I'm hoping everything will start to fall into place
Her head was pounding because of the copious amount of alcohol she consumed the night before. She turned around and saw Lucas lying there beside her and instinctively she nuzzled into his body and he held her close causing her to hum gently. Lucas let out a tired groan and pulled Michelle onto the top of his body, she squealed and slid her legs either side of his body before resting her head on his chest. She yawned and hummed once more in content whilst Lucas' hands skim up and down her back.
"Breakfast?" he questions, she nods with a smirk "We could go out? Or I could rustle us up a full English here then we can take the coffee into the bedroom"
"As tempting as it sounds, I'll take the breakfast but I'll need to get back to help with Carla, sorry"
"I understand" he says, picking her up and holding her, he walks her into the bathroom and turns the shower on "Shower?"
"No" she chuckles "I'll have one when I'm home otherwise my hair will go crazy"
"Alright then" he pecks her on the lips, she wraps her arms around his neck and he sways her "Feel free to have a snoop, I know what you Connor women are like"
"You don't mind?"
"No, not at all," he says as she nods "I'm having a shower though, I have an important meeting today"
"I'll miss you"
"You'll survive" he smirks as she walks out of the bathroom, she immediately grabs his shirt and chucks it over her body before biting her lip, a box on top of the wardrobe caught her attention so she picked it up and looked in it
"Oh" Lucas gulps, she looks up at him with tears in her eyes "Sorry, um…"
"No it's ok" she whispers, he shakes his head "Lucas it's fine"
"No it's not" he shakes his head "You probably think I'm so weak"
"Not at all" she shakes her head bringing him in for a hug "I dont judge you, Lucas, I never will"
"Sorry"
"Stop apologising" Michelle whispers cradling his head to her chest "How about I have that coffee after all?"
"You don't have to if you need to get back" he frets, she sighs picking up the photo which was in the box with a small smile on her face "I couldn't do it on my own"
"And no one judges you for that" Michelle assures him "I know how about we have lunch together? I think Peter's taking Carla out for lunch so we can just relax at the flat?"
"Sounds good, yeah ok"
"Good now go and make a start on the breakfast, I'll put this back where it belongs"
"Morning sleepy head" Peter whispers holding a tray in his hands as he enters the bedroom "This is for you"
"T-Thanks" she smiles up at him, she immediately tucks into her breakfast
"I'll get you your pills as well" Peter smiles kissing her on the forehead before leaving to get all of her medication, he returns "Right so we have your vitamins"
He passes her all of the pills which she takes
"We then have your pain relief" he smiles, Carla nods slowly in response "And we have your supplements"
"T-Thanks" she nods with a small smile as she takes all of her meds "T-T"
"Ok, I'll carry you," Peter says quietly, Carla nods allowing him to carry her to the bathroom "Shout when you're done"
"W-Will" she nods as he closes the door to give her some privacy, he sighs slightly and Michelle enters the flat "D-Done"
"Alright" he whispers entering the bathroom, she grips onto his arms and he frowns watching her use all of her strength to stand "Hey"
"H-Hi" she smiles up at him "W-Walk"
"I dont think so" he smirks, Michelle enters the bathroom and grins at Carla
"Look at you standing" Michelle beams kissing Carla on the head, Peter lifts her into his arms and takes her back into the bedroom, Michelle follows them
Carla picks up her phone
"How was your night?"
She smirks at her friend, Michelle just rolls her eyes
"The night was good, the morning was emotional"
Carla frowns in response
"Emotional?"
"Yeah you don't need to worry about it, me and Lucas are fine. We're going to talk later, during my break at the bistro"
"Anyway, love I need to go to work so I'm going to leave you in Michelle's capable hands, ring me if you need anything alright?"
"O-Ok" she nods pointing to her lips, Peter pecks them before cupping her cheek
"Be good"
"She always is" Michelle smirks as Peter leaves the room, "So then what do you want to do today? We could have a lazy day? Or we could have a little pamper session? Online shopping…?"
"Mi-Mi-chelle" Carla smirks "L-Lucas"
"I don't understand sweetheart" Michelle takes her hand, Carla rolls her eyes
"Go and spend it with Lucas"
"No! I'm not leaving you alone Carla you know the rules"
"F-Fine," she says, folding her arms across her chest "S-Spa d-d-day?"
