Chapter 3- House Guest

Laurens POV

"Lauren?" Joey's voice called through from the bottom of the stairs, his footsteps coming through the door hearing it click behind him. My mouth instantly curled into a wide smile at just the sound of his voice.

"We're up here" I called back, as his movements sounding up the stairs. I looked briefly to the doorway where Zoe was sitting with her own brush trying to help me out. Not that I'd given her much paint of the brush though, a little damage control wouldn't go a miss. she was so creative when it came to art. I loved it as a kid and it was so nice to see that I could still enjoy it and share things with her.

"Erm what are you doing?" he asked rather shortly. I really wanted to give him a sensible answer, but that wasn't how I worked, especially when I could sense he was annoyed. It wasn't like I was breaking the law or anything, maybe a Joey law, but not the actual law.

"I'm climbing the Eifel Tower" I rolled my eyes "What does it look like I'm doing" I asked holing the paintbrush up and flashing my grin at him.

"No seriously you shouldn't be doing this babe, it's not good for you or the twins" He walked over to me and took the paint brush from my hands, softly gripping them in his. I pouted and he simply silenced me by kissing me oh so amazingly.

"I was bored" I replied hoping that would suffice as a sensible answer. Honestly though what did he expect me to do all day? We had things that needed doing and so while I had the time I thought I'd do them. Most days Zoe would be going out with one of the family or Friends, because they knew I couldn't be as active with her as I would have liked to have been an I was just in all day. I'd woken up that morning wanting to do something productive that both me and Zoe could do. So I'd decided to make a start on the nursery. It was already cream so no big painting needed to be done, I just wanted to get creative. Joey had been meaning to help me for the last week, but had been called into work every time we were about to start. So I took matters into my own hands.

"Not an excuse baby…you should be resting and taking it easy" His eyebrows raised as I finally relented and put the pallet of paints down. "It looks beautiful though babe…" He slinked arms around my waist pulling me back into his chest. I tipped my head back to his shoulder, his lips greeting mine softly.

"Hmm your just saying that to get into my good books…Zoe Show Daddy what you painted for your Brother and Sister" She stood up from her position on the floor and shoved a piece of paper at Joey. He bent down to her level and propped her against his knee.

"Wow… quite the little artist aren't you baby girl? Show me who they are"

She smiled indicating to the stick people on the paper "Mummy, you, me and babies and Bella." She beamed up to Joey as he kissed her little cheeks and tickled her.

"You and Mummy make a good team don't you ay?" she nodded and took the few steps towards me. She handed the paper to me and walked back over to Joey putting her arms tightly around him. Joey lifted her up and hugged her tightly "Have you missed me today?" it had been his fist full day at work for a while and he'd worked a late shift last night too. I guess we'd both missed him.

"Lots" she whispered into his ear, just loud enough I caught on to what she was saying.

"Well how about we finish up in here and we can have some tea and then we'll watch a film"

"Can we Mummy?" she asked her eyes wide with hope. I moved closed to her and placed a kiss gently on her nose.

"I think that sounds like a very good idea…go and wash your hands ready for dinner and then I'll run you a bath and we can watch the film"

"Ok" Joey placed her on the floor and she sprinted off to the bathroom. Standing still for a second I felt something very different in my stomach. I grabbed Joeys hand and placed it where I'd just felt the movement. If I timed it right, Joey would feel it.

His eyes widened as our son kicked, actually kicked. The kicking was happening on the left much stronger, the right hand side I could feel stronger movements but they were nowhere near as strong as the left. "Your, son is kicking pretty hard baby" The movements had rendered Joey speechless. "Baby?"

"She's kicking too" he replied moving his hands to the right of my stomach. It was completely mesmerising. I laughed as the movements seemed to follow Joe's hands. It was such a strange feeling. It was a bit like bubbles or butterflies with a few stronger prods here and there. "Does it not hurt babe?" he questioned looking a little concerned.

I shook my head smiling "No…just a little strange…Ow…Ok that one did" Joey laughed and lovingly rubbed my stomach where our son had just landed an almighty kick. "Come on your babies are hungry…Zoe come on sweetie"

Joeys POV

Lauren had cooked an amazing tea for us all, how she'd managed to do everything she'd done today I have no idea, she was turning into super Mum. Well I can't say that really, she already was Super Mum. She honestly was amazing, how she was this perfect mother when she evidently had such a crappy one of her own as a role model, was beyond me. My eyes were drawn to my girls curled up on the sofa, both of them sleeping. They mirrored each other to such a detail it was scary.

