"Morning." Peter mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he walked into the living room.
"Hi." Carla said, quietly, as she toyed with the cold breakfast on her plate.
"Oh, is that the time?" Peter's eyes widened as the clock read ten o'clock in the morning. "You should've woken me."
"Thought you needed the sleep, considering you didn't come up until three." She shrugged, her eyes remaining rooted to the floor.
"I must've needed it." He walked into the kitchen to make himself a coffee.
"Why did you come up so late then?" Carla called out, her back to him.
"It wasn't that late."
"Peter, it was three in the morning." She snapped.
"I was watching a film down here and got carried away, that's all." He walked back into the living room, taking a seat next to her.
"Mm."
"What?" He frowned.
"You weren't avoiding me?" She glanced at him, raising her eyebrows.
"Of course not? Why am I getting a lecture about going to bed late, I'm not a child." He tutted.
"Peter! I'm not lecturing you. I just think it's weird, that's all."
"How's it weird?" He shrugged, annoyed.
"Every night you wait until I'm asleep before coming up."
"And what's the problem with that? It's not like we're doing anything in bed together is it?" He said but when her saw her face, he instantly regretted it.
"So that's what it is then. I knew it," She shook her head, biting her lip. "You just want sex and I can't give you that."
"Now you're putting words into my mouth, Carla."
"No, it's okay. I'll just go." She stood up, abruptly.
"Oh, not again. Run away, go on." He rolled his eyes, leaning his head back.
"Shut up, Peter." She snapped.
"Actually, you know what? I'll save you the trip and I'll go to work early." He barged past.
"Very mature." She scoffed, throwing herself on the sofa.
"What? It was okay for you to go upstairs in a strop yesterday when I was asking if you were okay." He shrugged, standing at the door.
She ignored him; shaking her head as she avoided eye contact.
"So you're still not going to tell me why you're acting like this then?" He added.
"Why I'm acting like what? Have you not considered the fact it might be you that's acting different?" She hissed.
"I haven't done anything wrong, Carla! You're the one arguing with me. I'm going out."
"Bye then!" Carla shouted.
Her thoughts went back to Tina, she felt as if Peter was avoiding her and getting away at any opportunity. What if he was with her last night? The thoughts made herself feel physically sick; everything was adding up to make it feel like this was the reality she was in.
She wasn't ready to hear the words come out of his mouth, she couldn't bare it. But she also couldn't humiliate herself further, in her eyes. So this was how it was going to be.
"You look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders." Daniel placed his hand onto Peter's shoulders, frowning.
He was right, the older man was sat in Roy's Rolls with his head resting on his palm. He looked like he was daydreaming.
"What?" He lifted his head to see Daniel sit opposite him.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing." He shrugged.
"Lies," Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Is it Carla? Simon?"
"First option."
"So Carla? What's happened?"
"I don't even know, that's the problem."
"Right, I'm lost now."
"Daniel, she's acting like I've cheated on her all over again." He exclaimed.
"But you haven't?" Daniel checked.
"Of course not! I love Carla. But she makes it difficult when she's like this."
"Like what?"
"It's like she's completely paranoid. She's snappy, flying off the handle over everything and then running off."
"You can hardly blame her. Tina back on the street must be hard to deal with."
"But that was years ago, Daniel. And I keep reassuring her. I don't know what else I can do." He replied.
"It isn't helping when you are angry like this though."
"Sorry but whose side are you on here? I've not done anything wrong!"
"Have you tried to maturely speak it through? Find out why she's being so argumentative?" Daniel questioned.
"I just can't get through to her. She's got her walls right up."
"It isn't going to get better if you're downing coffee with me instead."
"I didn't get any sleep last night." He mumbled.
"Why not?"
"I was just thinking," He paused. "She doesn't ever show how appreciative she is of me. We haven't had, you know, in months."
"Too much information-..."
"But, Daniel, you need that in a relationship and we don't have it. I could count on one hand how many times we've had sex since we got back from Carisile. I don't think she's into me anymore."
"If she wasn't into you then why is she with you still?"
"Maybe I'm just a comfort blanket. Maybe she is too scared to bite the bullet and break up with me." He exhaled.
"This is another thing you need to speak to her about."
"I've tried and she throws it back into my face. I don't know what I can do now."
"Thank you for the chat, I needed to get it off my chest." Peter patted his brothers shoulder as they stood up from their seats.
They'd been chatting for over an hour now and Peter felt relieved now he'd confided in someone about the way he's been feeling.
"It's fine, you were always there for me through Sinead," Daniel replied. "Just remember, it is completely understandable why Carla might be feeling this way. It can't be easy having Tina back on the street."
"Yeah," Peter nodded. "And I'll tell her that."
As Peter turned to leave, he swallowed as he saw Tina stood in front of him, stood in the queue at Roy's.
He cleared his throat, glancing at Daniel before making a quick exit.
She smirked, after overhearing Daniels words.
It is completely understandable why Carla might be feeling this way. It can't be easy having Tina back on the street.
Her plan was working. She was making Carla loathe Peter, which always ended in one way.
Him running to another woman for comfort.
She left the queue in Roy's and strutted to the Rovers, ready to concrete her plan further.
"Hi." Tina greeted Jenny, leaning against the bar.
"I don't want you causing trouble, please." Jenny raised her eyebrows, pointedly.
"I'm not here to cause trouble," Tina sighed. "I want a job here."
"And tell me, why should I give you a job? After everything you've done to our Carla."
"Because I am the best barmaid in Manchester. Ask anyone here." Tina said, confidently.
"Are you now?"
"And if you're going to let Peter have a bed here then surely I'm entitled to not get treated like dirt whenever I walk in here."
"It's unfair on Carla."
"She's a grown woman, she can get over it. But I need a job, Jenny. You seem like a nice enough person, we'd probably get along."
Jenny grinned, accepting the compliment. Her loyalties would always lay with Carla but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't tempted.
"Oh what are you doing back here?" Carla's voice echoed as she walked into the bar.
"This is why I can't give you a job," Jenny bit her lip. "Carla works here."
"Why aren't you at your poxy knicker factory?"
"Beg your pardon?"
"I need this job, Jenny." Tina raised her voice.
"Well, you aren't having it. So sling your hook." Carla said, harshly.
"Yeah, what she said." Jenny defended Carla, holding her head sigh and crossing her arms.
"Carla, I'm not going to play nice if you carry on like this. I mean it." Tina threatened, scarily low.
"You don't scare me, Tina." Carla smirked.
"I might not. But I think you're underestimating the power I have over Peter. A stroke of his ego and he's practically falling at my knees."
Carla swallowed, trying to keep a strong composure when all she wanted to do is crumble in that moment.
"Peter wouldn't go back to a tart like you. He knows what it's like to be without me now and he won't make the same awful mistake." Carla looked at her with disgust.
"Mmm, is that right? Because that's not what I heard at the Cafe earlier. You want to have a word with him about the things he confides in his brother about...Daniel, is it?" Tina taunted her.
"Look ladies, I don't want to be the ring girl here. As much as the role would suit me. So pack it in." Jenny interrupted.
Carla walked into the back room, in tears.
As Tina smirked, she turned around to the older woman.
"So I take it the jobs a no?"
"Goodbye, Tina." Jenny smiled, sarcastically.
Out the back, Carla stood against the door as she panicked about what this could mean for her relationship. Tina was clearly adamant that she was taking her man, and she knew how easy it was for Peter to sway. He's done it with her before and he's done it to her as well. What else could she do? She couldn't let her win. She needed to talk to Peter.
Wiping her eyes, she stormed out the back door to find her boyfriend...