I hope you like this update, sorry it's a little late. Thank you all for the reviews :)
Peter stayed with Carla for the remainder of the day yesterday until he needed to get Evie home. He was hoping that she would be discharged today along with additional support from a rape counsellor whilst she was at home. She was still very jumpy but Peter assured her every time she felt unsettled that she was safe and had his upmost support over the situation. Peter also brought some more things of comfort in whilst Michelle looked after Evie for him, so he could focus on getting Carla home safe and sound.
"Hi" Carla looks up at Peter from where she was writing in a book, a suggestion from her rape counsellor which she met yesterday after submitting the rape kit
"Hey, are you excited to go home?" Peter questions as Carla looks up at him with a smile on her face
"Yeah, I can't wait to cuddle with Evie some more" Carla smiles as Peter nods placing a punnet of strawberries on her bedside table
"Oooh, strawberries, my favourite" Carla beams, feeling a lot brighter now she didn't have abundances of information thrown at her
"I knew you'd like them, I also brought your trainers like you requested" Peter smiles handing bag over to her as she flinches before sighing in response
"I hate being on edge, it's just annoying and all this flinching" Carla groans as Peter sits on the edge of the bed holding her hand gently
"I know you do, you've made so much progress over the last few days, I'm so proud of you"
"Hmm don't go all cringe on me please, I have enough of that from Sandra" Carla retorts referencing her rape counsellor as Peter gestures for her to shuffle over so he could put an arm around her shoulders
"Do you like working with Sandra?"
"Yeah, she really understands everything that happened, we also spoke a bit about the future as well" Carla smiles as Peter raises his eyebrows impressed she was looking forward and past this dark time in her life
"Really? I hope I'm part of it" Peter grins as Carla nudges him
"Hmm, we'll see" Carla replies as Peter chuckles slightly kissing her on the head, Carla smiling at the comfort she was receiving "We spoke a bit about, you know" she gestures to her stomach, where a bundle of little cells were forming to be her baby, but not her and Peter's baby. Her and her rapists baby and that thought alone made her skin crawl.
"That must've been hard for you" Peter replies as Carla sighs nodding in the process before letting out a shaky breath, Doctor Andrews entering the room with a clipboard
"I have something for you" Doctor Andrews smiles handing Carla the clipboard as she glances at the paper
"Finally" Carla groans grabbing the pen and signing the discharge papers as Peter chuckles at her response watching her hand the clipboard back
"I have this pack of notes for you to take away with you, some leaflets and stuff like that, you can leave whenever you want" Doctor Andrews nods leaving the room as Carla rummages through the leaflets
"Can we get going then?" Carla questions as Peter nods slowly helping her off the bed so she could put her shoes on as well as her jacket
"You ok?" Peter questions noticing her put her arms across her chest as she glances around the room biting her lip
"I'll be fine. I just want to be in my own bed and my own surroundings"
"Come on then"
Peter drove Carla home and parked along the side of the Rover's to minimise the number of people that Carla would see in case it made her feel unsafe. Peter held his hand out for her to take, deciding against putting an arm around her middle in case it made her feel uncomfortable and led her into the Rover's through the back door. Carla breathing in the scent of her home which she missed so much while being away as well as wrapping her arms around Peter's middle which she deemed as a thank you to him for being so gentle with her.
"Michelle's probably upstairs with Evie" Peter smiles as Carla looks up at him before taking his hand and leading him up the stairs with her as they go into Evie's room
"Hey" Michelle smiles as Evie sleeps on her chest, Carla sitting on the arm of the armchair watching Evie sleep
"Hi 'Chelle" Carla smiles as Michelle glances to Peter who was leaning against the door frame of Evie's room watching Carla very closely in case she may need his support "You're going to have to stay like that until she wakes up, you know"
"I know but I don't mind, she's happy. She was very grizzly earlier so she could probably do with a cuddle from her mum"
"I'm going to have a shower quick I think" Carla glances to Michelle then Peter before leaving the room and stopping in front of Peter
"Can you come with me?" Carla questions quietly slightly embarrassed about the situation she was in as Peter nods taking her hand and leading her into the bathroom, Carla turning on the water and glancing to the temperature gauge, ripping her clothes off and yanking it up as Peter rushes to turn it down "Let me clean!"
