The next day on Coronation Street was an extremely dark and dismal one. The news about Deirdre had spread incredibly fast and the entire street was in mourning. When the news finally got to Nick Tilsley he finally began to understand his girlfriend's recent behaviour.
He had phoned Carla countless times the night before and whilst he had managed to get through the first few times, she soon stopped answering her phone. In fact the only reason Nick knew that she had eventually come home last night was because on his way home from work he saw Michelle leave her flat in the early hours of the morning.
Michelle told him that Carla was asleep and that it was probably best not to wake her. So Nick had just gone straight up to his own flat and spent the night worrying about his girlfriend, alone.
As far as Nick saw it, Carla had barley spent anytime with the Barlow's since getting together with him and Ken hadn't even told her about Deirdre being ill, so he couldn't understand how was she so involved in it all.
What Nick didn't know was that Carla was more than involved with The Barlows, They practically saw her as a part of the family and Carla had actually closed Underworld for the day and had sent a message out to all of her employees to say that it was in Deirdre's respects.
It had been another rough night of sleep for Carla and it was around eleven am when she had finally dragged herself up and out of bed. She had been awake for hours and but she just stayed in bed as her thoughts bounced uncontrollably between Peter and Nick.
Carla wondered how Peter and the rest of his family for that matter, had got on throughout the night. She hoped that they had managed to get a peaceful nights sleep but seeing as she had found it so hard to sleep, she imagined it would have been a whole lot more difficult for them. Carla also thought about how much the Barlows had leaned on her yesterday and even though it was such a dreadful situation it felt rather soothing for Carla to be in a family unit again and she felt truly cherished by Ken, Tracy and Peter. Even Amy and Simon seemed glad to have her around.
The Platt's on the other hand, never really seemed to include Carla in much, they were more interested in making sure the mother of Nick's child felt included instead. Carla didn't mind too much at first and thought that that was the way it should be but as Erica's bump got bigger and as her due date got closer the more Carla had been trying her hardest not to get upset.
Nick was incredibly excited about being a Father and was forever talking about cots, pushchairs and other baby stuff that he and Erica would need to get soon. Carla always smiled and did her best to remain positive whenever Nick went on a tangent but she always tried to steer the conversation away from the pregnancy and sometimes found herself on the verge of tears, as memories of the baby she so tragically lost, came flooding back to her. On top of that, Nick's phone calls last had really got to Carla too, she couldn't understand why he found it so hard to see why she cared about Deirdre so much and she couldn't understand why he had said the things he had said to her. Carla really thought Nick had more sense then that and it made her think that maybe she didn't know him as well as she had thought.
Carla had a shower and then got dressed in all black again, because she thought it was more than totally appropriate for today. She was planning to stay in for a bit but the four walls of her flat made her feel incredibly lonely, so she decided to go in search for some fresh air and a friendly face. She opened the door to her flat and to her surprise she found an apologetic looking Nick stood there.
"Hey" He said softly.
"Hi..." Carla said suspiciously "Just how long you been stood there for then?" She asked closing the door behind her.
"Just a few minutes... I've been standing here trying to gather up the courage to knock to be honest." Nick said, "I heard about Deirdre and I am so sorry." Nick put his arms around Carla but somehow his hug wasn't as comforting as it used to be, especially after the warm hugs she had shared with Peter last night. The idea of Nick no longer being able to offer as much comfort as before was devastating to Carla but she tried her very best to look past it and she was glad that after her behaviour last night and the night before for that matter, that at least Nick was there for her now. He really was a good man at heart and whilst he might not have gone off in a jealous rage, Carla knew he was threatened by Peter's return.
She had almost forgot that she was annoyed at Nick until he said,
"Carla why didn't you tell me? I was so worried, I've been up half the night."
"Nick this isn't about you." Carla sighed, pushing him away from her and beginning to walk to the stairs so that she could leave the building, he followed her desperately.
"Carla, I'm sorry" he said after her, "I'm just finding this whole situation really difficult."
