In prison Peter is subjected to a vicious assault by a drugged up prisoner, after been stabbed and beaten he also suffered a head injury and has forgotten huge chunks of the past eight months or so but can recall others.
Deirdre looked bemused as her stepson looked at her wide-eyed from the hospital bed where his arm was secured by a cuff to a prison officer. "What?"
"Carla, where is she? Baby giving her grief is it. I swear that little girl of ours is determined to give her mother the run around even whilst she's still in her womb." He said as Deirdre bit her lip awkwardly. "Peter love, don't you remember?"
"Remember what? I bet I've screwed up again haven't I. Did I start drinking again, is that why I'm cuffed to Mr Happy over there." Peter said looking at the burly prison officer who simply rolled his eyes and turned back to his paper. "She's more stubborn than ever with the pregnancy you know but she knows I love her right?" Peter said as Deirdre sat unsure what to say. How could she break it to him that his wife was filing for divorce and his precious little girl was no more. Ken returned carrying three polystyrene cups of coffee from the vending machine. "He is allowed this right?" He asked for confirmation from the guard sat on a plastic chair who nodded slightly. "Dad, has Carla called?"Peter ventured as Ken raised his eyebrows at his wife who gave him a look to tell him not to say anything about how Peter and Carla's marriage was no more. "Erm no, I think she said she might be at a meeting."
"I've told her to slow things down, I mean it can't be doing her good stressing out all the time, the baby won't like her mum getting wound up." Peter said as Ken looked worriedly at Deirdre. "Peter, do you know why you're in hospital?"
"Well I thought I must have been drinking, no doubt doing something to get me into trouble with the plod. God Carla's going to be majorly angry when she finds out." Peter said wincing a little as he rubbed the large bruise above his eyebrow. Dr Kellerman smiled slightly as he looked at the stats been printed from a monitor on Peter's bedside. "Erm Doctor can I have a quick word?" Ken said as he set his cup down on the side table.
"Of course." The doctor replied as he marked down some notes on a clipboard at the foot of Peter's bed. "In private if it's possible." Ken said as the doctor nodded and headed out to the corridor with Ken following.
"So how can I help Mr Barlow? Your son is still going to take a while to recover, a broken rib almost punctured a lung, he has a deep wound to his side and I do want to do a MIR scan as I am concerned about the head injury he received." The doctor said as Ken sighed.
"His head injury is what I wanted to speak to you about. He erm, he seems to have lost some of his memory. He can remember certain things but he's asking for his estranged wife and still thinks she's pregnant when she miscarried the baby. What should we do?" Ken asked as the doctor scratched his head deep in thought.
"So there's no sign of it been specifically short-term or long-term memory loss?"
"I don't know but he thinks Carla is still his wife, and pregnant. Should we tell him that's not the case?"
"No sir, that could be detrimental. Is there any way that you could persuade Mrs Barlow to come and visit Peter. Perhaps seeing her might rejig his memory somewhat." The doctor said as Ken frowned slightly. The last time he had spoken to Carla she had said she wanted nothing more to do with Peter Barlow but he sensed she wouldn't be willing to have Peter not know what had happened.
"Car, come on you best not be thinking about that cheating, murdering scumbag." Rob said as he looked at his sister sat deep in thought at a table in the cafe.
"Oi you, that's me brother you're talking about!" Tracey said somewhat protectively. Sure she didn't see how it couldn't be Peter who was Tina's murderer but it still upset her that he was going to end up in prison. "Well it's true." Rob argued as he took a seat opposite Carla who was stabbing a jacket potato repeatedly with her fork. "Carla?" Rob ventured again and she looked up, her eyes dark as though she had not slept well.
"He al..almost died."
"And he's not your problem anymore." Rob ventured as Tracey went to get him and herself some tea. Carla bit her lip as tears rose to her green eyes.
"No, doesn't mean I don't worry though does it." She said as Rob rolled his eyes.
"Seriously Car, that man screwed you over big time and you're wasting your tears over him."/span/p
"I loved him Rob! I loved him." She uttered as her voice faltered and she let out a muffled sob. "What if he's not alright? I...I yelled at Deirdre when she rang said why would I care whether he was alright or not."
"Well I don't blame you. You're trying to move on with your life Car. Last thing you need is been reminded of that loser!" Rob said as a hot cup of tea was placed in front of him.