Thank you all for the lovely reviews x
It was the next day and Carla was waking up to what would be a difficult day, Peter was going to be looking after Evie alone so she needed to make sure Evie was fed before she went out. Evie woke several times during the night either wanting to be changed or fed or be held by one of her parents which made them both exhausted so Carla was sceptical this police interview was going to go poorly. Peter made breakfast for them both, Evie settled in the sling which Carla was wearing to ensure they got a couple of hours peace so they could think, she then fed Evie and headed off to the police station to have an interview leaving Peter and Evie in the car.
"We wanted to ask you some questions in the relation of what happened at Underworld on the 18th March 2019"
"That's fine" Carla states as the officers' nod
"We understand you were living in Devon at this time and you appointed Sarah-Louise Platt to manage your affairs in Underworld, is this information correct?"
"Yes, it's correct, I even have the paperwork to prove it if you want it?" Carla offers grabbing the folder she brought with her and finding the paperwork handing it to the officers
"Thank you. Did Sarah Louise Platt inform you of the fact the roof was damaged?"
"Yes she did, she said that there was a leak in the roof" Carla admits, "I told her to have our local builder, Gary Windass, look at it she then informed me that the whole roof needed replacing due to a botch job that Pat Phelan did last year when he installed a new roof"
"Ok that's great. Do you have any more emails between you and Sarah-Louise Platt?"
"I do. These emails here-" she hands the officers a piece of paper "-show every communication between me and Sarah, as I was heavily pregnant at the time and had a scare I wanted to get away so that I didn't lose my baby, I had already lost one baby already and I didn't want it to happen again"
"That's understandable, you said that you wanted to get away? How are we supposed to know you didn't leave to get away from the fact that the roof collapsed at your place of work, with your employers inside?"
"This piece of paper here-" Carla hands the officers another piece of paper "-show's that the tenants in my property down in Devon were given one month's notice to leave, therefore my husband and I could move down there and welcome our daughter into the world"
"Thank you again. Why was there no communication between you and Sarah Louise Platt on the day of the incident if you don't mind me asking?"
"I was in labour and I really don't think she would've appreciated me screaming down the phone whilst I was birthing my child" Carla retorts as the officer chuckles slightly handing all the paper's to his colleague so that she could copy them, Carla handing them a copy of Evie's birth details
"Thank you, Mrs Barlow, we may need to be in contact in case new information comes to light but right now you're free to go" the officer smiles as Carla nods taking the papers off his colleague and putting them back in the folder, Carla heading out to meet Peter in the car park, opening the car door to Evie's cries
"I think she's hungry, I checked to see if she needed changing but I don't think she does" Peter informs Carla who nods getting in the back with Evie, taking her out of the car seat and offering her a feed which she gratefully accepts, Carla humming to her gently, Peter smiling at the union between his wife and daughter
"You done?" Carla questions to Evie who pulls away from her breast, Carla lifting her up and propping her against her shoulder with an old rag to burp her quickly, placing her back into the car seat and strapping her in
"We ready to head off?" Peter questions as Carla nods, Evie gripping onto one of her finger's as Carla straps herself in, both of them heading home, Peter pulling the car up alongside the Rover's, Carla unstrapping Evie and holding her close to her chest
"I just need to do something" Carla glances to Underworld as Peter nods getting the wheeled frame for the car seat out of the car and setting it up for Carla with the changing bag strapped on it, Carla placing Evie in it with a blanket
"Ta" Carla smiles kissing Peter gently on the cheek as he waves them off, Carla taking the brake off the pram and pushing it across the cobbles which instantly woke Evie at the bumpy ride it provided
"Hey" Michelle whispers putting an arm around Carla's shoulders as she sighs glancing to the remains of Underworld
"Hi 'Chelle" Carla smiles slightly pushing the pram back and forth gently to settle Evie again, Michelle peering into the pram and smiling at Evie who was looking up at her, pinching her cheeks gently as she yawns
"Is she ok?" Michelle questions as Carla nods taking Evie out and handing her to Michelle for a cuddle as they walk towards the bench outside the salon, taking a seat
"Have you just fed her?" Michelle questions as Carla laughs slightly nodding in agreement, it was obvious that Michelle has taken in Evie's milk-coma state
"Yeah, poor Peter's probably popped two paracetamol bless him…I went to have that interview at the station and left Evie with Peter, she cried the whole time by the sounds of it, so I gave her a quick feed before we came back"
"Hmm, she's very happy" Michelle coos planting a kiss on Evie's forehead "What are you going to do about Underworld?"
