Rose was too shy to go meet Alec's aunt and uncle and his older cousin, who was at college so she'd not met him at school. A few weeks went by, Rose always tagging along with Alec and getting a ride from John in the afternoons but not telling her mother, who was now giving her some pocket money after Rose said it wasn't fair she was coming home every night and doing the cooking.

Alec had never had that problem but his dad still insisted Rose ate something with them every teatime and had been relieved that Rose had told him she'd got Bob to put a catch on her room door.

"I'm glad to hear that Rose," he told her a week before the next school holiday was coming up. "Does that make you feel better?"

Rose looked at Alec.

"Yeah, thanks. I'd like to start help clearing up, for making me something to eat."

"You have enough to do when you get back," came the reply. "Alec and I can manage Rose. So what do you have planned for the school holiday you two?"

Alec was at something of a loss, he'd always spent them with Jamie and Jamie was barely talking to him, the last few Saturdays he'd gone to the library on his own as Rose had been dragged out to go shopping but she was still managing to sneak out on Sunday afternoons and she knew her mother would go crazy if she found out she was meeting Alec and not Sandra.

Fortunately, her mother seemed to have forgotten what Rose had told her but Alec still hadn't been to Rose's apartment with her and they decided to talk about it when they left his house and went down by the river.

"So what do you think your mum would say?" Alec asked as they threw some pebbles into the river.

"Well she's seen ya most mornings, why don't ya come down one morning and say hello?" Rose suggested.

Alec was getting more nervous about it though he wasn't sure why and he'd mentioned it to John the previous Sunday before Rose had called for him, who had tried to be sympathetic.

"Well Alec, you knew it was coming," John had told him. "It's only polite you should introduce yourself as Rose's friend. Does her mother still think Rose is meeting Sandra?"

"I think so John. What if she stops Rose being my friend?" Alec wondered.

"Alec, you're worrying over nothing," John laughed. "Don't forget she leaves Rose on her own, how can she stop you two being friends?"

Alec had supposed his older, wiser cousin was right. His other cousin though had been quiet about it, since he admitted that at seventeen he already had a girlfriend at college. Alec thought he had enough advice from John though John had not admitted he was currently seeing anyone. Alec remembered his last one and that had been a disaster, which should have put him off being friends with Rose.

So now, they were sat silently, each waiting for the other one to say something.

"So do you want me to say hello to your mum?" Alec asked, hoping to put it off.

"Well yeah, she won't bite ya," Rose smiled. "Let her think I've been meeting Sandra, she's not gonna know, is she?"

"You had best hope not," Alec replied. "That's only on weekends though? Maybe you could get out on Saturdays?"

"Don't ya see enough of me?" Rose laughed, nudging him. "Try and make up with Jamie."

"Is there no chance you could actually meet Sandra then?" he asked.

"We're not that close Alec, we just talk at school. Maybe I should admit it though, just in case?"

"That's maybe a good idea?" Alec agreed. "So what about the school holiday, will you be on your own?"

"Yeah but don't worry about me Alec."

"I do worry about you and I'm glad you got that catch put on your door. You've been quiet lately about that."

"Yeah? I just ignore him now, unless he speaks to me and he's been careful what he's said in front of me."

"What has he been saying Rose?"

"Being a detective again?" Rose teased him. "I sometimes think mum wants to tell me, then she changes her mind about it."

"About what he's said?" Alec wondered.

"I just get bits of it Alec, I already told ya. He'll whisper something to her and they both look at me. Why can't they just say anything?"

"I wish we knew," Alec replied, seeing it upset her. "You should talk to John again, or maybe my dad?"

"I bet John's getting tired of listening to me?"

"No he's not, he wants to help you, we all do. So about the holidays? I was staying in then meeting Jamie the last time but I went to my aunt's for lunch. John wasn't there though."

"Is he planning on staying around?" Rose asked.

"He may get a travelling job for the holidays, unless he's given it up? How are you liking my second story?"

"It's good so far Alec, those green bog monsters sound good, have they been in the TV show?"

"I don't remember, these are different though. They explode when you throw vinegar at them."

"Yuck, imagine cleaning it off the kitchen wall," Rose giggled into his arm.

"Thanks Rose, I won't get that picture out of my head now," Alec laughed.

