Emmet Hawksworth was returning home from what was easily the worst date in history when he bumped into a very drunken Rose.
He had told his sister Liz he was going to the church hall, to organise with the vicar possible dates he could stage his latest musical. It was one Emmet was most proud of as he had penned it himself. He had tried to write plays and musical scores for most of his adult life, hoping to make it big time in the entertainment industry but it took an acrimonious divorce for Emmet to find inspiration.
In truth, he was actually going on an unofficial date with Laura, one of the receptionists at Emmet's workplace. They had become quite good friends and had a lot in common so after a couple of months plucking up courage, he finally asked her for a drink. Unfortunately, the night he suggested, Emmet hadn't accounted for the fact Laura's ex-husband would be there and making a big scene about not being allowed to see his children since he came out of prison.
"Well, you always could pick them, I don't know why you bother, you are too old for this" he muttered as he walked home, admitting defeat. He had never been good at dating.
As he drew closer to home he could hear the sounds of hysterical sobbing. Emmet rolled his eyes and wondered what on Earth the world was coming to when he clocked a figure hugging a wall sobbing out of control. Emmet gathered the cause of the woman's emotional outburst was down the almost empty vodka bottle which rolled to his feet. He picked it up and placed it on to the wall.
"Are you alright?" he asked placing his hands around the blonde's delicate waist.
"I think I fell over" a very slurred but familiar voice said turning around to face the man who had helped her.
"Well, it looks like you have had quite a lot to dri- Rose?" he said resisting the urge to laugh at the predicament Hyacinth's little sister had gotten herself into.
"Oh, hello, Emmet" Rose replied, trying to sound sexy. "Thank you for getting me to my feet, I think I have had a bit too much to drink."
"You can say that again" he said, catching her, as her ankle went over her turquoise stiletto shoes.
"Will you escort me to our Hyacinth's, please?"
Emmet grinned; he could already envision Mrs. Bucket going mental when he presented her with an intoxicated Rose. Emmet revelled in Hyacinth's embarrassment, he sometimes worried that he should feel guilty about it but that was yet to happen. "Why should you want to go there?"
"To show her I can be respectable" Rose explained dropping her clutch bag, its contents spilled out onto the pavement.
"Here let me get those, you sit on that wall and don't move" Emmet said picking up several items of makeup, a lighter, an almost full box of cigarettes, a torn pair of fishnets and a tube of eyelash glue. Both of them failed to spot the set of keys that fell into a flowerbed under the velvet night light.
"Oh, not only are you dishy but a gentleman as well, this must be my lucky night" Rose chuckled desperately trying to regain her balance.
"I thought you wanted to see your sister." Emmet said cautiously, he might have been terrified of Hyacinth but her younger sister made him equally as jittery, still at least she was more appealing to look at, even after consuming almost a litre of vodka. He couldn't deny she owned the finest pair of legs that he had ever come into contact with.
"Oh she can wait, I am not sure I want to be respectable anymore" she winked, making Emmet feel even more uneasy.
"I think we need to get you home" Emmet said growing more concerned about the state Rose was in and desperate to fight off any possible advances she might make.
Rose stumbled over a crack in the pavement. "Yes, I can see our Hyacinth in the morning."
"I think that is a good idea, come and see her when you are sober, lord knows that will go down a whole lot better with her royal highness" he said mockingly.
"Only just, our Hyacinth gets rather embarrassed about the kind of lifestyle I lead" Rose admitted sounding rather ashamed.
"I wouldn't worry about it, she is like that with anyone, come on I will drive you back home, I am sure Liz won't mind me borrowing the car." Emmet flushed as Rose gave him a genuine smile; it wasn't one of her sexy smiles but one that showed she was taken aback by his good will, allowing him to see her vulnerability.
"Just a second ago you were trying to get rid of me" Rose slurred.
"I wouldn't say that-"Emmet was interrupted as Rose was violently sick onto the road. Miraculously she didn't get any on herself or Emmet.
Without thinking Emmet had quickly offered Rose his bed for the night, before he knew what he had said.
By now Rose was deteriorating rapidly into a drunken stupor and was finding it impossible to walk. Emmet scooped her up and took her to back to Elizabeth's house.