Joey's POV.

I push open the door and walk into the house I called home for nearly all my life. And let's face it; it would still be home if it weren't for Lauren. It's funny really cos I only went to Walford to bring Alice back home but she wasn't the reason I ended up staying.

"Who is it?" Mum calls out, probably from the back garden as that is where she spends all her time. It feels good to hear her voice. I decided I needed to come home and see her. She's the only one who can make sense of the whole Lauren situation and tell me what to do.

"It's me, Mam." I reply and I hear a sharp intake of breath and then silence. She's shocked. I didn't tell her I was coming. I just turned up. Then the sound of footsteps signals her entrance into the house. She stops in front of me, and stares at me with a smile on her face.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" She murmurs and wraps her arms around me.

"I missed ya, Mam." I admit, hugging her back.

"Not enough to come back home, ay?" She chides softly and squeezes my cheek.

"I couldn't come home." I tell her, truthfully.

"It's just wonderful that you look after Alice, sweetheart but she'll be okay on her own, you know." Mum finally lets go of me and sits down, ushering me to do the same.

"It's not Alice."

"No? So if Alice isn't the reason, then what? It can't be a girl because you've never had a girlfriend."

"We'll get to that later. Tell me how you've been."

"I miss my children. I know you're not babies anymore but I wish I could keep you both here with me forever."

"Walford's not that hot either."

"So what are you still doing there? Do you go to visit Derek's grave?"

"No, Ma, I don't. What's been happening here then? Is that creep next door still bothering ya?"

"He wants to take me to dinner."

"Well he can whistle can't he."

"I accepted."

"Oh God, you really are missing us. Don't tell me the next time I see you, I'll have to walk you down the aisle."

"What, at my age?! Don't be daft."

"Stranger things have happened."

"I don't know about me but I do hope to see our Alice walking down the aisle. I know it's too much to hope for where you're concerned."

"Again, Mother, stranger things have happened."

"So it is a girl? Is this one of your jokes again? I'm too old for that now, love."

"Fine, yes it is a girl."

"Who is this wondrous creature that's deemed good enough for the commitment-phobe Joseph Branning?" Mum mocks, chuckling.

"She is wondrous."

"She must be pretty bloody fantastic if she's got you grinning like that."

"She is, Mam. I didn't know they made birds like that, you know."

"Who is she, then? And when do I get to meet her?"

"Well, that's the thing. We're not actually together anymore." I sigh. I don't know what will be harder to explain; the fact that Lauren's in rehab or that she's my cousin.

"What did you do?" Mum asks, straightaway.

"She was having some problems. With alcohol. And I ended it."

"So what you're telling me is that after all the years you spent looking after me and your sister, you turned your back on someone who needed you to look after her too?"

"Yeah." I nod, ashamed. That is exactly what I did.

"Joey, one minute you're telling me she's the best thing since sliced bread and the next you're saying you ended it with her? Why? What made you do that?"

"I just thought I was making her worse and that without me, she could get better."

"And did she?"

"She's in rehab."

"Oh, Joey. I've never been disappointed in you darling, but I have to say I am feeling some disappointment right now." Mum shakes her head, sadly. Wait till you find out who she is, I think to myself.

"So, what's her name?"

"Lauren." I mumble.

"Lauren. Lauren. Hmm. Why does that name ring a bell?" Mum frowns. Shit. I just shrug, struggling with how to break it to her.

"Wait a minute. Wasn't the girl you used to bring home every day when you were 5 called Lauren?"

"No Mam, what was she called? God, I'd forgotten about her."

"Oh, I know why it sounds familiar! Your Uncle Max has a daughter called Lauren!" Mum clicks her finger, remembering.

"Yeah." I nod, not meeting her eyes.

"You must have met, what with you living there now. How is Max? I always liked him. Jack, too. It's just Derek who I wasn't particularly fond of." She laughs, dryly.

"Yeah, I've met her. Max is great, so is Jack. Carol lives there too."

"Oh, her. I never got on with her. So anyway, this Lauren, then. Tell me about her."

"Erm." I manage to stumble out before it feels like my throat is closing up.

"Yes?" Mum peers at me, giving me a strange look.

"Mum, Lauren is.." I start but can't finish.

"Lauren is what?"

"She's M-" I start to say and then Mum lets out a huge gasp.

"Oh no, Joey. Tell me what I'm thinking isn't true and it's just my overactive imagination and addiction to soaps." Mum looks distraught.

"What you're thinking in't true. It's just your overactive imagination and addiction to soaps." I mutter, not being able to look her in the eye.

