A week or so passed-by and Peter was on his way to visit Hayley whilst Carla was at work. He needed-to know the truth, but he also knew that he just wouldn't get that from Carla. On his way there, he bumped-into Rob, too lost in his own little-world to notice-him before he had literally walked-into him.
"Watch where you're going you idiot!" Rob scowled-at Peter.
"Oh Urm…..Sorry…..Sorry Rob….." Peter trailed-off.
"Yeah you better-be. Bet you've said that a lot recently haven't ya?! Sorry?!" Rob asked-him, taunting the guy.
"Well yeah I have actually….." Peter simply replied.
"Yeah, to my Sister." Rob told-him.
"Yeah, and I mean-it every single time that I say-it. And that's the truth Rob." Peter told Rob calmly.
"Yeah but ya wouldn't have to be saying-it if ya hadn't of messed-up so badly in the first-place." Rob said, getting-up into Peter's face as he did-so. "Ya know what Peter?! After the Wedding, I thought I'd try my best to be civil with ya! Even when you picked that fight with me in the shop, it was Tracy making a big deal of that, not me! And dya know why I did that?!" Rob asked-him.
Peter just shook his head-in response-to the obviously-very-angry guy, and it was understandable.
"I did it, not because I was starting-to like-ya! No! That could never happen! And especially not now! I did it because I love my Sister! And I could see that she loved-you! She loved-ya more than anything Peter! And she probably still-does!...Love-Ya that is! Just tell-me one thing Peter, why did ya do-it?!" Rob questioned-him.
Peter just looked-down. "Don't ask-me that Rob."
Rob gave Peter a gentle-shove backwards. "No! I want answers. Why did ya do it?!" He repeated his question.
"Rob, I….."
"You're What?! You're Sorry?!" Rob interrupted-him, still lightly shoving the man backwards, which just frustrated-Peter…..
"YES!" Peter shouted, finally standing his ground as he gave Rob a firm shove back-in-return for all of his previous-shoves. "Yes Rob! I Am Sorry, Okay?! But you've seen Tina! Infact YOU have kissed-her! Shame Tracy never found-out about that one hey?!" Peter fought-back.
Rob suddenly just snapped, grabbing Peter by the throat and pinning-him-up against the nearest-wall.
"You don't say a word to Tracy. Dya hear-me?!" Rob threatened-him.
"You're just a guilty-as I am!" Peter quietly told Rob through gritted-teeth.
"At-least I didn't sleep with her and break my Sister's Heart!" Rob told-him firmly.
"Yeah but ya could break my Sister's heart ya selfish git!" Peter snapped-at him, releasing Rob's grip from around his neck.
"And I could break your neck, but I'm not going-to! Besides, You and Tracy aren't even blood-related!" Rob backed-away from Peter, but purely for his Sister's sake. But never-ever for Peter's sake, never-again, and that was for-sure. Despite everything, Rob knew that Carla still loved Peter more than anything, and that she would never forgive her Younger-Brother if he were to intentionally-hurt the love-of her life…..
"Get Lost Rob." Peter said, before walking-away, and as Peter turned-his-back-on Rob, Rob was more than a little-bit tempted-to go and jump-on the cheating-scumbag and put-him-in hospital all-over-again…..But he couldn't do it. He just couldn't do that to Carla…..
Meanwhile, over-at the Factory, Michelle had popped-in to see how Carla was doing. As she opened the Office-Door, she noticed that Carla very-quickly seemed-to turn her back-on her.
"Carla?!" Michelle questioned worriedly.
Carla slowly turned-around, but it was obvious that she was hiding something behind-her back.
"Are you hiding something from-me?!" Michelle asked-her, not wanting-to accuse her best-friend-of anything suspicious, but she knew that Carla was likely-to see-it that way.
"No….." Carla Lied.
"Carla….." Michelle trailed-off.
Carla just sighed before revealing what it actually was that she had behind-her back. It was a glass and a full bottle-of vodka. 'At least she hasn't drunk any of it yet.' Michelle thought-to herself.
"Oh Carla, the booze isn't gonna help-ya." Michelle told-her sympathetically. Carla remembered saying similar words-to Peter on the night that they had first gotten-together…..The night her life had been made complete…..Or so she had thought…..
"I was only gonna have one-glass….." Carla lied once-again.
Michelle sighed-at her obviously-struggling-best-friend. She felt so very bad for her. She hadn't deserved what Peter had done-to her a couple-of months back. She hadn't deserved any-of the tragedies in her life. The Poor Woman. But then again, neither-had Michelle…..
"Carla, I can read-ya like a book." Michelle said, finally approaching Carla and gently coaxing both the glass and the bottle-of vodka out-of Carla's hands and into her own.
"Hayley, she looked-proper pale this-morning. I don't think she's got long left 'Chelle. And the worst-thing-is, is that I don't think Roy even realises-it….." Carla told Michelle both truthfully and tearfully.
"Oh I Know. It's heart-breaking isn't it?! But that's not what the vodka is about, Carla, is it?!" Michelle half-asked and half-told her best-friend.
"It's a mix-of everything….." Carla replied-to Michelle as a couple-of tears finally released themselves from Carla's eyes and fell-down her cheeks.
"Oh Carla, come-here." Michelle said, hugging the Broken-Woman tightly as she cried.
Roy entered the Office just as this happened. "Oh Sorry, I have come-at a bad-time haven't I?! I'll…..I Will Go….." Roy excused-himself a little-awkwardly.
