Chapter 19

Joey put his phone away after making a call that he would later live to regret. He knew Lauren wasn't going call her parents , especially not her Dad, so Joey made the rather risky decision of doing it himself. He'd called directly to Tanya's mobile and had only given her basic information. He guessed rightly that she would panic when he told her that Lauren was in hospital, and he could only imagine what her reaction would be when she found out the reason her 19 year old daughter was there in the first place. Joey hadn't left much room for questioning, he hung up as soon as she had been told all she needed to know- which didn't include her knowing she was a grandmother.

He sat on the chair at the side of Laurens bed, watching her sleep, his fingers softly running through the tangled ends of her hair. Everything that had happened was still sinking in, she'd been pregnant a whole 8 months and they didn't know, Joey quickly did the maths in his head. She'd obviously conceived their first time. Not exactly the most glamorous of places to make a child to be honest. It was an experience for them both to say the least, they were both a little drunk and still hurting from past relationships, neither of them had done anything like it before and at the time it seemed like a clever idea.

Obviously they'd got completely caught in the moment and had forgotten any form of contraception. The thought hadn't even occurred to them afterwards and considering Lauren had been getting what she thought had been her period each month, there was never a reason for them to question anything. As he thought about it though there had been some signs, very very small one's though that could, and had been missed.

Lauren had been tired all the time, she'd fall asleep at the drop of a hat, but they'd put it down to her being overworked. On several occasions she'd nearly passed out in the office, which really, she should have gone to the doctors about, but she didn't and had instead passed it off as not having eaten or the time of the month. Her mood was another indictor now he looked back, he remembered his friends partner was the same when she was pregnant. One second she was happy the next she was irritable and moody. There were two things though that he just couldn't understand, one was she'd had her period throughout the pregnancy and secondly, she didn't at all look pregnant. He'd shared a bed with her and held her in his arms every night for the past two months and almost every night before that too. He just couldn't understand it. Harry was small, yes, but even then he was sure she would have shown some sort of a bump.

"How's she doing?" Laurens doctor popped her head into the room, bringing Joey from his thoughts. She was checking the files at the end of the bed and flicking though some papers of her own.

"Just sleeping…"

"Well, all her obs are good, she just needs to sleep and get her energy back, how are you holing up?" she questioned, removing the drip from Laurens hand.

"I'm ok… still a bit in shock really, but Lo and Harry are my main concerns now… How is he ? Harry I mean ?"

"He's a little fighter, he's breathing by himself, he's responding well too, he's a healthy little man, a little on the small side, but that's understandable considering the situation. Very noisy too" she laughed making Joey smile. "I'd like to keep the two of them in overnight and we'll see how they throughout the night, but I think they'll be allowed home tomorrow, all being well" she smiled placing the files away. She looked up at Joey and saw him staring at the blank wall.

"Mr Branning? Do you have any questions?"

"Sorry, no, that's great." He nodded "It's Just…we don't have anything. I mean literally noting. We're going to be very unprepared" The doctor smiled at him weakly and stood a little closer to him.

"Harry has everything he needs right now, so I don't want you to stress, I'm sure Lauren will be doing enough of that for the both of you. You have family and friends that can help you I gather ?" Joey nodded, hoping that they wold have "Well there we go then, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help. Would you like Harry brining up ?"

" Please, If that's ok?" Joey nodded holding onto Laurens hand as she began to stir on the bed.

"Of course…I'll be back soon" with that she closed the door as Lauren began to slowly wake.

She shifted a little too quickly on the bed and moaned in pain. "Wow… steady beautiful, you've just had a baby… not cut your finger, you need to take things easy" Lauren screwed her face up at him and lay back down, managing to curl onto her side a little, so she could face Joey.

"How you feeling?" he asked gently.

"Dazed…"

"I know baby, but it's happening, you did amazing Lo…so amazing." Lauren looked down and laced her fingers with Joeys. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and kissed her forehead softly. "The doctor said you we both really lucky, Harry especially"

"How is he?" she whispered whilst playing with Joey's fingers.

"He's doing really well, Your doctor's bringing him in, she's just gone to get him. Said the two of you should be able to come home tomorrow."

"That soon?" she asked, the fear so crystal in her voice. Joey nodded. "Wow" she went silent for a good 5 minutes before she spoke again "we'll be good enough for him wont we ?"

Joey tilted her chin so she faced him, her watery eyes locked with his. "Don't ever think you're not going to be good enough Lauren. Your amazing with kids, I've seen you with Oscar, he thinks you're the best person ever and I kind of agree with him on that. Harry's going to be one lucky baby boy to have you as him Mummy."

"You really think we'll be alright? What about work? What about our parents or more like our Dad's. They won't like it Joey?"

"It'll be fine, don't worry, Work we can talk about later and as for the parents It's a bit tough because they have a grandchild like it or not" He leaned in and kissed her lips "I called your Mum about an hour ago… I did right didn't I ?"

"I guess, did you say what had happened?"

Joey shook his head "No, I just said we were at the hospital and she might be needed"

"I don't need Mum… I've got you haven't I ?" Joey could see the slight worry in her face.

