Commitment

Alec finally got Rose out of the bathroom but she still hadn't answered his question of why she was so against him going to live in London. They joined John and her mother in the kitchen.

"What did you say to upset Rose so much?" Jackie confronted poor Alec.

"Nothing Mrs Tyler. We had something to tell her."

"Well ya can tell me as well," Jackie replied.

"I told you Jackie, it was about we found out a few days ago that Alec and I are half brothers," John tried to explain.

"Well he must have said something to her," Jackie insisted.

"We found out Bob may still be trying to get Rose back and that the agreement you signed was implying it was up to her being twenty one," John tried to explain.

"What?" Jackie asked.

"Mum, they think he got it changed somehow," Rose tried to tell her.

"It's true Jackie. He could easily have done it and we think if Rose goes back to Scotland, she'll be classed as a runaway and returned to him. He must have put something like that in the agreement."

Jackie reached for another tissue.

"Then it's all my fault for not reading the blasted thing," she cried. "What the hell was I thinking?"

"You weren't to know Mrs Tyler," Alec told her.

"No Jackie, he was clever," John agreed. "He only needed your signature on that agreement to go back and change it to whatever he wanted. When he realized Rose was avoiding going back to Paisley, he had it changed to anywhere in Scotland. Now she's sixteen though, he can't go back to child services but while she's still under twenty one, there are certain circumstances he can get her back."

"Why is he still after her?" Jackie wanted to know.

Alec wondered why she'd not noticed. Rose was growing into a beautiful young woman yet she had chosen to stay with him. Surely other young men would try to turn her head but it had already started with this garage she had to pass by every day to get to and from school.

"Jackie, I think we all know?" John asked her. "We know why he wants her back, she can be very valuable to him but we're not going to let that happen, are we Alec? With your permission Jackie, I'd like to help Alec look out for her. My dad, well my adopted dad is trying his best to find out who originally drew up this agreement and confront them but he doesn't want to name either of you."

"Well it doesn't matter now, does it?" Jackie asked. "I'm never going back and you're all intent in keeping Rose out of Scotland."

"For her own good," Alec reminded her. "If he goes after her, he still has to face my entire family. That's why my uncle is trying to find out who made the agreement legal."

"Well why doesn't he just give our names?" Jackie wanted to know.

"Jackie, you could also get into trouble for signing it," John reminded her. "We know you were never shown the entire agreement but your name and signature were on it. Then Bob can argue you gave him permission. There's no easy way out except to wait until Rose turns twenty one."

"Well why can't she confront whoever wrote the thing? Why can't she tell them she's old enough to make her own decisions?" Jackie asked.

"She has to be eighteen." John replied. "Then we have to find out the law firm who agreed to issue such an agreement. That's the problem Jackie, we could go around in circles but the end result is the same. If we expose Bob, he could claim you knew all about it and went along with it."

Jackie was about to run off but Rose caught her.

"I didn't know Rose," her mother cried.

"I know he fooled ya Mum but I tried to tell ya. Ya could have left him and he'd still have gone after us if we'd stayed up there. I suppose he figured I'd go back to see Alec but he knows I'm avoiding going back. Why the whole of Scotland though?" she asked John.

"I suppose he thinks you might move to another nearby town so you can see Alec?" John replied. "Rose, you and Alec may have been able to apply to go to the same college and get some financial support."

"Rose, we could do that down here, if you want?" Alec suggested. "We could move out of London."

"Alec I can't let ya leave your family for me. You need them."

John knew what she was trying to do.

"Rose is right," John told him. "Besides, neither of you can do anything just yet and staying down here, you wouldn't fit in Alec. Rose doesn't want you to have to go through it."

Rose still had tears in her eyes. She wanted him down here no matter what the cost was but it was unfair to him.

"Alec, John's right. We can't do anything but carry on as we are until you're old enough to leave home. Your uncle might have found that law firm by then and challenge them, right John?" Rose asked.

John seriously doubted it, whoever it was had covered their tracks and may not still be practising law.

"Alec, Rose is right. You'll have to stay as you are for now and discuss it later. I'd say you'd be better keeping to the original plan and complete your education near home. That way, you've got a better chance getting in the police academy. Other people manage," John told them.

"Easy for you to say," Rose disagreed. "If ya find out who's responsible, will that agreement be void?"

"I imagine so," John replied. "Bob must have had it changed fairly recently according to my dad's sources but if they've disappeared, there's cause to get it made void. That would entail getting Bob's copy and if he left a copy with them."

"Well he wouldn't have known I quickly read through it before we left," Jackie told him. "I wish I'd seen the name at the top of it but I was too busy trying to see what it said. I read enough to know to get Rose well away from him."

"Yes, thankfully," John replied. "Well, I hope this isn't going to spoil the rest of your holiday," he turned to Rose and Alec.

"No way," Rose tried to smile. "I guess we'll have to put up with it for now?"

"Rose, we'll manage," Alec tried to assure her. "John, we'll go round to where Rose is having all that trouble, won't we?"

"Well, all we can do is try. I'll talk to their boss and say Rose will take it further if they don't stop, that should do the job," John replied.

