Lucy turned and she looked at Lauren and then turned back to see her dad come into the Vic too, blocking the door.
'Everyone if I can have your attention please?' a voice called out loud and clear 'Everyone' the pub grew quiet 'Thank you' he put a laptop on the bar and he lifted the lid and he hit a few buttons. 'You probably don't know who I am my name is Nick Stephens and I went to school with Lauren Branning and Lucy Beale' he said
Joey looked at Lauren, and he whispered low in her ear 'Am I going to like this?' he asked her
'I don't know' Lauren replied honestly 'but this is the last thing'
'As you all know Lauren and Joey were due to get married last September, but they had a huge fight a few months before the wedding and then Lauren made the decision to call the wedding off and cancel everything. What you all don't know is the reason why Lauren reached that decision, or the part that myself and Lucy played in the events that led up to Lauren leaving Walford'
'What are you doing?' Lucy hissed at Nick 'This is crazy'
Lauren stood up and Joey let her out of her seat 'It's about time you told everyone the truth Lucy' Lauren said to her 'and not just your version of events'
Lucy turned to look at her 'I said I was sorry' she told Lauren
'Sorry is not enough' Lauren replied 'I want you to tell everyone in this pub exactly what you did and why' Lauren told her 'It's either that or Nick plays a very interesting recording he has of the two of you talking'
Lucy closed her eyes briefly 'Why are you doing this to me?' she whispered
'Why am I doing this to you?' Lauren asked her with a frown 'Did you seriously just ask me that? All I am asking you to do is for once in your life to tell the truth, to hold up your hands and admit what you have done. And can't even do that can you?' Lauren asked her and she turned to Nick and nodded 'Okay well we'll do it the hard way then' Lauren told her
'All right, all right!' Lucy said and she licked her lips and she sighed.
Lauren sat down again as Lucy told the inhabitants of the Vic exactly what she had done and why. Joey took hold of Lauren's hand and he held it tightly in his own, he glanced at her and saw that she was getting upset, 'Do you want to go babe?' he asked her softly, Whitney and Tyler both looked at her in concern and she took a deep breath and she nodded.
'Come on' he said and he took her hand and he helped her up and led her out of the pub, Whitney and Tyler followed them. Once outside the pub, Lauren covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. 'Oh babe…' Joey murmured as he pulled her into his arms 'Ssh don't' he rocked her softly 'Come on lets go home hey, Whit and Tyler are going to come to?' he looked at the over her head
'Yeah of course' Whit said 'I'll make you my famous hot chocolate' she told her
Lauren sniffed and nodded and she wiped her face, Joey put his arm around her and they walked back to the flat.
'Guys, make yourselves at home' Joey said as they went inside and Lauren darted to the bathroom. Joey followed her
'I feel awful' Lauren told him
'I know you do' Joey said 'and that's the difference between you and Lucy' he told her 'you haven't done anything wrong Lauren. Lucy has got everything that she deserved' he said softly and she looked up at him 'and you are the one that is feeling guilty' he said to her 'you are the one that is upset' he licked his lips 'and all you have done is force her to tell the truth' he said, 'We're okay Lauren. You and me we're going to be okay' he told her firmly
'How do you know that?' she asked him with a sniff
'Because I do' he told her 'You and me, we're forever' he said to her 'I am so in love with you Lauren, more than words can say'
'Me too' Lauren replied
'Come here' he said sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He hugged her tightly.
AN: Thank you for all your reviews. Hope you are enjoying the story
Back soon
R&R as always