All I Want
"Aww hun!" Eva squealed and flapped around the kitchen like crazy as she beamed at the scan picture Nick and Leanne had been given yesterday.
Leanne smiled and admired the picture too. It was a miracle she could find the image of hers and Nick's little one but then again, that word summed up the whole situation. The baby was a miracle and had come from a nightmare in Leanne's life. Her baby that was hardly the size of a seed was a miracle in itself and one she never ever thought she would be given; especially wit h Nick.
"Aw thanks," Leanne eventually said, snapping out of the gaze she was in. Eva hadn't noticed and continued to giggle happily at the scan.
"Well babe I would say he or she has 'got your eyes' or has Nick's nose but I don't think I can see that right now!"
Leanne and Eva laughed as they shared a pot of tea and gossip on the couch in the flat.
"Give it time, it'll be like I've given birth to a tiny version of him."
Eva was in hysterics at the thought of something as funny as that and added in, "Hmm! Get him a mini suit an' all, he'll fit right in at the Bistro!"
"Today is actually my escape from the Bistro," Leanne sighed, taking hold of her scan and putting it safely in her bag.
Eva frowned and asked, "How do you mean? Nick did turn up yesterday, didn't he?"
"No, no he did turn up! I just like being there at the minute, the place is buzzing and I know it's only the first week of October now but it will get busier as Christmas gets nearer. I like being there. Well, I love it if I'm honest."
Eva looked deeply at Leanne, her eyes bulging and a wide smile on her face. "Oh aye! Is the owner of the Bistro not the thing that makes you love it?"
"Eva, I can't love meself, can I?" Leanne joked.
"I'm serious Leanne. It's obvious you still love Nick and he loves you. Why don't you just tell me what happened yesterday with him?" Eva grinned, desperate to know the latest in Leanne's love life. If that was what you chose to call it.
"Well we both admitted some things to each-other yesterday. Things we hadn't said in a long time and actually meant it." Leanne explained.
"Like what?"
"He told me he loved me and I said I felt the same. I do though, I love him."
Eva rested her head on her hand and giggled. "So are you two back together then?!"
Leanne smiled but soon frowned. "Officially? No, he hasn't asked and nor have I."
Eva folded her arms across her busty chest. "Well I'll be havin' words with him!"
"Just give it time Eva! We want to take things slowly this time."
"Bit late for that though mate. You're already pregnant. May as well chuck a weddin' in to complete the deal."
Leanne shook her head and chuckled as she put on her coat. "Nick and I are going out into town together today so I'll see you later."
"Have fun but not too much!" Eva said as she also put on her jacket and followed Leanne out onto the street.
At No.8 Coronation Street, Nick had come to speak to David.
"Hiya David," Nick said as his brother opened the door and gestured for him to come in.
"No Kylie or Mum?" He asked as David settled at the table.
"Kylie's doin' Rita's nails and dear old Gail is cleaning your restaurant." David chuckled.
Nick laughed as well and said, "I went yesterday."
David smiled brightly at his big brother. "Well? What did she say? How did it go?"
"She was so happy. We kissed and said we love each other still. Oh, and I brought this to show you," Nick carefully pulled the scan out of his suit jacket pocket and handed it to his brother. He watched attentively as David held the picture he had treasured ever since he had been given it.
"Aw, I'm dead happy for you both. Let's just hope she stays out of trouble with the police, eh?"
Nick grinned. "What's Sting got to do with Leanne?"
David and Nick both started laughing like children. "So are you an item now?"
"Not exactly but I don't want to lose her again. I don't think I could take it."
"Yeah, you don't want to mess it up for the millionth time, do ya?" David sipped his coffee after he made the dig at his brother and his ex-wife.
"It's not the millionth time you tool!"
"As good as Nick," David chortled to himself as Gail burst through the door.
"Hello love, are you alright?" She asked, removing her coat and hanging it up on the banister.
"Great thanks," Nick said as David rushed to hand him back the scan without Gail noticing.
"Good, what about her?"
"Her? You mean Leanne?"