"Not a clue to be honest with you, right now I just want to focus on Evie but I know people's lives depend on job's there, I don't know what to do for the best"
"It's up to you at the end of the day isn't it?"
"I guess so. Have you spoken to Kate?" Carla questions as Michelle sighs in response shaking her head knowing she should probably offer her condolences
"Nope, I don't really know what to say, to be honest with you" Michelle smiles placing Evie back into the pram, Carla draping the blanket back over her so she was warm enough
"Yeah, I get you…I can't make that decision for you 'Chelle because I can tell you're feeling torn between us both but right now I need to focus on Evie, if Kate wants to meet her niece then she can I'm not going to stop her but I will not be making amends for her blaming me for everything, I will be civil for Evie's sake"
"You don't mind me talking to her?"
"No not at all 'Chelle, I can't stop you from having friends can I? Especially as she's your family-"
"She's yours as well"
"I know that but I'm not going to make amends with her if she continues to be grumpy around me, I'll let her have access to Evie but that's as far as it goes for now until I know that our relationship is solid again-"
"Carla?" Simon shouts from across the road heading over to her, Carla sighing in response, Michelle kissing Carla on the side of her head
"I'll head off, see ya and goodbye little Miss Evie" Michelle kisses Evie's forehead before leaving allowing Simon to take Michelle's place on the bench
"I'm sorry about Underworld" Simon smiles slightly as Carla smiles slightly leaning back against the bench, the unforgiving wood far from comfortable
"Yeah…your mum came to see us yesterday-"
"She did what?" Simon questions incredulously as Carla raises her eyebrows, it was obvious that Simon didn't know
"She said that you didn't want to see your dad because you were mad at him for leaving with me whilst I was pregnant…" Carla trails off absently as Simon raises an eyebrow confused at why his mum was so against him seeing his dad considering he thought he was old enough to make his own decisions
"Is this?" Simon peers into the pram as Carla smiles taking Evie out of the pram again and holding her in her arms so Simon could get a better view
"This is your sister…Evie Michelle Barlow" Carla smiles proudly as Simon offer's Evie one of his fingers which she instantly grips onto causing a beaming smile from Simon
"She's tiny" Simon gasps as Carla nods in agreement planting a kiss on Evie's forehead "Can I speak to dad?"
"I don't see why not? Then maybe you could help me give her a bath if you want, some brother and sister bonding?" Carla offers as Simon grins taking the changing bag for Carla as she smiles placing Evie in the pram "Be warned she may start screaming when we go over the cobbles"
"Here, we could just carry the pram?" Simon says picking up one side of the pram as Carla grins at him as they carry Evie's pram over to the other side of the road so she wasn't disturbed, placing it down on the pavement as both Carla and Simon enter the pub, Peter smiling widely at Simon
"Si!" Peter grins going to give him a hug as Carla smiles slightly, Peter tousling his hair as he tries to escape the hug from his dad
"Hi" Simon bites his lip guiltily as Peter rolls his eyes
"Let's go through to the back eh, then you can have a proper cuddle with your sister?" Carla questions as Simon nods eagerly, the little family heading into the backroom, Carla unstrapping Evie and holding her to her chest, sitting down on the sofa, Peter grabbing the nursing pillow which was wedged down the side of it and placing it on Carla's lap so she didn't have to support Evie
"I'm sorry about my mum, she didn't even tell me about Evie…I did want to see you, I think she's just jealous or still annoyed at you for leaving me" Simon explains as Peter nods slowly, his blood boiling at the fact Leanne wanted to deny him access to Simon when he was at an age he could decide what he wanted himself
"It's ok son…at least we know the truth now. How do you like your sister then?"
