An awkward glance was exchanged between them as Peter registered the voice he had heard. His son, Simon, was downstairs at the front door and here he was about to inflict a further amount of harm on his girlfriend. Many thoughts crossed his mind as to what he might be doing there, had Leanne changed her mind? Was she going to let him see his son? Dropping the knife he replied to Simon and then made a dash for the door. As he disappeared Carla knew she had to do a quick tidy of the flat, that poor little boy couldn't walk in on the middle of their domestic and see her cowering in the corner and an already bloodied knife upon the floor. Crawling forward she picked it up and then struggled, using the bookshelf beside her for support to pull herself up onto her feet.
Simon's little voice rang out as he entered the flat that a few weeks ago had been his home. Their sudden appearance startled Carla and the knife clattered nosily into the sink. She turned to face them, with eyes wide and a somewhat fearful expression but luckily Simon failed to register this. He was excited to see his father but to Carla, analysing the situation she saw he seemed a little frightened.
"I'm so glad to see you" said Peter wrapping his arms around Simon and giving him a fatherly hug in the middle of the living room. All was silent until the buzzer went again. Carla went for it this time and hesitated to greet the caller as her finger pressed the button. She wasn't sure who to expect but when Leanne's screeching voice came through the speaker she knew something wasn't right. Simon gave a gasp at hearing the shrill tone of his mother and tensed in his father's arms. Peter scowled and shot Carla a look of warning not to even think of letting Leanne up. Her loyalty to him and love meant she released the call button and silenced Leanne. She returned to her station in the kitchen and clattered warily with the dishes at the sink as she tried to remove all evidence that Peter had hurt her.
Outside in the street Leanne was still yelling up, knowing full well that Peter and Carla were ignoring her. She was furious, especially with Simon for running off but more so with Peter for disobeying her. He never should have let Simon in after what she had told him but typical Peter, selfish and stubborn just did what he wanted. She yelled his name with such vigour it had Carla nervous and she started to feel panicked in case Leanne called the police. The state she was in she didn't want them calling round because it would just open up a whole can of worms for them all.
Peter and Simon had moved to the sofa. Simon having shed his coat and bag, leaving them just on the floor in everyone's way had fired up the games console and started playing happily as he raced against his father on some game they loved. It bought a smile to Carla's face to see them so happy together and she took it upon herself to do some damage limitation. She didn't really feel in a fit state but hoping Peter wouldn't notice she crept over to the door and snook out. Carefully she made her way down the stairs, glancing over her shoulder every few to make sure Peter hadn't caught her and then took a deep breath before opening the door. She could see Leanne was far enough back in the street staring up at the flat to give her time to get out before she tried to barge in. Although having come down without her keys she did wonder how she'd get back in after letting the door slam.
"You" accused Leanne harshly as she saw Carla emerge and came marching over.
"I am warning you Carla. My son is up there and you better let me up to get him" screamed Leanne right up close and wagging her finger at Carla as if she were a naughty child.
Looking down at her fidgety feet Carla nervously sucked in her lips as her hair blew all about in the light evening breeze. She hated confrontations, especially with Leanne and needed her to calm down. She was still shouting up to Peter and calling out Simon's name in between trying to press Carla to let her in.
"Don't send your girlfriend down here to do your dirty work Peter!" yelled Leanne before silencing and turning back to Carla. She was raging, breathless from all the shouting and so riled up being on edge that she vowed she would not be held accountable for her actions at this time. Eyes bulging from their sockets she glared at Carla.
"Let me in Carla!" hissed Leanne through gritted teeth.
Folding her arms Carla tried to psych herself up to stay calm but be firm. She didn't want to make a scene with Leanne in the street and she certainly didn't want any attention but Leanne was doing a pretty good job of that herself. She looked up and with sad eyes looked to Leanne knowing she needed to give some explanation.
"Look Leanne, he needs to see Simon. He is not dangerous, he's done nothing to me and he'd never harm Simon. You know that" stressed Carla.
"Look at the state of ya Carla! No matter how much I dislike ya and think you deserve it, you haven't done all that to yourself" she yelled back. "Now let me in so I can get my son" she demanded.
Carla shrugged, telling her that neither of them would get back inside as she didn't have the keys and that set Leanne off. She was already angry and now Carla had stupidly locked her son in with his abusive father. Scoffing she gave Carla a look of disgust. She clearly had no mothering instinct because no sane person would leave a child with a man who battered them daily. Beginning to give her a lecture she stood yelling at Carla, accusing her of all sorts and generally just verbally attacking her in any way she could.
To see what all the commotion was Peter made his excuses to go to the window. He swept back the curtain and looked down to see his girlfriend and ex wife stood on the cobbles. Carla looked timid and shy, with her arms folded and her head down and Leanne seemed to be laying into her with a heavy dose of her catty attitude. He felt a little pang of guilt and sympathy for Carla before his menacing feelings towards her returned. He figured that she had figured she was only helping but how was she, by confronting Leanne she was only annoying her more and making things worse?
Knowing that he would need now to interfere he called over to Simon to stay put. He grabbed his keys from the dining table and disappeared out of the door, making sure to lock the top door in case Leanne did somehow get in. Hurrying down the stairs he thundered out of the front door and into the street, ready to attack. Carelessly he barged passed Carla and got right up in Leanne's face to address her. He didn't want her there and instantly started telling her so, ordering her to go before turning to return back inside. It left Leanne a little shaking up, she had experienced some horrible moods from Peter but never anything like that. As he passed Carla again he grabbed her arm and roughly man handled her to pull her back to the flat and pushed her through the doorway.
Leanne crying out after them went running to the door filled with an even worse fear than she had upon first arriving but Peter just managed to slam it shut in her face. He had left her no choice. It was going to have to be a call to the police if she was going to get her son back. Taking her phone out of her pocket and with a trembling finger she dialled nine, nine, nine and waited anxiously to be connected to an operator.
Inside Peter threw Carla through the main door and then pushed passed her as he returned to his vacant seat on the sofa to continue the game with his son. Simon seemed oblivious to the fact Leanne was still outside and that so much arguing had just taken place. He remained calm beside his father, enjoying every second of his company and bragging like usual when he won the race. It frightened Carla now that Peter seemed to have such a Jekyll and Hyde personality and she just hoped that she was right about him. Having Simon present if any harm came to him she didn't think she'd ever forgive herself for defending Peter to a woman who was only frightened for her son. Feeling sad and somewhat upset by the evenings events, Carla allowed herself to head to bed despite it being early. As she snuck beneath the covers and buried her head in the pillow she silently started to cry as earlier events eventually started to get to her.