A week later and it was time for the funeral of Ken Barlow. It had been a difficult week for all of the people concerned. Both Deirdre and Peter had seemed-to be inconsolable ever since they had just found-out this very-sad-news about their loved-one. And as-much as Tracy Barlow had tried to play the 'hard and tough woman who never cries act' for the most of the time, even she broke-down occasionally, meaning that Carla had become a real-tower-of strength for them all. As suspected, Rob had mysteriously disappeared-off into his own little-whole the minute Tracy wasn't so much fun…..Some boyfriend he was turning-out to be ey?!
The had finally arrived for the funeral, and Carla watched-on in concern for her beloved as Peter sat on the sofa putting his tie-on to go with his suit. All that Carla wanted-to do was just to hug and hug Peter until he felt better, but at the same-time, she knew that this wouldn't necessarily help, and the last-thing she wanted-to right-now was to suffocate-Peter. Luckily, he hadn't pushed-her-away too much during this difficult time like he normally-did when things got a little-bit too much for the poor-man.
Carla was brought away from all of her thoughts and worries about what to do when she suddenly saw the kafuffle that was going-on with Peter and his tie. His hands were shaking, and eventually, the threatening tears just got all too much for Peter as he then gave-up on his tie, throwing-it to the ground as he then stood-up and then stormed-off into their bedroom that they shared together, slamming the door firmly shut behind-him.
Carla gave-him 5 Minutes to cry some-of the many tears out by himself before she then decided to go-into the room, his tie now in her hand. Entering quietly, she spotted Peter curled-into a ball on the bed, in a very child-like way as he struggled to stop-himself from crying any further. Carla didn't say a word, she just climbed-onto the bed next to Peter and then gently rubbed her hand around his back-in soothing circular-motions. "I'm Here." She told-him simply. "You won't be alone today Baby. You do know that don't you?!" Carla told the love her life extremely sensitively as Peter then began to sit-himself-up to face Carla.
"There could be millions of people at that Church today Carla, but I'd still feel like the loneliest man on earth….." Peter told Carla tearfully but truthfully. He was lost without his Father. Completely and utterly lost. And Carla knew that.
"I can't say I know how you're feeling right-now Baby, because I don't…..I can't…..But I do understand…..Now listen, as Ken Barlow's son you should know better than anybody that he was a man who liked wearing his ties on special-occasions!" Carla said as she then carefully placed the tie around Peter's neck and did-it up for him. "There we go. Now come-on, come back into the Living-Room. Deirdre will be here with Tracy & Simon soon." Carla told-him, gently stroking Peter's cheek before she then headed-out of the bedroom, allowing Peter to come-on through to the living-room in his own-time.
She smiled-at him gently when eventually he-did. Walking-over to him she rested her hands against his shoulders. "You look handsome." She softly told-him in a kind-way.
"Well thanks…..But I certainly don't feel very handsome….." He trailed-off sadly as he then nervously sniffled-in a few-years.
"You've got your Dad's eyes. They're all twinkly and gorgeous." Carla practically whispered to Peter.
"But I don't have my Dad though do I?!" Peter replied to Carla as she watched a single-tear then fall-down his cheek.
"Oh Baby. Come-Here." Carla said, gently kissing Peter on the lips before she then embraced-him in a very tight and close hug.
Later-on that morning, they had just arrived-at the Church, and Peter had been one of the coffin-bearers, and Carla just watched-on proudly as he battled-against the tears to make his Father proud-of him.
They all took their seats on the front-row. Tracy was on the end, followed-by Amy, Deirdre, and then Simon, Peter and then last-of all, Carla, who was gripping-onto Peter's hand tightly as the service began.
"Are you okay Dad?!" Simon innocently asked-his Father, the word 'Dad' hitting Peter hard every-time that he heard-it.
