I think I'm going to do a time jump a coupld of months I really want to start wrapping this up as I'm really falling out of love for this fic compared to the other one I have on the go...I want to focus more on the M side of things as I am enjoying that more so I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted to hear but here's the next installment and I hope you enjoy it.
I still plan to publish Milestones as well as that is something I am enjoying.
27th June 2023
Carla finally got what she wanted, she had her first night visit home and she was more than excited, she had her medications packed as well as her toiletries and her journal that she used to write all her thoughts and feelings in, she was excited and nervous about an overnight stay, it was a bag of mixed emotions but she knew Peter would look after her.
"Right do you need to bring anything with you?" Peter questions as Carla glances around her room before checking her bag
"Hmm I don't know I might ask Ciara to check" Carla smiles leaving the room temporarily to get Ciara, returning with her a short while after
"Right let's have a look, you have your journal?" Ciara asks as Carla rummages through her bag to pull it out
"Yes"
"Your medications?"
"Here"
"Ok what about your blanket in case things get a bit difficult?"
"Oh that's true!" Carla beams going to grab it from the bottom of her wardrobe and shoving it into her overnight bag
"I think that's pretty much it, I'll be around for the rest of the day and tomorrow if you want to come back and find it difficult" Ciara assures Carla as she beams excitedly grabbing her bag
"Can we go then?" Carla grins as Ciara gestures for her to leave
"Take care and have fun" Ciara laughs as Carla and Peter walk out of the reception to go home, Carla loading her bag into the boot of the car and sitting in the front with Peter
"So then what do you want to do?" Peter questions starting the car to go home as Carla bites her lip trying to think of things to do
"Cuddle with the girls, maybe go for a walk around the park with them, watch some movies and could I actually see Aidan?" Carla questions gingerly as Peter smiles at her
"What changed your mind?" Peter laughs slightly as Carla beams
"I miss him so if we can go and see him I would love that" Carla grins as Peter nods pulling the car up to the house
"Do you want to see him now?" Peter questions as Carla nods enthusiastically following Peter to the Rover's
"Peter, I thought you wanted me to have him overnight?" Johnny questions as Carla steps into the doorway watching Aidan colour in his book, Carla holding a finger up to her lips to silence Johnny, Carla going to sit down next to Aidan on the chair which was pulled out
"Hi" Carla whispers as Aidan's face lights up
"Mummy!" Aidan squeals launching himself at Carla, Carla smiling enjoying the moment she got to spend with Aidan, picking him up onto her hip realising how heavy he was
"Gosh you're heavy now aren't ya" Carla grins kissing Aidan's forehead as he wraps his arms around Carla's neck
"I've missed you so much baby" Carla smiles as Aidan grins at her poking her cheek "Right then what do you want to do today then?"
"Paint" Aidan grins as Carla rolls her eyes, the thought of painting and the mess it would create putting her off
"Go on Car" Peter teases "Look at that face"
"Fine he can paint but I'm not doing the clearing up" Carla raises her eyebrows at Peter who rolls his eyes
"Right shall we head home then?" Carla beams as Aidan nods still clinging onto her, Peter picking his stuff up and putting it in his bag as they leave the Rover's and head to the house being greeted by Michelle
"Hey guys" Michelle grins as Aidan runs to her giving her a hug, Michelle picking him up and hugging him
"Hi, how have the girls been?" Peter questions as Carla walks over to the baby swings taking Florence out of one of them and cradling her
"They've been fed and changed so you don't need to worry about that for a couple more hours or so" Michelle smiles as Carla kissing Florence's head Florence reaching her arms up to stretch
"Oh dear" Carla grins as Florence starts to whimper, Carla going to sit in the armchair, holding her against her chest as she settles back down
"Well I'll leave you to it" Michelle smiles leaving the building as Aidan takes his toys out of the box in the living room Carla smiling at him as well as stroking Florence's back
"So then Aidy what do you want for lunch?" Peter questions heading into the kitchen
"I wouldn't mind cheese on toast" Carla asks cheekily as Peter rolls his eyes getting the bread out of the fridge as well as the cheese
