Chapter 3

Hi again! I am going to try and update more regularly now… I have ideas of what's going to happen over the next few chapters, and I think it will probably end up getting quite dark and emotional! Thank you for reviewing, and please continue doing so! It's getting me through my dreaded revision timetable! I've set out time each day to continue writing, so this story should develop quite well over the next few days!

1 Week later

Carla sat at her desk listening to the workers chattering at their machines. Michelle was opposite typing an E-mail, whilst keeping one eye on Carla. As if on cue, Carla's phone began to ring. Looking at the display and seeing who it was, she declined the call.

"Carla don't you think you should answer? It could be important?" Michelle asked, concerned.

"Look 'Chelle, it's just Mr Lawson ringing back. He told me he wants another meeting, but frankly I really don't. All he caused was a load of hassle with the last order, and the profits weren't exactly generous." Carla said, blatantly lying through her teeth, but Michelle knew her too well to argue. Thinking Michelle had turned back to her E-mail Carla reached for her bag. She grabbed some paracetamol and a bottle of water, taking two tablets with a big gulp of water.

"I thought those headaches had stopped?" Michelle asked, startling Carla. Carla waited a few moments before replying, almost generating an answer in her head.

"Yeah… Yeah they have, this is something else… you know…" She replied, letting Michelle work out the rest. Only again, she was lying through her teeth.

"Knock knock." Peter announced, drifting into the office. "Just wondering if the boss is free for the afternoon. Me and Si were wondering whether she wanted to come bowling with us."

Carla and Michelle exchanged a brief glance, before Michelle gave in.

"Oh go on then. I'm sure we can handle things here! Just look after her yeah? She's not feeling her best."

"'Chelle! I'm fine. Peter, ignore her!"

"Are you sure love? I don't want to take you out if you're not well?" Peter asked, looking at her concerned. Carla just nodded, and grabbed her coat.

"Let's go baby."

About an hour later they were standing in a crowded bowling ally watching Simon take his first turn. He ran forward, letting the ball slip from his fingers at just the right moment, causing it to role straight down the middle and hitting the first pin. The other 9 pins following it's crash to the floor.

"Yeah! Well done mate!" Peter exclaimed, clapping his son on the back. Peter gave him a high five, and Simon ran towards Carla.

"Did you see that Carla? I got a strike!" The little boy cried, obviously excited.

"Yeah! That was excellent! I bet even your Dad can't do that well!"

"Oh is that right?" Peter replied. "I sense a challenge there!"

The following hour was filled with many laughs, and a few arguments over accusations of cheating. But in the end the results were, Simon in first place having scored many strikes, Carla in a respectable second, and Peter in a dismal and shameful third.

"I'm telling you! There was something wrong with the ball!" Peter argued, as they walked up the stairs to the reception area. They sat down to change their shoes, when Carla heard her name being called. She looked up and had to hide a moan seeing her GP in front of her.

"Carla, I've been trying to call you for the past week. The hospital rang me saying you needed to go in and discuss your test results. Why did you just walk out like that?" The doctor said, concern obvious in her voice. Carla rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Look I told you, I just had too much to drink. It was nothing." She said, for what seemed to be the billionth time.

"Carla, you can't keep hiding this. You came to me a few weeks ago with severe headaches. I referred you to a clinic, which you never went to. You ended up in hospital. I can't force you to go to the hospital, but I seriously advise you to."

"Carla? What's going on? What headaches?" Peter asked, confused.

"Why did You have to stick your nose in?" She said, talking to the doctor. "I'm fine. The headaches have practically gone. I've just been under a lot of stress. Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" She cried, running into the toilets. She ran into a cubicle and slammed the door, sinking onto the seat crying.

She gave herself a few minutes to calm down, before walking back into the reception area.

"Oh love." Was all Peter said, as he enveloped her in a hug. They stayed that way for a few moments, before Simon got impatient, and wriggled between the two, hugging them both. Peter let go of her, and stared into her eyes. "The doctors gone, she had honestly just come in for a game of bowling with her daughter, but thought she better come and talk to you! And sweetheart, I won't make you do anything you don't want to, but I think you should go back to the hospital. I love you."

Carla nodded again holding Peters hand, and ruffling Simons hair. Who knew what the next few days would bring? But Carla felt a lot more optimistic about it than she had yesterday. Peter would be there for her, no matter what, and that was all that mattered. But despite all this, she still couldn't get rid of the feeling in the pit of her stomach. The one you get, when you know you've done something wrong, and are waiting for other people to realise. The one when you find out terrible news. The one you get when you don't know what's coming.