Carla sat up in bed horrified. She knew that face, she knew that man, she knew who had attacked Peter.
She turned to her side to look at the man that was attacked and that she loved so deeply.
Carla felt so helpless and she couldn't help but think that this was something to do with her.
Tom had been one of the boys Rob used to hang around with back in the day. Why would he attack Peter.
To say Carla slept that night would be a lie.
"Morning" Peter said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He kissed the back of her head.
Carla sighed into his touch. She was not going to tell him she knew the man until she was sure.
"I will take Haisley to nursery this morning so you can get into the factory" Peter told her.
"Thank you, I best go get ready then" Carla said, pulling away from him.
Peter sighed, something was wrong with her but he didn't get a chance to talk to her. "Daddy" Haisley shouted "I need my breakfast"
"Oh really?" he said "why don't you come here and get some madam and maybe try again"
Haisley stomped over. He just laughed at his dramatic daughter, he couldn't believe she was starting school soon "Can I have some breakfast please?"
"That's better" he said, handing her some breakfast cereal.
Carla made her way to the factory after kissing Peter and Haisley goodbye.
"Morning Carla" Aiden said.
"Morning, I am so glad to be here"
"Aren't you always" Aiden laughed, leaving the office.
Carla sat back in her chair, biting on a pen. She needed to find out what Tom looked like now and where he was.
She text Michelle asking what his last name was, but of course she couldn't remember either.
"Post" Kate said, barging into the office and slapping a pile of letters on the desk.
"How is my favourite sister this morning?" Kate asked but got no response "Earth to Carla"
"Sorry Kate, I have a lot on my mind"
"Anything I can help with?" she asked.
"Do you remember that Tom, Rob used to hang around with him"
Kate shook her head "vaguely why?"
"No reason, I want to know what he is up too lately that's all"
"Why on earth would you care? He is probably still on that estate"
"True" Carla replied. She picked the pile of mail up and looked through it.
There were multiple letters but one stood out for her. There it was, a letter addressed to Carla from the prison.
She knew exactly who that was from.
"What is it?" Kate asked.
Carla opened the letter. Rob wanted to see her.
"It's from Rob" Carla told her "he wants to see me"
"Are you going to go?"
"I am not sure"
"I'm sure Peter will have a lot to say about it" Kate reminded her.
"That is what I am worried about" Carla began as she packed up her stuff "Can you please not tell Aiden, I will let you know what I decide"
"Ok, I am here for you whatever you want" Kate told her.
"Thanks" Carla gave her a hug and left the factory in the direction of home.
"Carla" she heard from behind.
"Not know Nick" she called, turning to him.
"I just wanted to check how you were?" he asked.
"You don't care how I am" Carla said harshly.
"You know I do" Nick told her "how are you coping?"
"We are fine Nick" she said, turning away to try and walk away.
"How is Peter?"
"You don't care about Peter, you were one of the people we thought could do this"
"You don't mean that, I hate Peter but I wouldn't leave him for dead, you know me Carla" Nick told her, a little hurt that she thought that of him.
Carla just walked away, she didn't have the patience to deal with him today.
Carla walked through the door and could hear the shower running. She smiled for a second picturing him.
She took a seat on the sofa in silence thinking over today's events.
"Carla" Peter said, emerging from the bathroom "Carla, why are you sitting in silence?"
"Peter, sit down"
"Ok, Carla you are scaring me now" Peter said, reluctantly taking a seat.
"I got a visiting order from Rob today"
"Right"
"I was thinking of going" Carla said carefully.
"I don't believe this Carla" Peter said standing up in anger "I can't believe you want to go and see him after everything he has done to you, everything he has done to me"
"Peter" she pleaded.
"No Carla, I don't think it is a good idea, I can't believe this" he stormed off into their bedroom.
"Well thanks for listening to me Peter" she shouted at him angrily.
