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In Too Deep
"Peter," Leanne repeated, clutching onto Nick's jacket even tighter, trying to make sense of why her other ex-husband was standing before her.
"Thanks mate," Peter said to the taxi driver, handing him £25 before he sped off. Peter lifted his bags and walked over to Leanne.
"I kept my promise about me son. He's my flesh and my blood Leanne. He needs to be told what is right and wrong and I will make sure of it."
Leanne shook her head. "Why though? We can manage here without you."
"Yeah," Nick added in. "Antigua not offer you enough?"
"Actually Nick, no. It didn't give me my son, my son that needs to be taught a lesson."
"Well that's what we have been trying to do for weeks." Nick replied, carrying Leanne's bags to the door.
"Not hard enough because he went and did that to you. Speaking of which, is everything alright with...er, you know- down below," Peter asked awkwardly as Leanne wrapped her coat around her body.
"Yes thank you Peter!" She gritted her teeth in embarrassment. Hers and Nick's child actually had nothing to do with him so why was he sticking his oar in? Surely his own kid should have been his priority.
Peter let out a deep breath. "Thank god, I thought I was going to have to batter him."
Norris caught sight of Peter chatting to Nick and Leanne and rushed over, having listened to that tail end of the conversation.
"You and you're family love doing that, don't you Peter?" Norris began smugly. "Battering people. There's you, battering Nick that time, Tracy staving Charlie Stubbs' head in and young Simon, giving Leanne a good thump!"
"Norris!" Peter shouted. "Leave us alone!"
Nick tightened his grip on Leanne who had suddenly stiffened, uncomfortable and uneasy that Norris had found out all about that.
"Oh actually, what happened Leanne? How is your baby?" Norris nosily asked.
"Healthy and fine!" Nick shouted back. "You heard, leave her alone!"
Norris frowned, "Ooh, just being neighbourly."
Leanne was fuming. "Neighbourly?! Why don't I tell you where and when the baby was conceived Norris?! Wanna know me due date an' all?!"
"Oh, have I said something?" Norris said as the others huffed at him.
"Crawl back under your rock," Nick yelled as he unlocked the door to Leanne's flat.
"I want to talk to you," Peter said, following Nick and Leanne upstairs.
"Have two words Peter," Leanne spat back. Nick chuckled slightly, he had forgotten just how much she hated Peter.
"Leanne, I am serious," Peter came and sat in the armchair as Leanne lay down on the sofa. Nick flicked the kettle on and pulled out two mugs. One for him obviously and the other for Leanne. The doctor had told her to rest and not get too stressed out so Nick knew he would be chucking Peter out fairly soon. Something he couldn't wait to do.
"As am I," Leanne out her hand to her head, feeling dizzy and a headache coming on.
"Have you seen Simon yet?" Peter asked, glancing at Nick who had perched on the sofa between him and Leanne.
"No, she hasn't- I don't want her to." Nick said as Leanne began to sit up. "I want to keep Lea and my baby safe until Simon can be trusted."
"Well so do I Nick but I need to talk to Leanne first."
"Fine!" Leanne sat up, frustrated. "Come on Peter, speak!"
Peter looked flustered. "Erm, okay. What...what did Simon say to you yesterday? What did he do?"
Nick glanced at Leanne, intrigued to know himself as to what had actually happened with Simon the day before. Despite spending a lot of intimate time together, alone, he was unsure about the whole thing and what had triggered Simon to send Leanne flying down the stairs.
Leanne paused, looking down at her hands that she was fidgeting with. Her hands were soon held by someone else's that were warm and comforting. She took a deep breath and began, "Well...he came home from school, I had to pick him up and deal with the headteacher. He was really angry and told me that he hated me," she looked over at Peter who was listening and nodding. Nick squeezed her hand, encouraging her to carry on. "We argued 'cos I said I was going to find Ken and tell him to ring you Peter, tell you that you needed to come 'ome."
"Were you going to tell me Dad?"
Leanne shook her head. "No. I was hoping he would see the threat and apologise. I went towards the stairs to go down but he grabbed me. I tried to fight him off but he shoved me and then I fell down the stairs and..."
