'Overnight bag?'

'Already in the car.'

'Sunhat?'

'Check.'

'Sun cream?'

'Check.'

'Change of clothes?'

'Check.'

'Swimming stuff.'

'Check- although I shan't be going in the water.'

'You say that now.'

'Parasol?'

'Check.'

'Baby bag.'

'Check.'

'That thing you put over you. You know, when you want privacy to feed her.'

'The blanket?'

'Yes.'

'Check. Look, we're all ready to go Peter. Just put this is in the boot.' She sighs, picking up the baby from her position on some cushions. 'C'mon little bumble bee. We're going to have fun today. We're going to Blackpool. Your first holiday. Me, daddy, big brother, Amy, Daniel, Bertie, Adam, Sarah, Harry and grandad.' The doorbell rings, making the man jump. 'Let Si in. You get the stuff in the kitchen, don't forget your charger.'

'I won't.' He rolls his eyes, letting the boy in.

'Are you okay to sit in the back with her?' Carla asks, as she puts the baby in her seat.

'Absolutely fine.' He promises, getting in the car.

'We could have picked you up.'

'Mum was taking Oli for a brain scan, she said it was on her way. She was telling me about it, sticking something on his scalp and it is stressful. I think she'll like the few days apart.'

'Don't say that.' Carla tells him, looking at him in the mirror. 'Your mum loves you, just like we all do.' He smiles a little, muttering something.

'Right, who wants to go on holiday?' He's met with a roll of the eyes from his partner.

-CS-

'How was Bertie on the journey down?' Carla questions Daniel, smiling down at the toddler.

'No tears, so I call that a success. How was Bea?'

'Asleep.' She smirks, 'it was nice and peaceful.'

'You don't know how lucky you are, but before you know it, she'll be as wild as Bertie.'

'We'll see. She's started talking, well not talking, making noise to herself. It's pretty cute.' She smiles, stroking the fine hair of the baby currently being held by her partner. 'She's going to be a right chatterbox.'

'With you as her mum, I don't doubt it.'

'Who are we missing?'

'The teenagers.' Adam groans, before two people appear, 'talk of the devil and he shall appear. Where were you? How is everyone capable of congregating in here, but you seem to disappear.'

'You're so weird.' Amy tells him, shaking her head a little.

'So, what exactly are we doing?' Simon questions, as the group congregate in the middle of the reception, having all just got the keys to their respective rooms.

'How about we meet down here in, what, half an hour? We could go for a walk?' Ken tries.

'Can we go to the arcade, grandad?' Amy tries, 'Si and me. We've been to Blackpool before; we don't need the grand tour.'

'If it's alright with Peter?'

'As long as you keep your phones on. Go and find your room and then you can go, but keep your phone on, I know what you're like Si.''

'We will.' She promises, not letting Simon get a word in edgeways. 'Right, c'mon Si.'

-CS-

'Are you going to carry her in that sling thing?'

'I was planning too. The pram, it's hard work.' She sighs, she watches him with their daughter on the bed, making her laugh as he blows raspberries on her small stomach. It's moments like this that she has a flicker of resentment, towards Johnny, because no one cared enough to make her laugh, make her smile.

'I'll take her.'

'Are you sure?' He nods, getting something out of the bag. 'That would be great- I'm tired. We'll probably end up on the beach and I don't fancy having the pram near her. Aye, it will be the first time she's seen sand. That's going to be cute.'

'Are you sure you want to go down then? You can stay here, if you want.'

'I'll be fine, sleep deprivation is a second nature to me.' She pauses, looking between the pair, 'and feeling like a cow.'

'Cow?'

'I feel like I'm being milked every single time I feed her.' She moans, 'at least the leaking has stopped.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Sorry? What's its to-do with you?' She questions, surprise written over her face.

'Well it's my sperm that-'

'You don't need to finish that sentence, Mr Barlow.' She smirks, 'although it probably is coming up for her lunch time. Do it here, maybe she'll sleep then.'

-CS-

'Right, have you all put sun cream on?' Carla asks, as they all meet up. 'Daniel?'

'You're such a mum' still grabbing the bottle.

'Skin cancer is a real risk.' She points out, turning to the small child at Daniels feet. 'He's got someone on, right?'

'Yes.' He groans, a smile playing on his lips. It makes him laugh how worried she is for the smaller members of the group. 'You not bringing the pram?'

