Here's the next chapter, I've been so anxious to upload this I actually kept changing my mind on who the father was I've written two lots of chapter 34 and right now I'm going with my gut instinct as I feel what I've done will give a lot of story for future chapters and kind of link in with the other stories running alongside this one.
Thank you for the reviews
A few days past and Carla was slipping into a routine with her daughter. She woke many times in the night and Carla was pretty much exhausted from being used as a milk machine. Peter was also helping her out a bit as well but trying to limit his time spent with the baby in case it wasn't his little did they know that it was going to be revealed today who the baby's father was.
Both Carla and Peter were waking up to the baby's cries as usual, and then righto n queue Hayley started crying as well causing Carla to groan and sit up in bed, reaching over to her daughter and picking her up as Peter goes to deal with Hayley. He returned to see Carla nursing her daughter as she eats contently in her arms, Hayley squealing for attention from her mum.
"I know Hayley" Carla groans as Peter places Hayley down on the bed causing her to crawl over to Carla "I just need to feed your sister"
"Come on Hayley, let mummy have some peace," Peter says as Hayley breaks down into tears "I know you want to cuddle mummy"
"Are we done, sweetheart?" Carla questions as her daughter pull away from her breast "I think we're done" she says grabbing a burping cloth from the cosleeper and puts it on her shoulder ready to wind her daughter as Hayley sits herself down on Carla's legs "Hayley I know you want my attention poppet"
"Why don't we go downstairs and play? Then mummy can join us later?" Peter suggests as he scoops Hayley into his arms leaving Carla to it knowing she needed to focus on her daughter right now
Around a couple of hours later Carla joined Hayley and Peter in the living room, she was curled up on the rocking chair with her baby pressed against her chest as she watched Peter play with Hayley, it was a struggle balancing everything and she was still getting used to being a mum to two little girls who required a lot of attention from her. She was interrupted by her thoughts as the postman knocked on the door causing Peter to answer it and return with a cardboard envelope and a box which was a stocked full of nappies, they both knew what would be in the envelope and they were both very anxious to open it.
"Is that?" Carla questions gulping in anxiety as Peter opens it to reveal another paper envelope
"Yeah it is," Peter says handing her the envelope "I have no idea why it was in a cardboard one though"
"Gosh I do not want to look at these results but I know I have to" Carla bites her lip as Peter gestures for her to stand up so she could sit on his lap as they cuddle "Whatever these results say? We're in this together right?"
"Of course," Peter says kissing her on the side of her head as well as kissing the baby on its head as Carla glances down to the envelope in her hand "Shall I do it?"
"No" Carla snaps "Sorry…hormones and just…worry" Carla says kissing Peter gently on the lips as she opens the envelope taking the piece of paper out and reading the contents and closing her eyes as the tears pool in them
"She's Nick's isn't she?" Peter questions as Carla wipe her eyes to clear up her tears as Peter looks at the DNA test result and reading the words which said that he wasn't the father
"I'm sorry" Carla whispers glancing down to the baby who was lying peacefully in her chest, snuggled into her tank top
"I need some air," Peter says as Carla gets up wondering if he's going to see Nick "Don't worry I'm not going to see him, I just need time to think"
"Ok," Carla says defeated as she watches Peter leave the house leaving her alone with her thoughts once again…
It was around an hour later when Peter returned, he had a huge bouquet of flowers as an apology to Carla for running out on her when she was digesting the news. He entered the house in trepidation and fear to the reception he was going to get but instead he was greeted with one of the most precious visions in the world. Carla, Hayley and the baby snuggled against Carla's chest, lying together on the sofa as they sleep peacefully together. He gingerly placed bouquet down on the table whilst he filled a vase with water and returned to put the flowers in the water only for the baby to start to cry causing Peter to gently lift her off Carla which caused her to stir.
"Go back to sleep, I'll change her," Peter says as Carla mumbles a thank you to Peter as she turns away to cuddle Hayley "Come on then little one," Peter says as he takes the baby upstairs to use Hayley's changing table "I'm sorry I'm not your daddy sweetheart"
"Dad?" Simon questions causing Peter to jump "What did you just say?"
"I thought you were at your mum's?" Peter questions diverting the subject as Simon shakes his head slowly
"No…I saw Carla was asleep so I just sneaked upstairs as I didn't want to wake her"
"Oh right…"
"So?"
"So what?"
"You're not the baby's dad?"
