Chapter 51:
Carla
"Ah, Michelle. What a sweet thing to do." I play her up as we enter the office and she rolls her eyes at my act. "I had no idea." I continue to ease the smile across her face as I breathe in the scent of the lilies she had decorated my desk with a night prior. "And my favourite chocolate. Hey, this'll be gone in half an hour."
"Yeah, bet you've been thinking about that all night haven't you?" She challenges me and I narrow my eyes.
"Thank you." I go over, taking her by surprise as I slip a hand into her hair, my other falling to her waist as I kiss her passionately.
"Hi I- Oop! Uh..." Sarah stutters as she opens the office door, suddenly blushing dramatically and turning away. "Sorry..."
"Don't apologise." I grin at her, swanning around to take my seat. "My fault for being unprofessional." I flash Michelle a sultry look, which leaves her slightly flustered. It was cute when I managed to do that to her. It was as if we were sixteen again.
"Uh... I was going to say," Sarah composes herself, handing out coffees. "I had a word with Kirk. He's asked if you want the first part of the Altree order taking today, or whether you want it going altogether next week?"
"...Uh." I scan my computer, still in limbo about what was happening. "Yeah I'll get back to you on that." I decide, sighing as I open up my email, noticing Sid had not dropped us an angry message overnight.
"Carla..." Michelle begins, already knowing what she was planning to say. "I can phone him and talk him round if you want-"
"No you won't." I raise a finger to her, and I notice her flash Sarah an awkward look.
"But we've spent so much on the materials, it's going to be a complete waste." She argues with me softly and taking a moment to contemplate the situation myself, I sit back in my chair.
"...What's this about the Sid order?" Sarah pipes up cautiously.
My eyes drift to hers, deciding it best to keep her in the loop. "Sid might be pulling the order."
"What? He can't do that!" Sarah suddenly bursts into hysterics. "We're a week away from finishing."
"Yeah." I rub my temples, trying to remain calm. "I'll sort something."
"Well he signed a contract." Sarah points out, as if I hadn't thought about that factor. "He can't pull out once he's signed on the dotted line, surely."
"Mm... Sarah, any chance you could get me a copy of that contract printed?"
"Yeah course." She nods obediently, sitting down at her desk and logging into her computer.
"Chelle, leave me to handle him now, ok?" I ask gently, hoping I wasn't sounding too patronising. "Can you take over the King's Robes order?"
"Yeah well I'm actually already underway." She mutters as if I have offended her, which maybe I had.
"Thank you my sweet angel." I flash her a dreamy smile and she pulls a face at the way I was sweetening her up. "Right, let's get started then."
Michelle
Well Jamie, it's sixteen more sleeps until Christmas, I think it's that time in the morning that we get the holiday tunes playing, don't you? Next on Heart we have Kelly Clarkson with Underneath The Tree, have a fantastically festive morning.
The radio begins to blast out the upbeat tune and I groan, turning the page in my magazine. Sixteen more sleeps. I was excessively behind with planning for Christmas. And this year, there was a list as long as my arm of people I needed to buy presents for. It seemed to get longer every year. I was sure that wasn't the way it was supposed to be.
"Ooh, it's cheery in here this morning." Carla enters the room, smacking her hands together after doing her makeup. I look up from my plate of toast, screwing my nose up slightly. "Well, I've got some news."
"Good or bad?" I lower my mug, waiting for the verdict.
"Bad, for me." She announces, although she didn't look too bothered as she pours herself out a coffee. "My favourite jeans are too tight."
"Oh. I thought it was gonna be something terrible then." I sigh, going back to my magazine.
"It is, Michelle." She taps my head with a tea towel, before moving into the seat opposite me. "But the crying about it is done with. I need to go shopping. You up for it?"
"You've been crying?" I study her, suddenly worried and she just shrugs, picking up a piece of my toast and biting off the corner. "You will get it all back, you know? Look at me."
"Mm, don't want to. Makes me jealous." She just munches, eyeing me up and down. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question."
"Well I was thinking I need to go Christmas shopping anyway." I gaze around the flat. "And we need to get a tree."
"Ugh, do we have to?" She pulls a face. "Good job it's the weekend then isn't it? Let's waste it by conforming to the absurd obsessions of festive spirit."
