After convincing Tony that she needed space, and by convincing it literally meant her practically pinning him down and telling him that she was doing this until he was blue in the face, she headed off to Leanne's. Of course, Leanne naturally thought Carla was panicking and that there was no way Tony knew about her and Liam's affair but Carla was convinced and she was stressing entirely about this whole situation so Leanne gently reminded her of the baby and she immediately calmed down before running a hand through her hair. The urgency to get out was there, Tony knew something and Carla was convinced and worried for that matter about the lengths he would go to keep her under his grasp.
"I need space to think"
"I know," Leanne says softly and Carla closes her eyes "Tony's a control freak, obviously-"
"Everywhere I go, he's there apart from you" Carla shakes her head in disbelief at what her life had become "How do I even get out of here, I'm not allowed to fly, I can't just disappear...Tony has friends in high places so even if I was to stay in this country I couldn't"
"Stop panicking, we'll think of something" Leanne tries to reassure her knowing she was stressing and that wouldn't be good for the baby "Have you eaten?"
"No, I feel sick" she complains and Leanne sighs putting a couple of slices of bread in the toaster, she grabs the chocolate spread and a knife to coat the toast in it
"Eat something then you might be able to think," Leanne says gently and Carla nods taking the plate "I have some orange juice if you want it?"
"Yes please," she says quietly watching Leanne pour her a glass "I just don't know what to do"
"You could speak to Liam" Leanne puts to her and Carla shakes her head adamantly "Ok...well I don't know Carla..."
"I'm not scared of him, I'm scared for when he finds out about..." she glances down to her ever so rounded stomach before sighing "I know what he's trying to do"
"And that is?"
"Keep me all to himself which means he obviously thinks there's a threat there"
"Is there any way that he could have found out about you and Liam?"
"I don't know, I don't think so mind you I don't exactly keep tabs on him twenty-four hours a day like he does with me"
"Could he have found out about Lad Rags?"
"I don't think so, I keep that very private, like there is no way, everything to do with that is stored with Tom and Liam" she states and Leanne nods slowly before sighing "He must know about me and Liam"
"Well you have your excuse if it ever crops up in conversation again"
"How do you mean?"
"Well if you can prompt him to ask you about you and Liam then tell him about Lad Rags instead of the affair, one less burden on that baby of yours"
"Good idea I suppose" Carla frowns pinching the bridge of her nose, Leanne passes her a couple of paracetamol "Thanks"
"No problem" Leanne smiles and Carla sighs slightly "So have you decided what you're going to do?"
"Give me a chance" Carla mutters taking her glass of juice, she drinks it and groans in annoyance at her phone going off "Ten guesses-"
"Tony?"
"Exactly" she sighs shaking her head and responding to his message "I should go home before he calls out the search party"
"Well I'm always here if you need me" Leanne smiles bringing her in for a hug "Take care of yourself"
"Easier said than done when your husband controls everything you do"
Even speaking to Leanne didn't stop Carla's thoughts, she just knew Tony knew about Liam and she needed to play it safely, the way he was fussing over her, touching her tummy where it was starting to take shape made her shudder, at least she could outsmart him. There was an underlying fear to it, after all there was no saying what Tony could do when he was in his controlling, protective moods and the worse part was the more Carla thought about it the more she knew Tony was sussing her out with her quietness and thoughtfulness. She was forced to play pretend which was exhausting. Her mind was teleported out of her thoughts by the buzzer going off and Tony answering it.
"What's going on?" Carla yawns and Tony smiles opening the flat door, her heart rate immediately picking up at the sight of Liam and Michelle "Tony, what's all this about?"
"I just wanted to do something for you" Tony responds and Carla smiles slightly knowing he was messing with her head, at least she knew that at least
"And this something is?"
