Chapter 12

"Sorry about that...there was a client wanting to rearrange his meeting" Joey waltzed back into office and started talking at lightning speed. Completely unaware that Lauren was stood completely frozen against the wall. After a few minutes, when he noticed she hadn't responded he swivelled round in his chair . "Lauren, are you ok ? you look like you've seen a ghost. Her face was quite pale and Joey could see her swaying a little on his feet. When she still didn't respond, he stood and made his way over to her. "What's happened babe ?"

Lauren blinked a few times and took a ragged breath, pushing Joey's hands off her shoulders. "What's your last name?"

He looked at her really confused. "Branning, well Walker but … what does it matter anyway ?"

She bit her lip "When you hired me, did my application have a last name on it?" he shook his head and Lauren sighed, a few tears building in her eyes. "My last name is Branning too… and you said the other week you were on the phone to our sister, Alice. Alice Jane Branning is your sister right?"

"Ye, how do you know all this… I don't get why it matters babe, we have the same last name, so what Loads of people have the same last name" he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. She reluctantly went into them, needing their support.

"I think you might be my cousin Joey." She whispered and felt him tense slightly before relaxing after her next sentence. "I think our Dads are brothers."

"So you think that My Dad is your dad's brother?" Lauren nodded and sobbed. "Hey, why you crying ? wipe those tears Mrs, I don't like to see you cry" he drew her back slightly brushing his thumbs across her cheeks where her tears had fallen.

"Because… we're related. That means we can't be together, and I know this is soon but I really like you Joey, and somewhere in the last few months, I think I've fallen for you. It's like an unwritten rule in the game of Love you just don't fall this quick, because something like this comes along and fucks it all up." She took a deep breath and walked over to her desk to reach a tissue. She wiped at her eyes with several tissues and then perched the edge of her desk.

"Lauren, listen…" She shook her head and laughed bitterly.

"God, why does this always happen to me ? I must have done something really shit in a past life for this to happen. I'm going to have to get a new job now to, because it's just going to be really awkward working with you, when I wanna be with you but cant." She stood was blankly staring at the wall ahead of her.

"Lauren…"

"No, I'm going to leave now I think, do this one last thing for me please and let me go, don't make it more painful." She started to gather her stuff from her desk, but Joey's hand's stopped her. "Joey…"

"Just shut up and listen… god you don't half go on" He smiled "I'm not related to you Lauren, Derek Branning, who I'm guessing is your uncle, isn't my Dad. He doesn't even come close. He's my step Dad"

"What?" her voice was a few octaves higher then it probably should have been.

"Ye, Derek's Alice's Dad, but not mine. My Dad is Harry Walker, the ex-owner of the company. He died when I was 5, left this place to me in his will, so I kind of own the place. But we are not related." His fingers grazed her cheek and pushed the lone tear away, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"So you're not my cousin ?"

"No baby, I'm not" Joey only just about caught her as she threw herself into his arms, crying. "Shhh, it's alright"

"I love you…" she breathed out before she even had time to think what she'd said. "I …erm... I better go, I need to pick Oscar up." She pulled away from him and headed for the door. Just as she was about to leave Joey was turning her around in his arms.

He kissed her passionately and held her tight "For the record…I love you too"

"Really? Please don't just say it because I did and you feel like you have."

"I'm not, I do Love you, have done from the second I saw your drunken ass in that club" Lauren chuckled and leant her head against his chest. "and you were just as beautiful then as you are now. What's say we both go and fetch Oscar, make a day of it?"

Lauren looked up at him a look of pure love in her eyes. "You don't have to do that, he'll only want to go to the park or something."

"I want to… I want make a fuss of my beautiful girlfriend and her very cute little brother, so no arguing ok."

"Yes sir" she smiled, laughing as Joey cheekily slapped her bum as she walked through the door.

*JL*JL*JL*

The two of them stood hand in hand in the school playground waiting for Oscar, It felt good to be together publically, so far they'd kept things to a minimum at the office, well they thought they had, most of their colleagues knew something was going on with them.

"Loz!" Oscars voice echoed through the playground as he ran into his sisters arms.

"Hi Baby!" she hauled him into her arms hugging him tightly and kissing him.

"You brought Joey too ?" he asked looking across at him. Lauren nodded and placed him back on the floor.

"I did indeed, Joey said he wanted to spend the day with us is that ok?" Oscar nodded. "alright then, where do you want to go?" Oscar shrugged his shoulders.

Bending down so he was level with Oscar Joey offered a suggestion. "Maybe, if it's ok with your sister we could go to the city and see some things ?" Oscar looked up to Lauren his eyes wide, when she nodded, he turned back to Joey and nodded. "That's decided then"

Oscar took Laurens hand and then held is other out to Joey, who took it without hesitation. The two adults just smiled at each other and walked back to Laurens car.

"Would you mind if we went back to mine first, so I can get changed ?" Joey shook his head

"Of course not, why don't you drop me at the office and I'll go back to mine change and then meet you at yours in say… an hour ?"

"sounds good."

*JL*JL*JL*

After dropping Joey at the office, Lauren and Oscar arrived home. "Ok Monster, go upstairs and get changed for me, Mummy's left some clothes on your bed. I'll do some dinner and then we can wait for Joey alright ?"

Oscar nodded and ran half way up the stairs before turning and looking at Lauren. "Loz…is Joey your boyfriend ?"

Lauren Laughed "Ye I guess he is, why ?"

"I like Joey and he makes you laugh" he smiled at her with a big toothy grin.

She was quiet for a second thinking at what Oscar had said, Joey did make her happy. Very happy. "Go on then, go and change"

Hope that made up for yesterdays chapter, see you tomorrow :) xx