kevin grinned and said, 'Okay, let's do it.'

'How far away is it?'

'Oh, not too far – twenty minutes' walk, twenty-five if the stop lights are against us.'

'Excellent,' said Oscar.

'Al Rivera doesn't work here anymore,' said the desk sergeant.

Kevin and Oscar glared up at her from the other side of the counter.

'I know,' said Kevin, 'he's been dead for almost ten years. I just want to talk to someone about him – he was my granddad.'

'So talk to someone in your family,' said the desk sergeant, as if she were speaking to a mentally deficient person.

'How long have you worked here, ma'am?' asked Oscar.

'Three years,' said the sergeant.

'Could you just do us a favour and find someone who's worked here for more than ten years and ask them to come and have a chat with Al Rivera's grandson?' said Oscar. 'That's not too much to ask now, is it?'

'Actually, it is!' the sergeant snapped. 'You think I don't have better things to do with my time? You think this city's entire police department can come to a halt just because a couple of kids want to start looking up their family trees? You have no idea, do you? I'm very underpaid and very overworked...'

'What's going on here, Sergeant Dawkins?' asked a deep, authoritative voice.

'Oh... nothing, Lieutenant Fancy,' said the sergeant, as a tall black man in a grey suit came up to the desk. 'I'm just explaining to these two boys that the NYPD does not exist for the sole purpose of fulfilling their every little whim!'

'Oh, I don't know about that,' said Lieutenant Fancy, smiling down at Kevin and Oscar. 'Protect and serve remember, Sergeant. Did I hear one of you kids mention the name Al Rivera?'

'Yes, sir,' said Kevin. 'Did you know him?'

'I knew him well,' Lieutenant Fancy nodded. 'But what's he to you?'

'I'm his grandson,' said Kevin.

'I see,' said Lieutenant Fancy. 'Sergeant Dawkins, I'm taking these boys into the soft interview room – please see that we're not disturbed.'

'But Lieutenant, you're supposed to be back at the Fifteenth Precinct by –'

'I just gave you an order, Sergeant; are you questioning it?'

'Of course not, sir,' Sergeant Dawkins said with bad grace. 'Whatever you say.'

'Come on,' Lieutenant Fancy said to Kevin and Oscar, 'this way.'

Lieutenant Fancy entered the interview room, placed his briefcase on the table, opened it up and removed a large chocolate éclair. He proceeded to eat this as he indicated that Kevin and Oscar should take a seat opposite him.

'Would you boys like an éclair?' he asked when they were all sitting down.

'Um... no, thanks very much,' said Kevin. 'We just had lunch.'

'A fine man, Al Rivera,' said Lieutenant Fancy, 'and a good cop. He was in charge of the detective squad at this precinct – I first met him when I took over the detective squad over at the Fifteenth Precinct, which I've been in charge of for about twelve years now.'

'So you worked with him?' Kevin asked eagerly.

'On a few cases, yeah,' said Lieutenant Fancy. 'It was a real tough break, what happened to him. Of course we all run the risk every day, and it's a risk every cop is proud to take, but that doesn't make it any easier. You're Al's grandson, huh?'

'Yes, sir,' said Kevin. 'I'm doing a school project about him.'

'Admirable,' said Lieutenant Fancy, starting on his second éclair. 'How old were you when he died – about three?'

'Yeah, I was three,' said Kevin.

'What's your name?'

'Kevin... and this is my friend Oscar.'

'It's... we're... it's really great of you to take the time to talk to us, Lieutenant,' said Oscar, executing a small bow of his head.

'My pleasure entirely,' said Lieutenant Fancy. 'How much do you remember of your granddad, Kevin?'

'A lot,' said Kevin. 'I know I was young, but I remember everything.'

'About when he died?'

'Yes... and before that. When I used to spend the night at his house, he gave me the most wonderful salsa I've ever tasted to eat before bed... and he used to tell me I'd grow up into a big strong boy, and be interested in guns and mice and other things like that.'

'Was he right?' asked Lieutenant Fancy, smiling.

'Not really,' Kevin laughed. 'The only guns I'm interested in are proton guns, and I don't really like rodents as pets.'

'You are strong, though,' Oscar put in. 'I'm worried you'll kill me if I teach you any more karate!'

'If you really want to know about what Al was like as a cop, you should talk to old Sanjay at the convenience store a couple of blocks from here,' said Lieutenant Fancy. 'Sergeant Dawkins was right – I have to get back to my own precinct now, but I'll give you my card and I'll draw you a diagram of how to get to the store.'

'Thanks, Lieutenant,' Kevin beamed. 'Did this Sanjay guy know my granddad well?'

