Here's the next chapter, everything kind of happens at once and gets quite confusing so I hope you keep up. Thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy.
I know some of you were unhappy with the way Peter reacted over the whole thing but his true colours really start to show in this situation...
The dreaded event of the week arrived, the naming ceremony. Carla was so wrapped up in Emma's care and Hayley for that matter she had yet to notice the odd signs that Peter was struggling with the situation. They were walking to the naming ceremony, Peter pushing Hayley in her pram as Carla had Emma settled in the sling attached to her body. It had been ages since they were on the street and it was somewhat weird to be back on it and walking down it together as a family. They both visibly winced at the massive cloth above the bistro which stated 'Welcome to the family Emma!' this caused Carla to groan in response as well as make Peter really anxious at the event, he was not looking forward to it.
"Carla" Nick smiles handing her and Peter and glass of orange juice "Peter"
"Nick" Peter grits out as he peers into the sling where Emma was wrapped up nice and snugly against her mother's chest
"How's my little superstar?"
"She's ok," Carla says "A bit grumpy but all the same, she's fine"
"Carla!" Gail beams walking over and enveloping her in a hug causing Peter to grunt annoyed at the whole situation as Michelle clocks his obvious mood and beckons him over whilst Carla introduced Emma to her family
"Are you ok?" Michelle questions as Peter sighs pushing Hayley's pram back and forth gently wishing this situation was a parallel universe
"I just, I don't know I don't like this situation one bit"
"Me neither" Michelle states causing him to raise his eyebrows "Look for what it's worth, I adore Emma, she's my niece but in a way, I wished she was your baby that Carla was holding"
"Really? I'm surprised considering everything I put her through"
"You've proven you love her Peter, you were there when she had the accident and you were there when she was scared out of her mind when she was giving birth to Emma. You were also there to provide her baby which is your arch-enemy's daughter, a dad if he didn't want to be her dad, to me, that's pretty brave"
"Yeah well, I just feel we've drifted that's all"
"Do you love her, Peter?" Michelle questions as Peter sighs nodding, he loved Carla more than the world and wants to be her husband as he glances over to her as she interacts with her new family
"That should be us you know…introducing that baby to my family" Peter laments as Michelle smiles at him knowing it must be hard on him
"Have you spoken to her about how you feel?"
"No not really, I just don't feel she needs to deal with one of my moods that's all," Peter says as Michelle nods slowly knowing he would want to keep his feelings to himself as Carla was trying to figure everything out "I know what you're going to say"
"Then speak to her," Michelle says as Peter nods slowly visibly wincing as Carla's forced into a photo with Nick "Don't let him anger you-"
"Peter" Leanne approaches him as Peter smiles slightly at her curious on her take of the current situation "How are you doing?"
"You know how it is, sleepless nights and baby sick," Peter says putting on a brave face as Leanne plonks herself down on the barstool beside him "Why aren't you joining in with 'happy family Tilsley' over there?"
"To be honest, I hate this setup," Leanne says as Michelle offers her glass to clink with her "I'm surprised about you Michelle, I'm surprised I'm not six feet under with that comment I just made"
"Say what you want for all I care"
"Me neither," Peter says watching his wife take photos with her new family as Leanne smiles at him, Hayley stirring in the pram causing Peter to pick her up "Hello beautiful"
"Oh, you are so perky" Leanne coos as Hayley claps her hands pointing to a chocolate biscuit "Can she?"
"Yeah go ahead," Peter says as Leanne hands Hayley a biscuit "It's a special occasion after all"
"Try to say that without any underlying tones then you may be good" Michelle nudges him as Peter rolls his eyes as Leanne laughs slightly watching Hayley eat the biscuit as Carla comes over
"Gosh, how do you cope, Leanne. They're all so full-on" Carla groans as Michelle chuckles shaking her head as Leanne laughs slightly
"You get used to it, well you'll have to now" Leanne sniggers as Carla rolls her eyes at her comment glancing over to where Nick was holding Emma
"How are you?" Carla questions to Peter taking Hayley off him and holding on her hip
"You know how it is…" Peter trails off as Michelle shakes her head unamused at Peter trying to spare Carla's feelings but she knew better than to interfere
"Carla!" Nick calls as Carla sighs in response taking Hayley over to the commotion a noticing Emma was crying her eyes out "I think she wants feeding"
"Oh right," Carla says "Can I use the office?"