"A night in with me and Liam" Michelle smiles "Whilst Tony charms clients as he put it to me"
"Your time to talk about the good old days, cheer yourself up after a hellish week" Tony smiles walking over to her, she nods and he kisses her on the head "Now look after her-"
"Of course, we'll get the non-alcoholic bubbly flowing" Michelle grins and Tony laughs slightly looking Liam up and down
"I'll leave you to it, be good" Tony kisses Carla prominently on the lips to no doubt nark Liam Carla thought
"Bye" she whispers watching her husband leave the flat, she sighs slightly and smiles at her former sister and brother in law "So..."
"Right you can have a glass of this-"
"It's literally sparkling grape juice-"
"Maria cant knock this stuff" Liam states proceeding the drink it, Michelle and Carla raising their eyebrows "Ok it tastes awful"
"Hmm" Carla shakes her head before laughing "You guys can drink you know, I won't be sitting here drooling over the luxury"
"Are you sure?" Liam asks looking at Michelle who was already rummaging around the kitchen
"Look at him can't help but jump at the chance" Michelle giggles pulling out a bottle of wine whilst Carla smiles "We don't have to-"
"I insist" Carla smiles and Michelle grins passing Liam a glass "So what did Tony say to you both?"
"He said that you could do with cheering up so we clubbed together to spend some time with you"
"I bet wifey was pleased" Carla teases and Liam just rolls his eyes at her before pulling a face
"Maria was fine with it, more than fine with it, she knows what you're going through-"
"At least you're not keeping secrets from each other I suppose" Carla responds snidely and Liam narrows his eyes at her comment, "Told her everything about my pregnancy did ya?"
"What's there to know? I mean, you got knocked up now you're paying the price by not being able to drink" Michelle chuckles looking between them and both Carla and Liam drop their gaze "Oh god, something's happened hasn't it?"
"Um" Carla falters as Michelle sits beside her, she takes her hand "It's nothing that hopefully cant be fixed"
"Well, that's a lie" Liam states and Carla frowns at him before glaring at his audacity "Just tell her..."
"I knew I shouldn't have told you, I mean you're just draining our money-"
"Oh please don't argue" Michelle pouts her lips and Liam just rolls his eyes finishing off his glass of wine "Is there something wrong with the baby then?"
"It's not growing correctly, foetal growth restriction," she says quietly and Michelle sighs sadly "Could end up being stillborn, premature birth, time in hospital..."
"Oh Carla, why didn't you say?" Michelle says softly and Carla just sighs and shakes her head not wanting to get onto that
"It won't change the outcome of it will it?"
"I suppose not but the more support available to you and Tony would help you"
"Me and Tony are fine how we are," she says knowing it was far from that "We're private people, we just keep ourselves to ourselves and that's how it is"
"Alright well, I'm always here ok?"
"I know" Carla takes her hand before sighing "Now can we talk about something a bit more cheery?"
From that point onwards the conversation lapsed back to the good old days, the times when life was so much easier and there wasn't unnecessary worry. Michelle left before Liam, leaving Carla there with him alone, she was intrigued to see Tony's reaction when he got in seeing Liam there still, it would be a battle of her self control though. Little did Carla understand that she was in love with Liam, dead certain she had buried those feelings deep inside of her. The more Tony controlled her the more she naturally fell in love with him and that was something that was an alien concept after trying her hardest to bury those feelings deep within. A quick glance at the clock, she sighed, it was only eight and Tony wouldn't be back until ten so she was here with two hours with Liam until ten.
"Are you ok?"
"Fine"
"You don't have to do that you know" he sighs taking the glasses and heading to the kitchen
"Do what?" she turns to him, an eyebrow raised
"The short answers" he smiles and Carla just turns away to put the rest of the glasses in the dishwasher "So I'll ask the question again, are you ok?"
"And I will say that I'm fine because it was the truth," she says even though it was very much far from that "Apart from not being able to workloads"
"You need your rest-"
"Tony thinks I'm an invalid, it's weird he lets me go and see Leanne" she shrugs and Liam smiles at her before laughing "What's so funny?"
