Sorry I didn't upload this earlier, turns out I've missed a few weeks of school work as I wasn't added to an online class, I also have a lot of work to do over the weekend so I'll try and get a chapter out but I'm not making promises...
Thank you for the reviews, and the next chapter is going to be quite a dramatic one with a lot of stories coming together to form a new one...
Nick went home after his chat with Carla, he had a daughter, someone to love and someone to hold, it was there in black and white. He went home and told his family, Gail was far from impressed and questioned the credibility of Carla's claims but Nick managed to convince her that it was the truth as he knew Carla wouldn't lie about something like that. Then there was Leanne, she was far from impressed with the fact that Nick and Carla shared a child together but as she loved Nick, she decided that there was no point in throwing her weight around or complaining. Of course with a new child came the over the top grandparents, Gail was so eager to see Nick's grandchild it was almost suffocating for him and Carla to an extent and the fact that they still haven't named their daughter was playing on the forefront of both their minds.
Nick was sitting in Carla's place while she nursed their daughter, the awkward atmosphere sizzling under the surface. Peter was there as support and knew he had to be the bigger man and that it was none of their faults how this situation came about and as they discussed names Peter inwardly seethed that it wasn't him doing that with Carla but somehow he managed to keep his anger at bay.
"How about Amelia?" Nick questions as Carla scrunches her nose up shaking her head "Ok, then, how about something a bit more unique?"
"I want something that's a bit traditional though, not a name of a drink, days of the week, months even" Carla sighs as the baby starts to stir in her arms having finished feeding causing Carla to grab a muslin cloth and wind her
"Ok, how about Rosie or Millie?" Nick questions as Carla sighs in response rubbing her daughters back as she winds her
"Emma?" Carla questions as Nick hums tilting his head to the side as Peter grins at her as well as Nick
"I'll tell you something, you're such a pain when it comes down to choosing names Carla" Peter retorts as she gasps as Nick laughs at them both seeing exactly where Peter was coming from
"He does have a point Carla" Nick chuckles as Carla glares at them both "What do you want to call her?"
"I don't know" Carla shrugs as Nick rolls his eyes as well as Peter, both men sharing some sort of mutual understanding over Carla's indecisiveness as Peter continues to watch the TV
"Ok, why don't we name her Emma, as you suggested?" Nick questions as Peter bites his lip trying to suppress his laughter as Carla glares at him before returning to face Nick
"Emma what though?" Carla questions as Nick groans in response, Peter as well causing another glare from Carla "I know, instead of using Barlow because I know you two will probably argue over that, why don't we call her Emma Connor-Tilsley or Emma Tilsley-Connor?"
"That seems good," Peter says as Nick nods in agreement, both men surprisingly getting on so well
"Yeah the second one rolls off the tongue pretty well," Nick says as Carla nods "So Emma Tilsley-Connor?"
"Yeah, we're agreed" Carla grins as Emma starts to stir in Carla's arms "So you're Emma now eh?"
"She is" Nick coos as Emma opens her eyes to look at her surroundings "My mum really wants to see her, don't worry I said no so you don't need to worry about her hounding you"
"Look, Nick, why doesn't she organise a naming ceremony or something? At the bistro? That way everyone can meet her in one go and I don't have to have a mass gathering of people coming into our house" Carla suggests as Nick raises an eyebrow as well as Peter as Carla's very unlikely suggestion
"Um, yeah I guess I could…" Nick trails off grabbing his phone to take note "Are you going to be ok though, she'll probably do it tomorrow if she could, I don't want to jeopardise your recovery from the birth"
"I'll be fine" Carla smiles as Nick nods in defeat "It'll keep her off my back and yours if she has something to think about"
"She has a point" Peter smiles returning his attention to the TV
"Ok then, I'll let her organise something" Nick smiles as Emma stirs in Carla's arms before letting out a strained cry "Oh what's up Emma?"
"She needs changing" Carla smiles as Nick looks up hopefully "I can teach you if you want?"