"Alright then, I'll help you get ready then we can go out and buy some things yeah?"
"S-Sounds g-good" she nods with a small smile, Michelle playfully ruffles her hair causing her to bat her away
Leanne was sitting at home wondering where on earth Simon had got to. He hadn't come home yet and he was so distant recently. Mothers intuition she let her instincts take hold and went into his room, she knew he wasn't working as his work bag was hanging up on his bedroom door. She sighed slightly knowing he had lied to her once more she had a good mind to let Peter deal with it but it was unfair on him and he didn't need the stress of the whole thing especially with what Leanne had heard about Carla needing around the clock care. Gently Leanne took Simon's bag down and rummaged through it there was nothing but then she spotted the tear in the lining and that's when her heart sunk and her anger began to rise.
"Mum?"
"In here" she responds sternly, Simon enters the room and gulps "So when were you going to tell me you were holding drugs in here then? In our home?"
"It's not what you think"
"Oh come off it Si I know exactly what it is, I'm not stupid"
"What did you expect me to do!?" he exclaims, Leanne pulls a face "We had no money! None! We needed a stable income. You were hardly in a position to go out to work, were you? So it fell to me and I was trying to do the decent thing to help you out because I love you!"
"Si-"
"No I'm not listening to this," he says shoving the drugs back into his bag and chucking it over his body "I have things to do"
"Si please dont do this!"
"Too late mum, too late" he shakes his head before storming out of the flat, Leanne breaks down in tears running her hand through her hair wondering why everything had to go wrong
"Oh, who's that?" Michelle groans having just finished painting Carla's toenails, Carla grins "Alright I'm coming!"
She opens the door to an angry Leanne
"And why are you here?"
"Is Peter here?"
"He's working" Michelle states glancing at Carla "Sorry"
"O-Ok?" Carla questions Leanne who sighs "M-Michelle?"
"Yes, darlin'?"
She picks up her phone
"Go to the shops for us and pick us up some ice cream"
"Carla I'm not-"
"Leanne will be here, won't you?"
Carla says automatically thinking that this was about Simon being in possession of her bank card and she didn't exactly want that to get out right now
"Bye Michelle"
"Fine, you ring me if anything happens" Michelle states with a glare "I'll be back soon"
"B-Bye" Carla says gesturing for Leanne to sit down, she picks up her phone
"I know you must be mad"
"What?" Leanne questions with a frown "Hang on how do you know?"
"What?"
"Simon's dealing drugs and you didn't think to tell me?"
"Woah wait a minute"
Carla glares at her, Leanne frowns closing her eyes and falling back into the comfort of the armchair
"Simon's dealing drugs?"
"Yes," Leanne states "I need to speak to Peter-"
"N-No" she shakes her head "N-Not...P-Peter"
"He has to know Carla he's his father"
"Not Peter, it'll throw him over the edge and I can't have that"
"So what do I do then?"
"Me," she says definitely "I-I w-will help"
"Ha yeah good one, you can't even walk Carla" Leanne spits, Carla raises an eyebrow
"I have been helping"
"What?"
"Simon has my bank card"
"Is this some sort of sick joke?"
"No, he needed money to help keep everything afloat, I helped him because he asked. He didn't want to upset his dad nor you"
"Why didn't he speak to me?"
"I don't know and that's the truth"
Carla sighs shaking her head
"Is there anything you need me to do which doesn't involve going to Peter?"
"I'll get him to give you your bank card back," Leanne says "I'll deal with it, I promise and I won't involve Peter"
"I'm here if you need me"
"Right, sorry about earlier, you should text Michelle-" Leanne starts before pausing and frowning, her eyes widen "Well I never"
"W-What?"
"Are you pregnant?" Leanne questions looking at how Carla's top clung to her tummy, Carla bites her lip
"Yes, and?"
"Does Si know?"
