John was waiting for Alec to get in the car so he opened the window.
"So, what have you two decided? I mean about what we discussed?"
They walked nearer to the car.
"I'm not dragging my mother into it, so that's that," Rose told him.
"I understand that Rose. I can't blame you for that. I guess you'll just have to put up with Alec coming down for the holidays," John smiled.
"Hey," Alec objected. "Rose is right though, her mother could be in serious trouble if things came to light and where would she even go?"
"She'd have to start by reporting Bob to the police and admit he was using her to get to Rose," John told them. "It could get messy, since she has no names of any of the others and if Bob denies anything. He could though try to say she knew what was going on, that it was just friends getting together. She has no proof."
"Well I'm not letting her," Rose objected.
"It's okay Rose," Alec tried to assure her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "We'll work something out, I promise. I'll see you the next holiday, I'll save up whatever I can, dad will help me."
"I'll send ya whatever I can Alec, or save it for when ya get here?"
"That might be best. Bye Rose, I'll call you when you get out of school tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'll dash home then shall I?" she smiled, starting to do that thing with her tongue, that was now driving him crazy and made him love her even more.
"Yes, no stopping to talk to Mickey," he leaned down to tell her.
"Huh? Fat chance of that, you've seen what he's like," Rose assured him. "Bye then, I love you."
"I love you too Rose, it's only a few weeks."
"I know but it was almost like when we were back in Paisley, these last few weeks, well even better with being together at night."
"Yes Rose, it was much better. I'd better go before John leaves without me," Alec smiled.
"Come on Alec or it will be late when we get back. Well even later. Stop messing around trying to get your train fare, you know I'll bring you back," John told him.
"We can't ask ya, for only a week," Rose tried to tell him.
"How about I bring Alec back for you and you let me stay? We can go places, such as Brighton or Margate? I know you weren't going to ask me but I'm not doing anything else. I can't let you both be miserable by spending all your money on Alec's train fare."
Rose went up to him and leaning through the window, gave him a hug.
"Thanks," she whispered to him, kissing his cheek.
"Don't worry about it. Now, if you'll let Alec go, we can set off," John replied.
"Sorry. It's just difficult, it's like me leaving all over again."
"Rose, you know the alternative," Alec reminded her. "We can't let your mother be dragged into it, we all agree on that. Bye love, I'll see you soon eh?"
Rose nodded and put her arms around his neck.
"You'd best get in the car," she told him.
They walked around the other side and Alec opened the door, Rose watching him. He kissed her cheek then got in, putting the seat belt on.
"I'll be back before you know it and I do have something I want to talk about."
"Can't wait to find out," she replied. "Bye."
Alec could see her through the mirror as they drove off.
"You knew it was going to be hard, after six weeks or so," John reminded him.
Alec turned towards him, since Rose was out of sight.
"I know but it wasn't as bad as when I thought she was leaving for good. You didn't have to say you'd bring me back."
"Come on Alec, you know why I'm doing it. Have you not guessed yet?" John asked him.
"Because you can't do these things for my other cousin," Alec replied.
"I knew you'd get it eventually little Cous," John laughed. "He chose to go away and when you started being serious with Rose, I knew you may need some help so I decided it was what I would have been doing for him. It can't come as much of a surprise?"
Alec knew it had been that. Rose had watched them drive off, wishing she was going with them but she knew it was impossible. Alec understood they could never let her mother be questioned, she had been as much a victim, being taking in like that and not knowing what being a family was like.
She walked back home, avoiding Mickey and vowing not to speak to him. In another lifetime, she may have agreed to be his girlfriend or if she'd never met Alec but she had and nothing would make her swap him. When she got to the flat, Jackie was waiting for her.
"What aren't ya telling me Rose?" her mother asked her. "Why can ya never go back?"
"Mum, leave it will ya? Me and Alec will manage, though it was hard to let him drive off after being with him for six weeks. What can I say mum? If Bob finds out I've gone back, we don't know what will happen."