A little while later a fully dressed Peter emerged from the bedroom. Carla was sitting on the sofa with a coffee.
"Are you ready to talk to me like an adult?" she asked.
"Carla" he started before being interrupted.
"Peter, I know everything he has done because he has done most of it to me" she pointed to herself.
"I know that Carla but the man did try to frame me for murder"
"Yes, the murder of the women you were having an affair with" Carla said instantly regretting it.
Peter sunk onto the sofa.
"He also stole from me, lied to me, blackmailed Johnny with the truth about my father, shall I go on"
Peter shook his head.
"So forgive me if I want to think about this, there must be a reason that he wants to see me" Carla paced the floor "obviously it's not going to be a good thing"
"You don't know he might want to see you because your his sister"
"Well you have changed your tune" she stopped pacing the floor and took a seat next to him "Peter, i'm sorry about the Tina comment"
"It's true though" Peter said in self pity "I will always hate myself for that"
"I know but we are ok now" Carla said, placing her hand on his knee.
"Go and see him"
"What?" she said shocked.
"I think you should see him, you will be thinking about him otherwise" Peter smiled "the curiosity will kill you"
Carla nodded "Ok, I will go but only to see what he wants" Carla knew that she needed to ask him about his friend when she was there. Then she could tell Peter the truth about who attacked him.
So maybe Rob could actually help them for once.
A couple of days later Carla had her visit with Rob. She was curious about what he wanted and it had been killing her for days.
"Are you sure about today?" Peter asked her as he walked her to her car.
"Yes, I need to see him" Carla replied.
"Ok well I will be here waiting for you when you get back" Peter told her.
Carla kissed him on the lips. She crouched down to Haisley who was oblivious to what her parents were talking about. "See you after nursery"
Carla then took the trip to the prison. She had all sorts of feelings, but she was the queen of masks.
Carla took her seat after going through all the security checks. She was nervous but calm all at the same time.
All the prisoners were let out and led to their specific seat with their visitor.
"Carla" Rob said, taking a seat in front of her.
"Hello Rob"
"How are you?" he asked.
"Do you care?"
"Yes" he sighed "otherwise I wouldn't have asked"
"I am good"
"How is my niece?"
"She is good, growing up so fast"
"How old is she now?" Rob asked "she must be four?"
Carla nodded, then rolled her eyes "What do you want Rob?"
"Can I not just want a visit from my sister?"
"No not really, you always have an ulterior motive" Carla harshly told him.
"Ok" Rob started but was interrupted by Carla.
"No actually I am going first, do you know what your old friend Tom is up to these days?"
"Tom?" Rob asked. He suddenly seemed nervous.
"Yes Rob, your old mate, the one that used to follow you around like a lost puppy"
Rob smiled "oh that one"
"Why are you smiling?" Carla asked him.
"I want you to listen to me and listen good" Rob instructed, changing his whole demeanor.
Carla just stared at him.
"I heard a rumour that you were back with Peter, the man who put me in here" Rob smiled "you see I can't trust rumours, so I sent Tom out to have a look for me"
"How dare you" she spat.
"He watched you for a while, when you first went back to the street" Rob leant back into his chair "he told me you were with this other guy"
Carla scoffed, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Then the next time he watched you, he saw you and Peter together"
"You disgust me Rob" Carla told him "how could you have someone watch me" she shouted attracting the attention of the guard.
"Is everything ok?" the guard asked.
"We're ok" she told him, although she was lying. The guard moved away leaving Rob to continue.
"So of course I was livid when I found out that it was true, you gave that cheating waste of space alcky another chance, let him into my nieces life" Rob shook his head "we couldn't have that"
Carla scowled "What have you done Rob?"
"I told Tom to beat him, actually I told Tom to kill him but he wasn't always good at listening to instructions, he is a bit thick in the head that one" he pointed to his head, mocking Tom.
Carla shook her head in disbelief. Disbelief that her brother could do this to her, the brother she grew up with, the brother she loved so much.
