Another new year

The next day, Rose couldn't wait to get out. She'd gone to her room after clearing up the previous day, avoiding the stares and not wanting to know if they were talking about her.

Bob had something to say to Jackie though when their guests had left.

"What was all that about?" Jackie had asked him.

"You know what it was about Jackie. Your Rose not co-operating. If she doesn't start spending some time with our friends, she never will and she'll not spoil our plans."

"I thought they were your plans Bob?" Jackie had asked innocently.

"Well some of them are my own but my friends are concerned about the way things have been going lately. It was bad enough Rose stopped going to the pub but there was no point in her only staying five minutes."

"She's not interested in playing video games Bob," Jackie told him. "Besides, Jimmy cheats all the time, I've heard the other kids saying. We could try gettin' her to stay a bit longer when our friends arrive the nights they come here? We haven't told her we're the ones holding the New Year's Eve party yet, why not?"

"I'm going to spring it on her. She can forget going out and stay for a change."

"But Bob, she'll have arranged to go with Alec to his aunt's."

"Well she'll have to cancel, won't she?"

"Well what about if she brings Alec with her?" Jackie suggested.

"We can't let outsiders in Jackie, you know that," Bob replied.

"Well Alec's not an outsider really, she's known him over a year," Jackie reminded him.

"He's not one of us Jackie, you know the agreement. Well she can stay for an hour but then I want her back before midnight and what's all this about her having a boyfriend back in London? Who's this Mickey?"

"He wasn't really her boyfriend," Jackie had to admit. "She liked him and imagined he was her boyfriend. If we'd stayed, he would have asked her."

Jackie had no idea if that would have happened but Rose always talked about him, she must have liked him. What difference did it make anyway?

"Well she'd better stop going on about Alec in front of our friends and she's got to start spending time getting to know them, especially Jimmy."

"She won't go anywhere near him, you saw her," Jackie told him.

"Well that will have to change, won't it?" he replied.

So now, Rose was waiting for Alec to call for her as she was spending the rest of day at his aunt's and she had all her presents, having finally got something for Alec. Her hear skipped a beat when the buzzer went for her to either go downstairs or he would come up.

"Hi Alec, are ya coming up to say hello to my mum?" Rose asked him

Alec thought he'd best make an effort then.

"I'll come up, since no-one else is asking to be let in," he replied.

Rose opened the door to wait for him getting out of the lift, then went to hug him.

"I missed ya yesterday, it was awful."

"It wasn't the same with you not there. Last year, well I was missing my mum more but I missed you just as much. Ready to go?"

"Alec, I've been ready to go since Christmas Eve," she smiled back, grabbing his arm.

They finally got away after Jackie asked him a few things which embarrassed Rose and they talked on the way to his house as they were going to his aunt's a bit later.

"What did she mean by that remark?" Alec asked her after Jackie had asked him if Rose was going to be his only girlfriend, which Rose had been surprised at.

"Yesterday, well they were saying I spend too much time with ya and they were trying to tell me to spend time with that Jimmy."

Alec stopped. "What? Rose, were they being serious?" he asked her. "Please tell me you refused? You did, didn't you?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I told them to forget it and you were my boyfriend. I had to tell them I had one back in London but I never did, I just used to pass by a garage where Mickey worked and I used to wind him up, I'd known him since I was a little kid. I just wanted to put them off."

"It's okay Rose, you don't have to explain. I think you told me he was going to ask you out, if you'd still been there when you were sixteen."

Rose had told him almost everything she used to get up to before she'd moved and he'd sit and listen to her, never judging her for playing around in class and getting into trouble. He had though been surprised she'd been given a place at the grammar school, like John had said, the school board must have been obliged to offer it to her.

"Can we just forget about it? Let's get to your house, it's freezing out here. I hope ya like your present, it took me ages to choose it."

"I'm sure I will, I just hope you like what I got you."

After exchanging presents, they were choosing a photo that could be cut out to fit the locket Alec had bought her, which was one of the larger ones or he'd have to take a photo of her and Rose one of him from a distance. She put the pictures in carefully and Alec fastened it for her.

"You look very nice today Rose," he told her as she was wearing a purple thin turtleneck sweater that her mother had bought her.

