Thank you for the reviews, I hope you like this chapter. I've planned the next 5 so hopefully, it'll all fit in with everything, there's going to be a bit of a stir between Carla and Peter as well...
After one more month of agreeing to continue with mediation, Carla had finally reached the end of her tether. She was ready to fight dirty with Peter's help, of course, she had one of the best solicitors and she was convinced Emma would be kept under her care. Gail was still tongue lashing both Carla and Peter and this was putting a lot of fire in Carla's belly to fight for what she wanted.
Both Carla and Peter were taking time out for themselves and decided to eat out at the bistro with Hayley and Emma. They were sitting peacefully at a booth in the far corner of the room enjoying each other's company whilst they ate. Carla groaned in response when Gail entered with Sarah, Audrey and Bethany.
"Don't rise to it?" Peter says as Carla glares a Gail, Bethany sauntering over to have a look at Emma "Hey Bethany"
"Hi" Bethany grins as Carla smiles at her "How's my little niece?"
"She's good" Carla responds; she didn't really care about anyone else seeing Emma only Gail as she had caused her a lot of grief "Do you want to hold her?"
"No, she looks settled" Bethany grins as Carla glances to Emma who was sleeping in her pram "Anyway I must get back otherwise mum will cause a scene and as for nan…"
"Alright, bye love" Carla smiles as Bethany nods heading back to the table where Gail, Audrey and Sarah were sitting causing Peter to raise his eyebrows "That better not have been Gail checking up on Emma"
"Don't be so paranoid, let's just try and enjoy our meal?" Peter says as Carla sighs knowing he was right as she glances every now and then to Gail who was staring her down from across the bistro
"I'm not having this" Carla says slamming her napkin down on the table causing Peter to groan in annoyance watching her storm over to the table where Gail was "Do you have a problem?"
"You know what my problem is" Gail scoffs as Carla folds her arms defensively across her chest
"I've offered you access to Emma why do you need to go for more, surely that's enough?" Carla questions incredulously as Audrey and Sarah frown in response
"You never told us?" Sarah glares at Gail and Audrey as well "You offered her access?"
"How many times!" Carla cries exasperatedly "Another thing she hasn't told you"
"Nick's granddaughter is not staying with that alcoholic?"
"Why Gail?" Why are you actually doing this? Nick wanted her to stay with me-"
"That, he did" Sarah mutters under her breath as Gail shoots her look in a bid for back up on the situation
"You do realise if you continue to pursue this the less chance I will let you have access to Emma, shouldn't you be using your energy to find Nick's killer instead of fighting to take my daughter out of her home where she's grown up with her sister?"
"She has a point" Bethany mutters as Carla nods in agreement thanking her for the support "I don't see what the big problem is, Peter seems like a good dad to Hayley surely you should want Emma to have a good dad too?"
"It's not that simple, he's an alcoholic and beat my Nick to a pulp!" Gail retorts as Carla sighs in response
"So?" Bethany questions "Take it from someone who doesn't have a dad, I would've loved to meet my dad when I was younger but I obviously didn't get a chance. Emma will regret having a father figure and it's not like Carla would want Nick to be replaced" Bethany replies chewing n her food as Carla looks somewhat shocked at what Bethany was saying
"I would never replace Emma's father, she'll know who he is and what sort of man he was-"
"That's what worries me, you dripping poison in her ear" Gail snarls as Carla rolls her eyes in response "You have no idea how much I miss my son Carla. None!"
"I do Gail, I understand" Carla replies sympathetically as Peter appears bouncing Emma in his arms to settle her "Oh baby, come here" she whispers taking Emma off Peter as Gail stands up practically forcing Emma into her arms "Get off her!"
"She's my granddaughter!" Gail cries before breaking down in tears causing Carla to shake her head defiantly and takes Emma over to their table
"We're going home," Carla says trying to hold herself together as Peter nods kissing her on the forehead watching as the tears fill her eyes as she holds Emma close to her chest bouncing her gently as Peter packs up Hayley's stuff and puts her in the pram as they make a swift exit from the bistro, Gail storming over and grabbing Carla's wrist causing her to slap her "Don't you dare touch me or my daughter again!"
"You see what she did!" Gail screams "That's assault!"
"Which you provoked!" Carla reminds her as Audrey looks apologetic over the situation "Don't come near me or my daughter again, I mean it…otherwise, you will be sorry"
And that was that, Carla and Peter ran out of the bistro to the safety of their own home…
Peter made Carla a coffee when they arrived home, she was curled up in a blanket holding Emma against her chest as she cried softly into her daughter's head hating the animosity of the situation they were in. Peter gingerly placed the coffee down on the coffee table and sat next to Carla causing her to dissolve into more tears and in all honesty, he didn't know what to say.
