They rang the doorbell. No answer. They wait. Rang it again.
"It's alright Tan. I'll get it then" Max called over his shoulder, frustrated as he opened the door and ushered them in.
"Your family. You invited them. You deal with them or why not get your wife to do it." Tanya spat out, from the kitchen.
Infuriated that Lauren had gone off with Kirsty & Max had lied about it. She'd found out from over-hearing her drunk of a daughter, telling Abi, that she should worry less, Kirsty'd looked after her. Infuriated that Max didn't seem to concern his wife was emotionally manipulating their daughter to get close to him and infuriated that this time, Lauren didn't seem to be on her side.
Joey raised an eyebrow at Max as he let Alice step in the house first. "Don't even ask" Max muttered "You alright Alice?" before turning around to call Lauren down before realising she & Abi were sat at the top of the stairs.
He smiled at them "Now that brings back some memories" Both girls laughed, but Lauren disappeared back up the stairs. "What does Uncle Max?" Alice asked, trying to break the tension. Max patted her arm, knowing she was trying to help "My girls, sat at the top of the stairs, waiting for me to come home from work. Or eavesdropping." He said as he guided Joey & Alice in to the living room where they sat down.
"You don't get anywhere in life, without listening in & paying attention to details" Abi said laughing as Lauren called down the stairs "Lesson #5 in life by Mr Jack Branning", Lauren, Max and Abi laughed.
Alice smiled "I think we're probably missing something here" Max nodded "It's a long story, I'm sure you'll hear the details at some point" he turned to Joey, "You wanting to talk to Lauren?" Joey nodded but quickly mumbled "If she still wants to hide, that's fine I guess. Just I'm here yea". Max pulled a face at Joey, but turned to call up to her "Lauren. Downstairs. 5 minutes. I will come and drag you down if you don't" She didn't reply, but they did hear movement.
"I ain't joking Lauren." "Fine, whatever. I'm coming." She called out, dragging her feet down the stairs before standing in the doorway to their living room. "What?" she wasn't looking any one in the eye. Stood with her arms tightly across her body, defensive.
"We've got guests Lauren. Don't be a brat" he warned her with his eyes. "Yeah Lauren, your boyfriend and his sister are here" Abi teased, coming to stand next to her sister. Both girls smiled, and linked pinkys.
"That's so weird" Alice said, causing Abi to stop smiling and freeze, there was an awkward silence before Lauren turned back around and ran upstairs.
Joey groaned, he knew Al hadn't meant anything by it but he hadn't yet had a chance to tell Lauren that Alice was on their side. He knew Lauren would have taken Alice's comment badly.
"Urgh. Nicely done Alice" Abi muttered, causing both Joey & Alice to look at her, him with surprise at her tone & Alice shocked that her comment caused so much drama. "Abi." Max warned, his eyes narrowing at her, warning her not to kick off.
"I'll go up and talk to her" Joey said, going to stand up. "You can't" he paused. "Can he, dad? He's officially a boyfriend now. Boyfriend's aren't allowed upstairs, are they? Your rules" Max laughed and Joey turned to look at him. "Eh. She's got a point. We've all got to get used to you two being together, and if having rules makes it easier on everyone then that's what we'll go."
Joey sat back down, torn between finding it funny he couldn't go into his girlfriend's room, happy that both Max & Abi seemed okay with the idea of them together openly and annoyed that he couldn't talk to her.
"Did you realise just ban him from following me up? After you arranged for him to be my Christmas gift and sent us upstairs together?" Lauren called down, she was back sat on the stairs. "That's so dumb"
"Don't mock me. You weren't together then, you were upset. I wanted to fix it, didn't I." Max shrugged "And I said no funny business. So no funny business happened, did it?" Lauren just laughed, Joey smiled at the sound.
"Come give me a hug" Max said with a grin. She rolled her eyes but crossed the living room, where he was and he quickly wrapped his arms around her, she groaned. "I'm not 5, you know?"
"What are you talking about? My Lauren's still a baby, playing with her dolls. She doesn't even know what sex is, do you babe?" Max said with a smirk, looking at Joey. "No Daddy." Lauren replied, laughing. "Good, good. Let's keep it that way. Don't want to know."
Lauren stayed cuddled up to her Dad, but she could feel Joey's gaze on her. She opened up one of her arms, for Abi though.
"Wait, you two were together at Christmas?" Lauren froze, both Max and Abi holding her in place.