It's been at least 6 months since I updated this and I can't really believe I am doing it...but I thought why not finish off what I started as I feel i havce learnt a lot about writing on here since I last updated...
"Wakey wakey" Lilah says entering the room Carla was staying in, the one she usually stays in when she visits Lilah in her home
"Mmm what's the time?" she mumbles, her voice still heavy from sleep
"Almost mid-day darlin' you must've been tired"
"Hmm" Carla hums her body still waking up from her peaceful sleep
"Peter's downstairs by the way"
"You said you wouldn't!"
"I never said anything" Lilah holds her hands up defensively rolling her eyes and opening the curtains
"Sorry bad morning" she sighs glancing down to her lap
"No problem, I understand" Lilah smirks as Carla groans, a knock on the door interrupting them both as Peter appears smiling at Lilah then back down at Carla
"Hey love" Peter smiles going to sit on the bed, Lilah smiling at them both
"I'm sorry for shooting my mouth off I just needed to speak to someone who didn't know the situation" Carla explains as Lilah smiles offering a small smile to them both as Peter nods understandingly
"I understand, I brought your medication for you as well as a cinnamon bun from Roy's as a peace offering" Peter waves the paper bag up in the air, Lilah excusing herself to get Carla a fresh glass of water to take her medication with
"Thank you, I don't deserve you"
"Hey, none of that talk, why don't you come home, Michelle is moving out today and I think she would want to say goodbye to you"
"Alright then…let me just go to the loo and I'll come home with you…could Lilah come as well?" Carla questions as Peter nods slowly Carla hopping out of bed and heading to the bathroom
Lilah gave Peter and Carla a lift home in her flash car, Carla loves her car it reminded her of the times she had a decent motor when working at Underworld, she loved the fact that the simplest of objects in her life brought back the happiest memories. Lilah parked her car outside of Victoria Court, Carla getting out to stretch her legs, all three of them going up to the flat and entering it, seeing Michelle wheeling suitcases out of the spare room, Alannah sleeping in the moses basket beside them.
"Hey…" Carla bites her lip guiltily Michelle going to give Carla a hug
"Look you're welcome at mine any time ok?" Michelle assures her as Carla nods going to pick Alannah up out of the basket holding her close to her chest
"I'm going to miss you baby girl" Carla smiles kissing Alannah's forehead as she looks up at her
"We all will" Peter smiles taking Alannah off Carla and rocking her gently as Carla puts an arm around his shoulders, a little insight of what might be their future in the months to come
"Right I guess I better head to the flat then, don't be a stranger" Michelle smiles taking Alannah off Peter and putting her in the sling, wheeling the suitcases out of the flat, Carla breaking down in tears after
"Oh darling" Lilah smiles as Peter brings her into a hug, Carla clinging onto his shirt as she sobs
"I want a baby" she cries as Peter sighs glancing to Lilah who shrugs not really knowing what to do, running a hand through Carla's hair
"I know, I know, hey don't cry" Peter smiles wiping her tears as she bites her lip, Lilah going to boil the kettle making a coffee for them both
"Right, let's watch a film or something, take your mind off your broodiness" Peter smirks as Carla rolls her eyes wiping them, Peter leading her to the sofa to cuddle with her
"I need to head off…Liam's release is impending and I want to make sure he transitions well, if you need me call me" Lilah smiles leaving the building
"Right we need to talk about hen and stag nights for the wedding" Peter says as Carla sighs realising how boring it would be because she couldn't drink
"I might just invite some of the girls here if that's ok? I don't really feel like going clubbing"
"Or we don't have to go have stag or hen nights? It could just be us?"
"Hmm I'll hold you to that shall I?" she grins as Peter rolls his eyes
"I cant believe we're getting married again, it's crazy how far we have come"
"What does your dress look like then?" he grins as Carla slaps him lightly on the chest
"My lips are sealed, Michelle helped me pick as I was stuck between two but I'm pretty sure I chose the right one"
"Any hints?" he smirks as Carla rolls her eyes
"It's not white"
"Oh right…I see…you would look beautiful in a bin-bag anyway"
"Oh thanks a bunch" she scoffs Peter leaning down to kiss her forehead
"I wanted to talk to you about something"
"Ok…"
"You know when Liam gets out…I don't want you to feel as though you have to stay with me…"
"What? Are you out of your mind?" Carla exclaims turning off the TV and turning to face him, Peter sighing, he needed to get this off his chest
"He was the love of your life Car, I don't want to stand in the way of that"
"Peter I love you…more than him…more than anyone and this ring-" she points to her engagement ring "-confirms all I need to know"
"As long as you're sure"
"One hundred percent sure…you won't lose me to Liam…god sake Peter I'm related to him"
"I guess you are now aren't ya" Peter grins as she smiles
"We need to book a honeymoon as well" Carla smirks grabbing the laptop from the coffee table and looking up package deals
"We could go to Bali again?" Peter questions as Carla shakes her head gasping at the Maldives package she had up on her screen
"We are going here no questions about it…look at these villas they're amazing" Carla licks her lips as Peter nods in agreement
"Is the weather even that hot at New Years Eve?"