"Same please" Aidan grins as Carla gasps at his speech, Peter laughing
"Since when did he speak so good?" Carla exclaims as Peter grins turning the grill on, standing in the doorway of the kitchen
"I reckon it's preschool which has done him the world of good" Peter grins as Carla laughs which wakes Florence up as she starts to cry
"Peter…"
"She needs a change I think" Peter smiles as Carla nods biting her lip not wanting to go upstairs on her own
"You alright?" Peter questions as Carla shakes her head tearfully bouncing Florence up and down to silence her a bit more Peter turning the grill off temporarily
"Could you come?" Carla asks nervously as Peter nods leading her and Florence upstairs Carla placing her on the changing table, Peter smiles handing her a new outfit
"Oh dear we made a bit of a mess didn't we Flo" Carla coos as she cleans Florence up, Carla kissing her forehead
"All clean, and look who's awake now" Carla beams looking at Isobel who was looking at her in one of the cots letting out little whimpers
"She wants a feed" Peter smiles pointing to Isobel who starts to cry, Carla placing Florence in one of the cots, Carla taking Isobel out and biting her lip glancing to the rocking chair looking at Peter then back at the rocking chair
"Oh darlin' I'm sorry I forgot…come with me eh?" Peter questions as Carla shakes her head going to sit in the rocking chair anyway, Peter sighing
"I need to do this" Carla sighs pulling her top up to feed Isobel as she starts to feed, Carla's face dropping, the memories flooding back even though they were cloudy
"Carla come away eh, don't put yourself through this" Peter sighs as tears fall down Carla's face as she glances out of the window
"I can do this Peter" she promises as Peter sits on the arm of the rocking chair, wiping the tears the best he could from the position he was in
"Please, for me?" Peter questions as Carla bursts into tears, standing up allowing Peter to lead her into the bedroom, Isobel still feeding off her as Carla slides into bed, Isobel stopping feeding, Peter taking her off Carla as she curls up in a ball
"I'm so sorry" Peter sighs as Carla shakes her head
"It's not your fault"
"I should've got rid of it" Peter sighs placing Isobel in one of the moses baskets as he gets in behind Carla pulling her close into his body as she sighs
"I can't freak out because of a chair, Peter"
"You have every right to though, do you want to go back sweetheart?" Peter questions as Carla shakes her head adamant she wanted to stay and be with her girls and Aidan, Peter smiling
"I just need to write in my journal, could you get my bag and those nice coloured pens you got yesterday?" Carla questions as Peter nods going to go downstairs to get her bag which she left in the porch and the pens Peter bought the other day returning from downstairs with Aidan following
"Here you are, do you want me to stay?" Peter questions as Carla nods getting her journal out of her bag and taking one of the pens writing in her journal as Aidan climbs onto the bed to look at her writing
"Pretty" Aidan states as Carla smiles at him continuing to write, Peter sitting on the bed beside her watching her write what was on her mind, stroking her hair gently
"Can I read it?" Peter asks gently as Carla bites her lip feeling embarrassed about the situation glancing down to the paper she was writing on then back to Peter who smiles gently at her, Carla handing the book over to him, then picking Isobel back up to hold her close, Aidan holding Isobel's hand
"Do you like your sister Aidan?"
"No"
"No? Why's that then?"
"Boring"
"Oh ok…well you won't be saying that in a few years' time when they hide your toys and argue with you…" Carla laughs as Aidan grins at her, sliding under the covers with his mum
"Oh Carla…this is really good what you've written you know that right?" Peter smiles putting an arm around her shoulders as Carla sighs tearfully
"It just sometimes helps to write things down, gets it off my chest if I don't want to speak about it using my voice"
"I understand, Michelle's going to pop around in a minute to stay with you so you won't be alone…I can get some snacks for us when we watch some movies"
"Is she bringing Ava?"
"I don't think so…Steve has taken her to one of those parent and baby swim things at the leisure centre"
"Alright then, it'll be nice to have a catch up" Carla shrugs as the doorbell goes off causing Aidan to slide out of bed and rush downstairs to see who it was, Peter following close behind
"Hi 'Chelle" Peter answers the door as she smiles lifting Aidan up onto her hip as he wraps his arms around her neck
"I didn't know he was here?"
