Chapter 21

"Good Morning beautiful" Joey smiled as Lauren woke up and stretched lazily on the bed. "it's home time today, we get to take our baby boy home"

"Ye to an empty apartment on the third floor, he doesn't even have any clothes other than the few things our Mum's brought in yesterday." She sighed and pushed herself up in the bed. Joey shook his head.

"You need to stop worrying, we'll go shopping in a few day's but for now your Mum's given us some of Oscar's old things…I did buy a car seat though, well it's one of those travel system things you said you liked." Lauren looked at him and frowned. "What's that look for ?"

"Nothing, nothing at all…" she giggled taking Harry from him.

"no go on…" he said quite firmly, although he was quite amused she was being so playful.

"I can't imagine you shopping in a baby store" she looked up at him and joey could tell she was clearly picturing it in his head. "What do you get, it better not be something all techno that I can't use"

"No it's not, it's very nice actually, your Mum said you'd like it" her eyes shot open and Joey raised his eye brow.

Lauren smirked and laid Harry down between her legs on the bed so he was on his back. "Daddy went shopping with Nanna H, ye he did, and he survived which is a miracle because Daddy hates shopping, he does ye…" Harry gurgled at her as he kicked about on the bed. Lauren played with his arms and legs moving them about, which she'd learnt he liked.

"Daddy barley survived…she wanted me to buy this black and white old fashioned type thing, it was horrible. I was lucky she actually liked the one I chose, how you shop with your mum and Abs is beyond me baby."

Lauren leaned up and touched his cheek with her hand drawing him into a sweet kiss. "Well I'd glad you survived and I'm even more grateful that it was you that went with her and not me."

He responded to the kiss, which became a little too engrossed for the time as they were broken apart by a cough in the door way. Lauren's face flooded a bright shade of red as the doctor walked in. Joey just laughed and scooped Harry into his arms.

"I was about to ask how you were feeling this morning, but I can see you're obviously better" she smiled embarrassing her patient even further.

"Erm ye…much better thanks"

"Good, well everything's all in place for you to go home, both of you, so I'll let you get changed and get your things sorted. Once you're ready just drop this form" she held up a yellow piece of paper and waved it in the air "to the desk outside and then your free."

"Really? There's nothing else"

"Absolutely nothing Lauren, you and Harry are fine, we kept you in a little longer just to make sure no problems would arise and they haven't, so I'm more than happy to discharge you and let you two settle into parenthood with your little boy."

"Thank you" Joey saw her out and went back to Lauren, but she wasn't there. His face puzzled and a small amount of fear rushed through her. "Lo…" her moved around the room and she want anywhere. He composed himself, he was over reacting a little. She couldn't have gone. He was quiet for a second and a small smile curled to his lips when he hear the shower from the bathroom running and Lauren singing to herself. He loved to listen to her sing, especially when she didn't know he was listening. It sounds creepy I know but, that way, she didn't get embarrassed and he could her every little note, the slight hitches in her voice when she couldn't reach the top notes.

He placed Harry in the cot and started to pack there things away. They hadn't got much to pack up, other than the few things there Mum' s had brought in, they only had the stuff they'd taken on holiday with them. Two days after having Harry, Lauren had practically frog marched Joey out the door, telling him to sort himself out and sleep. Obviously he didn't to as he was told, instead he went to the holiday park they'd been at and collected their things and the car. He had then made the brave decision to go to his Mum's.

*flash back*

Joey stood nervously on the front step to his Mum and Derek's house. His palms were sweaty and he felt sick, really sick. The last time he felt that nervous was when he'd broken his Mum's vase when he was 8 and had hidden In the shed the entire day so he didn't have to face a telling off. He was pretty sure at that point he'd give anything to hide in that shed again, but he knew he had to face them. He knew his Mum wouldn't be bothered, that she'd be more concerned about Lauren and the baby, for her to be that upset. Derek on the other hand, he wasn't too happy with the prospect of seeing. You see, as Derek wasn't Joey's biological Father, they didn't really have much of a bond. Joey just saw Derek as the trouble making father of his sister, and he was sure there was no love lost the other way around either, Joey was always wrong in Derek's eyes.

He took a deep breath and rang the bell. The chimes echoed a few times and he could her Alice shouting from inside. The door opened, Joey just smiling awkwardly at his sister, who was yet to know anything.

"Joey, what you doing here?" she stepped aside and he walked in.

"Is Mum in?" Alice nodded and pointed to the kitchen, before she could say anything else he was off in that direction. He leaned against the door frame of the kitchen for a few seconds and watched his mum flit about, she was cooking, as was pretty much always the case.

"Smells good Mum" he said softlHe took a deep breath and rang the bell. The chimes echoed a few times and he could her Alice shouting from inside. The door opened, Joey just smiling awkwardly at his sister, who was yet to know anything.

"Joey, what you doing here?" she stepped aside and he walked in.

"Is Mum in?" Alice nodded and pointed to the kitchen, before she could say anything else he was off in that direction. He leaned against the door frame of the kitchen for a few seconds and watched his mum flit about, she was cooking, as was pretty much always the case.