'Al once foiled an armed robbery attempt at the store,' said Lieutenant Fancy, 'and he was great friends with Sanjay for the rest of his life after that. Here, this is my card; sorry, it's got some chocolate and cream on it but it'll soon wipe off.'

'No problem,' said Kevin, 'and thanks again.'

'My pleasure,' said Lieutenant Fancy.

'Excuse me,' Kevin said to the elderly Asian man behind the counter of the convenience store, 'are you Sanjay?'

'Yes,' the store clerk replied guardedly. 'And who might you be?'

'I'm Kevin Rivera, Al Rivera's grandson,' said Kevin. 'I've come to interview you about my grandfather.'

'Have you now?' said Sanjay. 'Or are you just trying to distract me while your pal over there steals half my stock?'

Kevin glanced over his shoulder to see Oscar raiding the magazine rack in a frenzied fashion.

'I'm gonna pay for all these, I swear,' Oscar said, when he found that Kevin and Sanjay were both staring at him.

'And I really am Al Rivera's grandson,' Kevin said earnestly, turning back to the counter.

'I believe you, boy,' said Sanjay, after studying Kevin's face for a couple of minutes. 'Yes, I see him in you... I see him clearly now. You have his nose, you know.'

'I was told he once foiled an armed robbery attempt here,' said Kevin.

'He sure did,' said Sanjay. 'Your granddaddy saved my damn life that day, kid. Thirty-five years I've owned this store – I guess I've been lucky not to've been staring down the barrel of a shotgun more than once. But that was the only time, and Al Rivera appeared out of nowhere like some guardian angel and disarmed the robber in less than a second – I'm still not sure exactly what he did.'

'Maybe he knew karate,' said Oscar, as he dumped a huge stack of magazines and two bottles of Pepsi onto the counter.

'What're you doing with all that stuff, man?' Kevin asked.

'Oh, you know,' said Oscar, 'just picking up my usual magazines. One of the Pepsis is for you, dude.'

'Thanks,' said Kevin, 'but I still don't –'

'Can you tell my fiend here all about the robbery?' Oscar cut in, addressing Sanjay. 'He's doing a project about real-life heroes.'

'Al Rivera was certainly that,' said Sanjay, as he absently scanned the barcodes on Oscar's magazines. 'I'll close the store for half an hour and tell you all about it.'

'Are you sure you don't mind?' said Kevin, removing a small notepad and a biro from his back pocket.

'I don't mind at all,' said Sanjay. 'I owe your granddaddy my life, so I figure I owe you at least a half-hour of what's left of it.'

'Thanks so much; that's really great,' said Kevin, slipping his notebook back into his pocket with one hand and finishing the last dregs of his Pepsi with the other. 'I'll get an A for sure now.'

'If you want to try for an A-plus, you could do worse than having a word with Jose Rodriguez,' said Sanjay.

'Who's that?' asked Kevin.

'Guy who used to do undercover work for Al,' said Sanjay. 'Unofficially, y'know?'

'You mean a snout,' said Kevin.

'Like Huggy Bear,' said Oscar.

'Exactly,' said Sanjay. 'I've got his address written down somewhere; I don't know if he's still living there, but it might be worth a look if you've got the time.'

A few minutes later, Kevin and Oscar emerged from the convenience store. Kevin was carrying a small scrap of paper; Oscar was carrying a huge stack of magazines.

'Should we go see this Huggy Bear guy right now?' asked Oscar.

'Um... oh, no,' said Kevin, as he read the scrap of paper. 'This place is over five miles from here. We'll have to go talk to him tomorrow – we can take the subway.'

'Sounds like a plan,' said Oscar.

'Do you want me to carry some of those magazines for you?' asked Kevin.

'No thanks,' said Oscar, 'I'm good.'

Kevin wriggled around under the top-sheet on his bed, forcing his way into his men's pyjamas. At the same time, Oscar stood beside the blow-up bed and removed every item of clothing he was wearing except for his underpants. Kevin stared at him with some surprise.

'I'll leave my clothes here while I use the bathroom, if that's okay with you,' said Oscar.

'Sure,' said Kevin, as his head emerged from his T-shirt and he jumped out of bed.

'I hope you don't mind if I don't wear a T-shirt to sleep,' said Oscar. 'It's so damn hot.'

'Knock yourself out, bro,' said Kevin. 'I'll open the bottom window while you're gone.'

A few minutes later, Oscar approached the bedroom from the direction of the bathroom. Before he reached the door, Kevin opened it. Oscar was surprised to see that he had taken his T-shirt off.

