It was the first day of May and the sun finally started to beat down on the cobbles and heat began to spread through the street as Carla's heels clattered as she walked along the pavement towards the Rover's. She pushed the door, sighed at the sight of her friend behind the bar and slumped down on the stool opposite her.
"Rough day?" Michelle asked as Carla nodded.
"You have no idea," Carla sighed, "If it's not trying to keep Peter on the wagon, it's trying to make sure Lia sticks in with school or if it's not any of them it's you know who disrupting the factory work."
"If you think it's distracting now, wait a few more months," Michelle whispered smiling slightly.
Carla sighed loudly again and put her head in her hands as the Rover's doors pushed open and her daughter appeared in the doorway.
"Where've you been?" Carla asked as she walked over and sat by her mother.
"School, obviously," Lia replied smirking.
"Liar, school rang ... again," Carla replied as Michelle walked over with two lemonades, "Babe you need to stick in, you've got just over a year left."
"Your mum's got a point love," Michelle commented, "I wish I would've stuck in a bit more when I was your age."
"And me," Carla agreed.
"Yeah yeah, I know you wish you'd have listen more and went more and done more etcetera etcetera," Lia nodded.
"Oi I mean it madam," Carla nudged, "Where were you today anyway?"
"Town," Lia replied grabbing her bag.
"What for," Carla asked.
"Its a surprise," Lia answered smirking.
"Awe go on tell us," Michelle cheered on.
Lia looked around before replying, "Right well I can't say here but I'll show you."
Lia held the bag open and close enough for Michelle and Carla to look in, inside there was a small baby comforter with an elephant for a head.
"I thought for you know who," Lia admitted.
"Awe that is so sweet," Michelle gushed.
"That is really thoughtful Lia," Carla smiled bringing her in for a hug before replying, "But that doesn't mean you can skip school all the time to buy cute things."
"Okay, okay, I promise," Lia laughed slightly.
"If you go home and get me my wedding ring I won't mention it again, I left without it and you know what Peter'll say if he sees me without it. He'll have my life," Carla smirked slightly.
"Alright then, go on. I'll meet you back here, yeah?" Lia asked.
"Awe thanks darling," Carla smiled as Lia said bye to Carla and Michelle and walked out the doors.
Lia walked along the path crossing the road over to the flat as Rob was walking out from his and Tracy's shop.
"You alright kiddo?" He asked walking along to meet her.
"Yeah good," She replied stopping in front of the door, "Mum and Chelle are in the pub if your after them."
"Right, what you doing?"
"Grabbing Mum's wedding ring and dropping my bag off then heading back over," She replied putting the key in the lock to discover it already open, "Peter must be in already," She muttered to herself.
"Alright I'll wait for you then," Rob smiled.
"Ah alright then, wait here I'll only be a minute," Lia smiled at her uncle before speeding up the stairs to the flat.
Once she reached the top she turned the handle and pushed the door open bringing her into the living room, "Peter?" She shouted through hoping for a response. She waited for a response before she walked into her bedroom, put her bag down and put on a hoodie and some leggings then threw her uniform on the floor. Opening her door again she shouted once more before going to push her mum's and Peter's bedroom door open.
"Ahh," Peter shouted pushing the door shut before she could get in, "I'm getting changed Lia, what's up."
"I've been shouting you," She said from the other side of the door.
"Oh you know what I'm like I was lost in my own world, I didn't hear you," He replied with a small chuckle, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine I just needed to get my mum's wedding ring for her," Lia replied, "Will you pass it?"
"Yeah, yeah course I will," He said reaching across to the bedside table and opening the door slightly to pass it through to the girl with a smile, "She'd forget her head if it wasn't screwed on."
"Tell me about it," Lia chuckled slightly, "I'm going over to the Rover's to meet mum and Chelle, are you gonna come join?"
"Alright yeah, I'll be over in 10, okay?" Peter agreed.
"Alright see you in a bit," Lia nodded smiling as Peter did the same and shut the door again.
She spun around and picked up her phone from the kitchen counter and began to walk out as something on the sofa caught her eye, a jacket and top lay on the sofa in front of her. Her eye's widen at the sight before taking a deep breath, it must be a mistake she thought to herself. Deciding to make sure she was right she walked to the front door shouted a final bye to Peter then opened the front door and slammed it shut. She hid in the corner behind the door in the hopes to makes sure everything was as it was.