"Hey, it would be even funnier if whoever threw the vinegar got covered as well," Rose continued to laugh. "It would be good if it was my friend Mickey from back home. We were always winding him up on our way home from school."

"You told me Rose. You said he was going to ask you to be his girlfriend if you'd not left."

Rose looked at him, was he getting jealous? She nudged him again.

"Well I'm not there, am I?" she reminded him.

Alec nudged her back. "So during the holidays, do you want to hang out with me?"

"Alec, ya should try going to see Jamie," she reminded him.

"He won't bother Rose. He does not want us to be friends, I tried to talk to him, remember? He wants me to stop being your friend."

"That's up to you Alec."

"I don't want to have to choose Rose. John said Jamie would get me to stop being your friend then he would try to make friends with you."

"I know what ya mean Alec, we've been through this before ya know? Why is he making us choose who we are friends with? He was the one teasing you in the library."

"I don't need reminding of that Rose. So what do we do about it?"

"Nothing, we stay friends unless ya wanna stop being my friend?" Rose replied.

"No, do you want to stop being my friend?" he asked, thinking Rose should be getting home.

"No, it's bad enough Bob's trying to find out who my friends are. I don't think mum even told him you call for me every morning yet."

"Has she not? Rose, you should stop saying you are meeting Sandra."

"Why? Let him think what he wants? I know why mum's denying she wasn't told Sandra doesn't live around here, she doesn't want Bob to know."

"This is getting serious Rose. Okay, I will be early tomorrow for when you come out and I will say hello to your mum."

"Aw, ya don't have to Alec," Rose smiled as he got up and he held his hand out to help her.

Neither of them knew Billy and his friends were on the other side of the river a bit further down but had seen the two of them.

"Wait until we tell Jamie tomorrow," Billy laughed. "He's already mad with Alec."

"That should be fun," one of them laughed. "Look, he's even helping her up."

"This is too good," Billy laughed as he saw the two of them walk off. "Just wait until we tell Jamie tomorrow."

"He's gonna be upset," one of the others told Billy. "If you ask me, Jamie was too slow and Alec beat him to it."

"Yeah, it's getting stale," another agreed. "It's Jamie who has the problem, not us."

"Come on, leave it then," Billy replied. "If Jamie won't admit he's bothered Alec beat him to Rose, why should we?"

"So we don't have to listen to Jamie any more," one of them laughed.

As Alec walked Rose home, she asked if he meant it about arriving early the next morning.

"I meant it Rose. So why don't we hang out during the holidays? My aunt won't mind if you have lunch with us."

"I don't know Alec? I'd feel I was intruding."

"Rose, she knows all about you, she won't take no for an answer."

"Well okay then?" she gave in.

"Come round on Sunday and meet everyone?" Alec suggested.

"Wow, that's a bit more than you meeting my mum Alec."

He thought she was being serious until she started laughing as they reached the corner of her street and she nudged him, something she was getting good at.

"See ya in the morning," Rose grinned as he hesitated. "Don't forget where I live, will ya?"

He had seen her come out with her mother for the last few weeks, how could he?

"So are you going to mention me to your mum's boyfriend?" Alec wondered.

"Mum might do that for me," Rose replied. "Alec, I couldn't just come out and admit it to him you were my friend."

"What are you scared of Rose?"

"Him, watcha think? Geez Alec, he gives me the creeps sometimes, I don't know what he'd say. If my mum tells him, it might not be so bad."

Alec wanted to pat her shoulder but he wasn't sure what time her mother would get home or if the neighbours were watching, since he didn't normally stay so long.

"Well maybe not then? See you in the morning Rose, I can set off a few minutes earlier."

"Yeah, thanks Alec, see ya tomorrow."

Rose went inside, still with time to spare before her mother got back. She knew she had to get up the courage to say Alec was her friend who lived nearby, not Sandra but how would her mother react? She supposed there was only one way to find out.

"Hi Mum," Rose greeted her as she came through the door. "You know Alec, who waits on the corner in the mornings?"

"What about him Rose?" her mother asked as she made some tea, checking what was on the stove top.

"Well don't ya think you should say hello to him?" Rose asked.

"He never leaves the corner Rose, why now?" she was asked. "He's been there the last couple of weeks now. When you said you go to his house, does he walk back with ya?"

"Yeah, why?" Rose wanted to know.