"Yes we do Rose, he'll make ya stay with him. I know you and Alec can't let that happen, okay? Is he coming back the next holiday?"
"Yeah, so is John, he's gonna take us out. Why don't ya come with us a couple of times?" Rose asked her. "Do ya think I can start helping ya more?"
"I don't know Rose, some were complaining but I pointed out the convenience of having their hair washed at home. I'll have to see what happens. Maybe I can fit in a few more clients a week? It might be popular after school, if the mums are too busy to go out?"
Rose had to be contented with that.
When Alec got home, it was late but his dad was waiting for him.
"So, how did it go?" he asked Alec. "Was Rose okay when you left her?"
"She was trying her best not to be even more upset. It's been the last few days though, I tried to make it seem not so bad."
His dad patted him on the shoulder.
"It's understandable Alec. I wish we could do something about it, we all miss her. Why don't you pop round and see your aunt tomorrow, eh?"
"Yes Dad, I was going to. Rose gave me a present for her, that she got while we were away. We're going to miss each other but John said he'll take me back for the next holiday."
"You are lucky to have a cousin like that," his dad replied. "Best get to bed, after your long journey, you can unpack tomorrow."
"Rose and I worked it out Dad. John's making up for Peter staying away."
His dad turned out the living room light.
"I knew you'd get it eventually Alec."
He followed Alec up the stairs and by the way he was acting, he knew Alec had been sharing a room with Rose, she lived in a flat and John had stayed last night. They were growing up fast, if they went on holiday next year, he knew he had to accept they wouldn't be willing to have separate rooms.
He supposed things were different these days, it had been frowned upon back in his day but it did happen. He expected that both Rose and Alec knew what they were doing and were taking the necessary precautions though. He'd have to think about slackening the restrictions he'd put on them when he made their next holiday arrangements.
Both Rose and Alec settled down to school life again, both finding it difficult to be apart. Shareen was attentive as Rose told her about the summer she'd spent with Alec, Rose apologizing for not seeing her on their first day back.
"Hey, it's okay Rose," Shareen was trying to tell her on the way home. "I get it that ya wanted to spend the holidays with your boyfriend. So, did your mum let him share your room?"
"What do ya think?" Rose laughed. "We bumped into Mickey and Alec warned him to stay away from me."
"Never!" Shareen laughed. "Well ya had better hope Mickey heeds the warning then? Watch out, we're near the garage."
"Well I'm just gonna walk past like I always do," Rose replied. "That ain't gonna change, I'm not gonna talk to him."
One of the men who worked there nudged Mickey, who was leaning over an engine.
"Leave it mate," Mickey told him as he glanced up. "Her boyfriend warned me off recently."
"Since when did you take any notice?" his friend told him.
"Don't know though mate, I mean she goes to Scotland for three years and look how she comes back complete with a boyfriend."
His friend laughed.
"So her boyfriend's Scottish then?" he asked Mickey. Mickey nodded as Shareen turned towards them but everyone was staring at Rose. "Well if he's only coming down during the holidays, what are you so worried about? You should get in before anyone else does."
"What do ya mean?" Mickey wondered.
"You have to be joking Mickey, everyone's noticed her, they all used to stop work when it was time for her to walk past, it'll be even more so now."
Mickey thought he should have known but he'd been the one who she had wound up every day when she was only thirteen. No-one had taken any notice of her then, had they? He wondered what she would say though, after the boy with her had told him to back off. Well if he was in Scotland, he couldn't do much about it, could he?
Until the next holiday, they would call each other every night, taking it in turns and her mother warning her about the phone bill every so often, Rose making Alec laugh about it when she told him. She had been trying to get him to tell her what he'd wanted to talk about before he'd left but he still wasn't saying anything. One night though, his dad heard him.
"What are you keeping back from her Alec?"
Alec put the phone receiver down and walked back into the living room.