"You're finding it difficult?" Carla asked, "What about Ken? What about Tracy? What about..." Carla hesitated, not wanting to mention Peter to Nick. Eventually she carried on and said "The rest of the family? Deirdre is gone and she is never ever coming back and you're standing there worried about how difficult you're finding this?"
"Carla, please you're taking this all the wrong way." Nick said,
"Am I?" Carla said dryly, as she continued to walk down the stairs.
"I just meant that I'm finding it hard to know what to say or do... I know I can't even begin to imagine what that poor family are going through…" Nick said as they left their building. It was raining heavily again, as if the weather was there to match everyone's mood. Carla, who didn't even have an umbrella, sighed but it wasn't because it was raining it was because of the way Nick was looking at her.
"Do you wanna go back inside and get an umbrella?" he asked but Carla just shook her head and carried on walking. Nick looked up at the rain and then at his distant girlfriend, who seemed as if she was hundreds of miles away from him and with each step she took, it seemed like she was getting further and further away, emotionally as well as physically. "Carla wait, where are you going?" He asked practically running after her now, Carla thought for a moment, She was only planning on going to get a coffee from the cafe and to maybe have a chat with Roy but if she was really honest with herself, she didn't want Nick to join her so instead she found herself saying,
"I'm gonna go into work for a bit, I know I said we were closed but I just need to take me mind off of all this for a bit." Carla said Nick nodded at her although he wasn't too convinced that she was telling him the truth. The rain continued to pour and he had to get to the bistro anyways so he didn't offer to go with her and anyway, the empty bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey that Carla had pulled out from her bag had diverted him. Carla had forgotten all about it and had got it out of her bag absent-mindedly, she knew Nick would be thinking all sorts as she quickly threw it into the bin.
"Where's that from?" Nick asked obviously thinking that Carla had drunk it all by herself. She wasn't about to let Nick know that she had actually stopped Peter from drinking it and then had taken the bottle with her so that his family didn't find it, so she just shrugged.
"Oh Michelle and me had a few too many drinks last night that's all... Y'know in Deirdre's honour." She lied, beginning to hate just how much of a liar she had become in the past few days but she just couldn't tell Nick the truth. Peter tipping all of that alcohol down the drain was a supremely powerful moment for the both of them, they were the only ones who knew about it and she wanted to keep it that way.
"Really?" Nick asked, "Was Deirdre a whisky drinker?
"No... She weren't but it were all we had." Carla lied as the rain continued to get heavier.
"Okay well... How about you come into the bistro later for a drink and we can talk about it... If you want" Nick suggested Carla nodded at him,
"Yeah... maybe." She said and he leant in and kissed her softly, Carla kissed him back albeit a little un-enthusiastically.
"See you later then." he said and he walked off in the direction of his work.
Peter was sat in the back room of his Dad's house with his hands wrapped around a cold cup of coffee. He had been sat there for almost an hour whilst the rest of his family were asleep, Ken on the armchair, Tracy on the sofa, her arms wrapped around Amy who was in front. None of the Barlow's had got much sleep the night before and the only reason they were sleeping now was because of sheer exhaustion.
Simon and Amy had been told that they could stay off school if they wanted to and whilst Amy had said yes to this idea, Simon said no, He said he wanted to go in and get his mind off of everything. Peter hadn't thought it was a good idea but Ken had said that everyone deals with grief in different ways, so in the end Peter had to let Simon go to school.
After a while, Peter thought about getting up and going out himself but he just didn't know where, he knew everywhere he went people would be looking at him with sorrow. Everyone probably knew about Deirdre by now and they would be telling him that they were sorry, with tears in their eyes and whether they meant it or not Peter just didn't want to hear anything from any of them. He wanted to talk to someone who had lost a parent, someone whose first method of coping would also have been to turn to the drink, someone who he knew would definitely understand.
He knew exactly who he wanted to talk to.
He set off in search for Carla and it didn't take long for him to find her, She was sat in the corner of the cafe, She had got completely soaked from the rain earlier so her long brown hair it was practically curly it had gotten so wet. She was sat with a large cup of coffee but she wasn't drinking it she was just staring into it miserably. Peter who was now also rather wet, went over to the till where Roy was stood watching Carla.