"The rest is history," Peter finished her sentence. Leanne nodded as Nick stood up and made him and Leanne their tea.
Peter took the hint as Nick didn't place a drink down for him. He stood up from his chair and looked over at the couple.
"I am sorry Leanne. If I had been a better father he would never have put you through all of this."
Leanne shook her head again, "It's my fault an' all. I don't suppose I have been a great example for Si to follow."
Peter smiled. "Guess not. Unless he wanted a masterclass in cat fights with Carla."
Nick and Leanne chuckled. "He'd collect a gold medal every four years if he did want my guidance."
"Anyway, I'll sort him. He's my problem now," Peter said before heading down the stairs and out of the flat.
Leanne sighed as she turned around to Nick, who had moved to sit next to her. He could see the tears brimming in her eyes and instinctively pulled her closer, looping his arms around her body and fitting her perfectly between his arms as she cried.
"It's all my fault," she sobbed helplessly. "How can I bring a baby into the world when I have failed Simon?"
He began stroking her head and Nick lay down on the couch with Leanne on his chest, holding her hand that was resting where his heart was. "Don't say that Lea. You have not failed Simon at all; he has failed you. Okay? Please don't blame yourself for what he has done because you couldn't stop him. You tried and each time he got worse again. Peter is here and he is finally taking responsibility for everything he has put Simon through over the years and had you sit and pick up the pieces. It's not fair that Simon has taken it all out on you but we are going to fix this. I can call Kathy, see if she can get us another counselling session for Simon. We could speak to Zeedan, see if he could get Simon in some kind of martial arts or taekwondo at the gym."
Nick didn't feel her move once he had finished speaking. The wet patch on his shirt had dried though and he soon felt her bob her head up and down in agreement. "What would I have done without you?" She whispered into his chest.
He half-smiled and replied, "Not got pregnant!"
She chuckled slightly and settled on his chest again, both of them soon drifting off to sleep again.
Peter stood outside Victoria Court, contemplating going to the buzzer and ringing the one for Carla's flat. He edged closer to the box with the names on, reading them all and seeing her name stand out. He just wanted to push it, hear her voice and know that she wasn't suffering after the fire.
He had found out about that from Ken, who also told him Leanne had saved Amy and Carla. Ken also told him that Leanne had turned on Carla, blaming her for the death of her fiancé Kal and understandably, everything since.
He saw a figure walking down the hall towards the door so he ran, ran as fast as he could around the corner to Barlow's Buys. He glanced back and saw her.
He wasn't sure he was really seeing Carla, he watched her walk glumly towards Roy's Rolls but she didn't seem herself. She looked beautiful to Peter, she always did however it appeared Carla had given up on the world entirely. Her usually perfected and coiffed hair was untouched, left to dry of it's own accord. Carla's stunning face and the features Peter had been in love with had all faded or become lost along the way; very much like him and Carla, lost amongst the battle. Her skin tone had become almost grey, pale and frail was the best way to describe it. Carla's eyes were half open and there were big bags underneath her eyes, deep and black as though she hadn't slept properly in years or just over a year anyway.
He clasped his hand to his mouth. He had done this to her in one way or another. Carla's life had gone from extreme to extreme in the space of a year. They were happily married, expecting a little girl and living in a lovely home. Carla had finally found the one thing she had never had in her entire life. Normality. It had changed so quickly, so brutally and so devastatingly. He hadn't even had chance to say goodbye to his daughter or comfort his wife when she really needed him. It ached to know she was being comforted by Rob, the man that had been responsible for the death of their daughter.
He stopped and closed his eyes before pulling a packet of cigarettes out of his suitcase. He lit up and took a deep breath, inhaling the toxic fumes and puffing the air back out again.
From inside the shop, Tracy had seen the smog of the cigarettes that someone was smoking. She looked at Simon with disgust and charged outside.
"Oi, you!" She barked. Peter turned and looked at her. "Peter," she said.
"Alright Tracy? Where is he then?"
