It was the day of Michelle's second scan and she was excited about the prospect of becoming a mother again. Her sons, Ryan and Ali would be shocked if they found out that she was pregnant but she couldn't tell them in case they contacted Robert for whatever reason. Carla was also excited at becoming an auntie and couldn't wait to help Michelle decorate the room for the baby and buy the furniture once they knew the gender.
"Michelle hurry up!" Carla shouts through to her while waiting in the living room of Lilah's place
"Am I not allowed to get ready now?" Michelle questions
"I want to see my niece or nephew, hurry up!" Carla says
"Gosh Car, anyone would think you're getting broody" Michelle says raising her eyebrows
"Me? No" Carla says sheepishly "We're going to be late if you don't hurry up!" Carla says trying to divert the subject
"Ok then, come on" Michelle laughs at an over-excited Carla
Carla drove to the Maternity unit at Weatherfield general where she was still struggling to contain her excitement at the prospect of finding the gender of Michelle's baby. Michelle was happy that her pregnancy was cheering Carla up when she thought it would bring back awkward reminders. They approached the reception and then they were signed in.
"Michelle Connor?" A midwife shouts as both Carla and Michelle make way to the small box-like room.
"Have you had any problems since the last time I've seen you?" The midwife asks
"No none at all" Michelle states confidently
"Right let's begin" the midwife says whilst she scans over Michelles stomach
"Is everything ok?" Michelle asks
"It's absolutely fine, I'm just taking measurements, try not to worry" the midwife smiles continuing to type away on the machine "Have you felt any movement at all?"
"Just flutters I guess but no wild kicking as of yet" Michelle says
"That's fine you should start to feel some more evident movement soon" the midwife says "Right here's baby" she says turning the screen around for Michelle and Carla to see
"It looks a lot bigger than last time" Carla suggests
"That's a good thing" the midwife says "Do you want to know the gender?"
"Yes!" Carla says a bit too excitedly
"Michelle?" the midwife prompts
"Yes go on then to keep her happy" Michelle says rolling her eyes pointing at Carla
"Right give me a minute" the midwife says "Ah it looks like you're having a little girl"
"Finally, I have too many boys" Michelle says as the midwife laughs
"Yay we can start buying girly clothes" Carla says
"I will see you a couple of weeks before you reach full term to make sure everything is going smoothly, if you have any worries don't hesitate to give us a ring, I will go and print off some pictures for you" the midwife says
"Ok thank you" Michelle says gratefully wiping the gel from her stomach
"Finally a girl aye, her big brothers are going to be her number one protectors" Carla states
"Oh god they're going to kill me when they find out I'm having a baby in secret" Michelle says worried
"Here you are" the midwife says handing Michelle the photos
"Thank you, for everything" Michelle says as they both exit the room
"Michelle, can we go shopping" Carla asks
"What the hell has happened to you!" Michelle exclaims
"I want to buy some cute clothes for my niece" Carla strops
"Right, I'm dragging Peter out with us as well so he can see what you're like" Michelle laughs
"Fine. Whatever. As long as we get to go shopping" Carla sighs as she watches Michelle ring Peter
"Right he's going to meet us there" Michelle says
"Wait he actually agreed?" Carla laughs
"Can we get going then?" Michelle asks ignoring Carla's question
"Yay" Carla replies
A while later Carla takes the short drive to the nearest Mothercare where they would be doing their shopping. Carla was excited to pick out sets of clothes for Michelle's baby as well as the possibility of persuading her to pick furniture.
"Where's Peter then?" Carla asks
"I'll give him a ring again" Michelle says taking out her phone to tell Peter that Carla's parking the car "Right he's in the shop, come on"
"Hi, baby" Carla says greeting Peter with a peck on the lips
"Hi, you" he smiles hugging her "So why have you bought me here 'Chelle?"