'Peter is perfectly capable of carrying her, anyway, if we end up on the beach, it will be easier. Will laddo be okay? Can he walk?'

'He'll be fine.' He promises, Carla still sceptical, but Daniel knows best.

'Hello you.' A voice calls, making the woman turn. 'I feel like I haven't seen you.' The woman smiles, turning around.

'It's been a while, how are you?'

'Yeah, I'm good.' She smiles, as the group seem to gravitate towards the door, Sarah nattering on about something. She likes Sarah, she really does, but her head isn't with it this morning.

'How's the factory?' She dares to ask, stealing a glance to her partner who is engrossed in conversation with his dad and nephew.

'It's not the same without you.' She admits, 'I miss you.'

'I'm sure you're doing fine.' She reassures the woman.

'I wouldn't say that, but it's okay.'

'We miss you; I miss you. You are coming back, right?'

'Probably, if there is a job.'

'Of course, there is. I know Nick would like you back, let's face it, there is no one better.'

'You're too kind, but my priorities changed.' She tells her, shrugging. 'I guess I will come back, but I want her to be a bit bigger.'

'I get that.' She mumbles, 'but I miss you. It's not the same, one day you were there and the next we heard was that you had a baby. No one believed it, thought you were skiving. You know, spent all night watching something or doing something. That you were too tired to come in.' Carla chuckles a little, marvelling at how far she's come along in the last few months. It's amazing really.

'I wanted to come into work, I wasn't feeling well but I genuinely didn't know until my water broke. It was a baptism of fire, I suppose.'

'It must have been traumatic.'

'One word for it, but it's settling down. It's a shame we didn't have the time to-do everything normal couples do, but it's just one of those things. I wouldn't be without her now, touch wood, she's healthy and happy. She's meeting all her milestones.' Carla pauses, a downcast look momentarily gracing her face. 'When you think of little Oliver, it makes everything more precious.'

'It's terrible, I know Nick is really suffering.'

'It's one of those things that you don't know what to say, there are no words. I don't know about you, but I feel guilty for having her, she's happy, most of the time, and she's healthy. I know how much Leanne wanted a baby, she gets it and now he's being taken away in the cruellest way possible.'

'It's horrible to think about.' Sarah agrees, 'but she is beautiful. She looks like you.' Carla lets out a smile, thanking her.

-CS-

'Are you coming?'

'What me?'

'No, the genie in the bottle.'

'Me? In the sea?'

'Well you and Bea.'

'Absolutely not. And she's not going.'

'Why not?'

'Because it's probably filthy and she is seven months old. She could catch anything.'

'I'll just hold her up, so she can splash. Just her feet, you go swimming with her, there are germs there, too. C'mon Carla, it could be fun?' She groans, as everyone looks around expectantly. They should be pleased that she's even at the beach, having disregarded her sandals because of the sand. She was putting up with all these horrors so her baby could try this.

If it were abroad, she'd be happier. More trusting that she'd not catch something.

But this was Blackpool. The health and safety, she reckoned, wasn't as good.

'Look, she's all ready for swimming.' Daniel tries, 'Grandad's going to look after the bags. If you're worried, you can hold her the whole time.' She deliberates, eventually relenting and standing off the towel she'd put down.

'Let's try this bumble bee.' She mutters as she grabs the baby from her partner. The child tries to pull excitedly at her hair and making a noise, clearly enjoying herself, if they can do that?

Maybe it was just the fact her mum was holding her.

'Is it cold?' She questions, watching Sarah follow Harry into the sea. 'I bet it's cold.'

'Love, it's the sea. It's supposed to be cold.'

'What if she gets frostbite?' Peter just shakes his head, as she stands at the edge of the sea, smirking with a gleam in his eye. 'You better not.'

'Come in, then.'

'No.'

'I'll do it.'

'I've got your daughter?' He just shrugs, as she feels some cold water hit her. 'I hate you, Peter Barlow.'

'You're in now.'

'You're lucky I'm holding the baby, otherwise you'd be for it.'

'Is that a threat, or a promise?'

'Si.' She shouts, getting the boys attention. 'Come and take your sister.' She grins, as Peter emits a groan.

'Don't do it. She's going to splash me.' That makes the boy move faster, managing to get his dad as he goes to get the baby. 'Don't you are.' He grins as Carla edges nearer him. 'You wouldn't.' As soon as he speaks, he's hit with a wave of water.

-CS-

'What are you getting?'

'Hmm?'

'Ice cream wise.'

