FIRST WE ARE FRIENDS MOMENT:
Heading out for a run the morning after I returned from rehab, I needed to get things straight in my head before I went to see the people I needed to apologise to; Lucy, Whitney, Joey…
An hour later and Lucy and Whitney down, it was now time to make the hardest apology of all: to Joey. Finding out from Alice he was at R&R (talk about hard), I made my way down the market having showered and changed to make myself look more presentable. Making my way down the all too familiar steps, I inhaled and exhaled a breath before making my way into the bar, seeing Joey unloading a delivery, bottles of vodka in hand…
"One of those for me?" I questioned
"Lauren" he proclaimed, shock evident on his face as he turned to me, almost dropping the bottles "no, no they're not"
"I was kidding, Joey" I informed him
"Yeah" he replied "do you think you should be here, Lauren?"
"No" I admitted "but I had to apologise to you, clear the air, see if we can still be friends?"
"Can we talk later?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at me "I'm busy and you, well this isn't the right place for you"
I swallowed a lump in my throat and nodded my head, signalling yes… "Where?"
"The caf?" he suggested "in an hour or so?"
"Okay" I replied, nodding my head, signalling yes "see you then, then"
"You're going out again?" Dad asked as I pulled my boots onto my feet
"Yeah, to meet Joey" I informed him
"I thought you'd already been to see him?" he questioned
"He was busy so we didn't really get a chance to speak" I admitted "so I'm off to the caf to meet him now and sort things out"
"Just be careful, yeah?" he asked "I don't want you, well you know"
"That won't be happening again" I assured him, kissing his cheek softly "see you soon, Dad"
JOEY'S POV:
I sat in the table in the corner to give Lauren and I some privacy, a tea sat in front of me, a coffee sat on the table waiting for her. Hearing the door open, I turned and saw Lauren scan the caf, looking for me. Locking eyes with me, I smiled at her and she made her way over, removing her coat and sitting down…
"Thanks for this" she sighed, taking a sip of the hot liquid
"You're welcome" I replied "sorry about earlier, I was a bit abrupt, wasn't I?"
"Just a bit, but it's understandable. You weren't expecting me back so soon, right?" she asked
I nodded my head, signalling yes. She was right, I wasn't, not after everything that had happened… "It was just a shock. But it's good that you're back. I've missed you"
"I've missed you too" she admitted "I'm so sorry, Joey, I really am"
"For what?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at her
"Everything, everything I put you through. I never meant to hurt the one good thing in my life" she sighed "I've really messed things up, haven't I?"
"No" I proclaimed "I care about you too much to let you go. We're friends, Lauren. That's that"
"We're friends. That's that" she mirrored