"Well, you're a bit of a grinch this morning." I laugh, standing up and wrapping my arms around her shoulders, plastering her in kisses. "Someone's annoyed because the zip won't go up." I tease her and she fends me off playfully. Before settling to whisper against her cheek. "We'll buy you some stuff. They've got some really nice maternity clothes in Debenhams actually. Was reading it in my magazine."
"Pregnancy and newborn?" Carla reads the front cover, once she has picked up what I had been reading. "Why are you reading pregnancy magazines?"
"Uh, because there's lots of tips for the 'father' too." I point to a section of the contents page and she screws her nose up at the stereotyping they had used. "And you know, I pick up new info that I can pass on to you."
"...Can I have this?" She asks, flicking through and reading a section on breastfeeding, her features contorting in puzzlement.
"What's mine is yours." I kiss her cheek quickly before moving to wash up my plate.
"Five ways to survive stress in pregnancy." She reads out loud. "Ah, an article written for me." Letting out a soft laugh at her words, I continue to listen to her read from the page. "'Mindfulness'... Already bored of that one. 'Pregnancy yoga'. Nope. 'Be kind to yourself', ooh, that sounds more appealing. Little things add up. Allow yourself a long indulgent soak in the bath, buy yourself some relaxing music or a... Hypno-birthing CD? What's that when it's at home?"
"It's basically techniques and exercises you can do to ease discomfort." I inform her, finishing up at the sink and slotting into the seat opposite her again. "And sort of pregnancy therapy to help you relax."
"Ugh, sounds like a waste of time to me."
"It's actually really effective." I offer my experiences and she just shakes her head, continuing to read.
"Complementary therapies." She continues and I smile. "A pregnancy specific massage could soothe stress. Ooh, take notes."
"Are we going shopping or not?" I raise an eyebrow and she peers over the pages at me.
"Nice try at getting out of it." She bites her lip, finally getting up to grab her coat. "I'll give it another shot later."
Carla
"You know, all you need is the Trafford Centre to put you to shame about how far behind you are with Christmas." I observe the festive decorations; golds and reds and greens, stars hanging from the ceiling, tinsel woven into every crevice of the building. "Remember when I said I'd have everything done by the end of November? Must've been kidding myself, ha."
"Yeah well, me going round the loop is what probably set that back." Michelle points out glumly and I briefly observe her, scanning the surroundings before slipping a hand into hers. It felt weird, in such a bustling, public environment where we didn't know every person that passed like in Weatherfield. But at the same time, wholesome. "Ok I have a question."
"Hit me."
"Are we buying presents for family together or separately?" She asks, which is something that had not struck a thought in my mind.
"Ah, do you think we're married or something?" I nudge her. "Suppose it would be weird if we bought all separate gifts... And we can get them some nicer stuff this year."
"What? Nicer than a box of chocolates from Knutsford service station?" She grins cheekily. "Careful, you don't wanna set people's hopes too high."
"Shush, you." I give her a soft elbow in the ribs, watching as she pulls a list out of her pocket. Of course she would be that prepared.
Christmas presents 2018:
Ryan - video game, aftershave (Hugo Boss)
Ali - shirt, aftershave (Sauvage)
Carla
Kate - champagne, new urban decay palette, earrings
Johnny - new coat, posh whiskey
Mum - Clinique face cream, scarf
Dad - cufflinks, handkerchiefs, chocolates
Rana - earrings, bath stuff
Jenny - new toaster
Maria - posh coffee machine
Cousin Tom - t-shirt
Liam - Gravitrax deluxe set
Susie - clothes
Roy - leave to Carla
Amy?
"Uh, why am I third?" Is what I am first to point out after scanning the list. "And why is there nothing next to my name?"
"Because I knew you'd spy on it." Michelle narrows her eyes. "And because I haven't actually decided what to get you yet."
"Oh, I have all yours planned out."
Her eyes light up in surprise. "Really?"
"Yep." I lie, knowing I would pull it together all the same. "...We're getting Jenny a toaster?"
"Yeah well she kept complaining that they needed a new one but were putting it off until their current one completely packed in."
"She'll be thrilled." I arch an eyebrow. "Every girl wants a toaster for Christmas... You're buying for Amy Barlow? Buy her a new mum."