"You have to promise not to tell her Dad." His dad nodded as Alec sat down. "I've been thinking, about college."
"Alec, you need to go to college if you want to join the police," his dad reminded him.
"I know Dad, I'm not giving up on it. It's just, well, maybe I could go to college down in London, to be with Rose."
His dad knew he shouldn't be that surprised.
"That's a big decision Alec. Have you discussed it with Rose?"
Alec shook his head. "No, I just told her I wanted to talk to her about something when I went back. What else am I supposed to do Dad?"
"I understand you want to be with her Alec, you have my sympathy. You will have a tough time finding a suitable college down there you know? Rose knows she won't be accepted to any college you choose. She's tried her best, no-one can say otherwise but she was at a disadvantage."
"I know and she regrets it now. She said if I'd been at her school, she wouldn't have messed around," Alec smiled.
"Well, the main thing is that she stopped messing around and tried to make up for it. What do you think she'll say?" his dad asked him.
Alec thought about it. "To stay and go to college here," he replied, changing his tone of voice.
"Alec, you should still ask her but don't be disappointed at her answer. If she does agree though, I won't stop you."
"Thanks Dad. I've not said anything to John yet, I want to ask Rose first. If he takes me down, he'll find out."
His dad felt sorry for him. Alec was torn between applying for a good college near home or leaving and settling for one near Rose. He didn't know much about the area Rose lived in but he knew to get in a decent college, Alec would have to travel a fair distance and Rose still wouldn't be at the same one.
Soon, there were only a few days before John took Alec down to see Rose and Alec had called in one evening to see him.
"You've been very quiet these last few days Alec."
"Yes, it's just seeing Rose again. I have to talk to her but I don't know how she'll react."
"Want to talk about it?" John asked him.
"I should talk to her first," Alec replied.
"You wouldn't have come here if you didn't want to talk," John grinned.
"I want to go to college down there but my dad doesn't think it will solve the problem of going with Rose."
"Ah! Alec, that would have been a problem up here," John reminded him.
"Well either way, I would have seen her in the evening, which is better than now. My dad seems to think Rose will insist I stay up here."
"Alec, she won't want you to give anything up for her, you already know that. Sometimes, being in love means making sacrifices, you want to sacrifice by going down there, Rose will want to sacrifice you being with her to have a better chance."
"I know that John. She laughed before when I mentioned living down there, she said my accent will stand out. How do you do it? I mean talking with an English accent?"
"I had to do, when I travelled around. Alec, I wanted to talk to you about something as well. Remember what we talked about, that I was doing things for you because my younger brother's away from home?" John asked him.
"Yes, I remember, I talked about it with Rose last time I saw her. What about it?" Alec wanted to know.
"I mentioned it to your aunt and she went all quiet on me. Why would she do that?"
"I don't know John? Did you mention it to her again?" Alec asked him.
"You want to be a detective Alec, why don't you work it out?" John replied.
"I don't want to upset her John," Alec smiled. "Everyone used to say when I got older, well that I'd look more like you but that's common in cousins."
"Is it?" John asked him. "Peter looks nothing like me and you do. Even Rose teases you about it. There's something your aunt's not saying Alec and I think I know what it is. Do you?"
Alec sat down at the kitchen table. Ever since he'd mentioned certain things to Rose, it had been at the back of his mind. The reason why John was so willing and acted more like a brother than a cousin and Peter didn't come into it, since he'd chosen to leave home.
"You have to talk to her John. We can't just speculate," Alec told him.
John sat opposite. "I know we didn't see each other for a while Alec but something made me give up travelling around and concentrate on being a teacher just in time for Rose's arrival and you discovering you did actually like girls," John grinned. "Even if it was only Rose," he added.
"Those few weeks when I never knew who she was," Alec recalled. "I was still sad about losing my mum but going to the library to see if Rose was there took my mind off it for a while."
