Carla's sobbing continued to increase in volume and began to echo around the empty living room. All of a sudden she was feeling so small and unimportant, a victim of emotions. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her, she used to be so tough and strong and now she was just a mess. A wreckage drifting from home to home, nowhere she actually called home and just didn't care anymore about ambition and drive, being successful in business and living life in luxury. That was her past now and her future was looking bleak, she wasn't even sure she would ever feel happy and her old self again, that girl was gone.

All this upset Carla and her saddened state was beyond her control, her heavy sobs had developed into wails as she continued to remember all the things about her past that she was beginning to miss. The one thing she missed the most though was the touch of one person who meant the world to her, Liam, it was all about Liam and he was her life. She screwed her soaking eyes as she forced his image into her mind and pushed her damp cheeks into the pillow she was still clutching to like her life depended on it. The memory was so vivid, that first night they had spent together after the death of Paul. Liam stood before her, soaked from the lashings of rain he had been out in, small droplets of rainwater dripping from his flat and soggy hair as he looked at her.

Michelle had pulled herself out of the bed after a while of lying in the dark with the sound of Carla's cries keeping her awake. She couldn't stand leaving her alone any longer in that state, she needed to help her to sort all of this out. Creeping out of the bedroom she tried not to startle Carla as she entered the living room and silently crouched down beside the sofa. Surely a kiss between her and Peter wasn't enough to send her spiralling into a deep state of upset, there had to be something more.

Carla was still remembering that wonderful night with Liam, he stepped forward into the puddle he'd made on the floor and wrapped his arms around her. She knew he wasn't actually there but just the memory was comforting. Lifting her head from the pillow but keeping her eyes shut she gently lowered her head back onto the sofa arm as Liam pouted his lips to kiss her. It felt so real, in fact too real that Carla instantly let her eyes open to see if he really was there. As she did she saw Michelle and she was in fact kissing her with a feather light touch. Carla was in shock, no wonder it had felt so real when she was actually being kissed.

Michelle pulled back and smiled down at Carla who's expression seemed to be a mix of shock and disgust but between them they didn't say a word. Michelle sat back beside Carla and studied her closely, the glistening sheen of damp cheeks from her tears and her bloodshot eyes, red cheeks and shaking body. She reached out and grabbed Carla's hands making her flinch.

"Please Carla, what is going on? I want to help" sighed Michelle softly.

Carla realised Michelle wasn't going to leave this alone but still shook her head, how could she tell her what she was thinking, they had been through so much in the last few days that she knew it would break Michelle's heart. Technically what had happened earlier that afternoon was cheating and Carla already felt awful about having cheated on partners in the past that she didn't want to do that to Michelle, not after she had been so good to her and with everything she had been through with past relationships and the latest fiasco with Steve. Michelle however continued to stare at her waiting for some sort of answer and Carla felt as if she had no choice but to confess.

"I'm sorry" she whimpered softly to begin with.

"So sorry Chelle, I don't know what happened, it was all so quick and I just couldn't stop it. It was just a moment and I came to my senses in time, please, please don't hate me" Carla pleaded, speaking so quickly that her words merged and jumbled together, shocking herself and definitely confusing Michelle.

"What have you done that's so bad Carla? Of course I won't hate you" said Michelle as happily as she could as she gently squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture.

"Peter made a move and I wanted to Chelle, I don't know what happened to stop me but…" Carla said slowly and quietly as she avoided eye contact with Michelle by looking all around the room.

"But what Carla?" asked Michelle, concerned now as to what else had happened between her and her ex as she dropped Carla's hands from her own and sat back.

"I think I still love him" she said slowly and with hesitation as she forced herself to look at Michelle.