'Right, she needs a name. I think we should announce her name with the Christmas cards.' Carla tells him, 'I think that's the best way. Put love from Carla, Peter and insert name here. She needs her name; we can't keep calling her a thing or an it.'

'We can't call her that, insert name here isn't very catchy.'

'No shit.' She rolls her eyes, 'we have all day so that's what you and I are doing, sweetheart. She needs a name sooner rather than later.'

'What about Gemma, you know, my little Gem.'

'Nope.' She pops, taking a sip of the hot liquid in front of her, 'I'm not calling her Gemma.'

'Why?'

'It doesn't fit her.'

'Hayley?'

'I'm not calling her after her.'

'What, why?'

'There will only ever be one Hayley, I want it as a middle name, though.' She tells him, not telling him that she was intent on naming their first little girl Hayley, she didn't need to bring up bad memories, make Peter feel guiltier than he already did. They'd never forget her, the baby was an ever-present reminder, a welcome reminder, that they'd already had one little girl. One perfect little girl, too perfect for this world.

'Well have you go any suggestions?'

'Google, top baby names UK, 2020 and read it out to me.'

'Uhh, sure.' He tells her, getting out his phone. 'We have a baby book.'

'Well I want to hear these first.' She tells him, getting out a piece of paper and a pen, 'I'm writing the ones I like down, before you ask.'

'Okay, this is from the evening standard. Are you listening?'

'Yes.'

'Right, Luna, Aurora, Maeve, Olivia and Isla are the top five.'

'I like Aurora. That's the princess, isn't it? And Isla.'

'Is it?'

'You have to learn these things now' she tells him, 'you have a daughter. Alright, keep going.'

'Do I not get a say?'

'Well?'

'I don't like it.'

'What?'

'I don't want to name her after a Disney princess.'

'What why?'

'I just don't want to.' He shrugs, 'it just seems wrong. When she asks us why we chose her name, she'll ask why and what we tell her it's after a Disney princess, it's a bit lazy, don't you think? At least with other names we can tell her we thought about it.'

'Well, what are you thinking?'

'Gemma.'

'No. I like Aurora'

'Then you have to cross off Aurora. You can keep Isla.'

'Fine' she trawls, 'but you have to stop banging on about Gemma.' She decided that she'd concede defeat, picking her battles and all that.

'Then it's Ava, Charlotte, Ophelia, Eloise and Eleanor.'

'Eloise is a no.'

'What, why?'

'It means light, so I'd assume a child was blonde, we'd be better with Ebony.'

'We could add that?'

'No, I'll add Ava and Charlotte. Any thoughts on that?'

'No, they're both nice. Aurelia, Cora, Iris, Amelia, Hazel, Isabella, Alice. Stop me if you like anything?'

'I will.'

'Ivy, Evelyn.'

'Imagine if we called her that- it would be awful. Could you imagine?'

'Mm, Maya, Adelaide, Genevieve, Aria, Mara, Mia, Freya-'

'I like Freya.'

'Chloe, Elodie, Nora, Violet, Lucy, Clara, Anastasia, Rose, Ada, Astrid, Audrey-'

'Some of these names are old lady names, Audrey, Nora and Ada. They're all from the 19th century, aren't they?'

'Arabella.'

'Reminds me of an artic monkeys' song.' She tells him, biting at the top of the pen lid. 'Arabella's got some interstellar-gator skin boots.' She sings, going over to check if the baby is still asleep. Not that she wouldn't be, but she likes to check. Just in case something has happened to the baby and neither of them have heard it.

'Penelope.'

'The movie.'

'Anna, Esme, Evangeline, Lilith.' He laughs as she pulls a face. 'Claire, Maisie, Elena, Phoebe, Adeline, Elizabeth.'

'We could name her after the queen. Elizabeth and Simon.'

'I don't like it so no.' He tells him, going back to his phone, 'Emma, Imogen.'

'I like that, Imogen.' She tells him, putting it down on the list. 'Keep going.'

'Clementine.'

'The orange.'

'You know you don't have to keep giving me reasons.'

'I like it, I gave birth to your daughter twelve days ago, I get a big say in this.'

'Oh.'

'Don't look at me like that, it hurt.'

'I didn't say anything. You know we don't need to rush this.'

'We'll never get her named otherwise. Everyone will be asking, and we can't just keep calling her baby.' She tells him, trying to hide the fact that if she had a name, she'd feel marginally better, acting like she hasn't failed as much.

'I mean.'

'No, she needs her name on the Christmas cards.' She insists.

'Jane, Cordelia, Seraphina, Thea, Zara.'

'Lots of A's.'

'Elise'

'maybe not.'

'Emilia, with an E.'

'Back with the A's.'

'Julia, Grace, Josephine, Scarlett.'

'See, I think that's cute, but I prefer Ruby.'

'How are they connected?'

'Well they're both read, int it? Ruby red and Scarlett red.'

'You want them on the list?'

'Ruby Barlow?' She says aloud, 'Scarlett Barlow. I don't think either of them fit her.' She admits, 'I like the baby names, but I can't imagine calling her that.'

'Beatrice.'