Tracy pulled a face. "Who Dad?" She knew who Peter was meaning but she actually felt quite sorry for Simon, having everyone gang up on him and turn against him for a little mistake. Well, a big one actually but who was Tracy to judge as far as mistakes go?
Peter pointed his finger in Tracy's face, "Me son...the one that is in for a world of pain."
Tracy pretended as though she had finally cottoned on to what Peter wanted. "Oh, he's er, he's in the shop."
"Right. Thank you Tracy. I can take it from here." Peter stamped out the life of his cigarette and walked into the shop. Simon saw his Dad straight away. He didn't know whether to hug him, burst into tears or cower in the corner.
"Dad," Simon said quietly.
"Is that all you have to say for yourself? 'Dad'?" Peter looked furious. "You'll be askin' about the weather next."
"Dad, I'm sorry." Simon said. "I am so sorry. I just want to see me Mum."
"So you can put her in hospital again?" Peter fumed.
Simon shook his head. "No! No! I don't want to hurt her, I want to talk to her and see if she is okay. I want to her how sorry I am."
Tracy looked over at her brother, hoping he would give in and let Simon see Leanne as she couldn't cope with the guilty feeling she had, bubbling away inside her. Tracy's thoughts were that if she hadn't of broken into Carla's flat and dumped the flaming candle by the lamp then nothing would of happened to Leanne. Kal and Maddie would still be alive and well, Carla wouldn't of turned her life upside down and Tracy wouldn't be living with the life long guilt she had and was certain she would have forever. Then it hit Tracy hard and sharp; like Simon had done to Leanne. Her stomach churned and she realised just how far reaching the effects of the fire were. If Kal had not died because Leanne had run in to save Amy and Carla, then he would be alive now. Simon wouldn't have begun abusing Leanne, hurting her frequently and declaring he hated her.
"Sorry," Tracy began. "I have to go home, forgot something."
The guilt was getting too much so Tracy hurried out of the shop, bumping into Carla. A further reminder of what she had done.
"Sorry Tracy, didn't see where I was goin'," Carla said, faintly offering a smile. Carla looked a mess and Tracy was gobsmacked at how bad she actually looked. She had given up all together. Carla was squinting as her eyes hurt from the glare of a computer screen that she had been playing on all night. Her hair was tangled and scraggly. Carla's clothes were unironed and disheveled. Carla looked painfully thin too, like she had been cutting out any food that was brought to her; living off wine, the thrill of the gambling and the never-ending guilt. If the guilt was food, Carla would have had enough to feed the world twice-over. Tracy on the other hand, she had enough guilt to feed the universe about a million times.
Tracy finally opened her mouth, "No, Carla, I'm sorry. Really I am."
Carla looked cut up by what Tracy had said and how sympathetic she sounded. In actual fact Tracy meant it all. Although it was guilt she felt and not sympathy.
Carla nodded gloomily and walked on slowly and not in the way she used to. Tracy's face scrunched up as she saw Carla and how lost she was.
She rushed back to the Barlow's house and slammed the door shut behind her. "Agh!" She screamed. But her screams soon turned to tears, uncontrollable and causing Tracy deep pain. She sunk down behind the door and cried, crying until she felt the guilt had gone. It hadn't and she cried even harder as the feeling came back. The screams of the families and victims haunting her every hour. It was unbearable and getting harder and harder to hide as each torture filled day went by.
Eva was still shocked and relieved and over-joyed that her Jason was awake and talking to her. He wasn't completely back to normal but her ex-boyfriend was getting there and each new day brought new progress. Eileen had gone to phone Tony and Todd to summon them to the hospital whilst Eva was alone with Jason.
"How are you feelin' darlin'?" Eva asked, touching Jason's arm.
He bobbed his head up and down. "Okay...I just want to go home."
Eva sighed. "I know chick but we can't let you go to soon. You're still poorly, remember?"
"Yeah Eva, I Know. I might be ill but I'm not six." Jason grumpily snapped back. Eva looked shocked.
"Sorry Jase, I didn't mean to upset ya."