"You don't need to be embarrassed Carla, love" Audrey says gently as Carla glances to Nick for help, she was really starting to get annoyed deep down
"I'm-"
"Carla and I need to have a chat anyway," Nick says to help her out as she smiles gratefully at him before she scurries off into the office, Peter watching from the side-lines as Hayley stumbles over to him
"Your face is a picture, Peter" Leanne cackles as Peter bites the inside of his mouth so hard he tasted the salty blood but he kept saying to himself that he needed to do this for his marriage
"Shut it, Leanne," Peter says as Michelle shakes her head at him glancing to Leanne who just shrugged before heading off to join the Platts now that Carla was out of the way
"You need to calm down otherwise Carla's going to click," Michelle says as she glances to the door of the bistro where Johnny, Aidan and Kate just entered "Hey guys"
"Hey Michelle," Aidan says as he glances to Peter who was glaring at the office door where Carla and Nick were whispering to each other
"Has someone got a tinge of the green-eyed monster?" Aidan chuckles as Peter turns to glare at him slamming his glass down on the counter before leaving Hayley with Michelle
"Peter don't do it!" Michelle calls out as he storms over to Nick, the jealously too much, he punches him square in the face before
"Woah!" Aidan chuckles "He really must love Carla if he's punching her kid's father"
"Nicky!" Gail cries as she rushes over to the situation to help her son out as David takes a video with his phone before noticing that Sarah and Bethany had just arrived from Milan
"What on earth is going on?" Sarah questions glancing to David then to the commotion which was going on in the corner of the bistro
"So basically, Peter the guy who's got his forehead against Nick's he is Carla's husband" David points to both Carla and Peter "Carla has Nick's baby as you know…looks like Peter's not happy with the situation so a fight broke out"
"I don't even want to know…" Sarah mutters taking a seat next to David as Bethany sits next to her on her phone "Bethany can you get off that thing"
"Sorry" Bethany replies "Pretty dramatic here isn't it?"
"You don't even know the half…" David trails off as Bethany raises her eyebrows glancing to Peter who storms out of the bistro as Michelle approaches Carla handing her the phone
"You're popular hasn't stopped ringing," Michelle says as Carla groans handing Emma to Michelle and taking the call knowing she should really be dealing with Peter's outburst
"Just settle Emma for me, let me just take this" Carla says going over to the bar where Johnny Aidan and Kate were sitting "Who's speaking?... Rob, it's great to hear your voice…I did get your visiting order it's just been a bit hectic…why do you need to see me so urgently…well, the nearest I could do is probably next week…yeah, Johnny's here, why?... I don't understand why you want to speak to him…is there? Well cant it wait until next week?...ask Johnny? What do you mean ask Johnny? Rob? Rob?"
"Carla…whatever he's said it's not true ok?" Johnny panics, his secret on the line of exposure as Carla frowns in confusion "Please you have to believe me"
"Johnny…what's going on…no it can't be…it was him wasn't it the money…" Carla trails off fitting the pieces together "The hiding of the post which were probably visiting orders…tell me the truth"
"Ok yes, it was him, but he left me no choice…"
"You know what I don't want to hear it I have too many things to deal with right now" Carla mutters taking Emma off Michelle and placing her in the sling knowing she was probably very tired as she heads over to Nick "I'm so sorry Nick, I'll be having words when I get back home"
"Damn right you will!" Gail exclaims as Carla sighs in response, this little introduction to the family hadn't exactly been in her favour "You need to learn to keep that husband of yours in control, otherwise a lot worse will happen"
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Carla questions incredulously with a scoff
"I don't want my granddaughter being around a hooligan of a step-father or whatever you call him!" Gail taunts as Carla groans in response "I will be filing for custody!"
"No, you won't!" Nick says as Gail shakes her head "She won't don't worry Carla, you're a good mum"
"You know what, I'm going home" Carla mutters excusing herself from the situation as Johnny approaches her blocking her exit, "I said we'll speak tomorrow Johnny"
"No there's something you need to know"
"Please!" Carla cries exasperatedly as she rocks Hayley back and forth in her pram
"I'm your father!" Johnny shouts as Carla glares at him in response
"You're off your head mate," Carla says with a strained chuckle just wanting to get away from the situation as she finally barges past Johnny who chases after her grabbing her wrist "Get off me!"
