Ellie thanked Rose when she got back. She'd noticed Alec in the front room watching the early evening news and Tom was in the dining room doing his homework while Rose was trying to keep a tired Fred amused with some cartoons on the small TV.
"Everything okay?" Ellie asked when she'd put the groceries in the kitchen.
Fred got up from Rose's lap and went to her.
"Hardee!" the boy tried to say, pointing to the door.
"Not now Fred, it's your bath time. Rose, want to help? I know I'm asking a lot when you've not even started properly yet but I do appreciate it."
"Sure, come on Fred, what do you like playing with in the bath? Has he got favourite toys?"
Ellie was vastly relieved the young woman was taking it all so well, especially if she'd met Alec Hardy, the resident grump of Broadchurch. After they put Fred in his cot for the night, Ellie led Rose into the kitchen.
"Well, you seemed to have passed all the usual tests," Ellie grinned. "Oh, I didn't mean actual tests, I mean you getting on with the boys. Have you spoken to my lodger yet?"
"I made him a cup of tea and we said a few words to each other, he doesn't seem too comfortable around Tom and Fred."
"He sometimes watched Fred for me, during the court case, it's probably Tom. It's not easy for either of them, Hardy locking up Tom's dad. What did he have to say then?"
Rose recalled the earlier conversation.
"So, aren't you gonna have anything to eat?" Rose had asked Alec as she gave Fred some mousse instead of icecream.
"I will make myself something when you have all finished eating. How was school Tom?"
"Fine, it's getting a little easier as long as my mum doesn't start collecting me in a marked police car."
Rose had smiled at the thought. "What about you detective inspector? Looking forward to returning to work or have you already gone back?"
"Just Hardy will do and yes, I am keen to return to work."
Fred had suddenly taken interest. "Hardee!" the boy shouted.
Tom let out a laugh. "That's his favourite word, his last one was 'no' to everything."
Alec really couldn't comment, the boy had only said his name – repeatedly after his mother had started drilling it into the youngster.
Tom had excused himself and Alec had got up, going to a carrier bag he'd put on the counter with a ready-made meal inside. Rose got up.
"We'll get out of the way then? Come on, let uncle Alec get his tea Fred."
"No need to leave on my account," Alec had said, squinting at the back of the cardboard sleeve of his meal, braised steak and mashed potatoes.
Rose pointed to the front at the larger icon of a microwave and cooking time. Alec had let out a 'Hmm' and pierced the film covering the meal.
"You can eat with us next time? I don't think we'll be having fishfingers and beans every teatime," she had smiled at him.
Ellie laughed at the thought as Rose told her. She went to get some money out of her purse but Rose objected.
"I can't take anything Mrs Miller, it was a pleasure to help out and it was a good way of introducing myself."
"Well let me at least give you some money for a taxi? Oh, here's my schedule for this week, I'll need you an hour each side, for my travelling times, in case I get delayed or if Fred's a bit cranky before I leave. Tomorrow I'm on eleven until seven then I'm off again until Friday and lucky me got weekend duty, sorry but once I get back here, I'll have regular hours."
"No need to worry Mrs Miller, I wouldn't be doing much anyway, it seems quiet down by the harbour."
"I think you can call me Ellie but maybe not in front of Tom? I hate being reminded I'm still married. See you tomorrow then?"
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Are there any toddler groups around here? Maybe I can take Fred? Do you mind if I take him out, I mean to the playground and maybe around the harbour and the beach?"
Ellie was a bit surprised her new child-minder was so keen. "There used to be, I'll check for you but yeah, feel free to take him out whenever you feel like it, he was out a lot during the trial a few weeks back so he's used to it. Tom makes his own way home with some of his friends, he may sometimes be a bit late back but I'll tell him to call so you don't worry about him."
"Yeah. I'll give him my number then and plus, it will get us out of DI Hardy's way. Night then, see you tomorrow?" Rose asked cheerfully, seeing Alec, who was trying not to take any notice but he was relieved they'd be out some of the time at least.
Alec had tried to ignore the conversation but since both the front room and kitchen doors were open, it had been difficult. He had gathered the young woman was from the London area so what was she doing so far from home? Maybe she was running away from something, or someone.
