Chapter 9


Max, Abi and Tanya were sat around the table in stony silence. After Max had stormed out, he'd gone and drowned his problems with alcohol, only to find it didn't work and stumbled back home, to find Abi and Tanya sat at the table.

'So, how was work today, Dad?' asked Abi, prodding at her roast potatoes. Max swallowed a bite of his chicken and looked at his youngest daughter.

'Yeah. It was alright. Didn't really concentrate much though' he replied. Abi looked down at her plate, nodding, knowing what her father was on about.

'Why couldn't you concentrate?' asked Tanya. Max slammed his knife and fork down, making Tanya and Abi jump.

'RIGHT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! LAUREN IS LYING IN A HOSPITAL BED RIGHT NOW! AND NOT ONE OF YOU SEEM TO GIVE HER A SECOND THOUGHT!' Max shouted

'SHE LOST US WHEN SHE CHOOSE JOEY OVER US! SO I'VE GOT EVERY RIGHT NOT TO GIVE HER SECOND THOUGHT!' Tanya screamed at him. Abi pushed her plate away and rushed up the stairs, not wanting to get caught in another one of her parents rows...


Abi slammed her bedroom door shut and sat on her bed, breathing heavily. She was so angry right now at her mum. Lauren was in love, yes it was with their cousin, but it's legal for that happen. And they only just met last year and were told they cousins, so it's not like they've grown up together. A thought suddenly struck Abi. She ducked under her bed and pulled out some photos of her Lauren, then rushed to her parents room and dug out their photos from Lauren's last birthday with them, before everything happened. She selected a huge pile and stormed downstairs, straight in the middle of a blazing row.

'HERE! LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS MUM! LOOK AT HOW LAUREN USED TO BE. SHE BARELY SMILED IN ANY PHOTOS AT ALL, YET WHEN JOEY CAME ALONG, THAT ALL CHANGED. SHE WAS SMILING; HER EYES WOULD LIGHT UP LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW! SHE LOVES HIM MUM, SO ACCEPT IT! AND ACCEPT THE FACT THAT NOTHING YOU WILL SAY OR DO WILL EVER CHANGE THE WAY LAUREN FEELS ABOUT JOEY!' screamed Abi, breathing heavily at the end of her speech. Max and Tanya lapsed into silence, slightly stunned at Abi's outburst.

'She's got a point, Tan. Just look at her there, and look at her now...' Max said, reaching for the photo of Lauren and Joey, which Lauren had printed off and placed it on the table, but Tanya didn't look at it.

'Why won't you accept them, mum?' said Abi, her voice sounding like she was going to cry

'Because she can have any guy in the world, but she chooses her cousin!' said Tanya shrilly. Max stepped forward and placed a hand on his wife shoulder

'Sometimes, you can't help who you fall for or have an affair with... if something feels right, you've just got to go for it..' said Max

'What? Just like you and Stacey did behind mine and Bradley's backs for a whole year?' the words were out of Tanya's mouth before she could stop them

'Oh here we go' groaned Max, knowing Tanya was about to go on a rant about his affair with Stacey, however that got cut short when Max's mobile rung.

'Joey, what's happened?... calm down, what's happened?... Is she?... yeah, I'll be right there... you sure that's safe?... okay, see you in a bit' said Max, hanging up. Tanya and Abi looked at him, waiting for him to say something.

'It's Lauren. She's awake' he said...


Max arrived at the hospital, Tanya and Abi close behind. They entered the ward and saw Joey stood outside Lauren's room. Even though he was looking through the window, Max could see tear tracks staining Joey's face.

'Joe?' asked Max, dreading the worse. Joey's head snapped to the sound of Max's voice. Max walked over to him and hugged him, assuming the worse.

'She remembers me. She remembers me, Max' Joey sobbed...

Flashback

Lauren looked round and her eyes settled on Joey, who sucked in a breath and gripped the chair with both hands. Please babe, remember me he thought, but he didn't get his hopes up. Then her voice uttered them words...

'Joey? You're here!' she croaked, her throat dry. Joey let out a huge sigh of relief and a cry at the same time. He leaned over and crushed his lips to Lauren's, not caring that the doctor was watching them. He had lived for two weeks and three days thinking Lauren wouldn't remember him, and she did. He pulled back and Lauren's eyes shone with tears, as did Joey's. They distantly heard the doctor leave the room, saying to his colleague about giving them five minutes alone together.

'Jesus, I thought you wouldn't remember me' gasped Joey, not bothering to wipe the tears away on his face. Lauren brought her hand up and wiped them away for him though.

'Don't cry... I'm sorry' she said. Joey clasped a hand over hers, which was still on his cheek, enjoying the warmth was spreading through his body at her touch.

'What for?' asked Joey, not really listening

'For not believing you about the text's. I found after Lucy was bragging about it to Whit. I came to find you ,but something stopped me...' Lauren trailed off, as Joey pressed another kiss to her lips.

'It's doesn't matter. What matters is you're here with me' said Joey. Lauren smiled then asked a question what Joey had dreaded.

'Joey, what's happened? Why am I in here?'

End of flashback


A few minutes later, Joey was allowed back into the room. Max watched as Joey and a doctor chatted about something. He saw the doctor nod and Joey opened the door.

'Right, Lauren does have amnesia, but we need to know who she knows and who she doesn't know' said Joey. Max replayed the sentence over and over in his head. There was a possibility that he could into that room and his own daughter could think he was a stranger. Max, Tanya and Abi braced themselves and walked in, slowly.

'Lauren, there's some people here to see' said Joey, walking over to Lauren. He winced as auren grabbed his hand tightly, as the others filed in.

'Lauren, who's this?' asked Joey, pointing to Max.

'My dad, Max' said Lauren. Max visibly relaxed and sent a smile at Lauren, who returned it.

'OK. Good. Your doing good. Who's she?' Joey asked pointing to Abi

'My Abster. C'mere' said Lauren holding her arms out for Abi. Abi broke down in tears and flung her arms round her oldest sister. Joey, Max, Tanya and even the doctor were touched by the reunion.

'No crying. No crying' said Lauren, as she drew back from the hug with Abi, and re took Joey's hand.

'Okay. Last one. Who's that?' asked Joey, pointing to Tanya, who looked a little nervous. Lauren looked her mum straight in the eye.

'I've don't have a clue who she is. I've never seen her before in my life...' said Lauren, the words piercing Tanya like a knife to the heart...


She's awake and remembers everyone but Tanya :D What happens nexyt? Read and find out :D R&R