"Ed, did you get the - OH JESUS!"

"Morning, Uncle Wayne."

"Morning, Rosie Darlin'. You really need to wear a bell around or something."

Wayne went into his room to put on a shirt. Rosie shrugged at Eddie, unphased. She had spent four nights this week in the Munson's trailer. Partially because Claudia had scolded Rosie for sneaking him into her room, and partially because Wayne worked nights, leaving the place to them.

"As I was saying." Wayne walked back in. "You spoke to Rick?"

"Yeah, I'm getting the stuff tomorrow."

"Good. You make this, Rosie?"

"I did."

"Looks great." Wayne scooped some of the scramble onto his plate and took two slices of sausage and the rest of the bacon.

"Eddie helped."

His uncle eyed the food as he settled into the recliner. "Not the eggs, right?"

"The bacon." Eddie replied.

"Thank Jesus."

Rosie nudged him under the table. Eddie was getting better at cooking, but they'd had a few mishaps.

"Been a while since both of you had a Saturday." Wayne said between mouthfuls. "What's the plan?"

"Just hang out, I guess?" Rosie tried.

"N-no!" Eddie exclaimed, looking at Wayne. "No, we should go somewhere. You decide."

Something passed between the two men. Rosie frowned. Wayne nodded with approval. Seemed he wanted Eddie to take her out.

"I don't know…"

"Must be something better than these four walls." Wayne remarked.

Rosie thought. "I'd kinda like to get some new jeans?"

"Great." Eddie smiled. "I can take you."

"You could just drop me off and -"

"No, I'll go with. We can get icecream. Like a date."

He went to the bathroom, and Rosie turned to Wayne.

"Boy needs to take you out more."

"He doesn't need to."

"I know he doesn't. That's why I like you. You're not like that other girl."

"Who?"

"Some little lady from school. Years ago. Pretty thing, but skint that boy for all he was worth. I don't even think she liked him that much."

"Oh."

They stopped by the Henderson's, where Rosie changed her sweater and got some cash. Claudia tried to chase after her, but she escaped before she could hear any more accusations against Eddie.

She wished it wasn't a Saturday. The novelty of New Starcourt had worn off, but it still meant half the town ended up there. Rosie held onto Eddie as they waded through. They drew some looks, which unnerved her, but for the most part people were too preoccupied with their own business.

A portion of Eddie seemed to die when he set foot in JCPenney. He hunched his shoulders and stayed on her heels, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. A few girls saw him coming and walked off, whispering. Rosie glowered at them.

"These?" She asked, showing him a plain pair of blue jeans.

"Good." He answered distractedly.

"Can you grab me a grey pair?"

"Huh?"

"In front of you."

"Oh. Here."

"Too small." Rosie showed him the size.

"Sorry."

He handed her the right pair and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"You don't have to stay here, you know." She proposed. "You can go to the record store and I'll catch up."

"No. I want to stay."

"Ok."

"…Or am I in the way?"

"You look bored."

"I'm not." He glanced around again.

Uncomfortable, then. He was out of his element, after all.

Rosie tugged his lapel. "Why don't you pick something out for me?"

Eddie tilted his head. "From here, or next door?"

Next door. "The lingerie store?"

"Uh-huh."

"Try here first."

He hurried off. Rosie suspected she would end up cashing out on lingerie, so carefully picked out a few items. Once her arms were full she went in search of him.

"These?" Eddie held up a blue dress and a selection of skirts and shorts. Another trio of teenage girls ducked away. He didn't notice; he was too concerned as Rosie eyed the clothes.

"I like this." She took the dress. It was the right size, too.

"I think it would look really good on you." He purred, touching her elbow.

Rosie blushed, thumbing through the rest. Then she considered what she'd already chosen, and put them back. "Maybe just the dress?"

Eddie furrowed his brow. "You don't like them?"

"They're nice. You did good. I just need these."

"I'll get them."

"No!"

"Not all of them. The dress, and two more."

He waved his laden arm at her, standing in the way when she tried to escape. He loomed over her, face serious. He wouldn't move unless Rosie chose.

"Ah-ah!" Eddie waylaid her on the way out.

"What?"

"Wrong way."

"But you've already bought me -"

"Ohooo no. Now I'm buying something for me."

Rosie let him steer her into the lingerie store. The women here were all grown, and looked at him with mixed expressions. An assistant hovered nearby while Eddie inspected bras, panties and…everything else.

"This one?"

To her relief, the set he presented was reasonable. Just a simple black with lace trim. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's nice."

Eddie held it up to her. Then to the assistant, who still thought she was being stealthy: "Do you have it in red?"

The red was actually nicer. Rosie agreed to it. On their way to the register, a garter belt also caught her eye. Eddie propped his chin over her shoulder to look.

"That's sexy."

"Another time.

"You can have it."

"It's too much."

"I'm telling you you can have it."

"Get it for my birthday."

"When?"

"Not for a while." You can save up the money.

"When?"

Rosie jabbed him. "You don't know my birthday?"

Eddie hung there. "I don't. You never told me."

I didn't? "It's in October."

He straightened, standing aside to look her in the eye. "You never said anything. What date?"

She glanced away.

"What date?"

"…Hallowe'en."

Just like that, she saw his heart drop. His jaw went with it. He stood, aghast. Their stalker stalked silently away.

"I didn't know."

"I didn't tell you."

"Oh my god!"

"It's not a big deal."

"Not a -" Eddie lowered his voice. "Not a big deal!?"

She shook her head.

"Your birthday, Rosie?"

People were staring.

"I ruined your birthday!?"

"You didn't ruin it."

He looked ready to go on his knees. Rosie prayed he wouldn't. "I am so, so sorry."

"Not your fault."

"B-bu-but…I…!" He rubbed his hands over his face. "Take the garter belt."

"Huh?"

"Take it. What else do you like?"

Rosie spluttered. "I don't need -"

"Anything. Anything you want. Show me."

"You don't have to, Eddie."

He snatched the belt off the rack, marched to the counter. Rosie saw a flash of plastic in his hand. As he led her out by the waist she asked:

"Whose card was that?"

"I stole it."

"EDDIE!"

A hand clapped over her mouth. "I'm kidding! Christ! It's Uncle Wayne's."

"…oh."

They ate at the food court. Some greasy tacos and salty fries. Eddie took their trays away and came back five minutes later with ice cream before she could even pick up her spoon, he stuck a candle in her dessert.

"Oh for fuck sake." Rosie put her head in her arms.

"Don't worry, no-one's gonna sing."

She looked anxiously around. A few people spotted him lighting it. "Where did you even get that?"

"Lady at the counter."

The server at the ice-cream counter was standing on tiptoe to watch them. Rosie hid behind her hands. "Eddie…"

"Come on, just -" He eased her arms down. "Just blow it out. Before it melts everything together."

Rosie blew, then squeezed his hands. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know. Listen." He caught her eye. "I don't have a lot of money. And I know you don't care about that. It's why Wayne likes you enough to give me his card and tell me to take you out."

Rosie smiled.

"It's also one of the many things I love about you." Eddie licked his lips. "But I majorly fucked up on your birthday. And if sticking a candle in some ice-cream and buying some cheap clothes is going to make you feel even the slightest bit special, that's what I'm gonna do."

She didn't want to argue with that. Any of it. Even the parts that were wrong. It wasn't the words that struck her, but the sentiment. Right now, Eddie was more serious than she'd ever seen him, and she felt safe. So she kept her mouth shut, and ate.