"Well she was my step-daughter once." She shrugs. "Are you getting anything for Simon?"
"Yeah maybe actually." I add his name to my mental list, letting out a soft groan at the extent of it. Steering me into Selfridges, she begins to set her list into action, heading for the makeup counter.
Carla
"Right then, that's Liam done." Michelle comments as we leave Hamleys, her eyes moving to my bags. "Babe, let me carry that coffee machine."
"Why?" I laugh at her fussing.
"Because I don't want you carrying anything heavy." She takes it off me without taking further argument, swapping it for a lighter one of hers. "You can carry the scarf bag."
"Thanks mum." I wind her up, swinging the bag slightly. "Where next?"
"Uh, we need to sort Susie." She decides, veering off into John Lewis and dragging me to the baby section as if she had it all mapped out in her head. Hit with soft pinks and whites and blues, I hang back warily, realising the only time I had ever stepped foot in the baby section of any store was when I bought the teddy for my baby girl. I had been out shopping in the precinct and dared to step foot in a mother and baby store, still remembering the sense of not belonging there. Wanting to feel accomplished, but still uncomfortable, I had scrambled to find one item that I could purchase that would allow me to show Peter that I had my head around the pregnancy. Thinking maybe it would solidify the fact in my head that I was about to have somebody completely dependent on me. Thinking maybe it would make me love her more. And it did, after choosing the teddy at random and paying in a hurry, I realised this would be my child's first teddy, maybe the one they would take to pre-school. Maybe the one they would keep until the teenage years, fading and well-loved at the end of the bed.
But it never even got to meet her. And now it sat at the back of my wardrobe, unable to get rid but unable to face it everyday.
"Carla?" Michelle calls my name softly, noticing how tears had sprung to my eyes. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." I brush a hand across my face, adamant not to start the waterworks in public. "It's just all very new, that's all."
She reaches out her hand and I offer her a smile as I take it, allowing her to lead me down the aisles at my own pace. "Look how cute." She sticks her bottom lip out, letting go of my hand to stroke it over a fluffy white baby grow.
"Tiny." I just murmur and she smiles supportively, continuing to talk to me in order to keep our minds occupied from what we were both trying not to think about.
"I'm thinking of getting Susie a really nice party dress." She begins to pace down another aisle, reaching the kind of thing she was looking for. "Look, that's so pretty. Can imagine her in that can't you? How old is she now? Six months?"
"Just over." I nod, tracing my memory back, a lump forming in my throat when I hit May.
"Should I get twelve months? She can grow into it then." Michelle suggests and I just nod, trying to put a bright expression on my face. She notices, lowering her shopping bags and turning to face me. "Hey, do you want to go home?"
"No." I force back tears, choking on the word slightly. "No, I'm fine."
She doesn't say anything else, just pulls me into a hug which I awkwardly return with my bags still glued in my hands.
"They've got some really nice stuff." I try to pull myself together once she has let go, and she takes the rest of my bags off me as I reach forward to inspect a floral baby pinafore. "Stitching's good."
"Oh old habits die hard, don't they?" Michelle rolls her eyes and I manage to release a small giggle. Noting her expression, I take a deep breath, heading down the aisle and picking out two tiny newborn baby grows, nestling them into our basket. "They're too small for Susie-"
"They're not for Susie." I swallow, smiling softly and she hesitates before returning it, biting her lip with slight excitement. "Gotta start somewhere, haven't we?"
"Mm." She leans in to kiss me for a moment. "I love you so much. So, so much."
Michelle
"How are we planning on getting this up the stairs?" Carla points out once I have pulled up outside Victoria Court, opening the car door and standing with her hands on her hips, inspecting the Christmas tree we had picked out.
"Uhh..." I contemplate it for a moment, whipping my phone out. "I'll phone Ali."
"Oh, Nick!" Carla suddenly shouts and my head springs up like a cork out of a bottle, noticing where he was leaving the flats. "Can you help us with this tree?"
"Uh, well I've got to..." He points vaguely in some direction before remembering that we knew he had no responsibilities now he was back. "Yeah I guess." He gives in, recognising my sideways glance before heading towards the car.