"Nobody does, do they?! Just stop it, stop treatin' me like a kid!"
Eva stopped smiling. She wanted to cry. "Sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back tears. "I just wanna look after ya."
Jason felt guilty. Eva wasn't actually his girlfriend yet and she had been loyal, sitting by his bedside for almost a month. "No babe, 'm sorry."
"It's alright," she smiled, giving him a hug. She stared off into the distance. Things weren't really gonna be okay.
"I love you," Jason whispered into ear.
"I love you an' all," Eva replied, pulling away from him. "I'm going to phone Leanne and tell her the good news, okay?"
Jason nodded. "Kay babe."
Eva grabbed her bag and left the room. She took a deep breath, steadying herself and walked outside. Scrolling through the many contacts on her phone, Eva finally found her sister's number. She dialed and waited for Leanne to answer.
A loud ringing sound startled Nick as Leanne's handbag started buzzing on the kitchen table. He moved, waking Leanne in the process too. She was comfy and finally sleeping. She could have decked the person that had disturbed her.
"Er," Leanne groaned. "Who the flamin' hell is that?"
Nick smiled and looked down at her. "Shall I check my crystal ball Lea and tell you?"
"Sarky git," she muttered as he stood up and grabbed her bag, carrying it over to her.
"Here," he gave her the handbag. She unzipped it quickly and answered just before it stopped ringing out.
"Eva? What's up?" Leanne asked. Nick sat beside her, unable to hear what was going on.
"Hi hun, it's Jason. He's awake and he told me he loves me an'..." Eva trailed off, getting a little over-excited to tell someone other than Eileen the good news.
"Woah-woah," Leanne slightly yawned. "Slow down and breath Eva. Tell me again."
"Well I 'ad hold of his hand and he squeezed it. Eileen couldn't believe it and I begged Jase to do it again and he did! He opened his eyes and told me he loves me!"
"Aw, that's great news," Leanne smiled. "When can he come home?"
Eva looked puzzled. "Er...dunno yet. Guess he needs to get used to everythin'. Especially as he has one of Todd's kidneys."
"Oh, I know. Poor Jason- got the devil's kidney." Leanne smirked and so did Eva.
"I still can't believe Jason is awake." Eva said, Leanne could tell she was smiling. "I thought I were gonna be in't hospital forever waitin' for him to wake up. I mean no offence an' all but if I ever see another hospital poster about me health I might flip!"
"Hmm, I don't blame ya." Leanne laughed. "I'm dead 'appy for ya Eva. Give him love from me and Nick."
"Will do hun!"
"Okay, bye!" Leanne said as Eva hung up the phone.
Nick looked at Leanne expectantly, waiting for her to fill him in. He smiled at her. "Good news then?"
She nodded, smiling back. "Jason's out of the woods. Told Eva he loves her an' all."
"Aw, that's nice. Poor thing though- it's hard to get back to normal after being out of it for so long," Nick said, looking down as he remembered being in hospital himself and suffering with his brain damage so badly he had to call time on his marriage to Leanne.
Leanne wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head next to his. "I know darling, I know," she whispered as he placed his arms around her and hugged her tenderly.
"I wish I could have done more for ya, been a better wife." Leanne admitted, guilty at how well Nick had stood by her over the past few weeks despite suffering so much. When he had needed her so much she had gone off with Kal.
It stung Nick.
"Hey, you did the best you could. I was a nightmare to live with," Nick squeezed her shoulder, letting her know she was wrong.
"Oh come on Nick," Leanne began, meeting his eyes. "I abandoned you, left you to cope on your own when you needed me. In sickness an' health? Like I had amnesia...wiped it from me memory."
Nick paused, thinking it all through. He had hurt. Cried. When Leanne burst into the Bistro, coldly telling him she was with Kal, the man who had helped Nick try and get back to his old self. Why had Nick done it all? The hours and hours of tiring personal training with Kal was to get his girl back; the girl that in the end, Kal got and Nick lost.
