Chapter One - Moving Day
"Love, we're going to be late" Peter groans standing in the doorway of Roy's flat, Nina and Roy waiting anxiously at the table, Carla appearing with two rather large suitcases containing her endless collection of designer gear, Peter smiled and wondered how he was so lucky to have someone like Carla in his life
"Alright! Take one then" Carla gestures to the large black case which weighed too much for her to carry, Peter rolled his eyes, taking the suitcase by the extendable handle and leaving it by the door of the flat, Carla walking over to the table where Roy and Nina were sitting
"Are you sure you're ok with this Roy?" she asks anxiously not really knowing if this was the right thing to do, Roy standing up and smiling curtly at her, his surrogate daughter was finally getting on with her life after months of doubting herself as well as being trapped in her own mind
"Carla, we've been through this, I am more than happy for you"
"Are you sure?"
"Y-yes"
"Ok, gosh why am I so nervous" Carla chuckles lightly, it was true, she was nervous, more than nervous, her heart was racing at the fact that this could all go pear shaped but she knew that it was time for her to live her life, her life with Peter, in love and living together, this was different from the last time, she felt free
"It's a big step for you, love" Peter smiles putting an arm around her shoulders to comfort her feelings of anxiety, even after almost year of being free from her psychosis, she still slipped back into a bundle of nerves every now and then but Peter was determined to help her settle down and be comfortable with living with him again
"I know it is, I just can't believe this is finally happening that's all" she replies tearfully, the situation somewhat emotional for her, well why wouldn't it? She had been living with Roy for more than two years now, this was the only thing she knew as home
"We need to get going, Simon's waiting for us" Peter smiles kissing the side of her head, Carla going to give Roy one last hug, then Nina who had practically become her friend as well as a sister
"Look after him for me yeah? I know it's not exactly far but-"
"I will, now go" Nina insists as Carla chuckles at her eagerness, Carla waving goodbye, grabbing her handbag and one of the suitcases, as both her and Peter begin their new life living together, with Simon of course
"Are you sure Simon wants me living there?" she panics slightly as Peter sighs, both of them walking over the road towards Number One, Carla was sceptically in case Simon was just saying things to be polite
"He's very excited about you living there, as am I, stop worrying"
"I know, I know…ooh can we refurbish?"
"Well considering you put in three quarters of my dad's asking price, I don't see why not"
"Oh don't act like that, we've been through this a number of times, I had it saved up from the factory" Carla groans in response as Peter rolls his eyes opening the front door for them to go into the living room, greeted by Simon who was lying out on the worn out sofa which once belong to his grandad
"Hi Si" Carla smiles knocking his legs to the floor and taking a seat next to him as he plays on his phone, looking up from it to glare at Carla
"Do you mind?"
"No, I don't" she grins cheekily as Simon nudges her playfully, Carla nudging him back trying to swipe his phone off him as Peter watches with his eyebrows raised as well as relishing in the fact that his son and Carla were getting along well
"Right then children, what do you want for dinner?" Peter teases as both Carla and Simon glare at him, Simon scoffing at the words which came out of his father's mouth
"Well if Carla's cooking I'm not sure I want dinner" Simon retorts as Carla shoves him causing him to laugh uncontrollably Carla huffing in response
"Your dad's not much better!" Carla exclaims trying to defend herself, Peter groaning in response wanting an answer to the question he proposed minutes prior, as Simon rolls his eyes
"But the fact is Carla, he's better than you" Simon shakes his head coyly as Carla pouts her lips, shoving Simon again
"Fine I'll just get some fish and chips" Peter mutters grabbing his jacket and wallet and heading off to the chippy
"Hey nice one, saves me from slaving over a hot stove" Carla nudges Simon as he smirks rolling his eyes
"Saves me from eating my dad's cooking as well, at least he's better than you" Simon sniggers as Carla huffs in response going into the kitchen and pouring herself a glass of water to take her medication before Peter got back from the chippy
They all sat around eating their fish and chips around twenty minutes later. Domestic bliss, that was what this was and Carla was more than happy to relish in the fact that she had a cosy little life set up in a way that made her feel happy, she was happy but she did start to question whether things would stay that way considering the amount of questions she got from Peter about where she got her money from, she didn't really know herself and that was one of her internal fears she wouldn't voice loudly, she just said she had it saved up from when she owned the factory as an easy way out, there were too many questions right now and she couldn't deal with that, not when things were so positive anyway.
Simon had sauntered off to bed around nine knowing that he needed to be up early for college the next day leaving Carla and Peter to snuggle up on the sofa together, Peter weaving his hands through Carla's damp hair from where she washed it after dinner. Peter decided he would bring up the conversation of the 'mystery money' as he liked to call it, he didn't want to aggravate Carla know knowing that she would push him away, so he decided to bring it up calmly and not to get annoyed over her shifty behaviour which had occurred in the many weeks leading up to them buying Number One off his dad.
"Can we talk? It's nothing bad…"
"If this is about the money Peter, please just leave it, why can't you accept it for what it is?" she sighs, annoyed with the relentless questions, the truth was she couldn't remember what happened or how she got the money, or was it that she didn't want to tell him? She decided it was the latter along with the lack of memories
"Please Carla, I'm just asking you to be honest with me, I thought our relationship was based on the truth now"
"Don't guilt trip me"
"I'm not, please just speak to me, remember what Scott said, we need to talk about the way you feel, bottling things up isn't good for you" Peter laments, it was true, they did need to talk, they really did, but how could she talk when she didn't know where to start let alone the truth?
"Ok fine, I don't know where I got it from"
"What? How do you not know where you got £100,000 from?" Peter replies dumbfounded at the revelation, as if Carla would miraculously forget about having a large sum of money in her back account, this whole set up somehow seemed sketchy all of a sudden
"I don't know" she snaps "I really don't know…I'm going to bed"
"You can't just drop that on me then walk off Carla!"
"Please Peter, I'm shattered, why don't we go out tomorrow and do something, talk about this properly just us two yeah?" Carla offers as Peter sighs, he had no choice to agree with her, he glanced at the laptop on the table before glancing back at Carla smiling
"I'll be up when this finishes, you get comfy and yes, we'll talk about this tomorrow, just us" Peter reassures her as she smiles
"Oh I almost forgot" she grins taking her laptop "there's a new episode of that box set I was watching on Netflix"
"Oh right, my films a bit too boring for you now is it?"
"You know I'm not a fan of horror's, make sure you lock up yeah?" Carla smiles planting a kiss on his forehead, breathing a sigh of relief when leaving the room, allowing herself to mentally prepare for tomorrow's relentless questioning along with being able to unwind watching her box set
On the other hand, Peter was sat with his eyes glued on the TV, he wasn't taking it in though, his thoughts were more on what Carla meant by not knowing where the random £100,000 came from, he was definitely confused and the niggling doubt in his mind thinking that it may be another lie, it annoyed him. Not one to pry, unless of course it was to keep Carla safe, he wished she left her laptop down here so that he could have a look at her accounts, he didn't want to invade her privacy considering she was a very private person but at this point he felt like he had no choice, especially when things were so tense, all he needed to do was to get hold of the laptop or get the truth out of Carla.