Here's the next chapter, I'm going to tease you a bit and you won't find out who the father is until the next chapter...sorrry!
Thank you for the reviews!
Carla was waking up in hospital with the sound of her daughters cries echoing around the room, knowing she probably needed changing she wrapped herself up in the robe Peter brought in for her yesterday and took her over to the changing area to change her nappy which instantly settled her daughter. After a long night of thinking about her daughter's father, she was preparing herself for the worse and she knew today that she would need to ask one of the midwives for a DNA test to confirm her daughter's paternity.
Peter arrived at the hospital a while later with a bag containing a few bits for the baby in a hope Carla could go home today. He went shopping with Michelle yesterday afternoon and collected various new-born outfits and babygrows for Carla's daughter, he just hoped and prayed that the baby would turn out to be his. He didn't know how he would cope with Carla bringing up another man's baby, that man in question being Nick TIlsley, that just added the sting. His thoughts were soon interrupted as he entered the room seeing Carla sat up against the headboard with her phone glued in her hand, the baby held against her chest using her vest top and a blanket draped over them to keep them both warm.
"Hey," Peter says quietly ensuring that he didn't make her jump but she jumped anyway "Sorry you looked calm and peaceful I was trying not to scare you"
"Oh…right" Carla smiles rubbing her baby's back as she slumbers in her chest "Is that the stuff for the baby?"
"Yeah, Michelle said that there are some preemie outfits in there for her as she knew what to get, there's also a couple of dummies as well as those little mittens to stop her from scratching herself"
"I don't suppose you could get a midwife for me, I want to ask about DNA tests-"
"I was thinking why don't we just try and pair her DNA with mine and see if it's a match? That way if she turns out to be mine you won't have the influx of Gail Platt on your case"
"Actually, that's a smart idea you know" Carla nods as a midwife enters the room to check on everything
"How's everything going?" the midwife questions as Carla glances to Peter who gestures for her to ask about the DNA test
"Everything's going fine, she's fine and all. I actually have a question it's a bit weird but is there a way to find out the baby's parents, we only got together recently and we want to double-check that Peter is definitely the dad."
"I can see what I can do if you want?"
"Yeah? That would be great if you could" Carla says as the midwife nods leaving the room "That wasn't as judgemental as I thought it would be"
"At least we'll find out who her dad is then we can go from there" Peter suggests as Carla nods shifting up in bed before wincing "You ok?"
"Yeah it's just painful down there, I'll be fine" Carla smiles as the baby starts to stir in her arms grumpily "And I thought I'd get some peace after I changed you"
"Carla?" a midwife approaches her "Do you still want that DNA test?"
"Yeah, if you could do it?" Carla questions as the midwife nods sitting on the side of the bed "We want to see if Peter's the father…"
"Right" the midwife nods putting on some surgical gloves and grabbing a swab and a plastic bag as Carla offers her the baby "She may get a little unhappy with what I'm doing to her but she should be fine after," the midwife says as Carla nods watching as she inserts the swab into her mouth and the baby just cries "I know it's uncomfortable"
"She's a grumpy little thing," Carla says rubbing her daughter's tummy to give her a bit of comfort as the midwife pulls the swab out, placing it in the bag causing Carla to lift her daughter into her arms "That wasn't so bad, was it? Eh?"
"Peter, I'll need to get one off you as well," the midwife says handing him the swab as Carla nurses her daughter "Just swirl it around the inside of your cheek, I'll tell you when to stop"
"Ok you can stop, the results will be mailed to you as they take some time to process," the midwife says as Peter hands the swab back to her to place in a separate bag "Were you hoping to get discharged today?"
"Yeah but it doesn't matter if not," Carla says quietly as Peter sits on the edge of the bed with her "I'll leave it up to you guys"
"I'll go and see if you can how about that?" the midwife says as Carla nods eagerly "I'll see you soon"
"Sounds hopeful" Peter muses as Carla hums in response more engrossed in her daughter "How do you feel?"
"I'm just worried about how it will affect us if she's Nick's," Carla says quietly as Peter nods knowing that he was starting to find it difficult to accept the fact that Nick could be the father, he kept thinking back to those times with Simon and how upsetting it was for him, he just hoped that he was a bigger man now and that he could cope with it and not go off the rails.
"Me too but we've been through so much together, I'm not going to let the baby's paternity affect us" Peter whispers into her head as he sits on the bed with her as a midwife enters with a bunch of paper's.