"It's the Maldives Peter it's hot all the time…" Carla frowns as Peter takes the laptop off her to have a look at the package deal
"It's a good price as well…I mean two and a half grand for two weeks…let's book it" Peter grins as Carla goes to book the package holiday before Peter pulls out his phone, frowning at a message
Family Group Chat
14:45 LILAH left the chat
14:47 MICHELLE: Why?
"Love check your phone…" Peter says as Carla grabs her phone from the kitchen counter
"Why has she left?" Carla questions as Peter just shrugs not really able to find a suitable explanation as the buzzer goes off, Carla getting up to answer it
"Come up" Carla sighs as Peter looks towards her watching her welcome Nick into the flat
"What do you want?" Peter groans as Carla rolls her eyes
"You said you had a proposition for me?" Carla questions gesturing for Nick to sit down as Carla sits next to Peter who raises an eyebrow scoffing in return
"I want to offer you first refusal for my Underworld shares, except mystery buyers"
"Are you kidding? You do realise I got rid of that place for a reason?" Carla rolls her eyes as Nick sighs nodding
"I know I just thought you'd like to know…I'm planning to keep the sale private, except for mystery buyers…that's why I wanted to offer them to you first before I put them on the public market"
"Well thanks but we don't want your shares-"
"Peter!" Carla scolds smiling gratefully at Nick
"Why didn't you offer them to Lilah?" Carla raises an eyebrow as Nick sighs knowing that questions would be answered
"She's a devious cow, stole all my contacts didn't she…I'm surprised you didn't know?" Nick laughs as Carla raises her eyebrows shaking her head, maybe Lilah hasn't changed?
"Look I'll think about it ok? How long do I have?"
"Seventy two hours…basically the weekend before I put them on the market on Monday" Nick explains as Carla nods
"So you're sure I'd definitely get first refusal? How much for?"
"Half the values of the shares themselves, they go for a hundred thousand so you'd be getting them for fifty"
"Wow that's very generous of you…"
"Yeah well I don't want anything to do with it not whilst Lilah's there spreading rumours…so here's your chance" Nick shrugs getting up to leave the flat leaving Carla shook
"Don't even think about it Carla" Peter starts as Carla glares at him
"I'm not I do actually value my recovery you know" she retorts grabbing her coat, keys and phone
"Where are you going?" Peter replies exasperatedly not knowing if Carla was going to take up Nick's deal behind his back
"To see Michelle if you must know…don't worry I'm not going shares shopping with Nick" Carla snaps leaving the flat to take the walk to Michelle's new flat
"What brings you here then?" Michelle questions as Carla sighs sitting down on the sofa
"Nick offered me his shares in Underworld, first refusal except mystery buyers" Carla closes her eyes not wanting to see the look on Michelle's face knowing it wouldn't exactly be the most welcoming
"You what?" she replies incredulously taking a seat on the sofa with her as Carla sighs nodding "How much for?"