Rose loved it when he paid her compliments. He'd been doing it more and more recently and she wondered if she should do it back, she had no-one to ask on that score though but he seemed content to be the one who did. As they got to his aunt's house, she felt like she was part of the family, more-so that at her own home, not that she considered it other than a place she lived with her mother and Bob.

She decided to leave telling Alec what had happened the day before, she didn't want to spoil things but she knew she had to tell him and his dad but when Alec and John took her home later, another couple were in the apartment with a boy just a bit younger than Rose, though Rose couldn't remember his name.

"Rose!" her mother greeted her, Rose knowing her mother had been on the sherry. "Come and say hello to everyone. That s Craig over there and his mum and dad."

"Hello," Rose told them, wondering what was going on. "I'm tired Mum, I'm off to my room."

"You can stay a bit longer," Bob told her.

"So, where have you been?" the boy's mother asked.

"With my boyfriend and his family," Rose replied.

"You let her have a boyfriend Bob?" the boy's father asked.

"He's not really her boyfriend, she just wishes he was," Bob laughed, remembering what Jackie had said about this Mickey he'd known nothing about.

Jackie thought she'd best stay quiet. Maybe Rose would get tired of missing out on everything on her own?

Rose saw her chance to back away.

"Well if I think he's my boyfriend, so what?" Rose asked them, knowing she'd have some explaining to do to Alec if she told him. "The more time I spend with him, the more likely he will be."

"That's enough Rose," Bob told her.

"Fine, I'll just go to my room then?" Rose tried not to laugh.

"Not so fast," Bob told her, getting up. "Who was this Mickey?"

"She has two boyfriends?" the boy's mother asked, getting up. "You never even said she had one."

"Calm down Morag, I said he wasn't her boyfriend and neither was the other one, were they Rose?" Bob asked her.

Rose wasn't going to lie, how could she? She knew her mother must have told him about how she used to torment poor Mickey.

"I'm not answering that. What's going on anyway? You were trying to tell me to make friends with Jimmy yesterday so I say you're just as bad."

"Rose, nothing's going on," her mother tried to tell her.

What they hell were they into, Rose wondered.

"Well ya could have fooled me. Whatever it is, there's no way I'm getting involved so forget it. Who is he anyway, he looks like he's still in diapers."

"Don't be so rude," Bob told her. He's only six months younger than you."

"Ya could have fooled me. What the hell is this, a dating agency?" Rose replied.

Everyone went quiet.

"I'm out of here," Rose told them.

She backed out, going to the bathroom and locking the door. What the hell had she almost got dragged into? Were they all getting together for the purpose of introducing their kids to each other, even the younger ones to get them used to it? Well if they thought she was going to be part of it, there was no way. Now she really had something to tell John and Alec's dad.

She had no proof though so there was very little she could do about it but from a very early age, her mother had taught her if she felt unsafe, she should tell someone. How had her mother got them lured into this, her mother thinking this was what families did? Maybe they all thought it was perfectly normal. Well she didn't and never would do.

As for denying Alec was her boyfriend, he'd already said he was okay with it if it helped. She went back to her room and locked the door. At least the next day she could get back to normal until the new year and she'd be going to Alec's aunt's again. What would she do though if she had no-one?

Bob was going back to work the next day but her mother had a day off.

"I thought we could go shopping?" her mother asked as Bob left.

"I'm not in the mood for shopping Mum. Don't ya see anything strange about Bob inviting his friends and those two boys round?" Rose asked her.

"No, why?" her mother wanted to know.

"Geez Mum, that's his idea of being a family? Who's he tryin' to fool? Well if he's still hoping I'll change my mind, he's in for a long wait. Neither of those boys compare to Alec. What's he gonna do? Find more friends with boys my age and keep lining them up and hope I'll pick one?"

She saw the look on her mother's face.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Rose asked her. "Why are ya going along with it?"

"No Rose, I'm trying to give ya a better life than what we had in London. Bob's just lookin' out for ya. Look, I'll talk to him, yeah?"

"You'll tell him I'm serious about Alec and I'm not joining in whatever's going on?"

"I'll try Rose but he'd been feeling left out before, ya can't really blame him."

"Well I can Mum, he'd better stop it. You're not thinking of marrying him are ya?"

"Rose, it's nothing to do with you. We have a new life here, one we could never have before, just you remember that."