"Hi Roy, could I get a black coffee please?" he asked, Roy nodded at him but he was still watching Carla, who was unaware that she now had both Peter and Roy's attention.
"She's been sat there for almost an hour…" Roy said upon seeing Peter watch Carla also. He still really resented Peter for what he had done to Carla but he knew that even after everything Carla still cared for Peter and that she seemed to have taken Deirdre's death rather hard.
"Really?" Peter said still faithfully watching Carla.
"Yes… and I reckon she could probably do with a bit of company." Roy said to Peter as if it were an order rather than a suggestion. Peter nodded and then Roy said, "I know that it will no way compensate for your loss but this on the house." He handed Peter his coffee.
"Thank you." Peter said appreciatively. He went over and sat down opposite Carla. "Mind if I gate crash?" He asked, Carla eyes left the coffee cup she had been transfixed on and met Peter's. She looked glad to see him and shook her head.
"Of course not" She said softly.
"Don't tell me you forget your umbrella too…?" Peter asked heartily, looking at her as she shivered because she was still rather wet from the rain she had been stood in earlier.
"No… I just decided to ave a shower with me clothes on that's all." Carla joked back with a tiny grin. There was a little silence between them before Peter said,
"Look I'm glad I caught you..." Carla watched him as he spoke "I just wanted to say thanks y'know... for last night, you really stopped me from doing something extremely stupid."
"You would ave done it for me... In fact you ave done in the past so... I guess we're even eh." Carla said casually.
"Yeah well that's another reason why I came to find you… I know that you know exactly what I'm going through…" Carla nodded again.
"Two peas in pod really aren't we?" She said smiling as much as she could given the situation. Peter gave a little chuckle and nodded
"We sure are." he said.
"So... How is everyone?" She then sighed and shook her head at her own foolishness "I'm sorry, stupid question really ain't it?"
"No I get what you mean" Peter said "We're... just doing the best we can to be honest." Carla nodded at Peter understandingly
"Did any of you manage to get some sleep?" she asked and Peter shook his head.
"No... we were pretty much up all night but me Dad, Tracy and Amy finally fell asleep properly about an hour ago."
"What about Si?" Carla asked finally sipping her coffee although it was stone cold by the time she'd got to it.
"He went to school, I didn't think it were a good idea but he insisted." Peter said, "He said he wanted to take his mind of it."
"Don't blame him really, I wish I'd opened the factory now." Carla said understanding exactly where Simon was coming from. "I might pop in there later and try to get some work done."
"Yeah I don't blame you both either, and at least you'll be alone and not surrounded by people who say they're sorry for your loss. I know that they mean well but I really don't want to hear it."
"Oh God I know exactly what ya mean Peter" Carla said "They say that or they walk around on egg shells and end up making things a million times worse… You were never like that though… when me Mum died you were really supportive Peter. You just acted the same wonderful way as you always did with me. It were actually really comforting." Peter listened as Carla continued, she had one of her hands rested on the table, stretched out as if she subconsciously wanted Peter to take hold of it. He desperately wanted to, but he went against the strong urge he had to reach out and entwine his fingers with hers. "It's crazy because people you've known your whole life, they reckon that a death in the family is going to change you but they're the ones who suddenly change towards you, and its at a time when all you really want, is for a least one tiny thing in your life to remain the same." Carla said smiling at Peter sincerely "As I said though, you never changed, you were that one thing Peter, that one thing that kept me going and If you let me… I'll try and be that person for you."
"Y'know I'm really not sure what I'd do without you Carla." Peter said earnestly.
"Your Dad said I'm like your guardian angel." She said feeling rather proud at Ken's comment last night.
"Really?" Peter asked slightly embarrassed by his fathers comment.
"Yes really." Carla said she watched Peter's amused reaction "What ya looking like that for?" She asked.
"I'm just surprised… I mean how many times has the words you and Angel been used in the same sentence?" Peter grinned.
"That's what I said." Carla laughed "But in the words of your Dad, there is a first time for everything."
"That is very true." Peter said taking a sip of his coffee "Hey maybe I'll assign you a special ring tone on me phone so that when you call me, Angels by Robbie Williams plays instead of that other boring one."