"You moving back in?" There is a hint of rudeness in my tone, and he looks confused for a moment, prompting me to point towards the building.
"Oh, no. No." He shakes his head, beginning to take the tree down off the roof of the car. "I was just... Visiting someone." His mutters are barely audible but I work out by process of elimination that it was either Robert or Leanne, hopefully the latter. "Hey." I notice him nudge Carla from where I am stood holding the door. "Remember when you picked out that Christmas tree that was almost too tall for our flat?"
"Uh! You picked it out." Carla retaliates, giggling slightly, which prompts envy to invade my expression. "I didn't even want one. You forced me."
"Yeah you made that very clear when we had to get Harry and Bethany to decorate the tree because you were too busy washing your hair." He continues to tease her and I exhale sharply, failing in my hopes to draw attention to myself. "And then you had the audacity to say the baubles were wonky!"
"Well Nicholas, it looked terrible, I couldn't have my reputation ruined like that-"
"Door's not getting any lighter." I shout over, even though it was a stupid remark to make, it really wasn't much of a strain. I betted that if Carla had permission to eye roll me, she would. Instead, she just leaves his side after he mentions that he will follow us up.
Once Nick had dumped the Christmas tree somewhere I felt satisfied, he made a swift exit, keen not to stay too long in the flat which clearly brought back nostalgia of his broken marriage.
"Right." I clap my hands together after firmly closing the door in his absence, the floor littered with shopping bags. "Let's get decorating then."
"Chelle I'm really tired." Carla just sighs, lying down on the sofa and pulling a cushion up to her chest, her eyes fluttering closed. "Shopping's exhausting when you've got two babies and a kidney to look after."
"Yeah, sorry baby." I drop to kneel next to her, grazing a thumb along her forehead. "Ok so why don't I make you a brew and you can watch me try to battle this tree?"
"That sounds amusing." She doesn't open her mouth, just smiles to herself contently. Just as I rise, the buzzer rings out and gritting my teeth I head over to it.
"Yes?" I just call down the phone, praying it wasn't Nick again, back to reminisce some witty memories with my wife.
"Michelle? It's Eva." Her voice responds and I screw my nose up slightly, glancing at where Carla was lay, fatigued on the sofa. "I'm just wondering if you can have Susie for a few hours? I've tried everyone. There's been a family emergency. I can't take her to the hospital."
"...Is everything alright?" I ask, realising we were still having this conversation via intercom.
"Yeah I just... I need someone to take her."
"...It's not really a good time." I just respond to her begging, Carla sitting up at the realisation I was talking about her exhaustion.
"Who is it?" She whispers.
"Eva." I respond in a hushed tone. "Wants us to have Susie."
"Oh, yeah that's fine." She springs up, going to open the door and I exhale in slight annoyance as I buzz Eva up. "I haven't seen her in so long... Hi sweetheart!" She coos as Eva arrives, pushchair in hand. "Oh look how much you've grown." It makes me soften slightly as she picks her up out of the pram, positioning her over her shoulder like a professional.
"It'll literally be a few hours." Eva directs it at me but Carla replies on my behalf.
"Oh take your time." She dismisses her, clearly still having no intention of being best friends. "We don't mind having you, do we?" Carla lightens her tone, moving Susie just in front of her face to talk to her.
"Well, thanks. You're lifesavers." Eva thanks us, waving us off and fussing about formula and nappies before I manage to remind her I had done it all before.
"Thought you were knackered." I point out, although I didn't mind; seeing Carla so comfortable around her niece was almost therapeutic to me.
"Yeah, I am." She takes a seat on the sofa, wrapping Susie in a blanket and rocking her close to her chest. "So we are going to sit here, rest, and watch you stick lights on this pretty little tree."
"Little?" I glance at it, raising an eyebrow. Hesitating as my gaze shifts back to where Carla is humming soothingly to Susie, staring down into her face with love, I melt on the spot. Going over, I plant a kiss on top of her head, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and pressing my lips to her ear. "You're going to be a great mum."
Carla
"Uh no, a bit higher." I continue to wind Michelle up as she puts the last few decorations on the tree. "One branch up. No not that one, the one to the left of it-"
"Carla!" She scolds under her breath so as not to wake Susie, but the hint of the smile on her face shows me it was humouring her secretly. "Right, happy?"
