So this fic was just gonna be a one shot, but seeing as that Carla & Deirdre scene cropped-up tonight (15th July 2013) I thought I'd use it as another excuse for Carla to find-out more about Peter and his troubles!

So this fic will be set the next morning when Carla meets Deirdre in the Street.

" 'Ey you! What happened to sending Peter home last-night?!" Carla called from across the Street as she spotted Deirdre heading home with a pint of milk in her hands.

"Oh sorry love!" Deirdre apologised. "I came across him in the Street yesterday evening. He just looked really down, and when he asked if he could stay the night, I just thought it would be better than him going-home and getting himself into yet another argument with you." She explained to her Step-Son's girlfriend.

"Oh right…..Well thanks for taking-care-of him Deirdre I really appreciate-it….." Carla told her potential Mother-In-Law both gratefully and truthfully.

"Oh Carla, don't even mention it love. Look, like I said last night, if you ever want to talk…..Ya know I may not be Peter's biological Mother, but I like to think that I know him pretty well…..And if it helps…..He was just as complicated when he was younger as he is now!" Deirdre said with a sympathetic-chuckle to Carla.

"Oh Yeah?!" Carla asked, giggling herself slightly as she thought about Peter as a young-lad.

Deirdre then sighed as she thought about what Peter had told her yesterday evening about his betting-shop going down the drain. "He's dead worried about the Bookies ya know Carla?! He thinks he's gonna go out of business….." She trailed-off sadly.

"I know he does and he will do if he keeps playing these silly betting games with the Punters!" Carla told Deirdre truthfully, still slightly annoyed at Peter's stupidity the day before.

"I know that Carla….."

"I mean why won't he just listen to me for a change?!" Carla ranted slightly.

"Because apart from Simon, that Bookies is the only thing that Peter's got to be proud-of…..Well in his eyes anyway….." Deirdre explained.

"Well what about his battle with the drink?!…..And what about his time in the Navy?! I mean, how come he was brave enough to fight for this country, but he can't seem to pluck up the courage to fight for his own business?!" Carla asked Deirdre, confusing herself slightly as she did-so.

"He wants to fight for it Carla, he really does. I can tell that he does. But he feels worthless, he feels like he can't do that job anymore…..He's giving-up, even though that's the last thing he really wants…..He wants to make you proud, and he's afraid that if he doesn't, then he'll loose you….." Deirdre told Carla truthfully, and Carla knew that the woman was right, but this whole situation still confused Carla to the max.

"Well that's just stupid…..He'll never loose-me…..I love him too much for that Deirdre you know that don't ya?!" Carla asked Deirdre as Deirdre then sighed as she thought back slightly.

"I know ya do Carla…..Listen, ya do know what all of this comes down to don't ya?! Where all of Peter's problems eventually relate back-to?!" Deirdre gently questioned Carla.

"No….." Carla trailed-off, but Deirdre knew that she would-do if she thought about-it hard-enough, so she decided to explain-to Carla.

"Loosing his Mum when he was a kid….." Deirdre trailed-off.

"But Deirdre that was years-ago now…..More than years ago….." Carla replied, confused as to how this had anything to do with Peter loosing the Bookies.

"When his Mum died, Ken sent-him away….." Deirdre began.

"Yeah I know that much Deirdre..." Carla answered-back to her Mother-In-Law.

"Peter's Mum died and as far-as Peter was concerned he then lost his own Father too…..And now he's afraid that if he looses the Bookies…..Then he'll loose you aswell….." Deirdre told-him sadly.

"Did Peter tell you this?!" Carla asked worriedly.

"No…..I mean, he probably hasn't even thought about this himself, but that's what it all stems down to Carla…..It was the same with Simon when he was landed-on Peter's lap…..He doesn't want to let anyone down…..Because he knows how it feels to be let-down…..He knows it in bundles…..But in doing that, he makes mistakes….." Deirdre softly explained-to Carla, who sighed, Deirdre was 100% Correct and she knew-it.

"Well in that case…..Peter needs to know how much I love-him, and that I'm never gonna leave-him…..And I want ya to know Deirdre that when I first fell-in love with Peter…..It wasn't because of his business, his money…..Not even that gorgeous face of his…..I fell-in love with him because of the caring, sweet and kind-hearted man that I know that he is…..He's helped-me through so much…..Goodness knows, he even saved-my-life after that vile monster Frank left-me in tatters….. And it's about time I returned the favour…..If he'd only let-me….." Carla told Deirdre truthfully, getting quite emotional as she did-so…..

"Oh I think he'll let ya if ya catch-him when he's in the right-mood…..He's back at No.1 now if you wanted-to come and see-him…..That is of-course if he's managed-to wake-himself-up yet…..He was sound-asleep on the sofa when I left for the shop at 7:30 this morning….." Deirdre lightly-joked with Carla.

"7:30?! Goodness-me Deirdre you've been gone a whole hour! Peter will be wondering where you've got-to with that milk! He's not worth even talking-to until he's had his cuppa coffee in the mornings!" Carla returned the joke to Deirdre and they laughed as Deirdre began to walk-off.

"Are ya coming-in then?!" Deirdre asked-her softly.

"Nah, I think I'll wait until he's had his cuppa coffee…..Then I'll come and find-him…..But thanks Deirdre, you've been really helpful these past-few-days…..But ey, tell-him to get his lazy-bum off-of that sofa!" Carla replied before the two-woman then began to head-off-into their separate directions for the day. Deirdre chuckled.

"I will do! Cya later Carla!" Deirdre said happily.

"Bye Deirdre….." Carla trailed-off as she wandered-over to the Factory to begin yet another days work with Michelle…..


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