"You didn't" Carla repeatedly shook her head.
"I did, he is not worthy of you Carla, each time you forgive him and each time I have to do something to stop you" Rob almost spat out of anger.
"That is not your decision to make Rob" Carla shouted "he is double the man you are, in fact he is triple the man"
"Oh don't waste your breath Carla" Rob cackled "he is a low life and will always be, he is not fit to raise Haisley"
"How dare you say her name" Carla wiped a tear from her eye.
"Aww upsetting you am I?"
"She doesn't even know who you are Rob, and she never will, she has her uncle Aiden and she loves him, he is all she will ever need"
Rob sat in silence.
"I also have him as my brother and I don't need you anymore, I do not want you to contact me ever again" Carla stood up "as far as I am concerned I grew up alone, you never existed" she walked away.
"Carla" he called but she ignored him.
Carla got to the door, she turned to face him "You are dead to me"
Rob sunk into his chair, he only wanted what was best for her but now he has lost her.
Carla cried all the way home. Once again Rob has done something that hurt her and Peter.
He was not going to take this well.
She went straight to Michelle.
"Chelle" she called as she entered the bistro, she didn't stop just streamlined straight to their table. She slammed her bag down onto the table.
Michelle handed the bottle she had in her hand to Bethany "table three" she said, making her way to Carla.
"What's wrong?" Michelle asked, taking a seat at the table.
"We are going to need a few bottles" Carla told her "you are not going to believe what he has done now"
Michelle nodded. She left to receive a bottle with two glasses.
"Ok go" Michelle said, sitting back down and pouring out the wine.
Carla told her best friend everything that Rob had done. She informed her of everything Rob had said and how she felt about it.
"I can't believe it, Rob has gone too far this time" Michelle said in shock.
"Are we surprised though Chelle?" she asked "he did kill Tina" she took another sip of her wine.
"He tried to kill Peter, that is serious Carla"
"I know, I just don't know how to tell Peter" Carla admitted, downing the wine in her glass. Michelle poured her out some more.
The two women chatted through everything and Michelle tried to calm her down but by the time they both realized what the time was Carla had made her way through more bottles and was far too drunk to have the conversation with Peter.
"I will text him and tell him you are staying with me"
Over at home, Peter was worried about Carla. He had done the bedtime routine but was worried as to why Carla got in that state. Her meeting with Rob must have been bad, she wouldn't get in that state otherwise.
Peter took out his phone and text Carla.
Peter: Carla, whatever you are going through, I am here for you! I love you so much xx
Carla had already passed out from the wine but she saw it in the morning. Michelle took her back to her house and made Robert sleep on the sofa whilst she shared the bed with Carla.
"Morning" Michelle said as Carla emerged from the bedroom.
"My head is killing me" Carla told her as she rubbed her head.
"That is what happens when you down wine like you did"
"What mother does that make me?" Carla asked "I got drunk and couldn't go home to my daughter"
"Carla you are a fantastic mum, you had a lot of stuff to deal with yesterday"
Carla nodded.
"Have this and then go home and talk to Peter" Michelle said, handing her a coffee.
"Robert will cook us some bacon sandwiches too"
Carla flapped her arms "no no no, I cannot eat anything right now, i'll be sick"
"Ok but finish that coffee" Michelle laughed.
After her coffee, Carla made her way home. She was nervous about telling Peter but she knew she had to.
She placed her key in the door, she took a breath and pushed the door open. Peter was sitting on the sofa waiting for her.
"Where's Haisley?" Carla asked.
"I asked Johnny to have her for a while, I told him we had some things to talk about"
"Ok" Carla replied, placing her bag on the floor.
"Do you have something to say to me Carla?" he asked.
"Can I start with I'm sorry" she said "I am so sorry for staying out all night" she walked over and took a seat next to him.
She took his hand "we need to talk Peter"