They both lay on their side, legs tucked up, Zoe's a little further up than Laurens as her bump got in the way. Their hands stretched to the side Zoe cuddling up to Fuzz and Lauren to Zoe. I'd noticed when sleeping they both had small smiles on their faces. The simplest thing made me fall in love with her over and over again, falling a little deeper (if possible) each time. I looked at the clock seeing it was only 7 o'clock. Lauren had been adamant she wasn't tired and hadn't done too much, she was too stubborn for her own good sometimes. The film wasn't even half way through and they way both out of it.

"Zoe…come on baby, lets get you to bed" she stirred slightly as I eased her out of Laurens arms and into my own, I didn't really want to move her but she couldn't stay on the sofa all night. Making a quick trip to her room, she was tucked up safely in bed…now was the challenge of waking Lauren.

She craved sleep, literal craved it. When we first got together I remember her being an early riser, telling me that staying in bed all day reminded her too much of her "bad" days. I know the twins were starting to take their toll; she was a really small person, in height and weight so at 5 months she already looked about 8, and not forgetting there was two very healthy babies growing in her too. I looked at her tensely, knowing I was really about to regret my next move. Squatting on the floor by her face, my fingers entwined in her hair as cautiously began to wake her. I must have a bloody death wish. "Baby..."

"Lauren…baby" she inhaled sharply and woke up. Straight away I was greeted with a half-hearted hit to my chest. "Come on babe, you fell to sleep" she groaned closing her eyes again. Lauren was about to argue when the doorbell rang. " go, to, bed !" I got up to answer the door, leaving Lauren falling back to sleep again.

I opened the door and came face to face with the one person I really didn't expect to see. Alice. What the hell was she doing here? Last time we spoke, well we didn't speak we argued, Lauren didn't need this and I didn't need this.

"are you just going to stand there like a complete moron or are you going to grow a pair, apologise and let me in?" honestly I could have slammed the door in her face, but taking my Mum's words into account I opened the door indicating she should come in.

"Joe who is it?" Lauren waddled rather sleepily to the hall way where Alice was standing. this had disaster all over it.

"Ahhh there she is …" I shot Alice a warning look but it didn't work. "the girl who's wormed her way into his pathetic little life" oh great.

"And you are?" Lauren asked raising her eyebrow

"I'm Alice…your cousin/. we've met once before" Alice was doing everything possible not to make eye contact with any of us, she stood arms crossed sucking her teeth and staring at the floor.

Lauren Laughed "I remember, if my memory serves me right, I pulled your hair out and bit you" Alice looked a little taken aback. "hmm ye I remember you…if you don't mind, I'm off to be, night babe" Lauren turned towards me and landed a lasting kiss to my lips, I knew it was a little for Alice's benefit but I certainly didn't mind her little show. My eyes were glued to her perk bum as she swayed up the stairs.

Halfway up she paused and turned to face Alice "When I get up in the Morning, your either on talking terms with my fiancé and you've change your attitude or, you're on your way back to wherever you crawled from and you're out of my house"

I seriously had to bite back a laugh, but it was too hard, I scoffed at Alice who was standing looking like she had just been bitten. And she had been, by Laurens words. "So you heard my fiancé, what's is going to be?"

"I didn't come here to argue with you Joey, I came to see my niece, who thanks to you and her" she sounded so bitter " I haven't seen in nearly a year…it's her birthday soon and I wanted to give her present to you" Now I was torn. She seemed to be genuine but I couldn't shake the words that had broken me the last time I'd seen her. "Joey, please…"

I sighed deeply licking my lips- they had suddenly gone so dry along with my mouth. "fine, come over in the morning, we can TALK then." She nodded "You can go now"

"I hate being like this with you Joey, our my brother…if you could just"

"If I could just what, Alice? Listen to you explain how you thought getting in contact with Paige to tell her I was getting Married was a clever idea? Listen to your excuses of 'it was for the best' well guess what Al, I don't want to know. I'm sorry if you didn't get what you wanted from her, but I warned you and you didn't listen, I'm constantly telling you and looking out for you Al" Her eyes met the floor again not knowing what to do, she was my sister and I loved her, but what she'd done was unforgivable. Lauren, Zoe and the twins were my priority. "You know what Al? I think it's best you leave and don't bother coming back in the morning. We, we are done here."

Is there More to Alice then meets the eyes ? she's definitely a little more fiery in this story... I'll be back tomorrow with Two chapters enjoy ! and thanks again for reviewing I always love to hear what you think :) xxx