"Why does she want to ruin my life!" Carla cries as Peter sighs in response knowing this was bound to happen as Carla had been bottling a lot of things up
"I don't know, love. I wish I could tell you" Peter whispers into her head as Carla looks up at him causing Peter to wipe her tears with the pads of his thumb
"I hate her" Carla replies angrily as Peter runs a hand through her hair gently to try and calm her as she snuggles into him as far as she could
"I know you do" Peter replies gently as Carla continues to cry, the doorbell going off and interrupting them causing Peter to sigh
"If it's her, beat her up for all I care" Carla mutters as Peter nods leaving her to clean her smudged makeup as Peter reappears with police officers "Hi?"
"Mrs Barlow, we believe we have a lead in the investigation of Nick Tilsley's murder"
"Right" Carla nods sitting up as Peter sighs putting an arm around Carla's shoulders knowing that they wouldn't be visiting her if it wasn't anything to do with Carla herself
"As you know we interviewed all your workforce, including your shareholders"
"Ok and?"
"We also checked the CCTV in your office and we found that in fact, Johnny Connor took your car keys that night"
"Did he?" Carla questions shaking her head not wanting to say the crass words which were going to come out of her mouth as the police sigh in response
"We're currently interviewing him, we just wanted to ask you a few questions about Johnny Connor if that's ok?"
"Ok" Carla replies quietly in disbelief "Continue"
"How was your relationship with Johnny Connor?" the officer questions as Carla sighs, Peter, gesturing for her to continue
"Well, we were getting on fine really that was until I found out he was my father" Carla murmurs fiddling with her sleeves as Peter smiles at her courage knowing digging up the past was going to be difficult for her
"Did you find out about him being your father before Nick was murdered?"
"Yes, I did"
"Ok, we're almost done" the officer smiles "Do you reckon Johnny Connor is capable of murder?"
"I don't really know the man that well so I wouldn't be able to comment" Carla mumbles as the officer nods putting the notebook away
"Ok thank you, Mrs Barlow, we just want to get other people's opinions of the suspect," the officer says gently as she nods defeatedly "We'll leave you to it and keep you updated on the situation"
"Thank you" Carla smiles slightly as the officers leave causing her to break down into uncontrollable tears
"Today is not your day is it, love" Peter sighs as Carla places Emma in the Moses basket which was in the living room so she could hug Peter closer
"Why does this always happen?"
"I don't know sweetheart"
"I want to get away Peter, please take me away" Carla cries in exasperation pulling at her hair as Peter looks at her dishevelled appearance knowing that she was not doing well with everything going on in her life "I did not imagine bringing Hayley up in this environment let alone two children, this is so unfair on them Peter"
"So what do you want to do?"
"Go away, I would quite happily move to the other side of the country now" Carla retorts but not sarcastically Peter narrowing her eyes wondering if it would be a good idea going away for a bit
"You want to leave Weatherfield?"
"I do. I need to get away and be the mum my girls deserve Peter, I need to do this for them they deserve a happy life"
"I mean…I'm starting to feel the same" Peter trails off as Carla looks up at him hopefully "Let's just get the girls to bed then we'll talk yeah?"
"Ok" Carla replies quietly as Peter smiles at her kidding her forehead
A few hours later, Carla, Peter and Emma were chilling in the bedroom they all shared together. Carla was resting her head on Peter's chest as she thinks about the disaster of the day beforehand. Peter had the iPad in his hands as he looked up options of getting away knowing that Carla needed to start putting her daughter's first.
"What about this?" Peter questions gently handing Carla the iPad as she looks at it; an apartment in Portsmouth, three bedrooms
"Portsmouth?"
"Yeah, don't be snobby about it," Peter says quietly as Carla chuckles gently looking at the details "What do you think?"
"Yeah, it looks nice, a sea view, a balcony" Carla lists looking through the photos "What would we do about this place though?"
"Rent it?"
"Yeah I guess" Carla shrugs as Peter kisses her on the head "I like it a lot actually"
"Yeah?" Peter questions as Carla looks up at him nodding "We would need to ship our furniture down there"
"We would," Carla says as Peter tilts her head up to meet his lips "I don't care where we go as long as we're away from Gail and Johnny"
"Ok, how about tomorrow I ring up about it and see if there's any interest in it, maybe we could make a weekend of it with the girls and visit it?"
"I'd like that" Carla whispers as Peter smiles slightly "What about Si?"
"If we explain the situation to him I'm sure he'll be understanding of it"
"Ok, let's do it"
"I'll put it on the to-do list tomorrow then," Peter says as Carla smiles straddling him as he smiles at her before she kisses him passionately on the lips "I love you"
"I love you too"