Waking up the next morning, I couldn't help but relive the events of last night. Peter helping me regain my feelings, getting me to feel things I hadn't felt in a while, he brought out in me what I had been missing. After my hand was bandaged and back to typing away, we both got back to work and listened to the radio to fill the air space between us. Sure, a few words had been said between us, light-hearted comments really joke to keep between us, nothing too heavy to hurt each other. He finished his contract just before I did, yet he waited for me, waited for me to finish, and offered to walk me home. Most of the snacks were destroyed, chocolate wrappers and crisp packets littered my office which he helped pick up a few, both of us were still too tired to actually finish the job. As soon as I got home, I passed out straight away in bed having the evening take a different turn than I expected.

Walking in the morning from my flat, I was immediately found by Nick who came running from the Salon over to me with a worried smile on his face.

"Hey, what happened to you last night?"

"What?"

Then I remembered I was supposed to have spent the evening with Nick last night, we were going to meet up and I didn't even let him know that I couldn't make it. Not only did I not let him know, but my mind also suddenly remembered that he did call, he called me last night and I rejected his call and then I turned it off and still hadn't turned it back on, I was too tired to realise.

"I'm sorry Nick, I completely forgot, I had to stay in the factory and do this contract and – "

"It's ok, I get it, maybe next time, let me know aye?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

I felt horrible but I couldn't do anything to change it anymore, from now on I needed to look at the bigger picture in my life now on. Nick gave me a quick peck on the forehead and took my hand as we carried on walking to the factory as I had to get started for the day. His hand felt different in mine today, it wasn't feeling the same and I couldn't put the pieces together on why. Finally, he dropped my hand, and I moved my newly free hand into my bag to pull out the keys and unlike the door. Normally we would part ways but today Nick came over and took my hand again, walking me into the strange factory. His eyes immediately landed on the rubbish scattered all over my desk.

"Wow, you didn't have the best substance to help you get through the work".

"That's true."

I felt awkward talking about it as the evidence of my evening with Peter was staring both me and Nick in the face and I wasn't admitting it to him. He then started to pick up the rubbish and putting them in the nearby bin next to my desk, filled with guilt, I quickly joined in to help not to let him clear it up on his own, especially since it was partly Peter's mess.

"Do you want to pop to the Bistro for lunch?"

His hands moved to my waist and pulled me into him as he pecked my lips quickly, smiling at me as I kissed him again. I thought over my day and was sad to admit that I had to probably work through lunch as tomorrow was the scan, so I needed to get ahead so that I wasn't behind tomorrow. There was no way I could see him during my workday, there was time after the workday as I didn't have any plans with Michelle, and let's be honest, she was really my only true friend.

"I can't today, I need to work through lunch, maybe later?"

"Why do you have to work through lunch? You work too hard."

"I've got the scan tomorrow, so I want to get ahead."

"Oh yeah. Are you going alone or with the dad or …?"

He wanted to know more about the baby's dad, he had for a while, without directly asking, he always hinted to want to know more. Instead of taking the opportunity to come forward and tell him that the dad was Peter, I dodged every question and hint, I hid and now it was too late to come out with the truth.

"So, are you free later?"

"After work?"

"No before work. Yes, after work?"

I gave him another kiss after my sarcastic remark to remind him that I was just joking as I didn't want to hurt his feelings as I know I can come across as a bitch.

"You finish at what? Five? I'm sorry, I have a big reservation showing up about ten minutes before, and then we are fully booked. You could come in and sit at the bar?"

"And what? Hope that you get a minute free to say hi?"

He had a smile at his suggestion which quickly dropped at my remark, which wasn't fair of me and I felt bad immediately. It was the truth though, I didn't really want to sit at the bar all evening by myself just on the off chance he would get to wave at me, I wanted to relax not be out all night on my own. Sucking it up though, I smiled back and tried to return his smile.

"Actually, sorry, that sounds good. I might pop to see Chelle first though so don't expect me straight away."

"Ok, love you."

