Joey dropped the kids back at the house Sunday evening. They had to ring the doorbell as their keys didn't work.
Hope pushed passed her nearly causing her to fall to the floor, the rest of the kids followed.
Joey stood on the doorstep looking at her 'Do you need me to pick up the kids next week? Take them to school?' he asked her
'Nope' Lauren replied
'Look I've talked to the kids, I didn't tell them exactly what the issue is but I've told them that you needed some space and I've asked you to help them around the house'
'Well that's very thoughtful of you' Lauren replied frostily
'Can I come in for a while? We can talk?'
'Talk about what?' Lauren asked him
'This is ridiculous Lauren, I haven't done anything wrong. You are being unfair'
'Am I?' Lauren said nodding her head 'You can have the kids Wednesday after school, drop them back here at 11:00pm' she told him and she closed the door in his face.
Joey sighed and walked back to his car and he drove back to the square.
Lauren went to find Hope. She was in her room, Lauren knocked and she went inside and she closed the door, 'The punishment that your dad gave you no longer stands' Lauren told her 'Here is your phone and I've reconnected the WIFI. Here are my car keys and when you come back from school tomorrow I thought we could go to see if we can find you a car of your own' she told Hope as she put the car keys and phone down on the table by the door.
Hope blinked at her 'What?'
'I need your help around here Hope, with your brothers and sisters, I'll give you another £50 allowance a month and extend your curfew to 1:00am on weekends' she told her
'You're trying to bribe me?' Hope frowned at her 'So I will take your side over daddy's'
'You are the oldest Hope I would have expected a little understanding from you. Everything is not cut and dried'
'You kicked daddy out and he didn't want to leave, he said you were being stubborn and mean'
'Did he' Lauren asked her 'and did he tell you the reason that I kicked him out?'
'No, but I bet it's because you're a frigid bitch' Hope said 'You can stuff your fucking car and the one you want to try and bribe me with and the money. You made this fucking mess you can deal with it. This is your fucking problem not mine' Lauren nodded and she picked up the phone and the car keys and put them in your pocket. 'I wanted to stay with daddy, but he said that you needed me more'
Lauren licked her lips 'You want to stay with your father?' Lauren asked her
'Yes I do. I don't want to stay here with you. You are fucking awful mother'
Lauren nodded and she walked out of her room and into her bedroom and she pulled a suitcase out from the closet and she walked back into Hopes room and she put the suitcase on the bed and began to pack up Hopes clothes, one drawer at a time'
'What are you doing?' Hope frowned at her
'Packing your things' Lauren replied
She picked up Hope's school bag and she put in her laptop and her school books and her IPOD and her toiletries and zipped it up. Hope watched her with a worried expression on her face. Lauren moved to the wardrobe next and she pulled the clothes off of hangers and he put them into the suitcase too.
'That won't do up' Hope said knowing that Lauren was bluffing, she had something similar when she was thirteen after a row and told her that she wanted to live with her grandparents. Lauren had flipped and had packed her suit cases then too.
Lauren went back to her room and returned with another suitcase and put the clothes in there and then zipped it up. 'Anything else that you want to take with you?' Lauren asked her
Hope swallowed and she shook her head 'Good'
Lauren picked up the three bags and she took them downstairs and she put them outside the house, she returned to Hope's room and she grabbed Hope's arm and dragged her off the bed and down the stairs.
'What are you doing?' Hope frowned at her. The rest of the kids were watching with worried expressions on their faces. Lauren opened the front door, grabbing Hope's jacket on the way out. 'You're hurting me!' Lauren dragged Hope outside
'You want to go live with your precious father, then go' Lauren told her with a frown
'You're kicking me out too?'
'No. You asked to go' Lauren said to her
'How am I supposed to get there with all this stuff?' Hope said her eyes filling with tears.
Lauren looked at her 'That's not my fucking problem' Lauren snapped at her 'I don't know what I did to have such a selfish, nasty, spiteful, ungrateful little shit of daughter like you' Lauren frowned at her 'You think that you are grown up that you can live with your father? Then you go, go live with your father. I'm sure you and his new girlfriend will get on just fine'
'Daddy's seeing someone else?' Hope asked her as the tears rolled down her face.
'Did your precious father miss that part out hey?' Lauren asked her 'Do you know that I nearly lost you, when I was pregnant with you? I was hit by a car and Joey had to choose which of us to save, if it came down to it. Do you know who he chose hey?'
