Note: I'm not really sure if anyone's still reading these stories? Please let me know if you are and if you're enjoying it (or not) so I know whether to continue. Thanks heaps!
Chapter 18: Duvet day
Carla rolled over lazily in bed, opening her eyes the tiniest amount, enough for her to see that the morning light was just beginning to peak in through the curtains.
The muffled sounds coming from the adjoining ensuite bathroom explained to Carla why she was alone in bed. She pulled the duvet over her head and shut her eyes tight; she wasn't ready to get up and face the day just yet.
A hand pulled at the edges of the duvet; Carla held on tight and moaned her disapproval. But the hand kept pulling until daylight streamed in on Carla and a small body slipped in under the covers next to her.
"Mummy?"
"Mmmm…"
Carla wrapped her arms around Jamie and cuddled her close into her body.
"Shhhh…"
Jamie snuggled up to her mum and soon both mother and daughter were fast asleep.
Carla awoke to a soft kiss on her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes, gradually adjusting them to the morning light.
"I have to go," Sam sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Carla's hair.
"What time is it?"
"Seven. My train's at half past."
"Do you have to go to London today? Can't you come back to bed?"
"Sorry, babe, I've got meetings. I've made you coffee, so drink it before it goes cold."
Sam nodded towards the bedside table where a fresh skinny latte was waiting for Carla.
"And a babyccino for Jamie."
"My hero," Carla spotted Jamie's favourite mug filled with frothy warm milk and decorated with cocoa sprinkles on the opposite bedside table.
Carla showed her appreciation by wrapping her hands around Sam's head and pulling him in for a kiss. He responded by kissing her more intensely; his lips parted and his tongue sought entrance to her mouth, which was swiftly granted. Carla moved her tongue around his, it entered his mouth and –
"I have to go, I'm gonna miss my train."
Carla sighed.
"Go on then, get out of here."
"I'm sorry, I wish I could stay."
"Yeah, right. You better make it up to me tonight."
"I will, I promise. What are you two gonna get up to today?"
"I dunno. At this rate, we might not even get out of bed."
"Sounds like a good idea. Why don't you two have a duvet day?"
"Mmmm, that is a good idea. We could watch some movies, grind our toast crumbs into the sheets."
"Get some proper rest, get rid of these."
Sam gently touched the dark circles underneath Carla's eyes.
"Yes, doctor."
"I'll see ya tonight."
Sam kissed her again; briefly, softly.
"Love you."
"Love you."
Carla smiled as she watched Sam walk out of their bedroom. Alone again with her daughter, she wrapped her arms around her, kissed her forehead softly and gazed at what she considered to be the most beautiful face she had ever seen.
Jamie's eyelids flickered.
"Mummy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Why you staring at me?"
Carla laughed.
"Sorry, baby, but I can't help myself, you're just so beautiful."
Carla kissed Jamie before slowly pulling herself up into a seated position and reaching for her coffee.
"There's a babyccino over there for you."
Jamie eagerly sat up and reached for her drink; she felt like a proper grown up drinking it, just like her mum.
Carla and Jamie lay reclining on piles of pillows and cushions and watching the movie Rio on Carla's iPad while Snowy the cat lay curled up between them, purring contentedly.
Carla's phone buzzed on the bedside table; she reached over and picked it up: Peter was calling.
"Jamie," Carla held out the ringing phone to her daughter. "Talk to your dad. I'm gonna go fetch some snacks from the kitchen."
Jamie obediently took the phone from her mum as Carla beat a hasty retreat from the bedroom.
"Hello, daddy."
"Jamie? Hi, sweetheart. Is your mum around?"
"Yes, but she said I had to talk to you."
"Oh, right."
"It's movie day today. All day."
"That sounds like fun."
"Come watch movies with us, daddy."
"I dunno, sweetheart."
"Please, daddy."
"I don't think your mum would be happy about me coming over."
"Yeah, she would. Please, daddy, I want you to come and watch movies with me."
Peter had already been wavering, but this final plea pushed him over the edge. His daughter had sure learnt a thing or two from her mother about twisting men around her little finger.
"Okay, sweetheart, I'll be around soon."
"Thank you, daddy. I love you."
"I love you too."
After Peter had hung up, he started to worry. About Carla's reaction when he turned up on her doorstep. About the lie he would have to tell Toyah to be allowed to even leave the pub.
"Who was that?" Toyah entered the room, leaving Peter to wonder if she had heard anything of his conversation with Jamie.
"Howard," Peter used the old familiar excuse of his alcohol support group.
"Oh, right. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, he just wants me to come along to a meeting. Is that okay with you?"
"What, now?"
"Umm, yeah. I know I'm rostered on, but…"
"No, it's okay. It's important. Go."
"Thanks."
Peter kissed Toyah absently on the cheek and hurried from the room.
The end credits of Rio were playing on the iPad when the doorbell rang.
"I wonder who that is?"
"That'll be daddy."
"Why would that be daddy, sweetheart?"
"Because I asked him to come and watch movies with us."