Ellie called for a cab to take Rose back down to the harbour and went to join Alec in the front room, sitting just across from him.
"Well, she's volunteered to take Fred out most of the time so when you finish work, you'll have some peace and quiet," Ellie remarked, wondering what he was really making of all this upheaval.
"It has nothing to do with me how you run things around here Miller."
"When are you going to drop the act Hardy? Admit it, you enjoyed having Fred around at your old place. Anyway, you never told me really how things went with your daughter."
"I don't want to talk about it. We made our peace but that does not mean she wants me back full-time, we are working up to that. This is only temporary you know, my renting your loft. I need a place of my own, as soon as the medical officer clears me for full duty."
He was thinking maybe he wouldn't last that long, he'd been hoping the young boy would be out most of the day.
"So I redecorated for nothing then?" Ellie mused.
"I am sure you will find another willing lodger? You know me well enough by now to realise I prefer being on my own?"
Ellie supposed she did though she'd not seen him between her husband being arrested and the start of the trial that should never even have taken place but these last few weeks they had been dragged through hell and back with one thing or another.
Rose was at her new job early the next morning, wanting to make a good impression. Alec was going back to work, deciding to maximise his time out by working ten until two and opting to walk to the station. Rose decided to take the toddler down to the harbour and was about to make her way back when Alec was coming down the station steps.
Fred saw him first as Rose was crossing the road. "Hardee!" the boy called out.
Rose stopped at the side of him. "Oh, hi, going somewhere?"
"No, I have just finished for the day. Don't let me keep you, err, Rose was it?"
Fred was trying to get their attention by talking away and pointing to some boats, Rose thinking he wanted a drink so she got his cup out and gave it to him.
"Let me buy you a coffee or something?" Alec asked, at a bit of a loss. "For the tea you made me last night," he hastened to add, in case she got the wrong idea.
Seeing she had time to get back in for Tom getting home, she agreed so they found a table at the far end of the outdoor catering area and Alec went to get the drinks, a bit amused at being told they would be brought to him when he ordered a ham salad sandwich after he'd asked Rose if she wanted anything.
Fred seemed happy with his drink and Alec's company.
"So, you and Fred spent a lot of time together then?" Rose smiled as they waited.
"Oh yes, me and the boy kept each other company a few times. His mother and I were kept busy with the recent trial and she helped me close an old case."
"Yeah, I heard about that. Nice job, detective inspector," she smiled as a tray was brought over to them.
Alec wasn't sure how to take that. Still, being hostile to the young boy's child-minder wasn't such a good idea, if he wanted to stay until he found a place of his own and Miller had already warned him before Rose had arrived that morning while Tom was getting ready for school.
"Don't have Rose making a fuss of you Hardy, she's not here to watch you," Ellie had told him.
"I know that Miller, what do you take me for? I won't be back until after two anyway, I will stay out of their way."
"You could try talking to them," Ellie had smiled.
That just got her a scowl. Now, he was beginning to change his mind, watching her taking notice of the young boy and himself at the same time.
"Are you taking him back now?" Alec asked as she packed Fred's cup away and was about to go change him.
"Yeah, I was just going to go get him cleaned up."
"Then share a taxi with me, you can change him when we get back?"
Rose wasn't going to refuse, they'd been out for a while and she wanted Fred to have a nap but so far he'd not obliged and it was getting on for three. Alec called for a cab to pick them up opposite the police station and he held the boy while Rose let down the stroller after Alec looked at it and shook his head.
That made Rose smile, he might bring suspects in but a baby stroller had him foxed. Fred of course had to fall asleep on the ride back, so Alec had to get the stroller and help Rose out of the cab. Fortunately for Alec, the driver knew him as he'd taken him several times to the court but Alec sincerely hoped he would not jump to any conclusions.
While they were waiting for Tom to get home, Fred asleep in his stroller, Alec told her he was picking up a car the next day.
"I won't be back until Friday," she told him. "I feel sorry for the poor boy, he must have hardly seen her recently."
"Aye, it was tough on all of them though," Alec told her.
"Well I hope Tom doesn't think that I'm trying to take her place. She mentioned he'd been staying with his aunt."