"You have to admit that Rose is the best thing that ever happened to you Alec. It's also the other way around. Think how miserable Rose would have been without you? Anyway, back to the point eh?"
"Try talking to your dad?" Alec suggested. "Has he found anything else out anyway?"
"Not as far as I know. What do I ask him though, about what my mother is hiding?"
"It could be why she fusses over me?" Alec suggested.
John put his head in his hands, shaking it then looking up.
"I think we're more than cousins," John stated.
Neither of them were aware the kitchen door had opened.
"How long have you both suspected?" John's mother asked them.
"That I'm adopted?" John turned to ask her.
Alec almost toppled his chair over but he knew deep down it was true.
"Your aunt, Alec's mother, she was your real mother John and I'm sorry we never told you but she made me promise."
"Does my dad know?" Alec wanted to know.
"I told him, when she died but we decided it was best not to bring it up."
"That's over three years ago," John reminded her. "How could you not tell me or Alec?"
"John, we thought with how close the two of you had got, that you'd work it out. Alec, I'm sorry, that we kept it quiet afterwards."
"Well that explains a few things," John tried to joke. "I somehow knew to stick around more often. I wish I'd spent more time with her and that we'd known there was something wrong with her."
"She told me," his mother replied. "Near the end though. She made me promise to look after Alec and one day to tell him."
"Well it also explains my brother, why we are so different," John told her. "You're quiet Alec."
"What do I say? That's why I always went to you when I wanted to know something," Alec told him.
"Do you want to know anything?" his aunt asked him.
Well at least she was still his aunt. John however was still in shock for a change, Alec thought.
"Alec, she never meant to hurt you, by not telling you she was ill. She was trying to spare you and your dad."
"That wasn't fair," Alec replied. "That last holiday we had was the last time she'd acted herself. Then just over six months later, when she'd been really ill, she left us."
His aunt put her hands on his shoulders.
"I remember what you were like Alec. Then you met Rose. I think your mother was watching out for you and sent her. I think I may have already told you that," his aunt smiled. "John, it wasn't an easy decision to adopt you, from my own sister. It was done quietly, only your grandmother knew, it was easy back then. Your real mother was only seventeen, she lived at home and things were difficult."
"Then she met Alec's dad?" John asked, trying to take it in he'd suddenly acquired another brother. "Alec, that does explain a lot. So my dad, well my adopted dad was okay with it?"
"We'd just got married, we were only twenty one and not ready to start our own family. It seemed the right thing to do, no-one was to know, I easily passed you as my own, a lot of my friends thought that was why we got married and we'd moved away from our old neighbourhood in Glasgow. We just introduced you as if I'd just had you."
"You didn't really adopt me, did you?" John asked. "You paid her?"
"It wasn't like that Alec. Your dad, well your adopted dad, he had a good job, we could afford it and we were moving away, it was easy to cover up but yes, we gave her some money but we registered you as our own, a home birth."
John supposed it was easier back then. He rubbed his hands over his face.
"Well, just so you know, I don't really blame you. All that time though? Then she got married and had Alec but chose not to have any more?" John asked her.
"She had a difficult time with Alec," his mother replied. "I'm still your mother John, aren't I?"
John got up and she moved from behind Alec's chair, then he went to hug her.
"Yeah, you're still my mother. Alec, you're being very quiet."
"What can I say? She gave no clues John."
"Maybe she did and you just never noticed?" John suggested. "All those times we got together when you were younger?"
"Maybe? Can I tell Rose?" Alec wanted to know.
His aunt smiled at him. "Of course you can, she's like family to us. We missed her during the last holiday. Your uncle is doing all he can, without involving her and her mother."
"We know. Rose understands it's not easy and she won't let her mother get involved. I was thinking of going down there to college but I don't think she'll let me."
"Rose wants what's best for you, to get you into the police," John reminded him.
"John's right," his aunt agreed. "Listen to her before you do anything hasty."
