"Peter… I know."
Peter swallowed uncomfortably as his Dad sat on an armchair next to him.
At first he thought about just telling the truth, owning up to his secret life with Carla and asking his Dad how on earth he knew but instead Peter foolishly decided to say,
"What are you on about Dad? I aint spoken to Carla in months…" Ken shook his head and sighed heavily before saying,
"Don't even try it Peter… I know." Peter nodded slowly and exhaled as he accepted the fact that his Dad wasn't going to let up.
"Okay… I mean… what exactly d'ya know ere?" Peter asked, wondering if his Dad had maybe seen him lurking around and waiting for Carla or wondering if it was her who had maybe told him.
"Well…" Ken began with his eyebrows raised, showing no fear from the Chemotherapy that he was now enduring. "Let's begin with the fact that it's written all over your face shall we?"
"Dad…" Peter begun but he was soon interrupted.
"Peter… I also saw the look on Carla's face when she asked me if I'd heard from you that day… It wasn't the look of someone who was just asking about you casually… it was the look of someone who was desperately in love." Ken explained, making Peter's heart start racing just at the thought of Carla actually still being in love with him.
He couldn't believe it.
Even though she had told him so in her message… even though he heard her say the words,
"Because I don't love him… I still love you. I really do. I love you like mad Peter Barlow and despite the fact that my love for you is totally insane and stupid… it feels so good to admit that that's how I feel."
Hearing it from his Dad only made it more real.
She loved him.
He'd made her say it at first.
He made her say on their first night together.
He said he wanted to hear even if she didn't mean it.
He never actually thought that she was telling the truth.
Not in a million years.
"Yeah... in love with Nick." Peter said with a roll of his eyes, even though he had just listened to her message, which told him that she had ended things with Nick and that she didn't love him, he felt stupidly better for making a pointless comment like that. Ken coughed and shook his head at his son before saying,
"You sure like to make things difficult don't you Peter… it's you she's in love with not him… trust me." Peter swallowed and wondered what else his Dad had worked out. "Anyway… shortly after you got back from China, I happened to notice that she was very different, sad... very upset, she practically started moping about the place and so did you." Ken explained.
"Well that could just mean that I'm finding it hard… y'know coping with your illness." Peter said, knowing his efforts were pointless but finding a tiny bit of comfort in trying anyway.
"And Carla?" Ken asked, his head on one side because he knew exactly what his son was up to. "Why's she been walking around like her world has ended recently?"
"I dunno do I… maybe she's upset because she broke up with Nick." Peter shrugged, still trying to act as if the news that Carla had ended things with Nick didn't please him.
Even though his entire life had changed drastically in a matter of weeks and even though he wasn't sure how he was going to get through it, the news that Carla had broken up with Nick had given him a slight thrill.
"And how exactly do you know that she broke up with Nick?" Ken asked with a smirk, "If, as you say you aven't spoken to her in months."
"Well maybe I heard it from around…" Peter said, unable to stop him self from grinning.
"Peter… give it up will you… I know."
"Okay." Peter chuckled, shaking his head and sighing as he rubbed his forehead, he was sure that his Dad still didn't have enough information to put him with Carla and he was sure that there must have been more to the story. "Dad… how did you work all this out though? I mean I don't get it… Did you see us? Did she tell you?"
"No… she didn't… well not on purpose." Ken began, "I think you just need to embrace the fact that you two haven't been as clever as you thought and I also found that you breaking up with Jessica was very suspicious."
"Why?" Peter asked,
"Well whist you may not have loved Jessica, it was clear that you both had a lot of fun together."
"We did… she's great… really great." Peter said, feeling really guilty now for the way he had treated Jessica and for cheating on her… even if it was with Carla.
"Exactly, so I had to sit and ask myself, why on earth would Peter end things with someone like that and in the end I came up with two possible reasons." Ken said, "One, You broke up with her because she cheated on you… or because you cheated on her."
"And let me guess the second one was the most obvious choice eh?" Peter replied gruffly, hating how easy it was for his Dad to come to such a conclusion.
"No… not at all actually. I had hoped you had learnt your lesson… with what happened with Carla n all." Ken said with a sigh and a raised eyebrow.
"I ave Dad… I really ave… it's just…" Peter began, shaking his head at being caught out by his father when he had thought he was being so careful. "It's Carla Dad… My Carla... I promise I would have never cheated on Jessica if it wasn't her..."
"Yes well that's no excuse Peter." Said Ken, Peter looked down at his lap ashamed as he sat before his Dad and when he looked back up he said,
"I'm sorry... I let you down Dad."
"No Peter." Ken shook his head, "You haven't let me down… if anything... I'm really proud of you."
"Really?" Peter said with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes. You have really stepped up lately. The way you've come with me to each appointment and the way you've been supporting Tracy through this… You have been so amazing Peter and I do want to say thank you." Ken said, reaching out and taking hold of his son's hand.
"What are sons for eh?" Peter smiled modestly, looking down at his Dad's hand, which was lovingly entwined with his.
"Despite all of that… Despite how brave you are... even you need support Peter." Ken said, looking at his son intently. "I saw her this morning you know."
"Who?" Peter asked, although he knew his Dad was talking about Carla.
"You know who... Carla. She was going into the pub and she looked totally miserable." Ken said with a sigh.
"Yeah… because of me." Peter sighed shaking his head.
