Chapter 9:

I push the doors open to the Bistro, seeing Nick working away instantly. I have the urge to go over and throw my hands over his eyes but he turns to look at me before I have the chance.

"Hey." He smiles, as I take a seat and he heads towards me, leaning up against his side of the bar as he kisses me softly. "How did it go?"

"Six weeks." I nod, biting my lip to contain my happiness. "Scan is booked for two weeks time."

"And it was alright?" He stresses, pouring me an orange juice on impulse. "Sorry I couldn't come, I felt awful for leaving you."

"It was only a few minor checks." I tell him. "I'm fine, baby is fine, we just need to keep our fingers crossed for now."

"Ah I'm so happy." He kisses me again, squeezing my hand as I take a sip of my orange juice.

"I need to rest up apparently." I roll my eyes, producing a leaflet from my pocket. "They gave me this as well. No straining tasks, no prawns, no goats cheese, no alcohol, no shoes with a high heel."

"Oh God." He laughs. "Where's Carla Connor gonna go?"

"She already left when she became Carla Tilsley." I grin. "So it's flat shoes for me from now on... But I mean, anything to keep this one as safe as possible, yeah?"

"You've never been so beautiful." He says, spontaneously and I frown.

"You better still be saying that when I'm the size of a house, hormones flying everywhere." I pout, sulkily as I stare down at our entwined hands. "But I can do that, can't I?"

"Do I really need to answer that?" He asks and I look up at him, his gaze full of love and admiration. "You're gonna be amazing, you are amazing."

"Steady on, you." I pull a face. "Full of compliments today."

"Do you want something to eat?" He hands me a menu, despite the fact I probably knew it off by heart by now.

"Yeah, goats cheese tart with a side portion of prawns." I joke and he gives me a look. "I'll have some chips if you've got any going?"

"Chips?" He scoffs and I tap his hand lightly, scolding him with a death glare before he turns to his waitress. "Steph, tell Robert to put some chips in yeah?"

"Sure." She smiles at me before heading into the kitchen.

"Do you want to know something really embarrassing?" I ask Nick once Steph is out of ear shot.

"...Is it gonna put me out of business?" He raises his eyebrows.

"So after my check-up, I passed this toy shop in the precinct." I explain, pulling the little brown teddy out of my carrier bag. "I honestly don't know what's happening to me."

"Ahh." He grins, taking it from me and ruffling its fur. "You bought yourself a teddy bear?"

"Well, it's more for the baby than me." I shrug. "But I guess it's stuck with us for another seven and a half months first."

"Have you named it?" He hands it back to me and I store it back in its carrier bag so as to not be judged by passers by.

"Ah well that was my next point." I rummage around in the bag, pulling out the other item I had bought. "Ok, so I know I shouldn't have, but I thought it might give us some inspiration."

"What?" He frowns, as I hold up the book of names I had purchased. "Carla!"

"Shh!" I raise a finger to his lips, putting it back in the bag quickly.

"I thought you wanted to 'take everything as it comes' and move slowly?" He laughs and I raise my eyebrows.

"Yeah well, nothing wrong with a bit of window shopping." I shrug, putting a hand on my tummy. "Gotta do something to keep me entertained whilst you're undergoing these 'straining tasks'."

"Mm." He kisses me, placing his hand gently on the side of my face as he does so. "I love you."

"You wanted to see me?" I greet Michelle, entering the back room of the Rovers and she looks up from the magazine she was reading. "Liz let me through."

"Ah yes, sit down." She taps the table and I follow her orders obediently. "I've come to a decision."

"...About what?" I frown. "...I'm not on the X Factor, am I?"

"God help us all if you were!" She laughs and I slap her hand lightly. "No, I've spoken about it with Steve and I've decided... I will carry your child."

Oh shit.

I had completely forgotten about that.

"Uh... Oh..." I stutter, trying to formulate an excuse, any excuse.

"Well don't look too chuffed about it!" She exclaims, pushing her magazine to one side. "It's nothing major I mean, I haven't just offered to birth your child..."

"No... Yeah..." I stare down at the table. "Just shocked... Uh... Michelle?"

"I mean, I've been thinking it through and... It would mean everything to me, to know I had done something like that for you." Michelle explains and my heart sinks. "Plus, you know, it's been a good... Oh almost twenty five years since I last did it, plus I think you'll be a bit more mature than last time. Remember when my bump started growing and you told me all about the stretch marks your mum had, and how they never went away? You were a right pain back then, I'm hoping you might be a bit more supportive this time round, given it's your baby and all. Who would have ever thought, ey?"

"...Mm." I give a slight nod, this was making it even worse for me. "Look Chelle, the thing is-"

"Our Ryan will be happy won't he?" She grins. "It's almost like another sibling for him, and bless him, he's always wanted one. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited. It's like a new adventure... So when are we going to do this?"

"...Do what?" I suddenly look at her, snapping out of my trance.

"The implantation and things." She rolls her eyes. "I get that you're in shock Car! But you must have spoken to the clinic by now, I'm assuming I'll need to go in for tests or something, to check I'm suitable?"

"...Yeah." I nod, what the hell was I doing? "Yeah uh... We'll get it sorted..."

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