"I need you to carry the bags and some furniture if there's any that we decide to get" Michelle says
"Right so I'm going to have to deal with you picking out clothes and stuff am I?" he asks
"Indeed so, and you're also here to calm down little Miss Excitable over here" Michelle says giving Carla a nudge
"It is exciting though" Carla states "Can we look at clothes first?"
"Sure" Michelle states as Peter rolls his eyes before they all head over to the clothes
"I like this" Carla says holding out a little black dress
"Carla I'm not dressing my daughter in black" Michelle laughs
"Please, I will even be your birthing partner" Carla says while pouting her lips
"Car, you do realise this is a baby right, not some sort of teenager who is going through a goth phase" Peter laughs
"You were already my birthing partner" Michelle states
"That means I can choose the clothes then" Carla says boldly sticking her tongue out at Peter
"Anything other than black will be ok" Michelle sighs
"What about this as a compromise?" Carla asks hopefully holding out a black dress covered in pink polka dots
"Ok fine, as it's you" Michelle says rolling her eyes towards Peter
A while later after picking out more sets of clothes and finding many compromises with Carla, the trio head to the furniture section of the shop to have a look at some examples for the baby's room. Carla was eyeing up everything which was classy and black while Peter was being dragged along by Michelle.
"Can we get that leather rocking chair we saw last time?" Carla begs
"No, I don't even have a place of my own yet" Michelle laughs "Have a look at some of the moses baskets I'll let you pick one"
"I like this one" Carla suggests pointing to a pebble grey moses basket
"Finally something that isn't black!" Peter exclaims receiving a playful slap from Carla
"Ok we'll get that one then" Michelle says
"No, I don't like it now, I like the white wicker one" Carla says
"Can you make up you mind?" Peter questions
"Peter it's a really hard decision to make" Carla retorts
"The baby will grow out of it, but whatever Carla wants I'm happy with" Michelle says "Right we need to go and get some paint on the way back"
"Can I choose the colours?" Carla asks enthusiastically
"As long as it's not black, then yes" Michelle says as Peter laughs
"Soon she'll be asking you to move back in with us" Peter says
"Yeah Michelle move back in with us!" Carla shouts
"Are we not going to discuss this Carla?" Peter questions
"Please Peter, pretty please I want 'Chelle to move back in" Carla says childishly
"It's up to 'Chelle" Peter says
"I don't know, I mean if people knew about this baby then yes maybe" Michelle says
"Please" Carla says wide eyed
"What about Simon weren't you meant to give him a room?" Michelle says
"He seems to be getting on ok with Leanne now" Peter says
"Ok then what about when he visits then?" Michelle asks
"He will keep it a secret" Carla says
"Yeah right" Michelle says sarcastically
"Please 'Chelle, we'll have fun!" Carla exclaims
"Ok, fine anything to stop you from acting weird" Michelle laughs "Right lets go and get some paint"
A while later, Peter drives Carla and Michelle to B&Q to pick up some paint for the spare bedroom to make it in to a nursery/ bedroom for Michelle. Carla was excited about the prospect of picking colour schemes to decorate the bedroom.
"Right, what colour do you want the room?" Carla asks
"Wait you're asking me?" Michelle replies shocked
"Yes is that a problem Michelle?" Carla asks using her stern voice
"No" she trails off
"Ok so what about three walls in a warm grey colour and a feature wall in a wallpaper" Carla suggests
"Hmm I like that idea actually" Michelle says "Peter can you pick up that colour down there"
"Sure" He says leaning down to lift the tub of paint up
"Hmm I don't know maybe a couple shades darker" Michelle suggests as Peter leans down to get the darker tone
"Yes that's the one!" Carla exclaims
"Actually Peter go one lighter" Michelle says
"Does shopping usually take this long with the both of you" he sighs
"It's usually longer to be honest" Carla says
"Right that'll do lets go and look at some wallpaper" Michelle suggests as they leave to get some wallpaper
"Can we get this one" Carla says looking at the black and gold wallpaper
"The baby doesn't need to live in a 5 star hotel" Peter laughs
"Actually I like this one" Michelle says pointing to a grey and gold strip of wallpaper
"How can you like that?" Peter questions
"I don't know but it would go nice with the paint" Michelle suggests "Yeah let's get that"
"See girls one boys none" Carla says poking her tongue out at Peter
"What are you five?" Peter mocks
"You better be careful Mister Barlow, you're treading on thin ice" Carla retorts
"Alright that's enough" Michelle sighs "Let's get this loaded into the car and head home"
A while later Peter, Carla and Michelle head over to Lilah's to pick up some of Michelle's stuff. Peter agreed he would come by tomorrow and pick up some more of it to take back as the car was getting pretty full. When they got back to the flat Carla made Michelle's bed up in the spare room and unpacked her stuff for her while she relaxed in the sofa. Peter received a phone call which would shock people to the bone.