"No! Roy…..Stay…..Please." Carla encouraged-him, pulling-herself away from Michelle, trying-to compose-herself as best as she could as she then walked-over towards Roy. "What can I do for ya darlin'?!" She asked-him softly, as her very best-friend watched-on-in awe-of her. She could be so strong when she put-her mind-to it.
Peter had now finally reached Roys Rolls, and Anna had taken-him up the stairs, where Hayley was now welcoming-him-in. She looked very-fragile, and very-pale, and also in a lot-of pain…..
"Take a seat Peter. I'll just put the kettle-on." Hayley told-him kindly.
"No, Hayley, I can-do that." Peter offered-to her, helping-her over-to the sofa before walking-over towards there kitchen. Peter re-appeared a minute-or so later with two cups of coffee.
"Here we are. Two Coffees. Both with Milk. One with one-sugar, and one with two." Peter said with a small-smile pointed-in Hayley's direction as he placed the tray-onto the living-room table before taking a seat-opposite Hayley in the arm-chair, whilst she sat-on the sofa.
"Thank-You Love." Hayley told-him gratefully. "How are you coping?!" She asked-him kindly.
"That's not what I'm here for Hayley. I came-to ask-ya about Carla." He replied-to her, getting straight-to the point.
Hayley just sighed. "Well she says that she's just fine. But everyone-else knows the truth….." Hayley told Peter truthfully, wincing-in pain as she shuffled-around slightly-on the sofa, trying-to make-herself comfortable as she did-so.
"Are you okay?!" Peter asked-her, struggling-at the very sight-of Hayley looking-so weak and vulnerable.
"I'll be alright." Hayley told-him, her lie very unconvincing-to Peter.
"Carla absolutely admires you Hayley." Peter told the Elder-Woman truthfully, with a sweet but also sad-smile-at the same-time.
"Well the feeling's mutual Peter. She's an amazing-Woman. And you were dead-stupid to loose-her through such a foul mistake!" Hayley told-him, still quite obviously-in a lot-of pain.
"I Know…..I Know That Hayley…..I really-do…..And I'm determined-to stay sober so that I can start putting my life back-on-track again….." Peter trailed-off as he noticed that Hayley seemed-to now be in what looked-like unbearable-pain. "Hayley?! Hayley!" Peter said, quickly rushing-over-to her, and crouching-down infront-of her. "Hayley, I think we need-to call-you an ambulance." Peter told-her worriedly. No. This could not be happening. She couldn't die whilst she was in his company, Carla would never forgive-him. Forget Carla, the whole Street wouldn't forgive-him.
"Hayley, listen-to me, I want-ya to hold my hand okay?! And squeeze-it whenever the pain becomes-too much for ya, alright?! And I'm gonna call-an ambulance….." Peter told-her a little-tearfully, pulling his phone-out of pocket and ringing 999 before taking a hold-of Hayley's both weak and fragile-hand.
Back-at the Factory, Michelle had now gone, and Roy was sat across the desk from where Carla was sat.
"The thing-is Carla. Hayley has started-to plan her Funeral…..And she just wondered whether…..Well…..As both her close-friend and her boss…..Well, whether you would consider giving a speech at the Service?!" Roy nervously asked-the Strong-Woman.
"Oh Roy, I'd be absolutely honoured-to." Carla replied, forgetting-her own issues for just a moment there as tears pooled-in the back-of her eyes. Carla had always seen-it as a great-privilege-to have a Lady such-as Hayley working-for her, and to also have-her as a close-friend and confident aswell just made Hayley that extra-bit-more special-to Carla…..
Roy's phone then started-to ring…..
"Hello…..Yes…..Oh…..Well is she okay?!...I'm on my way!" A panicked-Roy then put the phone-down.
"I've got-to go….." Roy told Carla.
"Roy?! Are you okay?! Who was that?! Were they-on about Hayley?!" Carla asked-as Roy began-to walk-away from Carla and then through the Factory.
"Roy! Talk-to me!" Carla practically demanded from the obviously distressed-man. The thought-of his Wife being-in pain without-him there to hold-her closely was just all too much for the both poor and worrying-Husband.
Roy suddenly spun-around-to talk-to Carla just as they had left the Factory together.
"That was Peter…..He was talking-to Hayley, and she had a funny-turn, he's called-an ambulance…..Now I'm really-sorry Carla, but I must-go and be with my Wife." Roy said, before walking-away.
Carla just froze-at the very-mention-of Peter's Name. She wanted-to go with Roy, but she didn't know whether she could cope with seeing Peter once-again. It would break-her completely. No. She had to go. Hayley was her friend. One-of her closest-ones infact. She could deal with Peter later-on.
"Roy?! Roy! Wait-Up! I'm Coming With Ya!" Carla then shouted across the Street, running-after the poor-man...
Please-Review!
Thought I'd leave-it there so the next-chapter can be nice and overly-dramatic!
Coming-Up…..
Has Peter potentially saved Hayley's Life?! And if-so, how will this change things for the generally hated-man-of the Street?!
Carla supports Roy whilst Hayley is in hospital…..
Rob takes an obviously struggling-Carla back-to his flat, but can she deal with being back-at her old-flat with all of its memories, without Peter there to comfort-her?!
As Carla breaks-down, she falls-into comforting-arms, but will they be Peter's, or another-man's?!
Peter is faced with temptation once-again when Tina tries-to support-him after a difficult-day at the hospital, but will he go with her, or will he turn-her away?!