"I was just making sure Rose, it'll be getting dark early soon, watcha gonna do then?"

"Stay until it's time to come back, what ya think Mum? His dad's there anyway, he said I could stay. I asked Alec to come and say hello in the morning."

Her mother didn't reply at first.

"Why did ya let Bob think your friend was a girl?"

"Why do ya think Mum? You said he'd talk to me about boys, remember? I don't need him to, have ya known me to make friends with any boys before?" Rose asked.

"Well ya have now. Why him though?"

"He looked out for me on my first day against two bullies. I would have said something to them but I wasn't talking 'cos I thought everyone would pick up on my accent but the teacher tricked me into talking and everyone was okay about it."

"So ya let him think you'd lost your voice?"

"It was your idea Mum," Rose reminded her. "It went too far and by the end of the day, it was easier to go on with it. Alec was really nice, he made sure I got the right bus and invited me to his house and I decided to talk just to him. I did make friends with Sandra though, I just didn't want a lecture from Bob, he's not my dad."

Rose saw the look on her mother's face.

"Mum, are you two getting married?" Rose dared ask.

"What? No, we've not talked about it yet and when we do, so what? You need someone to take responsibility for you Rose."

Rose knew that but she would rather it not be him.

"Mum, Alec lost his best friend because of me and even if I stopped talking to him, Jamie wouldn't just make up with him. Jamie's jealous because when they saw me in the library, he tried to get Alec to talk to me but we think it was only 'cos it was Jamie who really wanted to talk to me."

"You're teenagers Rose, all boys get jealous over girls," her mother replied. "Either that or they want nothing to do with girls. Okay, I won't tell Bob for now but no more sneaking off under false pretences on Sunday afternoons 'cos sooner or later, Bob will expect you to come back with this Sandra. Then watcha gonna do?"

Rose wondered the same. "Would Bob get mad if I brought Alec back?"

Her mother seemed to be thinking about it, confirming Rose's suspicions.

"Maybe? Rose, I'm trying my best for ya, now you're a teenager, you need a father figure to guide you, to keep the boys away or at least make sure you're not bothered by them. I wanted that to be Bob's responsibility, I'm doing this for your own good."

"By trying to stop me seeing Alec at weekends?" Rose asked defiantly.

"You see him all week Rose, you need to make more friends."

"I don't need other friends Mum. So am I grounded at weekends?"

"I'm not saying that Rose but I don't want ya seeing Alec."

"Mum, what about holidays? Ya can't expect me to stay in all the time."

"Well I can't stop ya, can I?" her mother pointed out. "From now on, Bob will expect you to introduce your other friends to him."

That was what Rose was dreading and not in a million years would she invite any girls from her class to meet him.

"Well during the holiday, we'll be going round to his aunts," Rose told her mother as she turned the stove down.

"Is that a good idea?" her mother wondered.

Rose wanted to say she already knew his cousin but that would give the game away.

"He's already mentioned it Mum. I was gonna go meet her this Sunday."

"Rose, I told ya not to hang around with him on Sundays," her mother reminded her.

"Well I ain't stopping in watching soppy films all afternoon and Alec's got no-one since Jamie won't talk to him. Just don't tell Bob."

"Rose, he'll find out, trust me," her mother replied.

"How will he?" Rose wanted to know, checking the time and seeing he'd be back soon, then it would start all over again.

"He was mad over putting that catch on your door Rose, it took some twisting his arm to get him to agree."

"Geez Mum, it wasn't much to ask," Rose replied as she heard the outer door open.

Before she knew it, Bob was making a fuss over her mother and asking Jackie how her day had been, never bothering to ask her how school had been. Now she needed to talk to Alec over something else and he wouldn't like it so how was she going to get away with sneaking out at weekends after she got dragged around the shops on Saturday morning?

The last few weekends had been more bearable because she'd been meeting Alec and now her mother wanted her to stop. She had to plan something without her mother finding out. Maybe when she'd met Alec the following morning her mother may relent?

Alec had been quiet when he got home and his dad asked what was wrong.

"Rose wants me to say hello to her mother in the morning," Alec admitted.

His dad put his book down and smiled.

"It had to happen eventually Alec, don't worry about it eh?" his dad told him.

Alec thought that was easy for him to say. Did all boys have to say hello to the mother of a friend who happened to be a girl? Well he already knew most of his friends mothers, having all grown up together but Rose was new. Why was he getting butterflies in his stomach at the thought?