"Hmm," Gail rolled her eyes. She couldn't stand the woman who had Nick like a yo-yo. Up and down. Together and apart. It felt like every other year Gail had to pick up the pieces from Nick and Leanne's new failed relationship.
"Nothing," David lied, poking Nick's arm to encourage him to also lie.
"Yeah, Lea and I are all sorted now," Nick smiled before turning to David as Gail huffed and rolled her eyes again. "Thanks David, see you later."
"Bye Nick," David said as Gail moaned about Nick and Leanne.
Leanne walked past Audrey's, thinking about everything that was going on her around her and having to tell Simon, who was already getting worse again that she was pregnant. Her mind was going round and round. So much so she forgot where she was going and bumped into Nick quite literally as she turned the corner onto Coronation Street.
"Woah!" Nick exclaimed, holding Leanne's shoulders.
"Oh sorry, I wasn't lookin' where I was going," She said apologetically. The bags under eyes had become deeper and darker, like the bruises Nick had seen when he had practically torn her clothes off of her a few weeks ago.
"Hey, is everything alright?" Nick asked, leaning closer towards her whilst holding her shoulders, propping her up, as he had always done for her.
"Yeah, just tired that's all." Leanne couldn't fake her feelings in front of Nick, he could almost see the lies in the small space between them.
"I don't think so Mrs. Tell me. Is it morning sickness? Is it Simon? Or Carla?"
Leanne shook her head. "I'm... I'm frightened."
Nick frowned at her and gestured to the bench next to them. She sat next to him and felt a warm hand graze her back.
"Of what Lea?"
"I don't want to tell Simon about the baby. He's going to hate me and turn against me, isn't he?"
Nick gazed on into the distance as he didn't actually know the answer to Leanne's desperate eyes and question. It was impossible to know what was going on inside of Simon's head at the moment and he had come to realise that more and more. At that moment, Nick wished it was a time like when Kal has just died and all he had to do was hold her until the sobbing finished. Now she needed his words as much as his love.
"I'm not sure Lea but I am here for you, always and forever. As long as I am around nothing bad will happen to you again. I swear."
"I know you are here for me. But there will come a point perhaps in eight months time when we come back from hospital with a baby that he will figure out I am pregnant. "
Nick half smiled in the way Leanne loved. "I know that but I will be there when you feel the time is write to tell him."
"Really?"
"We're in this together now. Me, you and our baby."
Leanne threw her arms around Nick and hugged him tightly as he did the same.
"Come on then, let's go and have some lunch," Nick said, grabbing her hand and helping her up of the bench.
"Where?" Leanne asked jokingly.
"I know a place," Nick smiled as he led her into the Bistro.
Despite choosing about 90% of the food for the menu, Leanne couldn't help but struggle to decide on what to eat for lunch in the Bistro. Well, she knew what she fancied. A big, ice cold glass of white wine with some smoked salmon pasta that Robert made. Her stomach growled at the thought but she knew she had to resist the idea. It's bad for the baby. It's bad for the baby, Leanne repeated in her head. Nick could sense her uncomfortable change in mood.
"Everything okay?" He asked, resting his hand on top of hers.
"Yeah, I just fancy wine and uncooked fish. Funny that, int it?"
Nick laughed and squeezed her hand. "There is non-alcoholic champagne behind the bar. I added it into the order a few weeks ago. We could have some of that." Nick suggested, making her smile widely.
"That's not fair on you though. You can't not drink just because I am pregnant." She whispered just so nobody would hear.
Nick shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather be with you and have our baby than drink. Besides, it is only what, less than eight months?"
"Yeah, this time in eight months time eh?" Leanne chuckled.
"You'll be effin' and blinding, telling me how much you hate me!"
"I won't!" Leanne argued. Then again, she did help deliver Lily for Kylie so she did know what was said to the father during the birth. Poor Nick she thought, giggling to herself.
"You will Battersby." Nick muttered jokingly as Leanne punched his arm.
"It's Tilsley!" Leanne said as Nick laughed again.
"Of course it is, now I remember! That's what the police called you!"