"That was too close!" She heard Peter shout from the bedroom.
"She didn't see us," A women's muffled voice echoed from within the room.
"No but she could of," Peter snapped back, his voice becoming clearer as he opened the door throwing his top over his head.
"Okay its fine we just won't do it here next time," The women replied as Lia anger started to bubble over, "We knew it was risky."
"Tina we can't do this," Peter replied sighing.
"You wanted this Peter, you wanted us!" Tina answered walking out the bedroom tying her hair into a bun.
"You must be kidding me!" Lia cried as she revealed herself from around the corner.
"Lia I thought you'd gone," Peter sighed.
"Yeah clearly," She spat, "How could you, how could you do this!"
"Lia its not what it looks like," Tina began.
"Don't even go there, my mum loves you and this is how you repay her!" Lia screamed, "You sit and have a drink with her and Chelle, she brough you presents for looking after Si, she invited you in our home and all you do is cop off with her husband!"
The screams from upstairs attracted Rob from down the stairs and began to walk up the stairs concerned at the noise, pushing the door open he revealed his niece screaming at Peter and Tina.
"What is going on?" He shouted over the top of Lia as she turned around to see him a single tear rolling down her face.
"He," Lia spat pointing at Peter, "Is having an affair with that skank."
"You what," Rob growled.
"I'm gonna go," Tina whispered going to move past Lia and Rob.
"Oh don't go yet! We didn't get to hear when your great love story started," Lia snarled moving to grab Tina's jacket off the sofa and threw it in her direction, "Don't forget your coat wouldn't want Carla finding out that way would we."
Tina nodded slightly before looking again at Peter and leaving slamming the door behind her.
Lia began to turn in the direction of the door when Peter began to talk, "Wait Lia where are you going?!"
"I'm going to get mum, I thought she'd want to join in the conversation," Lia sniped turning back around to face him.
"No Lia don't do that, think about the baby all the stress would be no good for her," Peter excused.
Lia huffed with a small smirk on her face, "Are you kidding me. Think of the baby," She began walking further towards him before starting to raise her voice, "I think you need to turn around go in that mirror and go and preach that to yourself. Cause I have done nothing but think about the baby, mum has never wanted to have another baby with anyone else but you! SHE ADORES YOU! And this ... this is how you treat her. You don't deserve her and you don't deserve that baby."
Peter took a deep breathe before replying, "I know and I made a mistake, one time mistake that I will forever regret but please don't tell your mum, she loves that baby and if she finds out what I've done it will ruin her."
"You want us to not tell her," Rob snarled speaking up for the first time since he had arrived.
"Please I promise I can fix this, I love your mum, Lia and I love you and this baby, we'll be perfect when it arrives, please not for me but for your mum, trust me once more," Peter begged.
Silence fell on the room for a moment before Lia took a deep breathe and turned to Peter, "Alright, I won't tell her."
"You what!" Rob spat raising his eyebrows.
"Awe Lia thank you-"
"On one condition, Tina doesn't babysit Si anymore, you don't look at her, you don't speak to her, you don't even breathe her name," Lia demanded.
"Of course, absolutely, I won't let your mum down again or the baby or you-"
"No this isn't about me, me and you are done, I'll play nice around mum so she doesn't think anything's wrong but apart from that don't speak to me don't try and play nice or anything. I have done this for mum and for that innocent baby, this is not about you," Lia interrupted warning him.
"Rob will you-"
"Keep your dirty little mistress a secret," Rob sniped looking to Lia for encouragement, "Yes I will, but what Lia said sticks no ifs or buts, I catch you with her again or with anyone else other than my sister for that matter and your a dead man walking."
"I promise, it won't happen again," Peter promised to the pair.
"As if we'd believe your promises," Rob grimaced.
"I'm gonna go see Chelle and Mum," Lia said walking towards the door, "Rob are you coming."
"I just need to have a word with Peter," Rob answered.
"No you don't, mum needs you here not in a cell," Lia replied, "Please Rob."
Rob sighed and nodded walking to the door and holding the door open for his niece putting one hand on her shoulder in an attempt for comfort.
"I'll join yous in a bit," Peter said as they went to leave.
"Don't bother, its bad enough I'm gonna have to live with you after this," Lia rolled her eyes and began to walk down the stairs, Rob slamming the door after them.