The next morning I woke up and took my things downstairs, my flight was booked for 11am so I needed to get going. I took my things outside to the taxi while my family all came out. I put my things in the boot and walked over to them.

'I'm going to miss you Chelle' Carla said before giving me a hug, we weren't the best of friends but we had always been there for each other.

'See you when you come back' Liam said before hugging me, Paul didn't do emotion so he just gave me a hug.

I walked over to my parents who were stood either side of Ryan.

'We're so proud of you Chelle, and we love you so much. Make sure you phone when you get there' My dad said before placing a kiss on my head

'My youngest, moving away. I always thought you would be the one to stay here forever. We will keep an eye on Ryan till you come back' Mum said before pulling me into a hug. I leant down eye to eye level with my son

'Right mummy is just going away for a few days Ry, then I will be back. Me and you are going to have a new start, somewhere new' I kissed him on the head, pulled him into a hug then stood up.

'I love you all so much' I said before getting in my taxi and driving away. It was killing me having to leave my son alone so soon after everything that had happened. I got my flight on time and we flew to Manchester. I spent that night in a B&B before going to the estate agents to find a flat, I found one reasonably priced with 2 bedrooms on Coronation Street. I went to look at it, it was just what we needed, I placed a deposit then went job hunting. I heard that a band were looking for a singer, so I phoned and placed an audition.

It was the day of the audition I got ready and made my way to the bar. I could hear another woman auditioning through the doors, she was good. Hopefully they would think I was better so I could finally move away from Ireland. I plucked up the courage and walked in, to watch her sing. I stood at the back waiting for her to finish.

'Follow that as they say, Michelle am not too late, am I?' I said hiding my fear

'No, you're just in time, skin of your teeth. Don't suppose you have your backing tapes with you?' The guy asked me

'No sorry, I haven't really done one of these before. Is it alright if I just belt out a few songs on my own?' I asked him, I had already messed up. Surely, they weren't going to want me

'Well everybody else has' He said this then I made my way up to the stage. I put my bag down and began to sing. I sang a few songs, thankfully the liked me. I got the gig.

I went back to my new flat and started to make it feel like home. I started to decorate Ryan's room with a light blue paint and put in the furniture. I sorted out my room and was putting my clothes in my wardrobe, as I pulled out a jumper and photo fame fell out onto the floor. It was the picture I put beside my bed after Dean had died, I put it back beside my bed. Once our bedrooms where done I started doing the front room and kitchen. The wallpaper in there was nice so I left it. I placed some pictures on the window frame, there was one of me and Ryan, me and Dean and Dean and Ryan, then some more of the rest of the family. I wanted it to feel like home before Ryan moved in. I decided that I would go out to the local pub and get to know some of the people.

I got changed and made my way over, as I walked in the first face I saw was someone that I recognised. It was the guy from the audition.

'Michelle?' He said as I walked in

'Vernon, small world'

'Yes, it is. Welcome to the Rovers' He said as I walked over

'What are you doing here?' I asked, he obviously lived local thankfully.

'I live here. My other half and her son own the place. Speaking of the devil. Meet the owner' He said as another man walked over

'Hi, I'm Michelle' I said introducing myself to the man

'Hi…I'm err. Steve. Steve McDonald' He said holding his hand out, so I shook his hand 'This is my pub'

'Oh nice, well it's nice to meet you'

'You new around here?' He asked me, he was very friendly and I must say he was alright looking. But I didn't want to think that way, not so soon after Dean.

'Er, yeah. Just moved over from Ireland' I said, as Vernon walked off to serve some customers

'Get sick of hearing the Irish accent?' He asked me joking

'Not really, something happened and I couldn't stick around' I said as my mind went back to Dean

'Ah right, well do you want a drink?' He asked me

'Yea please, red wine would be nice' I said, I was going back to Ireland in two days to get Ryan and bring him over

'Coming right up' He said walking away and pouring me a glass, he walked back over and handed me the glass 'It's on the house'

'Oh, thanks' I said

'So, you got any family with you?' He said taking a seat next to me in one of the booths, he was a nice man. I was happy to get to know him and that we could be friends.