The venom of that sting hit him a little harder, deeper, taking him back to when he wanted to make her hurt like she had made him hurt. He regretted it all, hurting the woman he loved so much but he was ill, unable to control himself, his feelings too. She was all he wanted to help to cure his suffering, take the pain and the stress of his brain damage away. She had gone, off with gym-boy.
His throat was dry but he knew what to say. "But I had let you down," he started as Leanne frowned. He wasn't seriously bringing up all that Kylie stuff was he? "When you got that letter, the poison pen one off David. I lied, denied what it said. I made you feel guilty and blamed you for going to see Peter. No husband should do that to their wife, lie and make her feel the guilt he had. I made the mistake Lea, lying to you for all that time. It was eating me alive, knowing that Lily could have been mine and that one day you and David could have found out."
She slotted her hand in his as she sat next to him. "But you obviously felt you couldn't 'ave told me. We weren't completely honest with each-other, were we?"
Nick sighed. "Guess not. Maybe we just weren't ready for marriage." He suddenly regretted picking up that engagement ring in her box of keepsakes.
She looked visibly upset but eventually nodded. "Maybe we'll never be." Leanne said as she and Nick looked at each-other. "But who says we won't last if we did ever do it again? Third time lucky an' all."
He smirked. "Your fourth marriage you mean!? Never heard that being lucky!"
Leanne punched Nick's arm lightly. "Cheeky rat! I mean our third attempt you dozy thing! Maybe my third try at bein' Mrs Tilsley won't be as disastrous as the others."
"You are still now, aren't you?" He laughed.
"Unfortunately yeah; haven't managed to shake your name off yet. Didn't take me as long to lose the Barlow name!"
"Oh I know," Nick smiled. "Didn't suit you much!"
"Oh aye! Tilsley does suit me then?"
"Much better than Barlow," he smiled, pretending to shudder as he mentioned the name.
She laughed and smiled at him, the way she used to when they were married. Even if she didn't make it a record 'Three times' she knew she was getting closer to what she wanted and so did he.
Carla had finally made it to the factory, practically crawling to her desk, exhausted. Aidan held his mouth open at her, fuming. She folded her arms across her chest, trying to maintain the tough façade she had before the fire.
"What time d'ya call this then?" Aidan yelled as Carla put her hands to her head, feeling a headache come on.
Trying to sound sound witty and even like her old self Carla replied, "1:33."
Aidan launched his pen across the room. "Flamin' hell Carla! At least try and sound genuinely sorry!"
Carla flinched slightly as Aidan watched her. She had given herself a bigger fright after she had smashed her flat the other day. The flat that was still a mess; shards of glass and pottery in smithereens on the newly laid floor, bottles and glasses that once were filled with the red poison she loved were all over the flat. She had actually given up on it all. The factory. Friends. Family. Even herself. She had reached the end of the miserable road and the exit didn't feel close enough.
"Agh, Aidan I'm sorry. Sorry for wreckin' the business and for still flippin' breathin'!"
Aidan took a deep breath. "'M sorry for 'avin' a go. Really, I am. Why don't we just put this behind us an' get on with some work?"
Carla tried to raise a smiled but it was no use. "Thanks." She eventually said.
Aidan nodded and sat back behind his computer as Carla logged onto hers. She added her password to the Underworld account and found herself staring at a computer screen again.
An e-mail flashed up straight away. It was from 'Casino Cash' the online casino she had been playing on for the past few days. Spending the money the staff would be expecting very soon. She bit her lip as the site offered her £50 to spend for free as she had racked up enough credits to entitle her to it. She hovered over it and finally clicked on the site, adding her password in and watching the oh-so familiar account grace her screen.
The £50 turned into £500 within a few clicks on the keyboard and before a couple of minutes had gone by. The buzz she was feeling took away the hurt, guilt and regret that she had felt prior to signing in to the account. All memories had gone- for the moment anyway- soon they were back, plunging the knife into her heart and everywhere else. The feeling was paralysing, aching and never ending. Her eyes glowed reds, greens and blacks from the computer.
