Chapter 18
It was half 11 the next morning when Max and Tanya had to think fast on their feet. They sat in the living room, staring at the phone that sat on the coffee table, willing it to ring and for it to be the hospital. Neither seemed to blink as they watched the device on the table, simply glaring at it. It wasn't until the hammering of the front door sounded that either realised exactly how long they'd been staring.
"Max, Tanya, I know you're in there. Open up!" Derek's voice boomed through the letterbox
"What do we do?" Tanya whispered "he won't go until we answer the door, Max"
Derek was a very persistent man. He didn't give up without a fight and losing simply wasn't an option for him. Joey knew this all too well. It was the sole reason he'd applied for university, not that he was going anymore, mind you.
"Alright, Del?" Max questioned, ignoring his wife's question as he opened the front door
"Where's Joseph?" he asked, marching into the house
"How should we know? He's your son" Max replied. Tanya rolled her eyes at her husband's reply, knowing Derek wouldn't take well to the sarcasm evident in his voice.
"I don't like your tone, Max" Derek admitted "you want to remember who you're talking to. Now where's my boy?"
"We haven't seen him, Derek, honestly" Tanya informed him "have you tried the gym?"
"Have I tried the gym? Course I have you stupid woman" he proclaimed "I thought my son may have had a lapse of judgement and be round here with your slapper of a daughter… like he has before, you wanna keep an eye on her, she's bad news How is Lauren, by the way, she alright?"
"Do not talk about my daughter like that!" Max hissed
"Now, now, Max" Derek chuckled "we all know what she's like. Don't think I ain't heard the rumours about her and her little mistake. Half the Square knows your dirty little secret, she had a run in with another blade recently?"
Max and Tanya paled. Did everyone really know? Had their efforts been in vain?"
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Derek" Max informed him through clenched teeth.
Derek smirked "Tell Joseph to give me a call when you see him…" with that he was gone.
"What're you doing?" Max questioned as Tanya picked up the phone
"Don't you think we should at least give Joey some warning Derek's on the warpath?" she asked
"No, Tan, I don't" he admitted "he got himself into this mess. Him and our stupid daughter"
"The mess being he's the father of our grandchild" she sighed "whether we like it or not and the fact that he's told us she's unstable again ?"
Unsurprisingly, Tanya didn't get an answer from Joey's mobile, not that she expected one. Sighing heavily, she threw the phone down onto the sofa as she sunk into the cushions again.
"There you go, we tried. Now I'm going to the hospital to bring her home" Max informed his wife, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair, grabbing his keys from the hallway as he made his way through to the front door.
"The hospital told us to wait, Max" Tanya sighed, knowing it'd be best to follow their instructions. Overnight, it seemed Abi's words had sunk in for her somewhat. By no means was she happy with the situation, and yes, when Lauren got discharged from hospital, she had every intention on keeping her in the house, but she understood that a locked room and completely ignoring the situation weren't the best way to deal with things anymore.
"So? She's there with him and we're here without her. I'm bringing her home. Are you coming or not?" he inquired
Closing her eyes and going against her better judgement, Tanya too grabbed her coat and followed her husband out the front door.
*JL*JL*JL*
"Max, Tanya? How's your Lauren? We saw her being taken off in the ambulance yesterday. Everything alright?" Maria asked, hurrying over to them
Tanya paused as she went to open the car door and faked a smile as she looked up to Maria. "She's fine. She slipped down the stairs, the silly girl. She's fine though, just won't be around for a while"
"Oh, that's a shame" she replied "we were imagining all sorts, me and my boys. Well if there's anything we can do, let us know, yeah?"
"Will do, thank you" Tanya replied, smiling at her warmly as she climbed into the car
Maria watched the Branning's like a hawk as their car engine started and they drove out of the Square. The more she spoke to them, the more mysterious they became. She walked back to the house, keen to share her new information with her husband and sons.
"I've just been talking to Tanya Branning" she informed them as she placed the shopping on the table
"Really?" Tyler asked
"Why aren't you in sixth form?" she questioned
"Ain't in till 1" he informed her "so what did you find out?"
"Apparently Lauren fell down the stairs. That's what the ambulance was there for" she explained
"And don't you believe them?" Eddie asked his wife, sensing her tone
"I'm not sure" she admitted "but something doesn't feel right. They just seemed nervous"
"I'm sure it's nothing love" he smiled
"hmm if you say so…"
o oh Derek's on the prowl for answers and that can't be good right? how long will it be until he finds out ? Max has gone to get his daughter back, recipe for disaster no ? and the Moons are still suspicious but will they do anything about it that's the question ? Back tomorrow xx