Love, Rosie (288 page)

good
guy.

Yeah
I
will.
I’ll
actually
be
seeing
him
again
tonight;
we’re
going
out

for
dinner.

Is
it
a
date?

Honestly
what
is
it
with
you
and
Mum?
He
used
to
be
my
best

friend.
I
couldn’t
go
out
with
him.

Oh
don’t
be
stupid,
there’s
nothing
wrong
with
dating
a
best
friend.

That’s
what
Mum
said
too!

She
did?

Yeah
so
I
tried
to
put
it
into
perspective
for
her
by
explaining
that

would
be
like
her
dating
you
.

And
what
did
she
say
to
that?

I
don’t
think
she
was
particularly
put
off
by
the
idea.
So
you
see

Alex,
whenever
you
get
your
lazy
behind
out
of
that
house
of
yours,

you
no
that
there’s
one
woman
at
least
who’ll
have
you.
Ha
ha.

Alex:

Katie:

I
see
.
.
.

Jesus
Alex,
lighten
up.
OK
I
gotta
go
and
get
ready
for
dinner.

You
have
an
instant
message
from:
ROSIE

Rosie:

Ruby:

Hello
old
woman,
what
are
you
up
to?

Sitting
in
my
rocking
chair
knitting.
What
else?
No,
Gary,
Maria,

and
the
kids
just
left
and
I’m
knackered.
I
can’t
run
after
them
like
I

used
to.

Rosie:

Ruby:

Rosie:

Ruby:

Rosie:

Do
you
really
want
to
anyway?

No
and
stiff
muscles
are
a
great
excuse
for
not
having
to
play
hide-

and-seek
24/7.
What
are
you
up
to?

I’m
just
taking
a
break
from
clearing
away
all
the
dust
from
the

builders.
Honestly
have
they
ever
heard
of
the
words
vacuum
cleaner?

No
and
neither
have
I.
Is
it
a
new
invention?
How
is
the
new
wing

looking?

Oh
it’s
great
Ruby,
I’ll
have
so
much
more
privacy
now.
I
can
stick

love,
rosie

425

to
my
side
of
the
house
and
the
guests
can
have
theirs.
I’ve
deco-

rated
a
room
just
the
way
you
like
it
so
it
can
be
yours
when
you

stay.
Let
me
know
when
you
can
come
over.
I’m
heading
off
out

with
Sean
tonight.

Ruby:

Rosie:

Again?
Well
this
is
really
becoming
a
regular
occurrence
indeed.

He’s
a
lovely
man
and
I
really
enjoy
his
company.
Even
though
the

house
is
always
full
of
strangers,
I
can
still
feel
alone
so
it’s
nice
to

be
able
to
meet
up
with
him
once
in
a
while.

Ruby:

Rosie:

Ruby:

Rosie:

Ruby:

Rosie:

Ruby:

I
know
what
you
mean.
He
seems
a
real
gentleman
alright.

He
is.

I
read
in
the
newspaper
that
Alex’s
marriage
had
ended.
It
was
in