"You and Leanne being friends, never would have thought. Paul would be spinning in his grave"
"I don't think that would be the only thing that would get him spinning in his grave" she frowns softly down at her stomach, he smiles slightly
"He's probably be doing more of a Catherine wheel type thing"
"Ha, yeah I suppose" she grins and Liam smiles at her before helping her wipe down the counters "You didn't have to do that"
"Yes I did otherwise Tony would probably tell you off then you would row" Liam smirks and Carla giggles slightly "I'm sorry about before..."
"Before?"
"With the baby, harassing you..."
"It's all in the past now" she turns away from him, closing her eyes at the horrid guilt of her lies cropping up again "How's Maria?"
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" she turns to face him once more and he narrows his eyes
"Change the subject when it's about the baby?"
"I don't do that-"
"You literally just did Carla" Liam rolls his eyes and she just sighs in annoyance, throwing the tea towel down on the side
"I just hate talking about it and plus it's weird talking about it with you"
"No it's not, it's not like I'm the father of your kid is it, we're past all that. You're happy, I'm happy and I think what you dont realise is that when that baby grows-"
"If it grows" she corrects him and he sighs placing his hands on either side of her arms
"Carla the baby will grow-"
"And if it doesn't?" she looks up at him in the eyes, somehow she found the tears filling them and he obviously saw because the next thing that she knew happened was his arms wrapping around her
"Things will start to feel much more real," he says into her head and her eyes close naturally against his, the comfort he was providing her was so much gentler than Tony's controlling behaviour "You baby will grow Carla and you'll feel them move just like Maria does"
"I know it's just going to take time" she nods and Liam guides her head to his shoulder and holds it there, her eyes closing once more as she feels the insane amount of comfort from him, they just worked and she knew it and that in itself made her feel free, her lies immediately coming to the surface "Liam I need to tell you something-"
"Hi" Tony enters the flat and Carla gulps slightly at the speed of Liam removing himself from her body "I didn't think you'd still be here-"
"I was helping her clear up, didn't want her doing that on her own and then passing out, she insisted that I didn't do it but I wasn't going to take any risks-"
"So we compromised and both did it and got the job done ten times faster" Carla grins and Tony smiles at her before dropping a kiss onto her lips "How was the business meal thing?"
"Yeah it was good, finally getting out of that red zone, reckon we'll be out before the baby makes an appearance," Tony says placing his hand on Carla's stomach which made both her and Liam feel extremely awkward
"I should head off now you're back," Liam says and Tony nods offering his hand out to him "What's this for?"
"For being such a great friend to Carla with looking after her and looking out for her" Tony confirms and Carla drops her gaze to Tony's hand that Liam places his in "So thank you"
"It's no problem" Liam smiles slightly "I'm always here to help"
"That's good because I need a favour," Tony says and Carla frowns slightly "In a month or so's time I'll have to go away on business as a result of this meeting, I don't particularly want to leave her on her own-"
"I'm not a child"
"I know Carla but I worry about you and the baby"
"So what do you need me to do?" Liam frowns looking between them both, he sensed something was off
"Well I was going to ask Leanne to move into the spare room to look after her as I will be gone for a week but as Leanne works I will need you to take her to her appointments"
"I can take myself-"
"And risk you passing out at the wheel, it's too risky Carla," he says gently and she sighs in annoyance at her independence being diminished
"I mean I could but what about the factory?"
"Well the factory can run on its own for a couple of hours, you won't be gone long," Tony says quietly and Liam nods "I won't dock you a day pay either"
"I mean if it helps you out..." Liam shrugs and Carla hums pulling out a bar of chocolate
"It really would"
"Ok then I'll do it" Liam nods to Tony and Carla internally panics at the thought of having to share something so intimate with him
"Thank you, Liam, I'm grateful really. Now, do you need a lift back?"
"Um, that would be great if you're offering?"
"Alright then" Tony smiles grabbing his car keys "You run yourself a bath and make yourself a chamomile tea Carla, we won't be long"
"Whatever" she mumbles more interested in her chocolate so naturally Tony and Liam share a look before leaving the flat...
