Spoilsport
"I think you may be my Fairy Godmother."
"Fair enough—but I'm not wearing a tutu for anyone!"
"Mm, spoilsport."
Carla's POV
I took a quick look in the mirror. Carefully, I moved a piece of hair over so it sat in with the locks on my parting. I picked at the curls at the ends of my hair so they sat perfectly down my shoulders, before pulling the hood of my red cloak over my head, completing my outfit.
Myself and Nick were off to the Platts for a Halloween party planned by David and Kylie for Max and Lily, Nick's niece and nephew.
It was a themed occasion but, because it was essentially for little kids, the outfits couldn't be too scary. As long as you were in fancy dress, you could come in basically. Shame really, I had a few ideas up my sleeve.
Instead, I opted to go as a devil-inspired Little Red Riding Hood. Lily was at that age where fairytales were everything, I thought it would be nice to go as something she would recognised. For a touch of Halloween, I matched my red dress and cloak, black tights and heels with a pair of devil horns. I even brought a fork. To be honest, it made me feel powerful. And it was the first time in months I had added colour to my wardrobe.
I wasn't one for fancy dress or themed events. If the factory girls planned a Christmas 'do and it involved dressing up, I often denied the invitation to go. It wasn't my style. But I knew tonight meant a lot to Nick so I did it for him.
"Oh, wow," I heard him gasp from behind him. "Don't you look amazing!"
I could see him in the reflection of my mirror. I blushed, smiling down at the floor. I didn't take to compliments easily. I took one last glance at my appearance, happy with it, I turned to look at Nick.
I gasped myself. Standing in the doorway that led to my bedroom, he looked hot. But I was disappointed by his outfit choice.
"Really, Nicholas?" I said. "Why?"
"What?" he replied. He looked down at his attire, not seeing the problem. We had agreed to kept our costumes a secret from each other. It almost added an element of surprise—forty years of age and I was playing a dress up game with my boyfriend, who would have thought?
He was dressed as Sherlock Holmes, gone all out and brought a calabash pipe and deerstalker to complete his look.
"What have I done wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing, it just looks your about to go work," she whined. "You could have made a little more effort."
"I can't see me ever wearing one of these to work, Car," he pointed to his hat. Slowly, he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. As always, I relaxed is his arms—I didn't even realise I was tense, although the thought of spending the afternoon with Gail had me nervous—and he kissed my forehead. "You look great."
"Thank you," I whispered before leaving a soft peck on his stubbled jaw.
"Do you really think I look like I'm about to go to work?" Nick wondered, concerned he wasn't putting in enough effort.
"Yeah," I said, playing with the collar of his blazer, "but it'll have to go for now. It's not very scary though."
"What are you talking about! I'm every adult's worst nightmare," he chuckled.
"What's that?"
"Their manager."
I held back a laugh, I didn't know what to say. He had just slagged off both our jobs. I slapped his chest lightly.
"Are you ready to go?"
I nodded, letting him go. I walked towards the kitchen counter to retrieve my handbag before we left to get to No.8 on time.
The party was a small affair. Only myself and Nick, Fiz, Tyrone, Ruby and Hope—looking well despite what she was going through—Sophie and Jack, and Maria and Liam turned up. Simon, Amy and Dev's twins decided they were too old for parties. I was upset Tracey wasn't there with Amy, haring there was an apple-bopping completion on later, I quite liked the idea of pushing her head in a bucket of water after what she had put me through.
It didn't take me long to distance myself away from the life of the party. I found myself a seat in the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. I had put a bottle in my bag before leaving, there was no way I would make it through the party without at least two glasses down my neck.
"Excuse me," Gail walked over to me, a disappointed look on her face. "This is a children's parry, what are you drinking?" she put her hands on her hips.
I looked at my glass and shrugged. "The blood of Frankenstein. Want some?"
Gail carefully looked around her. Everyone reoccupied with conversation, she grabbed a glass and handed it to me. "Go on then."
I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. Gail was one of a kind. But if I planned to be with Nicholas for a long time, I would have to get used to it.
The afternoon didn't last long and before I knew it, everyone was going home for tea. Nick and I decided to a little while longer. With the drama between David, Kylie, Sarah and Callum—who was still missing—Nick wanted a chance to catch up. I couldn't blame him, everything happened so quickly. I didn't understand what was wrong with Sarah, she hadn't spoken since I got there. I tried but she didn't want to know. After what Nick had told me, I wouldn't have thought Callum's disappearance would have affected her negatively.
Later, we sat down to play Max at some game had owned on his game console. I didn't understand it all, technology wasn't my strong point and it was embarrassing have a ten year old beat me at a game made for those three and up.
Lily soon got bored the attention wasn't on her and asked for Kylie to put Frozen on before she had to go to bed. The little'n was dressed as Elsa and looked utterly adorable. I tried not to think about what my life would be like if my little girl would have survived—would she love Frozen, too? Would I be with Nick? And if I was, would she and Lily be best friends? Sure she wouldn't be old enough to understand a lot of it but would she had danced while Lily sung Let It Go?
I went to pick up my glass but Nick, sat next to me, felt my body shift and removed it from my grasp before I could take a drink. He put it down beside him before wrapping his arm around me and placing a kiss on my hair, narrowly avoiding a poke in the eye from my devil horns. I had never felt so loved in such a long time I hadn't forgotten what it felt like. I smiled at him lovingly and his eyes shifted between my eyes and lips, I caught him and he could tell I wanted nothing more than to go home and be alone with him. I loved him.
