A week later and the Christmas Holiday's had finally arrived. Peter & Simon were having some Father & Son bonding time today after Si's break-up with Jessica, leaving Carla with a temper-mental Cassia.
Peter had taken Simon back-to their favourite pizza place. To begin with, it was kind-of a bitter-sweet occasion, as this was the first-time that they had been back here together ever-since the car-crash. But that was just a thought and a fear that Peter would have to overcome for the purpose of this lunchtime, as this had been Simon's choice of places to go to, and not his-own…..
"So Si, are ya looking forward to Christmas?!" Peter asked-in a rather upbeat way, trying to cheer his sad-looking-Son-up a little-bit.
"Not really no….." Simon replied a little down-heartedly as the two of them each began to dig-into their pizza's together.
"Awww why not mate?!" The concerned Father asked his son.
"Oh well let's see shall we?! I'm single, the lads who I thought were my very-best-friends in the world, have-all turned-against me for no-reason whatsoever…..Just because Thomas told them too…..And the third reason is stupid so I'm not telling-ya….." The growing-kid trailed-off moodily.
"Now come-on Si, ya know you can tell-me anything…..Go On Tell-Me…..What's this stupid thing then?!" Peter asked-his Son curiously.
"I don't believe-in Santa anymore….." Simon muttered.
"What was that Mate?!" Peter asked, not quite fully-understanding what Simon had just said.
"I don't believe-in Santa anymore alright?!" Simon replied, making Peter snigger with pure-amusement.
"Oh Pal, how we have managed-to convince all these years that the big fat man with the Long White Beard was still real I do not know?! You must be so gullable….." Peter told his 11 Year Old Son, smirking-at him as he did-so.
"Oh thanks Dad, so much for making-me feel-better" Simon replied-to his Father moodily.
"Awww come-on Mate, I was only joking with ya!" Peter tried-to reason with his moody-son, but he was having absolutely none-ofit.
Back-at the Barlow's Flat, Carla was sat with Cassia, who was just sat-on the sofa with her Mother, not doing-much other than chewing the sleeves of her Pyjama's nervously. The little-girl had refused to get dressed this-morning, but what with it being the Christmas Holidays, Carla just let-it be for the time-being…..
"So Cass, have ya thought of what ya want Santa to bring-ya?!"Carla asked their little-girl sweetly.
"No….." Cassia trailed-off.
"Awww, well why don't ya draw him a pretty-picture?!" The Mother suggested, knowing that little Cassia could-not write all that well as yet.
"No….." The little-girl repeated herself.
"Cass, what's wrong with you lately Baby?!" Carla shot their Daughter a look-of concern as she softly stroked Cassia on the cheek that was nearest-to her hand.
"Nothing….." Cassia trailed-off tearfully.
"Oh Baby, why are you crying?! I'm not angry with you; I'm just worried about ya that's all." Carla tried to re-assure a nervous-looking Cassia.
"Do ya feel poorly at all?! Do ya have a bad head like the other-day?!"
Cassia shifted her tearful-eyes around to look-at her Mother for the first-time in a while.
"I'm scared Mummy." She finally revealed-to Carla.
"Okay. So what are ya scared-of then darlin'?!" Carla asked Cassia, hoping that she was finally getting-somewhere with her Daughter.
"That I might have to go in a poorly nee-naw….." Cassia quietly cried-to her Mother as Carla gently rubbed-her back both sweetly but comfortingly aswell.
"And why would ya have to go in a nee-naw sweetie-pie?!" Carla whispered-ever-so softly to the tearful little-girl.
"Me feel poorly Mummy. But I don't want to go in nee-naw!" Cassia panicked.
"Hey it's okay sweetheart. Why do ya feel poorly?!" Carla questioned Cassia gently.
"My head hurts. And my belly hurts." The little-girl frowned.
"And how long have they been hurting for baby?! Since last-week?!" The Worried Mother assumed-as that was when all of their problems have begun with the little-girl as Cassia nodded-back-at her Mother in reply-to-her.
"Okay Sweetheart. Thank-You for telling-me. Listen, you won't have to go in a poorly nee-naw. But I want to take-ya to see the Doctor okay?!" Carla re-assured their Daughter and she nodded-back-at her once-again.
"Alright. Well-Done Baby. Why are ya so scared of nee-naws anyway?!"
"'Cos Daddy & Simon had to go in Nee-Naws when they were poorly!"
"Oh Darlin'…..That's never going-to happen again, okay?! That was just a horrible car-crash that was not ever meant-to happen-in the first-place so it won't happen-again. Anyway, I just want to ring Daddy, and tell-him that we're going-to the Doctor's….." Carla trailed-off worriedly.
Back-at the Pizza Place, after Carla's phone-call, Peter decided that it was about time that he got Simon to talk to him about the whole Jessica situation. Cassia was about to go and get her problem sorted-out with her Mother and the Doctor, so now it was time for Simon to do exactly the same-thing with his Father.
"So then Pal, tell-me, what really happened between you & Jessica?!" Peter questioned-him sensitively.
