The next day Carla woke up in a cheerful mood. She was getting along with Peter and suddenly there were no complications. She was single. Although today would have been her wedding day.
Carla rolled out of bed to thoughts of what she should have been doing on this day. Although she felt terribly guilty she also felt relieved. She did love Nick but nowhere near the love she had felt for Peter. So even if she didn't get back together with Peter then she knew she couldn't marry someone she didn't feel that way towards.
Michelle had come over to see how she was doing; to her surprise Carla was jolly. Michelle sat around the table with Carla who joined her with their coffees.
"So how you feeling today?" Michelle asked.
"Ok, I mean I'm sad but I feel like I made the right decision, Nick wasn't right for me" Carla explained.
"Are you going to dinner with him tonight?" Michelle asked.
"I think so, the least I can do is talk to him" Carla started "we can be friends"
"I'm sure he wants more than friendship" Michelle informed her.
"I know but he can't have that anymore" Carla said.
"So no more sex with Nick then" Michelle laughed.
"Michelle stop, honestly trust you to bring that up" Carla laughed "it's just dinner"
"Yeah that's how it starts"
"No that can't happen with Nick it's not fair on him" Carla told Michelle.
"Anyway what's happening with Peter? I saw he walked you home yesterday! Did he come in?" Michelle asked.
"No he didn't, he did ask me for dinner, sort of" Carla smiled thinking of her conversation with Peter.
"Did he now?" Michelle smirked.
"Well he mentioned me going for dinner with Nick so I asked him if he was jealous" Carla explained.
"He so wants you Carla" Michelle said.
"I know it's kind of fun to make him work for it" Carla said "but nothing can happen to soon just because I don't want to hurt Nick anymore then I have done"
"But Carla you can't stop anything happening because of Nick it's not fair on yourself"
"I know I don't mean forever I just mean for the foreseeable" Carla said "if I were to give him another chance"
"Well it's just a matter of time if you ask me" Michelle told her.
An hour later Michelle had left which meant Carla could make her way to the factory. It was supposed to be closed for the wedding but Johnny was in keeping himself busy.
As Carla entered the office Johnny was typing away at his desk. He looked up when Carla entered the office.
"Hello I wasn't expecting you in today" Johnny said.
"Well I have nothing better to do, so I thought I'd pop in, I didn't expect you in either" Carla told him.
"Well I thought I'd come in and finish some bits off" Johnny told her before asking "how are you doing?"
"I'm ok, I'm going to have dinner with Nick later to talk things through" Carla said.
"Oh right is that a good idea?" Johnny asked.
"Yeah I owe him that much" Carla said softly.
"So Peter" Johnny started.
"What about Peter?" Carla looked up to ask.
"How's things with him?"
"There is nothing with Peter it's just nice to see him again"
"But he came back after you split with Nick?" Johnny asked suspicious of the real meaning behind her split with Nick.
"What is this Johnny?" Carla asked getting a little annoyed.
"I'm just making sure you're not going to get hurt again"
"Look Johnny you weren't here the first time so you don't really know what has happened, and I don't need reminding about getting hurt, I lived through it remember" Carla said angrily as she stormed out of the office.
Johnny thought about following her but thought against it.
She stormed straight out the factory in the direction of her flat. Aiden watched as she stormed off he tried to call her but she continued to walk off. Kate came out of the salon just at the wrong time as Carla walked straight into her.
"Sorry Kate" Carla said whilst still storming off.
"Hang on what's the matter?" Kate asked as she jogged to Carla to catch up.
"Sorry, do you want to pop into the cafe for a chat?" Carla asked.
"I think we better don't you" Kate replied following her into the cafe.
Meanwhile Aiden had rushed into the factory "what's wrong with Carla?" He asked Johnny.
"I asked her about Peter, let's just say she didn't take it too well" Johnny replied.
"I know Peter broke her heart by cheating on her but I sort of zone out when they talk about it, its girl talk" Aiden said honestly. He knew that Peter had cheated, but that's all he knew, so when he met Peter he didn't think anything of it. Johnny has now made him think twice.
"Do you think he will hurt her again? What exactly did he do?" Aiden asked Johnny.
"I'm not sure I should tell you, she wants it all left alone, I shouldn't have interfered I'm newly into her dad role so I see how I've upset her, it's her business" Johnny said sadly.
"Dad she'll get over it but if your they worried I'll go and have a word with Peter" Aiden suggested but he was shot straight down by Johnny who told him "we shouldn't get involved leave it be"
"Ok whatever you say dad" Aiden said with his hands in the air, although he was definitely going to talk to Peter.
Over in the cafe Carla and Kate were sat around a table with a coffee each.
"So what's the matter?" Kate asked.
"Johnny" Carla answered before swigging from her mug.
"What's he done now, he can be an idiot sometimes" Kate smiled taking Carla's hand.
