Kind of a filler chapter before things start to get messy. I hope you're enjoying this and I'm not being too controversial. Thank you all for the reviews, I really enjoy reading them :)
It was the next day and Carla was waking up from an unsettled night's sleep, it was left for Peter to care for Evie that night with the help of Michelle who was staying in the spare room. It was late morning when Carla finally rose from her sleep, Peter had decided to take matters into his own hands and call Sandra as he was concerned about Carla's mental wellbeing but he was determined to get her through it either way.
"How are you feeling?" Peter questions running a hand through her hair as Carla shuffles around, turning to face him
"Tired still" Carla sighs as Peter nods knowing it was understandable she would feel that way, moving his hand to her stomach
"Don't be mad but I rang Sandra, she's going to pop by for a home visit if that's ok?" Peter smiles as Carla nods slowly cuddling into him, her eyes drooping heavily as Michelle enters the room with an unhappy Evie, Peter holding a finger up to his lips
"She wants Carla" Michelle mouths as Peter nods gesturing for her to hand Evie over to him, Evie babbling to herself instantly waking Carla who's eyes flutter open
"Hey baby girl" Carla smiles as Peter grins down at them both "Give her"
"She's happy now she's with you" Michelle smiles stroking Carla's hair as Evie plays with the bandages around Carla's wrists, pulling at them before getting annoyed
"Shall we take them off, let the air get to them?" Peter questions as Carla nods allowing Peter to removed them gently as tears fill her eyes, her wrists starting to bleed again slightly
"I'll get the first aid box" Michelle smiles as Peter nods grabbing some tissues from the side and mopping up some of the blood which was forming
"I'm sorry" Carla apologises as Peter shakes his head kissing her on the forehead as Evie laughs at them both causing Carla to roll her eyes "Gosh she is going to be annoying when she starts speaking"
"You'll probably have your hands full with this little one in here" Peter smiles rubbing her bump gently while Carla holds tissues to her wrist, Michelle appearing with the first aid box
"Hmm yeah I mean, it's going to be interesting having two under the age of two but we'll see" Carla shrugs shifting up in bed as Michelle grabs some antiseptic wipes
"This might sting a bit" Michelle sighs wiping Carla's wrist with the wipe causing her to hiss at the stinging sensation "There we go, give me the other"
"Can someone get Evie a dummy?" Carla sighs as Michelle nods heading into the nursery and grabbing one of Evie's dummy and returning it to Carla "There we go"
"Do you want anything to eat darlin'?" Peter offers as Carla shakes her head scrunching her nose up as the doorbell goes Carla shaking her head and curling up into a foetal position
"Hey, it's ok? It's probably Sandra" Peter smiles as Michelle holds onto Carla's hand allowing Peter to go downstairs and let Sandra in
"Thank you for coming I didn't know what to do" Peter panics as Sandra smiles reassuringly "It's Carla"
"What happened?"
"I found her yesterday, she always has a thing about September its when her first rape took place; she scrubs her wrists but this time she scrubbed so badly she bled. Anyway she was looking after Evie then something just clicked then she took a shower then scrubbed her wrists I found her a couple of hours later in a boiling hot shower trying to clean herself"
"Alright, can I see her?"
"Yeah, follow me" Peter smiles as Sandra follows him upstairs to where Carla was being comforted by Michelle; Sandra sitting on the bed slowly in case Carla got agitated
"Hello Carla"
"Sandra, they were there" Carla whispers taking her hand as Sandra nods in agreement "It was horrible; the black room"
"You're safe here Carla, with Peter. Do you feel safe with Peter?"
"Yes" Carla replies definitely "It was so real, they gave me the water then I was in the water in the shower then it felt real"
"I know, can you describe it for me? What happened?"
"Michelle was there and we were eating the fish and chips then I kept taunting Rob, it was my fault he got that man to do that to me" Carla cries as she pulls at her hair Sandra looking at her sympathetically
"Carla none of this was your fault" Sandra reassures her as Carla looks up at her somewhat hopefully "You have so much to look forward to right now"
"I know but it's September"
"I know you're anxious about it being September and that's perfectly normal, why don't you just chill today with Peter then we can start building everything back up again, you starting with coming to see me tomorrow like planned" Sandra smiles as Carla nods somewhat at ease again with Sandra's presence
"Do you want us to go, sweetheart? So you can talk without us being here?" Peter offers as Carla nods "Do you want me to take Evie?"
"No. I want her here" Carla confirms as Peter nods kissing her forehead and leaving the room with Michelle
"I feel so dirty" Carla sighs as she fiddles with her hands, glancing down to her damaged wrists, Sandra following her gaze
"I know you do, what does this dirty feeling feel like?"
