Carla took a slow walk home. She knew Nick would be waiting for her but she needed to calm down after kissing Peter before she saw Nick.
At the flat, Nick had indeed been waiting for Carla. He had a nice dinner table set up with flowers and candles but no fiancé. After a while Nick gave up waiting, he blew out the candles. He placed the flowers on the side and cleared the table of the plates and cutlery. He was in the middle of putting the plates in the cupboard when he heard the door shut.
Carla entered the flat with a sad look on her face, although her face lit up when she saw Nick.
'Where have you been?' Nick asked Carla quite bluntly not looking at her as he knew it was Carla.
'I was at the pub with Michelle for a bit' Carla replied as she watched him put the plates in the cupboard she realised what she had missed out on. 'Did you do this for me?' she asked.
Nick looked down from the cupboard then towards Carla 'Yes I had a nice evening with my fiancé planned but she didn't show, so I put it away'
Carla made her way over to Nick 'I'm sorry Nicky' she placed her hands around his waist and kissed him on the cheek. Nick knew what she was doing but he couldn't be mad at her for long.
He kissed her on the lips for the first time that night, although it was her second kiss of the evening but if she was honest with herself it didn't measure up to the first one.
The couple didn't say much after that as Carla led Nick into the bedroom to make up for the time she had missed.
The next morning was a quiet one, Nick had got up and left for work before Carla had woken up. He left a note on the bed side table which said
Carla,
I've been called in early as there is a problem with the electrics,
Looks like I'll be here all day.
I want it to be perfect for our special day in three days so I'll work as hard as I can.
I love you
Nick.
Carla sighed, she loved that he wanted to sort it but she wanted to spend the day with him so that she wouldn't think of Peter. She tried to distract herself, she got up had a shower, got dressed and started some work.
The more she tried to concentrate on her work in front of her the more she got to wondering what Peter was up to or if he was thinking about her. She didn't have to wonder for long as there was a knock on her door.
She giggled like a child and rushed over to the door, only to be greeted by Michelle. Her face sank, which of course led Michelle to say 'sorry I'm not peter but can I come in?'
'Depends are you going to make comments like that whilst you're here?'
'No I've come to apologise' Michelle said with her tail between her legs 'I should have been more supportive, I'm sorry'
Michelle walked through the door and took a seat on the sofa. 'It's ok it's a lot to take in' Carla said as sat down joining her.
'So what's going on now?' Michelle asked.
'Please don't be mad' Carla said gently.
'What have you done?'
'I went round to Peter's after I left you yesterday' Michelle shot her a look of concern but Carla continued 'don't worry nothing happened apart from a kiss'
'CARLA' Michelle said shocked 'Then what happened'
'I came home and had sex with Nick' Carla said shamefully placing her head in her hands 'Michelle what am I going to do?'
'Well for one you need to stop kissing Peter Barlow'
'I know but it just happened, I don't intend it to but it keeps happening'
'Well it needs to stop whilst you think about it; I think you need to tell Nick that you can't marry him yet'
'I can't do that it will hurt him so badly' Carla said worried.
'But you can't keep kissing Peter and then be with and marry Nick Carla, you just can't'
'I know, I know I love Nick but I don't love him like I loved Peter and I don't know if that's something I can learn to do or something I should just give up on' Carla said honestly to Michelle.
'Well that's only something you can figure out I can't do it for you, but I can stop you doing things you shouldn't, you were expecting Peter at the door then weren't you' Michelle asked.
'No' Carla lied. Michelle gave her a look, to say don't lie to me 'Ok yes a little bit of me thought that he would come and see me today, after our kiss last night'
'But he didn't I got here first so come on we are going shopping' Michelle suggested.
'Chelle I don't feel like shopping today I just want to stay here to think' Carla told her honestly.
'But if you are here and he does come you are going to let him in aren't you and then something bad is going to happen isn't it'
'Michelle you have so little faith in me' Carla laughed.
'Carla it's not funny this is someone's live you're playing with, Nick has been good to you' Michelle stated.
'I know Michelle I was trying to lighten the mood, but you are right if Peter knocks on the door today I shall send him packing'
'That's why we should go shopping so you're not here when he does, if he does' Michelle pleaded with her.
'No honestly I need some time to myself you go and have fun' Carla said.
After more conversation, Michelle had left Carla to her own devices. She had indeed got some work done but she spent most of the time thinking about which man she wanted.
It was about two hours after Michelle had left that there was another knock on Carla's door. This time it was Peter.
'Hello' Peter said as she opened the door.
'Hi, I'm not allowed to let you in' Carla smiled.
Peter looked generally concerned and asked 'Why is Nick in?'
'No he's at work all day but I'm under strict instructions from Michelle not to let you in' which caused Peter to smile.