'You're right,' said Kevin, 'it's too hot for T-shirts.'

'Yeah,' said Oscar. 'I've got to tell you, dude, I'm quite relieved – I thought I was embarrassing you by taking off all my clothes in the middle of your bedroom.'

'Oh, you were,' Kevin grinned, 'but I've decided to loosen up now.'

Oscar grinned back at him and they punched each other on the arm. They then entered the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Across the corridor, the door of Carl and Beth's room eased its way shut.

'You won't believe what I just saw!' Carl informed his wife.

'Was it Kevin and Oscar going to bed?' asked Beth. 'I heard them talking in the hallway and then the door closing. Seems like a perfectly normal state of affairs to me.'

'But they were both wearing nothing but underpants!'

'Well, it's hot.'

'Yes, but... but...'

'It just means they're becoming comfortable around each other,' said Beth. 'I'm glad they're getting on so well.'

'Maybe they're getting on a bit too well!'

'Don't be silly, Carl,' said Beth. 'Come to bed and stop thinking about it.'

As he finished pulling the curtains halfway across the window, Kevin became aware that Oscar was staring at his upper torso.

'What are you looking at, man?' Kevin could not help but ask.

'Your scar,' said Oscar. 'It's really cool. Don't you think it's cool?'

'Not when I think about how I got it.'

'Can I touch it?'

'Sure, if you want.'

'Do you realise what they could be doing in there?' Carl said darkly.

'They're not doing anything,' Beth sighed. 'They're just going to bed.'

'You really think they're going straight to sleep?' asked Carl.

'Well... no, they'll probably talk for a while first,' said Beth.

'About what?'

'I don't know, whatever adolescent boys like to talk about nowadays. You should be the expert on boy stuff, not me! Didn't you ever have a sleepover when you were a kid?'

'Yes, but we never stood around in nothing but underpants!' Carl asserted.

'Well, times change,' Beth reasoned. 'Whatever they're doing in there, I'm sure it's completely innocent.'

'Are you planning to stand there stroking my shoulder all night?' Kevin asked, unable to keep the grin from his face.

'Sorry,' said Oscar, withdrawing his hand. 'You're right; we should go to sleep. Except...'

'Except what, bro?'

'You won't believe what I got from that convenience store.'

'You mean all those magazines?'

'Not all of them.'

Oscar darted over to where his luggage was spread out on the floor and retrieved a single magazine from amongst the clutter. He presented it to Kevin with a large grin on his face.

'What the heck is... whoa, dude!' Kevin exclaimed when he saw the cover.

'Pretty cool, huh?' Oscar grinned.

'Yeah, but... but... weren't you embarrassed buying this?' asked Kevin. 'And why didn't the old guy say anything?'

'No I wasn't, and because he didn't know what it was,' said Oscar. 'I tucked it in with all those other magazines and he just went through the pile scanning the barcodes – he never even noticed it.'

'Is that why you bought so many magazines?'

'Of course, man.'

'Respect, dude,' said Kevin.

'It's no big deal,' Oscar shrugged. 'I do it all the time back home. So, can we sit on your bed and look through it?'

'Um, well...' Kevin only demurred for half a second. 'Yeah, okay, let's!'

'Maybe I should go in and check on them,' said Carl.

'Don't you dare!' said Beth. 'Kevin would be so embarrassed.'

'What would he have to be embarrassed about?'

'The fact that his father would be invading his privacy when he has a guest! I can't think of much he'd find more embarrassing than that!'

'I just know they haven't gone to sleep yet,' said Carl. 'What do you think they're doing?'

'I'm sure they're just doing what twelve-year-old boys do,' said Beth.

'Look,' said Oscar, 'if we each grab a corner, we can hold it between us like this.'

'Yeah,' said Kevin, 'that works.'

'Do you really think so?' said Carl, sounding slightly worried.

'Yes,' said Beth. 'Now let's go to sleep.'

The next morning, Kevin awoke to find Oscar looking at him from the blow-up bed. They both smiled in a slightly embarrassed way.

'Hey,' said Kevin.

'Hey,' said Oscar.

'I'm glad you enjoyed my magazine,' said Oscar.

'I'm glad you bought it,' said Kevin.

'You can keep it if you want,' said Oscar. 'I have a pile of them back home.'

'You'll have to help me hide it,' said Kevin.

'Sure,' said Oscar. 'We'll ram it right underneath your mattress, out of the reach of even the most zealous of bed-tidying parents.'

'Great,' said Kevin, grinning now. 'Still up for visiting Huggy Bear after breakfast?'

'You bet!' grinned Oscar.