Well, it's safe to say, Tanya is not popular with you lot right now... Maybe it's time to spread 'the love' with her blonde friend...
Chapter 16.
Jack had laid Lauren on the sofa once they were home. She had cried herself to sleep but he could see she wasn't sleeping well. Tanya's words to her daughter had been cruel and mean and he hated to see the girl in front of him cry… he always had done, even when she was a little girl. He'd seen Abi and Oscar en route back to the flat and they'd rushed over to him when they saw he was carrying their sister. They were worried about Lauren and Jack had tried to reassure them that she was okay. He was pretty sure his words had worked with Oscar but Abi had given him a knowing look.
He was sat on the edge of the table in front of the sofa now, watching Lauren as she slept. He looked up when he heard the front door open and saw Sharon standing in the doorway. She held his gaze for a few seconds but then turned towards the bedroom and walked silently into it. Jack sighed, brushing Lauren's hair back from her face gently and she murmured Joey's name as he did so. He got to his feet and walked to the bedroom, it was time to face the truth with Sharon.
He watched as she pulled her case down from the top of the wardrobe. "I figured you'd be over at Max's with Lauren…" she said snidely, practically spitting Lauren's name as if it was a dirty word.
"I was… it didn't go well. Tanya pretty much verbally attacked her and Lauren got upset."
"What a surprise…" Sharon muttered.
"Don't be like that… you have no idea what Lauren has been going through… what she's been through in her life, so don't make judgements about her. I won't have it!" He snapped.
Sharon looked at him, "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?" she stated, "You're always going to choose her over me and Denny…?"
"She's my niece and my goddaughter…" he said, not needing to say anything else.
"So she will always come first," Sharon accused.
"Someone has got to be on her side… because her parents aren't, are they?" he said.
"And that's going to come at the expense of our relationship…?" she asked.
"Our problems have little to do with my being around for Lauren…" Jack said.
"So you do admit there is something wrong then?" she said.
"Yeah…" he agreed.
Sharon turned back to the case and started to pull her clothes out of the dresser. She glanced at Jack, seeing him still standing in the doorway. "Are you planning on standing there and watching me?" she asked him and he sighed. "Go back to your niece, Jack... I'll pack up the stuff and be gone in a couple of hours... then you'll never have to see me and my son again."
"Where are you going to go?"
"Do you really care? It's not like we're together anymore, is it?"
"Of course I care, Sharon..." Jack said. "And we may not be together anymore... but it doesn't mean I wouldn't like us to still be friends... we just aren't right as a couple and I think we both know that."
She ignored his last statement so Jack was none the wiser about whether they would remain friends. "Phil has said we can move in there... he has plenty of room and he loves Denny..."
Jack tried not to roll his eyes, more than aware of the other man's affections for Sharon and Denny. He had to wonder if the only reason he'd pushed so hard for the relationship in the first place was to get one over Phil Mitchell. He had been more than disapproving of his relationship with Ronnie so there was bad blood between the two men before Sharon arrived on the scene anyway. "If you need a hand carrying any of the things over, just let me know..." he offered.
"I'll be fine..." she said, her voice brittle in response.
Jack turned and left the room, a weight lifting off his shoulder as he realised he was now free. What that meant for him and Ronnie he still wasn't sure but for now, he could focus on Lauren and try to help her sort out her problems.
A/N: At least someone is putting Lauren first… like Jack said, her parents don't seem to be keen on doing it… Unfortunately that has come at the expense of his relationship with Sharon… although it was apparently already on shaky ground. SEND ME A REVIEW. Back later if I get 15 reviews by 9pm… Good luck...