"Well I'm sure it's you mixed with a lot of other things…" Ken begun, "Breaking up with Nick and cheating on him has obviously took it's toll on her… they were really happy together Peter."
"Yeah… so I've heard." Peter sighed, remembering how many times Carla had made sure that she told him how happy she was with Nick. It still burned him to think about the two of them together and he had shake the image of Carla and Nick right out of his head before he got too angry.
"I'm not trying to make you feel bad Peter… I'm just trying to make you understand that for her to break up with him… she must really love you and when you go over to her place later and tell her the truth… the whole truth about all of this… she'll be there for you… she'll support you." Ken said, hoping his son would take his advice, hoping Peter would stop acting so brave and that he would let Carla in because he knew that sooner or later… he was going to need some help in dealing with all of this.
"I… know she will." Peter nodded, knowing that if Carla knew even the slightest about what he was going through, that she would be there.
He thought about the many many times she'd ask him if he was alright, He though about the day he had turned up at her place, right after they had found out that his Dad had cancer and how when she was lying beneath him she looked deep into his eyes and asked him if he was okay.
He thought about how in her voicemail message she said that she knew he was going through stuff and how she wanted to help.
He knew she would care, he knew she'd want to know all about this and now he had his Dad's permission to tell her… he knew what he had to do.
Ken's chemotherapy finished after two hours and as the nurse came over to take the drip out of Ken's arm Peter watched nervously. He wondered if his Dad was in pain at all, if he could feel the medicine pumping through his veins and if he was scared.
"You alright Dad?" he asked, watching closely as Ken winced when the nurse removed the needle from his skin.
"Yes I'm fine Peter… honestly." Ken said, as the nurse started taking his blood pressure. She explained that Ken may suffer from some side affects and that he needed to take some medication. Peter listened carefully as the nurse explained everything to his Dad.
"Y'know… maybe I should stay with you tonight Dad." Peter said, upon hearing that his Dad could suffer from severe nausea and vomiting. He didn't think that this was the time for him to be with Carla, he thought he should stay by his Dad's side instead.
"I'll be fine Peter… I promise." Ken insisted, even though he wasn't completely sure that he was going to be fine.
He actually started feeling sick on their way home from the hospital and as Peter parked the car, he had to take in a few deep breaths. Tracy was waiting right outside of number one on tenterhooks as Ken and Peter walked up the road and towards the house.
"Dad." She cried, running towards him and putting her arms around him. "How was it?" she asked with tears in her eyes, she wished she had been there but she just felt like she couldn't have faced sitting next to her Dad whilst he was injected with drugs.
"Not bad." Ken said, still acting as if what he was going through wasn't a big deal. "I could do with a strong cup of tea though." He said, taking his keys out and letting himself into his house. Tracy stared at Peter as her Dad walked inside number one.
"I honestly don't know how he does it." Peter said shaking his head, "He was acting as if he was just sat at home watching the telly… He was just trying to be brave... I know it... It wasn't that bad though Tracy… you should try n come next time." Tracy nodded at Peter and bit her lip as they walked into their Dad's house.
Peter and Tracy both kept a close watch on their Dad as he tried to pretend that nothing was wrong with him. He drank his cup of tea and had another before he'd had enough of being treated like an ill person. He turned to his son and said,
"So… Peter, what time are you planning on seeing Carla tonight then?" Tracy turned to Peter at the mention of Carla and said,
"Excuse me?"
"Errr I don't know Dad." Peter said, ignoring his sister completely because he knew she'd have a lot to say on the matter if he gave her the time of day.
"Peter… just go please… stringing it out won't make it any easier for you." Ken said sighing. "It make be awkward at first but I'm sure she'll be really pleased to see you."
"Oh please don't tell me you're the reason she broke up with Nick." Tracy said, shaking her head in disbelief. Peter got up out of his chair and decided to continue ignoring his sister.
"Look after him." He said to Tracy, nodding towards their Dad before leaving the room.
It was only when he was on the way out of his Dad's house when he realised that he wasn't used to just walking out the front.
To stop people knowing he was back, he would go around the back and wait until the coast was clear before running to his car.
It was only now that Peter realised it was a miracle no one had seen him before.
He stood still for a moment as he took a deep breath and plucked up the courage to take the leap.
To walk right over to Carla's building and not look back.
He hadn't done it so slowly and calmly before.
He used to always run over there in a state of excitement and now he was rubbing his palms together nervously.
He was done with the rules, the games, the sneaking about, it was time for him to be honest.
He pressed the buzzer on number twelve… he pressed it a few times before realising that she wasn't in… either that or she just wasn't answering.
It had been hours since Carla had left him that message and Peter wished that he had sent her some sort of reply… even if it was just a few words to say that he felt the same way… that he loved her too.
Peter stood outside Victoria Court aimlessly for a while before turning on his heel and deciding that if he couldn't find Carla… he'd find the next best thing.
Michelle.
He made his way over to the pub to speak to Carla's best friend instead. He had guessed that she would be working as it was a Tuesday night. He hoped she was behind the bar so he could talk to her easily without making a fuss.
When Peter anxiously walked into the bustling pub the last thing he expected to see was a stunned Carla.
A stunned Carla who was stood in front of a suited n booted Nick Tilsley who was down on one knee.
With a small blue box in his hands… a box with a ring inside it.