The  youngest now has a boyfriend.

It’s only a week into the blossoming relationship and the first flowers have been delivered.

Sweet, you might say, but what about if the flowers left on the front porch weren’t for her …..

BUT for me??

So far as parents we have been pretty lucky with the calibre of kids the girls have chosen to be, as they say on Facebook, ‘in a relationship’ with.

We have allowed one to come away for a few days on a family holiday and one to stay over at the family home. ( On a different level and with laser beams and sirens on the door)

There have been a few glitches in these relationships – one was a teddy bear that was too big to bring home on the train- but it seems the biggest culprit to a smooth puppy-love story is the mobile phone.

In a recent incident, the second youngest lost control of her texting sensibilities and is still paying off the excessive phone bill.

The latest occurred because the youngest’s phone is on the blink and therefore thinks that excludes her from the usual contact obligations- like letting her mum know when she’s going to be late.

Yesterday on the last day of school, the youngest and her new love went to the movies.

” That’s fine,” I said when she asked to go,”but be home by 5.45pm as we have your friends and their mums coming for dinner.”

“No worries,” she responded, happy to have a day that included both girl and boy friends.

I had texted for her to call when she was out of the movies so I could pick her up.

6.00pm- Still no word or sign of her, despite repeatedly calling and texting.

6.15pm- Her friends and their mums arrive.

6.20pm- Reluctantly one of the girls give up the boyfriend’s phone number and when I call they are still in the movie theatre.

The conversation went something along the lines of.

Daughter-my phone’s not working so I couldn’t let you know it was going to start later.

Me-I don’t care how long there is to go in the movie, get to the train station and when you are on the train get the boyfriend to call me so I can come and pick you up from the other end

Daughter…my mobile isn’t working

Boyfriend-Mumbling in the background

Daughter-he wants to know if he should buy you flowers to say sorry.

Me – (offhandedly) tell him I like roses

Me-Borrow the boyfriend’s phone and call me when the train arrives

Daughter- okay, sorry mum, I’ll will be home soon.

In the end the boyfriend caught the train home with her, walked her home and came in and met not only me but the mothers of her three friends, while he waited for his parents to pick him up.

I thought nothing more about it, and when a bunch of flowers were left on the front porch this morning I initially thought they were from a friend who had just completed the Oxfam walk and was saying thanks for the support.

I was about to call her when it twigged.

Of course, as my phone is still under credit and not on the blink I thanked the new boyfriend for the lovely roses.

He texted back that he was sorry for making a bad impression and interrupting my night.

Mobile phones and teenagers have a lot to answer for.

I agree, very sweet.