So second (and last) chapter of the day...
Chapter 56.
"Babe, you need to remember that today is a tough day for Joey..." Max said as he held her in his arms. Her crying had faded slightly in the last twenty minutes. "You know he struggles with this day... and he's been known to cut us off from him before. I'm sure whatever was said isn't as bad as you think it is and he didn't mean anything by it..." he whispered. "Joey loves you, Lauren... it's the one certainty I know." He didn't realise just how true his words were and it gave Lauren a little ray of hope. Max looked up, "It's snowing, babe..." he said softly. Lauren looked up and smiled softly. Joey loved the snow. Max turned his attention back to his daughter, "Try and put yourself in Joey's position, Lauren..." he told her gently, "When he was just three years old he lost everything... both of his parents, good and bad, were torn from his life and he was on his own. Can you imagine what that must've felt like for him?"
"But he has us now, daddy... we're his family now and we love him..." she whispered.
"I know, sweetheart. Joey knows that too... but today is the one day of the year that he's reminded of what he's lost." Max said, "Just give him a chance, babe... that's all I'm asking."
Lauren pulled away from him and looked at her dad, once more she realised what a selfish cow she was being. "I will, dad." She murmured. "I promise..."
"Good girl," Max said, kissing her gently on the forehead, "Now, do you have some spare time to help me wrap the presents for your mum?" he asked. Lauren smiled because he asked her this every year and she nodded her head, like she did every year too.
*JL*JL*
Joey stood on the crowded platform, trying to ignore the throng of shoppers around him. His thoughts were trapped on the memories invoked by the snow falling at the cemetery. The first time he'd ever seen snow was with his mum. She'd shown him it through the window one morning after it had snowed. Even though he was in his pyjamas she had put his coat, boots, scarf, gloves and hat on him and they'd gone outside. Joey had stared in wonder at the thick blanket of white that covered the square. She had laughed as he spun around. He'd asked her what it was and she'd told him it was snow... and that it was the angels throwing love down to the people on the earth below. As he stood on the platform he smiled again. The snow had been the sign he was looking for.
Joey wasn't looking at anyone around him, in fact he was avoiding eye contact with everyone... the emotions from the last couple of hours were now starting to take their toll. More people ebbed onto the platform and Joey got jostled forward, wincing as he got shoved hard in the back and someone else trod heavily on his foot. The tube pulled into the station and people were moving left and right, clambering to get on with their journey and get home before the weather got any worse.
Minutes later the train pulled away again, the carriages heaving with people, all desperate to get home for the festive season. Just one person was left on the platform and as the train moved out of the station some of the passengers noticed the one they'd left behind. A scream from two ladies filled the air as they saw the young boy lying on the ground, blood pooling around his body.
A/N: And I believe that would be a cliffhanger... I'm off to hide in Joey's warbode with Bear. Send me a review and I'll read it when I'm not feeling so scaredy. Back tomorrow... and we're back to one chapter again from now on... sorry!
