Set in October 2012
Carla & Peter's affair didn't come into the open, before Frank's trial Carla left Peter as she didn't think he would tell Leanne and felt let down by him.
(I know Michelle's son's Ryan's father was called Dean, I just wanted to use the name, not related to it or anything!)
...
'I'm going to miss you' Carla said sniffing slightly, resting her head again Dean's chest. '
'I'll miss you two, but it's just two days honey, I'll be back then, and you and Henry can spend a little time together' Dean said kissing the top of her head.
Carla sighed, feeling sharp tears sting the corners of her eyes. She hated the idea of being left alone with Henry. Even if he was her son, he felt so alien to her.
'Call me when your there' Carla said, looking up at Dean, who craned his neck in response and kissed her lips gently.
'I will, love you' he said, gently untangling her arms from around his torso.
She picked his bag up, and leaned over to kiss Henry's little head. 'You look after Mummy for me won't you little man' he said, breathing in Henry's talcy scent.
Carla stood at the doorway, watching him leave, reluctantly shutting the door shut and leaning against the hard wooden plane of it, breathing heavily as she looked across at the little baby sleeping in his basket.
She realised she couldn't stay like that all day, and went to busy herself, putting the kettle on, putting the washing on and so on. She smiled at the scribbly writing scrawled across a piece of paper, pinned onto one of the kitchen cupboards.
'Made you dinner, it's in the fridge ready for you to heat up. And there's two bottles for Henry too. Love you x'
Her thoughts were interrupted by Henry's shrill cries. She shook her head, turning round and walking over to him, standing over his basket.
'Don't cry.. please' she said in a desperate, frustrating manner. His little fists where clenched tightly, his lips quavering, his cheeks pink and damp.
She bent down, unconfidently taking his tiny hand in hers, and awkwardly waving it about in a futile attempt to calm her crying son.
'Henry stop it.. just shut up' she said, finding she too was starting to cry. As his cries became louder and more intense, she got up and walked out of the room, shutting the door to the bathroom, covering her ears. She hated being alone with him. She didn't know him, didn't understand him. He was like a stranger to her. Ever since he was born she had struggled to bond with him. It was too hard, too painful. She wasn't meant to be a mother. Dean was great. He'd been the one to feed him, to change him, to calm and soothe him. He'd never left her alone with him before, and now he was gone she didn't know what to do