'Oh, I love that. Beatrice Barlow. Beatrice, that's really pretty.'

'No, no.' He shakes her head, 'I'm not having her initials as BB.'

'Why?'

'I just don't want too.'

'Mine are CC.'

'Yeah but.' He shrugs, shaking his head.

'Fine.'

'Florence, Quinn.'

'That's the one from glee.'

'Delilah.'

'Hey there Delilah.'

'Eliza, Mae, with an E.'

'See, I never get that. Why'd you name someone Mae if they weren't born in May? It's like June. I just don't get it.'

'Aye, we could name her December.' She starts scribbling it down. 'I wasn't being serious. Carla we can't name our baby December.'

'Well, I like it. It sounds nice with Barlow, so it's going on the list.'

'Mabel, Sophia, Nova, Ellie, Sadie, Poppy, Elise.'

'Didn't we just have that?'

'No, that was Elise.' He rolls his eyes, 'Matilda.'

'I like that.'

'She's a character, no. I'm not having my daughter named after some neglected kid who can attack her brother with a character. Or something along those lines.'

'Fine.' She huffs, knowing she has to give some leeway, writing something down.

'Carla, I said no.'

'I've written down Sunday. I like that name.'

'Sunday?'

'She were born on a Sunday.'

'We're not naming her after a day of the week.'

'We are.'

'Eliana, Lily, Kayla, Stella, Lyra, Caroline, Ella, Eva, Sienna, Mila'

'Kunis'

'Lydia, Saoirse.'

'You pronounced that right; we had a girl in our class and the teachers couldn't pronounce her name.'

'Abigail, Margaret, Athena.'

'Means wisdom.' She informs him, writing it down.

'Willow.'

'I like that.'

'No.'

'Madeline, Ayla, Claudia.'

'Imagine calling her Claudia. Tracy would have a field day.'

'Edith, Amaya, Wren and Willa.'

'That's it.

'Yes.'

'Really?' She questions, scrunching up her nose. 'Right let's see what we've got.'

Isla

Ava

Charlotte

Imogen

December

Sunday

'Well we can cross December and Sunday off.' He tells her, 'I'm not naming her that, you've got to think of her future.'

'They're nice.'

'For a day of the week and a month, don't even think about naming her winter.'

'Why? People name their kids Summer, what's wrong with Winter?' She huffs, 'why don't we like the same names? I don't know why you don't like Aurora.'

'Do you have to ask?'

'Suppose not, why is this so hard? So, we're down to four. Let's google their meaning.'

'Why?'

'Well I really like the name Lola, but it means sorrow, or something like that.' She informs him, doing a quick google. 'Right, Isla means Island, so no.'

'Why?'

''Our daughter isn't being named after a Scottish Island.'

'Charlotte is the female form of Charles.' Peter adds in, 'so no.'

'Carla means the same thing.'

'Does it?'

'Yeah. I mean according to google.' She tells him, looking back down on her phone. 'Ava has an uncertain meaning.'

'A what?'

'That's what the baby name wizard says.'

'Imogen means girl.' He adds, 'but she doesn't look like an Imogen.' He tells her, as he peers into the Moses basket that Carla had brought nearer them, just in case something happened.

'Back to the drawing board?' She sighs, 'right, I'll say a name you yes or no it.' She tells him, pulling out a number of pieces of paper that she'd printed off and circled some of the names.

'Mmkay.'

'Isobel.'

'Yes.'

'Ruby.'

'Maybe.'

Ivy.'

'No.'

'Nancy.'

'From Oliver?'

'Since when have you seen Oliver.'

'Keep going.'

'Grace.'

'No.'

'Why?'

'Remember the girl that bullied Simon, that was her name.'

'Victoria.'

'Nope.'

'Emily.'

'Bishop?'

Jessica.'

'Maybe.'

'Avery.'

'Maybe.'

'You got any?'

'I like Molly.'

'I thought of that but it's code name for MDMA.'

'Really?'

'Really.' She confirms, 'I love the name, but, with our history, our daughter isn't going to have a name that is code name for MDMA.'

'Apparently it means star of the sea.'

'It's also the name of a drug.'

'Callie?'

'Reminds me too much of California.' She sighs, 'look, let's go out for a bit, we've been here days. Might help us clear our heads.'

'Wait, you want to go out?' He asks, shocked as she'd actively told him where to shove it every time, he dared to think about asking her to leave the house. He didn't know why, but he knew better than to question it, with her hormones she would likely castrate him if he suggested something, she didn't want to-do. Her wanting to go out, it was a step in the right direction.

'I'm going to have to face people eventually, plus it will do me good to get some fresh air.' She finally admits to him, 'Scott said it's not good for me just to be here on my own, I need to do something, as long as I can.'

'That's a brilliant idea, love. We can go to my dad's.' She nods, standing up.

'Let me feed her and then we can go. Ken's will be cleaner, and a better environment, than the pub. She could pick up anything there.'

'You know we have to bring a bag.'

'I have my handbag.'

'No, I mean like with nappies and spare clothes.'

'What?'

'It's true.'

'You're not having me on?'

