Discovering the Truth - Chapter 1
AN - Thanks for the response. The story is going to focus on Joey and Lauren but it does start to Tanya's departure and how it affects Lauren and you will soon see what is going to happen to push Lucy to reveal the truth. Please Review.
Living in the Branning Household has never been easy and in recent months, it has been unbearable. Christmas Day is a day anyone called Branning would hate and this year, it was like a movie disaster but it was a reality, my dad's secret wife decided to turn up on the day my Mam and Dad decided to get married and it has been going downhill since and today is the day I have been dreading my Mam is leaving and I have no idea how I am going to cope.
Abi and Lauren watch as Tanya tearfully starts to put her stuff in her suitcase and Lauren starts to open to her Mam to try to stop her from leaving, " Mam, why do you have to do this, things are finally settled, I am starting to get my life around". Both Abi and Lauren lock eyes as they notice their Mam starting to tear up and they force her to sit on her bed.
" Girls, this has nothing to do with you, I can't continue to live on the Square with your Dad being with Kirsty, I thought I was fine with it but I wasn't, Lauren I know what you are going to say, even if Kirsty has lied about her pregnancy, it doesn't matter, too much hurt has happened between me and your father and nothing can stop it. I need to get away, just promise me you will look after your brother and I will continuously informed about anything, okay?". Lauren and Abi nod and the three women get off the bed and hug and Abi and Lauren leave their Mam to continue to finish packing.
As Tanya continues to pack upstairs, Abi and Lauren talk in the living room and they both realise their dad needs to know whether their Mam likes or not. " Lauren, don't you think the rest of the family should know, like Uncle Jack, Alice -? States Abi. Lauren cuts off her sister knowing who she was going to mention. After the last few weeks, Lauren has struggled with her sobriety and after her break-up with Joey, she got hospitalized after collapsing in the middle of the Square, causing her to make life decisions and she has tried not to look towards No 23.
"Abi, Uncle Jack should know along with Dad but yes, I know what you are saying, Joey shouldn't know as he is out of my life for good, so just leave it, yeah?" Lauren tells a frustrated Abi and walks away, leaving Abi in the living room to be concerned about her fragile sister, knowing she probably will never be over her cousin.
Lauren finds Uncle Jack and her dad in the office of her uncle's gym and forces herself to reveal the truth but isn't prepared to see Joey and Alice their as well and tries to ignore the intense look she is getting from her ex-boyfriend. "Look, I didn't want to tell you, but you deserve the truth, Mam is leaving and she might not come back" Lauren gets interrupted as her dad runs out of the office and clearly heading for No5. "Uncle Jack, it has got too hard for her and she can't keep watching Dad being happy with Kirsty and don't start me about recent events as that doesn't come into it" states a frustrated Lauren and as she leaves, she locks eyes with Joey and they both realise their current situation comes into it.
As Tanya starts to bring her bags to the taxi, she isn't prepared for Max to ask her to stay and she is forced to keep her emotions inside as Max tries to stop her.. "Babe, you can't go, we can work something out" states a pleading Max but Tanya interrupts him stating " Max, have you seen the effect this has on Lauren, for the last few years, we have been pulling her left right and centre with our secrets and I need to get away from our history, please, just let me go". Realising he is fighting a lost cause, Max starts to let go and as he sees the near-by teary Abi and Lauren, he realises it is for the best and lets the love of his life go and watches as Tanya gets into her taxi and walks out of his life. He shrugs off Kirsty's concern and hugs his daughters tightly.
Later on, a concerned Joey sits with Alice on the couch in No 23, both clearly concerned about the rest of their family at No 5. Noticing her brother's behaviour, Alice knows she needs to try to get him to talk to Lauren. " Joe, you need to talk to her, she needs you" states Alice. Seeing the way both her cousin and brother have been in recent weeks has caused her to feel really sad and she has been proud the way Lauren has dealt with her drinking but she knows Lauren needs her brother. "Al, I can't we spilt up for a reason and she won't want me anywhere near her" states a downbeat Joey and he is stunned when a frustrated Alice drags him off the couch , out of No 23 and to the gardens where a depressed Lauren is sitting.
Not noticing Joey hovering nearby, Lauren continues to sit on the bench in the middle of the square, unsure what to do or say. Her trust in her father is non-existent, finding herself to look after her little brother and sister as she can barely look after herself and she finds herself wanting her Mam back even though she knows her leaving was the best option for everyone. Lauren looks up to see Joey looking on concerned and tries to wipe her tears as Joey cautiously sits next to her.
" Joe, what is it, I thought you didn't want to be near me?" states a confused Lauren, unable to keep her emotions to herself at the moment, causing Joey to get closer to his ex-girlfriend and cousin and states " Babe, you need someone right now, I haven't stopped cared about you". This causes Lauren to let her guards down and she opens up to Joey about everything as they curl up on the bench, unaware of a jealous Lucy looking on and she starts to think of plans to rip the former couple apart…