He reached across and placed his hand against her cheek "Of course you have me… but every girl needs her Mum, even you babe…" The door opened before she could respond and the doctor came back in with a murmuring baby.

"I think someone could use a cuddle with his Mummy" she moved the cot to the side of Lauren and saw how nervous her young patient looked "You can hold him if you like, he's your son" Lauren looked in to the cot gently moving her finger across his cheek. "he's tired I think, just needs a bit of fuss, I'll leave you to it, just buzz if any of you need anything" the two nodded and were left alone with harry.

Lauren paused for a second and then scooped Harry into her arms, gently bouncing him to hush his murmurs. "Hello, baby boy, god you look so much like your Daddy...ye you do"

"He looks like you too, I can see some of Oscar in him, especially his eyes"

"You want to hold him?" she asked after about half hour, Harry was already sleeping soundly in her arms, but she could feel herself getting tired, It seemed like it was something they would have to get used to.

"Of course…come on son" Joey smiled as Lauren gently lay Harry into his arms. She watched the two of them, it was so perfect… a beautiful mistake because they broke the rules of the game. It didn't take long before Lauren was sleeping again.

*J&L*J&L*J&L*

The room was pretty silent as both Lauren and Harry continued to sleep. The door to the room burst open and Tanya burst in "What's happed where is she ?..."

"Shhhh!" Joey frowned and reluctantly put Harry in the cot.

"What's going on?" Tanya asked having seen Harry and a sleeping Lauren.

"We've been busy, You have a grandson Tan, Lauren was 8 months pregnant" Tanya's mouth dropped to the floor.

"But… she dint say anything, she didn't…" she leaned her head back against the wall her hand rubbing across her forehead. "How did she even…"

"Lo didn't know, neither of us did, she didn't have any symptoms other than a few little things that we both didn't notice. She went into labour early this morning, she was so scared Tanya, she was cramps and she was bleeding… we didn't have a clue what was going on."

"Oh Joey…" she put her arm around his shoulders, her Motherly instincts kicked in and she was holding him closer. "How didn't she know Joey?"

"She was still getting her period's, or so she thought, turns out Lo's been really ill" he sat on the edge of the bed Next to her. "she's been really ill and none of us noticed. She'd been bleeding every month because her placenta was bleeding. Her body was telling her she wasn't pregnant so she didn't realise."

Tanya breathed out deeply and ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't believe this is really happening…it feels like some cruel dream, is Lauren alright now?"

"she's doing ok, just tired and still a bit shocked but she's smitten already, we both are. I can tell she's scared though. She's putting on a brave face but I know she's terrified I can see it in her eyes."

Tanya sighed deeply "I know Joey, I know…have you two spoken? You know…about what's going to happen next?"

"Briefly yes. We want to do what we can for him. He's ours and both me and Lo want to do this, well that's what she's saying"

Tanya just sat looking from Joey to Harry and then back to Lauren. The look on her face was pretty hard to read, she didn't really have a clear expression, her mind just seemed to be drifting elsewhere. "I know my daughter Joey, if she's said she wants to be a Mum to your child then she means it, she will never do anything she doesn't want to do"

Joey nodded "she's worried about Max…"

"you leave him to me, he's on his way , I can see how much you love my daughter, I know you won't hurt her. He doesn't get a choice in the matter, it's a little late to do anything about it really isn't it?" again Joey simply nodded sensing the slight laughter in Tanya's voice, she didn't seem angry, just concerned.

"…can I hold him Joey"

"ye of course" he stood and walked over to the cot "Hello little man" he lifted his son into his arms causing him to wake and whimper a little. "Oh dear, what's all this fuss ?" a couple of seconds of soothing and Harry was silent again. Joey gently lay him into Tanya's arms as she sat in the chair by the door. "Meet your Nana, Harry".

"Joey he's gorgeous" she looked up and saw Joey yawning "go and get yourself a coffee Joey, they're both sleeping" he and Tanya argued the point a little until he finally gave in "and Joey? Call your parents."

Albeit reluctantly, Joey left and called his parents, giving them the same vague message as he had Tanya, it proved difficult for him not to just blurt it out but he knew his Mum would have a complete freak out about it.

Joey leant back against the coffee machine, gagging a little as the so called coffee, he was drinking hit his throat. He didn't know what he was expecting, after all it was hospital coffee that had a notorious reputation for resembling sludge.

"Joey! What the hell has happened to my daughter hm? Where is she?" Max stormed into the hospital having, his questions starting as he saw Joey.

"Max… Look she's alright, she's ok" Joey said quietly, whilst awkwardly shuffling on the spot.

"She wouldn't be in hospital If she was "ok" would she so you better take me to her now before I walk these corridors and find her myself!"

"Alright, Ok" Joey held his hands up in surrender. He walked back down the corridor and stopped just outside Laurens room. He turned to Max "promise me one thing, don't be angry with her, just stay calm, she needs you…"

"I'll see how calm I stay when I see my daughter" He pushed passed Joey and opened the door. Freezing to the spot at the scene that greeted him. "What the hell have you done?"

Thanks again for all the lovely reviews ! Back tomorrow with Max's scene xx