"Not yet, we're going to tell him after the twenty-week scan, there's a lot of complications"
"As long as you do" Leanne states "Anyway bye"
"B-Bye" Carla smiles as Leanne leaves the flat, she lets out a sigh and shakes her head leaving her to wonder if Simon was actually ok…
Toyah and Imran were walking down Victoria Street with their foster son holding each of their hands. They were unbelievably happy and they would never had imagined that they would get here today especially after everything with Susie and what happened with that and the outcome. Imran loved Toyah and loved the way she interacted with their foster son and in a way, it would be sad to see him go as this last day he had become a part of their little family but they knew he would have to leave them eventually.
"Oh god!" Michelle gasps holding onto the paper bag which contained a few cakes in her hands for her and Carla "Sorry Toyah"
"It's ok," Toyah says as Imran lifts the small child onto his hip "How's Carla by the way?"
"Yeah she's getting there, it's a long process and all but she's doing really well. She stood for the first time in a while today so it's looking good and we're hopeful that she can have her operation which will help her more"
"That's good"
"I didn't know you were…?"
"Fostering" Toyah smiles "Yeah we're surprised it happened but we're happy you know"
"Good" Michelle smiles "Anyway I best get these back to madam"
"And we promised this one a cake" Toyah smirks as Sammy waves at Michelle "Sorry he likes to introduce himself to everyone"
"I'm Michelle" she smiles at the child "What's your name?"
"Sammy" he beams up at her
"Right now that we've done that let's have a coffee and a cake yeah?" Imran suggests "Nice to see you again Michelle"
"You too" Michelle smiles before walking back to the flat
"You seem distracted" Michelle states finishing off her cake, Carla smiles slightly "Was your conversation with Leanne ok?"
"F-Fine" she nods "T-Tired"
"You can have a sleep if you want?" Michelle offers, Carla shakes her head "Alright then-"
"Hey, girls" Peter smiles entering the house with a bag of food from Dev's "Good day?"
"Yeah" Michelle smiles "Did you know that ex of yours is fostering?"
"Toyah?"
"Yeah" Michelle hums helping him offload the food into the cupboards "Thought it was odd really with the whole Susie thing"
"Nothing to do with me now, thank god"
Carla picks her phone up
"That's my niece you're talking about"
She smirks playfully, he chuckles and goes to sit with her
"M-Miss...ed you" she smiles resting her head on his shoulder, he lifts her up and places her on his lap
"Let me know if I hurt you" he smiles, she shakes her head feeling fine, she wraps her arms around his middle, he places his hand on her bump "And how are my two favourite people then?"
"G-Good" she confirms with a small smile, he chuckles bending down to kiss her tummy, she rolls her top up "H-Happ...y"
"Good" he nods resting his forehead against hers
"Anyway, I'm going to head off to work alright you two?" Michelle smiles, Carla nods "Be good ok? Don't give him too much of a hard time"
"W-Wont" Carla smirks as Peter kisses her on the forehead, Carla leans in and kisses him building it up slowly, her tongue swirling around his, she moves to his neck and kisses him
"Carla" he pulls away gently knowing what she was trying to do, she smirks "No baby"
She frowns and pouts her lips, her hands coming to rest on his chest
"W-Why?"
"Because I don't want to hurt you and because you're meant to be resting and getting better"
"Y-You d-don't w-w...ant to?" she questions sadly
"No, no" he shakes his head pressing a finger against her lips "It's too soon sweetheart, sorry I just don't want to be responsible for you being in pain"
"F-Fine" she hums resting her head on his shoulder, he secures his arms around her body "Y-You s-s...ss" she huffs in annoyance picking up her phone
"You still love me?"
"To the moon and back" he mumbles into the top of her head, he kisses her before passing her the remote "Now find something to watch"
"Yes, boss"
"Ah" Michelle bites her lip at Lucas' entry, she glances at Debbie who smirks "Can I take my break?"
"Take a double one, we're pretty quiet," Debbie says before approaching Lucas "Don't get her too drunk"
"I wouldn't dare" Lucas grins, Debbie chuckles
"You have a good'un there," she says before heading into the office, Michelle leads Lucas over to the table
"I hope you're not here to lead me astray"
"No I'm here to be honest with you"
"Oh right, sorry this is about this morning, isn't it? I'm so sorry going full in with the sarcasm, it's been a hectic day-"
"Carla been running circles around you?"