"Yeah she wanted to see him, she's upstairs if you want to go up…we had a bit of a moment so she's a bit quiet" Peter explains as Michelle nods placing Aidan on the floor who goes up the stairs into his bedroom
"Right you head off and I'll have a word with her" Michelle smiles as Peter grabs his stuff to go to the shops, leaving Michelle to spend some time with Carla
"Hey" Michelle knocks on the door to find Carla sitting up in bed with Florence and Isobel on her chest as they sleep
"Oh hi" Carla smiles as Michelle climbs into bed as well, stroking Florence's head as she wakes and looks up at her
"How are you…Peter said you had a bit of a…moment?" Michelle questions not really knowing what to call it
"Yeah I guess I did I pushed myself to do something I wasn't ready to do"
"And that made you upset?"
"A bit yeah"
"Do you want to go back…you know you can tell me anything?"
"I-I don't know, I want to try and stay" Carla replies hesitantly as Isobel starts to cry Carla rolling her eyes, Michelle taking Florence off her leaving Carla to go and change her, Michelle following her as she breaks down in tears when entering the twins nursery
"Ok…alright, let me do this you go back to bed ok?" Michelle smiles as Carla nods padding back into the bedroom leaving Michelle to change Isobel, returning a short while after, placing Isobel in the moses basket
"Where's Peter?" Carla sniffles as Michelle gets her phone out to call him
"At the shop. I'll get him here don't worry" Michelle smiles stroking Carla's hair as she sighs "He'll be here soon, he's just walking back"
"I'm here…don't worry" Peter smiles sitting on the edge of the bed after entering the room
"Do you want me to explain?" Michelle offers as Carla glances to her nodding
"She got upset when she entered the nursery"
"Was it the rocking chair?" Peter questions as Carla nods Peter holding her hand "I know what will cheer you up"
"What?" she sighs rolling her eyes towards Michelle who just smirks
"We are going to find another rocking chair" Peter grins handing her the laptop as she rolls her eyes, Peter sliding in bed beside her
"Do we have to do this now?"
"No but I don't want to buy something then it not work with the colour of the room…you're much better in that department compared to me…"
"I guess I am" she replies cheekily getting some different examples of rocking chairs up on the laptop and mulling over the colours and designs as well as sizes
"That one's nice" Michelle points to a black leather rocking chair which had a back support as well as a neck support
"Hmm yeah leather's easy to clean as well…and it's black which is a bonus"
"Well it would be…" Peter mutters receiving a nudge off Carla
"It's a lot of money though…"
"Hey…whatever you want just to cheer you up" Peter smiles stroking her hair as she adds it to the basket and heads to checkout
"Choose express?" she questions as Peter nods, Carla selecting express delivery
"Right it should be here tomorrow so we can set it up together"
"Good…right what do you want for dinner?"
"Hmm fish and chips?"
"Alright then" Peter smiles
"I can get it?" Michelle offers as Carla nods wanting Peter to stay with her, Peter handing some money over for Michelle as she waves goodbye
"Mumma!" Aidan grins entering the room handing her the iPad
"Ah, could you plug that in for him?" Carla grins handing Peter the iPad as he plugs it in to charge for Aidan who climbs up onto the bed grabbing the remote and turning the TV on
"Um…when did he learn to do that?" Carla laughs as Peter rolls his eyes
"Not that long ago maybe a couple of weeks ago…Michelle did say he was smart for his age" Peter shrugs tickling Aidan who squeals, Carla joining in as he kicks his legs
"Stop" he pouts as Carla laughs going to tickle his feet one last time
"Mummy" Aidan glares at her as Peter gasps Carla raising her eyebrows
"He's picked up your death stare! That's not on!" Peter exclaims as Carla grins Aidan wrapping his arms around her neck to cuddle her
"You wanna know something?"
"What?"
"I'm excited for the future, I'm excited to get out of the unit and live my life with my family and I'm excited to watch our children grow up" Carla states as Aidan kisses her on the cheek, Carla planting a kiss on his forehead
"Me too, love...me too"