'Not really, going back to Ireland to get my son tomorrow. I wanted to come over to find a place and a job before I brought him over' I told him, I felt comfortable talking to him even though I'd only just met him

'Aw nice. I've got a 2-year-old daughter, maybe they could be friends' He said

'My sons 9' I said 'I was a pretty young mum, as you could probably tell'

'That's nice, is his father coming over?'

'Er no. He…he died a few days ago' I said trying not to tear up

'Oh, I'm sorry, I always put my foot in it' Steve said apologising

'It's alright. You didn't know'

'Have you found yourself a job?' He asked me changing the subject

'I've got a singing gig with Vernon but I don't think it's going to pay the bills' I said

'Well you can do a few shifts here if you like' He offered me

'Aw really Steve, I'd love that. Thanks' I said offering him a smile

I spent the next few hours sat in the same booth talking to Steve, getting to know each other. I could work out who had, had the most dramatic past. He'd been married twice already and had a baby with another woman, but that didn't put me off him. He made me laugh, for a few hours I felt like I'd lived on this street for years. I knew me and Steve would be good friends, but deep down I felt like I was betraying Dean.

I left the pub and went back to my flat, I was slightly drunk and needed to get to bed. I was up early in the morning again to get a flight back to Ireland. I felt bad taking Ryan away from his family but it was what we needed, to get away from all the memories and the people.

When I woke up the next morning, I had a banging headache. I turned over and saw the clock, I was late. I jumped out of bed threw on some clothes and got a taxi to the airport, I only just made my flight. Once we landed in Ireland, I got another taxi to my parent's house.

'Hello' I said walking into the front room

'Oh Michelle' My mum said walking over and pulling me into a hug

'Mum!' Ryan shouted running over and jumping at me so I picked him up

'Hey Ry, I've missed you' I said placing a kiss on his head

'Where have you been mum?'

'I went to find us a new home' I said sitting down and putting him on my knee 'Me and you are going to move, we are going to start again'

'Where?'

'In England, I found us a flat and I have decorated your room'

'When are we going?'

'Today, so let's go and get your stuff from upstairs and we can go'

'Okay' Ryan said before running upstairs

'Michelle…' My mum started

'Please don't mum, this is hard enough already'

'Then don't go'

'I have to for me, for Ryan. We need a new start. I found us a flat, I've got a job and I've made a friend' I told my mum before walking upstairs after Ryan. We packed his things then we brought it downstairs. I stood in the doorway of my room, the room that I had always lived in. I heard the taxi outside so I went down and put the things in the boot. Me and Ryan said an emotional goodbye to my parents and Liam and Paul, before getting in the taxi and setting off to start a new life. We got on our flight and shortly after landed in Manchester and made our way to our new home.

We unpacked the rest of our things then I took Ryan out to get some food from the Rovers. We sat down in a booth.

'So, Ry, what do you want to eat?'

'Hotpot' He replied to me

'I'll just be a minute then' I said walking up to the bar to order our food

'Hey Michelle' Steve said walking over

'Hey'

'What can I get you?' He asked smiling

'2 Hotpots, a glass of red wine and a coke please' I told him

'You hungry?'

'No cheeky, ones for Ryan. Remember I told you about him, my son'

'Oh yeah' He said 'I'll bring them over'

'Thanks' I said going back to the booth

Steve brought the drinks over and introduced himself to Ryan, then shortly after he brought over the two hotpots. We sat there and shared this moment together, creating the first memory in a new town. We had a few more drinks before heading back to the flat, Ryan had gone to bed and I was sat in the living room in front of the TV, I wasn't even watching it I was just staring into the world. I was sat in silence when I heard my phone go off, I grabbed my bag and found my phone inside. I hadn't used my phone since the night Dean died, there was going to be lots of text from family and friends sending their condolences. I scrolled through the messages deleting them all, then I saw that I had a voicemail. I listened to it, it was from Dean. I sat there listening:

'Hi baby, I love you so much. I'm a bit drunk, I love you my baby, my Michelle'

As the message ended, I was crying. That was the last thing he ever said to me and I missed the phone call. I should have answered that call, instead I was laughing with Carla. I was laughing while my husband died. I listening to the message a few more times before I heard a knock at the door. I dried my eyes then made my way to the door.

