Chapter 5: Daddy's girl?
Carla's senses slowly returned as consciousness dragged her body back to reality. It was touch first, a small hand prodding her, and then her hearing…
"Mummy. Mummy. Wake up, mummy."
Carla gingerly opened one eye to welcome back the sense of sight, however hazy. Jamie was sitting next to Carla on their hotel room bed, desperate for her mum to wake up and alleviate her boredom. But Carla didn't have the energy to resume her everyday responsibilities; not yet.
Groggily, Carla reached out, grabbed a hold of Jamie and pulled her down to lie next to her. She wrapped her arms around the girl and planted a soft kiss on her head.
"Morning, baby."
"Mummy, it's time to get up."
"Not yet. Just… lay still for a bit."
Carla's eyes drooped shut and, almost immediately, she fell back asleep.
It was the noise of the television that woke Carla hours later. Jamie had taken her entertainment into her own hands and had discovered the cartoon channel. Carla picked up her phone to look at the time – 1.17pm. And then there were the missed calls, most of them from Peter.
Carla struggled, first to a sitting position, and then to her feet. She grabbed onto the headboard to stop herself from falling over.
"Did you want something to eat, Jamie?"
Jamie shook her head, not taking her eyes off the television screen.
"I got room service."
Jamie suddenly turned to look at her mum, worried.
"Are you mad?"
"No, darling, of course not."
Carla stumbled into the bathroom; she shut the door behind her and sank down onto the closed toilet seat. Her phone still in hand, she placed a call.
Before she could say anything, Peter's angry voice thundered down the line.
"What the hell are you playing at, Carla? I expected you hours ago!"
"I'm sorry, I really am. I, umm…"
"What?"
"We're gonna have to reschedule."
"No. No, Carla, you can't do this to me."
Carla dropped her head to her hands, exhaustion already threatening to take over her body.
"Peter, please, I can't –"
"We had an arrangement. I thought you were serious when you said you wanted me and Jamie to have a relationship."
"I am –"
"Then why cancel the very first meeting? I don't get it. I don't get why you're torturing me like this."
Carla took a series of shallow breaths, trying desperately to regain control over her breathing.
"Okay, fine."
"Fine? What does that mean?"
"Give me an hour, no, two. Give me two hours."
"You'll be here – with Jamie – in two hours?"
"Yes."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
Two hours later, Carla and Jamie were stood outside the side door of the Rovers. Carla reached up to knock when Jamie suddenly pulled on her mum's arm. Carla looked down to see her daughter looking back up at her anxiously.
Carla crouched down in front of Jamie and looked her in the eye.
"You okay, baby?"
Jamie shrugged her confusion.
"You know you don't have to do this, don't you?"
The girl nodded.
"I want to."
"Then what is it, darlin'?"
Jamie was hesitant to voice her concerns.
"Will he, umm, will he want to kiss me?"
"You know, you don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with, okay? I won't make you; he won't make you. I promise you that. Listen, sweetheart, I know you're nervous. But you know what? So is your dad. This is a big thing for him, meeting you. He loves you so much and he would never do anything to hurt you or upset you. Okay?"
Jamie nodded. Carla wrapped her up in a big hug and held her close.
"I'm so proud of you, baby."
Carla released her daughter from her embrace and looked at her seriously.
"You ready?"
"Yes."
Carla stood and knocked on the door, making sure she kept a tight grip on Jamie's hand the whole time.
The door opened to reveal the very last person Carla wanted to see: Leanne flamin' Battersby.
"Well, look who finally decided to turn up."
"Leanne, don't start."
"You've been back here for two minutes and you're already messing Peter about. He's been going out of his mind this morning. I don't know how you even dare show your face –"
"Is he here?"
Leanne looked at Carla in disgust. Carla had no doubt that, if Jamie wasn't there, Leanne wouldn't have held back in expressing her hatred of Carla.
Leanne sighed; a vicious, bitter sigh.
"Come in."
Leanne left Carla and Jamie alone in the back room while she went to fetch Peter. Jamie, feeling her nerves creep back, climbed into her mum's lap as she sat on the sofa.
A soft knock at the door; it slowly opened to reveal Peter stood in the doorway. Jamie looked up at her dad shyly from the safety of her mother's arms. A warm smile spread over Peter's face as he looked lovingly at his daughter. He took a few tentative steps towards mother and daughter.
Carla lowered her head to talk softly to Jamie.
"Hey, baby, you wanna say hi to your daddy?"
Jamie looked at Peter with wide, inquisitive eyes.
"Hi."
Peter sat down awkwardly on the edge of the sofa, trying desperately not to overwhelm Jamie with his excitement at meeting her.
"Hey there, Jamie. It's so nice to meet you."
"Are you my dad?"
"Yeah, sweetheart, I am. I'm your dad."
"I always wanted a dad."
"Well, now you got one. And, you know what? I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm always gonna be your dad."
The door opened again and Toyah entered the room, without hesitation or sensitivity.
"Hi," Toyah was almost sickeningly upbeat. "You must be Jamie?"
Jamie looked up at Toyah curiously before turning her questioning gaze to her mum.
"Darlin', this is Toyah, she's your dad's…" Carla desperately searched for the right word to describe Toyah's relationship to Peter.
"Partner," Toyah had no such hesitation.
But Jamie still didn't understand. Carla tried to explain.
"Toyah is your dad's girlfriend."
"Is she my mum as well as you?"
"No," Toyah was adamant.
"She's your…" But Peter couldn't quite explain it either.
"She's like… your aunty," Carla decided.
"Like Aunty Chelle?"
"Yeah, exactly, like Aunty Chelle."
It wasn't the most successful of first meetings, Peter thought. He lamented as much to Carla when Toyah had taken Jamie to use the bathroom.
"I don't think she likes me."
"She doesn't know you, Peter, not yet. Give her time."
"I just thought…"
"What? That it'd be like a Hollywood movie, you'd run to each other in slow motion, a big hug, a teary I love you, and everything would be perfect? Come on Peter."
"Are you laughing at me?"
"No. Of course not. I'm saying that you need to be realistic. This is a big thing for Jamie. For both of you. You gotta give her time to get used to everything."
As she spoke, Carla shuffled closer to where Peter was sat on the sofa and rubbed his back supportively.
"You think?"
"Yes. Just be yourself, Peter, and she will fall in love with you in no time. It's a no brainer."
Peter looked into Carla's bright green eyes and found immediate comfort. He reached out and placed his hand lightly on her knee.
"Thank you."
The door opened; Toyah and Jamie re-entered the room. Jamie ran back to her mum and tried to climb onto her lap again, but Carla picked her up and sat her down on the sofa in-between herself and Peter.
Carla spoke softly into her daughter's ear.
"Why don't you tell your daddy about your pre-school?"
Carla smiled affectionately at the father and daughter duo as Jamie started to talk animatedly to Peter about her school, about her beloved teacher, her little friends, the class guinea pigs. Peter listened with rapt attention; it was obvious he was completely enamoured with his daughter.
The smile faded from Carla's face as she looked up and glanced across at Toyah who was staring back at her with what Carla could only surmise to be pure hatred in her eyes.