"Look Si, it's complicated…we'll tell you everything in time, but we need to give Carla a chance to deal with things her way"
"Who's the dad then?" Simon interrogates as Peter groans in response changing the baby who was whimpering to herself
"I can't say," Peter says abruptly as Simon narrows his eyes full of suspicion
"Why are you looking after her if she's not yours?"
"Because she's a part of Carla and I love Carla"
"Did she cheat on you?" Simon asks as Peter shakes his head causing Simon to narrow his eyes in confusions "If she didn't cheat on you then you must be the father"
"No, son" Peter starts "As you know Carla didn't know she was pregnant when Carla left for LA, she slept with someone because we weren't together. She was in a very bad place and confused at the time it happened"
"Right, this whole situation is so confusing…I'm going to get on with some work" Simon mutters storming into his bedroom causing Peter to groan as he puts the onesie back on the baby then takes her downstairs where Carla was rubbing her tired eyes which were focussed on the TV
"Hey" Peter whispers as Carla smirks at him nodding to the flowers "I wanted to apologise for storming off, I know you needed me but I just needed time to accept it for what it was"
"I understand" she smiles "Thank you for changing her though, you didn't have to do that"
"Let's just speak cryptically as Simon's upstairs, I don't want him eavesdropping"
"Oh right, I didn't hear him come in?"
"I know, he said he didn't want to wake you" Peter smiles as Carla take her daughter off him "So what do you want to do?"
"Get Nick around here and speak to him about her…sooner rather than later" Carla says to Peter who nods grabbing her phone for her to phone Nick "Now?"
"The longer you put it off the harder it will be" Peter suggests as Carla sighs knowing he was right as she scrolls through her phone to find Nick's number to call, Peter running a hand through her hair
"Nick?... Charming, look I need to see you, it's really important…please, trust me for once, I know it may be hard after everything we've been through…yes he will…ok I'll see what I can do, why don't you come around in an hour or so?...ok I'll see you then, bye Nick"
"Is he coming?" Peter questions as Carla bites her lip "What?"
"I need you to take Simon and Hayley out for me?" Carla asks as Peter sighs in response knowing it'll be a challenge to get Simon to go out with him "Take him out for a meal or something then use that time to explain to him while I explain to Nick?"
"Yeah ok, good idea," Peter says kissing her gently on the lips as Carla smiles up at him allowing him to go and get Hayley ready
"Let's hope that Nick doesn't get mad at you eh?" she whispers to her daughter who squirms around in her arms as she waits for the impending conversation with her baby's father…
Peter did what he was told, he took Hayley and Simon out for something to eat in town knowing that Carla needed time with Nick to explain everything. He secretly worried about how she was doing at home and how Nick would take the news as well, he then also had to explain everything to Simon who would most likely judge Carla for everything she did which worried him because they had been getting on so well.
Carla was at home nursing her daughter when the doorbell rang, she sighed and carried her baby to the door in her arms and let Nick in who raised an eyebrow at the tiny baby she was holding, he took his shoes off out of courtesy and Carla guided him into their living room as he looked at his surroundings.
"Nice place" Nick muses as Carla smiles nervously "I didn't know you had a baby?"
"Yeah well neither did I…I didn't even know I was pregnant until I gave birth" Carla mutters as Nick raises an eyebrow confused at how she didn't know
"Why am I here?" Nick questions as Carla smiles slightly glancing down to her daughter who was nestled up in a cream cotton cloth
"Nick, you're not going to like what I have to say but this baby's full term, I know she doesn't look it but she is and if you count back nine months she was conceived in April, and what did we do in April?"
"We slept together…oh god…" Nick trails off glancing to the baby and putting it altogether in his head "So she could be mine?"
"She is yours," Carla says grabbing the DNA test "I had her DNA compared with Peter's, Nick"
"So she's definitely mine?" Nick questions in disbelief as Carla nods in response handing him the DNA results which proved what she was saying was correct
"You seem awfully calm…" Carla trails off anxiously not expecting this result, Nick was known for going off the rails and crying to his mum when he had a problem "I know it's a lot to take in"
"Not as much as you, you didn't even know she was there, you must've felt like you were dying" Nick chuckles as he reads through the results before glancing to the baby which was swaddled in Carla's arms
"Yeah it did, Michelle and Peter wouldn't even tell me that I was giving birth because they knew I'd just freak out, I thought she was stillborn when she was placed on me but she was just shocked"
"Tell me about her?" Nick questions as Carla sits next to him on the sofa with their baby as he places a finger in the palm of her tiny hand, the little fingers wrapping around his as Carla smiles
"Well, she's grumpy, she weighed just under five pounds when she was born, she was fully developed as well so she was so small that's why we thought maybe she was early but no, she was just lying far back and obviously she was small"
"I don't get the human body sometimes" Nick chuckles as Carla glances down to the baby who was opening her eyes to look into her father's "How did you not know?"
