Where Now
The doctor had insisted he check once more to make sure none of the 'baby matter' was still inside of Leanne's stomach before she left. It was seven in the evening and she felt so empty. All those dreaded pregnancy symptoms she'd moaned about had passed and she felt like her old self again. Her non-pregnant self. She wasn't sure if she enjoyed being her old self as much. It certainly hurt her more.
The doctor proceeded with the scan, searching in the same way her midwife had weeks ago, finding the tiny baby. Now they were trying to find the remains.
"I can't see anymore of your baby Leanne." The doctor admitted. "It looks as though the miscarriage has finished."
She nodded and Nick squeezed her hand. "Can I go home now?"
"Yes, you can but I recommend you take some prescribed paracetamol for the pain over the next few days. You should avoid doing anything too strenuous too...sex for example. Not for at least another two weeks. Your body needs to heal."
Nick finally spoke. "And trying again? How soon can we do that?"
"Nick," Leanne said. "I've only just lost the baby and now you're plannnin' the next?"
"I'm sorry," he replied. "I just wanted to know."
"Six weeks probably. Usually once you're having regular periods again."
They both nodded glumly.
"If there's anything you need at all...do let us know. And again, Mrs Tilsley, I'm very sorry for your loss."
"Thanks," Leanne managed to whisper. "For everything."
The doctor took his turn to nod now. And with that, Nick helped Leanne to the car. She buckled her seat belt and stared out at the hospital car park ahead. The car was silent and when they found themselves stuck in a huge traffic jam on the way back, neither felt more uncomfortable.
"Must be awful," Leanne casually said.
Nick turned to face her, frowning at her, unsure as to what she was going on about. "Bein' that doctor that has to tell people that they've lost a baby."
"I know," he agreed. "It must be awful."
Leanne watched the cars on the opposite side of the road zip past. "And I thought working in a Bistro was crap."
"Well...like he said, we can try again in about six weeks. We can make it special you know-"
Leanne shook her head vigorously. "No."
"What?"
"No baby. This has been a sign."
Nick put his foot on the accelerator pedal, easing the car along slowly. "You can't just rule out a baby because of a minor setback."
"Minor setback?!" Leanne yelled. "I've bled our baby out! The baby has died Nick- how's that for a minor setback?!"
"Look, we can get over this. We can. We're a team you and me. Nothing can stop us from moving on with our lives. The baby just wasn't meant to be."
"You were playing a very different tune twelve hours ago."
"We had a baby twelve hours ago." Nick argued. "And how was I meant to know you would lose the baby?"
"It's all my fault again. Like everything is." Leanne sighed.
"No, no it's nobody's fault Leanne. These things just happen, okay?"
"Too many times for me." Leanne muttered. "Two miscarriages, an abusive son and an abortion. Not much of an advert for motherhood, am I?"
Nick tightened his grip on the steering wheel when she said that word. 'Abortion'. God it followed him wherever he went. Natasha and Leanne had both aborted children of his, and he nearly persuaded Kylie to abort Lily.
"Well I've lost four children Leanne."
Leanne paused and thought about it. He had lost four; two in one year as well.
"Two with you, one with Natasha and another with Erica. So don't tell me that I don't know what loss feels like."
He knew right away something wasn't right as he sat, watching Peter move awkwardly as though he was battling to keep something secret. What that something was, Simon did not know.
It wasn't just something he'd noticed, but it was the thing he picked up on when it was Peter that collected him from school and not Leanne. And then when Peter insisted he take Simon for a burger and any desert he wanted, he just knew that something bad had gone down behind his back.
"Dad?" Simon asked. Peter flicked his eyes up at his son, cautious and wary of what he was about to say.
"Yeah?"
"Why are you being so strange?"
Peter frowned but not very well. Simon had seen his dad try and cover up before and yet again, Peter had failed to hide his secrets very well from Simon.
"I'm not hiding anyth-"
"Dad, it's obvious you are. Why did you pick me up from school and not me Mum? And how come you took me for a burger for tea and told me to forget me homework too?"
Peter sighed, slapping himself in the face with his hand. "I thought I'd hid it pretty well."
"Hid what? Dad I'm really worried now. What is going on?"
Peter stood up and knelt down in front of Simon. "Today...Si, Leanne had to go to the hospital."
"Why? Is she okay? What's happened to her?"
Peter shook his head and Simon figured it out all on his own.
"No...has she lost the baby?" He whispered.
Peter nodded, his own eyes filling with tears.
"I'm sorry Si."
"I want to see my Mum. I want to know she is okay."
"I think she needs time Simon and I probably shouldn't have told you anyway."
"I need to see her Dad."
"No," Peter replied. "You can see her tomorrow."
"I don't want to see her tomorrow!" Simon shouted. He picked up the TV remote that was on the table and raised his hand.
"Don't you dare!" Screamed Peter. "Don't you dare try to hit me Simon!"
He dropped the remote and hurried out the room to his bedroom upstairs that he was currently sharing with Peter. He'd almost...almost hit his own Dad in the same way he had once done to Leanne. He knew it was going to be a long night as the trick or treaters flocked to the front doors of Coronation Street.