"Hmm, what do we think?" I murmur, leaning my head close to Susie's and Michelle stands, hands on hips, waiting for the verdict. "Yeah she said it'll do."
"It'll do." She narrows her eyes, before heading over to the kitchen. "Right, do you want a butty?"
"A butty?" I screw my face up. "Can't you do me something more substantial?"
"Who do you think you are?" She laughs, hair whipping round to face me again.
"The mother of your children." I smile sweetly, playing the card for perhaps the sixth time today. My tummy rumbles and I urgently try to figure out what I was craving now. "Ugh... Oh can we get pizza? Please we have to get pizza." I rise upon the realisation, laying Susie in her carrier gently and checking she was settled. "Chelle, I really need pizza."
"Alright, Carla." Michelle rolls her eyes, although I knew she was only pretending to be annoyed at me. Secretly, I reckon she found it endearing. Pulling up the local pizza delivery on her phone, she tuts to herself quietly. "Who'd have thought, Carla Connor, begging to have a greasy pizza for dinner."
"Mm, get it ordered." I beg her demandingly, moving to the cupboards to check them for something that could fill the void in the time being and she just laughs softly.
"Right, what toppings do you want-"
"Olives. JalapeƱos. Tuna. Peppers. Pineapple. Sausage." I list off, alarming her slightly. "Anchovies. Oh my God, anchovies."
"...That is going to be the weirdest order they have ever taken." Michelle screws her nose up, scribbling it down on a nearby notepad.
"Can you tell them extra anchovies?" I ask desperately and she takes a moment to weigh up my urgent stance, chewing on a cracker to pass the time.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes it's just all hit me at once and I want it now." I don't even refrain from trying to tone it down, sounding like a stroppy child.
"Hello? Yes can we order two pizzas to be delivered please?" Michelle addresses them after dialling the number and I watch her intently, hanging off her every word. "Yeah one vegetable supreme and then... The second one is kind of weird. Right... Ok, so she'd like olives, jalapeƱos, tuna, pineapple, peppers, sausage and anchovies."
"Extra anchovies." I hiss.
"...And could she have some extra anchovies. We'll pay however much that's going to come to." Michelle listens on the line for a moment. "Yeah I know. She's pregnant with twins... I don't know either... Yeah."
"What are you saying?" I frown, suddenly inquisitive at what was causing her to smile humorously, then realising there was something more important to mention. "Ooh, oh Michelle?"
"One second." She pulls the phone away from her ear, looking at me expectantly. "Yes?"
"Chilli oil." I add and she rolls her eyes. "Please. Thank you. Love you."
"Can you also put some chilli oil on the weird one please? Thanks so much." She responds to them, before taking the call in the bedroom to get her credit card. I snatch another cracker from the packet, drumming my fingers on the counter impatiently. Moving to the fridge, I pull out a jar of olives and a tub of cream cheese, smearing it on the cracker with a knife and positioning three olives on top. "Right all ordered." Michelle announces, smacking her hands together as she re-enters the room, pulling a face when she sees what I'm eating. "You'll be full up by the time it gets here at this rate."
"Oh, I won't." I scoff knowingly, invested in finishing off the cracker before looking up and realising the way she was staring at me. Pure love in her eyes, warmth, care, amusement. "...What?"
"...You can just be really sweet sometimes." She comments softly and my nose wrinkles at her use of terminology.
"I'm not sweet."
"You are. Our secret." She steps close to me, watching as my munching on the next cracker slows, swallowing hard. "I had a really nice day today."
"Yeah?" I'm pleased at her optimism, surprised but relieved at how well she had handled the crowded shopping centre. "Me too..." I lace our fingers together, moving close so I could feel her warmth. "I think it's going to be a really fun Christmas with you."
"You've spent most of your Christmases with me."
"Yeah but not like this." I lower my voice, placing my spare hand on her cheek. "Not this in love with you." I kiss her gently, moving my hand through her hair. "I might not be able to have my usual bottle of red on Christmas Day, but I definitely have something better this year."
"Oh yeah?" She narrows her eyes. "And what's that?"
"Happiness."
A/N: something lighter for a change, hope you enjoyed! Just wondering, do people prefer the angst or the fluff?
