Over the next three weeks, Lauren threw herself into her work, earning back the money that she had borrowed from Joey's parents. She was dealing with 4 or 5 clients a day, sometimes working into the early hours to complete a job so that could take on another 4 or 5 the next day. She wasn't taking care of herself. She was bathing and keeping herself clean, always making sure she looked as stunning as always, but she wasn't sleeping well, she was turning to vodka to help her sleep, she wasn't eating properly, and when anyone saw her they could see that she had lost weight, that she looked tired.

Lauren was taking a break before she moved onto her afternoon clients. The R&R, The Salon and Uncle Derek's books. She was sitting in the Vic with an orange juice and a salad, she had eaten about three mouthfuls and pushed the plate away. Lucy came in with Poppy and Whitney, she told them to get a table and she walked over to Lauren. She sat down at the table and Lauren looked up at her

'Hi' Lucy said 'I didn't come here to fight' she told her 'I came to see if you were okay. Joey's worried about you and I can see why'

'Well you can tell Joey that I am big enough to take care of myself and that once he's in Spain he won't have to worry about me anymore, not that he needs to now' she replied

'Can I do anything? If you want to talk?' she asked Lauren 'I don't know exactly what's happened between you and Joey, when I ask him he practically bites my head off and tells me to mind my own business' Lucy told her 'I think.. I know that he misses you'

Lauren looked up at Lucy 'Yeah well you can tell him that I don't miss him so…'she trailed off

Lucy nodded 'Have you changed your mind about coming to the wedding?'

'No' Lauren said

'I know it would mean a lot to Joey if you came'

'Right now I don't really care what means a lot to Joey' Lauren replied

'It would mean a lot to me too' Lucy added

'Why? After everything that I said to you?' Lauren asked her 'Why would you want me there?'

'I think we both said things that we didn't mean. I was jealous of you, of your relationship with Joey' Lucy admitted to her 'You are one of the most important people in his life. You need him and he drops everything to be there for you. Even me'

'Yeah well not anymore so..' Lauren trailed off with a shrug of her shoulders.

'He won't let anyone say a bad word about you. He's very protective of you' Lucy told her and she licked her lips 'Look, you are welcome at the wedding if you change your mind, the reception too. I haven't taken you off the seating plan' she said 'And the Hen night is at the R&R tonight, I hope to see you there Lauren' Lucy said and she smiled at her, Lauren blinked 'Well I better let you get back to your lunch' Lucy got up and she walked back to her friends.

Lauren frowned and she glanced over at them expecting to see them laughing at her, instead, both Poppy and Whitney smiled at her and gave her a little wave. She smiled back at them.

Lauren finished her orange juice and she left the Vic to go back to work.

After work she stopped off in the Vic and she gave Alfie a gift wrapped box with some instructions and then she went home. She relaxed in the bath and then wrapped herself in her robe and she lay on the sofa. She sent Joey a text message.

Joey blinked surprised when he saw Lauren's name came up on his phone, he opened the text message

'Joey, Hope you have fun tonight. I left you something behind the bar with Alfie. Lauren' it read.

There were no kisses after her name like there used to be, he missed them. He spoke to Alfie and he gave him the box. He took it to a quiet table and unwrapped it. It was a shoebox. He took off the lid and inside was a selection of things, he looked through them, Lauren had made him a hangover cure box. She had brought his some Paracetamol, a bottle of water, an orange, a small bottle of vodka, a voucher for a fry up at the café and a small jar of coffee. She had also put in a sleeping mask and some chewing gum. Joey smiled and he put the lid back on the box and he pulled out his phone, he started to send a text message but then thought better of it, he looked round at his friends and he snuck out of the pub. Lauren heard her door buzzer ring and she climbed off the sofa and walked to the phone and she buzzed whoever it was up without checking. She undid her door and walked back to the sofa and lay down on it again, watching the film that she had put on.

'Hi' Joey said as he came in

Lauren looked up surprised and paused the film 'What are you doing here?' she asked him

'I wanted to say thank you for the hangover cure box' he told her

'Oh. You're welcome' she said to him

'Lucy told me that she invited you on the Hen do'

'Yeah well I'm not really in the mood, I'm watching films so..'

'Yeah? What are you watching?'

'Paranormal Activity Three' she said

'They're still making those?' he asked her with a frown

'Apparently yeah' she nodded 'So you haven't called the wedding off yet then?' Lauren said to him as she sat up

'No' he shook his head

'So this other girl thing didn't work out?' she looked up at him briefly

'Why don't you come to the Vic with me?' he asked her

'I can't crash a stag do Joey. Besides I'm not even dressed'

'I can wait' he replied 'It doesn't take you long to make yourself gorgeous'

'I just want to stay in and watch movies'

'Well then how about I stay and watch with you'

'You cried like a girl during Paranormal Activity one and two' Lauren replied 'do you really think it'll be any different during the third film?'

'Maybe?' he shrugged as he mobile rang he glanced down at it 'It's Fats'

'See they've missed you at the stag do' she told him 'you should go'

Joey licked his lips 'Well you know where I'll be if you change your mind' he told her softly

'Yeah' she said and she got up and followed him to the door 'have a good night'

'That'll be hard without my best friend' he replied 'but I'll try. I may even get really really drunk so I can enjoy your present'

Lauren smiled at him 'Good. It would be selfish of you to let it go to waste' she told him

'Maybe we can meet up tomorrow?' Joey asked her

'We'll see' she said as Joey's phone rang again.

'You better go before they send out a search party'

He nodded 'Thanks again for the present. It means a lot' he told her, Lauren nodded and smiled.

She closed the door as Joey left and walked back to the sofa, got comfortable and put the film back on.

After 15 minutes she frowned and turned it off and went into the bedroom.

Half an hour later she walked into the Vic and brought a couple of drinks and then turned to see Joey grinning at her. She walked over to him and put a drink down in front of him.

'You came' he said smiling at her 'I was hoping you would'

'I couldn't miss your stag do' she replied softly taking a sip of drink.

AN: So. Bit of a turn up for the books, Lucy being nice to Lauren and Lauren being nice to Lucy. Do you think she suspects Joey's feelings or is she just worried about Lauren too.

Lauren reached out to Joey and gave him a hangover cure. Joey reached back and now she is at his stag do. What's going to happen now?

Next chapter will be up later

Thank you for all your reviews

R&R as always