"Well I hope it works 'cos I've already been to the police and I was told they'd send someone round," Rose replied.

"Well they'll have to take notice if the boss gets more than one warning," John told her. "What about this Mickey?"

"He's keeping out of it 'cos Alec warned him to stay away from me," Rose replied.

"Well at least you won't have any bother with him. That told him then!" John joked.

"Yes John but he's standing back and letting his mates taunt her," Alec reminded his half brother.

"Sorry. Well, we'll have to talk to him, tell him if he cares about Rose, why is he letting his mates torment her?" John asked. "Does he live around here?"

"Leave it John. It's best not to confront him around here," Rose told him.

"Okay Rose, have it your way," John smiled. "So, what is there to do around here? We have to spend a few days looking around the tourist attractions. Are there any fairgrounds or theme parks then?"

Rose had to smile back at his enthusiasm.

"Tell you what, wouldn't it be good if there was a big wheel at the side of the river! Maybe one day someone will put one there!" John continued.

Everyone laughed at the thought. They made their plans where they were going and the next day, they were all up early to go to Brighton, John parking near the railway station and then they made their way to the seafront area and onto the pier where the first thing Jackie wanted to do was stop for a takeaway cup of tea so they all sat at the side of the pier.

"Hey John, there's your fairground," Rose laughed as Alec put his arm around her.

"Yes Rose, I've seen it but it's not open until after two. Don't they think people might want to go on the rides any earlier?" John protested.

"It's tradition," Jackie informed him. "It's to discourage people from skipping going to church instead. Maybe they should move with the times though, it's not the sixties any more."

John couldn't agree with her more, he was determined to at least go on the Ferris wheel as others called it but he'd have to convince Rose to sit with her mother, though that might take some doing as she seemed to be stuck like glue to Alec.

They were about to walk further up the pier when he took Alec to one side.

"Alec, can you get Rose to spend some time with her mother?"

Rose and Jackie were already leaning over the railings and pointing to something, Rose grinning.

"I don't think that will be a problem," Alec smiled. "I don't mind, they don't get the chance to go out for the day very often, let them go off."

"You came all this way to see her Alec but one day won't do any harm," John agreed.

"Well Rose wouldn't want you to look after her mother for the day," Alec teased him.

"Hey, watch it little brother," John teased him back. "We never really talked about that, did we? How do you feel about it?"

"It's taking some getting used to," Alec had to admit. "Are you going to have to tell the headmaster now?"

John rubbed the back of his head as he thought about it.

"I may get asked to leave, especially since I never declared I was your cousin. Mind you, you don't need me there now Rose has left and I think our mother was looking down to make sure I took care of you," John replied, seeing Rose loop her arm in her mother's as they walked off.

They left the pier, Rose wanting to go back later and they walked down the seafront, finding somewhere for lunch and seeing there wasn't an awful lot else to do due to it being mid October, they went back to the pier but Rose spotted a miniature railway sign just beyond the pier and dragged everyone off as the train approached the stop.

When they got back though, John thought he was going to have to cope with Jackie as Rose and Alec headed for some rides not suitable for her as they spun around and Rose clung hold of Alec, who was laughing.

"Not used to these?" he asked Rose as the ride set off at a slow pace.

He soon got his answer as she screamed with laughter in his ear and John had to laugh as Jackie looked concerned.

"Seems like they're enjoying themselves?" John asked her. "We all went to a fair near Paisley last year or was it the year before?" he smiled. "A lot happened in a very short space of time Jackie."

"You think I don't know that? I missed a hell of a lot of it you know? How the hell did I get taken in by that man that I ignored my daughter for three years?" Jackie asked him as Alec waved.

"It's not your fault Jackie and Rose doesn't blame you. It was lucky that Rose didn't get taken in by him either but she had Alec. I know he doesn't want to take the credit for it but he made a big difference in her life. I mean, just look at the two of them," he nodded towards where the ride was coming to a stop and Rose leaning across to kiss Alec's cheek.

"I tried to keep her safe," Jackie told him. "I let her sneak out a few times, like that first Christmas and new year."

"Yes, I know you did, she told us. Are you going on any of the rides?" he asked her as Rose ran towards them.

"That was great!" Rose exclaimed.

"Yes Rose, I could hear you screaming from here," John teased her.

"I have a sore ear from all that screaming Rose," Alec told her, getting a nudge from her.

"Come on mum, let's go on the big wheel," Rose suggested.

"You're not getting me on there," Jackie declared.

"Oh come on, I'll sit with ya," Rose encouraged her.

John hadn't thought it would be that easy.

As they waited in turn after paying and John wishing they could have bought just one ticket for everything, Rose had her arm in Alec's until it was nearly their turn.

"Alec, ya don't mind if I go on with my mum do ya?"

"No, you go ahead," Alec replied as he assumed John didn't want to go on with Jackie.

So as Rose helped her mother into the seat and the operator of the ride fastening the safety bar, Alec and John took the next one and John asked him an important question.

"So, before we leave this time, are you maybe going to do something?" John asked him.