"Oi you heard her," Michelle says stepping in front of them both as Carla finally manages to push Hayley away from the situation
"I had a DNA test done!" Johnny shouts as Carla turns around storming back to him and ripping the piece of paper out of his hand and reading the results before smacking Johnny around the face
"Go to hell," Carla says as she storms off, Aidan and Kate standing at the door of the bistro clinging onto each other as they shake their heads, Michelle following Carla "Leave me alone Michelle"
"Carla we need to speak!" Michelle says as Carla stops in her tracks with tears in her eyes causing Michelle to bring her in for a hug trying not to squish Emma who was managed to sleep through the whole commotion "Why don't you come back to mine?"
"Yeah ok," Carla says "I could do with a bottle of red"
"Yes well you're not having one," Michelle says guiding her around the back into the Rover's as they sit down in the backroom "I'll make you a coffee"
"Come on then Emma," Carla says holding her daughter who was slumbering in her arms as she rocks her gently as Hayley starts to stir "Where's Steve?"
"In Spain, I was going to tell you but Andy's done something, I don't really know so he needed to go out there," Michelle says as Liz appears from the bar "Everything ok, Liz?"
"Um, Kate and Aidan want to speak to you, Carla?"
"Yeah, that's fine as long as Johnny isn't with them?" Carla questions with a nod as Liz shakes her head as Kate and Aidan appear "Hey"
"Is it true?" Aidan questions as Carla nods sadly thinking about how different your childhood could've been "So we're-"
"Don't..." Carla says shaking her head as a sudden realisation dawns over her "Oh god…Michelle…I was married to my-"
"No Carla, don't go there" Michelle reassures her "It's very distant ok?"
"No this is all so wrong it has to be wrong" Carla gasps breathlessly as Kate sits down next to her to help Michelle calm her down "Why does everything get dropped on me at the wrong time, a new dad, possible custody battle-"
"What?" Michelle questions as Carla nods slowly
"Gail doesn't want Emma around Peter as she reckons he's a bad role model Michelle, I bet Leanne's having a great day," Carla remarks as Hayley starts to cry causing Carla to groan and hand Emma to Michelle as she picks Hayley up "You need changing," she says grabbing the changing bag "Can I use the bathroom?"
"Yeah, go ahead, love" Michelle smiles rocking Emma in her arms as she sleeps peacefully watching Carla trudge up the stairs before returning her attention to Kate and Aidan
"Did you know?" Aidan questions as Michelle shakes her head, it was as much as a shock to her as it was for everyone else
"I can't believe he cheated on mum," Kate says as Aidan brings her in for a hug as
"With Carla's mum as well…" Aidan says as Carla reappears with Hayley in her arms "Sorry Carla"
"Don't, you have every right to say what you want to say, this is all Johnny's fault isn't it?" Carla says as Kate nods in agreement "Look, I should probably get home and deal with Peter, we'll talk tomorrow all of us yeah?"
"Ok," Aidan says "We'll talk tomorrow, we all need answers I think"
"I can host at mine," Carla says as Kate and Aidan nods "Peter can look after Hayley as a punishment"
"Take care, Car," Michelle says bringing her in for another hug before she bursts into tears, she was fed up with having to be strong she just wanted to be happy and enjoy motherhood "Oh babe"
"How about we leave you to it?" Kate says as Aidan nods "We'll speak tomorrow if you're up to it Carla" she says as both of the siblings leave
"I want Peter but then I don't want Peter…" Carla says as Michelle chuckles swaying her gently in her arms "Why is my life such a mess?"
"Why don't you stay here tonight?" Michelle says "I'll let Peter know and tell him not to contact you"
"You don't want to be dealing with two screaming babies, nor does Liz," Carla says as Michelle smiles slightly at her
"Carla, it'll be fine, she'll want to help," Michelle says as Carla nods defeatedly "I'll let her know and then I'll run back and get some things for the girls as well as letting Peter know where you were"
"Don't tell him anything about Johnny" Carla replies sternly as Michelle nods "I'll tell him when the times right"
"Ok, well I'll leave you to it, I'll be back soon" Michelle whispers kissing Carla on the forehead "Don't do anything stupid"
"I won't, and thank you"