A few days later, it was the day Johnny was coming home.
"Today is the day" Peter said, laying in bed with Carla laid on his chest.
"I know, I don't want to go back to living separately" Carla told him truthfully.
"Me either, maybe we will have a look at somewhere for the both of us"
"Really?" Carla asked, looking up at him "we agreed to take it slowly"
"Yes, but we have been living here together and I have had such a good time, I want it to be like this all the time" Peter kissed her forehead.
"I suppose so"
"Is that a yes?" Peter asked hopefully.
"Yes" Carla replied, kissing him, pulling him on top of her.
This was the last day Carla was going to be with Peter alone, so the couple made the most of it. By the time they were finished it was opening time.
Sean was in today, so the family could spend some much needed time together.
It was around one o'clock when Johnny and Jenny walked through the Rovers door.
"We're back" Jenny shouted with her arms in the air.
"Welcome back" Carla said from the other side of the bar.
Johnny made his way round and gave her a hug. "How are you?" he asked, whilst still embracing his daughter.
"Go through the back and catch up, I have it covered out here" Sean told the four of them. To be truthful he could just do with the bar to himself, everyone else would just get in the way.
"Thanks Sean" Carla placed a kind hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze before following Johnny through to the back.
Everyone sat around the dining room table. Obviously Carla and Peter sat together on one side and Johnny and Jenny on the other.
"How is Suzie?" Carla asked, curious about her niece.
"She is fine, growing up so fast, I see so much of Aiden in her" he told her.
"Show her the pictures, love" Jenny got out his phone, handing it to him.
After all the Suzie talk Johnny asked "how has it been here? Everything been ok?"
"Everything was perfect" Carla answered him taking Peter's hand "we have loved being here and running it together"
"That's good" Johnny took Carla's available hand "I have a question for you"
"That sounds ominous" Peter said, looking at Carla.
"Go on" Carla said nervously, raising her eyebrows at a sudden proposal from her newly acquainted father.
"Well me and Jenny have been talking and since you have done a good job here, we want to offer you a permanent job"
"Oh I don't know" Carla was unsure whether spending so much time with Johnny was a good idea.
"It's a good offer love" Peter told her straight "plus I have to go back to street cars at some point"
"I was also thinking" Johnny started.
"Dangerous that" Jenny laughed loudly, causing a stern look from Johnny.
"I was wondering, if you would both move in here too" Johnny cautiously said, he didn't want it to be too much.
"Johnny, we have discussed moving in together" Carla said. Peter, knowing she was unsure about all the time with Johnny suggested "maybe we should think about it love, we could save a bit more for our own place first"
"That is a good point Peter, you could stay here and work here and save up for your own place" Johnny said hopefully "I would like to have you here, since Kate is travelling I miss having my daughters around"
"I suppose for a little while it would be ok" Carla said "what do you think?" Carla turned to Peter.
"I think it's a nice offer by Johnny and you can spend some time together whilst I am working and that way we get to live together now instead of a year's time"
"Ok, we can trial it and see how it goes" Carla told everyone in the room "Thank you"
"Let's celebrate" Johnny shot up and left the room "come on" he shouted back through.
Johnny, Jenny, Carla and Peter made their way out into the bar and into an empty booth.
Over on another table, Toyah was watching the happy little scene. She was sitting with Leanne and Nick, having a quiet drink. She had watched as the man she still loved walked past her hand in hand with his girlfriend to sit with her family.
"Why do they always get what they want?" Toyah asked, a little disheartened.
"Who are you on about?" Nick asked unsure of who she was talking about, Leanne of course was not.
"Would you leave it?" Leanne shot her a look.
Nick looked over to the happy scene. He needed to tell her, he also needed to tell Leanne.
"I have to go" Nick told the ladies.
"Where?" Leanna asked but received no answer as he left in a hurry.
"Do you think he has been acting odd lately?" Leanne asked Toyah, who was still looking at Peter.