"Something like that" Michelle whispers "I meant what I said Lucas, I dont judge you"
"I know you don't and I'm grateful, I just wish...things were different"
"I know" Michelle responds softly taking his hand "Speak to me"
"It was awful when...she got sick I mean...we knew it was coming don't get me wrong. After she left...when he was...sorry"
"I know, it's so hard losing someone you love" she squeezes his hand gently "Where is he now?"
"I couldn't cope," he admits, shedding a tear "Not on my own. I understood why she had to go as she...but when he...was born it felt so weird for me to do it on my own and I couldn't. I feel so weak over it"
"Oh, Lucas" Michelle whispers closing her eyes "Is there anything I can do?"
"No, no" he shakes his head "I'm ok, I am"
"I'm always here if you want to talk" Michelle squeezes his hand as she glances over to the door of the bistro "Sorry to cut this short"
"It's ok" he follows her gaze seeing Carla and Peter standing there, Michelle gets up
"Are you two ok? Has something happened?"
"Y-Yes" Carla pouts her lips "P-Peter burn...n-n...t f-food"
"Alright you don't need to tell her that" Peter rolls his eyes, Michelle chuckles
"At least it wasn't you for once" Michelle teases, Carla grins up at her "So you're eating out then?"
"Yeah, so table for two?"
"Michelle" Debbie smiles appearing from the office "You can get off if you want?"
"Are you sure?"
"I don't think there will be anyone else tonight" Debbie smiles "You can have a meal with them if you want, double date with that handsome Irish fella of yours"
"You so fancy him" Michelle scoffs, Debbie taps the side of her nose "Well he's mine"
"G-Gross" Carla smirks, Michelle grins at her and gestures for Peter to push her over to the table where Lucas was
"Apparently we're having a double date with these two" Michelle rolls her eyes, Lucas chuckles "Debbie's idea"
"You should be pleased you don't have to work"
"Yeah you're probably right, I'll get the drinks in"
"Ta" Carla smiles shuffling into the booth from her wheelchair "N-Nice t-to ss...ss...ee y-you again"
"And you too Carla" Lucas smiles biting his lip as Michelle sits down beside Lucas who puts his arm around her shoulders "Not that we're not acquainted before this…why are you here anyway? Michelle said you were having a quiet night in…"
"I burnt the lasagne"
"Surprised it wasn't her" Lucas smirks at Carla who glares at him "She's not exactly a domestic goddess when it comes to the kitchen"
"God tell me about it" Peter drones "She once cooked me and my stepson a pizza with the plastic covering on it"
Carla picks up her phone
"Excuse me I am here you know, both of you"
"When I first met her right, she cooked what I thought was a casserole but no it was meant to be a pie-"
"A-Alright" she groans slightly picking up the menu
"The chef was wondering if we just wanted some picky bits?" Michelle questions, Carla and Peter nod "Good I'll get on that"
"Ok" Carla miles picking up her phone
"So how do you know Michelle?"
"It's a long story, I was a bit of a jerk to her in the past"
"Oh" Carla frowns picking up her phone
"She never told me about you, she tells me everything as well so you must be significant in some way"
"No we were just friends" Lucas shrugs "Nothing more nothing less, well I say friends but yeah we had our arguments and all that, kind of like a playful relationship. It's a small world considering how we know each other eh?"
Before Carla could speak Peter cut in
"Carla said you did some work for her down in Devon, what sort of work"
Carla nudges him in the side as a warning to tell him to stop digging
"Yeah she was working for a company which was a contact of the company I was part of, we had a few business meetings and a few non-business meetings didn't we?"
"Y-Yes" Carla confirms grabbing her phone
"He knows I had a fling with you"
"Oh, well I just wanted you to know that I'm with Michelle now, and Carla's happy with you"
"Y-Yeah" Carla confirms wrapping her arms around Peter's middle as Michelle brings out some trays of food
"Everything good?" Michelle questions sitting beside Lucas
"Perfect, everythings perfect" Peter smiles dropping a kiss onto the top of Carla's head for Lucas' benefit, somehow he couldn't help but let the jealousy rise...
