The next morning Lauren woke at 8:00am, she realised that she was late letting the kids up and making their breakfast. She also realised that she had slept in her clothes. She rushed downstairs and found that James, Sophie and Connor were already up and dressed and were just cleaning up their breakfast things. Their lunches were made too.

Lauren blinked 'I'm sorry I overslept' she told them all

'It's okay mum. You're entitled to lie in. We're big enough to sort ourselves out.' Sophie said

'Here' James put a cup of coffee on the bar and Sophie put a plate of eggs and toast and Connor put an orange juice down 'we made you breakfast for a change' he smiled at her

'Thank you' Lauren smiled at them and she sat down.

'We looked at the chores and we've split them between us' Sophie said to her 'We put a new chart up on the fridge so we take it in turns, Connor is blue, James is red and I am purple'

'Who's yellow?' Lauren asked

'You are yellow' Sophie said to her

'There's hardly any yellow on there' Lauren said to them as she studied the plan

'That's because you need to take things easy until you start to feel better' Sophie said to her, someone knocked on the door and James got up to answer it.

'Hello. I'm Lucy I'm a friend of your mothers'

'Come on in Luce' Lauren called out, James let her in and she followed him to the breakfast bar 'James, honey pour Lucy a coffee' she said 'Sit down' Lauren said to her

'Thanks' Lucy said as James gave her a coffee 'Mm this is good'

Connor beamed 'I made the coffee' he told her

'Best coffee I ever had' Lucy smiled back at him

'They heard a car horn outside and Lauren frowned 'Who's that?'

'Riley's mum, we called her this morning and asked her if we could have a ride to and from school as you haven't been feeling well lately and she said that that was the least she could do after everything that you did for her when she was in the hospital' Sophie said to her with a smile. 'Boys have you got your bags?' Sophie asked her brothers

'Yep' they called back in unison

'Okay mum all you have to do is out your plates in the dishwasher and don't worry about dinner, I got some steaks out and I'll cook them when I get home' Sophie said to her and she walked round to her mother and hugged her and kissed her cheek, 'Love you mum' she told her 'Maybe Lucy can persuade you to go to the doctors?' she looked at Lucy and she nodded

'I love you too Sophie, all of you' she said, James and Connor both hugged and kissed Lauren too and then they left the house.

'Wow what well behaved kids you have' Lucy said 'Helpful too' and then she frowned 'Where's Hope?'

'With Joey' lauren said to her 'She kicked off when she got back last night, started swearing at me calling me all the name under the sun and insisted that she wanted to go and live with her father so I packed her bags and I kicked her out' Lauren told her 'After I swore at her and told her that I wished that she had never been born' Lauren added sheepishly

'Good for you' Lucy said to her 'I wish I had the guts to do that to Steven's daughter when she stayed with us, who is a little brat!'

'I'm sure she's not that bad'

'Peter wanted to kill her, and you know how placid and laid back Peter is' she told her 'Let Joey deal with her for a change'

'She's as good as gold around him' Lauren said 'But as soon as he is out of that door then she turns into the child from hell'

Lucy took a sip of coffee as Lauren pushed her plate away 'So you haven't been feeling well?' Lucy asked her

'No not for a while' Lauren shook her head 'I think I might be going through the menopause'

'At 39?' Lucy said and she shook her head 'No that's impossible, when did your mum go through hers?'

'I don't think she has, she's only 56' Lauren told her

'You know that they say in most cases that the age that your mother goes through the menopause is the age that you should' Lucy said to her 'I'll make a doctor's appointment for you' she said 'I'll come with you'

'I don't need a doctor's appointment, I am sure that once things settle down here I'll start to feel better' she told her, she felt nauseous suddenly and clamped her hand over her mouth and darted to the sink and threw up. 'I'll make that appointment' Lucy said to her

An hour later, Lucy was reading a magazine in the doctor's reception waiting for Lauren to come out of the doctor's office. Lauren had already been in with the doctor for 20 minutes. Lucy sighed and put the magazine down and looked up just as Lauren came out of the doctor's office, she looked pale and Lucy could tell that she had been crying.

'Lauren what is it?' Lucy asked her and she leapt up and put her arms around her. Lauren looked at her and she shook her head

'Not here' she told her and they walked outside to the car. Lauren looked at Lucy 'He's referred me to the hospital' Lauren told her 'He said that I had to go now'

'Okay I'll drive you there' Lucy said and she started the car, Lauren wept quietly in the car on the way to the hospital 'Do you want me to call anyone?' she asked her 'Joey?'

'No… my mum' Lauren said to her

'Okay' they arrived at the hospital and Lucy called Tanya and explained where they were and that Lauren wanted her here, Tanya told her that she would be there as soon as possible.

Lauren handed the letter over to the receptionist once they reached the department and she was taken into a room. They took some blood tests and a urine tests and then she was told that she would have to wait until the results came back.

Twenty minutes later Tanya popped her head through the door 'Lauren?'

'Mum' Lauren burst into tears at the sight of her

'Oh darling what's wrong hey?' she said as she sat on the bed and gathered Lauren into her arms 'Its okay I'm here, I've got you'

Lauren explained her symptoms to her and what she had assumed that it was, she told her that the doctor told her that he thought it was unlikely and seemed to think that it was a hormonal imbalance which could be caused by a brain tumour, and that he had sent her here to have a CAT Scan and a MRI. But that they nurse had taken some blood and urine first and that she was waiting for the results.

'Where's Joey?'

'I don't want to worry him in case it's nothing' Lauren lied to her as the consultant came back in with a clip board. Lauren thought he looked serious. She swallowed and she looked at her mother and clasped her hand tightly in her.

'Mrs Branning, We've got the results of your blood tests and urine samples, your hormone levels are way off kilter, more so than normal than we would normally expect to see' he told her 'We believe that you do have a pituitary brain tumour which is affecting your hormones and explains that symptoms that you've been having'

'Is it treatable?' Lauren asked him in a small voice

'Yes it is but under the circumstances, I am waiting for my colleague to come up so I can have a consultation with him and we discuss the treatment options.'

'Is there something else wrong with me?' Lauren asked him

'Why don't I let my consultant talk with you when he arrives' he told her 'Try not to worry' he told her and he walked out of the room.

Tanya looked at her daughter 'Maybe I should call Joey?' she asked Lauren 'He should be here. We can make arrangements for the kids between me and your father and Sarah'

Lauren swallowed 'Let's just wait until we know what we are dealing with okay?' she asked her mother, Tanya nodded

'Okay'

AN: So Lauren's symptoms are being caused by a brain tumour. What else is wrong with Lauren as if that wasn't enough? And how long can she put off telling her mother the truth about her and Joey before her mother demands that Lauren calls him.

Thanks for all your reviews

R&R as always

Later…..