"No more than usual" Toyah answered without taking her gaze away from that table "I wonder what's going on over there"
"I don't care to be honest with you and I really think you should move on, it's not healthy"
"Leanne, I know we will never be together again but I can't help the way I feel"
"Maybe you should tell him"
"What" Toyah looked at her for the first time in a few minutes "No"
"Listen you obviously need him to tell you that he loves Carla, so that you can move on"
"I can not tell him, he will think I am a weird ex girlfriend who can't move on"
"That is exactly what you are"
"Ouch"
"It's true, if you don't tell him, I will" Leanne demanded, before leaving the pub completely in search of Nick.
Over at the other table, everyone was getting along nicely.
"I am so happy you accepted this offer Carla" Johnny told her, gaining a nod from Carla in response.
An hour or so had passed leaving Carla and Peter in the booth whilst Johnny and Jenny unpacked.
"Are you sure about this?" Peter asked a rather quiet Carla.
"Yes, I mean living with Johnny is not ideal but at least we can be together" Carla said with a smirk on her face.
"That is true"
"And this way I have a job and you don't have to worry that no one is watching me"
"I don't worry about someone watching you"
Carla gave him a 'I don't believe you' look.
"Ok, I do but I just worry about you"
"I know" Carla smiled at him. She was grateful she had someone to look out for her like Peter did.
Over at Nick's place, Leanne had got home after his rather abrupt exit. Nick sat in silence, staring into space on the sofa.
"What was all that about?" Leanne asked, approaching him. She was rather curious as to why his mood had changed recently.
"What? I left because I had a headache"
"That's all?"
"Yes" Nick lied.
"I don't believe you, something is bothering you" Leanne told him taking the seat next to him and placing her hand on his knee "you know you can talk to me about anything"
"Leanne, it's nothing" he shouted jumping out of his seat "I'll be back later" with that the front door slammed and Leanne was left alone, again.
Nick was starting to crack.
Over at the Rovers, Carla wanted some fresh air. She left Peter in there with Daniel and Adam who had not long arrived.
Carla was walking down the road when she saw Nick in a rage walking rather fast in her direction, although he hadn't seen her.
"Nick" she called but he ignored her. He carried on walking, the last person he needed to talk to right now was Carla. "Nick"
Toyah also saw this exchange. She was walking towards the Rovers. Nick nearly knocked her over but didn't apologise. Carla saw this and decided she was going to be a friend and find out what was wrong, so she began to follow him.
Toyah entered the Rovers. She wasn't a typically spiteful person but she needed to have that talk with Peter and as she had seen Carla chase after Nick she knew he was alone.
"Peter" Toyah called from the bar. He sat with Daniel and Adam.
Peter rose from his seat. He joined Toyah at the bar. "Hello, are you okay?" he asked her.
"Can we have a chat?"
"Course" he turned to Dainel and Adam "Boys i'm just having a chat"
Peter joined Toyah as the table she had just grabbed with his orange juice. She made sure she was out of earshot of anyone.
"So what can I do for you"
"I need to talk and I need you to just listen"
"Ok" he replied unsure of the direction of this conversation.
"I still have feelings for you Peter" she said, making Peter choke on his orange juice. She continued "I think we would still be together if I hadn't lied about the baby and for that it kills me"
"Toyah"
"I can't watch you waste your time with Carla, if there is still a chance for us"
"Toyah, I love Carla with all of my heart"
"Yes but you had an affair while with her, you didn't with me"
"Because I was a messed up man back then and if I am honest with you Toyah, I probably would have with Carla if she said yes"
"That's not true" Toyah was in disbelief at the comment that just came out of his mouth.
"I love her, it's always been her"
"Peter, do you know where she is right now?"
"Toyah, I don't know what this is but I think this conversation is over, I admire your strength for telling me but I don't feel that way about you" He jumped up out of his chair still in shock from what just happened. He began to walk towards Daniel and Adam before Toyah shouted.
"She is with Nick" a smile appeared on her face "Not so sure now are you"
He stopped in his tracks "You need to leave now"
"I am going, but just remember what I said" Toyah then left the pub in the direction of Leanne.