"I am sure he won't think that but it will be easier once she comes back to work in the town."
Fred decided to wake up as Tom came in so Alec disappeared while Rose organised their tea but Tom had already noticed the two of them had made friends. It was all he needed, a man he was just beginning to accept being around, talking to Fred's new minder. They had been laughing at something as the teenager had walked in and Alec had made his excuses.
"Good day Tom?" Rose asked him as he poured himself some juice from the fridge.
"So-so, what's for tea Rose?"
He went into the front room where Alec was watching TV.
"Okay Tom? Getting on with your brother's minder?" Alec asked him.
"Yeah, she's okay I suppose, mum seems to like her."
"Well, as long as your brother does eh? He's too young to understand what went on and he's been passed around all this time, he needs to settle down again. That's why your mother opted to have someone come in, rather than Fred go out every day, at least until he is old enough to go to nursery."
"I know that. Why did she leave me with my aunt Lucy so long? She could have made me come back before she actually did."
"Yes, I heard about that, quite a display she put on by all accounts. She was only doing what she thought you wanted, it was a bad time for everyone. Got any homework?"
"Yeah, if I need help, can I come to you about it?"
"Sure, any time. Now why don't you see if you can help Rose with your brother?"
Tom wasn't sure if the detective was trying to get rid of him or get him involved in his brother's welfare. Going back in, Rose was making Fred laugh by pulling funny faces. As much as he tried, he couldn't dislike her. After Rose took Fred to his room, Alec was just going to the loft.
"The boy seems to have settled with you. Have you been a child-minder for long?" Alec asked her on the landing, trying to keep his voice down.
"No, this is my first proper job though I've looked after plenty of young kids where I used to live, I thought I'd actually have a go at getting paid for it."
Alec had to smile. She had said she wouldn't be back until Friday, that meant he had two days to put up with Ellie Miller making a fuss over her youngest son and him, if he wasn't careful. Maybe he'd delay his return after his four hours at the police station were up and use the time to seek alternate accommodation but could he put up with three days of Miller to be there the other four when this bright, young child-minder was around?
Rose was talking to him again.
"Were you going to your room or on your way down?" she was asking him.
"Oh, I was just trying to keep out of the way, if you and the boy's mother wanted to talk when she gets home."
"Oh. Don't feel you have to stay out of the way, you live here as well," she assured him. "We can talk in the other room you know?"
"I know, I was trying to be polite and not listen to two women talking about nappies and what the boy had for tea."
Rose smiled, seeing Tom's door was closed. She knocked on it and he opened it slightly.
"Everything okay Tom?"
"Yeah, why?"
"If you need help with homework, I'd be happy to help."
"Yeah, fine but uncle Alec already said he'd help me."
"Well, now you have two of us, I'm sure he knows much more than I do though. Tom, take my advice, stay at school as long as you can, I skipped out and I had to go back to college in the evenings."
"Yeah? I want to do well at school but I can't decide what I want to do."
"Go into the police?" she smiled.
Tom saw the funny side, as did Alec, who was listening with interest until he heard the front door open, then he hastily retreated to his loft as Ellie heard voices on the landing. Rose thought maybe it was just as well he had made himself scarce, he probably didn't want to hear about nappies or what they'd had for tea, since he had opted to wait until Tom and Fred had finished theirs.
"Hey Tom, had a good day?" Ellie asked him, wondering why Rose was on the landing.
Tom nodded and went back in his room.
Rose noticed. "Hi, Fred might still be awake, he was talking to his bear."
"Well, he'll drop off, I'll go see him. Had an good day?"
"Yeah, we went for a walk, watched the boats and stopped to get a drink by the harbour."
Ellie nodded and opened Fred's bedroom door, Rose not so sure she should tell her new employer she had shared a drink and a cab home with her lodger but would Alec Hardy have been so friendly if he thought Ellie Miller was interested in him? Ellie hadn't said as much but Rose had a feeling they'd become good friends recently, had she any intentions behind offering him a place to stay? If she had, she herself would have to tread very carefully because the detective was very cute and looked like he'd actually shaved off some of his beard from yesterday but that could mean anything, couldn't it?