"It was all my fault, I was an idiot….." Simon trailed-of nervously as Peter sighed-at his Son, it was seeming more and more everyday that Simon had inherited Peter's bad-habits of completely messing-up-every single good thing-that had ever happened-in his life…..ALL the time…..
"Oh Son. What did ya do then?!" Peter asked-him calmly.
"Thomas dared-me to…..Ya know…..Tongues and all that…..Anyway, she would have been fine with it except…..She found-out about the dare, and that's when she left….." The growing-young-kid trailed-off sadly.
"Oh Pal…..Ya really messed-that one-up didn't ya?! Why did you even agree-to it in the first-place?! I mean ya don't even get-along with this Thomas kid all that well do ya?!" The concerned Father gently asked-his Son.
"Because he threatened-to beat me up….." Simon revealed to Peter a little-tearfully now.
"Is this the same-kid that Chesney saved-ya from the other-day?!" Peter asked.
"Yeah. I had said no to loads of dares, but he was getting impatient, and I thought that this one would be-easy…..But I would have taken a beating if it meant that I could stay-together with Jessica….." Simon said as he wiped-away one stray tear that had fallen-from his eyes.
"Oh Mate. I know this is the last-thing that ya wanna hear right-now, but there will be other-girls! You may have picked-up the Barlow's bad-luck, but you've also picked-up our charm and good-looks, you'll have another girlfriend in no-time!" Peter tried to re-assure his down-hearted-Son.
A little while later and both Carla & Cassia had arrived-home from the Doctor's. The Doctor himself couldn't figure-out exactly what was wrong so he had booked-Cassia in for an appointment at the hospital, but had given her some medicine for the head and stomach pains for the time-being. The appointment was after their holiday to Lapland, so Carla was just hoping & praying that she would be okay until then.
"You were such a brave girl for the Doctor, Cass!" Carla said as she picked-up the little-girl and sat-down on the sofa with her, placing-her on her lap and cuddling-her tightly.
"Does I have to go to the hoppy-tall Mummy?!" Cassia asked-her Mother ever-so innocently, but Carla couldn't help but quietly chuckle-at Cassia's 3 Year-Olds Attempt at saying-the-word 'hospital.'
"Yeah ya do Baby. But only so the Doctor can know what is wrong with you. It's nothing to worry about Sweetheart." Carla replied as she tried-to re-assure their worried-looking-Daughter.
Suddenly, the buzzer sounded, it was Michelle. Carla let-her-on up to the flat to find that she seemed-to be feeling a little-bit down today.
"Are you alright Michelle?!" Carla asked-her very best-friend with a concerned-look as they both sat-back-down together again.
"Can we chat?!" Michelle asked-Carla pleadingly.
"Mummy, is Aunty Michelle sad?!" Cassia asked her Mother completely-innocently.
"In Private?!" Michelle gently-requested-to Carla.
"Okay. Yeah Sure. I think-so Cass. Why don't ya go and give-her a cuddle and then you can go and play in your room for a little-while, is that okay Baby?!" Carla asked-the little-girl quietly.
"Okay Mummy." Cassia replied, cuddling Michelle before she then disappeared-off into her bedroom, as asked-of by Carla.
"So what's up then 'Chelle?!"
"Okay, well, I don't know to put this to ya Carla, so I'm just gonna put-it out there right-now…..When Kieron was back-here on the Street, well we kind-of may-have…..definitely, absolutely kissed….."
"Oh well thanks for landing-that burden-on me Michelle. Great-one!" Carla replied to that rather-shocking-news sarcastically.
"I'm sorry Carla, but I just needed-to tell someone who I could trust not-to tell-anyone-else, and I couldn't tell-Steve could I?!" Michelle pleaded with Carla both sadly and tearfully.
"But 'Chelle, let's not forget here, that I'm gonna be your Maid-of Honour in a matter of weeks' time! I've gotta witness you signing that register with Steve, knowing that you couldn't even keep your vows before the marriage, let-alone what will happen after-them! Marriage is supposed to be about love, respect and trust…..And being faithful and devoted to the man who ya love Michelle!" Carla told Michelle rather-angrily, before she then rudely interrupted-her mid-flow…..
"Hang-On A Second! Don't You go getting-on your High-Horse Mrs Queen of Affairs! Liam was with Maria, and you were with Tony. Trevor was with Janice! Peter was with Leanne, and dare I say-it, whilst YOU were with FRANK!" Michelle shouted-at Carla tearfully, she regretted mentioning the name-of that horrid-man before she could-even stop herself from saying-it.
"Oh that was low Michelle! Even-for you that was low! Yeah I admit, I've had a lot-of affairs, but that's why I know that they end-in disaster!" Carla tried-to convince Michelle, but she was having absolutely none-of-it.
"But Me & Kieron aren't even having an affair…..It was just one steamy little-kiss…..That Is ALL Carla!" Michelle answered-back.
"Me & Peter 'just kissed' and then 6 Months later we ended-up having a full-blown affair….."