"Yeah, a new life and if I'd not met Alec? Well I don't even want to think about that. Okay, I'll go see Alec then come back and we'll go into town but I'm going back later."

Alec could tell something was wrong as soon as he let her in.

"What's been going on Rose?" he asked after they'd kissed.

"What do ya think? Bob again. Look, I have to go shopping with my mum this afternoon, she has a day off but I'll come back and tell you and ya dad, okay?"

"Sure but Rose, you have to tell us what went on."

After spending a while in his room, Rose wanting to make up in the kissing department, she reluctantly went back to meet her mother and at least she got a new top out of the trip to town, in the pre-sales. She hoped Alec would like it and compliment her again.

When she got back to his house, she made him wait for his dad getting home before she'd tell him anything.

"Rose, can't you tell me some of it?" Alec asked her.

"It's best I wait," Rose replied as they sat on the edge of his bed.

"Is it that bad?" he tried to joke.

"Yeah, I think it is. I think I know why he wanted us to move up here to live with him but my mum doesn't see anything wrong. I stood up to him last night Alec, I told him whatever was going on, I wasn't going to be part of it."

"Good for you Rose. I hate to think of you being there."

"Alec, someone else was there when I got back last night. Another couple with a teenage boy a bit younger than me. I asked them what the hell was going on."

"What? Rose, you should wait for my dad getting home and tell him everything, okay?"

"Yeah. So, what we gonna do for an hour before he gets home?" she smiled at him and putting her arm around him and her head on his shoulder.

"We'll think of something. I expect you already have something in mind though?"

When his dad got home, they were sitting in the kitchen talking.

"Whatever you have to tell him, it won't put me off," Alec was assuring her.

"Yeah, I know and I'm sorry this is going on. He seems to think the holidays were a good time to try palming me off with his friends' teenage boys."

"He tried again?" Alec asked as they listened.

"Let her finish Alec," his dad told him.

"It's okay Mr Hardy. I told him to forget it, I asked him if they were running some kind of dating agency. What are they doing? Am I right Mr Hardy?"

"Rose, I'm sorry but yes, it seems they have something going on between them, introducing their teenagers to each other."

"Some of them are a bit younger," Rose reminded him.

"Yes, you mentioned it Rose. It seems they all grew up together but what purpose does it serve? Surely they will all get older and meet someone anyway, why does it have to be someone they already know? You are fairly new though."

"Yeah, I don't get it then. So do ya think when he took that job in London, he was looking out for someone with a teenage daughter so he could join in?"

Alec's dad thought she was taking it very well, considering.

"Sorry but yes, though why he chose your mother? Maybe it was because she'd been on her own a long time?"

Alec got up and went to sit next to her.

"What can we do about it Dad?" Alec asked him.

His dad shook his head.

"I need to talk to John about this. Sorry Rose but there is no actual proof of what's happening. As far as anyone else is concerned, they are just friends and their kids getting together. All I can say is you did the right thing telling them you are playing no part in whatever is going on. The question is though, how have they got their kids to go along?"

"The younger ones, their parents involve them when they're younger and they get used to it?" Alec suggested.

"Yes, that could be it. Practicing being a detective again?" his dad smiled.

"He's gonna be a great detective one day," Rose agreed, also smiling.

"I told you why I wanted to be a detective, now I have another reason, to help someone like you, Rose."

"Aw, thanks Alec. Well, now he knows I'm having nothing to do with it, he'll have to back off won't he?"

Nothing was said about it the next few days. Bob was staying quiet and Rose just hoped he wasn't planning anything else he was going to spring on her. Alec was trying to keep her mind off it when they'd go for a walk on the riverbank, parts of the river being frozen over, then they'd go to his aunt's for lunch.

On New Year's Eve day, they were in Alec's room talking.

"I got mum to buy me a new top for tonight," Rose told him as she lay on her front, propped up on her arms.

"Another one?" he teased her.

"She bought me it for going shopping with her, it's ages since we've been out on our own. Then Bob had the nerve to say I spend too much time with you when they go out every Saturday and they expect me to tag along. So are ya calling for me tonight?"

"Don't I always?" he replied, wondering if he dare lie next to her on his back.