'Me?' Hope said
Lauren laughed at her and she shook her head 'No sweetie. He chose me' Lauren heart clench at the sight of hurt and pain that crossed Hope's face, more tears fell. 'And I wish to god that I had lost you' Lauren said before she could stop herself 'Now get off my fucking property or I'll call the police' lauren told her and she threw Hope's phone at her and slammed the door and locked it. Hope bange on the door and Lauren turned off the outside light. She could hear her daughter crying brokenly though the door, apologising and begging Lauren to let her back in.
Lauren looked at her other children 'Anyone else want to live with your father?' the three of them shook their heads.
'James, call him and tell him to come and pick up Hope. She is not stepping foot back in this house and neither is your father' she told them
'Is he really cheating on us?' James asked her
'Yes' Lauren replied 'I'm going to bed' she told them and she walked up the stairs and into her room. She climbed onto the bed, gathering the pillow into her arms and she cried.
James called Joey and he told him what had happened and in turn Joey told him that he was on his way over. James then went outside to Hope who was sitting on her suitcases hugging her knees, tears were streaming down her face.
'Dad's on his way' he told her softly 'Mum asked me to call him'
'I want to come back inside' Hope told him
'Sorry, You shouldn't speak to mum the way that you do' he told her 'She's been nothing but fair to you to all of us'
Hope raised her head to look at him 'She hates me'
'Do you blame her?' James replied 'you treat her like crap Hope'
'She swore at me'
'You swear at her all the time, you don't like it when she gives it back out to you?'
'Is it true what she said? That daddy's seeing someone else?'
'She wouldn't lie about that Hope. Mum doesn't lie' he said softly
'She said she didn't want me'
'No she said she wished she never had you, there's a difference and you pushed her buttons Hope, just like you always do. Is it any surprise that you got a reaction? You know that she's not ben feeling well lately, and on top of everything else dad is cheating on her and you act like it's her fault, like everything is her fault.'
'Can I talk to her?' she looked at James hopefully
'No. She doesn't want you in the house' he told her 'and I can't say that I blame her. I love you, you are my sister but mum doesn't need to be dealing with you and your temper tantrums right now, she's got enough to deal with' he said
A few minutes later Joey pulled up in the car 'What happened? Where's your mother?' he asked them
'She's gone to bed' James told him 'And no dad you can't come in' he shook his head
Joey looked at Hope 'Come on let's get your things in the car hey?' he asked her
She stood up with a sniff and she looked at her brother 'Will you tell mum that I am sorry?'
'No. This is your mess Hope you get to sort it out for yourself' he told her quietly. He turned towards the door and he reached for the handle.
'Mum said that you are seeing someone else' he heard Hope ask their father 'is it true?'
Joey blinked and James turned back to look at him 'She's just a friend that's all'
'That's what Sadie Roberts father told his mother, they're getting divorced now' Hope said and she picked up a bag and walked to the car.
'What happened James?' Joey asked him
'Hope mouthed off at mum like she always does when you're not around, swearing at her, calling her names, blaming mum for you leaving, told her that she wanted to live with you… and mum, well I guess she had enough' he told him, he licked his lips 'Are you and mum going to get a divorce?' he asked him
'No of course not' Joey said shaking his head 'I love your mother so much…'
'Then why are you seeing someone else?' James asked him, Joey had no answer 'Mum said something's to Hope…she was angry and hurt and …. She said that she wished she had lost Hope when she had the accident and that when you were given the choice of who to save you chose Lauren.' James said. Joey closed his eyes and he nodded
'Thank you for telling me. How's mum?'
'Upset' James replied 'We all are dad'
Joey nodded 'Look I'd better go, I'll deal with Hope and I'll see you soon buddy okay?' he asked his son.
James nodded 'I don't want to meet her' James told him
'Who?' Joey frowned
'The other woman' James said to him 'None of us do. I hope you're happy dad' he told him and he opened the door and he went inside.
Joey licked his lips and he turned to the car and he got in and he drove back to Albert Square.
AN: Hope pushed her mother a little too far. Was Lauren justified in her actions?
Has Joey realised yet the repercussions on his actions or is it going to take more for him to see what he has done?
Enjoy.
Thanks for your reviews and as always R&R
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