Aidan looked over at Carla, making sure she hadn't broken down in tears or decided to neck a bottle of Vodka in front of him. Her eyes didn't appear fixated on work. He could tell what she was doing straight away. Rising from his chair and storming around the desk he saw what she was doing. Carla had noticed him and wasn't fast enough to change the tab over.
"Seriously!" Aidan angrily shouted. "You need help! Gambling in the middle of the day whilst being sat right opposite me! Unbelievable!
Carla sunk down in her leather chair as the staff started to stop working and stare at their boss. She desperately wanted to crawl away and never come back.
"Aidan, stop it," she whispered weakly, her usual booming voice and confidence shattered on the floor, along with the TV at her flat.
"No! This has gone on long enough!" He barked back, slamming his fist down on the desk. That really did make Carla jump. The dorky kid that she had grown up with on her estate had suddenly gained the upper hand, bossing her about and running her factory as she brought it to its knees.
"Shut up!" She replied, trying to shove him off as he looked at how much money had already gone on her account. He scanned through the list of transactions that had gone onto the sight, noticeably, £4000 was on there. A huge minus sign was beside it, practically slapping Aidan in the face and rubbing it in at how much Carla had lost.
15th October 2015, 4am: -£700
16th October 2015, 1am: -£900
18th October 2015, 12:34pm: -£4000
21st October 2015, 9:57pm: -£567
26th October 2015, 11:33pm: -£200
Aidan didn't want to ask because he already knew. Deep down, he was well aware that Carla had taken that £4000 but hadn't managed to get it back again. He clasped his hand over his mouth, reading it over and over again to try and process it. The more he stared though, the worse he felt. The staff were getting their pay tomorrow, which is when they always got paid. That exact same day every month. Yes it wasn't all of their wages, but it was a huge chunk missing out of the pay for them. People like Fiz and Izzy desperately needed the money, to fund young families and get ready for Christmas.
Aidan finally took his eyes off the screen to look at Carla. She was feeling all kinds of horrible emotions: guilt, pain, embarrassment and disgust. The faces of the staff when they were told what she had done with the money that all of the staff needed to survive off and take care of their families, pay their rent or mortgages and put food on the table.
"What the hell 'ave you done?!" He roared at her as she began to sob.
"I'm sorry Aidan, please don't tell 'em," she begged, desperately grabbing hold of his shirt collar. "Please fix this," she wept as her bottom lip trembled and her face began to fall even lower.
He shook his head and shrugged her off. "There is nothin' I can do Carla. Pay day is tomorrow and they have no money whatsoever. Well, some of 'em don't."
She was was now shaking her head, unable to take what she was hearing. "Can't you... Can't you just fix it?" She cried as he held his mouth open again.
"Fix it?! That's four grand that is missing!"
"I'm sorry," Carla began to choke and splutter as she pleaded with Aidan. The dorky cousin of Michelle's that had always annoyed her when they lived on the same estate as kids finally had the upper hand. Carla was desperate and in need of some serious help.
"There is nothing I can do! You went and took that money from the account- knowing what it was for! The staff need paying tomorrow Carla!"
Carla looked out of the window of the office to see the staff had all returned to work, busy sewing lingerie and laughing and joking away. Carla spun around again to face Aidan. She burst into hysterics, slumping down on her hands and knees on the floor of the office.
"Please," she helplessly cried, trying to wipe her tears with the back of her hand. Aidan came and sat beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
Peter had managed to persuade Simon to come to the Barlow's house and talk to him about the whole thing. His Dad had explained the majority of it too him on the phone, but it wasn't quite the same as hearing it from Simon. Hearing his motivation for attacking Leanne all those times; verbally and physically destroying the person that everyone knew so well. Simon didn't dare lift his head from the table and meet his Dad's stare; fury and disappointment running deep through Peter.
Peter opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to. He sighed and finally spoke. "Where d'ya want to start?"
Simon spun a fork around the table, letting his fingers graze the polished silver. "I dunno," he muttered.
"Come on Si, talk to me. I'm yer Dad."
"Really?" Simon finally looked up, he too felt and looked angry. "'Cos you seem to dump me when it suits!"