'No.' She sighs, rubbing her head. 'Apparently, babies require a lot of adjustments.'

'Do we have to go?'

'Now you've mentioned it, it's probably good to get some fresh air, it's not like it's that far. A quick walk. C'mon, I'll pack the bag.'

'See, I'm a rubbish mum.' She groans.

'No, stop putting yourself down. You're doing great.'

'First, I don't know I'm pregnant, then I'm struggling to feed her.'

'Which you're getting to grips with.' He points out, 'it's not your fault you had a haemorrhage.'

'Then we can't decide on a name and now I didn't even know we had to-do this. The whole bag malarkey, except you did. You knew.' He hoped that the fresh air would do her good, not wanting to go out wasn't good for her.

'Carla, I had a son, you have no reason to.'

'Ryan.'

'You were a teenager.' He retorts, 'you need to feed her, I'll pack the bag.'

-CS-

'Peter, Carla.' Ken smiles, 'come in out of the cold. This is a nice surprise.'

'Hiya Ken.'

'How are you?'

'Tired.'

'Newborn's are hard work.' He muses, 'how is she?'

'She's alright.' Peter replies, 'we had to get out of the flat. We're choosing a name.'

'Got any choices? Can I give her a cuddle?'

'No.' Carla says glumly, 'go ahead, she can sleep through anything.'

'It's really hard, especially as madame likes to look up the meaning.'

'I want it to have a nice name.' She tells him, 'I want her to be proud of her name.'

'There's no problem with that.' Ken agrees, smiling at her, as the door opens.

'Grandad?'

'In here.'

'Oh, hi Peter, Carla. How are you?'

'They're picking a baby name.' Ken tells Adam.

'Not having much luck.'

'No?'

'No, she's going to be saddled with this name for the rest of her life.' Peter pauses, 'we're not naming her after anyone, like Suzie or Hayley.' Peter tells them, 'for obvious reasons.'

'No, I get that.' Adam agrees, their minds flashing back a couple of years, when everything was different.

'How's work?' Carla finally pipes up.

'Busy. Apparently, the factory lot want to see her.'

'Their grubby mitts over my baby?' Carla says, pretending she's horrified. 'No, I will take her in. When things are more settled. She's 12 days old.'

'I love the outfit.'

'Thank you for helping with the crib.'

'Glad I could be of assistance.' He jokes, 'you made Sarah broody.'

'Give this one a little playmate.' Peter jokes, 'aye you'd be a great-grandad, dad.'

'That is a scary thought.'

'Not half, would make Suzie a grandma. When I've just become a dad.'

'Well, Bernie Eccleston did have a baby when he was 89.'

'And he said he didn't use Viagra.' Adam adds, making the three of them laugh, as Ken passes the baby to Adam, offering to make a tea.

'You don't just have a baby when your 89.'

'Maybe they're just really attracted to one another.'

'Being nearly 90 though.'

'She's nearly as old as me, so she's getting on a bit.' Carla suggests, laughing. 'Imagine being 90 and having a baby. I'm half his age and it's hard. It's not like she's young, either. Comparatively, she isn't.'

'I think a new baby is hard on everyone.'

'But when you're that old it's even worse. Like you don't have that energy to spare, let alone having a baby and sex. He wants another one, apparently.'

'What?'

'I was reading this. It was on the sun.'

'A reputable source as always' Adam teases. 'Aye, you could name her Bernie.'

'No thank you. Anyway, he won't let me have BB. One of the names I like began with a B, but apparently I wasn't allowed it.'

'Why?'

'I just don't like it.'

'I pointed out I'm CC.' She shrugs.

'She won't let me have Gemma. She suggested Aurora, like the princess.'

'There is someone in the street called Gemma, remember her? Has some quads, bit of a chav. Nice enough girl, but still.'

'And she wanted Sunday or December.'

'Well she was born on a Sunday in December; I didn't see you come up with any good names.'

'Oh.'

'Yes, oh.'

-CS-

'It was nice, leaving the house.'

'I know, are you going to take her to the factory?'

'Maybe, probably after Christmas. I'm just worried about her catching something, she's so vulnerable. She doesn't really have an immune system.'

'I know, but she does need to go out.'

'I know and she will.' She promises, rubbing the little girls back, knowing she's almost ready to fall asleep.

'Plus, she has some great snowsuits.'

'I knew there was an ulterior motive.' She smirks, lying her down in the basket. 'I'm going to have another look.'

'At what?'

'The names' she tells him yawning, he watches as she scans the paper, biting her lip.

'You okay, love?'

'Mm. I think I've found it.'

'What?'

'Her name.'

'What?' She shakes her head, as he comes closer, watching to where her figure is pointing, finally coming to a decision.

'That's her name. I gave birth to her, unknowingly carried her for nine months, I get the final say. You'll grow to love it. I don't care what you day, this is what we'll be naming her. Then all we have to think about is middle names.' All Peter can do is sigh, knowing he's not going to win this battle.

A/N thoughts? Sorry I couldn't resist doing this, what name do you think Carla chose? The name does appear in the chapter… I promise, you do find out her name in the next chapter.