"Oh, Joey. Joey, Joey, Joey." She groans and I shrug, not knowing what to say.

"I don't imagine Max was best pleased about it?"

"Not at first. Neither was Derek. That car crash I had last year? We were running away so we wouldn't have to tell 'em." I admit, sheepishly.

"Oh, darling."

"Are you disappointed in me, Mam?"

"Are you happy? Does she make you happy?"

"That's an understatement."

"Then, I'm happy for you. I'm only disappointed about the way it ended; I wish you would have helped her."

"So, you're not disgusted at the sight of me?"

"Oh, don't be silly, sweetheart. I'm not Derek, am I! You're my baby; you could never disgust me. All I want is for you to be happy."

"I was happy, Mam. Really. Before I ruined everything."

"It's not over till the fat lady sings, Joe."

"She's sung."

"Oh, I hate to say this but you always think negatively; like your old man!"

"Oh, thanks a bunch!"

"Well, you know he was like that. Always thinking about the worst case scenario."

"I basically told her I wanna marry her and she said she needs to get over me."

"Oh."

"Exactly."

"No, you can't give up now! You were prepared to run away for this girl and more importantly she was prepared to do the same for you. Leave everything behind for you. Oh, hold on. So, was she driving that night?"

"Yeah."

"And you took the rap for it. You don't do those things if it wasn't serious. You faced your old man and hers and all your family and told them you wanted to be with her. And now you wanna give up?"

"I don't want to but her goodbye speech didn't exactly fill me with hope."

"Forget what she said when she left; she was about to go into rehab. The poor thing was probably all over the place. When is she coming back?"

"That's the other thing. She might not be coming back. I've been ringing her every day; left her loads of messages but she ain't returned my calls."

"She can't stay in rehab forever, can she."

"Max and his wife have spilt up; she might live with her Mam mightn't she."

"You've gotta find that out haven't ya? And if she's living there, you'll have to go after her."

"What if she wants nothing to do with me?"
"I'll be honest darling, I can't say I'd blame her if she didn't, but you have to give it a shot won't ya? You have to talk to her, explain how sorry you are and how serious you are about her. And then you have to bring her here so I can meet her."

"I'd love you to meet her, Mam. You'd really like her. She's got a mouth on her; the amount of times she gave Derek a piece of her mind! She's brilliant."

"A girl after me own heart then in't she? I can't believe my ears, darling. My boy's in love."

"How'd you know?"

"I don't think you'd shack up with your cousin if it wasn't love. And you certainly wouldn't tell everyone about it or run away together."

"Good point."

"I'm getting all teary, love." Mum sniffs and reaches for a tissue.

"Oh, Mam, Don't." I move closer to her and hug her.

"I just never thought it'd happen. You've never even bought a girl home. And you always put me and Alice before everything, I worried you didn't have room for a girl in your life."

"I didn't think it'd happen either, Mam. You know, I didn't go there for this. I went to show Alice what our old man really was and then bring her home. But, it just happened. And now I can't imagine going back to how my life used to be, before her."

"Darling, I'm made up for you! I really am, you've made an old woman very happy, son." Mum smiles through her tears.

"You're not that old! You don't look a day over 30."

"That stopped being funny after I hit 40 and now that 50 is approaching it's definitely not funny." Mum groans.

"How old are you again, 29?" I smile, making her laugh.

"Mam, I'm gonna bring her home. I promise ya. I'm gonna win her back and then bring her home for you to meet her." I promise.

"That's my boy! I know you can do it. No-one can refuse that lovely smile of yours; if you ever smiled, that is."

"I've found myself smiling a lot more this past year, actually"

"I bet you have. Here, maybe the next time you see us won't be me walking down the aisle. Maybe it'll be Lauren." Mum winks.

"I don't know. She din't seem dead keen."

"She was probably shocked, like I was, to hear you talking about marriage! Now that she's had time to think about it, I'm sure she's changed her mind."

"I hope so, Mam."

"Ey, at least you won't have all that bother of paperwork and name changes cos she's already a Branning." Mum chortles.

"How original, Mam!" I roll my eyes.

"Cut me some slack, you've only just told me!" Mum protests.

"Sorry, sorry!" I hold my hands up in mock surrender.

The rest of the afternoon passes nicely with me and Mum catching up on the past few months and I realise just how much I've missed her. I make a mental note to visit her more often. Maybe even move back one day soon; hopefully, with Lauren. Once I'm back in Walford, before going back to the Square, I buy a ring.