"Yeah?" Nick questions "I would like that"
"Come on then" Carla grins as Nick stands up to follow her up the stairs "Let me just check on Hayley, she might be awake actually," Carla says poking her head around Hayley's bedroom door and seeing that she was wide awake and playing with her stuffed animals in her cot "Afternoon princess, let me deal with Emma first then I can deal with you"
"Are they going to share a room?" Nick questions as Carla shrugs her shoulders she hadn't really thought about it
"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it and to be honest they don't really get on…well not yet anyway," Carla says as Nick smiles "We just share Hayley's furniture so everything's more organised"
"Right," Nick says as Carla places Emma down on the changing table "What do I do then?"
"Take her sleepsuit off," Carla says as Nick does what he's told causing Emma to cry so he removes his hands "She's just being fussy, just continue," she says as Nick takes the sleepsuit off Emma causing her legs to scrunch up in displeasure
"So, new nappy, wipes and cream depending on the situation," Carla says "So undo her nappy, then prepare her new one, the patterns are on the front"
"Right," Nick says biting his lip in concentration
"You want to grab a wipe or two and take her old nappy away and clean her from front to back" Carla informs him as Nick does what he's told "Good, now lift her legs up, scoot the new nappy underneath then pull the front through and attach the tabs to the front "Yay all clean"
"That wasn't so hard" Nick grins as Hayley starts to cry grumpily "Can I hold her?"
"She's your daughter Nick, do what you like, within in reason of course…" Carla trails off as Nick rolls his eyes lifting Emma into his arms "Let's deal with Hayley quickly, when they get to this age it's ten times harder" Carla says putting Hayley down on the changing mat and changing her quickly "Right, let's head downstairs, you ok carrying her?"
"Yeah I'll be fine," Nick says as both of them head downstairs, Peter's eyes lighting up at Hayley's presence
"Do you want a cuddle with daddy, Hayles?" Carla questions handing Hayley to Peter who squeals excitably as Nick returns to sit next to Carla with Emma in his arms "We'll need to register her…are you ok coming, I can do it on my own…"
"I'll come" Nick replies eagerly wanting to play a part in his daughter's life "If that's ok with you?"
"More than" Carla nods as Nick hands Emma back to her "Come on then sweetheart we can just cuddle for the rest of the day"
"I'm going to head off, Leanne's probably waiting for me at the bistro," Nick says as Carla smiles up at him "Bye Carla, and bye little Emma," he says before showing himself out leaving Carla and Peter to it
"I'm proud of you," Carla says as Peter sits next to her on the sofa, both of them cuddling contently as Peter runs a hand through her hair.
"Why?"
"For not arguing and being genuinely accepting of Nick's presence" Carla reminds him as he kisses her on the forehead "Maybe you could think about burying the hatchet?"
"No way, we can be civil but that man…no not happening," Peter says as Carla shrugs knowing it was worth a try to get them to be friends but deep down she knew it wouldn't happen
"Alright, it was worth a try," Carla says as Hayley reaches her arms out to her "Swap?"
"Alright then," Peter says as he holds Emma then Carla holds Hayley on her lap blowing raspberries into the palm of her hand causing her to squeal
"Can you say, daddy?" Carla questions as Hayley smiles at her "Dada?"
"Da da" Hayley repeats as Carla gasps bringing a hand up to her mouth "Da da da"
"Oh my god!" Peter exclaims as Hayley laughs at them all pointing at Peter "You are so clever"
"She is, takes after mummy" Carla taunts as Peter frowns in response shaking his head "Don't worry, she's grumpy after you"
"Oh cheers" Peter scoffs as Emma starts to cry "Someone wants cuddles with their mum I think"
"You are very needy today Emma," Carla says as they swap back again, Carla holding Emma against her chest and placing her in her tank top as she was still very small, the skin to skin contacts calming her straight down "Could you chuck us the blanket?"