"Oh don't you dare." Carla scoffed "Y'know I hate those really obvious songs like that."
"Well what would ya prefer then? It's gotta have something to do with an angel at least." Peter said amused, Carla thought for a moment
"How about… Gods and Monsters." She suggested taking another sip of coffee.
"Lana Del Rey… I should ave known." Peter said as he ran over the lyrics of the song in his head.
"In the land of God's and Monsters…" Carla sang almost as if she knew what Peter was thinking "I was an Angel, looking to get fu-" Carla suddenly stopped before getting to the explicit part of the song and grinned at Peter in a way that was unintentionally seductive, Peter raised an eyebrow at her flirtatiously.
"Go on…" he said, "I was rather enjoying that." Carla shook her head coyly, she knew Peter knew what lyrics came next and she knew that he would relish it if she continued to sing.
"Yeah well you know the rest." She said taking a sip of coffee instead.
"Okay Gods and Monsters it is... if I can work out how to put it as my ringtone that is." Peter said because he generally had no idea how to work his phone and he'd had it for about a year.
"I take it you and technology still don't get along then?" Carla said Peter nodded
"We sure don't…" and then he remembered something else he had wanted to say to Carla. "I forgot to say earlier… Thanks for getting rid of the bottle last night as well, I really panicked when I thought it was still in me Dad's kitchen." Peter said
"Ahhh don't worry about it, what are guardian angels for eh?" Carla said with another smile. It was as if the two of them were sat together in the café in their own little world. It was almost as if they weren't in mourning anymore and that nothing else mattered but them.
They both sat and finished their coffees companionably, enjoying the friendly silence. When they were both finished and it was getting a bit ridiculous that they were still sat in the cafe without a drink or anything Peter said,
"D'ya want another cup?" Carla nodded,
"Go on then" Peter got up and ordered two more coffees and then sat back down. Carla shivered again and Peter leant forward to feel the sleeve of her damp top.
"Y'know I reckon we should probably get out of these wet clothes soon." He said with a suggestive smirk. Carla rolled her eyes, unable to keep a straight face.
"Oh you do, do you?" She replied as innocently as she could, Peter nodded at her.
"Hey I'm only thinking of you… I mean it can't be good sitting there in damp clothes, you'll make your self ill." He said and practically on cue Carla sneezed. "See." Peter grinned smugly.
"Alright Mr know it all… Anyways I thought I was the one who was supposed to look after you?" Carla said smiling again
"Well I reckon even guardian angels need some advice once n a while." Peter said smiling, but Carla's smile had gradually faded from her face and she now looked sad again.
"Peter..." Carla said awkwardly he looked at her.
"Yeah?" He said as a tear escape from her eyelid and ran down her cheek she sniffed and wiped it away quickly as Nick and Bethany, who was on her lunch break, walked into the cafe.
Bethany took one look at Peter and then at Nick with her eyebrow raised
"Erm... Who's he?" She asked, Nick didn't look happy to see Carla sat cosily at the table in the corner with Peter.
"Her husband." Nick said through gritted teeth
"Husband?" Bethany said loudly, being her usual obnoxious self. Carla sighed and Peter turned around looked at Nick.
"Perfect." he said as Roy brought over two more coffees for them. Nick walked over to Carla trying his very best to keep calm, he knew she was hurting over Deirdre but seeing her with Peter had really riled him up, especially when Carla had said she was going into work.
Carla who had been almost on the verge of bursting into tears just a second ago, had now put on a brave "I'm okay" face, one that Peter was sure Nick would have seen right through but instead Nick just said a stiff.
"Hello." Bethany raised an eyebrow at him and watched as Peter said,
"Nick." He said it without any emotion what so ever. Bethany rolled her eyes and looked at Carla,
"I didn't know you had a husband."
"Yes well I'm sure there's a hell of a lot things you don't know about me Bethany." sighed Carla.
"Bethany?" Peter said surprised "As in Sarah Lou's Bethany?"
