This chapter is dedicated to the lovely Brogan – Happy 18th Birthday lovely! Xx
"So now, would you like to explain to me just exactly who you are and why you & my son are running away together?"
Lauren took a deep breath in, wondering where exactly she should start and wishing Joey was here to deal with this. They'd only known each other four months and had barely been together a month when Derek caught them.
"My name is Lauren" she decided to start with, seeing Lynne's puzzled face and guessing she was about to say you've said that, Lauren spoke again. "Lauren Branning." She paused, with no reaction from Lynne. "My Dad is Max. His brother is Derek and Derek's son is..." His name didn't need to be said.
Lauren ducked her head, ready for the back lash, wondering what she and Joey were going to do when his mum turned her back on them. Wishing he was here with her, she wasn't sure she could deal with this by herself.
"You're cousins." Lynne said, with no obvious emotion in her voice that Lauren could pick up on, she just nodded. "Well I can see why that does make things complicated."
Lauren's head came up in shock, she didn't sound angry! She wasn't yelling or blaming Lauren, or even Joey for that matter. She wasn't crying, she sounded pretty calm actually. Lauren knew full well her family would not take her and Joey being together like this, that's why they chose to leave.
"I'm guessing there's more to it than that though?" Lynne raising an eyebrow, reminding Lauren so much of Joey. Lauren just shrugged. "Well the family is complicated, without adding us into the mix" she paused.
"Obviously you know what Derek's like..." Lynne let out a bitter laugh and nodded. "Well Walford is full of Branning's. And it's all a massive cycle of lies, fighting, affairs, and more lies." Lynne just nodded, thinking there was a lot more to it than that, but deciding it wasn't her place to pry right now, just patted Lauren's arm.
"You aren't mad?" Lauren said quietly, before speaking again "I mean you aren't freaking out." Lynne spotting the confusion and panic on the young girl's face, pulled her in for a hug. Lauren took comfort in her embrace and relaxed a little. "I mean I don't want you to hate us, I just wasn't expecting this, and Joey's not here, and yeah this is insane" Lauren babbled, making Joey's mum laugh.
"It's not exactly what I was expecting you to say either, but it could be a lot worse" Lynne said, squeezing Lauren a bit closer, trying to give the confused girl some comfort. Lauren didn't see how it could be worse, but whatever. Having someone that knew be on their side was something Lauren never expected.
Pulling away from their hug, Lynne asked bluntly "Do you love him?". Just the way she asked made Lauren duck her head to hide behind her hair, as she mumbled "Yeah."
"That's the bit that's important to me" Lynne said with a smile in her voice, Lauren looking up and upon seeing her smile, smiled too. "I know he loves you" Lauren blushed, but her smile grew. "So I'm sure you can deal with anything that gets thrown your way." Lauren just nodded, she hoped so, she really did.