All characters belong to ITV I'm just having a play with them :) Not really sure were I'm going with this right now but if you like it please leave a review!
As Carla entered her flat and slowly closed the door she became engulfed by darkness. Panic began to settle in her mind. Scrambling for the light switch she hurriedly flicked the lights on cursing herself for being scared of the dark. Just another way for Frank to beat you shaking that particular thought away Carla glanced around her flat noticing she was well and truly on her own. The room was bathed in a harsh light illuminating the clean and tidy surfaces, not one thing was out of place or untidy it was spotless. A small smile graced Carla's lips as she thought about how Michelle must have been obsessive to keep the flat looking this clean. At the thought of Michelle's name Carla's facade that had been firmly in place all night began to crumble. She grasped a bottle of red from the carrier bag clutched in her right hand, grabbed the wine glass from the table and collapsed onto the couch just as the tears began to fall.
Earlier that night she had been drinking out of the same glass while Michelle had told her all about Ciaran and the silly bastard losing the borrowed wedding money on a card game. All men were bastards but Ciaran had always seemed so quiet and in control so perfect for Michelle with his rugged good looks and Irish charm. In fact this is why she encouraged Michelle to compromise the wedding for her fiancé's happiness. And now she's gone. Gone. The word replayed over and over in Carla's head and with each swig of red wine she took the louder it got. When Michelle had said that the wedding was off a little wave of relief pulsed through Carla. Back when Michelle had turned up in the factory fresh faced from her holiday demanding to know what Frank had done Carla was terrified that she would be disgusted with her for allowing Frank that control allowing him to beat her. But Michelle had been terrific, a calming force against the storm that now seemed to permanently wage inside her mind taunting her with Franks words.
It's your fault you made me do it
It had been Michelle who had made her see sense packed her off to LA and god she had been right it had been a wonderful distraction she had finally been able to go out without looking over her shoulder posture hunched permanently hunched. But now she was home despair was beginning to creep back into the edges of her mind like oil once again tainting and tarnishing her thoughts.
That evening while she had been telling Michelle what to do with her bastard of a fiancé it dawned on Carla how much she had missed Michelle in these last few weeks. Carla would never take away what Maria had done for her but she wasn't Michelle her sister in law, her best friend. And so when Michelle had actually announced that it was now a leaving party her entire being went numb and she struggled to not fall apart at her words. It was selfish and she knew it but she truly felt now she had no one. Maria although fiercely loyal and who had been an incredible support these last couple of months had baby Liam to attend to and Carla knew she wasn't up to having a toddler around and also didn't want the guilt of taking Maria's attention away from her little boy. Peter was far to embroiled with his wife to even consider rocking the boat and coming to see how she was getting on, too terrified of Leanne to be what she needed in a friend. She thought back to earlier how Peter had told her she looked good quite happy to pay compliments and flirt but minute the wife turns up out comes the cold shoulder.
Anyway anybody can look healthy with a bit of colour and carefully applied make up she might look healthier on the outside but Carla knew it was her mind that was slowly losing the battle. The worst thing of all was she felt like now she was expected to get over what had happened like it was old news and if there was one thing that Carla had thought she was good at was the tough bitch front. But now that had begun to fail her if she could barely last one night how was she meant to pretend that she was recovering like the "fighter" that she was, day in day out in the factory, in the rovers, in front of Maria, Peter. Carla started to tremble as she realised she wouldn't be able to hide the mess she was currently in.
It's your fault you made me do it
The words coursed round her head chanting mocking her and now back in her flat on her own she couldn't face it. With a stifled sob Carla looked at the now empty wine bottle in front of her. She needed for the pain to go away again needed her thoughts to be free of the taunts that were Franks words as he took everything from her she thought was untouchable her pride, dignity her mind. Her mind, that had been so free of these thoughts while in LA, was cracking under the weight of all the memories and feelings of being alone, scared, beaten were rushing back through her being. Carla stood up abruptly and with speed she didn't know she possessed she was in the cupboard under the sink clawing at the bottle of vodka hidden there out of view. Out of sight out of mind she had thought when she had placed it there what a ridiculous notion that now seemed. Slowly sliding to the floor Carla grimaced at the bottle she held out reverently in front of her "My only friend just you and me now" Glancing at the clock on the wall Carla noted that Michelle would now be leaving the Rovers on route to her happy ever after. Well here's mine thought Carla and with that she knocked back the vodka bottle and welcomed the thought of the numbing relief.