14th May 2013. Time for a visit to Walford, I think... Enjoy!

Chapter 48.

Lauren sat in the kitchen, watching as the rest of the family got ready for their days. She was up early today, especially for her but it was nice to see everyone else rushing around, getting ready for their day. "I'm going to Walford today." She said softly and saw them all stop and turn to look at her. Not quite the reaction she'd hoped for... but not a huge surprise.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, baby girl?"

"I refuse to hide in our house, Joe." She said, "Anyway, I want to see my mum. She's putting on a nice day for me and my friends at her salon."

"I can drive you there." Joey said.

She sighed. "Firstly, your mum is having the car today and secondly, I'm more than capable of getting the tube." She got to her feet, "Don't worry so much, baby. I'll be fine."

"No one knows where Derek is..."

"He is not going to make me a prisoner, scared to go outside for fear of him being there." She snapped. She turned and ran up to their room. The door to the room opened several minutes later, "You're not going to change my mind, Joe." She said as she tidied up their room. She glanced in his direction and saw him standing with his arms folded across his chest as he leant against the door.

"Why today?"

"I miss my mum. I want to see my dad. I want to see my friends." She pulled her boots out of the wardrobe and sat on the bed so she could put them on. "I want to tell my friends about the baby. I want to celebrate it with them. I've hardly seen them since I moved here... I miss them." She looked at him again and Joey can see the tears in her eyes. "I want them to be as excited about this as I am..." she whispered.

"Okay." He whispered, "but please, be careful. And let me know where you are and that you get there safely." He saw her frown, "I know I sound like I'm controlling you but I worry. The police haven't been able to give him the restraining order because no one knows where he is and I want to keep the both of you safe." He looked down at the carpet, "The thought of something happening to you fills me with dread. He's already hurt you twice and I can't let him do it again... so please, be careful."

She got to her feet and walked to stand in front of him, "I will, I promise." She told him, standing on her tiptoes and kissing him deeply.

*JL*JL*

The trip to Walford was as easy as Lauren had anticipated. She'd sent a text to Whitney and Lucy to say she was coming over and had arranged to meet them both at Booty's. When she'd called her mum last night, she'd come up with the idea of a pamper day for Lauren and her friends as she didn't have many customers today and it meant Poppy could be there too.

She left the tube station and made her way to her mum's salon. "Hello?" she called out as she pushed open the door.

"Hi sweetheart, come in. Hang up your coat and come, sit down." Lauren did as she said and walked over to where her mum stood, waiting for her. "Lauren, you're practically glowing..." she said with a smile. "And you've grown since I last saw you."

"It was only a week ago, mum."

"I mean it... you have a definite bump there now... it wasn't there when we went shopping."

"Just as well I plan on telling the girls today then, ain't it?"

"Sit down, Lauren. I'll do your hair while we're waiting for them to get here. My customer for this afternoon cancelled so you have me the whole day, darling," Lauren sat in the chair and let her mum study her hair.

"Is Poppy not here?"

"No, she nipped out to get a few bits. She'll be back in a few minutes." Tanya said. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Better than last week." Lauren said, "I've been reading that book... I've learnt so much from it."

The door to the salon rang as it opened and Poppy walked in with a bag from the Minute Mart. "Hi, Lauren. It's so good to see you. I was just saying to Fats last night that we don't get to see you very much anymore. Then I come to work this morning and your mum says you're spending the day here."

"Breathe, Pops." Lauren said with a giggle.

"I'll just go and sort these bits out, Tanya." Poppy said, disappearing in the back of the salon.

Just as Poppy walked back into the room the door opened again and Whitney and Lucy stood in the doorway. "Come in girls, grab a seat." Tanya said. The door opened again and Lauren looked at her mum in the mirror. "I invited Sharon along... I hope that's okay?" She asked hesitantly.

"It's fine, mum." Lauren said, touching her mum's hand as it rested on her shoulder.

Tanya had noticed how her daughter had her arms folded and she rightly guessed she didn't want her friends to see her bump and guess she was pregnant before she got to tell them. She turned the chair Lauren was sitting in to face her friends and she saw her daughter relax slightly. "Take a seat everyone and we can work out what you all want done today. My treat." Tanya said with a smile, "Well, I guess actually, it's Max's treat." She glanced at her assistant, "You too, Poppy. You're my daughter's friend too, this includes you."

"What's the special occasion, Tanya?" Lucy asked.

"No reason." Tanya said, smiling at her daughter as she turned to where Poppy stood, "Where are the drinks, Poppy?" Poppy dashed back to the back room and returned with two bottles of white wine and a bottle of water. Tanya went and retrieved some glasses and poured them some drinks.