Leanne slumped on the sofa in hers and Nick's flat as he unpacked the bag of things he'd picked up for her. In the bedroom that they had slept in once since getting back together was the teddy Simon had lovingly made for his Mum's new baby. Nick held it close and cradled it before letting his own tears go. He was hurting too and it felt like he wasn't meant to be a father, and all of the losses he had were a sign that he shouldn't have children.
His thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of sobbing and sniffling in the living room. Leanne was sat, whimpering into a cushion and pretending everything was actually okay when it wasn't.
He listened to her cries and decided it was a good time to step in and check she really was okay.
"Leanne?"
She wiped her eyes quickly with the cushion and stood up, throwing the coat she'd dumped on the couch around her body.
"We need milk. I'll be five minutes."
Nick reached for her, pulling her back as she moved away from him towards the door.
"You can't pretend everything's okay. We need to talk about this Lea."
"No, we need milk."
"Leanne, just listen please."
She turned back around and shrugged her shoulders at him. "Go on then."
"I really want us to try aga-"
"I really want to get a pint of milk. I won't be long." Leanne said as she darted out the door and the block of flats.
Tracy stepped out of the cab Robert had brought her to bring her back from the police station. She stood outside No.1, watching as the local children knocked on doors and asked for sweets. Robert patted her shoulder, urging her to get out the car.
Carla appeared, walking back home after having a few drinks with Michelle.
"Oh look," Tracy began. "If it's not the wicked witch of Weatherfield."
Carla rolled her eyes. "I see an afternoon down the police station did wonders for you."
Tracy stormed over to Carla, getting right in her face. "Why the hell did you do that to me?!"
"Why?!" Carla shouted back. "Because you're a vicious, lying cow and even though Michelle phoned the police and not me, I've realised you deserved it."
"Michelle phoned the police?" Robert asked.
"Er...no," Carla lied. She didn't want to Michelle to face the wrath of Tracy too.
"That bitch." Tracy remarked.
"Maybe she is," Carla started. "But at least Chelle is honest about being a bitch."
Tracy was stood, gaping at Carla as she walked away to her flat, full of pride in herself for finally standing up against Tracy.
"Sally, go away!" Leanne shouted. "I don't want to talk about your flamin' wedding right now!"
Sally, unaware that Leanne was still recovering from her miscarriage, carried on, refusing to let the talk of her wedding go.
"But Leanne, this is important!"
"Not right now it isn't! I only came out for a pint of milk." Leanne said, standing awkwardly in the tracksuit that Nick had brought her in the hospital.
"Just because you're pregnant it doesn't mean the rest of the world has to stop spinning."
Leanne gulped down hard because that had really, really touched an open wound. Nick had done as she wished and not told anybody outside of close family and Carla and Peter yet which in one way helped her get over it, but in another, it felt like she was being burned alive.
"Sally...just shut up," Leanne whispered, closing her eyes to stop the tears that were about to come out rather publicly. She clutched the freezing carton of milk in her arms, hugging it for comfort.
"Don't you tell me to shut up!" Sally argued. "The customer is always right!"
"Not when she's asking for a black eye!"
Nick rushed over and stepped between the two women. He'd wondered where Leanne had got to and she had been gone for well over an hour. He just wished she had said where she was going because then she wouldn't have dealt with Sally in the way she had.
"Sally, can we sort this another time?" Nick asked politely, holding Leanne back behind him. She was shivering, shaking in fact.
Sally huffed and rolled her eyes. "I suppose. Tim will be wondering where I am with his fish fingers."
"Thank you. Come by the Bistro tomorrow and we'll sort it all out." Nick replied as Sally nodded before walking away.
Nick spun around slowly, mentally steeling himself for the state Leanne would be in. She was in tears, her bottom lip trembling and all he could do was hold her in his arms.
"What did she say?"
Leanne whispered, stuttering as she uttered out those words that had hurt her deeply. "She told me I was being selfish because I'm pregnant."
He held her head closer to his own, resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh god. Let's get you home."
Back at the flat, Nick had settled Leanne down on the sofa with a takeaway. They sat next to one and other and ate in silence. Leanne was still shivering but her piping hot egg fried rice managed to warm her up.
Nick opened his mouth to speak but was soon interrupted by his phone ringing. "One sec," he said to Leanne, rushing to answer the phone call from his Mum.
"Hello?"
"Nick, hurry!" Gail yelled down the phone. "It's Max, he's gone missing and we can't find him anywhere!"
"What?"
"He went trick or treating with some friends from school, and when they came home- he'd gone."
"Oh god. I'm coming to help you find him!"
"Thanks sweetheart."
Nick hung up and turned to Leanne. "Max has disappeared and I'm going to help them find him."
"What about us? I thought we were going to talk."
"Not right now Lea, I'll see you later."
Leanne sat back on the sofa as Nick shut the door behind him. She'd lost her baby and now it seemed she was losing him too.
Thank you so much for reviewing! Please keep it up! :-)
I know people have had mixed emotions about Leanne's miscarriage but I promise good things will soon be coming her way!
Next Time
Callum ups his game and finds a new target.
Eva is thrilled when Jason finally leaves hospital.
Peter has a surprise for Carla.
How will Simon cope when he sees Leanne again?
And...
As Christmas looms, which two people receive proposals?
Whose world comes crashing down around them?
Which woman finally succumbs to temptation? And why?
