Chapter 16

Having noticed the difference in Lauren over the last month and a bit Joey had booked the two of them a week off work. Lauren had agreed that they needed a break from work, she'd decided that it was all the new clients she'd been given was the thing that was getting her down. Joey agreed he and the company had probably put a bit too much pressure on her but he still had a niggling feeling there was something more, that neither Lauren or himself could put their finger on. The two had decided to spend a few day's just outside of the city. Somewhere quiet and away from everything.

It was a plan that had seemed to have worked. The beginning of the week Joey saw glimpses of the old Lauren returning, she seemed more at ease around him was happy to just go with the flow. Unfortunately, things didn't stay rosy for long.

They were three days into the holiday when things took a major turn and not for the better. It was the middle of the night and Lauren woke up to painful period cramps, back pain, achy all over. It was something she and Joey was used to. She'd been to the doctors and the medication they gave her seemed to do the problem, that and Joey's undivided attention, by no means was she needy but when it was that time of the month all she wanted was her man. Unfortunately, she'd forgotten to bring her tablets on holiday with her. She wasn't expecting to be on whilst they were away, but then again her periods had always been hit and miss.

Joey's arm tightened around her as she fidgeted, she was ready to get up until her discomfort passed so Joey could get some decent sleep lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, wasn't helping. In fact, her back felt a little worse like that. Her side, maybe? She twisted in his arms going onto her side, No luck, the pain actually seemed to intensify if anything. She sighed. So much for a relaxing holiday.

"Baby?" Joey whispered having felt her move.

"I'm fine…Just cramps, go back to sleep" she whispered gently

"Is there anything I can do ?" she snuggled into him and seemed to shrink into his arms. "Just hold you ye?"

"Ye" she whimpered.

Joey drifted back to sleep but she just couldn't get comfortable, no matter what. Eventually she'd had enough, she slid from the bed and went to the toilet to freshen up. She walked in circles around the cabin they'd hired. Nothing seemed to do the trick. She simply paced and sat then paced a little more watching an hour pass by each time she moved positions. By the time Joey woke at about 8 she was sitting in tears on the sofa.

"Lo…why didn't you wake me sweetheart" he knelt down in front of her and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. Lauren looked up to him and straight away his heart broke. She was an image of agony. His head was screaming at him that something was really wrong.

"Have you got your tablet's baby?" she shook her head and leaned against him.

"I've taken some Paracetamol tablets…they haven't helped" she sobbed.

"Come on, it'll be ok…we can go home early if you want to?"

" No ill be ok I promise…I'm going to try to sleep a bit, I didn't sleep at all last night" she said. "I'm sure I'll feel better later…you should go and get some food"

"I don't wanna leave you Lo, you don't look good baby" he looked at her sympathetically

"Honestly Joe, you need to eat… two of us ill won't be any good will it?"

"Ok just, promise me you'll ring me if you feel any worse ok?" she nodded and let Joey kiss her.

Eventually she managed to sleep, restlessly mind , for half hour or so, but woke up panicked. Could the pain actually be worse ? it seemed so, she felt sick with it and warm and her head was pounding. The pain was quite intense and felt like it did before she was given medication by her doctor.

She was more than relieved when Joey returned, but he was completely scared by what he saw, a Pale and scared Lauren who was whimpering involuntarily every few minutes. "This isn't like you babe, not at all" Joey said. "I think we should go to the hospital."

"No, no," she protested. "I'll be fine." If she didn't go, she thought to herself, then nothing could really be wrong, she wouldn't know and anyway, she was starting to convince herself she was just being over dramatic.

But Joey could tell that something was wrong, Lauren wasn't one to moan and groan, not about pain any way. For her to be near tears was bad and the fact that they were so secluded was making him nervous. He was pretty sure that this is what had been building all these months "Lo," he said, "we're going."

"No Joe Please, give it until later, I promise if I still feel crappy then, we can go".

Later on the afternoon, Lauren had tried, and failed to convince Joey that she was ok. She definitely wasn't. She'd been sick once or twice and was in twice as much pain "ow ow"

"Right that's it come on. I don't care what you say we're going to the hospital, like it or not." He went over go Lauren and gently lifted her up from the sofa and placed her on the floor still griping tight to her, Lauren was crying in the process, she had no energy to argue with him. He looked down to the sofa and noticed the huge patch of dark blood where she'd been sitting.

"Babe… your bleeding…I know it's that time of the month and what not, but you've really bled babe…" He turned to Lauren and saw her swaying gently on the spot. "Wow wow… ok ok, I've got you" he saw her pale considerably and her eyes almost roll back in her head. "Stay with me baby…come on Lo" He gently eased himself and Lauren to the floor and reached out for the cabin phone.

"Hello reception, can we help?"

"Ye this is Mr Branning from cabin 4, I need an ambulance please and the onsite medic if there is one."

"Ok I've sent one straight over to you sir". He quickly hung up the phone.

"Come on Lo…stay with me beautiful" Joey quickly lowered the two of them to the floor and looked down at Lauren, her face was a picture of pain as she winced every time she took a breath.

"Joey…"her face scrunched up as she cried in pain "I don't know what's happening Joe…I'm scared"

The door knocked gently and a woman, about the same age as his Mum came in. "Hello I'm the onsite medic, what's your name darling?" the woman quickly took to the floor next to Lauren and began taking her temperature.

"Lauren…"

"Alright Lauren, how old are you?"

"she's 19… 20 next month" Joey said as Lauren continued to cry.

"Ok your temperature's higher then it's meant to be Lauren, can you explain to me what's happened where the pain is ?"

"Joe…" he gave her hand a soft squeeze but she turned to the side and vomited, crying as she finished. Joeys hand worked in circles on her back as he explained to the medic what had gone on.

"She' not been well for a few days, well months really, she said she got her period yesterday night and she suffers from really bad cramps, she takes medication at home that normally stop them but she's not got them with her. She's been in real pain like this for about an hour and then she bleed out, quite a bit and almost passed out on me, that's when I called for you… shhh it's ok babe, you'll be ok." Lauren went back to sitting in his lap her body shaking against him.

"Lauren, I know you're in a lot of pain darling but I need you to answer a few questions for me" Lauren nodded "How long have you had the pains?"

"Since 3 this morning…"

"And where about are they?" the medic looked really thought full as she noted down what Lauren was saying.

"back and tummy…legs, mostly my lower back " as she said that the paramedics came in.

"Ok Lauren we're going to get you to hospital as soon as we can. There's a few possibilities darling ok, I know your scared but I need you to stay calm for me ok" she turned to Joey "can you pack her a few things while we get her in the ambulance ? pack yourself some things too, expect a stay in hospital."

"Do you know what wrong with her? I saw your face just when you whispered to that paramedic, you know it's bad don't you?" Joey hated the fact he was left out of the loop, all he was thinking right now was the fact that he could lose Lauren.

"I really can't say anything for sure until she's in the hospital ok."

"Please I need to know…" he pleaded. The medic glanced to the door and saw Lauren been taken out on a stretcher.

"Look, all I know right now is that your partner is in a lot of pain and is bleeding, I don't think it's her period and I'm quite concerned. I suggest that you call her parents if you can and tell them to get to the hospital. I really don't want to panic you but I think there's much more to this than either of you know."

I told you drama was in store... see you soon ! xxx