"Here," Peter says as Carla drapes the blanket over them both "We never celebrated your birthday"
"What's there to celebrate?" Carla scoffs "I'm a year older and now my birthday's been replaced by Emma's, she's probably the best gift"
"Hmm yeah I still have your pressies" Peter teases as Carla's eyes light up causing him to grab them from the cupboard where he was storing them for a quieter time "Here"
"That's a lot" Carla grins as Peter hands her a present, she opens it to reveal a neckless which looked like a lot of money "Oh, Peter"
"Before you say it's too much, you deserve it," Peter says as he kisses her gently on the lips as she takes the necklace into her fingers, tracing them around the delicate diamonds which were nestled in a white gold band attached to a chain "Do you like it?"
"I love it," Carla says as the tears well in her eyes as she struggles to compose her emotions, after birth hormones derailing her attempts
"Are you crying?" Peter laughs as she nudges him "Your hormones"
"Stop" Carla pouts her lips as Peter hands her the next present
"I got this before we knew that Emma was Nick's, I thought I'd may as well give you it," Peter says as Carla opens it to find a delicate silver band for the baby "A keepsake if you like"
"Oh Peter, I'm so sorry" Carla replies, her heart aching "If I could change-" she starts but was soon silenced by Peter pressing a finger to her lips
"No, we're not going there, think of it as my gift to her, Nick doesn't have to know if you don't want him to or you could just explain what I said," Peter says as Carla nods slowly placing the box down on the table as the doorbell goes off causing Peter to look out of the window to check who it was "It's Michelle"
"Ohh let her in," Carla says eagerly as Peter lets Michelle in as she rushes into Carla
"Is it true what I'm hearing?" Michelle questions as Carla raises an eyebrow glancing to Peter utterly confused "That Gail's hosting a naming ceremony?"
"Ugh" Carla groans as Peter laughs knowing this could be quite entertaining for him "I suggested that Nick told her to do that so everyone can meet the baby at the same time"
"So she has a name then?"
"Yes, Emma Tilsley-Connor" Carla says as Michelle sits down beside her "Do you want to have a cuddle?"
"No she seems rather comfortable sleeping in your top, she's still very small"
"Easily portable," Peter remarks as Carla shoves him as Michelle glances around all the wrapping paper
"Have I missed a special occasion or something?" Michelle questions as Peter laughs as Carla shows Michelle the necklace
"A birthday present" Carla chuckles as Michelle gasps at the intricacy of the neckless "He won't tell me how much it costs though"
"You keep her guessing Peter…could you also give Steve some advice on how to buy gifts?" Michelle asks as Carla laughs causing Hayley to wake and start to try "Oh we're sorry poppet"
"Come on, go back to sleep," Carla says kissing her daughters head as she continues to whimper as Hayley walks over to see Michelle
"Hello Hayley" Michelle beams lifting her onto her lap as she squeals "Are you going to speak soon Hayley?"
"She said dada today," Carla says "Don't know if it was her babbling or she genuinely said dada"
"Wow" Michelle gasps as Hayley cuddles her "So then this naming ceremony…you sure you're up to it?"
"Definitely, if it gets Gail and the rest of her family off my back for a bit then I'm all for it" Carla states as Michelle glances to Peter who just shrugs
"Well rather you than me," Michelle says as Carla nods slowly bouncing Emma in her arms to settle her a bit "Am I invited?"
"Of course, I'll send a text off to Nick to make sure he includes enough stuff for both families"
"Don't worry, me and Michelle will just sit there smirking to annoy you" Peter teases as Michelle laughs
"Oh, great is this what it's going to be like when I attend Platt family functions now?"
"It is but we'll be there to support you" Peter reminds her as she smiles at him
"I'm going to leave you to it then," Michelle says as she offers a finger to Emma "Well bye Emma, hope you have fun with your new family"
"Oh give over" Carla scoffs as Michelle kisses her on the cheek "Bye 'Chelle" she says as Michelle leaves the room and the house leaving them both to it
"How about a movie and a takeaway?" Peter questions as Carla's eyes light up "I'll take that as a yes then"
"You will indeed"