Chapter 14
'How's he doing?' Carla asked, coming down from the bedroom, her eyes red and puffy.
'He's asleep.. come here' Peter said patting the space on the couch beside him, Henry asleep in the crook of his arm.
'I can't do it Peter' Carla said sadly looking over at her son, and then at Peter.
'Yes you can, it takes time.. and we've got all the time in the world' Peter said reassuringly.
'But I don't want to be a mum.. I want you.. not him' Carla mumbled.
'We're a family Carla, a weird, messed up, but a family, he needs us, both of us' Peter said looking down at his son.
'You've only known him five minutes and yet your the one who seems to be in control' Carla replied.
'But I've done this before, I've got a son, I know it's hard but I have faith we'll get through this.. we've been through so much Carla, we're together now and that's all that matters' Peter said.
'I wish I had your faith' Carla sighed, leaning into Peter, his warmth comforting.
'It'll rub of on you soon' Peter said, his mind wandering to how this would all play out.. would they live in Carla's house.. he wasn't sure whether her and Dean had bought it together.. and Simon, how would he react to the situation..
…
'I've run you a bath' Peter smiled sensing Carla needed to wind down.
'Thanks.. is Henry down?' Carla asked.
Peter nodded 'He's one happy, well fed little boy'.
Carla smiled a little 'Come and share the bath with me then' she suggested, tugging playfully at his sleeve.
'Is that a suggested.. or an order?' Peter asked.
'Well, if your giving me a choice it's an order' Carla said, missing his body, missing being close to him.
…
'God I've missed you' Peter said running his hand over Carla's shoulders as she lay lightly over his chest in the bath, her eyes closed.
'Me too..' Carla said softly, lost in Peter's embrace and warmth of the bath.
'Tomorrow we get back to reality eh.. need to tell people I suppose' Peter said, realising he not only needed to tell his family he'd broken up with his wife, and was with Carla, but that they had a child too.
'Not yet eh.. they don't need to know' Carla said.
'I need to tell Simon love.. he has no idea.. and Michelle.. you'd want to tell her, no?'Peter said.
'I don't know Peter.. she wont like it.. I mean, she likes Dean.. and I can't deal with everyone being on my back right now' Carla said.
'So we keep it to ourselves.. for now?' Peter said.
'If we can.. just for a while' Carla said although she doubted Leanne would keep quiet for long.