"You did what?"
"I asked daddy –"
"Yes, I know that. Why did you do that!?"
Jamie's lip began to quiver; tears welled in the corners of her eyes in reaction to Carla's harsh tone.
"Because I wanted daddy," Jamie managed to stutter before the sobs came.
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry."
Carla pulled Jamie in for a hug; her daughter buried her face in her mum's breast, fearful of having upset her.
"You did nothing wrong, darling. I shouldn't have got cross with you. Do you forgive me?"
Jamie nodded through her sobs.
The doorbell peeled again.
"I'm gonna answer the door, okay? Why don't you give Snowy a cuddle?"
Carla hurried to answer the door while Jamie sobbed into Snowy's sleek black coat.
"Hi, come in."
Carla held the door open for Peter, who remained frozen on the doorstep.
"Are you coming in or not?"
"I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with me being here."
"Well, it's not up to me, is it? Maybe you can go comfort your daughter, I seem to have upset her."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I just… I was a little harsh with her when she announced that it would be daddy ringing the doorbell."
"She didn't tell you?"
"Nope."
"I can go."
"Don't you dare, you get in there and make her smile again."
"Where is she?"
"In the bedroom. My bedroom."
"Your bedroom?"
"Don't worry, it's not a trap. I'm not luring you in to ravish you."
Peter laughed nervously before moving towards Carla's bedroom.
The sight that met him tugged so hard at his heart strings, he almost burst into tears. Jamie was lying on the bed, with Snowy as her pillow, her eyes red and wet from her fierce bout of crying.
"Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?"
Peter sat down on the edge of the bed; Jamie sat up and launched herself into Peter's arms which instinctively wrapped tightly around her.
"Mummy yelled at me."
"I'm sure she didn't mean to upset you. She loves you very much, you know that, don't you?"
Jamie nodded and managed to squeak out a tiny "Yes".
"So, why don't you dry your eyes and we'll watch a movie. How does that sound?"
Jamie looked up at Peter and smiled.
"Rio 2."
"Rio 2?"
"We watched Rio so now we watch Rio 2," Jamie explained.
"You're the boss. Come on, let's go out to the lounge room."
"No, daddy, we're having a duvet day."
"A what?"
"Doo-vay day. We're staying in bed all day."
"Oh."
Peter looked up to find Carla watching them.
"It's up to you."
"You wouldn't find it… weird?"
"I'd find it very weird, but I'd like to avoid any more tears if at all possible."
Carla walked to her side of the bed and climbed in next to Jamie, kissing her softly on the tip of her nose.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"That's okay mummy. I still love you."
"Good, because I love you."
They both turned to Peter, who was still stood awkwardly by the side of the bed.
Jamie pulled back the duvet and grinned up at her dad. He didn't need a further invitation; he climbed into bed next to Jamie, his heart pounding with nervous excitement.
Halfway through Rio 2, Peter glanced down at Jamie.
"Hey," he looked up at Carla.
When she turned to look at him, he nodded down to Jamie who had fallen asleep, Snowy in her arms.
"God, she's perfect," Peter gazed adoringly at his daughter.
"I think so."
Carla looked at Peter; he looked back at her.
"Well, this isn't awkward at all."
"I'm sorry," Peter smiled sheepishly at Carla. "I can go now that she's asleep."
"I thought you said you couldn't see me anymore?"
"I'm here for Jamie. I'm here because she begged me to come."
Their eyes met; they both knew that was a lie.
"Do you hate me? After… you know." Peter wasn't sure he really wanted Carla to answer. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."
"No, I don't hate you. I do think you're an idiot."
"Fair enough. I think I'm an idiot too."
"As long as we're agreed? You're an idiot?"
Peter laughed.
"Agreed."
They both turned their attention back to the movie, both hyper-aware of each other's close physical proximity, both glad that their sleeping daughter provided a physical barrier between them.
As the end credits of the movie rolled, Peter looked over at Carla and was surprised to see that she, like their daughter, had also fallen asleep.
Peter had never seen a more beautiful sight than the woman he loved asleep with her arms lovingly wrapped around their sleeping daughter. The picture was completed by the sleeping cat his daughter held in her arms.
Standing by the side of the bed, Peter leaned over and kissed Jamie softly on the cheek and gently stroked her hair. As he was about to pull away from his daughter, he couldn't help but reach that little bit further and plant a soft kiss on Carla's cheek.
Having said his silent goodbyes, Peter walked to the door before turning around for a final look. There was nothing he would love more than to climb back into that bed and cuddle both his daughter and his ex-wife. But, as much as he wanted it, he knew he couldn't, he knew he had no right.
As quietly as he could so as not to disturb the two sleeping beauties, Peter stole out of the room and slipped noiselessly through the front door.
Now that he had had a taste of what domestic life would be like with Carla and Jamie, he wanted it even more. But, cruelly, it was further from his reach than ever before. And there seemed no chance that it would ever again get within his grasp. He sighed as he continued to walk away from everything he'd ever wanted in this world.