"Carla, this isn't the way, you know that" Peter replies as Carla dissolves into a fit of sobs, Peter holding her wet body close to him as she grips onto him "It's ok, why don't you have a bath instead?"
"Ok" Carla whispers as Peter smiles, Carla wrapping her legs around his waist, Peter lifting her out of the bath and handing her a towel to keep her warm as he runs the bath for her "Sorry I got you wet"
"Don't apologise, you're allowed to do whatever you want to me when you've had a tough time, I'm here for you"
"Why are you being so nice? I don't deserve it" she replies glumly as Peter hands her the shower caddy for her to pick out something to go in her bathwater
"I love you, that's why. Now, are you going to get in this bath before it goes cold?" Peter questions holding out his hand for her to get into the bath, Carla letting the bubble-filled bath engulf her body as Peter kneels down on the floor beside her "Is that better?"
"Mhm" she mumbles looking into his eyes as Peter smiles kissing her on the forehead "Thank you for being so gentle"
"It's ok, you don't need to thank me, everything's on your terms" Peter replies as Carla nods grabbing her body wash and squirting some onto her hands and scrubbing her body with the sponge then reaching for the pumice stone and placing it on her wrists
"Darling, you don't need to do that" Peter reassures her placing his hand gently over the stone and removing it from her grip as Carla sighs
"Sorry, it's just instinct"
"I know, I just don't want you to hurt yourself" Peter replies as Carla nods slowly grabbing her shampoo and rubbing into her hair, Peter taking the showerhead and turning it on to the correct temperature to wash Carla's shampoo out then repeating it again for the conditioner and finally helping her out of the bath
"Do you want me to get you some pyjamas?" Peter questions as Carla nods slowly as he leaves the room briefly to get them for her allowing her to slide them on "Come here"
"Can you cuddle me in bed?" Carla questions as Peter nods allowing her to lead him into the bedroom, both of them sliding into bed, Carla resting her head on Peter's chest as he runs a hand through her damp hair, Michelle appearing with an unsettled Evie in her arms
"I've given her a bottle and I've changed her so you don't need to worry about that for a while" Michelle smiles as Peter nods beckoning her over as she places Evie on Peter's chest
"Thanks 'Chelle" Carla smiles as Michelle sits on the edge of the bed
"How are you doing then?" Michelle questions as Carla sighs in response rubbing her forehead in response Michelle walking around to the other side of the bed causing Carla to shuffle up closer to Peter, Michelle sliding in with both her and Peter
"I'm just trying to process things that's all, the doctor gave me some news but I don't know how I feel about it, I've spoken to Sandra, my rape counsellor, about it and we're trying to find a way forward that suits us all"
"Well, whatever this news is I'm sure you'll find a way through it together. You are ok though, health-wise?"
"Yeah I'm fine. I want to tell you it's just that I don't know what you will say and it makes me feel uncomfortable, that's all"
"I won't pressurise you. I can say nothing if that makes it easier, we can change the subject straight after" Michelle replies as Carla nods glancing to her before returning to Evie who was staring at her intently
"I'm pregnant" Carla sighs as Michelle raises her eyebrows as everyone sits in silence "Like I said I'm speaking to Sandra about it so…"
"Yeah?" Michelle questions as Carla nods "Do you like her? Your counsellor?"
"Yeah she's really good at understanding when I need to vent and when I need to talk about my emotions as well as the future. Stuff like that" Carla smiles as Michelle nods kissing her on the head to provide her with a bit of comfort
"Well whatever you're doing with her it seems to be working as you seem much brighter than you did the first time I saw you"
"You reckon?"
"Yeah, you're starting to seem like yourself again-" Michelle states as Evie sneezes interrupting them both causing Carla to let out a laugh
"I just want to focus on my family right now and recover from what he did to me"
"Well you're doing just fine kid, you're doing just fine"
