Chapter 15

"Do we have to go Joey ? I'd much rather stay in. Just the two of us" she shifted on the bed and moved to her knees, watching (well more like ogling) Joey as he buttoned his shirt up. She could see him watching her in the mirror. "Please?" she'd been pleading for the entire week not to have to go to this. She wasn't on the best of terms with her Dad, who like his brother; Joey's step Dad, wasn't at all happy about the two of them living together. The two of them had been putting this meal on hold for weeks. The had still yet to meet after Joey had suggested it the night before he asked Lauren to Move in with him.

Tanya and Joey's Mum had been on at their respective children to organise the meal, reluctantly Lauren had agreed and finally allowed Joey to book a table at the French restaurant.

Joey turned around and perched next to his grumpy girlfriend on the bed. "As much as I'd love to spend the night in bed with you, making you feel better; we really cant. It's been nearly a month since you moved in babe and we still haven't spoken to the parents together." He couldn't help but feel guilty when Lauren got up silently from the bed and went to the bathroom. "Don't look at me like that baby, you know if it was anything else I'd be ringing to cancel" Lauren looked up to him as she brushed her teeth. His arms slinked around her waist and pulled her back against him.

"I know, im sorry I didn't mean to put a downer on things, I'm just really..." she was cut off by Joey who smile.

"Moody?" she swatted him across his chest but turned to hug him.

"Oi… no I was going to say tired and it's that time of the month so I just needed to cuddle with my man and stuff my face with chocolate."

"I'm sorry baby, how's the pain this month?" Lauren had suffered badly for a few years with bad Period pain, something that Joey had the pleasure of witnessing last month when she nearly passed out at work- Again. He'd forced her to go to the doctors, which she eventually did and was given medication for.

Lauren walked into the bedroom, which had definitely been feminised over the last month and started to apply some make up. "much better actually, I'm really glad you made me go to the doctors to be honest… pass me the purple dress from the chair please?" He handed the dress to her and watched as she stripped down to her bra and pants, with a very small underdress on.

"You look really good babe" he smiled kissing the back of her neck as he did the zip up at her request. Lauren chuckled and turned to face him.

"You make me sound like something to eat…"

"That's because you look good enough to eat" Again Lauren chuckled

"Oh you sure have a way with words Joe" she stepped onto her tiptoes and kissed his lips smiling. "Guess I'm ready to go endure hell for an hour or two"

The two of them made their way to the restaurant, opting to walk instead of using the car. It was about 15-20 minutes if they took a short cut, but most of the time Lauren persuaded Joey to walk the scenic route, which took nearly twice as long, but allowed them to walk along the Thames for a while.

Arriving at the restaurant they were the first there. Joey and Lauren were regulars in there now and made a thing of eating there at least once a month. They sat silently until the others arrived, Laurens body was completely tense, her hand clasped tightly in Joey's like her life depended on it. "Relax baby…"

"I can't, something's bound to go wrong Joey, either I'll say something I'll regret, My Dad and Derek will fight, thy can't stand each other or Dad will just blow up and declare he's ashamed of me and I'm no longer his daughter, It's happened before." Joey went to respond but didn't get the chance as his Mum and Derek with Alice close behind came into the restaurant.

"There you are ! I've been looking all over the place for you" Joey stood to hug his mother and then his sister. "Good to see you again son…you too Lauren." She leaned over and gave Lauren a hug too. They'd only met twice before and on both occasions time was of the essence as they were on lunch breaks from work.

"It's good to see you to Julie…Uncle Derek"

"Lauren… Joseph" Joey moved Lauren gently to the side and ushered everyone to sit. "When's you parent's getting here Lauren? Or have they decided to not bother?" he smirked taking a sip of his drink that the waiter had just brought to them.

Julie nudged him quite harshly as she saw Joey clench his jaw and Lauren visibly tense. Luckily Alice was always good at breaking the silence. "You look really pretty Lauren, you got a glow about you…" she trailed off a little looking at her cousin and brother though narrowed eyes. Both Lauren and Joey exchanged a look. "Oh My god that's it… Your pregnant !"

"Your what?!" Laurens face paled considerably as her parents and sister stood at the edge of the table, mouths wide open. Tanya looked like she was about to cry and Max looked like her was ready to hit something, or someone may have been more appropriate. "You better not be Lauren ! you 19 for god's sake?"

"I'm not Pregnant ok… I'm not alright, so you can stop with the concerned father act and you can stop looking at me like I'm about to die or something." She felt Joey's hand run up and down her back as her parents and sister sat down.

Tanya looked across to her daughter and tilted her head "Are you sure you're not because you do look like you have a glow to you…"

"That's what I said !" Alice said with an edge of pride in her voice.

"Lauren and I are not having a baby ok… and we don't plan on doing so anytime soon, so can we all just drop it and try to enjoy a meal like normal people do ?" Joey raised his eyebrow and saw slight nods from all occupants of the table. "Good"

It was quite for a while until conversation started up again, Tanya and Julie got on really well, Alice and Abi were like they had never been apart. Max and Derek on the other hand, were giving death stares across the table. "It's like they're scared to say anything" Joey chuckled into her ear.

"Well at least we're all still living, for now"

*JL*JL*JL*

By the end of the meal, things were a little less tense, Derek and Max had at least exchanged a "Pass the salt" which wasn't exactly worth calling the papers about but, for Lauren it was a start.

"Please don't leave it as long next time Lauren… we miss you" Lauren nodded as her Mum hugged her and then sped off to the car where Max and Abi were waiting.

"See not too bad was it ay?" Joey questioned. They were walking the short way home, Lauren declaring she needed to be in bed cuddled to her man.

"It was tolerable. Nothing more and I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon." Her face was deadly serious as she spoke and Joey knew she mean business. He couldn't pin point where this, Lauren had come from and his fun loving, Family orientated Lauren had gone.

As they arrived back at the apartment, Lauren went straight into the bed room and changed into Joey t-shirt and some leggings. "Go and get settled babe and I'll bring some drinks through…do you want your sketch pad?" she smiled and kissed him gently on the cheek, but shook her head to the sketch pad question.

It hadn't taken him 5 minutes to make the drinks but as her got to the bedroom Lauren was already asleep and was curled into his pillow. He sighed and placed the drinks on the side table. Gently, he sat on the bed and lifted her head into his lap. She shuffled slightly but only to move closer. "Where's my baby gone ay?"

Glad your all enjoying this still, I think it's time for a little drama see you tomorrow xx