"Yeah and just look-at you two now, you're both happier than ever-before!" Michelle cried-to Carla.
"Yeah we are, but you're about-to Marry Steve…..And Steve trusts-you and he loves-you! Leanne was always in-love with Nick, even-though she denied-it through most-of her marriage-to Peter…..There was no trust or love left in that relationship…..But there is with You & Steve…..Or at-least there will-be until he finds-out what you've done to him!" Carla told Michelle firmly.
"Oh Carla, I am begging-you now, please don't tell-Steve…..Please Carla, Please!" Michelle literally-begged Carla rather-desperately now…..
"Let-me think about-it….." Carla sighed as she began to calm-down a little-bit before they frightened-Cassia, who was still-in the bedroom next-door…..
"Alright, but please Carla…..Please….." Michelle begged once-more before she then left the upstairs Bookie's Flat.
A couple-of hours and Peter arrived-home, having just dropped-Simon back-at Leanne's. "Hiya Love." He chirped-rather-happily as he walked-into the living-room.
"Hello. Are you okay?! How was Si?!" Carla asked, trying-to smile for Peter's sake…..He was both Steve's & Kieron's good-mate, and he just didn't need-to hear about Michelle's stupidity at the moment…..
"He's Alright…..Still a bit cut-up about Jessica…..Although it was all his own-fault and he knows that now….." Peter trailed-off as he cuddled-up next-to Carla on the sofa…..
"Awww I hope you weren't too harsh on him….." Carla asked-Peter gently.
"Ah no of-course I wasn't….." Peter replied softly.
"Ah I knew ya wouldn't have been really. Ya big softie ey?!" She lightly-teased her Husband.
"Hmmm Yeah…..How did Cassia get-on at the Doctors?!" He questioned his Wife, concerned about their Youngest Daughter as he did-so…..
"Oh…..Well he's given her some medicine for the pain. But she's gotta go and see a specialist at the Hospital…..The appointment is booked for after our holiday in Lapland though….." Carla trailed-off.
"Okay…..The poor-thing…..Where is she anyway?!"
"In her bedroom playing quietly….."
Peter walked-over to the bedroom-door and knocked-on it. "I'd like to speak to Miss Cassia Barlow Please?!" Peter said in a very-posh-voice, making Carla laugh-at him. Suddenly, the door then came flying-open and Cassia ran-safely into her Daddy's arms.
"Daddy!" She said rather-excitably as her Father hugged their gorgeous little-Daughter tightly before she then followed-him back-into the living-room.
"Hows your head and your belly then Princess?!" Peter questioned.
"Poorly." Cassia frowned.
"Awww well even Princess' get poorly sometimes….." Peter tried-to re-assure their Daughter in a simple and rather-childish kind-of a way…..
"Even Cinderella?!" Cassia-asked.
"Yes Baby even Cinderella." Peter replied as the small-family of three cuddled-up together on the sofa, Cassia sat comfortably on Peter's lap.
"But that's why the Doctor told-ya to go the hospital-baby….." Carla began-to speak. "Because Princess' get the VIP Treatment…..Dya know what that stands-for Sweetheart?!" She asked-their Daughter with an excited-whisper as Cassia shook-her head in response to that question.
Peter spoke-up. "It stands for Very Important Princess." He whispered-into Cassia's ear, making-her giggle.
"That's silly Daddy!" She told-him amongst all of the giggles.
"Urm that's 100% True I'll have ya know Missy! Isn't it Mummy?!"
"Yeah too right! It is definitely 100% true like Daddy said Cass!"
"WOW!" Cassia responded-with excitably, suddenly feeling an-awful-lot better about going-to the Hospital Appointments now that the words 'Very Important Princess' were involved…..
Cassia then climbed-down from her Father's lap and ran back-off into her bedroom.
"Thank-You for thinking-up the whole Princess thing Baby….." Carla said sweetly, all her worries and anger about Michelle suddenly taken-away now that Peter was in the same-room as her. That man always had-done, and always would have that very-same calming-influence on her for as-long as they both-lived…..
"It's not a problem. I'd do anything for my Queen." Peter replied-to her in a rather charming-way.
"Oh Aye?! Does that make you the King then?!" Carla teasingly flirted-with her Husband. She loved their relationship when she was like this.
"Too Right-it does Queenie Baby!" He told-her cheekily.
"Oy! Less of that thank-you very much, and more of Queen Carla!" She replied-happily.
"Does that make Simon Prince Charming then?!" Peter asked quietly.
"I guess it does Baby…..Now take-me to our bedroom, and show-me some entertainment, that would only be fit for Royalty, King Barlow!" Carla flirted before she then began to laugh hysterically as Peter picked-her-up and began to carry-her towards their bedroom together.
Please-Review!
Sorry if that end bit was completely and utterly-cheesy! But the chapter was looking-pretty depressing, so I thought I ought to spice-it up a little-bit more! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that chapter!
The next-Chapter will see the beginning of the Barlow's Christmas Break-to Lapland! – Will all run-smoothly?! And just what will they be getting-up to during their time away from the Street?!