"He mentioned Peter, warned me that I'll get hurt again" Carla said sadly before saying "it's not really the Peter thing it's that he is newly my father and thinks he can wade in on my life over things that have nothing to do with him"
"I get it, maybe he's coming on heavy" Kate said.
"I don't think it's that I mean after all he is my dad, I think it's because I'm not used to it I suppose, it's going to take some getting used to"
"Well that's understandable but about the Peter thing"
"I know I know everyone has been telling me to be careful, I know, I'm not stupid I'm not going to jump back into bed with him, but it's nice to see how much he's changed, shame he didn't before we might still have our little girl" Carla said before realizing who she was talking to.
"What do you mean?" Kate asked puzzled.
"Well while Peter was cheating on me I fell pregnant, when I found out about him I was going through a lot and was stressed out a lot so I lost her" Carla told Kate whilst letting a tear fall from her eye.
"Oh Carla" Kate managed before moving around the table to give her a hug.
"It's ok I'm better about it now it's just sad" Carla told her.
"Well the Peter I saw yesterday doesn't act like someone who could hurt you like that, he was looking at you with only love" Kate smiled.
"I know he has honestly changed so much, he's the better version of himself which is what I like about him" Carla said.
"Well if he is what you want then go for it I'll support you" Kate said.
"Well I don't know what I want, I'm just taking it slowly, and that's why I couldn't marry Nick"
"I understand now a lot more than I did" Kate told her.
"Well I best get going I have to go to dinner with Nick, I also have a flat to tidy beforehand" Carla explained.
"Well have fun but you've got to fill me in in the morning" Kate said.
"Thanks for listening to me" Carla pulled Kate in for a hug.
"That's what sisters are for" Kate said smiling at Carla. They had bonded a lot over the last few weeks.
Carla then made her way out of the cafe to her flat.
Aiden had been thinking about his conversation with his dad about Peter all afternoon. He knew his new role of brother to Carla meant something to him. He knew he had her best interests at heart so a chat with Peter couldn't hurt could it?
Peter spent his day at number one doing odd jobs for Ken with Simon as his right hand man. They had a lovely day but Peter needed a break. He stood outside number one to have a fag.
Aiden came out of the factory to see Peter standing there. He made his way over to him.
"Peter" Aiden said as he approached him.
"Hey Aiden how are you?" Peter asked nicely.
"I thought I'd come over to see what your intentions with my sister are?" Aiden said with a low voice.
"I'm not sure I get you Aiden" Peter said confused.
"I just don't want you to hurt her that's all" Aiden warned "or you'll have me to deal with"
"Look Aiden I get that you want to play brother, but I love Carla, always have done always will, I'm not going to hurt her again I'm a new person" Peter insisted.
"Well it's my job to make sure you don't" Aiden said.
"Look I didn't get along with Rob and I really hoped I could get along with you" Peter said "because if you're important to Carla then your important to me, although we're not together she's a good friend of mine"
"Ok well we shall leave it at that but it will be me you deal with if anything happens this time" Aiden said.
"Look her other brother killed someone so she lost him, don't make her lose another brother, I can tell your important to her" Peter said truthfully.
Aiden walked off, he was flattered at what Peter said to him but he still didn't trust him.
Over at Nicks flat, Nick had set up his table ready for dinner with Carla. He knew there were no guarantees but at least he had her to himself for the night.
Right on queue there was a knock on the door. Nick opened it to find Carla stood on his doorstep. She was dressed nicely in jeans and a Kami top. She looked casual but beautiful at the same time.
"Hello, come in" Nick said.
"Hello Nick" she said as she entered.
"Shall we sit round the table, dinner will be ten minutes" Nick asked.
"Yeah sure" she replied.
"Listen Carla I know you don't want to marry me but I would like to see where we go" Nick went straight into the conversation that Carla wanted to avoid.
"Nick" Carla started but was interrupted.
"Carla I know you need time but I love you, I haven't loved anyone like you, you're incredibly beautiful, sexy and clever"
"Nick" she said shyly "I have told you I need time but to be honest with you I don't know if we should be together at all" she knew she was being harsh but this was the only way he would understand.
"What do you mean? You said you only wanted time" Nick said upset.
"I know I did but in that time I have thought about us, I do love you nick but more of a friend and not someone I should marry one day"
"Carla I don't understand we were completely fine until I got you that spa trip"
"I think time apart was helpful to realize that I want different things then you do" Carla told him delicately.
"So that's it, you're not going to try" Nick asked.
"I don't think there would be much point" Carla said "I do love you and treasure your friendship but I don't think a romantic relationship is what I want at the moment"
"I don't suppose there is much I can say is there?" Nick asked disappointedly.
"Nick I want to thank you for everything you have done for me" Carla said "I wouldn't be here without you" Carla got up to kiss him on the cheek.
"I better turn the oven off then" Nick said sadly.
"I don't think a friendly dinner would hurt do you?" Carla said lifting nicks spirits.
Carla stayed for dinner. They spoke about all the good times they had and by the end of the night Nick was more understanding of her decision and they left on mutual terms.