chapter 4 - Be back soon

Joeys POV

The days after Alice had turned up were really tense, it was like she'd cast so sort of clouded spell over our house and everyone was grumpy. Zoe was in this major strop 24/7 nothing me or Lauren could made any difference to her mood. The only time she was happy was at her birthday. We didn't have a huge party for her but our friends came round and Max and Abi and some of the kids from the nursery. All in all it had been a great my Mum came for a while too but had to make a quick exit when Alice wanted her. Lauren had attempted, attempted being the operative word, to get me to talk things over with Alice, she didn't really know what had happened only that me and Al weren't on talking terms. She pestered me for days until I finally gave in and explained what had happened. At the end of that conversation I was literally restraining her, her opinion of Alice soon changed as well as her mood and she'd gone from happy go lucky Lauren, to I hate everything Lauren. After though, she always cried and apologised even though she had done nothing wrong, I did feel sorry for her really, her hormones were all over the shop.

The days after the party were the worst, Zoe was in her strop over god knows what and Lauren was ill. She'd not been feeling well for a few days, but was putting it down to just being tired. I'd taken a couple off work to look after her and Lauren just got progressively worse, she was now being sick and wasn't eating. So after researching her symptoms (something we now know never to do again) we had drawn the conclusion that there was something seriously wrong. We made a mad rush to the hospital and I spent 4 hours in a crowded A and E with a crying and puking Lauren, to discover she wasn't seriously ill at all, but the babies had decided to have a bit of a shuffle around and were pressing onto her stomach. Apparently it was really uncomfortable.

Luckily after few days the symptoms had died down and Lauren had her appetite back. She started going to yoga sessions with Poppy and she seemed to be enjoying them, they were really effective too. I'd noticed she was much calmer now, she had better control of her hormones…most of the time and this seemed to rub off on Zoe too, who after a week and half of sulking, was starting to return to my little angle.

It was the next couple of days I was dreading though and I know Lauren was too. I had to go away for the weekend. Sharon had heard there was a potential club for sale in Essex so I was off to check it out and meet with the manager. It's not that I minded but it would have been so much better if it had been another weekend. Its 3 nights that's I kept saying, 3 nights. But it was three nights without Lauren in my arms, without the twins kicking against my hands and without Zoe.

"Will you stop sulking, there's nothing you can do about it so…stop trying to make excuses and go" she sighed and nudged Zoe off her Lap so she could stand. "Go Joey…I'll miss you and everything we all will but we'll be fine I promise you" I nodded in defeat and kissed her making sure it lasted as long as it could.

"I love you" I said as I pulled away

"We love you too…Zoe come say bye to Daddy" Zoe sprung from the sofa and ran to give me a hug, Me and Lauren had been so worried about her reaction to me going, but she didn't even seem to be that bothered.

I lifted her giggling, into my arms and held her tight "I'll be back soon ok? I need you to do me a big favour and look after Mummy and the babies, do you think you can do that for me?" I saw her face brighten with confidence, her eyes taking a quick look at Lauren who was standing at the side her hands proudly on her stomach.

"Yes Daddy"

"That's my girl…Love you" I kissed her head as she mumbled a response back and then went and curled into Laurens side. Lauren gave me another quick kiss and almost pushed me out the door. "Bye..." I shut the door behind me breathing deeply as I made my way to the car. I hated leaving them; it was like a part of me was missing anytime they weren't around. Its two days that's all I kept thinking- but two days was way too long.

Ok so Joey's going to miss his Girls ad his babies... this was just a bit of a filler chapter to set out the story for the next 10 chapters really hope you enjoy as much as you can... Next chapter up later xxx