Peter: "Hello may I ask who's speaking?"
Lilah: "It's me, Lilah"
Peter: "Hello how are you we were getting worried since we haven't heard from you"
Lilah: "Me? I'm fine just been really busy, I'm working forty plus hours a week. How's Carla and Michelle"
Peter: "They're fine, both here if you want to speak to them"
Lilah: "Pass me over then"
"Who is it?" Michelle asks
"Lilah" Peter says giving Michelle the phone
Michelle: "Hey Lilah, how are you?"
Lilah: "Good, working hard you know how it is, how's that baby of yours, cooking nicely is it?"
Michelle: "She is doing good"
Lilah: "Ah a little girl eh, you must be chuffed"
Michelle: "I am, I hope you don't mind but I have been utilising your house"
Lilah: "It's what it's there for, is Nick still around?"
Michelle: "Yes why?"
Lilah: "No reason, pass me over to Carla then"
Michelle "Alright give me a minute or two"
"Car?" Michelle asks
"Yeah?" She replies
"I have someone on the phone for you" Michelle says handing out the phone
Carla: "Who's speaking"
Lilah: "Guess who"
Carla: "Lilah!"
Lilah: "Yes you daft mare, come on how you doing"
Carla: "Good, really good, Michelle's having a little girl and we're getting ready to decorate the spare room for them to stay permanently we went out and got some clothes for the baby and a moses basket and paint Michelle didn't even let me pick out a black dress but we compromised with a black dress with pink polka dots on it"
Lilah: "You sound very excitable, are you getting broody?"
Carla: "Nope"
Lilah: "You are aren't you?"
Carla: "No I am not!"
Lilah: "Yeah right, better hurry up though times not on your side"
Carla: "Are you calling me old?"
Lilah: "No but if you want a baby, you better get going quick and speak to Peter, unless of course you're already pregnant"
Carla: "I don't think I am"
Lilah: "Well if you want a baby get going quick that's my advice"
Carla: "Well thank you for that, have you spoken to Nick?"
Lilah: "God no, I aint going there I have bigger priorities right now"
Carla: "Fair enough"
Lilah: "Right I've got to get going now, pass me back to Peter so I can say bye"
Carla: "Alright"
"Peter!" Carla shouts from the spare bedroom
"What?" He asks
"Phone" Carla says handing it out to him
Peter: "Lilah"
Lilah: "Hello"
Peter: "Did you have a nice chat"
Lilah: "We did, look I think she's getting broody"
Peter: "Yep that's what we thought as well"
Lilah: "Do you feel the same?"
Peter: "Actually come to think of it I do ever since, you know, the thought always played on the back of my mind"
Lilah: "Speak to her, I think she'll surprise you, I need to go now so I hope you lot don't miss me too much"
Peter: "Alright see ya Lilah"
Lilah: "Bye Peter"
"That was nice" Michelle states
"Yeah it was" He says
"You alright?" Michelle asks
"She said that Carla's getting broody and to speak to her about it" Peter says
"Ok then do it?" Michelle questions
"I don't want my head bitten off" Peter laughs "I want to wait a while to see if she still feels like this after you give birth"
"Alright suit yourself" Michelle shrugs