"Fifty percent share for fifty thousand" Carla states as Michelle gasps thinking how good a deal that would be
"Oh god that's very good, what do you want to do?" Michelle questions as Carla sighs biting her lip, Michelle shaking her head knowing what the answer would be
"I want it 'Chelle…Peter's not happy though…" she trails off as Michelle nods understanding why he wouldn't be happy
"Well he probably just doesn't want you to have a setback"
"Yeah I know that… I just think this is an opportunity that is too good to waste…Nick also said something about Lilah as well"
"Really?…she left the group chat y'know" Michelle smiles as Carla nods already knowing that from Peter
"I know I'll deal with that later but I don't know what to do…I love the bistro don't get me wrong but this…this is definitely an opportunity worth having and I might not get another one I just have to convince Peter"
"Well good luck with that one my dear…you'll be having a fight on your hands" Michelle scoffs as Alannah's cries ring out through the baby monitor, Michelle going to get her
"Do you want a hug with your Aunty Carla?" Michelle coos handing Alannah to Carla as she grins pecking her on the forehead as she cradles her
"She looks grumpy" Carla states as Michelle laughs nodding in agreement
"Gets that from her father…"
"Speaking of her father does he know she exists yet?" Carla questions as Michelle sighs not really wanting to get into that but I guess she deserved it as she scolded Carla about the shares of Underworld
"No and I will do it when I'm ready for all I know I could meet someone and want them to be her father"
"Fair enough I guess" Carla shrugs going back to coo over Alannah as Michelle smiles at the picture in front of her
"So…how's it going with the whole baby situation?" she asks gingerly as Carla sighs
"I'm due to take another test in a couple of weeks because I now want to schedule so…"
"Don't pressure yourself eh? We don't want you getting stressed ok?"
"I wont I just want this so badly you have no idea…"
"It'll happen just persist with it…what did Nick say about Lilah then?" Michelle questions handing her a coffee which she accepts
"She said that she managed to steal his contacts which meant she got her factory in there for the order before Underworld probably"
"It's out of spite most likely…with what happened between her and Nick" Michelle suggests as Carla nods slowly thinking she may be right
"I guess but I don't see why she would go for his measly contacts, I know Lilah she doesn't do petty she does full on revenge but this is just weird"
"Remember she did scam you when you owned Underworld that time…don't think she's not capable of it again" Michelle warns as Carla sighs knowing she was probably right again
"I think I'm going to do it…go for the shares"
"Woah…hold on a minute…" Michelle starts as Carla hands Alannah back to her heading for the door leaving Michelle hanging who immediately bashes out a text to Peter
MESSAGES: Peter
15:47 MICHELLE: Just to warn you, I tried to stop Carla from buying those shares from Nick but she's gone ahead to do the deal
15:48 PETER: You have got to be kidding me? Call me?
15:49 MICHELLE: I would but Alannah's just fallen asleep I don't want to wake her just go and see her and make sure she doesn't make a big mistake
15:50 PETER: On it
Peter ran out of the flat trying to think about where Carla's meeting with Nick would be, he tried the bistro and looked through the order book before knocking on Leanne's flat then on the Platt's door but they weren't there and time was running out to stop Carla's recovery from being put at risk. On the other hand Carla was making the drive into town with her cheque book and laptop ready to buy the shares she wanted off Nick, she pulled up into a space outside a quaint little café.
"I'm going to be honest with you Carla…I've had a very good offer better than the fifty thousand I've offered you" Nick sighs as Carla nods understanding why he might not be able to go with her offer
"Ok…how much was this offer?" she questions as Nick sighs getting up the email
"Seventy five thousand"
"I'll do a hundred, final offer" Carla says confidently as Nick sends an email off to the mystery buyer saying someone's doubled the original offer
"I'm sorry Carla they're come back and done two hundred…" Nick sighs turning the laptop around for her to see the email
"Eh…saves me from a domestic off Peter so anyway thank you for considering me" Carla smiles leaving the building to go to her car, letting out a sigh of relief from the possible lecture off Peter, taking the journey home and entering the flat
"So you were ignoring me then?" Peter huffs turning the telly off
"Don't start" Carla holds her hand up as if to silence Peter
"No Carla…what were you thinking…buying shares to the place which started all of your problems?"
"I didn't buy the shares…"
"Eh? Michelle said…"
"Well Michelle was wrong... well she wasn't I wont lie I went to buy the shares I even sat down, Nick had the paperwork in front of him as well as his laptop someone offered twenty five thousand more then me so I said I would double the orignal offer then the mystery buyer did two hundred"
"Oh…"
"I mean don't get me wrong it was nice to think that you could do something but at the end of the day I think I was a bit hasty with my decision"
"I agree on that too…look we have the bistro and you're going to make that place into a success when you're one hundred percent better I have every faith in you"
"Thanks baby…not I'm going to hop in the bath and you can make dinner" she grins as Peter rolls his eyes slapping her butt as she gasps heading into the bathroom
Carla had one thought on her mind…who would pay two hundred thousand for fifty percent share in a back-street knicker factory?