1st of August 2022: Roulette

She couldnt keep the smile off her face as she practically skipped up the stairs to their flat, she was tired, it had been a long day. Much to Peter's dismay, she wanted to pull a late one at the factory, catching up on paperwork when it was quiet. He wanted to go to the Bistro but she wasnt all that keen, prioritising work over spending time with her husband but she finished now and she thought she might actually be able to join him. When she got into the flat she frowned at Peter sitting there watching the TV, she hung her coat up and he smiled at her.

"Aren't you meant to be-"

"Power went out, my money's on the fuse box"

"It better not be real money" she almost chastises, he smirks at her as she flicks the kettle on "I heard something happened...was interested so came back home"

"Unlike you to be nosey and gossip on simple things like that" he turns to her as she sits down with her coffee "How was work?"

"Same old, just inundated with paperwork but I'm more than caught up now so I'll be all yours for the rest of the week if you want to do something?"

"Maybe" he responds, she smiles and bites her lip before he puts an arm around her shoulders being careful not to spill her drink "It wasnt the same without you, never is"

"To be honest I reckon it was quite annoying"

"You've become a bit too snobby for my liking Mrs Barlow" he smirks, she rolls her eyes and swings her legs onto his lap "I understand though"

"Do you?"

"Mhm" he confirms, she sighs and closes her eyes "I know it probably brings back bad memories, things you dont need in your life right now"

"I'm happy, I dont want the past reflecting that"

"Have you stepped into a casino since?"

"No and I dont intend to" she responds swiftly, she didnt really like where this was going but she knew he was going to make her speak about it "I mean it doesnt bother me I just dont want to become...the way I was"

"I know" he soothes, rubbing small circles on the back of her shoulder "You should have just told me you felt like that we could have gone into town or something"

"I lied" she blurts out, he frowns at her "I didnt have paperwork to do..."

"Right"

"I just didnt want to go" she bites her lip, he nods and kisses her on the side of the head "For obvious reasons"

"Why didnt you say?"

"Because it's so far in the past I can barely remember it?" she tries, she wasnt even sure if that was the reason but either way it seemed to fit even if he wasnt convinced

"But you did remember it because it affected you," he says, she sighs and closes her eyes "It's ok"

"I just dont want that time to mix with what we have going on here, we're happy, really happy now and I dont want the past affecting that at all"

"Sometimes it's going to happen," he says quietly, she sighs once more in annoyance more than anything "I know you're starting to get annoyed with me so I'll stop, maybe we can watch something together now?"

"I'm going to have a bath" she announces and he sighs before nodding and letting her go, he had obviously touched a nerve

She had her bath and then got out of it, she didnt know why she spent more time than usual brushing her hair and then brushing her teeth for bed so she could just climb under her covers and forget. Peter didnt let her have it that easy, he wanted her to talk about it and he could be awfully persistent when he wanted to be so he was. They sat stewing in this silence that could only be described as tedious, she got up with a loud huff, all of the air in her lungs being exhaled at that point. Carla walked into their bedroom, he followed her and she undressed and put some pyjamas on before climbing into bed so he got ready for bed and then joined her. She knew exactly what he was doing.

"Ok then, fine" she was annoyed now, he was causing her to lose her temper "What do you want me to say?"

"Just speak to me"

"About?"

"You know what"

"Well, I used to gamble, you know this, you know every little thing about me so what else is there to tell you apart from I didnt want to go to the stupid casino night at the stupid Bistro because it reminded me of poker chips and roulette wheels, are you happy now?"

"I dont know why you didnt tell me"

"Because it doesnt matter!" she exclaims, he takes her hand and holds it "I just dont see how this is getting us anywhere"

"Maybe I just thought after everything..." he trails off, she sighs feeling immensely guilty, after everything they had been through, she hadn't been honest

"I'm sorry" she turns to look at him, he looks at her "I am I just like to leave everything in the past to do with that, I didnt want a reminder of those times, times where I struggled. I just want an easy life Peter, thats all, I'm done with all the drama, all the arguments, I just want you and for us to be happy forever"

"We will be" he confirms, she smiles at him "Thats a promise even though half the time our promises dont mean much"

"True" she couldnt help but let out a laugh, he just watches her lean over to turn the light off "But either way...I'm sorry I should have spoken to you about it, maybe I dont know, I just...I dont know"

"I know," he says quietly as she curls into his body, she drapes an arm over his chest "I'm sorry for pushing as well"

"Now that we're both sorry, can we please go to sleep?" she tries, he chuckles and kisses her on the forehead "I actually think telling the truth would have been much easier than flicking through the same papers I did today at the factory"

"I guess telling the truth does have its advantages"

"Only sometimes" she smirks, he rolls his eyes and sighs "I do love you y'know"

"I know you do, I love you too"