So far they had only kissed while either standing up or sitting on the edge of his bed. He was getting the feeling they should be starting to kiss in other positions but he supposed it could be his over-active imagination running riot?

He decided to take a chance and kicked his trainers off and put his feet on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows. Rose tried to move closer and Alec went to lay on his side.

"We've not kissed with us lying down yet," Rose teased him.

"I thought you might tell me to move?"

"Nah, I thought ya wouldn't want to, I mean not just yet? Guess it might be the right time though?" she asked as she tried to move onto her side to face him.

A good while later, they were getting up in time to be downstairs for Alec's dad getting home, since he'd said he would be early.

"That was nice," Rose grinned, her at one side of the bed and Alec at the other, both trying to get their footwear back on.

Rose scrambled over the top of the bed, putting her arms around his neck as he tried to fasten his laces.

"Rose, we have to get downstairs," he reminded her. "Yes, it was nice."

Alec had no idea how they were supposed to know what came next. They'd not had much contact while they'd spent a good while kissing from different angles, he'd tried to remain on his side when Rose had moved onto her back but he felt a few times she was trying to encourage him to move on top of her but were they ready for that?

"Hey, do ya wanna know something? Maybe in the new year, well when you're getting changed into your t-shirt after school, well maybe ya wouldn't be in such a hurry puttin' it on?"

"Really? Oh, so I put it on too fast do I?" he teased her, suddenly twisting round and making her fall back then him leaning over her and putting his hand on her arm to steady himself.

Rose grabbed his other hand.

"Yeah, maybe ya do?" she smiled at him.

He leaned over and kissed her again, trying not to fall over but she grabbed his arm.

"Sure you are ready for that?" he asked, still leaning over her and hoping his dad wouldn't be earlier than he'd said or they had some explaining to do.

"Well you'll find out, won't ya? Yeah, I think it's time, don't you?"

Alec didn't really have to think about it. It had been bound to happen sooner or later.

"Yes, maybe it is? We should get downstairs Rose, we can talk about this later and maybe make a start after the holidays? What time are you going to get changed?"

"After tea I suppose? You could maybe come in and wait for me?"

"That's not a good idea Rose, I mean I never do that."

"Well maybe ya should start? That way when they have their friends there, they'll know I'm not kidding. I think maybe they don't believe me, about you."

"Then I will be happy to show them I exist. Rose, there's a new year ahead, maybe it's time for a lot of changes, starting with you not feeling Bob is trying to get you to go out with his friend's boys. You made a start standing up to him, you should continue to do so."

"Don't worry, I will. You go downstairs, I'm off to the bathroom."

"Rose, dad will start getting suspicious, you're nearly always in there when he gets home," Alec laughed.

After they'd eaten, Rose wanted to make a move and go get changed.

"Come on up with me?" Rose suggested as she put the code in the door.

It was only six thirty, Rose had wanted to be there before Bob's friends arrived and be gone in as fast a time as possible. That wasn't going to happen as she opened the door and Alec followed her.

"I'm back Mum and I've got Alec with me. I'm just gonna get changed before I go out," she called out to her mother.

Her mother came out of the lounge, a stern look on her face.

"Alec had better go home, Bob says you have to stay," she told Rose.

"What? Since when? Is this some sort of punishment because I won't leave Alec and go out with one of those creeps?" Rose wanted to know. "Well forget it, I'm off to get changed and I'm leaving with Alec. What's he after, me agreeing to see one of those boys? I'm not changing my mind Mum. Alec, do ya wanna wait outside?"

Rose was wondering where Bob was.

"Where is he anyway?" Rose continued.

"He went out to get more drinks, he invited a few more friends over, I hope we have enough party food," her mother replied. "Rose, I want to help you sweetheart but ya know once Bob makes his mind up? Well don't stand there Rose, hurry up and get changed and if he says anything, I'll tell him you've not been back. If ya get caught leaving though, I can't do anything."

"Rose, grab your things and get changed at my house," Alec suggested, looking around to the door nervously.

Rose ran to her room and began rummaging through her wardrobe for the silver/grey top she'd got a few days ago and a clean pair of black trousers, since she was in her jeans. She stuffed them into a spare carrier bag, grabbed a pair of shoes and was out in less than five minutes.

"Thanks Mum and I know it's not your idea."