'Steve. What are you doing here?' I asked him as I opened the door

'You forgot this' He said handing me a bunch of flowers

'Steve…' I said leaning against the door frame

'Here take them' I took the flowers from him 'Can I come in? it's cold out here'

'Oh, err yeah course' I said opening the door wider for him to come in, we walked into the living room

'Where's Ryan?' He asked sitting down on the sofa

'He's in bed, it's been a long day for him' I said sitting down with two bottles of beer

'He seems like a good lad' Steve said taking a sip of the beer

'Yeah he is. He's had such a hard time recently' I said looking at the floor starting to tear up

'Michelle I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything' Steve said

'No Steve it's alright. I should have been a better mum to him'

'Hey hey, you are an amazing mum' Steve said taking hold of my hands 'Ryan is lucky to have you. No matter what has happened, you have been strong for that little boy in there'

'Thank you, Steve' I said looking up straight into Steve's eyes

'I'm just telling the truth Chelle' He said. I leant in for a kiss, and my lips hit his. We shared a kiss for a few seconds then I pulled away

'I can't...I can't do this Steve'

'No, it's my fault Michelle' He said

'Please don't think anything of it Steve. You're a really nice guy, it's just too soon after everything' I said trying to explain myself

'You don't have to explain yourself Michelle, I'll just go' He said getting up and leaving my flat. I sat there still for a moment before looking down at my hand and seeing my wedding ring, I started to cry once again. That's all it felt like I had done for the past few weeks. I picked up a photo of Dean, kissed it then went to bed.

I woke up the next morning to Ryan in my bed.

'Hey bud what's up?' I asked him sitting up

'I was sad' He said sitting next to me

'What about?'

'Daddy. I had a dream that I would never get to see him again and then you got taken from me' He said cuddling into my side

'Aww baby, I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry. I am going to be by your side forever Ryan' I said pulling him into a hug 'Do you want to know something?'

'What?'

'Tonight, look up into the night sky and the brightest star you see is your dad. He is shining up there just like he did when he was down here. He is up there looking over you, making sure are happy and protecting you' I reassured him

'I miss him mum' He said

'I miss him too babe, I miss him too' I said wiping away the tear that fell from my eye 'Right come on, we need to get ready. Your first day at school today'

We got out of bed and I made us both some breakfast, I made pancakes because they were Ryan and Dean favourite. I washed up while he went and got dressed, he came in in his new uniform. I took him to school then went to the Rovers to start my first shift. I wasn't looking forward to it after last night with Steve, but I had to do it. I walked in and Steve was stood behind the bar.

'Oh, hi Michelle, what are you doing here?' Steve asked as I walked in

'It's my first shift' I said walking up to the bar

'Oh yeah, well the tables need cleaning and the dart board needs dusting' He said avoiding eye contact

'Steve, can we talk?' I asked him, I didn't want it to be awkward between us

'Yeah sure' He said 'Now?' I nodded and sat down at one of the booths, and he came and joined me

'Steve, I need to apologise for yesterday. I didn't want to hurt you' I started

'It doesn't matter Chelle'

'Yes, it does Steve, I do really like you but I can't be in a relationship right now. It's too soon after Dean, I feel like I'm betraying him' I said taking hold of Steve's hand

'I understand Michelle, we can just leave it for now and talk when you feel more like yourself' Steve said

'If you don't want me to work here so it isn't awkward then I can…'

'Michelle, you don't have to do that. We can still be friends' Steve said 'I best change the barrels' He said leaving the booth and going into the cellar leaving me sat in the booth alone. Steve seemed to avoid me during my shift so when it was time for my break I went into the back room and phoned my mum to check how she was.