Lauren looked at her friends and saw they were still standing, "You'd better do as she says," she said with a grin.

*JL*JL*

Half an hour later Lauren's friends were all giggling as they drank their wine. Lauren looked at them all and smiled. Her mobile rang and she picked up her bag and pulled it out. Guilt rang through her, she'd forgotten to let Joey know she got there, "Sorry, baby... I forgot." She said as soon as she answered.

"Baby brain has kicked in then," he teased her.

"Something like that probably." Lauren said, blushing slightly and hoping no one had heard what he'd said.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked her softly.

"Yes. We're just deciding what everyone is having done." Lauren told him.

"Well, I'll let you get back to it... I'll speak to you later, baby girl. Love to you and the bump." He whispered the last part and it brought tears to Lauren's eyes.

"Love you too." She murmured before ending the call.

"You two are so loved up..." Lucy said.

"I think it's sweet." Whitney said.

"Me too." Poppy added.

Lauren shrugged and took a sip of her water. "Has everyone decided what they're having done?" she asked.

"Apart from you..." Tanya said.

"I'll leave that up to you, mum. You're the expert... and you know what I like." Lauren smiled at her mum.

"Well why doesn't Poppy do Whitney and Sharon's nails and I can start on your hair, Lauren?"

"Okay." Lauren put down her glass and went to get up. "By the way, guys... I'm pregnant." She got to her feet and went to follow her mum towards the sinks so she could wash her hair.

"What?" Whitney gasped.

"Did you say you were pregnant?" Lucy whispered.

Poppy rushed over to her and hugged her tightly, "That's amazing, Lauren." She said to her softly.

"Thanks, Pops."

Whitney and Lucy were standing behind her, "Congratulations, Lauren." They both said, hugging her as well.

Lauren blushed and looked self-consciously at the floor, noticing how her hand was resting on her bump. "Wow, I can't believe we didn't notice." Lucy said as she saw what her friend was looking at. "How far along are you?"

"Just about fourteen weeks." Lauren whispered. She looked up at her friends and they saw tears on her face.

"Lauren?"

"Sorry, it's these bloody hormones..." she laughed. "I'm all over the place at the moment."

"Come on, Lauren, let's get started on your hair..." Tanya said, shepherding her towards the sinks again. By the time she was sat in the chair she was sobbing softly and Tanya passed her a tissue. She crouched down in front of her, "You okay?"

Lauren nodded, "I don't even know why I'm crying..." she whispered.

"Do you want to speak to Joe?" Tanya asked, brushing her daughter's hair back from her face.

"Only if you want me to be a blubbering mess on the floor," she said, smiling at her mum. "I'll be okay in a minute."

Tanya nodded and once Lauren was settled in the front of the sink she proceeded to wash her hair. No one spoke again until Lauren was sitting back in her chair, facing the mirror as her mum ran a brush through her hair.

It was a gasp from Whitney that broke the silence, "Oh, god. You were pregnant when Derek..."

Lauren looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. "Yes, I was."

"Did you know?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, we found out a few weeks beforehand." Lauren admitted.

Lauren's chair was turned around and she found she was facing Whitney, "You stood in front of me so Derek couldn't get to me, Lauren. You put yourself in harm's way... and risked your baby."

"I couldn't let him hurt you, Whit..." Lauren whispered. "I didn't even think about it. It wasn't until he'd pushed me up against the fireplace that I realised what he could do."

Whitney hugged her tightly and they both cried softly. "Thank you, Lauren... I'm glad nothing happened to you and the baby." She said as she pulled away from her friend.

Tanya reached for Lauren's hand squeezed it gently as she continued to cry. "Lauren had to go to the doctor's the day after. She thought she was having a miscarriage." Tanya told them gently. "They were both fine, obviously... but it was very frightening for her and Joey."

"I'm sorry, Lauren." Whitney said.

"You don't have anything to apologise for, Whit. You didn't know, did you?" Lauren said.

"Lauren's right, Whitney," Tanya said, "None of us knew. If Max and I had known we would've insisted she went to the hospital that night. It's not your fault." She squeezed Whitney's arm in comfort before turning back to her daughter. "Now, I'd better start doing something with this, shouldn't I or it'll start to go frizzy." She said as she turned Lauren back towards the mirror.

TBC

A/N: Did you like their reactions? Again... I wanted her friends to be supportive of her because it makes a change. Would you like another chapter today? I could probably be convinced...