Rose Tyler's New Life

Chapter 3

The Wednesday after her coming back with the rest of her personal belongings, having had to make another trip, Rose was standing in the middle of the shop surveying her handiwork. She had got back as planned and spent a few day arranging things at home as she wanted them. She was now trying to get the shop looking right for the opening on Saturday, having only taken two days to get it stocked. Were the pictures straight? Did the card display look ok? Had she overdone it? The cash register was arriving on Friday, the phone line was being installed the same day along with internet access so she could bring her laptop to do her work for Torchwood and keep a stock register. The back of the shop had been fitted with a new kitchen and separate rest room, she didn't really need a stockroom.

She'd decided on re-ordering when stock got to a certain level. After all, she wasn't exactly on a tight budget, Torchwood was paying for it all, even her rented house. Plus as an added bonus she was still receiving her salary even when she was in the process of moving. "One of the perks of being the boss's step-daughter," she smiled. Anything she made from the shop was hers to pay any staff she employed and expenses. She was going to need it; after all, the gallery was only a front for the real purpose.

When she got connected to the internet at work, she could work from there as well as at home with her secure connection to the London office. Jake would be setting that up for her as he'd done at home. They'd finally got everything sorted, everything was moved in. She had chosen to get all new furniture, done out both bedrooms mainly so Jake had somewhere to stay and if her mum wanted to come down with Tony, fittings and electrical goods, not wanting to pinch anything from the Tyler residence and Jake didn't have anything to bring as he wasn't staying much longer, he was missing his home comforts back in London.

She realised she'd been staring at the walls for too long and had forgotten she'd left the blind on the window up. It was just to give a bit of natural light to the place. She had gone for spotlights in clusters rather than tubes, they gave her a headache after a while. Spotlights were much easier on the eyes. She'd got rid of the mint green and cream and replaced it with a peachy colour instead, with one wall to the right of the doorway covered in white peg boards to hold the various sizes of the prints, just two of each, though not too high for safety reasons. The wall on the same side of the door had some posters and a few prints firmly hung up as with above the counter and a rack with display sleeves holding posters of various floral decorations and single flowers. In front of the window was a display stand full of various sized greeting cards, all of flowers. She'd decided to call it 'The Sunflower Gallery' due to the colour of the shop exterior but she was against just selling sunflower themed items.

She turned around and her mouth dropped as she looked through the window.

"No!" she thought, "No, I'm seeing things, it can't be."

There, on the other side of the glass stood an unshaven Doctor. She shook her head, trying to see if she was actually seeing things or if he really was there. He was, and looking slightly bewildered. She turned around, heading for the counter and grabbed her mobile phone. She was just about to speed dial Jake when something caught her eye. She saw a Police I.D badge and moved the phone away from her. She calmed herself and walked to the door. Thoughts were rushing through her head, all jumbled into one, she had to see who this man was, who had scared her and surprised her all at once and who shouldn't be there, in this universe. She gestured for him to show her his ID so she could take a closer look. She unbolted the door and yelled at him, not thinking.

"You scared the hell out of me, what are you doing here?" was all she managed to come out with.

The man just looked at her and replied, "Nice to meet you too."

She looked at his I.D again, it read Detective Inspector Alec Hardy just as the man said "I'm Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, Broadchurch Police and you are?"