A few days later, Rose awoke to the sound of Emmet playing the piano aggressively in the next room. She sighed as she saw it was quarter to four in the morning. This was the third night in a row she had been woken like this. She knew what was on Emmet's mind. Work and Caroline.

On the day Emmet handed in his notice he was informed Caroline had logged a complaint of sexual harassment against him. Which had to be investigated. Making it a very bad time to announce his resignation.

Rose pulled her thin pink silk gown on and headed for the kitchen. She made them both a cup of tea and poured generous amounts of brandy in each. She then took them to Emmet's study-come music room. He was too engrossed to hear her enter the room. After putting the mugs on the table at the side of the piano, she stood behind him and massaged his shoulders.

"I've made you tea, there's plenty of brandy in it. Might help you sleep." She said softly, before kissing his neck.

"Thanks love, though tea's not going to make this better." He replied, flatly.

Rose sat down beside him on the piano stool and put her arm around him. He let his head fall into the nook of her shoulder and Rose gently put her head against his.

"They can't prove anything as nothing happened . They haven't uncovered anything and you've only a few weeks until your new job starts."

"That's if they will still have me. I'm waiting on my reference and they won't give me one until this joke of an investigation is done. Who knows what they will say."

"Nothing because you've not done anything wrong." Rose replied, turning to face him.

He looked deep into her eyes, blurry from the endless sleepless nights. "You really do believe me don't you Rose?"

She took his hand, gave it a gentle squeeze and she smiled, "Emmet, of course I do. I know you and I know you would never do that to a woman."

"I hope there's enough people who will believe that too." He sighed, reaching over for his tea.

"Well, the other way to look at it and I know from experience, woman never get believed in situations like this. Usually it's unacceptable but this time it will work in your favour. They always blame the woman, men tend to think we are asking for it." She tried.

"Women like you maybe, but not Caroline." Emmet sighed.

Rose jumped off the stool, "Meaning what?!"

"Well you know,"

"What, just because I used to put it about and dress like I still do. Is that what you mean?" Rose shouted.

Emmet could tell his comments had hurt her but he was feeling too sorry for himself to go after the woman he loved. Besides, he really did believe in a situation like the one he found himself in, Caroline was more likely to be believed than Rose.

His other half made a point of slamming the door behind her as she left the room.

Emmet spent the next half an hour dwelling whilst he played music. He then went into the bedroom to find Rose wasn't there. Feeling the draught coming from the living room, he knew she was sitting on the balcony. He found her sat smoking a cigarette and drinking a brandy. She flicked her cigarette ash into one of the plant pots. Emmet didn't retaliate as he knew that's why she had done it. Since moving to the flat he had missed gardening and he had taken pride in his mini balcony garden.

"Can I sit down?"

"Help yourself, it is your place after all." She replied curtly.

He sat down on the wicker chair beside her and said, "I'm sorry Rose, I didn't mean what I said."

She didn't look at him, her gaze was firmly on the ashtray.

"It's alright, you only said what most think." She shivered with the early morning breeze.

"You must be cold, shall we go in?" Tried her boyfriend.

"I'll finish me fag first, if you don't mind."

"I am sorry Rose, I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Rose stubbed out her cigarette and looked at Emmet. She sighed, "I know you didn't mean it. You are a good man, Emmet. Too good to be knocking about with the likes of me."

"That's not true, love. There's no one I'd rather knock about with more." He smiled at her, rather feebly.

"Glad to hear it. Emmet, it will be alright. Give it a few weeks and you will be in your new job and it will all be forgotten ."

"What if it isn't?"

"Well you will still have me. We will get by. I've spent my whole life just getting by. But it's better getting by with you. If it comes to it there's always a job for you at my place and you've your private piano lessons, they are starting to take off."

Emmet smiled. "Thanks Rose. I love you so much."

"I know, I love you too. Come on lets go to bed. We've to be up in a couple of hours."

The next morning, Emmet wasn't surprised to see he had slept in. He rose from the bed and made his way towards the kitchen. He knew Rose was up because he heard the kitchen radio before he had opened his eyes. Emmet found his other half, still in her night dress and rollers still in her fringe, wrapping sandwiches in tin foil.