"Well I took a pregnancy test in June because I felt off but nothing showed up then I took one at Christmas there was the faintest of lines there and I was bleeding every month which made me think I was just really early on in the pregnancy"
"What does Peter think?" Nick questions surprisingly calmly which makes Carla question ulterior motives at his appearance
"Um to be honest Nick, I'm surprised you care-"
"It must've been a shock for him, he probably thought he was getting another baby and to find out that she's mine of all people, I'm sure he's not very pleased" Nick replies as Carla hums in agreement; he was right in fact, he was spot on, Carla could tell how Peter felt without even needing to question
"Yeah you're right, I made him go out with Hayley and Simon as, well, he started to click…Simon, that is" Carla says as Nick nods looking down at his daughter "Do you want to hold her?"
"Really?" Nick replies shocked as Carla nods in response with a giggle
"You are her father Nick" Carla reminds him as he shakes his head in disbelief as he holds the baby in his arms as she grunts unhappily "Oh dear"
"I see what you mean by grumpy" Nick chuckles as the front door goes revealing Simon and Peter, Peter glaring at Nick as he plants a loving kiss on Carla's lips in a bid to mark his territory, Nick thought "Here" he offers her the baby back as she smiles knowing it must be awkward for him
"I need to ask you one more question?"
"Yeah that's fine," Nick says glancing between Peter and Carla "Shoot"
"Do you want to be her father?" Carla questions as Nick glances between them, the thought of Peter bringing his daughter up too much for him so he found himself agreeing,
"Yes," Nick replies with a definite nod "I almost forgot…I need to tell you that I am back with Leanne, so I'll need to tell her as well as my family…"
"Um" Carla falters not liking the fact that Leanne would be interfering, she found herself agreeing anyway "Ok, that's fine I guess"
"Right, I guess I best break the news to my mum that she has a new grandchild…" Nick trails off as Carla smiles going to see him out "I'll see you both soon then maybe we can all think of a plan or something?"
"Yeah, I'd like that…bye Nick" Carla says waving him off and then returning to the living room where Peter had clicked the TV on "You didn't have to do that…"
"Do what?" Peter shrugs nonchalantly as Carla sighs, she really didn't want to have an argument
"Kiss me like that in front of him. I love you, Peter, that's not going to change, never. I don't love Nick"
"I know" Peter sighs "It's just hard for me as, well she's not mine and now we know I'm going to have to deal with sharing your attention with Nick and his family"
"I guess, we'll muddle through though? Won't we?" she looks up hopeful as Peter sighs nodding in agreement "Your family aren't going to be happy…"
"I know but I'll keep them off your back, love," Peter says kissing her head as "So who am I to her?"
"Um, well technically you'd be her step-father I guess" Carla frowns not really sure on what to call Peter in relation to her child "We'll figure it out"
"Ok, well she is very cute," Peter says as Carla grins "And her daddy's a very lucky man"
"How did Simon take it?" Carla questions she was itching to find out how he took it Peter closing his eyes in response "That well then?"
"Pretty much, he's just confused and he really didn't see it coming, he'll get through it though" Peter reassures her as she bites her lip obviously feeling guilty about everything "Are you ok with everything?"
"Um, well I'm kind of just waiting for it all to sink in and then we need to go through names, it's just going to be weird not going through it with you, that's all" Carla pouts her lips as Peter kisses her on the forehead
"So are you two going to come up with an arrangement of when he can see her?"
"Probably, I'd need to teach him how to look after her and stuff because he probably doesn't know so that's going to take time"
"You'll have my support you know, I can learn to love her like she's mine can't I?" Peter says as Carla nods confidently "She's a part of you and I love you, it's like Simon isn't it? You love him so I can learn to love her? I don't want to lose you over something you didn't even know about, that's not fair if I blame you, plus we weren't even together at the time"
"If you have any doubts or just need to speak to me about Nick or anything please don't bottle it up, promise me"
"I promise"
"Good, I reckon we'll be just fine then"
I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted and if you fall out of love with this story because of Nick being the father. I just think by doing this I can link it in with other stories and provide more drama for you all, I'm sorry if it's upset anyone x