The words had really stung Peter, hitting and hurting him all at once. He didn't mean to be such a bad father to Simon. He loved his lad so much but he didn't really know how to show it. Ken had been a lousy father to Peter when he was a child so he wasn't all that sure on what to do for Simon.
"Simon," Peter looked down sadly as his son suddenly wished he hadn't opened his mouth.
"Sorry," Simon said. "I didn't mean it Dad." Peter nodded, but deep down he knew he didn't believe his son's apology. "Honest Dad, I was just upset."
"Is that why you hurt Leanne?"
Simon froze and the images of the first time he hit Leanne flooded through his mind.
The anger bubbling inside of him, like the sickly fruit filling of a pie about to erupt through the thin pastry over the sides. Simon was like the pie. The fury building and eventually erupting through the thin, delicate layer of him. Mum. Leanne had mentioned his birth Mum. The anger erupted. Violently. He grabbed the remote and threw it at her with all the strength he had. She reeled after his first attack, clutching her face as the blood oozed down her cheek and the venom became a bruise; deep, purple and dark.
Simon shook his head, removing the images from his head. "I guess so," he eventually whispered as Peter shut his eyes. He couldn't believe he had travelled half way around the world on a twenty four hour flight back to Weatherfield, to sit and hear his son admit he had been abusing his Mum. Well, step-mum anyway.
"You guess so?" Peter asked, leaning over the table, catching his son's eye. "There's nothing to guess Simon."
"Then...Yes! I hurt Leanne because I was hurting!"
"Why were you hurting?" Peter queried, staring at his son.
"Because..." Simon struggled with the words. "'Cos everyone I ever love runs away, lets me down or dies."
"What? That's not true!" Peter objected, pointing his finger. "How has Leanne ever let you down?"
"Ha! How about when she cheated on you with Nick? When she was with Nick then ran to you on her wedding day, when the truth about him and Kylie came out and she ran off to London. Then her and Nick got divorced because she was with Kal. I liked Nick, he was everything you weren't. He was caring, funny, always there for me and..."
"And what?" Peter asked. He already knew what his son was about to say.
"Wasn't an alcoholic."
Peter was now looking down, avoiding his son's puppy dog eyes because of his own embarrassment.
Simon carried on, staring off into the distance. "Anyway... he and Leanne got divorced and then I had to start to know Kal. He was alright too; good at footie, made a nice lasagne and was great with me Mum. He ran in the fire though, to save her. He died after and I just felt like everyone I loved left me."
"Is that all the reasons you have for hurting Leanne?"
"No," Simon frowned. "There were more. Me birthday, she got me the wrong trainers. Carla bought me the right colour in the end and Mum wouldn't let me go out with me mates. I was annoyed...didn't want to be treated like some little kid. I yelled at her...called her all sorts. She cried herself to sleep that night. I 'eard her."
Peter could barely hide his disgust as he listened. "You attacked her because you were a little brat? Not getting the trainers you wanted?" He shook his head at his son. "Honestly. And you knew just how upset she was about Kal!"
"How d'ya all think I felt?" Simon argued back. "Ey?!" He shouted, Peter unable to answer his son. "About it all?! When Mum died, ey? You wouldn't stop pouring that poison down yer throat. I remember when it was the first Christmas since she had died...you got drunk and left me on my own for hours when you went to the pub, drinking. I was five dad, five! I could just about tie me own shoe laces and had got used to sleepin' on me own. I had nightmares not long after she'd died; nightmares that you would end up dying too and that I'd be all on me own. You were and are a terrible father, everything you had done to me. Carla. You cheated on Leanne, the closest thing I have ever had to a Mum with Carla! Carla! I was so upset and I hated you so much for what you had done. Then Leanne got with Nick and you came back with Carla. You were back, after leaving me for six months in Weatherfield!"
"Now hold on a minute Simon! You chose to stay here with Nick and Leanne!"
"You didn't offer me anything better! You were a drunk, a mess and were unreliable! I needed a proper Mum and Dad...not some alcoholic mess!"
"That's enough!" Peter roared at his son. "I have done the best I can for you!"