"Morning," he yawned. "How long have you been up?" He asked embracing her from behind.

"Ages, I couldn't get back to sleep. I've done your sarnies, ham salad with mustard." Rose replied. Turning round and handing Emmet a plastic container the sandwiches, a bag of ready salted crisps and an apple were in.

He took the lunch box off her and placed it on the kitchen worktop. "Thanks, are you still upset with me?"

Rose ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him. "No, of course not. You've been under a lot of stress lately. But you need to stay positive and stop feeling sorry for yourself. It will be what it will be like how things are with me and our Hyacinth these days. Now come on, you've not long left there."

"True, do you want me to meet you from work tonight?"

"I thought I might have tonight at home, on me own." She replied.

"Ah, so I'm not completely forgiven?"

"You are, it's just, no offence but I could do with at least one night's sleep this week. My days of pulling all nighters ceased when I got with you."

"I'm sorry love, I've been rather selfish haven't I?"

"You've had a lot on your mind and as much as I hate to admit it, at my age I do need my beauty sleep every once in a while."

That evening, Rose rang Emmet to make sure he was okay. He said he was fine but Rose didn't believe him. He did encourage her to have a night out with Daisy and Violet. Rose wouldn't admit it to Emmet but she did need to let her hair down followed by a good night's sleep.

The sisters didn't venture far, only to their local with Onslow in tow.

Violet eventually got Rose to stop talking about Emmet by encouraging her to do a few sambuca shots, awakening the former party animal within her.

Rose went to the bar to order another round of drinks. As she arrived, she saw a familiar face who was also waiting to be served.

"Jack! Hello stranger!" She beamed, hugging the tall, good looking man.

"Nice to see you Rose. I was sorry to hear about your father. He was always character."

"Thanks Jack, I was sorry to hear about your mother. Father was awfully fond of her."

"Thanks, Rose. I still can't believe she's been gone a week. Mum was very fond of your dad too, we very nearly become step siblings."

"Several times." Rose laughed. "C'mon why don't you join me, our Daisy and our Violet? Onslow's knocking about somewhere too."

"I'd like that a lot Rose," He said hugging her tightly.

Unbeknownst to Rose, the mousy woman was sitting a few tables away and she was made up when she witnessed the embrace.

Jack took his place in the booth with Rose and her sisters. He was very pleased to see them, especially Daisy as she had been so good to his mother, over the years.

"We are doing shots Jack, I'm trying to get our Rose back. She's been such a bore since she got with Mr Piano Man. She's at risk of turning into Daisy with her 'Onslow this, Onslow that' chat." Violet explained.

"Have I become a bore?"

"Do I only talk about Onslow?" The sisters asked, overlapping each other.

"Daisy, ever since Onslow came to our front door with his uncle and their Rlaphie, buying scrap metal, you've not shut up about him. And Rose while I am pleased you've found Emmet and are settling down, you are running the risk of becoming as dull as he can be."

"Emmet's not all dull, he can be fun."

"How?" The middle sister of the three asked. As Rose smirked wickedly and raised an eyebrow Violet decided she didn't want to know the answer.

"To be fair our Rose you have been banging on about him a lot lately." Added Daisy.

"Rose banging on about a bloke? Well I never!" Jack interjected.

Rose gave him a friendly nudge in the ribs.

"Well 'appen I have. It's only because I'm so worried about him since this investigation at work. I am worried it's tipping him over the edge."

Rose proceeded to fill Jack and her sisters in about Emmet's saga and how she loved him but she was looking forward to a night without him.

The woman sat a few tables away was very intrigued in their conversation. When Jack went over to the bar to get around in, she took her chance to interrogate him about Rose. The woman was enraged when they all left to continue drinking elsewhere. However, she had gathered enough information for what she needed. Now she just needed to bide her time before she put her plan into action.

After a good night out and a good night's kip normal service for Emmet and Rose resumed. Things were looking up again for the couple. Caroline's accusations had since been dropped. Emmet had started his new job and was enjoying it thoroughly. The mystery woman had even stopped following Rose.