"Uncle Nicky!" Lily shouted.
"Yes, Lil?" he asked, pulling his eyes away from me.
"You be Anna, please?" she said, just about managing to say every word. She was very clever for her age.
"Yeah, Nicky," I nudged him on the shoulder. "Be Anna."
The film was coming up to where Anna and Elsa sing their duet. I had watched Lily asked Max and he was having none of it. It was as though she already knew Mummy and Daddy would say no, Gail was out of it to even put two sentences together—I shouldn't have offered her my drink—and she didn't really know me, so Nick was the last Anna standing.
"Oh, no," he chuckled, looking at me and shaking his finger.. "I told you, I'm not wearing a tutu for anyone."
"No one said you had to wear a tutu. Anna wears a dress, silly," I mocked him. It was too much fun. Lilly was stood next to us, confused as to why he wasn't joining in.
"Same thing," he groaned. "No, sorry, Lily."
"Aw," I said lowly. It didn't take long for her bottom lip to drop. Luckily David caught it in time and told her it was time for bed. Surprisingly she went without argument and it was the end of Nick's possible karaoke. Shame really.
With the kids going to bed, Nick and I decided to make a move. It was getting late, Nick had work in the morning and I was sure I had emails to sort through.
We said our goodbyes, thanked them for inviting us before walking arm-in-arm down the street back to Victoria Street. The sound of late night trick-or-treaters could be heard amongst the quiet cobbles.
It didn't take us long before we arrived at the flats. We decided who's we'd be staying in tonight like we always did and, seeing as he had work in the morning, it was Nick's. Where he had bigger selection of suits. It didn't bother me if I was going to lounge around all day in my dressing grown, I wasn't expecting anybody.
"Well that was interesting to say the least," he said when we stepped in the door, referring to his Mother's state.
"No shit, Sherlock," I replied. I had been waiting for the right moment to say that all night. I couldn't stop a giggle as I said it.
Nick rolled his eyes at me as he took off his hat before removing his detective costume coat and threw it over the arm of his sofa. His facial expression suddenly dropped. He narrowed his eyes in confusion before patting over his trouser pockets, front and back. He reached for his coat again, and checked those pockets. He pursed his lips in thought.
"Are you okay?" I asked, slowly walking over to him.
"Yeah," he mumbled and breathed out. "I, uh, think I left my pipe back there."
"Aw," I tilted my head sarcastically. "What a shame. What ever will you do now?"
He smiled at me and my breath got caught in my throat. We weren't in a situation for him to take my breath away but just thinking back on what had happened since Summer, us now into Autumn, I felt very grateful to be in my position, to have forgiveness and have this incredible man support me throughout it, even in my darkest days despite his own troubles with Erica and her miscarriage. We comforted each other it led to this moment. I never expected it.
He didn't say anything, simply he held out his arms for me like he always did and I walked into them with no hesitation. As our bodies touched, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my forehead. Only this time, he was quickly met with one of my horns stabbing him in the cheek.
"Ah," he threw his head back, shocked by the sudden pain in his face, he removed his arms from him and rubbed the spot where my costume hit him.
"Oh—haha!" I laughed. I reached my hands up to his and moved them away so I could examine the damage for myself. He had the tiniest dent in his cheek. I reached up and kissed it. See, all better. I could do normal.
"I'm glad you find it amusing."
Hmm," I mused then looked his body up and down. I swallowed before running my fingers over his shirt collar. "You know, I quite liked your costume in the end."
"Yeah?" he whispered, pulling me towards him again.
I nodded, moving my hands down to the collar of his blazer, the material cold under my hot hands. "In fact," I leaned up and bruised my lips against his ear, "I found it extremely sexy."
"Oh no," Nick laughed before holding my elbows to pull me away.. "I am not roleplaying with you,"
I frowned, locking my fingers round his blazer collar, I rocked myself. "Mm, spoilsport."
He huffed. "Like that is it? Okay, Ms Connor, you're on."
I smirked before raising my eyebrows and biting down on my bottom lip.
I walked away from him slowly. With my back to him, he couldn't see what I was doing as I found my keys and hid them in a hand fist. I picked up my fork and, with one foot in front of the other, I stepped towards him.
"Get your magnifying glass out, Detective Tilsley, and come find me," I said with a devilish smile, holding the fork to his chest.
He didn't get a chance to respond as I pushed past him and run out his flat, heading towards my own. He quickly followed behind, after he grabbed his hat and coat, confused about what my intentions were. I felt like a giddy teenager in and it was so worth it.
Earth to Tina, did you just write a one-shot that wasn't about Maphie? Are you feeling okay?
Since the fire, I have become obsessed with Nick and Carla. Despite the fact that both their ex's were together, they make a serious power couple, and when you watch these two back from years ago, there's always been something there and it finally happened!
I have no idea where this idea came from, I was thinking about halloween then watched the scene this one-shot is based off of and had a light bulb moment. It was actually so refreshing to get into the mind of a different character. Although I can't say I would want to be in Carla's head all the time. I hope I captured more of a different side to Carla that isn't the Ice Queen? For a first time with these two, I am super proud of this.