When Peter approached Daniel's table he asked "What was all that about?"
"I need to find Carla, I need to tell her what just happened" He explained to them what Toyah had said.
"Woah slow down" Adam said.
"She trusts me but only just, something like this might set her back if I don't explain"
"Nothing has happened Peter" Daniel told him "You haven't done anything"
"I know that but after her psychosis, she is a bit more paranoid than before and the fact that I have cheated before doesn't help" Peter admitted with shame.
Peter had to find Carla to tell her the truth. Unknown to Peter, Carla already knew how Toyah felt, from the conversation she overheard in the bathroom.
Over at the park, Nick was sitting on a bench in silence, Carla approached and sat herself down next to him.
"Thanks for ignoring me earlier, it really made me feel good"
Nick looked up and came out of his trance "I'm sorry Carla"
"What is going on Nick" Carla asked, half wanting to know the answer and half of her not.
"Nothing, I just had an argument with Leanne and talking to you wouldn't of helped the situation"
"That is true" Carla admitted.
"How are you?" Nick changed the subject.
"Much better now I am not being ignored" Carla gave him a soft smile.
"Yeah, sorry about that" Nick placed his hand on her hand that was resting on her leg.
Carla felt a feeling. Something she hadn't felt in a while. Something she had forgotten, which made her jump up out of her seat.
"Carla" Nick said in confusion.
"Is there something I should know Nick, I feel like there is something you are not telling me"
"Carla, I have got something to tell you, but I don't want to set your recovery back"
"Why would something you have to tell me set me back in my recovery?" Carla asked, almost shocked as her recovery isn't anything to do with him.
"Carla please sit down" Nick pleaded with her. They were both so consumed with the other that they didn't notice Leanne on the approach in war path mode.
"This is cosy" Leanne sarcastically said.
Carla rolled her eyes "Leanne, this is not what it looks like, I was on a walk and saw Nick here"
"That is true Leanne" Nick backed her up.
"Well, I don't know what to believe" Leanne said honestly "You have been acting weird Nick and it may lead to the belief that you are having an affair"
"I would never" Carla said "I am very happy with Peter" she was insulted that Leanne could even think that.
"I am not talking to you" Leanne stated "I am talking to him"
"Leanne, let's go home and talk about this" Nick pleaded.
"I am going to leave you two to it" Carla told them as she began to walk away. As she walked she just had so many more questions. What did Nick have to say to her and what did it have to do with her recovery? Why wasn't he telling her?
As she got back to the Rovers, she saw Peter in the back room alone and waiting for her.
She smiled a sweet smile at him "Have you missed me Peter?"
"Of course, I always miss you when you are gone" He smiled a nervous smile "please sit down, I have something to tell you"
"I don't like the sound of that" Carla told him truthfully. She joined him at the table and took hold of his hand.
"Toyah came to see me today"
"Right" she nodded, ushering him to continue.
"She told me that she still has feelings for me"
Carla just sat in silence. Peter didn't know whether to continue or to stop there.
Peter cautiously said in hushed tones "She said I am with you to pass the time until we get back together"
"Well there's the door, you know where she is"
"Carla, I told her that I love you and I would never leave you"
"Peter, I overheard her in the toilets last week, telling Leanne how she felt"
"Why didn't you tell me"
"Because I was confused and upset" Carla smiled at him "And I knew that you would never go there, even though I do get jealous when she talks to you"
"You know that is just because I am a nice person, not because I want to talk to her"
"I know" Carla got up and then sat on his lap "I love you Peter and I know you love me"
"I do" he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close "So what did you and Nick get up too"
"How do you know I have seen Nick"
"Toyah told me"
"I am going to be having words with Toyah, have you been sat here worrying about me and Nick"
"You and Nick eh?"
"You know what I mean" Peter placed a kiss on her forehead "I am not threatened by Nick Tisley in the slightest"
"Well aren't we two mature adults" Carla placed a kiss on his lips.
They had both just proven to each other that they trust one another. No one else matters but each other.
Although Nick still had a secret to keep and Carla needed to find out what.