"How about when you went to prison for killin' Tina. Alright Rob did it, but you still had an affair with her and got Carla pregnant. Tina was killed, you went to prison and Carla miscarried me little sister!"
"I know Simon!" Peter screamed. "I know! I was there! I saw her, I wanted to hold her and make her tears go away but I couldn't!"
"Like always Dad." Simon said. "Always after the event do you regret it."
"Just like you then,"Peter spat back.
"I haven't 'ad it easy though!" Simon protested. "All the grown ups around me run off, die or end up with different people."
"It's just life Simon...It isn't a valid reason for you causing your Mum so much pain."
"Well I hate life then! Especially when I know you don't love me as a son."
"Ey!" Peter said. "Course I do Curly. It's just...just...what you have done is dreadful. Now don't get me wrong okay, Leanne is alright and so is her baby but that doesn't mean that what you have done is something you can get away with. This has gone on far too long and I am not allowing you to hurt her or her baby again."
"You can't stop me from seein' her! She's me Mum, I love her."
"I'm not saying you can't ever see her again Si. Right now she needs to get better and feel comfortable being around you before we can let you go near her. I don't want you to do anything stupid again; I couldn't let you live with that on your conscience. Believe me, wrecking someone you love and destroying their life is something you will never be able to forgive yourself for."
Simon nodded. "Okay," he sighed. "Okay."
"Good lad. Why don't you go upstairs and read a book or something? I'm nippin' out." Peter suggested as Simon bobbed his head up and down again.
"Okay Dad." Simon trudged up the stairs as Peter went to the front door. "Oh and Dad," Simon began.
"Hmm?"
"I didn't mean it back there...You're a great Dad. I'm sorry."
"It's alright son," Peter smiled as he went out the front door. He pulled the packet of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one, puffing away on the nicotine.
Across the road, a tall raven haired woman had left Underworld; tears were streaming down her face and it was obvious to Peter they weren't ones she had just shed. He froze, watching Carla sob and wipe the tears off her face. She paused and she was quite certain her heart skipped a beat. The middle-aged, brown eyed alcoholic she had once deemed 'the love of her life,' and still was in all honesty, was right in front of her. She stared at him harder, trying to drill it into her slightly drunk head that she was imagining it. For the first time she wasn't. Peter was there, right there.
He gave her a toothy smile, genuine and desperate. Carla smiled back faintly before bursting into tears again. Peter rushed over, stamping the life out of his cigarette.
"Car?" He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. "What is it?"
Back at Leanne's flat, Nick had come back again after changing suits. He'd worn the other for over a day and he needed a shower- Leanne's words not his. He unlocked the door to find the flat completely empty... no Leanne in sight.
"Lea?" He called. "Lea?"
He opened all the doors and checked every bedroom- she wasn't there.
Checking his phone that was in his pocket, he saw no messages or calls. The Bistro? Was that where she was? She had been told to rest and not go to work for a good few days but Nick knew her too well- she was very stubborn.
He pushed the doors of the Bistro open and found Leanne, serving tables and customers.
"You!" He said. "Sit down!"
"What?" Leanne asked as he took the plates of food out of her hands. "Nick...what are ya doing?"
"Go and sit down over there! You need to rest!"
"Agh Nick, I'm fine! Just let me do my job- it's boring at 'ome!"
Nick folded his arms after putting the plates of food down on the bar. He stopped and looked at her. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Then we are going to stay here and have dinner together. How's that sound?"
"Wonderful," Leanne grinned, gently pecking him on the lips.
Okay...so I said I would update every Friday but I finished this early! So my new philosophy is this: I will update as soon as I can but if I don't update before a Friday then Friday is when the next chapter will be up!
Let me know your thoughts and the next chapter will pick up where this one left off! :)
Still lots more to come with:
Nick and Leanne. Will they finally get back together?
Carla. What will happen with the factory staff?
Simon. Can he really redeem himself?
Eva and Jason. Is she able to cope with the setbacks?
And finally...
Tracy. Will she crack and reveal the truth about the fire?
