He came back. She didn't think he would come back to coronation street. She should have guessed really, his father was here and so was his step-mother, his sister and his business. What she was going to do she didn't know. He knew Jessica was his. Would he say anything? Surely he would. How was she supposed to explain to her 14-year-old daughter that HE was her dad, that she had been living on the same street as her grandparents and aunty for years.

'Mum, are you coming or what?'

It was Jessica.

'C'mon Car, you coming in?'

Paul.

God she felt guilty. How would she explain this to her child and the man she called dad. Damit Carla. Pull it together. It's your best friend's engagement party.

Carla found herself walking into the rovers return to be greeted with the happiness of the others around her. She had to try her best to disguise her anxiousness about the situation. Her anxiousness about the fact her daughters biological father was sat in his father's home probably enjoying a nice reunion with his family. She had to be happy. She had to plaster a smile on her face for Chell. This was her party after all and Carla was determined not to let her rocky past destroy that. She smiled along with others, laughed at their jokes and reminisced about old memories but all the while he was in the back of her mind, she couldn't ignore the fact that sooner or later she would have to explain it all.

Sooner or later Jessica would meet her father and Carla really didn't know how her daughter would react to the news. To say Jessica had issues would be an understatement. Her behaviour was often out of control. She had been kicked out of countless schools already and having just started at Weatherfield high Carla really didn't want to jeopardise her chances. Not to mention the fact that at this moment of time in her life he daughter was at her happiest. She had met a new group of friends and the school were going above and beyond to ensure she was happy there and that she was staying out of trouble. There was also the fact that Jessica loved Paul. He had been there from the moment she was born. The one who stayed by her side after a bad dream. The one to clean up her grazed knee when she fell over. The one to teach her how to ride and bike and how to swim. The on who took her to her first day at school and went to all her parent's evenings. The one who was there for the bad times. The one who dragged her kicking and screaming out of school. The one who prised the alcohol from her shaking hands. The one who calmed her down when she worked herself up to the point of harm. The one to talked her down when she wanted to end it all. But also the one to see all the good times. The one who sat and listened to all her mixes with tears in his eyes. The one who watched her sing on stage. The one to watch her dance performances. The one to watch her on stage. The one to watch their little girl flourish. But most of all her was the one who was there. He was her dad.

She couldn't take it much longer. She needed air. Paul was stood by the bar and she had just watched Jessica and Ryan head out the back so she had no choice but to step outside the front of the rovers.

She wished she didn't.

She saw him.

But not just him. He had a little boy with him too. They were getting some items out of the car she presumed to be his.

"Careful with that son" she heard him say

Son. He had another child. Which meant Jessica had a brother. He looked no more than 4 years old.

oh god Carla thought. This would make it worse. She would think he didn't want her. She would resent not only her father but her brother too. She was too busy in her thoughts to even think about hiding from the bloke and was pulled from her train of thoughts when he said,

"Carla"

She froze. What could she say. Her eyes met his. She couldn't speak.

Neither could he. He hadn't seen her for years. 14 to be precise. The last time they spoke she told that their daughter had been born happy and healthy. They had come to the agreement that he would stay away so they could protect their relationships. She promised him she would be cared for by her and her partner whose name he remembered to be Paul. She promised they would love her. So he did. He stayed away from her. He focused on his life with Lucy. But it hurt him every day. He might have thought it was for the best but it hurt like hell knowing his little girl would grow up to call another man daddy. But now here he stood. His four-year-old looking up at him in confusion as her stared at the woman who was the mother of his first born child with the question of where his little girl was right now. Was she at home with Paul? or had Carla brought her to the rovers? where was she living? was it far away? or just round the corner? He had so many questions but no idea where to start.

She could see the questions running round his head but couldn't muster up the words to say anything to him. Instead she walked straight back into the pub leaving him stood in the street not quite knowing what to do.

She sat in a booth in the far corner of the pub wanting to stay out of the way. However, Michelle had seen her sneak off to the corner and followed her over armed with a drink for both herself and her best friend. Michelle took a seat opposite Carla and it took her all but a second to realise that there was something wrong.

"What's the matter Car" Michelle spoke.

Michelle was her best friend and the only one she had confided in about her daughter paternity despite the fact that she was married to her brother. Michelle had vowed to keep it a secret and she had. They had never spoke about it again after the night Carla told her. Before moving to the street Michelle told her all about the residents. Carla never thought she would have to tell Jessica about the other side of her family but it looked like that time was getting closer and closer.

"He's here 'Chell, he's back." Carla said almost inaudibly

Michelle needed no explanation. She knew what that meant. She knew exactly who was back and just like Carla she didn't know what the effect of this would be. She just took Carla's hands and followed her gazed over to where Paul was stood with Jessica. He was stood with her fiancé Ciaran and her son Ryan. She sighed and looked at Carla who truly looked as if she could break down at any minute.

As the pair stood up and started to move towards the other side of the pub where their families stood the door opened and in walked in Ken, Tracy and Deidre Barlow who looked like they had well and truly had the shock of their lives. The door swung open once again but this time it was the residents of coronation street who were in for a shock as an old face came through the doors with a young boy by his side.

"Alright pal! What are you doing here" Ciaran beamed.

"Couldn't miss your engagement party now I could I" He chuckled back.

He received a chorus of welcome backs from old friends and residents. But he wasn't all that interested he just looked right at Carla and said,

"where's my hello then car?"

The pub looked bewildered at how the two knew each other.

"long time no see, 14 years to be precise"

It took all but a minuet for Paul to realise who he was. Who else would it be. It had to be him. He didn't know his name. Only that Jessica had features just like his. He was her real dad.

He took a step closer to Carla.

"Hello, Peter" Carla spoke quietly.