"Smells good Mum" he said softly, moving over to her. She dropped the vegetables she was holding and dragged him into a hug.

"Oh Joey" she held him close to her, hugging him like only she knew how, well and Lauren. So much warmth and comfort was given in just on hug from his Mum.

"Hi Mum" she moved away from him, ushering him into a chair at the small table in the center of the kitchen.

"How are you?" Joey shook his head, feeling his emotions getting the better of him. "What's happened son, are you ok ? is Lauren ok?" his eyes met his Mum's as her hand softly gripped his across the table.

"Is Derek in?"

"No he's on a business trip, he'll be away for a few days" Joey nodded and went quiet. Julie hadn't seen him like this in a long time. Ever since he'd met Lauren he'd been different person, he was happier and more lively, Lauren had given him the life back that his Ex had taken away. "Talk to me Joseph… I'm your mother, I know something's bothering you"

"I don't want you to be upset Mum, remember when I called you a couple of days ago and said that Me and Lo were in hospital…"

"And you said not to worry, even though you knew full well I would do…" Joey rolled his eyes.

"Well" He took a deep breath and everything just came flooding out. "meandlaurenhadababyandshedidntknowshewaspregnanta ndnowwehaveavbabyaliitleboy"

"Joe…take a breath son and then tell me again"

"You have a grandson Mum…"

Julie's eyes widened "Did you get someone else pregnant Joey?"

"god no Mum! Me and Lo we had a little boy, two days ago." He handed his phone over to his Mum and watched her eyes tear up as she stared at the picture of her first grandchild. "Lauren didn't know she was pregnant and she went into labor on Wednesday night, in the early hours she woke and thought it was period pains, she was bleeding too you see. It got to about half 12 on Thursday and I called an ambulance, she was in complete agony, was bleeding and to be honest I was scared I was going to lose her."

"You really love her don't you son?"

"With my entire heart Mum, it killed me seeing her like that and it was even worse when we got to hospital, I couldn't go with her. To cut a long story short, a doctor eventually came out and said Lo was pregnant, I thought she was having a miscarriage Mum" Julie squeezed his hand her thumb gently brushing over his knuckles. " but the doctor said she wasn't and that she was eight months pregnant and In labor. Everything else is just a blur… next thing I remember was Lo crying as she gave birth. She had a little boy, he was a good weight" Joey wiped his eyes

"Oh god Joey are they ok ?"

He smiled "Ye they're perfect, no issues, Laurens amazing with him and he's perfectly healthy" Julie got up and hugged him tight. "Oh and we called Him Harry… after Dad" he added, although she didn't need to be told. She wasn't surprised either, she knew how much Joey loved and missed his dad.

"It's prefect Joey, I'm sure your father would be very proud of you, I know I am. You'll make a fantastic father son."

"Thank you Mum, it means a lot."

They spoke for a while after, as Joey helped with the dinner prep, he'd also told his sister who was more than excited to be an auntie. Alice was only a few years younger than Lauren she was 17, 5 years younger than Joey and three younger then Lauren. Unlike the rest of Joey's Family, Alice had seen some of Lauren when she was younger, when Derek and her Dad used to speak, but she'd never know about a brother. After being fed and watered by his Mum Joey went back to the hospital a big smile on his face.

Things had gone way better than expected.

*end of flashback*

"Joey… Joe" His head shot up to See Lauren fully dressed watching him from the bathroom door way. "What had got you in such a daydream ay?"

"Nothing, just thinking about My Mum and how happy she is that's she's actually got a grandchild… she'd nearly written me off until you came along."

Lauren Laughed and placed her remaining things into a bag. "I'm ready…"

Joey stood up, Harry snuggled against his chest. "so are we…Take a look over there" He nodded towards the side of the bed and smiled as Lauren reached down and lifter the car seat up. "Do you like it ?"

"I love it Joey, it's perfect… very us" she smiled and undid the straps so Harry could be placed into it. "All snug"

They did a final sweep of the room and declared they had everything. With a quick stop off at reception they handed in the discharge papers and headed for the car park. Joey walked proudly with Harry in his car seat, his other arm around Lauren. "FREEDOM H" He said in a shouty whisper. Lauren swatted his chest and laughed. They settled into the car and started the journey home.

After a long tiring drive, both Harry and Lauren were asleep. Joey smiled to himself and reluctantly wok her. "We're home baby…"

"Already?"

Joey nodded "Ye you fell to sleep beautiful. You ok to Take H if I get the bags" she nodded and walked around to the back of the car.

"Babe?" he quickly moved back to her "you ok?" Lauren was standing frozen to the spot, staring at the entrance to apartment. Joey looked where Lauren was tensely staring. He quickly reached for her arm and moved her closer. She'd already turned the car seat to face he.

They heard the tell-tale footsteps approach them. "Well, well, well. What do we have hear then?"

Horrible cliff hanger I know ! Im mean aren't I ?

The Buggy Joey brought if your interested : Cosatto giggle-3-in-1-combi-pushchair- treet