"She's alright, very small but she's pretty cute" Simon smiles as Carla grins tickling Evie's feet gently as she kicks her legs, Peter sitting on the arm of the sofa
"Do you want to hold her Si?" Carla questions as Simon nods eagerly, Carla picking Evie up and holding her to her chest, Peter placing the nursing pillow onto Simon's lap to allow Carla to place Evie down on it allowing Simon to look at her in greater detail
"She doesn't do much…" Simon trails off as Peter rolls his eyes
"Well, she eats, sleeps…goes to the toilet… that's about it really" Carla contemplates as Simon giggles tickling Evie's feet as she starts to whimper, Carla swatting Simon's hand away
"No play fighting" Carla scolds as Simon rolls his eyes "Shall we give her a bath then?"
"Alright then," Simon says allowing Carla to take Evie and leading Simon upstairs into the bathroom, grabbing the baby bath which was already in the bath as well as the thermometer to make sure the water was the correct temperature before adding the newborn insert into the bath
"Do you want to undress her?" Carla offers as Simon nods, Carla placing Evie down on the changing mat allowing Simon to undress her, Carla adding some baby bubble bath to the bath before turning her attention back to Evie and Simon
"Hey beautiful girl, shall we get you in eh?" Carla coos undoing her nappy and picking her up, placing her in the bath, Evie crying at the sensation of the water "We mustn't get her umbilical cord wet"
"She doesn't like it does she?" Simon grins grabbing a soft sponge as sponging Evie's legs, Carla washing her head as Evie continues to cry
"She'll be nice and clean though, that's all that matters isn't it" Carla grins pressing her lips to Evie's head, Peter appearing with a fresh set of clothes and a nappy for her, Peter kneeling down beside Carla as they all watch over Evie who was continuing to cry over the horrible experience of being washed
"Oh baby" Peter strokes Evie's head as Carla smirks kissing Peter gently on the head
"Shall we get you out then sweet pea?" Carla questions grabbing a towel to wrap Evie up in to dry her off, Carla placing her down on the changing mat "Peter could you get that baby oil stuff from her suitcase, we also need to get that spare room sorted out for her as well at some point"
"Of course" Peter smiles kissing Carla's head as Simon helps dry Evie off, Peter appearing with the oil handing it to Carla who rubs it over Evie's body so her skin was moisturised, changing her into a nappy then putting a clean sleepsuit on
"All clean" Carla states holding Evie close to her chest to settle her a bit humming gently, something which Evie loved
"I best head back…thank you for letting me meet her" Simon smiles as Carla flashes him a quick smile, this simple gesture spoke volumes between them both
"It's not a problem, she is your sister you can see her any time," Carla says as Simon laughs kissing Evie's head before leaving the pub to go home
"I spoke to Michelle earlier," Carla says settling down in bed with Evie against her chest, a blanket draped over her slumbering body, Peter's finger gripped by Evie's hand
"And?"
"We were talking about Underworld, it got me thinking that's all" Carla smiles slightly as Peter raises his eyebrows, he was definitely intrigued
"Ok…about what?"
"Well that place has caused me nothing but pain and it was nice to think I could do something you know…I want to focus on our family Peter, on Evie, on us…I don't think I want to build the business back up…I kind of just want to sell the plot of land or maybe start a new business under the Underworld name, expand…that sort of thing"
"Ok…I mean you know what you're doing I will be here to support you whatever you want to do" Peter smiles as Carla sighs in response, there were so many things circulating her mind right now but she needed to be sure that this was what she wanted and the fact that she was struggling to convince herself at the moment spoke volumes
"Mm thank you baby, I love you ya know"
"I love you too"