"Such as?" Alec wanted to know, getting a nudge and hoping Rose couldn't hear.

"Don't be coy Alec. You bought her that sort of friendship ring last time, are you going to talk to her about getting engaged or something?"

"What? John, maybe it's a bit soon for that?" Alec asked him.

"Is It? You both love each other, you should think about talking to her about it. Do you think it will put her off? If so, I can assure you it won't, I've seen the two of you together."

"John, we'll only see each other during the holidays," Alec reminded him.

"So what? You both need to make some kind of commitment to each other, don't you think?'John asked him.

"I know but now, Rose doesn't want me to go to school down here, I don't know why she's so against it."

"Alec, she doesn't want to ruin your chances of getting in the police. She doesn't want to be selfish by getting her own way. Of course she wants you to, she's making the sacrifice for both of you. It's only for a couple of years, not forever," John told him. "Just think what you'd have to go through if you completed your education in London. Rose being in Paisley is a completely different thing."

Alec wondered if his older now half brother was right. Rose was sparing him everything she should have gone through but had somehow been spared, mostly by John.

"Maybe you are right?" he had to admit. "We have to get round her not coming back to Scotland somehow."

"I know, your uncle's doing all he can, let's see if by admitting Rose and her mother's names, we'll get there quicker?" John wondered.

"I don't want them getting into trouble," Alec reminded him.

"I know Alec. I wondered if those two are talking about you?" John tried to lighten the mood.

"Rose, I'll keep out of the way while Alec's here," her mother was telling Rose.

"Don't be daft Mum, John's already there anyway. Do ya know something? I think Alec is going to suggest we make some kind of commitment, maybe not get engaged though?"

"Well I should hope so," her mother replied as they descended for what she thought was one time too many and her stomach lurched yet again. "Why did this bloomin' thing have to go down forwards?"

Rose let out a laugh, thinking Alec was sure to hear it. When they finally got off, Jackie headed for a catering stall to get herself some tea, Rose patting her on the back.

"That's enough for me," Jackie told them. "You lot go on something else."

Several rides later, some with the three of them sat together and the rest just Rose and Alec, Alec went to try to win Rose a prize and after some consideration, aimed the darts, which got him a frown from the stall-holder when all three hit the mark and Rose chose a pink fluffy bear.

They made their way back to the car, deciding they'd go to Southend the next day and tried to persuade Jackie to go with them but she insisted she had appointments to keep.

When it got to Wednesday, they decided to first go to the zoo then take a boat ride and discussed where they would go the next day as they went back to Rose's flat.

"I'll drop the two of you off somewhere shall I?" John suggested.

"How about the science museum again?" Rose suggested, since it wouldn't cost them anything.

"Good idea," Alec agreed. "Maybe we can go look at the shops in the main shopping area afterwards?"

"Hey, don't have me getting lost trying to find you," John laughed.

Alec had an idea to get her another ring but would she think it was too much? He'd saved a bit of money with John offering to pay for any rides they went on while they were out and at the zoo so maybe he could buy Rose one of those 'Promise' rings he'd heard about. John had mentioned it again while they'd been waiting for Rose at the zoo.

John had asked how he'd felt about showing Rose he wanted to make a commitment to her.

"I'm nervous about mentioning it," Alec had admitted.

"So will Rose," John had grinned. "It's best saying something before you leave and not on the phone when you get back."

So while they were wandering around the exhibits at the science museum, Alec was wondering what Rose would think about it or if she thought the ring he'd already given her meant something about making a commitment?

They were looking at a display in a dark corner and waiting for the presentation to begin so they could take their seats when Alec whispered he had something to ask her. Rose was apprehensive as they watched a short film about space and stopped Alec as they were leaving.

"Then ask me," she told him as everyone else left.

"Let's go get a drink, then we can talk," Alec suggested.

Rose felt tense as they made their way to one of the cafes and Alec got some cold drinks and thought they'd wait to eat as everything was expensive, since her mother had made them a big breakfast anyway.

Rose was dreading what he wanted to talk about. Was it too much she refused to let him come down here and go to school? If she let him, he wouldn't fit in, they both knew it and he'd go back.

"Rose, you are right, about me not coming to live here but we'll find a way to get you back to Paisley and if not before the age we think, then we'll wait a few years but before that, I want you to know something."

"I know you love me Alec. Mum thought this ring you gave me was some sort of engagement ring," Rose smiled.

"She did? Trust your mother but all this talk of finally you getting back to Scotland, that's talking long term Rose."

"Well yeah, I suppose it is? I mean it's almost five years if your uncle can't do anything. I know ya hate the thought of not being here Alec but I can't let the dream you have of joining the police be spoiled. We'd hardly see each other if ya had to travel to a decent school, I'd never get accepted where you'd need to go."

"I know you've done your best Rose."

"Hey, anyway I have some news for you, I was saving it. I've put in for sixth form college and got accepted. It's only for a term starting next September but it'll help me get into proper college."

"That's great news Rose. See, I told you that you could do it. Rose, I want to make a commitment to you so how to you feel about me buying you a promise ring?" he asked hopefully, feeling proud of her.