'Well how did she know I'd come knocking?' Peter asked.
'Because I told her the whole story about us' Carla said shyly.
'Well why can't I come in?'
'She thinks something silly might happen again if I do'
'Well how about we prove her wrong when you do eventually let me in, because this is me and you will give up eventually' Peter said smugly.
'You are so full of yourself' Carla said.
'I am but you love it'
'Ok come on then' Carla said rolling her eyes then pulling the door back so he could come in.
'Nice place' Peter said as he looked around, he took a seat on the sofa.
'Do you have a reason for being here then Peter?' Carla asked sighing whilst joining him on the sofa.
'I thought I'd come and see if you're ok after last night?'
'Well I'm fine thanks' Carla lied.
Peter knew there was something wrong with her. He loved her, he also knew her better then she knew herself sometimes, even if he hadn't seen her in a while. He moved up the sofa closer to her, he placed his hand lovingly on her knee causing her to look up at him.
'Peter you can't be here it's not fair on me' Carla let out quietly as she pushed his hand off of her knee.
'But the question is do you want me here?' Peter asked.
'Peter I'm not going to answer that question, I can't' Carla said.
'Carla if me being here is going to confuse you then I'll leave, I love you Carla and I don't want to make your life difficult, I know I made a massive mistake but that cost me you and I have learnt from that' Peter took her hand then continued 'I'm a different man now I have worked on myself and If I have to prove that to you to win you back then I will wait as long as it takes Carla I promise'
Carla let a tear drop from her eye as she listened to Peter's words. She has wanted to hear this for so long that now she was hearing it from him she couldn't believe the timing.
'But Peter we don't have time I'm supposed to be marrying Nick in three days' Carla told him.
'Marry him, if I have to wait until you and him finish then I will, the only reason you are with him is because I did that awful thing to you that I will never forgive myself for' Peter started as tears formed in his eyes.
'Peter I don't want to marry him if there is hope for us' Carla said a little too honestly as she wiped the tears off of her face.
'Carla that is a big decision one that you need to think about' Peter told her with concern, he did love her but he didn't want her to chuck her happy ever after away even if it was with Nick.
'Peter I have always wanted you, you know that, but what you did can't be forgotten about' Carla told him as his head dropped down. Carla put her hand under his chin to pull his face back up so he was looking at her as she continued 'But I can see that you have changed in the short time you have been home and I like what I see Peter'
'Carla' Peter said placing his hand on her cheek 'I love you and I promise I won't ever hurt you again' Peter then placed his lips onto hers for a kiss. She kissed him back tenderly. He pulled away first not wanting to push it and placed his hand on her cheek smiling at her.
'Peter I can forgive you for the past' Carla told Peter, he couldn't believe his luck. 'But we need to work on being friends again first and build up a relationship from that' she told him firmly.
Peter agreed they couldn't just jump straight back in especially as she was technically still with Nick.
After a couple of hours of talking things through and discussing where they go from here they had decided to be friends to work on their relationship. Carla and Peter were going to work on things. This meant that Carla had to tell Nick it was over.
After Peter left Carla got straight on the phone to Michelle to tell her about the day she'd had. Michelle couldn't listen to this over the phone so she quickly made her way over to Carla's for the second time today.
When she arrived Carla explained today's events over a bottle of red to a shocked Michelle.
'So that's it you're going to call things off with Nick?' Michelle asked bluntly.
'Yes I think that is my final decision, even if I don't get back with Peter, it's not fair on Nick if whilst I'm with him I'm thinking of someone else' Carla explained maturely 'but I just don't know how I'm going to do it'
'I know I don't envy you at all, he's such a nice bloke' Michelle said.
'Thanks chelle for the help' Carla said rolling her eyes.
'Sorry you're right you need to be honest with him, so just sit him down then tell him you can't marry him'
'Oh if only it was that easy' Carla said as they finished the bottle off.
'Shall we head to the rovers to continue?' Michelle asked.
'No I have to wait in for Nick, there's no time like the present' Carla said dreading the conversation that she was about to have with Nick.
'Ok well phone me when you've finished and let me know how it went' Michelle asked her whilst giving her best friend a hug for support.
'I'm such a bad person' Carla said.
'No you are just confused, once the wedding is out of the picture you'll see clearly and maybe you will want Nick but you're right you can't marry him until you are sure'
'Thanks chelle, I'll phone you later' Carla told her as she shut her flat door behind Michelle dreading the moment it opened again to be Nick.
It was an hour later when the door opened again.
'Carla, I'm home' Nick shouted through the flat. Nick had a good day at work this morning's disaster was sorted and it was all ready for the wedding in three days.
'Nick come and sit down please' Carla asked a confused looking Nick.
'What is it?' Nick asked as he cautiously sat on the sofa next to Carla.
'Nick…'
