Thank you for the reviews, they make my day :-) Please feel free to give constructive criticism if you feel it is neccesary. Also in this story, Ryan has returned and is a drug addict. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

It had been two days since Carla tracked Jaimee down and they'd sent numerous texts and spoke on the phone for hours and hours since then. Carla knew Peter would go off on one when he saw the phone bill but she didn't care. She'd spend all her money on phone calls if it meant she could hear Jaimee's voice. It was nice for her to have someone in the family care enough to call and see how she was. It wasn't something she'd really experienced before.

In the Rovers, the lunchtime rush had just begun. Jaimee enters the pub and scans the room nervously before walking over to the bar. Stella is serving.

'Excuse me, could you help me? I'm looking for Carla Connor?'

'She's not been in yet today, sorry.' Why anyone would ever willingly get involved in Carla Connor's life was a mystery to Stella. Especially when that person was a young and beautiful girl. Carla was toxic, she'd only wreck her life like she had everyone elses.

'No worries.'

'She might be over at the factory though.'

'Underworld isn't it?'

'That's right. She's usually one of the first in here but it looks like a miracle has happened and she's actually working through her lunch break.'

'Right. Thanks.' Jaimee was clearly confused by Stella's attitude towards Carla.

Michelle, who had been sat in one of the booths in the pub stands up, curious as to who is looking for Carla.

'Did you say you were looking for Carla?'

'Yeah. Do you know her?' Jaimee vaguely recognised the woman in front of her but couldn't be sure.

'She's my sister in law. She's meeting me for a drink so she shouldn't be too much longer. Why don't you come and sit with me?'

'If you don't mind?'

'Course not.'

Jaimee sits down opposite Michelle, smiling sweetly at her.

'You must be Michelle.'

'Yeah that's right. What are you? Psychic or something?' Michelle laughed although she was slightly confused as to how the young girl knew who she was.

'I met up with Carla a few days ago and she told me all about you. You must be very close.'

'Yeah we are. We haven't always been the best of mates mind. So are you gonna tell me your name or do I have to guess?'

'Jaimee Oakley.'

'No way! Not little Jaimee from our Paul and Carla's wedding?' Michelle couldn't believe how fast the years had gone. She remembered Jaimee as a little girl with a cheeky grin and her long hair in bunches.

'Well, I'm not so little anymore.'

'You were adorable back then. Look at you, all grown up. I can barely believe it. You must be...'

'Twenty.'

'No! Time really does fly doesn't it?'

'It does.'

'So what made Carla suddenly get in touch then?'

'I take it you haven't watched the news over the past few days?'

'I've had a lot on my plate lately.' Michelle said, her heart feeling so heavy it felt like she might not be able to stand.

'My mother died, nearly a week ago now. Suicide.' Jaimee informed her, in a very matter-of-fact way.

'Oh love I'm sorry for loss. Amy always seemed like a nice woman.' Michelle knew better than anyone what it was like for a member of your family to be taken too early. First Dean, then Paul and then Liam and if he wasn't careful, Ryan could be joining that list.

'She was ok.'

Carla enters the Rovers and looks round for Michelle who immediately jumps up from her seat and makes her way over to the bar.

'You alright?' Michelle asked, cheerfully, trying to put any worries about Ryan to the back of her mind.

'Yeah, can I get you a drink?'

'I'll get them. You've got a visitor.'

'Oh yeah?' Carla walks over to where Jaimee is sitting and is stunned to see her.

'Surprise!' Jaimee grins. Her grin is almost identical to Carla's and it shocks the older woman to suddenly see the resemblance. It was like looking in a mirror and seeing herself as a young adult.

'Michelle don't bother with a drink for me. I'm going home.' Carla said bluntly, losing eye contact with Jaimee.

'What? Why?'

'Headache.'

'You seemed ok a minute ago.'

'I said I've got a headache alright?' Carla shouts, leaving the pub in a panic.

Jaimee is visibly upset by this. Michelle turns to Jaimee, shocked.

'What was all that about? I thought she'd be pleased to see you.'

'So did I. I just don't get it. She looked so happy the other when she came to London and we've been texting and calling each other ever since. Maybe I shouldn't have come here. I just really wanted to see where she worked and meet her friends like she did with me the other day. I don't have a lot of family left so I was hoping that me and Auntie Carla might be able to have some sort of relationship. I couldn't have got it more wrong by the looks of it.'

'I'll go and talk to her.'

'You don't have to do that.'

'I do and I will. We need to get to the bottom of this once and for all. You need to know where you stand.' Michelle suddenly felt protective of Jaimee. It didn't matter she'd only been talking to her for a few minutes. They were practically family and family sticks together no matter what.

'Thank you.'

Michelle leaves the pub and finds Carla sat on the bench outside the hairdressers. She frantically wipes the tears from her eyes as she sees Michelle approaching her. Michelle sits down beside her, concerned.

'I thought you were going home.' Michelle pulls Carla close to her, comforting her, knowing she had to tread carefully.

'I am.' Carla mumbled, as if she was miles away, locked in her own thoughts.

'Well the last time I checked you lived above the bookies not on this old bench.' Michelle tried to inject a bit of humour into the situation, hoping to cheer Carla up. She hated seeing her so sad.

'I just needed some time to think.'

'Why? She's your niece Carla and she wants to spend some time with you. That's not a bad thing is it?'

'I don't understand why she's come here.'

'She wants to see what your life's like. The poor girl's just lost her mum, she's probably feeling lonely.'

'It's nice of her to come and see me but she should have warned me.'

'This is what I don't get. Why does she need to warn you? It's not like she's asking to move in with you. She just wants to see you and get to know her auntie a little better.' Michelle said. 'Honestly, Carla what's wrong with you? You're usually so strong then Jaimee turns up and you go to pieces.'

'It doesn't matter.'

'Why don't you ever trust me?' Michelle asked, beginning to get frustrated with Carla's unwillingness to open up.

'I don't want to talk about it.'

'I'll find out eventually. Come on Carla, we're supposed to tell each other everything. Tell me what's going on.'

'Thanks for the concern but I really don't feel like talking.'

'Jaimee's in bits in there. She tried to hold it together in front of me but I know her heart was breaking. You obviously mean a lot to her.'

'We barely spent any time together when she was little.' Carla's voice is soft and quiet, almost like a whisper, tears falling down her cheeks.

'But she wants to change that now. She wants to be a part of your life, that's why she's here. But can you imagine how she's feeling after your little outburst? You didn't say a single word to her, barely made any eye contact with her. I really feel for the kid.' Michelle knew she'd be winding Carla up by going on at her but she didn't care. If that was what it took to get the truth out of her then so be it.

'Alright! You really wanna know why it's affected me so badly?' Carla paused, as if she was gathering as much strength as she possibly could. 'I'm not her auntie.'

'But—.'

'I'm her mother.'