You left me beautiful memories. Your love is still my guide. And though we cannot see you, you're always by my side.
'Hi...' She whispers kneeling down beside the gravestone, the thin layer of snow making her knees damp.
'Long time since I've been here... I've had a lot going on. Last time I was here I think we only had the boys... We have two more now, how crazy is that?' She says smiling as she brushes some snow off the stone.
'Hallie turns two on Friday, she's our little miracle baby. I went into labour at 29 weeks. I was so scared. She's doing okay though. She stayed in hospital for 11 weeks, came out the day after her due date. We've also got Evie now, she's twelve weeks and has a proper little personality already.' She continues leaning forward and tracing the words on the head stone.
Liam Barrington Connor.
25/02/1974 - 17/10/2008.
Forever in our hearts.
'I didn't think I'd get this again, you know? After I lost you I didn't think I'd be able to love anyone again, no one ever seemed to compare to you but Nick... Nick is just amazing and I know you would like him. He makes me so happy.' She says smiling slightly.
'I love you, Liam. I think I always will but I love Nick as well... God, I adore Nick.' She mumbles glancing down at her wedding ring.
'Anyway, I better be getting back... I just wanted to say Happy Birthday, Liam. Hope you're having a great time up there with Paul. Give my Caelan a kiss from me and tell him I love him.' She says running her hand over the headstone one last time.
'Mama!' Hallie shouts running towards Carla as she makes her way through the front door. She drops her bag by the door and lifts the little girl into her arms.
'Hi, baby girl... Where's daddy?' Carla asks and the toddler points to the kitchen door.
'Let's go see him then.' Carla says smiling. She makes her way into the kitchen where she finds Nick cradling Evie against his chest while attempting to do some work on his laptop.
'Hey... Let me take her.' Carla says carefully lifting Evie from his arms. She sits Hallie down on the worktop and passes her a cookie.
'You okay?' Nick asks reaching his hand out to tuck some hair behind her ear.
'I don't know, I feel weird... Are you busy? Can we do something today?' She asks gently bouncing a fussy Evie in her arms.
'I can't babe. Mum's got her appointment today.' He replies saving whatever he was doing and closing the laptop.
'Oh... What time do you need to leave?' She asks.
'Like now.' He admits glancing at the clock.
'We can do something when I get back, I promise.' He adds.
'Don't worry about it... Give Gail my love.' She says placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
'I will. I promise when I get back we can go for a coffee or something.' He replies. He grabs his coat and leaves the house while Carla glances at Hallie happily eating her cookie.
'Mummy wants to go spend some money... Will we see if Bethany wants to come with us?' Carla asks pulling her phone out her pocket.
'BeBe.' Hallie replies smiling.
'Thanks for coming... I just needed out the house.' Carla says smiling as she makes her way into John Lewis with Bethany.
'You and me both... Are you okay, Auntie Carla? You look a bit down.' Bethany asks.
'I'm fine... It's just a hard day.' Carla replies.
'It's your ex's birthday, isn't it? I think I heard my mum and Uncle Nick talking about it.' Bethany says.
'Yep, Liam.' Carla replies.
'If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Liam?' Bethany asks.
'I don't know what you know but I was married to Liam's brother Paul. Paul died in a car accident in 2007 and that's when I grew closer to Liam. We spent so long ignoring how we felt about each other. He married Maria and I got with Tony.' Carla explains as they make their way to the Beauty section.
'Did you eventually get together?' Bethany asks.
'Not really. We slept together a couple of times, we knew we loved each other and the night he was killed he asked me to run away with him.' Carla replies.
'Would you have?' Bethany asks adjust Hallie on her hip.
'I was going to until I found out Maria was pregnant. I wasn't going to split up a family so I told him I didn't love him and I was going to marry Tony.' Carla replies.
'Do you ever regret it?' Bethany asks.
'Full of questions today, aren't you? I don't regret it. I loved Liam, part of me still does and I think I always will but I wouldn't have Nick or the kids if I had ran away with Liam.' Carla replies smiling.
'BeBe!' Arlo says grinning as he rushes into his cousin's arms. BeBe is a name that was given to Bethany by Arlo when he was just over a year old and it stuck.
'Hi, buddy... How was school?' Bethany asks taking both Teddy and Arlo's hands.
'Good. Where's mummy?' Arlo asks.
'She's at home with daddy... I thought we could go get a milkshake then maybe go to the park.' Bethany replies smiling. They leave the school and begin the short walk to a nearby cafe.
'Hey.' Carla says as Nick makes his way through the front door. Tears fill his eyes as he leans back against the closed door.
'Oh babe... Come here.' She whispers making his way towards her. He instantly wraps his arms around her and begins to sob into her shoulder.
'She was fine, talking and laughing away... And then she wasn't.' He cries.