Okay, so firstly, I am aware there is a chapter of another fanfic on here that this chapter is going to be incredibly similar too, so in fact all credit goes to that user, as I feel it was their idea, but I just loved it so much I wanted to write my own version. It's starting to get a little hot here ;)
Chapter 4: Brush Strokes
It was a couple of days later. Leanne and Carla had spoken and since made up. There hadn't really been a falling out in the first place, but Carla was adamant she had to apologise, and mentally made a note to try and not get so annoyed.
'Yes I promise you Si, we can make some in a bit' Peter said as he came through the door, Simon in front of him, chatting away to his Dad.
Carla smiled at Peter when he came in, and he nodded gently at her.
'Hark at you two, feet up, cup of tea, don't you live the high life' Peter teased.
'Carla's on her break and we I'm… socialising' Leanne said as Carla chuckled.
'Have a good day at school then Si?' Leanne asked as he put his bag down beside the couch and sat in the arm chair.
'It was okay. We're learning about the tudors' he said.
'Oh, I remember the, weren't they the ones who liked to murder each other and start wars' Carla said as Peter scoffed slightly.
'Looks like school was a long time ago for someone' he said winking at Simon.
'Cheeky' Carla said, raising an eyebrow, Peter grinning in the background.
'Dad says we can make a cupcakes' Simon said.
'Make us some wont you' Leanne said nudging Carla.
''Maybe' Simon said cheekily.
'Don't want to help us do you Carla?' Peter said, leaning against the counter and looking through one of the frescos bags.
'You shouldn't have asked me, any excuse to make my break that little bit longer' Carla said.
'Well you lot can do the work, I'm putting my feet up' Leanne said.
'Lazy mare' Carla said as Peter and Simon got the ingredients out.
'So is this a special occasion or are you just making a cake?' Carla asked.
'I'm just hungry' Simon said.
'Oh' Carla said shrugging.
'Have you made a cake before?' he asked Carla.
'Can't say I have' Carla said.
Simon's face fell in a childlike manner 'Never!' he said.
'You going to teach me then?' Carla said.
Simon nodded passing her the packet of flour.
'And what am I meant to do with this?' Carla asked.
'You really have no clue do you' Peter said taking the packet from her.
'Not really' Carla laughed. She glanced over at Leanne who had her head stuck in a bridal magazine.
'Just watch what I do' Simon said as Peter pointed to the recipe.
Carla smiled a little to herself as she thought of the childhood she's missed out on. She was hardly maternal, but there was something enjoyable about doing something so light hearted with Simon and Peter.
'Do you want to mix it?' Simon said.
'No, you can do it, I'll probably mess it up' Carla said as Peter looked a her, sad she seemed so down on herself.
'Think it needs a man's strength' Peter said taking the bowl.
'Do you have icing sugar?' Simon asked.
'Yeah I think so' Peter said going to reach up and look in the cupboard.
'Or not' Peter said frowning as he looked on the top shelf.
'What do you need' Leanne sighed.
'Icing sugar' Simon shouted, excitement in his voice.
'Well I need to ask Sunita about something, so I'll pop out and get some' Leanne said.
Carla suddenly felt slightly out of place.
'I should probably make a move too' Carla said.
'You haven't had a cake yet!' Simon said as Peter grinned a nodded.
'Think your stuck with us' Peter said as Simon sat swinging on his chair.
'Right, I'll be back in 10' Leanne said reaching for her bag.
'Right so Si, do you want to put the oven on' Peter said.
'Yes' Simon said defiantly.
Carla smiled at him. 'Little charmer isn't he' she said as Peter nodded.
'But not when he does that!' Peter said tutting as Simon dug his finger into the cake mix.
'Any good?' Carla asked him.
'Really good' Simon said, as Carla did the same, tasting the mixture, her finger lingering on her lips.
'Not bad' Carla said.
'The pair of you!' Peter said smiling but shaking his head.
'Shush you' Carla said, dipping her finger in once more and pressing it to Peter's lips, which instinctively parted, savouring the taste of the mixture, and the precedes of her finger against his lips.
She felt his tongue running over the length of her finger, pausing at her finger tip, frozen in time, a little kiss that went unnoticed only by Simon.
As Carla's finger moved away from his mouth, she looked down, a mixture of embarrassment and guilt. He chuckled, nervously laughing it off.
'Can we put them into their cases now?' Simon asked.
'.. Yeah, sure mate' Peter said, turning his body away from Carla's.
'So I think I might be able to manage this bit' Carla said reaching for the spoon, as Simon passed her a cupcake case.
'This right Si?' Carla asked.
'Perfect' Simon grinned.
She felt Peter's eyes boring into her. She flickered her gaze, meeting his for a brief moment.
'Dad can you help me put these in the oven' Simon said.
'Yeah, careful, it's hot' Peter said helping Simon as Carla watched.
'How long do we have to wait?' Simon said.
'25 minutes' Peter said.
'You know, I really should get going, I've been too long' Carla said.
'You can't go!' Simon said.
'Si, tell you what, you can bring me one of your cakes tomorrow?' Carla said as Simon pouted.
'I want you to have one now!' Simon said as Leanne's keys were heard in the door again.
'One packet of icing sugar!' Leanne said passing it to Simon who took it eagerly.
'You have to make the icing with me, you can choose the colour' Simon said.
Carla looked at Peter, searching for his permission, their 'moment' minutes ago had left her feeling like she didn't belong here.
Peter looked down, but gave her a smile, enough to say it was okay.
''Well, I'll stay for a bit longer then, fine' Carla said as she followed Simon who passed her the bowl for icing.
'Blue or red?' Simon asked holding up the food colouring.
'How about we mix them, then we get purple, which is more my colour' Carla said.
'Cool!' Simon said.
Peter had gone to sit with Leanne for a moment, so Carla stood alone, Simon in front of her making icing, and Peter and Leanne on the couch. She felt so out of place in their little flat. She readily found herself getting annoyed again, it's ghastly colour scheme, it's happy, sickly atmosphere.
Carla heard her phone beep. She snapped out of her mood and reached into the pocket of her cashmere cardigan, seeing a message from a supplier.
'Ah, sorry Simon, I'm needed at my work, you bring me a cupcake tomorrow wont you' Carla said.
'Okay, I will' Simon asked.
'Say thanks to Carla for helping Simon' Peter said.
'Thank you' Simon said politely.
'Carla, I'll come and see you tomorrow' Leanne said.
'Yeah, course, I'll see you' Carla said leaning over to kiss Leanne's cheek.
'I'll see you out' Peter said, as Carla looked over her shoulder at him.
He followed her down the stairs.
'Thanks for the coffee' Carla said.
'Don't worry about it. Your.. just.. be okay' Peter said, putting his hand on her shoulder, patting it gently, before it slipped down her arm, his touch fizzling away like a brush stroke loosing ink.
'Bye Peter' Carla said.
'Bye Carla