"The one and only…" Bethany said proudly, as if she was some sort of celebrity. She watched Peter for a moment and then said "Wait I know you, you're Peter Barlow aren't ya?" Peter nodded
"The one and only." he said, making Bethany grin admiringly at him. She went to speak but Nick stopped her before she could talk some more and said
"I'm really sorry about Deirdre, Peter." Bethany nodded as remorsefully as she could as Nick rested a hand on Carla's shoulder, as if she was his property. Peter gave Nick a polite nod but he couldn't stand the way he was standing there with his hand on Carla like that. "Well we don't mean to interrupt but…" Nick began but it was Peter who interrupted this time,
"No It's fine, I was just leaving actually." Peter said surprising Carla as he got up.
"No you weren't" Carla said watching him, hating that he felt the need to leave so suddenly, hating that their almost happy little bubble had burst so quickly. "What about your coffee?" she asked gesturing to the fresh coffee Roy had just brought over.
"You ave it, thanks again and no more showering with your clothes on okay." Peter winked at Carla and she laughed quietly to herself as he walked out of the café.
Nick was far from impressed to find that Carla and Peter were already back to having private jokes and he also thought that Peter had a cheek to wink at his girlfriend like that but he kept quiet on the matter as Bethany sat down on the chair that Peter had been on.
"Can I have his coffee then?" She asked but she started drinking it before Carla had even answered her. Nick had pulled up a chair next to Carla and sat next to her as if he was guarding her from any other exes who might decide to drop by.
Carla was sure that Nick was checking up on her but she had no real proof so she just sat with him a little while, he was rambling on about something with Bethany but Carla had no idea what, She was too distracted thinking about The Barlows. She wondered if they would still be sleeping or if they had been woken up by some terrible dream, one that would bring their situation right back to the front of their minds. Carla's attention was drawn back to Nick and Bethany's conversation when she heard Bethany say
"So how long do we reckon Peter's gonna be knocking around ere for?" Carla looked up at her and frowned
"What d'ya mean?" Carla asked
"Well y'know… Uncle Nick just said he ran off to Portsmouth when things went pear shaped with you, So how long do you reckon it'll be before he runs off back there again?" Bethany said Carla shot Nick a look, an almost chilling look that lead him to say
"I never said it quite like that Bethany."
"Maybe he'll stay, I mean his family will probably want him around now...I hope he stays, he's quite fit for an old guy." Bethany said sipping away on Peter's coffee. Carla and Nick both keep quiet, the idea of Peter staying was troubling them both, but for very different reasons.
Peter had returned home to find that thankfully his family was still asleep, he didn't know what to do and pottered around the house for a bit until Ken woke up.
"Hey… How you doing Dad?" Peter asked as Ken rubbed his eyes.
"Alright… I suppose." Ken said, "Have you been out?"
"Yeah I just had a coffee with Carla…" Peter said wishing he was still in there. Being in Carla's company was extremely soothing and of course, he still loved her like mad so getting to spend any time with her was obviously a blessing.
"We must get her a present or something, a card to say thank you for everything she has done." Ken said thinking about how Carla had made sure people knew about Deirdre and how much she had been there for them all yesterday. Peter nodded at the idea although he was sure Carla would be horribly embarrassed if they did give her a card or anything of the sort.
Peter and Ken kept themselves busy with tidying up the house as quietly as they could of course, so they didn't wake Amy and Tracy. Soon enough they woke up though and when Amy started crying again followed by Tracy. The tears were all too much and Peter felt as if he needed to get out again. It was still drizzling but he still went out back a lit a cigarette. His phone started to ring in his pocket and in the hope that it might have been Carla calling, Peter quickly flicked his cigarette onto the ground and whipped out his phone.
It wasn't Carla it was Leanne.
"Hello…" Peter said trying not to sound too disappointed that it was Leanne rather than Carla.
"Hi Peter." Leanne said and by the tone of her voice, Peter could instantly tell that something was wrong. "Look I know you don't need this right now but… It's… it's Simon…"
Peter swallowed hard and took a deep breath
"Leanne what is it?" He asked agitatedly as Leanne sniffed into the phone.
"Well his school phoned me and… he hasn't turned up today and he won't answer his phone… Peter I think he's run away."