Another quick kiss and he was left wearing the smile that I took it, as soon as he left my brain just registered what he had said for his exit. He just confessed that he loved me, he said those words to me, and I honestly didn't expect it. Instead of him waiting for me to say it back, he was confident that I either felt the same way and didn't need to say it or he knew I wouldn't say it back, but he just wanted to say it. Did I feel the same way? Either way, I needed to shake myself out of my own head and get to work or I would be staying here all night again. My computer was fired up, but my eyes fell to the sticky note on my computer screen that definitely wasn't there last night. It was stuck to the right corner of my monitor, so I grabbed it, reading it with a smile.

'Don't work too hard and remember to eat. Peter xx'

The door opened revealing Alya as she wished me good morning and I quickly scrunched up the note and threw it in my bin to destroy the evidence from her. She looked at me suspiciously but shrugged it off going to her own computer to start working. Following her lead, I logged on to my computer and was reminded of Peter again as the top email was the signature attached to the contracts, we sent out last night and I felt myself feel good, reminiscing the night again.

At lunchtime I had to send Alya and Sally away to eat as both tried to stay and impress me by copying me, I tried to explain but it was difficult without telling them why as they didn't need to know I was pregnant, it was too early. Just as I finally got to be alone and work, Michelle chose now to burst through the office door and perch herself at the end of my desk, waiting for me to stop working and look at her before she would tell me why she intruded on me today. Huffing, I pulled away from my desk and turned to look at it, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

"What?"

"Do you have someone coming with you tomorrow or do you need me to come?"

"What? No. I said the dad was coming with me."

"And I never know if you are lying to me to pretend to be strong. You don't have to go alone."

"I'm not, the dad is coming with me."

She glared at me, trying to figure out if I was lying but there was nothing else, I could say, I couldn't exactly prove it and show her the confirmation text from Peter or let her see him pick me up, or was I picking him up? Either way, she would go mad if she found out the truth. Almost as if by magic, just thinking about Peter, made him appear at the doorway looking sheepish as he realised Michelle was also in the office. Michelle was just about to say something else but shut her mouth when she spotted Peter and looked at me curiously.

"Erm, sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

"No, it's ok Peter, what can I do for you?"

"Erm, you know what it's fine actually."

His eyes nervously shifted to me and the desk he was sat at all night and I knew this was something to do with last night and definitely shouldn't be said in front of Michelle. She didn't care or notice the mood change and pressured him to try and spit out what he wanted to say.

"No, go on Peter, what is it you want?"

He shuffled from foot to foot looking awkward and annoyingly he and I was both backed into a corner by Michelle, basically my whole life. I sadly smiled at him, but he knew just as well as I did that he needed to think of a lie or confess giving Michelle more information than she needed.

"Sorry, my wallet must have fallen out and I've been looking for it, I think I see it under the desk."

He pointed to Sally's desk and looked sheepish, I realised that he had to tell the truth as he needed his wallet, he had already gone all morning without it. Michelle's head quickly wrapped back around to glare at me in suspicion, obviously wanting to know everything and have the information to connect all the dots but instead, I tried to help Peter. I stood up and moved to the other side of the desk, bending down to get on my knees so that I could help in the search. Peter was quick to object though.

"No, it's ok, you shouldn't be on the floor in your con – In your own company."

That was a terrible cover, he was stumbling over his words and when I stood up, I regretted offering to help as Michelle looked confused and as though she was thinking things through. Instead of delaying her, I had just given her time alone to think about everything she could hear, and I didn't regret anything more right now. Peter stood up triumphantly but tried to hide it as he showed his wallet in his hand.

"Got it… I should… er… go. I'm going to get going."

He moved out of the factory, not getting a goodbye or even a look from me as Michelle and I stared at each other, she looked at me with her eyebrows raised and anger clear on her face. As soon as we heard the factory door shut, I was quick to jump in first trying to come to my own defence, trying to tell some of the truth.

"Listen, yes he popped in last night and he did help – "

"Carla, shut up."

"What? I was just trying to – "

"Carla, Shut up!"

She was shouting now, and her anger turned to extreme frustration as she glared at me trying to remain somewhat calm, keeping some of her anger at bay so that she didn't scream at me. I listened to her demand and kept quiet as she took a breath to try and calm down, even if it was in vain.

"Carla, I need you to tell me the truth now. The dad of your baby, is it Peter or is it not?"

"Michelle – "

"No Carla. Is it Peter or not?"