"I can feel their hands and Frank's hands" Carla shivers "Them touching me makes me feel dirty, it's uncomfortable"
"Carla I must stress to you that you are 100% safe here with Peter, no one's going to hurt you now" Sandra smiles as Carla nods
"I just hate how I can't control how and when I relive it, it just happens" Carla mumbles as Sandra nods slowly handing her a journal, Carla smiling slightly before rolling her eyes "Please not another journal"
"I knew I'd see a smile on that face eventually. I know you hate writing in them but I really need you to keep track of your emotions for me, it'll really help me if you cooperated"
"Ok fine. I just didn't like it the first time we did it"
"I know you didn't, why don't you just take it with you where you go, that way you can write about the way you feel more accurately?" Sandra suggests as Carla nods placing it on the bedside table as Evie reaches her arms out to indicate she wanted it
"No Evie" Carla laughs "That's Mummy's"
"Are you going to be ok if I leave you now?" Sandra asks as Carla nods eagerly "I'll see myself out"
"You off?" Peter questions to Sandra as she nods more than happy with the work she's done with Carla
"I am. I've given her a journal again so make sure she writes in it, we've had a little chat so I reckon she'll be ok" Sandra smiles as Peter nods feeling somewhat bad for calling Sandra
"I'm sorry for calling you I didn't know what to do-"
"You did the right thing, Peter, I'm hoping the journal will help, it might make her see her progress a bit better"
"Hmm I'll make sure she writes in it"
"Good now I will see you both tomorrow" Sandra smiles before leaving the pub allowing Peter to head upstairs and see Carla who had Evie rested on her chest, Peter sliding into bed next to her stroking Evie's head affectionately
"Hey" Carla smiles pressing her lips to Evie's head as she sleeps on her chest
"Hi, you comfortable there?" Peter chuckles as Carla groans in response as Peter helps place a pillow behind her head so she didn't have to rest her head against the wood of the headboard
"That's better, I just didn't want to move her as she seemed settled. Sandra gave me another journal to do" Carla rolls her eyes as Peter smiles slightly reaching over her to grab the journal, an idea coming into his head
"You know when we were kids and you had those waxy colouring pencils?"
"Peter the only colours I knew was a blue and black biro from the offy" Carla rolls her eyes as Peter nudges her causing Evie to open her eyes and her lip to tremble
"No Evie, you don't need to cry sweetheart go back to sleep" Carla begs as Peter smirks at her rubbing Evie's back tenderly
"Anyway I have a little proposition for you if you get changed and come with me" Peter compromises as Carla narrows her eyes slightly
"Ok, fine. This better be good Peter I mean it" Carla groans handing Evie to him as she grabs some clothes to get ready deciding on a long-sleeved baggy jumper and leggings as her jeans were starting to feel rather tight
"Right I'm ready" Carla rolls her eyes folding her arms across her chest as Peter changes Evie in the nursery and packing her changing bag
"Ok good" Peter smiles as they both go downstairs, Peter placing Evie in the pram and handing Carla her jacket and handbag "Let's head off"
Peter drove Carla into town with her constantly trying to guess where they were heading which made her just more annoyed but Peter promised she would love it. They were walking around town, Evie settled in the pram, Carla getting increasingly annoyed until they reached their destination; a stationary shop. Carla was very confused at why Peter brought her here but she went along with it anyway after Peter told her to grab a basket.
"Peter, why are we here?" Carla whines as Evie laughs at her playing with the toys which were in her pram
"Because we are going to pick up some fancy stuff for your journal that's why" Peter laughs leading Carla down an aisle which contained an assortment of different pens ranging from alcohol-based markers, water coloured pens and calligraphy pens
"Seriously? You made me come into town for this?" Carla questions incredulously as Peter nods letting her look at the arrangement of colours
"I did, now choose some, you can have whatever you want" Peter smiles as Carla glances to the assortment of pens picking up a set of pastel biro pens and putting them in the basket
"Maybe I could learn calligraphy or something, might help with distressing"
"You could. Do you do a lot of art with Sandra?"
"Kind of, well yeah pretty much. It helps having a distraction when talking about everything" Carla shrugs as Evie's eyes light up at the marker's Carla put in the basket "We need black and blue pens for when I go back to work"
"Are you sure-"
"Peter please just let me deal with it my way" Carla groans putting an assortment of black and blue pens in the basket "I wonder if they do those colouring books"
"The ones with the patterns? it's very unlike you to want to sit and colour"
"I like doing when I'm with Sandra it's relaxing" Carla smiles as they head to the book aisle, Carla bending down to look through the colouring books before groaning
"You alright down there?" Peter chuckles as Carla sighs
"I can feel where the baby is now it's just annoying when I'm trying to bend down and do things" Carla mutters as Peter chuckles watching her place a couple of colouring books in the basket
"You done?" Peter questions as Carla has one more look at the books
"Yeah I'm done" Carla nods in agreement as Peter heads to the checkout to pay for the items as Carla coos over Evie in the pram
"Right here's your stuff" Peter beams handing Carla the bag which contained all of her supplies "Do you want to go for a bite to eat or go home, entirely up to you?"
"Home" Carla smiles as Peter nods letting her push Evie towards the car as they head home to face anther most likely unsettled night of sleep...