'Oh, vanilla, probably. What you?'

'I'm thinking Lemon sorbet, haven't had one of those in years.' She smiles as they leave the hotel, having an evening just the three of them.

Like every evening.

Except they're on holiday, it just makes everything seem better.

'It's weird.'

'What?'

'This time last year, we didn't know about her, did we. I'd have been, what, four months pregnant? We'd have been in lockdown or shielding.' She pulls a face, kissing the baby's cheek. She'd not wanted to bring some sort of carrying device, so she was holding her tight. The parlour they were dead set on was a few minutes' walk away, she could sit on their laps, now she could sit up.

He knew Carla was going to get her to try the tiniest bit of ice cream, as long as it was in small amounts, she'd be fine. She hadn't said as much, but that's why she was enquiring about the ice cream flavours, vanilla was a safe bet.

Lemon might be too sour.

'Maybe that's why you were so horny.' He whispers, as she gently slaps his chest, with her free hand. 'You know what they say.'

'Shut-up.' She mumbles, going bright red. 'But, anyway, now she's our world. How can someone so quickly change your life? I can't imagine living without her now.'

'Would you do it again?'

'Pregnancy?'

'Yeah.' She pauses, biting her lip. She'd be lying if she said that she hadn't thought about it, it was always inevitable. It's something that had been playing on her mind, since she'd started to get over the hormonal fog. Until a few weeks ago, it was a dead certain no. But things were starting to change, now that she was over the shock.

Or as much as she could be.

'Have you thought about it?' He shrugs, pulling a face at the baby on his partners hip.

'I mean, it's your body, your choice.'

'That doesn't answer my question.'

'I don't know. I adore Bea. But I'm getting on a bit and I'm not sure. It would be lovely to have someone her age to play with, but I also know what hard work it is and I'm not getting any younger. She is a miracle, after Susie, I needed her. I am wondering if it's time to quit while we're ahead. If you wanted another one, obviously it would be different. I wouldn't say no to another baby if you wanted one.' A moment of silence passes them, as she laces her hand into his.

'No.' She whispers, 'I don't. You're right, we've got two beautiful children. I know Si isn't mine, but he's part of the family and I've certainly felt more like a mum to him, this time around, but I don't want another one. She was a shock, a miracle, but I don't think I could have another one. We're happy, aren't we?' She studies his face, almost as if he's breathing a sigh of relief, nodding slightly. She caught his smile when she said they've got two children; it represented a growth of the family. He can't describe it, but it makes him warm and fuzzy inside.

'What about getting married?'

'Married?'

'It's a stupid idea.' He shrugs, instantly regretting it.

'I didn't say that.' She tells him, biting her lip. She does a good job hiding her shock, seemingly remaining cool and being able to keep a calm composure, taking a moment to gather her thoughts.

Or so it appears.

Inside, she feels like a duckling, she's panicking. She didn't expect thing, they'd talked about it, but she'd never thought it would materialise.

Then again, she never thought they'd move into a house.

'I always said I'd never get married.'

'It's stupid.'

'But that's what parents do, right? In movies. Granted, we've gone about it the wrong way, but we've done it before. We could do it again.' He's taken aback by her answer, thinking she'd shoot it down, making him regret his decision. But she hadn't, she seemed to be thinking about it, considering it. He smiles as he watches her kiss the baby's head, taking in the smell.

'Are you saying yes?'

'I want to have the same name as you, I want it to be official.' She pauses, as they slow down the pace of their walk, lingering outside an ice cream parlour not wanting to have this conversation inside. 'I am worried, I don't do marriage. Then again, I also didn't do being a mum.' She whispers, 'I won't be as bridezilla.'

'So that's a yes?'

'I think it is.' He pauses, pulling them off the foot path.

'I was going to do a big proposal, but then I thought you wouldn't like that. I didn't mean it to come out like that.'

'You mean you don't want too?'

'No, no, I do.' He assures her. 'I just wasn't sure.' She watches him reach into his pocket, before pulling out a box, opening it, as she gasps.

'You have a ring?'

'Marry me?' She smiles against the sunset, gasping a little. It's not a big showy proposal, just the three of them against the setting sun. It beats the bistro, the beautiful sunset behind them beating the dim lighting of the bistro. They don't need pictures, or people. It's a precious, intimate, moment.

Just the three of them.

'I'd love to.' She whispers, encasing him in a kiss. 'I'd love to Peter.'

A/N thoughts?

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