"Listen to me Si, if…..No…..When I cry today, 'cause I probably will at some-point today…..Then I just want ya to give-me one of those big-fat hug of yours and say 'I love you Dad.' Is that okay with you Son?!" Peter asked Simon tearfully as Simon then hugged his Dad tightly.
"I love you Dad. Is that good-enough?!" Simon asked-him sweetly.
"That's perfect mate. Thank-You. You're a good-lad." Peter told-him, extremely tearfully-now as Carla began to rub his back once-again.
It was later-on in the service now, and it was Peter's turn to give a speech. He was following-on from Deirdre, who was now-in floods of tears herself. Peter then approached the mic-stand as he then began to speak, not taking his eyes off-of Carla as he shook with both nerves and sadness.
"I loved my Dad…..And I admit we've had more than our fair-share of fall-outs over the years…..But from sending-me and Susan away-to Glasgow after my Mum died…..To keeping Simon from me when I was drunk…..Everything's been done with the best-intentions…..And he always had what was best for me in the long-run at heart….." Peter paused to pull-himself together before he then continued to speak.
"My Dad was an amazing-man…..Full of intelligence & wisdom…..But not so full of common-sense….." Everyone quietly chuckled-at that sarcky comment from Peter. "But deep-down he was a man that cared deeply about the Street that he lived-on and all of the people-in-it…..And I know that I'm biased but I think it's safe to say that there is no-other man on this whole-earth that is quite like my Father….." Peter continued to speak as the tears then began to roll-down his cheeks, Carla's heart melted-in pure-sympathy for Peter as she watched-him cry up-there all by himself.
"My Dad was always there for me…..He'd chat to me…..Make me endless cups of tea when all I really wanted was to down a bottle of whisky…..And even after all of the silly mistakes that I continue to make to this very-day…..He was still there for me to pick-up the pieces after I had made all-of the mess…..Even when I really really Really did not deserve-it. Anyway, I won't ramble on…..The only words that I have left to say I'm going to say to my Dad…..and I'm gonna do-it quickly before I break-down….." Peter explained to the crowds of people tearfully.
Peter approached the coffin, and brought his two first fingers to his lips, kissing them before he then gently placed-them against the coffin. "I loved you so much Dad, and I always will love ya. I'll never forget you and I'll miss you more than you could ever-imagine. I love you Dad." Peter finished, before he then rushed-back to his seat, where he then broke-down into floods of tears and Carla comforted-him the best she could whilst Simon hugged-his Dad tightly, clinging onto hi for dear-life.
Later that day, in the evening-time, they had a gathering the Rovers Return to celebrate the life of Ken Barlow. Deirdre approached Peter & Carla, who were stood-together in the corner. "Listen Peter, before I get myself ridiculously drunk I want you to know how proud I am of ya today! And be sure to know that your Dad would be just as proud of you, if not more." Deirdre told Peter sweetly before she then hugged-her Step-Son tightly.
"Hey you too Deirdre. I don't think I would have coped with today if it wasn't for you, Tracy, Simon and Carla here. You've all been rocks to me. So thank-you, both of you." Peter told both of the two-ladies before Deirdre then wandered-off.
Carla then wrapped her arms around Peter's neck as he loosed-his tie a little-bit. "I love you so much Peter Barlow. And the speech that you have at the Church earlier…..Well it was just perfect-Baby….." She told-him both sweetly and softly.
"Really?! Dya think-so?" Peter then asked Carla nervously.
"Yes I do think-so….." Carla replied before she then captured Peter's lips into her own, kissing-him meaningfully on the lips as she then began to close her eyes and rest her hand against the back of Peter's soft, brown, but short hair.
"Thank-You for being there for-me Baby….." Peter trailed-off, sounding-extremely grateful for Carla's support-recently.
"Hey where-else would I be ey?! I love ya! And I think that you were so brave making that speech today. I think you've made your Dad proud Peter." Carla then told-him sweetly.
So that's the end of this short but sad story!
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