"So was that her idea?" his dad continued.

"She said I should. I have to ask aunt Mary if Rose can go round for lunch with me during the holidays."

"Do you now? Your aunt will want to meet Rose and since you go outside to meet Rose on Sundays now, how are you going to manage that?"

"Rose is going to knock on the door for me and introduce herself," Alec replied.

"She's okay with that?" his dad smiled. "It seems to me like she is keener than you are to meet her mother then? What about her mother's boyfriend?"

Alec didn't want to be reminded of that.

"Rose tells him she's meeting Sandra from school. She dare not tell him, she's scared of him Dad, remember?"

"Yes, I know she is Alec. We are all trying to help her where we can. Does Rose know what will happen if she is asked to introduce Sandra to him?"

"She could ask Sandra, she might agree. John's been bringing us home so Rose has saved the bus fare up, she could offer it to give Sandra the fare to get here and back to where she lives."

"She is getting too deep into this Alec, Rose can't keep up the pretence forever. Maybe once you have met her mother, it may make things easier?"

"I hope so Dad. When we were out earlier, I thought I saw Billy and the others on the other side of the river. Only Jamie knew Rose and I hang around together after school."

"So you are worried they will tell everyone?" his dad wondered.

"Maybe? They were on Jamie's side though."

His dad shook his head.

"Never mind Alec, they can't choose your friends for you and don't go letting them either."

"I know Dad, Rose is the only real friend I have unless I can talk Jamie into being friends with both of us."

"We already talked about that Alec," his dad reminded him. "If he sees you and Rose together all the time, he may take some persuading. So, you are introducing Rose to your aunt and uncle eh?"

Alec wondered what they would think of her but she got on with John okay though he hoped his other cousin would be out and his aunt wouldn't make a lot of fuss.

When Rose had gone to her room, Bob and Jackie were talking.

"So have you asked Rose to bring her friend round?" Bob was asking Jackie.

"I'm tryin' Bob, give her time," Jackie was trying to tell him.

"Well it's time we were meeting who Rose seems to spend all her time with. Does she come straight home from school?"

Jackie had been hoping he wouldn't ask her that.

"She never says Bob. It'll start getting dark earlier soon anyway, where else is she gonna go?"

"Well when it does start getting dark early, that does not mean I get to finish early love," Bob tried to joke, putting his arm around her. "Well maybe I can see if I can get home the same time as you though, unless you and Rose enjoy your mother and daughter chats?"

"Yeah but I won't object if ya get home a bit earlier Bob," Jackie moved closer to him.

That would mean Rose would have to get home earlier or she'd have to start cooking herself. Then she had an idea.

"Well I've been teaching Rose to cook, she's gettin' good at it as well. You wanted her to get more involved looking after the apartment?"

"That's good Jackie, mothers should pass their cooking skills onto their daughters. Maybe she can take over from you and you have a rest when you get back eh? What time does she stay out until, with her friend?"

"Oh, I'm not sure Bob but she's always just tidying up when I get back. Maybe she can put tea on then tidy up?" she suggested, knowing that was exactly what Rose did every night and now, she had to pay her for it.

"Then we'll see how well she does eh? If Rose starts doing the cooking every night, maybe she can show off to her friend and invite her round? I still don't want her bringing any friends here when no-one is in though."

"Yeah, I know Bob, you'd never believe how many of her old mates used to just call for her all the time. I think she said she'd be spending the holiday with her friend though, when she's not studying or going to the library. I did tell her she should start to stay in more with us at weekends."

"Good, she just takes off Jackie, that's not a good idea," Bob told her. "She'll maybe not want to once it starts getting cold and when it's dark early?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Jackie admitted, thinking if she could keep fooling him, he wouldn't find out her daughter had a possible boyfriend.

She decided she'd meet this Alec in the morning and lay down the law before Bob did that but weekends were now out, well maybe with the exception of this Sunday and if someone else wanted to feed Rose during the holiday, it would save her buying extra. She would make her mind up if she liked this Alec or not and if she didn't, she'd tell him to stay away from Rose in no uncertain terms before Bob really did find out, that would spoil Bob's plans he had for her well and truly and he'd get really annoyed about it, as if he already wasn't having got him to agree to put it off for a while.