Joey sighed and he walked over the shopping bags and he pulled out a bar of Lauren's favourite chocolate, a bottle of wine and a box of tissues, he pulled one of the carnations out of the bouquet he had brought her and he went upstairs to find his wife.

She was crying brokenly on the bed and Joey put the things he had brought on her bedside table and he climbed onto bed behind her, he got as close to her as he could and he put the carnation in front of her 'For the woman I love' he said softly. Lauren opened her eyes and she took the flower and she sniffed it,

'Thank you'

'Why didn't you tell me babe hey?' he asked her 'Is this why you've been getting all these headaches?' he asked her and she nodded 'What did the doctor say? Do you need to be taking anything? Like those hormone tablets that my mum had to take?'

'I haven't been to the doctors' she told him

Joey sighed 'Then how do you know that you are going through the menopause?' he asked her softly

Lauren sighed and she rolled over to look at him 'Because I have some of the symptoms' she replied 'Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, mood swings, my periods are really light' she told him 'I fell sleep yesterday at my desk in the gallery. That's why I was late to pick the kids up to make dinner, I didn't mean to fall asleep….I didn't mean to let everyone down'

'I know you didn't' he said feeling guilty for yelling at her 'babe don't you think that you should go to the Doctors?' he asked her and she shook her head 'Why not?'

'Because then when he actually tells me what I already know it will be real' Joey nodded in understanding 'and I don't want it to be real'

'Tell me what I can do to make you feel better' he told her softly

'There isn't anything that you can do' she told him 'All the parts that made me a woman are all withered and shrivelled and useless. Unless you can fix that then there is nothing that you can do' she fell into another bout of crying.

'Aw honey don't cry' he said wrapping his arms around her 'Sssh darling' he kissed her hair 'Just because you can't have any more children doesn't make you any less of a woman, not to me' he told her softly. 'You are still as beautiful and as sexy as you were 16 years ago, you are the love of my life Lauren. You will always be all woman to me'

'But that's just it isn't it' she said and he looked up at him 'You can still have children if you wanted to. I can't'

Joey shook his head 'The only woman I want to have children with is you' he told her 'No one else' he stroked her cheek softly 'I love you. I want you. So if you can't have any more children then neither can I' he told her firmly 'We already have four children. Two beautiful daughters and two handsome sons'

'We have one daughter that hates me with a passion and the other one could be pregnant' Lauren said 'James seems happier to spend all is time at his friend's house than here with me. Connor's the only one who seems to want to be around me'

'They're just growing up Lauren' Joey told her softly 'They're starting to build their own lives, their own relationships'

'They don't need me anymore'

'Of course they do' Joey said softly

'No they don't' lauren shook her head 'neither do you' she sobbed

'Yes I do, I'll always need you baby' he whispered 'Never think I don't' he told her softly 'We all need you. We'd fall apart without you. I'd fall apart with you. I did that last time, when I thought that I had lost you forever' he said 'you are the glue that hold this family together' he stroked her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear with a smile 'I know you probably don't feel like that now, but it's true. And do you know what else is true?' he asked her and she shook her head 'You are still my number one girl' Lauren smiled at him and he moved forward and he kissed her softly 'Why don't you have a stay in bed day? I've brought you wine and chocolate and here, her reached across the bed and picked up the TV remote control and gave it to her 'You can watch TV and I will finish off the chores and get dinner ready for the kids. And I'll cook a special dinner for you tonight, I'll make my chocolate mousse'

'The one that's better than sex?' she asked him Joey smiled nodding his head

'Yes that one' he told her

'Okay' she said softly

'You like that idea?'

'I love that idea' she nodded

'Good. Come on let's get you into bed' he told her 'you let me take care of you'

'What do we do about Sophie?' Lauren asked him

'I'll handle it. I'll talk to her when she gets home from school'

'Be sensitive Joey' she said 'Think about what you are going to say before you jump in with both feet. She's probably terrified'

'Okay I will. I will come up and check on you in a little while okay?'

'Okay' she nodded and Joey bent down and gave her soft lingering kiss. 'Relax, take some time for you. I love you'

'I love you too Joey and thank you'

AN: So how do you think Joey will handle the conversation with Sophie? Is he going to screw it up?

Thanks for all your reviews.

R&R as always