"Can I stay here a few days?" sniffled Michelle.
Carla exchanged an awkward glance with Peter. She knew it was their flat but technically it was still his. Peter winced but shrugged, there was nothing else he could do, if Michelle left his flat he knew she wouldn't return home and he didn't want her to come to any harm. Stepping forward he rested his hand gently on her shoulder.
"Of course, its no problem is it Car" he stated.
Carla agreed, it was no problem. All she had wanted to do in the first place was help Michelle, it had never been her intention for them to fall out like they had. Pulling Michelle in close again she hugged her tight. It was a relief for Michelle just to know she had somewhere she could hide away from Steve.
"So..." mused Peter "Why didn't you want me to get Steve?" he was only curious and felt he had to ask.
Sitting back up Michelle looked round to Peter, glared for just a moment and then looked to Carla as she answered. "I can't see him right now. I just don't want to be around him" she declared.
Both Peter and Carla were shocked at this. In all fairness Steve was an idiot and he sometimes got things wrong, very wrong but Michelle had always worked it out with him in the end. It really puzzled them as to how it was different this time, especially when they were engaged and had a baby on the way. Carla slowly got up, thinking this was a good time to finish making tea. They could do with a good cuppa and perhaps a little chat she thought. Crossing over to the kitchenette she grabbed Peter's arm and pulled him along with her.
"Go and tell Steve she is safe. I don't want him worrying. I'm gonna see if I can get her to open up more whilst you're not around" Carla whispered as she clattered with kettle to get it boiling. She knew Michelle had probably heard her but in her state she doubted she had registered what had actually been said. Peter nodded in agreement, it was definitely a good idea and worth a shot at least, just as long as Steve didn't try to follow him home after. Sighing loudly he made an excuse, something about fags and grabbed his coat to head on out as he had been instructed.
"So..." continued Carla as she headed back to the sofa and handed Michelle a cup of tea as she lowered to sit by her side. "What's really happened? You know you can speak to me 'Chelle...about anything"
Pausing she waited for Michelle to offer the information. It wasn't fair to press and pry like she would usually because this was a listening task. To be supportive only was her purpose. Sipping at her own tea she observed Michelle slurp some of hers in between what Carla could only assume were twinges but Michelle had insisted she was ok. It must be normal Carla thought, having not been a mother yet herself she didn't know and if she was honest she had no intention of trying to find out. A baby was one thing she was never having!
Eventually Michelle began to speak, seeming somewhat restored back to a version of herself Carla found easy to recognise. She was sitting up straight now, no tears and the pain seemed to have ceased altogether. Placing her cup on the coffee table she took a deep breath and then stared Carla straight in the eye. It was an intense few seconds of silence but as soon as she started talking she couldn't stop herself. All of her feelings, emotions and thoughts were pouring from her and she was dumping them all on Carla.
"He is so arrogant...god he told Ryan Carla! Told my son! It wasn't his place to do that. I am so mad at him, just trying to be so perfect and make us perfect!" she yelled at the end. Finally out of breath she stopped ranting, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself again and looked to Carla for some sort of acknowledgement.
Sat shocked Carla tried to digest it all. It had been one hell of a rambling rant Michelle had given and she suspected it wasn't over yet. Give Michelle a couple of quiet hours and she would probably kick off all over again. Taking her friend's hand she gave a sympathetic smile and tried to offer some friendly and helpful advice. Michelle didn't take too kindly to it, nor was she even going to contemplate putting it into action. She would stay with Carla and Peter for just a few days as she gave it some proper thought as to what she wanted to do and then she'd get going. There was one thing she was sure of though and that was she wasn't going home to Steve.
It was just as Michelle was about to make her excuses to head off to bed that both of them heard a kerfuffle coming from the stairway. One voice was recognisable as Peter's and the other two sounded strangely like Steve's and Ryan's. Michelle froze, frightened of them bursting in and creating a scene. She didn't want to fight and argue with them, she had had enough of all that for one day. She wondered how they had come to learn that she was in the flat but then she remembered Carla whispering to Peter earlier and knew exactly where the information had come from. She turned to face Carla with a glare and then abruptly removed herself from the sofa.
"So much for friends!" she yelled as she grabbed her bag and headed to the door. If she had to she would fight her way out of there.
" Michelle...stop...wait" called out Carla as she too got up and followed her friend across the flat.
The main door burst open the second she reached it with Peter desperately trying to keep Michelle's fiancé and son at bay. He knew the trouble it was going to cause and he was sorry but they had only been trying to be helpful. He gave Michelle a pitiful look as the two men overpowered him and came tumbling inside. Scowling at them both Michelle stood firm, her coat still on and her bag firmly clasped in her hand. They both stared at her, as did Peter and Carla, no one daring now to provoke her in case she suddenly tried to flee, which was Michelle's intention exactly.
It was Ryan who stupidly made the mistake of trying to talk to her and even though Michelle knew her son was only upset and wanted to help she couldn't help but feel pressured and trapped. It was then that she suddenly darted forward and as quickly as she could disappeared down the stairs. None of them went after her immediately but Peter insisted Steve go after a few seconds had passed and the realisation had kicked in. Anything to try and make amends before it was too late was surely worth it. With prompting Steve bumbled down after her and was just in time to see her lumping her overnight bag out of the door. Calling out her name in a desperate tone it was suddenly so clear, she was really going to go.
"Stop!" Steve called out as he reached her and made a grab for her arm.
"Why should I?" retorted Michelle with a grunt as she pulled her arm from his grip.
Stood in the middle of Rosamond Street they both knew there was about to be a late night showdown. Both as stubborn as each other they stood glaring at one another as Peter, Ryan and Carla now gathered at the front door. Michelle was filled with rage, at all the bodies of the people she loved now stood in front of her. Steve had to do something, beg if it was necessary he guessed. "Michelle, please don't leave" he sighed with so little effort that if you didn't know him you would have thought he hadn't meant it.
Biting her tongue Michelle kept quiet, listening to him continuing to beg and suddenly started fiddling with the engagement ring on her finger. She thought about what it meant, to her, to Steve and how it defined them now. Steve watched nervously, waiting now to see if she would suddenly turn and walk away or if she would decide to stay. He had done all he could to try and make her stay and she was about to smile and give in when he sighed loudly, flopped his arms in a gesture of frustration at his side and tried a little devils advocate.
"Fine then...you go Chelle. Just leave" he yelled out moddily.
It hardened her again, scowling and looking up at him he yelled something back that none of them actually caught and pulled the ring off of her finger. Steve really was an insensitive pig at times she thought. She threw it at him but missed and the tiny piece of jewellery landed amongst the cobbles as she turned and this time hurried away. "I don't want you and I don't want this stupid baby!" she yelled back over her shoulder.
"Michelle...Michelle come on I am sorry...I don't want you to go"
"Mum!" called out Ryan over Steve's pathetic apology as he sprang from the doorway and off after her but she was already miles ahead. He couldn't let her go and leave him alone, if she was leaving he was too.