"Hello Carla, I have something for you" the midwife smiles handing Carla the discharge papers as her eyes light up in excitement, she wanted to be in her own home, her own bed and just cuddle her daughter without the smell of disinfectant.
"I can go home?" Carla questions in disbelief "Really?"
"Yes, I know it's what you've been aiming for all-day" the midwife smiles handing Carla the pen as she scribbles her name eagerly onto the pieces of paper and hands them back to the midwife.
"I'll go and collect the car seat from the car," Peter says kissing her on the lips as she smiles at him rummaging through the bag Peter brought with him and pulling out a white onesie with pink polka dots covered all over it to change her daughter in to.
"Oh don't you look absolutely adorable" Carla whispers tickling her baby's tummy as she stretches on the bed "I wonder who your daddy is?"
"Love?" Peter questions as she looks up at him with a small smile on her face as he places the car seat down on the bed as well as a wheelchair which he picked up from the hallway.
"How does this one work then?"
"She's probably not going to like it so be warned," Peter says taking the baby off Carla and placing her in the car seat causing her to cry at the experience as Peter straps her in having practised a bit at home
"Oh…well…she'll survive" Carla shrugs as Peter chuckles draping a blanket over the baby as Carla packs her bag, "I think we're ready to go," she says standing up and wincing causing Peter to help her on to the wheelchair, Carla sitting on the pillow he provided "All good"
"You sure? I've got Michelle to go to the shop to stock up on painkillers for you" Peter says running a hand through her hair as she smiles slightly watching him place the car seat on her lap "Are we ready?"
"More than"
Peter pushed Carla down to the car which was parked in the car park, he attached the car seat to the frame and then helped Carla into the car and got her as comfortable as she could be. He then drove home as slow as he could trying not to hurt her in any way, the baby crying all the way home, it was obvious that the car seat was not it's biggest fan. Carla hobbled into the house greeted by Hayley who stumbled towards them but Carla just wanted to get upstairs into bed and cuddle with her daughter so she had Peter help her up and into bed.
"Thank you baby," Carla says gently as he lifts the car seat onto the bed to allow her to unstrap her daughter who was whimpering to herself "Oh dear"
"Hey," Michelle says handing her a coffee which she accepts gratefully; the need of caffeine to great she almost burnt her tongue "Let's have a look"
"She's so tiny isn't she?" Peter questions as Michelle raises her eyebrows at the baby "Let Michelle have a hold"
"Here," Carla says as Carla hands the baby to Michelle who's heart melted at the contact "Are you going to cry?"
"No…she's just so tiny and adorable" Michelle pouts her lips as the baby clings onto one of her fingers "Have you thought of names?"
"Does she know?" Carla asks Peter who shakes his head "Right…"
"What's happened, she is ok isn't she?" Michelle glances down to the baby in her arms "She looks fine to me…"
"Peter might not be her dad," Carla says as Michelle narrows her eyes utterly confused as well as shocked. Carla and Peter had a perfect life, the perfect kid and were genuinely in love with each other "We counted back to when she was conceived and I slept with Nick around that time before I went off to LA"
"What?" Michelle exclaims in shock, this news was new to her "You never told me…"
"I know but I just wanted to get away for a bit" Carla smiles as Michelle hands her the baby back "We've done a DNA test at the hospital, they're going to post the results to us when they're ready"
"This is crazy" Michelle shakes her head in disbelief "And how do you feel about this?" she questions to Peter who sighs running a hand through his hair
"I just want to be there for my wife" Peter nods as Michelle glances down to the baby creating all sorts of scenarios in her head ranging from Carla and Peter sitting around with Nick on Christmas day if that baby was his, to both men trying to outdo themselves, it was a recipe for disaster for that little girl
"It's a shock I know," Carla says as she nurses her baby "Just like you were" she strokes the back of her fingers over her baby's cheek
"So if Nick's the father, will you pick a name together?"
"It's only fair isn't it?" Carla looks up before returning her attention onto her daughter "I haven't spoken to Nick in months, he probably won't even care but I want to give him the opportunity if he is the father, it's the right thing to do"
"I guess so" Michelle mutters not liking the situation at all "Either way she is beautiful"
"Where's Simon?" Carla questions as Peter runs a hand through her hair appreciating the softness
"He's been staying with Leanne, I've explained everything to him I think he just wants his mum's support, not about me not being the father" Peter sighs as Carla looks up at him planting a soft kiss on his lips "I love you"
"I love you more"