Leanne pulled a face at Nick but couldn't keep a straight face and found herself laughing with him again.
Their afternoon together was fantastic and even though they ate and drank(well, not alcohol anyway) in the place they worked in and once fought over; it was great for them both to enjoy themselves.
"Thanks Steph," Nick said as she cleaned up the plates of food. Leanne settled on a chicken and bacon pasta instead with that non-alcoholic champagne Nick had promised. It didn't taste that bad either which is what they decided as they left together.
"Simon has counselling in an hour," Leanne sighed, looking down at the cobbles beneath her.
Nick lifted her chin up to face him. "It's going to be absolutely fine Leanne. I promise. Remember?"
Leanne nodded and gazed into his eyes, "Okay," she nodded. He gently kissed her lips as Carla walked by, back to the factory.
In the factory, Carla paced up and down, biting her lip to try and resist the temptation to gamble. The usually buzzing building was empty and lifeless as the staff had gone for their lunch. A perfect opportunity, thought Carla. Her office. Correction, her and Aidan's office was empty as he had agreed to treat the staff to a round of drinks in the Rovers. Carla glared at the screen in front, reading that a client had paied money into the account. Money that would be the wages for the staff fairly soon. Screw it. Screw all of them. Carla thought, memorising the password for the account and grabbing her handbag.
Out on Coronation Street, she glanced once more at the Bistro. Nick was still there with Leanne but was now touching her and holding her close. She could just about hear what he was saying to her.
"I can't wait for us to be a proper family," he said without realising Carla was listening in.
Family? Ah! Carla practically died of laughter at the thought. It'll be over within six months, she told herself quietly. Despite knowing it would never happen between her and Nick, Carla couldn't help but feel highly envious of the blonde that he was kissing and whispering to. But then again, Carla had come to envy everyone that was in a relationship of late. Even if she knew they weren't all that happy, seeing a couple together made her heart ache. The casino it is she decided in her head; strutting off to Streetcars for a taxi.
Nick drove them both to Simon's school and waited him to emerge, looking smug and 'cool' with his mates. They waited and waited, staring out the window for nearly tem minutes until Leanne pulled out of her bag.
"What the hell is he playing at?" Nick asked, touching Leanne's arm. He could tell she was flustered.
"Simon, where the hell are you?" Leanne barked down the phone. The pregnancy hormones had definitely kicked in and Nick could tell.
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" He yelled back down the phone. Nick heard all of it.
"Give me the phone!" Nick gritted his teeth as he spoke. The little rat wasn't treating Leanne like this any longer.
Leanne shook her head at Nick. "Simon, this has to stop! Tell me where you are!"
"Go and die!" Simon screamed down the phone. "I never want to speak to you ever again!"
"Simon!" Leanne shouted just as he hung up the phone.
Nick simply reached across and wrapped his arms around her and let her sob.
Nick had reluctantly dropped Leanne at home and checked that Simon was at Ken's. Just as Leanne had to deal with Peter on the phone, asking about his unruly son.
"What do you mean, he didn't turn up?" Peter sounded infuriated on the other end of the phone.
"Nick and I went to pick him up from school like we have done all the other times and he had gone off."
"Where?"
Leanne was furious as she talked to Peter. Oh now he wanted to take responsibility for his son? "Flamin' chess club! Where do you think Peter? He went into town with his mates!"
Leanne heard nothing but silence and an eventual sigh from Peter. "I am coming home then Leanne."
"No. No you don't need to do that."
"I do Leanne. he's my son and he is causing you no end of harm and he is not biologically yours. This has to stop." Peter said.
"I know Peter but we can handle it here. I just thought you should know how we are doing here, that's all." Leanne made her excuse, which seemed to put Peter off.
"Fine. But if one more thing happens Leanne, I am on the first plane back. I'm serious. One more incident and I am back."
Thanks again for reading and for leaving me such lovely reviews! I am so relieved that you like the pregnancy twist because I really debated about doing it for ages!
So, will Simon sort himself out or will something really serious happen?
Find out next time!
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