"…yes."

Her eyes went wide, and the anger was clearly burning in her eyes begging to be released on me as her whole body was visibly filled with rage. I waited patiently as I knew I deserved this, I was going to have this lecture and it was only a matter of time, it was bound to happen, I just didn't expect it this early on in the pregnancy.

She took a deep breath, and I knew it was so that she wouldn't scream at me and escalate the situation further than necessary.

"Carla, are you a literal idiot? I mean, out of all the men, every single man out there and you pick flaming Peter Barlow? What is wrong with you?"

"Chelle – "

"Are you forgetting everything he did to you, the lies, the cheating, the deceit? What could have possibly made you go back to him?"

"I just – "

"No."

She wasn't going to let me get a word in as she was just too furious at me, there was no point in even trying to defend myself and I guess I deserved all of this, it what I knew was coming to me. If our situations were reversed, I would probably be doing the same thing, but they weren't, I was always the one making the mistakes. Michelle was going to keep going until it was all out of her system, so I guess I was lucky that I didn't have any meetings to get to today.

"Have you not learnt anything? Peter Barlow, the man who destroyed you and your previous baby? Did you honestly expect me to happy for you when I found out the truth? This is pathetic, I can't believe it after everything you went through, after everything I helped you through."

She was right but it was too late now.

"Carla, what the hell were you thinking?"

Finally, her eyes connected with mine and she was panting heavily, her anger starting to fade as she opened the floor for me to talk now. How do I even answer her?

"I – Chelle, I – I don't know, I was just in a low place and he was there, like an idiot I wanted to be loved and not rejected. I was stupid, I know that. It's too late now in any way, what's done is done."

"What's done is done?"

Ok, I probably shouldn't have said that.

"No, I just mean, it's too late to change anything now, isn't it?"

"No, it's not."

I know she is angry, but I couldn't believe she had just suggested that I know exactly what those words meant, she did too as she immediately looked guilty and began to backtrack.

"Carla, I didn't – "

"Look, this baby wasn't planned, and I didn't expect it to happen, but it did, I am pregnant, and I don't care who the dad is, I want this baby, Peter wants to be a part of its life so I'm not going to stop him, it's his right. I know this isn't the best idea I have ever had but when do I? Chelle, I'm sorry I should have told you, but I can't change anything."

At the end of my rant, I heard the sound of the factory door opening and knew that with it accompanied by loud gossiping that the lunch break was over, so did Chelle. She got up looking at me with eyes filled with pity at me and my situation before she asked me one more question.

"Does Nick know?"

"No."

"You need to tell him Car."

Her words were soft, and she smiled at me before she left but it didn't take the sting and meaning out of her words that cut me deeply. Nick deserved to know I was just too much of a coward to say anything to him, too afraid to change anything between us.

The workday was coming to an end and instead of following the plan I told Nick of going to see Chelle first, I decided to have some time for myself in the office before sitting at the bar all night. I was sitting alone for about thirty minutes until I decided to just face the music and go to the Bistro, there was no reason to blow off my boyfriend two nights in a row. Just as I was leaving though, I sent a quick text to Peter, to ensure there was no animosity between us tomorrow at the scan.

'Hey, sorry about earlier and Chelle. Glad you have your wallet back.'

I was out the door and, in the Bistro, before I knew it and ordered a glass of water from Steph as Nick was nowhere to be seen. Ten minutes later I was on my second drink and still no sighting of my boyfriend. After an hour I finally caught sight of him coming out of his office and he took notice of me with a quick kiss on the forehead before moving on to help out with the busy restaurant. Just over two hours since I first sat down, I was seven glasses of water, three loo breaks, and two quick pecks from Nick in until I decided to call it a night and leave. Nick wouldn't be happy, but I was tired and bored, it also wasn't great being left alone with my own thoughts.

As I left the bistro to walk home, I heard Simon and Peter before I saw them as they walked back to number one goofing around with each other and making each other laugh. It brought a smile to my face to see how easy and natural their relationship was. No matter what I said to Michelle, I know Peter can be a good father and I'm ok with my baby being his.

Thank you for all the support and reviews on this story, I also have a new story called Happier if you would like to check it out.