"Come on Rose, let's leave before he gets back," Alec suggested, thinking either Bob was going to stop them both leaving or just Rose but he bet it would be just her.

"Go on, get out of here but don't bring the clothes you're wearing back with ya."

"Mum, I can say I took them earlier, he won't know, will he?" Rose replied.

Once in the hallway, Alec suggested they took the stairs as if Bob was on his way back with drinks, he would be bound to take the lift. When they got outside, Rose saw Bob's car in his parking space and thought she'd just had a narrow escape. Jackie though was now having to face Bob.

"Is Rose back yet?" he asked as he put two carrier bags and a box of mixer drinks on the kitchen counter.

"No, not yet but when she went out earlier, she could have taken some more clothes with her," Jackie replied.

"We should have told her last night," Bob complained. "Have you got this Alec's phone number?"

"No, she never wrote it down Bob. She might come back to get changed?"

Jackie hoped he'd just have to accept Rose had got the better of him for at least tonight. She still didn't get why it was so urgent to get Rose to forget Alec and take up with one of the other boys. Rose had not been bothered back in London but she was growing up now and getting her to stop seeing Alec wasn't going to be easy. She expected Bob was keen to see Rose fitting in with his friends and didn't want her to feel she was missing out?

Rose and Alec had got back to his house, agreeing she could pick her things up the day after and they set off for his aunt's house. Alec had been planning a surprise for Rose though the following day. John had suggested he took them to the new year fair at the other side of town after she'd pointed a poster out when they'd been out the Saturday before.

While Rose was fussing over the food and trying to help his aunt, he got John to one side.

"So she got out then?" John grinned as his mother was trying to stop Rose.

"Yeah, only just though, Bob had gone out and he was going up in the lift as we used the stairs. Her mother told her she'd tell Bob she'd not been back. I know her mum's doing her best but it's really difficult for Rose."

"It sounds like it's difficult for her mother as well? Does Rose know where we're taking her tomorrow?"

"No. I thought it would be a surprise for her," Alec smiled at the thought.

"Well the wristbands are on me so don't worry, I'm sure she'll enjoy it."

"Are you going on the rides?" Alec asked, seeing Rose come back in the room.

"Oh, don't worry about me, I'll just tag along behind you," John grinned.

Just before midnight, it fell to Rose and Alec to let the new year in, them taking advantage of the few minutes they had to wait until John was opening the door for them when it was midnight but they heard a nearby clock begin to chime and Alec turned towards her.

"Happy new year Rose."

"Yeah, happy new year. I bet it's gonna be great and do ya know what?" Alec shook his head. "I'm not gonna let Bob get me worried, I'm gonna ignore him and make my mum see what he's up to."

"Rose, then she'll leave him and go back home," Alec replied.

"We can stay here," Rose replied, hearing the last chime and the door opening.

"Come on you two, break it up," John laughed as Rose threw her arms around Alec.

After they walked Rose home, John asked Alec how their friendship was growing.

"I'm not sure if we're going too fast, " Alec admitted.

"Alec, take my advice. If Rose is ready, then so are you. Just take it slowly eh?"

Rose was not having an easy time when she got back.

"Where did you get to?" Bob wanted to know as his friends were leaving.

"You knew I was going to Alec's aunt's," Rose replied.

"She told ya," her mother agreed as the last of the guests were leaving, the parents of last boy whom Bob had been trying to push onto Rose.

"She was supposed to have been here tonight," the boy's mother was complaining.

"Well I had somewhere else to go," Rose replied, thinking she should make a dash to her room.

"This isn't over Rose," Bob warned her as she got away.

The next day, Rose helped her mother with lunch then declared she was going out. Since Bob didn't now ban her going out in the afternoon except for Sunday, she was answering the intercom when Bob came out.

"Oh no you don't," Bob objected as Rose told Alec she would be right down.

"What?" Rose asked. "There's no reason why I should stay in, you're only watching TV."

Alec had let himself in and was about to knock on the door when he heard raised voices as Rose's mother had joined in.

"Ya only said Rose had to stop in on Sunday afternoon's" Jackie reminded him.

Rose knew he was outnumbered as she heard Alec knocking on the door. She meant to carry on doing things like that, why should she sit at home being miserable when she could be with Alec?