Defeated

Chapter 6

"I really don't want to leave you like this." Peter bites his lip, watching his pale girlfriend finish chucking her guts up in a bucket next to their bed.

"Go, I'm fine. We need to get money somehow." She croaks, laying back and closing her eyes momentarily.

"Yeah but...I hate to think of you alone when you're this weak."

"I'm going to try and sleep so it won't matter." She mumbles, sinking further underneath the duvet.

"I don't know." He sighs.

Suddenly Carla bolts forwards again, grabbing the bucket and heaving into it. At this point, no food was even coming up. It made her throat burn, her eyes water, her body shake violently. She felt so weak, just wanting to give up there and then.

Peter rushed over to her, holding her hair back and rubbing her back gently. He knew he couldn't leave Carla alone in this state. The chemotherapy she'd went through yesterday was really doing a number on her body, all he wanted was to support her and be by her side. He couldn't bare the thought of her struggling alone. However, he'd not gone to work since the diagnosis and they really needed the money so he decided on doing some work at Street Cars for a few hours.

"I hate this." She whimpers, her head completely submerged into the bucket.

"I know. I know, baby. It'll get better, I promise." He replies.

"It hurts my stitches when I bolt forwards to be sick." She cries, not caring how vulnerable she currently looked.

"Maybe you should stay sat up in bed, propped up on cushions. It can't be good for your stitches-..."

"But I want to sleep. I just want to sleep." She sniffs. "I don't even have the energy to walk right now."

"Oh, love." He sighs, he felt completely useless. "I wish their was something I could do."

"Just you being here is helping me." She says, quietly.

"Do you think you're going to be sick again?" He asks and she shakes her head.

"Okay, I'm going to quickly clear this out and I'll be back in a sec." He kisses her clammy forehead whilst she tiredly leans back.

Once Peter has left the bedroom, he calls Michelle to see if she'd watch Carla whilst he went to Street Cars. But, it went straight to voicemail.

He released a breath in defeat. Michelle was too busy with the bistro. 'How about Roy' he thought but that idea went out the window quickly as he'd have the cafe to run.

"Johnny?"

"Alright, Peter? How's Carla? I've been wanting to come and see her but like you said on WhatsApp, it'll stress her out seeing everyone at this point in time so I've been waiting for when it's suitable for her."

"To be honest, she's not great. The chemo she had yesterday has made her so sick, Johnny. But we have barely any money right now and I told Steve I'd come in for a few hours. I don't wanna leave her on her own so would you be alright with looking after her?"

"Oh, poor love. I was meant to be working today but that's easily solved, Gemma and Jenny are working too. I'd love to take care of her."

"You can't give her pity, as she calls it, or treat her like a child though. Just act like you would do normally and help her when she asks. I'll be gone for 3 hours tops, okay?"

"Of course, I'll be round in 5."

"Thanks, mate."

"Peter!" Carla calls.