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"Steve... So where's Michelle?"
Carla broke the silence after a moment, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible, she could feel the gaze of David and Gail burning through her skull as she tried to keep her cool and look like her usual confident self.
"She's at your flat, been there for a few days"
"You are joking? I've just been there trying to get in for ages, forgotten my keys haven't I"
"Well there's a spare pair here somewhere, I'll grab 'em for you now"
Carla was left stood in the middle of the pub on her own whilst Steve went in search of the keys, she felt extremely vulnerable and just hoped he would hurry up.
"Here you go" he returned after about 10 minutes and Carla couldn't have grabbed the keys from him any quicker if she had tried. She practically ran out of the pub, taking in a deep breath as she got outside again, the air hitting her and she waited a moment before beginning to make her way back to the flat, angry that Michelle had ignored her buzzing for so long.
Carla quickly made her way through the entrance to Victoria Courts, climbing the stairs and reaching the door to her flat, she swiftly put the key into the lock, pushing the door open and proceeding to walk inside, she abandoned her bag at the door and looked around, the place was completely silent, just the dim lighting of a few lamps around the place.
"Chelle?" Carla called out, excited at the prospect of reuniting with her best friend, however her heart sunk slightly when she spotted the red wine on the table, she sighed in disbelief, the last thing she ever wanted is for Michelle to end up like her, she was better than that. Guessing that Michelle must have passed out in bed she walked over to the table, picking up the bottle and draining the remains from it, as she moved the glass Michelle had been drinking from she spotted a packet of painkillers, almost empty. Panic set in and Carla dropped the bottle, allowing it to smash against the floor.
"CHELLE?" she was panicking now and as she began to make her way to the bedroom she was faced with the sight of her best friend collapsed on the floor.
"no, no, no" Carla threw herself down next to the younger woman, turning her towards her, desperately seeking a pulse, which she found, albeit a very weak one. Through her tears, Carla rummaged through her coat pocket, retrieving her phone and frantically called for an ambulance, trying to calm herself down but desperately struggling.
The wait for the ambulance felt like a life time and Carla couldn't stop her tears, the thought of losing Michelle being too much to bear. She could throttle Steve for getting them into this mess, making Michelle feel so low, she was angry with everyone who played a part in this and not looking out for her the way they should, Steve, Will, Kate, Aidan and most importantly herself, for ever leaving when Michelle needed her.
"Stay with me you, I can't lose you, I just can't" she squeezed Michelle's hand desperately as the paramedics arrived through the doors, all instantly crowding around her, forcing Carla to take a step back and give them details and what possibly had happened.
As Michelle was put into the ambulance, Steve came out of the Rovers, horror filling his eyes as he ran to Carla, begging for her to tell him what had happened. She just shook her head at him before jumping into the ambulance beside her best friend as the doors slammed behind them and the ambulance began its journey to hospital.
"Michelle Connor, 40, suspected overdose, unconscious upon arrival"
Carla quickly followed as Michelle was rushed through the hospital as they shouted all of her vitals to others who were on scene to help. She didn't understand what they were saying when they talked about her heart rate and blood pressures but she knew it wasn't good. They rushed her off into a room and stopped Carla at the door, informing her that she must remain outside whilst they try their best for Michelle. She just desperately wanted Michelle to wake up and be completely fine, she wondered what had made Michelle want to overdose, how she had managed to feel as low and desperate as Carla once had. Sat with her head in her hands in the waiting area, she didn't hear Steve as he entered and sat in the seat next to her.
"What has happened?" she could hear the sadness and a tinge of guilt in his voice, but she was so angry with him but now was not the time to be arguing, they all needed to be there for Michelle when she came around, if she came around.
"She's overdosed" Carla's voice cracked as she spoke the words, and she watched as Steve's head dropped, clearly shocked by the seriousness of the whole ordeal.
"This is all my fault, I've been so awful to her"
"I don't get it Steve, you are the luckiest bloke in the world to have that girl, she could have her choice of men, as you have seen, but you didn't see her when you were away in Spain, she was struggling then, but yet she couldn't say anything, she had to carry on and look after your businesses, your daughter, continue sorting out your financial problems and through all of that, she made one mistake, one stupid mistake and by god you've made her pay for it!"
"I know.."
"I came back because I wanted to do everything in my power to help you two sort things out, get back to how you were because you were one of the best couples I know"
"I'll make it up to her I swear Carla, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her"
"You are joking, after this Steve, I'll be making sure she goes nowhere near you ever again" Carla hissed as she got up from her seat to look through the window of the room where Michelle was being treated, the blinds were shut, she still had no idea about the state of her best friend.
"Just get out of here, I mean it, I'll look after her from now on!"